Pardon my Chaos

Play with me vest....

2012-01-23T19:02:00.001-06:00

Feeling the need to make something so I thought I would share it here...

This is a really quick write up so if you find any errors please let me know and as always if you

have any questions please let me know..I will try to help out....

US terms

10ply double stranded Or Bulky

I used lion brand tweed stripes double stranded

J hook

This is about a 2T size but I will probably go up to a K hook next time just to make it a bit baggier.

The pattern is 2 dc ch1 so when I refer to" the pattern" or "double dc" that is what I am talking about.

Ch2 = dc

67 ch

Dc in 4th ch from hook, *ch1 skip ch, 1dc in next 2 chains, repeat from * to end.

Ch2 turn work in same pattern starting with 1dc, ch1, dc in next 2 dc's etc. to end.

Repeat this for a total of 10 rows

Row 11-16 "front chest"
Ch2 turn work pattern til you have five sets of 2 dc's (10 dc's, 4 ch 1's)
Ch2 turn, work for 5 more rows (total 6 rows) fasten off.

Row 11-16 "back"
Rejoin yarn, skipping a ch1, dc,dc, ch1 (on row 10 just after the front chest piece) which will be the arm hole, start another row on row 10 for the back.
Work pattern for a total of 10 double dc's (20 dc's 10 ch's)
Ch2 turn, work this for another five rows (total 6 rows) fasten off.

Repeat Row 11-16 "front chest" ...to make up the other front piece making sure to skip the ch1 dc,dc, ch1 for the arm hole.

Sew shoulder seams together lining stitches up.

I used a worsted yarn to do the trim with the same hook size but next time I will probably go up a size.
You can use the bulky or a single strand of 10ply too...

Sc from bottom left corner all the way around to bottom right corner for 3 rows adding a space for button

if desired...I added mine after with 2 sc ch4 skip a sc, 2 sc, then worked sc's evenly back across.

Add 3 sc rows on both arm holes fasten off...

Weave in ends, add button :)

Slippers to Afghanistan..

2012-01-22T16:17:00.000-06:00

These super quick, super cute slippers are for the hubby. It is currently snowing in Afghanistan and the poor guy deals with soggy socks during missions so I thought I would send him some slippers to help him warm them up when he gets back in his room.......

If you need some slippers I highly recommend these...I will be making myself some very soon...

Birthday #2

2012-01-18T20:32:00.000-06:00

My baby girl turned TWO yesterday.... I am almost done knitting her THIS, can't wait to try it on her and show it off...

A new tradition

2012-01-12T13:10:00.000-06:00

Last year I made my sister a pair of fingerless gloves and she loved them. So this is most likely going to become a tradition. Fingerless gloves for my sis every year. I am sure she won't mind one bit.

She loved these as well...

Knit the stripes

2011-12-15T17:03:00.000-06:00

Love this cute little free pattern on Lion Brand. It is meant to be a dress but I am all about the leggings these days and heck that makes the knit shorter too so win win......

Mama can't draw

2011-12-06T16:40:00.001-06:00

Being a lefty I always come across things that assume I should have amazing penmanship and be artistic blah blah blah. Well my writing is pathetic and I can't draw to save my life. And honestly it bugs the heck out of me to read all the advantages of being a lefty when you don't feel you possess them.

But you know what, I am artistic dangit. And I may not be good with a pen but I can sure "draw" like a mad woman with my hook. So maybe all those lefty write-ups aren't too off base after all. I just had to find my niche and embrace the way this backwards brain of mine works :).

So this latest creation should I ever figure out how to write it up will be called the Doodle hat.

Because that is exactly what I did. Doodled with the hook until a hat was made...

Sporty Poncho

2011-11-16T16:35:00.001-06:00

Awhile back I had a request for crochet poncho.(thanks Lucy for the inspiration) Of course it was smack dab in the middle of our move. So I worked on it a bit here and there, and finished it rather quickly. But of course when it came to writing the pattern that's where I was stalled.

No longer is that the case. It is done, and I am so excited to be able to get it out there. If you sneak a peek at my Flickr stream you may have already seen it. But here it is in all it's finished glory :)

Raveled

Bear cowl cuteness

2011-11-15T17:44:00.001-06:00

Back at it...

2011-11-13T17:58:00.000-06:00

I apologize for my absence. It has been a very busy and stressful few months. We have moved, bought our first house (which is a fixer upper) and the hubby has just recently deployed to Afghanistan. Among other things of course. So while things are not in as much order as I would have hoped they would be at this point. I am finding it necessary to pick up the crafts again.

My brain is jumping with ideas and I miss sharing them here....

So with that, I made a little ear warmer headband today, thought I would share...

J hook/ Worsted

US terms

Size: Adult

3sc per inch/ 2 clusters per inch

2dc cluster: *YO insert hook in st or sp indicated, YO and pull up a loop YO and draw through 2 loops on hook; repeat from * once more, YO and draw through all 3 loops on hook.

Ch 56, join to starting ch.

Working in each chain accordingly..

Row 1: ch1, 7 sc, 4 hdc, 32 2dc cluster, 4 hdc, 8 sc, join to starting chain.

Row 2: Repeat Row 1 fasten off.

Turn and work on opposite side of starting chain (starting chain will become the middle)

Repeat Row1 and 2 making sure you are working with both front sides outward.

Embellish with flower/ribbon/button etc. if desired and keep warm. :)

Baby Shower....

2011-08-14T03:56:00.002-05:00

There are a few things about the Army life you can count on. 1. You never know what's going to happen next 2. Your hubby is always gone and 3. Everyone is or has recently been pregnant.....:)

That being said, I attended a sweet little shower today and had a good time getting out of the house and blabbing about motherhood to a room full of moms. You would think me being the most seasoned mother in the room I would have a lot to say. But I didn't say much, just sat back watched the happy chaos and snapped a few pics here and there.

I figure if I always make handmade gifts and take a few cute pics I will secure my invite to the party...Right?!?

So I made another baby bunting and knit up a little wurmy hat to go along with the outfit I found. I thought it was funny and oh so obvious that I was the only knitter/crocheter in the group because as soon as they saw my package they knew who it was from and the Mommy reluctantly asked if she could keep the bunting?!? To which I replied "please don't throw it away" haha.....She is a sweetie though, and since I did embellish the bag with the bunting I can understand her questionings a bit. But more then anything I was just glad she liked it.

Wish I was going to be around to see the little guy when he is born but moving day is quickly approaching and

us moms know how comfy those babies can get in their mommy's belly.

So we will see, but either way I wish you the best Darline :)

Wrap Vest among chaos

2011-08-10T18:20:00.000-05:00

Seems that the stress of the impending move(2weeks) to Texas, accompanied with the acceptance that the unit my hubby is going to recently left for a 12month deployment to Iraq. Is causing quite the drive for a creative outlet. Over the past few weeks I have sketched multiple ideas for crochet garments and have even quickly whipped one up in a small size to see if it would work.

Well what do you think???

It's a wrap vest that is seamless. And darnit I am pretty proud of myself for the rather unique way I kept it that way . And if you are like me with crochet you are looking at it wondering how the heck I did it?!?!

I do plan on getting a pattern written out in time, so......

The next step is to tackle a grown up version and keep notes when I do so I can make up the pattern.

I don't know what chaos the next few months will bring, but here's hoping it continues to inspire me.

And even better, keep me sane :)

p.s....Yes she is holding a toothbrush. She is teething and so I will gladly accept a toothbrush in the shot as long as she is happy and has a smile on her face :)

Eat Me

2011-08-09T18:12:00.000-05:00

Ok, so if up until this point you haven't been swayed into buying This book. I think this latest creation might push you over the edge.

Ice Cream Sandwich....YUM....

These things are so easy to make it's kind of silly that I have had this book for over a year and I haven't gotten around to it yet.

But that being said, they were a hit and I will be making another batch before the big move in a few short weeks.

I also want to try the watermelon Popsicles and Peach ice cream too.

So many options in this book..

But....

Don't these just scream EAT ME?!?!

Granny Square top tutorial

2011-08-05T16:14:00.000-05:00

This top is very versatile and can be made in any size and use most any yarn. The pattern starts after working the size of the granny square needed to fit across chest and slightly wrap around side. I made a 2t size with worsted yarn and H hook.

Make 2 *front and back

Front
Starting with a 9 row granny square.

Row 10..slip stitch to ch2 space, slip stitch in ch2 space 2x, ch2 2dc in the corner space work in pattern to 4th corner (leaving last side un-worked/neckline) work 3 dc in that corner.

Sleeve 1...
Ch3 turn, work in pattern til you have 5/3dc groups ch2 turn hdc evenly across ending with 2hdc in the starting ch3 space. Ch2 turn repeat hdc row back down sleeve. Ch1 turn sc across working 2 sc in ch space below.

Work Sc evenly across top of granny square (this is the neck line)

Sleeve 2...
Ch3 work granny pattern in next 4 ch1 spaces in 5th space 1 dc ch2 turn hdc evenly across working 2 hdc in ch3 space. Ch2 work hdc across. Ch1 turn sc across 2 sc in corner and sc across top til you reach sc worked for neckline. (about 5 sc) slip stitch and fasten off.

Repeat for back

You now just need to join them together. You can pretty much do this any way you like but I like to have a little give in between them so I have written up the way I like to do this. Hopefully it is not to confusing for you.

