Zoo Lights

Rosie & Woody gave us tickets to Zoo Lights so we took the kids last night. If you ever decide to go, get there right when they open! David was giving me the evil eye when we had dinner at 4:30 pm and left the house around 5:30 pm and got there bang on 6 pm when it opened, but it was definitely the right decision because the place was getting PACKED when we left around 7:30 pm.

Here are the light up lily pads as you walk across the "turtle bridge" on the way in to the zoo.

A photo of all of us in the jaws of the snake! You can't see it but I have no my new shawl.

They had this giraffe that said your kids name (when you went over and told the girl doing the voice). It reminded me of going to Paul Bunyan land in Brainerd where Paul does the same thing. The look on Hannah & Simon's face when she said their name really was priceless!

After we got home, I remembered that I had forgotten the Lost Points Shawl in the washer to soak prior to blocking. I think it is the silk dye that is floating in the washer.......but it could also be the dye from the Melody though I doubt it.

Here it is blocking. This time, it is definitely big enough. I changed the pattern by using 10.5 needles instead of 9's and kept knitting....and knitting and knitting. I was trying to figure out how big the #$@#@ thing was when I had an epiphany. I was a little afraid to bind off (and finish it so it has been languishing in my knitting bag off and on for about 6 months) because if it wasn't big enough this time, I was not going to knit the thing again.

On the pattern it has rough measurements so I measured the width and calculated the length and breathed a BIG sigh of relief when I figured out it was long enough. You don't know with that pattern until after you have bound off and believe me, there is no way you are going around and picking up about 750 or more stitches after it is bound off.

I also did a couple rows of garter stitch so the edges won't roll. I was surprised that the pattern didn't recommend that and the edges DEFINITELY rolled the first time I made it.
All ready for Linda to wear it on their trip to Hawaii in the new year!

Tuesday....

The day started off as usual.....Tuesday at Chez HB. However, there was a fair amount of knitting content going on.....

I finished the edging of the shawl. Here is how it looks pre-blocking. the top is as wide as my wing span but not very long. So...I blocked it and then,

Hannah and I went to the Fiber Factory to exchange some yarn. We also went to the Glitter Box and the Papery, Co. next door. Great little shops in down town Mesa. Oh, and we also hit the Picnic Company for some frozen yogurt.
Here is the shawl blocking. The towel under it is a HUGE beach towel.
I used my new blocking pins from my Secret Pal Heather. They, along with almost every other pin I owned were used to block this baby. It is all those little points.
Last night was a little Stitch N Bitch. Melanie brought her little gnome. Isn't he cute??? She has decided that knitting toys is her thing!
Illanna (in her Crocks), Gisele (not her real name) and Heather (also in her Crocks) met up at Coffee Rush for an evening of knitting. Heather, bless her heart, spent almost an hour ripping back on her Flower Basket Shawl (now a free pattern on the link from Interweave) to find the right place because she had gotten off by a stitch or two.
My finished Meadow Flowers Shawl. Yes, I think this one will be a keeper for me. It is big enough without being too big, the right color and WARM. The lace weight wool may look like there is no warmth but believe me, that baby is quite warm.
And finally, here is what I saw when I got home last night.....a 12 foot snowman. He was hiding in a box at the back of Sam's Club yesterday on the clearance shelf. All by himself telling use to take him home for 50%+ off. The kids have been wanting a big blow up thing for outside of the house so he was the right price at the right time.

Monday Night.....

We went to Rosie & Woody's house to meet them before dinner. We had visions of going to Zoo Lights after dinner but...the best laid plans of mice and men......

We had a nice evening. Rosie & Woody got Hannah & Simon a gift for Christmas. I will post photos later after I take a picture of the presents!

The kids love going to the Chinese Cultural Center because they get to use chopsticks.

