Time Travelers

For two mornings this week, I have had the pleasure of having the morning to myself.  No kiddos to get ready, no drop-offs, no trying to keep Sean from chewing on Will's toothbrush or listening to "But Mom!  I don't need school, I already KNOW EVERYTHING!!!!"  Two blissful mornings.  Both mornings I knitted a little before work, lingering over my second cup of coffee.   Perfect makeup, put on without interruption.  I even had time to use styling products and a blowdryer!  With Hubby bringing the kids to my parents for the day, as soon as his car hit the streets, BANG!  It was 2005 again, with me being on time for work, going back and forth between Led Zeppelin and The Beastie Boys in the car.  Of course, in 2005 I didn't work so close to home, and I wasn't a knitter.  Minor details!

And next week we're planning a BIG trip into the past.  Brian and I are dialing it back to 1998....going on our first vacation sans children.  We're going somewhere that we've never been, but it'll be just the two of us, kind of like that first summer together.  And we're planning on coming home needing a vacation from our vacation, exhausted from the fun of it all.  Can't wait!

(Sigh)

Last night was supposed to be the preview of "The Help."  I say "supposed" because it was not to be.

Mom and I drove to the theater that the preview was being screened, about half an hour away for both of us.  We met for a great dinner at Panera (she introduced me to their fabulous steak salads) and then headed to the theater.  At first things we a bit confusing.  But we found the line for the "sneak peek" and joined about a million other people, all holding their pink free vouchers.  Mom said "I wonder if I have time to go to the ladies' room before the movie starts" and I said I'd hold our place in line.

Well, it turns out that she had plenty of time.  She wasn't gone two minutes when an announcement came over the loudspeaker, saying that the preview was full and there was only one screening, so the rest of us were out of luck.  So much for "winning tickets!"    Oh, and that we could buy tickets to other movies if we wanted, but the production company for "The Help" had only arranged for the one screening.  The whole thing was a publicity stunt, to make sure that the theater was full.    No "sorry," no nothing.  A collective groan passed over the crowd of about a hundred women, and then the griping started.  Mom and I took it in stride.  Yes, we were irritated, but what good would complaining do?  We did decide that NO, we would not be purchasing tickets to something else.  Instead, we went to Christmas Tree Shops and poked around.  It was still an evening of just me and Mom, so I was happy. 

This morning, I logged onto Facebook and was surprised to see that the magazine that I had "won" the tickets from had posted something about last night's showing.  They issued an apology, saying that they honestly thought that the tickets were genuine and that they felt bad for their awesome readers.  I felt better instantly.  Other people had replied that it wasn't the magazine's fault, and it wasn't.  After reading all the comments, it turns out that they were handing out these vouchers everywhere.  One woman even posted that they were available in a pile to anybody at a local library!  All in all, it's estimated that there were over a thousand vouchers for one movie theater screening.  Wow, they were looking to generate some buzz for the theater, and they certainly did!

One interesting thing that someone posted is that most of us who didn't get to go are moms, and we're used to plans changing on the fly.  This is true.  I'm just glad it wasn't a premiere for some kids' movie that we had stood in line for with the boys for hours!  Talk about not understanding why you're getting back in the car instead of going to see a movie that your parents took you to and talked up on the way!

So I guess I have another summer movie that I want to see.  C'mon August 12th!

A Year and a Half....really??

My little man turned a year and a half over the weekend  It's hard to believe that a year ago I was taking pictures of a six-month old in an Ohio hotel room, on our way back from our fabulous Wisconsin vacation! Now that Sean's getting over his nasty cold, he's all smiles and giggles.  He loves to play "chase" and roars like a monster.  His favorite things to say are "Hey, Daddy!" and "Thank you."  And once, he repeated Daddy and said "Only on Tuesdays?"  (I have witnesses.  It was said!)  And kisses...he's only too happy to give big, sloppy kisses if you ask for one. 

The daycare is closed for vacation this week, so Sean is hanging with Nana and Papa.  Will's going to hang out with them two days this week too, and go to school the other days.  I'm really glad that Sean's getting this one-on-one time with them, so they get to play with him constantly and he gets a little of the "nana and papa happy time" that Will always got.  Yesterday I heard that he spent most of the day laughing, chasing Papa and playing with remote control trucks.  Sounds just about perfect.

