Timing

Timing is an interesting thing.

For instance: tonight, I had Superman and Batman change their bedding (it didn't happen over the weekend due to my being sick with one ferocious cold!). They were determined to impress me with their bed-making skills, and when they were done, Batman asked me if his was the best made bed ever, in the whole wide world. Not to be outdone, Superman asked if his was the best in all the planets of all the galaxies in all the universe. (No lie! His exact words!) Part of me beamed with pride and wondered if maybe I could introduce him to Doctor Who. The other part of me, the part that cringed at the competitiveness that was sure to get a rise out of his brother, knows that he is not quite ready for the good Doctor, as I'm fairly certain it would give him nightmares of Daleks, Cybermen and Weeping Angels. But I'm almost certain that in a few years, he will be my fellow Whovian, watching the new episodes with bated breath.

I'm not known for being a patient person. (Mostly because I'm not. LOL) My whole life, timing has been a thorn in my side (not to mention the cause for tantrums thrown that would put toddlers to shame) more times than I care to admit. I want things to be done when I want them done. I don't want to wait. This tends to make me a difficult person to work with. (Obviously.) However, I think marrying into the military (which I was dead-set against for as long as I can remember...mostly because I didn't want someone else dictating my life and being in control of...you guessed it...timing) was about one of the best things that has happened to me in my life. Not only because I would have passed by a man that is an amazing father and wonderful husband, but because it has taught me a few things.

Let me tell you, me learning from life lessons takes nothing short of a brick wall to stop my forward progress and change my course. I honestly don't think that I would have learned these things without my husband's career being military. I know there's no arguing with the rules. For as bull-headed as I am, I do generally have respect for authority. And rules. So learning to be flexible and plan for things without set dates, and moving internationally, and dealing with Superman's challenges...even though I'm an independent spirit, it was NOT the right time for me to be working outside the home. And I wanted to be home with my boys. I am so very grateful that I was able to stay home and be a mom and homemaker full time. And I think I needed the time the boys were in school to just be with myself. Last year, when Batman started Kindergarten, I wanted to throw a party. I may not have made the emotional progress I wanted to in the course of that year (my goals also tend to be quite lofty...they probably weren't realistic...), it was enough. And now, with having made the diet changes over the summer that I did in addition to joining a workout challenge with Elphie, I am feeling more like my old self than I have in a loooooooooooooooooooooooong time.

I started to see signs of my restlessness of being at home all the time pretty soon after the boys started school. The first week, I relaxed, knit, and caught up on some household duties that I slacked on during the Ravellenic Games (my butt was planted in front of my computer, knitting and watching the Olympics!). Then I started to get active with working out, and it all went from there. I signed up to volunteer at the school to escort kids around for health screenings and special "briefings" (bus safety, the gifted ed program, library, etc.) while the teachers do evaluations on the students in a one-on-one setting. I volunteered for all three weeks. Last week was 3rd & 4th graders. This week (starting tomorrow!) is 2nd graders. Next week is 1st grade. So when I had the car last week, I made good use of my time. I didn't stay cooped up in the house. I went to the craft store on base and got set up to be the new knitting instructor (for the last year or so we're here). I went to a "career fair" at the lame BX we currently have to see about getting hired at the new BX that is nearly finished being built. And as of today, the contract has gone through for the knitting classes (so tomorrow I will go finalize all that paperwork), the background check to move forward with being officially hired with AAFES has been started (I should be able to get into the "new employee" class the first Tuesday of October!), and I'm finally over this nasty head cold and was able to get back to working out.

I'm not sure what it was that clicked into place, but I am feeling better about myself than I have in quite a while, I have more energy (I know that's a combination of dietary and exercise changes), and I am super excited to start making my own small paycheck to cover my yarn addiction (which I will have significantly less time for, lol) and gift shopping for The Instigator! :D I think I'm finally learning to sit back let things work out to God's timing instead of pushing my own agenda. It really takes so much less fighting that way. LOL

Happy Monday!

Welcome to my world!

Hello, fellow Blizzard Boghoppers! Welcome to my world! What all is a part of my world, you ask? My husband (of whom I am proud to be called his wife) that serves in the US Air Force, and the reason we are living in Europe. My boys, that even though neither of them were planned, are of the utmost importance to me. My friends, to whom I am completely loyal and committed to. Books, books, and more books. I have never, in my life, made it a secret of how much of a bookworm I am and how much I love to learn. My crafting, which is the only way I keep my sanity most days. Knitting, crocheting, beading, and playing with clay are my current obsessions, though that's always open to expand and/or grow. I love to make things with my hands for nothing other than the sake of watching it take form under my fingers. Music, while no longer in the form of band and choir (of which I took part of both in high school), will remain a vital part of my life until the day I die.

