I finished it!! And as promised here is a picture of my daughter showing it off.


Thanks to Bron and to Deneen for helping me out with this one, you guys rock!!


You can see how small she is, I made that sweater the smallest size because she is so small.

I was wrong I was sick all weekend and still sick today. I made it to work but I'm miserable and would really like to be home on the couch not doing anything but crocheting the last sleeve. See Here is the unfinished sweater which I hope to be a finished sweater and my daughter showing it off this evening.
I actually took this picture at work with my camera phone so its not the greatest but will at least show it off for now. I promise to post a picture as soon as it is finished and I can get her to put it on.

Not allergies...

Ok so its not allergies I guess I have a plain ole cold. My head hurts, my sinius' are on fire, my ears are stopped up and my throat hurts, in fact I feel so bad I missed my daughters last soccer game of the season last night and didn't get to go to the knitting group last night. Tori made another goal last night and I missed it but I couldn't pick up my head off the couch to go see it.
I'm going to take some medication and go back to bed and maybe I will feel better and not be sick all weekend.

Allergies....so much fun

Up until the last couple of years I had never had allergies of any sort, now is a completly different story. Tuesday afternoon when I got off from work Gary and I went out back to cut the yard for the first time of the year. All the dead grass, dirt, pollen and whatever else was under all that caused some of the most sneezing I have done all year long. My nose is now running, my head hurts, I'm sneezing, and my throat is raw from the drainage. Yuk!!! It's all allergies! I took a Clariton this morning but its not touching it either, well I say its not but really it is. I'm also so sleepy. The dogs kept Gary and I up from about 3am to 4:30am. Sucks. Dakota was coughing (he's not sick he has allergies of the sinius' too and he hacks up well you really don't want to know) till he woke us up. I got up to let him out of the house and then to get some water. I got him settled down then London wouldn't come back in the house. I can't leave her out because she is a great escape artist, finally I got her in the house. Then Indigo started up cleaning his paws and one of the cats started scratching on the bed. I finally yelled out will you animals stop it and for some weird reason they actually did.
I took a half of day off today to get the front yard cut, now I'm feeling worse since I'm stubborn and couldn't wait until Gary got home. Tori has her last school soccer game this evening and I have to be there but gosh I need to go to bed and stay there.

Just another day

Gosh that title seems so glum. Not really feeling all that glum but in desperate need of a vacation from this place. I really shouldn't be bitching to much because I have gotten 2 raises in the last month and no I'm not that good they were just to put us where what we should have been making. See we didn't get a cost of living raise last year. Normally every year at budget time they would give us a percentage across the board for a cost of living raise but they were not able to last year so they made up for it now. I am very happy to have gotten it and have no complaint it will be much easier for my family now, but even still I need a vacation away from here, a solid week that I don't have to worry about here and I can work in my flower beds, knit or crochet or hang out with my kids somewhere. I do have a vacation coming up in May but geez that's May and the end of May at that. I really just need to hush because I'm lucky to even have a job and a good one at that.

On to fiber related things, I still haven't sewn the sleeves in that sweater I will eventually but I just don't want to right now. I'm still working on the other sweater and the Charles Tahki sweater as well. I'm having problems with the Tahki one and might need some help...**wink wink Deneen**. I'm following the pattern but somehow I think I'm not reading it correctly. I also received some wonderful wool yarn from a swap I did on Crochetville from my partner. All of it is wonderful and I can't wait to find something to use it for. Last week my daughter and I went to the new yarn shop in Hernando to sit and knit with the owner and some other wonderful ladies. I had so much fun and can't wait till tomorrow to get to go again. They are all so nice and so very interesting to talk to. Learning new stuff from them is going to be great!!

