Happy New Year!

Okay so it's 15 hours early but the sentiment is still there!

We had a wonderful Christmas. It's amazing how your mood changes when your husband is home with you & not off in a combat zone!

We opened stockings on Christmas eve after the wee one went to bed & then did presents on Christmas morning. Santa was very good to me!!

MIL & FIL arrived around dinnertime on the 26th for a few days visit. We had a great time with them & MIL & I did some power shopping on the 27th & 28th. I got some great deals @ Bath & Body Works for next Christmas' gifts as well as dishcloth exchanges (soaps etc).

We drove to Opelika to Darlene's Knit Shop (our oasis in the desert of box craft stores that is Columbus) for yarn for her scarf & yarn for me to make Kelli & Dave's baby presents. They left on Friday for ATL to spend the weekend w/ MIL's sister & will drive back to VA today.

We're staying in tonight as we always do on New Year's Eve. The thought of being on the road with every drunk in town doesn't appeal to me. Combine that with the inflated price of drinks & cover charge & I'm all about staying in!

We started a tradition the 1st yr we were married of fixing a late supper (930/10pm) & using the good china & getting a little dressed up. It's worked well & something we enjoy. Tonight's menu is london broil, garlic mashed potatoes & broccoli w/ hollendaise. We'll open a bottle of champagne at midnight for our toast.

Hunter goes back to work on the 3rd & the wee one starts back at school on that date so I'll have my mornings free again. I have so many errands to run that day it's insane. I also need to schedule my spa day (Christmas present from Hunter----facial, full body massage, body wrap, mani/pedi & hair cut/style) or at least get in for a hair cut. I'm trying to find a new style. I've had it like this for too long & want to go a little shorter (just above my shoulders). I'd love to get a thermal straightening process done but am going to wait on that. I have a couple friends who've had it done with much success but I'm apprehensive.

I have 2 knitting projects on the needles & a 3rd in the wings. Two friends are paying me to make hats for them (one felted & the other not) & since I took a little hiatus from knitting this month I need to get going on them. The other project is a baby kimono for Kelli & Dave's baby due in May. With all the pregnant women I know I need to get going otherwise I wont have anything done by the time the showers come along!

Last yr I counted all the projects I'd knitted in '05. It was pretty cool to see. Here's the list for '06:

54 washcloths/spa cloths
9 felted bags
9 baby blankets
8 prs of socks
8 baby bibs
5 scarves
2 felted boxes
2 baby kimonos
1 shawl
1 felted bowl
1 toddler sweater
1 pr baby pants

I can't help but think I'm missing some things. I scoured my knitting journal (Char Loving's book--it's awesome!), my uploaded photos & blog. But something's nagging at me that I've forgotten. Oh well.


I want to wish everyone a safe, happy & healthy New Year! May all of your dreams come true in '07!!

Merry Christmas to all!

The wee one showing off her mad tree decorating skills!

We're enjoying the time we have together & are getting ready for the ILS to come down in a couple days.

Hope everyone has a safe & happy holiday!

xoxo

Every Christmas stocking needs. . .

this book. Bitter Is The New Black by Jennifer Lancaster.
You'll find it in the biography section of your local bookstore & if they don't have it ORDER IT. It is one of the snarkiest, well written books I've read in a long time. You can thank me later (preferably with yarn. Lorna's Laces will work just fine).

Still no knitting here. I have 2 hats that I'm being paid to make but I just cannot pick up the needles. Maybe after Christmas.

Today the wee one & I stayed in. I made my Mom's old fashioned sour cream cookies (YUM) & am contemplating some pumpkin bread. The cookies are a family tradition---we had them every year at Christmas. The only difference is I didn't frost mine & made them round as my cookie cutters were being used by a certain someone who was playing with play-doh!

The ILS will be here in a week. Hunter has successfully changed his leave dates so we can both entertain them. I have no clue what we're doing other than dinner @ Chef Lee's one night (it's nationally ranked in the top 10 of Chinese restaurants so FIL is always asking if we've been).

Off to get the wee one ready for her rest & hopefully Mommy can get a few zzz's in before we take Libby out to play ball.

Have you ordered the book yet? DO IT!

Hula Hoops are fun

The wee one at her friend's b-day party on Saturday.

I really should be knitting! I have 2 hats that Ive been commissioned to make & I haven't picked up my needles to start! One is felted & Kiri picked the prettiest yarn (Nature Spun sapphire & trendsetter yarn in squiggle). The other is a grumperina pattern & is going to be a beautiful blue cashmere blend for Ann-Marie to coordinate w / the scarf I made her earlier in the year.

Maybe I'll start them tonight.

Christmas is one week away and. . .

I am done with everything! All of our gifts have been shipped, cards are sent, local friends have received their gifts, our gifts are wrapped & under the tree, goodies have been baked.

This week we have a MOMS mallwalk followed by a visit to Santa, a trip to Monkey Joes & a shopping trip to ATL. My ILS are coming down the day after Christmas for a few days.

The only thing that's a bummer is the weather! It's been in the mid 70's here for the past few days. I WANT SNOW! At the very least I'd like more seasonal weather! I'm wishing for the snow meiser but all we're getting is this:

http://www.ourmedia.org/node/117996

I really can't complain as Hunter is home with us this year as opposed to last yr when he was in Ramadi. This year is special since next year he'll be gone again.

4 yrs ago today. . .

Hunter & I were married! Here we are on the steps of the court house afterwards! I look thrilled & he looks perplexed! LOL

Happy Anniversary sweetie----I love you more than you know & am so honored to be your wife!! And the best part---you're home this year!!!

Swap on!

Got the email tonight for my Winterwonderland dishcloth swap! I'm excited & have been looking forward to this email for a week! I don't want to give away too much but I've got some great ideas for her!

Watched The DaVinci Code tonight. It was good but predictable. We decided that a Holy Grail Tour would be a blast----travel agents should offer them. Surely it would sell.

It's late & I'm off to bed as the wiggly one will be up early I'm sure. We're toying with the idea of bringing her to see Santa tomorrow. Hunter thinks it's too early ("it's not even December yet!!" he said" but I think she might really enjoy it. We'll have to see.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Will update later but wanted to wish everyone a Happy & Safe Thanksgiving!

We have so many things to be thankful for but my main thing is that our little family is together this year! We're having dinner here tomorrow & having 2 of Hunter's guys over to join us.

Scarf week results

I was able to get 3 scarves done during "scarf week" I had a 4th on the needles but wasn't feeling it so a-frogging I went!

The brown/purple/cream scarf will be for one of Betsy's teacher (Sandi most likely) & the other 2 are for 2 of the girls on the MOMS Exec. Board.

I was able to get 3 dishcloths & 2 dish scrubbies done as well.

I need to start Hunter's slippers. I had hoped to get them done last week while he was in the field but no such luck-----between the wiggly's trip to the ER & my not feeling 100% some things feel by the wayside. Today I want to get one more scrubby & another Mason Dixon washcloth (the round one) done.

This week we have our MOMS Recipe Club get together, school for the wiggly giggly one, a Battalion Family Fun Day & the God Bless Ft Benning celebration on Saturday. The sentiment should be interesting as one of the organizers (Eve Tidwell) met with Cindy Sheehan this past year.

This coming weekend is also the annual WHINSEC protest. I'm all about people expressing their view but when they inconvenience people (forcing Ft Benning to shut down the Main Gate) they've gone too far. I'm also in amazement of the trash/debris they leave behind when they leave. Pick up after yourself people!!

Veteran's Day

Hunter's in the field right now doing live fire exercises & won't be home until Monday at the earliest . Isn't it ironic that Hammer/Marne focus are always scheduled during the week of Veteran's Day? Lovely way to honor those who've served their country in combat (2x in Iraq & going back for a 3rd in '07!).


We have a card & special dinner planned for him when he gets home! We're remembering his friends who didn't come home from Iraq & keeping them & their families in our prayers. Jason, Jens (who was killed en route to Jason's memorial service) Michael, Lee, Jeffrey, Joel, & Ricky to name a few. His friend Cropp who survived an IED blast in 2/05 only to be murdered a few months after he got back in '06 I still have his picture on my cell phone from the night we went out in Feb (before he vanished) for his birthday. I miss him & his sense of humor a lot!


And especially Kelley Prewitt who died in his arms exactly a year prior to the date the wiggly one was born.


