Going, going, gone

When we bought this house three years ago, the foyer, living room, sitting room and dining room were all sponge painted. The foyer and living room were (in my opinion) truly hideous, densely done with magenta paint on white. It was so not me. Here, take a look:





I've been living with it ever since because the thought of taping all of that trim off and repainting gave Luis the heebeejeebees. Well, the purple kitchen started something. We went to Home Depot and raided their "oops" rack. We came home with 7 quarts and 3 gallons of Behr paint, all for $22, each a different color. We mixed 3 quarts together and came up with a lovely melted chocolate ice cream color, which we put in the foyer. Then we mixed together 1 gallon, 4 quarts and 1/4 of the remaining gallon and come up with a taupey-grey. We put that into the living room and sitting room. It looks so much better! It was a bear to tape off, Luis was right, but it was soooooo worth it. I've got to take some pics and put up some before and afters. We still have 3/4 gallon of the taupey-grey color left, plust 3/4 gallon of another color. We're planning another trip back to Home Depot next week to get some more oops paint and redo the dining room too. I can't wait. It's been so much fun mixing stuff and seeing what color we can come up with. Luis was so scared to do the mixing up, but I convinced him and he's thrilled with the result (and the price).

We have had our house off the market for 6 weeks now, but plan on relisting next week. Hopefully the freshened up colors will help. Now, if we were planning on staying here, I'd have gone for more color instead of the taupey-grey, but we wanted to keep it neutral. The purple kitchen could be intimidating enough to some buyers, LOL.

Cast-on-itis

I've got a raging case of cast-on-itis. So what that I have four projects currently on the needles, including a sock that is probably an hour away from completion? I've got the craving for a poncho, an indoor accessory-type or spring jacket type one. I cast on last night with another ball of the silk/cotton yarn I'm using for Rosemary's Sweater, and the back is finished already. The front is underway, and I hope to wear it tomorrow. The way I see it, Rosemary's Sweater won't be worn until next fall anyways, so I can wear my poncho for the remainder of winter and spring, then frog it. I'll knit on Rosemary's Sweater until I run out of yarn, and set it aside until I frog the poncho. :D The silk/cotton yarn is making the most yummy, soft fabric and was a great choice for this project.

Now that I've got my poncho underway, I've got visions of the girls in ponchos too. I have some yarn sitting in my basket that would work, and some one the knitlist suggested making a poncho by just doing a top down raglan sweater, but not dividing for the sleeves, but rather working until the desired length. That would totally work for what I have in mind for the girls, so once my ponchos (Uh, did I mention I bought some cheap, pretty ribbon yarn from elann to make a second poncho for me? Hey, it'll be more for spring!) are done, I'll start in on one or two for them.

Someone stop me before I have ten works in progress.

It's purple!

My kitchen, that is. We've had this gorgeous purple paint sitting in the basement for months. We bought it for our room, but then decided to sell the house, and hesitated to paint the master bedroom purple if we were selling. We've been looking at the kitchen for ages, saying we really need to repain this one wall. Purple paint in the basemnt + wall in kitchen that needs painting = one purple kitchen. We started off painting just one wall, then loved it so much, the now the entire eating area of my kitchen is gorgeous purple. It looks so nice with the woodwork. Our kitchen has three distinct areas: the entry from the back area, the eating/computer area and the cooking/sink area. Each looks quite distinct now. I'd love to continue and paint the cooking/sink area too.

The kids all have a yucky upper respiratory thing. :( I've had some reeaaallly long nights this week. I ran out of Cherry Bark tincture last night. I ordered more from Kerry's Herbals earlier in the week, but it's not here yet. Ugh.

I added some new products to PBK. I now offer organic cotton and wool sheet, pillows, pillow cases and mattresses, all made in the US by the Amish. Luis is happy that I'm offering some more US made items. The Lights, Camera, Interaction stuff really bugs him because much of it is made in China.

Update on my shawl yarn knot. I solved the problem with a spit splice, and have been merrily knitting along again.

It's done

Sweet Pea's has been sold!!!!!!!!!!! :happy dance :happy dance Contracts have been faxed, and moneys transfered. Hurray! Woohoo! Yay!

Can you tell I'm happy? LOL

#*$*&#^@

I picked up the Meadow Flowers shawl last night, the one that has been languishing in my yarn basket for months. I was getting into it again, knitting away. I did one full pattern repeat, started the second and *bam* I hit a knot in the yarn. OMGosh. I am stumped. What does one do with a knot in lace weight yarn on a very open texture lace shawl? Can one weave in ends in lace? I have no idea. I've put an email through to knitlist asking for help. Darn it. I was finally working on that shawl again and enjoying it!

