Monday, January 26, 2009

Bocco

I know, I've been awfully quiet. Things have been, surprisingly, rather dull around here! We do have bad news to report. Poor Bocco lived a short life. He started acting odd Saturday, and this morning, he was a floater. We think he may have had ick. Dan went to the store yesterday and got ick tablets and 2 more Bocco's (1 for Atley and 1 for Charlie.) For about half an hour, we thought Bocco might have been pulling through, but he went back to his little corner he had been in and stayed there. As soon as we put the ick tablet and the new fish in, he had started swimming around like his old self again. (I was convinced he was depressed and lonely because the big goldfish ignored him.) Atley's handling it pretty well. Dan and I were just as sad as he was. We had grown quite attached to the cute, spunky little guy in his short stint in the tank. RIP Bocco. We hope Bocco #3 and 4 will carry on your name well. (Because of course Atley said Charlie wanted his fish named Bocco, too.)

The most amusing part of all of this is when Dan was getting the fish, the lady asked him what he was going to name them. (For those of you who don't know, Dan is 6 feet tall, 330, jeans and T-shirt wearing car guy.) He said he wasn't, and she said, but their fish, fish have to have names! Then, he had to proceed to tell her that they would most likely be named Bocco because that's what fish #1 and 2 were named. I wish I could have seen Dan telling strangers about Bocco. Priceless.

I did get a couple more projects done. I crocheted a Little Ditty Bag for my DADA homework, and I knit Ari a pair of mittens, because she has no gloves! They are like Atley's, but they match her Herbie hat...purple with a pink stripe. I'll try to get some pics up later. (Yeah, I know, mittens are uber-interesting.) I am about halfway done on the leg of my second pair of socks for me! I'm doing Hedgerow and using my Palette in Tidepool Heather.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Lots O' Progress

Well, we had a very productive last couple of days! Charlie can now go forward in his walker, as opposed to just backwards. He's loving any kind of food he can sink his 5 teeth into. He also got his 9 month shots yesterday...poor little guy. I was thinking on the way there, I'd have to get Atley's kindergarten boosters soon. Then I realized, it would be the next appointment! They register kindergarten in April, and that is when Charlie's birthday is. Then, I started bawling at the thought of not having my sweet Atley with me all the time. He said he doesn't want to go to kindergarten, that he wants to be homeschooled because he loves me and he wants to be with me and he wants me to make him food. (The way to a man's heart...)

Atley also got a new fish yesterday. Bocco bit the dust about a week and a half ago. He got a black Gobi. He named him "Bocco the black." (Keep in mind, I'm taking liberties with the actual spelling of Bocco since Atley can't spell yet, but this is the way he pronounces it, at least.) He was so exited. There was a lady at the end of the aisle after we got it, and he said "Hi! I got a new fish! He's got big eyes, and his name is Bocco!" Then, as soon as the girls got in the car after school, he told them. He said "He has big eyes." Ari said, "Oh, does it have big eyes like this *Ari making circles with her hands*?" Atley, "Yes." Ari, "Is it a big fish?" Atley, "No, he's a small fish, just with big eyes." He had also told the lady at the health department about Bocco when we went to get Charlie's shots. It's a cute little fish. It zips all around the tank. Allison James and Hermione (the girls' fish) just kind of float. I think we'll have to get Charlie a fish, so Bocco can have an active friend.

I cleaned! YaY!! My living room is on the verge of being nice. Now, if only we can keep it this way...again. Every time I clean, the kids (and Dan) trash it.

I also finished a test crochet bonnet yesterday. It's cute! Dan would kill me if he saw Charlie with a bonnet, though! lol Oh well. I like it.

I got Sway's capelet done. I'm turning in my homework for the House Cup today. Here is a half-ass picture of my spaz of a dog who never sits still for pictures. This is me holding her and Atley baiting her with an apple:

And, here is my Arithmancy homework. It's a DPN holder I crocheted in stripes corresponding with my numerology numbers:

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Sunday Morning, Comin' Down

The snow, that is. Again. God, I hate snow! Ohio, why do you have to snow so, so much? Can't you just snow for the holidays and then stop and go back to being 40-45 until spring? I'd be happy with that, ya know.

Anyhoo, I still haven't gotten my yarn I ordered. :0( (I know, it's not like they have those tube thing from Star Trek to beam me yarn.) So, I took Ari and Charlie and went to Joann's at 8:00 last night to get some, instead! :0) Plus, I got so excited to order my sock yarn, that I forgot to order yarn for Charlie's socks. My friend Lori and I have been talking about the construction of the "perfect baby sock." And I didn't have any boy-approved sock yarn! So, we picked up some Sensation Soles and More in Green and Blue for Charlie and in a purple and pink for Ari. (I had 3 coupons....I had to use them, right?) And I also picked up a skein of brown Wool Ease Chunky to do a test bonnet for Charlie. I had picked up some Homespun at Wally World, and I HATE it! That is the WORST stuff to crochet with. I will knit a bunny blanket buddy with it, because the old ladies at the LYS that used to be right across the street from my house said it's much easier to knit with. (Of course, they unfortunately went out of business about 6 months before I learned to purl. :0( My sucky luck!) Oh, I had also gotten some brown sock yarn for Charlie off ebay, but again, the zapping thing and my impatience got the better of me. Especially when I needed other yarn. And had coupons. (I love Ron "Tater Salad" White, and I just can't say the word coupons enough. Coupons.)

