Wednesday Progress

Last Wednesday I shared my progress on several "projects," some crafty, some not. Today, I have more progress to report!

First of all, I want to say that Maggie had a great first birthday. Here we are before she tore into the cake.

This is her after the cake...

She had fun, to say the least!


On to progress!


Okay, I moved backward on Aaron's scarf, froggin' the whole damn thing. I redeemed myself, though, finishing it...in a different style. I ended up crocheting it. It went a whole lot faster, giving me the extra time to work on his hat!

As you can see, I'm not totally finished. I still have to weave in ends and start on mittens BUT before I do that, I'm starting on Sean's hat. This is what it looks like now:

I'm doing his hat first, scarf, second, and then mittens. I'm on a time line here. The weather is already horribly cold (for October, at least), and, again, Autumn catches me off guard. Every year I vow to knit up the winter stuff before winter and end up squeaking the stuff out--if I'm lucky--by mid-January. Not this year! My kids will not be cold...or wear mismatched hats and scarves (which is usually what happens.)

Crafty progress? There is some. Not much, but some. No picture, though. (Sorry!)

Healthy progress: I'm still eating better. Not great, but better. I made an awesome batch of Iced Pumpkin Cookies on Sunday. (I like to bake on Sunday, for some reason.) They were too good (not bragging), which led me to eat many of them. But, they were made with pumpkin, so I'm sure they were vitamin packed! ;-)

Weight, about the same.

Fitness? I've actually been working out. A little. I've been sneaking yoga in when the beast is a sleep. (Maggie is very clingy, lately.)

Homework? I took two tests. I scored a 94.5% on my math test, and I don't have my grade for government yet. Started planning out my two papers due next month.

That's it for now. Maggie is having a meltdown about something. (She really just wants to be held.)

Happy, happy birthday baby!

Magnadoodle turns ONE today!!!

One year ago this child cause me great and immeasurable pain! Now look at her!

Where does the time go?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY!!!

Is that a banana in your pocket?

Why yes! Yes, it is!

Chiquita, you minx!

(Back to homework....)

Progress

This post is all about progress. Progress is defined as "a movement toward a goal or a higher stage." Everyone is progressing in some way, whether it be progressing towards a financial goal, completing an education course, or working on a quilt. I started thinking about progress this morning when I looked at a scarf I'm working on. I wanted to post on my progress with that project. As I thought about it, though, I have many things I'm slowly chipping away at, like that scarf. One row at a time, one assignment at a time, one meal at a time. The great thing about progress is, every little bit counts. Even if I only knitted two stitches, that's two stitches towards my goal. That's progress! If we look at it this way, every little inch, every little step, is a cause for celebration! So, let's talk about my progress.

The scarf--It's turning out well! I'm a little worried I won't have enough yarn. Good news is, though, it's not expensive and it's still in stock. I pulled the matching hat I made last year (by the way, this is a replacement scarf), and it was filled with holes...this is, of course, after I foolishly tossed it in the wash on a regular setting. (Shame on me!!) Oh, well. I'm already working on a replacement scarf, why not a hat, too?
Progress at school...it's progressing! :) Actually, I'm doing fairly well even though I feel so overwhelmed at times I just want to quit! (Don't worry. No one will let me.) I'm halfway through the semester, I have the majority of my field observation hours taken care of, and math--which I thought was going to suck--er, be difficult--is actually my favorite class! I've also planned out my courses for next semester. I'm going to take another education course, environmental science, statistics, and either World or British Literature. (Any suggests on which?)

Elsewhere and my universe, general craftiness is at a stand-still. I'm hoping this changes! I have ideas, and I am SO inspired by all the blogs I frequent (everyone is being crafty but me.) I just need to find the time. (So this would be a zero progress on the craft-front.)

Budgeting...no progress. I don't even want to think about it. It's expensive to run a family of five.

Lastly, weight loss/health-gain progress. Again, a stand still. I had actually lost about three pounds, but gained it back. I feel like crap (arthritis) and my big plans of joining a gym and becoming a fitness nut fizzled out. Can't afford a gym membership and when would I find time? I'm already spread thin. BUT something I can and should do is yoga at home. Strength training with that Bowflex my husband bought a few months back and has only been used a total of six times...between the both of us. And walking!!! Didn't I promise myself I'd start doing that as soon as the boys went back to school? I haven't gone for a single walk since they started--back in AUGUST.

