I Survived!!

Well, good news is, I survived Graduation. Not everything on the list got done, but it was very nice.
We just got back from Myrtle Beach. A week of bliss!! It was great to get away and the beach is my favorite spot to relax. Until Thursday, that is. Thursday morning the DD, WH and I got caught in a riptide. Scariest thing I've every been in. You can't get out of them. Everyone says swim parallel with the beach, but that is easier said then done. It took us what seemed like forever to get out of it, but if I had to estimate I would say about half hour. Luckily the DD had her boogie board that she could hold onto. Then that afternoon, the police helicopter circled for an hour then the US Coast Guard showed up with their helicopter and a boat. We knew then that something up the beach happened. We walked up about 5 blocks and soon found out that they were looking for a 13 year old boy. They formed human chains and they had boats and jet skis and helicopters. All to no avail. They did not find him. We found out later that he is from Maryland, he was with his baseball team there for a tournament. It was awful. My heart still goes out to his parents. How do you get up and walk away, if they never find him, how do you leave as a parent? We heard one report that his name is Lonnie Hill, I am so sorry to his parents and family and the other boys that were with him. The tragedy of it all. Our son was mad because we wouldn't let him in the water, until we walked up the beach. Hug all your kids, life is too short.

Where did the time go?

This will be a picturless post. I'm kindof in a hurry, but thought I would jot a note. My daughter graduates 2 weeks from tomarrow. I know, I say that calmly, but only because I'm still in denial about the whole mess. I guess that's why I have yet to make a menu or clean my house. I walk around thinking there is soooo much I need to do be for the big day, yet I can't bring myself to do it. I think that maybe my mind thinks if I don't do it, it won't happen. DD had her last prom last weekend. I do well, but then again, that denial thing comes in to play. I just refused to think about it being the last. In the next two weeks I need to:

1. wash windows
2. dust
3. clean bathrooms
4. scrub floors
5. clean off the desk (that you can't see for all the stuff)
6. wash the slipcovers
7. figure out the menu
8. shop for food
9. prepare food
10. wrap gifts
11. decorate
12. clean the outdoor furniture
13. plant the flowers I bought last week
14. panic

So, there you have it. I'm not so sure it will all get done. Oh well, I'll get done whatever I get done.

Consolation!

IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE, IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!! My consolation kit from Loopy Ewe!! I have been stalking the mailbox for two days. I thought it might com yesterday, but no. So I opened the blinds this morning so I could see the street so the mailman couldn't sneak past. I saw the glorious mail truck pull up, so patiently I waited for him to get out and there it was, in his hand. The most wonderful white box on earth. I knew it had to be mine. I did refrain from going out and tackling him for it. As he carried it across the street I thought my heart might jump out of my chest. He's coming to my house with it!!! I opened the door and waited on the porch, he handed it to me and I thought I could kiss him, but I didn't. This wonderful box holds my "you didn't get sock club, but we still love you" kit from the Loopy Ewe!!

I ran to get the camera, I had to document every moment!! I didn't realize how exciting it is to receive a package that you don't know what's in it!! It's quite exhilarating. Inside this wonderful white box, is a beautiful Hand Maiden casbah yarn dyed in a rich purple they named "W(h)ine with Roses", a pattern from Wendy called The Purple rose of Loopy, a bright green Loopy bag( you can never have too many knitting bags), a Loopy for socks pen, and a note from them about the kit!!

Thank you Loopy Ewe!! I will most definitely sign up again next year. If this is what they do for the people who didn't get in, I'd LOVE to actually be in the club!!

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!?!