Merry Christmas!!!

What do you want to eat this week?

School vacation and I suppose the children might want to eat something other than coffee and toast. Here's their list. Hysterical. And when I asked what kind of pie and fruit, they answered that it doesn't matter. Love it!

Chocolate Balls

Merry Christmas!!! I love this time of the year. Gifts and parties and friends and family. This week we had 4 parties - the last one is tonight. I always bring these "Oreo truffles". Super yummy, they're impressive but are very easy to make!

Oreo Truffles
1 box Oreos
2 blocks cream cheese (soft)
chocolate chips

1. Grind up Oreos in your food processor.
2. Mix Oreo crumbs with cream chesse.
3. Roll into small balls and refrigerate at least an hour.
4. Melt chocolate chips.
5. Roll balls in melted chocolate.  Set on parchment paper and return them to the refrigerator to harden.

That's it!  This year I got fancy... I've tried different chocolates and sprinkles.  So far my favorite are the mint chips.  YUMMY!!!

Retro Towel Topper

Love these! Look out family members - you all might find these under your tree ;)

Quick & Easy Cowl

It snowed today! I was out hanging our Christmas lights and it started. Two hours later when I finished it was drizzling. Oh well - snow in December is nice for a few hours.

I was freezing after being out in the cold and wet, so I decided I needed a cowl. And of course I had the perfect yarn in my stash. Ta-da!!!

I pulled back the blankets and what did I find?

Up to no good...

We recently adopted Scooter - a 3-year-old tabby cat - from the local shelter.  Scooter lived with a dog his entire life, and poor Greyci has never lived with a cat.  Scooter is coming out of his shell now that he's been here 2 weeks.  This morning he decided to tease Greyci for more than an hour.  Finally Greyci laid down and ignored the cat... so Scooter stared at her and planned his next attack.  It's so funny to see the two of them together!

Chemo Shawl

I've heard from a number of friends that a hat and shawl make Chemo more bearable. This is the shawl I just knit for a friend going through treatments right now. I pray it brings her a little comfort and warmth as she battles this terrible disease!

Busy busy!!!

We've been so busy lately!  Tonight I finished up a skeleton for Dyl.  This morning I finished up a chemo cap for a friend (see previous post from today).  A few days ago I finished an afghan for my brother (another previous post from today).  Tomorrow I'm going to start a turkey for Kyle.  It's so much fun knitting for my kids!

Chemo Cap

Afghan

Wordless Wednesday

Not so wordless and not so Wednesday.  I posted on Wednesday and have no clue where it went!  So here goes again....

GWP Beach Weekend!

Last weekend was beach weekend with one of my knitting groups.  We rented a fabulous house right on the water on Oak Island.  And this year I actually got to go from Thursday night to Sunday!

Friday I knit these for the boys...

(they're all ready drunks and they can swim in their wine glass, such fun!)

and worked on my shawl...

Saturday we went to Knitting up a Storm in North Myrtle Beach - definitely one of my favorite shops here in the South!  I bought this Lantern Moon bag...

(Actually Leslie and I discussed it, I decided I didn't need it, she bought it and then I took it from her instead of her paying me back the money she owed me... but who really needs the whole story?)

And I started a new sweater...

What a great weekend!!!

Wordless Wednesday - Crochet Bracelet

The Wedding - Flower Girl and Ring Bearer

 

Wordless Wednesday - Airy Hemp Traveling Woman Shawl

 

De-Stashing

D is sick, so last night instead of getting to have date night with hubby and see Grown Ups, DH watched the NHL draft and I de-stashed.

At one point D came downstairs and saw me sitting on the floor of the living room with yarn all around. He said "awe Mommy, you're cute sitting in the middle of the pretty yarn!". That's my kid!

I wish I'd taken some pictures - it's amazing how much yarn I had shoved various places in the house (and how much crappy yarn I was just hanging onto for no good reason). Two overflowing bags were freecycled this morning. Now I'm back down to one tote! And I found yarn in my stash for a project that I want to start today. YAY!

