One Wednesday in July

This is how I spent this afternoon:

45 of these:

There are 44 different yarns there. There is a repeat. Gumdrop. I named the repeat Candy Store. But they look a bit different because of dyelots.  3 different types of Yarn: Peaches & Creme, Sugar N’ Cream and Creme de la Creme.

Creme de la Creme was not a nice yarn to wind. Almost every ball has one splice and knot in it. I’m not sure if I’ll use them all for the bags.

For winding into balls, peaches & Creme wins. It’s wound in such a way that I almost never had a tangle when winding fast onto the ball winder. Sugar N’ Cream was okay, until the very end of each skein where it would get a bit tangled and would take a few minutes to work out.

4 more bags:

With Color names: Terra Firma, Strawberry, French Country and Keylime Pie.

(other bags were Wine, Pretty Pastels, Swimming Pool, Desert Rising, and Tumbleweed)

With all the yarn choices I have no idea what one to do next. I think I need to either do a Purple one, or Yellow.   To many choices!

(and what to name them…. Stash your Cache Market and Shopping Carryall? Seems a bit wordy (grin)

Look what my friend Heather, from knitting night, made to donate to the Center for Pregnancy Choices.

Not only was it her first baby booties, but it was also her first lace project and first heal flaps!
Wow Heather, thanks so much!

I also knitted up a 6 month seamless raglan, to try out something different. It’s cute, but I am not sure I like how I decreased the arms. Also I didn’t even SEE the pooling on the front until I took a picture of it. Funny what our camera will show us that we don’t see in person!

For those in Logan, I’ll be at the County Fair. I’m in charge of the fair booth for the Center.

I’m looking forward to it. We will also be fund raising through it, so stop by for some cute little babies, candy, and little feet pins.  (and free writing pens too, if they get here in time — crosses my fingers)

Next week is the Family Reunion 2008. We’re headed to Lava hotsprings! Staying at the School House Inn

wondering into strange land here:

I had a dream last night about someone that when she has time, reads this blog. (At least I think so, she’s commented sometimes)  It was one of those weird dreams, but one that stays with you. In the dream she had died! It was either a suicide, or murder, or something like that. Something tragic, not an illness. It was one of those dreams that makes me want to write to that person and ask if she is okay. But how do you start an email like that. Hey ____ Last night I dreamed you died, you hardly really know me, but I just wanted to make sure you weren’t depressed and thinking about hurting yourself. Want to talk?  Well I guess I could do that.  Anyway, to anyone reading this blog… Be Safe, and I miss seeing your face. Love T.

More Bags

I was asked if I thought I’d be able to make a bag a day to keep up with my quota of making something a day.

(I was making a pair of booties a day…)

I could, if I really pushed myself. But that would sacrifice family time and I’m not going to do that. Lately the we’ve have been playing alot of board games  with the children at night and I really have been enjoying it, so my knitting time is limited to mornings and early afternoons. (and mornings have been nice - sleep in real late - things this summer)

But I’ve done pretty well. Here is 3 more bags since my last post:

Not sure what to name them? They are small but can stretch really big. Fit a jug of milk, or a binder, or a few books etc. Something to grab for a quick trip to the market? Hmmm

I love the fact that they are knitted, in the round, no seaming,

and only take one ball of dishcloth cotton yarn.

I’m hoping to write up a pattern for them in the near future.

I’ve travelled around my town and believe I’ve bought about all the Cotton yarn I could find!

So I have many more I can make. A months’ worth!

I have been knitting other things, including another project knit.

Here’s a sneak peak:

PS: I’ve had a few people offer to already buy the bags.  Wow.

I have no idea what to charge for it though. I’m the type of person that gives away a whole yarnsale of items for 25 cents because I want to be nice….

Busy June 2008

Life was busy, June 2008

Family Stuff

3 Birthdays:

A 5 year old turns 6:

A Baby Turned one:

She enjoyed lots of cake:

A Mom Had a birthday too and got flowers:

Knitting:

Finished a secret project:

(3 actually, but only can show you pictures of this one)

Knitted some Booties:

Started  a Shawl:

Knitting some Market Bags:

Taught the Baby to Loom Knit:

Took a 2 day Trip with the Hubby to a great conference (Compassionate Boldness)

That’s just some of it. It was a great month, busy with 22 (or so) hours of training for the Center for Pregnancy Choices that will be opening later this summer, planning the Fair Booth for it, and planning the Edgar Family Reunion in scenic Lava Hot Springs this year, kept my mind and heart busy too!

Happy July!

I’ll trade you one wood for a sheep!!!

My family is hopelessly addicted to Catan

While in Idaho for Mother’s Day, J’s brother and sister in law brought Settlers of Catan with them.

OMG! How is it so addicting? I would try to explain it to you but I’m not sure it’s explainable.

Well, lets see.

The board looks a bit like this (but it changes every time, randomness is a good thing)

The tiles get laid out differently each time. We have 2 versions of the game, the original Catan and Seafarers of Catan. Thus we get to play with islands and boats along with settlements, cities and roads. The different tiles represent different resources, the numbers on them represent dice rolls etc..

