So long, Blogger!

I'm fed up with blogger. Everytime I go to leave a comment at other blogs, I get errors. Now, when I try to upload folders--nothing! I always have problems with blogger, and I'm sick and tired of it! So, I'm moving my blog to typepad. Sorry for the trouble! Here is my new blog: Peachtree Knitter. It's new, so there isn't much there. Please bookmark it and I promise new and wonderful things! (And actual knitting content!) Also, I'll try to connect with other Atlanta knitters, hence the new name, "Peachtree." (If you lived in the ATL, you'd know that almost every other road begins with "Peachtree." It can be very confusing at first!) AND, since I'm now paying for my blog (whereas blogger was free) you can bet I'll be using it on a regular basis!! So meet me at typepad! http://peachtreeknitting.typepad.com/peachtree_knitter/

Oink!

Okay, okay. I know Christmas is right around the corner and this is a time we are supposed to think of others while strolling the stores, but I couldn't resist. Did you know that Tuesday Mornings carries yarn?(!) I didn't, but now I do! So, I bought some...six balls and four hanks. I know! I have a problem. In my defense I have two things to say, though: 1) I haven't bought yarn in months; 2) I plan on making gifts for others with the yarn I have purchased. I still feel really guilty about my spending today, though, so I stashed the yarn in the secret drawer of my night stand. See? Well, no you can't, can you? For some reason I'm not able to post pictures, nor can I comment on other blogger blogs. Boo-phooey! Oh well. I guess you guys'll have to wait 'til next time to see my secret stash.

Mmmmmm....

Every Christmas my dad would make rice pudding. He'd make it the night before so that we would have the treat the next morning with breakfast. It would be lumpy, chewing, chilly and sweet. When I got married, to my dismay, I found out my husband did not like rice pudding. Alas. Now that I have two boys, though, I have a second and third chance at sharing one of my childhood favorites with someone else. What's my point? I know it's not Christmas yet (and rice pudding wasn't a treat reserved solely fro the holiday), but tonight I had a ton of left over rice and decided this would be the night I really try my hand at the delicious concoction.

I didn't really talk about my Thanksgiving the other day, so since I'm feeling in the holiday spirit, here are some pics from our Upstate New York trip!

First of all, my husband's Aunt owns horses and cattle, something my sons never see up close. When we lived in Maryland, there were farms everywhere. In Georgia, we live right outside of Atlanta. No cows here. My youngest really got a kick out of the animals, though. He even rode a pony for a few seconds. As the pony started to trot, he started to slide off sideways. Luckily, my husband and his aunt were right there to catch him! Both boys feed three horses and a pony. I couldn't persuade Aaron or Sean to pet the horses, unfortunately.

I tried to convince John's aunt that she needs a few alpacas on her farm. Then she could shear the darlings and send the wool to me! :-) Somehow I don't think I convinced her. That is one of my dreams, though. Someday own some land and raise alpacas. Mostly, I want to be able to spin my own yarn. That would mean I'd have to seriously start knitting again!!

About that knitting. I just haven't felt very inspired lately. I have that project I'm working on for my mom, but it's a felting pattern, so it's not very pretty at this point. Plus, it's kinda boring, seeings as it's a large rectangle I'm making. I guess I'm just in a slump.

Sean's been home from school the last two days because of a nagging cough. His teacher didn't want him to spread his cold to the other children, so she requested he stay home. I can't wait for him to go back! ;-) Seems like every time I turn around the boys are into something. They've discovered the meaning of "teamwork." When they're not getting into stuff they shouldn't be in, they are running around screaming. That's it. That's the game. Let's run around the apartment, screaming at the top of our lungs until mommy snaps. Even "time out" hasn't worked the last two day. Does anyone else's children go through phases like this? Usually the kids are well behaved, but lately...

Why are children compelled to run? When Sean's outside, that's all he wants to do. You would think that eventually he would tire out, but no. He just keeps going. I know that a long, long time ago I was just as energetic. Just think of all the running games children find fun, the most obvious example being "tag." Just imagine still finding running that much fun as an adult. Oh, I'm sure there are those who still find joy in pounding the pavement, but I have HATED running ever since I became a teenager. Is it because one's body gets heavier as he or she ages, making the act of running more difficult? Or is it related to the boundless energy children possess?

