Battle of Knits

DIY Lobotamy

I have been seriously thinking about performing major surgery on myself lately. However, I cannot decide between a lobotomy and tubal ligation. Both would have results that might help my situation, but I am just not sure which would be more effective.

(Probably the lobotomy, since a tubal ligation is not retroactive.)

My son is seriously on thin ice with me. If this is the beginning of the “terrible twos” then one of us is in big-time trouble. It seems that he cannot go more than sixty seconds without being held. There are out and out tantrums several times per day now, when he used to be so wonderful. We cant take him to the grocery store… crap, I tried to walk him to the mailbox today and that was a disaster! It ended with me carrying an armful of mail & a package one one side and a kicking screaming kid in the other. He is hitting, throwing things, pulling hair and being generally defiant. In a way I am sort of proud of all his little kid angst… then I have to duck to avoid being hit upside the head with a toy car. He is seriously asserting himself and telling me that he will do what he wants. Well, I have news for that little boy… he had better hope that this phase does not last or he will be spending a lot of time in “the penalty box”! I have already been talking to Josh about it and I am going to have to begin the time-out training ASAP.

You just dont picture this aggravation when you are pregnant. Or when they are learning to crawl & walk… then BAM! Your sweet little baby turns into a monster. One day I’m getting six kisses in a row, then next he trying his hardest to kick me in the face. “Patience is a virtue” and whomever came up with that saying must have had many toddlers. I just hope I survive this. PLease please remind me of all this insanity if I ever say I’m ready for another one!!! (email me the link!)

Finally time to start a heel

My socks are coming along slowly. One needs another chart repeat, the other is ready for a heel. Eventually I might finish them… by the end of the Olympics? HA-HA yeah right! It just isnt going to happen and I have accepted it. I’m just glad everyone in our house is alive… for now. Oh and I have not yet been committed to a mental hospital.

The Strongbad Without a Face

In the land of crochet… Which I visited last night since I was exhausted from averaging about 4 hours of sleep a night for the past 5 nights and a bit burnt out on lace after knitting on my socks at Hank’s Sunday afternoon. I sewed him all together. I just need some felt for his face. His head is a tad lopsided, but I’m over it. I had to sew around the head about 40 times. The body and feet are stuffed with rice and lentils so they are heavier like a beanbag, but the head is just full of fluff, so it was nearly impossible to keep it from flopping… after sewing and sewing… and sewing… I looked at it. It was not floppy, just a bit tilted. It is going to have to do!  I have really enjoyed these amigurumi projects.

Handmaiden Casbah Sock ~ Ruby

Everything on the needles and hooks will be going ON HOLD in March. March 1st I am starting an Ishbel shawl. I have been committed to this for a month and I am very excited to start it. The yarn is delicious. This picture is terrible, since it was cloudy today, but dont worry. This blog will be saturated in photos of this shawl. I would like to gift this one too, however, this might have to be mine, since I am completely lusting over this yarn. I have named my project the “Ruby-ISH-BELla” because I am super lame. (I have accepted this too.) 

So on hold will be: The Vancouver Socks, the Tea Leaves Cardi, the Toodee doll and one day I might finish the crocus scarf. I had intended to work on it during the Olympics, but never even took it out of the bag. I think it is that yarn. Someone cursed that yarn. (Good thing crochet projects dont count on my 2010 goal.)

Off to knit a heel.

(BTW I absolutely LOVE this new theme!!!)

Shawl (again!) & some updates + news

Yeah, I am going to make you look at that shawl again. Sick of it yet? I seriously love that thing. If i didnt mention already, that shawl is going up to Maine to live with my cousin Allie. She will appreciate and I know it will safe from grubby little toddler hands! Besides she has much more time to wear something like that. If it lived here it would be hanging on something for 363 days a year… what kind of life is that? That shawl was made to party!!! Ha, yeah… okay in all seriousness… I bragged like a little kid who just won a spelling bee on my LYS’s forum on Rav and Lorena is going to post some picks of it on the Hanks blog. Without further ado…

BEHOLD:

Traveling -up to Maine shawl

I think this my biggest accomplishment since carrying a child for 9 months inside my body.

