Lost and Found!!!

I woke up this morning with all intentions of doing nothing! I had to run to Wallyworld and get my haircut; other than that, no intentions of anything. Somehow, it never works out how I plan, or in this case, don't plan. I got home from getting my hair cut and remembered that my WH's closet is driving me crazy. So, there go the plans. I begin cleaning out the closet and then decide the rest of the room could use some sprucing up.
There has been a box sitting in my room since right after Christmas(cleaning isn't high on my priority list). So in the coarse of cleaning, I pick up the box, oh, there is something in it.
I open the box and there is a gift from a friend from bath and body works and a tote bag that I bought myself for Christmas. Oh goody, found objects!! I take out the bath and body works basket and take it to my bathroom. It's all coming back to me now, while taking down Christmas decorations, I must have put these in here to carry upstairs. I'm really good at this, put things inside of things to transport; I'm not good at take the things out and putting them away however. So then I pick up the tote bag, ohh, it has something in it also.
OHHH, the lost sock it bag with the firestarter sock yarn, the pattern, and TWO sets of needles!!! I am soooo excited, I thought I had really lost this yarn and bag. I have been turning my house upside down to find this yarn and bag; while all the while it has sat in my bedroom in plan sight in this box! Welcome to my world. There is something to be said for organized people; I'm just not one of those people.
So, I'm off to cast on the second found, firestarter sock!!!

Off to a good start!!

Well, I'm off to a good start for 2009-the year of handmade gifts. My WH's birthday was yesterday, I made him a magnet board with magnets of the NCAA men's basketball teams so he can keep track of the top 25 and during March madness he can keep the bracket up to date!!
My niece Kerenne's birthday is February 16th, she has a pair of the boots with the fur that all the kids are wearing these days. She wanted a pair of socks that come up to the top of them without showing; so Aunt Di to the rescue!! I made her a pair in he school uniform colors!! Two gifts down, too many to count, to go!! Oh well, I keep looking at the positive the two birthday's so far this year have handmade gifts!!!

On another note, my kids have been home from school for five days!!! I know, how have I survived? Thursday and Friday they got off because of bad weather, today they are off for Martin Luther King day. Enough already, they better go tomarrow!!

Happy New Year!!

Happy new year everyone!! I have declared this the year of handmade gifts!! This means for birthdays, Mother's day, Father's day, and Christmas I will be making gifts for people! Mark my words; they will have something handmade. I want to make socks for Mother's and father's day for both sets of parents. I have already socks started for my niece's birthday in February. A good start for the year of handmade things!! I need a list for the items I need to make. I have many ideas running through my head. The problem with that is if I don't get them on paper I will forget. I'm not good at remembering in a pinch. My brain seizes up and everything is gone!! It's not pretty. However, lists are my friend, if I have a list I tend to stay on task and remember what I'm suppose to be doing!! So, I have my niece in February, then I won't have another gift to make until Mother's day and my MIL's birthday in May!! Oh, I really should be more organized. I hope this year of handmade things works out the way I in vision it! Wish me luck!!

Decorating, decorating, decorating

Well, I spent all day Saturday and Sunday decorating and I'm still not finished. I keep thinking of things to do and decorations to put up. I do have all the trees up and all but one decorated.

First, we have the entry tree. In the foyer I put up this tree of all things patriotic and New York. We love New York and the Yankees. The mural in the background is the New York skyline, it is the first thing you see when you walk in our house! We try to visit at least a couple times a year; I am also very patriotic. The entire first floor of our house has an American, red, white, and blue theme. I LOVE my country and those who fight to protect it. Thank you to all the soldiers.

Second, we have the main tree in the living room, it is what I call the "formal" tree, at least as formal as we get here in this house. It is where Santa puts the gifts for our kids go on Christmas Eve. I have yet to find a tree topper that I like well enough for it, that's why it doesn't have one. Notice the dog on the couch? He has a "ruff" life.

Next, we have one of two trees in the dining room, this one is the one I put all the special ornaments on. The ornaments that the kids have made over the years, the ornaments that have special meaning, like the kids first ornaments and different ones that mean a lot to me.

The other tree in the dining room is probably my favorite tree. It's the photo tree, all pictures of my family and friends. I got this idea out of a magazine last year and went crazy. I love pictures and the stories that they tell and the memories they help you remember. It is a very special tree to me. Always a work in progress, I am constantly adding pics to it! Very fun.

Then there is the bathroom tree. This tree came about kind of by accident. The first year we moved into our house I had a tree in every room on the first floor and my Mother said "Well, if you had one in the bathroom you would be set.". That did it, I put one in the bathroom. The first year it just had lights on it. The second year, I wanted to decorate it, but couldn't think of anything. Then a light bulb, all the little bottles of shampoo we got throughout the year while traveling. Double fold decorating, it goes with the bathroom theme and reminds us of where we've been.

The last tree on the first floor is the kitchen tree. Obviously, it is decorated with kitchen items.