On another topic, if you are the praying type, I've started a prayer circle on Beliefnet.com for my parent's good friend, Juliette Thomas, who is in the advanced stages of lung cancer. Typically, I like to keep my religious beliefs private, as I respect the fact that different people believe different things. If you are interested, though, please click here. Unfortunately, I have another loved one dealing with cancer. John's Aunt Kate, a woman who has more than her share of heartache this year, was diagnosed with lymphoma. She has undergone surgery to remove it, and we should know soon whether or not all the cancer was removed. If you are interested in praying for her, please click here. If you aren't the praying type, please disregard! Thanks!

First of all, I hope everyone had a very happy Thanksgiving! I did! The trip went well, the food was good, and the company was friendly! And, yes, I did get some knitting done! (Hooray!) We'll talk about it later.

Today I did some cleaning. I had to. Just take a look at my "desk":

Yes, I know my desk is a dining room table. That's beside the point. It is a total mess. Or was...

Yay! Clean!

Well, I still have a lot of cleaning to do, despite my all day marathon. I know. Exciting stuff.

Anyhow, here's some knitting content:

I know--what is it? Right now it's pretty ugly, but it is the beginnings of a beautiful felted purse I'm making for my mom. I'm wondering if this diamond pattern will be visible after felting. We'll see. It's going to be brown with black trim. Trust me--it'll be nice.

One last thing for now (I'm tired): Sean has just gotten new glasses and they, are, ADORABLE!! Here, take a look------------->

Cute, huh? I really couldn't get him to sit still for a photo. Eh, oh well. I'll have to catch him when he's not looking.

Right now I'm reading the most compelling and heartbreaking book. I'm probably the last one to read it, considering it was a huge deal when it was published a few years ago. If you haven't read it yet, I suggest you read "Lovely Bones." It's just...well it's horrifying, but beautiful at the same time. It's about a teenager who is murdered. She goes to Heaven, then from there she watches her family deal with her death. It sounds gruesome, but it is handled in such a way that makes you want to read further. Then again, maybe you already know. Like I said, I have to be one of the last people to read it.

Until next time...

Cutie Pa-tooties!

Both my boys got hair cuts yesterday, and they are C-U-T-E! First, Aaron:

You can't tell in the picture, but his hair is spiked a little in the front.

Next, Sean:His hair looks so much better than it did. I can see his beautiful eyes!

So, tomorrow night we embark on our looooong journey to upstate New York. This will be our first trip that way since moving from Maryland. My husband says it's a solid 17 hour trip. Perhaps this means I'll get some knitting done? Maybe I'll have some FO pics when I come back? I'll definitely have Thanksgiving pics. Oh, I LOVE turkey day!!!

Ahhh, Sunday.

Well, this has been a productive week...well, not in knitting content, but in other stuff just as cool! Okay, well, I didn't actually do anything cool this week. I cleaned the boy's room, cleaned the living room, ignored the kitchen, and played on my computer. Mostly, I've been watching my youngest son develop an addiction to the Internet. (He's only three and a half.) He's been spending hours at the Nick Jr. website, playing with Max and Ruby and Wow, Wow, Wubbzy. He's amazing! This summer he learned how to play Super Mario Advanced on the Gameboy advanced. For Christmas Santa's getting him a v. Smile. I need to harness that brain power into something useful, like getting ready for school.

So, Aaron is a smarty, but did you know he was a hottie, too? He already has a girlfriend!

This is my best friend's daughter. When she visited, the two were inseparable. Good job, Aaron! She is extremely beautiful, like a little china doll. Here's another picture:

They are meant to be...

I have one more bit of news to report on Aaron. The other day I was paying bills at the kitchen table, when Aaron walks out of my room and nonchalantly reports: "Hey mama, I cut my hair." !!!!! WHAT?!?!? I jumped up and sure enough, he cut his bangs. I ended up having to trim it up to make it look halfway decent. He's going for a real haircut today.

