I finished this Stella Pixie Hat in the last two weeks but just last night put the button on. I made it with a super soft wool/cotton blend for my soon-to-be-here nephew! Hopefully there will be shots of an actual baby in the hat very soon.
:: Our family is playing “secret valentine”. We’re trying to find loving things to do for the people in our family without that person seeing what we’re up to.
:: We’re making valentines for our out-of-town family. I think water colors or tempras might be the tool of the day.
:: This sounds and looks amazing. It’s on our list for Saturday’s cooking schedule.
:: We’re choosing from Valentine’s Day projects at the Crafty Crow- whatever strikes us as interesting that day!
:: As I’m learning more about quilting I’m learning a ton about using color. I’m a simple gal when it comes to color and I tend toward the same colors again and again. One of the things I’ve been trying to do in the last few months is to branch out to other color families and extend the palette of colors I draw on. I really love the color combo in this quilt from Oh Fransson! So not something I would have combined on my own, but I really love how it works and it has given me some interesting ideas for a future project. I’ve been sketching. 
:: We will be welcoming a new cousin this week! He was due awhile ago and his mother (my sister K) is VERY ready to meet him. Her doctor isn’t willing to let her go any longer overdue so K is being induced tonight. We’re praying for good health and a manageable labor for her first child. Hopefully there will be yummy baby pictures in this space soon!
Check out other Quick Takes at Jen’s place.
~1~
My in-laws are taking us to New York City next summer as a graduation gift to my husband. When they asked what we wanted to see while we were there, Superman said the usual stuff- central park, the Statue of Liberty, maybe a Yankees game . . .
I really just want to go to PurlSoho. I’ve been to the city before and done the touristy stuff. I *really* just want the chance to spend a week an afternoon in that store!
~2~
Ender asked me yesterday: “Mama, what’s your favorite opposite?”
I had never really thought about that before so I went with “left and right.”
He frowned at me and shook his head. “I thought you’d say inside and outside. That’s really the best one.”
Ooooookay . . .
~3~
I received a copy of Design-It-Yourself Clothes by Cal Patch the other day thanks to a misplaced amazon gift card from Christmas. I think the entirety of my spring and summer sewing will revolve around this book, save a brief excursion into pants for little boys that grow far too quickly.
I’ve made a few items for myself, but almost exclusively skirts. I’m ready to branch out a litle bit and I think this is the book to help me do it.
~4~
I started knitting new socks Wednesday night. I was supposed to start on a hat for myself next, but when I knit my swatch I realized I need to go up a needle size and it’s the one size of DPNs I don’t have. Obviously I needed another project to last me until I can get to the store for needles and this yarn was calling to me.
I lost the tag for the yarn so I can’t even tell you about the yarn except that I really love how it’s knitting up and that I bought it at my LYS last year on my anniversary. (Yes, Superman took me yarn shopping for our anniversary. We did manly guy stuff at Bass Pro too.)
~5~
Ezra is on day 5 of full-time underwear wearing! Except for a minor setback where he thought in one wild moment that he could pee anywhere he wanted (like in the track of the sliding glass door?!?!?) he’s doing really well!
~6~
I know this is appalling for a supposedly education-oriented blog (For the record, I kind of laugh when people refer to this place that way since it’s such a hodge podge record of our life) but we’ve done NOTHING for 2 weeks. Well, I shouldn’t say nothing. Ender made a really cool guitar out of rubber bands, a shoe box, a paper towel roll and an unholy amount of duct tape. He has also been making plans for a few experiments out of 50 Science Things to Make and Do for us to do this weekend. The kid is serious- he has a supply pile going.
This is survival mode for me- I’m getting done what I must and spending the free time with my kids and knitting away the hours after they’re in bed before Superman is home from work or class. Knitting totally chills me.
~7~
And the reason for survival mode is that we’re waiting to hear about Superman’s job- he may or may not have one six weeks from now. He’s been very actively looking for other work since the announcement was made at the beginning of the year, but there are an awful lot of people looking right now just like he is. Hence, heavy prayer and lots of stress-relieving knitting on my end. Thank goodness my mother recently donated to my yarn stash or you’d find me a few weeks from now frogging finished work just to have something to knit again.
1.
If you congratulate yourself out loud for completing something really big, a problem with the project will pop up that will take up the rest of your day.
And probably some of the next day too.
