Only time will tell if wishing wells will bring us anything

I just wanted to buy some knitty stuff, so I finally bought the Knitpicks Options set. Verdict - they rock muchly! I never used the Denise's so I don't know how they compare, but I love nickel-plated needles and they're all pointy and sweet, so I love them.
I also really wanted this tote from Natalie Dee. She has this awesome site with totally hilarious and often insane daily cartoons. And she knits. So I have a crushlet on her of course. Here's the bag.


And here is finished Wavy from some chick at Knitty.com. I'll look it up later. Still plaguey, remember? I have an excuse to be lazy. I'm not showing my face because I look dreadful, and no one needs to see that.

Make your time

Well, we're all plaguing it up again here in the house of crazy. I am to that point of being sick and tired where I will just suddenly burst into tears upon looking at the mess in the kitchen that is piling up b/c not one person in this house has enough energy to clean up after themselves. I am VERY OCD, and anyone who knows me well will vouch for this, so it's killing me that for 3 days, 3 people have been wallowing in their own germy ickiness with no one to come and rescue us. This is the hard part about being a gazillion miles away from friends and family. There's no one to call up and beg to bring you some soup or something. John is slowly pulling himself out of muck so he was able to go wrangle me up some pills. Must keep reminding myself that "this too shall pass." Thanks Mom.

On the goodness front, it looks like we may actually be able to buy a house at the end of our lease. I wasn't too thrilled with the idea of throwing away more money by renting. We'd very likely not be buying here in Downers Grove, since you either have to be excessively rich or be living in your parents house to afford to live here. I'm excited about once again being able to live in a home that suits our personality...or at least one that we can paint outrageous shades of green. :)

In knitting, I'm almost finished with Wavey from Knitty. I used Caron Simply Soft in this shiny navy blue which I love. I haven't been working on it much b/c Jen and Brian were here and now I've got the plague. Yes, I'm melodramatic.
Once I am healed of this sickness, I will post some more pics of the Lestico visitation and possibly have my first scarf completed.

She stole my heart and my cat

Here is the future GQ model, Brian, posing splendifurously in his DNA sweater. He hearted this sweater, and it looks awesome on him.


Here are a couple of posed shots of Sienna. My sis instructed me to "imagine you were swimming with seahorses" as heard in Napoleon Dynamite. Geekiness abounds.
Oh, and a closeup.



And last, but certainly not least in the gloriousness of my life, John made me a swift for Christmas. He worked so hard to make this as perfect as he could. Isn't it adorable? He's the bee's knees, I tell ya.

I was saying Boo-urns

My sis and her fiance flew in from Austin on Wed, and we've been having the time of our lives. It's as if I haven't seem them in years instead of just 5 months. We took them to all of the usual Chicago hot spots yesterday, and the weather couldn't have been more cooperative. Sure, it was chilly, but from what I hear, a January where you can walk around downtown Chicago in less than 7 layers of clothing is a rare blessing. They are now in Madison visiting Brian's sis, but they will be back on Tues for 3 more days of family togetherness. Here are some wonderful highlights of part one of the visit.




That stunning cashmere cardigan you are feasting your eyes upon is the completed Sienna Cardigan from Interweave Knits. More on that later.

No surgeries in 2007!!!

That is #1 on my New Year's Resolutions. I realize, of course, that I have no real control over this, but a girl can dream.
Here's the rest.

Start designing knitwear for the masses, including multiple sizes.
Not buy more yarn until my stash is officially busted. (This will be the hardest to keep)
Stop drinking so damn many sodas.
Try smiling a little more so people won't think I'm going to eat their babies.
Start (and stay in) a playgroup. (Actually, THIS might be the hardest to keep)
Go off all my meds.

I think these are realistic goals for the coming year. Last year pretty much sucked, starting with the gall bladder surgery the first week, followed by the diagnosis of both high cholesterol and bipolar disorder. Yippee! Then came the grueling 6 month process of moving out of state, leaving behind my friends and family for greener pastures.
Let's hope this year is better. I'm hopeful.

Who knows? Maybe this year we'll see an end to this stupid war. Maybe that's too hopeful.

Post Holiday Wrap-up

This was our first Christmas without our extended family, and it was actually quite fun. Perrin was very excited about Santa bringing presents and tore into them like, well, a kid on Christmas.
Here are a few highlights.
Dancing with Pablo (from Grandpa and Nana)

Feeding his furby (from Grandma and Papa)

And a quickie shot of the relieved parents at the end of the day


I hope everyone had as wonderful and relaxing holiday as we had. Love to all.

