Pictures! Pictures! Pictures!

I just realized I hadn't taken pictures off my camera since Easter, so here are some long overdue pictures.

Here are some pictures of Easter egg hunting.


Lucy with her Easter morning goodies. You can tell how sick she was on Easter! Poor baby.


Even the pup got dressed up for the occasion.
And onto some other random pictures from the last couple weeks...

Toby built this block from his alphabet puzzle, then put his head in it :)
Curtis sent me flowers on Monday! Aren't the beautiful? Definitely earned some brownie points for this one!
Lucy in her cowboy hat and sunglasses
Lucy in her sunglasses and new barette.
Today we went with friends to the zoo and had an awesome time! The kids (and mom!) are wore OUT!

Just wanted to get some pics up - enjoy!

Bad Blogger!

I know, I know, I'm such a bad blogger lately! I have been busy, just not good at getting my pictures up to day. But here's a little of what I've been working on lately:

1. Spinning - I have finished 2 skeins since last posting, have taken pics, but not on the computer yet. I'm working on my next skein now, a Blue Faced Leicester (bfl) wool in the wicked witch colorway from KnitFit Knitting.

2. Knitting - Been working on shorties and soakers- finished a pair of shorties, then used the leftover yarn to make a coordinating soaker. The soaker isn't quite finished yet, but close.

3. Sewing - Made myself a new skirt, and have 2 cross cross dresses for the store in progress.

4. Organizing - I actually went through all my yarn last night and sorted it by fiber - Fun! I also see that I have Too Much Yarn, so I'm now on a destashing frenzy. It's time for some odds and ends projects, because I really don't have room to be buying any more yarn or fiber right now.

BUT

I already have 1 lb of roving coming my way (blush). So I need to find somewhere to stash it!!!

So I'm looking at some scrap afghan patterns right now. I have tons of acrylic, but really prefer to knit with natural fibers, so I'd like to get rid of the bulk of my acrylics. I like to keep odds and ends on hand for stuffed dolls and animals, but I don't need anywhere near the amount that I have on hand right now! And that will free me up with space for the wools and cottons that I really love. So starting tonight is project SCRAPS! We'll see what we come up with!

Oh, and I found an alpaca farm nearby that I can't wait to visit! I already have a couple friends who want to work out a field trip for the kiddos, so it should be a blast. I'm hoping to get my hands on some roving - I know they have the whole fleece, but after reviewing my stash last night I really think I have enough on my hands without cleaning and processing an entire fleece...that just seems a bit...much. But I have a habit of jumping in with both feet, so we'll see...

The Sun'll Come Out...Today :)

You know how when you get REALLY excited about something, you just want to share it with EVERYONE you know? Even when you know no one else will be nearly as excited, and some may even add in a hidden eyeroll, but you just HAVE to share it anyway? Well, I had one of those days today. So you want to know my FANTASTIC news?

(drumroll, please!)....

I found an ALPACA farm just 25 minutes up the road from us, and not only do they do tours, but they SELL alpaca roving for spinners!

Ok, I know for like 99.9 percent of you that was just a total let down, but I'm still giddy.

I just happened to pass their sign on the way to a new park today and almost drove off the road, I was so excited. I couldn't wait to get home and call! They are booked for the next 2 weeks, but I'm hoping to take the kids soon...not only because I know they will think it's cool, but because I am DYING to go!

I just know how the conversation with Curtis is going to go later tonight:

Me: Guess what! I found an alpaca farm!
Curtis: You're not buying an alpaca.

LOL.

Here's the link for anyone who wants to check out their site: http://crystalpinesfarm.com/

Ok, so what else is new? I think we're (relatively) healthy again. Lucy still has a runny nose, but we actually went out today! We went to the park with friends for play and picnic today...we all had a great time. And tonight before dinner Toby rode his bike and Lucy rode her stroller around the block...I'm hoping he's sufficiently tired now.

I even have some tentative plans for this weekend, so hopefully we will be out of the house some! Yay!

All right, it sounds like the little rugrats are using their last 30 minutes of play to totally destroy Lucy's room, so I better run intervene :)

Ciao!

Just when you think it can't get worse...

You get the stomach flu. Yep, I was flat out yesterday with the flu. By myself. With Thing 1 and Thing 2, who felt FABULOUS. It was a miserable day, culminating in the worst headache of my life.

But.