Joining side seams
Put right sides together. Starting with the top layer in the ch2 space of bottom corner. Make your starting loop pull through the top layer of ch2 space, Ch2 and slip stitch from front to back of bottom layer. *Yarn over and dc into the next stitch in the top layer. Then from front to back in the bottom layer insert hook and pull yarn through both loops on hook. Repeat from * Work up to the bottom sleeve seam then sc the two sleeves together and fasten off.

Repeat for other side seam.

Joining neck line..
Starting from top corner shoulder seam work the joins the same as side seam til a little after the sleeve for both side. (about 10-12 stitches)

Weave in all ends and turn right side out.

To finish it off I like to add a few rows of hdc (unjoined) to the front and back of the bottom edge

Hope you enjoy and please let me know if I forgot something or if you have any questions...:)

Purple Vest

2011-07-29T17:43:00.000-05:00

Whipped this little cute vest up in a few days working a little here and there. It really is a quick project and so so easy to do. It's something to conquer when you are new to knitting for sure.

I really like the simplicity of it and am thinking that making a longer one to be worn with jeans or dresses in the winter would be really cute. Just have to wait for those cooler days to hit us first.

The pattern is free for the 12 month size but making it a bit bigger is as easy as going up a yarn/hook size. Added info on Ravelry if you are curious....

Mix it up....

2011-07-26T21:25:00.000-05:00

I have been experimenting with joining my crafts lately. I don't know what it is about packing that makes me want to go crazy and craft. But the thought of locking up all my supplies for possibly a few months has got me chomping at the bit to do a lot of something. So crochet/knit/sew it is. And in any form I can get it.

This little dress for Sophie was a quick day project. And yes I made it up as I went along, which as you know is the way I like to do things around here. She even kept it on for like 2 hours. But I think maybe that's because it took her that long to figure out how to get it off. haha...And yes I am aware that my daughter is severely lacking in the hair accessories dept. But as you can imagine by how hard it is to keep clothes on her. Bows or ribbons of any sort is pretty dang near impossible. So if she is known throughout blog land as that messy haired kid I guess I will have to be ok with that...:)

And then after working the Aviatrix last week and realizing how insanely easy it is to pick up stitches for knitting I had a go at a crochet beanie with a knit trim...Love it!!! I really think the two textures work well together. Opens my mind up to all sorts of possibilities.....

And for those who are curious about the granny square top, I will write up a quick tute soon. It's a little bit more involved then just sticking to squares together but not much so keep an eye out for that if you are curious...Hope you are all having a good week, 4 left before we are on our way to Texas......

Made...... an Aviatrix

2011-07-21T19:52:00.000-05:00

Ravelry

A granny square top

2011-07-13T15:29:00.000-05:00

A quick project with simple construction and sweet results is exactly what hits the spot these days. And after seeing a few granny square tops around the web I caved and made one for Sophie. It was the perfect thing to work on in between searching for a new home in El Paso. Which has been pretty much the only topic of conversation around here for the past week. We have about 6 weeks before it's time to hit the road. And I know all to well how quickly that sneaks up on you. I am counting my lucky stars that I have crochet to calm my nerves and cause me to take a break from all the stress....

Cool Kid Beanie

2011-07-09T18:25:00.001-05:00

I know I have been quiet lately but with summer, the impending move next month and just life in general, I haven't had much time for much else. That being said I do plan on getting at least a few more patterns written up this month so now that I have finished up The Cool Kid Beanie I am off to the next.

This thing can be made in pretty much any size. So here is me in the Adult version :)

If you want to make your own Cool Kid Beanie I just recently added the pdf to Ravelry for $1

Enjoy!!!!

Cooling down....

2011-06-28T13:06:00.000-05:00

This dreaded heat has not only caused me to shut myself inside to keep cool. It has also got my mouth watering for those yummy homemade ice cream recipes from The Perfect Scoop again. So I dusted it off and scanned through the tons of recipes looking for one that I could make without running to the store. And I found one!!!

Pina Colada Sorbet......

It's so good and so simple to make, and you can't beat that fresh flavor!

So of course we haven't even finished this up and I am already chilling my next batch..

Cheesecake Ice Cream..

I can't recommend this book enough, It really is great and if you don't believe me

well then you can just drool over my photos until you cave. :)

That time of year

2011-06-17T09:45:00.000-05:00

Hot days, sleeping in, eating junk food, watching too much TV, wearing little clothing, dirty 5 minutes after a bath,spending lot's of time outside, bbq's, beach days, road trips, staying up late, and just

an overall general love for life...

Yep it's summertime around here...

Granny Bag....

2011-06-14T20:59:00.000-05:00

I finally finished up that granny square project I started about 3 weeks ago...The actual bag has been done for about a week but I hesitated on the fabric lining. (not my strongest skill)...

Upon finishing, I got the "Alexis eye roll" because she knew what was coming next.....Model please....

I promised to be quick about it and leave her pretty little face out. Which helped, until I said let's go out back. Where the temp reached well over the 100's today...UGH...

So please pardon the not so fancy pics of my latest project, it's better then nothing right?

And if you are interested in the details I Raveled them of course :)...

The friendly owl

2011-06-08T16:40:00.000-05:00

     When you need a little quick crafty project to put a smile on your face in times of hectic chaos...
                                                           This little owl does the trick...
                                                                                  Raveled

Finished him up this morning and as soon as Sophie woke up she pretty much claimed him as her own.

A little double smile from Momma,

can't beat that.

In other news. Our short time here in California is almost up.

Scott got orders to Fort Bliss, Texas. So looks like we will be going through the

crazy moving process again even though we have barely been here over a year.

Gotta love Army life......

Weeks like these....

2011-05-26T18:41:00.000-05:00

Don't you just love when life catches up with you? When your kids are on their own schedule when your other half is gone or maybe too preoccupied to help. When you are too tired to do anything but you do anyways and no one is there to even say good job...

Yep I am having one of those weeks and dangit I blame most of it one those kids of mine.

This one Mr. Andrew or should I say Mr. Right and is the child who assumes he knows better, so pretty much every conversation we have of late is just an argument...Yay me!!!

Ayden here is going through the "why are you picking on me stage" and any time I try to tell him to do something or help him understand why I feel he isn't contributing enough he immediately puts up the "your so mean to me" card and shuts down...WHOOHOOO

Alexis??? Oh yes the one who won't come home after school and when she finally walks in the door she plops herself down on the couch so I can tell her a million times to do her chores or no Softball that day. We won't even talk about her too cool attitude....

The handful duo Shay and Sophie...These two have not been to bed before 12:00am all week..

I can't for the life of me figure this out..They run around outside get dirty get clean eat plenty of food etc. etc. And they just flat out refuse to go to sleep. I hope it's short lived because my sanity depends on it.

Now on top of all that we are still in full swing with baseball/softball..

The boys started their final tournament yesterday and my girls still have our tournament slotted for next week. As much fun as it is to coach and watch my kids play I am pretty worn out at the moment.

Crafty Goodness???

Hahaha, oh wait yeah I started a little bit of something, I about 10 more rows into then this but you get the point...It's a granny that I think I will turn into a bag..

Of course snacking is a must so I whipped up some chocolate shortbread for the littles (and me) to munch on yesterday while we played in the sunlight..

Now it's Thursday I am exhausted and we are waiting for Daddy to come home from the field so we can enjoy a long weekend. And I can just maybe catch up on a little sleep.

Here's to finding some me time soon!!

Let's go Dutch Baby

2011-05-22T14:31:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I haven't made one of these in over a year. I remedied that and made them twice in one week. Had to make a few this morning to share with my dad who came out to watch the kids play softball/baseball this weekend. He had never had one and he gobbled it right up, which puts a huge smile on my face cause my dad tends to lean on the picky side of things. YAY ME!!

I can't decide what I enjoy more, the taste or the show??? It's hard to resist peeking in the oven to

watch these things puff up in crazy formations, but if I really had to pick it's most definitely the taste..

I top them with the traditional lemon squeeze and powdered sugar...Simply yummy

If you haven't tried one yet..you must! The whole experience is simply

marvelous...

And if you need a pretty decent recipe this is the one that I used..

Dutch Baby

Monkeying around

2011-05-20T16:47:00.000-05:00

Just had to make up a little monkey hat to throw in my photo prop stash. And of course had to try it out on a few monkeys of my own. One was pretty OK with it, the other....not so much....You know me though. I will take what I can get.

As for pattern I just basically worked up a hat with ear flaps and added some circles to the sides but if you want a pattern more concrete then that there is this one.....Easy Monkey Hat

And this one, not quite pattern but a little more tutorial ....DIY monkey hat

Now who can get their monkey to wear it the longest????

Doing that thing...

2011-05-15T18:45:00.000-05:00

You know, that thing that I said I wanted to work up the nerve to do? No? Well if you don't remember it's starting a bit of a business in Photography.

I am beginning to dip my toes in the water and I think I just might like it.....

The nerves are still running rampant and the self doubt is on high alert but the important thing is I am making progress...

So I kicked it off with the cutest little boys in the world...(next to mine of course)

And I just had to share a few with you :)

Wyatt & Wylie

Cause every cool kid needs one.

2011-04-28T21:08:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter....