Yes, I'm a little giddy today. Dan took Melodie on about a 2+ hour shopping trip to the parts store today, so I've got the nice, quiet, well behaved children at home while I work. Yay!

So, I got Sway's capelet done last night. I haven't taken any pics yet, though. I'll probably do it after work tonight. Then, onto the next project! I think I'll do my arithmancy homework next. I'll be using my numerology numbers to do a striped bag for my drop spindle...or a DPN holder. I'm still undecided.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

On the Hook

Last night, I started a capelet for the dog for my Care of Magical Creatures assignment for the House Cup! I'm doing it in Gryffindor colors. I'm about half way done with it. Hopefully I'll finish it tonight!!

Yesterday, I ordered some new sock yarn! I got Knit Picks Palette in Hyacinth and Tidepool heather. I'll be doing the Tidepool heather in Crusoe and the Hyacinth in Tidepool. I'm probably going to do a sock between the higher one and the anklet, and I'll be doing the toes with my leftover Wicked Witch!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

They're done!

I finished my socks Monday night! (And, I got sucked into watching "Return of the Jedi"...again. Spike, have you no shame!?!? Interfering with sock knitting like that. Atley HAD to see it though, right?)

I LOVE my socks. I am hooked on socks now, and want hand knit socks to wear every day. Must.knit.more.socks!!

socks 002

Monday, January 12, 2009

The most wonderful invention in the world......

LEGOS!!!!


So, Atley was quiet for like half an hour. I started to get scared. I could hear little noises in his room, but usually, when a child is quiet for THAT LONG, it's nothing good. So, I took the baby to lay him down for his nap and peeked in....he was playing Legos! My SIL got him a little set of Legos that made a train engine for X-mas, and it fell apart. (Dan helped him put it together.) He was sitting there with his little instruction book, dilligently working on putting it back together again! Must buy more Legos!

My socks are painfully close to being done! Note to self...."Return of the Jedi" is not conducive to sock knitting! I wish Spike would stop playing the Star Wars movies....it's so distracting. You know, being a child of the 80's/90's, I am still of the mind frame that it's always cool to see your favorite movie on TV. Do you remember waiting all year long to see "The Wizard of Oz" the one night they played it on TV? Nevermind we have it on DVD now, I still get giddy when I see TNT is doing their Oz weekend. Even 24 hours of "A Christmas Story" is the highlight of my holiday season. Yup, got that on DVD, too. It's just not the same, though! Dan thinks I'm nuts. Something will come on TV, and I get excited. He's like, just put the DVD in so we don't have to watch the commercials. Nope, it's not the same. Must watch it on TV!! Anyway, I will have my socks done tonight!!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

On the Mend

I am very happy to report that my friend's baby is doing much better! Thank you so much for the kind thoughts and words. In fact, he is home and out of the hospital now. It also turns out that due to physician error before performing tests, he did not, in fact, have an infection at all! It was a non-problematic skin bacteria on final results, so they pumped him full of antibiotics and turned him into a baby human pincushion for nothing. Needless to say, my friend is furious, but so glad to have her baby home and safe, aside from his poor little tummy being affected from the high dose antibiotics. I can't believe a doctor wouldn't be more studious about diagnosing problems with a baby. If anyone ever put my baby through that, they would wish they never met me! (All of my kids, but especially the poor baby, who can't even talk and say what's wrong!)

Speaking of babies. I've got a question for ya: How does a baby get Cheerios down the back of their onesie? Charlie currently has on a onesie, a long sleeved t-shirt, and overalls. I just changed him, and there were Cheerios down the back of his onesie! This isn't the first time he has performed this feat, but I'm still stumped! lol

I'm almost done with my second sock! I plan to wear them on Tuesday, Lori! I'm ready to turn the heel tonight.

Oh, we've also got at least like 6 inches of snow since Friday. It's crazy. And my mom said it's supposed to snow all week. I HATE snow! It's snowing again right now. The kids are in heaven. They love to play in the snow. They went out and had a snowball fight and made snow angels earlier today. Of course, demanding their cocoa as soon as they came back in!

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Healing Thoughts and Prayers

One of my good friends just emailed me. Apparently her little baby, who will just be 2 months old tomorrow, is in the hospital with a pretty bad infection. The poor little guy is being poked and prodded like a pin cushion. They don't know how long he'll have to stay at the hospital, but he's a very, very sick little guy! Any healing thoughts and/or prayers you could send their way would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Did you guys see it last night!?!

The new Nip/Tuck was FINALLY on!! I wish it would have been SO much longer. Dan officially thinks I'm crazy. Hey, I've been waiting for this for a long time, though. I'm so happy they're back. It gave me a little glimmer of happiness in the world of screaming and falling out of beds.

