Random Things & Some Big News

So, here I am tipoeing back into blogland after a bout with some flu-bug or something. One or two new symptoms were added to the arsenal every day which made for a long hellish week. I do not wish this on anyone. It was one of those illnesses where you see no end in sight but it hurt too much to cry over it. Thankfully, Matt and Henry have shown no signs of catching my cooties (yet). They were both great to mama this week too. Henry didn't run me around too much and was willing to take one extra little nap a day for me. Matt, well, what can I say. He is amazing. All around Mr. Mom (he hates that movie) and then some. Homemade soups, letting me sleep as much as possible, loads and loads of laundry, runs to the grocery for fluids and crackers, and just general caring and tenderness. I am a very lucky girl.

This bout began the day after returning from Illinois after spending 17 hours in either airports or airplanes. This was after waking at 3:30 a.m. in order to return the rental car and catch the shuttle to the airport to catch a 7:00 a.m. flight. We were supposed to arrive in Atlanta at 12:30 ish p.m., but instead arrrived at 11:30 ish p.m. Henry was a trooper almost to the end. (thank goodness for portable dvd players). Once we hit baggage claim in ATL though, that boy had had enough and let everyone else know it. He really did well regardless, which is more than I can say for Matt & I, we were quite miserable. So, yes, we now have our worst ever travel story and that is all that I need to reminisce about that.

While I have been away, I was tagged by Fiberfiend6891 and Sassycrafter to list some random things about myself. Since my week was not very interesting and I don't have much else to say, I figured I would give it a go.

1. I do not like clothes shopping. At all. Partly because of my funds, partly because I hate trying on clothes, and partly because
it takes so much effort, I would rather be doing something else. Pretty much anything else.

2. I have been told that "for a white girl" I have got rhythm. Yet, I cannot slow dance to save my life (or Matt's toes). It's really quite sad. Matt on the other hand is a great slow dancer.

3. I love food. I will try almost anything once (sometimes twice, in case it wasn't prepared correctly the first time). I say almost anything because I am sure I will come across something that will just not make it into my mouth. The only thing I have tried and absolutely despised was escargot. I chewed and chewed and I just couldn't do it. It ended up in my napkin. It is not something I will try twice.

4. I would love to have a pineapple farm. (how's that for random?) I saw a picture of one in a magazine (still have the picture) and it was just beautiful. All those spiky plants for as far as the eye could see. Endless pineapple, yum.

5. I proposed to my husband. I even called his mother and asked permission. We had been together 7 years! I knew what he was waiting for and thought he was ridiculous (he was). Obviously, he said yes and this year will be 6 years married.

6. The movie I have watched more than any other movie is Popeye. The one with Robin Williams (his first film). This is because for months now it has been Henry's favorite. He surprises Matt & I by mimicking certain parts of the movie. He has a Popeye laugh (quite adorable), he "boxes" with sound effects, and he dances. I have yet to tire of this movie. It has become one of my all time favorites and I recommend it to everyone. In our household, we catch ourselves quoting it often and singing the songs. I am searching for the sheet music for the film and have yet to find it.

7. I don't like the color pink. Never have. My friend Pamela had a dream I was pregnant & having a girl & I was panicking because I couldn't buy enough pink. She thought this was hysterical. I said it would never happen.

8. I have never been to Disneyland (or world) and I have no desire to go or take my children there.

9. I have a large crush on Lyle Lovett. If you got the nod to his band I readily call you a friend.

10. I'm pregnant :) just found out, but too excited to contain it. Very tentative due date of October 1. I've been told you're supposed to wait to announce such things, but fooey. We didn't wait with Henry & he's the best thing yet!

Worth sharing

I was checking Hello Yarn's blog where she had a link to Fluffbuff's blog who had this on her site. Matt & I found it quite entertaining & enjoyable and just plain cool, so I had to share.

Goal!

I did it. I finally got to the heel. After one hour (which is not real knitting time) at knit night I did it. I feel so much better now. I feel there has been progress. I really enjoy working the heel, I think because I am so new at it. The only other heel I've done was on Ben's Christmas stocking. When I read the patterns for the heels they make no sense to me and I always feel like I am doing it wrong. I have learned to just go with it, do as the pattern says, and I am always amazed that it works out. It blows my mind to think of the first person to have figured this heel thing out. Oh, the trial and error!

I am wondering if I am just not a sock knitter. Right now, the idea of basically repeating what I am about to finish is a little daunting. The pattern is easy enough and enjoyable. I think my sock looks good. The problem is I am ready to move on. I have so many projects I would like to start and so many yarns I want to use. I think part of the issue is that I have a gift card to my LYS and it is starting to burn a hole in my pocket (although I am having trouble deciding what to spend it on). My solution may be to knit a small, fairly quick (ha! me, quick?)) project in between socks. I know the second sock will get completed because I really want my socks! I love the idea of having handmade (esp. by me) socks.

One reason I wanted to do socks was because I wanted a small project to work on. Something that could be carried with me. I heard people saying how great they are to knit because you can work on them anywhere. Yeah, if you don't have a one and a half year old. I can barely work on them at home if he's awake! I think the portability of socks will be more enjoyable and realistic for me when H. gets a bit older. I can see me pulling out a sock to knit at the park in a few more years, when he has friends to play with and doesn't want me to play with him, but for now it's not gonna happen. For the time being I will just have to be a night knitter, which is fine with me, but I do look forward to the day that he and I could possibly knit together.

Crossing my fingers, hope to have a Sock-it-to-me Sunday!

I voted today, hope you did too (where applicable)!

Going to Knit Night to try and get to that heel!

This weekend was filled with just good old plain laziness and some not so good knitting. Sometimes I feel like we do so much running around during the week that I aim for days we do not step foot in the car. That was pretty well accomplished this weekend. I think H. appreciates it as much as I do. We all enjoy those all day jammie days around here and we were quite successful in accomplishing that too. H. got a lot of cooking(real & pretend), driving cars, reading with Mason and a viewing or two of Popeye into his weekend as well as some great naps.
Matt was not quite so lazy because he had to finish two sculptures and get the molds made so they could be cast this week, but he did get some good snuggle time in and got to play with H. quite a bit on Saturday when the weather was nice.


I on the other hand was generally lazy. Some laundry got done, I tried to organize some photos on flickr (which i am just terrible about doing) and some knitting got done. Knitting was a struggle this weekend. I was aiming for my goal of getting to the heel on my jaywalker and somewhere along the way I noticed the stitch count was screwy. I frogged it back a bit, started again, and the count kept being off. I finally got so frustrated I had to put it down. I picked up another small project (neck wrap thing) and worked on that instead. The next night I picked up the jaywalker and tried again. I was two stitches short on one of the needles. Frogged back again. This was repeated about 5 times. Still couldn't figure what was wrong, so I cheated.
I just made two stitches and never looked back. It seems to be working and I don't notice any change in size, so all is good - for now. Maybe I'll get to that heel tonight.

     After the struggle:
                     but before the whiskey: