A Very Random Monday

Today's post is brought to you by me going to bed last night around midnight.  No crazy reasons for the occasional bout of insomnia, I have problems falling asleep most Sunday nights.  My mind just races and I really hate to see the weekend come to an end.

This one was a busy one!  The kids spent Friday and Saturday with their Nana, Friday because my regular daycare provider is visiting her daughter in Italy.  Saturday it was because Brian and I volunteered to help my brother and sister-in-law move.  Yes, move, from the land of the renters to their very own house!  They've bought an old house in Rhode Island that they're fixing up little by little.  Saturday morning started very early, with a Dunkin' run and headed to their apartment to move boxes and bags and whatever else was going on the truck (or getting stuffed into a car.)  It was a very productive day and I'm glad that I finally got to see the house!

Sunday was an entirely different day, it was my friend Tracy's bridal shower.  It was lovely, a tea party with finger sandwiches, mini pastries and of course...tea.  :)  Some silly games (which sadly I could not win because I am the maid of honor and of course had the quiz game about knowing Tracy totally in the bag!)

After the kids went to bed it was time for knitting and snippets of the Oscars.  I didn't see much, but what I did was kind of boring.  Oh well, aren't most awards shows?  Right now I'm finishing up some more charity knitting and I've re-cast on for a shimmery silver shawl to go with my bridesmaid dress.  It's kind of gotten the best of me in the past but I'm determined to win.

And now, Mr. Sean has gone to bed and Will won't be too far behind after a kids' show and a milk and cookie.  While we were doing the pajamas thing tonight I started singing the Bubble Guppies theme song.  (boy...they have me trained!)  I only got about half of the verse straight and Will said "C'mon Mommy!  I know that you can get the rest!"  So I sang the rest and he patted my head and said "I'm so proud of you!  You remembered the rest of the Bubble Guppies song!"    Awwww......I've made my boy proud.  :)

G'night all....apparently I need some sleep and the coffee wore off hours ago.

Finished Sweater, Part 2

 Will tried on the sweater....and I was wrong, the sleeves are actually slightly baggy!  I'm glad that I made the "mistake" of making the sweater an inch longer in body, 'cause I love how it fits on him.

He says that he loves the sweater that his Mommy made for him.  Now, what to do with the leftover yarn??

Perhaps there will be enough to knit one for his brother, only slightly different...

First (Finished) Sweater!

Somewhere in this house, I have half a baby sweater that I started for Sean.  I got lost somewhere in the pattern and never found my place.  And I don't have the heart to rip it out and re-purpose the yarn.  Hence, the name of this post.

I started this sweater (pattern:  Coastal Stripe Pullover, LionBrand.com) around Christmastime.   At first everything was great, but I started to doubt my knitting abilities.  First, at the neck shaping, then at sewing the whole thing together.  It turns out that I had nothing to be nervous about, because I did it!  I just sat down and told it that I would not allow it to whip my butt and well, it listened.  I can't wait for Will to try it on tomorrow.  I have a sneaking suspicion that the sleeves may be a little short, but OH WELL!

For my first sweater, I learned a lot.  But especially, I learned that you have to pay close attention when sewing, or you might end up sewing the sleeve on backwards.  Oops!  Then I learned how to un-seam pretty quickly.  I did make some modifications, I made the sleeves and the hem ribbing instead of stockinette stitch because I didn't want them to curl upwards.  Also, I made the stripes a little wider than the pattern indicated, I'd love to tell you it was a decision of style but really, I can't count.

I am so, so proud.  A garment, my very first garment.  If you had told me two years ago that I could have made a sweater I would have laughed in your face.  But here I am, and practice makes....well, for good knitting.  And now that I've cut my teeth on a child's sweater, maybe someday I'll make a sweater for me.  Though I'm not really in a huge hurry.  :)

Wordless Wednesday: Outtakes

Just say cheese...and maybe they'll go away.  :)

At least, that's what this shot says to me!

Playtime!

There's nothing that Sean loves more than playing with his big brother in his bedroom.  Every night before his bedtime I turn the two of them loose in there.  Sometimes we play with flashlights, but mostly with this big box from our new computer.  Both Will and Sean love playing with this box!!  Who needs toys, right? 

Sometimes it's a bed:

Or a house....

Sometimes it resembles a two-car garage!

Perhaps a bachelor pad!  

Sometimes it's for trapping big brothers.  

Sometimes big brothers trap themselves in there with stuffed animal buddies.

I love their imagination.  And the fact that they're playing together and having the time of their lives.  :)

Three Things That Never Happened Before

There really IS something to this "Lifestyle Change" stuff.  Some Examples below:

Yesterday, I had to go to Boston in the morning for work.  My work laptop had fried during the week and I got the call that I could pick it up and that it was fixed.  (the rest of the day involved sighing as I tried to re-install my printer and find all my documents, but I digress...)  On the way back to work I needed to stop at the bank and get something to eat.  The idea of a D'Angelos sandwich sounded just....o.k.  Then I brightened as I remembered that I had Asian-Style Chicken and Veggies and flour tortillas at home!  A fifteen minute lunch at home that ended with ONE piece of chocolate and I was back on the road.  I've never really wanted to eat at home instead of going out to a restaurant before.

