Current Works-in-progress

Reversible toy - Frog/Turtle - from Itty Bitty Toys

Lace Scarf using my Micki-spun yarn 

Pembroke vest, though considering its wool and i’m knitting it for a MAY kiddo I may set it aside and pick it back up for, you know, November/December when he can actually wear it here.

Baby Kimono & accessories, because my baby gift stash closet needs to grow

I haven’t choosn my UFO for April yet, but I’m pretty sure it will be something I am frogging because I do have a deadline knit this month.

And I should be working on my Script Frenzy script, for which there is one page & no working title (and, I want a Working Title darnit). But I’m not.

And I should be doing the dishes & washing towels. But I’m not.

And I should be doing DEADLINE KNITTING (Toby’s bday stuff). But I’m not.

And I should be teaching my children, because we’ve been out of the house all morning and skipping a school day isn’t a great idea. But I’m not.

I am going to, somehow, fit in everyone of those things in the next oh two hours. Some of it is easy - throw towels in the machine & turn on. Five minutes, right? RInse dishes & put in dishwasher, maybe ten minutes. School - depends on the level of cooperation I receive. Script. Knitting. Okay, a couple of the things WON’T get done in the next two hours. But thats okay. There is always tonight.

I am entering a contest from a author’s blog, there is a link to her book on my sidebar check it out, especially Katie who I know likes YA too.

WHY DO I DO DEADLINE KNITTING? I AM THE WORST AT KNITTING TO A DEADLINE.

Sigh

Today I am missing Facebook more than I have in weeks. I think after having Katie visit last week and spending so much time with good friends, I’m feeling like I need some kind of connection. Tomorrow I’ll be attending the local writing group, I haven’t seen these nano friends in months due to sick children or things I couldn’t skip happening with the family. So I am really looking forward to getting out, alone, for a couple of hours. And, of course, there is knit night Tuesday. I am planning on Script Frenzy in April, so a writerly gathering is a must-do.

Today the small ones and I are hanging out in our downstairs bedroom. This room (which used to be Jeric’s but he has moved upstairs because he wasn’t enjoying being the only one downstairs at night) has become a combination guest room/study room/library. It is cozy. The children’s Texas art (which was displayed at the library over the summer) is on one wall, and there are maps on the other. A third wall has a bookshelf filled with children’s books and their punching bag hangs out in the corner. While J will eventually move back down here as he and K grow older and no longer want to share a space, I am going to enjoy the room until they do. Maybe it will help me keep our living room (first impression when anyone visits) a bit neater.

I feel the need to invite someone over for tea. Blame it on SARK if you must.

Obligatory knit content - working on Toby’s birthday gifts (the Pembroke vest & the frog/turtle reversable toy from the itty bitty toys book), I have also (finally) been working on the pattern for the dress, Arabeth, that I knit for my princess a couple of years ago. Dying to pick up my scribble scarf again but I should let it sit a little longer, since May 22 is closer and closer everyday.

Recently storing the (somewhat small but all mine) stash has been an issue. My closet got really messy, all my craft stuff is stored in there, plus holiday things & of course my clothes. So It got to where I didn’t know where anything was and that just isn’t cool.

I wanted to be able to see my fave/best yarns really really really badly, and one of the recent yarn mags that came had those hanging shelf things for closets. When I got to the store (BB&B), I found one that zips up front, made for sweater storage. Perfect.

Two of the tubs on the side hold the crappy yarns that I need to go through & part with the ones I know I really won’t ever use, the other two are fabric related things - I really need to get back to sewing.

This shows you just how perfect this zip-up one is - little hands can’t get away with mama’s yarn ! In the second photo he sure is trying to get into it, you can’t tell from this angle but he was mad.

Above it is a couple of baskets with my UFOs in them. I have been working through UFO’s one a month this year, January was a bulky baby kimono which is now an FO, Februarys was a multi-directional scarf from which I reclaimed the yarn. March will likely be the hedgehog.

This followed me home from Goodwill today.  

I am excited about a couple of the things the boys have been doing in their workboxes lately. Lochlan is doing a Lapbook (read about lapbooking here - http://www.squidoo.com/lapbooking) on Star Wars. Yeah, Star wars. I wanted to start with something he LOVES, then we’ll do something a bit more educational. He has been doing some mini books and he has a list of six characters he is asking people to choose their favorite and will make a graph. There is some copywork involved, too.

Kieran is learning his times tables. In addition to his everyday Math we have several different programs - Times Tales, Skip Counting (rock cd or some thing or other), Jett’s Monster Math, and just using drill sheets from the internet. He really likes the drill sheets and asks for them.

