Just Sit Back & Knit

It's My Life...

"If you get me a girl pit bull, I will just be PISSED OUT!"
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Kissing Nana's neck.
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"I've got a little monkey in my pocket."
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A ring bearer in Uncle Jeff's wedding.
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"My dad and me just got separated at the tattoo show, he got lost."

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Fixing brakes with dad.

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"Mom, is today a daddy day?  Mom days are stupid."
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Dad soothing a wee one with his wee pinky.
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"I have a great idea for our journals Mom!  Let's give each other memories."
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Hiking near Nana's house.
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I gave notice at my job.  I realized working there was draining all the energy I want to put into the things that are important to me:

Homeschooling Fletcher
Feeding my family healthy, home-cooked meals
Exercising
Helping Jim maintain his health
Having another baby
Keeping a comfortably clean and orderly home
Making time for the creative things I love to do: knit, sew, paint, garden

I have about 3-1/2 more weeks to go at The Porch, then I plan to focus on creating a schedule so that I can fit all the important things into my life and do work for my dad from home!  I am in love with the possibility of making my life exactly what I want it to be.  I am lucky, so lucky to be married to Jim, who wants the same things I do and supports me in working towards those things.  Life really is good.

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My Secret Knitting Project!!!!!:

Any Ideas????

What a Wonderful World

My favorite song.  At dinner last night Fletch and I discusses our "favorite's"  My song was What a Wonderful World.  Jim picked it out for our first dance at our wedding - only dance as it turned out!  My SIL Briana had a mat made for a 11x16" frame made with part of the lyrics from the song made for us for our wedding and it holds one of my favorite wedding pics in it:

For those of you saying, "wait a minute!  the song actually goes: "I THINK to myself, what a wonderful world."!"  I know that, so does Briana, but she said she had the frame shop redo the calligraphy so many times, she finally just went with it.  It remains one of my most cherished wedding gifts.

Fletch and I have been sick, which seems to be a theme whenever I get around to blogging.  This is a picture of one tired and sick boy sitting up sleeping on the couch.  Too cute.

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Easter brought something interesting this year:
the easter bunny worked very hard on these little felt gnomes and their very own felted basket to go along with this great book the easter bunny had when she was little bunny.  All of this was placed lovingly and with anticipation of much joy by receiving child into said child's basket.  To which the child replied, "Oh Crud."
The easter bunny was not quite crushed.  She does admit they are sort of creepy with, "no heads or bodies" (this is the reason that little ungrateful child gave for not liking the wee felt folks. 

He is a bit more interested in the book, though the easter bunny forgot all about the really scary trolls who torture the gnomes in a most gruesome fashion towards the back of the book.  She realizes that as soon as the little boy finds these pages he will probably denounce the book as even more creepy that the felt gnomes!

This particular easter bunny feels confident, though, that as this little boys grows more interested in life and bodies and all that comes with exploration he will find this book a fascinating read:

as she did while perusing all the pages like these!

This is what came in his basket that he loves and plays with constantly.

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On to knitting matters:

this is the sock yarn Kathy gave me when she came to visit this past weekend which I am determined to turn into a pair or socks for myself.

Here is the yarn I bought for a new sweater for Fletch - he picked the colors as you can see, light green and dark green.  I am trying figure out from various patterns I have and a particular blogger's (pickin' and throwin')  work how to make childHood - from Knitty as a pullover with a front pocket and a hood.  Any thoughts, barb, would be appreciated!
       the red yarn is a skein Kathy bought for me at the new and wonderful LYS we found - out of this I think I will make a shawl or wrap.  Also showcased in this stunningly set up picture is the much needed ball winder I got for my birthday with a Knit Picks gift certificate from Kathy.

Som time ago (I think at least two years) I bought the blossom yarn you see on the right for  the purse from Simply Noro.   I never made it.  I did make a hat and start a scarf but didn't love it and took it all apart.  This Christmas Kathy gave me the blossom you see on the left, she remebered I wanted to make the purse, but forgot I had the yarn.  So I have started the purse but am not convinced I will carry it.  I am thinking about make a wrap or lap blanket for myself out of all this lovely yarn.  HMMMMMM......

