At my Hearth

Sewing and such

2008-06-07T23:51:00.003-05:00

I have been sewing quite a bit the past few days. I would love to post pictures of my completed projects, but Speedy B has left the camera in the van...and they took the van to the races. Unfortunately, one of the projects has already left. I monogramed a pillowcase for a friend from church. She actually paid me...woo hoo! That was fun.

The second project was a homemade pillowcase for Cowodie to take to a party tomorrow. The case made up well, then I began the embroidery. Of course the machine had to mess up! I spent over an hour picking out the stitches. I am pretty sure I could have made a new pillowcase faster. But Cowodie had already shopped the stash and found just what he wanted and there wasn't enough to make another one. The things we do for our children.

Now I am hemming my new dress. I am determined to wear it to church tomorrow. I am hemming by hand. I know the machine will do a blind hem stitch, but after the picking threads fiasco, I don't want to try something I am unfamiliar with and risk ripping again!

Why you might ask am I hemming a dress at 12:00 a.m. Because I joined a silly read along lead by one of my Ravelry groups. The title of the book is The Historian...sounds nice enough right? Well, I sent Speedy B into Barnes and Noble to pick it up for me, thus I did not read the cover before purchasing. It is a vampire book people! I don't read that genre...I have an overactive imagination, I don't need encouragement. So here I sit in my bedroom, two whole walls of windows, listening to my children snore in my bed, waiting for RacerDad to get home from the races...still hours away, needing to go move laundry to the dryer but it is a whole house away, past three doors and LOTS of dark windows...scaring myself silly. And I have only read the book in the broad daylight. Why on earth am I doing this to myself???? Maybe it is time to turn on 27 Dresses and think happy thoughts.

If you happen to think of it, please say a prayer for RacerDad. He interviews with the Deacon committee at church tomorrow. They have asked him to consider being up for nomination and this is the next step.

Heard in my Kitchen

2008-06-05T10:46:00.002-05:00

I was cutting an apple for Smoda when the knife slipped grazing my finger. As I was looking to see if I had a cut, his sweet six year old voice said "you are as tough as a boy". The ultimate compliment!

50 Days of Summer

2008-06-05T10:41:00.002-05:00

Katie had a wonderful idea she is terming 50 Days of Summer. I am going to have to play around with it a bit to take into account trips to visit grandparents, VBS and such. But there are some great ideas to make summer special.

2008-06-04T07:36:00.002-05:00

Little did Ms. Knit Sox know she would shame me into posting a blog entry by tagging me for a meme. So....here is an entry.

Rules of the game are posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

A: I was a stay at home mom getting used to life with two. My oldest was two, I had a newborn and we had just moved into our first home. We moved into the house when Cowodie was 9 days old! I remember sitting in amidst a pile of boxes crying because I didn't have the energy or desire to unpack. Thank goodness for my friend Stacy who came over and just started hanging pictures. She told me I could change them when I felt more like myself, but for now "let's get them off the floor".

2.What are 5 things on my to-do list for today (not in any particular order)?

A: Make our weekly bread. Embroider Cowodie's beach towel. Finish my dress I am making. School with the boys. Clean the kitchen.

3. Snacks I enjoy?

A: WW friendly: 94%ff kettle corn popcorn, laughing cow cheese with triscuits, snap peas Non WW friendly: anything chocolate!

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire?

A: Tithe. Find someone smarter than me to help me handle it. Go on mission trips.

5. Places I have lived?

A: Tulsa, OK; Stillwater, OK (home of Oklahoma State University); Armonk, NY; Dobbs Ferry NY; Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex, TX

6. Jobs I've had?

A: Before High School: babysitting, filing in my mom's accounting office; During high school: worked at a grocery store, continued at mom's office; During college: Grocery store, resume writer, bookstore; Career: teacher; Now: best job ever for me...mom/homemaker

7. Peeps I want to know more about?

A: Anyone who wants to play along may join. And, if you don't want to, that's okay too.

76 degrees...then snow

2008-03-03T21:05:00.002-06:00

This weekend was absolutely gorgeous. Saturday 76 and sunny, yesterday was still warm but cloudy and gloomy with a cold front moving in last night. Today it never got out of the 30's and sleet began this evening. And now...

SNOW!!!! The only bad thing, it is bedtime so the only snow fall we have this year and the boys don't get to enjoy it. Of course the ground is too warm for it to stick and tomorrow it will be back up in the 50's, but for now it is absolutely beautiful.

Blue...

2008-03-01T19:54:00.003-06:00

Today I am a bit blue. Not too sure why. I should be excited. RacerDad and Speedy B went racing. Cowodie is spending the night with a friend. Which leaves Smoda and I home alone. He goes to bed early so I can curl up in my chair with knitting and a movie. But I feel lonely. I hate days like this...

Knitting Content

2008-02-26T13:26:00.003-06:00

I have actual knitting content today. Can you believe it??? And two are finished objects to boot!
The first item is my multi-directional scarf. I first became aware of this pattern when I met Tasha for the first time. She was knitting one at a meetup and I remember thinking ...wow that would be hard, it is all short rows. I felt a sense of accomplishment when I finished it, especially since I was able to complete it in a weekend. The yarn is Noro Silk Garden. I have to say I am not that impressed with the yarn...the colors yes, they are amazing. But the yarn itself is scratchy. So I put it with my denim jacket, up under the collar and just let it be an accessory. Good thing I live in Texas where warmth isn't usually an issue.

My next finished object was Smoda's blanket. He was so excited when I finished it. While it was fairly mindless knitting, I have to say the weaving of the ends almost did me in. Smoda has enjoyed wagging it around the house and I try not to cringe too much when he ties it around his neck for a "jedi mission". I am glad he loves it...but gently please.
Now for an object that is in progress. I am making the Nina Shawl from Mason-Dixon Knitting. I fell in love with the colors and so had to do one exactly like in the book. I wish I had searched around Ravelry and read some comments before I bought my yarn and began the project. The consensus is the shawl is short and most people have added rows. I agree that it is too short, unfortunately, I had purchased my yarn and couldn't find more to make it longer. It fits and for a summer shawl, I guess I truly don't want it to wrap around...just cover my shoulders. I am almost finished, lack one more color strip and then the black ruffles on the ends.

Enjoying Some Peace and Quiet

2008-02-23T16:41:00.002-06:00

Hard to believe, but I am spending the day at home...not at baseball, not running a million errands, not doing anything I don't want to...for the moment. I say for the moment, because my dear mother-in-law will be here soon. Cowodie needed to stay in today, he is still trying to kick his sinus infection. So I let RacerDad take Speedy B to baseball and I kept the little boys at home.

I have knit a bit on my Monkey socks using Tempted Yarns "Roxanne". They are turning out lovely and are a very proving to be the quick and easy knit everyone promised. I have also taken some long awaited pictures to show that I have been knitting. I will try to post those tomorrow or Monday.

This morning at my WW meeting there was a suggestion for picking up the flavor of the 100 calorie pack popcorn. Now I didn't have a problem with the original, but I must say I found it a bit of a boring snack. I am not sure why I didn't think of this suggestion, it is so easy...spray butter (0 cal) and a bit of salt. Made it a bit ago and it was as good as movie popcorn. Definitely a good alternative for salty snacks.

A Pill of a Problem

2008-02-22T05:56:00.002-06:00

Do you remember when you "learned" how to swallow pills? I don't. And I don't remember my oldest son ever having an issue when he moved from the liquid form of medicines to pills. Yesterday I witnessed someone learning to swallow pills...quite the adventure.

My middle son, Cowodie, has had an intermittent drippy nose and headache for the last few weeks. On Wednesday his throat was so sore he would not even talk. Now for those of you who know this sweet child, he is anything but quiet, so I knew his throat was really sore. I couldn't get in to see the doctor until yesterday morning and of course Cowodie's throat was better. We kept the appointment thinking that possibly the drippy nose and headache were hold overs from a sinus infection he had in January. The doctor concurred that the infection was not over and Cowodie needed another round of antibiotics. She asked me if I thought he could take a pill and I told her I wasn't sure, he hadn't ever done it. So not wanting him to "learn" to take pills when he was sick (tell me when you take pills if you aren't sick) the doctor gave him a liquid.

When I went to get the prescription filled, I knew it was not a good sign when the technician's eyes got wide as she looked at the computer screen. She asked me if I wanted generic and I told her no problem. Her eyes didn't get much better. She then told me the price....$240, ouch! She offered to call the doctor and see about a different med or to see if pills would be okay. I was surprised to find out that the pill form of the same medicine was only $114.

We ended up with the pills and suggestions for how to take them. Cowodie loved the first suggestion swallowing m&m's, until he realized he didn't get to eat them, just swallow. He has such a strong gag reflex, I began to worry he would not be able to swallow. After 30 minutes of struggling, giggling and snorting water through his nose, he got one down, one m&m that is. I couldn't imagine doing this with two 300mg pills every day for the next 14 days! Another suggestion was using a straw to suck in the water and he would forget that he was swallowing a pill...this from a woman who used to work with geriatric patients. Another m&m along with a straw, this one took only 15 minutes.

When it came time to take the actual pill, he did a little better...but I think it is going to be a loooooong two weeks!

Learning...ever Learning

2008-02-15T13:29:00.003-06:00

Happy Anniversary to Ewe
Originally uploaded by baseballmom_66

I feel so silly even posting this. I am on Ravelry and had noticed the lovely yarn pictures that all the knitters have... my pictures always seemed to be lacking. The colors were not very clear, if I zoomed in the picture quality was fuzzy, etc.

The other day I was playing around with Moo cards, trying to get some printed for the Loopy Spring Fling. I once again looked through my flickr pictures, not finding any that I was proud enough of to pass around to others. Then I noticed the edit button. Hmmm wonder what that is for? I decided to play around with it, I had nothing to lose. Well what do you know...it works. The pictures I ended up with turned out quite lovely.

So in case there are any of you out there that have not experimented with the edit button I encourage you to give it a try. I might turn into a photographer yet.....naw...but at least I will have better pictures!

New Favorite Recipe

2008-01-24T13:13:00.000-06:00

As I have stated before, I love to cook. Unfortunately most of my favorite cooking includes comfort foods and desserts. Weight Watchers has curbed some of my cooking, not totally a bad thing...so if I find a good recipe that works with my new eating lifestyle it is really exciting for me.

Spicy Thai Wraps has become a new staple for me. Quick and easy to make as well as quite tasty.

Ingredients:
1 tsp. oil
1 cup packaged coleslaw (no dressing)
crushed red pepper to taste (start with 1/4 tsp)

Cook coleslaw and pepper in oil till wilted and tender, app. 3 minutes.

2 oz. turkey
5 chopped peanuts
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp soy sauce

Add the above to hot skillet with coleslaw mixture. Cook till heated through.

Divide between two Carb Balanced Whole Wheat Tortillas. On WW, this recipe counts as 4 points. Quite filling.

2008-01-23T16:23:00.000-06:00

It's been so long since I blogged I am not really sure where to begin... It is not that I haven't had things I want to say. Just truly haven't had the time, or the desire if the time is there.

I have been knitting quite a bit. I am so close to finishing Smoda's blanket that I am having a hard time putting down the knitting. My goal was to finish it before the end of January and I believe I will be able to do it. My only concern is I must border the blanket with a crocheted edge and I am not sure if I have enough of each color. Oh well, I will know in the next few days.

I have also been reading lately...well that is not quite true. I read all the time, but lately I am reading more. My current book is World Without End. I am enjoying it as much as I did Pillars of the Earth years ago. Medieval history is so fascinating.

My big news is that I will be attending a knitting retreat. Not just any knitting retreat, but Sheri from the Loopy Ewe is hosting Spring Fling '08 in St. Louis. I can hardly wait. I am still pinching myself that RacerDad was okay with me attending. Especially since it is in the middle of baseball season. With three boys playing ball, two at the select level, we have loads of games and practices.

Well, I feel better now. At least I have updated something!

Cooking...

2007-11-29T22:34:00.000-06:00

For those of you who read my earlier post today, you know that I am hosting the Women's Ministry Christmas party. So of course today should have been filled with cleaning, organizing and decorating. After all it is D-Day minus 9. But is that what I did? Well certainly not!

I love to cook. Absolutely love to cook. Try new recipes, the harder the better. Interesting ingredients, you name it. Rachel Ray, Martha Stewart, Paula Deen and Southern Living were some of my favorite cooks/recipes to peruse. Then came Weight Watchers. Now on Flex, I have learned that there are no foods that are taboo. I just have to count the points, some are too hard to figure and some foods just cost too much. It is a very workable plan, but it caused me to turn my back on my foodie favs. The effort and temptation were too much.

The other day I was searching for something to do with some of the 285 pounds of pork that I brought back from Oklahoma. Yes, I typed that correctly 285 pounds! I pulled out Rachel. There on page 84 of 365: No Repeats was a tempting menu and it didn't sound too bad from a WW perspective. Rosemary-Orange Pork Chops and Lemon-Butter Broccolini. Now I am going to admit my denseness, I thought Broccolini was a Rachelism kind of like EVOO. But there in the recipe it called for 3 bunches of Broccolini. Thank goodness for the internet. Sure enough it is a real item a cross between broccoli and Chinese Kale. I thought well there goes that recipe, I won't find it in my neck of the woods. I will have to wait until I make a trip to Central Market. Imagine my surprise when I actually found it at my local grocers, now I bought all they had...but they did carry it!

Today, began with good intentions. I was in the kitchen cleaning and saw some pie pumpkins that needed to be cooked, so today became cooking day. Ahh, heaven. I cleaned (yuck, pumpkin guts), baked and pureed the pumpkins. I then figured since I was already in the kitchen I would fix my special dinner...these don't happen much with our baseball schedule. I did alter the menu slightly. Rachel suggested crusty bread to go along with...I know my weakness. I didn't dare. So I made a couscous dish instead. Thanks to my friend, Glenda, I cooked it in chicken broth with a touch of poultry seasoning and added some fresh cranberries. Yum!

Now at 10:45 p.m. I have two loaves of banana bread in the oven...well I did have some bananas that needed to be used or thrown away. So I am cleaning off a counter top! I am not one step closer to ready for the party, but I sure did enjoy my day.