Wordless Wednesday - Epic Yarn Game!

Wordless Wednesday

A little knitting... a little sewing..

Knitting....

A little knitting and sewing....

Wordless Wednesday

Finished!

(loved the light on this one)

(not sure why I look jaundiced)

(up close)

Blocking!

Oh yea, it's time to block!  I finished knitting last night and today I started thinking about how I was going to block it without blocking wires.  I'm not a perfectionist, but with the amount of time I've spent on this project, I really want it to come out nice.  I came across this post by Velma of Colorbomb Creations, which used a yoga mat.  And not only do I have an old yoga mat, but I know where it is.

After a nice bath in Soak, the shawl was ready to pin.  It's all pinned and I'm waiting for it to dry... I'm in serious need of patience - I think I've checked it 10 times all ready today!  I can't wait give it to my mom for Mother's Day!

Wordless Wednesday - if I didn't have to work today

My Review of Santorini Mosaic Coffee Table

Originally submitted at Cost Plus World Market

Taking a note from the gorgeous mosaic designs of Greece, our shimmering, jade-shaded, glass- tiled Santorini Mosaic Coffee Table has classical decorating appeal. One of our most versatile finds, our Santorini Mosaic Table is pretty enough to be an eye-catching accent indoors, sturdy enough to be a...

Santorini Mosaic Coffee Table

Beautiful Table for Deck or Patio

By Jen from Raleigh, NC on 4/27/2010

 

4out of 5

Pros: Good Quality, Attractive Design, Good Height

Best Uses: Accent Piece

Describe Yourself: Budget Shopper

Primary use: Personal

Perfect for a patio or deck! Not too big - we really like the coffee-table size, and it leaves us with room for 4 or 5 chairs around it. Beautiful center-piece.

(legalese)

My Review of Casteneda Sangria

Originally submitted at Cost Plus World Market

A longtime customer favorite, authentic Spanish Castaneda Sangria is back just in time for springtime sipping. Bursting with the sun drenched flavors of a hot Spanish summer, this Sangria is a refreshing blend of red wine, citrus fruit flavors, and a special spice reminiscent of the traditional win...

Casteneda Sangria

Yum!!!

By Jen from Raleigh, NC on 4/27/2010

 

5out of 5

Pros: Good Value, Easy To Prepare, Flavorful

Best Uses: Entertaining

Describe Yourself: Busy Mom

Takes all the work out of Sangria - chill it, pour it in a pitcher, drop some fruit in, and serve. Great for entertaining!

(legalese)

Beginning of the Deck Makeover

Our back deck is pitiful.  It's just ragged and has nothing but a grill on it.  Today I started thinking we need to do something with it.  So I found a picture on www.diyideas.com site.  I love it, but the husband thinks it's a bit too much.

First I went to Target and bought at cheap tan gazebo to go over the deck and gazebo lights for it.  Then I wandered over to World Market and found this table.  It's gorgeous.  Next I'm going to have to find decent seating, but I'm not real worried about it - when it's right I'll find the right seating.

I'm so excited!  The back deck is starting to feel like a real room.  I also plan to add some curtains to the gazebo eventually.  We'll probably stick to a blue/green theme - nice and light and kinda tropical.  Maybe by the end of the summer it will be perfect!

Does Cleaning the Bathroom Count as Creativity?

I think it should.  Especially since it took 2 days.  I've been avoiding cleaning the master bathroom and the boys' bathroom for at least a month.  The guest bathroom gets a decent cleaning each week because that's what other people see.  (yes I'm one of "those" people - feel free to make a disgusted face at the computer now)


So finally I had to do it - even the lady bugs that live in our bathroom have either died or left.  And as they say in the movie Office Space "That's my only real motivation is not to be hassled, that, and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired." - and I'm in serious danger of being fired.  By me - not the husband since somehow he seems to be immune to disgustingness.  Yuck.  But 48 hours and a chemical-induced headache later (what do you mean I can't mix bleach, comet and scrubbing bubbles?), the master bathroom is shining.


