sherriknits

Today was jam-packed.

We started the day with knitting in public to celebrate World-wide Knit in Public Day.  It was twice as fun as last year and that is because Shanda stepped in and organized it … she had prizes, drawings, buttons and did a great job of keeping it all moving along.  We met new people and even had one knitter born! 

It was pretty cold outside…this was before Bunni and I ran to the shop and got her pi shawl and a blanket to wrap her in.

Some people stayed inside, smart.

Pallas brought her naturally dyed yarns on a color wheel and they are to die for.  (tee hee)…truly, they are so beautiful.  It was great fun.

Then I had to leave this fun early because I had Bunni’s pinning to go to…she has completed the nursing program and is qualified to take the test now to be an RN.  I am so proud of her!

Here comes her hubby to pin her.

Pinned.

Happy it’s over, I think.

And get this.  The little imp actually wore his tux jacket with his jeans, it looks really cute…but we asked him to put his socks on in the car. It was not until we were seated that we noticed he must have gotten distracted.

Well, he’s always good for some kind of entertainment.

We went to a barbecue in Bunni’s honor and when we got home, I was dead tired.  I still have to put the finishing touches on a Father’s Day gift for the papa-to-be….I hope I remember to take a picture before I give it to him.

Hubby is going to sing a song at church tomorrow…probably everyone knows about it but me, but it is called Cinderella, about making sure you dance the dances with them while they are still little because one day they will go off with their Prince Charming.  Having married off 2 daughters in 10 months, I’m not sure how he can sing it without crying.  He assured me that if he sang it through enough times, he will be able to do it.  I heard it once and cried.  Father’s Day is always overly emotional for me.  I am so, so grateful that my children have the father they do….

What a day!  The little imp and I got to go with the new mama for her midwife appointment…and we got to hear the little sweet pea’s heartbeat!  (yes, I got tears)

We got up early and were on our way by 8:15 after our first stop, Starbucks.  :)  The little imp likes ice water so that’s what he got.  There is a funny thing about him.  He will not tell you when something is amiss, it’s been a  strange thing we’ve always dealt with (i.e.:  I’m hungry, I have to use the bathroom, etc) 

Our first stop was Michael’s to get some wedding things.  They were taking so much time getting out of the car that I told them I’d just run in and start looking for what we needed.  Wellllllllllll,  when they came in and found me, the little imp was walking soooo funny.  He had spilled his water all over himself and never said a word.  He was soaking and you know what it looked like!  So, the sis took him out to the car.  He took his pants off on his own and we had to get him back into them so we could run into Target and buy him new jeans before we went to the midwife appointment.  I won’t even go into the details of that trip, but let’s just say it was interesting.

We did make it on time to the appointment.

We love to ask him what he’s going to be when the baby comes. He always gets this huge grin, looks at the floor and whispers “Uncle”.

I haven’t been able to capture the best of the smile, but this is the closest I’ve gotten.  It really makes me want to cry it’s so sweet.

The room was very pleasant and the little mama, the teacher, showed him posters of a developing baby and made the most of the opportunity.  He hangs on every word.

He also likes to copy.

And here is the big moment!

I want to be sensitive to the mama and the midwife, but here is the little imp enjoying hearing that heartbeat!

He started playing  imaginary drums because that’s what it sounded like to him.

After all that excitement, we stopped at the new Carl’s Jr for a very nutritious lunch and raced home.  I was only an hour late getting to the shop.

REMINDER: 

Don’t forget to sign up for the blogiversary drawing, it runs through April 6 and on the 7th I will have the little imp draw the winner’s name!  All you have to do is comment to earn an entry!

Technorati Tags: Blogiversary, Event, Baby

Ok, I know I have already been here today, but I just finished watching the Mariners game (woo hoo…go Mariners!!!)…yep, we’re undefeated.  Haha I have to say that because you never know what these guys are gonna do, but I’m not a fair weather fan. 

I was thinking about Mary this afternoon because I knew she got to go to the Yankees game today….but boo hoo, they got rained out.  I was sad for Mary.

We didn’t get rained out, but we did get snow, rain, hail and then sunshine.  Crazy.  They closed the roof, though, so only the people in the bleacher section got snowed, rained, hailed on.

A few years ago, the little imp was asked to throw the first pitch at the Tacoma Rainier game.  They are the farm team for the Mariners.  It happened to be J.J. Putz day and when I saw him closing the game today, I thought about that day and wanted to share an imp story. J.J. was called up to the Mariners a few days after our big game.