Sheep, Wood, Wheat, Brick (or clay), Ore.

You need wood and brick to make roads

Sheep and Wood to make ships

Sheep, Wood, Wheat and Brick to make a settlement

2 Wheat and 3 ore to upgrade to a city… etc etc.

Then there’s a pirate ship and a robber that gets involved if a 7 is rolled. oooooh scary.

Don’t get it?

Don’t worry M doesn’t either… but the 10 year old boy and 12 year old girl does. The almost 6 year old girl acts as banker, card straightener, and helper of Daddy. She also takes over when one of the other kids gets bored and does all right. It really isn’t hard to learn, just to explain….

So if you need me, I’ll be trading my brick for some ore to upgrade my city… I want a Victory Point!

EDIT TO ADD:

Heather, you left me a comment on my previous post about the pregnancy center but I can’t contact you because I didn’t get any contact info. Email me at tina AT edgarhome DOT com and I’ll get back to you! Or Ravelry - Ladydove - Or send me your blog so I can leave you a comment. I realize that I probably should KNOW who you are, but right now, my brain is a fog… duh….

Year of Hats 2008 - whoops Booties

(warning: This post contains my views on abortion)

Well this was suppose to be the year of Hats for me. 1 hat a week for 2008.

Getting sick messed me up and got me behind. I’ve been having a hard time getting remotivated for it. But I did find something to motivate me.

Last friday I went to my first meeting for a new pregnancy care center that will be opening in Logan. It’s the Center for Pregnancy Choices. It’s a faith based entity, under the Care-Net balloon. We will offer, for free, pregnancy tests, councelling, clothing, diapers and many other needs. It’s no secret that I’m pretty conservative in my thoughts about abortions (even more conservative than the main religious body around here concerning abortions and chemical birth controls) so a center like this in Logan is something I’m interesting in being involved. I want woman out there to know they have a choice, and that choice isn’t or doesn’t have to be abortion, and if they have had abortions, we can be there to help them through the process if they need help.

I feel a bit like I was ‘created’ to be a part of this. That’s what has me so excited. I did the very ‘mormon’ thing and I was married rather young (19) got pregnant on birth control 6 months later, thought about abortion but was too far away from a center to make it a reality. So I know a bit how it feels to be a young (’mormon’) mom, clearly uncertain about how a baby will change her life (and yes, it’s been 13 years and my life is definitely not what I expected, in many great ways) 14 years later, and 4 children later I know how precious children are.

I’m also a product of family adoption, having been raised by my grandparents on my father side, when my own birth parents, divorced and couldn’t take care of me anymore. So I can relate a bit to that. I know how it feels to have a birth mom out there and really not know much about her, and to look at what I do know of her life and love her as a fellow woman who is concerned for another woman. She’s had a tough life, and I was but the first step down a spiral of hell for her. I can’t imagine how she feels.

Finally this university town will have something like this, something that could have helped my own birth mom through her heart ache and pain and emotions and needs. Our numbers are small but a few years ago there was over 70 known abortions . That’s to many in my opinion. And I am sure we have many post-abortive moms and dads who could use this service, as well as new moms and dads who need help with their choices in keeping their children to raise.

I have a 22 hour training in June to go through. This will better identify where I might serve in this mission/ministry/center. I might not be ‘counceler’ material, but right now I’d be happy just handing out diapers. I just want to be involved.

I read somewhere that at one of these types of centers they give baby booties to anyone that comes in and has a positive pregnancy test. It is a gift to remind them that what they have is life, not a mass of useless cells, and even if they decide to abort their child, or give someone the chance to adopt their child, they can have a keepsake to later remember the child they do not have in their lives.

So, my plan now is to make a massive amount of baby socks. Knitted. I can still use quite a bit of my scraps that would have gone for hats.

I’m doing them 2 at a time on one circular. I tried to do 4, but the tangled yarn slowed me down more than doing 2 with 1 center pull ball. I have a 3rd pair done, and working on my 4th as we speak.

Year of Hats and Booties 2008 restarts!

Spring Things

I have been knitting. One was a large project for Knit Picks. I’ll be sending it off next week.

I have a new Nephew. He is a month old now. I had 9 months of knitting time shrunk down into about 3 weeks. He’s adorable and I love being an Aunt to a nephew.

He’s the 9th grandchild so I decided to make a blanket to symbolize that. It’s a small blanket, but I’ve found sometimes I tend to grab the small ones, especially now that my own M is older and just needs a bit of ‘blankie comfort’  The pattern was a made up, modified, basic basketweave. 9 squares, of 9 patches.

I also made him some socks:

I tried making him a cabled hat, but I ran out of time around 3am the night before our trip. So, maybe next time.

And speaking of babies, here is my almost 1 year old (next month)

And lastly, I finished my little scarf/head thing tonight. Knitted from around 175 yards of Knit Picks Pallet. It was an experiement to try and use up some single skeins I have.

It’s not quite as big as I would like, but could work for a head scarf. Right now I’m calling it Thistle Drop but I might end up doing something else with it.