I've gotten a good bit done today---sheets & towels washed, bed changed, groceries, trash taken out, made my meat stuffing for Monday's Recipe Club meeting & got a shower in there as well. The wiggly one is napping & I'm watching "Patton" I love this movie. It ranks up there with Sgt York, Platoon, & Apocalypse Now as my favorite war movies.

My 2 favorite lines:

"Thirty years from now, when you're sitting around your fireside with your grandson on your knee and he asks you, "What did you do in the great World War II," you won't have to say, "Well... I shoveled shit in Louisiana."

and

"Your name's not William, it's Willie!"

Update & a swap

Well, the wiggly one is definitely on the mend. Her tummy's still not 100% (not as big of an appetite as she normally has) but she hasn't gotten sick since Mon in the ER & she's been her normal wiggly giggly self.

Mommy & Daddy are another story! We're both feeling icky. Hunter is to the point where he may be sent in from their field problem to get some rest. I'll know later on if he's coming in today or not.

This is the package I sent to my Yahoo dishcloth group swap partner Sheri in CA. Her favorite colors are purple & green so I made the Mason Dixon Washcloth in s & c's twilight ombre & a dish scrubby in plain green to coordinate. I also sent her some purple beaded stitch markers that I made especially for her, some row counters, lavender bath confetti & the swap journal as well as "herald" the knitting fairy bear! Herald was very good to me during the time she was here & I hope she helps Sheri as well!

ER visits are just no fun!

Last night the wiggly one woke up at 10 coughing & as we discovered when the coughing didn't stop, vomiting. Poor little thing was covered. So we get her & her bed cleaned up & after some snuggles, back to bed.

About 10 minutes goes by & we have a repeat performance. Hunter decides we need to go to the ER. By thhe time we got there she'd vomited 3 more times iin the car & then 2x in the waiting room.

They drew blood, took a urine sample by foley catheter (my poor girl!) & started an IV for fluids. She finally conked back out in the exam room at around 230. The only thing they could do was push fluids & try to keep her comfortable.

At 430 they released her & told us if she continues to vomit we need to bring her back in so she can be admitted. I almost burst into tears when the dr said he'd admit her. I know that they can care for her better than we can in a situation such as that but the thought of my bebe in the hospital was very unsettling to say the least.

Poor thing fell asleep on the floor as I was going to get her pedialyte & slept from 5 until 930 & we snuggled on the couch watching a movie.

Mommy finally got the bright idea of moving into Mommy & Daddy's bed to finish watching the movie. Our viewing list for the day was: Babar, Alice in Wonderland, Lady & the Tramp & Snow White.

The good news is she took a 2 hr nap from 2-4 & has kept down some cheerios & a couple sips of 7up & a juice box. She will NOT drink the pedilyte. Hunter tasted it & said it's pretty nasty. She didn't want anything for supper but had a few sips from a 2nd juice box & found the energy to chase Libby down the hall a few times as well as play with her baby doll Maggie & put on her Cinderella dress up shoes. She had a good time in the bathtub & got some nice snuggles from Daddy before going down at 815. Wish us luck tomorrow at our followup visit!

Forget shark week!

Shark week, smark week! I'm officially calling for the beginning of SCARF week!

My goal for this week is 5 scarves (in addition to my other knitting).

I'm pretty sure I can do it. . .photos to follow!

Halloween cuteness!

The wiggly one & I tonight at our community's party.

dishcloths, dishcloths, dishcloths!

It seems I don't knit anything other than dishcloths! Truth is, they're quick (a 2 hr project most of the time) & easy (mindless tv knitting!) & are always useful gifts!

My Christmas stash o'cloths is almost done & then I need to make up a few more scrubbies & I just might be done before Veteran's Day. Then I can focus on gifts for the MOMS exec board & Betsy's teachers (one of whom is on the board with me!). I'm thinking some pretty mohair scarves would be nice to add to their gift bags.

We found out this week that my friend Josie will be having a boy in April! I KNEW I'd get to use the Plymouth Naturale in blue/greens for her!! I need to find a good pattern for it & then get started on her layette (blanket, kimono, pants, hat, washcloths, bibs).

My socks are still on the needles. It alway seems that there's knitting for someone else to get done! I'm going to start Hunter's felted slippers the next time he goes to the field (in a week or so for Marne focus). They should knit up quickly & be felted & dry by the time he comes in.

We're getting over being sick in our house---Bets with a double ear infection as well as a mild reaction to her antibiotic (love going to the hospital 2x in one week!) & a bad cold for me. Friday night I went to bed at 930---you KNOW I'm sick if I'm asleep by 10!

We've had a nice weekend with Daddy home & a restful one to boot! He took Bets to the px & library yesterday so I could rest (thank you sweetie!) & today we went for a walk to see ducks & now the wee one's playing & Daddy's reading the paper.

My Knitting Books

My old swap pal, Abby, has a list of her knitting books in her blog profile. I did that only to realize I have too many to list:

The Knitting Experience: Book 1: The Knit Stitch (Knitting Experience Series)The Knitting Experience: Book 2: The Purl Stitch (Knitting Experience Series)The Knitting Experience: Book 3: Color (Knitting Experience Series)

Knitting on the Road

Lavish Lace: Knitting With Hand-Painted Yarns

Mason-Dixon Knitting: The Curious Knitters' Guide: Stories, Patterns, Advice, Opinions, Questions, Answers, Jokes, and Pictures

Knitting Vintage Socks: New Twists on Classic Patterns
Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles: a Manual of Elegant Knitting Techniques and PatternsBeautiful Knitting Patterns

No Idle Hands: The Social History of American Knitting Knitting Journal Knitting with Ribbon Yarn

Sensational Knitted Sock

Last Minute Knitted Gifts

Easy Afghans for Knitters

Felted Knits

The Knitting Dictionary

Sock Calendar

Nicky's Knitted Christmas Stockings

Bags: A Knitter's Dozen

Got my tote!

My tote from my International Tote Exchange II partner arrived today----all the way from Dothan, AL! LOL

Laura sent the most adorable bag & not in my usual red, blues or purples! I told her that I have a problem with those colors---I LOVE them! So she set off to make this gorgeous bag that you see pictured above! She also sent some wonderful goodies (Cascade Fixation, drool) & a lovely note.

I'm so thankful for Laura & her talents & wonderful emails---they made this exchange a blast!!

"I hate this part!"

A fun little Halloween timewaster!

Some FO's

I FINALLY did "The" Mason-Dixon Warshcloth! 3 in fact! After 2 unsuccessful casts on I broke out stitch markers which made everything so much easier! I'm working on a red one tonight! I've also done 3 snowflake illusion cloths & will get pics of those up soon!

This is the shawl I made for one of the gals on a message board I frequent. She'd posted a pic of a shawl she wanted but was lamenting the fact that the ones she saw were all of a finer fabric---she wanted something more nubby. I posted a pic of this shawl (well the pic in the pattern) & viola! a deal was struck! So, a few trips around town looking for the color yarn she wanted, 2 skeins & a few hours later we had a shawl that is now en route to her home. I hope she likes it---it came out beautifully!

Last night we went to the Open House at the wiggly's school. It's impressive how much they've learned in a couple months! Several of the parents wanted to meet the wiggly one as their own wee ones talk about her a lot at home! She was excited to see her friends & for us to see her classroom & show off the things she's done. I am so proud of her---she's done so well with school!

Sad ending for the Gardner-Quinn family

Body of missing Vermont student found

By JOHN CURRAN, Associated Press Writer Sat Oct 14, 6:41 AM ET

BURLINGTON, Vt. - After chasing leads for nearly a week, police investigating the disappearance of a University of Vermont student got a break when a group of hikers spotted a body in a rocky ravine.