I have always had an explorer's spirit, and am ecstatic to have the opportunities abroad that I do (with an emphasis on all things France and French!). I love to discover new little tidbits about the most random and seemingly insignificant details that I can, and am a hard core Harry Potter fan. There is so much more to me than I could fit into a few sentences, but that's the gist of it all. Oh, and I smile. A lot. In fact, because of my tendency towards optimism and all things cheery, my user name around the web tends to have the words "netta" and some form of "smile" in it. :) (Yes, my excessive smiling extends to emoticons, too...) I hope to meet some amazing people through this bloghop! Feel free to hop on board or not. :)

----------------
Now playing: Idina Menzel/Kristin Chenoweth - For Good
via FoxyTunes

Finally settling in!

So much for ending that last blogging lull! LOL I guess that's what happens when the military uproots you and moves you to a new country. ;) We are no longer in Italy. We moved out of our home into temporary lodging the 3rd week of November, and then got up to Germany the beginning of December. Blessedly, it didn't take us long to find a house. (Major perk of moving NOT in PCS season!) We're already moved in and have all of our stuff (it didn't take nearly as long for our stuff to be toted from Aviano to Spangdahlem as it did from Oklahoma to Aviano...for obvious reasons!)

It was painful to leave Italy for the fact that I absolutely adored A's teacher there. She was simply amazing! I truly wish we could have brought her with us! It's not as though the school up here or his new teacher is bad, but there's the whole adjustment time of her getting to know him and him getting used to the new setting and group of people. It's not been easy, and it's not been quick, but I think he's finally getting used to Germany, though he will occasionally ask to move back to Italy and his old class.

C has his days, but he's slowly getting less clingy and becoming more independent and helpful. Yesterday, he helped me to strip the beds and remake them with clean sheets, and tonight before dinner, he cleared and wiped down the table for me. :) Unfortunately, he's still dead set against actual potty training (though he will go pee in the toilet, at least), but as he knows his 5th birthday and starting school are approaching, he knows he needs to get along with it. I think he's finally showing the first signs of genuine interest. I guess I'm not too surprised by the delay as a) his older brother didn't potty train until 4 months before his 5th birthday and b) because of all the changes with his brother starting school and moving and whatnot. We'll get there. Eventually.

Our new base is actually quite small, so I'm grateful for the fact that we live close to Ramstein!!! Their facilities are far superior and I have friends that are stationed down there to visit! Hooray!!! One of them got stationed there following Aviano, so we know her from Italy, but the other one I actually met before I even met my husband! it's been so incredibly nice to have them as close by as they are! My husband takes a martial arts class that's offered down at Ramstein, so we drive down there at least every other week, if not weekly, and this past weekend, they all came up to see us! :D And on top of all that, I've planned a Mother's Day trip (though it won't be on Mother's Day! LOL) to go to London!!!! I am so very excited! LONDON!!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!! We've got the hotel booked and tickets bought to go see the show "Wicked," and I can't wait!!! I also need to get out and see more of Germany. So far I've only been to the Christmas market in Saarbrucken and the craft shop in Trier. I hope the weather warms up soon enough to walk around the different towns and cities!

And on a final, and exciting (as if I haven't been overflowing with excitement enough already!!!), note.........I MADE MY FIRST LISTINGS ON ETSY TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited!!! The crafter's bazaar that was scheduled for while we were in Italy got rained out, and they rescheduled it for after we left Italy, so now I've got all this jewelry and crocheted goods to sell. So to the Internet I go! I'm quite excited! I've made myself only list 7 items for now, until I know for sure how well things are going to sell. It's hard to not list everything! LOL I'm so excited! So feel free to hop on over there and look around! You can find it at http://www.etsy.com/shop/smileynetta . :)