Since Luis was at the ice arena with us yesterday, he took care of Vincent and I got to skate! I haven't skated in 7 years, the winter before I was pregnant with Abigail. It was so much fun. I can't wait to go again. The figure skates in my size at the arena were worn out and had almost no ankle support. I have loose ligaments in my ankles, and it was a very bad combination. After 15 minutes, it was extremely painful. Luis went to see if they had any hockey skates in my size, and I changed into them. I've never worn hockey skates before, and I couldn't believe how comfortable they were. They had so much more support than the figure skates I always wore. I skated until the end in those, and was completely comfortable the entire time.

Abigail was doing so well yesterday. She used the little ice walker for about 15 minutes, then started going solo. She fell a lot, but didn't mind. She was skating very well, even trying to do some turns. Isabella skated pretty well too. She got on and off the ice a few times all by herself (a big improvement) and let go of her walker thing a few times.

No date today after all. Amy had plans to head to Madison. We checked with my friend Lisa with whom I swap babysitting, but they have B&B guests this weekend. Maybe next week.

A Date?

Luis and I were watching the preview for Fifty First Dates yesterday. We thought it looked cute, and it's playing in our small town theater this weekend. Hopefully my sister will be able to watch the kids and we can go. She's home this weekend. We haven't seen a movie in the theater just the two of us since Isabella was 18 months old.

Luis was laid off again yesterday and today as well. He's able to come with us to the homeschool ice skate this time. Abigail and Isabella are very excited about going.

We are having another soup night this Sunday. Lots of people invited and lots of maybe's or no responses, but only one firm yes. Oh well. Even if it's just another family or two, it'll be fun.

Last night, Isabella was in bed talking about a family who she wants to play with. It took me forever to figure out who she meant. She said she want to play with "the kids at the house with the girls, the dog and the two mamas." We don't have any lesbian couple friends, so I was stumped. She finally gave me the clue of the barbie jeep, and I figured it out. She meant Chantele's house because when we went there, Lorraine and Becca were there too. Hence the "two mamas". ROFL

A sign that spring is coming

I know that spring is on the way. The dancing ribbon orders from dance troops and churches have started, two in the last 36 hours. That's one sure sign of impending spring for me. I'm thinking about some new lines: organic cotton sheets and natural mattresses, some toys from two different companies, more art supplies (incl. Caran d'Arche), maybe some different handwork supplies. So many products. I'm trying to figure out how to put in a catalog program for the website, and I'm stumped. Oscommerce has me beat; If I just don't get the installation instructions, how can I expect to put the site together with it once I get it intalled??

My neck and shoulder got whacked yesterday, and they are quite sore today. Ouch.

Abigail has finished the second section of the Miquon Math orange book, and did two pages of the third yesterday. My baby was zipping through the subtraction, not even using the cuisenairre rods for some of the problems.

Isabella is still calmer at night, thank goodness. She was practicing writing her I's yesterday and getting so excited. "Look mama, I made somefin' neat!" She's starting to make squiggles for her S's too.

Vincent is started to participate in pretend play with his sisters. They are all playing picnic right now. He's trying to say a few words, but not often. I've realized that he's one of the perfectionist babies, the ones who don't do a new skill until they can do it right. He didn't sit up until over 5 months, but once he started he did it and rarely fell. He didn't walk until over 13 months, but again, rarely fell once he started, and he was running within a few weeks. Now he's thinking about talking, but doesn't want to until he can do it right.

Years ago, Luis gave me a sweater. I loved the yarn, a neutral color 80% silk/20% cotton yarn, but disliked the design. It was a tunic covered in bobbles and openwork. I looked shapeless and weird in it. It's been floating around the house, in the kids dressups, under the beds. This weekend, I frogged the entire thing, prepped it and I'm going to make Rosemary's Middle Sweater from the Green Mountain Spinnery book with it. I hope I have enough yarn. I was trying to cheat with the scissors in a few places while frogging, and I lost some yarn stupidly.

Nightimes have been really hard lately with Isabella. She's been crying and crying when she wakes up, talking really loudly, demanding x,y,z and waking everyone up. I've been at a loss what to do. She and I have talked about it a lot and she's said she needs a drink of water in the middle of the night and to hold my hand to fall back asleep, but even after I've done these things, she kept having screaming fits. She's been tired during the day from not sleeping well, and not much fun sometimes. We finally decided that if she is unable to remember the rules about talking very quietly in the middle of the night and unable to not freak out screaming even after I've gotten her water and am holding her hand, she can't be in our room. The first night, I took her out of our room 3 times. I stayed with her, but just laid on the floor resting, rather than snuggling. It seems to have made an impact. She has been much calmer at night, sleeping better, no screaming, not waking up Vincent. I've also restarted giving her her Bach Flower Essences, which I'm sure is helping too. It's so nice to not have to deal with a screaming child who is getting herself hysterical at 3 am. I haven't had to take her out of the room since that first night.

