Too Much to Do

To Buy

1. Princess Ivi's Gifts
2. Isaac's gift (which needs to be mailed 12/18)
3. Gifts for nephews and niece (I am thinking the first few Harry Potter movies for the boys and a Joann's gift card for Emily since she likes to sew and needs fabric and notions)
4. Baking supplies
5. 10 Dollar Swap items to be shipped no later than 12/20
6. Carry-on size bag for Princess Ivi
7. Messenger style bag (or something like it) for me that can hold personal items (phone, wallet, etc.) plus ample knitting materials for plane trip and layovers Don't need because Princess Ivi is going to let me use one of hers.
8. Gift for Princess Ivi’s dad(??)
9. Stocking Stuffers
10. Gift for Mom

To Bake

1. Cookies for Baking GALS (to be shipped no later than 12/16)
2. Cookies (for mailing to sister on or about 12/18)
3. Goodies (like Christmas mice, peanut butter chip brittle and possible Nigella Lawson’s Hokey Pokey) for mailing on or about 12/18

To Knit

1. Surprise project for Princess Ivi
2. Stick shift cover, ice scraper mitt and steering wheel cover for Rob all in Gator orange and blue.
3. Hello New York Scarf Easy Ribbed Scarf for Pat using Grampian DK (purple)
4. Hat for Barry using Jiffy (black)
5. Wise Owl for Emi
6. Spiders for Will and Jake

To Assemble

1. Two pairs of wristers
2. Two surprise gifts for Princess Ivi

To Visit

1. Princess Ivi's dad for Christmas
2. Brother's family prior to Christmas day

To Wrap

1. All presents

To Stuff

1. Two Stockings (mom's and Princess Ivi's)

To Do

1. Ship package to sister on or around 12/18
2. Charge and load ipods before Christmas
3. Charge batteries for camera
4. Pack for trip to sister's house (leaving Jacksonville at 11:50 a.m. on 12/25) -of course this includes making sure there are sufficient clean clothes for said trip as well as pulling out our cold weather gear (which thankfully isn’t too far in the closet)

This seems so overwhelming especially when I consider that I have one pay check between now and Christmas (I am not counting the check I will receive on Christmas Eve). Thankfully Princess Ivi is out of school starting on the 21st and she is really good about helping with laundry and stuff. She will also make sure she has what she needs to keep herself occupied on the plane.

Judging from this list, my life will be very crazy for the next few weeks.

Plugging away

I am still plugging away on my one sock. I have turned the heel and am now working on the gusset. I have picked up all my stitches and it seems to be doing okay. Of course, to get to this point, I have had to unravel it partway three times and put it one lifeline. I have learned where I will put my lifelines on the second sock.

I have had a few nights of too little sleep lately. I usually have horrific night terrors but it seems like for the past week every time I try to go to sleep my brain keeps running like a movie in fast forward. It jumps from subject to subject and there is music playing in my head too. It is hard to sleep when your mind is racing so much.

I am looking forward to having Friday off for the 4th of July. Ryan is on call and it is almost a guarantee that he will get a call that someone’s air conditioner is broken. We aren’t making many plans. We would like to see the fireworks from downtown Fitchburg but I am pretty sure we can see them from our house. Other than that, I want to clean my house from one end to the other and knit.

Yesterday was my mom’s birthday. Happy Birthday Mom!!! You are the best!

I was talking to her the other day and I mentioned how bad I feel when I think about the fact that there is less than six months until Christmas and most years I have a lot more knitted gifts made and I have a list of knitted gifts for every person who gets a gift from our family. I have one gift made for my mother-in-law and that is it. I feel so bad and I know that I will be kicking myself the closer it gets to Christmas when I have to buy more gifts.

I do know that I want to make the Woolen Collectibles Afghan. It has 12 squares and each square features a different cable pattern. Of course, I have no idea what yarn I will use, or who I will give it to.

I have a great husband. He works in air conditioning and most of the jobs he has extra copper wire and tubes which can’t be used for any other job so he takes them up to the recycling center and gets some money for it. Well, while I was looking through the latest WEBS catalog, he made a proposition that after he turns in the money we will split it… he’ll keep his half for tattoos and I can keep the other half for yarn and knitting related gear. How cool is that?

New Year's Resolutions

So I normally don’t make resolutions because I never accomplish them but my sister talked me into making some for 2008 so here we go….

2008 Resolutions

1. Keep in touch with my family and friends better.
2. Knit one mile per month.
3. Use at least half my yarn stash before buying more (unless emergency situation arises).
4. Knit a pair of socks.
5. Knit all Christmas gifts.
6. Exercise more.
7. Take more pictures.
8. Post pictures on my blog and Ravelry.
9. Knit something for myself.
10. Knit more for Princess Ivi.