Summer Project

With the gateway weekend to summer here, I have decided on my summer knitting project.  (It's good to have goals.) 

My summer project is the Ditto Sweater.  Something for ME that is going to take some time and care.  The journey begins with taking my measurements (something I hate to do, but why spend time knitting a cardigan that's not going to fit when I'm done??)  and then making a gauge swatch.  I am absolutely resisting just jumping right into this...because my mentality is usually to say "Screw the gauge swatch!" but this is going to be a hefty investment of time, talent and (hopefully few) tears.  

And we're off.....the sweater and I are starting our journey.

Four's a Good Age

I really like age four.  Will has quite an independent streak at this age.  For instance, he can go to the bathroom by himself.  On weekend mornings, he can entertain himself for a bit, turn on the TV and let Mom and Dad sleep in a little bit.  When Joey is ready to come inside sometimes, he can open the door and let him in.  He's creative, talkative, and has quite an imagination.

But the best part of age four?    He can pick out his own clothes and dress himself.  No longer does he have to wait for one of us to say "time to get dressed!" and pick out his clothes for him.  :)

Cheese!!!!!  

Camera Man

"

 My Giggle Boy, piling up pillows from the couch and laughing as he dives into them.  His laughter is contagious as he continually rolls off the pillows and gets back up.  He's looking so BIG in this picture that it actually makes my heart ache a little bit.

Uh-Oh!  He's realized that I am taking his picture, and has tired of trying to say "Cheese."  Now he's more interested in the camera and has initiated a game of "Keep-Away."  

"Hey, Mom!  I can do that, lemme take a picture of you!"

So We Meet Again, Socks...

.....and I'm ready for you:

I've been working on a baby blanket of my own (very simple) design and I am bored stiff with the forever rows of stockinette stitch.  Tonight I repeated the words of the Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee:  "There are no knitting police!"  Nobody's going to come knocking on my door because I've put this charity, stash-busting blanket into hibernation for a little while.  Naturally, I decided to go and peruse new projects in my queue at 10pm.  Because that is how I roll.

I considered jumping into my sweater pattern, but I need to do some measurements first.  Oh, and wind skeins.  Eight of them, to be exact.

For all my fellow yarnies:  It's Cascade 220 in Summer Sky Heather.  And yes, I know I've already flashed this stash, but it's soooooo pretty that I couldn't help myself!

I also considered the Virginia Shawl that I was waxing poetic over last month, but again it's a skein issue.  And the damn ball winder is down in the basement.  Even I'm not enough of a night owl to bust that out and start tonight.  Well, yes I am but I *do* have to work tomorrow.

Then I got to thinking:   one of my goals this year was to make a pair of socks.  And I will make socks, dammit!  I picked the most basic pattern and am going to go into this, refusing to take prisoners.  Kick ass (knitting) and take names.

Here's hoping the second time's a charm.  Swatching starts tomorrow.

Sean and his Sweater

Today is the first time I've put this sweater on Sean.  It's kind of a sad commentary that it is May 18th and the boy needs a sweater...but it's true.  I love, love, love how this came out!!  It fits him perfectly and I'm glad that this burnt orange jumped out at me at the store, 'cause it is perfect.  Hiya, Handsome!  :)

There's No Prep for a Morning Like This....

I knew that being a working mom of two kids would have it's challenging moments.  But the (crappy) situation that I found myself in this morning....no amount of "There's gonna  be days like this" would prepare me for it.  And of course, while it was happening I was thinking "This will be funny later....on my blog!"

Preface:  Sean is a grumpy kid in the morning.  First, he doesn't want to get out of bed.  Then like any part of the day...he does NOT want to have his diaper or clothes changed.  

It is 8AM and I am dressed to work, with makeup applied and hair drying in its usual mess.  (If I ever had time to dry and style my hair in the morning, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.  There was a time in my life where I would have chosen beauty over breakfast, but the Older Crafty Mama knows better.)  I enter the nursery to rouse my favorite cherub, and for a second, he's happy to see me.  His face changes as I am lifting him out of the crib, as he's realized that we are (again) headed to the changing table and he is bawling even before we've begun.  I remove his Cars pajamas and he screams in frustration and is kicking like he's in the World Cup. Open the messy diaper and yeah....it's really messy.  In frustration, Sean is grabbing at my hands and instead....grabs...well, to put it delicately, the mess.  I'm trying to calm him down and keep him from spreading poop everywhere.  And I'm failing miserably.  I'm frantically going through the baby wipes but it is a lost cause as the poor kid is now not only screaming, he's covered from neck to toes.  I look down at my nice clean navy blue sweater, sign and (possibly) curse out loud.  I have like 20 minutes before I need to be at work, and clearly the only solution is a bath for the boy.  And that is what we do.  I shuck off my (still miraculously clean) shirt and fill the tub.  Sean usually enjoys baths but not this one, since he's hungry.  A very fast bath land fresh clothes later and he is then in the kitchen, having a breakfast of Cheerios and blueberries.  

I head out to the family room to check on the Will while this is going on, and he is playing quietly, which is good.  I then realize to my horror that my neighbor is smoking on his deck, and he can see me.  In my pants and bra.  Oh well, there are worse things than that, right?  Yes....like when I realize that Sean is smashing his blueberries instead of eating them, all over his nice clean shirt.  So that is Shirt #2 for him. and now it is time for the World's Quickest Breakfast for me.  

After breakfast it's toothbrush time, load-the-car time and finally, GO TIME.  After dropping off the boys at their respective Tuesday places, I commute to my job for the day, helping out another property manager with her rent-up.  I pull into the parking lot, let out a huge sigh and say out loud something that I haven't said in a long time:  "Boy, I am so glad to be at work now!"  Because honestly, I don't think that work can sling any crap today that I haven't dealt with already!    :)

Post-Webs Lazy Sunday

Here's a rarity if you've ever heard one:  I stayed in my pajamas today until 2:30pm.  After getting out of bed at 9:30am.  Wow!!!!  Annnnddddddd.....I have gotten to knit so much this weekend that my eyes are tired.  Sure, the vacuuming and dishes in between, well, that was necessary.

Yesterday was the FABULOUS Webs trip!!  I love, love, love their annual tent sale.  How good was it?  Well, here is a photo of my newest stash:  (no making fun of the hair...it was a long day!)

Another satisfied Webs customer:  my SIL.  And yes, I do believe that she left some of the cotton yarns at the store.  Just sayin'  :)  (All kidding aside, I loved the stuff that she got and my mom and I are going to help her with her first baby sweater this summer.  And there's a tank top to be made in there somewhere too!

  I have all the yarn that I need for Christmas gifts, as well as my sweater yarn.  The winning color is.....summer sky heather.

Purple is indeed my signature color and I adore just about any variation thereof.  But sometimes, as my mom pointed out yesterday, it's nice to branch out to different colors.  I can't wait to start my Ditto sweater!  However, I want to get some other things done first.   And then, there's the things that I have already finished:

Irish Hiking Scarf, knit in Plymouth Galway worsted.  This was a really nice wool to work with, and I would definitely knit with it again.  The cables were fun, I'm really enjoying them!  (now that I know how to make them, I want to put them in everything.)

This here is my new phone cover.  Black Phone in Black Purse Syndrome averted!  I'm not totally thrilled with how this came out, but it is functional.  I may do this again later, using a different yarn.  However, this was a $3.00 fix AND knit up over the course of three episodes of this seasons's CSI.  (which was disappointing at best, but I digress.)

All in all....a wonderful weekend surrounded by friends and family, and of course, fabulous yarn!  Many thanks to Hubby for staying home with the kids while we "got our yarn on."