Just Not Feelin' It

You may have noticed, I haven't been blogging lately. No particular reason, except I just haven't felt like it. I was feeling a little bit guilty about it, but I've let that feeling go.

I've been knitting a little. I finished my SIL's socks:
And, I finished socks for my brother (although, I still have to weave in the ends and block them). I've finished knitting slippers for our babysitter, but they still have to be seamed and felted. I've started a super-quick cowl for a last minute gift (literally, this thing is going to take less than 5 hours to finish).

I'm still tracking down yarn to finish Little Boy's stocking, and have to wind the yarn for the Olympic hat my aunt wants. I've given up on the idea of finishing the Celtic Knot Stole, but am putting it on high priority for 2011. I've also given up any thought of korknisse, or any other ornament. I've found a Batman hat I much rather knit for Little Boy.

Thankfully, all my Christmas shopping is done. I'm hoping to get to addressing my cards early this week, and will do a little baking each day. With a bit of extra effort this week, I'll finish up almost everything this week and spend next week semi-relaxing.

We'll see how it goes.

The Holiday Season Begins!

I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween! My family had a blast! Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of the kids to show you - Superheros have to protect their true identity you know. Big boy went as "An Army Guy", but the little kids all went with a bat theme. We had Bat Girl, Sidekick Robin, and Bat Baby. I made their costumes out of t-shirts, cotton fabric, and heat 'n bond. Couldn't have been easier, more affordable, or I think, more cute!
Today marks the beginning of serious holiday preparations. I've already bought some gifts for Christmas, but I'm starting to form definite ideas and will be looking for sales and specials between now and the week before Christmas. If all goes well, everything will be bought, if not wrapped, by then.

Christmas knitting seems to be going well. I've been working on my sister's-in-law socks. Last night I turned the heel of the first sock, and hoping to kitchner the toe by the end of the week.
Little boy's stocking is on hiatus until I get some more green yarn.

In case you're interested, Cat Borhdi has come up with a cool way to spin and exercise at the same time. Check it out!

Slippers

We've had another busy week here. Big Boy's hockey season is in full swing, and the little kids started a learn to skate program. Plus, my parent were here! There was a lot of sewing and running around to get Halloween costumes done. The kids are all set and are very excited for the weekend.

I made us a goat cheese and tomato tart one day for lunch:

It was SO GOOD! (And easy! You can find the recipe here).

My Dad and I went to see the movie "Red" with Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, and John Malkovich. If the cast alone doesn't make you want to go see it, it's a really fun action movie. I love going to the movies, and I don't treat myself to them nearly enough!

There was a little bit of knitting this week. I knit up a pair of slippers for Little Girl:

The pattern is from Fiber Trends. I used Patons Classic Wool and some fun fur I had in my stash. The slippers knit up really quickly, and I hope to make a pair for just about everyone in the house. I'm a little nervous about the fit. The first time I felted them and had Little Girl try them on, they were a bit big and slipped off her feet. I put them through the washer a second time, and now Little Girl says they're a little tight. I'm hoping they'll stretch with wear.

I've also knit a bit on my sister's-in-law sock, and started Little Boy's Christmas stocking last night at my knitting group. It looks like the Christmas knitting is on track.

Happy Knitting!

Progress

I'm so glad to report that I've made Christmas knitting progress! I just finished kitchner stitching the toe for Little Girl's stocking. I still have to weave in the ends, and put on Little Girl's name, but it feels good to be done with the knitting! (I actually can't remember which side of the stocking I put Big Boy's name on last year, so I won't do that until we unpack the Christmas decorations).

I have a wedding to coordinate at church this weekend, so I'll be casting on for my sister's-in-law socks. I would really rather do my brother's sock, since one is already done, but I still haven't managed to wind the second skein of yarn that I need.

On the mommy side of life, things are...challenging. Hopefully, I'm growing through this process, but right now, I would rather stamp my feet, hide under my covers, and eat ice cream. Nobody ever said being a mature grown-up would be easy, or fun. I'm praying that an attitude of perseverance will carry us through this time.

Happy knitting!

Christmas To-Do List

Okay, here's what I hope to have done by December 23rd (because I don't want to feel stressed on the 24th, and I REALLY don't want to be knitting Christmas gifts AFTER Christmas).

1. Stocking for Little Girl (already started)
2. Stocking for Little Boy
3. Olympic Hat for my aunt
4. Celtic Knot Stole for BFF (started a couple of years ago. Really getting ridiculous that it's not done yet)
5. Socks for my brother (one sock is already finished)
6. Socks for my sister-in-law
7. Ridiculous flip-flop socks for our babysitter
   
8. Scarf for someone (I have the pattern and the yarn. It might be a teacher gift, or an in-law gift)
9. A bunch of korkinesse for random people
10. Slippers for the kids

Okay, honestly, 9 and 10 are not as important as 1-7. I think that it's an ambitious list, but not impossible. I'll keep you updated.

What's on your Christmas knitting list?

On blogging

I know that I've been neglecting this blog lately. I know that my posts are written quickly, without a lot of thought, and seem half-hearted at best. I don't know what to say. My posts are rarely as polished as I want them to be. Once upon a time, in a former life, I wrote really well, and I wrote things that other people actually enjoyed reading.

I want this blog to be well written, and I want to document my knitting progress, and my parenting struggles, and the lessons that I learn from both.

That being said, life is pretty stinkin' busy around here. Kindergarten drop-off, preschool drop-off, laundry, dishes, preschool pick-up, lunch, naps, time with the kids, kindergarten pick-up, homework, after-school snacks, more laundry, more dishes, cleaning up the house - it all cuts into my knitting time, and it doesn't leave me a lot of energy for maintaining a well-written blog, not that I have a lot of knitting to report on anyway.

So, I guess, this is an apology for writing a half-hearted, not very interesting blog. I'll try to do better, but I make no promises.

I have done a little knitting here and there the last two weeks. First, some Christmas knitting (a list of Christmas to-do to follow later this week):

A stocking for little girl.

I've also worked a bit on phase two of my secret knitting project:

I hope to have a finished object soon.

Perfect Day

A week ago, I was sitting here:


listening to these:

knitting on a Christmas gift.

The kids played in my parents' backyard, enjoying the sunshine and the light breeze.

We all slept really well that night.