Happy whatever winter holiday you celebrate

Total Tubey Transformation

Tubey has bit the dust. I finished it 5 months ago (or so) and have never worn it. The fit is all wrong, and despite a half-assed attempt at frogging and redoing most of the body, it still looks craptacular on me. So, I will be turning my poor tubey into this gorgeous cardigan. That's right, Helen. I'm going to seam!!!! Wish me luck. I may give myself a brain aneurysm sewing this up, but if it turns out as lovely as the picture, I'll be wrapping myself in cashmere goodness for the rest of the winter.

In other news, the plague is still swimming around in my boys' bodies. Perrin had a little two day bug, and John has strep throat following a week of the flu. Girlies, if you thought it was tough dealing with a sick hubby, try nursing TWO boys back to health. Whining, whining, and more whining. But I love 'em; I even baked them oatmeal raising cookies. Now who rocks?

It's a good life if you don't weaken

Here's an adorable pic of my kiddo modeling his new mama-made sweater. Just yer basic raglan (which I'm sort of the queen of now) with a couple of small cables down the front. This took me about 6 days to knit up, and he kinda hates it. Oh well. He let me put it on him long enough to take this picture. I used the yarn left over from Brian's DNA sweater. I am now deconstructing tubey up to the boobs and knitting it in stockinette for the rest of the body. Allover ribbing just isn't flattering on anyone with tummy rolls. I'm also adding some increases to give it a little bit of flair at the bottom. May do a hem at bottom or just let it roll up.



Oh, and in case it wasn't totally obvious that my hubby and I are uber-liberals, here's the shirt I bought him for his birthday.

A not purple FO and a very somber Christmas

My latest sweater. I heart it so much, I could live in it.
Yarn: 4 skeins Cascade 220 some green heather
Pattern: regular raglan with cable from "Cables Untangled" (can't remember author)
I did no ribbing on the neckline, cuz that drives me bonkers, and I did an extra long ribbing on the sleeves. I actually may go back and add another inch to the sleeves tonight.

Oh, and check out this spirited holiday pic. We were doing a little Christmas photo shoot for the fam, and whilst waiting for John to tinker with the self-timer thingy on the camera, he accidentally caught this shot of me and Perrin looking ever so thrilled. Said in a monotone, Ben Stein voice, "Merry Christmas, everybody."

Flucation

Ah, the 5 day suckfest that has been the flu. It started the day it snowed, so I haven't been outside to bask in its freezing splendor. The only cure for the flu seems to be zombie-esque lounging in bed and watching the entire 5th season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I was so sick in fact, that I was too weak and shaky to knit, so not much progress on my beautiful sweater. I will probably have pics in a day or so of the gorgeous cable panel. Off to mope in my virus. Stay well.

Random silliness and the now unterrible twos

We have now entered a realm of bliss where time-outs actually work and the kiddo has become a total delight. Perrin is now madly in love with his father, and the two of them spend hours every evening running around playing together. It warms my cockles to see them become so close. John is a terrific dad; the kind that wrestles in the floor and comforts his son when he's upset. I'm so happy I could burst.

It's my birthday. Shake my booty.

I could get all sentimental and philosophical about the significance of this birthday, but I won't. I will simply say that today I am 29, and it's weird and wonderful and whatever. I had some deep dish cheese pizza and am now devouring some Ben and Jerry's. It's a good thing. But I've made a pact with the universe that I shall not age another year.

Thanks a million

Thanksgiving is my all-time favorite holiday. What other day lets you gorge until you can no longer function, nap unabashedly with your pants unbuttoned, and hang out with cool families like mine? Did I mention the complete lack of religious awkwardness or mandatory gift-giving? Thanksgiving ROCKS!
I also like to reflect on the past year and make a mental note of the things for which I am very, very thankful. Like to hear it? Here it goes.

First and foremost, for my boys. Some days I'd rather shave my legs with a chainsaw than breathe in the fumes of the testosterone, but most I am swimming in bliss
Green tea fraps from Starbucks. Yeah, they're worth the $4 and pretentious punks I have to encounter to buy these
Cashmere yarn. Need I say more on this one?
My size 8 Addi Turbos. The yarn flies off these babies with no snags and no tears. I heart me some addis.
Downers Grove, Illinois. It's my Stars Hollow, my pie in the sky, my secret garden. I have never felt more at home than I do here. And I never thought I could say that about a suburb.
Crestor. Seems silly to thank a little pill, but without it, I may not have lived to see this day.
Monday night chats with my girls. Mom, Jen, Aunt Debbie, and Grandma. I am surrounded by a wealth of strong, warm, brave, and loving women who have shaped who I am and who I aim to become.