Ack! Parties on the Horizon

2007-11-29T06:25:00.000-06:00

I don't know what I was thinking! Back in July it really seemed like a good idea to offer my home for the Women's Ministry Christmas party. I really do enjoy having people over and we have been blessed with our home and soooo I would like to bless others.

But evidently I didn't think of the logistics of having between 50 and 75 women here for dinner and gift exchange. I have not even begun to decorate...I can't keep the regular "mess" under control right now, thus I don't want to add trees and such. I better figure out something, the party is on December 8...9 days away.

Then as soon as the Women's party is over I must plan something for Smoda's 6th birthday. He typically wants to go to Chuckie Cheese. Works for me. This year he is wanting to have a "Spiderman Jedi" party. What is that you might ask? If you find out, please let me know! All he will say is that he definitely wants a "pie in his face, chocolate please". A pie in his face?? Like in the Three Stooges? No, like they did to Brother Richard at VBS this summer. The joys of motherhood.

Weekly Weigh-in

2007-11-28T00:00:00.000-06:00

Well, I didn't make my goal of 1.8 this week. I actually only lost .2. I will admit I was VERY upset with myself when I got off the scale. This is the first time in this journey that I have felt failure. Even the week that I gained a pound wasn't this bad. Reflecting back on the week, I am sure the reason I am so upset is because I did everything right. As I said last week, I had gotten sloppy on journaling and lackadaisical on exercise. This week, I did everything I know to do and lost less weight than last week!

I am done with my pity party. Most people in my meeting gained weight, they were even afraid to look at their weight diary. I did have a loss. A new week has begun and a good attitude will take me a long way!

Loss this week: -0.2
Total weight loss: -48.4

On the Home Front

2007-11-24T12:17:00.001-06:00

When we moved into this house, I knew I wanted to paint (or have painted) the foyer. It was a massive expanse of white walls. I loved the fact that it was big and open, but when you see walls that go up for 20 feet, white can become a bit cold. And I did not want my home to seem cold and uninviting. But as with all home improvements, you have to wait for the right time, money, etc. And in this case, RacerDad was daunted by the height and I needed help. Barb from the baseball team came to my rescue. She was needing some auto work done and was willing to barter her painting expertise for the work. YEA for me!!!

Now the foyer is a lovely shade from Sherwin Williams called Camelback. The art niches became a beautiful shade of red. I think this niche (between the formal dining and family room) is one of my favorite spots in the house.

Unfortunately in the following picture the wall color becomes a bit washed out. It is not near as brown as it appears here. It is actually more in the light golden family. The mirror is one of the great things that RacerDad brought into the marriage. I saved it, he was going to get rid of "the old thing". His mother always wants to "touch it up" with gold paint (ugh!). I love the patina of the frame, it is perfect for me. I picked up the table at our church garage sale. We had the church remodeled and the ladies in charge of the new furniture wanted everything to match. Lucky for me I bought a great table with no nicks or scratches for $25.

Christmas Music

2007-11-23T19:13:00.000-06:00

Have you heard that Michael W. Smith has a new Christmas album?? The songs I have heard are absolutely lovely. I will definitely be adding this one to the Christmas music this year.

What Christmas music can you not live without? I am always looking for something new to add. We like it all here...carols, traditional choirs, funky and funny.

Finished Objects - November

2007-11-23T09:26:00.001-06:00

I have actually completed two major projects this month. Fall was SOOO busy with baseball that I had lots of knitting time. I decided have knit long enough, it was time to try a garment other than socks. Obviously, I didn't have much confidence in myself I made a vest - no sleeves and very little shaping. Things went well knitting from the bottom up, until I got to the armholes. All of a sudden I developed a hole. If it hadn't been for Tasha and Lise, I would have ripped the whole thing out. Tasha ripped back and picked up the live stitches for me. Then Lise was able to figure out it wasn't me, but a fallacy with the moss stitch pattern. I was able to finish it in time to wear it for Thanksgiving. It was warm (which I needed with the cold front that came through!) and I did actually receive some compliments on it.

The yarn is Brown Sheep Serendipity Tweed in Ivy. It is a 60/40 wool/cotton blend, very cushy. The pattern was from Patternworks.

The project I am especially proud of is my Lady Eleanor Entrelac Stole. I had seen Liz working on hers this summer and I am such a copycat I wanted it exactly like hers. So I ordered the same yarn (Jojoland - rhythm), in the same color way and ended up with a totally different look. Her stole was cooler- more blues and greens. Mine still has a lot of greens, but I have more reds.

This was a fun knit and great to do during baseball, it required very little thinking. At first I was intimidated by the fringe, but I am so glad I bit the bullet and completed it. I think the fringe really makes the project.

Hunting Season

2007-11-23T08:42:00.000-06:00

I had never experienced Black Friday until last year. I know, I know...how can a girl skip the biggest shopping day of the year?? Well to begin with, I didn't grow up shopping the day after Thanksgiving. My mother had usually already completed her gift purchasing by that time and my grandmother hated crowds. Holiday travel plans as an adult put me in either Wichita Falls, Texas or Coweta, Oklahoma...neither a shopping mecca.

Then came Black Friday 2006. A sweet friend knew that we would be in town for Thanksgiving and asked what my shopping plans were. I could literally hear her jaw drop over the phone line. "Honey, don't you know this is a woman's equivalent to deer season?" Who knew? I figured why not give it a try, I had nothing better to do. Marie then began giving me lessons, target practice, getting the deer lease and setting up the blind. In other words, I needed to get the ads, figure out my purchases, and then scope out the store opening times. I never knew shopping could be so complicated. She picked me up at 4:30 that morning. I believe I heard RacerDad chuckle as he rolled over, in his defense he does snore....maybe that was it.

We began at Target. The line was unbelievable. Most of the crowd was very pleasant passing the time chatting, until they saw people cutting in line. The nerve! As the doors opened all congeniality ceased. The hunt was on! People literally ran, elbows out pushing to get to the best "deals". This type of shopping is definitely not for the faint of heart. I scored on some of the biggest game, MP3 players. Pure beginner's luck I am sure. Many more stores followed, none with quite the hysteria, purchases completed ...Marie had me home at 7:46 a.m. She deemed it a success and I now knew what all the hype was about.

This year, there was only one item that could lure me out into the pandemonium again. I saw the object at the top of Speedy B's list was on sale as a "door buster" at Kohl's. Their doors opened at 4:00 a.m. I had a brief lapse of sanity, I thought I can leave my house at 3:30 make my purchase and be home by 4:30...what a deal. Off to Kohl's I went, same line scene as last year. Only this time, being alone I brought my faithful ipod with my current book in progress (an Elizabeth Peters mystery, absolutely delightful!). I went in the doors as they opened...someone in the back of the line actually bleated like a sheep, how true! I searched the store, my item was not there. It had never been there, can you say false advertising? Now I knew I had seen the same thing at Bed Bath and Beyond in Denton so I figured I would just go ahead and pick it up there. Did I mention I was in Lewisville? Just a 20 minute drive, no big deal. Off to Denton, to find that the store did not open until 6:00. What am I going to do? An hour and a half, go home? No because I wouldn't be able get back out without the boys. So I went to Penney's. Half of Denton must have been there. I don't think I have ever seen their parking lot so full. I picked up a few things I didn't know I needed and stood in a LONG line. Back to BBB, disappointment again. I hadn't seen it at BBB but at Linens and Things....in LEWISVILLE! What's a hunter to do? I had it in my target I wasn't about to let it escape. So I drove back to Lewisville. Sure enough, there was my trophy. The store coupon, my reward for being there early was for 20% bringing the total to almost $20 less than the sale price at Kohl's.

Success! But will I do this again next year? I don't plan on it. I really don't get a thrill from getting there before sunrise and I can't say there is any sale price worth it. Now maybe if I enjoyed shopping. But I will be real honest, if it doesn't involve yarn or books I would just rather not shop.

For those of you who enjoy shopping....Happy Hunting!

Little Engine

2007-11-21T20:24:00.000-06:00

The boys and I went on a bike ride today. The weather is about to change for the worst and I wanted the boys to burn as much energy as possible. We were at the end of a three mile ride headed up a long, steep hill...Speedy B in front, then Cowodie, Smoda and I brought up the rear. I could hear Smoda muttering something, but I couldn't quite make out the words. I pulled up alongside him and plainly heard...."I think I can, I think I can".

He made it, but at the end of the ride he said "I think that ride is too long for a 5 year old!"

Halloween Costumes

2007-11-21T20:10:00.001-06:00

I know it is Thanksgiving, but I haven't shown pictures of the boys Halloween costumes that I made. Yes, you read that right, I made them....pins, pattern, sewing machine the whole shebang. Speedy B and Cowodie were penguins. Smoda wanted to be a rabbit. It wasn't too bad. It was actually kind of fun, just sayin'.

Weekly Weigh-in

2007-11-20T08:03:00.000-06:00

My weight loss is slowing down, but as RacerDad so kindly put it...it is still going down. I have consistently lost weight since the end of May but where I was losing 2 1/2 to 3 pounds a week, I am now losing .6 to 1 pound.

I think the main problem is I have not been journaling as faithfully. I would "remember" point value and keep a tally in my head. This week I have been journaling and have stepped up the exercise. I am so close to the 50 pound mark and I would really like to hit it Thanksgiving and all.

Saturday's weight loss: -1
Total since May 26: -48.2

Holiday Gift Mixes

2007-11-19T10:17:00.000-06:00

Here are two drink mixes I shared at our Women's Ministry Taste of the Holidays gathering on Saturday. One is for hot cocoa, it is a little different than ones I have seen in the past. The other is a family favorite...Russian Tea. I put individual servings of the cocoa in clear disposable cake decorating bags. The bags are cone shaped, we topped the cocoa mix with 1/4 cup mini marshmallows and 1 Tablespoon of mini chocolate chips. Tied the bag with a holiday ribbon and had a pretty cute inexpensive gift... much better price than Linens and Things had for the same item, I believe they were charging $4.99 per bag.

The Russian Tea I put in clear party bags, topped with a square of scrapbook paper and curling ribbon. Again a nice inexpensive gift for teachers, neighbors, etc.

Hot Cocoa

1 box Carnation instant milk (9 5/8 oz box)
1 10 oz jar coffee creamer
1 1lb box Nesquik
1 large box of instant vanilla pudding
1 cup powder sugar

Mix all. Store in airtight container. To make, add 1/3 cup mix to 1 cup hot water.

Russian Tea

3 cups sugar
2 cups Tang (or instant orange breakfast drink)
1 cup unsweetened instant tea mix
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 envelope kool-aide lemonade mix

Put 1 1/2 to 2 rounded spoonfuls into 1 cup boiling water.

You can use Splenda for this recipe, also be aware that the orange drink mix does not hold up well. The mix needs to be used within 3 months.

I enjoyed a Mexican Dip that one of the other ladies brought. It was a big hit! So if you are looking for an easy savory dish to take to a buffet you won't go wrong with this one.

Mexican Dip

2 cans of Mexicorn
4 oz. chopped jalapenos
2 cups mayo
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Mix and bake in an 8x8 pan at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with Frito chips.

This recipe can be prepared the night before and kept in the refrigerator to bake the next day.

Enjoy!

What a Beautiful Morning

2007-09-11T06:48:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning to cool temperatures. It was 68 degrees! Wow, fall like temperatures this early, I'll take it. Even better...the high today will be in the low 80's. I have my windows up and a delightful cup of Whittard's English Breakfast tea from Britt. Such a nice start to the day.

We will have guests today. My friend, Angie, is attending a conference and needed a place for her two youngest to stay. My boys can hardly contain their excitement. It should be a fun day.

Finished Objects

2007-09-10T21:45:00.001-05:00

Believe it or not I actually have some finished items to show. Woo Hoo! It feels good to have accomplished something! The first is a calorimetry. It was a fun , quick knit. I loved doing the short rows and it really gave me confidence to try them later in a garment. I actually did a gauge swatch and followed the pattern precisely...but I think it is too big. I am going to take it and show it to Dawn, she is the expert in our knit group on these. Maybe she can see what I did wrong. I used a heavyweight Socks That Rock in the Christmas Balls colorway. I love the bright colors.My second item is one with which I am pretty tickled. I needed something to keep my ipod in when I exercised. I knew I had seen some free patterns for ipod cozies on the web, so I went searching. While many were cute, they were also more involved than what I wanted, making me go out on the edge and design my own. Nothing exciting or special...but just what I wanted. Speedy B decided since it looked like a sock when I was knitting it, I needed to call it an I-sock. I was especially pleased with the little pocket to hold the earphones when not in use. I used another Socks That Rock, this one was Christmas Rock.
My last finished item is this sweet ruffled scarf. My friend Ellen bought the kit for me when she took her daughter back to college. The colors are perfect for fall. There are two yarns in the scarf, koigu and a mohair. I had never knit with mohair before...kinda fun to try something new.
So there you are...actual knitting content. Finished objects no less, not just stash enhancement!

Ravelry Swaps

2007-09-10T14:41:00.002-05:00

Last week was such a lousy week...it was such a nice blessing when I received not one, but two swap packages! The first was from Britt off of the Ravelry "Cup of Tea" group. The group did a tea swap and Britt did a wonderful job. She sent four wonderful varieties of tea, some lemon cookies, the darling pot and cup for one. The yarn was a beautiful shade of blue in an alpaca blend. I think it will make a lovely scarf for this winter.

The second swap was also from Ravelry. Baseball Knitter set up a summer camp themed swap. My partner was Lixie from the Lixie Knits It Podcast. I received a great package from "home" including chocolates (they didn't last long!), a notepad from the underground, various pens and pencils, a cute cupcake candle, a knitting journal and some great Stroud Wool in shades of blue and green. Gotta find the right sock pattern for that luscious yarn!

Thank you ladies!

Exhausted, but home

2007-09-04T23:51:00.000-05:00

It is well after midnight as I type this...but it is soooo good to be home. The two younger boys and I came home this evening. RacerDad and SpeedyB will be home tomorrow.

The funeral was a fitting tribute to a lovely man. Unfortunately the weekend brought up many memories of mom's funeral. So it made for a long, emotionally draining five days.

