I had a plan

Once upon a beginning of November, I had a plan. I was going to make us all matching slippers for Christmas morning. I found the perfect yarn. I got started and it was fast work. Then I got distracted with who knows what. November is now almost over and I am still half way done with one slipper. That leaves 7.5 slippers to be made in about 27 days. I am now sitting her with my half finished slipper and I just can't get moving. Maybe I should go take a shower and get in pajamas and get cozy and somehow it will bring about the knitty feeling. I don't have much confidence in this.

For your reading pleasure

Here are some books that I have read lately, that I would definitely recommend.  Check them out.  Give them a read.  Give them as gifts. 

Let me tell you bout a man named Jed.

Saturday we discovered that the dog's leash has disappeared.  Not a clue where it has gone to.  Desperate times called for desperate measures.  I cut off a long piece of yarn and tied it to the dog's harness.  That is her new leash.  I don't want to tie and untie it, so she is walking around with a long string dangling behind her.  THis isn't sturdy yarn.  It is worsted acrylic crap.  The cats keep chasing her around to play with her string.  Rhys keeps "guiding" her around the house. 


We still haven't found the leash...or put forth that much effort to really find it.  We are simple people.


PS.  The 1000 book list is a bust. 

the challenge

I have taken on the 1000 books to read before I die challenge.  It seriously might take me that long, hoping that I live a very long life to finish.  There are many books on the list that I have zero interest in reading and some that I have tried and just not made it through.  I started the blog over here www.peepers1000bookchallenge.blogspot.com.  Eventually I will get around to figuring out how to link the two together nicely but I am just doing good making the actual list and posting at all.  Ideally some of my friends will take on this challenge and I can link everybody together so we can see where we are all at. 

Fall is here, I guess

I finally turned the heat on today.  It was just a little too chilly in the mornings.  The weather just hasn't been able to make up its mind.  A couple weeks ago we actually went camping in Michigan.  It was supposed to be this lovely fall camping trip with apple picking and hiking.  It was freaking cold!  It actually got down to about 39 degrees at night.  It was rainy and cold.  Overall the weather was pretty umpleasant.  I also made the mistake of not bringing anything for the kids to play with. I usually have random things in the car for them so that kind of saved the day, but I will definitely have to plan better next time.  Clearly the camping wasn't so bad that there won't be a next time.  I really do love being outside and I don't think we spend enough time outside as a family.  I have plans to revamp our little patio to make it more family friendly for next summer so we will be a little more motivated to stay out there. 

Playgroup met at the pumpkin farm this week.  Here are a few fun pictures.

Quotes of September of 2010 and some older ones....

July 22nd: Me: Is this what you are wearing today?  Ava: Yeah! I love flowers and I love candy.

Aug 4th: Ava: humph! I'm not going to talk to you. Me: Fine, that also means no whining at me. Ava: Fine! I'm whining at myself!

Aug 8th: Ava: uhhh mommy, the poopie looks like there is corn in it.

Aug. 30th Ava: Maybe we could go to Popeye's and get that chicken that Phineas and Ferb were eating.

Sept. 8th (first day of preschool, in the pick up line to get Ava, everytime we would move a little bit forward) Rhys: Here come!!!!!!  I see Awa!  Here come!!!!!!

Sept. 16th: Ava: I have a white spot on my nose.  Me: Ok.  Do you not like the white spot?  Ava: Well, white spots and black spots are ok for cows, but I don't know if I like the white spot on my nose.

Sept. 24th: Ava: I want to learn how to knit.  Then we can pick out pretty yarn together and drink hot chocolate and sit by the fire together. 

Sept. 27th: Rhys: Ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma FACE!  (this was his version of Poker Face by Lady Gaga)

So close...

I am almost done with Rhys' sweater.  Like always, I am antsy to move on to something else.  I usually find my next project well before I am finished with the current.  It helps keep me motivated.  I won't let myself start the new one until the old is finished, so it gives me that final push to keep going.  I have to finish one sleeve and put everything together and sew on the buttons.  Today Rhys asked if he could wear it, so that is another motivating factor.

Last Friday, my new knitting group met for the first time.  I think we had a pretty good turn out.  Some people were working on the squares for charity, some on their own projects and a couple were just learning.  I finished my first square.  They go pretty fast and are very portable, so they are good little busy work projects or mindless knitting when I want to work on something but don't have the focus to follow a pattern.  A couple other plan to come in the next few meetings to contribute.  I wonder how many squares we will really will get done. 

I ordered yarn for my next project, a large felted handbag.  A friend has asked me to make one for her.  She says she will pay me but I don't think I want to take any money for it.  Who knows if I will mess it up or not.  I have made a smaller version of this pattern before so I am pretty confident that it will turn out well. I am finally getting to Noro yarn.  It is a handpainted wool from Japan.  It just looks really cool and I have been wanting to use it for a while.

I haven't been keeping up with posting what I have been reading.  I have been on a reading spree lately. 

I have recently finished:
Her Daughter's Dream by Francine Rivers.  This was a second book of a two part series.  I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larrson.  Loved it.  It is actually the first of three books that were unpublished at the time of the author's death.  It was pretty dark, but I am definitely going to be moving on to book #2 shortly.

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks.  It was ok.  I have really loved some of Nicholas Sparks books, but this wasn't one of them.  It was just so so. 

Currently reading: The Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella.  Nothing like a funny British-pop fiction to make me happy.