Wedding on the Brain

Ever since my BFF told me she was officially engaged, my brain has been swimming with wedding ideas...things I could make, suggestions and tips, things that need to be arranged...I really wish I was there in person right now, so I could truly be in the midst of all the excitement and be able to have a faster reaction time to everything! LOL Anyway, when I asked her what I could make for her, she liked the idea of handmade earrings (for herself and bridal party) and a necklace. So I've been happily up to my elbows in beads, throwing myself into making this jewelry to try and compensate for my absence. (Yeah, the compensating thing isn't really working...LOL) Anyway, here's a look at her earrings, designed to fit her color scheme (red & white):

That picture was deliberately taken with the sun shining right on it to show that the small beads are, in fact, red and not black. LOL Here is her necklace (using the exact same colors):

And here are the bridal party earrings (the pair that's got the extra strand on them are mine, as I'm the maid/matron of honor):

Side note: I'm not sure why the pictures are coming up so blurry...

Anyway, I made the bridal party earrings and just kept going (I have a tendency to get a little carried away...LOL)....

And in so making the bracelets, I had to go fetch more beads from the craft store (horror of horrors, right? LOL) and came up with a cute little sentimental idea for the bride and bridal party (to be secret until presented at the wedding! LOL) which I needed to know everyone's favorite colors for. When I asked the other girls about it (with mentioning the earrings), one of them says "I don't have pierced ears." I must say I find that endlessly amusing...not that her ears aren't pierced, but that I have a pair of earrings for her non-pierced ears! LOL I'm now on a mission to see if I can find some clip-on variation for her.

So even through the insanity that is preparing to move to Germany and all the appointments and paperwork before me, yes, I still make time to craft. Why? Because I'll lose it if I don't...lol I'm serious. I'm not entirely sure why my thing lately has been beading, though. I've lost nearly all desire for yarn crafts at the moment...I'm not sure why...Hmmm But at least the crafting has continued!



----------------
Now playing: Glee Cast - Toxic (Glee Cast Version)
via FoxyTunes

How on earth....?

I was so good about blogging there for a spell, and then all of the sudden I post nothing in months! I've noticed that is a trend with me, though. I don't tend to be the kind of person that does things (blogging and otherwise!) on a schedule. I actually have a hard time with routines. I'm not sure why. My mom says she's that way, too, so maybe it's some genetic trait...I think it stems from the desire to explore the world...going by the seat of my pants and changing plans on a whim? Yeah, I can so do that. (Though it's infinitely easier and less of a hassle when it's solely me and doesn't involve my kids...LOL) Anyway, I promised to have the tutorial for the potions book up almost 2 months ago now. Yikes! Between previously being on a posting binge, before I could recover from the blogging silence I had succumbed to, it was suddenly time to prepare for my husband's return from his 6+ month deployment to Afghanistan (which preparations seemed never-ending), then dealing with the actual homecoming, and now the family reintegration bit. (Ah, if it were only all smiles and sunshine...adjusting to change is not easy...at least, certain changes...) But he's been home for 2 weeks now (hooray!) and it's about time for him to head back to work! Hopefully, once he starts working his 5 day week again, things will settle down here at home for a bit. Then the older one starts kindergarten in September...right before we move in November! And on top of all that, I'm still actively participating in HSKS! Oi! So I had every intent of post photos and instructions on how I made the Potions book, but as you can see, I've been a bit overwhelmed lately. I still even have everything set up and laid out to do it all, too! LOL Let's aim for it to be posted by the end of the month, shall we? ;)



----------------
Now playing: Grits/Tobymac - Ooh Aah
via FoxyTunes

Making preemie hats

Wowzer! I haven't posted in ages! I've been keeping plenty busy since September, though, (which, in addition to another birthday, anniversary and Christmas, includes a trip to the States, the beginning of another deployment and the Ravelympics) and have plenty to blog about...if I would only take the time to. LOL

Recently one of the spouses in my husband's squadron e-mailed me a link to a site that promotes doing one nice thing a day for someone other than yourself, and one of them just so happened to be involving a charity called "Stitches From the Heart." And wouldn't you know, I've got 100% acrylic yarn out the wazoo that I am really trying to get rid of, and a fair amount of that being the soft or baby brands. So I've taken to making preemie hats. I found a knit pattern I liked pretty well, (though I like my modified version better, lol) but couldn't find a crochet one I liked so much that had some stretch and give to it. So I came up with my own! I'm super excited to share the pattern, but want to make sure it's intelligible and want it tested out before I post it, so keep your eyes peeled!

----------------
Now playing: Dommin - My Heart, Your Hands
via FoxyTunes

Keeping busy...