Glad to be home.

Hectic Weekend

2007-08-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

The boys and I leave today to go be with my mother-in-law. RacerDad went last night but had to leave early this morning in order to be at work. The funeral will be on Tuesday afternoon.

Speedy B has a baseball tournament this weekend. RacerDad feels that it is best to let him participate. It will help him to stay busy and make things a little less chaotic at MIL's. So I am dropping him at a friend's house on my way out of town. RacerDad will pick him up this evening and then take him to a baseball friend's house in the morning. One of us will need to come back home Sunday to pick him up.

I am taking school work for the boys to do while we are gone. They might not get anything done, but at least if they get "bored" they will have something to work on.

Until next week....I really did have some knitting I wanted to blog about....finished objects even...but no pictures. There is always next time.

Ores Watson

2007-08-30T18:27:00.000-05:00

Today our family lost a wonderful man. My father-in-law, Ores, went home to be with the Lord.

A more interesting person I have never met. He loved words...poetry, jokes, crossword puzzles, the Bible, singing. Ores loved to hear the boys recite scripture and read. Whenever we came to visit he would always have a new joke to share.

How many men would think to cut your wedding announcement out of the paper and have it laminated? Ores did. He also sent me flowers when I gave birth to my boys and would periodically send me a subscription to a magazine he thought I might enjoy. Just plain thoughtful.

My favorite memory is a relatively new one. At 91, Ores knew his time on earth was running its course. About 9 months ago, he and my MIL came for a visit. After the boys had gone to bed Ores asked my husband to lay down on the couch. Then this sweet old man knelt beside him and gave him a father's blessing. It was such a touching moment...there was not a dry eye in the living room.

Ores will be missed.

Weekly Weigh-in

2007-08-21T06:50:00.000-05:00

This week I lost another 3 pounds!!! I am now down 30.2 pounds. My goal for the MayDay challenge had been 20 pounds and with another few weeks to go I am excited to see where I will be.

I bought a new outfit this weekend to wear to church. It is 4 sizes smaller than what I was wearing in May. Happy dance happening here. What was even better? I was able to bless two women from church with clothes I no longer need. I told RacerDad to be prepared to see me in the same few outfits over and over. I can't see buying a bunch of new clothes since I don't plan on staying this size for long.

Challenges for me...it is hard to journal every meal. I have the journal sitting right on my counter, but invariably I get busy and forget to jot it down. I am also feeling a little water logged. Water has never been my favorite beverage and at times I just don't want to drink it. I know I should and force myself but I would like hints on making water more "fun" to drink.

Need encouragement in your weight loss journey? Check out Tales from the Scales.

Vacation Swap to the Beach

2007-08-17T06:47:00.001-05:00

My local knitting group hosted a Vacation Swap. The idea was to send your partner to a vacation locale and put theme based goodies in the package. My partner was my very dear friend Blogless Ellen. She went way above and beyond on my package. It was simply unbelievable.

It was all packaged in the darling polka dot bag. The bag is great for the beach (or to carry my knitting in). There is a separate zippered waterproof compartment and another zippered compartment inside, as well as pockets on the outside. I love the colors, so bright and cheery.

Inside was a fun note explaining each object and its significance to my vacation. There was a chart holder from KnitPicks (one I have had my eye on forever), to keep my pattern from blowing away. She included a great sock pattern that I think will be fun to try.

A handmade, just for me, needle roll was the next item. It is beautifully tie-dyed in aquas, blues and greens then lined with a sand colored fabric. I filled it as soon as I got home. I was so excited that it holds my large needles as well as all my dpns.

Ellen provided me with a book to read, what is a beach vacation without a book?? This one is special because it is from a local author with whom she used to work. Based in Texas at the turn of the century, I can't wait to read it. It is next in my stack on the nightstand.

Last, but definitely not least, was the yarn goodness. Ellen gave me Socks That Rock and not one skein, but two!!! That is right people...two skeins of STR. Both skeins are lovely shades of ocean blue. Ellen said she couldn't decide which one to give me, so she did both! The first is Lucy in the Sky and the other is Blue Moonstone. Just lovely!

Thank you so much dear friend. It was a wonderful vacation!!

Smiling

2007-08-15T18:46:00.000-05:00

I am very happy to say the dentist was able to fix RacerDad's teeth today. He built them up with resin. It took less than two hours and they look very natural. RacerDad asked if this process was what people referred to as "bonded" and the dentist said no. We are just hopeful that they will hold up well.

Poor RacerDad, no more bagels, corn-on-the-cob, or apples. A small price to pay.

Thanks for all your prayers!

Schooling Again

2007-08-15T13:17:00.000-05:00

It is so nice to be back in the swing of things with school. We are trying a new curriculum this year, using Sonlight. It is a lot of reading aloud for me, especially since we are doing two programs. I can put the older boys together, but Smoda is on his own. The boys are loving the books. It has been forever since I have heard them ask me to continue when the day's reading is done.

Smoda is LOVING math. I am using Saxon 1 with him. He has anticipated school for so long I could probably give him anything and he would be excited. His reading (recognizing letters and sounds) is coming along as well. I have been pleasantly surprised that he will sit for his read alouds. This is a child who normally, if I am reading, will begin to inch away, slide to the floor, inch away and then scamper as soon as he thinks I am not paying attention. This morning he asked if we were only reading one chapter of The Boxcar Children, he really wanted to do more. Yea!

Not only did I change our main curriculum, I have added in writing. We have always done something with writing...but this year I wanted more structure. I listened to a friend and have gone with Institute for Excellence in Writing. Quite a program. The boys are enjoying it and I have to say that I am already seeing improvements in their progress.

So glad to be back to "normal".

Dentist Anyone??

2007-08-14T18:34:00.000-05:00

I got a phone call from RacerDad today. A hammer that he was using to break loose a gasket, something he does quite frequently, had slipped. Unfortunately, when it slipped from his grasp, it hit his mouth breaking his two front teeth. This is not news you want to hear over the phone. My thoughts began to race wondering how extensive was the damage and when I can't see something, I imagine the worse. Of course in my mind it was compounded because my husband, who NEVER wants to go to the doctor, was requesting the name of a dentist.

Remember this was the man who "hung" himself through the eyelid with a drop light and didn't go immediately to have it checked out!

Fortunately, he was able to get to the dentist right before they closed. X-rays were taken and the damage assessed. The dentist is going to be able to "fill" the missing parts, this is not a cap but a build up. This should last four to five years if RacerDad is careful. I am just so thankful the repairs did not involve root canals and caps!

World Series Socks

2007-08-13T08:22:00.001-05:00

Can you believe it? I am actually posting a finished object!! I began these socks during Speedy B's World Series. I needed a plain vanilla sock to work on. I knew the games would be too exciting for a pattern or for anything that would require concentration.

I used OnLine Supersocke 100 in the Summer colorway. I love the feel of the yarn, it is cool being made of cotton, wool and nylon. Knitting with it was another story, it did not split or unravel. My complaint is with the ball itself. It pulled out of the middle in a tangle more than once. Then when I got to the toe of the second sock, there was a knot...ugh!

Off to work on my Loopy Ewe Summer sock club sock while I am on a knitting roll. I promised myself I could not begin the fall sock until the summer pair was complete. So hard!

Daddy Discouragement

2007-08-12T19:30:00.000-05:00

We sure could use your prayers here At My Hearth. Discouragement is hitting our family hard in many different ways. This morning's Sunday School lesson was on this very topic, but RacerDad is having a difficult time applying the lesson.

As many of you know, RacerDad decided to quit his job back in February. He was without work for almost 6 weeks before he began looking for a new job, then it was right at 8 weeks before he started with the new company. His current company truly does not need three technicians. There is not enough work to keep everyone busy. Since RacerDad makes the furthest drive, he is given priority on hours...doesn't sit well with the other techs. RacerDad believes God has placed him in this position for a reason. His years of experience have allowed him to help the owners make some profitable changes. He is gaining management experience that he has been lacking. All of this will help him in October when he goes to work for a man opening a brand new service shop. I think knowing this job is short term is affecting him. He doesn't feel settled. As we all know if a man is not feeling successful at work it begins to play on his temperament. Can I say we are feeling it at home?

The boys are being boys. Not practicing up to his expectations in their baseball. Not listening. Being slobs. Any one of these would normally just roll off his back, but now...oh boy, can you say tense?

Oh, well, enough of our saga. But if you would pray for peace in our family and encouragement for RacerDad I would appreciate it.

Saturday

2007-08-11T22:00:00.000-05:00

This has been one successful Saturday...

I began at my Weight Watchers meeting (-.2), not real happy with my meager loss, but as it has been pointed out, it is a LOSS. I weighed in for my 12th week today and haven't had a week yet where I have gained.

Today I pretended to be a domestic goddess. My house was filthy....amazing what happens when you are either out of town or running continually for a whole month. Almost all my laundry is done, and folded and put up (did you faint Mrs. M???) I cleaned my bathroom top to bottom, not an easy feat considering RacerDad had to do tile work in there last week. It always amazes me how a small, easy job can create such a mess. I even found tile/grout dust inside the cabinets. ugh!

I planned my meals for the next week and went to the store to purchase any necessary items...like I said domestic goddess!

Speedy B is suffering from allergies/asthma, so he has had to stay inside. RacerDad had promised racing this evening, but that had to be put on hold. To stave off boredom (a night with mom is not near as fun as the races) I declared tonight movie night. We went to Blockbuster and I let the boys pick out movies, of course I HAD to get some of my own. They enjoyed their movies and are now quietly tucked in bed. RacerDad will not be home until the wee hours, so I am enjoying the movie, Miss Potter, and knitting on a pair of socks. Sheer bliss!

Knit 1 Tea 2 Swap

2007-08-10T17:38:00.000-05:00

Do you like loose tea or bags, or both – something you want to try? I prefer loose tea. Though I am not opposed to tea bags.

What is your favorite kind of tea (Brand, flavor, variety, etc)? Teavana is a brand I keep on hand. I love their Earl Grey Creme and Lady Earl Grey. I also enjoy fruit flavored teas in the afternoon...ginger peach, apricot, etc.

Favorite color in regards to tea or one you would like to try? (black, green, red, and white) (keeping in mind that this is how this swap is set up). Black would probably be my preference. I love the color red, but rooibos teas give me a headache.

Would you say you were a tea pot kind of person or just a hot water heater kind? Oh, definitely a tea pot gal.

What tea accessories would you like but have never purchases for yourself? I would love a tea cozy, I have many patterns but have never knit one. A tea wand is also something that intrigues me.

How do you prefer to be pampered? (examples: mani/pedi, bubble bath, yummy treat, etc). A bubble bath and a good book.

If you were a kind of yarn what would you be and why? Bright colored sock yarn. Pampers the feet with softness, practical with a touch of the unexpected. My socks are so different from the rest of my wardrobe which is fairly conservative.

If you had to knit/crochet baby booties, a fun fur scarf, or a fair isle sweater, which would you choose and why? I would knit baby booties. I am not a fun fur kind of girl and I still find fair isle a bit daunting.

What other event would make you skip a tea party? (A garden party? A book club meeting? A yoga class? Opening night for a new action thriller? etc?) A book club meeting.

What treat would you consider essential at your tea party? (Sweet? Salty? Scones? Those petite pastry trays with a couple of all sorts of things? Little crust less sandwiches?) Scones and creme are a must have. Then some delicate little pastries that are a feast for your eyes!

When buying yarn for a project how do you choose - do you buy the one called for or do you substitute? I try to find the yarn called for, but I am not above substitutions especially if I find a color I like better!

What do you carry your knitting/crocheting in when on the go? Love my little Loopy Ewe bag with the handle. Next would be my Sockapalooza bag.

Favorite movie to watch while knitting/crocheting? Any Jane Austen, especially Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth. (mmmm)

Are you a traditional tea cup kind of person or a mug type of person? Tea Cup, I love to feel like a lady, since I am surrounded by all men. Do you care if they match? Not really. I enjoy mixing and matching patterns.

Favorite childhood birthday party? A slumber party with all the girls from the 4th grade. My mom didn't realize that would equate to 35 girls and that all of them would come. ;-)

Favorite type of scone and jam? Tart cherry scone, lemon curd. Not necessarily together.

If you use candles, what is your favorite scent? Cooking scents...apple pie, buttercream frosting, spiced pumpkin

If you could choose 3 people to have 'tea' with, who would they be and why? (famous or not, living or dead). My mom and my granny. I miss having these two wonderful ladies to share their wisdom with me. Then Katherine Hepburn, she has led a fascinating life.

You've been invited to a tea party, what 'props' will you wear (formal or casual)? A tea length "flowy" dress and a hat. Similar to the one that Julia Roberts wore to the polo match in the movie Pretty Woman. Love that outfit!

Any allergies/preferences you have or are willing to admit to? Cats and smoke otherwise I am good.

Anything we missed that you want your pal to know? Looking forward to a tea party!

Socks That Rock - Silkie

2007-08-08T12:40:00.000-05:00

By Jove I have found it! Thanks to Jennifer.

I am a member of the Rockin Sock club this year and I was beginning to feel like a heretic. The first two installments did not rock my socks, as a matter of fact I found them to be utterly forgetable. Especially the Silkie colorway (ducking behind a rock). I am a bright, vibrant color kind of gal...pastels and muddy colors do not do anything for me. Before I get totally booed, please understand I love the gals at Blue Moon, I even have several of their yarns that I absolutely love. My favorite pair of "Christmas Socks" is a STR colorway. Anyway...

My Silkie will become a pair of socks...a pair of Monkey socks. Jennifer sent me to ChemGirl's blog and she is doing a pair of Wild Monkeys. Go check them out!

Tales from the Scales

2007-08-07T07:56:00.000-05:00

Official weigh in at Weight Watcher meeting on Saturday. Down another 1.6 for an official total of 27 pounds! This was even after the cruise.

Tip that is keeping me on track...drinking my water (with lemon of course). According to the Hungry Girl Newsletter, current research in Europe shows that drinking your water increases your metabolism and keeps it elevated for 30-40 minutes. Woo Hoo!

