Back in Action!

After much frustration I finally asked my questions on the forums at blogger and got an answer. A rather simple on actually: switch back to the 'Old' editor. I did that and it works! I would love to know what was wrong with the new editor (I am sure it is on my end) but whatever....this works.
I was working on some fibery things and my little helper popped up to the counter to 'watch' me as I was working. In addition to the hackle I was using, my combs and flick carder were on the counter and she decided that she wanted to play with them. Actually I believe she kept saying 'help mommy' as she 'carded' some wool. Maybe I have a future fiber lover here. She does seem to like anything I am working with - she'll rub it and say 'soft, pretty'
Quite some time ago (like before we moved -so more than a year) I started this bear. I had her all cut out and all of the pieces together, I just had to assemble and stuff. I give you "Spooky" For sale in my Etsy shop.

I also made another pumpkin...Alexis this is the one I started the day you and the boys were here:

I kinda like his evil little grin, don't you?

And last but not least this is some spinning I have been doing. Brian brought me all home some wool one evening and I love the color. It's funny because I probably wouldn't have gone for this color but I am really enjoying it. Brian said I should make something for myself so I have decided on a sweater. What you see here is about 1/3 of what I will eventually need to spin. I have 4 bobbins spun up and 5 more to go.

Then I will ply them as a 3ply and then knit me a sweater. I think I may have enough leftover for one of two things I want to do, either make a sweater for Abby to match (it's iffy on whether or not I'll have enough for this) or throw some on the loom and weave a scarf.

There are a couple more things in the works but that is what I have 'really going' right now. I must go and get ready to prepare for my presentation this evening...oh, did I forget to mention this?
Sooo while I was at the sheep to shawl I was talking to a guild member and something came up that I had my spinning notebook handy to use as a refrece. The guild member really liked the spinning notebook and long story short I am presenting a short 'workshop' (really just a talk) on how to keep a spinning notebook. I am a bit nervous as I have never really done any 'public' speaking (not since reading a paper outloud in college a decade ago). I have done one 'dry run' and think it's ok. Now I need to finish my props and get any supplies together that I might need.

And so on that note, off I go.

Sockies!

While up on Orcas I worked mostly on finishing my socks (and I did). I tried to work on the lace but there is too much focus required for me to do that while also trying to visit with family. sooo anyway here are some sock pics:

Jake loves his toy box and so I had to snap a quick pic while he was smiling:While he was in there, his sister was doing this:Ok...now I am off to do dishes. or knit, hmmm maybe I'll spin, or avoid the dishes in some other fantastic way...

Feast or Famine

Things seem to come in 'clumps' for me. Good and bad. Yesterday was mostly trying rather than bad per-say but it was what it was.

First was our visit to the pediatrician to get our friend the pea out of someone's nose. We get there and get the news that he is due for shots too. I was pretty sure I had him all caught up on his shots at the last visit and if not how come I didn't get a phone call so I could stay on top of this kinda thing? Anyway...after weighing in etc, it took me and 2 nurses to hold the boy down while the RN tried to fish the damn pea out. She couldn't get it but during the process I mentioned that I had tried with a bulb syringe at home and one of the 'holder' nurses said 'oh, lets try that, I am really good with those.' She tried a couple of times and never produced said pea, but during that process Jake had a bit of a gagging, swallowing episode and we think he swallowed the darned thing. Either way we couldn't find it anymore so we just get to watch and wait and make sure he doesn't develop a cough or 'icky snot' that my show the damn thing moved into his sinus. So he was pretty pissed at this point. First he had been screaming 'MOMMY DOWN!!' then he moved onto telling the nurses 'Bye bye' wanting them to go away. He got calmed down enough to be breathing normally when she came in with the shots. So that set him off again. He was doing better by the time we got dressed and out the door (Thank God for the Gerber Graduates yogurt drop samples they had at check out...they made a wonderful 'treat' and really helped calm him down). We went and saw Daddy at work because Jake was upset with Mommy and really needed Daddy for a while...I really love that Brian works so close to home I am going to miss that when we move (someday).

We got home long enough for a diaper change, midmorning snack and for me to pay the bills (it's sooooo much fun watching my bank account go from 3 grand to 120 bucks in the span of 10 minutes). Just had to make sure we'd have enough in the account to pay for an inspection of our van...oh yeah the steering has been binding up on me...not exactly the safest thing so we HAD to get it taken care of. The guy asked if I wanted a shuttle service home or if I wanted to wait...I figured it couldn't take them all that long to LOOK at the damn thing...needless to say we waited for 2 stinking hours before they told us what the problem was...I would have been fine getting it over the phone, I just wish the guy had realized that I had a toddler with me and had told me it could potentially take that long (I miss my damn Toyota...The only service the damn thing EVER needed was oil changes, tire rotations and on one occasion, a new windshield). The fix is going to cost us about 1100 bucks. Joy. Not exactly what we need at a time when we are going to be dropping a crapload of money to pay for labor and delivery sometime in the next (God willing) 4 weeks. We got a shuttle ride home and got some lunch (poor kid had to wait that long but he did really well and they did provide cookies in the waiting room, so that helped even if they aren't exactly nutritious). By the time he went down for his nap it was 3:00 (he usually naps around 11 or 12 at the latest).

I had time to sit down for 1/2 hour before dinner had to go in the oven and I figured since I was up I may as well tidy the living room and kitchen, etc. Brian got home and we chatted while we puttered around the kitchen together when we got a phone call from an agent wanting to show the house (YAY!) we hadn't shown the house in 7 weeks and so my standard of cleanliness has been on a slow decline (well not my standard, but just giving a damn really since no one has been coming anyway)...The big surprise was that they wanted to see the house in 20 minutes!!!! I specifically ask for a minimum of 1hrs notice but I wasn't going to give up the chance to show my house so (thank God again) Brian was home to help me. I can't believe how clean we got the house in 20 minutes (not really dirty, but the clutter piles up ya know...) Now don't get me wrong, we were just shoving shit in drawers and closets, but in the end the basic need was met. Since we couldn't really go anywhere because the van wasn't here (3 of us don't fit so well in Brian's pickup) we just sat on the tailgate while they toured the house. I am really glad I was cooking dinner because our house smelled like turkey and not cat hair (and thankfully not a combination of the two cuz that would have been really bad). Anyway I guess overall showing the house was on the good side of things rather than bad but It meant I didn't get to sit down when I should have yesterday evening. Let's just hope they want to buy our house now.

Hopefully today will be less eventfull (except of course for that couple who saw our house yesterday, I want them to decide they really like it...I can take action if it means selling the house).

The sweater is finished!

After much searching Brian found some really nice grey buttons that compliment the two pinks to complete the sweater for Abby. I like the way it turned out. Now I just need to put it in a safe place that doesn't involve me forgetting where that safe place is once I want to put it on her a year from now.

While finishing the sweater I had a little too much 'help' from Jake...So I gave him a set of (dull, don't worry) circulars and the other sweater I had finished so he could 'knit too.' Maybe I have a future knitter...
And also...what is on the needles now...I am trying the 2-socks-at-once method on circular 'magic loop' needles...we'll see how it goes...this is the current mess I am wading through:

I am a firm believer in just following the directions/pattern and it will all eventually make sense (barring any errors in the pattern of course). I have cast these on 3 times and I think the third time really is the charm...