The little imp got therapy at no charge in our home from the Elks Club for 11 1/2 years.  We loved our therapist, she was like one of the family (well, still is).  She asked us if we thought he would like to do it.  He actually has a pretty good throwing arm and we had a friend of ours “coach” him.  He called her Coach for a long time afterwards.  So, therapy days were all about baseball and so was almost every day for maybe 2 months. 

On the big day, some friends of ours offered to drive their RV and a bunch of us piled in it to go to Big Game.  We also had family come from all over…we had 32 people in the stands to root for him. 

Unfortunately, all of my very poor quality digital pictures are on floppy disks and I don’t even have a computer with a floppy drive here at home so I can’t get them off, but I did take a picture of the little one I have hanging on my wall.

A few days before the game, Coach and I drove up to Cheney Stadium to see about getting him a jersey to wear for the game.  The lady who ran the gift shop told us that they were trying to get kids jerseys made but were having trouble with them.  We decided to buy him a t-shirt on game day if they didn’t get the jerseys done.  She said he’d get a free cap and some other fun things the day of the game too.  Turned out they had all kinds of trouble with the jerseys and they *gave* him the prototype jersey for free!

You wouldn’t believe all the rules we were given before walking out onto the field.  The big one: DON’T STEP ON THE GRASS!  The grandpa of the other little girl from the Elks Therapy program did and wow, did he get told!

When they called us all out there, (and yes, we did walk on the grass to get out to homeplate…go figure), they explained about the program.  When they introduced the little imp….it sounded just like they do when the major league players.  His name rang through the stadium and our friends were cheering…and that little baseball star stepped forward with both hands raised in fists and turned this way and that.  His big moment!  It was the sweetest thing ever.

Then he threw that ball and yes, it actually made it to homeplate! (well, it rolled the last little bit of the way) All that practicing paid off in a big way. 

Of course, he actually thought he was pitching for the whole game and his therapist had to snare him up and run off the field with him. 

When we got back to our seats, I can’t tell you the tears flowing up there because everyone was so proud of him.   What a day and what an experience.

So, if you are a baseball fan and you see J.J. Putz closing for the Mariners , you think of our little imp.

Technorati Tags: Event, Imp

I am working hard at keeping focused and not getting overwhelmed.  There is so much going on and time feels like it is flying.  Today we are going to do a major craft project for the wedding and somehow I have to fit 2 weeks worth of bookkeeping in for my real job.

The last weekend was nuts and it didn’t help that we didn’t get our date.  It was for a good reason, but when life feels crushing we both feel we desperately need that down time away from everything else.

Friday night was a party for the happy couple held at his apartment (soon to be hers, too)

Then yesterday we had a big family reunion.  It started out to be rather simple…we have a cousin visiting from Minnesota and he wanted to meet up with those of us who live here.  From there it started growing and we actually had people fly in from California, too.  I didn’t get a count and I didn’t get too many pictures, never even thought to take pictures in the garage where all the food was and lots of people congregating there, too.  We have had snow this week and even though it didn’t stick it’s been cold and we were really concerned how my sister’s house was going to hold all of us.

The little imp cannot handle a lot of people crowded into a house so he spent as much time as he could outside between rain showers. 

And now I had better get busy.

Technorati Tags: Event

Ok, got the camera battery charged and I have to show you my new favorite sheep!

Can you tell?  It’s cauliflower with a mushroom face?  I LOVE it!  He joins a growing flock of sheep, but he’s the most unique!  Thanks, Pam and Sarah!

Today I got another Etsy purchase.  Look how cute the packaging is.

This is sitting on the envelope it came in…shiny purple!

This cute little box was made out of paper!

And … ta da!!

This is actually a cell phone charm, but I’m not thinking it would las all that long banging around in my purse so he may just hang out here and there.  Cute, eh?

No knitting today other than a few rows on the BSJ.  I’m trying to figure out how in the world this thing goes together as I figure out the striping.

And then I rushed to the shower.

It was very sweet…each person introduced themselves and told how they are related.  This shower was for the groom’s family.  It was touching to hear the words of welcome to the family.  Wonderful family.

Isn’t this table just beautiful?

And look how the mommy-to-be is looking these days!

And now, I am just trying to get the energy to get ready for Easter!

I do hope you all have a wonderful Resurrection Day full of fun, good food and fellowship with family and friends!

Technorati Tags: Event

I am exhausted and heading to bed but just wanted to pop in and say hi.