It has really brought me back. I was out of sorts for awhile.

…

Totally unrelated news…

I have some more donations lined up for the big giveaway! I was hitting a lot of walls at first, but now I am having better luck– Keep checking in for more info!

Josh is in Miami tonight, for some work related conference. Now I have gone to many work conferences back when I was in the corporate world. Most of my conferences involved drinking tasting wine and trying to hold important conversations while completely buzzed worrying about how red my teeth were from the wine, but never once were they ever held in a strip club. What you say? A strip club? Well, he didnt tell me that is where they are held… I can just only assume he will be going to one and then will sleep in far too late to attend the conference. We will see. In 2010 I intend on exposing much more of my personal life. Why? Well, why the hell not? I Facebook and Twitter all day anyway. I would like to give ya’ll something interesting to read besides just pics of my knitting, pics of my kid doing crazy stuff and general whining. The stats have gone up considerably in the last 2 months. Now, dont let me scare you off… Stats just tell me how many people are reading, not *who* is reading. So you are still an anonymous reader. How do I know you wish to stay a closeted reader??? You dont leave comments. Come on people. I think you can do that anonymously too. So keep on stalking reading!

(Does this mean I need to hit the spell check once in awhile?)

I have a bunch of gluten-free product reviews to post. I just have no time. Clingy child= neglected blog. Sorry! Do I even have any GFree readers? Most people think this is completely in my head, with the exception being Josh, since he knows how sick I get. GLUTEN IS EVERYWHERE!!!

I am really feeling for the survivors down in Haiti today. Normally I live the usual selfish live, believing if I cant see it, it aint that bad. Well, today I watched Oprah (sue me.) and Wyclef Jean (dont be hatin’– I love him) was showing actual video his brother shot on a flip cam. There are piles and piles of bodies everywhere, dead children and lots of people just freaking out in general due to lack of supplies and care. He said the stench is overwhelming and the graveyards are full. Here I sit in my nice big house, drinking my wine, listening to music on my laptop, typing away on my blog— and it makes me feel terrible! I dont know what there is that I can do. My only idea is this baby hat pattern I made. I am going to post it on Ravelry tonight and sell it for $5 and list it under the Patterns for Haiti. All proceeds go to help Haiti. I was going to type it up and give it out for free. I mean, its just a baby hat… but if you need to get something for your donation… here you go! I sometimes wish I was independently wealthy and didnt have a young toddler to chase right now– I would go down there and help out the people. That would be a great life. Might be hard work, but at least I would sleep soundly knowing I did what I could for my fellow peeps. Yeah, if I had a billion dollars… I’d be there digging through the rubble in Haiti, trying to save people… children… and well, humanity in general. Until then… I will cherish my son and raise him to be as giving and caring as his mommy is. The kid is golden though, he will be a a wonderful addition to society, I just know it.

(LISTENING TO WYCLEF)

Okay off to post my pattern, then off to knit and watch some Nip/Tuck. Wait! I cant leave this on such a somber note… SO here you go:

Don't be hatin' on Wyclef.

PEACE.

Christmas Muno!

I finished the Christmas Muno last night.

He was really fun to make and I look forward to making the rest of the gang. Toodee and Foofa are up next. Then Brobee and Flex as soon as I find the yarn! I am also debating on knitting my son a sweater that looks like DJ Lance’s shirt.

Muno in stocking!

Muno by the poinsetta

Muno in the tree!

I had this fantasy about Muno traveling the world like a lawn gnome… pictures of him at the Eiffel tower, in a gondola on the streets of Venice, in the arms of a Koala bear… but, yeah… just a fantasy.