That was only half the battle. Investigators who have identified a suspect must now come up with the evidence to link him to the death of 21-year-old Michelle Gardner-Quinn.
The suspect, Brian Rooney, lent Gardner-Quinn his cell phone during a chance encounter early Oct. 7 as she walked back to her dormitory after a night on the town with friends.
Rooney, 36, was arrested Friday on unrelated charges of sex abuse in two other Vermont counties. He had been the focus of the police investigation into Gardner-Quinn's disappearance since was recorded on a jewelry store surveillance camera with her around 2:30 a.m. Oct. 7.
Rooney was charged with sexual assault in Caladonia County, 80 miles north of Burlington, and with lewd and lascivious conduct with a child in neighboring Essex county, where he previously lived, authorities said.
He has not been charged in Gardner-Quinn's case, Police Chief Thomas Tremblay said.
"It's almost like a new investigation starts," Tremblay said. "Now, we specifically know this is a suspicious disappearance and we are conducting a kidnapping investigation."
Gardner-Quinn, a senior from Arlington, Va., was reported missing Oct. 7 after she failed to show up for a planned meeting with her parents, who had been in town for parents' weekend.
After a night of drinking, she had become separated from her friends and met Rooney — a stranger — as she walked along heavily traveled Main Street, which runs between downtown and the campus.
Tommy Lang, 21, a friend whom Gardner-Quinn called when she borrowed Rooney's phone, said Friday that nothing seemed amiss when he last spoke with her.
"She sounded completely fine and normal and exactly the way she did when she left us," said Lang, a University of Vermont senior who grew up with Gardner-Quinn in Virginia. "There wasn't anything that made me worry or made me suspicious that anything was going on."
Lang said he called the number Gardner-Quinn had used and spoke to a man.
"He really didn't tell me a whole lot. He basically said he saw her walking up the hill toward the dorms and that's about it," he said.
Gardner-Quinn hadn't been seen since, until Friday, when passers-by spotted her body near Huntington Gorge, a popular swimming hole 13 miles east of Burlington.
As night fell Friday, about two dozen Vermont State Police and Burlington police investigators and crime-scene technicians worked in and around the ravine at the Gorge. Some were seen rappelling down into the ravine in a search for clues

Prayers for Michelle

The following is from the Burlington Free Press in Burlington, VT. Michelle Gardner-Quinn is a senior at my alma mater, the University of Vermont. She's been missing since late Friday night/early Saturday morning. All I can think is "there but for the grace of God go I"---how many times did my girlfriends & I accept rides, walk home with with people we just met, go for "after hours" drinks?

My heart goes out to her family & friends who want nothing more to see her face again. Please keep them in your prayers

Police ask for public's help in finding missing UVM student
Published: Tuesday, October 10, 2006
By Adam Silverman Free Press Staff Writer


The search for a missing University of Vermont student expanded Monday as more than two dozen law-enforcement agents searched Burlington and beyond, and the young woman's friends plastered the city with fliers. Police said members of the public should be conscious of their personal safety, and investigators asked for help in finding Michelle Gardner-Quinn, a 21-year-old senior from Arlington, Va., who vanished early Saturday morning as she walked back to her campus dorm room, alone, from downtown. For many, though, worry was beginning to take the place of hope."Time is of the essence," Burlington Police Department Chief Thomas Tremblay said, "and the more time that goes by, the more concerned we become."

Gardner-Quinn was last seen at about 2:15 a.m. Saturday on Main Street near Edmunds Elementary and Middle School. She had dinner earlier that evening with her parents, who were in town for UVM's Family Weekend, said family friend Gail Fendley of Falls Church, Va. Then Gardner-Quinn joined a group of friends to celebrate a 21st birthday at several downtown bars. She left one bar to find another group of friends, but when she couldn't connect with them, she decided to walk back to her room in University Heights, friend Tommy Lang said Sunday. Gardner-Quinn never made it back, and her parents reported her missing the next day when she didn't show up for dinner, Lang said. The family, through police, declined to comment Monday.

Fendley said she has known Gardner-Quinn for nearly 10 years, ever since her son, Ian Willson, met Gardner-Quinn at a summer camp for gifted children in eighth or ninth grade. The two dated on and off during high school and have remained "really close," Fendley said Monday as she drove to Richmond, Va., to comfort her son at college. "He's distraught," Fendley said. "Michelle is terrific. She's reliable. She's responsible. She's traveled extensively. This is so totally unlike her, especially with her parents in town. They are such a close-knit family."

Request for help Burlington police are working with canine teams and authorities from UVM, the Vermont State Police and the FBI, Tremblay said at an afternoon news conference. The chief said detectives remained uncertain whether they were investigating a crime. "Investigators have been working around the clock following leads," Tremblay said. "No specific suspects have been identified."Investigators were trying to find a Subaru or similar-type hatchback whose driver was reported to be acting suspiciously around the time Gardner-Quinn disappeared, Tremblay said.

Police didn't say whether the vehicle was a station wagon or a sport-utility vehicle. The driver, a white man in his 20s, stopped his car and asked a woman he did not know to get in at about 2:35 a.m. Saturday near the Salvation Army Thrift Store at 336 N. Winooski Ave. The woman did not get in, Tremblay said, and she later told police the driver appeared to be alone. That incident occurred about a mile north of Edmunds. "We are considering it a vehicle of interest, a preliminary lead that may or may not be related to this case," Tremblay said.

He described the car as white with gold trim and a gold pinstripe, likely with a green Vermont license plate that has a bent-up bottom. The driver is about 6 feet tall and muscular with short-cropped light blond hair, a day's growth of stubble and possibly one nostril larger than the other, according to police. He was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and a light-colored baseball cap.

Police also asked that anyone searching their neighborhoods for personal belongings or clothing matching the description of what Gardner-Quinn was wearing -- a gray peacoat, green button-up cardigan sweater, light blue T-shirt, and a black Puma purse with white straps -- not touch anything they might find and to call city police at 658-2700.


Precautions suggested Police encouraged people to take precautions while they are out in Burlington: Walk in pairs or groups, stay in well-lit locations and away from dense shrubbery. "Be aware of your personal surroundings, be aware of the things that are going on around you, and trust your instincts," Tremblay said.A safety forum has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at a location to be determined.


Gardner-Quinn transferred to UVM this year from Goucher College in Baltimore, friends said.Fendley said she's not sure why Gardner-Quinn transferred, but she's an avid snowboarder, interested in environmental studies and once had a boyfriend in Vermont. Fendley knew of no troubles from Gardner-Quinn's past. "She was a good student," Fendley said. "I can't imagine any problems. She was a good influence on my child."Contact Adam Silverman at 660-1854 or asilverm@bfp.burlingtonfreepressRgw

We have pants!!

Finished knitting them today at Lunch Buddies & got them stitched together & the drawstring on the inside this afternoon while Betsy was napping. They're for my friend Tara's daughter who is due to make her appearance in Dec.

The pattern is one I made up after examining a pair of Betsy's 3-6 mo. pants & taking the side of the kimono into consideration. I'm going to submit it to the
"pattern a day" people & afterwards to the Mason Dixon knitting gals. It's amazingly simple & they are too cute in person!!

Blankets & a tote!

It seems that EVERYONE I know is pregnant right now so I'm being forced to replenish my stash of baby blankets. I made 2 of the LB 4 hr bias baby blanket since I had some homespun to use up. I didn't attach tassles since I really dont think that 1) they're entirely practical for babies & 2) homespun splits SO much that unless they were tied at the bottoms it just wasn't worth the effort. This blanket was done on size 50 needles (like knitting w/ redwoods!) & used 4 skeins of yarn (tudor, delft, spring green & sunshine state).

This was the first blanket I made using the 4 skeins only I used gazebo instead of sunshine state. I was really mad because I started it in the car on the way to VA only to discover that my skeins were NOT the same yardage. My delft ran out about 10 rows before the end. So while we were in Lynchburg I picked up another skein of delft. Should have been fine right? NOoooooooooooooooooo! I ran out of spring green & tudor about 5 rows until the end. The kicker? I didn't start my decreases at 43 stitches like the pattern suggests---I started at 41. I had enough yarn to make the yellow/green/blue/multi blanket but it's a little smaller. Still good for bebe's tho!

I also finished my International Tote Exchange II tote & this week got the straps sewed on. I've been wanting to try this pattern ever since I started felting bags a year ago. The pattern is easy & super fun. I also loved working w/ the colors my partner is into (browns, greens, golds) as they're such a departure from my normal jewel tones! I made some stitch markers for her in green & gold & found some other goodies to put in her bag---I hope she likes everything. I'm shipping it out tomorrow & since she lives 1 state away it shouldn't take too long to get to her.

And of course, what would a post be without a dishcloth? This is the Sept. Mid-Month KAL for my yahoo dishcloth group. I am on such a denim ombre kick right now, it's scary!

The wee one refused to nap today so she's watching Snow White & enjoying some "scooby berry" go gurt smoothie. I need to get started on my jambalaya for dinner. And I also need to commit to getting to bed at a decent hour tonight. I always sleep like crap when Hunter's gone. It's still beyond me how I survived a year without him. I guess I really was sleep deprived! LOL

Phew~

Am I glad last week's over!