Jim's January Birthday Slippers, lonely and waiting for me:

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And just to show off, we take a picture of Fletch in a tree each Easter.  Here are the last three (the first two I don't have on my computer).:

   

Best Birthday Ever

On Tuesday I turned 31. No biggie - it's one of those numbers that doesn't seem to mean too much. 
Despite this,  my birthday was wonderful. 

On Tuesdays I usually open the coffee shop I work at, which means being down there by 5:30 - that is A.M. 
A huge accomplishment for me every week.

So, I took my birthday off.  We still got up a bit early so we could head into SLO with Jim and have breakfast with  him before he had to be at work.   We went to one of my favorite places, Big Sky. 
Then Fletch and I headed over to Barnes and Noble to get him a new reptile/amphibian book and pick out something for Kennedy.

Then we headed over to Kennedy's house in Los Osos for a very nice long visit. 

Are you wondering who Kennedy is?  Fletcher's newest cousin!  She was born on March 5th and Fletch, Jim and I had the privilege of being at the hospital during the birth.  Thanks Mom (Amber) and Dad (Jim's brother Jeff).

                Kennedy Eva Yost                      

       Fletch checking out his cousin

                    Happy at home 

                  

                      Happy with Mom

         Hangin' with her big cousin                              

   
    Sadly, the only pic I got with Dad

NEXT, FLETCH AND I HEADED TO MONTANA DE ORO BEACH FOR A PICNIC AND PLAY:

                He played in the water,

       chased those pesky gulls,

          did a bit of rock climbing,

        and a bit more rock climbing.

Then, I asked for a picture of the two of us.
First he refused, I begged, and finally he
agreed:

I wasn't happy with the picture.   
As youcan see I cut half my head off. 
So, beingthe annoying mother I am, I
begged a bitmore for just ONE more,
PLEASE!!
He reluctantly said ok:

And still I was not happy.  I wanted
us BOTH smiling and happy.  I began
to beg again.  He consented:

Finally!  I was more than happy!  So I
asked if I could give him a thank-you
kiss, and miracle of all miracles, he gave
me one. 
At this point I really pushed my luck. 
I now wanted a picture of us kissing.
He said, "no, no, no."
He was done and did not want to me
to ask anymore. 
I stopped begging and started sulking.
And so, he agreed. And I snapped the
shot.
As soon as I did, I knew the bill
of his hat was in the way. 

Just as I was
about to ask/beg/demand for ONE
more picture, I took a look at what I had:

        And it is my very favorite!

Then we headed back to Atascadero, and made a quick stop off for a Junah fix! 
Then on to my Mom's house for dinner with:
Mom
Harvest
Nana
MaryLee
Nate
Dylan, Briana, Paxton, Roy and Andy
Seth, Amber, Luke, Bay, and Bella
And, to top it off, Jim got off just in time to come eat with us, a perfect end to a perfect day.

Sick of Being Sick

My title says it all.  Fletch has been sick since the night of the 11th and I have been sick since this past Tuesday.  We both have head colds - the kind that comes with complementary fever and aches.  As a result we have mostly stayed indoors.  Too much t.v.  On the other hand I have had some good knitting time.

Thanks, Barb for posting so many pictures!  I am going to contribute some today also:
this is the hat and mitten set I made for Fletch for his birthday.  I used Barb's book: The Knitters Handy Book of Patterns by Ann Budd.  I really enjoyed making these, I used Peace Fleece and love, love, love the colors.  I made the thumbs a bit short and wish I had used another hat pattern.  This one really should have some type of bobble on top to make it work.  Fletch did not want that.  I also tried to add ear flaps but did not get it figured out before I had to wrap them up.  So I told Fletch after he opened them that I was going to redo the top and add ear flaps.  He said no.  So much for that idea.  He loves them just the way they are, but won't wear them because they are too itchy!!!!  If my little prince allows it I may line them.