2.
Boys who have been doing things the EXACT SAME WAY for several months sometimes change their minds and start new patterns. They do NOT feel that they should have to inform you of said changes.
Roll with it.
3.
If you congratulate yourself out loud for something child-related I guarantee that the very opposite will happen practically the second the words have left your mouth. This opposite will occur while you’re still speaking if you’re telling another adult about the “success”.
4.
Knitting at 2 a.m. is only a good idea if you want to start the next morning by undoing the previous night’s work.
5.
Little boys have the very best cling-to-your neck hugs, even in the middle of the night.
It is hard to believe that my baby sister will be married in a few short weeks- the last of the sisters married off, just one last brother to go now.
We threw a simple shower for our sister not long ago and after praying and eating and teasing her over lingerie just to see her blush one more time, the evening settled and a more earnest conversation began concerning the dreams for our marriages, our families, our children here and the ones still to come.
At one point my sister looked straight at me and asked me for the best advice I could give her. I’ve been married the longest (9 years in just a few weeks) and perhaps that made me seem to be the best person to ask.
I told her to pray daily for her husband and for grace in the coming days. Work through your own faults before finding his (which you will never get to because you will forever be working through your own), dream together of the familiy culture you’d like to create and take the steps to make it happen.
Prepare now to journey alongside each other for the rest of your lives.
It is a journey isn’t it? Stepping forward together, praying for sufficient grace for the sorrows we face and the victories we see, not really knowing where we will be 10, 20, 30 years later. We walk with each other to face whatever will come with the strength of two rather than one.
We prayed together, all the sisters, over the marriage of the youngest among us. For their missions work, for the children they hope to have, for the life they are choosing to walk together. For the journey they will soon begin.
Outside my window…
it LOOKS like spring, but it’s so cold that walking outside sucks the breath out of you. Thank goodness spring is in the distance.
I am thinking…
about knitting constantly these days. I’ve finished several things in the last few days (including the Stella Pixie hat seaming and a second Jayne hat) and I’m ready for a new cast on tonight. Most likely a hat for myself , but I also haven’t knit socks in awhile so I’m thinking about that . . .
I am thankful for…
a family that prays. We wait and we pray, together and apart.
Always Learning…
books, books, and lots of books. We’re still reading about winter and hibernation, but we also picked up some simpler books about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln for president’s day. We are suspending most of our Montessori work this week for something very exciting- Ezra is switching to underwear full time! He’s been doing really well with staying dry 3-4 hours at a time, and in the last two weeks he’s been waking up dry in the mornings most of the time. We’re taking that as a sign that he is ready for this last step in potty learning.
From the kitchen…
LOTS of soup. It’s the very best way to keep warm I think.
I am wearing…
Jeans, a black long-sleeved tee, and another t-shirt on top. Two pairs of socks. Layers are my friend these days.
I am creating…
aside from the knitting? Space. We re-arranged Ezra’s room this weekend to accomodate a bigger dresser, and I’m continuing the toss 15 project in a big way, even though I finished with the 30 day scope of the project. It gives me a hint at control to keep our home a certain way while so many other things are uncertain. Again- we pray. And I clean a lot.
I am going…
to continue the attitude of quiet and order we’ve fallen into in the last two weeks. Everyone is more calm.
I am reading…
Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey and Knitter’s Almanac by Elizabeth Zimmerman.
I am hoping…
that Superman starts getting calls on some of the resumes he has been submitting.
I am hearing…
Casting Crowns. Loving them lately.
Around the house…
still organizing, but mostly just keeping up with the day. Potty learning has been a bit time consuming lately.
One of my favorite things…
Carmel Apple Spice from Starbucks. No caffeine, just lots of yumminess. And the fact that I received two Starbucks giftcards makes picking one of these up every few days far too easy.
A few plans for the rest of the week . . .
Trying to get back to an earlier bedtime (for Mama), waiting on our new little cousin to come any day now, and lots of knitting, I’m sure.
Go visit Jen for more quick takes.
~1~
Ezra is collapsing into bed these days. He wakes up bubbling over with energy, talking a mile a minute and ready to go, plays hard all day and drops into bed the second the clock ticks to 8 o’clock.
It’s beautiful.
