SP8 questions/answers

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I don't have a "favorite"...I like them all!!! That said, I haven't quite mastered the ability to work well with the really fluffy/eyelashy stuff.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Right now they're all in a drawer.
I have a pattern & material all ready for a needle case...it is my next sewing project!

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I've been knitting for almost 1 year; I'm intermediate

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
I do have. The craft wish list is linked to the title up there....

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
I'm liking sweet pea just now. Usually I prefer more "oriental/woodsy" scents; rosemary is yummy too

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I do, but it is uncontrollable...so I refrain mostly. My very favorite candy is a Crunchie from CadburyUK

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I do not spin, but I do sew & crochet & am trying my hand @ linoleum block printing & stencil printing & embroidery. I am a natural born DIY'er; there are many home dec projects simmering.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I do have an MP3 player; I enjoy various types of music. Particularly: brit pop, swing, disco, 80's rock, 80's pop, and some punk

9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
I only do pastels very occasionally. I'm more of a jewel tone kind of gal. I am going through this orange phase. Esp, orange & pink or orange & red. Although I am feeling a green fascination beginning....

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
We have 4 daughters, 1 dog, 1 cat, 1 guinea pig

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
hats I enjoy, but don't really wear except for winter. Scarves I love. and haven't knitted a poncho yet...another future project

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I just crocheted a dishcloth; it was fun & easy & instantaeously gratifying. Scarves & socks are also fun.

13. What are you knitting right now?
I am knitting a scarf

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I like bamboo straights & aluminum circs

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
not yet

17. How did you learn to knit?
a class to get started & everything else is books or online

18. How old is your oldest UFO?
6 mos

19. What is your favorite holiday?
fourth of july

20. Is there anything that you collect?
craft supplies/projects hahahaha :P

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
There are no subscriptions; I have some books on my wish list; I really want to buy more addi turbo circs.

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I want to teach myself to carry with my left hand instead of right; also how to wind a skein of yarn into a ball without it becoming a tangled mess in the process

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yes. ~9.5 inches

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) 11/03

1st communion pics

well, this is what we saw for most of the service 


in their Sunday best 


it's the moment she's been waiting for. 


waiting for the "cross person" so the service can end...and get me out of this dress! 

after 1st communion pics

*Isn't she lovely -Stevie Wonder playing in the background*


Fiona wanted to wear her pretty princess dress too


of course they can't all sit together nicely


Lib also wanted to wear a special dress. Just not the same one as Fiona's.


Maddie will be a photographer or a director when she grows up. She's constantly posing the girls for pictures


I just like this shot for the constrained running stance -kind of an "I must run but am trying to be proper"


How many kids can fit on a Twister mat?

1st communion

Yesterday was one of those "hey this is a really good day" kind of days. Everything went off without a hitch. We woke up with time to get ready without rushing. Maddie's hair was perfect -as was her attitude/mood. No spills on the dress. Got to church on time. Service was great. We (Fiona, Maddie & I) were chosen to carry the gifts up to the alter. Had good friends show up in support at mass & at the little party we had at home. All the kids played well together. Guests arrived at staggered times so I never had overwhelming hostess duties. It was just a perfect day. Even working overnight went well. I could easily do that on a regular basis. It suits my insomnia/night owlish behavior. Of course, I'm pretty darn tired just now. I could nap for another hour or so.

while I can still sit

So I'll be away for a bit I believe. Tomorrow is the Madster's first Holy Communion! Wow! She's a bit nervous -she was sick after her soccer game today & she decided to not eat the rest of the day for fear that she would throw up again & not be able to participate tomorrow. So that's @ 9am. G has a game @ 11 so he won't be home 'til afternoon. Haven't decided if we'll eat without him or not. I imagine people will be hungry & I don't want to make them wait or leave & come back.

So tonight I'm busy making sides for tomorrow. And cleaning. And tonight is Snick's senior prom; I'll be picking her up at some point before the morning. Did I tell you I just got home from work? I have a card & photo album I'm putting together for Mad. Tonight.

Tomorrow night I'm working overnight! Taking Snick to the bus @ 6am. Then I'm working again @ 5pm. I feel like I'm forgetting something. Yeah yeah yeah. I can hear G now: "sleep". I'm starting to look at insomnia as a blessing instead of curse. I've had it off & on pretty much all my life. or at least from the time I was a teenager. Saw a movie preview last night. The main character says "I'll sleep when I'm dead". That is how I've come to look at it now. If I'm not sleeping, I have more time in my day to get other stuff done. Mainly me time stuff. Don't get me wrong -I enjoy sleep as much as the next person. I just can't get there all the time or at least not until I'm exhausted. And I sleep so lightly that it doesn't take much for me to wake. And of course, once awake I can't get back to sleep for hours usually.