Man, am I comfortable. Something I didn't mention in my last post is that during the move, I neglected to get my Remicade on time and started to get an arthritic flared-up. (You guys know that I have Arthritis, right?) Well, to hold me over until I can get in and get a Remicade infusion, my new Rheumatologist prescribed me Celebrex, Prednisone (side effect: fat face), and Ultram. I'm supposed to take the Ultram twice a day, and it is very mind numbing. So I feel pretty good right now. Just thought I'd share.

So, yesterday we took the kids to the Mall of Georgia to go to the movies. We saw Flushed Away, and the kids liked it. It was pretty good.

This was my third time to the Mall of Georgia, and I still haven't seen the whole mall. Every time I'm there I see a small portion of it, then something happens that requires me to leave. Last night, my husband felt sick after the movie. UGH! From what I've seen of the mall, though, it's pretty awesome. It's my favorite of the three I've been to in this area. (As I mentioned before, there are many more malls that I have yet to visit.)

Well, that's about it for me, today. Before I go, though, here are some pictures from Halloween (better late than never!)

This first one is of Sean (The very cranky Hulk) and Aaron (Mr. Incredible)! Please disregard the mess in the background. (We were still unpacking)


Here is Aaron looking thoughtful.

And here is Aaron's girlfriend, Ani. Precious, huh?

Meme

Four jobs I’ve had:
1. Cashier at a Drug store
2. Imagery Analyst for the Air Force
3. Checkout girl at the FoodDawg
4. Department manager at Bed Bath & Beyond
Four movies I can watch over and over:
1. The Wedding Singer
2. Me, Myself and Irene
3. There's Something about Mary
4. American Psycho
Four places I have lived:
1. Ceiba, Puerto Rico
2. Pass Christian, MS
3. Charleston, SC
4. Alpharetta, GA :-)
Four television shows I love to watch:
1. Lost
2. Medium
3. Martha
4. Desperate Housewives (I know, I'm so original.)
Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Myrtle Beach, SC
2. Thousand Islands, NY
3. Orlando, FL
4. Phillie/New York (A best friends only trip--CRAZY!)
Four of my favorite dishes:
1. Artichokes
2. Chicken Parmesean
3. Filet Mignot topped with Bleu Cheese
4. Carbonara
Four websites I visit daily:
1. Hotmail
2. Blogger
3. Craftster
4. Knitty
Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Hanging with my mom
2. Cuddling my boys
3. The mall
4. La-la land
Four people I tag next:
I stole this from Titanium Rose's page, who stole it from Crazy Aunt Pearl, so I encourge you to do the same. So, tag! You're it!

!!

It's been a long time, but I'm finally back. Where was I? Well, to hell and back...okay, I'm exaggerating. I haven't been to hell. It's been a very eventful summer (and early fall).
We sold the house!! Unfortunately, my husband had to start his job (in Atlanta, GA) before we received an offer on it. I spent some time with my mom and dad in Asheville, NC while we waited for "closing day." I had a lot of adventures during my stay there, and took lots of pictures. I'll devote a post to Asheville another time.

After we closed on the house, we moved down here to Alpharetta, GA, which is right outside of Atlanta. I LOVE it here! We're living in an apartment right now, which I DON'T love, but we signed a short lease so that we can settle down in a new house a few months from now.

I have never lived where there is SO MUCH SHOPPING!!!! I don't know exactly how many malls are in this area, but so far I've counted eight. I know there are more. As for shopping centers, I have no clue. Each neighborhood seems to have a few different shopping centers. There is a yoga studio on every corner, and so many restaurants that I could probably eat out every night for over a year without going to the same place twice. Now, I understand this would be hell for some. While I recognize land has to be cleared for all these shopping centers and malls, the consumer in me still delights in the fact that I have a Target within walking distance from my apartment. Well, I love this area, and the conveniences it offers. When I lived in Frederick, we only had two really tiny malls, and only a handful of restaurants. We had to travel thirty minutes for good shopping. It's nice to have a variety of places so near. I'm sure it'll get old, but for now, whoopee!!