Die - T

Yea you know what a diet is, it is DIE with a T!! Garfield had it right the first time around. I'm not really dying I just know in order to loose this weight I have to control what I eat. Oh I can eat anything I please just as long as it comes to the number of calories that I have limited myself to. I'm not starving or hurting myself I'm eating well and making better choices and nor am I beating myself up when I screw up but a cheeseburger and fries sound like a dream right now. To be perfectly honest I will be not eating so well this weekend because we will be driving to/in South Carolina for the weekend which means road food and eating out a lot. I refuse to give up and will make the best choices possible while I'm on this trip but I know it w0uld be stupid for me to assume that I won't make a bad choice.
I have lost 13 lbs so far and have a long way to go but can do it no matter what. Gary has been a wonderful support partner in this. He knows how important it is to me to loose this extra poundage that I have put on and been to lazy to get my fat butt up and loose it. I found a great website that helps count calories, fat and the whole shabang for you all you do is enter in what you ate. I love this site and recommend it to anyone that wants to loose some extra. Its:

www.my-calorie-counter.com

Check it out if you want its pretty cool I think.

After I posted this morning, I went and got in the bed. I was freezing so I had sweat pants on, covered up with two quilts and still was cold. I didn't wake up till around 12:30 and decided I needed to get up. I ran a low grade fever for most of the day and my head is still pounding. Ahh the joys of feeling like crap. No matter what I have to go to work tomorrow even if I'm dying.

Monday Blues

I swear I feel like poop. I stayed home from work because my head was pounding and my nose stuffy but now...dum dum dum.....dum my throat hurts and I feel like warmed over poop. I know that was really a gross analogy but it is the truth. It's been a rather hard weekend to tell the truth. The man that married Gary and I, is dying. He has had heart conditions for a long time and has a pace maker. He had been in the hospital about 3 weeks ago and got out of bed, fell and broke his foot. They got that fixed up so about 2 weeks ago he got up out of bed, fell again this time breaking his hip. He had surgery week before last for that. But he is slowly going down hill. He's about unresponsive and they took him off his meds which they say was keeping him alive and have only given him about 4 days. He's 93 years old and his lived a good life. I have known this couple since I was 6 weeks old. Raggie was my babysitter from 6 weeks till about 12 years old so I spent my entire childhood with them. He was 86 in the picture with me on the day he married us. Oh and thats my shadow, Shelby he was about 4 there.

I have almost finished that sweater that I started weeks ago. I have to put the sleeves in then its pretty much done. I screwed up, when I bought the yarn I didn't check lot numbers (I know how stupid). When I bought it, the yarn had been intended for something else I guess that was about 2 years ago. Anyway, the color is a not a big difference but it is noticable. Everyone that has seen it thinks it looks cool because of the way the color changes so I guess its ok for my first. I have no plans to frog it because my daughter thinks its cool that way and she said she would wear it. I will post a picture later of it, after I get the sleeves in.

Same ole Same ole

Its the same ole song and dance around these parts. Work, school, cook, clean, let the dogs out, clean some more, drag the kids where ever, etc. The best part is when I actually get to sit down and knit or crochet which ever I have going at the time. But the rest of the drudgery is driving me nuts I love the cold weather, not the bitter cold but I like it cooler than the normal 102 degrees you get down here in the south, but it is starting to warm up which means I'm gearing up getting ready to work in my flower beds and create more flower beds but it is not quite warm enough and it probably is going to get cold again before its over with. So, I really can't start planting or working on the beds just yet so I'm basically still stuck in the house waiting for the day that I can get out and dig in the dirt. Oh speaking of digging in the dirt, I bought two huge, do you hear me huge seeds that will one day be an elephant ear plant. I really don't know if that isn't the correct term, maybe they are tubers or pods are something other than seeds but jeez Louise they are huge. My plan is to dig up the area around on the side of the house where my rose bushes are and plant these monsters close to the fence line. Then dig up around where the air conditioner units are and put down some pea gravel around the units to get rid of the weird weeds there. I want to dig around where the roses are and fill in with some good dirt and out line it with timbers or the stones that I have around the front. I also have to get the stones to finish the front and a truck load of dirt for that bed. Oh yea and the bird bath I am putting out there. I'm looking at all kinds of plants and flowers for that bed. I really want it to be bird and butterfly friendly as well. Then the other bed in the front has to have some work as well. Plus I want to dig up under the bay windows for an herb garden.