2011-04-24T23:56:00.000-05:00

From My Gang to yours..

Sweet and Simple bunting....(pattern)

2011-04-22T10:46:00.000-05:00

US Terms,
G hook
Knit picks /shine worsted

(Ch 2 counts as dc)

Ch3

Row1: 2 dc in first chain (3dc)

Row 2: Ch2 turn. Dc in same space as ch2, dc in next dc and in starting ch (4dc)

Row 3: Ch2, turn. Dc in same space as ch2 dc in remaining dc and turning ch (5dc)

Repeat Row 3 until you have 13 dc's in a row or for 11 total rows.

As you can see you can easily shorten or lengthen the size of your bunting.

For the connecting "ribbon"

Ch25, sc across top of bunting ch5 sc across next and so on ending with ch 26,
turn and sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each space across. Fasten off.

FOUR

2011-04-19T15:34:00.000-05:00

Celebrate the boy

As a mom of teenagers I now know more then ever how precious and fast fading these moments are.

My little guy had a great day enjoyed some homemade cake got a Scoot Bike from us and some bucks (as he calls it) from his Auntie Kim. We will celebrate a little more when daddy has time off work

but for the big day it worked perfectly...

Happy Birthday Shay

RingLeader vest...

2011-04-17T17:24:00.000-05:00

I'm tired today. I couldn't sleep and waking up at 5:00 am is just to early for a Sunday.Atleast I can say I was productive in all my half asleep glory. Wish I could say that about every morning I am up before the sun. I'll take what I can get I guess..

So I recently saw a take on the circle vest over on pinterest and thought it was adorable.

But with the heat sneaking in very quickly that is just too much vest for the little one or anyone around here for that matter.

So I worked up my own less bulky version...

It's not quite perfect yet but I think it turned out pretty cute for a whim of an idea.

It sort of reminds me of a circus ringleader jacket.

I am gonna play around with it a little more and add it to the to-do

pattern list.

But I think I will sneak in a nap first while the little one is sleeping...

Cheers for bunting

2011-04-14T14:53:00.000-05:00

Clearly it has taken me way to long to make a bunting of any sort. I am a little embarrassed to say this is my first one so shh don't spread the word. It will certainly not be my last because I really enjoyed making it. However I honestly have no clue if the recipient likes or appreciates this sort of thing. She is a fellow Army wife and her little boy is due sometime in the next few weeks so after peeping at her baby registry and seeing her colors. I thought no better time then now to knock a project off my "want to try" list. She will like it right?? I mean how could you not.

Only problem is, like most beautiful things you make, I am a little attached and want to keep it.

So yeah, I will for sure be making more of these in the near future. But for now I will enjoy this one hanging around til the baby shower next week.

I can see now why everyone loves them. I have yet to walk into the room without staring at it and smiling.

Oh happy day!

New ideas

2011-04-12T18:20:00.000-05:00

Yes that's right, another hat pattern in the works. I think I have the actual pattern worked out just need to work on sizing and writing it all down.

Thank you everyone for your sweet comments on my recent patterns. It really gives me motivation to keep on racking my brain for new ideas.

As for this new pattern, I played around with a simple stitch pattern until I

got this idea. I am really enjoying it, but it does take a bit more time to work up.

So keep an eye out will ya :)

Black and White

2011-04-10T19:12:00.000-05:00

There is just something about the simplicity of B&W

It has a way of forcing you to look at the details, drawing you into

the story of an image.

If you feel the same you will most definitely fall in love with

Vivian Maier

If you have heard of her or seen even a glimpse of her work you know what I mean

And if you have not, you are in for a real treat.

Cushy Cardi Pattern

2011-04-09T16:08:00.000-05:00

Pattern found here...

Cushy Cardi

I have also added it to Ravelry under the same name so please add it there if you

make this, would love to see.

And as usual if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to ask

I will help as best I can...

Small wonders with a few tips on how to capture them.

2011-03-30T17:26:00.000-05:00

Sharing a bit of my little people from this week and training myself to enjoy some "not so happy" events in life with the click of the camera. It's not always easy being fun and original with photos of your kids. But I think the key is training yourself to see things differently and being ready for anything. Most importantly let them be them, I would say the #1 thing about getting cute shots of my kids is to give them the control and just go with it.

So here's a little inspiration...

They may keep you on your toes throw tantrums and down right drive you crazy at times but are always exceptional at bringing smiles to your face...I keep my camera handy as often as I can. Because those little moments of pure candid joy just don't happen all the time. In shots like these it's all about personality. They may not be technically marvelous but cuteness factor is everything here.

Trying to capture a few shots of my work while not "posing" them is often a challenge. But even if you don't get the shot you want the outtakes are usually insanely amusing.

Sometimes so much fun the pets can't help but come see what all the fuss is about.

And these are usually the best ones that are great to share with families.

Sometimes you can even get some real gems out of just throwing your hands up and letting

them take the reigns completely.

Oh the messes that turn into photo ops. Takes that angry steam right

out of you when you can replace it with something like this to remember it by.

Before you run for the towel or broom etc. Especially if it's a simple mess let them experiment with it

while you sneak in and snap away.

Their constant nosey, pay attention to me not her/him attitude can even be turned into

something sweet and innocent. When they are grabbing at your heels jump up on a chair and get a shot from above. You know they will be looking up at you. :)

And so what about the wind and the rain (or any other element) ruining your day.

Bring it on I say, there is a photo op in there somewhere. Maybe a little more effort to find then most

but it's there...

And I think the best part is imagination. Theirs and yours...

Photography of any sort fosters imagination. I say if you are lacking it look to your kids they are

always full of something to share or show off.

If it isn't obvious already..The most important thing is to have fun and make sure they have fun too

The second it turns into a chore for you or them it's game over.

I'm no pro just a mom but I hope I can pass on a little inspiration

in return for all that I find in blog and flickr land :)

I also want to send a big Thank you out to all that have offered to help me on my latest pattern project. It is so fulfilling to see others make something that you created and at the same time so very stressful to worry that you are wasting their time. I just wish I could portray my gratitude in a bigger way then a Thank you...Just know it is very very appreciated.

The "trim" brim beanie

2011-03-27T22:04:00.000-05:00

I finally finished a pattern and I am super excited about it. Not only because it is finished but it can be made in pretty much any size you want. And after giving it a whirl on the boy I think it is somewhat gender neutral as well. (at least for the younger ones)

Remember this one?

So I need a few testers, preferably who have Ravelry or at least a blog where they can

show us the finished product. And be ready to let me know if they

have any questions or concerns about the pattern itself.

You know how it goes....

So if you think you can handle that and want to give this pattern a go

I would love to share this with 5 or 6 of you who comment and leave me your email address.

I will add it to Ravelry soon so please only ask for the pattern if you plan on tackling it rather quickly.

If not it will be available for purchase for a small fee on Ravelry in the near future.

So with that said...I hope to have this one up and running very soon...

Here's hoping you all think it rocks as much as I do :)

Craving Chocolate?

2011-03-24T02:44:00.000-05:00

I made these....

Saucepan Fudge Drops

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed

1/3 cup buttermilk or yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F and place racks in the upper and lower
thirds of the oven. Line two large baking sheets with parchment
paper.

Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl, and
set aside. Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and melt.
Once the butter is melted and sizzling, remove from heat and whisk in cocoa
until smooth. Add both sugars and stir until blended - the mixture will be
stiff and sandy at this point. Stir in yogurt or buttermilk and vanilla. Add the dry
ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Scoop rounded tablespoons of
dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake the
cookies until they look dry on top and are cracked all over, but are still
slightly soft when pressed, about 10-12 minutes. Rotate baking sheets from top
to bottom and front to back about half way through to ensure even baking. Slide
the parchment, cookies and all onto racks to cool.

Via

Sharemykitchen

Apparently from this

Book

That I must get my hands on.

Seriously quick to make and the texture is insane.

Crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle.

Not something you get often with thin cookies like this.

Only problem is they are all gone now.

The kids loved them too...

Pattern maybe???

2011-03-22T13:04:00.000-05:00

It's been a bit since I wrote up a pattern. Lot's of rough drafts but nothing concrete. I love sharing patterns, it's kind of my way of saying thank you for all the nice words and for just hanging around these parts.

I promise one is coming soon, if you are interested in that sort of thing. So to give you a bit of a tease this is what is on my mind and scrap pieces of paper...What do you think, would you make it?

Going to hopefully finish up this pattern sometime soon.

Maybe even within the week so keep an eye out if you

are interested.

True Colors....

2011-03-18T13:46:00.000-05:00

                                               It's my birthday!! I thought it would be fitting to
                       share some nuggets of truth about me. So I am playing along with Erika over
                                       at Erika Ray Photography and posting 20 things about me.
                                                                           Enjoy......

1. I was born in Bellflower California, I am the oldest of 4 children and the only one out of the 4 at this time that has kids. What's up with that, I want to be an aunt...

2. Speaking of birthdays, 4 of my kiddos were born in CA as well. Poor Sophie missed it by a week.

3. The one food that I have hated since I was a baby is green beans. Seriously hate them, they don't even come into this house...Makes me want to gag just thinking about them.