I've finally completed my 5" on the next scarf...Oddly, this was the simplest pattern yet, but took me the longest to get done! But I think it was more because of the timing in receiving it than anything. My husband came home from his deployment, the Summer Camp for HSKS started up (for which I am a cabin counselor!), seeking out a yarn shop in Venice...anyway, it's finally done. Now I just have to get to the post office on a day it's actually open! LOL Then Holly's scarf will be moving on....




I've also been keeping busy making stitch markers! I like how the ones I've made recently have turned out! Very pretty, in my honest (and humble) opinion! ;)

And the scarves go on...

Pictures now, words later...lol Knitted scarf is Jodi's, crocheted scarf is Ronni's....good night! LOL


Close up of the 5" I knit on Jodi's scarf (color is off, but at least you can see the cables! LOL):




Jodi's scarf so far (this picture is more accurate in color):




The 5" I crocheted on Ronni's scarf:




Ronni's "tecnicolor scarf" so far:



Now that I actually have the time to sit down and write...(at least for the present 10 seconds...) Things have been insanely busy around here! DH just got home from deployment less than a week ago, we're trying a new system for discipline, and everything keeps breaking! We've lost (and gotten back!) our Internet connection about 3 times since DH got home, lost the phone connection to the States, the car stopped working, and the lawn mower won't start, either. Absolutely insane. And as of this moment, I have a 2-year-old that thinks everything is the end of the world...he upstairs screaming and crying as loudly as possible. lol

But back to the scarves (which, hopefully, the fact we don't have a working car will not interfere with them getting out tomorrow in the mail...); the mail over here has been absolutely insane. It's taking forever for them to get to me and forever for them to get to where they're supposed to be going! The knitted scarf, Jodi's, I actually had before my husband got home, but I was so swamped with last minute preparations that I didn't have time to work on the scarf...so I finally got around to it...and the pattern I had come up with in my head just wasn't working as it came out of my fingers. So I tried something else. Still didn't work. Then I settled on the 5 cables that I ended up using (and really liking!) , but as I got further into it, I noticed it was significantly thinner than the section below mine, and I know she wanted the scarf to remain somewhat consistent in width (which I totally understand!)...so I had to undo it and try again in a different size needle...still wasn't large enough, so I went up to 8's. Finally, I was satisfied! I think it turned out quite well and am thinking 5 cables like that would look pretty cool as an entire scarf, not just a small piece of one!

Same goes for the bit I did on Ronni's...I had actually intended to use a different pattern altogether, but as I worked it, it also made the scarf a bit misshapen. So I got to frog and pick a new pattern. It didn't cooperate either, so I figured I could change how I was doing it to go off of the number of stitches that worked best with the section before mine instead of trying to stay with the same number of stitches that were used in the beginning section...sure enough, easy as pie! LOL I quite like how it turned out, actually. And I love the whole "technicolor" thing! I think the colorway I chose fit with that mantra all too well. :)

But now it's back to life...cleaning and washing dishes and trying to keep everything else from breaking and keeping the peace between the boys and...well, you get the idea! Hopefully I can fit some more crafting into there somewhere!

Whoops!!!

I can't believe I haven't posted in a month!!! Things have been pretty crazy here. We lost power for 12 hours one day; our car was in the shop for 3-4 days (and will have to go back once a new part comes in, which, being in Italy, takes FOREVER!); A got sick and passed it to all of us, so altogether there was at least one sick person in this house for 2 solid weeks; now we're out of gasolio, which means no heat and no hot water (thank goodness for space heaters and friends with showers!!!); our DVD player died on us, so The Husband had to buy a new one, and then when he tried to hook it up...our TV upstairs was too old a model for the player! So he had to bring up the big TV from downstairs and says we'll have to get another (larger) one for downstairs...it's just been one thing after another here! On top of all that, I've really been missing all my friends and family in the States. I'm missing out on all the Christmas parties, and I'm bummed with myself for not getting out the Christmas packages in time. :( The only one I got out was to my mom's. I still have my in-laws' package to finish and send out, as well as my best friend's, and a couple of other miscellaneous packages.

And I have been VERY distracted. I reached level 80 in WoW and my time has suddenly switched from being consumed by crafting to playing that silly game! There suddenly is a whole other realm to play when you reach 80...there's heroic dungeons to run, there's gear to be had, there's achievements to accomplish...so MUCH! But it's down for maintenance today, so I figured I'd catch up on a few other things...like posting about my kit!!!