Here is Simon with their dog, Bella.
Simon & Woody. Happy Late Birthday Woody! His birthday was yesterday.
Rosie, the tooth fairy, gave Hannah more $$ for losing her front teeth.
Simon, sucking a cherry from his Shirley Temple.
My baby girl and I!
As we were waiting for the rest of the gang to come along, we checked out the salt water tank.....
with Nemo, Dory, Bloat and the yellow tangs.

Merry Christmas!

I am warning you now...this is a VERY picture heavy post!

We went to church yesterday afternoon at the church where I donate my prayer shawls and they had a lovely children's service. It was small & intimate and all the kids got a bag of goodies to take with them.

Hannah & Simon both opened a few gifts yesterday, including slippers and these new blankets from my Mom. They are made of polar fleece and the kids drag them EVERYWHERE!
On to Christmas morning....the kids slept until 6:30 am! Amazing. Simon got a 3-wheeled scooter so he can now "scooter" like a big kid with Hannah. See, he is going so fast I can't get a focused photo!
It was a Star Wars Christmas for Simon. The kid is obsessed.....and here is a huge space station that needs about 100 stickers attached to it. Guess what David is doing this afternoon???
"No Luke, I am your FATHER."
Hannah had an Angelina Ballerina Christmas. She also got a couple of sets of Junie B books. I got a robe from David....matches my birthday slippers.
A lot of reading going on this morning.....David with his new Princess Diana book and Hannah with Angelina.
The chaos after the gifting was finished. It actually took place over about a 1 hour period. I was surprised.
And now, they are playing with some Noddy stuff from the Auntie in England.
Merry Christmas to everyone. We wish you the very best!

Happy Christmas Eve

We got a box in the mail yesterday from my sister, Stephanie. I couldn't figure out what she sent because we have all stopped giving gifts at Christmas unless we get together in Minnesota so I was surprised to find these.....you can't see the box but they are called Chippers.

What are they???? Chocolate covered potato chips. Come on, this is a North Dakota delicacy considering the number of potatoes grown in North Dakota. If you think they would not taste good, believe me they do. They are salt and sweet together!

Stephanie sent them to me because we had just been discussing Chippers last week and she had a box left over from the ones our brother, Samuel, picked up for their business gifts. Thanks Stephanie!!!

I had lunch at El Sol today with a lady who did a bird toxicology test for a client in North Carolina, where she is also located. In a twist of fate, her parents live about 3 miles from us on the other side of Chandler Airport! We have gotten together the past 3 Christmas' while she is home to visit and they gift us with an assortment of cookies they make every year! MMMM....mmmmm..good!
It is ironic that I have not baked ANYTHING the past couple of years. For many years, I made about 8-9 things and gave food gifts but it seems that the past 3-4 years, we have gotten so many food gifts that I don't need to bake anything and we still have a nice assortment of homemade food thanks to our good frinds and family.

Here is a photo of Hannah this morning!
She then took one of Simon doing his puzzles.
And finally, some knitting. I am STILL working on the border for the shawl. I am on short side #1. I figured out the directions after a couple of false starts. It should block up nicely.
Other other knitting news, I didn't win the Christmas Crap-a-long! Ah well, there is always next year!

I have a few more presents to wrap for David today and put together Simon's scooter that I almost forgot I bought because it is stashed in the laundry room instead of my closet!!! David did all of the kids wrapping for me on Thursday while that big project was still kicking my butt!

A HUGE PROJECT IS FINISHED!

So, what have I been obsessively working on this week (and a lot of the last 18 months)???? You know, getting up at 3:30-4 am and WORKING for 90% of the time until 9:30 pm AND skipping meals to finish this week? I even missed SnB this week so I could work.

It is enclosed in the boxes below. Why yes, there are 14 boxes in this shipment and 86 volumes/binders. Good Gosh am I glad it is finished....just in time for Christmas!

Thank you Pam for all of your help. I don't think I would have ever been able to finish it by myself without your help this year!

Ok...and I just saw this on the Yahoo Entertainment page. Hmmm...the title is strikingly similar to my last post "Channeling Cindy Brady". Maybe I am psychic!!! Yeah, right.