4. I have a huge desire to one day live in NYC, maybe when all the kids are grown and space isn't an issue :)

5. If I could change one thing about me I would have to say I need to break out of my shell more. Not be so shy and do my thing without worrying of the outcome so much. I am working on it, promise :)

6. Mayo or Miracle Whip??? Total Mayo girl, I remember going to the neighbors house to borrow some for my mom when I was younger and dipping my finger in it just before I got inside our house...I know gross..But I can't help it hahaha..

7. I hope by this time next year I have put my fears aside and started a budding photography business. My hubby is great at listening to my fears about it, but he also reassures me that it wouldn't matter how bad I thought I did it would still be "awesome"...love him...

8. Speaking of the hubs, he is 5 years younger then me. Funny how all those ideals and gotta have lists you make when looking for a guy go right out the window when sparks fly.

9. As my sister likes to remind me. When I was younger, I always said I wanted 5 kids by the time I was 30 and of course #5 came along a few months before my 31st birthday. It kind of weirds me out a bit how that happened unintentionally. I guess it's a classic case of "be careful what you wish for"...

10. I am a total jeans and t-shirt kind of girl...Sometimes I think it would be fun to be super girly but honestly it's just too much work. And I tend to lean on thoughts of "that's ridiculous" when I see girls around the base all dressed up to go to the gas station or post office. Seriously who has time for that anyways...I can't even remember the last time I wore heels.

11. I am secretly hoping the Army sends us to Germany or Italy before the teens are out of the house. I think it would be an awesome experience for all of us as a family. Even though I can't imagine the insane amount of work it will be to get us all over there.

12. Take pictures or be in them? That's not hard to answer, take of course. I am always afraid to see that I have been tagged in a photo on facebook, if I don't remember the photo being taken who knows what I was doing lol...

13. I once drove straight through from Cali to Georgia in 35 hrs. I don't recommend it and I could never do it again. I was totally hallucinating running trees and tip toeing light posts haha...

14. My mom's name is Freddie...She was named after her uncle, who is such a great man I totally get it. Although I could not imagine telling people your daughter's name is Freddie when she was a baby. You would totally feel sorry for her wouldn't you haha, I know I probably would.

15. I am the driver in this house. I love to drive and I can't relax in the passenger seat anyways so why not drive right? Thank goodness Scott doesn't mind because it would be a battle he couldn't win anyways. :)

16. I absolutely hate clutter. But my big downfall is that no matter how hard I try I just can't get organized.

17. I have always wanted to live in a loft. Something about those huge windows and all that open space just gets me.

18. I was a server off and on for 4 yrs. I worked at the lowly Denny's to the awesome Cheesecake Factory. It is definitely one of those jobs that everyone should be required to do. You just can't get it unless you do it. Have you seen Waiting?? Yeah pretty much sums it up :)

19. I am not a phone person, and I am horrible at telling people I need to go. I once went on one of those sketchy group job interviews and that same day they threw us in a room to make a bunch of phone calls. Talk about my worst nightmare, I was the telemarketer who hung up on you haha..I "worked" until break and then ditched.

20.....I am 32 today....Can I transpose those numbers??? :)

Thank you for reading, hope it wasn't too terrible for ya!!!

The whole darn rainbow....

2011-03-17T02:09:00.000-05:00

Yep the whole nine yards today. And I claim these the coolest cookies ever, at least that I have made anyways..

Me and the kids had a blast being creative with these.

I made them and some chocolate covered pretzels for a bake sale tomorrow.

Figured I would go the route of "eye catcher" . Gotta have something at that table that

gets you looking at all the yummy goodness..

Job well done right?? I mean who can pass these up??

The kids have already started begging me to make more.

I even attempted and failed to save a few for the hubby.

Shay kept asking me for more and when I said there was none he knew just

where I hid the few extra for dad.

And of course he told me I could just make more. Dangit, hate when the little people

out smart me...

I think next time I will let the kids have full reign of the creativity and see

what comes of it.

Because no matter what, these things hit the spot!!!

If you want to bake some fun...

I found the recipe

Here

buzzing along.....

2011-03-13T23:55:00.000-05:00

I have been busy making and baking, with every intention to share here but with the added effort of keeping the closest eye on my teens I haven't been online much this week.

Not to mention the few times I have been online trying to comment on others blog posts my stupid Internet browser isn't letting me and I don't have the patience to figure it out so I get frustrated and sign off.

We are currently on Spring Break in this household and of course it falls right on Scott's rotation part of the month so it's just me and the kids hanging out with the occasional night visit from the Soldier.

I have hid the cable box and only allowed small amounts of time online for both the kids and I and wouldn't you know things are going pretty good.

The house is staying cleaner then normal and we have been very active with several visits to the park and even a few hours at the pool today...

We've made

Pizza

And

Pretzel bites

Among other things, like waffles, cheesecake and

sugar donut muffins yum...

Of course I have been making crafty things too...

These hats for a friends little one..

And slowly working on this little cable hat for Sophie, just cause I thought it was cute of course..

Sometimes to regain a little order you have to slow it down and get back to basics..

Taking that extra bit of time to remember how blessed you are and how fast time will fly by when you are to busy whining about the little things...

With that said, I'm sending up a big prayer for Japan and those affected by the quake.

As a California native I know earthquakes well, but I could never imagine having to deal with such widespread damage and chaos.

Just kind of kicks you in the face, that tomorrow isn't guaranteed so soak up every minute..

Pink and Grey colors today...

2011-03-06T17:59:00.000-06:00

This past week was crazy busy, catching up on the things I had not accomplished in the previous few weeks due to our being sick. And then of course diving head first into more chaos, like signing up to be a Volunteer Softball coach for Alexis this season. As well as signing the boys up for baseball. I have no clue how I am going to pull it off especially with Scott being gone 50% of the time but hopefully it works out somehow someway...

Although lately I have been doing mostly sewing and baking to keep my creative juices flowing. I have also been trucking along on a little knitting project that I finally finished and wanted to share with you all...Like most things I make lately, I was horrible at following the pattern but I did start off with good intentions..I am just glad it turned out cute because my knitting skills are still on the basic side. The "real" pattern can be found on Ravelry if you want to have a go...

And to prove that she does wear her little outfits that I make out in public here she is napping on her Great Grandpa at a family BBQ we had yesterday at my cousin's house..

Isn't she huge???? She weighed in at 28lbs and 31 1/2 inches a few weeks ago.

That puts her in the 90th percentile for both..

Wish her hair would grow that fast, haha :)

Hope you are all having a lovely start to the new week.

Hoping to find time this week to pop in and say hi around these parts :)

Hungry.....

2011-02-25T17:46:00.000-06:00

Now that I am slowly getting my appetite back after this horrible week of sickness. I am having all sorts of cravings for home baked goods. And when that happens I always find myself popping over to

Smitten Kitchen

to see what I can find....Something quick and yummy but still a little healthy

I found these 3 pears laying around and wouldn't you know she has a recipe for that..

Pear Bread

It was quick, it was easy, and I even baked them in my new mini loaf and bundt pans to speed up the process. And all I have to say is YUM..

You know you want some....

I've got more...

2011-02-20T15:32:00.000-06:00

So I am dealing with sick kiddos on a 4 day weekend and no hubby til Friday...Ummm yay me???

I"m doing all that I can to stay healthy but I definitely feel it creeping in.

It has been over a year since our last family flu so I guess it's that time..

Of course that doesn't make it any easier to deal with but we'll get through it.

On a happier note I did another bit of refashioning out of another rarely worn shirt of mine.

I love stripes but I hardly possess the body to wear them so they are moving on down the line.

Before...

After....

And in true Sophie fashion these days she flat out refused to wear the hat. The "play with mommy's phone" trick only worked for a minute. Then the fits started and snot started to run so we were done.

Back on the sick kick, if anyone has any good remedies for coughs or breaking up congestion I would love to hear it. I am using a bit of Vicks vapo rub and some good old shower steam.

TIA...

To sew a little

2011-02-17T18:07:00.000-06:00

Can mean a lot.....

And lead to this simple little knit dress repurposed from a turtle neck I never wore.

I also used the bottom leftover strip to make a little hood/scarf.

The best part is it's so light weight she didn't even once try to pull it off, it is sure to be worn a ton this summer.

I am just surprised that this is the first time I have pulled out the sewing machine this year. I have already yanked a couple more shirts out of the closet for more repurpose fun....

Beautiful day....

2011-02-17T02:25:00.000-06:00

Color of the day crochet...

2011-02-11T18:12:00.000-06:00

Sophie is sporting some purple today. I got this little jumper for her last week at Old Navy and I am keeping my fingers crossed they have a bigger size the next time I go because apparently she is outgrowing 18-24 months already..grrr...Since it is rather simple I decided some accessories were in order.

Crochet bow head band, yes I winged it yet again, and a pair of my old knee highs cut to size...She is not a fan of either, keeps pulling them off, I fear I have another perpetually naked child on my hands like her older brother.

I will fight her tooth and nail though. Because playing dress up is way too much fun..

We are headed off to my sister's for the weekend. Scott is starting his 2 week rotation tomorrow so me and the kids are going to go have some fun in the beachy sun.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend

Sophie says we're out....

Cookies and Coasters

2011-02-09T18:05:00.000-06:00

Due to the whole "trying to lose weight" thing. I have not been doing much baking lately. Of course I can only hold out for so long. So I made some toffee crackle cookies because they are too good to pass up.

