Proof I can still knit socks.

This is made out of Panda Cotton from Crystal Palace Yarns.  It’s just a super easy footie type sock because I couldn’t wait to try the yarn out.  Took me just a couple of hours to do.  Gotta get the second one done.  I like how the sock feels just wearing it around the house, don’t know how I will like it with shoes yet though.

Still working on the test sock and am over halfway done.  Love the yarn and the pattern.

Found our trash can.  Actually a neighbor found it for us before it was washed away into the drainage ditch.  WHEW.  Right now the rain has stopped, but there is flooding everywhere.  The Army post is having issues…major issues with the flooding and the interstate was shut down yesterday.  Not sure what the status is so far today, but we might go out for a drive later to see how things are.  Also need to try to get the lawn mowed before yet another round of rain starts this afternoon.

Me…I will be knitting and directing the packing of the house.  Very weird for me as I am generally the one that does all the packing and unpacking, but I am on pretty firm orders from my hubby to not do anything right now.

Need to cast on for the Mystery Stole 3 KAL, but alas, I can’t knit lace with children running around like loons, so that will have to be for my quiet time.

Hope everyone has a blessed day.

Rain, rain, go away….but would you please bring back my trash can?  Yes, today is trash day, but this is what happened on our street today

After coming home from the new house, this is what we encountered on the street.  That trash can belongs to the neighbor.  Ours is GONE!  Swept away.  Gotta call the city tomorrow to find out what to do for a replacement.  Great.  And here we are moving next week.  Joy.  Oh well. It’s the 28th day of June today and I think it’s our 30th day in a row of rain.  It’s insane really.  See how high the grass is around the basketball goal?  That’s because we can’t get out to mow the grass.  Not complaining…just mentioning….kids still really can’t go out to play.  Did I mention we had hot chocolate this afternoon and it’s 71 degrees….in summer…in OKLAHOMA??????

But at least I am getting some knitting done.  Can’t show you yet what I am working on since I am doing some test knitting, but I am working on SWTC TOFUtsies for the first time and I love working with it.  So soft.  And also working with some Crystal Palace Panda Cotton.  First time for this one too.  It’s really soft as well.  Haven’t done nearly as much with this one but plan to since there isn’t a whole lot more I am allowed to do right now

Oh, and be prepared for stash flashing here soon.  My friend from Denmark asked to see my yarn stash.  Since I have to pack it all up this weekend I told her that I would take pictures of it.  Figured I would just display for the world to see.

Back to some more knitting before I have to start dinner.

 I am still here….honest.  Just busy and not feeling so great.  Add that to all the rain, kids not being able to go out and play, moving next week, AND bandwidth issues for my site….well….let’s just say checking in with ye ole blog took a back burner. 

I have been knitting.  Socks.  No pictures right now as the picture I took of the sock I made really didn’t show off the pattern to it’s greatest potential and I haven’t been able to get back outside for a good shot since.  Hopefully today????  I’ve been dyeing too.  Sock yarns and turning blue beanies into black ones for Socks For Soldiers.  But today will be the last day out in the dye area for awhile.  It will be packed up starting tomorrow.

We finally got into military housing.  This is the longest wait we’ve ever had.  It’s smaller then our current house so we will go back to being creative about our space and such, but it’s ok.  We only visited the new house for a bit on Monday to take measurements and stuff and the kids already met some new friends within their age groups and are very excited.  The past two houses we’ve lived in have lacked others for my kids to play with.  So, while the move is coming at a very stressful time, it will be a good thing all around.

It continues to rain like crazy here.  It’s insane.  I remember last year (our first summer here) and it being well into the 100+ range by now and everything burnt, brown, and dying.  Not so this year.  It’ green, it’s lush, it’s flooded, there’s tons o’ bugs, and the grass is growing so high it’s swallowing my children (when they do get the odd chance to venture out )

I am so not web savvy.  I keep exceeding my bandwidth each month.  My ISP host is a friend of mine and he’s been wonderful about upping my width to accomodate my needs.  However, he’s hosting several others now and won’t be able to upgrade me anymore.  So, what do I look for in a host provider?  What do I do to look around?  Anyone know of any really good ones out there that are super friendly to someone who has no clue to what they are doing? Would appreciate help in that direction.

Gonna try to get some knitting done before the kids wake up and I venture out for yet another doctor’s appointment.  Hope you all have a wonderful day today.

A weekend in review.  The weekend flew by and it was so neat to just spend time together. 

