It was another glorious day here today.  Started off a bit chilly but warmed up to be a wonderful 70 degree day.  Perfect weather for football and climbing trees. 

I finished Jim’s socks in time for them to make the trip with him to his new home for a year. 

The socks got started last month on our trip to Ohio and sort of put on the back burner for a bit.  But they needed to be done and ready to pack up with his other gear so I finished them this morning.  They are made out of knit picks Rista cotton/wool yarn. He’s says they are comfy.

I was completely surprised today by a package for me.  As many of you know I dye socks black for Socks For Soldiers. (it’s a great group of men and women knitting socks — both military regulation and leisure — for our men and women serving in the current war theaters…check them out if you can…we can use all the volunteers we can get).  One of the ladies sent a pair of socks last month that were the prettiest of blues and I just hated to put them in my dye pot to make them black, but alas I did.  When I commented on how pretty they were, she ended up making ME a pair.  How awesome is that?  Thanks again, Nancy.  Not only for the socks, but for the prayers and comments as well.

And I got the loom (Harry) warped again for another name scarf.  This one spells out Wonderful Counselor.  Sorry the picture isn’t the greatest, but the batteries were dying and there was sunlight streaming into the room.  Warp is a clay color and the weft is a turquoise color.

And finally I leave you with this photo.  Josh got a new bed yesterday and he and Chris put it together from start to finish this morning/afternoon.  It’s a really neat bed with drawers and all kinds of stuff.  Anyway, why play with expensive toys when you can play with the box and packing materials, right?  Jac was feeling a bit left out by not being able to help, so he created, Styrofoam Jac Square Head  (eat your heart out Sponge Bob!)

Everything of course.

A few weeks ago, I was sitting in church and had this amazing vision of two names linked with names of God.  I won’t give out the recipient’s names for privacy purposes, but the one name was linked with Jehovah and the other was linked to Elohim (e-low-him).  I wrote this information down and it just kept coming at me.  I thought perhaps I was supposed to weave these people a thank you gift for something and left it at that. Later I heard them tell an amazingly touching story about their lives.  They were so open and candid I was truly touched.  I realized that was the reason I was to weave them something.  I told Jim about this and even he got excited about the project and offered to wind warps or do whatever to get started on them.  I felt that I needed to do name drafts and Jim and I both ended up making it was too complicated.  I got my first warp on the loom and had nothing but troubles with it.  It did not turn out as I planned, thought, or had hoped.  So, I decided to rip it off and try again.  This time though I played around with something for me first and spelled out Kimberly loves Jim.  (corny I know, but true)  Here’s the result.  I LOVE it.

I used cotton and tencel for this scarf, twisted fringe and added random beads on the fringe.

When I was satisfied I could pull this off, I put the Elohim scarf on the loom.  I took a picture of it before church yesterday and it really didn’t turn out well, but here’s an idea of the patterning.  It sort of reminded me of lace.

The warp is purple cotton and the weft is 20/2 white rayon.  Elohim means simply means creator as well as authority and sovereignty.  The purple represents the royality of God while the white represents the purity of God.

The Jehovah scarf was made in blues:

Jehovah means Lord and the blues represent God’s authority or covering as in the tabernacle that was made in Exodus.  Again, dark blue cotton warp and a 20/2 lighter blue weft.

These were such a joy to  make and I was actually able to weave all three scarves starting last Wednesday and Thursday (for my scarf) Friday and a bit on Saturday morning (for the Elohim scarf) and Saturday afternoon (for the Jehovah scarf)  That included winding warps, getting them on the loom, actually weaving and finishing them up.  It took a lot of time and effort, but somehome I managed to get them done along with my normal household chores.  Thankfully Jim was here to help herd kids.  Weaving with my ipod really seemed to help too. 

I see more name theme scarves in my future.  They are amazing and each one can be as unique as the recipient.

We never did go to San Antonio or Sea World by the way.  Jim and I just thought it would be too much for us to try to get that in.  Instead, he spent lots of time with the kids at the park, doing various dad things, and just spending time with them.  Way better then an 8 hour drive, a quick day through the theme park, and an 8 hour drive home.

Hope you all have a great week.

oh yes we do.  We love you Kelly, do you love us too?  Of course you do!  (hey it all rhymes )

Here’s a picture of all of us in our new shirts.  Thanks so much!

Jim did say that Ohio State still rules

You will see these shirts again being worn on our trip.  We decided to wear them as our family shirts at Sea World

So the other day my friend, Ginger called me asking if we could out fo some mommy time and adult conversation.  We decided to head over to the ceramic place and do something there.  After lots of walking around and a really hard time making up my mind, I settled on, what else? A coffee cup.  Ginger drew the sheepie free hand and I got to do all the painting.  We had a great time.  I got to pick up the finished product today.

The owner asked if she  could feature it on her website and I, taking that as a compliment agreed that it would be cool.  I most certainly want to go again if it can be arranged in the future.