Yarn Goodness

2007-08-02T08:13:00.001-05:00

Over the summer I have added some wonderful yarn to my stash. Such beautiful colors and soft smooshy yarn! I have been adding pictures to my Ravelry account, but neglecting the blog. So today I thought I would update here. Many of the yarns I purchased from my knitting group pal, Jennifer, when she destashed. What a boon for me that she likes the same colorways that I do!This first one is Fearless Fibers in Lime Kiwi. It is wonderfully soft. I am also glad it is fairly monochromatic. I am finding that I don't like pooling with my yarns and so many beautiful yarns pool horribly.
This one is a self striping yarn. Trekking XXL in 100. Little did I know that it was a very popular colorway. Lucky for me! I love the blues and greens with just a hint of red. Liz, another knitting sistah, has a beautiful Lady Eleanor shawl that she is knitting from JoJoland Rhythm M26 and it looks fabulous with this yarn. She is thinking of doing a pair of socks to go with her shawl. I loved it so much that I came home from knit night and ordered some of the JoJoland myself!
Here is my beautiful Wollmeise. I was fortunate to catch Sheri's Sneak-up at The Loopy Ewe in its early stage and so I had my choice of colors. This peacock blue/green called my name so Tiefer See came to live at my house. I am not sure what pattern I am going to use for this yarn, but I know I want it to be special. Any suggestions???

Liz, has begun a yarn dying venture. She calls her Etsy shop Knit Clinic and has quite a knack for dying some beautiful colors. When she brought her latest colors to knit night everyone was snatching them up. I loved this Bartlett Pear. I am thinking it will be a great fall sock. Tasha had a pattern she was doing that I think would be perfect...not sure if it was Monkey, I don't think so. Anyway, I am going to do the same for this yarn.

This last yarn is also from Jennifer. It is Claudia Handpainted in Ocean Depth. Looking back with all the yarns having blues and or greens, I guess I am hoping for cooler weather! Have you knit with any of these yarns? What do you think of them?

What a Mess!

2007-08-01T10:14:00.001-05:00

How can something this cute......

Make such a mess??????

This yarn was evidently not meant to be anything. It is Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille. I have attempted the same face cloth three times. It was not a difficult pattern, I just got distracted and had to start over and over and... Things were going well this morning when I had to put it down. I left my yarn alone for about 30 minutes and came back into a room that was reminiscent of the scene in The Ugly Dachshund where the Dachsies had destroyed the knitting and then hid so the blame was placed on the Great Dane. Only Muttley wasn't smart enough to hide and blame it on Trixie. He was too busy chewing yarn like it was bubble gum. I am just hoping he didn't swallow too much!

Home Again

2007-08-01T06:38:00.000-05:00

This beautiful sunrise photo was taken from the balcony of my stateroom on the cruise. Yes, I said BALCONY. I just figured when my mother-in-law booked the cruise we would be in interior rooms down below the water. Needless to say I was shocked when we took the elevator up to the sixth floor and I opened my cabin door. I think dear old MIL was shocked as well. Good daughter-in-law that I am I offered to switch cabins with her, but I pointed out she would have to have two of the boys rather than just one (my cabin was bigger). She didn't want to change...oh, well!

For the most part the cruise was wonderful. I have to say it was hard going on such a long vacation without RacerDad. MIL was not much (read that NO) help. So if the boys were in the pool, I was in the pool. If they wanted to go get something to eat, I headed to Lido deck with them. Now there were lots of parents that let their children roam. I just couldn't do that, especially when I thought about the number of people on the cruise....3600 passengers and another 1200 crew members. Call me paranoid, but were there background checks on all those people??? I'll keep my boys close, thank you. Now Camp Carnival was wonderful. Smoda especially enjoyed it. There were activities scheduled from early in the morning until 10:00 at night. Unfortunately for me, if Smoda liked the activity that was scheduled for 9-11, the older boys would not want to go to their group at that time...they would want to go from 2-3 p.m.

The boys and I agreed that as much fun as we had, home is definitely best. Now if I just had the cabin steward to clean the house, the chef to prepare meals, Mel to be our server and the Camp Carnival staff to watch the boys....

Cruise....2 More Days, Oh, My!

2007-07-20T06:40:00.000-05:00

I have been thinking of this cruise since May, hard to believe it is here! I still have so much to accomplish before we leave for Galveston tomorrow.

Packing for the boys and myself has not even begun, need to finish laundry first. I need to make sure RacerDad has things to eat while we are away. I would like to clean the house....with the biggest mess makers gone for a week I could actually come home to a clean house. Need to pay bills. Cowodie has one more day of music camp, with the performance this evening. WW tomorrow morning. Oh it might be nice if I look up where we are going. I know Galveston, but where in Galveston??

But the most important thing?? I need to decide what knitting I am taking! I figure there are 4 full days that we are at sea, major knitting should be able to happen. Cooking, cleaning, and laundry are all the responsibilities of someone else. There is a "club" for the boys to attend and my MIL is not one that wants constant entertaining. So there should be plenty of "me" time. I have two single socks that desperately need a mate, Smoda's blanket that I haven't touched in over a month and MS3 that could go. Currently the socks are winning...my thoughts... it is the tropics so it would be way too hot to work on a blanket and there would probably be too many distractions to attempt lacework (it is my first lace project).

In other news....

I am so excited. I have been chosen as Loser of the Week! The girls at Tales from the Scales have put together a great motivational site for anyone attempting to lose weight. Wanting to make a change?? Check them out.

For those of you wanting to see my "new" hair....

2007-07-18T03:45:00.000-05:00

Week 10 of the May Day Weight Loss Challenge. The challenge was two weeks old when I began and I didn't want to share with all of you that I was doing it. So many times in my life I have begun a diet, exercise program, etc and then gone down in flames days later. This time I figured if I kept it under my hat maybe I would have better success.

I must say, after 8 weeks on Weight Watchers I am truly excited about my lifestyle change. As of Saturday I had officially lost 20.6 pounds. My goal for the entire challenge was 20 pounds. I am looking forward to seeing where I am in September when the challenge ends.

I have been amazed at the differences I can already see in my body. I have lost six inches in my waist and eight in my hips! Woo Hoo!! I am down three sizes in pants. And best of all, tonight as my middle son gave me a bedtime hug, he looked up at me with a big smile and said "I can put my arms all the way around you and clasp my hands. I used to only be able to touch my fingers." Who wants a brownie after a compliment like that??? NOT ME!!

AAYBA World Series

2007-07-12T10:53:00.000-05:00

We are in the middle of some SERIOUS baseball. My oldest son's team is competing in a World Series tournament against 39 other teams. It has been a lot of fun so far. We are seeing teams that we haven't played before which is always more entertaining. After pool play, they were ranked (seeded) number 6, which put them in the Platinum/Diamond division. Yesterday, as the coach said, they had their worst win ever. For 5 innings we were losing and losing badly. Then in the sixth the boys decided to play ball and ended up winning the game....that's why we call them the Cardiac Kids! That win put them in the top 8 for the overall tournament.

Today's game will be quite a bit more challenging. I am a bit nervous because there is a good chance B will be pitching. Oh well, I am nervous just about every game...if he is not pitching then he is catching. He does well under pressure. Mom doesn't!

I am knitting a pair of socks while watching the games. Just a plain vanilla pattern, no counting or chart required. I am using Online Supersocke in the Summer colorway. Everyone has been so impressed with the stripes. I just have to laugh because I have had people ask where the other balls of yarn are...they only see one and can't believe that the yarn stripes on its own.

I will probably only get one sock completed before the end of the tournament, but at least this is mindless knitting I can get done quickly!

Shorter, Lighter and Overwhelmed

2007-07-02T15:55:00.000-05:00

I know, I know it has been awhile. If anyone is still out there and interested in what is going on At my Hearth..thanks for hanging around!

Shorter....on a quick note I cut my hair. May not be a big deal for some, but the back of my neck hasn't seen daylight in over 15 years, unless you count ponytails. I used to let my hair grow long and cut it short on a regular basis...then I met RacerDad and I met him in a long hair phase. What is it with men and their obsession with long hair??? He always told me that my hair was one of his favorite things about me. How could I cut it off with that thought? Well lately I have been in major "Mama overhaul" and the hair had to be redone. So it is now in a "stacked bob". Rather cute if I do say so myself. I have received several compliments on the cut...makes you look younger (gotta love that one). I also had a visit with the color artist. Unfortunately she translated my "I'd like it light brown with natural red highlights" to "copper penny". It was definitely shocking at first. RacerDad likes it and most of my friends that have seen it like it as well. It is beginning to grow on me. One of the things I have a hard time with is looking in the mirror and seeing my grandmother. This is the exact color her hair was.

Lighter...I began Weight Watchers on Saturday, May 26. A very big deal for me. I like to eat. I love chocolate, breads and comfort food. Of course these items to not lend themselves to a thin, svelte form. I saw a picture taken of me on Mother's Day and needless to say it was the impetus to begin. It has also been the motivation to continue. As of Saturday, June 30th I have lost 17.2 pounds. Not too shabby...people are beginning to notice. My clothes are fitting better and the double chin is going away. I have a long way to go, but I didn't put this weight on overnight...I also want to keep it off, so slow and steady is the way to go. I am also doing Leslie Sansone's Walk away the Pounds. These are two major changes in my life diet and exercise which leads me to....

Overwhelmed....the rest of my family is very proud of me for sticking with the changes, but they do not necessarily want to change the way they eat. So I am having to come up with two dinners, two lunches, etc. Double the work! Exercise has taken up a lot of my computer time. But I figure if I am moving my whole body as opposed to just my fingers, I have to be burning more calories...right??

Then again there is the sweet new puppy. I am not sure why I didn't remember that a puppy is a lot of work. I guess for the same reason moms don't remember childbirth. If we had strong memories of these things the popluation would be much smaller and little boys would not grow up with puppies! Actually, Muttley (RacerDad won) is a very sweet dog and he has also encouraged me to move more. Someone has to make sure he goes to the bathroom outside and I KNOW that I actually watch and verify the procedure, unlike my dear sons.

I have been doing (read that attempting) alot with my mother's embroidery sewing machines. I have learned quite abit. But for everything I learn there is SOOO much more. It is fun, and you can definitely complete a project much faster than knitting, but it is not my passion. RacerDad is chomping at the bit for me to be able to turn projects into profit....just not sure I want to do that.

I have been knitting up a storm. I have finished some Mason Dixon bibs, a Baby Genius burpcloth, begun a purse and MS#3, and worked on socks.

I would love to post pictures of all these things, but I am working on my desktop and do not have the capabilities to publish pictures! I will try to be better about posting. Things are beginning to settle into a more normal routine. But then again...I am headed to Wichita Falls to help my MIL after her cosmetic surgery and then my son is playing in his division of the World Series and finally the cruise the end of July.

DFW Chicks Swap

2007-06-04T14:56:00.001-05:00

Look at how my lovely buddy spoiled me! Three absolutely gorgeous facecloths. The one that looks blue is actually a beautiful shade of purple. Drat my picture taking abilities!

There were also some of the cutest little stitch markers. The picture of them didn't do them justice at all. They are some she got from www.hideandsheep.etsy.com. Little tiny beads that are perfect for small needles and nothing dangling to catch on your yarn.

All these wonderful things were in a Rangers Stitch and Pitch bag...how perfect! It is my new baseball project bag! That is if I can keep it out of my youngest son's hands. There were also some great knitting magazines to look through. Thank you so much sweet pal...

Our new Addition

2007-06-04T07:57:00.001-05:00

Muttley
Originally uploaded by baseballmom_66

We have added a sweet new puppy to our family. He is a black cairn terrier. There was a great debate over his name. The boys started throwing out "Star Wars" names....how about Luke? No. Yoda? No. Darth? NO. Cowodie offered up Clone Trooper. I was okay with Trooper, just not Clone Trooper. It was agreed upon Trooper was his name..... Until RacerDad got home. He refused to live with a Star Wars character for the next 15 years.

RacerDad took one good look at him and declared the puppy looked like Muttley from Wacky Racers. Personally, I feel we spent good money on a purebred dog why would we want to call him a mutt? But Muttley it is.

The boys and I still mess up and call him Trooper occasionally...though Smoda almost made me cry. He was sitting in the floor holding the puppy and he very softly said ...you will always be Trooper in my heart.

Knitting Projects

2007-06-02T21:55:00.001-05:00

I am going to attempt this post again. Blogger is not being very friendly today and is giving me fits with the pictures. Thus the reason they are all jammed against the side!

Here are my Koigu socks that were done in the simple toe up pattern. I love these socks. The Koigu was a dream to knit with. I did not have any issues with splitting and the stitch definition is great.

The pattern was very easy to understand. I loved the Middle Eastern cast on for the toes. It took a little practice, but the finished result is quite nice. I did have a few problems with the short row heels, but once it was explained to my rather dense self I found them to be fun to do. Now I could not do them in the family room yet (must be by myself...in a quiet room), but the heel went together quickly. The only thing I will need to work on with regards to toe up socks is the bind off. I went up three needle sizes, but with my tendency to be a tight knitter it still doesn't have much stretch.

My local knitting group hosted a dishcloth (facecloth) and stitch marker swap. This is the pattern I used, Half Linen Stitch. It is from the current issue of Creative Knitting. I LOVED this pattern. The cloths went quickly and the pattern was definitely mindless. Perfect for baseball! The pattern does NOT work for variegated yarn. Ask me how I know?? I have two new cloths for my drawer. The first one I attempted had minor pooling, I figured if I just started the yarn in a different place it would take care of itself. But noooo the second cloth I began calling the "Two Faces of Eve". It was like I drew a line down the center of the cloth and said beige over here, green over there. Oh well, I needed some new dishcloths!

I decided I wanted to learn to knit lace. Not like I don't have enough projects already on the needle. I began this Scotch Thistle Lace Stole. I am using Perchance to Knit lace weight in the Peacock's Harlot colorway. The overall color is black, but in the light you see shades of purple and green. It is beautiful. I have only done 4 rows this will probably be a LONG term project.

What I did Today

2007-06-02T21:51:00.001-05:00

Embroidered Ball cap
Originally uploaded by baseballmom_66

I took a machine embroidery class to learn how to embroider on ball caps. RacerDad has the misguided thought that I could actually make money with Mom's sewing machines. He truly believes that with this one class I could take orders from the boys' ball teams and instead of paying for their uniforms, WE could make money off of them. It is kind of sweet that he has so much faith in my productivity...it is a shame I don't have the same desires!