Maybe next month I'll tackle the boys' bathroom.... or not...


BTW - if you've been living under a rock (or in a Y2K bunker) and haven't seen Office Space, it's a must-see for those of us with a teenage boy sense of humor and an office job.  "Excuse me I believe you have my stapler..."

Wordless Wednesday

Day 5 - Sunny

Meet Sunny!  She's my new BFF.

I plan to teach her to knit.

Day 4

More knitting.

Days 2 & 3

Yesterday and today have been filled with more knitting time.  As I knit, I think, and all this thinking is a good thing.  I know I'm spread too thin.  And I know I try too hard to make everyone happy.  My husband says "I'm only one man", and the truth is that I'm only one woman.  I'm a lot of things to a lot of people, but I'm still just one.  "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" Philippians 4:13 really appears to be my life verse.   I hope in all this doing, I'm not missing out on the relationships I should be building - especially my relationship with Christ.  Our campus pastor Chris spoke today about God hating religion, and it really got me thinking - I am involved in multiple ministries, but am I missing out on my relationship with Christ?  Is all this running around and serving taking me away from my genuine quiet time with him?

It's a lot to think about.  One of my goals is to 'live out loud' - just be me and the best me I can be.  It sounds like a simple goal, but I've found it's not so simple.  There are so many outside influences that push me into a box (different boxes in different situations, but a box none the less).  I pray that one day I can let go of all those outside influences and just hear God telling me how to best be me.

30 Days of Creativity

(I tried to post this yesterday, but it didn't work)


I've been hearing a lot lately about people committing 100 days or a year to doing something creative everyday. I'm not sure I could do 100 days, but I should be able to do it for 30!  And who knows?  Perhaps this will grow into 100 days.

So here's day one - I cast on a mystery project. (it's a gift for someone I know, so I'm keeping it a secret).

Wordless Wednesday - Greyci's Day

Wordless Wednesday - Lil Rascals

Crazy knitting commercial

I doubt someone really knit all this, but oh the possibilities!

Fridays

I love Fridays!  This week I'm up in Massachusetts eating leftovers and watching tv.  I love an evening to myself like this.  But I'm not at my house and I have no car, so I'm at the mercy of someone else's fridge.  I've discovered a yummy new drink... I'm going to call it the G2 Pina Colada.

G2 Pina Colada
1/3 pina colada mix
1/3 Southern Comfort
1/3 Orange G2

mix all 3 and add ice.  yum!

Kids with Chicks

A little early, but Happy Easter!

Wordless Wednesday

Basketball Highlights

This winter we've spent a lot of time at games.  Here are a few highlights from Kyle's games.

Halcyon Days

I've been reading Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman and came across this section.  I remember it from school and still love the scene it paints!


HALCYON DAYS

Not from successful love alone,
Nor wealth, nor honor'd middle age, nor victories of politics or war;
But as life wanes, and all the turbulent passions calm,
As gorgeous, vapory, silent hues cover the evening sky,
As softness, fulness, rest, suffuse the frame, like freshier, balmier air,
As the days take on a mellower light, and the apple at last hangs
really finish'd and indolent-ripe on the tree,
Then for the teeming quietest, happiest days of all!
The brooding and blissful halcyon days!

Superbowl Ads

Here's a few of my favorites!

Wordless Wednesday - Homework

8 Years Old All Ready

Excuse me, having a mommy moment - when the heck did my son get to be eight?!  Am I old enough to have an 8-year-old?  I think not.  But somehow it happened.  Here he is in his new sweater that I knit of course.  He picked out the pattern Jesse's Flames from Stitch 'N Bitch Nation which required me to size it down for him since it was written for men (and though he may think he's fully a man at 8, he's not quite there yet).  And of course he wanted it to be a hoodie.  It came out better than I had imagined.  Even though it's a little big, he love it and hopefully he'll wear it for years!