Try them out......

Toffee Crackle Cookies

prep: 25 minutes Bake: 20 minutes per batch Oven: 300〫

1 Cup Butter, softened

1 Cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cup AP flour

1 cup chocolate covered toffee pieces

granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 300〫. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 minutes. Add brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Stir in toffee pieces.

Shape dough into 1 1/4" balls. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Dip bottom of a glass into granulated sugar and flatten each ball to about 1/4" thickness.

Bake about 20 minutes or until edges are firm but not brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.

So clearly as a distraction to keep my hands busy so that I did not eat them all before the kids came home from school I decided to crochet up some more coasters.

I love this pattern I found awhile back on ravelry.

Shell Coasters

This is my second time making them and no doubt will not be my last.

Really is a sweet pattern..

I have a new stash of cotton itching to be used so I am off to make a potholder or two.

Hope you are having a lovely day!!!

Seems I am stuck...

2011-02-04T20:18:00.000-06:00

Apparently my hat creations come in bursts...I haven't been able to get them out of my mind the past few days. And I am seriously going to have to start selling or giving them away because I don't think Sophie needs one more hat. But then again she does look so cute in them so maybe I am over compensating since she refuses to wear shoes..haha...

We had yet another beautiful day here today and to be honest I am beginning to feel a bit guilty about it considering all the snow that's going on in other states. I don't want to lose it but I wouldn't mind sharing a few rays

I also wanted to say thanks for all the nice comments about my photography. It is really becoming a passion for me. And I think with my recent progress/addiction I have convinced hubby to allow a camera upgrade sometime soon. With the promise that I would start venturing out of our little bubble at home and make some money off of this whole photography thing. I definitely have a long way to go but you gotta start somewhere.

I also wanted to add for those who are curious, I use a basic Nikon D40x with a 50mm 1.8,pretty much my constant lens. The other two I have are kit lenses, not bad but once you use a 50mm it's hard to go back to them haha...

As far as software I use photoshop elements, I really don't do anything crazy fancy, it's mostly colors/contrast etc. I am still pretty clueless when it comes to the fancy stuff elements has to offer. But I have been learning much from blogs like Texas Chicks tons of info there about it and then some.

And of course I can't forget about Picnik, when all else fails I pop over there and play with my photos. I'd say it's the perfect place to get awesome processing with little effort. If you haven't checked it out yet, I highly recommend :)

Oh and I definitely plan on selling this pattern so when I get the sizing thing down I will be on the look out for a few testers so keep an eye out for that request... And with that, I think I am done here :)

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!!!

Mellow Yellow

2011-02-03T15:39:00.000-06:00

I have been doing so good, waking up early to run on the treadmill. Trying my darndest to get to my weightloss goal by my birthday. And wouldn't you know the one thing that sways me is another dang hat. I couldn't sleep anymore so I was up at 6:00 working on the hat instead of running. I know work before play, I guess not today....

Yesterday I found a cute little sweater for Sophie on clearance for 2 bucks. And I knew I had some yarn that would match well with it. So of course once I picked up the hook I couldn't really think about anything else until I solved another hat puzzle.

So this is the outfit for the day, shoeless and all, she refuses to wear them. I am on the lookout for some cute boots though.Something she can't just kick off.

It never ceases to amaze at how different all my kids are. It's such a wonderful and trying thing to discover...

A sweet way to finish the day....

2011-01-31T23:58:00.000-06:00

I popped on my flickr real quick before I hopped into bed. And found out that my b&w bathtub pic of Sophie has been featured on The Maternal Lens...

In cased you missed it :)

Can't say thank you enough....

The Ah-ha moment....

2011-01-31T20:36:00.000-06:00

Growing up I was always reminded of how I never said "what", chuckling at stories of my cousin putting me in a corner demanding me to say "what" over and over again. Or of my Grandma and Mom trying to find me and I would never answer their calls. Say what Amanda say what......

But of course they were always silly stories....

Until it happened to me. And in this case it definitely isn't silly any more...

Today as Scott came home and met me upstairs in our room. I began telling him about our day and how I thought for a brief few minutes that his daughter might have swallowed a battery. I had come down stairs after using the restroom and she was sitting on Shay's big wheel making weird noises. I looked over on the floor and the remote was lying face down with one battery missing. Immediate panic of course. I went nuts pulling everything apart looking for the battery. After a few insanely scarey moments I finally found it under the TV stand...Turns out she was making the odd noises because she did not know how to get herself of his bike.

So as I am telling this story Shay comes walking up the stairs I realize she has gotten quiet and must have snuck down them. So I ask him to go check on her as I try to finish the story.He goes down and yells her name out calling to her and comes up zxsaying she is not down there. What!!! Immediate panic yet again...................Where is she, I run down stairs do a quick survey, nothing (yes you guessed it I am calling her over and over with no reply) Sophie is always making noises so it's completely freaking me out that the house is silent.

I start going through all the rooms upstairs still nothing, I look over and see the kids bathroom light is on with the door closed..No it's not just closed it's locked. (something Shay loves to do) I grab the little key thingy and try over and over to open it. Not working, still calling her name and still complete silence. At this point I am picturing her head first into the toilet and panicing like crazy. So Scott takes over and after a few minutes he can't get it open either. So I tell him to kick it down, it finally breaks in half after several kicks and thankfully she is not in there, but in the same breath I realize She's not in there! Where the hell is she?? I double check rooms closets etc. Then head downstairs to see if somehow she got outside, when I realize, the laundry room tucked in the corner of the house, I haven't checked there yet...

She did indeed turn out to be in the laundry room door closed chowing down on a kuerig coffee K-cup she had snuck out of the trash.Why the heck she likes those things I don't know but it totally explains her being so quiet and knowing she had to hide so I wouldn't take it from her. So as I said, I get it...The jokes on me, I have a kid who refuses to answer when called. How dang lucky am I and darn those turning tables..

Although I am all kinds of stressed out today in between the drama we did have a bit of fun outside showing off her latest wardrobe addition.

And right on cue as soon as I tried to get pictures of just Sophie, Shay had to insert his cute little smile too..

It hasn't been the best of days but it is one for the story books.

I am just glad it's almost over and my kiddos are all ok.

And can I just say, we don't get enough credit for this mom gig, I deserve a raise or something lol..

Here's to hugging our little ones a little tighter tonight and saying a great big thank you to the guardian angels watching over them. :)

A week of no color

2011-01-28T14:54:00.000-06:00

This week I played along with Erika over on Flickr in her A Week of No Color group. It was fun to see things in b&w and I hope that she continues to have weeks here and there of participation. I will certainly join in.

I thought it would be fun to post my images from the week....

I of course had to add some crochet in there somewhere so I made a little mason jar cover perfect for candlelight. The pattern is simply 3 rows of SC and one row of DC repeated throughout, with a start and finish DC row.

Now back to your regularly colored programs...Hope you have a lovely weekend.

It's not a hat....

2011-01-24T14:57:00.000-06:00

What are you making now? I am sure I am not the only one who gets asked this question every time you start something new. Truth be told it kind of bugs me. I mean the universal answer is pretty much, something

to keep me sane of course. And when that doesn't work I simply say you will have to wait and find out. Funny thing is my kids always assume it's a hat. No not everything I crochet is a hat...

I'm not really loving the finished outcome of my wonky square here. But it will work for the front room where I am getting all matchy matchy for some reason...I have never been a "themed" decor person but I guess that is changing.

In other news I have 53 days until my birthday and I have decided I want to lose 20lbs by then. I have stocked up on fruits and veggies and hung up a countdown pad over my treadmill. I am determined to actually like myself for my 32nd year of life. Something I haven't really felt ever...So if you have any tips and tricks to keep me on the straight and narrow I am all ears...

Crochet Collar Pattern

2011-01-21T17:16:00.001-06:00

Saw a picture of something like this in a japanese crochet book and had to make my own version.

No clue how close it is to the real pattern "written pattern wise" but the finished product is good enough for me.

US terms

Worsted yarn

G/4.25mm hook

Ch 20 dc in 3rd ch.

Work 32 rows of dc

Row 33: sc across dc's 9 times then ch. 35, slip stitch all the way back then finish sc across row.

You are now working along side your dc rows attaching ch and cluster group to the top side of every two rows to get your shell.

ch4 3 dc cluster in same space as starting ch. sc in side/top of second dc row from start.,
*ch4 3dc cluster in last sc, sc in side/top 2 rows above last sc. Repeat from * until reaching the end.

For the bottom and other side repeat from row 33.

Fold in half and wear :)

This of course could be easily sized down, just shorten the dc rows...

She's 1

2011-01-18T17:26:00.000-06:00

Despite my attempts to hold it off, Sophie's birthday was yesterday Jan 17th

and she is now officially the big 1

Just wanted to share a few pics of her enjoying her first birthday cake..

We just hung out at home, enjoyed the day and played with Sophie's birthday gift from my sister.

Little Diego

Next weekend we will head into town for Andrew's basketball tournament and afterward have a bigger celebration with family at Chuck E.Cheese. But for the big day, I couldn't have asked for anything sweeter :)

The Colors fabulous...

2011-01-16T21:46:00.000-06:00

What do you do for a certain someone who just got more then enough toys for Christmas and is having her very first birthday tomorrow??