We got word early Weds. am that Hunter's grandfather had died during the night. He was 94 & was a truly remarkable man. He was such a positive influence on Hunter after his father died & I'm glad that Hunter has those memories of doing special things w/ his grandfather & grandmother.

We drove up to VA on Thurs., Friday morning was spent picking up things we forgot to pack & Hunter going to his granfather's house to see his aunt & her family & get more info about the funeral & the will, lunch w/ Hunter's family & Friday night was the wake, Saturday the funeral, interment & luncheon. Saturday night MIL & FIL had their neighbors over for dinner & Sunday we had a family lunch with his grandmother (other side of the family). Sunday night his parents watched the wiggly one so we could go out to dinner---just the 2 of us. Monday I had a "ladies lunch" with MIL & her mother & a family dinner Monday night w/ MIL, FIL, grandmother & BIL. We left for GA on Tuesday.

We were making great time on the way home only to be caught up in a traffic jam that had 85S closed from exists 61-64. We were lucky that we weren't too far ahead of schedule otherwise we would have been right behind the accident & Hunter would have had to gotten out to help (He's a combat experienced medic as well as an EMT). It was bad enough that we took almost 2 hrs to go a mile & a half to be detoured off the highway. We should have been home at 630 but instead got in at 915. We were all beyond exhausted.

Weds we sent Bets to school & Hunter & I got his stuff together to go to the field. He's gone for about a week so we're having a girls weekend here.

Today we went to Monkey Joes w/ the MOMS club & had a blast! Bets loves going there & climbing up all the jumperoos!

Tomorrow we're going for coffee w/ friends & then some shopping. I have some laundry to get done this weekend too.

I did get 2 baby blankets done & 3 spa cloths this week. Tomorrow I'm going to start another sweater for Bets & hopefully get my socks done sometime!

Monday Monday. . .

I finished the sweater I started last week for the wiggly one. It's a variation on the LB 7 Seas Baby set. I used the LB Microspun in lilac doublestranded but due to poor color selection at the stores here in town I decided to make it in a solid color. When I finished it on Saturday (sewed the buttons on & finished the left front, buttonholes etc) she giggled as I put it on her! It'll be perfect for the poor excuse of a winter we have down here. Watch---this will be the year we get snow! Hey, a girl can dream, right?!

I also have my International Tote Exchange II bag done. I just need to attach the strap & see about whether the bottom needs additonal support (plastic needlepoint canvas!). I have a few extra goodies for my partner & will get the bag ready to go out next week.

I'm also working on baby items for my friend Tara who is due in a couple months. Her hubby is due to be home on R & R from Afghanistan in a couple weeks---I'm so happy for them! I know how hard this deployment has been on them (it's their first) . So far I have a baby kimono, coordinating hat & a washcloth for her. I have 2 bibs but they're in pink & purple & the other items I've made are in pink, orange & yellow & it hit me how cute it would be if I made everything to coordinate (like w/ Shannon's from a couple posts ago) rather than just in traditional girly colors.

This week is going to be hectic (when do I have one that isn't?!)---today is mallwalk, tomorrow the wiggly one goes to school & in the evening I have the vendor sale for the Just4Kidz consignment sale. Weds is the MOMS Exec Bd Meeting, Friday we have a function to go to & get Hunter ready to go to the field for a week-10 days.

The funny thing about field time is that for me, a week is nothing. It's time to watch the girly movies that your husband wont watch, fix things for dinner that he won't eat (shrimp scampi!) & time to catch up w/ your girlfriends. I guess after a year apart & 2 back to back 6 month deployments a week really is nothing!

Off to fix breakfast for the wiggly one before we get ready for mallwalk!

Plug for my pal!

My friend & knitting guru Deb has a pattern in the new Knitty issue!!

http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall06/PATTdiamante.html

Way to go Deb!!!!

The blog where we get all deep. . .

How stinkin' cute is this set? It's for one of the girls in my MOMS group who is having a little boy next month. I'm still toying with the idea of making matching pants. *note to self---dig out pants from the wiggly one's 0-3 month clothes to use as prototype. I swear, I dont think I've used any of my knitting books the way I've used Mason Dixon Knitting!


I had a wonderful weekend & birthday thanks to my wonderful husband, friends & family. Friday we had a MOMS event (made Grandparent's Day posters for the residents of a local nursing home) & had lunch (and wonderful conversation) with 3 of my friends. It was so nice to just sit & visit!


Friday night Hunter, the wiggly one & I went out to dinner & ice cream. There is something yummy about med-rare Prime Rib. Tender, yummy bloody meeeeaaaat! LOL

Saturday & Sunday we spent the days shopping, playing w/ Libby & Bets, & just enjoying the fact that Hunter is home!

Monday the phone rang almost non-stop with people calling to wish me a happy birthday. It was already happier than last year since I wasn't bringing Hunter back to the airport b/c his R & R was over!

I scored big on the $$ front from Mom & Dad, MIL & FIL & Hunter's grandmother! Woo Hoo! I bought a new remote for my car & have appointments for a facial & haircut & will do the walk in thing for a pedicure. And yes, I DID buy yarn as well LOL!

The night before my birthday I was reminded of the eve of my 29th birthday. I was living on Beacon Hill in Boston, was getting married to my ex in less than a year & was a makeup artist at a great cosmetics counter in Cambridge. I had a great circle of friends & on the outside everything looked perfect.

Yet I spent that night in tears. I was evaluating where I was in my life & where I wanted to be & I felt like a failure. I couldn't figure out why but something wasn't right & my birthday was sad as a result. True I did do things with friends & everyone made me feel special on my day but something wasn't right.

Such a far cry from the eve of this last birthday. I realized how truly happy & blessed I am. I have a caring, loving, respectful (how many people can say THAT one?!) husband. We went through hell to be with one another & have been through a lot more than most couples & I can honestly say I still love (and respect!) him as much as the day I married him.

I have a beautiful, smart, sweet, fiesty & above all, healthy! little girl who is the light of my eye. She makes me want to be a better person & inspires me daily.

I have a dog who is the epitome of "man's best friend"---without her companionship OIF1 would have been even harder than it was.

I have a wonderful family that I will NEVER take for granted no matter how many miles are between us. My brothers are remarkable men & I am proud to be their little sister----just as I was when they were in high school & I was in awe of them. My parents? If I can be half as good as a mother to Betsy as my own mother was to me then I'll be batting 1000. My father & I butted heads on so many things when I was growing up & it's because we are so much alike. I respect & love him so much & am lucky he is my Daddy.

My friends have been a tremendous source of love & support---both old & new friends. I love how I can get together with my girlfriends back home & it seems as though we've never been apart. Being an Army wife has taught me to treasure your friends--both new & old as you never know when someone will PCS. The friends I've made since moving here are so dear to me. They've laughed with me, cried with me & held my hand when times were rough. They've been though the things I've been through & they understand.

When I worked for Lancome in Boston I had the pleasure of working with a woman named Mary. We joked she was my "Boston Mom" as I fell inbetween her 2 girls agewise & my own Mom was miles away. Mary was kind, funny & had her beliefs about how things should be. When I turned 29 & was bemoaning leaving my 20's & how 30 seemed soooooooooo old she told me that her 30's were truly the best time of her life. She knew who she was, she knew what she wanted & what she didn't & wasn't afraid to say so. I've taken those words with me for the last few plus years & it's been VERY true. I have loved my 30's. LOVED. THEM. Like Mary, I learned who I was, what I wanted & what I had to do to get it. I learned that not everyone is going to like me & that's okay. I learned that I'm not going to like everyone & that too, is okay.


Well, enough of the deep introspection! I'm off to get the wee one into the bathtub.

Cleaning out my closets!

It feels so good to de-stash!

Last week when I was cleaning for FIL's visit I was putting away shoes in my closet to discover I STILL have 7 Coach bags (plus matching wallets, makeup bags etc) on one of the shelves. I've had these bags for years (the newest piece is from 1999) & I don't use them anymore. I've been talking about putting them on Ebay for a while & just haven't gotten around to it.

Well last night I did---3 bags plus their accessories went up (I'm keeping my large tote, my Abbie zip for Betsy, my small black plaid bag & right now a med. tan bag but it'll probably be up for auction by the end of the day). Woke up this morning to discover I sold my red tote & it's goodies! YAY! It's boxed up & ready to ship out tomorrow.

