I am Thankful for Cookies

Baba was my maternal grandmother, she passed away when I was 9.... For every special event, I try to bring Baba's Sugar Cookies - it makes me feel like she is there. They are the old fashioned roll out, cut out kind that are simple to make, but take some time. While I make these I think about my mother and my grandmother. I think about happy Christmas times, and funny Halloween cookie decorations. I think about decorating the holly ones (because I am better at those, mom!) and staying up late at night to get ready for Cookie Parties.

Baba's Sugar Cookies (make them with love)

1 stick butter 2 cups four

1 cup sugar 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 egg 1/2 tsp salt

1 T. milk

1 tsp vanilla

Soften butter and mix sugar, egg, milk and vanilla together. Mix in all other ingredients. Form into ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill. Take from refrigerator and roll out dough. Cut with cookie cutters. Use up all scraps.Bake in 350 oven about 10-12 min or until done (my dad likes them dark!)

Frosting:

1 stick butter  

1 box confections sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3 T. milk

Mix together with electric mixer - add food coloring.

I was thankful that my mother taught me from a very early age, that even though someone you love has died, they are still very much a part of our lives. They live through memories, smells, dreams, basements, knitted and crocheted garments made especially for you... and yes, even in delicious cookies. Happy Thanksgiving! 

Happy Thanksgiving

Yesterday was the Thanksgiving Day Feast at Dumplin's school (man, I'm going to miss this school next year!) Today I will be baking for Thanksgiving - I love to bake! I am going to make apple crisp pie, pecan pie, and Baba's sugar cookies. I will try to show pictures tomorrow with a recipe. Have a great day!

I've been trying to upload the video of her singing, but I've been here for an hour and it isn't working.... I'll try later.

Welcome to the Family!!!

On Friday we had spectacular news!!!! My brother Gus and his girlfriend Jenni (the aunt of the most adorable baby M from 2 posts below!) Got Engaged!!!

I kept looking for pictures of Jenni alone, but every picture I found she is either with my brother or with one of my children. That to me speaks volumes about the kind of person my baby brother is going to marry. My children ADORE her and my brother is over the moon in love..... I couldn't be any happier to have Jenni as my sister-in-law. Jenni is a kind, patient, funny and beautiful girl in every way, she lets my brother be himself and loves every bit of him. I wish you many years of love and laughter..... Welcome, welcome Jenni - we already love you!

My Blonde Brain

Here is the way my brain works.....

Last Friday I bought a new pair of black boots (surprisingly I did not have black boots - well, I do but they are healed boots and I wanted flat boots - oh, I did buy a pair of flat boots in London last year, but I can't tuck my pants in them.....) I needed to design a sweater to go with them.

On Saturday, I went into the stash I brought out this deliciousness! It's malabrigo worsted in the colorway Paris night. I had three skeins. My idea was to crochet a short little swing sweater with a pleat in the back, and mid sleeves (because I dig the shirt hanging out of the sleeve look). I found a stitch pattern I love and went to work..... and on Sunday ran out of yarn. Crud!!

On Sunday I was blessed to be able to attend an event at my LYS. I was able to meet Gina Wilde of Alchemy yarns and listen to her very inspiring, wonderful, colorful, spectacular story about writing her new book shibori knits and the story behind Alchemy yarns. I was so moved by Gina and Austin that I wanted to buy every last bit of the yarn in the shop. What I did buy became this. 

My friend Lady V knit a beautiful scarf in these yarns and to touch it was so soft, so beautiful, I had to make a crochet version. My scarf is made with 2 skeins of Monarch and 1 skein of Haiku held together. The colorway is tea leaf, and it is green (I know, shocker!!!)  To quote Lady V, when working with these two yarns together it is "hand candy". I had to remind myself to slow down, so that I could savor how wonderful it feels to create with these spectacular fibers!

Well, I really wanted to finish the sweater design I started on Saturday and my LYS was out of the color - so I started another one. This time in a hand painted yarn that is 30% wool and 70% acrylic that can go in the washer!!! It became this:

How cute!! I love, love, love this and I am working on the pattern and will offer it as a class after the holidays at knit knack.

I am now hopelessly addicted to Haiku and am working this morning on a crochet shawl design that can be a huge scarf or a shawl this time in a beautiful brown colorway called Montreat Path.....

I am doing all this because...... you know it - I have a crochet deadline on Dec. 1st!!! Got to get started on that bad boy! See you Monday...

Do Me a Favor, Please?

Happy Wednesday! I just got home from my Parent/Teacher conferences for the two boys, and I am so proud of them. Well, actually I am really glad that they have been good for the first marking period, and I don't look like the mother raising demon spawn children.... 

Speaking of wonderful children, this is baby M. He came to visit this summer at the beach and he was just the cutest thing ever!! We all enjoyed playing with him. One of the most heart wrenching facts about our baby M (see how he belongs to us now?) is that his daddy is fighting for freedom in Iraq (or somewhere "over there").  He is coming home very soon (which is wonderful) but looking over my pictures the other day I thought how sad that I was able to spend time with this beautiful baby and his dad did not..... Well, as it just so happens - my brother (you know, the model!) sent me an email this week and it is all about the holidays and while you are filling out your cards this year, why not send one to this address?:

A Recovering American Soldier

c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center

6900 Georgia Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20307-5001

Why not send one....... or 50!

Octopus

So.... it's been awhile, huh? Well I am not going to make excuses, dudes life happens - and mine has been crazy with a capital C! Last night the crew and I were watching Survivor (PS I do mourn the elimination of Marcus - he was hot) and I was knitting because, you know, I have a crochet deadline! Anyway, Dumplin said to me, "Mom, don't you wish you were an Octopus?" I looked at her kind of crazy and said, "Why?" "Weeelll, then you could like fold laundry and knit and crochet all at the same time!"

I do like her thinking!!

I have been working like a Mad woman, but I have nothing to show for it. I was thinking of taking a picture of my knitting/crochet chair without all of the boxes, but it's too dark now and that's kind of boring. I have been working on Morgan from Knitty. I love it. I am making it in a blue color and I will be making another in brown tweed to match my winter coat. I am just waiting for the right tweed to jump out at me!

I am thinking of a new design - it is going to be in Malabrigo in black to go with my new black boots I got today, because.... you know, I needed to shop instead of writing the patterns I have deadlines for!!

I leave you with pictures of my sister's surprise 40th birthday because, well.... I miss her and she emailed me telling me to update my blog, so here you go Katherine! 

PS sorry mom but the happy gaping mouth expression was too funny not to make the blog!