I'm still working on that sweater that I was working on the last time I posted. I am about half done on the last sleeve. I can tell you this I'm about tired of this sweater. I'm tired of the squeaky acrylic yarn, I'm tired of the color I'm just ready for this sweater to be done. And I'm sure hoping that it turns out OK for my first one. I'm using Lion Brand Jiffy to knit this one and it doesn't look bad and it doesn't feel bad but I hate the squeaking. I will post a picture as soon as it is done. Then I'm starting on the Tahki pattern for my daughter. I went to the LYS and bought the yarn needed for that one. But they were out of the soft yellow so she ordered it for me and is shipping it to me since I'm in MS. Very nice of them I can tell you. I wish I had more time to go and hang out at the yarn store when I'm in Memphis that would be great. I'm hoping when the new one opens down here I will get to go and hang out with other knitters.

OK will write more later when I have the chance maybe next time I can post a picture of the sweater.

February already

I can not believe it is February already, I mean dang wasn't yesterday Christmas? And why is it I can't I remember to write something in this place at least once a week? I know its been a month almost since I have even darkened the door of my blog don't know why, don't really have a good excuse. Maybe I will do better.

Ok on to what has been going on around these here parts. Lets see where to begin? We bought a new washer. Not any washer but GE Profile Harmony. I know they dang thang set us back a bit but we got it at a discounted price because it was dented on the back side. You can't see the dent and the dent does not affect the washers ability to wash clothes but we got it for about $250.00 less than retail. I swear the day we put it in the entire family including my mom stood around and watched it wash clothes. See it has a clear top so you can see what you are washing, it provided some very interesting entertainment for the family. I love the it and we are thinking on buying the dryer also if we can get it for discount as well.

I am knitting a sweater. Yes, I Carol the one who was so chicken to knit or crochet a sweater is actually doing it. I'm working on one of the sleeves right now. It is a dark blue and I am using a Lion Brand Yarn, Jiffy. That was the only yarn I had on hand in the amount that I needed to make the sweater. So far it is looking alright and so far it hasn't been to hard to follow. But I'm wondering which stich should I use when I get to the point of seaming it together. I guess I will figure it out when I get there. Also I have an Alpaca scarf on my other needles. Thats for when I get bored with working on the sweater. As soon as I finish this sweater I'm working on I have 3 that I want to work on. Lets see, 2 are knitting and one is crochet,

This one: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTthermal.html

This one: http://www.bernat.com/pattern.php?PID=2050

And this one: http://www.tahkistacycharles.com/Patterns/patterns_detail.asp?CatID=16&ID=797&New=SP&pg=17

Plus I have a few baby blankets to work on. One of them I have to get to pretty quick because I think she is coming up due soon.

Monday I ended up in the doctors office because I was sure I was having a heart attack. Turned out to be possibly a hiatel hernia. They are not sure that is what it is but it sounded like it. I'm having problems with food feeling like it is stuck in my throat and I can't swallow sometimes. I wound up staying home that day because the doctor said I needed to relax so I stayed in the bed and rested. What I really need to do about it is get this weight off of me. Then I wouldn't have some of these problems I have.

The kids are doing great and I can't wait till I can post a picture of Cody on here all dressed up in his new suit. He looks so good.

Ok thats all I can think of at this point but I might write more later.

Whoo Hoo its the Flu!!

This weekend has been something else. Friday Cody stayed home from school running a fever, aches, pains, sore throat.....etc. I came home for lunch to check on him and we wound up going to the doctor to get him looked over. The doc said he had the flu and an middle ear infection and that was only the beginning. Saturday he was the fever had broke for him so I went running around for a bit doing some shopping and heading to the yarn store in Memphis. While I was out wallowing in all that wonderful yarn at the yarn store, my husband calls me and now he has the flu. His throat was hurting and was begining to run a fever. Now I have two with the flu. Gary ran a fever from Saturday to this morning. I had kept Shelby staying at my moms trying to avoid him catching it as well but that didn't work, they called me this morning and he had 101.2 fever this morning and as soon as I got off the phone with my mom Tori calls me from her friends house. Toris throat hurts and she is running fever. She will be the one that gets the sickest from it she always is. So far I haven't even had the first symptom but I'm having to stay home from work tomorrow to be with the youngest ones. We have court tomorrow but I can't help it my kids come first.