Did the same thing with some yarn a couple wks ago & last week as well. I bought a ton of Noro Kureyon last fall & winter & while I love the colors I HATE how it felts. So now they are en route to their new owners. I also brought 30 skeins to one of the nursing homes in town for their residents to use. My stash is down to 228 skeins but I'll probably destash again in a few weeks. I have some bamboo & rosewood needles to put on Ebay---maybe I'll get to it later today.

What a week!

Where to even begin?

The wiggly one started school this week. She's having a blast & we're already noticing a change in her normally good behavior! She's listening better & sitting better for meals! Woo Hoo!! Here she is on her first day--disney princess backpack, little people & all! She's also eating goldfish for snacktime---something she would never do at home!

I managed to get 2 "Heartbreakingly Cute Baby Kimono"'s done this week. One is for Tara & Sal's daughter & the other is a gal at MOMS whose son is due in Oct. I'm trying to decide whether to make bibs or washcloths for her (him really). She's new to our group but very sweet. She fits in with our group very well! Maybe I'll do washcloths. AC Moore has millendsI'm going to make some drawstring pants to match the kimono for Tara & Sal's little girl as she'll be born up in NY & it's chilly there.

FIL came to visit this week for a couple days---it was nice having him here. He hadn't been down to visit since the 1st time Hunter went to Kuwait in '02. Now that he's retired (closed their stores) he's got more leisure time. Hunter took him on post & showed him around. He also got to go into one of the Bradleys in the motorpool which he thought was great. Bets was happy to have someone else to read to her & took full advantage of having Pa-Pa when it came time to bedtime stories!

Hunter grilled a Boston Butt which came out fantastic! He started the coals at 10 am & by 5 it was done to perfection. Some double fork shredding action followed & we had the yummiest supper!

The bummer about this week is that Bets is allergic to something. We haven't given her anything new or different but apparantly something is causing her rash. She's got atarax to take 3x a day to help with itching while we change her detergent to Dreft (why can't they recommend Baby Purex which is soooooo much cheaper?) & her body wash to Dove. I really don't want to have to take her to an allergist or dermatologist for the scratch test so hopefully it's the detergent. We'd switched a few weeks ago to All Free/Clear which you think wouldn't cause a reaction but who knows.

Today's project: finishing my Cascade Fixation Anklet & getting some yarn I sold on KR boxed up.

Hope everyone's having a good weekend!!!

And now, weekend update. . .

"Good evening, I'm Chevy Chase, & you're not"

Anyone remember that??? Class? Bueller? Bueller???

Another lovely weekend has passed in my little corner of the world. Friday morning Betsy & I went swimming for a couple hours. I brought the video camera & took about 20 min of video to send to my parents. They're going to love watching her push off the stairs & kick her way across to the other side of the pool!


Finally got my partner for my Mason Dixon Swapcloth exchange after confusion about my email address. So Friday night while Hunter was watching Sci Fi (Stargate gag), I relegated myself to the bedroom & watched "Elizabethtown" & knitted away. I wasn't prepared for the memorial scene & how much I would cry. Sap that I am. I had swapcloth #1 done by 1030! Woo Hoo!

Saturday we had a MOMS weekend activity & drove out to the Lane Packing co. in Ft Valley, GA (about 70 miles away from us). We toured their peach orchards, pecan groves & saw some of their peanut plants (plants? what do they call peanut orchards/groves??? ). We let the kids play for a little while & had lunch, bought some yummies (vidalia onion ranch dressing SUPER YUM! & some bbq sauce for Hunter). I knitted swapcloth #2 that afternoon! SUCCESS! Add some stitch markers, pull out a soap from my stash & I'm done!

We used the aforementioned bbq sauce on our pork tenderloin that Hunter grilled for supper. Again, much yummines. Watched the final episode of Alton Brown's "Feasting on Asphalt" last night. I'm bummed that the show was only 4 episodes. I love his "Good Eats" show as well!

Today we went for a walk in the morning (after our lazy Sunday tradition of breakfast & reading the paper). We also have a weird traditon---we look at the birth listings in the paper & see what the most rediculous name is. You get points for creative spellings, multiple punctuation & just obviously made up names.

Ran errands this afternoon while Bets napped (hunter too) & then took Libby out to play ball after Bets woke up. Talked to one of my best friends from home (her hubby came home a couple mos ago after spending 4 months in Iraq) & caught up w/ her. Hard to believe her "baby" is going into 2nd grade this fall! I remember going to see her in the hospital the day he was born! Time truly flies!

Speaking of school----Bets starts preschool on Tuesday. I'm excited & nervous all at the same time! It's going to be a good experience for her (her teachers are both friends of mine from MOMS) & I know she's going to have fun but I'm still 2nd guessing my decision to enroll her. *sigh* If it doesn't work out I can always pull her right???

Tonight's knitting? I'm starting the MDK kimono for Tara & Sal's little girl due in Dec! I have 2 bibs & 2 washcloths done for her already. After the kimono I'll start a blanket, I think. I have some pretty Lorna's Laces that I got in a swap & it's perfect for a baby girl.

Dishcloth madness

Or ball band madness, more specifically. Got these done between last Friday & today (you can see the blue & green in the upper right hand corner needs to have the ends woven in)

I'm starting a purple & yellow one tonight & going onto a purple kick.

Less than 1 week until the wiggly one starts school---Ack!!!

Woo Hoo! Puffy arrived today!

This came in the mail today---a gorgeous blue dishcloth & some pretty blue stitch markers from my exchange partner!


I love doing exchanges because there is something about making an item for someone you've never met, be it a dish cloth or purse. It's exciting to be doing something nice for a stranger & to put so much thought into their "puffy". One of my favorite items ever received was a dish scrubby my last dishcloth exchange partner made. I loved it so much that I started making them myself---both to keep & as gifts to go along w/ dishcloths. I've found that I like them better than store bought ones as they're less abrasive on my Calphalon!

More shameless bragging!

Hunter got called out of the Combat Lifesaver class he was teaching on Friday to go down to the Battalion office where the Brigade CO & all the BTN CO's were having a meeting. He (and 3 of his friends) get down there to find out they're receiving Army Commendation Medals for saving the life of a guy in their unit last month. He's a 35 yr old man who suffered a heart attack during PT. Hunter & the 3 other medics fell out of their run, sprang into action & did what they do best. They got his heart going again & kept him stable until he could be transported to the hospital.

In addition to their ARCOM they also received a division coin which was nice. I am SO proud of him. This is the 2nd soldier whose live he saved in a non-combat situation (the other was a guy when they were at NTC in '04---they diagnosed him w/ appendicitis & got him to the hospital at Ft Irwin (they were in the "box" at the time) in time for the doctors there to operate.) I'm not even going to talk about all the soldiers & Iraqis he treated during OIF1 & OIF3.

Way to go sweetie! I am so proud of you!!

Happy Birthday to my Sweetie!

Happy Birthday to the best husband I could ever have! I love you more than you know & am so proud to be your wife!!!

Can I just add that it's so nice to have my birthday boy home to celebrate instead of in Ramadi dodging IED's?!!

I tucked a card into his uniform jacket last night so he'd find it this morning when he was dressing. Bets & I are going to join him for lunch today & bring him some chocolate chip cookies & tonight we'll have cake. I STILL need to find one more piece to his present. *sigh*

Did I mention that this wonderful man & birthday boy went to JAG for me yesterday so I wouldn't have to deal w/waiting w/ the wee one? Yep. He did that. Got the form so we dont have to pay the Ad Valoreum tax & also updated my POA (which expired last month). I know he doesn't deploy for a year but I still like to have one. I think I'm just so used to him being gone & having POA that I HAVE to have the form all the time.

I made pumpkin bread yesterday----yum! Tonight we're having a chicken dish (almost like enchiladas) that I saw on Paula Deen. Looks yummy & looked insanely easy so we'll give it a shot.

I'm off to take the dog out, get my cookie dough into the oven & get ready to drop Libby off at the groomers & go to the Tag office before lunch w/ my wonderful birthday boy!

Anklets & a good parking space means trouble

Got my anklets done for my Cascade Fixation KAL & have put them away for Christmas for MIL. I also got my Mom's fall bag felted this weekend & now need to go shopping for a strap & hardware for it. I'm going to try the pleather (plastic + leather = pleather) straps I'm seeing advertised. They have them at Hobby Lobby & Hancock Fabrics so I'll have to run out to either store & pick up a purple strap.