 
I really really love the calorimetry  Barb made from Knitty and so used up some Noro stash (bits and pieces from three different skeins or different colors) to make one my niece as a late birthday presents.  Rowan turned fifteen on December 24th and is one of the very coolest teenagers I know.  She lives in Humboldt with my big sis Devon, dad Kelly, and little brother (10) Jasper - who I have not sent a gift for his last birthday in May!- That will come soon.  Rowan has great thick hair that is a different color each time I see her - I think this will look stunning on her:

this is Rowan from our camping trip this summer modeling fake glasses to show us EXACTLY what her mother looked likeas a teenager, hair and all.
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So, I started this post some time ago and now would like to finish it!

We are feeling much better.  Jim is in Reno, Nevada for two weeks for work and we miss him like crazy.  I just hope he's having fun and relaxing, he needs that.

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Tuesday, February 27th, 2007

That last attempt did not get too far, so here goes again:

I cut my pinky finger on our meat slicer at work this a.m. - not too bad, but it needed to be bandaged and is now severely hampering my typing.  As a consequence this post will be mostly pictures!

Some time back Jim hooked our record player and receiver up to the computer so we can play our records through it and some day get the hardware to copy them to CD.  I thought the whole setup was not working at the moment, but flipped the power switch and wahlah!  Music!  I love records, they sound so beautiful.  I just finished Alice's Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie, moved on to Stevie Wonder's You Are the Sunshine of My Life, and am now listening to Roberta Flack - the whole album.
Fletch and his buddy Forrest are playing outside in the first bit of sun we've seen today.

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They just came inside for lunch and I have moved on to John Prine - in my opinion one of the top ten best singer/songwriters. Please don't ask for the other nine - I have not made a list - I just know he's up there.  I'll have to ponder that list.

Here is Rowan in her Calorimety and Jasper in his tie - he loves to wear ties.  When I gave it to him, this is what he said (I'm not making this up), "A tie?! Oh, wow this is so awsome.  That is the best present!"

And the hat I made my mom for Christmas

She loves it, and I am working on one with a wider brim for my Nana in red.    I made mom's out of Peace Fleece, it is so soft and holds shape well.  This is the same pattern I used for my brown hat some time ago:

Another of my favorites: Van Morrison is singing about When That Evening Sun Goes Down.

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Johnny Cash, I Walk the Line from San Quientin - his voice gives me chills. This is my other creative passion, painting on fabric: My Humpback Whale Pie Plate

These are paintings to be made into fabric books for babies/toddlers

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We've moved on to Willie Nelson singing Always on My Mind - enough said.
I must peel myself away from the computer. 

Still Here, Just Barely

Well, I've already broken my promise, but I am going to try to do better this year!

Currently my digital camera is broken, and, being the procrastinator I am I have not taken any pictures of finished products for a while.  When I pulled out my camera to take a picture of what I am working on, I found it completely unresponsive.  Yes, I checked the batteries.

So, I am working on a felted hat my Nana commissioned.  A lace scarf for myself - thanks to Barbara's help.  And mittens for Fletcher's 4th birthday!!!!!  His birthday in Saturday the 13th and we will be having a party here at home.  I am in denial.

I have also spent the last, oh, 48-70 hours obsessed with figuring out my new MP3 player and how to make it work.  I now know how to get audio tapes on there and listen to them.  The problem comes when I turn off  and then back on my player.  I doesn't save the spot I quit at.  To make matters worse it won't fast forward. Both of these issues only occur with netlibrary files. 
So, that leaves me with three choices, 1) listen to every 3-12 hour story in one sitting ( and though I would love to listen to a tape and knit uninterrupted for 12 hours - in this house that would be impossible), 2) not listen to library story tapes and only buy them online - which defeats the purpose of me getting this thing - to stop accruing late fees at the library and still get story tapes for free, or 3) ditch the MP3 player and go back to checking out at the library and paying my large late-fee fines.
I loathe technology.

