So there were lots of people so my MIL reserved the church. It was nice to have everyone sit down to eat together but there was an awkwardness afterward with no football and no couches. Moral of the story: Thanksgiving was meant to be held at home! It WAS fun, however, to see all of the Roberts and meet Ali’s kids and Rebecca and Josh, Boyd’s new wife and baby.
The CUTEST (and my first!) newborn baby boy hat and mitts. The hat is a variation of Susan B. Anderson’s “Go Team” hat published on her Spud & Chloe blog this past week. The mitts I made up but they seem to work well. I might try lining those with polarfleece so that the yarns don’t catch tiny, fragile, newborn fingers. More pics of the sweet baby wearing the goods at my Ravelry account. Even more pics at our flickr account.
So last year I got to meet Amy Bradley at Houston’s Quilt Market 2009 and then I had a giveaway of one of her books. Let’s do it again! This year, I had something a little different in mind: giving away a bag of wool roving in the most delicious colors! I will post the giveaway soon. Quilt market was fun but, since I don’t quilt, I think two years is plenty of industry tradeshow experience for quilting.
I gave birth to an entire crew of stormtroopers. The kids know their own names but I have no idea who these costumes are supposed to be. I just shelled out the money.
I used a stretchy yarn that you have to order online (even my local yarn store had only 3 balls and it only came in this tie-dye color so I had to use it – but it turned out cute). It’s called Cascade Fixation and I. Love. This. Yarn. Once you get used to working with it, there’s no problem. This is only my second “real” crochet project ever so I am going easy on myself. The bottoms turned out a little large but when I washed them they did shrink a little bit. The hat turned out perfectly. I think I’m going to try to work it in the round next time so there’s no seam on the back. It is so stretchy and soft — perfect for fitting babies. The pattern can be found in Annie’s Attic Crochet book “Diaper Covers & Caps” #871058. Hook up with me on Ravelry (name: 10cowife) if you make any of these – I’d love to see different color combinations. And if you’ve got the flower on page 18 figured out — please let me know!!!
We had a quick weekend trip a few weeks back to San Antonio and LOVED IT! What a great city! We visited the Alamo, walked the Riverwalk, the Witte Museum (fantastic!), and — best of all — went to Six Flags. The boys love adventure parks and Cole declared this one his favorite since the roller coasters were all “big”. We have never taken them to a huge Disney park so their perspective is slightly limited. We love Adventureland Des Moines (clean and great for smaller kids – lots of little kid rides). We also love Worlds of Fun in Kansas City but it is dirty and the food is gross. We REALLY liked Silver Dollar City near Branson, Missouri – that is such a fun town, too. Don’t forget to eat at Landry’s if you go anywhere near Branson – fantastic food. But, for Texas, San Antonio’s Six Flags beats Schlitterbahn hands down. Of course, we’ve only been to Schlitterbahn at Galveston – perhaps the New Braunfels one is better. Worth a try!
More pics on our flickr account. We had a great time several weeks ago at Crystal Beach. It was a Thursday and Don had off work because he had done some extra (many extra!) hours while we were in Omaha. It paid off. We didn’t even have to wait for the ferry – Don saw dophins in the water both ways. We just drove right on and went over to “the zoo” at Crystal beach and there were maybe a handful of people there that day, since it was a weekday and rain had been in the forecast. We took a chance and it paid off! Solitude on such a beautiful, popular beach. Don found some crabs and took the boys crabbing. I made Cole clean them after we boiled them. I kept chanting “Fear Factor” as he was getting grossed out. I thought the “science” kid would love that, but I guess not. It was a great day!
I’m blogging while Cole’s in seminary. I have been walking/running with the dogs every morning and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it that early in the morning but I broke my pinky toe last night and it hurts pretty bad this morning. No walking for a week (hopefully not more than that) for me. Oh well, I probably have more than a week’s worth of blogging to catch up on. Cole started a new, huge high school “far, far away” and he starts and ends school quite early so, between him and the littler boys, I’m not getting as big of a block of time open during the day to work, etc. Meanwhile, I have a 9th grader, 4th grader and 2nd grader. Next year will be the year of total change when Bennie enters Kindergarten. Until then, he and I are going to have a blast this year while all of the other boys are at school. Buckle up! It’s going to be some kinda ride (please, you must say this like Gene Wilder in The Frisco Kid: “Some kinda Torah!”).