I've been here in Alpharetta for almost a month, but this is my first week without visitors. My parents visited the first weekend, followed by my best friend from NC, who spent over a week here. Just as she left, I became deathly ill--no lie!--and my parents rushed back down to take care of the kids while I recuperated. It's been constant company here! They are back in NC, though, and I'm definitely feeling better. BUT. My kids are sick now and seem to keep passing the same bug back and forth. If it's not vomit, it's diarrhea. I know. Gross. This has been the trend for the past week, though.

It all started with my guests, I guess. They had colds. The boys then got colds. My husband got the cold. Then, I got food poisoning combined with severe dehydration that sent me to the emergency room (by ambulance, no less!) Then, when my husband brought the boys by the hospital, my youngest started to get sick. Since then, both my boys have taken turns "christening" my carpet. I think my youngest is finally back to normal, but now the oldest has the runs again. Oh, and now I have that cold that has been passed around. AGGHH!

By the way: Water = good. Dehydration = bad. I NEVER, NEVER want to be that sick again. There is nothing like the feeling of your body completely shutting down! My poor husband...he was terrified! I'm all better now, though.

So, that's just some of the craziness going on here. I finally have Internet, and guess what? I have MY OWN computer now! My husband bought me a laptop so I wouldn't bother him so much. Yay!

As for knitting, I'll be honest--I haven't done any. I've finally been reunited with my stash, though, and my fingers have been itching to do some knitting. Now, I just have to get this apartment in order so that I can knit without feeling bad about the stuff I should be doing. (Like tackling the disaster area that is my sons' room.) This place is a wreck right now.

And there's my cue to leave! I've got a lot to do before fun can be had! Hopefully this post hasn't been too boring. Is there anyone out there still visiting my page? I've been gone so long...

I should have named her "Funny Face."  

Socks!  

Finally! Knitting Content!

Alright. It has been a l o o o o ng time since I have posted knitting content. Last time I posted, I was making a baby shrug...which I had to start over--twice. Finally, I gave up. The instructions were way too complicated for me. Broke my heart, too, because I fell in love with the idea of finishing such a pretty little garment. BUT, I moved on. I found a pattern in the archives of Knitty.com called Pomatomus. I didn't have the correct size needles, so I increased the weight of my yarn and decreased the amount of stitches. This worked fine until I started working the instep, which is where the pattern gets a little complicated. Well, I decided to stop the pattern, and just finish the sock in Stockinette stitch. Then I miscalculated and started my decrease too soon. "Eh, no biggy," I thought. "I'll just be careful to make the other one the same and give it to someone with small feet."





I made a fatal error, though. I was stupid. I was not using my brain. I should've known better. I...left my scissors out around my curious three-year-old. What resulted would have killed me if I were actually happy with the sock...

He cut three holes in the bottom. I kept my cool, though, and put him in time out. A ruined sock is my punishment. Shame on me for leaving those scissors out!

Well, I started another sock pattern. This one is called "Snuggly" and I found it in a sock book. It is a ankle sock, and I was very skeptical when I started it. It calls for DK weight yarn paired with size 8 needles. As I was knitting, the sock looked HUGE. Well, I've finished the first one, tried it on, and yes, it is a little loose, but it is soooo comfy! I'm having trouble putting the picture on here, so I'll go to trusty "Hello."

More Pics

Here is the view from Chimney Rock:

Here's a church in Asheville:
When we went to Greensboro, Bob and Anne took us to the park there, where we went on a boat tour and a train ride. The train seemed like a good idea until...

Do you know what a little choo choo does when the track is covered in geese? It slows down, but keeps going. I was sure a bird was going to get caught under the wheels and cause a derailment. <Shudder>

While waiting for the boat tour, I took a really neat picture of a dragonfly. Actually, Anne was targeting it first. Here it is, though:

I tried to take pictures while on the boat, but no such luck. They came out blurry. :-( Too bad, to, because we saw a crane and some turtles.

Here is my youngest, reluctantly smiling for the camera:

Here is Sean:

And, here is my kitchen:

How does it look? Would you want to live here? PLEASE! SOMEBODY BUY MY HOUSE!

Hi.