This is my DD tree in her room. I bought her a new pink tree this year and she puts it up and decorates it herself.

Then we have the WS tree. he use to "help" me decorate it when he was younger, but now I guess he is too cool for that so I put it up for him. I know he likes it even if he won't say!!
There is also a tree in the upstairs hallway; the DD's old tree,that has lights on and red and white balls ready to go on, but hasn't made it yet. And two trees on the stairs that only have lights and two trees on the front porch to greet people. And six mini trees in the large pots on the front porch. I think I could use a couple more trees!?!

Happy Holidays!!

I know it's been forever. Well, only about a month, but you know. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Ours went well. Aren't families just wonderful? I won't get into that, but lets just say " I love my family!" Things are starting to get crazy. I am beyond panic about knitted gifts, there is just not time. I have a few finished and the rest will just have to wait til next year. Yes, I'm starting that already, I guess it's never too soon to start saying, next year......

On another note, my DD has been accepted to Washington and Jefferson in Washington,PA and has been offered a scholarship. We are very proud of her, she has worked hard through school and, well, let's just say high school hasn't been kind. So she finally has some justification that everything she's been through has been worth it. She has two more applications out there that she's waiting to hear from before she makes her decision, but for now we are very proud of her accomplishment!

The high school she goes to is in the playoffs for football and we went last week and froze our a--es off. It was soo cold, the announcer insisted to telling the temperature at the start of every quarter and we were stupid enough to stay through it. At the start of the 4TH quarter it was a balmy 19!! It was worth it though, because we beat the crosstown rivals for the 2ND time this year!! It was great!! Tonight should be a bit warmer, it's 50 degrees right now, so hopefully it won't cool off too much!! I bought lots of hand warmers!!

Tomarrow will be Christmas decorating day!! Although it will probably take me most of this week to get completely finished!! I put up 12 trees, 9 of which are fully decorated!! The other 3 just have lights. I will try to get pictures posted. I love Christmas, the decorations, the festivities, the food, the family, the friends. It's probably my most favorite time of year, if only it was warm. I hate the cold (see previous post). Oh well, only a few more months till warm weather!!!

Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween everyone!! I love this time of year, the leaves, the smells, the pumpkins(there is something about a fat orange pumpkin), family and friends gather, the holidays are almost here!! Yes, I love this time of year. It's what comes next that I detest!!! I hate cold and snow; OK I don't hate snow as long as I can sit in my house and look at it and don't have to go out. I HATE the cold, I hate to be cold, I hate to have to wear close toe shoes, I hate coats, I hate the ugly black snow, I hate the cold, bone chilling wind, etc..... You get the picture. So tell me again why I live where it gets cold? Go figure, this is the story of my life!! I guess so I have an excuse to make/wear hand knit socks!! I guess it all evens out, I have to put away the flips flops (which I love), but I get to pull out all the hand knit socks that I so happily made while I was suppose to be knitting gifts for everyone else. OK I'm convinced, it evens out!! It has however gotten very cold, very quickly this year, we somehow skipped our Indian summer, I like the Indian summer. Our local high school homecoming is next Saturday, maybe Indian summer will show up for that, I can only hope. Especially since I was suppose to have my CPH finished for homecoming (see previous post) and that's NOT happening. Too much to do between now and homecoming. This weekend is locker decorating and next week is just crazy with homecoming activities. It is the DD's senior year, so very busy. Oh well, one more UFO to add to the list. I did however, finish my sister's gloves for Christmas! I am proud of myself. I didn't get everything finished that I was suppose to, but at least I got something finished!!

Very Selfish!!

Haven't we always taught our children to share and think of others and not be selfish? I know I have (not that it took). And what is that saying?....Do as I say not as I do....Well, let me just say, I am the one that needs to be taught thinking of others and not being selfish. Everything I am actively knitting right now is for self. MY CPH, MY knotty gloves, MY October socks, you get the picture. My BFF called this morning in a panic over Christmas gifts (can anyone say deja-vu), I told her I made my Christmas list yesterday and am not real concerned with knitted gifts for Christmas. I am more concerned with self knitting. This by the way is the same friend who called about getting the CPH done for the high school football game (see previous post). I can't do it all and I'm not trying. If I get gifts done, good, if I don't, oh well, nothing I can do. Well maybe there is something I could have done, like knit for someone beside self. No, not going to happen right now, I'm not in the mood. I know, I know, I told myself last year that this wasn't going to happen this year, that I was going to have gifts knitted!! Well, another year and here we are again. I need more time, and self NEEDS hand knitted things too. What is the fun in only knitting for others? Oh, yea, that giving is the true gift bologna, and blessed is the giver and all that. Well, right now, self needs a CPH and knotty gloves, and October socks. Don't get me wrong, giving is fun especially when the recipient really and truly appreciates it. I do so enjoy giving to people who really love it!! Oh great, here it comes, thanks BFF, now I need to get busy knitting gifts. 2 months till Christmas? PANIC!!!!