Yesterday I mailed out my Dishcloth Exchange partner's "puffy" ---I hope she likes it! I made her a purple spacloth w/ a dragonfly on it & added a brown sugar/vanilla soap (she loves vanilla) & the purple stitchmarkers I made. I can't wait to see what my partner made me!!!

So back to my good parking space. . .yesterday I went to the commissary to do our big monthly shopping. Hunter said he'd watch Bets while I was there if I dropped her off at his office---win win situation right? I get to shop childfree & he gets to spend lunch hour w/ his daughter. Sounded good to me.

So I race off Kelley hill to the commissary & get a space almost in the 1st row! And oddly enough, the parking lot's not that full. You'd think that I'd realize this means trouble but no, not me, not the optimistic side of me anyway. . .

I get into the commissary only to discover that their computers are DOWN & have been down since 730 that morning (it's now 1215pm). Fortunately by the time I was ready to check out (1250 pm) they were back up & running. I raced back up to the Hill, got Bets & was home by 130 to get her down at 2 for her nap. My nap came from 330 until 4 LOL!

Today we hosted playgroup & had a pool party. Bets was wiped out & had a good 2 1/2 hr nap afterwhich we took the ziti I made out to Michelle (my friend from MOMS who was just diagnosed w/ Crohn's) & them home for pizza w/ Hunter. We took a walk after dinner to see the ducks & now the wee one's in the bath & I'm thinking about getting in bed after I do my day 2 of my Monthly Dishcloth KAL assignment & CO my 2nd pr of Cascade Fixation Anklets.

Stitchmarkers for my DIshclothKAL partner

Got my partner for my dishcloth exchange yesterday. She likes purple (girl after my own heart!) so I thought I'd make her some purple stitchmarkers as little "extras" in her "puffy"

I'm disappointed---I started a 9 square dishcloth (from MDK) & my mitred square is Sooooooooooooo loooooooooooooong. Not sure if I need to switch to smaller needles or what but the one that is 3/4 done for my partner is going to be used as a washcloth for the dog! I'm going to make her another dishcloth (probably the dragonfly) & add some vanilla soap (one of her favorite scents) to her puffy & call it good.

Fixated on Fixation

This my first pair of socks using Cascade Fixation (Bulky) & I am kicking myself for not using it before! It's really soft & the socks feel almost like those gel socks you buy in the stores for an outragous sum of money. These are for MIL for Christmas.

I'm doing better & am coughing up less ooky stuff. I wasted 2 hours on Sunday afternoon at the ER on post. They were so understaffed & so overwhelmed with patients that there was a 4 hour waiting period. I put my knitting (Mason-Dixon baby bib) away & took off my bracelet & left. When I was seen initially the nurse told me my lungs were clear & that the congestiong & sputum was probably from an upper respiratory thing. So I'm taking my Robitussin & drinking lots of fluids & it seems to be working.

Took Libby to the vet yesterday to have them check out her tail (which she's been gnawing at for a couple days) only to discover that her tail isn't the issue---she's got a worm! UGH! So 3 tests, 3 shots (she was also due for her yearly shots), 1 hour & 118$ later we leave. She also got microchipped which is something I've been on the fence about doing. She's such a good little dog----didn't cry or anything with her shots or the chipping.

Tonight is MOMS Night out & we're going to the movies. Mmmmmmm popcorn! The vote was to see "You, Me & Dupree" but I really want to see Clerks II. Maybe I can con someone into seeing it with me!

Off to start laundry & see if it's pool weather this morning. The wiggly one hasn't been swimming in over a week (since the Sunday before Hunter's surgery). I know she'll be thrilled to go & if we swim before lunch she'll be good & tired for her nap!!!

What a difference a day makes. . .

The benefits to being sick are amazing! You actually have to sit quietly & rest, which for me, means knitting.

Todd's socks are done. Do I dare spoil him with a 3rd pair? Perhaps I'll pick up a couple more skeins of black sock yarn the next time I go to Darlene's & surprise him. The black yarn I have is already spoken for ---Hunter!

Speaking of the patient---he's sound asleep thanks to percocet & 800 mg motrin. He's going to get up in a little while for lunch & then back down for his afternoon nap.

Betsy has been SUCH a good girl this morning. We've read 8 books & had a tea party & she's been great keeping herself entertained. She's into playing dress up---loves to put on her hat, sunglasses, my shoes & grabs her purse & walks around. Maybe she needs some girly princess dress up stuff too

I have an FRG meeting tonight that I'm going to have to back out of since I'm still coughing a good bit (although less than yesterday). We have a social next week that I'm planning on going to. Should be interesting as we're supposed to get a new CO commander (our old Rear D commander from OIF1 who ROCKS!!!!) so I'm assuming this social is Mrs. W's way of saying good bye & letting us know that Mrs. D (who is a doll & busy as all get out w/ their gazillion kids!) will be taking over. But it's the Army so who knows!!

What a week (and it's not even over yet!)

I will be so glad when this week is over!

We were up early yesterday (Tues) to get ready for Hunter's oral surgery (4 wisdom teeth) . I was watching him like a hawk last night & this morning to make sure he didn't eat anything b/c if he did & this got bumped back another month I was going to send him w/ a friend to the hospital!

So we get up early, shower, get Bets up & fed & dressed & off to Josie's to play w/ Madison while we were at the hospital.

I worked on the 2nd pr of socks for my brother for Christmas (my Memere's pattern) while I was in the waiting room & at the pharmacy. 3 ladies in the pharmacy waitinig area commented on them & told me about the socks they made back in the day. Knitters are a funny bunch!

Got the "patient" & stopped by the unit to drop off his quarters form & then a quick trip to the commissary for some drinkable yogurt. Got to Josie's where we discovered a very tired Josie, Bets & Madison! Apparantly Bets thought she'd impress everyone w/ her climbing skills. Josie was impressed & I'm sure Madison took notes LOL.

Came home & put Hunter to bed w/ a percocet. Bets & I had lunch, read some stories while she was on the potty & then she went down for her nap around 145. I got my knitting assignment done for my dishcloth KAL & then worked on Todd's sock.

Slept okay last night---I have a horrible cough & Hunter's of the opinion that it's either pneumonia or bronchitis. Lovely. So I'm all hepped up on Robitussin in hopes that it's just a cold & that it'll go away. Meanwhile I'm hacking up a lung at regular intervals throughout the night.

Got sock #1 finished this morning & CO it's mate this afternoon while Hunter & Bets were napping. It's being knitted on size 7 Brittany birch DPN's (which tie for my favorites along w/ my Crystal Palace dpn's) & Lion Brand Wool Ease that my Aunt gave me back in Feb when she destashed.



The pattern (as well as yarn) is the same one my Memere used to make socks for all 22 of us grandkids as well as her 6 children & 6 sons & daughter in law. Growing up they were the socks we wore in our winter boots in provide extra warmth in cold Vermont winters. We wore them in our ice & figure skates & we wore them on chilly nights at home. To this day I have several pairs tucked away as momentos of my childhood & my talented Memere. In addition to her perfect socks she also made us mittens---I never had store bought mittens until I was in high school & wanted a leather pair similar to my brother's girlfriend. They were no where near as warm as my "Memere mittens".

Maybe next year I'll start working on mittens

FO's!!

These are the socks for my brother Todd. I found some Wool-Ease on clearance at Hobby Lobby (the charcoal) & used that combined w/ some Wool-Ease that my aunt had given me from her stash (the cream color) . 1 pr done for Todd, 1 to go.

I'll either CO Mom's bag this afternoon or work on my Dublin Bay socks, if I'm not "socked" out.

Hey! I'm not a Brady!

LOL! I have to admit I'm addicted to some of the trash TV on VH-1. Such as, I love the 70's, Volume II. Is it wrong that I still think Christopher Knight (Peter Brady) is cute??!!

Knitting & MOMS have kept me busy this past week. I finished Mom's socks & have finished 1 of Todd's socks (sock #2 has been CO & I'm working on the cuff). I've got 13 dish cloths & scrubbies done (will probably do 3 more) & need to start on Mom's fall bag. She's commented several times that she liked the color of my Booga bag (Noro Kureyon #139) so I'm planning on making her a bag in that colorway but what pattern??? Her first bag is a booga style, her 2nd is a variation of the Booga & *sigh* what to do for the 3rd???

I'm waiting for the signed copy of Mason Dixon Knitting I won on Ebay to get here. I've already made 4 of the ball band "warshrag" & have memorized the pattern LOL.