I know it's been a while. A whole month to be exact. What can I say? I'm really busy right now. We put the house on the market and John has been job hunting. We're biting our nails to the quick as we wait for something to happen. We did get away two weeks ago to help my folks move into their new house in Asheville, NC. I didn't take a whole lot of pictures in Asheville. We went to Chimney Rock instead of hanging around Asheville. I have pictures of Chimney Rock, but we didn't stay long because my oldest was acting up.

Here is the wildlife at Chimney rock:



To the right you will see the fearsome mountain cat. It was a good thing we were in our car when this one emerged from the dark woods!



Then we saw some dragons:







These guys were hanging out by the gift shop.



The view from Chimney Rock was BREATHTAKING! In order to get up to (near the) top of Chimney Rock, there is this elevator carved right into the mountain. I have to admit, I was a little claustrophobic during that part of our little tour. Not only was the elevator crowded, but if it stopped half-way--we were in the mountain! We couldn't just climb to the next floor! Maybe that's just my bit of craziness, though.

As for the heights, those didn't bother me. I was official picture taker--as usual. (I don't even think my parents own a camera anymore.) I got some great pics of the view. I'll post more pictures through "Hello," because blogger has stopped uploading for me. (This happens sometimes.)

The visit with my parents was way too short. Luckily, though, I will be moving to Charlotte or Raleigh soon and will be much, much closer. For the last few years my parents have lived on the coast of Mississippi while I have lived in Maryland. It will be real nice to be living in the same state.

Speaking of people who live in NC, my in-laws, Bob and Anne, live in Greensboro. We'll be closer to them too. We stopped by on the way back from my parents place. We spent two days with them, and I bet they couldn't wait until I left. Boy was I cranky! I took some good pictures there, though. I'll post those, as well.

Our house has been viewed a total of seven times in the last three weeks. OMIGOD, we gotta sell this house! Ugh!

Well, gotta go.

HAPPY FOURTH!!! 

I am back from my mini holiday! What did I bring back with me? Pictures!!! I apologize, though, because they are mostly of my boys.

This past week was spent at my husband's Aunt Kate's rental on Smith Mountain Lake. There were a lot of us there--twelve adults and two children. (!!!) Kate rented a party boat for the week, and every day that we were there, my husband, my kids, and me spent hours on the boat and in the lake. My boys loved the boat, but wouldn't get in the water. (They're still little, so it wasn't a big deal.) I, on the other hand, took full advantage of the lake and spent so much time in the water, I think I've grown gills!

This picture was taken on the way down to SML. It's the Blue Ridge Pkwy, which, may I add, is the MOST beautiful route I have ever taken. If ever you travel down this way, take this parkway and you will LOVE it!

This is the view from Kate's balcony:

Here's my littlest ham. Most of the pictures I have are of him. He thinks he's so cute!

And here he is again...

Here's the boys and me.

Here's my oldest:

!!Confusion!!

Alright. I'd show you my progress on the lacy shrug, but you know what? My batteries are dead in my camera. It doesn't matter, anyway. I was going to be a smart ass. I was going to post the 6--count 'em, SIX--rows I have completed. But, Christina! I thought you were further along than that! AGHHHH!!!! I was, but you know what? The pattern for this adorable shrug is....AGHHH!!! I finished over half--maybe even 2/3 of the right side when suddenly the pattern became...confusing! Here is an excerpt: "Shape Lower Front At beg of RS row, [bind off 2 sts] once, then [ssk] 16 (19) times. At the same time, work even on other edge for back, maintaining established pat. Shape front neckline Continuing to dec at lower edge, when there are 26 (32) rows from row-counting marker, on RS work across to center marker and turn...." What really gets me is the shaping of the lower front. I just don't understand it! Am I supposed to do all of this in the same row, or is it to be spread out over the next twenty rows?! I'm so CONFUSED!!!!! I really thought I was a big shot. Well. This pattern has humbled me. I ripped out the same few rows and re-knit them many times before frogging the whole damn thing. Maybe, by starting over, this will make more sense by the time I get to that point. Maybe I made a mistake somewhere before I got to that point, that made the directions make less sense. If anyone has had this problem, PLEASE tell me what to do! I think the ssk's are supposed to be spread out over the next 19 RS rows. I just don't want to get a whole side done and find out I did it wrong. AND, quitting is not an option, as I have completely fallen in love with this shrug. :( I can't stop now.

