So, we've had some snow...

I love snow. Growing up here in the Pacific Northwest (BC-ers call it the "South Coast"), I was very aware that "we never get enough snow". Most times we have a green Christmas, and some winters we don't get any snow that "sticks".

Common comments about winter weather here:
"It's snowing, but it isn't sticking."
"The snow's sticking! But it'll rain tomorrow."
"Wow! It snowed 4 inches!"
"No, it isn't snowing."
"No, sweetie, it still isn't snowing."
"No, sweetie, it still isn't snowing. Maybe it will snow tonight."
"No, sweetie, it looks like it isn't going to snow this time."

:)


The kids are definitely enjoying the snow, but it's warming up now. In a few days, when the rain comes, our deep snow will slowly, surely melt away.

sigh

So, what have I been doing?

Finishing.




















Finishing.










Finishing.



















(I don't know why the top picture is sideways...Blogger did it.) So, yes, I finished my Ballet Wrap Cardigan from Interweave Knits! I finished it at the Womens Craft Weekend, which was my goal. Yay! I like it very much. The sleeves might be a tiny bit too long (I'm a shorty), but they haven't been annoying me yet, so it should be okay. I also crocheted the ties instead of knitting them. To be honest, I was tired of knitting this yarn. The sleeves just about made me nuts, they seemed to take FOREVER! I couldn't bear the thought of knitting two ribbed 50 inch ties that were only 7 stitches wide. The yarn is textured, so I don't think it's obvious (and especially not to non-knitters).

I also finished Monkey-Boy's Rainbow Blanket. He loves it very much, but still wants his "white blanket", which is rapidly decreasing in size. I decided to make him a new blanket because the blanket I made him as a baby is falling apart. That's what happens when you chew on a crocheted blanket. I'm not heart-broken because to be honest, it hadn't turned out how I wanted. I think the pattern was actually written for bulky-weight, not worsted weight, so it was quite loose and airy - not the best for a toddler who drags it around everywhere. It looks terribly ratty now. Of course, he still loves it, so as it disintigrates, it'll just keep getting smaller until he gives it up. His Rainbow Blanket uses the same stitch, but with a smaller hook, so it's a lot denser and should hold up better.

The booties and hat were way too cute to not make. This is the first time I brought home a knitting magazine, dug out the yarn and cast on the next day! My friend just had a little guy and he's tiny, so I made the 3-month size and I think they'll fit him in the new year.

I've also been making some Christmas gifties, but I've just wrapped them and I forgot to take a picture. Oh well, I'm planning to make some more.

3-day vacation

Well, I'm off to a "Women's Craft Weekend" at Timberline Ranch! For three days, I will be without TKHubband and the monkey-children. I'm not sure what I'm going to do! :D

I'm going with my mother-in-law, my future sister-in-law and her mom. We're all rooming together, which should be a lot of fun. I've packed too many projects because I don't really know what to expect. 4 bags for a 3-day camp...Well, okay, one bag is my sleeping bag and pillow, so that doesn't count. One bag is my clothes (the smallest one). One small suitcase for my card stuff, one large tote for my yarn projects (largest bag) and two small boxes with my scrapbooking stuff (these will fit with my yarn stuff later). That's not that bad...right?

Everyone's meeting here in an hour to load up our van and then it will be maybe an hour's drive to the camp. Unfortunately it's rainy and dark, so the drive won't be great, but I'm sure the company will make it fun.

Time to cook dinner for the monkey-children and TKHubband. Then I have to clean out the van a bit so it'll be ready to load.

Have a great weekend!

Remember our war veterans and soldiers tomorrow on Remembrance Day.
(Really, we take our freedoms too much for granted.)

It's November again...

Fall is the busiest time and is also the time of the year when I have the least amount of energy.

I think the energy thing is because of all the stuff starting to pile up: birthdays, holidays, school stuff, etc. My energy is stretched in more areas. Well, that combined with the tilting of the northern hemisphere away from the sun...
I don't really notice the evenings getting earlier through August or even September, it's when the rains come and the time changes in late October that it surprises me how dark it is so early (and yes, it surprises me every year...talk about short term memory!). :)
So, November is dark. No Christmas lights up yet, and it's dull and gray most of the days because of the rain and it gets dark around 5...maybe 4:30. (Now, I can't really complain about it because in the summer, well, it's sunny until nearly 10.) But I sure notice the lack of sun this time of year on the "wet coast".

I'll have to take the kids outside to splash in the puddles. That'll probably help a bit. :)