I have about 5 inches left on the shrug for Rachel’s daughter and I have one leg left on Laura’s shorties for her son. I am confident that my Christmas knitting will be done before 12/25… however I do not think I will have everything mailed out.  Speaking of mail…

I got these in the mail today…

I'm on the path to eliminating all things disposable! LOL

Yep.

Those are exactly what you think they are!

I am jumping on the hippie wagon. Well, I think I am already there with my cloth diapering and all. It just feels so good to throw less away. You may think I am gross (Josh does!) but I am okay with it. I know that I am saving the world– one month at a time, LOL!!! These were made for me by Celia at Cow Belle Boutique. Please visit her shop! I will be knitting some longies for her very soon in trade for this present that came in the mail today. I am really not sure if there are special washing instructions or not, but I will let you all know how this adventure works out for me. They are really soft. Which makes me excited, as nerdy as that sounds.

Well, off to check Facebook and knit-knit-knit…

I joined a congo…

http://hyenacart.com/Home2Home/ I joined the Home 2 Home Congo. I will be stocking my items with some other mamas who make diapers. There is some nice diapers and other things in the congo, so be sure and check it out! There is nothing more wonderful than cloth diapering… well, except supporting stay at home Moms!

I am going to let my Hyena Cart lapse, since it is cheaper to go with the congo and it easier to advertise when you have 7-8 other Moms helping! I can also focus more on stocking the congo. Stop by and check it out, tell me what you think!

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Sick kid & lotsa sunshine

First Crayons!

First work of art.

 It has been nice out these past couple days and my little guy has not felt like going out for very long. He has a sore throat and has lost most of his little voice… not that he really talks, but even his babbles and cries are weak. Poor kid. Well today since he is tired of the backyard, we went for a stroller-stroll and cruised the neighborhood, the took a break at the crappy playground. the playground may be cool one of these days, but for now it is really for bigger kids. He ran around it though! His interest was most caought by the tennis players and their backpacks sitting next to the fence. I had to giggle as I watched him try to put a rock in one of the tennis players backpacks. It was on the other side of the fence though and he could not quite reach.

(paused overnight… resumed on 09-23)

Well I think my son is finally feeling better. His voice seems better and there is no cough today. He had more energy while playing outside and he seems more like himself! YAY!

Meanwhile, he is napping so I must work on a crochet project and enjoy some peace, as I cook a tasty stew with chicken, veggies and beans. It smells so good I can hardly stop the drool.

Last night and Monday I enjoyed some good tv. Hell’s Kitchen was amusing as always, and Hero’s is looking like a good season, however I dont think I like the new carnie character. 90210 is rocking a new theme song and Annie is finally where I want her– bitchville! She was such a wet blanket last season. I am watching Melrose Place too, but I think it may get cancelled. Lets see what else? The Forgotten, with Christian Slater is the new Jerry Bruckheimer show… I like CSI, not as much as all the Law & Orders, but this new one was a little cheesy if you ask me. I much preferred My Own Worst Enemy, but I would watch Christian Slater if he was on an infomercial. He is my first love and always will be. (heart-heart-heart) I cant wait for Fringe– my fave show and the new Flash Forward is looking pretty interesting too. Tonight is the new L&O: SVU! Exciting. I am bummed though that on my DVR I can only record 2 shows at once… since tonight SVU is opposite Glee and  Modern Family/Cougar Town. Josh wont give up Glee, even though I find it so-so. It has a few funny moments, but a musical tv drama just does not do it for me… However, it does do it for Josh. So Glee it is. Maybe I can find the other two shows online or something. If I wasnt so lazy I would move the other tv so I could plug it into the cable. It just isnt worth it. Please, let me know what I miss!