Here's a picture just to have one:

This is from some time this summer.
Fletch with his pants on his head
and shirt on his butt.

I just could not help myself, I cried

....twice!

Here are abbreviated versions of two conversations I've had with Fletcher recently:

I'm sitting on the couch working away on the Airplane sweater when he sits down next to me:
"Why do you always just knit on that?"
"Because I like to.  I want to make you a sweater."
"A green one."
"Yes, a warm green sweater with an orange airplane."
"Just stop it."
I set my yarn down and take a breath.  I must go slowly here lest I loose all control of my mean-mommy voice.
We have been having lots of ISSUES lately with Fletcher ordering me around.
"I'm not going to stop, I want to finish this for you."
"I hate it.  I hate orange."
At this point I am trying not to crack up.  From his point of view I am making him something he never REALLY wanted and I have been working on it for what must seem like eternity to him.  Also he did pick out this yarn in April and probably doesn't even remember it.
Later that night with Jim:
"Fletcher told me he hates this sweater and demanded I quite working on it."
Jim almost spits out is water:
"He said what?"
I repeat myself and go on:
"...... What should I do?  I've made so many mistakes that I don't want to try to go back and fix.  I don't love the sweater, and think he may never wear it.  BUT,  I was getting really excited about finishing my first sweater.  BUT, I have so many other things I want to finish for Christmas.  Should I just finish it and give it to him or rip it all out?"
"Don't rip it out.  Just put it away and someday you'll pull it out and be excited about it again."
Here I cry - with relief.  Thank-you genius husband, you made my day.

Conversation #2
Fletch and I have just sat down to dinner, Jim is still at work.  I made a pasta dish with cannellini beans, greens, kalamata olives, and garlic chips.  It's fabulous and Jim loves it.  Fletcher loves pasta.:
"I hate this stuff."
"What do you hate?"
"All this stuff.  I want dry pasta."
"How do you know you hate it?  You've never had it."
Age old parental intelect in action.
"I hate it."
"Just try it.  If you don't like it, you don't have to eat it."
He takes a hesitant bite
"I love it!"
big smile, another big bite.
"I have never even ever had this before!"
I'm not saying much, just sitting there with my mouth hanging open in shock.  This particular big of wisdom has never worked with my child.
"Will this help my poop come out better?"
Sorry folks, I could have left this out, but what the heck.  We had recently had a conversation while Fletch was on the toilet constipated about the fact that if he ate more fruits and vegatables, particularly green ones his poop would come out easier.
"Yes, this will help your poop come out better."
more quiet eating, he is still picking out some of the larger tomato pieces, and while looking down at his plate tending to this task he says under his breath:
"You make the best dinners."
This is were I cried, literally.  Thanks, Fletch, you just made my day.  He even let me take a picture to remind myself of this moment:

How Many Days Are Left?

This is Christmas Project #2 and it's DONE!!!!
I have so many left to do, I don't even want to know
how many more days I have left.

This thing was knit with  Knit Picks Panache.  It should be called Luscious or  Luxuriant or , well, you get the picture.  I adore this yarn.  It is 40% Baby Alpaca, 20% Cashmere, 20% Silk, and 20% Extrafine Merino.  I many not want to knit with any other yarn, ever again. 
This was my first experience, aside from drooling over the catalog, with ordering from and using Knit Picks.  I will be ordering again - as soon as I possibly can.

Babies

Time is flying by.  I can't really believe your belly will no longer be a baby belly so soon, Barb.
Memories of my life in the last four years with Fletch are flooding back:
His birth - so amazing, huge, full, wonderous, hard, and joyous.  I am honored to be able to return the favor of taking pictures at your child's birth.

                                              This is one of my  FAVORITE pictures of Fletcher,
                                             which Barbara took about 20 minutes after he was born:                                                                                                           
                                         If I have one picture of him sleeping, I've got one-hundred:
                                                          
                                                    Our favorite diaper cover on our favorite boy:
                                                                    
                                                                  
                                                               Me and my little man, 1 month.