Well that's me in a nutshell. Must leave to make potato salad. German potato salad. Yum. See me in a few days!

OMG. Is this really happening?!?!?!?!

But Nikki's my BABY. Wah.

Saturday June 3
Boulder High School Recht Field
Ceremony starts at 9 am • Field opens for seating at 8 am
The ceremony lasts about 2.5 hours
Everyone is welcome!
If you would like to attend
The audience is asked to be seated by 8:45 am. No tickets are required. Main seating is in the south stands; overflow seating is
in the north stadium seats. Encourage family members who need special seating or parking to call Sam Schell (303.442.2430)
for reservations ahead of time and to arrive as early as possible. Remember to bring sun/rain protection.
If weather causes a delay
If weather prevents a 9 am ceremony, we will announce the delay in the following ways: • School voice mail
• School website
We will make two more attempts to have the ceremony at Recht Field on this day: at 10:30 am and 1 pm. If weather prohibits an
outdoor ceremony altogether, we will hold Commencement at the CU campus Coors Event Center at 7 pm. Changes in time or
place will be announced as stated above.
The Boulder High Commencement is the most beautiful and heartwarming event held at Boulder High.We hope you will join us.

experiment in red stipple

yes, it was time for a change

So I have to quit just now b/c I'm wiped. Promise (much to G's chagrin, probably) that I'll fix things up tomorrow. or rather TODAY!

up to my eyeballs in puke & a minor rant

that's right. Got your attention didn't it? Actually that was G's gig tonight. Gross, huh? I've never seen him move so fast -not even in soccer. It's been a week now & the babes are just back & forth with this bug. Just when I think it's over..."blech". And if it's not that, it's the other end. I've been doing laundry & more laundry. Scrubbing carpet. Sanitizing. Ousting. Febreezing. The smell has permeated everything. And then it's been cold the last couple days. So the windows are shut. Tomorrow we start a new tactic: hand washing every couple hours AND using purell. Something's gotta give. The poor things.

Then Lib tells me this morning "mommy ant in playroom". Great. Now what. Yes, there were a couple. In order to find out where the little buggers were coming from & where they were headed, I did a thorough spring clean in there. No easy task that: these kids have enough toys that I could open my own FAO Schwartz. Or we could entertain all the children from a small country. Either way, it was Just_Too_Much.

I have decided that there will be no new toys in the house. For how long, I haven't decided. And I'm putting my foot down: NO new stuffies. NO new baby/preschool books (exception for EXCELLENT artwork only). NO new babydolls. NO new purses. NO new games. ABSOLUTELY NO happy meal toys. And NO JUNK. God. There is so much STUFF in that room. When we were house hunting, it was for a house with a room just for toys. Done. Well, now we have too many toys for even that room. I mean, seriously folks. We've been "collecting" toys for at least 10 years. We still have some of Nikki's toys. Maddie's toys. Now new toys for Fi & Lib. Toys are made of plastic, generally, and tend to last a looooooooooooong time. We've also accumulated a small library over time. It's frustrating to pick up for everyone.

Anyway, that said, Art supplies are always welcome in our house. Playdough -cheap & hugely entertaining- is always on short supply. Musical instruments are good. Lessons are good. Memberships to family friendly places are good. Sporting equipment/outdoor toys are good. Furniture/decor stuff for the girls' rooms/toy room is good. As are organizational doodads for those same rooms/girls.

I just don't understand. Wouldn't you think that people who've had kids would already know all this? And for people who don't have kids? HA! Payback's a bitch. mwahahahahahahaha! What do you think fills my garage so that my car won't fit???? Again, I says HA!!!!

Oh yeah, I never did find any other ants but the ones I squished. But the room is clean.

and phrases

So Fi & Lib have been "playing" this little free hand-held "video game" (thnx G for the happy meal *she says sarcastically*). Just like Maddie with her gameboy or tamagotchi. What I overheard Fi telling Lib recently: "You have to say 'don't die don't die don't die'"...how they pick up every little nuance?!

Also: "Maddie sat on me. That's rude"

On Sat. morning, G had stepped out to buy croissants; Lib told me "daddy's at soccer ball". Well, at least she knows when it's the weekend even if she hasn't figured out whether it's Sat or Sun.

Lib has a facination with ants just now. She squeals w/ delight when she spies them. And then she stomps them. This is better than last month when she totally FREAKED OUT one day. I came running b/c she sounded so distressed but not quite a "hurt" cry. There was a ladybug crawling on her knee.

Oh, and Fi's latest fave: "slip slip knit" LOL!!!