Monday, Monday…

I enjoyed a tasty meal last night. My long time friend, Craig, came over and cooked up a tasty gourmet meal called “Saltimboca” which consisted of a chicken cutlet wrapped in prosciutto then pan fried and drenched in a mouth watering sauce made from Marsala wine and chicken stock. I wish I had more!!! I made some fettuccine Alfredo and sauteed some fresh spinach and garlic with a touch of white wine and butter. We drank an excellent wine with it, the well known 2000 Chateau Pavie, which was rated either 100 or 99 points. The wine was sexy, to say the least, but the dinner may very well have shown it up. After dinner Josh, Craig and I watched “Zack & Miri” since Craig had not seen it, Josh loves it and I was busy working on the finishing touches of April’s skirty, so I was indifferent.

I am moving tomorrow afternoon.

So I have the place about halfway packed up. I am making a list of must-brings to the new house. I will be leaving before the boys really get things into the truck, this way they dont have to worry about an escaping dog or toddler. I am happy to get out of here anyway. The baby and the dog can both get out some energy tearing up the back yard and the short walk to the pool and play ground will be nice.

…and then began on the March square… well, it was named “Irish Rose” and it was very pretty… I finished the actual rose part in the middle of the square and then decided to frog it and start a different square when I realized how awkward it would be to lie on top of such a big “rose”… I am really trying to go for a more comfortable blanket at this time, so no more 3-D designs. I decided to go with “Esther’s square” for my March, which is actually a January square, but whatever.

At some point I got the mail and was pleasantly surprised to find YARN!!!

A huge assortment of Araucania Nature Wool from April, a girl on one of my co-op forums. I entered a “yarn for woolies” swap. I signed up as a worker, hoping to make another beautiful skirty for a lucky little girl. The blue and lilac are for me, the pink and pumpkin are for her. She has twins, boy and a girl so I will be working on some shorties as well as a skirty for her! Receiving her yarn in the mail got me thinking about a purchase I made on Hyena Cart… I should have received it by now… it is some delicious BFL called “Starry Night” — I have been in love with it for awhile and finally took the plunge and bought it. I am hoping to find some matching BFL trim somewhere and make it into a Wonderful Wallaby for the Boo.

These were not good.

How is the Gluten-free diet going? Wonderful! Well, until yesterday. I broke down and binged on carbs. Gluten is a delicious thing that I have taken for granted. I have decided I would rather die from a gluten related death than give up my precious gluten. That was the longest week of my life! The deciding factor was pure laziness combined with the complete lack of weight loss. After about 8 days… I didn’t even lose one pound. I blame the depression of looking at that bathroom scale on my full force attack on some REAL french toast sticks followed by a vegetarian corn dog and then a can of veggie soup. After all that I was still hungry, which surprised me. This weekend I intend on consuming the better part of a medium pizza and lots of beer!

You can’t move properly without beer. This is a law of nature.

We did secure a moving truck. Not at first, but after filling out some Internet “paperwork” Josh got a call letting us know we will have a truck at 4:30pm on Saturday. This is great for 3 reasons:

1. I have a hair appointment at 12:15pm, that I no longer have to cancel.

2. We can move this weekend, which does not call for rain… next weekend does.

3. I don’t have to be angry about Josh’s procrastination.

Off to start the skirty for April, finish baking the banana bread, and make taco dinner for the family.

Jon & Kate, I have the answer!

I think Octomom should adopt Jon and Kate’s wayward litter. With Kate gone all the time and Jon living like a fun-loving bachelor, it is time for a real parent to step in and save those eight kids from becoming latch-key delinquents from a broken home. I think Octo-mom can give the much needed “TLC” they deserve.

Perhaps Kate might find Nadya Sulemon as a nice rebound too. They could get married in California and then raise their 22 children together like a modern day Brady Bunch.

Or maybe they should all take up residence at the Duggars house. Michelle Duggar could certainly whip them into shape and show them the light. What is another 24 mouths to feed?

Packing outside the box

This is what happened while I was working on the Jan square. Note to self: buy more vacuum cleaner bags!

I had my last knitting class on Saturday. This delicious hank merino begged to come home with me!

This is proof that my son is already “thinking outside the box”

I am so proud!