But I did enjoy the class and I do see the potential to make a lot of really cute hats.

Passports Needed

2007-05-31T06:56:00.000-05:00

When I posted last week about needing passports I wasn't sure where we were going. My mother-in-law just told me to get them. We typically go on vacation with her each year.

Well it turns out we are going on a Caribbean cruise. I am probably more excited than the boys. I have never been on a cruise but from what I hear they are lots of fun. We will have ports of call in Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Mexico...a full seven nights on board ship.

The only problem?? RacerDad will not be able to go. He doesn't have the time off from work.

Meanwhile 13 days later...

2007-05-24T06:34:00.000-05:00

The past two weeks have been rather crazy, grab a cuppa your favorite beverage and settle in...

It all started Mother's Day weekend.

That Friday I had to take one of our dogs, Thumper, into the vet. Thumper, a 12 year old basset hound, was having difficulty breathing and not eating. RacerDad and I had a conversation before I went to the vet to discuss just how much we were willing to spend and what measures we wanted to take. I am glad we had talked about it. When I got to the vet, they wanted to begin running several tests to determine his condition. Any option they gave me started at $200 and that would not be conclusive nor include any treatment.

Lest you think we are uncaring pet owners, we had been down this road years ago with a poodle I brought into the marriage, $2000 later we still had to put the poor dog down. Basset hounds have a life expectancy of 10-12 years and though we loved Thumper we could not justify spending huge amounts of money on a dog that had lived a long wonderful life.

When I explained our position to the vet you would have thought I sprouted horns. She told me she could not conclusively give me a diagnosis and thus could not effectively treat the dog. I asked her to give her best guess and make Thumper comfortable. She then let me know that she felt he had a systemic infection, very common in older dogs...usually not curable. I left the vet with a strong antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory drug.

We had baseball games that Friday evening. My MIL came Saturday so that meant a day full of shopping plus baseball games. Mother's Day we went to church and more baseball games. Are you with me people??? Three days and we had seven games, it was not a tournament and it was Mother's Day weekend! I guess it is a good thing I enjoy baseball. Speedy B pitched in one of the Mother's Day games. He was on the mound for 4 innings and only threw 32 balls. He told me that was one of my presents. Gotta love him.

The rain we have had this spring postponed the majority of our games. The league needed to get the rain-outs played before this week's city championship and before the official start of tournament season. So for the most part I have been at baseball the last two weeks. I honestly lost count after I figured out we played 13 games in 5 days. That's what I get for having two boys that play ball...I have no idea what I will do when Smoda starts.

We did end up having to put Thumper down in the midst of all this. The boys took it hard, but then they are realists as well. We had adopted Thumper when he was 10 so his playful puppy days were past. When he came into the family I became "his person" he would follow me from room to room and if I stayed in one place for long he would plop down where he could see me and go to sleep. About the only "playing" he would do for the boys was howl. And boy could he howl! Smoda could make one howling noise and Thumper would join in, nose to the air baying at the top of his lungs. Smoda called the baying sound ha-rooing and named him "Captain Haroo". The boys have requested that the next dog be one they can play with...one that will run and chase balls. I guess my lapdog Trixie doesn't count, she is a miniature dachshund and really can't be bothered to play. As long as the boys pet her she will stay with them, but then as soon as they quit touching her, she is off.

What have I been doing when not at baseball??? Well....I got passports for the whole family (talk about MAJOR sticker shock!!!) All I can say is if you think you might need passports get them early! It cost an extra $300 dollars just to get them expedited. We have also wrapped up all our extra curricular activities (except baseball!), gotten in our new curriculum, cleaned out the boys rooms and mowed the jungle. I was afraid after all the rain Speedy B was going to need a machete to cut the backyard. Oh, and I joined Weight Watchers.

Knitting wise...all this baseball has been awesome for my sticks and string. I finished my green toe up socks, I really enjoyed doing toe up and will plan on doing more. I finished numerous dishcloths and made some tribbles. I also began my Summer Sock Kit from The Loopy Ewe. I love the colors! The pattern is great and I am finding it easy to remember. I did have to put it aside though, size 0 needles and a pattern did not go well with intense competitive ball!

My life should be getting back to normal. Only one son is playing ball now. Cowodie finished his season last night. His team played in the city championship. The teams were very evenly matched, it was a fun game to watch. Cowodie is a catcher and he made a diving catch for a foul ball...he got the out. He also hit in the game winning run. His grin was from ear to ear. But what warmed my heart? After the game, he looked at me very seriously and said "I think this game was my birthday present from God". I LOVE the fact that he recognizes that God deserves the glory in all things.

Well that is about it from my hearth, I have missed you all!

Homeschool Day at Six Flags

2007-05-11T06:49:00.000-05:00

Went to Six Flags yesterday with the boys, it was Homeschool Day. We all had a great time. I am still tired today! The older two were able to ride the "big" roller coasters together, good thing since my feet don't get on roller coasters! Batman and Aquaman were the favorites....Aquaman drenched them both.

Smoda was my buddy. His favorite ride as usual was the Tea Cups. Normally my stomach is just fine on rides like that. Yesterday we went with a family that has a 16 year old boy. Let me tell you he could make the teacup spin. I have never spun so fast! Everything was a blur, so I had to close my eyes. When the ride was over I had to sit a minute and get my legs. Needless to say when Smoda said "I want to do that one again!", I let Ben take him alone.

Short Row Heels - revisited

2007-05-08T22:36:00.000-05:00

Thanks to two wonderful ladies, Jennifer and Manda, in my local knitting group I was able to master the short row heel. I was so delighted to finish my first toe up sock. It was not as bad as I thought, but I never would have figured out the "picking up of live stitches" on my own.

The yarn I am using is Koigu KPPPM. It is a wonderfully soft yarn, as with each new sock yarn I try...this is my favorite! I have also been pleased with the color variation. There has not been the irritating pooling that I have had with some of the other varigated sock yarns.

Don't you love my setting....bricks?? I was trying to find good lighting so that the yarn colors would show well. The stack of bricks had the best sunlight. And yes that is a Loopy Ewe bag in the background. I love the way I can see at a glance what project is in the bag.

Grown Women Should Not Fall Down

2007-05-07T12:33:00.000-05:00

As most of you know this has been a VERY wet spring in Texas, after several years of drought I guess I have forgotten how to walk on soggy ground.

Saturday, Cowodie had an early ball game...needed to be at the field at 8:00 a.m. We were walking from the parking lot to the field not on the sidewalk like the parks department would prefer but down the back trail. It is much closer to the fields, everyone else does it, the sidewalks are too far...how many other excuses would you like??

Anyway dear RacerDad, in a hurry to get to the batting cages and begin warming up was quite a ways ahead of me. The rest of us were strung along the path much like pack mules (remember we are going to a LONG day at the ballfield, so we have chairs, snack basket, cooler, ball bags, breakfast sack, my extremely necessary Dr. Pepper, etc.) I was walking along, on the steepest point, reminding Smoda to be careful when my sandal hit a slick patch of mud (think slimy clay). Down I fell, very gracefully I might add, on my hiney. One foot and sandal totally covered in goo, backside in a soggy patch, Dr. Pepper flying through the air and splashing on my clean foot. Fortunately for me one of the other team dads was right behind me. He graciously helped me up only to watch me take one step and do it all again, minus the DP spray!

I was soooo embarrassed! Did any of my family notice this you ask? Only Speedy B, ever the considerate older son..."Didn't you watch where you were going, Mom??" I was so thankful that the fields were fairly empty at this time of day. I went up to the bathrooms, via the SIDEWALK, and cleaned my foot and leg up. I was wearing navy blue capris, so most of the mud didn't show up. When I got back down to the field, my sweet husband, ignorant of the fall and consequent mess asked where I had been....oblivious to all but the game about to be played!

Today I am so sore. My shoulder and neck are extememly tender, to the point if I move I feel like I am going to throw up. I know it will be fine, but where is a good massage when you need one!

Monday Recipe - Chicken Salad

2007-05-07T07:27:00.000-05:00

Warmer weather is hitting here in Texas and so I am starting to bring out my "summer" recipes. The following is a recipe that I received my RacerDad's step-mother several years ago. It is one that they enjoyed on a regular basis and it sounded good so I brought it home. The only problem, RacerDad is not a meat salad kinda guy!

For years this has been a salad I have made to take to "ladies" brunches, I am always asked for the recipe. But my family had never tasted it...until last week. We were off to a baseball double header, which meant I needed to pack dinner and RacerDad said "please, no sandwiches." Oh the dilemma!! I decided to try this salad out on everyone. What was the worst that could happen? I would be buying hot dogs from the concession stand.

Everyone loved the salad. My sweet husband even asked "Why haven't you made this before?" MEN!! Gotta love them.

Chicken Salad

4 cooked chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces (you can bake, I typically grill)
2 cups sliced grapes
3/4 cups sliced almonds
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream

Combine mayo and sour cream. Pour over remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

I usually serve this with homemade rolls or croissants, not as a sandwich.

And the Winner is....

2007-05-05T13:29:00.000-05:00

Lori from Lori's Light Extemporenea. She is the proud winner of some sock yarn and needles. I would post pictures and may still be able to, but my camera is not working properly today.

I am sending her a skein of J. Knits sock yarn in beautiful shades of gray and pink this yarn came from my favorite online yarn store The Loopy Ewe. Her prize also includes two skeins of Simple Stripes from Knitpicks and Crystal Palace bamboo dpns size one.

Lest you think I was only prepared for "knitters" to comment, I had a different prize set aside for my non-knitting readers.

Thank you so much to those of you that commented. While I truly blog for myself, more as an online diary, it is so nice to see comments!

Lori, if you will email me your address I will send you your prize package!

Scent Memory

2007-05-04T11:45:00.000-05:00

Is it just me or do you have scents that automatically bring to mind certain people, places or events? This morning I was hit with one of those moments.

They say that a baby can recognize its mother's scent in a very short time after birth. I would say that holds true throughout a child's lifetime.

I have several tee shirts that belonged to my mother. She donated blood on a regular basis and seems to have had a shirt for each time! The one I pulled out today says "Give blood (front) ...Get cookies (back). The letter o on front and back are mock oreo cookies. It is a very cute shirt. As I said, mom probably had over 60 shirts from the blood banks so I went through and culled the ones that were worn or on the plain side. Which still left me with probably 25. I folded several and put them in a drawer for "some day" and hung the rest up. Today I decided to take one of the shirts out to wear and as I pulled it over my head, the scent of my mother flooded over me. Such a bittersweet feeling. Over a year and this shirt still smells like mom. Of course it hasn't been washed over and over to remove that scent, but it amazes me that it can still linger.

It is not a particular perfume, she wore several througout the years...nor is it laundry detergent, we used the same brand. But it is such a pleasant smell. It is mom. I hope my boys will have as fond a memory of me someday.

Knitting Fun

2007-05-03T15:43:00.000-05:00

Dawn sent this little ditty to an email loop we belong too and it just seemed like fun. Who knew there were SOOO many things related to knitting?? I found one that was not on the list that I am so proud I completed...mosaic knitting!

Make bold all the items you have done; italic ones you plan on doing some day. If you take on the list challenge please comment, I would love to see your knitting accomplishments (especially you Ellen!!)

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius
band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with bananafiber yarn (never heard of this one!)
Domino knitting (=modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffitti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colours
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies...)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone elses handspun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Knitting two socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with selfpatterning/selfstriping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mits/armwarmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair (GROSS, not intentionally!)
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Quite a list accomplished. but so many more things to learn. I will be a gray haired granny sitting and knitting to accomplish all I desire!

200th Post...Oh My!!

2007-04-29T19:55:00.001-05:00

I can't believe this is my 200th post. I guess I am full of ramblings!

This past weekend was gloriously relaxing. We only had ballgames on Friday evening (2 for B, they won both) and one game for Cowodie on Saturday...they won as well. Rain may end our baseball plans for this whole week. The weatherman is forecasting heavy rain starting late this afternoon continuing through Friday...which would mean no ball!

Sunday, after church, we went to lunch with friends. Then had a quiet day at home. I don't think anyone even went out to the batting cage. Are they sick??? (No, actually everyone is better! We are calling Smoda "snake man" , he is shedding on his hands and feet now.)

We did have a wonderful family movie time. I guess we are a little behind the times, we just saw "Facing the Giants". Absolutely wonderful film!! It is one I will be purchasing. If you haven't seen it yet, it does a beautiful job of glorifying God.

Smoda has lost two teeth! It is funny, I cried when I found out they were loose...but when he actually lost them nary a tear. At first he didn't want me to pull the first one. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to whistle. Now he is so proud to tell everyone that he has "two gone teeth".

Knitting news...I did complete a tribble and have another one ready to show the ladies at our knitting group how to sew them up. I worked on my garter square for my Learn to Knit afghan. I know it would go quite bit faster if I would just knit, but I am using this to teach myself how to knit continental... a little slow going!

Last week my stash was enhanced oh so delightfully...

First I received my next shipment of the Rockin Sock Club. It is a tweedy/heather combination in purples, greens and grays silk/merino blend. It is by far better than the first color we received....but I am still not sure. Whenever I go to their site there are so many yarns that speak to me. I must be honest if I had seen the club colors on the website I wouldn't have given them a second glance.

I also received my Summer drink and knitting swap. My partner outdid herself! I love the two hanks of Lorna's Laces she sent...they are pink (a bright tulip pink) that she dyed herself. She actually works at LL. Now this is a yarn I can LOVE!

I also had a delightful birthday treat with my friend Ellen. She took me to lunch at the Macaroni Grill (yummm!!) and gave me a wonderful present of Yarn Pirate October (that she bought from Manda's stash!), a fun orange floral tea cup (shaped like a flower pot) and some scissor jewelry. Just wonderful!

Well, I am not above begging for comments this being my 200th blog and all. Sooooo, I am going to host a drawing. What do you need to win??? Submit a comment. I will draw from all entered comments on Friday, May 4th. Good luck!