Ginger also got to see the family photos that were taken last week.  One of the men that attends our church is an award winning wild life photographer and took many many pictures of us out at the wild life refuge.  I figured since he’s a wild life photographer he was totally perfect to take pictures of our animals  kids.  Ginger said the pictures turned out great and I can’t wait to see them.  I am praying at least 1 of the 100 or so that he took came out with all of us smiling at the same time

We are headed out of town for a few days so I am sure the guest sock writer will make an appearance again soon to let you know of our adventures.  Until then, I pray the Lord to bless you and knit or weave on.

Once upon a time (26-September-1941 to be exact) the Army’s Military Pollice Corps was born.  Each year, a ball is head to celebrate and honor the MP Corps.  This year, the 40th MP Detachment held it’s ball on 29-October and many were in attendance.

I had talked previously how I was going to weave a wrap (or an MP Ball Shawl) and even wound off warp chains.  For some reason or another (and there were many) I could not get started on this shawl.  Things just kept coming up around the house, there were farewell lunches, there were doctor appointments, there was school to finish up, and I just couldn’t get to my loom.  A mysterious package arrived one day and when I opened it, I was blessed with the most precious of gifts.  Deborah, a wonderful sister in Christ, knitted two beehive lace shawls at the same time.  One was for her, and one was for me.  I have given so many prayer shawls away and while feeling the power of prayer in them, never fully understood how the recipients felt.  This shawl for me, was indeed a shawl wrapped in prayers and I could feel her hugs half way across the country.  It was an amazing feeling and a treasured gift.  With her permission, I wore it to the ball.

I wish you could see the splashes of color and the beads in these pictures, but they aren’t showing up well.  It’s truly a work of art wrapped in love.

Since my hubby was the Master of Ceremonies at the ball, he was firmly entrenched in work.  We tried to have formal pictures taken from the photographer on the scene, but when we were able to do that, their equipment was having some issues.  By the time they got it fixed, Jim was hard at work doing all his speaking and narration.  We were told they would be set up through the entire event, but alas, when Jim was done and we went to get the photos, they had already packed up.  We had Chris take several pictures last night after we got home.

Thank you again, Deborah, for helping to make this “Cinderella” feel beautiful for the night.

The next few weeks are going to be filled with family activities as we spend final special moments with hubby before he leaves.  So, if you don’t hear too much from me, that’s why.  I will try to be in touch as I can, though.

Yesterday was our home school co-op and the kids made pumpkins out of rolls of toilet paper, pipe cleaners, a piece of brown paper bag, and orange material.  Isn’t my mini pumpkin patch cute?  Last night the temps went down to 49. Brrrrr….downright cold.

I am so excited.  I am going to attend a PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel) meeting tomorrow morning.  It’s a woman’s Christian bible study here on the Army post.  When we first moved here, I tried to attend, but they didn’t have a home school room for the kids like we had when we were stationed in Kentucky, so I couldn’t attend.  Since then, I have found that they do now have a home school room.  I will go tomorrow morning and check out the situation and the kids will stay home with daddy.  If it looks like it will be a fit for us, we will continue to go each week.  YAY!!!!!!!!

I did start knitting the Sweater Sampler from Jackie Fee’s Sweater Workshop.  It’s an “interesting” project that really isn’t a project, but indeed a sampler of various sweater stuff.  I do have an idea what to do with the finished project and hope to show you soon.

Cassidy’s Crochet Club.  Since moving onto the Army post this past summer, Cassidy has been busy making purses, half gloves, and scarves for her new friends.  They all get so many compliments from her things that they have been learning to crochet.  So, she started Cassidy’s Crochet Club which meets Sunday’s after church in our back yard.  She and several other girls sit around working on various items.  She’s teaching them all the sitches and how to read patterns and the like.  I have plenty of hooks that are being used, but not enough of the yarn they can use.  If anyone is interested in donating some of their acrylic stash to the cause, I’d be grateful. 

 We’re off to homeschool co-op today.  Jim is attending for the first time ever since he’s pretty much home until it’s time for him to leave.  The kids all haven’t gotten together since the summer so they are excited.

We are under 30 days now before Jim leaves.  Tensions and emotions are starting to run high.  We do so covet your prayers for safety while he is gone.

Better run so we can head out the door and make it to co-op on time.

This about sums up my day!  Today I just want to hide from the world with a glint in my eye and a snarl on my face! 

Bear was hiding under Caleb’s blankey this morning.  I walked into the bedroom door at 0-dark-30 this morning and my face hurts a little bit, but it doesn’t look bruised at least.

Kids are done with school, and I am spinning some of my newly washed targhee while loads of laundry finish. (pictures of the scouring, carding, and spinning to follow)

Hope tomorrow is a brighter day.

Today’s bonus word is

22. Buttons

** edited to add CONGRATULATIONS Robyn.  Email me your address and your prize will go out in the mail Tuesday since there is no delivery in the states on Monday.  Thanks to everyone who played this round and hope you all will join me again next month.

I know some of you only need two words for your bingo.  Could it be these two?

9. Norwegian

21. Crewneck