I went to bed last night at 7:30, slept until 6:45 this morning and those 11 hours were magic. I feel much better today, albeit a little weak, and I feel mighty like myself - if you count out the pinkeye, but as it doesn't affect how I feel, I am considering it just a minor annoyance.

Ok, I have to chase the kiddos, but I will update again later. Just wanted to say that today did dawn a better day.

Nighly Update

So after this morning's post I figured I ought to update.

1. Curtis is on his way. He was on standby in Atlanta at 4, but was able to catch a 4:30 flight out of there. He should be on his way now.

2. Both kids have pinkeye. Bacterial, and this particular strain causes all the problems Lucy's been having, plus an ear infection I didn't know about. Lovely. I may have written that earlier, I really don't remember. It's been a long day.

3. I think I have it too now. My eyes are red and while I tried to convince myself for awhile that I was just tired...well, that only flies for so long. Anyone who has tried to give me eyedrops knows how much I love them...I did manage to get them in with 3 tries. Go me.

4. Interesting factoid. You know how Lucy is so dang weird and LOVES things most kids hate? Add to that list eye drops. She takes them with eyes open and LAUGHED tonight when I gave her drops. Weirdo. My weirdo, but all the same...Wow.

5. I've been telling Toby for weeks now that he shouldn't jump in his bed at night because he's going to hurt himself...yea, tonight was the night. He should have a lovely black bruise in the middle of his forehead tomorrow.

So as you can see, today went swimmingly. Can't wait for tomorrow.

SO ready for the spring sickies to LEAVE!

I swear, Lucy gets sick every Thursday. For the last several months, she gets sick Thursday, and by Sunday is finally feeling better, just to fall sick again on Thursday. It's usually a run of the mill cold or cough, but this one is a doozy. She started with eye gunk Wednesday night/ Thursday and it turned into a cold/ cough, and now her brother has red, gunky eyes.

Pinkeye?

I don't know, Lucy's eyes have not been red at all. But they are very gunky, especially in the morning, and around here eyes the skin is very red from her rubbing it so much. But brother's eyes are red red red. So, just to play it safe I made an appointment this morning at the dr for both of them.

By the way, if you make 1 appt for 2 kids, you still pay 2 copays. Great, huh? $50. It better be a darn good and easy to fix diagnosis.

Oh, and if you want a real insight into my morning, I was up at 4:30 this morning because the kids and I had to drive Curtis to the airport and he had to be there by 6. Woo-freakin-hoo. We get home and he calls to say his plane has been delayed and there's a chance the flight will be cancelled altogether due to rain here and in Atlanta. WOO-FREAKIN-HOO. I may have been up at 4:30 for no good reason...and may have to drive back to pick him up TODAY just to turn around and drop him back off TOMORROW.

If you didn't catch the sarcasm, I'm not thrilled. I love my new van, but I don't need to drive it all over creation today, especially with Lucy hacking in the back seat.

I did pick up a lovely Starbucks pick-me-up this morning...too bad I couldn't get a shot of vodka in it...

Eggstravaganza!

We colored Easter Eggs tonight! Toby was just a little overexcited, but he didn't spill any dye so we're labeling this one a success.

This morning was the community egg hunt, and while Lucy is still pretty snotty and not feeling well, Toby was definitely up for a morning egg hunt!

He even got to meet the Easter Bunny!
Happy Easter!

Photo Shoot

I've been meaning to get Toby's 3 year photos taken for oh...a month now, but the opportunity just hasn't come up. I knew I wanted to try them at the Horticultural Gardens, but it's been rainy, and when it's not rainy it's either cold or still drying out from the rain! So all week I'd been planning to go out Thursday afternoon, just me and the kids, to try some 3 year photos and some Easter Photos of them both together.

Yeah. So Lucy wakes up this morning snotty as all get out, with what looks like 2 black eyes to boot. I did a search online and apparently it's common for little ones to get these horrid red circles under their eyes with sinus and allergy problems. But besides being a little tired, she's in a fairly good mood, so I decided to try it anyway, and just focus on getting Toby's pics and let her ride in the stroller if she wanted.

First off, here are the 3 photos I'm considering having printed for the wall. I like them all, so it's a matter of what will look best in the frame.



And I did get a few of Lucy too. You can see how red her little cheeks are, but I think the fresh air (it was 70 here today!) did her some good.