Fitness aside, the bigger problem lies in the CRAP I've been eating the last few weeks. My husband (who I love) is the biggest wrench in my plans! I don't want to blame him totally, because he isn't holding me down and forcing me to drink copious amounts of Coke, but he wants soda, he wants chips, he wants ice cream. How am I supposed to abstain when I'm serving it to him? One good thing I've been doing, though, is baking my own treats. Not only does it take more effort than opening a box, but I KNOW what is going in my cookies, and what is NOT, like high-fructose corn syrup and trans fat. I think I eff this up, though, by eating large amounts of the final product.

So. This is the plan. I want PROGRESS in this aspect of my life. This is me now.

I will be straight with you. I took this picture this morning. I picked the skinniest looking picture out of the twenty I took. Now for the full disclosure. I am 5'5 and, according to my scale which may or may not be accurate, am 172 lbs. The goal I'm setting is 145 by this time next year. Each week, I hope to whittle away at that number, and I'll post how I'm doing. Any progress is good progress.

A Ham, a Crasher, and SOME KNITTING!

The ham...

The Picture Crasher...

and

SOME KNITTING!

(It's a future scarf...)

More Halloween fun

My son has the spirit! Here is something he made in school. Blows my stuff away!

It's a hat!!

What a "pretty" face! Now I know what he'd look like as a girl...

(Excuse the dirty face. They apparently don't believe in soap at school.)

Halloween Fun

Halloween makes me think of strolls through foggy woods. The naked trees creak as they sway in the breeze, and the only sounds of life are the occasional caw of a distant black bird...

I also think of skulls and skeletons. I like comical skeletons, like those in "Army of Darkness."

And zombies...oh, wait! Zombies are year 'round fun. (At least, for me they are!)

After the trick-or-treating is done, what's better than curling up with your own monster?

*All artwork by moi.

(Admittedly, a half-hearted effort. I'd tell you about how busy I've been, but you've heard it before!)

Drowning in Work!

Homework...cleaning...when will it all end? :)

My families coming for a visit this weekend, so I'm more busy than normal. I'm still here, though! Waiting for a few moments to post...

Oh, yeah--I'll be a GREAT teacher...

Especially when I make a kid cry during my volunteer time in my son's class. Yep. That's grade-A educating, there.

Tuesday I spent time in Aaron's class. I got to supervise one of the work group tables. The kids had to cut out a leaf, glue it to this paper, then give three words that describe the leaf. The had to attempt to spell the words, and I would go behind them and write what they were spelling underneath the word. How could I mess it up?

It was almost time to switch groups, and I told the child in front of me that he needed to hurry up and put the last word down because we were about to change groups. He gave me a confused, worried look. I repeated, "just write down you last word. What's the leaf look like?" Mind you, I wasn't being mean, but I was pushing him a little. Well, his eyes started to water, and he did that breathing thing kids down when they want to stop the tears before they start. I immediately noticed, and as if in slow motion, I said, "noooooooo," followed by a few small "oh no. No. No-no." Too late. The child started bawling. I felt HORRIBLE. I think I teared up, too. I called the teacher over, and she said, "it's okay. This has happened before," and she whisked him away to the tissues.

This ruined the rest of my Tuesday. I felt like a crappy person the rest of the day. I was so sad! I could almost feel his worry and embarrassment as he tried to hold those tears back! Aw, I feel terrible just thinking about it.

So, today I'm heading back to the class. I'm the "mystery reader" today. Not only do I have residual guilt from my last classroom visit, but I'm going to have to sit in front of the entire class and read a book. I'm nervous. My husband laughed at me and said I could read on a 1st grade level and they would still be impressed--they're only kindergartners! True, but what if I mess up?

Next week I'm back in the work group chair, helping (if you could call it that) the kids. What am I going to change to make things better? I'm going not going to rush anyone. I'll remove all sense of urgency from my voice. (Yeah. I don't have an f-ing clue.)

Sea-Gazing

Behold--

Prints available in my shop.

Working...

Thought I'd pull out the art supplies today. Here is a sneaky-peek.

A Wonderfully Lazy Weekend...