Channeling Cindy Brady!

Today is decade day to Hannah's school and so, we are going for the 1970's and trying for the Brady look! I think we got pretty close or as close as we could without buying new clothes!

Beware, you may see her wearing that for Christmas too! Ah well, if you wait long enough, every style comes back in fashion. I bought that dress brand new last spring.


And, a phsyco Ewok photo from under the tree! Ooooohhhhh....scary.

A Wee bit of Knitting.

The bucket from Dad & Linda's wedding gets a lot of use in our house. As a laundry basket, a kid basket and.....

a cat basket. This little guy has turned into such a playful little thing that it is really surprising. However, he is still healthy and for that we are really fortunate since we also lost Sophie to Parvo last week. Apparently, it is that virus which Pepper brought home from the Humane Society with him. I have been knitting just a bit.....I finished the main section of the Meadow Flower's shawl and have now started the edging. It calls for dpn but I can't really figure out why since I am knitting back and forth on the circulars and it is easier than the dpn's. Maybe they think you won't have to turn it so much but that wasn't the case either.
I'll keep you posted on the edging progress. Thankfully, when the edging is done, the shawl will only need to be blocked and two ends sewn in...now that is my kind of finishing!!!

It is pajama day at school for Hannah and she is all excited to wear her pajamas to school and only have to comb her hair and brush her teeth this morning. Crazy kid.

December 17th, Part II

See all those fancy toys in the background? See where Simon is playing??? Give the kid a box, who needs toys, except to dump them in and out of the box!

Of course, this was happening while Hannah was playing at a friends house so he amused himself very well and there was no whining or fighting!!!

We all went out to dinner at Applebee's last night. I wasn't sure it was going to happen because David has bronchitis but did get some antibiotics yesterday that are helping a lot.

Here is the opposite side of the table.

Hannah & I wearing the new sweater I got from my Mom. The slippers from Dad & Linda as my gift during their visit, were taken off as we left the house.
The family photo!
What was even nicer?????? Dinner cost us only the tip since we used a gift card we got from my Mom last year for Christmas!

P.S. Did you know they have 1/2 off drinks and appetizers between 3-7 pm EVERY DAY??

Hippo Birdie, Two Ewe (ok, me)

Today is my 37th birthday. How did that happen??

Anyway, we got the stinky cat groomed on Thursday and he is literally, half the size he was before because they took off so much fur!! He smells a lot better and has a very mellow personality.

The Birthday gifts..........the kids helped me open my gifts at about 7 am this morning. A sweater and bracelet from my Mom, itunes gift card from Hannah & Simon, 4 balls of Lion Brand Boucle from my brother Matthew & his family, Last Minute Knitted Gifts from David. He said it was their last copy over at Border's near the house! He was also amazed at the size of the Knitting book section at the bookstore. Frankly, I am often surprised at house cool knitting has become...since it never was for most of the time I have been knitting.
I also got rechargable batteries for the new & old digital cameras and a Dirt Devil. I know, seems like a strange gift but I really have been wanting one for a couple of years to clean out all the crumbs in my van. I am waiting for the thing to charge so I can give it a try!

TGIF

Like I said yesterday, it is like Christmas all year (or at least all month)!

Yesterday I got this gift from one of my clients. Last year they sent a gift that included chocolate covered peanut brittle! Ok, not this year but still a bunch of yummy food including sparkling cider, a lot of different chocolate and two cookie filled Santa's so the kids don't have to fight over just one. Bill, who ordered the gift, has grandchildren. You wouldn't have guessed, would you???

Yes, I am knitting but not a lot. I have been so tired and sick this week that knitting the lace shawl was too much like work so I made this scarf using the pattern from Straw.com. I used the ribbon yarn I bought at Tuesday Morning a couple weeks ago. I have another one, longer one, almost finished except I need about 2 more yards to bind off and all three colors are GONE! I might have to take off the final row of knitting soI can bind off fully. This will be a gift for Hannah's teacher.