I found out some really great news the other day.  My FIL was given a huge honor and I am so proud of him.  He is a volunteer fire fighter in a small country station.  I can’t remember for how long, but we’ve been married for 33 years and he’d been doing it for a long time then.  Well, they re-named their firestation from the community name to his name! 

That’s not his name, I distorted it…but how cool is that????

Now here’s the funny story about that picture.  I asked him to run to the station and take a picture and then I’d help him get it to his computer and sent to me so I could see.  (Isn’t that a funny place that they put the sign?)

Well, he called me when they left home and said to stand by.  I said to take one with his phone, too…just in case.  Well, he called me back and it took exactly 1 hr 28 min. to help him get the picture from his camera to his computer to his email!  Then I resized it and sent it back to him so he could forward it on to whoever he wanted to.  I also helped him get it onto his messenger display picture.  I could be a tech support person after that call!  lol   We had a good time with it, though…and I have to give him credit, he does pretty well at explaining what he’s looking at so I can help.

But back to the fire station.. isn’t that cool?  He said the upper-ups said they don’t name stations after living people when his own station contacted the powers that be.  They realized, though, that these guys were going to do it anyway…so they let them do it.  (I asked if they’d have to kill him now! . . . heaven forbid!)

On the knitting front, I finished knitting the bride’s shrug, it is blocking right now.  Hopefully pictures to come soon.  She likes it!!!!

Technorati Tags: Event

I have been having some pretty major sleep problems the last month or so.  It’s making me do some pretty careless things.

Saturday, I discovered my cell phone was missing.  Wouldn’t you know that the battery died so my usual calling it doesn’t work.  We have looked and looked.  I know it is somewhere close at hand, no one has been using it.  I finally called Verizon today and had to suspend service and then called the insurance and will have a new one tomorrow. I still have 7 days to find my old phone and could return the new one in that time.  It’s awful not having a phone.  I had to borrow the imp’s phone several times today (ewwwwwwwww……it is grossly sticky) and the bride had several calls for me while we were out of town. 

This afternoon, I discovered that my debit card is missing.  I know when I used it.  I bought lunch with it for several people on Saturday while at the shop rather than take all of their money and try to sort it out in the drive-thru.  Well, when I got back to the shop, I dumped a whole soda on the floor of my car and who knows where my card ended up during that time.  I am more than frustrated at myself.  I guess I will visit the bank tomorrow if I can’t unearth it tonight.

Ahhh, well…such is life.

Today was a rat race from the moment my feet hit the floor.  I had to call my voicemail to confirm what time our therapy appointment for the little imp was.  Me thinks she had it wrong because the same day we scheduled his next appointment, we went to the dressmaker and had a fitting and scheduled the second fitting around the therapy appointment but when the therapist called my missing cell phone to remind me, she had the same time as the dressmaker appointment so we got that changed.  She did call us on the bride’s phone during lunch and said we could come at either of the times.  We ate lunch early and headed to Target for a 20 minute timekiller and that did not go over well with one little imp.  When we realized we were going to be a few minutes late, sis dragged him through the store as he kept repeating….”bye, Target, I’ll be back!”

The therapy appointment was not one of the most fun.  We start with him making copies of the handwriting book.  She needs him to turn to page 36-37.  He is turning one page at a time and taking so long to read each page number so I suggest he turn several pages at once.  “What!?!???!” he says in the funniest voice?  It only slowed him down.  From that point on, he was totally contrary.  Thankfully, the therapist just ‘gets it’ and says we’ll just work with what we’ve got today.  There is really no sense in fighting it, not for a 1 hour therapy session.  He did have fun on the swing using the claw to pick things up so we ended on a decent note. 

Then we raced to the dressmaker.  We have to go in a little room and I was thrilled to see that when she dressed, the little imp put his hood over his head on his own.  lol, he has learned well.  I was going to ask him to stand out in the hall, but wasn’t sure how the dressmaker would feel about it since he’d likely put his fingers on her walls and the bride definitely needs help getting into the dress. 

Here’s a funny pic of him through the mirror.

Something struck him funny as he sits surrounded by all that wedding fru-fru.

I am so tickled.  The bride is going to wear my pearls with her dress.  She wore them today so we could try them with the dress and they look beautiful.  My grandma gave me my pearls when I was a little older than the bride is now.  They have long been one of my best treasures and get more beautiful with age.  I need to check into seeing if they need to be restrung, but how special to have her wear them on her most special day. 

On the knitting front, I am making progress on LU.  What an easy pattern.  I have to lay it aside for a bit while I work on something for the bride, but am confident this will be finished before long.

