Money spent today - 2 paycheques

Seriously.
Of that I purchased veggies and fruit (ten dollars) and a bag of chips to round out the last of the homemade soup. Dance necessities - $270 - two pairs of shoes per child... one bodysuit and tights. Of course the dance classes themselves - priceless - hahahahahaha. It will be worth it. And the other pay cheque - renovations of course. But they are moving along.
(yesterday was a coffee cause work was freezing and food at knit night - less than $20.)

In knitting land - the sots iii is 2 rows from completion of hint 4. Tomorrow is #5 and that means I will move over the halfway mark - #4 will be completed before I slumber this evening.

My prayers are with all the people sent scurrying from Ike - obey the people in charge and well, hide from the elements.

Have a great night.

Day 1

so nothing spent today. Wow. The Home Depot bill came in and I think i need to return some items (I know I need to). Once I do that, can I spend the credits????
The only hard part about today was that some potato chips made their way to the vending machine and I wanted some. Other than that I had no desire to spend unnecessary funds.
This need to control means I will not be going to the Knitters Fair. I had already kind of decided, but this really ensures that I won't.
I do have to sign the gurlz up for dance and that will be necessary spending. But a mother must do that sometimes.
Oh and our thanksgiving is October 13th this year so the worst thing I have to get through is little gurlz 3 birthday.
It's still really early though....

A restful relaxing yet busy Monday night

What could I mean by that title?
BALLET is over. I picked up the gurlz after work, went to Zehrs for soil, drugs and groceries and came home. When supper was done, both gurlz asked to go to bed. The little one was up for about 15 minutes, but she is back asleep. WOW.
I have perused the blogs, worked on the dishes, cooked a big pot of soup and thought of all the other things I need to do. But I don't have to go anywhere tonight.
Tomorrow we are dropping in at Shannon and her gurlz, but that is social, not forced.
So happy.
I love being a woman. Multi tasking rules. I mean, what man out there would have soup cooking and dishes soaking while computering? HAH. And if you throw in the thoughts circulating through my mind. Wowee.
Please go here for a good laugh. I am not a TV gurl at all, but this was funny. Especially since I can relate to some of the thoughts and feelings of Steven. I love baking bread.

The ballet went fabulously - my gurl was gorgeous, her father showed up and then, my parents took her home with them.
Saturday - was a busy morning as there was some returning to Home Depot, some screen making laundry and packing. Then I drove the two hours or so to my parents (with a quick stop for a gift certificate for my Mom).
It was just before 5:00 when I got there, but we headed out to my brother's plant stash to find some plants for my flower garden and somehow ended up working for him and then there was pizza and...
Knitted on the socks - turned the heels and working up the ankle!!!! Hurray! Already working out the details (in that active mind of mine) for Dad's pair and I have some lovely yarn for Mel!!!
Sunday was a little crazy. The gurlz had handmade gifts for me, a gorgeous hanging basket and two books. (very insightful of my 6 year old and 19 month old - a little help from Oma?)
The Right to Write, an invitation and initiation into the writing life by Julia Cameron.
At Knit's End, Meditations for Women who KNIT too much by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.
Wonderful don't you think? My mother was very excited that I had picked up my knitting again.
The big gurl got hurt again - Sunday's are turning very dangerous for her. She fell and gouged her leg on something. Freaked out my middle brother as something similar happened to his son and then there was infection and... He was all stressed out about what plant had stuck into her leg. She seemed okay two hours later, when she was playing soccer. But I have checked it repeatedly to make sure there is no infection sneaking up her leg.
The little gurl was still ill last night, but this morning (after some 12 ++ hours of sleep sent her off to daycare. When I picked her up they said she was a little off and had gone through her clothes. Part of that was probably the fact that they have maybe a 2 hour nap at daycare and she had been napping for more than 4 hours while home with Mom.
I hope everyone else's mother's day was great!!!