At my baby shower, my SIL, Briana gave me a journal to keep for Fletcher.  Here a bit of the last entry before he was born - right after my blessing way, from a song Harvest played for me called:
"I Want a World" by Betsy Rose:
I am a fierce and wild storm, no longer pleasing, soft and gentle.
Too much at stake now that you are born.
So I am a mama lion, And I will do what I must do.
'Cause I want a world for you.
And I never broke so hard, never broke so sweet
'Til my heart broke open at your feet
Spilling dreams so sweet and wild for you my child .

And a bit from the first entry I made in the book after he was born:
"On Monday you will be 11 weeks old!  You are amazing and wonderful.
We are laying out on the front lawn, Zeke is near you and you are napping.
Barbara came to visit - she and Aunt Harvest sat out with us for a while.
Aunt Harvest loves to tickle you with her hair and blow rasberries on your tummy.
Barbara can't ge enough of you and so wants a baby of her own.  You talk and laugh,
smile and entertain yourself quite a bit now.  Your Dad and I are constantly in awe of you."

Barb, 10 things you can look forward to as a mom:
1.  The world disapears when you first see your baby's eyes.
2.  The first cold or fever when you will cherish staying up all night walking your tired crying baby, and you will walk and you will love every minute of if, because your little sweetheart will only sleep if you keep moving.
3.  Laughing at ridiculous stuff, because your little one is laughing too.
4.  Breastfeeding, and sleeping curled around a warm little body.
5.  The ability to recall where every picture was taken, and what was going on because each of those moments is special and wonderful and full of  your child.
6.  Learning how to sing in a really high and squeaky voice and a really low and dramatic voice to keep your sleepy one awake on the ride home, because if he falls asleep now, he'll nap late and be awake all night.
7.  At 7 months waking four nights a week at 2 a.m to PLAY!!!!!
8.  Trying to be patient when your almost 4 year old stops every stranger that walks by to say,"My dogs name is Turbo and he had razor sharp teeth and razor sharp claws.", and before said stranger can respond (whether or not he/she understood your almost 4 year olds speech) "My favorite football team is the Denver Broncos." It goes on from there.......
9.  Sitting in an airport 3 hours after your flight was supposed to take off, trying to knit a bit, after your fourth walk to the shop that sells toy airplanes "just to look mommy" (because Dad already gave in and bought two on his 2nd and 3rd trip to the same shop). 
When your now 3 year old tells the nice family across the ailse, "Sometimes my Dad has trouble starting the fire in our wooden stove." 
Nice stranger, "Oh, but he figures it out, doesn't he?"   
Funny little child sitting next to you, "No, my Mommy has to do it for him." 
At least Dad wasn't around to hear it!
10.  Standing in front of the mirror in a clothing store (not in a dressing room because your only trying on a jacket) when your, well we're not even sure what to call him any more, child says, "I think that looks sexy Mom." Wishing you'd used the dressing room.
                                                                  

My Journey to Christmas

This picture is installment one.
Since I am not sure exactly who reads this blog
I am going to be taking pictures that show almost nothing
of the gifts I am making!

I sucessfully ordered the rest of the yarn I need for gifts today, thanks Barb for the help.  I know it seems terribly late, but I am a blissfully-ingnorant-of- reality-opptomistic-procrastonator (say that three times fast - even once is hard for me - I can't even spell it).  Also the gifts I am making are mostly quick projects.
Because I could not help myself  I ordered a hank of Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud in Midnight for myself.  Just because.  Because it looks beautiful.  Because even if I never knit myself a shawl with it I will love to touch it.  Because even if I do knit myself a shawl with it and never wear it because I don't wear shawls, I will have made something beautiful and luscious just for myself.

I just watched The Lake House last night, and with the complete opposite opinion of Barb's - I loved it.  Funny thing:  Jim did too.

Don't Call it a Comeback

I love L.L. Cool J.  I can't help it, I really can't.