It’s knit in the Turkish stitch which is repetitious and easy.

Every night lately we’ve been having the most beautiful sunsets.  Five minutes before this, the sky was gray…and 2 minutes after I took this, it was even brighter but I couldn’t get back outside in time to snap another picture.  Five minutes later, it was dark.

The soon-to-be married couple has vacated the premises tonight so it’s just hubby and the imp and I home.  I hope to be in bed early tonight because tomorrow is another busy day.

Technorati Tags: Event, Imp, Knitting, Wedding

I have dreaded this day but there wasn’t a need.

Four years ago, we got orthotics for the little imp.   You cannot even imagine the fun that was.  He hated them.  I started to get so apprehensive every morning when I had to force his feet into the shoes after I had strapped him into the orthotics.  It wasn’t long before he was hiding them and over time, we forgot about using them.

Well, the feet continued to get worse.  This is fairly common in our little friends with DS.  Our new therapist began to worry about those dear feet and we made an appointment to go to the foot clinic held every few months for these special little kids.  Well, the appointment was early December and when the time came, we were digging out of storm damage and Centralia where we had to go was under water the week before.  The clinic was bumped forward a week, but emotionally we just couldn’t do it….life was hard and I was up for jury duty as well as the fact that after all the fallen trees, I didn’t feel up to seeing floodwater damage there (some parts of town were literally under 10 feet of water!).  So, we asked to be re-scheduled for the next clinic…which fell to today. 

The morning was awful.  I got up not feeling well and then I couldn’t find his medical coupon since we know our insurance will reject the claim.  We finally just left without it.  What is that time warp that happens when you need to get out the door?  We ended up late and getting behind a sllllooooowww truck.  We did make it to the clinic right on the minute, but a bit stressed.

You know what?  The physical therapist who does this casting was beyond wonderful.  She is used to working with other little imps and said we just need to figure out something he will buy into so he will cooperate with us.  Obviously we are defeating a purpose if he won’t wear them.  I forgot my camera  but hubby snapped a few with his phone.  Sad to say we didn’t get the cast foot….

The good news is that the therapist will meet us at a shoe store that specializes in shoes just for this purpose but they *look* like regular shoes.  They will make him a customized insert that will not have toe straps.  She said it looked very possible to treat the foot in a way that shouldn’t cause him a lot of grief and his feet may feel better enough that he may ask for his shoes to be worn (although I feel skeptical about that at this point). 

I was so grateful.  We do not let this boy get away with all of his whims, but this one just got too much.  Many professionals only see their little area of expertise when looking at these kids and can’t understand why you fall apart, but she really *got it* when I said it wasnt’ the only thing we were trying to deal with, as his therapist at the time had to remind me of over and over.  He is one mess of things all rolled in to one sweet body. 

So, whew…that one is over and I came back to town and actually knit a bit this afternoon in total enjoyment with good friends.  (and the imp spent the afternoon with his favorite person in the world….Dad!)  And then I got Dad for a date tonight.  On our way out of town, we found out he does not have to go away for a conference next week and I am oh so happy. 

And now, my bed calls.

Technorati Tags: Event, Imp, Knitting

Yesterday morning, the bride and I got up at 6:30 am and headed up to Tacoma to see the market at Madrona Fiberarts Winter Retreat.  Wow!

The hotel is huge and amazingly, when we walked in the door, there was a friend of ours standing there at the registration area.  I’m so glad, the place was so big and overwhelming.  She walked through the market with us and it was great fun, overwhelming to the senses!  We only had about 2 hours because I had to be to the shop by 12.  I did a lot of damage to my bank account in that time. 

It was so cool to see these incredibly wonderful knitters everywhere.  We walked in behind Nancy Bush.  Stephanie Perl McPhee came strolling through and right towards the Blue Moon booth.  What’s so cool is the realization that they are just people like you and me.    I saw a lot of friends from other shops or reps that I work with. 

We did peek in two rooms where classes were being held…it was so intriguing.  Both rooms had women with their spinning wheels set up and everyone was busy, busy, busy. I had a friend in each class.  Oh how I hope I can go next year.

And the fiber!  Oh my gosh.  I was overwhelmed and really think it might have been a good thing that I had to get back home soon or I’d still be wandering around in a stupor, admiring all that gorgeous fiber.

Here’s what I came home with:

for the bride.

for the little sweet pea who is now into the 2nd trimester.