Tuesday that felt like Monday

Monday was ... a day at home with the gurlz cleaning and cleaning and knitting. And opening the mail!!!! My yarn came in - HURRAY - and so did another order of yarn from Australia. They are all sock weights. Also got a pair of shoes, comfy pants, leopard body suit and a vintage house gown. Anti-climatic. I believe my shopping frenzy has ended so I can get back to the knitting. Pictures will eventually appear, but not in the photography mode right now.
I was home Monday cause the big gurl refused to go to school and wasn't chewing anything. That seems better today and off to work we went.
Ballet rehearsal was tonight and the gurlz are still wired. Can't get them to bed. I think I will go myself and they can tuck me in.
I'm halfway to the heel on my socks and it seems to be going well. Found a pattern that explains the increasing bit, so will need to start that soon.
Here's a good one - I take my knitting to work with me, for breaks if it rains or just cause I like to have it along. I'm dealing with lawyers and accountants most of the day. I was so steamed after hanging up from speaking with this accountant "i know you haven't been doing this very long and I have done hundreds of these. You should talk to D~~~ and then you'll see what I mean. I am very thorough if I am unsure of what to do, so I had already talked to D and she had told me to do exactly what I did. He didn't' believe me, so I told him I would have D call him back. She did and he argued with her about it. And told me I was right. I mean, I don't have all the technical jargon down pat but I said it in plain English - and he didn't believe me. I LOVE MY JOB!!!
Anyways, the best part was, that D was on the phone when I was needing some moral support, so to calm down, I pulled out the socks and knitted a round. This is fabulous.
I'm going to sleep now and if the gurlz want to they can stay up all night!!!!!

TGI Sunday Night.

What a week-end. Haven't really stopped since Friday AM.

Was just chillaxing with Bailey's coffee when Mom arrived on Friday night. Thank goodness. The gurlz were driving me crazy. Had 6 rows to knit on my hat and then to figure out the ribbon (really needed to block it but never got around to it). Finished it at 10:30 pm and then decided not to block it cause had less than twenty foru hours. It's my new updated pic on 'about us'. woowee. The hat was fun to knit and I will make it again, but need to figure out a better way to keep the brim from rolling more.

What did we do this week-end? There was the Spring Fling dance at the big gurlz school on Friday night. Walked there from our house and had a great time. Those songs are still being played ladies, and I really can't dance to them now.

Of course I was still in the midst of clean up the living room and computer room terror cause some 9 chitlins and 9 or so adults were due up on Sunday. I was making slow headway.

Saturday morning was grocery shopping time and bought a cake instead of making one. When we came home, discovered that three were not coming (two little one big) so relaxed slightly. However, we still had to get the gurlz to their respective caregivers and drive some 100 plus km to the shower. We made it.

Here's a few pics. The theme was 'garden tea party' and a great time was had by all. Not sure if you can tell, but it was in this gorgeous log house with 15 inch thick logs set back in the country just a hill climb from the lake. wow!!

Some of the hats. One was completely covered with buttons and another with all sorts of accessories. A couple of ladies wore their wedding hats.

We were home by six (four hours of driving in there - not so nice). By 7:00 pm the living room was down to two boxes and ready for inhabiting. Cake was baked at 9:00 pm and all the giftbags were done up nice - NOTE TO PARTY PLANNERS: if you change your party from an all-gurlz party to more boyz than gurlz, you need to adapt the gift bag stuff. the boyz will not want the pretty purse jewellery boxes in pick with white clouds. I did manage to make up great bags for all.

BTW - it rained and rained and rained and rained on Saturday. Sunday was looking scary.

However- Sunday was sunny and bright and hot. Sunscreen, hats and cool clothes were required (dad still had three layers, however that is the way he is)

It was a fabulous day - for a number of reasons.

pics: centre top - four in the house; left - budding artists; centre bottom - okay everyone BLOW! adults are Aunt Krista, Me and Don. Kids are 4 nephews and niece and the gurlz

1. Nothing really bad happened. The worst was the sunburn on Oma and the dirt on the clothes. And the oldest kidz of each family had a few MELTDOWNS


2. I have a dryer - that not only works but has different heat settings and looks like it may be younger than me. I wish to make note that it was not a requirement of attending however, my oldest brother and his father in law fixed up this dryer for me and this was a day when there were a few people around to help out.
Dad and middle bro lugging the old dryer.


3. My washing machine is no longer hooked to the laundry tub sink - brand new taps and pipes. As stated under number 2, however since the boyz had the dryer out, i asked them to look at the washer and a group consultation, two trips to Canadian Tire and Don's house, i have new taps and pipes and things are beautiful! Thank you boyz


4. My house is cleaner than on Friday night. But my fridge is full of food - anyone want to come for dinner?
   
5. Although the little gurl looked ill when she got up, Oma stayed home from church with her and she looked like a different child when we got home. She did not slow down at all and yes, it was her clothes that required demudding. - however one of the big gurlz clothing may be irreparable.


6. Oh and the shirt of little gurl that was almost ruined at her dad's looks good as new. I have not the patience to scrub and scrub, but I asked my mom and she fixed it up good.