~2~
After reading SouleMama’s post about Elizabeth Zimmerman knitting this year I ran into a blog documenting a year of Zimmerman knitting. I’m not quite brave enough for a few of the projects, but I’ve read two of her books and I think I’m ready to take that next step forward into a few of her projects. I’m adding that to the goal list- knit a few Elizabeth Zimmerman designs this year.
~3~
I finished Superman’s Jayne hat Wednesday. It was a *really* fast knit. I cast on that morning and finished the ribbing for the band in the spare minutes between students through the day, then knit for a few hours Wednesday night while we caught up on Chuck and 24 episodes.
I cast on for the large, which was fine, but I had to lengthen it quite a bit. Superman either has a weirdly shaped head, or the pattern isn’t quite sized correctly. I’d show pictures today but Superman wore it to work yesterday and again today- I’ll grab some pics when he’s home on Sunday.
The only bad thing about it is that the first rounds are practically neon orange. It’s like knitting cheetos.
~4~
Ender and I had a conversation recently about large number words (million, billion and trillion) and ever since he tells us at bedtime “I love you a million, billion, trillion, gazillion, kajillion, fillion!” He doesn’t really understand why the last one is so funny to us, but he plays along well. (The Jayne hat and the Fillion comment are sooo connected. Bonus points for you if you can tell me in comments why!)
~5~
When Superman got home from class last night he walked in on me watching 30 Rock surrounded by yarn- probably 15 skeins.
He was NOT surprised.
Should I be worried?
(And seriously- why have I not watched 30 Rock until now? Thank goodness for Netflix instant play.)
~6~
I’ve been looking at seeds for this year’s garden. I learned a lot last year and I think I have a much better idea of what we can successfully grow. Ender has dog-eared almost every page of one of the catalogues. He’s convinced we can grow EVERYTHING in our little container garden.
Unfortunately someone has to help him narrow down his desires and that someone is me.
~7~
I finished reading The Lightning Thief last night. Superman actually read it on our trip in early December and told me I would enjoy it. The first few chapters were really rough writing wise, but the story was interesting and the writing did improve through the book. Supposedly the second book is much better writing-wise, so I’ll probably read that one too after Superman is done with it.
Yesterday was a little strange.
My boys waved me off every time I asked what they were doing, if they needed any help, or wanted anything for a snack.
This strange behavior started right after breakfast and went straight through until lunch when I finally had to insist they take a break for food.
What was so important? What took the complete energy and attention of a 2- and 4-year-old?
Making cozy little beds on the floor to read together, play with cars and be generally silly with one another.
I ate breakfast without getting up once to refill cups, drank hot chocolate through the morning without being begged for a sip, did laundry without little hands digging through the fresh towels, vacuumed and even sat for awhile to knit.
I didn’t realize how much I love the interruptions- a boy asking to fold his own way, another promising that he only needs one more waffle to be really truly full. Ezra climbs into my lap multiple times a day for a cuddle and a tight squeeze around my neck, but not today. He was with his brother- his buddy.
I needed that little hint of a break today. I needed to continue the quiet that started over the weekend and the boys gave me that in this sweet surprise. But I will be glad when they ask me for help later today, climb into my lap with a kiss at the weirdest moments, and insist to do it “my way”.
I spent the weekend being quiet.
Well, as quiet as it can be when two little boys are around.
We stayed home except for church Sunday morning, both boys played hard in the mornings and slept away the afternoons- NOT a common happening around here! I didn’t work during this unscheduled free time- I pretended there was no stress and I knit.
I knit throughout the weekend; lots of stitches, lots of calm, lots of love.
Some inspiration from the weekend:
:: Sarah put together a list about short-circuiting the February blues that afflict so many homeschoolers. One of my posts is on the list! For more inspiration, have a look at Sarah’s post. There is some really great stuff there.
:: I finished the Dr. Horrible Wristers (except for buttons!) and started the Stella Pixie hat (pdf file) Saturday night during a movie with Superman. I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how fast it is knitting up, especially with fingering weight yarn on size 3s. The hat is meant for my soon-to-arrive nephew. His due date is a scant 10 days off, though my sister says he’s showing NO signs of being ready to come.
:: I read a great post at The Artful Parent about a new-to-us author named Carole Lexa Schaefer. The artwork is very different from other picture books and when I showed Ender the posted picture he immediately asked if we could “try them from the library”. They’re on order!
Now on to the week. If you need me I’ll most likely be knitting.