Moving It.

Just a little bit.

There were a few times in my recent illness that I considered what would happen if I was to die. Usually it happened while I was in the middle of a 3 hour attack, scared to death because the doctors could give me no clue as to what was happening to me, and worried it was something serious, with my liver or pancrease (Too much reading on the internet is unhealthy to your mind during illness. It will always be cancer, with a 10% chance of living….if you are lucky… and live in Florida…..)

I promised sometime during it all that if the doctors could fix me up that I would start living more healthy. (not sure who I promised it to, but I made a few “if/then” pleas)

Well they fixed me up, I waited my time period for healing and then…

I cut out Soda. Well okay. I went from drinking Dr. Pepper to Diet Dr. Pepper. Trust me, this is huge for me…

I wanted to eat more breakfast, that’s coming but I make wrong choices still. I had a banana the other day that made me sick, so well, that won’t be it. Maybe more cereal, even if I start off eating the kids, at least it’s a start.

Less late night snacks. Ugh. We have food still in the house that needs to go, and I just can’t throw it out. So when it is gone, I’ll try hard not to buy more. No more chocolate candy bars. No more mini cheeto bags, no more (waah) taquitos (maybe….) etc.  If it’s not in the house to snack on I won’t eat it. But… I need to figure out what I can snack on because I will get hungry… And I need chocolate. Maybe I should buy the fat free/suger free puddings? Hmm. Yeah I didn’t eat enough pudding while I was sick. I mean after all It was only 12 to 15 days of nothing but tapioca pudding and water, but really, you forget quick the pain……

Exercise! This one has been hard. I’ve been wanting to but time period is hard. I want to do it when Jon is home so we can go to the gym together, but that means night time. After dinner has been full of concerts, homework, practices, church stuff, and once in a while a tv show we like to watch.

But I’m happy to announce that tonight was the 2nd night in the row that I made it over to the office and walked on the tredmill. It’s not much. I’m moving it, but just a little bit. I’m no big runner, I have to take it easy too for awhile, so I’m starting off slow. I feel kind of embarrassed because I know most people that read this blog are pretty active bikers and runners. But I did 1.08 mile yesterday in 30 mins, and 1.2 miles today for 30 mins, and I did 60 reps of arm weight stuff (yep stuff, 2 machines, don’t know what parts just arms) and some more leg pushes thingies on another machine.

Moving it, just a little bit. Probably will take tomorrow off. It’s knitters night, but looking forward to Friday.

Yarn stuff: I got my order of Lace weight yarn. Spent much of today looking over Raverly and drooling and trying to decide what my first project should be.  Hard to choose now that I have enough yarn (2200 yards in most of the colors) to make most anything…

Future Things?

Spring Sweater

I knitted this spring sweater for M last month. It’s made from sockyarn that I won from Val. 2 skeins, though just barely as I made the sleeves shorter than they should have been.

I followed the pattern mostly, with a bit of a modification. I knitted the sleeves in the round and changed one of the lace row designs. Here’s M modeling it. She turned 10 months a few days ago.

Healing wise, I have good days and bad days. Mostly good days, except when the Oldest brings home a stomach bug and I catch it. Then I have 3 really horrible days followed by 2 blah days so far. But life will get back to normal eventually =)

Also Knitting:

Sayuri Sweater from Shine Worsted new color Mallard

Basket Weave Baby blanket (small and large basket weaves in a 9-patch type pattern) Yarn: ?? I don’t remember, it was at the yarn store, it was low price and soft and blue…..

Recovering

I’m home and recovering. No complications and the doctor said my gallbladder didn’t look happy. It was inflamed, had scar tissue and just looked sick. It was good we took it out and he’s 98% sure that was my problem.

Been drinking liquids mostly but did try some real food. Ate some bread today, and before that made me sick, this time it didn’t. That’s hopeful! More food tomorrow, and slowly build my way back up to regular food, although after all this, I’m thinking much healthier food, and exercise. The swimming pool will be open soon.

Lessons learned:

Pain is bad! Spend 10k and you can get it fixed (hopefully)

My veins are evil. I have the bruises from the 5 tries to get IV going on Thursday to show it.

You can live on tapicoa and water for 12 days and not die. It’s not a great diet, but you can loose over 15lbs doing it.

I love water now!

Salads are the most beautiful thing there is after 12 days of pudding. Lettuce, tomato and honeymustard. It’s the food of heaven!

Surgery hurts, and makes you really tired. I keep falling ….ZZzzZzzhuh….. asleep with out realizing it.

There are times, when even knitting is hard… and that’s sad, because usually it passes the minutes quicker.

God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.

I have the best husband in the world, to bad he’s stuck with me.

Drug meds make you write silly posts at 11pm at night.

I’m off to try and catch up on my 2008 Hats. I’m 4 or 5 behind so I have this really snazzy idea of knitting 5 hats on one circular needle! woosh. Baby hats though, but 5 different patterns, 5 different yarns. Should work….. send help if you see me all tied up.

(really I’m not as drugged as I sound)

Hugs to everyone!

T.