Anyhow, other than that, my hubby and I have been charging steadily towards completion of our home remodeling. The goal is to put it on the market after we get back from visiting family in two weeks. We still have one MAJOR room to paint (the largest in the house) and one smaller room, plus two stairwells. Sounds like a lot, but really, it isn't. The pain in the ass will be moving everything away from the walls in the living room to paint...and keeping the boys from licking the latexed walls. We also have a lot of molding to put back up. We are very close to being done. Then we can GET OUT OF HERE!!! HAHAHAHA! (I hate this townhouse.)

Next week, for the Independence Day Holiday, my family is visiting my husband's dad and his step mom, Anne. Have I ever mentioned them? I love them. They are so much fun. I'm a little anxious, though, because there will be others there, and I'm not too good with crowds. I have a mild social phobia. I told my husband I would remain positive, not paranoid. I just always feel so out place. Anyhow, I'll take pictures and share them. It should be a good time. Hopefully. If I can quell my neurosis.

Well, that's all I have. I vented. I feel better. I forgot one thing, though. I sat on my bamboo needles...do I have to go on? One of them is a little...cracked. I'm really upset, because they are brand new. Maybe I can reinforce it with a little wood glue? It isn't that bad. (Okay, now I'm done ranting.)

Later!

Say hello to my little friend...

Do you remember when Mr. Potatohead was fun? My 3 yr old has gone Potatohead Crazy. Not only that, but he wants me to play with him. (This, apparently, is not a game to be played by one person.) I love Mr. Potatohead, but you know what? There are only so many seconds before he becomes boring. The most excited thing about the Potatohead Gang (there's three--man, woman and child) is whether or not they will have smiling teeth, or poking out tongues. My son loves it, though. :)

So, I ran out yesterday and bought some yarn for that project I talked about yesterday. I chose Peru DK Luxury, which is a Merino, Alpaca and silk blend. Nice! Okay, I know this is going to make a child's shrug, which will undoubtedly get dirty again, and again, but I am committed to this project. I'll hand wash the darn thing!

While I was out, I picked up a new book, "Knits from the Heart." Great book! I thumbed through it in the store and could definitely see myself completing many of the projects. There are the cutest, tiniest socks. I think they could be a good side project.

Anyhow, here is a picture of the Lace Shrug I'm making for my non-existent daughter:


I'm really enjoying this pattern, so far.

The Compulsive homemaker

It's not much, but it's something!

I've been having such a hard time finding something to knit, so I thought I'd cool my heels on a simple dish cloth. I used 100% cotton.

I have found my next project.

I found this project in the current issue of "Creative Knitting Magazine." (The pattern isn't on their website, so you'd have to buy the magazine to make this.) You probably can't see it in this picture, but there are cables and eyelets running up the arms and on the feet of this ensemble. I bought the magazine just for this pattern--although, there are other nice patterns other than this. When I complete it, I'll post a picture. I, unfortunately, do not have a girl to model it. As a matter of fact, I'm making it in hopes of having a girl some day soon! Boys are great, but not much fun to knit for. Anyhow, that's my next project.

I bought two books at Borders the other day. Both deal with the subject of being a happy, competent housewife. One is about being a family manager, the other is about taking pride in having stay-at-home status. Interesting, huh? Well, it is to me. I want to learn the secret of a clean, smooth-running home. I want well-behaved clean kids, and dinner in the oven at the same time everyday. It's funny, before I had my first son, being a mom was all I could think about. I tried for two years before conceiving him, and planned right away that I would be a SAHM (Stay-At-Home-Mom, for those of you who don't know the acronym.) Then I got my wish and was immediately over- and underwhelmed at the same time. (Yes, it can happen.) When my second son came, I started to resent having kids so young. For some reason I suddenly rejected the idea of being at home with my kids. I felt like I wasn't accomplishing anything. First, I took a part time job as a check out girl. Then, I got a job at BB&B, which is where I was until recently. I was part time and a supervisor, but I wasn't happy when all the youngsters started getting ready for college. I wanted an education! So, I enrolled in classes. I was still unhappy, though. I wanted to have more control at work, even if that meant putting the kids in daycare! Of course, the decision wasn't as easy as that. I agonized over it for months. Anyhow, I got that promotion and, wouldn't you know it, I wasn't happy. So. I am back to square one. I think this is where I belong. I let my ego get the best of me in each one of those instances. (My ego is huge and hungry.) I've learned, though, that I can do good at whatever I work at, even if that's raising my kids. I wanted them. I should take care of them. Sounds really old fashioned, huh?