On Wednesday, I went to see the doctor for my three-month checkup.  I've had to do that since I was diagnosed with hypertension.  Not only was I down thirteen pounds from the last time I was there....my blood pressure was in the normal range!  Now, I know that the medication is a big factor, but the weight loss is certainly helping.  And since I have a family history of hypertension on both sides of my family, I may always be on medication, despite losing weight.  But the weight loss AND a drop in blood pressure!  The doctor gave me a big smile and said that I was doing awesome.  Awesome!  I've never had a doctor tell me that before, usually it's a not-so-gentle reminder of what weight gain does to a person and what am I doing for exercise.

That brings me to the next thing:   exercise.  I'm kind of starting to plateau.  So I need to get my butt moving.  From what I understand, if I find an exercise that I enjoy, there'll be a more likely chance that I'll do it.  So I guess I'm going to start looking!  I've never "wanted" to exercise before. What an interesting week!

Putting Together the Pieces

The pieces of the Coastal Stripe Pullover are complete.  Now, working on the confidence to sew it together, pick up stitches at the collar and finish it in time for Will to wear it in some of this cold weather.  I'm not there yet, but I'm on my way.

What's Your Name Again?

Happy Valentines Day, everyone!

Last night, I brought out the Valentine cards that I had purchased for Daddy and the boys.  I quietly called Will into the dining room to sign Daddy's card while Daddy was using the computer and keeping Sean from taking it apart.  (he's quite inquisitive, and has the most devilish grin!)  Will's recently learned how to write his name, and draw stick figures, so I asked him to sign Daddy's card. 

He puts a big "W-I" and then starts to go somewhere else with the spelling of his name.  I ask him if he needs a little help and he says "No Mom!  I'm not writing my name, I'm writing SOMETHING ELSE!!!"  OK buddy, you go for it! 

When the card is finished, there's an adorable stick figure.  And the "Something else" that he wrote?  Well, the boy can't read yet, but can make letters.  In perfectly formed preschooler letters is the word "Wipe."  I laughed so hard, I almost fell out of my chair. 

Please meet my two kids....Wipe and Sean.  Or if Wipe had had his way, Pluto.  :)

It's The Weekend!!!!!

Things to be happy about this weekend:

Will's pinkeye is almost totally cleared up.  It hasn't been fun, doing eyedrops.  Also, he got something completely unrelated and spiked a fever three days this week.  It's been fun.  BUT he did get to come to work with Mommy for half a day on Tuesday, and spend two days hanging out with his Papa.  He thinks his Mama has a cool job and had a great time one-on-one with Papa.  :)

I'm getting my hair done tomorrow.  I really go too far in-between cuts and colors, so I always feel like a shaggy dog, especially in the week leading up to the appointment.  But oh well, I'm over it.  Tomorrow it'll be all nice and puuurty.  :)

I have three projects on the needles, and two of them are near completion.  Will's sweater just need to have a sleeve finished and then sew it together.  Something tells me that I'm going to finish the sleeve, then get intimidated by the sewing and put it away for awhile.  C'mon, I can do it!  I can make this sweater happen before it starts to get warm and no sweater is needed.  (Yeah right, not anytime soon)

We're taking a trip to IKEA on Sunday!  Love that place.  We used them to re-do our kitchen a few years ago and we've been smitten ever since. 

Happy weekend, everyone!  :)

Adult Truths

It's always something.  But lately it seems like a little of everything is downright irritating.  I would give my left toe for one normal week of school and daycare, and work, and nothing crappy happening.  Snow and ice after snow and ice, new tires, stomach viruses......agh.   This week's catastrophe is that Will has pinkeye.  Yep, I got the call this afternoon that he woke up with it after naptime at school and could someone please come and get him?  Like...NOW???    He can go back to school as soon as his eye isn't "goopy."  Mmmm....goopy.  Awesome.

OK.  Enough of my whining. Instead, I'm going to share and repost something from a dear friend's blog, out there in the Land of Lincoln.  I laughed out loud and nodded like crazy reading it, and I'm willing to bet that if you are an adult, you will too.....

*** Adult Truths ***

1. I think part of a best friend’s job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was young.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5.. I’m  pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren’t going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don’t want to have to restart my collection…again.

13. I’m always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page report that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

16. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite or Wine than Kay.

17. I wish both my GPS and Google Maps had an “Avoid Ghetto” routing option.

18. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

19. How many times is it appropriate to say “What?” before you just nod and smile because you still didn’t hear or understand a word they said?

20. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

21. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

22. Sometimes I’ll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

23. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey – but I’d bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time.