Friday, Jim came home way early so we could take a trip down to TX.  We had an important date with our kids.  Friday marked 3 years the Fab Four (the younger 4) have been legally our children.  They voted to eat at Olive Garden so away we went.  A little shopping with the girls took place while we waited for our table.  Will most certainly have to visit that shop again.  Luckily we have one here in town (which I have never been too) and I hope to go really soon. :) 

Saturday was another rainy day and we spent the time inside.  I got the rare pleasure of being a total and complete bum.  Jim took care of just about everything there was to take care of that day.  I got to knit and nap (which a rarely ever do but lately it’s been almost impossible to stay awake and if I do, then I am ready for bed before my youngest kid-lets) and listen to a book on my I-Pod.  Jim and the kids played Monopoly.  They started somewhere around 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon.  Chinese was ordered in and we ate late (around 7:00) because the game was ‘just getting good’.  At 10:00, Jim and two kids still were in the game.  Finally, somewhere around 11:00, the game ended with Jim being the victor.  It’s a good thing we had already decided to not go to church Sunday morning. 

Sunday, I started to feel a bit better by around noon.  We just hung out with the kids and enjoyed Father’s Day.  Jim got lots of handmade cards, coffee, candy, some CD’s, and his very own MP3 player.  He wanted one that could be used like a flash drive so he could also play it on his computer at work.  Even Caleb (the dog) got in on the action on opening gifts.  He loves doing that.

I also received two great packages on Saturday.  Juli was my swap parter in the Knitter’s Tea swap.  I apoligize in advnce.  I thought I snapped a picture on Saturday of the package, but I guess I didn’t since it wasn’t in the camera when I downloaded photos today.  But she sent me awesome Blackberry Sage tea, chocolate snaps, two skeins of wool yarn from Finland in a pretty steel blue color, some dishcloth cotton yarn, honey drops, homemade soap, and some Burt’s Bee’s lip balm.  Thank you sooooo much.  Love it all.  And Kimberly (what is it with my swap partners being named Kimberly lately???? love it) sent me these stitch markers in the Stitch marker exchange

And here’s what I was knitting on all weekend.

Well, back to kiddos and summer fun.  Hope you all have a great one.

Happy Flag Day. Flag Day is also the day we celebrate the Army’s birthday.  So happy 232nd Birthday, US Army!

Yesterday I canned all those apricots I showed you.  We ended up with 13 quarts.  I made 2 quarts of juice out of the “smushed” and less then perfect fruit.  The kids enjoyed the juice with breakfast this morning.

And here’s just a few pears from the pear tree in my backyard.

Special Thank You

Goes to my Secret Pal 10 partner.  I knew our hostess was really excited about our pairing, but I didn’t know why until the final package came yesterday.  We share the same first and last name. How cool was that?

This package included all kinds of neat things. There was some way cool sock yarn and a pattern.  Yummy smelling hand cream.  The next book in my knitting mystery series, a Paula Deen cookbook, sheep tissues, a little sheepie wood cutout, and a yarn skein holder.  Thank you so much, Kimberlee.  I love it all.  You were an awesome pal to me.

Speaking of swaps and stuff, my kids are extremely jealous of the secret pal thing.  Each summer, we try to do a kid swap with other kids on another group I am on.  I am not sure if we are doing that this year.  So, anyone want to do some sort of kids swap (no not actually swapping our kids…although that is a thought some days) where we let the kids do some small swap?  If interested, let me know and I will set it up.  I’ve never really run a swap before and could use some guidance, but I think it would be fun.

Better run.  Got stuff to get done this morning and am already behind.

Whew…something happened with my email and a flood of emails from days if not weeks ago came in over night.  So, if you’ve written me lately or left a comment and not gotten a response, well…it may take me a while to wade through the over 100 emails that were “hung” up somewhere.  Sorry about that.

Yesterday, the kids went to the park to play with their co-op group.  It’s a fun park and the kids all play together so well with the others in the co-op (as opposed to how they play with each other most days )  After the park, nearly all of us went together to another church family’s house and picked apricots from their many trees.  This is what we came home with.

Clearly it’s more then we can eat at anyone time, so I will can them today and we will have apricots to eat for awhile.  YUM!  And we discovered recently that we have a pear tree in our own backyard, and the tree is producing hundreds of pears.  So, if they are able to be eaten, we will can those too.  YAY!  Free fruit, what could be better.  I may try to get over to the farmer’s market this Saturday and see what’s available for the now.  I have missed canning the past two years and our food budget showed it.

Finished dyeing socks and wool and yarn yesterday.  Taking a break for a few days and am just going to spin and knit for a few.  That, and housecleaning chores (ick) and getting ready for the next school year and playing with the kids and the normal mommy/wife stuff I need to do.

Josh has a doctor’s apointment today.  He’s been aving a problem with his breathing lately while playing and complaining of chest pains, so we are headed to the doctor for a check up.  We only noticed the problem since moving here, so we aren’t sure if it’s allergy related or if he’s got something else going on.  Prayerfully, it’s something minor and he’ll be just fine.