Yup, falling out of beds....because of the screaming. Melodie decided yesterday she wanted me to do her homework for her. When I refused, (and was told how horrible of a mother I was) I sent her to her room. Apparently she took her homework up into her bed. (The girls have bunk beds.) She screwed around for a couple hours, and when it was time for Ari to go to bed, I called her back out so she could finish in the living room....and she promptly fell off the ladder. Yup, that makes 2 times now that Melodie has fallen off / out of her bed.

I got one of my socks done yesterday! I would have cast on for the second one, but I didn't want to miss any of Nip/Tuck looking down at knitting. Dan was pleased to see one thing he could use to pull me away from the yarnin' though!! I'll be starting some test crocheting today, but I'm hoping to have my other sock done by Saturday. I love my first one already and wish I could wear it. Again, Dan thinks I'm nuts. I think I'm going to be a sock snob now, and only wear handmade socks. (Of course, after I get an arsenal of socks made!)

Monday, January 5, 2009

LOVE the new yarn!

I am SO happy with my sock yarn! The socks are knitting up quickly and beautifully. It's a great pattern. (Spring Forward, on Rav. I'll see if I can find the site and link it on here later.) I'm very pleased with it so far. I've got the pattern worked through 1 whole time already. I did post wrong before, though. It is for my Charms class, not DADA. For DADA I will be crocheting a little ditty bag.

Here is a pic of Atley wearing his train sweater! If you work this pattern, make sure you do it WAY bigger than necessary. This was a size 6, and my little Atley is teeny tiny. It fits now, but it probably won't fit next winter.

I've got a couple of crochet (and knit) patterns in my head. If only there were more hours in the day!! I've got crochet dog and 2 baby patterns, and a knit dog and bunch of bib patterns. I may need some crochet test crocheters, if anyone is interested!!

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Harry Potter Knitting and Crochet House Cup

Yay! The House Cup has begun for winter term. I am a prefect for Gryffindor this term! I've started my first homework project for the DADA class. I'm making my Spring Forward socks for Expecto Patronum. I've also signed up for Herbology (which I'm almost done with...just need to organize the stash now!) and Care of Magical Creatures (Sway is getting something new and warm to wear.) I'm also going to sign up for an OWL. I'm going to make Molly Weasley's Bag of Stitch Witchery. I've also signed up for Arithmancy. I'm still not sure what I'm going to make for that, though. I was thinking about maybe a DPN holder.

I stocked up at Joann's yesterday! They are having a HUGE yarn sale right now, in case anyone doesn't get the flier. I picked up 3 skeins of Wool-Ease in paprika to make Charlie a sweater (and probably a hat or slipper socks or something. I just wanted to make sure I had enough!) I got the yarn for my Molly Weasley bag and the wooden handles for it. I got a bin to store my yarn! (part of my Herbology homework to organize the stash.) AND I got cream and blue crochet thread to try out my new interchangeable steels (thank you to the wonderful CLF-er who told me what to call those things!) I also got a knitting needle gauge checker and another stitch holder. Oh, I also got another set of size 1 DPN's (in bamboo!) so I can CO for Ari's other sock, while still working on mine, too!

I finished Atley's mittens....and I screwed them up! I increased too much. I did it on each needle instead of just on the first needle. Oh well, they're mittens, and they'll work for now. They just look like little balloons. When I go to make the ones Ari requested, at least I'll know what NOT to do this time!

I also went shopping for ME last night! My mom took the big kids, and Dan and I went to Chili's with the gift card she gave us for X-mas. (We hate Chili's. It was pretty crappy again last night, but at least we didn't pay for it this time!) It's at the mall, so we went to Sears afterwards because Dan wanted to look at tools. I got a tank top, a blue retro tye-dye kind of long sleeve top, and a new sweater! I was torn on the sweater. It's so hard, now that I know this knitting thing, to go buy knit items. I stand there saying oh, I could knit that myself so much nicer/cheaper/etc. This sweater was on sale and fit like a glove, so I just couldn't turn it down, though!

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I crashed before the ball dropped last night. :0( Oh well, there's always next year, right? I think we were all still a bit weak from the Christmas stomach flu fiasco for much partying last night. The kids were in bed by 8:30, and I think Dan and I were passed out on the couch by 10:30! I made a pepperoni and a sausage roll, and neither one were gone.

So, onto my resolutions. This year, I would like to FINALLY get my raised beds put in for a permanent organic garden. I'd like to get more active and healthier. (Yes, of course I want to lose a few pounds because I'm fat, but more importantly, I don't want to have a heart attack when I'm 42 like my great-grandma! Heart disease runs rampant in my dad's side of the family, and I will not let myself be a statistic!) I'd like to have fun. We have never been on a family vacation of any kind, and I'd like to finally give that to the kids this year. I'm not talking Disney World (I know our limits), but something, somewhere, somehow.

Also, the Harry Potter Knitting and Crocheting House Cup started today! Yay! I signed up for a few classes, already. I don't want to over extend myself, and some of what I want to work on this month isn't covered in classes, so we'll see how much I end up doing.