The universe has blessed me beyond all reason. I am not special. I am part of you and you are part of me. I am thankful for one more year to realize the joys of this life.

Gifties

Christmas gifts are almost completed. I have another hat for my stepbrother, and a couple of bracelets for my sisters.

Kitty hat for Ashley


Mary Jane slippers for Jessica

Zen, parenting, and learning from my mistakes

"The Buddha is sometimes called, "One who has Sovereignty over Himself or Herself." Events carry us away, and we lose ourselves. We walk with grace and dignity, like an emperor, like a lion. Every step is life." Thich Nhat Hanh

Before Perrin was born, I bought a book written by a Zen Buddhist and his wife. It was called "Everyday Blessings," and it was all about mindful parenting. Mindfulness means moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness. I remember underlining many passages and making notes in the margins, and I was certain I would parent with zen master-like tranquility and compassion. I would have limitless empathy and sympathy for my child and do what was right for him, society be damned. And then I actually became a parent in a society that places an unfair label on only children, and somewhere between his 2nd birthday and now, I somehow lost sight of what was really important. I started thinking that I had to do whatever it took to make sure that Perrin defied all those stereotypes of being selfish and spoiled so that he would be looked upon as the astounding exception to a ridiculous rule. I started to pay more attention to the other mothers who were staring at me like I was a terrible mom when Perrin was throwing a huge fit in the store than to the real reason behind the screams. My embarrassment at being thought of as a bad parent overwhelmed me, and I haven't been showing my son the empathy he very much needs from me. To see that his emotional outbursts are his way of trying to express something he can't convey with words, and that it is not because he is trying to be defiant out of anger, but out of frustration. I must make it my mission to see the world through the eyes of my son and not through the eyes of the perfect mother through which I would like the world to see me.
"The times they need our acceptance and our love the most are, inevitably, those times when it is hardest for us to give." Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn, "Everyday Blessings"

We live to survive our paradoxes

So, here it is. Brian's Christmas sweater. I'm so in crazy love with this sweater that he'll be lucky to actually receive this gem. It's maddeningly comfortable, and the cable turned out a helluva lot better than I imagined for my first crack at 'em. The reason I look so pissed in the pic is b/c Perrin was thwacking at the camera with a broom. Don't ask.
In other news, John comes home tonight from the latest trip to Austin. If I had to do this single parent gig every day I'd be institutionalized. I miss him so.
Ooh Ooh and here's the other thing. In April, I will be taking my class to become a doula. I'm so excited about it I could wet myself. I didn't discover my true calling until I was 28 yrs old, and now that I know what I'm supposed to do on this earth (for a living I mean) I can't wait to get started. Being a mother is delightful, and I truly believe that it is the greatest gift I've ever been given, but once Perrin is in school, I'll be bored to tears. Oh, what will I do without the daily pummelings I receive from my sweet little monkey?

Five years and we still like each other

Five years ago at this very moment, I was walking down the aisle toward the man of my dreams. He was crying, and I was trying very hard not to swoon. I was excited and terrified and every other emotion rolled up in a big froofy white dress. Five years, and I still consider myself the luckiest woman on the planet to be married to such a wonderful human being. He's my lobster.

Brian's DNA sweater

This is the sweater I'm knitting for my sister's fiance for Christmas. The pattern is just a top-down raglan to his measurements, with the double helix cable pattern thrown in the mix. He's a science guy, so he should dig it. He's a pure delight of a person too. My sister is quite the smitten kitten.

How Halloween works as a parent

Step 1
Get kid to gut pumpkin so you don't have to touch the gooey grossness



Step 2
Dress kid in costume and hope he doesn't get bored with it in twelve minutes...and don't show him the candy you're giving to OTHER kids or you get this face


Step 3
Get cute neighbor kid (in this case, Isa) to stand next to your kid and pose for obligatory pre-candy shot


Step 4
Run behind kid and at every house he hits, remind him to say "trick or treat" and "thank you" when the goods are given.


Step 5
Let kid eat one piece of candy, send kid to bed, and then raid his stash for the chocolate. After all, 2 yr olds don't really need that much sugar, do they?