Loser Mama Award

2007-04-26T14:05:00.000-05:00

Well, I just got home from the doctor's office. My youngest (5) has had a persistant rash for the last 12 days. It got better, then came back a bit, got better, etc. I had called the doc when the rash first presented and we both thought it was some type of allergic reaction. Today I thought, hmm just might want to go in.

While she was weighing him, I mentioned she might want to look at his hands as well, the palms were peeling terribly...like burst blisters. She told me he MIGHT have strep, the peeling hands could be an indication but it probably wasn't strep since he had never run a fever.

Well she did a culture and it came back that he has SCARLET FEVER!! Which is a form of strep, usually becasue the strep was left untreated. She asked how my oldest was feeling since he had had the asthma attack last weekend and I told her he had recovered but it was the oddest thing he had thrown up from all the meds he took. She calmly said "well, you know, throwing up could be a symptom of strep. Let' s check him as well." While she was at it she might as well check the middle one who has NO symptoms.

The oldest two both came back positive for strep! So my happy little family, that has NEVER had a strep throat or strep infection of any kind, has strep at the same time. No fevers, no sore throats, no headaches....just peeling hands and vomiting! Who knew???

Please pray for Smoda, it is unlikely but there is a slight chance that he could develop rheumatic fever. The doctor feels like the strep infection has been in his body at least three weeks, since he would have had the infection prior to breaking out in the rash from scarlet fever. So we need the antibiotics to take a hold quickly.

Oh the thousands we have contaminated....like I said I am the loser mama!

Knitting gifts - Spa Bag set

2007-04-25T15:06:00.000-05:00

I am always looking for easy, inexpensive gift ideas for RacerDad's coworker's wives (not sure if that is gramatically correct, but not sure how else to do it). I got the brilliant idea in January to make them all washcloth/headband spa sets. But I wanted it to be a little more special, I also wanted them to know what it was. I have made dishcloths for people before and they thought they were great...potholders, coasters etc.

I found a machine embroidery design that I thought fit the idea perfectly, so I decided to make sacks to put the gift in. Here is a finished example:

Then inside I put the cloth, headband, a bar of soap and a candle. What do you think?

So while I haven't been posting much knitting progress....I have been crafty!

Sweet Goodness Spring Swap

2007-04-25T15:02:00.000-05:00

Look what my wonderful parter in the Sweet Goodness Spring Swap sent me! It was full of pink and green surprises. The green sack is full of "Now or Later" candies...the boys thought that was cool. The letter "J" she made from scrapbook supplies is just too cute.

Swaps can be soooo much fun!

Spa and Storms

2007-04-25T06:40:00.000-05:00

Unbelievable!! This word best describes yesterday.

Mrs. M and I went to the Cooper Spa in Frisco. It is an absolutely beautiful facility - calm restful colors, dim lighting, candles, music (new age...could have done without that) and natural stone just about everywhere. When we first arrived, they had us fill out a health form and select our lunch from the menu. We were then taken to the locker room and given a plush white terry robe and slippers. The locker room was carpeted and had wood lockers, simply gorgeous. After changing, we were to go to the "transition room", we would be picked up there for each of our services. The transition room had one wall that was a water feature...slate stones with water sheeting down, dim lights, contour chairs (with headphones), coffee, tea, anything you would need to make you comfortable.

My first service was a massage. I was led down a dimly lit hallway where a discreet sign proclaimed this a "whisper zone" to a massage room that was equipped with a heated massage table. Of course the massage was wonderful.

Back to the transition room, where I drank a bottle of water while waiting for my facial. I was just getting ready to go to the bathroom when the lady came to give me my facial, I made the decision to just go with her. Bad decision! ... more about that later. I had never had a facial before, it won't be my last! The process was very relaxing....except for the extractions. The technician calmly said after cleansing my face, "Now I will examine your face and do any necessary extractions." She then put some wet cotton balls on my eyes to shield them from a bright light she used to examine my skin. Next she began the extractions, now I may be a little slow on the uptake, remember I had just had a relaxing massage I don't know what I expected extractions to be. I was not expecting "pain". My eyes were still closed under the cotton balls when there was a little sting in my nose region. Then another, then a sharp one. Finally dawned on me that "extractions" was a dignified way of saying "popping pimples" or in my case "squeezing blackheads". Fortunately I didn't have many that needed taking care of, unfortunately they were in that sensitive crease of my nose!! The "pain" brought back to my mind that I needed to go to the bathroom. I began to wonder how much longer the treatment would be and was very thankful I have a strong bladder, things were working against me nice warm towels, relaxing hand massage, wave sounds in the new age music. I made it just fine, but it brought to mind how I remind the children to "go to the bathroom before we leave, whether you need to or not".

After the facial, Mrs. M and I met back in the transition room for lunch. Delicious food..I had a Thai wrap, fresh fruit and a berry smoothie. We finished our day with pedicures and manicures. We had delightful nail technicians, it was a fun time together. I had my first french manicure...now I know the technique has been around for a long time. I just had never had one. I really like it.

When we got back in the car, I checked my phone....8 missed calls from my husband. Can I say he was not happy with me. Evidently, storms had moved into the area while we were being pampered and there was a tornado warning in my town. I called my friend who had the boys and things were fine, heavy rain...nothing to worry about. She lives a few blocks from my home so I wasn't to concerned. I went home as quickly as I could. When we got to our house, I found my bedroom door to the patio blown open. The carpet right inside the door was wet, but other than that the house was fine. These pictures show how much water was in my backyard after 4 hours of rain.

We eventually had 8 inches of rain at our house. By the time RacerDad and I went to bed the water covered 3/4 of the backyard, the front yard wasn't much better. The water in the drainage culvert by the street was about 10 feet from the front door. I also lost my peach tree, straight line winds simply blew it down.

Like I said, yesterday was unbelievable!

Spa Day

2007-04-24T06:35:00.000-05:00

My sweet friend, Mrs. M, is taking me to a spa today to celebrate our birthdays. I can't wait to experience the fun and relaxation that is ahead. We will have a facial, massage, pedicure and manicure.....oh, my!

What, you may ask, am I doing with my boys during this decadent day??? Another friend is graciously keeping them today. Woo Hoo!!

I'll let you know how it goes.

Monday Recipe

2007-04-23T22:32:00.000-05:00

Do you have an abundance of zucchini? Are you trying to get your children (or husband) to eat more veggies? Then I have the recipe for you.

Hamburger Zucchini Pie

Brown one pound of hamburger. Drain then add one diced zucchini to the skillet. Season with your favorite seasonings. I use seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder and Montreal steak seasoning. Cook until zucchini is tender.

Spray 9" pie pan with non-stick spray. Place hamburger mixture in pan top with one cup of shredded cheese.

Mix the following:

1/2 cup Bisquick
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Pour over hamburger mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

This is a big hit with my whole family. I typically make two.

Short Row Heels

2007-04-20T22:22:00.000-05:00

I have come to the conclusion that short row heels are pure torture, designed to frustrate me. I began my first pair of toe up socks not too long ago. They are a beautiful green Koigu. I had no problems with the toe, of course the foot was mindless knitting. Today I began the short row heel. I read, reread and reread the directions and began. I had no problem with the slip/wrap process. Things were looking good. Then began the "reviving the wraps" rows. At first all was well. Until I began noticing a hole on one side, oh wait, it wasn't one hole it was a series of rather big holes....more like a spiderweb than a hole in a sock.

I have put the sock away. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to go by the yarn shop and have someone show me the error of my ways. I am just afraid I won't know where to stop unraveling!

Birthday Surprise

2007-04-20T21:58:00.000-05:00

Click to enlarge.

What a blessing. My mother's friend Tonja forwarded this collage of my mother to me today. It was just like getting a smile from my mom on my birthday. She looks so happy in these pictures...she was in her element among friends and co-workers. Sure do miss her...I wonder when I can see "new" pictures of her without crying.

Didn't she have pretty hair? I wouldn't mind turning grey if it would look like that!

Friday Musings

2007-04-20T00:09:00.000-05:00

Well another week of not much posting...I have just had too much on my plate.

Time to make decisions on curriculum for next year. I have decided on Sonlight. The boys and I will be using Core 3, the focus is on American History up to 1850. I have to admit I am looking forward to the books we will be studying. The shipment should be here on Saturday, that will give me plenty of time to plan before we begin in June. It is so hot here in the summer we might as well school, that way I don't feel so bad if we take time off in October! We will continue to use Saxon Math. The boys will be in 1, 6/5, and 7/6. Should be an interesting year!

It is true what they say about death and taxes. I just had no idea you still paid taxes when you were dead. Actually, I could not believe how much I had to pay for mother's final tax return. The attorney's lack of follow through cost several thousand dollars. It was so disappointing, if he had filed one form I would not have had to pay income tax in Oklahoma and saved quite a bit.

The new Viking software has hit the stores and I have received my upgrade. I went to pick it up at the store and was informed that "you get the software as a free upgrade, but if you want the manuals...that will be $129". Now tell me, why on earth would I want new software WITHOUT the manuals??? How am I supposed to learn the program? So of course I ordered the manuals, they will be delivered in approxiamately two weeks. I wonder how much I can figure out on my own?

I have been knitting...would love to post pictures but I don't have any space left on my camera. I need to figure out how to send the pictures from my computer to be developed. Then I will have camera space.

Of course baseball is fairly consuming our lives. Speedy B is in a tournament this weekend on the far east side of the metroplex. Cowodie has a game at the same time Saturday morning, different city. We will be on the divide and conquer plan. Of course Smoda will be with me. Thank goodness for the video ipod I got for my birthday. It keeps him happy and busy when Cowodie isn't there to play with him.

Speaking of birthdays, today is mine. 41 years young.

Monday Recipe - Applesauce Muffins

2007-04-16T06:14:00.000-05:00

I am always looking for something new for breakfast. Two of my boys think you have killed them if you offer cereal. One HATES oatmeal. One would rather not have pancakes (or anything sweet). Something they all agree on, they would really prefer a hot breakfast. Occasionally I make muffins, ignoring the protests of "no sweets" boy, the rest of the family loves muffins.

The other day I tried a new muffin recipe. I found it in Lunches and Snacks by Sue Gregg. I decided if I was going to hear the muffin protest I was going all out and using fresh ground whole wheat as well. "No Sweets" boy is also resistant to my attempts to incorporate whole wheat into our diet.

These muffins were a big hit. All the boys loved them, my critic eating THREE of them. The cold leftovers even met the approval of RacerDad. I have made them since without fresh ground flour and they were just as delicious.

Applesauce Muffins

Melt butter and place in a large mixing bowl. Thoroughly beat in remaining liquid ingredients with wire whisk, one at a time in the order listed:

1/4 cup melted butter, unsalted preferred
1 egg
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Place flour and nuts in a medium mixing bowl. Thoroughly blend in remaining ingredients with a mixing spoon:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional (I used pecans)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

If you have any suggestions for my picky breakfast crew...any comments would be greatly appreciated!

Pleasant Disciplining

2007-04-12T14:55:00.000-05:00

"If you can't discipline and be pleasant, then just be pleasant"

Michael Pearl

I checked a book out from our local library the other day. I was needing encouragement for homeschooling and this particular book caught my eye...Just Around the Corner by Steven and Teri Maxwell. It is a collection of newsletter articles they have written over the years designed to encourage and challenge homeschooling families. It always amazes me how God leads me to exactly what I need.

I began reading the book last night, each article is a very quick read. Some made me ponder, some were irrelevant, but the quote above got my attention. I am going to admit something here...the last few months I have not enjoyed homeschooling. I lack patience with my children. I lose my temper on a regular basis and I have developed, oh the shame of it, a habit of yelling at my boys. The tension in the house has been unbearable. I have found myself with a permanent scowl and more than once a day Cowodie saying "what's wrong Mom?" The boys have begun yelling and picking on one another as well (I wonder why...great example from me??)

The Lord wanted to make sure I was paying attention for the next article was on cherishing your children...the story recounted a mother ministering to her son as he died of a brain tumor. Would you treat your child the same way if you knew his time on earth was limited? So the first article tapped me on the shoulder and this one hit me over the head. I was so ashamed. I sat in my chair near tears following the scripture references and repenting of my hard heart, bad attitude and neglect of the precious lives He has placed in my care.

Today has been a new day. I have prayed and asked continually for God to help me be pleasant to my children. I have not raised my voice, silently pleading to have a guarded tongue. I know I cannot change my attitude alone, nor will it change without daily (hourly, minute by minute) prayer for a new outlook and disposition. We have had a wonderful day. When tempers have flared between the boys I have gone to them and spoken with them calmly about how they could have handled it differently.

Verses that have helped me today are Proverbs 16:21b "pleasant words promote instruction" and Proverbs 16: 24 "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." I don't want to be known as a foolish woman who tears down her own house, (Proverbs 14:1). That is exactly what I was allowing my harsh words to do.

Works for Me - Listening Pleasure

2007-04-04T06:13:00.000-05:00

Like most families today, we spend a lot of time in our car....various lessons, field trips, baseball, etc. The thing that saves our (my) sanity is audio books or radio theater. The rule is the story we are listening to MUST stay in the car. That way there is anticipation whenever we get in the car and the cd is always there.

Adventures in Odyssey are some of our favorites for short trips. I bought a "complete" set (10 cd sets) from Christian Book Distributors several years ago, best money I ever spent.

For longer trips or weeks that I know we will have alot of car time we get an audiobook from the library. We just finished The Moffats yesterday and my five year old was "sure we missed a cd" because he didn't want the story to be finished!

Audio stories --Works for Me. Visit Rocks in My Dryer for other tips.

Tackle it Tuesday - Bathroom Curtains

2007-04-03T12:33:00.000-05:00

At the first of the year I made a list of goals I hoped to accomplish this year. One of the items was making bathroom curtains. I was able to get them done after two attempts at purchasing fabric. The first fabric my mil bought, and it was a gauzy sheer metallic fabric. Now, not only was it a bear to sew, it was so sheer I might as well have not put anything up! This fabric unfortunately did not photograph well. It is sheer with faint gold and green stripes that match the colors in my wallpaper beautifully. There is still an arch of window above the curtain. I would like to find a stained glass piece to place there. The flowers under the curtain are african violets.