First FO's for 2007

I have finished one of Deneen's Bubble Blanket and a Sweater. I used the SLK pattern for most of the sweater but some of it I just added on. I had so much fun crocheting this for the couple I'm giving it to.

I am still working on a scarf that goes with a hat that I gave my coworker for Christmas. I wasn't able to get the scarf finished in time but I'm finishing it this weekend and giving it to her next week. Then I am going to make me a scarf. I haven't made myself anything since I started knitting or crocheting. So I bought myself some alpaca and I'm going to learn to cable by making me a scarf. Whoo Hoo!!

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year!!! My family wishes everyone a safe and prosperous new year. In other words we hope that ya'll are healthy and wealthy all year long.

I made my very first sweater today. It's a baby sweater Baby It's Cold Outside sweater. It was pretty easy to do. Since I had never made one before I thought this one would be easy enough to give a try for the first time. I don't think I quite did the the buttons right but it looks pretty good to me I think.

Done!!

I did it, I finally finished shopping! I didn't think it possible but it finally happened. Well, I finished running all over town buying stuff but I have 2 other things I'm waiting to come in the mail. They should have been here a couple of days ago but you know the US Mail service is rather slow. I just hope they get here tomorrow or it will be next week before they do. And one of mine that I bought myself, yes I bought myself something, hasn't gotten here either. But I'm sure that it will probably be here by Tuesday and that's fine. I bought myself another camera. I now will have 2 film camera's and a Digital. A Nikon and a Minolta 35 mm SLR and the Nikon CoolPix P4 digital. Now I'm looking at a Canon to go with the collection. I have to get the Nikon fixed which I'm going to do after Christmas. I thought I was going to be able to do it before but money ran short. But thats ok no problem, I will get it done very soon. I love the pictures the Nikon takes so I can't wait to see what the Minolta does.

I hope that everyone has a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Christmas pictures

The city had Breakfast with Santa last weekend and I took Tori and Shelby to see him. Yes I know the are a bit big for Santa but being a mom I wanted pictures again this year with him.

Shelby wondering if this was a good idea or Santa telling him to get off his knee because he is to dang big.

Tori hamming it up for the camera. And she does it so well.

Shelby decided he liked Santa.

Then there was Cody who wouldn't get out of bed that early to go with us, well he is 16 and God forbid he is seen sitting in Santa's lap. The world would come crashing in. So I made the boy stand in front of the tree at home and take his picture.

Cody making his mom happy by taking a picture not making a horrible face or wearing the dang earring.

Tequila Friday

By the time Friday got here I had absolutely had it. Worked sucked last week, home life sucked last week, seems like everyone I talked to or everything I touched I messed it up or got talked to like crap. So after all the running of the kids on Friday evening I called a friend and asked her to go have a drink with me. Now, I am not much of a drinker but I do like some tequila every now and again. And Friday the tequila bottle was calling my name. She and I met at a local Mexican restaurant, which happens to be my favorite, and we had dinner and I had about 3 very strong Margarita's. My friend that works there came by the table and asked if I wanted another one and I told him YES and more tequila. So he obliged and brought me a strong one. By the third one I had a great buzz going and had to say no more. We sat there for a few more minutes then had to get out of all the smoke into fresh air. It felt great to get out of the house with a friend and didn't have to worry about the kids or anything else. I haven't gotten to do that in a long while.

Saturday my Mom and I got up and went to a bunch of estate sales. Boy did we find some great deals on some items and had a great time doing it.

I have spent all day today either doing laundry or baking. I have made white chocolate macadamia nut cookies and bourbon balls. I still have to dip the bourbon balls in the chocolate. I'm going to make some peanut butter balls and I want to make some divinity as well. This is the first Christmas that I have even wanted to make candies and cookies in a long time. I used to do it all the time but haven't had time in the last few years.