WOW!!! I've been waiting and waiting and waiting for my HSKS6 kit to come in the mail, and DH brought it in one day and said, "Oh yeah, this came, like, 4 or 5 days ago. I just kept forgetting to bring it in from the car." And I was in the middle of a dungeon! So I had to wait to open it. The box was taunting me. LOL Sitting there, looking at me, saying "I'm here! I'm here! And you can't open me yet because you've got other people depending on you in this dungeon!" Ugh! But get the kit I did, and I opened it as soon as I was out of that instance! Here are the fantastic pictures:

Just opened:

My GORGEOUS new bag!!!:

I absolutely love the rich colors of the bag!!! It's gorgeous!!!


The lining and pockets on the side have origami swans! (She's in Japan...) How cute is that?!:

Super pretty sock pattern (Faux Cable Socks):

VERY yummy and soft Ravenclaw sock yarn and my first set of wood dpn's (Knit Picks, size 2):

I can't wait to make my faux cable socks with my new needles and delicious yarn! I was "oo-ing" and "ah-ing" over the yarn and petting it and commenting over and over how it was so pretty and soft....and my husband has the nerve to say "so you're using that yarn to make my socks, right?" HA!!!!! AS IF!!! This is SO for me! And like I would reward his late delivery of my kit to begin with... ;)


A little bit of Japan...chopsticks, a wine bottle holder and Japanese candy:

The wine bottle holder being "modeled":

Owl note cards, a beautiful wallet, and a fridge notepad:

The whole kit together!:

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, Jade!!! I love my kit! With no heat and no WoW, I may actually get to starting my socks today... ;) LOL (ETA: There was also a blue tape measure in there, but it somehow got out of being in the pictures...must not be very photogenic...) ;)

Then a day or two ago, my husband brought me in another package...it was my bookmark "kit"! Thank you, Antonio, I love it!


Bookmarks and tea:

I'm typically not a tea drinker, but I'm really looking forward to trying the vanilla chai...I've heard chai is pretty fantastic stuff, but haven't yet tried it. (Silly me...what a perfectly warming drink! I should go brew it...)


Bookmark (front):

I'm a bit of a superhero fan, so the Wonder Woman thing was very much appreciated! :) (Someone did their homework....and even between terms! I may have a little bit of a crush...LOL)

Bookmark (back):

And on the back of the bookmarks is a picture of Ron and two quotes:

"Aren't you ever going to read Hogwarts, A History?"

and

"That's what Hermione does. When in doubt, go to the library."

Love, love, love it, Antonio! Thank you!!! I still have to make Emma's...I could get that done today! Yay!

In other crafting news....I had intended to make 3 scarves for the Special Olympics, but have yet to even finish the first one! I don't know what days my husband has off this week (I've heard he's working Christmas Eve) :( but if he's home, I'm sure I could just tell him I'm not allowed to play WoW until I finish a project a day! LOL That wouldn't really be too challenging, really, as it only takes me 2-3 hours to crochet something up. As it is, he's even commented at how unnatural it is for me to be neglecting my crafting for video games! I've slowed way down on the cancer caps, which is not cool, especially considering there's still new requests coming in and I still have several others to complete. Hmmm. Maybe I should tell the hubby to only allow me 2-3 hours of play time per project finished...that might be a little more productive...We'll see what happens, I guess! I'm sure I won't be posting again before Christmas, so Happy Holidays to all, whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or even none of the above! Stay warm!

It's about darn time...