Some backstory: My mom spent my entire childhood and teenagerdom at home. She was there. Everyday. The house was sanitized on a daily basis. (And I'm not kidding. You could literally lick the floors if the moment moved you.) Clothes were always clean and under control. Dinner was always made, and every morning my mom would make me and my sibs sack lunches of PB & J sandwiches. Of course, I took all of this for granted. I hated that I couldn't buy my lunch--laughable, I know, considering the quality, or lack thereof, of school lunches. I hated that my mom would pull out the broom if she felt the slightest speck of dirt on the floor. Most of all, I despised doing dishes right after eating. BUT...

Now I want to be that compulsive homemaker. I'm old-fashioned because my mom was old-fashioned. I commend and respect her for how in control she was during my younger years. So, I bought the books for pointers. Why not ask her myself? She never took shortcuts. Cleaning was her life. Unfortunately, as much as I like a clean house, I like my free time, too. I need a plan of attack.

Anyhow, why mention this all? What's the point? I guess I just wanted to say, bring the home arts back!! I miss the time when being a mother meant something. I want to earn my Mother's Day cards!! That's all I wanted to say. [Steps off soap box.]

Guess What?

I've been knitting!! Yay! Do you remember this:















This was the beginnings of a rabbit I was making for my niece. Special, huh? Anyhow, I got the pattern from one of the best knitting books ever, "Last Minute Knitted Gifts."








To the left, you will see a bunch of parts. With some artful rearranging, we see that these parts finally equal a whole...a whole bunny rabbit.



I've been very busy, though, and decided it wasn't enough just to have all the bunny parts finished. I wanted to finally finish this rabbit. So, while I was watching "The Skeleton Key" on HBO last night, I stitched his little parts together and gave him a face. (I think he's handsome.) My only complaint about the pattern, though, is that the ears and the arms were a little difficult to sew to the body. The instructions just said to sew like it is in the picture. I ended up having messy arm and ear joints. I think the arms should have been added during knitting, just as if they were fingers on a glove. The ears, I decided, are too wide at the base, which is what makes them difficult to sew to the head. I would have made them a little more narrow.

But, I digress--presenting...the Bunny!

I wrapped a ribbon around his neck because I think he looks naked. Maybe I'll knit him a little jacket...or maybe not. So? Cute?

Knitting talk aside, I have some information to report. First of all, I quit my job. That's why I had time to finish the bunny. I freaked out last weekend and just had to get out of there. I didn't want to quit that way. There is no honor in walking off the job, but if I would've stayed, I would've hurt business. That's all behind me, though. We (my husband and I) are getting this house ready to put on the market, then good bye Maryland! I can't wait to move. I just want to simplify. I just have the uncontrollable urge to throw everything away and start over. I guess that's kinda what I did with my job. I feel happy for the first time in a long time. I have something to look forward to!

So, as I said, we are fixing up the house. We've gotten pretty far, which means we will be able to put the house on the market soon. We just have a lot of painting to do. That, and I have become a mad woman, throwing everything away. If it serves no immediate purpose, it is either getting donated, or getting canned. Simplify. That's my new word. You can not imagine the amount of junk we've accumulated in just a five short years. Terrible. I am so ashamed of myself! :-p

As for the boys, they are doing great. I had to take them out of daycare when I quit, which made me feel bad. They've grown attached to Kish (their provider), and she has fallen in love with them. I felt as if I were breaking up with her when I told her I had to take them out of daycare. I felt so bad! I don't know. Maybe I'm assuming she loves them as much as I do.

Well, that's all I have for now. It's going to be a great day.