We had to go to Madison yesterday to celebrate Luis' birthday with his family. We went early and took the kids to Elver Park for sledding. There is a HUGE HUGE sledding hill there. Abigail and Luis went down the main hill once. Abigail *loves* sledding, but this hill was too much for her. She was apparently asking to stop halfway down the hill, and crying by the end. We calmed her down, and then she and Luis tried the smaller side of the hill. She adored it. She went down by herself once, grinning the entire way even though she almost wiped out halfway down. She looked so proud of herself as she righted the sled and made it down the hill. She wanted to go down by herself every time, but we only brought one sled and the hill was steep enough that it was hard for her to take the sled back to the top by herself. Luis said if he had to walk the sled to the top, he got to sled down with her. Isabella went down once, and she hated it. Even the little hill was too big for her. Maybe next year.

We had dinner at La Hacienda last night. The mexican food there is so incredibly good. It's the thing I miss most about living closer to Madison. The kids had a great time with Luis' family last night, and Vincent finally gave Abuela a kiss.

I finished the last pair of slippers and felted them yesterday. I'm sitting here wearing mine after watching the kids and Luis in their for what seems like forever. They are so warm and comfy. I made myself wait to knit mine until everyone else's was done so that I would actually finish everyone elses. Good thing, or I bet my sister's pair would have languished on the needles for a while. Even with wanting my own, Amy's pair sat on the needles longer than they needed too. Now to finish up my socks and someday start on that blasted shawl again.

I found that at Kathy's blog. Kathy, I'm even more poorly traveled that you, I think!



create your own visited states map
or write about it on the open travel guide

And for Kathy, here is the quiche recipe from last night's dinner.

Spinach Chicken Quiche

1 c shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
1 unbakded pastry shell 9"
1 c diced cooked chicken
1 pkg frozen, chopped spinach thawed and sqeezed dry (you only need a 1/2 cup even though the recipe says to thaw the entire package, so if you buy by the bag, thaw accordingly)
1/4 c finely chopped onion
2 eggs
3/4 c milk
3/4 c mayo (reduced fat or non-fat mayo may not be substituted according to the recipe)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Sprinkle 1/4 c cheese into bottom of pastry shell. In a bowl, combine remainder of cheese, chicken, onion and 1/2 c spinach. Spoon into pastry shell. In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, mayo and spices. Pour over chicken mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

The third time's the charm, right?

My post about Sweet Pea's on Amity's had a nice result, two inquiries today. I spoke with one party on the phone this afternoon, and she sent a deposit via paypal, the sale pending her receipt of a couple of sample fitted diapers as she has no experience with Sweet Pea's first hand. I'm hoping the third time really is the charm. *fingers crossed* *toes crossed* *legs crossed* *arms crossed* *eyes crossed*

It's been snowing like crazy here all afternoon. Just beautiful.

It's the full moon tonight, and I had hoped to cast a circle. I feel the need to center myself spiritually with the uncertainty of late. The kids were asleep not by their usual 8:15-8:30, but rather 9:15. Vincent has already woken up once, before 9:45. I don't think I'd get through a ritual uninterrupted tonight. I'll spend some quiet time instead, focusing.

Last night's pasta was fabulous, and tonight dinner was spinach chicken quiche. Totally yummy. Sometimes I wonder if I have the only kids in the world who say "All right! Spinach!" when faced with spinach at the dinner table. Okay, I know they aren't the only ones out there who must do that, but as someone never once even tried spinach until I was a married adult, it seems funny to me that they are so excited about eating spinach.

Noooooooooo

My buyer for Sweet Pea's has backed out. :( :( :( :( I'm so bummed. She had an unexpected life problem arise, and won't have the funds. There's another buyer in the wings, but she needs payments and I don't want to mess with that. Back to square one. I only advertised it on two diaper email lists last time, and I was just off to Amity's to advertise it there finally, but Amity's is down until tomorrow sometime. Bleh.

The saga of the sweater continues. I picked up all 95 stitches for the neck and knit two rounds, only to realize I forgot to go down a needle size and it looked weird. Ripped that out. Picked up all the stitches again, knit the neckline to the last round, then set it down to get the kids out of the bath (I often knit sitting on a stepstool watching them in the bath). I'm drying off Isabella when I turn around and there is Vincent holding 3 of the 5 dpn's. I got all the stitches back on the needle, finished the sweater and bound off. Abigail is happily wearing it today, and it looks great on her. Was it worth it? Yeah, it really was. It's a great blue color, machine wash and dry cotton, and a classic, neutral style that all three kids will be able to wear. It was worth it, but I'm so glad it's done.