So far, this weekend has been wonderfully dull and uneventful. No homework. No super dirty kitchens. No messy living room. No time-consuming grocery shopping. Nothing. Wonderful, perfect, nothing!

What I did do this weekend:

I baked cookies (oatmeal ones), I watched two movies--I even got some knitting done!

What will I do today?

I plan on more knitting. Maybe some crafting, since I did some knitting yesterday. Maybe some reading.

And to cap of the evening, I am going to watch the season premieres of two great shows, one of which I have been looking forward to since last season ended...DEXTER. :) Ooooh...I love Dexter Morgan! Great books, great show!

Anyhow, I'm off to continue my wonderful weekend of NOTHING! All stress-inducing activities resume tomorrow. (Bah.)

Project Soon...Maybe

I had this idea for an art quilt a while back, but considering my time is divided among many different things at this moment, I think I will start off with a few small ornaments instead of a larger quilt. I'm thinking the chair will be a different color for each ornament (starting with black)--maybe even a different style.

Autumnal Breezes

Autumnal breezes

Bring lots of sneezes

I wish I had a colorful picture of changing leaves.

One of my trees out back has an orange leaf or two, but nothing impressive enough to post.

The weather has been chilly, though, and I'm starting to think about...

knitting...

Aaron needs a scarf and hat.

I should make new ones for Sean, too.

And don't forget about Maggie!

(Hat, keyhole scarf and sweater for her...)

I'm not a summer knitter.

I just don't have it in me.

Before I do any knitting, though, I have to do school work.

Yuck.

My head hurts every day.

I get tension in my face that wraps around my head to my neck.

Yesterday, it was a pain (literally) to keep my head upright.

I decided to watch David Blaine in bed.

Then, I fell asleep.

(How did it turn out? Did he survive?)

My brother does magic.

Not as good as David Blaine, but he impresses me sometimes.

He wants to be David Blaine, or Kriss Angel.

That is his D R E A M.

(I hope you enjoyed this alternative post.

Everything should be written in the form of a

poem.

Even bad news.)

Government Bail-outs

Economic fear grips all

Golden Parachutes

See?

Sweet, Sweet Maggie

My cutie pie is ELEVEN MONTHS OLD today! In just one month she'll be a whole year old!

What was I doing at this time last year? I started working on this blanket...which I'm still working on.
I bought the yarn one Sunday (I remember it was Sunday because football was on) because I was sooooo antsy and ready to have the pregnancy O-V-E-R!! I thought knitting a blanket would take my mind off of things.

Just think, if I stuck with the blanket, it would be done by now! I will finish it...eventually. (For her sweet 16, maybe?)

Motherly Love in Two Words...

Homemade Cookies

The recipe:
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ahh, Monday, Monday

John's at work...The boys are in school...Maggie is sleeping...Peace and quiet...I should go meditate. First...

Breakfast, coffee, a little reading. Things I used to take for granted.

This morning I'm having a Long Island breakfast. Now, I'm not sure if this is truly the breakfast of choice there, but my parents were raised all their lives on Long Island, and every time they would go back for a visit, they would have buttered hard rolls for breakfast, while I would eat a cream cheese bagel. These items would come from a Deli. Mmmmm....

So, I picked up the latest issue of Artful Blogging. What a beautiful magazine!

So, I'm sitting here, enjoying my butter sandwich, and thinking of what I'll do today. There are so many things I want to do. Last week was so busy I did nothing for myself. I have one appointment (teacher conference) this week, and I plan on just playing catch up--and taking it easy. Unfortunately, though, I'll spend the first portion of the week "getting well." I have a cold. Blah. Lots of sinus pain. Coated mouth. Cracked lips. Cranky attitude. Drowsy medicine head.

I'm optimistic, though. This cold won't last. I'll persevere!

I want to practice some embroidery stitches. I have some ideas for small pieces. My fingers are itching to sew. And maybe knit.

That comes later, though. Now is rest. I think I'll kick back, relax, and see how I feel later this afternoon.

Maggie is a-stirring. So much for meditation...

Good day, all!

What a Week

I'm sure my previous post gave you some insight to how frazzled I am right now. There is a light at the end of this tunnel, though. I just completed my first major project for my education course. I finished my first major test for math, and tonight I'll finish my first debate for American government. Woo-hoo!

