Christmas Is Coming

Christmas time is here,

Time for hope and cheer....

Non-stop Christmas carols are playing in this house. Well, as non-stop as I can make it with a killjoy husband who can't stand Christmas carols. What kind of person can't stand Christmas carols?

The house is decorated and most of the presents are bought but apparently I have committed a cardinal sin this year. We don't have a tree. Well, that's not entirely true. We do have three mini trees but we don't have the big tree that one normally associates with Christmas. Why, you might ask? It's not as if we have anything against trees. In fact, we usually get one every single year.


So what is different about this year? Me. Having a job. Usually the men in the family go to get the tree. It's a tradition that started about 7 years ago. It has worked out rather well for me. I sit home, get out ornaments and lights and wait for them to come home with their prize. Most years it is a beautiful specimen smelling like the great outdoors. One year it was this...

Seriously. That.

I don't know if you have ever gone out into the wild to cut your own Christmas tree. As a child we did it a time or two. I don't think my husband ever did this as a child. So I told him the few "rules" (if you will) about choosing a tree in the wild.

1. Objects in nature appear smaller than they actually are.

2. Walk all around the tree MANY times to check for bare spots.

3. Objects in nature appear smaller than they actually are.

They cut down this tree feeling it was the PERFECT Christmas tree. At that point C stood it up next to the boys and realized it was about 30 foot tall. Perfect for the White House, maybe. Sadly, we live in a house with 8 foot ceilings. Oh well. They tie it to the snowmobile and drag it to the truck. Bring it home and cut most of it off and the beauty up above is what we were left with.

It was so fragile I couldn't hang 95% of my ornaments on it. Looking back, I seem to recall that we were only able to put one string of lights on it. And of course I told my boys that it was the most beautiful tree I had ever seen. I know karma is going to come back and bite me for that whopper.

Back to the point of why we do not have a tree this year and how it ties in to me having a job. I have been so busy trying to accomplish life on the weekends when I am home that I kept putting off nudging the boys out the door to go get the tree. Last night I realized that with only one week left until Christmas there really was little point in shelling out $50.00 for a tree that would only be up for about 7 days. I think the boys will survive since I told them they could each decorate their own mini tree in any fashion they desired.

With that out of the way I am now looking forward to only 5 more days of work and then I will have 2 full weeks off. I can't wait. This week will be filled with candy and cookie making and next weekend we have a Christmas program and a dinner to attend and then all of our responsibilities are fulfilled and we can snuggle in at home and enjoy each other.

I'm sure my tune will change after about 3 days of togetherness but for now the visions of familial bliss are dominant.

Feliz Navidad!

Thanksgiving Feast

We are just over a week away from the big feast and I am getting excited. I'm not exactly sure why I am excited. After all, I have cooked Thanksgiving dinner for any number of years now (at least 10) and there is rarely anyone here besides the four of us and my dad. But once again, I am excited.

Maybe it's the thrill of pulling it all off once again. Or is it cooking a huge, homemade meal? So much of what we eat these days is prepackaged, preserved, oversalted foodstuff. It seems like every night I make something from a can or a box or frozen in the freezer. So that might be the allure of the big turkey dinner with all the trimmings.

And all the trimmings for us means the bird, potates, gravy, oyster dressing, rolls, pickles, olives, cranberry sauce (from a can, jellied only please, and score extra points if you can get it out of the can with all the little can indents still intact), sparkling cider and some sort of dessert. Sometimes it's pumpkin pie, sometimes pumpkin mousse, sometimes chocolate cream pie. Yum.

Beyond that, we have our nephew's birthday this weekend and I don't think I wrote about it but my grandmother passed away on October 28, 2007. I don't know how to even begin to describe my grandmother so I will just say that she will be missed greatly. I loved her and always will and while she may not have been a "famous" person she was a person who knew how to love unconditionally and always find the good and we will all miss her. She was 93 years old and she went peacefully. What more could you ask for?

I love you Grandma!

New Job

It has been about a million days since my last transmission. I think I am finally ready to get back to the land of the living.

Started my new job with the school district last month and things are going...hectic fabulous exhausting as well as can be expected, I suppose.

When I started the job I knew I was going to work with low readers. I knew there would be a lot to learn. I knew there would be difficulties.

What I DIDN'T know is that 2 weeks into the school year it would be determined that there were too many special needs kids and not enough staff to adequately cover them during reading and writing.