Continuing to do book-based unit type things for Aa from homeschoolshare. Next is The Three Little Kittens lapbook. We’re also doing Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons as she shows interest, though if it is a long time between her interest I backpedal a bit. No hurry.

Pictures of the completed lapbooks when they are done !

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FOR TODAY January 25, 2010

Outside my window… clear skys, sunny, but cold again

I am thinking… I should get on with the housework & school

I am thankful for… my sisters <3  

From the learning rooms… Slow & easy, working through the boxes at a slow rate, didn’t even do our morning basket time yet - I suppose it’ll be "late afternoon basket" instead. (LAst Week Stands! Mondays are just like that   Boys are choosing a landmark & place to do a Geography project on, that should be fun!

From the kitchen… leftover lunch, meatloaf (w/ bacon!) for supper. Ripe bananas for baking banana muffins.

I am wearing… PJs and a sweatshirt, I need to shower & dress after lunch

I am creating… Finished the January UFO last night, It is way cute.

I am going… to visit the new kittens at nana’s house, and possibly will stop by to see everyone at knit night tonight.

I am reading… Choral Society by Prue Leith

I am hoping… this week is nice and easy on the school front

I am hearing… Dora

Around the house… Kids are on their "break" from schoolwork & I am taking advantage of it for a few minutes email & blog updating.

A few plans for the rest of the week: All the normal stuff, with the added bonus of a retirement dinner for a good friend of the family on Saturday.

So it is only January but i’m doing good on my UFO a month for this month. I am on sleeve #2 of a sweet baby kimono that I started last year and then set aside for no reason at all. It is absolutely adorable and I am fascinated with the top down process of creating a garment with no seams. There is no recipient for this particular item (mostly because the baby it was originally intended for is much too big now), and I am looking forward to starting my "Baby Gift" Stash finally. I do love knitting for babies, it’s my favorite!!! Well, after hats.

I did start and finish one other item this month. Angeluna brought a half skein of Patons SWS in a pinkish colorway so I knit ms. Aaralyn some fingerless mitts. I wove in the ends last night. Now we just need the weather to get cool again.  You know it’ll happen. It’s Texas, we have false spring every winter

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FOR TODAY January 18, 2010

Outside my window… beautiful day

I am thinking… the house is a wreck and I am overwhelmed and want to bury myself in library books

I am thankful for… library books !

From the learning rooms… Slow & easy, working through the boxes at a slow rate, didn’t even do our morning basket time yet - I suppose it’ll be "late afternoon basket" instead. Maybe we’ll do it over the pancake & eggs supper I have planned to cook.

From the kitchen… leftover fried chicken from yesterday for lunch, muffin tin lunch for the smallest ones, pancakes & eggs for supper

I am wearing… comfy pants & a Canada tshirt  - lounge around the house clothes!

I am creating… nada but knit night tonight, so some kind of creating will happen

I am going… to knit & to grocery shop

I am reading… Just Breathe by Susan Wiggs

I am hoping… all the school gets done today and I don’t have to adjust the weeks lesson plans much for thngs we don’t get to spill over to tomorrow.

I am hearing… PBS Kids

Around the house… Legos with occasional school breaks The opposite of usual, but hey public school kids were out today.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Knit Night. Jeric back @ school. Tae Kwon Do back on schedule. Dance class back on schedule. Basically back to our norm.

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FOR TODAY January 11, 2010

Outside my window… still cold, but warmer than it was over the weekend

I am thinking… that bean soup smells GOOOD

I am thankful for… happy, healthy children

From the learning rooms… Back to school today! Went okay, not as smoothly as I would have hoped but hey. That is what breaks are for, sometimes you have to let a child clear their head and get ready to learn and make that decision on their own. As long as it is done I’m happy. Today we started a Morning Basket and I think we’ll like that a lot. Boxes got done. Everyone is happy. Everything is ready for tomorrow.

From the kitchen… bean soup, thrown in the crockpot hastily around 12:30 because Aa and I decided that is what we wanted today. We have fritos & cheese to go with, and will likely make rice.  We also made CUPCAKES ! Today is Eleven and a Half years since my wedding day <3 Not that we needed a reason for cake, just that the kids enjoy having one so if I can come up with one I do.

I am wearing… my fave velour lounge pants & a sweatshirt

I am creating… not much today

I am going… to Craft Circle @ church. I look forward to this all month long.

I am reading… nothing

I am hoping… the soup tastes as good as it smells

I am hearing… Eye of the Tiger

Around the house… Rockband, legos.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Craft circle, knit night, no school for the Jbear because of a burst pipe & plenty of damage, oh my. He DOES however have at-home assignments.