I signed up for the spin a shawl along (which I will weave my project instead of knit) and the Mystery Stole 3 along.  I am not a big lace knitter so I am not sure why I joined this.  But I did.  So we will see what happens.  I actually already knitted my swatch (wow) for it.  I am knitting with 100% 8/2 tencel on size 4 needles.  I may or may not do the beads.  We’ll see.  I think I blocked a little too agresively as I really have never blocked before.  But I will try another swatch on size 3 needles just in case.

We’re looking at another 90+ temp day today with thunderstorms this afternoon, so I guess I better get cracking on my outside chores and get Josh to the doc before it’s too hot and all that.  So, until next time, stay cool.

Yesterday we were visited by aliens.  I was sitting contently at my computer working on a project, when I heard my name being whispered.  I turned around to be greeted by this:

It came in peace and wanted a hug.  So I complied.  It sat here watching me for the longest time simply being an observer.  Then, another child walked into the room and the scene changed completely.  This is what happened next:

It wanted all his candy.  The poor boy had no candy so a wrestling match ensued, but alas, someone lost their head in the tussle and I wanted to spare you all the gore of it.  I wonder if someone will be contacting us regarding our alien encounter

Other then that, I spent most of the afternoon out in my dye area dyeing wool, socks, 6 blue beanies (they are black now), and loads of sock yarn.  I was one very tired momma when the day was over.  The kids all played out front so a good day was had by all.  Today we will head to the park for an early morning get together with other kids from our home school co-op.  It’s a way to keep the kids together over the summer months and let the mommies have some adult time as well.

After that, there will be more sock yarn dyeing as well as building of the new school book shelf, general house cleaning, and whatever else the day brings our way.

Hope you have a great one.

Well, the Ren Festival was a no go.  Here’s what our morning looked like.

Yes, that was rain.  A fair enough amount to make the fairgrounds muddy and we decided not to go.  So, after the rain went away and things dried up, we headed over to J’s house and did his yard and made sure everything was secure and took a drive.  Came home and the kids are playing outside.

I finished up beanies #5 and #6.  Patterns are available.  Just click on the link on the left side bar for patterns.

This hat is called The Lace Lieutenant.  It’s more of a lacey pattern, is stretchy, and is very comfy.

This one is called Checking on the Colonel.

There will be more to come as I get them done.

Kids are clammoring for dinner so I must go cook for them.  Pesky habit that they have, wanting to eat at least 3 meals a day.

It’s Friday.  YAY.  It’s been a long and draining week.  Tomorrow, the Renaissance Festival is in town.  We’ve never gone to anything like that.  I would like to go and take the kids.  They love reading about King Arthur, Camelot, Narnia and all that Knight in Shinning Armor stuff.  So, I am hoping we can go for a little while at least.  Then, we will troop over to a friend’s house and do some yard work since he’s currently deployed.

Yesterday was HOT.  It was 96 degrees but the feels like temp was over 100.  Summer finally arrived in Oklahoma….for a day at least.  Today it’s only going to be in the 70’s.  Weird weather for this area.

Anyway, because of the heat, I just was too lazy to sit outside and watch the kids play.  So, I parked myself in front of the picture window and this is what I saw

It worked out really well.  I could see the kids, they could see me, I was cool and not sweaty, they had fun.  It’s a win-win situation and I am sure I will repeat it throughout the summer.

While enjoying the A/C, I spun and knitted.  Here’s what I am spinning.  It’s a merino/silk blend.  I carded up the wool into a 2 ounce batt and then rainbow painted it.

That’s roughly the 1 ounce remaining as I already spun half of it.

I decided to just ply together mingling all the colors to see what I come up with.  I am not going to Navajo ply this to leave the color bands intact.  Perhaps on the next one.  We’ll see.

I also knitted on Beanie #5.  It’s a pattern of my own making and it visited the frog pond twice so I didn’t complete it.  Hopefully today froggy will stay away and I can finish it off.

Better scoot.  Children are a’stirring and I need to get them some breakfast (blech….the thought of making them breakfast this morning is not appealing.)

Hope you all have a great day.

Beanie #4 is completed.  It’s a short row hat in garter stitch with a cabled brim.  It’s super stretchy and a quick knit.  I started it this morning and finished it this afternoon.  I did a lot of knitting watching the kids ride bikes and scooters.

Pattern found here.

This little bunny lives in the bushes in front on our house.  We see him (or her) every day during the cooler hours.  This morning the boys and I watched “Thumpolina” hop across the street and take a dirt bath in the neighbor’s yard and play with the birds.

Then we came across this butterfly that kept coming to the garden out front.  The boys got out their bug book and determined it to be a Large Woodland Nymph.  If it is or isn’t, I haven’t a clue, but it did look pretty close to the picture in the book.

Cabled Force (beanie #3 from yesterday’s post) is now available for download.