Both kids in an Easter pic. They were so enthralled with the baskets and eggs that I could barely get them to look at me, much less a smile. This is one of the few where you can see both of their eyes.
Lucy with her basket...she refused to sit still!
Toby with his basket...love that grin!
And finally 2 outtakes that will NOT make the wall...

Happy Easter!

We were playing with the webcam this afternoon and this is what we came up with :P Enjoy.

April Showers...

Means more time for knitting!

I finished up a few small projects last week.

First up is a baby bonnet knit with Panda Bamboo Silk. A fingering weight yarn, it is a DREAM for knit with...very soft and smooth! I still have a skein and a half left after making this bonnet and a pair of booties, so I have cast on a lace scarf for myself.

This stretchy newborn hat is also knit out of bamboo. These projects were my first foray into bamboo, and I gotta admit, it's not my favorite fiber. The bamboo and silk was a nice combo, but I guess I didn't like the way the strands tended to separate on the bamboo.

These are the booties to match the bonnet above.
Ok, I'm not sure how this one got turned sideways, but it is a 3/4 length sleeve shrug for my 15 month old daughter. She wore it to church this morning and it was darling! It was a super quick knit with worsted weight yarn and size 7 needles.
This has also been a do-it-yourself weekend. I have been slowly but surely spinning by spindle. I decided to make two little helpers this weekend - first up, this is my niddy noddy, a handy little skeining machine...I wind on 2 yard skeins with this.
Ok again, not sure what Blogger is doing to my photos because this one is sideways too, but this is my makeshift Lazy Kate. I slid my singles off my spindle and onto a straw, then slid the straw onto size 2 straight knitting needles and poked them through a shoe box. Then I was able to ply the two singles together while keeping my singles nicely seperated. It worked fantastically and I was able to ply these two together last night into a 180 yard skein of blue-purple yarn (pictures to come, it is still drying).

So that is what I've been up to lately...lots of different odd projects! I started spinning a new yarn today - Blue Faced Leicaster, and this roving happens to be superwash so I can machine wash whatever projects come out of it! I bought this from a new source and it seems to be losing some color on my hands, so I'm not really thrilled about that. But it is fun to try a new fiber!

There comes a time...

when you turn from the hip young parents into....

Minivan Owners!

(I know there are those out there who will argue that a minivan can = young and hip, but please, for the sake a cute opening, please cut my a break).

We held out for a good deal and are very happy with our new Odessey, but I have to admit, I'm sad to lose my CRV. It was a good car, and I'll miss it! But it is SO NICE having all the extra space in the minivan, and I can't WAIT to really road test it on our next trip to Ohio!

Oh, and here's Lucy's pony tail she sported to church this morning.

My Bunny

Bunnies are a popular topic around here these days, what with Easter just around the corner and all.

Today after lunch I was cleaning and singing a rather rousing rendition of "My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean".

Toby told me he loves the "bunny song". So now we have officially changed it to "My Bunny Lies over the Ocean".

:)

It's been a rough week. Curtis is (at last!) back at work and although slow moving and still watching how much he lifts, he's useful around the house once more. Yesterday he unloaded the dishwasher for me and helped fold some clothes. Yay!

Toby started complaining of a headache Tues night, and spent yesterday down with a high fever and headaches, and last night added a sore throat to the mix. But he woke up this morning feeling good again and lunch today was almost a normal meal for him. I have inherited the headache today, but I think mine is more likely weather related.

Curtis only worked until noon yesterday, but called me on his way home...his almost-done tire had decided it was Done and blew on his way home. We were already planning to have it re-tired, so this just upped the urgency. We have it scheduled for this weekend. Just another thing to add to the "What's gone wrong this week" list.

Curtis was able to watch Toby yesterday afternoon and I took Lucy and did some shopping. It was really nice to get out of the house, but I have to admit I'm moping a little since I had to miss mops yesterday morning and bible study today - I'm just not comfortable taking a child who got over a fever in the 3 hours before childcare. So I feel I am missing all my fun activities and am instead stuck in the house watching sick and injured people! But to be fair, Curtis is on the mend...but he is fully intending to leave on his trip next week the same day he is cleared to normal activity again...so I really won't get a break at all. I kinda wish I had enjoyed my break a couple weeks ago a little more!

Alright, I'm sorry, the weather really is dreadful and isn't improving my mood any.

Oh and Happy Birthday to Auntie Andrea!