Hurricane Irene

During Hurricane Irene - I was ready for no power, flooding, and downed trees. I have never been that scared in my life. Seriously. We were so lucky during the storm. We never lost power, had my parents and my brother and sil here with us and it turned out to be... well... fun?

Before the storm it was beautiful and Marin and I decided that we would prepare some fiber so I could comb it during the power outages.

Here is the raw fleece:

Now, this fleece this is a Teeswater fleece is from Namaste Farms and my friend Natalie is the coolest chick I know. She sells her fleeces on Facebook. They go real fast, so go over and friend her and keep looking to see when she sells. Her fleeces are clean, long, long, long wools and spectacular.

Next we washed it. We wash it first with Dawn dish washing liquid and then we use a product called Unicorn pour scour... order it from Here. Really. It's that amazing. Look what the fleece

looks like after it is washed!

That is his George Washington impersonation!Here is my brother helping out and is fascinated with combing (he was so good at it!)

His little nest ready for spinning.

After it was spun, I took this picture of it with one of Natalie's yarns available over at Yarnmarket. I am in the process of knitting something with them now and hopefully will have it done soon. This project is currently my snuggle with Marin while she is going to sleep project. These projects are so special to me because sitting with her while she falls asleep has become one of my favorite things.... one day she won't want me there, so I am savouring all the snuggle time I can!

And They're Off!!

What a craptastically rainy day to send off my babies! Here they are:

7th Grade:

5th Grade:

2nd Grade:

Guess who was SO excited for the start of school that he couldn't sleep last night???

OTIS..... he is napping now - it sure was a busy morning!

Crochet, Recycle, Reuse!

What could be so important to get me out of summer hiatus blogging?? My friend Marty Miller asked if I would be on the blog tour of her latest booklet Totes for All Reasons from Leisure Arts:

Let me tell you, it was hard for me to decided which to make first! What I love about the book is that Marty made each design in the book twice, once in easy to find yarn (from big stores such as Michaels, ACMOORE, etc) but then she made the same design in yarn shop yarn....BRILLIANT!!

We all have those reusable bags that we buy at the grocery store... but how many times have you run into the store for a few things and realize at check out that you've left the bags in your car? That drives me crazy!! What I love about these bags is you can roll them up (besides the felted one) like a pair of socks and put a few in your pocketbook.... they don't take up too much space and will always be there when you need them! I have even given one away to a lady in CVS who gushed over it so much (I think I converted another to pick up the hook again!)

So, my dear friends, in the last waining days of summer I suggest you get this book and make a ton of these bags, they will be perfect gifts for the holiday season - and with school and holidays right around the corner... you are going to be doing a TON of shopping... might as well look sassy while doing it!!

For the rest of the blog tour please visit these sites:

August 29: Marty Miller http://bit.ly/Tote-Book-Tour-Day1
August 30: Ellen Gormley http://bit.ly/Tote-Book-TourDay2
August 31: Drew Emborsky http://bit.ly/Tote-Book-Tour-Day3
September 1: Kimberly McAlindin http://bit.ly/Tote-Book-Tour-Day4
September 2: Doris Chan http://bit.ly/Tote-Book-Tour-Day5
September 3: Vashti Braha http://bit.ly/Tote-Book-Tour-Day6
September 4: Kate Steinke http://bit.ly/Tote-Book-Tour-Day7

DESTASH

I am in cleaning mode here! It doesn't happen too often, so I have to hop on it when I get the feeling to clean. In June, I went through Marin's bedroom and got rid of everything she didn't play with anymore... it was invigorating!!

At the end of June, I went up into the playroom - and 3 days later the place is so clean, I like to just go up there and look at how clean it is!!

August brings about a lot of work in knit and crochet and I was feeling so completely bogged down by the dung pile that is my workspace. Monday afternoon, I started in on my yarn and needles and hooks and notions.... I came away with some beautiful yarns that I will never use in my lifetime...

So, I'm having a sale!! Click on the LINK to see yarns and prices. Shipping is on me if you are in the US and Canada....

Have fun.... Up next: My knitting and crochet BOOKS!!

30

Thirty years ago in 1981.... wow, that's hard to type. Thirty years ago, I 'graduated' from elementary school. I looked like this:

Today, our middle boy did the same..... he looks like this:

Yep, he's mine!!

The Little Things

Yesterday was Father's Day.... ALL day I tried to think of what my Father's Day post was going to be. What could I write that would be both a tribute to my Father and not be redundant of years past. I was tired (I was at a concert the night before) I was sick (I've been battling a stomach bug for a few days) and I really didn't want to toss something up that I hadn't really thought about and wouldn't be proud to have on the blog.

I'm sorry it's late Daddy, but here it is:

I'm searching for photos, pictures of milestones of our life together. My wedding, births of my children, my graduations the prom. I found a few in my gigantic box of pictures in the basement, but what struck me as I was looking at all the photos was... my favorite ones? The pictures that made me smile the most were the ones that were just.... captured. Little moments of everyday-ness that made me happy I was holding them in my hand. Here are a few.

Waiting for you on Friday nights to have dinner at the marina. You are so handsome in a suit and wingtips. Eating dinner on the back of the boat.

Eating dinner and realizing it was time to take pictures for the church directory - actually mom remembered - but look at how dapper you both looked (I remember we left the dinner table and got ready in 15 min.).

The time you and mommy hosted the McAlindins before my senior prom and you and my future Father in law realized you were both scotch (drinking) men and navy men.

Never making me feel like I was too old (or big) to sit on your lap

Having Colin and Graham help you lower the flag at the Yacht Club and hosting dinner for the family.

Having Graham 'help' you with yard work.

Little glimpses into my memories and my life with you. I Love you: I have never doubted how much you love me, our family and your commitment to providing us with more than we could ever hope. More importantly, I remember never being afraid to talk to you and having you treat me like a human being. What a lucky girl I am to have you. What a lucky girl I am to remember the little things. What a lucky girl I am to have married a man whose entire Fatherhood is about appreciating the little things:

Three Things

I've learned 3 things today:

1. When you eat all the leftover spinach dip from Sunday dinner for lunch, it makes you feel not so good.

2. When you give your sister in law yarnny goodness for her birthday present....it makes you all squishy inside. It also doubles as a wonderful Ms. America sash.

3. When your father teaches your son 4th grade math, you wish he was home when you were in 4th grade (instead of working like a dog) so it didn't take you until you were 40 and listening to their lesson to understand 4th grade math.

I am happy to report that I can now convert fractions to decimals. Understand the percent of things and can happily multiply fractions.