So what do they decide to do? Throw me into the mix. Mind you, I have had ZERO training for working with these types of kids. And while these are some awesome kids they do tend to keep a person on her toes. And now, two weeks into it I have found that my toes are VERY tired.

At least I have stopped taking their behavior personally. The first week I thought there was no way I could make it. Now I am starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. It might just be the light from the oncoming train that's about to crash into me but no matter, it's still a light, right?

Back to the salt mines.

McDonald's Iced Hazelnut Coffee

Life has been hectic this past couple of weeks and I have lots to share but most importantly I need to discuss McDonald's Iced Coffees. They are delightful, divine, decadent and devilishly bad for you. The large comes in at 270 calories and 11 grams of fat. It's almost 7 points on Weight Watchers. And at $2.58 it's decidedly affordable.

Sigh....I guess I am not going to be losing weight anytime soon. I can't seem to keep away from them.
~~~~~~
On to other things...I have a job. I am a para-pro at elementary school. Very exciting. I went to a training and ran into an old classmate and it was such an odd thing that I don't know if I can adequately explain it here. Suffice it to say, it was like seeing a ghost.

It's 2:30 in the morning and I must get to sleep. I'll write more later.

Working Girl

Buy me a drink 'cause this woman just got a job! It's been over 10 years since I have been a contributing member of the workforce so I'm a bit rusty but I know it will all come to me.

I was hired on by the school district as a teacher's aide. Looks like I will be helping students with reading and math. 6 hours per day, days off with the kiddos, summer vacations. Wooo Hooo! What could be better.

Of course, the family already has my first 12 paychecks spent on things we have had to put off buying for the last 10 years. Seems like a Wii is one of the first things on the list. If we can find one. What's the deal with that? I can understand them being hard to find during the Christmas rush but year-round? Hmmm....

On to the creative front...or not. I have been home alone this weekend so you might think I would have done a ton of knitting, scrapping, creating. You'd be sadly mistaken. Basically I slept a lot, ate substandard meals and watched some really cheesy Exorcist movies. Apparently the first one was the only really scary one.

Hey, here's a little factoid for you. The guy who played Grima Wormtongue in Lord of the Rings is the same guy who played Billy Bibbitt in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and he also played in Exorcist III: The Legion. His name is Brad Dourif.

Back to the creativity. I did go over to a friend's house to look at her daughter's new bedroom. I am going to help make curtains and I think we are going to modify twin sheets to make the curtains. I know it's supposed to be uber easy but I have never done it before so I am really looking forward to it.

I think I am off to finish knitting my little soap saver sack thing. I can get it done today if I focus.

Happy Summer.

Yahoo avatars

I have been using My Yahoo a lot lately. Mostly to keep track of my favorite podcasts. However, I lately have started using the calendar feature and I love how it ties in to all of the yahoogroups I belong to.

Tonight I was playing there and found the cutest avatars. So this is my summer look. She's quite a bit cuter than me but it's what I fancy I would look like in my fantasy world. Cheesy, huh?

A bit of good news. It looks like I should have an interview on Wednesday for a J-O-B. It's been 10 years so I am a bit nervous but it will be good if it all pans out.

Off to dreamland.


One last thing...I meant to post a picture of the soap saver thing I talked about in my last entry. It's about halfway done here.

Ravelry accepted ME!!!

I've been accepted by Ravelry! It is completely awesome. Knitters, and crocheters, can track ALL of their projects, see how many others are working on the same projects, keep an inventory of needles, keep an inventory of stash yarn, rate WIPs (works in progress) on a happiness scale and get all kinds of ideas. You can link your blog to ravelry, link your flickr account and just have a great time.

Ravelry is still in beta stage so I am hoping it will be a huge success and last forever!

What else is new? I am working on a cute little soap bag. I picked it up here and it is completely cute. I made one in white but my dad snagged it before I even had a chance to take a picture. I'll get a picture of this one when I am finished with it.

We celebrated niece J's birthday this weekend at the cabin. She is 7! Only 7 more weeks until T's birthday and he will be 7 too. Wonderful weather and good food. Brother and I made homemade onion rings and I think we have finally hit upon the perfect method. Found that here.