You make up a beautiful pattern with a beautiful yarn for a beautiful finished project.

And yes I am trying to distract myself from the fact that my baby is turning one tomorrow. So let's just focus on that pretty little vest ok?

This is my second Milo the first for the boy of course. I skipped the cables cause, well I didn't need anything to distract from all those pretty colors...

I wish I could afford tons more of this stuff I would make one for the big girl too.

One day....

For now this one gets a thumbs up!!

Simple Crochet Coasters

2011-01-12T16:16:00.000-06:00

In an effort to take what I can get, I made up some cute crochet coasters randomly throughout the past few days. Trying to recover from the holidays now that the kids are back in school and hubby is back to work. Amazing how even with two little ones still at home it feels like a break.

So while I sneak back into my routine I thought I would pass on a little pattern just in case you feel the need to whip up a few small things yourself...They go perfect with that morning cup of coffee or tea

Whatever it may be :)

Little petal coasters.

US Terms

for smaller cream color I used E/3.50mm hook

for the slightly larger red I used F/3.75mm hook

Yarn- Knit Picks Cotlin DK

row 1: Ch2 work 8 sc in first ch space join to starting ch.

row 2: ch 3, dc in same space, *ch1 dc in next sc, ch1 dc in same sc. Repeat from * ,ch1 slip stitch to second ch of starting ch.

row 3: slip stitch in next dc, slip stitch into ch1 space, ch2, dc in same space, *ch1 2 dc in next ch1 space repeat from* ch1 slip stitch to starting ch.
(make sure not to miss ch1 space you initially slip stitched over :)

row 4: ch1, sc in next dc, ch1 over ch1 space *sc in next two dc's ch1 over ch1 space repeat from* slip stitch to starting ch.
(so you are sc'ing in each dc and ch'ing over each ch space)

row 5: slip stitch in next sc slip stitch in ch1 space, ch2. *sc in next ch1 space ch2 repeat from * joining to starting chain.
(so you are sc'ing in each ch1 space and ch'ing over the sc's)

row 6: ch1 work 3 dc's in same space, ch1 sc in ch2 space, ch1 work 3 dc's into next sc repeat from* ch1 sc in last ch2 space then slip stitch to starting ch.

S is for....

2011-01-04T01:37:00.000-06:00

Sprinkles

And would you? Could you? Believe S is for SNOW..It snowed here in the desert last night..And let me just apologize to all the sleeping people that my kids may have disturbed at 1:30am. But since it rarely happens and I knew that it would quickly melt once the sun was up. I had to let them romp around in it for a bit..

Last but not least...S is for Sneaky Shay who got into the chocolate icing..I think he knows all to well that if he is cute and I can snap some shots he won't get in as much trouble...

Too smart for his own good..

You know I think this may have inspired a fun alphabet project for me..:)

Plans unplanned...

2011-01-02T12:55:00.000-06:00

We were suppose to head to the horse races today to celebrate my sister's big 3-0 birthday but the weather is not cooperating and to be safe we are staying put. I am completely bummed, had my horses picked out and everything. Here's hoping my picks were cruddy ......

The tiny bit of upside is that the house is still quiet and I can actually savor my morning coffee.

And work on a little red project.

Happy Birthday Sis, so sorry I couldn't be there to celebrate with you...

Yum for the tum tum...

2010-12-30T19:03:00.000-06:00

Don't you just love it when you have an idea or desire and you voice it to others in random chatting. Only to hear a few weeks or so later they suddenly have the same idea. I am sure it probably not a conscious thing most of the time but that can drive me crazy. Especially when it's your own mother doing it. ha ha..

So the other day I was talking to her on the phone and she brought up how she wanted to make a pumpkin roll and it looked so good etc. Well I of course had brought this to her attention around Thanksgiving and wanted to make it for our Christmas Eve dinner but never got the chance.

After talking with her about it I had to bake one up and fast, can't have mom beat me to it.Thank goodness for those extra cans of pumpkin laying around the pantry. This was super quick and easy to make and not to mention insanely yummy....

Alexis said it looked weird and kept asking what it was, then after I told her she begged for a piece. Which was fine by me because we all know by this time what that means. She's my photo prop, totally think it's a fair trade. She does too of course.

If you still need a bit more pumpkin in your life and want to bake one of these bad boys up, I used THIS recipe and it was perfect...I took the easy way out and used a few of those silicone baking sheets to bake it on and roll it in. No sticking and easy clean up works for me...

Cozy on the inside...

2010-12-29T20:41:00.000-06:00

I know legwarmers are so 80's but if you are a tall skinny teen you could always use an extra layer of

warmth this time of year. So another few hour project later and Alexis has her very own cozy pair.

The pattern is actually for big fat cozy socks but I figured they would get more use if they were legwarmers so legwarmers they are.

My favorite part about them....

I can wear them too..

Whoohoo..

A little Granny Poncho

2010-12-27T16:06:00.000-06:00

Love how this little poncho turned out, perfect project to get me back in the swing of things. And a perfect blue sky day to snap a few pics of it too.

Merry Christmas....

2010-12-26T01:19:00.000-06:00

Pheww what a crazy beautiful few days it has been....

We had the family over our house for Christmas Eve..I spent most of the day prior pulling out all the stops for a great dinner. Which thankfully turned out pretty darn good. Even if my eyes are wayyy bigger then my stomach and I ate too much..Way too much..

And since I had no time to wrap I warned everyone that Scott wrapped the presents. Which would have probably ended up a bomb threat if they were to be left sitting around anywhere. But hey a wrapped gift is a wrapped gift right...Even if you are a bit scared to open it...

Would you open this thing??

It was Sophie's first Christmas and despite a bit of teething she had a blast. My youngest got her first baby doll and my oldest got his first Cell phone...What a contrast of gifts..

And talk about gifts, there were just too many to mention

But boy do I feel blessed to have such a wonderful family who all helped to give my kids an amazing day.

With awesome gifts like the big wheel from Auntie Kim

And the instant fave, trampoline from the grandparents. To name a few...

I feel so very blessed and content as this year wraps up. Excited and ready to take on the next. And super anxious to continue to share it with you all...

Always time for a hat...

2010-12-17T13:17:00.000-06:00

I whipped up a couple Meathead hats recently for some fellow Army wives, children. And as with most gifted items I did not get photos of them. So I of course had to make one for Sophie to give me a reason to talk about it here. The hat is about as basic and quick as they come and I'm sure I am pretty close to one of the last people on the planet to make one. But I love it and I will definitely be making a ton more. I think this one took me all of 40 mins. Just a bit bummed that she has reached that stage of ripping hats off after a few quick snaps of the camera. Guess I need to start making something different for her.

Raveled

I've been in a little bit of a funk lately, more worried about getting the house cleaned and organized and of course finding great deals on gifts for 5 children then crafting and taking photos. I know it comes with the territory of the Holidays but if anything it just proves to me how much those things mean to me and how healing they are for me too. Normally I would be completely freaking out about how fast time is going but this year I am certainly embracing it. I know as soon as it's over I can get back to being me and there will be new toys/activities and such in the house to keep the kids busy which buys me a bit more "me" time. Which of course means more blog time.

Back to crazy town. for now, have a wonderful weekend.

Crochet Ribbon Tree

2010-12-10T18:57:00.000-06:00

I had another go at my Christmas tree. Think this time I got it more like what was in my head. And the first thing that comes to mind is that old ribbon candy you get when you visit the grandparents. Isn't it cute??

Here is what I did....

I chained 202 with a J hook and worsted yarn.
DC'd in 3rd chain from hook and every remaining chain,
I then fastened off leaving a very long tail.
I folded it on top of each other like the ribbon candy back and forth starting from the bottom, working up and making it smaller as I went to the top.."obvious I know"
With the long tail on the top I used the hook and pulled it through each tier on one side down to the bottom corner across the bottom and back up other side. Then pulled it down the middle across 2 dc's on the bottom and back up to the top.
Straighten it all back out (mind bunched up a little as I did this) and fasten off leaving a bit of a space for hanging.
Add two rows of HDC of brown in the four middle dc's on the bottom for trunk
And attach a star. "I attached my star as I weaved the tail up through"

Star Pattern

Ch 3, 2 dc in first chain. *Ch2 3 dc, repeat from * 3 more times. ch2 and slip stitch to beginning chain
Slip stitch to first ch 2 space. Ch1, hdc, dc, ch1 dc, 2 hdc, in next ch2 space *2hdc,dc, ch1, dc, 2hdc. Repeat from* 3 more times. slip stitch to bottom starting chain and fasten off.

Progress Report...

I am halfway finished with the Dottie Angel blanket as well, and is already being broken in. By the munchkins.

Crazy Crochet Lady...

2010-12-02T23:17:00.000-06:00

I often joke about my sister eventually becoming the crazy cat lady. But to be fair she only has 1 cat and will barely be turning 30 next month. But she is single with no kids and cats seem to come out of the woodwork where ever she lives so it's not all bogus..

Well today as I was madly trying to figure out the puzzle of a new hat pattern I realized she may be the crazy cat lady but I am the crazy crochet lady and let's face it. The stigma attached to that title for the regular non crafty folk is way worse.

Right??