I really need to work out a better system. I haven't had a chance, really, to do what I love. Housework. (Just kidding. Although, the housework is suffering, too.) I haven't been crafting, creating, knitting, reading, or writing. I haven't been blogging, either. Time management, though. That is what I need.

Since I'm not a big fan of blog posts without pictures, here is an old sketch I recently scanned on to my computer. (BTW, I now have a scanner!!!!!)

Oh, and there is a slight chill in the air...I almost feel like breaking out my needles...I should. It would relax me. I need something to ease the stress. Stress physically manifests itself on my body--I have rheumatoid arthritis. Whenever I encounter a lot of stress, my body reacts. Sucks. It's actually a vicious cycle. Stress causes pain, which causes more stress, which causes more pain. Exercise helps. Yoga helps. Meditation helps...but who has time for that? I will, once I join a gym. I learned that exercising at home is IMPOSSIBLE with an almost 1 year old. Try doing a downward dog while someone is crawling under you, as if you were an overpass.

Wow. I'm a little chatty today.

Here's another picture. The Tin Man is my son. For reasons I'll never understand, he thought it would be a good idea to take my silver stamp pad and paint himself. (This gives me an idea for a Halloween Costume.)

Spooky Fun in October

Alright, I don't know what I'll do, but I'm participating in:


It's not my party, but I am inviting you, nonetheless! :) Click the pic above and be directed to some spooky fun--AND check back on October 18th for a frightfully good post! :)

A Quick "Hello"

School is for fools...okay, not really, but that's how I feel right now.

It is 7am and I am drained. I haven't even started the day yet and I want to end it. I spent all day yesterday stressing out over an outline for a debate. Now I can turn my attention to a Field Observation essay I have to complete by...tomorrow. Not to mention, I haven't done any of my "regular" work for this week. Blah!

A little back story:

I'm going to school to become an Elementary Teacher. One of my classes this semester requires 10 hours of field time. I did my first on Tuesday. I helped out with work groups for my son's kindergarten class.

When I first decided to become a teacher, I didn't want to do Elementary. Then my oldest entered school, and I would love the atmosphere of the school every morning when I would bring him in. It brought back so many memories! Those first years of school were so exciting! But, I thought, I don't want to do kindergarten. I want kids who can read so I can share my love of books with them. (Originally, I wanted to be an English teacher.)

Well, I would like to say I was wrong. Kindergarten is GREAT! The kids were so cool! And how excited was I when some of the kids could read a few words! It dawned on me then, as they enthusiastically approached their work, and upon finishing the work, reached for books, that Kindergarten is where you begin to love school. It is the first year--the first impression! It is the year that sets the tone for the rest! And yes, you can learn to love books in that first year. It's only week four (0r five?) and the kids have learned a few words!

So, I feel better in my decision to do Elementary. What a wonderful time!

Etsy is Upsy

My etsy store is current, and new goodies abound!

Other than that announcement, here is the dirty on what's going on in my life:

I'm back in school. Ugh. Was a GREAT idea until I actually started do my school work. (American government--bor-ring.)

Aaron started kindergarten a few weeks ago. My sweet baby is in school! (One more to go!)

Maggie is a littl whirlwind. She gets into EVERYTHING. She's talking back already, and but her sassing in limited my her vocabulary. It's mostly, "na! na!" or "da! da!" I know what she's trying to say, though, and it's not good! :)

Sean is doing great in school. He turned seven in July. It's hard to believe how fast they grow!

Since I started school, you know I've been crafty! I do some of my best work when I'm supposed to be doing something else...I can't wait until it starts getting cooler and I feel like knitting...

Crawling back to you, Blogger...

So, here I am, Blogger, begging you--please--can we be friends again? I know I thought paying for my blog was the way to go. I bought the pricier (but not priciest) package with Typepad, and you know what? They really treated me good, but times are tough. My schedule is packed. Why would I pay for a hobby that I rarely have time to partake in? BUT, I can't give up blogging! Sometimes, oh sometimes, it makes me happy! I'm documenting my life here! Just in this blog I can look back to when my boys were just little tiny guys! Now they are both in school! Oh, so much has happened since I've been away. I've changed. You've changed. Here we are, though, and there is one thing I am certain of. I've missed you, Blogger, and I never want to fight again. Friends again? Good. I'll see you later. Right now I have to email a few dozen people and let them know we've gotten back together....

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...