Kauni!  For a sweater sometime in the far off future….we have to get through a wedding and a baby first.

for moi….hopefully sometime soon but I’m already stuck on the easy pattern.  No big deal, I have too much going on these days.  Notice the beautiful pin.  I actually saw the same one in Simply Knitting magazine tonight!

Just to defend myself, I would never normally be able to buy so much beautiful yarn at one time but I do own a yarn shop and I really should try these things out, don’t ya think?  I decided since I never get a paycheck so to speak, I should occasionally treat myself, right?

Tomorrow I am taking a trek down the Oregon coast and I just might need to stop at 2 yarn stores that I just love and can’t seem to drive by.  I am on a mission, though, so I’ll only be tempted by what I really need.

Tonight we raced up to Olympia to exchange a new router that we bought yesterday, Staples didn’t have any more and we’d have had to wait until next Wednesday for them to get another one for us.  It came without a power cord and cd to load it on our computer.  We accidentally ended up getting a little better one than the one we bought yesterday but hubby decided he was going to spring for it.  And ANYTHING would be better than the one we’ve been using.  We can only hold a connection for short periods of time.  I just hope and pray it is the router and not some other weird thing.  We have continued to have trouble every time the Jeep comes home. 

And here’s my new weird thing.  I took my laptop to work this morning on the chance I’d have time to merge some files.  Never got to it and when I got in my car to come home, I saw that I had left half the power cord in the car.  When I got home, I distinctly remember grabbing it to come in the house.  When we got home from Olympia, I found everything I carried in but the cord.  #1 son and I went down to the shop to see if my old one was there, no.  We all searched the car and the ground in the dark.  It’s no where to be found.  My laptop is useless without it because I have killed the battery.  Thankfully #1 son loaned me his half of the cord from his Sony PSP charger  which fits into the laptop power cord.  Totally irritating that I have lost it and plan to look better when it is daylight.  grrrrr

We got to have a little visit with the mommy-to-be and son-in-law at Barnes and Noble.  Evidentally they were standing on the other side of the wall from where we were sitting trying to find us.  We were eating dinner in the cafe.   We had to get home early because I have 35 loads of laundry to do before we leave tomorrow…and we really don’t need much, just a little behind.  We’re headed to Grandma and Grandpa’s and one little imp is excited.  This time is funny, we’re going in 4 cars and no one is coming and going at the same time.   Makes it nice for the poor dog who gets left home, he won’t be lonely for any stretch of time.

And now I am off to get another load in and out of the washer and dryer and go to bed to dream about my fun projects to come. 

Technorati Tags: Event, Knitting, Fiber

Don’t even ask me why I am showing up here tonight….I’m running on next to no sleep.  Not sure what the problem was, but at 4:15 this morning, i finally moved to the couch after I’d been up and down half the night.  I ran the battery out of my almost fully charged iPod listening to previously listened to playlists.  I am headed to bed in a minute and hope tonight is more successful.

At 3:30 this morning I remembered that I forgot to send out an email reminder for knit night and at 9 am I was incapable of figuring out how to word it and wondered if I’d even be there myself.  I had a 9 a.m. appointment for a haircut and after that, I came home and tried to rest until about 2:30 this afternoon when the happy couple was done with their first premarital counseling appointment.  (pretty cool that they scored 100% on communication and spiritual).  our first bride says the counseling is the best she has ever heard of, very helpful in targeting areas that need looking at and then dealing with them in a positive way.

Ok…gotta hurry here.  Yesterday we went for the fitting of the wedding dress.

Thankfully it pretty much just needs shortening and making the bustle.  Just a teaser of a picture for you.

We had a full day and raced home for hubby and the little imp and I to go to dinner at one of our pastor’s house.  They invited us so the little imp could play bowling on the Wii with them.  He WON every game but 2 and lost one of them by just 1 point.  No one tried to let him win.  Impressive.

I gave my mom her cuffs today and she wore them, not sure if they will help to keep her warm but worth a try.

I was really not capable of any ability to think tonight, so I made my mother-in-law a dishcloth. 

We’re headed to see her this week and after 9 people descend on their house, it might be nice to bring her an offering.  We ordered a chocolate peanut butter pie, too, to take with us.  I think she’ll be happy.

I was really, really hoping to get to go up to Madrona Fiber Arts retreat at least to check out the market, but I’m not at all sure how to fit it in.  I guess I’ll just dream about it instead.

And now, I am going to crawl up the stairs and do my best to fall asleep as tomorrow brings much, much to do. 

Technorati Tags: Event, Imp, Knitting