7. Finally - they are asleep and I am able to catch up on the news.

This week is nasty week as Monday and Wednesday are ballet and Thursday I am in Mississauga for training and I have a number of projects at work to wind up. Please get healthy gurlz.

And now for some pictures of a diva in the making!

Soaking the tired and dirty feet, very carefully. The little gurl got in on the action too, but the camera had been put away. Isn't she beautiful?

Things that need to be done but...

Want to... need to... going to... and I did... well I made it to work.

Ran into the Knitting Habit while the big gurl was at dance rehearsal - had about 4 minutes before closing. Picked up the Addi Turbo circulars so as to work on a pair of socks. Susan mentioned a class that will be coming in May, and am really tempted - need to find a place for the gurlz, maybe Grandma will take them one Monday, and the next they can go to D & D or even... Will need to hurry up and make a decision. The class is to learn how to knit a pair of toe-up socks without a pattern from any yarn. Like that idea.

Work was crazy busy plus there was a lunch for a co-worker who is moving up to Toronto to work. Free lunch though cause Todd somehow felt he should pay for it. His statement was that he is "single, with no-one to spend it on and we were cheap dates". There were 12 of us. Oh well - I wasn't arguing. I think he is still trying to catch Kelly and she is not interested.

Bought some more fishy themed stuff for the gurlz birthday. Need to take stock of the cupboards and then will be ready. Tomorrow night is the time as there is nowhere (I think, hope, pray) that we have to be.

That's all for now - thanks Mel for offering to take the big gurl. We will get together for dinner yet.

Dizzy Dancing and a Hat

Gurlz = pretty things and dance. Two nights in a row. But she was just beaming when she came out and Emira, from daycare, said she was bouncing off the wall. That's okay then, it makes it all worth it.

I have a finished object. Crocheted, but completed nonetheless. Megan wanted a poncho and we found a pattern at Zellers and the yarn was on for buy one get one free. So we bought enough for the hat and the poncho. I started the granny squares right away. There were six different designs (three colour selections) and I made one of each. By the last one, I was reminded why I don't have a granny square skirt (i want one so bad). The ends, finishing the ends. Even with working over as many as I could, there were so many ends, the squares looked fuzzy. It looked like Megan was not going to get the poncho.

Then we went to H&M and there was the sweetest poncho for $13.90 cdn (about $15 with tax). After a debate (they are not as well made as we would like) the green/orange/pink one came home with us. But I still had these completed granny squares and felt like the ultimate heel (we reserve this for the daddy's to be) so I started on the charming hat that was with the poncho.

Since I don't do gauge swatches, the hat was tried on at round three. "It's too tight! We'll have to give it to Kadyn, or my sister." aaarrrgggghhhh. Frustration set in - it wasn't even finished. But since I wanted to make a hat for myself, I was determined to finish it. What's a mother to do for 1/2 an hour while #1 daughter is dancing? Crochet on the hat (and chase daughter #2 out of the toilets and change her bum...) When the class was done, the hat was almost done, so I had Megan try it on. She loved it. Even smiled through the comment that should make tea cozies (it sort of looks like one) and the girl has confessed to being greatly enamored of tea. Might even make her a tea cozy.
Monday night while awaiting the final bid from eBay for my Koigu, I completed the hated task of weaving in the ends and cutting and ... (the Koigu is mine along with some scarlet fleece tubular x 2 hand painted luxury yarn)

The hat on the floor - most neutral background.

The hat on Megan - 7:00 am just out of bed and look at that!!!

Bernat cottontots in strawberry, very berry and lovely lilac. From their Bernat, Kool Kids (to knit & crochet).

The hat went to the doctor for the annual check up, both girls are healthy. She wore it to school for gym and daycare and rockhunting and ballet. Oh and supper at pizza hut. I think from now on I will complete something for her and then see. (unless of course it is really horrible, then I will frog it and start something else)

The cable hat for me has made it's way onto the knitting needles. I've changed it slightly as I don't have the right size dpn or circular, so I am using the Lovely Lilac from Bernat and a size 4 needle. No gauge done so...

To correctly report the pattern, it is from, knit.1 spring 2007 issue and is called cable rib hat. Pattern calls for Organic Cotton by Lion Brand yarn on 3.75 needle. I'm a little different. We shall see what happens.

Of course, there are always the UFO's in the corner of my room.

Need to go to sleep because the little one has not been sleeping the night lately.