(Yes, it is a really big tub and yes I do use it frequently!)

Go to 5 Minutes for Mom to see how others are tackling their organization, cleaning and decorating projects one week at a time!

Go Rangers!!

2007-04-02T21:05:00.000-05:00

Tonight is opening night for the Rangers against the Angels. Woo Hoo!! Time for some ball.

***Update: It was a sad night. Rangers lost 1 -4. Once again the Rangers can get runners on base, but they strand them there. Not a very impressive beginning for Sammy Sosa.

Stash Enhancement

2007-04-02T17:04:00.000-05:00

I love getting packages from the Loopy Ewe. Sheri has such a nice selection of sock yarns, it is hard to make a decision! Today when we got home from the zoo, there was a package containing this lovely yarn...

The green is Sprite Green Panda Cotton, the other two are Claudia Handpainted. The one with orange is Sherbet and the light pink and yellow is Jill's Pink. Of course, between the time of ordering this yarn and receiving it I came to the conclusion that I really need more solid yarns. But I am thinking Jill's Pink is light enough a sock pattern will show.

I had also gone by a quilt store in Ft. Worth that sells yarn. They had all their yarn 50% off. I have always wanted to try Classic Elite and for $6 a skein...why not? I think I have enough for a vest, at least I hope so!

Monday Recipe

2007-04-02T06:30:00.000-05:00

This morning I can't decide which recipe to post so I guess I will give you both that are floating around my brain.

The first is for comfort food...Chicken Pot Pie. This one comes from my friend Marie. She had brought the pie to my family on two different occassions, when I had pneumonia and then again when Mother passed away. Both times my husband loved it and asked me if I got the recipe. I finally remembered to ask her for it and made it this past week. It is delicious!

Chicken Pot Pie

1 1/2 cups cooked cubed chicken
2 cans cream of potato soup
1 can Veg-all drained
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 pie crusts (either store bought or homemade, I made a 10" double crust recipe)

Press half the pie crust into a 9x13 pan. Combine remaining ingredients, pour into pan, top with the rest of the crust. Brush with one beaten egg. Bake 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden brown.

The next recipe is a variation of one I saw on Rachel Ray. I don't get to watch her show often, but every time I do I find something I want to try. This was a hit with RacerDad and I. Speedy B loved it, it was a little hot for Cowodie and Smoda. So if your family doesn't like spicy heat you might want to pass this one by.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

4 Chicken breasts, sliced into cutlets (cut the breasts in half so they are not so thick)
Grill seasoning ( I used McCormick Grill Mates - spicy Montreal Steak)
Olive oil
1/2 stick butter
2 Tablespoons Tabasco
Tomato sauce
Feta Cheese
Monterey Jack cheese (shredded), last minute I realized I didn't have Jack so I used Marble Cheddar
Pizza Crust (recipe follows)

Season chicken breasts with grill seasoning. Heat grill pan, sprinkle chicken with olive oil. Cook chicken until done, slice into thin strips. Meanwhile, melt butter in a pan add Tabasco and about 1/4 cup of tomato sauce. Toss chicken in sauce. Top pizza blanks with chicken, feta cheese and Jack cheese. Bake until bubbly.

Pizza crust

2 packages dry yeast
pinch of sugar
1 1/4 cup luke warm water
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Proof yeast in 1/4 cup water with a pinch of sugar. Combine flour and salt. Add yeast, water and olive oil. Knead until smooth and elastic. Let rise until double. This is enough dough for 2 medium pizzas. Place on pans and cook in 500 degree oven until lightly browned.

Project Spectrum for February/March

2007-04-01T21:09:00.001-05:00

My creation
Originally uploaded by baseballmom_66.

These are the items that I completed for the first round of Project Spectrum. I could have sworn that I completed more blue/gray/white projects but I guess not. I do have one Dublin Bay sock in a lovely shade of blue but since it is not a complete pair, I don't count it.

Looking forward to the next color group - pink, yellow and green!

Blog Button - HELP!!

2007-04-01T18:25:00.000-05:00

I would really like to add links to the buttons in my sidebar. Does anybody out there know how to put a link with my Spring Fling button or my Project Spectrum button? I would like for people to be able to click on the button and get taken to the blog that talks about the topic.

For instance if you click on Project Spectrum it would take you to Lolly's blog.

I know it can be done...that is how I find out about various KALs and Swaps. I just don't know how to do it on my own.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I have read the directions at Blogging101.com but it doesn't do what I want. It will put the picture in the sidebar but not the link.

Thanks!!

Knitterly Things

2007-04-01T16:54:00.000-05:00

This weekend was quite the weekend for me. I received two new knitting books in the mail. So far I have been impressed with both of them. The first book that came was the new Interweave Favorite Socks. The socks featured in the book are simply gorgeous. I must admit that many of them seem out of my knitting league...but I am going to perservere. I am finding that I need to begin collecting solid or semi-solid sock yarn. So many patterns get lost in colorways and if I spend the time to do an intricate lace or cable pattern, I want the knitting to show. I have learned this the hard way with some of the patterns my Easy Sock group has done. My problem is I love COLORS, especially beautifully blended colors. I have a hard time knowing if a yarn will work with a pattern or not and I hate to frog a sock because the pattern doesn't show up.

The other book I received is A Treasury of Knitting Patterns. Stitch patterns fascinate me and I love learning new things. This one is by Barbara Walker, the same author of the Knit Along Afghan book I am working on. There is a wonderful group that is attempting to put the patterns from Walker's various books in a usable format. The Walker Treasury Project is compiling color pictures of each of the patterns. When the books were originally published all artwork was done in black and white and you know how hard it is to see some stitch patterns without color.

The Walker Treasury Project is hosting some wonderful contests in April. Head over to the blog and check out how easy it is to win a prize!

Final March Projects

2007-04-01T01:07:00.000-05:00

Smoda's Kindermusik teacher had seen my "Popcorn Purse" and fallen in love with it. She asked me if I would be willing to knit one for her if she paid me for my labor. I have followed with interest various discussions on "what is our knitting labor worth" and realized that no matter what I charged I would be working for pennies, but I was willing to do it for someone who truly valued handmade items. We agreed on a price and she let me know what colors she would like. Much to my dismay she was a pastel kind of girl...she chose baby blue popcorn yarn and white for the body of the purse. Even when I tried to point out that this purse would not be washable and would show dirt very easily she would not change her mind. I finished knitting the purse today and have already felted it. The purse is sitting on the dryer waiting for delivery on Tuesday.

Heidi's Purse before felting.

A project I have been wanting to work on all month is this cute bunny pattern from Lion Yarn. The Lion Brand Yarn that the project called for was ridculously expensive, especially considering the entire project wasn't much bigger than a washcloth! I found a comparable yarn from KnitPicks (Twirl) that was mainly alpaca. The finished project is so soft. This was a fun and quick knit...now to just find a baby to enjoy it! I have enough yarn leftover that I could knit one more, I am thinking I may take them to a nearby hospital to hopefully brighten Easter for someone.

I need to work on the directions for the head on the next one. The process is double knitting and though I followed the directions exactly, there are some slight holes that can be seen in the face.

These projects complete my February/March Project Spectrum items. I must say I am very glad to get blue and white behind me. I am ready for bright and cheerful. I do still need to complete my other Dublin Bay sock, hopefully it will go quickly.

Listening for God

2007-03-30T06:58:00.000-05:00

I find it hard to take the time for personal bible reading. I read with my children and we do devotions together each morning, but as for my own personal quiet time I am ashamed to say that it often is put on the back burner. The mornings I begin with the Lord are always better but my sinful nature finds so many other things it would rather do. Like reading blogs...

So this morning, as I was surfing through Bloggityville I came across a post at Everyday Mommy that made me think.

"As I prayed and mused, suddenly it happened. God said, “Come and see what I have done.” There was not the slightest doubt in my mind that these were the very words of God. In this very moment. At this very place in the twenty-first century, 2007, God was speaking to me with absolute authority and self-evidencing reality. I paused to let this sink in. There was a sweetness about it. Time seemed to matter little. God was near. He had me in his sights. He had something to say to me. When God draws near, hurry ceases. Time slows down."

Read the rest of the story here.

I am off for some Quiet Time before the rest of my household wakes up.

Works for Me - Snack Idea

2007-03-28T06:20:00.000-05:00

My family loves homemade pancakes and we have them quite often. Of course there are always a few leftover pancakes. Never enough for another breakfast and no one likes them heated up anyway. But my frugal side just hates to throw away good food, so I would put them in a baggie and save them. They would sit there a couple of days and then get thrown away until I tried spreading Nutella on them. Now my boys love leftover pancakes...who knew that a little smear of Nutella on a cold pancake would be the hit of snack time?!

For other great Works for Me tips visit Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer.

Life in a Small Town

2007-03-27T10:46:00.000-05:00

Small town living (and politics) is new to me. I grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma - not a small town. Went to college in a town that was approximately 30,000 with the college students. Moved to NYC after college, found teaching in Harlem was not a good choice for a young girl from Oklahoma. Leaving New York, I moved to the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex in 1989. I have lived all over the metroplex in the last 18 years...Ft. Worth, Carrollton, Flower Mound...all parts of the Greater Metroplex. As my mother used to say, "You can't tell when you leave one town and get to another".

Last year, our family moved to a town - still part of the metroplex - but somewhat isolated by a lake. Truly country living in the middle of a major urban area. There are 2100 people in town, the mayor (age 90) has been mayor for the last 30 years. She just ran again unopposed...I am not joking. Her son (age 70) is the president of the Library Board. His wife is on the city council, she is in charge of streets and drainage.

We are having a drainage issue in our front yard..water isn't flowing in the neighborhood quite like it should, this was brought to mind by the wonderful rains yesterday. I am on the Library Board so my husband said, "Why don't you talk to C, and find out if the town can do anything?" Sure enough, a simple conversation with one man, who is going to talk to his wife and mother will get our drainage issue handled....Life in a small town has its advantages!

And the rains came...

2007-03-26T18:29:00.000-05:00

Today was opening day of the boys baseball season. Cowodie was to have a game this evening and Speedy B a double header tomorrow night...but the rain has put a stop to all that. Can I just say that it is as gloomy inside as out???

Poor boys, the next scheduled game/practice for both boys is Thursday night and the forecast?? Rain.

Monday Recipe

2007-03-26T13:11:00.000-05:00

This recipe was passed to me from my dear friend Mrs. M. Her girls love it when she serves this for dinner. I am with them...the crust is delicious, just give me a spoon and I will scrape the pan clean!

Pepperidge Farm Chicken

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. sour cream
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
1 dash worchestershire sauce
1 package (small) herb seasoned Pepperidge Farm stuffing
1/2 cup melted butter
Parmesan Cheese

Combine sour cream, soup mix and worchestershire sauce. Roll chicken in mixture then dredge in stuffing. Place in a baking dish, top with melted butter. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

Clown Socks Complete

2007-03-25T16:09:00.000-05:00

I finished my "clown socks" as the boys call them this afternoon. I was less than 15 minutes from being done when we were invaded by family from Oklahoma. It was torture to leave a project so close to being done...but how nice today to finish them so quickly. The pattern is Zig Zag from Cavy Shops. The pattern was great, quickly knit using DK weight yarn. My yarn is the problem. It is Schaefer - Lola. I love the feel of the yarn and the color is very vibrant, but I hate the pooling that occured on the feet. I am glad it is on the foot portion, not the leg because I can easily cover it with shoes...but I am disappointed. I liked the spiral stripe on the leg of the sock. I also like the herringbone effect that happened in some places, but when I got to the foot there was the horrible pooling! Yeck!
I tried the socks on and was pleased with the fit. I could tell immediately these socks are going in the drawer until next fall. The brief amount of time I had the socks on had my feet sweltering. I think I will put up heavier weight sock yarn until later in the year. I may try my hand at knitting with some of the bamboo blend yarns. But of course I first need to finish my second Dublin Bay! And begin my STR club socks...a little nervous about the process, they are toe up!

Learn to Knit Afghan

2007-03-21T23:23:00.000-05:00

I have completed two squares of the Learn to Knit Afghan by Barbara Walker. It is a wonderful concept, each block is a different Walker stitch pattern. She not only gives the pattern but also explains how and when the stitch might be used.

The first block I completed is Diagonal Ribbing. I enjoyed the pattern, it was quick and easy...would be great as the bottom of a sweater. I was a little concerned with my yarn color choice, it reminded me of jute rope that I used long ago to macrame. It is Cascade 220 and is knitting up well.
This square scared me at first. It is Stepped Fret. The mosaic pattern with slipped stitches and color changes was a bit intimidating. So I figured I just needed help to tackle it. Thanks to Manda (of the Knitting Psychos podcast) and Jennifer, two girls that attend a knitting meet up with me, I was able to not only attempt but complete the square. I was so excited that I was able to knit something that turned out so cool. Call me a geek, but I take it out and just look at it!
This is the square I am currently attempting. It is a simple garter stitch block alternating rows of color. Now why would I say I am attempting something so simple...I decided that along with learning different stitches I would teach myself to knit continental. I would like to learn to knit faster and from what I understand continental moves quicker. I am enjoying the knit stitch. I do believe it is faster and I am able to keep better control of my tension. But when I tried to purl earlier today....uh it was not pretty, actually it was very clumsy. I have watched the knittinghelp.com video and think now I can do it. May give it a try tomorrow.

I like the blocks that use both colors. The beige is much better in combination with the blue. Fortunately there are not too many blocks of the single color and I think if I am careful in assembling the afghan it will look okay.

Acme Brick Field Trip

2007-03-21T22:59:00.000-05:00

I took the boys on a field trip with the local homeschool association. We went to the Acme Brick Plant in Denton. Now I must be honest, when the information for this field trip came through on the email loop I thought "this is one we could skip", but then I remembered...boys - factory - exciting. So I signed us up. I am glad I did, I was as fascinated as the boys.

The brick factory was established in 1891.