I found the pattern to the "fake-a-gamo" bag & will make that at some point, possibly in red for me for fall. The story behind it is this: Ferragamo had a bag in their spring line that was supposedly crocheted. Anyone who crochets or knits or both could look at it & see that the stitches were knit, not hooked. Several talented gals on craftster figured how to recreate the bag & let me tell you they did an amazing job! I swear, so many bags, so little time!

The new Executive Board took over on July 1st & this past Monday was our first official meeting. We had a fun general meeting & then followed w/ the Exec. Bd meeting so that we could take advantage of Kristine's expertise before she went on vacation. Our treasurer is in the hospital w/ Crohn's Disease (she thought she was going in for an outpatient procedure & wound up staying for a week!) so dealing with our yearly budget was tricky. We've got 3 parties planned (or $$ alloted for them) for fall, Christmas & Spring. Our old Secretary Kris will be the party planner (big thank you!!!) & I know she'll do a great job.

Betsy continues to be fearless in the pool & is getting better each & every day! She's so much fun & we're really blessed to have such a sweet girl. Last night we were reading Snuggle Puppy before bed & all of a sudden she jumped down from the couch & went down the hall to her room & said "nigh nigh!" Got into bed w/ Jake (her stuffed dog & best bud) & Baby Maggie & conked out until 730 thismorning. Then took a 2 hr nap this afternoon. She is so great.


Tomorrow we're going to run some errands in the morning & then home for lunch & our nap.

Wow, June is almost over!

Where has the time gone???

We had a great last week of leave---lots of time in the pool & just enjoying our time alone as a family!

Last week was spent getting back on our schedule, stuff with MOMS & enjoying the 95+degree weather.

Lazy Sunday mornings are my favorite. We have breakfast as a family, read the paper, get some prime snuggles w/Betsy & get laundry done.

It's raining this morning so our walk & outdoor play time has been postponed. Hopefully we get Bets tired enough for a good nap today! She's back to 2 hr naps in the afternoon (YAY!) & oddly enough our dinnertime meltdowns have disappeared.

I've been busy with MOMS & last week was elected President of the club for the '06-'07 year. I LOVE the girls who will be on the executive board with me & it looks to be a good (busy!) year! I've decided that this will be my last year on the board & will maybe do a committe chair next year as Hunter will be deploying sometime after May & I want to be able to go home for a few weeks w/out worrying about leaving my responsibilities on someone else's shoulders.


Christmas gifts are flying off the needles! I've got 7 out of 12 sets of dish cloths/scrubbies done. Right now I'm working on a pair of socks for my Mom w/ some beautiful Trekking XXL yarn I picked up in VA back in Feb. My Mom is so cute! We're talking the other day & she lets me know she saw these socks in the Knitting pattern a day calendar & didn't they look like the ones I made Todd for Christmas last year. So I look at my calendar & sure enough, they're Todd's socks. She then goes on to say that "you know, Moms like brightly striped socks too!" LOL So I dug out my sock stash & found the Trekking & CO the socks on Friday night. Right now I'm finishing my gusset decreases & am about 60% done sock #1.


I also have a pr of socks on the needles for my brother Todd. I was working on them in the waiting area of the Oral Surgery unit the other day while Hunter was supposed to be having his wisdom teeth out (more to follow). 3 people asked me what I was doing, how did I learn to knit, how hard were socks & that knitting with 5 needles looked incredible! I guess if you've never seen sock knitting on double pointed needles that it looks weird! I still need to pick up my Cat Bordhi book on using circulars to knit socks. Maybe my next pair.



So back to the wisdom teeth ----we arrange for Bets to go to Kelli@ at 8 am on Weds so I can be Hunter's "escort" for his surgery. We get to MACH & my husband who has been in combat twice, has had much worse surgery (testicular cancer scare) & has witnessed my C section is nervous. Trust me when I say this ISN'T a good side of him! Well he goes in to be prepped for surgery & tells them that he ate after midnight---on the way in he grabbed a bite of my hashbrown.


Game over, surgery cancelled & we're on our way home. He goes in next month to have it done. Grant me strength!


Well I'm off to fold some whites, play w/ Bets & enjoy our family day together!

Back from VA. . .

We spent D Day at the National D Day Museum in Bedford, VA. It was BEYOND humbling & I was honored to be in the company of these men, these HEROES. I said "thank you" to the ones we came in contact with & was in awe of them. I was also moved to tears when one of the wives of these men actually thanked Hunter for his service (he was wearing his 3ID 3bde OIF shirt).

We had a nice time in VA---we went to a family reunion for his Dad's side of the family at the country home where his grandfather & siblings grew up. Bets had a blast running thru the fields & on the tractor ride. We saw a huge field of rye which made me want to get a catcher's mitt & take a pic. Hunter got the joke but didn't appreciate the humor. LOL.

Saturday night his Mom had her entire family over (except for one of her sisters & her hubby who were on vacation). It was a madhouse! A good time was had by all & it was nice to spend time w/ his cousins from MA. My brother Michael had helped his cousin Leah get a job as an RA before he left UMASS so it was expecially nice to spend time w/ her.

As always I got a great deal at one of the local yarn stores on some felting yarn (Brown Sheep Nature Spun for 1.40$!).

Monday his Mom & I ran errands & went shopping, Tuesday we spent at the D Day Memorial & driving to Smith Mountain Lake where Hunter used to live (& went to the street where part of What About Bob? was filmed), Weds I went to lunch w/ his Mom, Grandmother & Aunt who is visiting from MA. Hunter got lots of Betsy/Daddy time which is always good for the 3 of us! Yesterday we drove home & today we're doing unpacking, laundry, groceries & hopefully the pool in just a little bit.

Remembrance

We remember those who gave all. . . especially Hunter's friends Jason, Jens, Michael just to name only a few.

My friend from college, Rob.

May their families & comrades know peace

Thanks Kish for the pattern!!

One of the gals on my Tote Exchange created this pattern which helped me 1) use up the 2 skeins of Ticker Tape that were going unused in my stash & 2) create a great little bag for Hunter's cousin Megan (19 & going into her sophomore yr of college). This bag is right up her alley!

It's a cute little bag & I think would work well as a bigger messenger style bag as well!

So thanks Kish & here's my bag!

Here's the link to the pattern: http://www.geocities.com/kmhsunshine/tickerpurse.html

Beading bug hits!

I have no clue what put this thought in my head but yesterday I was COMPELLED to go get some beading accessories to make stitch markers. So the wiggly one & I went to AC Moore & scoured the beading aisles. Found some pretty beads & came home & got to work.

Fast forward to today after mallwalk----went to Walmart to get round needlenose pliers & then Hobby Lobby for more beads/ accessories.

The total stands at 2 sets (6 ea) of beaded stitch markers, 6 prs of earrings & I'm going to get more levered backs for earrings tomorrow!

The blue earrings are for the gals who were on the Executive Board w/me this past year.

These are the pink stitch markers I made for MIL for her b-day The blue markers (yes, they are identical to the earrings) I haven't decided what to do with yet. I may keep them for myself or save them for the next knitting exchange I have.

My exchange bag is coming along nicely--I've decided I will make one for myself this fall in cream & brown. Will post pics of that soon!

Tuesday, Tuesday

. . .somehow it just doesn't have the same ring as Monday, monday. . .


Relay for Life was held on Friday night & was incredibly moving in so many ways. Two of the Moms who walked with us (Beth & Sandi) are cancer survivors. Beth took her new son Jacob (5 mos old on Friday) to walk during the Survivors Lap. It was very humbling to see all the people who have survived. The hardest for me was to see the children. So many little ones walking as survivors. While part of me thought "yay for making it" I have to admit I was MAD. WHY would those poor little innocent things be forced to deal with so much in their little lives? WHY? It made me ashamed that I've been complaining about Bets being fussy w/ her 2 yr molars & w/ this whole "terrible 2's" thing. She's healthy damn it. Those kids walking are lucky to be alive & here I am whining that my daughter's being a pill.

As a team we nearly doubled our goal which is awesome. One of my goals for next year as President is to have a kick ass RFL team & to beat this year's $$$ raised. I am proud of our accomplishments this year & know next year we can do even more!

Had a wonderful Mother's Day (thanks to my sweetie!). He did EVERYTHING all day long---got up w/ the Wiggly one, made her breakfast, took her grocery shopping so I could rest, lunch, rest time, took her to the park so I could sit & watch Absolutely Fabulous (one of my all time faves!) on BBC America while I finished the bag for MIL's b-day. Fixed a yummy supper & gave me 3 cards---one from him, one from Bets & one from Libby LOL.