C fixed my XM radio antenna in the car. Finally I can actually receive a good signal. Now if I can only get HIM out of the car so I don't have to listen to Squizz all the time. I'm more of a Sunny girl myself.

Great American Pasttime

Was it Tennyson who said "In the spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of ...baseball?" Ahhhh...the roar of the crowd when Jr. knocks the ball out of the field, the groaning and grumbling when the ump makes a bad call, the distraction of a pile of dirt or your best kindergarten buddy on the base you are supposed to be covering during your t-ball game...

I think Tennyson was actually speaking of love but that's probably only because he didn't understand the passion of baseball. Heck, maybe they didn't even have baseball back then. Isn't he English? Wouldn't that make it cricket over there anyway? And obviously cricket and baseball are miles apart.

So, both boys are in baseball. B is in the minor leagues and T is in his second year of t-ball and I, for ill or good, am in my 3rd year as a board member of our local youth baseball association. Why they chose me I will never understand. I do know that I enjoy the games and I get a bit of knitting done so it's all good.

Speaking of the knitting, I attempted a sock and am thinking of frogging the whole thing on account of the wonky bits on the heel. I finished a couple of burp rags for a friend who is having a girl (she has 4 boys, poor woman-she is due for a girl!) and I have a few WIPs on the needles that I have little interest in finishing right now. Here's what I started last night.

It's called the Ballband Dishcloth. It's the pattern that comes on the paper label on Peaches and Creme 100% cotton yarn. T said it looks like blue bricks. The fun thing about it is that it looks best in bold, funky colors. I was thinking pink and orange might look good too so that might be next.

Finally, my new favorite station on XM Satellite Radio is Sunny, Channel 24. I don't know how to describe it but they play lots of stuff. Barry Manilow, Neil Diamond, The Beatles, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Jim Croce, Heart, all kinds of stuff. Right now they are playing Eye of the Tiger so I guess it can't all be good. However, if you have the XM, give it a listen.

Felted Spring Tote

So, here's the first felted project I will do. I have already had to frog it once. Ugh. If I get the hang of it I am sure it will come together rather quickly.

Supplies:

*One US #11 30" circular needle or size needed to obtain gauge

*One pair of US #10 double-point needles

*4 locking-ring markers or stitch markers that can slide

*Yarn needle

*Sharp scissors for cutting felted wool

*1 large or 2 small mesh laundry bags

*Washing machine

*Laundry detergent

*"Wool of the Andes" 100% Peruvian wool yarn from Knit Picks:

-7 balls of Fern #23433

-1 ball of Evergreen #23427

-1 ball of Mulled Wine #23423

Instructions:

Finished bag after felting is 11" wide x 10" tall x 4" deep.

Gauge: Using size #11 circular needle and garter stitch: 16 stitches and 28 rows equals 4 1/2".

st(s) = stitch(es)

CO = cast on

BO = bind off

M1 = make one

K = knit

P = purl

Note: The bag body is knit all in one piece. The handles, roses, leaves and stems are knit separately. All pieces are felted in the washing machine and air dried before the bag is assembled. The handles are added after the bag has been assembled. The roses are hand-sewn to the front of the bag.

1. Bag Base - Using Fern yarn and circular needles, CO 60 sts. Do not attach for knitting in the round. K every row for 40 rows.

2. To form sides of bag, pick up and K 20 sts along first short edge of base. Pick up and K 60 sts along next long edge of base. Pick up and K 20 sts along last short edge of base. Note: You should have 160 sts on circular needle.

3. Knitting in the round, P 1, K 58 sts, P 1, place marker. K 18 sts, P 1, place marker, P 1, K 58 sts, P 1, place marker, P 1. K 18 sts, P 1, place marker, P1. Note: The last marker you place marks beginning of round as well as a corner. The four stitch markers mark bag corners. ***I think there is one error in this section. Please read instruction 4 and you will see it says to knit in the round, purling 1 stitch before and after each marker. Anyway, if you go by the diagram below that shows P 1, K 58, P 1, P 1, K 18, etc. you should be just fine.

4. Continue knitting in the round, purling 1 st before and after each marker until bag measures 22" from bottom edge of bag side.

5. Form slots for handles. Beginning on one long edge, K 9 sts after marker. BO 4 sts. K 34 sts. BO 4 sts. K remaining 9 sts before marker.

6. K next 20 sts, purling 1 st before and after each marker.

7. Repeat Steps 5-6 on next long edge.