Hubby often jokes that I am going to turn into his Grandma and gift everyone random handmade things that they don't want. I guess it's a good thing that I don't have time to make everyone a gift otherwise he might be right. Although I beg to differ on the "don't want" aspect.

But who knows..

So back to the hat..I asked Alexis to pop this on when she got home from school today. She gave me the usual eye roll and made me put it on her. I snapped a few pics and she asked to see. After I showed her she immediately took it off and put it under the couch cushion. When I yelled to Andrew to come and try it on she looked at me and laughing said "your not getting it back" Here I thought she was taking it off cause she didn't like it. She was actually hiding it so I couldn't take it away.

Gotta love it....

Thinking a pom-pom might be cute too, what do you think?

My Creative Space

2010-12-01T16:30:00.000-06:00

A gift in progress...

I've decided to make a Dottie Angel blanket.

Or as she calls it...'ordinarily extraordinary' blanket,for my sister.

She just moved into a new place and I figure I should have no problem finishing

it by Christmas so a housewarming/Christmas gift combo.

And since I can pretty much break up the progress by squares, trying to do 2 a day.

It has become my Sophie is napping project..

So far I am enjoying the simplicity of it, but every time I sit down all I can think about is the million other things I could be doing during her naps. Just keep reminding myself that's exactly how I would feel no matter what I was doing.

This is where a more organized person would write up a to-do list.

But I apparently prefer to agonize over it all in my head.

Stay back, it's a mess in there...

Hope you are having a wonderful week..

Now off to more spaces you go...

Never not Moving

2010-11-30T19:22:00.000-06:00

As expected for this time of year life has been super busy. Scott has just left for a 10 day trip in the field, in which the Commander made sure us wives knew at a recent meeting that they would not be coming home for a random shower or dinner etc and no cell phones are allowed this trip either. So yeah I am a little bummed, but in a way it's a relief knowing if I go to the store or head into town I wouldn't take the chance of missing him if he were to get a small break. So I can kind of keep myself busy and whiz through this rotation, goodness knows I have plenty to do.

I did knit him a quick neck warmer last night since he kept hinting at how cold it was going to be out there, sleeping in tents on the cold hard ground....Nothing super fancy but enough to keep his face and ears warm when he is trying to not freeze in his sleep.

We did have a great Thanksgiving break though. Lot's of food and wonderful company.

Sophie had her first Turkey dinner..

Shay ate a little food and lots of pie

There was Chaos in the kitchen...

(absolutely love my sisters expression, so totally how I felt too..)

And of course Daddy and Sophie snuck away for a nap amongst it all.

And to close the night we had one of my soon becoming infamous Cheesecakes, to celebrate my Grandfathers 82nd birthday

My mom even called to let me know he wanted to order 2 for Christmas

with the comment that they were the best he has ever had.

Now that's one heck of a compliment...

Happy Birthday Grandpa

I Love You

My Creative Space...

2010-11-24T20:14:00.000-06:00

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.....

That little tree was a silly product of a dream I had the other night. Who knows why the heck I was dreaming about it but it has potential. This really doesn't do it justice but it will have to work as my inspiration for the time being at least until I can find the time to work on it more..

So on to a finished project....

Little fingerless gloves, made for Sophie but she refuses to keep them on so thankfully they fit Shay too.

Gotta love that rib.

Raveled

I have also made 5 more cheesecakes this week on top of the previous 2 that I talked about before.

I enjoy making them but it can be pretty stressful when you are baking them for other people. The crack factor freaks me out a bit. But I think I am getting the hang of it. I am sure a will be getting a ton more orders as Christmas gets closer so that should be fun...

Well we are off to my mom's in San Diego for Thanksgiving and will probably head up the coast to spend the rest of the weekend with my sister so it will be a nice Holiday weekend for us.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and Happy Thanksgiving for those who celebrate :)

Don't forget to visit Kirsty :)

Cheesecake Envy

2010-11-22T03:01:00.000-06:00

The hubby came home with another cheesecake order the other day. One of the guys saw a picture of a cheesecake in a magazine, ripped it out and passed it along to Scott to ask if I could make it for him.

I was told he actually pondered making it himself and although Scott talked him out of it. Something (maybe a little evil) in me would LOVE to see him try. I mean, the poor guy had no clue what a spring form pan was. And what single soldier has a mixer handy? I guess I could be wrong but I can't help but chuckle just thinking about him trying to hand mix the whole thing. You can't tell me that wouldn't be just a little hilarious to watch.

So yeah I went ahead and made it for him, and wouldn't ya know Scott the lover of Cheesecake decided I had to make two, one for him of course. Apparently since I had never made this particular cheesecake before he had to taste test it before handing it over. Uh huh...

So yesterday I made two Layered Turtle Cheesecakes

(link has a picture of the real deal, I don't think I did to bad)

I often wonder if my hubby knows just how spoiled he is.

The biggest bow...

2010-11-20T20:57:00.000-06:00

Nothing like a quick project to make you feel like your in the swing of things again. And believe me I have been feeling so out of sorts it was necessary.

So today I made this bow and thought a little accessorizing would be fun...

I think the possibilities for cutesy photo shoots are endless with this thing.

But the only place I could get Sophie to leave it alone was right on her cute little tush, so there it stayed.

As I chased her through the house and up the stairs. She refused to sit still, it's almost like the sound of the shutter gives her crazy energy. So much so you would have thought she was on a sugar high.

But I eeked out a few cute shots and she remained happy so I can't complain.

These darn things are so cute and easy so if you want to make one this is what I did..

With worsted yarn and J/6mm hook

Ch 60 join to first chain ch2

DC for 7 rows

Flatten with working yarn in middle and wrap around evenly

Fasten off..

I took chunky yarn braided it and pulled through the wrapped yarn to tie around her waist but you could do anything with this concept and make it your own.

A day at Dog Beach

2010-11-18T01:10:00.000-06:00

Life has certainly been catching up with me these past few weeks. Scott was in the field for his usual 2 weeks this month and just got home last weekend. We spent the weekend at my sister's new place. She moved a mere mile down the road but that makes it a small 6 block walk to Dog Beach. Which means Lucy is one happy clam. There is not a dog on that beach that can keep up with her, she went the water for that ball over and over for a few hours straight. We got a kick out of other dog owners taking turns throwing the ball for her because their dogs refused to go in the water.

Of course even with freezing cold water the kids all had a blast too. We will definitely be coming here a lot more if they have any say.

The craziness of everyday life on top of the approaching holidays is just about enough to make me mad.

I don't know that I have ever needed a break more then I do now, but that's life right?

Here's hoping a brighter less hectic day soon.

My Creative Space

2010-11-10T18:34:00.000-06:00

I have been knitting this week. Not as much as I wish I could, but a little here and there has yielded a few finished items...

I made a few more little hoods. And as soon as I can convince the kids to give me some smiles on camera I will add this style to my Etsy. Even the bribes didn't work today....

Case and point....

Doesn't he just look Sooo happy...

Sophie didn't complain as much but she refused to sit still even for a second. Seems the dog chasing rocks that Shay was throwing was just about the best thing ever. I guess at this age I should be happy with anything..

I give it a week or two and this girl will be walking...

I'm in trouble now...

I did finish my first knit scarf. And since the oldest daughter has a hurt ankle I knew I could get her to stay in one place. However she was not happy about having to hop 10 ft to get there.

But my oh my, I did get a smile out of her. Just this one though and thankfully I snapped this gem of a pic right up.

Is it me or does this look like a magazine shot?

Maybe I am just being mom here but I love it.

She cut her bangs without my permission and I couldn't be upset because I think they are just darling.

Funny though, she did try to hide it from me and wore a hat. I spied her bangs when she quickly took it off for a second and didn't let her know until the hubby got home and told her to show dad her bangs. She looked at me with astonishment.."How did you know?" When will they learn we have eyes in the back of our heads?

That's all folks, hope you are having a wonderful week...

Remember to hop on over to Kirsty's if you haven't yet..

A first for me...

2010-11-10T12:21:00.000-06:00

I actually got the nerve up to sell one of my patterns. It's amazing how nail biting it is to put yourself out there like this. I really hope people who buy it really enjoy the pattern and more importantly that I didn't miss something when I transferred it over to the PDF file. Which by the way I owe a huge thank you to all who gave me info on how to do. And since I would really love a few projects in Ravelry I will send this pattern to the first 3 Crochet Ravelers that leave a comment and want to make this poncho. Oh and this pattern is for a toddler sized poncho. Although with a bit added length my 3yr old could easily fit it. Especially if you use the bulky yarn suggested...

And in case you are wondering what pattern I am talking about.....

Remember this??

Sunday Morning...

2010-11-08T01:02:00.000-06:00

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend..

Stash busting

2010-11-04T18:58:00.001-05:00

I have been trying my darnedest to use up all my excess yarn before I even think about buying more.

It gets tough when you get to those bulky ones that you don't have enough to do much with or you can't remember what the heck you ever bought it for in the first place.

Enter, bright green bulky stuff. Decided I would make another hat. Didn't have enough to really do anything for Shay so I made a little "fold in half" bonnet for Sophie. A bit surprised actually that she does happen to have 3 or 4 outfits that have this color in them..

I cast on 34 with size 13 circs

(when I make again I will add 4 more I think or crochet a bottom border.)