I also have $$$ towards a facial, mani & pedi--woo hoo!

Ran errands & cleaned today. I was in line returning something @ Walmart when this man turned around & smiled at me. I smiled back & he turned back around---did a double take & whipped around to tell me that I look exactly like a girl at his church but she doesn't have a child (I had Bets in the stroller). I chuckled & said "they say we all have a twin somewhere". He then told me that he knew I couldn't be her since she didn't have children. And then goes on to say she's 27 & how old was I? I swear, I almost smooched this guy but I make it a rule to not kiss strange men in Walmart. Especially in GA.


We have MOMS Night Out later this week---sushi--yum! Wine--yum!! We have a new member joining us from LA who will be there so I'm looking forward to meeting her. She was on the executive board w/ her old club as well as Sunshine Mom so she may get tapped by me in the fall to be our Sunshine Mom.

I'm off to see if Bets is still napping & take Libby out to play. . .

Today is Military Spouses Appreciation Day

A friend of mine posted this on another board I'm on. It's nice to be appreciated, isn't it???

Military Spouse Appreciation Day: May 12, 2006
by Arlene H. Hull LIFELines

"If the military had wanted you to have a spouse, they would have issued you one." Remember those words? Well, that was then and this is now. America's military has realized and acknowledged the significance of the military spouse.

In 1984 President Reagan proclaimed the Friday before Mother's Day of each year to be Military Spouse Appreciation Day. It is your day to stand up and be honored.

For the times you've stood and watched a ship sail from the harbor, an aircraft disappear into the clouds, or a truck convoy pull out of sight, not sure when they would return, we thank you.

For the countless household moves you've made from a place you know to one that's strange and different -- often by yourself -- we thank you.

For the families you've held together, for the anniversaries, birthdays, and holidays you've celebrated alone, we thank you.

For the hand you've extended to another military spouse when the need was there, truly creating a military family, we thank you.

For the spirit and strength you've shown when your service member has gone into harm's way, we thank you.

For the pride you've displayed while serving as an ambassador of the military spouse to the rest of the world, we thank you.


Far too frequently, the sacrifices and dedication of the military spouse have gone unnoticed and unappreciated. In our nation's recent history, thousands of service members have been placed in harm's way as they stood watch as freedom's guardian.

You too have stood watch at home, facing challenges alone. You have waved flags and held banners high to express your support. You have kept the candles burning on the home front as a reminder of our deployed military. You have made difficult sacrifices of your own, and have called upon your inner reserves to nurture family life so your service member can focus on the business at hand.

Even in times of relaxed alert status for our military, you have stood ready and alert for the slightest of signs, perhaps overlooked or ignored by your civilian counterparts, signaling a potential change in the status of our military forces.

As a military spouse, you have willingly packed up and relocated countless times, and may have been separated from your own parents and siblings for several years at a time. Quite often, you have been placed in an unfamiliar ethnic or cultural setting, or a remote location. You have met this challenge with confidence and pride, making your nation proud of you.

By the same token, you have extended your hand and hospitality to visitors to our country. A country cannot count itself strong by its armed services alone, but must also depend on its civilians.

With military wives and husbands setting a superior example through devotion, courage, and commitment, we are a nation of strength. Military spouses ... stand tall, stand proud ... we salute you, you are truly our unsung heroes.

"Off the Cuff" bag

My friend Kris loved my pink & green cuffed bag so much she asked if I'd make one for her! She showed me a scarf her Mom had made her in a gorgeous chocolate brown w/ fun fur & the quest for the perfect yarn began. I wound up using Bernat Lana (AWESOME deal @ Hobby Lobby--3$ a skein!), Paton's Merino & some Yarn Bee (HL's in house brand) fun fur for the cuff.

I CO on Friday only to frog it b/c it was too wide. Saturday morning I CO again & got it done & felted Sunday afternoon. It went thru the washer 2x & today was dry enough to take off the box I was using to shape it & attach the straps.

I have to say that I LOVE the color combination of cream & brown & may wind up w/ something similar myself for fall!

Now I'm finishing a cloth for a friend's baby shower next week (train wash cloth) & will CO for my Tote Exchange later this week!

Back to the grind. . .

Well the weekend's over & I'm thankful---both Hunter & I were sick w/ a cold all weekend & felt ooky. The good part of it is we laid low & I got some good knitting time in.

I finished the first of his socks (about to CO the mate tonight during Big Love, if we're still up), got Kris' bag knitted & felted & got a baby washcloth (turtle pattern) done for Leslie's baby shower in a couple weeks.

This week I need to get my bag CO for my Tote Exchange. The yarn is here, the pattern is printed & I'm ready to go. Got the Sus seal of approval on it last week & am hoping my Exchange buddy likes it!

Here are the pics of the sock & bag (prefelting. It was 17" wide by 37" long)

This year my MOMS club decided to form a team & participate in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. It's an overnight walk to raise money for the ACS. It's also a time to remember those who have fought the battle & won & those who didn't. I'm walking w/ my wonderful MOMS girls & in honor of those I've lost to cancer---My Aunt Barbara who died of ovarian cancer in 1982. My Pepere who died in '83. My darling college roommate Eleanor (see Yahoo 360 blog post of 12 Dec.) & Hunter's grandfather who died in '03 while I was pregnant w/ Betsy.

If anyone is interested in making a donation the link is:
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=133432&lis=0&kntae133432=C4D03C9D86C6477D8327EE443A028354&supId=116386403
If you can't make a donation at this time know that prayers & warm wishes are also accepted!

Happy Hump Day!

Shameless bag brag here-----the first is the bag I made Jami for her b-day, the 2nd is Mom's bag for Spring & the 3rd is the one I made for myself for spring (one of the girls on my April '04 expecting board told me that Vera Bradley will be sad to lose me as a customer LOL! ).









It's Wednesday & the good news is that Hunter's car will be out of the shop today ---tomorrow at the latest! WOO HOO! I hate having to share cars as it's just a big hassle. Plus I miss my Taura-saurus! LOL

Picked up yarn on Saturday for my Tote Exchange partner. I found a pattern that I think she will like (it's one I've admired for a while too) & got a good deal on the yarn which is always a good thing! I'm going to start her bag after I finish Todd's socks & the baby blanket test pattern I'm doing for Cathy.

Yesterday I picked up some little knitting "goodies" for my TE partner as well as my dishcloth KAL exchange partner. Yesterday was a busy busy day----did the car swap w/ Hunter & dropped him off on post, got gas, went to the bank, Walmart, did the mystery shop I was assigned to, went to LYS & picked up more Brittany DPN's! as well as 2 skeins of Cascade 220 for MIL's bag (due for her b-day in June!). Came home, filled out paperwork for said Mystery shop, went back to post to pick up Hunter, stopped by the auto shop to find out when the Camry will be ready & then home to play outside w/ Bets & Libby. Went out to dinner (Mexican--yum), home to give Bets a bath & put her down at 730---she slept until 745 this am!

Today we have UFO group w/ MOMS. I found the idea for it on another MOMS website--it stand for UnFinished Objects & basically you can bring anything you're working on---scrapbook, knitting/crocheting, checkbook etc. Truth be told it was a desperate ploy on my part to bring my knitting to the events LOL!!

I'm adding the link to my Yahoo 360 page which is where I tend to blog the most often. Thought it would make life easier for the person who has me for the TE. http://360.yahoo.com/my_profile.html;_ylt=AvmppWs_2ARUmo9NKIWvCxO5AOJ3

If for some reason it doesn't forward properly I'm on 360 under the name scarlett_begonia_2000

Tote Exchange is up & running!

These are the socks that I had made for my brother only to discover that my gauge was WAY off & that they will never fit him. So they are now going to be Mom's socks! LOL

Just got the email from Kim about my exchange partner! YAY!!! I'm excited that she's into just about anything (makes things SO much easier!) so I can start shopping my stash to see what colors to use & what pattern I'm going with.

Woo Hoo!

Another knitting exchange! I am always in awe of the things other people come up with so I was thrilled to be invited (like everyone else wasn't LOL).

So now, the fun begins---shopping for the "perfect" yarn, the perfect pattern & all the little "extras" that make the package!

I have an idea in mind as to what pattern I'm going to do so we'll see what my partner likes!