8. K 9 sts after marker. CO 4 sts and slide onto other needle. Note: Do not knit CO sts. K 34 sts. CO 4 sts and slide onto other needle as before. K 9 sts. Note: There should be 60 sts between markers on long edge.

9. Repeat Step 6.

10. Repeat Step 8. Note: When finished there should be a marker, 60 sts, a marker, 20 sts, a marker, 60 sts, a marker and 20 sts for a total of 120 sts.

11. Finishing bag body - Continue knitting in the round, purling 1 st before and after markers until work measures 1 1/2" from handle openings. BO sts.

12. Handles - Using Fern yarn and double-point needles, CO 5 sts. Work in I-cord pattern for 52". BO sts. Repeat for second handle. Note: Handles should be approximately 22" long once they are felted and attached to bag. If longer handles are desired, continue knitting in I-cord pattern until desired length is achieved.

13. Flower stems - Using Evergreen yarn and double-point needles, CO 3 sts. Work in I-cord pattern for 10"-12". BO sts. Repeat until you have three stems.

14. Leaves - Using Evergreen yarn and circular needle, CO 50 sts. K every row for 34 rows. BO sts. Note: Leaves will be cut from this piece after felting.

15. Roses - Using Mulled Wine yarn and circular needle, CO 35 sts. K every row for 10 rows.

16. Increase: *Row 1: K 1, M 1, K until 1 st from the end, M 1, K 1. Row 2: K. Repeat from * five times until you have 45 sts. BO sts loosely, leaving an 18" tail. Repeat Steps 15-16 until you have three pieces.

17. Fold Mulled Wine pieces in half lengthwise, cast-on edge to bind-off edge. Coil piece around itself to form rose shape. See photo. Using yarn needle and rose tail as thread, hand sew edges together, making sure to secure firmly and catch all edges.

18. Weave in ends for all pieces.

19. Felting - Place knitted items in mesh bag. Set washer on normal cycle, and wash pieces in hot water with no more than 1 teaspoon of laundry detergent for 5-10 minutes. Stop washer and check pieces. Untangle handle and stems if necessary. Repeat until desired finish is achieved. Note: Felting is done when you are not able to see any stitches and bag is desired size. Let washer finish cycle, and spindry pieces.

20. Remove pieces from mesh bag and reshape if necessary. Lay pieces flat to dry, making sure pieces are out of direct sunlight and away from pets. Note: If possible, dry bag over something of similar shpe and size, such as a box or the back of a chair to help bag retain shape. Pieces may take several days to dry. Make sure to turn pieces a few times each day.

21. Finishing - Cut out six leaves from Evergreen knitted pieces.

(These are not to size so you will want to eyeball them. They are about 2 1/2-3" long and about 1 1/2" wide.)

22. Using Evergreen yarn, hand sew stems and leaves to front of bag. See photo. Note: If stems are too long, cut to desired size. Using Mulled Wine yarn, hand sew roses to front of bag, making sure to secure well. Note: Push rose edges away from rose center, and then stitch through center or rose to hide stitches.

23. Push one end of one handle through one slot in bag top, and knot on outside of bag. Repeat for other end of handle. Repeat step for remaining handle. Use fern yarn to hand sew handles securely to bag inside.

There you go. I hope it turns out as cute as in the picture! Happy knitting!

Sleep Lab, or the night I slept with a strange man...

So, I wasn't actually sleeping with the strange man, more like he was watching me. And he wasn't all that strange, more like really funny and I am not sure you could call what I did Sleep but hey, it's all relative.

I had to go to the sleep lab last night to be observed for Sleep Apnea. After hooking you up to about 35 wire leads placed all over your body they tell you to relax and go to sleep. Yeah right. 'Cause that's really conducive to great sleep.

I took the Ambien the doctor prescribed me and I did fall asleep relatively quickly. Things went well enough (or badly enough depending on your point of view) that they woke me in the middle of the night to hook me up to a CPAP machine. So, this is the type of machine http://www.thecpapshop.com/product_page_detail.asp?ProductID=416&ProductCatID=8&Search= and while it looks a bit weird to be wearing it, I actually slept really well with it.

I go back in two weeks to find out my results. I do know that I must have stopped breathing at least 80 times per hour because they told me they wouldn't put the CPAP on me until I reached that goal. Hey, look Ma, I'm a winner! Ptttthhh.

Off to the Valentine's Day parties at school. I really could use a few more hours.

It's a new blog

So today begins a new blog. Maybe I will keep up with this one, maybe not. Either way I need to set up a name and password to join a bookclub here at blogger. It's all good either way.

Now I have to see what kind of things I can post. Off to explore.