24. The first testicular guard, the “Cup,” was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974. That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important.

Snow Meme

Since we're in for another day of snowed-in-ness, how about a meme to break up some of this boredom?  (And yes, I shamelessly "borrowed" this from another blogger.)

I Am…..hungry and totally excited to be having steak and a baked potato for lunch.  The frozen veggies had freezer burn, but I'm not sad because the Italian Blend had lima beans in it.  I abhor lima beans.

I Want……it to be sunny and in the low seventies, and to take the boys to the park up the street for some slide and swing fun.  Wishful thinking!  I for one am never going to whine that the summer is just too hot and humid again.  (Though I might need a reminder later that I said that.)

I Should……stop thinking about knitting that gorgeous green bag for my friend's birthday after lunch and just do some laundry and housework already.

I Wish……that what I wanted and what I need are always the same things.

I Hate……the aforementioned lima beans.  Seriously.  Hate. Them.

I Fear…….heights. Oh, and bugs.  The bigger the bug, the louder I'm going to scream.

I Hear……Sean babbling in the kitchen as he explores, a steak sizzling in a cast iron skillet and Will asking me if I'd like to play "Restaurant."  Only if I get to be the customer instead of the busboy, Baby.

I Search……for balance.  Every day.

I Wonder……why the toy fire truck starts making noise every time I turn off the lights in the family room?  

I Regret…….not adding "wake up" to my to-do list so I can at least cross one thing off every day.  :)

I Love…….My Family and my friends.  Oh and yarn, yarn and more yarn!  The expensive stuff, the cheap-o stuff, I love it all.

I Always……forget to take off the toe polish.  Every morning in the shower I look down and AH!  I forgot again.  What was once a lovely shade of rose is now looking pretty gnarly.

I Usually……talk myself out of at least one thing every day that seems like a "Great Idea."  (Hey!  Let's cast on three projects at once and work them in tandem!  Not going to work, you say?)

I Am Not……thrilled about the fact that I am a human napkin.

I Dance……with the boys all the time.  

I Sing…….in the car alone, at the top of my lungs.  I may suck at it everywhere else, but in my car I'm an American Idol!

I Never…….got a tattoo, because I just couldn't pick one thing to put on my body for the rest of my life.  

I Rarely……crave pizza.

I Cry……at the drop of a hat.  I watched Toy Story 3 right after Christmas and was bawling.  

I Am Not Always……good at remembering everyday things.  Like putting stuff on the shopping list.  If you want to remember useless stuff or somebody's name in high school, then I'm your girl.  

I Lose……my train of thought often.

I’m Confused……at anything computer-related.  As far as I'm concerned, that's why I got married.  :)

I Need…….coffee, yarn and snuggles from the boys.  (and by boys, I mean the hubby too)

I Have……an incredible sense of gratitude, that grows as I get older.  

It's the Silly Things

Driving home from work last night.  In a terribly foul mood, mostly because of the gargantuan snowpiles around me in the city....this City has such narrow roads to start with, plus with people parking all over a lot of roads have turned into one-ways.  Not to mention the $#*hats that snowblow their driveways into the street.  (But that's a whole 'nother post!)  The snow is so high in some places it is literally impossible to see if anything's coming as you pull out of your driveway.  And, just to make things more interesting, we have some more headed tomorrow, and another possible storm midweek.  I think Wednesday knitting, and Wednesdays in general have been cancelled for the duration of this rotten winter. 

I've never been down about the weather like this before.  I know that they've been bad before but this just seems like the pits.  So, I was driving last night in the traffic that has accumulated because of the snow piles, and I was thinking that I had all the reasons in the world to be pissed off.  And I know I'm not the only one out there, I've heard the beeping horns and  seen the not-so-subtle hand gestures.   I was trying to make a phone call.  I have an in-dash bluetooth, so PRESTO! with the push of a button I can make and receive calls hands-free.  (after the original button pushing, of course.)  You're supposed to say "Call" and then the voice asks you the name or number.  (I have yet to name the voice....I should!)    Instead of saying "Call" I said "Last Call," thinking that it would automatically dial the last call that had come in.  Well, no.  Instead, Female Voice thought I had said "Espanol" and then proceeded to tell me in Spanish that I had selected to change the language and did I want to do that?  Aw heck, why not?? 

I then proceeded to call my friend Tracy by slowly reciting her telephone number in Spanish.  And it worked!  It also told me that the battery was low on my phone.  How helpful!  This little exchange with Female Voice was so entertaining.  Despite the weather I had a chuckle and was in a fabulous mood by the time I hit the driveway.  And then I had a great pancake and maple sausage dinner with my guys, and a great evening overall.

So see?  Sometimes it's the littlest, silly thing that can turn that frown upside-down and salvage your night.  As for "Llamada Conectada?"  I decided to keep it in Spanish in my car.  After all, I stink at numbers in Spanish and maybe it'll help!  :)