Shopping....

I went shopping with my mother n law over the weekend and let me tell you, that woman can shop. Holy cow, she about wore me out. Not only did she shop with me on Saturday but then my husband and her got up on Sunday and went and did more shopping. I had a hard time keeping up with her but we had a great time. Especially since we went to eat at Olive Garden. I think I rolled out of there I ate so much.

I can't even start my shopping for another week. Yes I know I cut it short this year but the money hasn't been there. Since we bought the house it has been rather slim around the homestead. I'm not complaining quite the opposite. I'm very satisfied with the house and so is everyone else in the family. No one is going to go without and we are so much more blessed than a lot of people in the world so there is no complaint.

I took a bunch of pictures Thanksgiving week while we were in Texas visiting the grandparents. Here are a couple I did in black and white, plus one that is two of my kids and their granddad making the face that only they can make so well.

Thanksgiving vaction

I hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving and you all didn't eat to much (hehe wishful thinking). My family and I traveled from our little home in Mississippi to the children's grandparents house in Beaumont, TX and feasted with some of the best people on earth. I have never seen so much food in all my life and it was all good!! You guys know I'm not going to turn down good food no matter what.

We left on Wednesday early in the morning and drove straight thru 8 hours across some bridges that made my knuckles turn white because they were so high up in the air. Most bridges don't bother me but this one scared the you know what out of me. We arrived there about 3:00 Wednesday afternoon ready to eat. Jessie had made her homemade burritos and boy they were good. Then of course Thursday was thanksgiving. Besides all the food the wine was flowing like a river around there. It was really warm out like almost 80 degrees and the wine and the heat wasn't mixing with me really well so I went in the house and cooled off watching a really cool program. Later after it had cooled off outside I went back out and joined everyone again talking and drinking more wine. By this time a couple of others showed up, Jessie's niece and her children, who by the way I have heard about since I was pregnant with Cody. I finally got to meet her after all these years. She is so sweet. So, Jessie's sisters and niece and myself all sat around and drank wine. We laughed and giggled so much that we all hurt. I haven't had that much fun in a long while.
Friday we went to the mall and later that evening we went out to eat together. Saturday morning was the day that we were suppose to drive back home, so I get all the kids up and start taking showers and getting everything together. I look up and I have my kids standing around me crying begging me to talk to daddy about staying another day. They didn't want to leave their grandpa so then they got me to crying along with them. I talked to Gary and we decided to stay another day. I am very glad we did. Gary decided to make crab burgers for everyone so Jessie and I went to the local grocery store. This was the biggest grocery store I have ever been in so big in fact that Gary and I went back just to look around and see what we could see.
Gary cooked the crab burgers and Grandpa Billy cooked the JoJo fries and we all sat down and ate together. Sunday it was time to go home and the tears started up again. The kids and I could barely get thru hugging Grandpa and Grandma. We all had such a good time and really love them both.
Billy is the only link that the kids have to their real fathers side of the family. Their real dad has a drug problem and lives on the street. The only time they see him is if we are riding down the street and hes out walking or panhandling. Yes I know this is sad but he chose his path. I think it is very important that the kids have a relationship with their grandfather to know about their background. And Billy is the only grandfather that they have ever known.
We had a great time and look forward to the time that we can go again, hopefully sometime in the Spring.

Happy Birthday Cody

Today is my oldest childs 16th birthday. I can not believe that that much time has gone by already. It seems like yesterday that I had him and he was just a little baby in my arms. Cody has had his ups and downs but he is turning out to be a fine young man. I have boohoo'd all evening because I know in a couple of years that he will be going to college, getting married and having children of his own. Where the heck has the time gone.

Cody at 3 weeks old

Cody at 15 1/2.

Happy Birthday Cody I love you!!!!

Finished

I finished the baby blanket that I made using Deneen's pattern. I added a bit of a edge to it and I think it turned out pretty well but am anxious to hear Deneen's opinion.