Luis is home today. He came down with a migraine last night and went to bed as soon as he got home. It was still lingering this morning, so he stayed home. It's better now, thank goodness. He went to the grocery store with me. Why is it that if he goes, the bill is always, always $20 more than if I go with just the kids? Since he was in no shape for dinner last night, I didn't make the pasta, so that's on tonight's menu.

Snow Day!

The girls are outside playing in the snow with the neighbor's girl. All three are falling down, flopping around and having an all together wonderful winter day. Oh to be able to join them! I'd love to bundle up in my snow pants and everything else and just roll around in the snow like a kid again. Hopefully next year Vincent will actually want to play in the snow, and I'll be able to.

We took the kids sledding last night. It was 5 pm twilight and the snow was falling thickly enough that Vincent looked like he'd been rolling even though he never left my arms. It was great. Isabella even went down the hill, but she promptly wiped out at the bottom, and did not appreciate a face full of snow.

Both sleeves are attached to the Sage Sweater, everything is seamed, and it awaits picking up of the stitches for the neckline.

It's Luis' birthday today, 31. I'm making pasta with homemade alfredo sauce (a heart attack waiting to happen) and shrimp with homemade bread and salad.

The Saga of the Sweater

Sometime around last May, I bought some Reynold's Gyspy special value yarn from Knitpicks, too good of a deal to pass up. In June, I started making a sweater for Abigail, designed with help from Style Your Own Kid's Knits. It's a v-neck with seed stitch hem on the sleeves and bottom of the sweater. I only have an Addi Turbo in the right size needle to get the correct guage, and I quickly developed an aversion to knitting this sweater. A slick needle and a slick cotton yarn made slow going, especially while I was purling, or everything went flying off the needles. I put the sweater down.

In October, I picked it back up and forced myself to finish knitting the pieces. Great. I started putting it together. Three needle bind of at the shoulders, no problem. Stitching on the first sleeve, okay. Seaming the sleeving, yup. Seaming up the body - wait. The pieces were over an inch different in length. Hmmm. I double checked and the front and back were the same length, so I'd attached the sleeves (drop shoulder sleeves) down to different point. Ugh. The thought of ripping out the seaming I'd done and removing the sleeve made me put that sweater down again.

Yesterday, after staring at the thing for months again, I picked it back up. RIP went the side seam, RIP went the sleeve seam, RIP went the stitches holding the sleeve to the body. I reattched the sleeve correctly this time, and I've redone all of the seaming. The sweater is now awaiting the second sleeve and seaming, then a neckling put on. The color will look really good on Abigail. I can't beleive that I've let it sit all of these months.

Vincent has asked to sit on the potty at least once a day for the last three days. He hasn't done anything, but this morning he asked to sit on the potty about 5 times in as many minutes, and then peed on the floor. We are digging out the little potty chair for him today. I doubt he'll actually start using it this young (one week shy of 17 months), but hey if he's interested, we'll go with it. I really hope he'll be out of diapers by 2 like Isabella and Abigail were.

Abigail had her first 4H Cloverbud workshop yesterday. It was scrapbooking, and she made a great page. She had a lot of fun, and can't wait for her next one. She wants to go to the Knitting and Crocheting workshop in February. She was asking to knit again last week, and she had started making a scarf for her waldorf doll.

Abigail's grey socks, from the Christopher Sheep Farm wool that was supposed to be gloves for Luis, are finished. I don't think there is enough wool left for a second pair of socks for her like I had hoped. I finally cast on a new pair of socks for me yesterday, some wool that Laura/zenmama had traded me for a set a Stockmar crayons. The color repeat is short, and it's knitting up very prettily. I'm thinking about that blasted Meadow Flowers shawl, and I might actually pick the thing up again soon.

I think I'm finally getting a new tattoo! We sold some stuff of Ebay, including an old sewing machine that Luis trash picked last year which sold for $77. :D All together, it should cover my tattoo. Luis said I should use it for the tatoo I've been wanting, because he has 3 and I only have 1. So I'm getting my ankle done. For those of you who have seen Lynn/sweaterhag's ankle tattoo, I'm copying her with her permission. Here's a picture:



She sent me a photo of hers last spring, and the tatoo artist has drawn it up from that. I can't wait! I'm a little nervous because my wrist didn't hold the ink very well. So, I'm getting this tattoo because I love the design so much and I want it even if it's a bit faded, but it's like a test. If my skin rejects lots of the ink again, I'll know that it wasn't a fluke.