So, I'm back, again.  I have tried posting a few times lately, but get so upset with my computer and slow uploads of pictures, I have walked away cussing each time.

I have decided to keep it short and sweet, and make a commitment:  to post at least once a week, even if it's too short. 

Barb, I love your meme (which I plan to steal) and your randoms thoughts, which I paln to copy!!!

I do have injuries that prevent or at least really slow down my knitting!!!
******WARNING******** the following picture is graphic and gross:

   
these injuries are well on the way to healing.  I was walking down the drive-way just over a week ago holding Fletch (We were going down to "see what the worker guys did to our street") when I slipped and fell forward taking all the weight and momentum on my left (thank-you, thank-you, thank-you) hand.  It was nasty and hurt worse than childbirth (I kid you not).  Fletch started crying right away, but once he saw my hand and my face he stopped.  He was so sweet and helpfull.  I stayed on my back on the driveway for at least five minutes.  Then slowly made my way up the stairs, across the porch and inside to my living room floor, taking breaks to muffle shouts and wimpers.  Fletch got the phone for me and I called my sister who left work to clean my hand, pick out the pebbles and bandage me up.  The whole time I was unbelievably whimpy.  I'm not sure how she put up with it.  She did though, patiently and sweetly - that's what sisters do.

I'm back to knitting now, still just a bit slowed down. 
Fletch is asleep, Jim is out. 
Tonight it's just me, the t.v., my knitting and Turkey day leftovers. 
I was so excited, then I did this:

burned my yarn-tension fingers while heating up my dinner!!!!!!
This may be the night I look into continental knitting.

random thoughts and pictures:
Thanks to my MIL for being here this weekend.  Having her around to knit with inspired me to get back to work on Fletcher's airplane sweater, and past my problem of getting my in-the-round sleeves joined and not looking TOO sloppy for words:
  I still don't love this sweater, but, I still want to finish it.  I want to get my first sweater behind me and I do love the airplane and FLY above it.

Kathy gave me some beautiful yarn and a pattern from her stash.  I will start it soon - a new SKP!  I will make it for myself!  This is really very exciting because I never want to spend my yarn money on things for me, I always want to get things to make for others first, thank-you Kathy.

Just before I burned my fingers I finished a scarf for
my little (who is taller than me by lots) brother Matt. 
 
This scarf was modeled  after a scarf my Stepmom, MaryLee, bought from a friend. 
Matt picked the colors and I got to work.  Again I wasn't crazy about it as I was
working on it - I'm not real fond of the super bulky yarn. 
Once I started sewing on the pockets I fell in love. 
I think it will look awsome on Matt and hope he likes it as much as I do.
I'll post a picture of him wearing it soon.

I just have to mention how disapointed  I was in the movie The Davinci Code.
I loved the book and hated the movie. 

I think Fletcher is an amazing person.  He makes me laugh all the time with his quirky humor.
During conversations - i love conversations with my three-almost-four-year-old-  I am ofter struck dumb by the complexity of his thinking process. 
I'm not trying to say I think he extra-ordinary in comparrison to other children.  I mean he is extra-ordinary to me, but I just think children are amazing and he constantly reinforces that knowledge. 
It's truly exciting. 

And so, here are a few recent pictures of him:
These are from our two most recent outings
with our home-schooling group.

building a shelter:

trying out the shelter:

face-painting with rocks (this is from the week after halloween, he
was a SCARY GREEN VAMPIRE BAT and wears the costume at
least once a week):

inside a replica of an early native-american dwelling:

I think I am done for tonight.  I am excited I took the time to contribute, and want to say thanks to you Barb for starting this blog and inspiring me each time I read your entries.

One last image:

This is what is left of our Thanksgiving pies and goodies I must, and will throw out first thing tommorow morning in order to stop eating them!!!  I made the pumkin pies from scratch this year, it's the second time I've done it.  There were very good, and I must say I make a mean crust.  However, when I bit into my dad's apple pie, I realized I've still got alot to learn about crust-making.  Nothing beats my dad's pies.