Tool Time (minus Tim Allen)

Today Will asked me to help him take some tires off his toy truck.  I never realized that they truck had come with tools for dis-assembly!

Anyway, we set out to do some work:  Will doing his first "tire rotation" and me changing the batteries in Sean's birdie soother in his crib.

Three important lessons for today:

1.  I taught Will the phrase "Righty, Tighty, Lefty Loosey."  Of course, I called it "Lefty Loosey-Righty Tighty."  I've since been corrected.  :)

2.  The most important part of the job is cleaning up at the end!  If there's no clean-up, it makes it harder for the people after you and somebody can get hurt.

3.  And the most important one of all:  Hey Will?  Handy Manny has got NOTHING on Mommy!  :)

Abracadabra! Sleeves.

I've gotten pretty far on the Ditto.  I wrapped up the bottom half of the sweater, and tonight I finished the sleeves.  For starting on June 6th, this is going at lightning speed!  

The bottom half of the cardigan body, with two sleeves on holders above.  

It's been a ridiculously stressful couple of weeks with a lot of things going on that aren't exactly blog-friendly.  I've been happy to have this sweater to work on at night while watching The Big Bang Theory.  Which, by the way, wasn't a show that I expected to enjoy.  But I really do, and so does Brian.  He gets more of the geeky references than I do, but it is extremely well-written and the characters are hilarious.  

And with the finishing of the sleeves....I am going to put this sweater in hibernation for a short while.  This is for two reasons:  1.  the next step is making a yoke and attaching the sleeves somehow.  I haven't quite wrapped my head around just how to do that yet....so I'm mulling it.  and 2.  I need to crank out some baby gifts!  I have several things picked out and well, babies come on a deadline.  Not a hard and fast deadline per se, but in the general vicinity of three in mid-to-late Autumn.  

p.s.  do you want to hear something kind of sick?  I've already chosen my next sweater!  It's called Radiate and it's a longer-sleeve cardigan made out of cotton instead of wool.  Even sicker:  I have the yarn in the house, ten skeins of Cotton Ease in charcoal.  Now, I didn't buy it for this sweater in particular.  I bought it last summer for a different pattern that I decided against last minute.  Every knitter (and crocheter too) is always dreaming about their next project.  This one however....not until after the holidays.  I'm sick, but not that sick!  

I Won, I Won :)

Here's something that doesn't happen often....I entered a contest and WON SOMETHING!  I loved the book "The Help" and was really looking forward to seeing the movie next month.  I had entered a contest to win free tickets to what I thought was the movie coming out next month.  Imagine my surprise when I got an email that I had won two free passes to an advance screening next week!  Which is a month before the movie comes out!

I knew instantly who I was going to bring:  Mom.  She and I both enjoyed the book so much and were discussing the movie coming out just yesterday.  So Mom and I are going to go on our sneak peek next week.  (Hey, that rhymes...)  So exciting!  :)

Photo Shoot, Gone Awry

Sometimes you set out to take pictures of your kids, and the "session" doesn't quite turn out as expected.  I had gotten the boys matching patriotic-themed t-shirts, and wanted to get a couple snaps of them together.  Eh....notsomuch.  We'll try again this weekend at the cottage while we're celebrating the Fourth.  Let's see what we got out of it this time, though:

 Hiya, Handsome!  Yeah....that's a toy pie plate.  How about you show me your cool shirt?  NOPE!

 What's that, Mommy?  Ohh....pose.  Thought you said wrestle!  Or bellyflop!

 This one is pretty cute.  Best one out of the bunch.  Though if they were looking at me, it would be better.

 Dude!  Love your shirt!  Where'd your brother go?  Oh yes.....into the kitchen to find the tupperware.  *Sigh*.  I guess I should just be happy it's not the dog water.

 Sean to Will:  "Will.  This curtain is awesome.  Come and check it out!"

Yes, Sean!  Sit on your big brother's lap!  Uh-uh.  Better luck next time, Mama!