My first zipper. My first dog bed. My first custom made dog bed cover. While it’s in my blood, I ought to whip one up for Christmas. Otherwise, I may move on to something else and give it up completely. It’s adorable fabric – I just wish it matched something in my house (we’re all reds here) but it is really, really cute. The boys are enjoying it which makes me want to make them some bean bags for the playroom. There are some giant knitted bean bag type things I’d like to make for them…another day, another project!
If you know me at all, you know I love to collect quotes. Two funny ones I heard this week:
“Every time I say the word ‘exercise’ I wash my mouth out with chocolate.” This one I heard from a friend, Holly Shaw Hokanson, but I’m not sure if she made it up or if she heard it somewhere. Either way — instant classic.
“Marriage is the only war where you sleep with the enemy.” — Unknown. I just thought this one was had a hilarious point of view.
I’m sitting in the car, blogging on the laptop, windows down, 75 degrees outside and breezy — THE BREEZE! — it seems there are never breezes in Houston. None of us wants to go back to Texas. I can’t even call it “home” — too hot, too many bugs. We are enjoying Nebraska and Iowa so much that even the kids don’t want to leave (and Cole’s spent a month on Papa & Nana’s floor!). The little boys have been rotating couches and seem to be fine. It’s amazing how kids can adjust. Three more days in heaven and then we head back to the sauna known as Houston. It will be great to see Don again — I think if he wasn’t there, we’d just move in and I’d enroll the kids in Ralston. Sure, we’d miss Gretna but I’d do just about anything to stay here. So many great friends are here, too. It was great to see ALMOST everyone. There were a few friends and family we missed. One thing is for sure: we’ll be back! Plus, we’ll be just as annoying and stay just as long!!!
Wait. Did I actually write that title??? The boys and I took off on a spur of the moment mini trip to downtown to the Zoo on this rainy day. Bonus: NOBODY WAS THERE except for us! We were the only people in the reptile house and then the close encounters building and then the aquarium. We did get wet for the outdoor dinosaur exhibit (and a little miffed it cost extra – only $2 each, though). We did get wet from the rain but it was so much better than the usual heat. None of us are made of sugar and a nice time was had by all! I will post pictures soon.
We also went down the street to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. We rode the geovator. We went through the section that teaches all about oil drilling and we wished there was a new section explaining the latest oil spill catastrophe to us!
All in all – a great day!
I certainly hope to not repeat this past month. Or year. I am aching for a change of scenery. I thought I might start to like Texas over Christmas but it didn’t last long enough for me to actually like it. It’s too hot already now. Too many bugs. My kids are inside too much. Isn’t that reason enough?
So, on to more positive things. Oh wait, I don’t have any. Let’s just have fun satisfying my OCD and making a list of the things that have broken since Don left:
1. His car (technically this was before he left).
2. My computer died for a day – mid HUGE project. I could not get it to reboot and it is very much on its last leg.
3. The chandelier in the entryway (there are 3 of them but this one is what allows me to see the dirt on the floor…wait…maybe this *is* a good thing after all).
4. The box fan.
5. The dvd player. Ben shoved a dvd in the wrong place and now we can’t get it to work at all.
6. Gabe’s 3rd backup pair of glasses is broken leaving him with none.
7. My Dad’s hip – does this count if people are broken? I was supposed to be in Nebraska and I’m stuck here (see issue #1) until Don gets back from Philmont and we can resolve the car issue.
8. Towel rack in the master bath.
9. Toilet paper holder in the powder room.
Is that it? Really? It feels like so much more… I know, I know, my problems are tiny compared to some. I will admit that. I guess I’m just too tired to deal with them appropriately. No more reading until 4 a.m. for me!! But that Hunger Games book was so good, I just kept reading and the time it took to read it just flew by. I had only started at 11 p.m. and I just couldn’t put it down. It’s violent but I thought it was a really interesting premise. Lots to discuss. I think it’s equally an adult book as a young adult book. Very thought-provoking, anyway.
Check this out! Me likey. I’m sure the pups would like it, too, so they can go on a bike ride with me. It’s called the Springer. I’ve linked the pic to their website.