Finally, finally, finally, a project that I started in mid-June is about to be finished!!! A fellow mom who has a son and daughter-in-law in Iraq for the Army asked me to make them blankets after I had given her one. I had picked out the colors so fast, and actually found the green I used at the craft store on base. Maybe that was where I goofed up. I got the first one done relatively quickly. I was plugging away at the second one, and, horror of horrors, I ran out of the green!!! Eight rows away from being done, 3 of those rows being green, and I was out of the color I needed!!! I figured that, while it was irritating, it was no big deal. I'd just go back to the craft store on base and get more, right? If only! The green I bought on my first trip was the wrong shade. It was too dark. They were out of my forest green. And they don't place new orders until their supply is all but depleted. Even then, there was no guarantee that they would order the color I needed. So instead, I had to hunt a place down online that I could order it from. Thank goodness for Joann's!!! They had it, I ordered it, and about 6 weeks later, I got the yarn. Unfortunately, that put it too late to finish the afghan for the WIPs Wrestling I'd entered it into for the Ravelympics. I sat down to finally finish the blanket, and.....it was still the wrong color!!! At first I thought it was a dye lot issue, and if that were the case, I was completely and totally hosed. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that that big of a color difference would not be a dye lot issue. It turned out that the yarn I got from Joann's was soft forest green, not forest green. It made a huge difference! I don't know if it was a mistake on my part or on theirs, but either way, I was a bit annoyed. Well, I placed the order again, quadruple checking that I ordered the right color...and it came in the mail yesterday!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!! DH wouldn't let me open the package until we got home from being out and about in Sacile, so I didn't even bother to try and get it from him until this morning. I was so happy when I opened the box and saw the right color!!! YAAAAAAY!!! I've already knocked one row out of the way and am on the second green row...then there's a bit of claret, soft navy, and natural business going on before the final round of green. And one row may not sound like much, but when you're working a round ripple that's this size, one row can take a good 20-30 minutes...I'm just so happy and relieved to finally be able to finish this project! I was beginning to think I wouldn't get it done before their deployment was over! LOL And now, back to my hooking and your regular scheduled programming.....

Ravelympics update (Days 2-5)

I didn't expect to make near as much progress over any of the other days of the Ravelympics as I did the first day. None of my other projects are as quick and simple as the 5 hats I made! Unfortunately, I have yet to complete another project.

I didn't really expect to finish anything on Saturday, simply because I was supposed to be spending that day in Venice. When that didn't happen, I ended up spending about half the day in bed and relaxing the rest of the day, given the "passing out and hitting my head" situation. I took Sunday pretty easy, too, but managed to work on one of my entries in the WIPs Wrestling ("WIP" means work-in-progress, for those of you that don't know) and started a few other projects, but still had a horrible headache, so I didn't heavily pursue any one thing.

Monday (yesterday) was Family Day for my husband's squadron, so we spent over half the day outside, chatting with other military personnel and spouses, our boys running around and playing, partaking of the barbecue fare, and allowing ourselves to be the feast for the bugs that were out. lol After I came home, I worked some more on the WIPs Wrestling entry, but that was pretty much it.

Today, day 6 of the Ravelympics, I thought I would finish my WIP. But then I ran out of a color I need. :( I had picked up more yarn on Saturday, but it turns out I picked up the wrong color! I'm so bummed, because I'm only 8 rows away from finishing it, and I need that specific green to do two of those said rows! So to take my mind off of that, I undid what I had done on a Hat Dash entry to tweak it. I was almost done with it, but I didn't like how it looked, so I'm going to alter the pattern a little bit to make it fit what I've envisioned in my mind. We'll see how that goes, and hopefully tomorrow (or later on tonight, whichever), I'll be able to post two pictures of completed works! Here's hoping!

Cleaning Out the Closet

So just in these past few months, I've been crocheting like never before, turning out new projects left and right. And somehow, whenever I felt the urge to begin a new project, ones that I had been working on previously slowly found their way into a black hole. lol But with having moved (and moved overseas, no less) and then being reunited with my yarn stash, I had to take inventory of the yarn I did have. I can't find my yarn here and need to know what to have my sister send to me. And in this adventure of being up to my ears in yarn, I came across multiple projects that I began a lifetime ago....back before I had kids...back before I was married....even some from before I even met the man I married! And I think it's time to finally pull those out and put them to rest, be it by finishing the projects or by frogging them. I really, really, really don't want to have to take any of them apart, but in some cases I don't really have a choice. Like the purple scarf I got about a quarter of the way through. I have absolutely no idea what stitches I used on it! And to figure it out (there are three different stitches), I'd have to take the whole thing apart anyhow!

Then there's The Blanket. I started that one when I learned how to make granny squares when I was only 16! (Previous to that, all I knew how to make was boring back and forth rows of double crochet...lol) It slowly grew big enough to fit my bed, but then my brother got engaged, so it morphed into a wedding gift for the two of them. I never finished it. But I ran out of the yarn (which has been long since discontinued) and my squares (and crocheting) have greatly improved in quality since then, and I don't think I could make squares like that again if I wanted to! Maybe I could just give it to my sons to play with or something...because even if I did take it apart, I don't know what I'd do with the yarn from it! Sad day...