When it fit over her head "the main reason I used circs" I just folded it in half and kitchenered the back closed. Then of course added the braids with three strands pulled through in the front. I like the curl so I counted back a few stitches when doing this.

Edit to add a little more clarification.... you are working on the long side with the starting point being the very front of the hat and working back. You fold it in half with half stitches on one need and half on the other, then sew it closed however you want. 3 needle bind off is probably easier then Kitchener just depends on what type of seem you want.

I have seen a few of these around ravelry and blogland and always thought they were too cute so

had to give it a go. It's one of those, under an hour projects that do the trick.

Don't ya think?

My Creative Space

2010-11-03T17:53:00.000-05:00

Still slowly working on the sizing of my new hat. Ordinary life around here as been halted due to a horrible stomach bug that is hitting us one by one and hard. I can't even tell you how many upchucks have happened in the past 5 days. All I know is once I have my energy back the bleach is coming out. I don't think we have ever had a bug hit each of us in succession like this, it's really odd.

But enough about that here's the hat...

As soon as I am feeling better I plan on tackling the pattern so if anyone has a little one 3/6/12 months or 2t/3t and wants to test it for me just let me know.

XOXO

You know where to GO

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T15:53:00.000-05:00

Oh Halloween how we love thee...

OK I should clarify, I do love to steal a few sweets from the kids grab bags but the reality of the situation is quite a nightmare.

Especially when you have several kids collecting the goods.

I feel like a bad mom hoarding the candy in my closet but the other option would be to let them eat it all as fast as they can while driving me completely batty in the meantime until it the sugar high wore off.

So I will have to listen to the whining and deal with the constant asking until only the unwanted candy is left. All in the name of my sanity....I think....

Here on post they did "trick or treat" on Friday. The kids had a blast of course and have been living on a slight sugar high for the past few days. Sophie dressed up for her first costume. She didn't participate this year but sat quietly in her stroller watching all the crazy costumes run by.

Shay was the cutest Hobo ever, and totally got the concept of Halloween this year which was so fun to experience.

The A's are getting to the age where they want to roam free for the night and I haven't quite gotten there yet so Alexis and Ayden dressed up and Andrew just followed us around on his bike pouting a bit. I told him next year if he can prove trustworthy. We are having the typical teenage issues around here with him and I am keeping my fingers crossed that being tough now will give me a bit of a break in the near future.

Here's hoping..

And as if they didn't get enough teeth shattering sugar, my dad showed up this weekend with a big box of random candy from gumballs to sour gummy worms that apparently came off one of his truck deliveries.

Seriously I could throw a party from just that batch and still have leftovers.

My teeth hurt just thinking about it.

All in all in was a good day and the kids "for the most part" had a great time.

And wouldn't you know last night I saw my first Christmas commercial.

It just about made me cry, I am just not ready for that yet...

Seriously people slow it down with the holiday mumble jumble.

I can't handle it...

Sew your own way....

2010-10-28T17:48:00.000-05:00

Selling these HERE

I have a list of things I want to do/sell/bake etc. And I feel like I can't get to any of them fast enough. Mainly because 90% of my day is spent holding a certain little chubsters.

This little lot of hats is checked off my to-do list finally (took me over a week ). Life has just been hectic around here for random reasons. I could sure use a "me time" break. Until then I will sneak bits and pieces of my day away to create.

Around here..

2010-10-26T17:37:00.000-05:00

I know to most people living on a military base is pretty foreign. And without fail every time we are getting ready to move to a new one I find myself searching the Internet for as many photos that I can of our soon to be new home.

I have even gotten frustrated with several blogs that live on said base and don't post pictures of their surroundings. And then I realized the other day that I was pretty much one of those bloggers too.

So if your just curious to know what it would be like to live here at Fort Irwin or if you are a soon to be PCS'er and are looking for hints to your new home I thought I would take pics of our day to help you out.

We started out with a walk to Starbucks, now that pumpkin spice is in season it's a must have in my book...

During the lunch hour rush we headed to the PX so that I could buy yet another set of headphones for the Ipod since the A's keep taking off with my other ones. And Shay decided to prop himself up high so he could shoot down the Soldiers as they drove to get their grub on.

Of course every mom knows to have a few quarters handy when you step outside the store...

As we headed back we strolled past the Helicopter pad and waited a bit to see if we could catch one take off.

Near the barracks you can find many retired Army vehicles on display. Great for little boys to climb all over.

And of course one thing there is never a shortage of on a military post are parks.

Shay made sure we didn't pass up the neighborhood park before we headed back in the house.

There are of course a few big kid things to do like movies, bowling alley, basketball courts, pools and even a skate park. Which has prompted the A's to add new sskateboards to their Christmas list with a warning, " not the cheap ones you buy at Wal-Mart" Thanks for the clarification stinkers.

Granted we are about 30 miles away from the nearest city, but this post has much to offer and outside of the obvious desert heat that strikes during the summer, the weather is pretty nice as is the view..

Each and ever Army post is what you make it. And I hope I helped inform you what this one is like on an average ordinary day.

Makin' Whoopie....

2010-10-21T19:03:00.000-05:00

Pies that is.......

Seriously you need to make these if you are even the slightest kind of pumpkin lover. I made them last night after the kids were in bed and I was afraid I might eat them all before morning.

So just make sure you are not solo when these come out of the oven.

Just a warning :)

I used 2 tbsp of pumpkin pie spice instead of the separate spices and 3/4 cup oil + 1/4 cup heavy cream in place of the full cup of oil.

From: Martha Stewart

FOR THE PUMPKIN WHOOPIE COOKIES

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon ground cloves

2 cups firmly packed dark-brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 cups pumpkin puree, chilled

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE CREAM-CHEESE FILLING

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1.Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat; set aside.

2.In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until well combined. Add pumpkin puree and whisk until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Sprinkle flour mixture over pumpkin mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.

3.Using a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Transfer to oven and bake until cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cookie comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on pan.

4.Make the filling: Sift confectioner' sugar into a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add cream cheese and beat until well combined. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla, beat just until smooth. (Filling can be made up to a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate; let stand at room temperature to soften before using.)

5.Assemble the whoopie pies: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Transfer filling to a disposable pastry bag and snip the end. When cookies have cooled completely, pipe a large dollop of filling on the flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edge of the cookies. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate cookies at least 30 minutes before serving and up to 3 days.

.

My Creative Space

2010-10-20T17:38:00.000-05:00

Keeping busy with the yarn.

I stumbled upon the Phildar magazines a few weeks ago and was smitten.

Of course I have no clue how to speak French but after drooling over them for a bit I noticed they had a few of the books in English..SCORE..

So I am working on my first pieced project ( a hooded sweater) for Sophie. Although I was worried it would be too small if I went with the 12 mos size and now the 18 mos is looking huge.

At least it will last her a bit..

And if you spy that little hat in the corner, it's a new pattern I am working on. The sizing is driving me bonkers but I am loving the effect so it's worth it.

This one is way to big for Sophie more of a 2T size but it should be an easy fix.

Oh and I wanted to ask for those who have made PDF patterns. What program do you use to write them up? I would really love to start offering patterns in PDF format but not sure how to go about it. So any info would be much appreciated. TIA

Hope you are having a productive week, we are enjoying the cooler weather and bouts of rain storms. A nice break from the insane heat of the past months...

Be sure to pop over to Kirsty's for the usual creative fun!

Happy Feet

2010-10-20T02:42:00.000-05:00

Little Ripple Cardi

2010-10-18T20:49:00.001-05:00

Here is the project I have been working on the past few days.

For such a little thing it has driven me up a wall trying to crack the code.

I have made it too big, uneven, and who knows how many times I have ripped out a row here and there because of miss counting. And although I think it's adorable it's still not quite right.

THIS is the pattern I am basing it off of. If you want to have a go.

But that's life in the creative lane right??

At least I finished this version just before the sun went down to snap a few fun pics..

I think I will step away for a few days and regain some love for the dang thing...

Hope your creative endeavors are far less frustrating this week.

Moving along

2010-10-17T17:05:00.000-05:00

Well the quiet around here is certainly not from lack of activity. But then usually that is why posts become sparse right? Seems future Poker Nights and the knowledge of a possible family visit for Christmas have sparked quite a bit of warmth under our tushes to check things off of our to-do list.

There has been a bit of painting, sewing and even power tool using, work going on around here.

And yes I did finish those curtains. Here is proof and the happy color to go along with it.....Which of course only entices me to buy more accessories for the room since Scott can not figure out why I would go with blue for curtains. But then he is a beige kind of guy so it doesn't surprise me one bit.

In the name of exercise I did manage to get out of the house with the kids and climb a local hill Scott often climbs for Army PT. I wasn't sure it was smart bringing Shay along but he did surprisingly well and had a blast to boot. It was nice to get out of the house and exert energy in a different way for a bit. And since the Army uses Rucksacks as extra weight when climbing the hill I toted my own along.

Now who can say they have climbed a hill all while taking a nap???

Stinker...

I think we may have to make this journey a weekly thing. The view of the base is quite lovely.

Oh and I have also made a few bucks selling cheesecakes to the guys and a few Crochet hats to friends.

Can never have enough cash stashed away to help with the Holidays.

They seriously are approaching way too fast.

I will be back tomorrow with another project I have been fidgeting with.

Hope you all are having a great day..