Feeling Froggy

I started the aforementioned Alice Wrist Warmers Knifty Knitter Loom Along with Vickie Howell but the wristwarmers were way too small for Princess Ivi, even when I held one strand together. I debated about knitting them on the loom as a flat panel but I wasn't thrilled with the ends as they had no cuffs.

Instead, I am making Vickie's regular pattern. Of course, I somehow lost the box of DPNs so I am making them in flat panels. They are black and white striped and I think they will be super cute when they are done. And they have a 2 inch ribbed cuff on one end and a cuff on the top (it is supposed to be 1 3/4 inches but mine are one 1 inch).

I had some serious knitting frustration going on. I think I frogged more this weekend than I have all year.

When I was trying to start a project for Pat, mom's boss, I started and frogged five different scarfs before I finally set it aside. I also frogged the wrist warmers. I think my knitting mojo was disrupted by these guys watching me...

(My mom made these three quilted pillows.)

I mean, don't get me wrong, they are cute and all but it started to feel like I was being stalked by the jolly travelocity gnome. But once I did this...

my knitting mojo was back and I was able to complete one Alice Wrist Warmer on size 8 needles made with black and white Jiffy (striped).

Alice Wrist Warmers Knifty Knitter Loom-Along with Vickie Howell

Since I don't have enough to do, I signed up to participate in the Alice Wristwarmers Knifty Knitter Loom Along with Vickie Howell to make Alice's wristwarmers from New Moon. The Knit Along begins on Friday. I am pretty excited. Princess Ivi really likes these.

Tales from My Boring Life

I have been MIA for a few which I hate. I am really trying to be here more but some days life seems way too boring to post anything about.

Knitting:

I have been knitting like a crazy person. My sister’s project is done. My nephew’s project was started and finished last night (well, except for the crochet parts that my mom will do for me because I can’t crochet). The only worry I have is that it is too short. I have my sister measuring so I guess we will see.

The wristers for Princess Ivi are knitted and going on the blocking board this weekend.

I also found some surprise projects for Princess Ivi that I am working on. Her projects will help since she has asked for three things this year: a laptop (which isn’t going to happen), a digital
camera (which will happen so I can get my camera back) and an Ipod Nano. Considering the fact that the camera and ipod are over $300, I need all the help I can get with smaller, less expensive gifts. I sort of miss the days when she was content with a Barbie. Or when she was really little and she was content with the box the Barbie came in. What is up with babies and their love of boxes?

I still have a lot to do though. I have to make a hat for Mom’s boss/landlord. I am scared of this because lately it seems that every time I make a hat, it is way too short even though I follow the pattern. I am looking for a basic watch cap pattern that is long enough. Hopefully, I will find it soon.

I also need to knit something for Pat Mom’s female boss/landlord. I am going to make it out of the yarn she gave me last year for Christmas but I can’t decide if it will be a scarf, a hat or some type of headband/ear warmer thing. All I know is the pattern can’t be too busy or it gets lost in the texture of the yarn.

Of course, I still need to knit for the nephews and niece as well. I am thinking of making a knitted owl (like Wise Owl) for Emi, a spider (think Aragog) for Will, and a golden snitch for Jake and then giving the three of them at least the first two Harry Potter movies.

Oops, almost forgot about the project for my brother-in-law. Hmm. I guess I have a lot of knitting to do.

Speaking of knitting, I just looked at the new Twist Collective. All I can say is “must finish Christmas knitting before anything else” all while thinking “yummy...ooh, I want that...I have to make that.” This is why I have so many projects on the needles at once.

To all my fellow drivers, I am not insane. Really. I just like to sing along really loud to the radio.

Yesterday I went to the post office and came across a station playing nothing but Christmas music. Now, I am a firm believer that Christmas music should not be played until after Thanksgiving so I would normally steer clear of listening to this station right now. But I was in my car and I had to make a turn so I stopped scanning for other stations and before I knew it, I was driving back to the office belting out lines of Frosty the Snowman.

Busy Week

This week is fairly busy at work which is good. Wednesday night is The Girls’ Night Out when a bunch of us legal assistant/paralegal/secretaries get together with a court reporter (my boss’ wife) and visit and have a few drinks. It is nice to be able to do that. We just have to be careful not to get on the subject of attorney bashing or we could be there all night.

On Thursday, Princess Ivi is being evaluated by a child psychiatrist. There is some concern about bipolar or some other mood disorder along with a serious case of OCD and a possible clinical depression. I have been working on filling out the paperwork they sent me. The questions are crazy: When did the baby start speaking in full sentences? This is hard for me because it seems like she has always done this. I am glad that they gave me a few days to work on it before the appointment.

On Friday, Princess Ivi has a field trip to St. Augustine. She wants me to go. I have to check with the school board and make sure that they completed my background check first but I think I am going to go. Apparently all of her friends want to meet me because I sound so “cool”. Of course, I have this fear that I will be the kind of chaperone my mom was and repeat the time she lost a kid in the Boston Museum of Science.

Thanksgiving

I can’t believe it is next week. I am going to leave work on Wednesday and go pick up my brother’s kids and take them to the house for the weekend. Then Dan, my brother, will be forced to come at a decent time. See my evil plan?

I have to be honest and tell you that I have been looking forward to turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy for months.

Concert

Part of Princess Ivi’s Christmas present is a concert on November 30. I am taking half a day off since she has a 3:30 doctor’s appointment. Then we will go home and get ready to go see...wait for it...wait for it...Daughtry with Cavo and Theory of a Deadman. I am excited and I know Princess Ivi is very excited. Personally, I just want to be able to drool over Chris Daughtry but I think she is actually excited about the music. Huh?

So that is a pretty basic update on what is going on. Until later.

10 on Tuesday: 10 Things You Wish You Knew How to Do

1. Play a musical instrument like the piano or guitar. I tried to learn to play the flute but I disagreed with my music teacher/band instructor on whether my fingers were straight and placed in the right spot. If I recall correctly, I told him where he could place my flute. (Dude, I am sorry about that. I blame it on the pre-teen hormones.)
   
2. Make real social change like ending poverty, waging peace, or stopping domestic violence.
   
3. Fly-because visiting my sister in Massachusetts would be so much easier and cheaper too.
   
4. Spin my own yarn. It is on my list to do but I keep putting it off.
   
5. Speak a foreign language fluently.
   
6. Draw. I can do a pretty mean stick figure but that is the extent of my artistic ability.
   
7. Dance. Like ballroom dancing. Of course, I am probably the least graceful person and the most accident-prone person so I would most likely look ridiculous.
   
8. Find the time to finish writing the two (2) books I have in draft.
   
9. Knit like Mrs. Weasley. I could get so much of my Christmas knitting done if I could just figure out how to cast a charm on my needles to whip up that hat for Barry, scarf for Pat....
   
10. Shut my brain off enough to actually get something out of meditating.

Five for Fighting CD giveaway on Mommatudes.

Mommatudes is giving away an autographed copy of Five for Fighting's new CD, Slice. Check it out here.

I adore Five for Fighting. John Ondrasik has an amazing voice and is an exceptional pianist.

Be sure to check out the giveaway and the new CD.