Blessedly, though, there is a project that I not only have enough of the right yarn to finish (same dye lot and all!), but I know exactly where the pattern is! I used a type of granny square to start making a small tote. It was supposed to have been a birthday present about four years ago for a girl I used to baby-sit. Talk about being a long time in coming! LOL But I'm only 15 squares away from finishing the main part of it, then I have to make the lining (which I picked out the material for 4 years ago, as well, and still have!) and the strap for the bag. I can't wait to finally see that one done! LOL

So once I finish the lapghan for my mother-in-law (that very nearly shared the same fate as the other named projects...it just didn't quite make it as far down into the black hole...I started that one last July...), it'll be time to take care of the named UFOs and keep digging for more. I know they're there. It's almost scary in a way to find these half finished projects, and I'll be very relieved once they've met their fates!

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!

Well ladies and gentlemen, it's official! I have the information for our flight to get to The Husband! I can't post anything time related publicly, but I'll be disappearing this week and I don't know when I'll get to be back on! The Husband doesn't have Internet set up at our new house yet, and I hear it takes a while....as in months....so I'll only be getting online when I can get to a public computer! Anyhow, I finally am taking the "leave of absence" I've been talking about for the past 2 months! LOL I'm so excited!!!! See you when I see you!

I just got a phone call...

THEY'RE IN, THEY'RE IN, THEY'RE IN!!!!!!!!!!!!! OUR VISAS ARE IN!!!!!!!!! It only took 2 and a half months, but THEY'RE IN!!!!!!! So now The Husband gets to go in and request our flight information, and then I'll know FINALLY when we're on our way!!! I'm so happy I could cry!!!...What am I talking about? I've been on the verge of crying since the phone call...lol Anyhow, I just wanted to let you all know! I'll probably be relatively quiet because of being busy to go and then leaving, but I'll let you all know once I get over there safely! YAY! Now I'm off to get stuff done!

Friendship Blankets Update...

So I thought it was only making one square for each other person in the group......no, we don't have enough people. So we're supposed to make five squares for each other person! That's like a total of something like 95 squares! Yikes! I've finished 20 so far. I wasn't expecting to make that many. My first thought when I heard how many I needed to make was "Shoot! Forget that! I'll just make my own squares and my own blanket!" (And it was funny, because when I told my husband's grandmother about the change in the situation, she said basically the same thing! LOL) But that's really the point of sending them to each other. So that everyone ends up with a decent-sized blanket, but with different squares from all kinds of people from all over...shoot, the world, actually. I was going to say "the country," but I know there are moms on Cafemom from more than just the US. It'll be so interesting to see all the different squares with all the different textures of yarn and everything else.

Hopefully there won't be too much taking my time away from working on all these squares....

There's a lot that goes into being a parent of two toddler boys. Especially when their father is overseas with the military. My younger son is fast approaching the age my older son was the first time he had an ER-worthy injury. (Aidyn was running in our then-apartment that had very tight corners, and ran head on, at full speed, into the corner of a wall and ended up needing 10 stitches in his forehead....before he even turned 18 months old!) Just the other day, in fact, Calen took off running from the kitchen to the living room, from linoleum to carpeting, and the carpet is higher than the linoleum. So in his hurry to run, his foot got caught on the carpeting, and he fell, face first, into a china cabinet. His mouth hit the leg of the (for him) immovable cabinet. (It really is movable, but certainly not for someone his size! LOL) He cut his lip and even his gums were bleeding! Poor little guy. But no swelling, and with the injuries I've seen from Aidyn, I knew better than to be too alarmed. There was a fair amount of blood, but not enough to freak out over. So now I'm just wondering how long it will be before we have our first ER trip with Calen. He's only a month younger than Aidyn was for his first trip....I guess only time will tell....

The Home Stretch!

So I took onto myself making round ripple star afghans for 8 children for Christmas. As we're getting ready to move overseas for my husband's next duty station with the military, I really wanted to get them done before we left the States. And I'm almost done! I'm three quarters of the way finished with the 7th of 8 blankets! So close! But I'm having a hard time keeping motivated to finish them. I don't know why. I really do want to do this, but it's almost turning into a chore. I'm soooooo close, and the end is in sight. For both these blankets and for my husband coming home from his year tour in Korea. The end is in sight!.....But for some reason, those last few inches to the finish line look more like miles.........