The manufacturing plant. As Speedy B said..."It's just like the TV show 'Made in America'". The process seen here is just after the bricks were cut. All bricks are the same gray color until they are fired.
Here is a "car" of bricks coming out of the kiln. It takes 48 hours for the bricks to go through the drying room and the kiln. The wet bricks cannot go straight to the kiln or they will explode. The orange slit to the right of the bricks is the "firing" part of the kiln. At that point the temperature in the kiln is 2200 degrees. One car of bricks is enough bricks to complete two 1900-2000 square foot homes. As you can see, this load of bricks is the three hole variety. Three hole bricks are considered architecturally bricks and are used in the building of city buildings. They contain more clay than residential bricks. Their composition and size make them more structurally sound.

The brickyard. The Denton plant manufactures 12 million bricks a month. All of these bricks have already been sold and are waiting to go to their respective job sites.

The boys loved the field trip and learned quite a bit about the process. Smoda wore the headphones because inside the plant was rather loud.

Works for Me - Mr. Clean MagicReach

2007-03-21T07:40:00.000-05:00

I have a large garden tub...small indoor swimming pool is a more accurate discription. To clean the "far" side, I would have to get in the tub. Eeewww! It was just a mess, no matter how I went about it. Then my friend told me about Mr. Clean MagicReach. I was familiar with the Magic Erasers and just love them so I was willing to give MagicReach a try. It is a wonderful tool! I can easily reach the far side of the tub and the upper reaches of the of my shower (I used to have to stand on the bench to reach the uppermost tiles). The extension handle can be removed for more control if you need to scrub. My hard to reach places all sparkle...Mr. Clean MagicReach...Works for Me!

Why do I Blog?

2007-03-19T07:29:00.000-05:00

Everyday Mommy is in a bit of a blogging slump and posted this meme. I too am in a bit of a slump. My knitting projects aren't showing much progress to share and I haven't been inspired by things to talk about sooo...I thought this sounded like fun.

What made you start blogging? When I originally began blogging, I was trying to share bits of our lives with my mom. She lived in a different state than we did, and I wanted Gramma to be involved with the boys and see them grow. I was hopeful the other grandparents would stop by as well, but mom was the only regular reader.

Then mom got sick and I was talking to her everyday, several times a day so my blogging stopped. Several months after mom died, I realized that one thing I missed the most about her was being able to talk to her. Being able to share what craft I was working on, what I was fixing for dinner, what the boys were doing...just talking. I began blogging again to "get my words out". Living in a household of testosterone I NEED to talk!

What blogging host was your first? Homeschool Blogger was my first attempt. I became frustrated with its quirks and moved to Blogger. It is not perfect, but I haven't felt the need to change again.

How many different hosts have you tried? Just two.

How long did it take you to figure out how to install items in your sidebar? With Homeschool Blogger, NEVER..it was so frustrating. I would go and see other people's cute or impressive blogs and mine was SOOO boring.

I have learned to do a few things...still alot to learn. I don't want an overly busy blog, but I would like to learn how to do some fun graphics and put pictures in my sidebar that you could actually click and get to the link. Maybe someday!

Do you blog on a desktop or a laptop? Mainly on a laptop.

PC or Mac? PC.

What’s your biggest blogging “don’t”? Don't say something hateful...blogs will always be "out there" on the WWW and you can't take it back.

What’s your favorite blogging topic? Family life and knitting.

What’s your biggest blogging frustration? No comments. I know that people read the blog, friends will tell me "I really like what you posted"...but won't leave a comment.

What’s been your biggest blessing from blogging? I haven't been doing this very long, but I have already made a few friends. The friendships and examples of other Christian bloggers is very much a blessing to me.

Monday Recipe - Dijon Sirloin Tips

2007-03-19T06:57:00.000-05:00

Another favorite from Taste of Home magazine. This recipe is a bit more time consuming that ones I usually share. It is a great meal for company or a special occasion.

Dijon Sirloin Tips

1 1/4 pounds sirloin tips, cubed
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup whipping cream
Hot cooked noodles

In a large skillet, brown meat in butter and oil; transfer to a 2 quart baking dish. In the same skillet, saute mushrooms and garlic until mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes. Pour mushrooms and liquid over meat. Cover and bake at 300 degrees for 2 hours or until meat is tender. In the same skillet, combine broth, vinegar and soy sauce; bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes; set aside. Combine mustard, cornstarch and cream, stir into broth mixture. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Drain juices from baking dish into broth mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Add beef mixture. Serve over hot noodles.

Mommy Moment

2007-03-17T07:18:00.000-05:00

My little baby Smoda has two loose teeth. I could just cry. He is estatic of course....My baby is growing up.

Waco, Texas

2007-03-17T06:29:00.000-05:00

Our mini-vacation began early Monday morning. We left our house at 7:30 and headed south to Waco, Texas. With rush hour traffic (RacerDad was smart and went through Ft. Worth instead of Dallas) we were in West, a small Czech community by 9:15...just in time for kolaches. RacerDad remembered the Ole Czech Bakery from his college days, can I just say I was glad he wanted to stop there....yummm.

After breakfast, we were 30 short minutes from our first destination....The Dr Pepper Museum. Dr Pepper was invented in a drug store in Waco, Texas in the late 1800's and was originally called a "Waco". The pharmacist that invented the formula was in search of a taste that reminded him of the fruity smell of the soda fountain. 23 different fruit flavorings make the basis of Dr Pepper. Of the mainstream beverages on the market now (Coke, Pepsi, etc.) Dr Pepper is the oldest. The museum is full of interesting artifacts and information about cokes in general.

We were able to see the antique machinery used in making the beverage, the bottle washer, and the artisian well originally used in the making of the product. Speedy B was fascinated by all the bottles and cans they had on display. For myself, it was fun to look at them and see how many I could remember. There was a room of old coke machines (all of them Dr Pepper of course!) that included the chest version right up to one you might see today. The prices were still on the outer labels....the boys couldn't believe that you used to be able to get a drink for 15 cents. They really didn't believe my MIL when she said she remembered buying them for 5 cents!

I had always wondered why Dr Pepper used a clock in their advertising, there was a wonderful display that explained it. During WWII, the government rationed sugar for public consumption due to the fact that sugar is a component of making bombs. Well of course, Dr Pepper has lots of sugar....so it was about to become extinct. One of their advertising agents remembered that in the early '30s research had proven that humans experience lulls in their activity at 10:30, 2:30 and 4:30 due to low sugar levels. Dr Pepper was then recategorized as a food substance essential to the war effort and their slogan became "Drink your food at 10, 2 and 4".

We all enjoyed watching the old Dr Pepper commercials that were playing at various locations in the museum and then we went down to the replica soda shop on the lower level and enjoyed Dr Peppers made the old fashioned way with syrup and selzer. It was a great stop!

Next we went to the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame. I am sure you are thinking baseball team, but no, this is the museum dedicated to the Texas Ranger Law Enforcement. This museum is little boy (and big boy) heaven, room after room of guns and cowboy paraphanalia. There is a wonderful video, originally aired on the History Channel that gives the history of the organization. I had no idea that when the Rangers began, they were mainly farmers and teachers, I must admit my knowledge of the Rangers had only been fed by John Wayne movies.

The Texas Rangers have a long and fascinating history...including their part in the deaths of Bonnie and Clyde. RacerDad said the museum used to house the car Bonnie and Clyde died in, it must be off display now because we did not see that, though we did see the guns that were confiscated out of the car.

Of course all the boys enjoyed this museum, I must say my MIL and I did as well. The museum did a good job of bringing the family aspect into the history, by including letters from the wives, mothers and sisters.

Smoda wanted his picture taken by this rock wall....how could I resist?

Waco was a fun day and worth the drive....there is also Baylor University that we could have toured as well....but we were off for Houston and NASA.

Vacation Knitting

2007-03-15T07:44:00.000-05:00

We are back and had a fabulous time. I will post about vacation later. Just wanted you to see what knitting I was able to accomplish while on the road. I must admit I was afraid I was being too optimistic about being able to knit while riding in the car. Anytime I had tried it previously, I would get carsick after a few minutes. This time, my stomach cooperated and I was able to knit away!

I finished my first Dublin Bay sock, remember the one that gave me SOOOOO much trouble. I had just begun the gusset Sunday evening before we left, so I had the rest of the gusset and the foot to knit. I am a slow knitter, and I wasn't sure how far I would get on this sock. When I finished, I was so excited I tried it on in the car and took a picture. My mother-in-law probably thought I was nuts putting on a sock, propping my foot on the dash and snapping a photo, RacerDad just smiled and shook his head.

I also made two tribbles. Tribbles are so much fun to knit and require very little yarn. They are perfect for finishing up the last bit of yarn leftover from a dishcloth. Like handknit dishcloths they are great for scrubbing. I have knit several and only have one to my name, the rest have been given away, people always ask for them. The two I knit on vacation were no different. I planned on keeping them for myself as you can tell by the one that is a mix of the green and yellow yarn, just trying to use up scraps. My MIL said "those would be great to have". So of course they went home with her. I guess I need to knit tribbles in a closet if I want to keep any.

I also began my second Zig Zag sock. I was able to do the complete cuff on the road from Houston.

I was pleased with the amount of knitting I was able to accomplish.

Happy Anniversary!

2007-03-11T14:24:00.000-05:00

Twelve years ago today I was blessed to have the opportunity to marry my sweet husband. Seems like only yesterday....but then again I can't imagine life without him.

On the Road

2007-03-11T14:14:00.000-05:00

My mother-in-law is heading to town today. We will be going on a mini vacation. Not sure yet where we will head, either San Antonio or Houston. My original plan had been to go to San Antonio - do The Alamo and Sea World. RacerDad had a different idea. We could begin in Waco at the Dr Pepper museum, go down the street to the Texas Rangers museum (law enforcement, not ball team), then head to Houston for NASA. I guess tomorrow morning when we get in the car we will decide.

All that to say I will be off line for a few days. But it should be some major knitting time. I am hoping to have a finished Dublin Bay and my mosaic block finished....as well as several rows of Smoda's blanket.

Spring Gardening

2007-03-10T17:42:00.000-06:00

Now I know it is not officially spring, but when you have consecutive days of over 70 is it hard to not get in the mood. Especially when I know that it will soon be consecutive 95+ days and I won't want to stir.

This week I have worked in my garden and backyard....

I would like to consider what I have done spring planting, but anyone who knows me well will tell you it is really the spring sacrifice. In my mind I have a beautiful garden...it is like a "grandma's garden" and this part of it is "my kitchen herb garden". Imagine lush fully grown plants, butterflies flitting in the summer, the scents of fresh herbs, a mixture of colors and textures....just beautiful. The sad reality is, each spring, I have high hopes. Go to the gardening center to find just the right plants, best specimens, plant them, tend them faithfully. Then come the heat of summer.....I sacrifice them. Sad but true! I kill plants. Not that I truly want to, I just have yet to figure out how to keep things alive. So last weekend when my dad and Julia were here, I picked her brain. She is the type that can take a dumpster of almost dead plants and have "my vision" within a month. She just throws out seeds and before you know it has a thriving garden. I asked her what to plant, where to plant, how....you get the picture. So I did everything according to her directions. I have a few more plants to get and have to wait for The Weedman (lawn fertilizing company) to treat for fire ants before I can put out mulch. I am hopeful. This spot is waiting for plants....a yew, hostas, begonias and impatiens. Still a little cool for those.

I can do it. I have a watering schedule. I planted the right things. In April, you will see progress...or at the very least a great plant sacrifice.

Year of the Blanket

2007-03-08T06:53:00.000-06:00

I have decided that in my life this is the year of the blanket. Not that I intentionally went out and planned to make a slew of blankets, they are a big project and I want fairly quick completion.

It began with the feather and fan baby blanket I made for a friend. I figured a baby blanket couldn't be too hard, should be a quick knit....then I went out and purchased fingering weight yarn. I did complete the project, it turned out lovely and my friend was delighted.

The next blanket project is something I wanted to do for myself. I had learned of Barbara Walker's Learn to Knit Afghan Book, a form of a stitchionary with a purpose. In this book are 64 afghan blocks each a different stitch pattern. There are squares that teach simple garter stitch variations, cable, lace, twisted stitches and mosaic patterns. I figured each square was really no bigger than a dishcloth and if I hated a pattern, it would be done quickly in a 6x9 block. I also thought by the time I finished I would be a more confident knitter. One thing I really like about the book, Walker not only gives the pattern, she explains why the stitches work the way they do and where you might use the pattern in other knitting. For example, the first block I completed was a slanted rib. It looks really neat and was easy and quick to accomplish. Walker said this would be a sweater ribbing. My second square was not quite so easy to begin. I didn't quite understand the directions, it was a mosaic. I read the instructions several times, then put it aside to take to my knitting group. Thank goodness for Manda and Jennifer. Once they explained it for me, I am finding it fun to knit.....challenging, but fun. I'll post pictures of both squares once I finish the mosaic.

The last blanket is a "mommy project". A friend of mine asked Smoda what he thought of the baby blanket I had just completed. Now keep in mind, anytime he saw me knitting the blanket, he would say "I don't like it, it is pink". But this time, he said "I loved it. I want Mamsie to knit me one, I don't even care if it is pink". Needless to say, I let my baby pick a blanket pattern and choose his yarn. He grins when he sees me working on it. But he is a hard taskmaster, whenever he sees me knitting something else, he points out I should be working on his!

On my afghan, I am using Cascade 220. Smoda chose Rowan Handknit Cotton (fortunately his doesn't take a lot of yarn!) My colors are more subdued and neutral. He chose bright purple, lime green, coral and bright blue. I am definitely not going to get bored with these projects they are so different.

Podcasts - A Mystery No More

2007-03-07T17:26:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Dawn, I am no longer in the dark about podcasts. I am actually listening to Manda at Knitting Psychos as I type this! So cool....now I can listen to podcasts and audiobooks while knitting instead of suffering through RacerDad's many car shows he watches. A non-car gal can only act interested in cars so long!

I have had my ipod for over 2 years now, used it for music while excercising....quit excercising (sorry to say), so the ipod went to live in the drawer. It came out of the drawer at Christmas when RacerDad got a docking station so I could play music in the kitchen. It had quite a bit of music on it, but I just couldn't see continuing to plunk down $1 for each song I wanted to listen to, so nothing new added.

Now with Dawn's help, I have discovered a whole new world! WooHoo! Maybe I'll start walking again....sure need to!