WIP Wednesday - KAL edition

We are finishing week one for the luvinthemommyhood's tops, tanks, & tees knit along! This is exciting stuff people!

I was about to sit this one out because of lack of stash & funds, but it didn't feel right because I love this KAL, so I was about to cast on a sweater from my queue in acrylic craft store yarn just for the fun of joining in even though I felt I would not be able to love a cute summer top knit from acrylic. I still find myself thinking that I am knitting for practice... 3 whole years after learning my first stitches. So I thought I would knit a top for practice just to be a part of the group.

I mentioned my idea (of just doing the acrylic) in the ravelry group and a very kind & generous soul offered to help me with the yarn. Now I have this beautiful wonderful summery purpley linen cotton blend that I am extremely anxious to knit with! (another huge thank you!!)

How amazing is that!?

the pattern:

I was torn between three patterns: Gemini, Work+Shelter, and Cap Sleeve Lattice Top. There are far too many cute summer tops patterns on Ravelry and to narrow it down to three was tough. I eventually came to the conclusion that work+shelter has been in my queue the longest without being cut so that will be the one! Here's how it should look in the end:

and here's how it looks now:

I know, it's not much but i only just got my yarn yesterday and rib it is kind of a pain. I am on the last row of rib before I start into the lace pattern and then stockinette, which should fly!

Happy knitting!

random hi!

Is this my 2nd blog post for April?
sorry bout that lil blog!
It's gonna be a quickie so I don't think it counts LOL

It's been a busy month, another spring worrying about the river coming into our yard, it's close but they say it's backing off now.
I got to bring my bubba to the circus a few weeks ago. He seemed to think it was lame, maybe next year I go alone HA!

And I may be back here tomorrow because I've joined luvinthemommyhood's Spring tops, tanks & tees knit-a-long.

FO Friday. . . . crochet edition

yes a slipper & train/train tracks in the background
#reallife

before I get onto my first crochet FO, (seriously can't believe i finally learned!) i want to show you one awesome interview i read this week. so inspriring! I truly want my own yarn shop one day. Rob & I have already named our 'if we win the lottery we are buying a yarn shop' Yarn Barn. <33>
So anyways, Here's the interview. I love it! I want one of these too now!

It's a baby size blanket. I guess I don't know the dimensions but it matches up with Devin's baby blankets pretty well so it's basically a lap blanket & Devin has it in his room. I got these yarns for Christmas and it was 2 skeins of each color and all acrylic so I did what I thought was best for all of it. It's basically one big granny square and I love it, although by the end of working on it I was hating it LOL!

I also found a pic of a scarf I knit & gave away this fall :

I really loved this pattern and made myself a matching one in Malabrigo sock... I'll have to dig up the deets on that one and get a good photo because it is really pretty!

a great week.

not to be braggy, buuuut I had an exceptional week this last week! I need to document when this happens because I feel like life is crapping on me non-stop! The sun is coming out finally, literally and figuratively!

first. i took the day off from work last friday (for a dentist appointment in the morning and because i plainly wanted a day off). The dentist went better than I expected and it was a nice day out, so we brought Devin sledding at the snow hill and then we decided to go snowmobiling too! 

Snowmobiling didn't turn out so well this time LOL funny story. We brought D to a drop-in daycare and headed out of town just about 15 miles. Pulled both sleds off the trailer, started the good one (robs haha) and then I went over to the truck to get my helmet and other gear on while Rob started my sled. Snowmobiles start the same way as a lawnmower, so Rob pulled the rope twice and pulled it right out! boooo, so it wouldn't start without the rope so we had to drag it right back up on the trailer (soooo heavy!) and go home. We actually went out to eat without Devin since he was already at the daycare and it was awesome even though Rob was super bummed about the sled, we never go anywhere without our boy!

 saturday. Devin and me went to a film festival thing at the movie theater. the only thing i had read was that they were playing a family movie for $2at 10am. We went and the movie was Rise of the Guardians. I had no idea what that was, but both of us really liked it. Afterward we went for coffee and a smoothie at McD and then for a haircut for Devin. His haircuts are always super cute and he sat really well for the lady!

Sunday we stayed home and had a lazy day (which I love, especially when it's a 3-day weekend)

Monday, my boss said we could get a half-day off without using vacation this week, my day turned out to be Tuesday.. the next day. Also, I started a new knitting project, which I am loving so far!

Pattern: Saroyan
Yarn: knit picks stroll tonal

Tuesday I worked in the morning and had an appointment straight away after work for Devin's medical insurance... approved :) another good day. Then I took Devin to an indoor playground, which he had been begging about for a week LOL. I hate bringing him to those places not only because of the germs and icky other kids but because he is little (in my mind haha) and there's always bigger kids in those things who don't give a crap about pushing around littler kids and it bugs the heck out of me that nobody ever says anything to them. So anyways, I figured if we were able to go during the day when the bigger kids are at school he would have more fun. It worked out but he pitched a fit when it was time to go, just like I expected.

Wednesday.. a regular day. But it was sunny so that helped! I also had time to go visit with one of my friends, I haven't had alot of friend time lately so this was awesome, we even got to play some Wii mario brothers together :)

Thursday, Devin had a Dr. appt for his 4-yr-check up in the late morning. I stayed home from work until afterward so I got to sleep in 2 hours! That was awesome and so was the appointment, the doctor was impressed with how smart he is and how well he was able to understand Devin and the way he puts his sentences together like a 'regular person' haha. Also he is totally on track for growth, 40 inches and 37 lbs, both height and weight were right on the line for average. He got a sticker and went home telling me that he thought the Dr. was funny :) so cute.

devin at the dr.
the photo at the top is taken by D after I took this one of him.

So as I was headed back to work I called my mom to tell her about how healthy & smart the doctor says her grandson is and she mentioned that the gymnastics place is advertising enrolling now and classes start soon and we should sign Devin up, so I did! His first classes! I am so excited for him to go because my sister and I took this exact class when we were young and I know he will have a great time! He is a very energetic kid and easily excitable so I know he will enjoy being able to be active and get some energy out, plus be with some kids his age. He starts next week and I know it will be just plain adorable to watch the class!

Another great thing about thursday was after supper, we went out to get some things (my list was lightbulbs, milk, shorts for devin for gymnasics) we got what all we needed and the lightbulbs! I have never been so happy about lightbulbs before, we have a ceiling fan in our dining room that I have never been able to buy the right lighbulbs for, so for about 2 years, NO LIGHTS in the dining room. Well, I finally pulled my head out of my butt and looked at the socket for a size. Then I researched that size on google before going out to buy it. It is not a common size bulb so that's why I've bought bulbs for this thing 5 seperate times and still not come up with the right size! Finally we have light! I can't even say how crazy it has made me that I couldn't find the right bulbs and it was dark in there this long!

Friday, I get off work at 2pm and it is a snow day. Winter is not giving up over here and I am ok with that for once because we do want to go snowmobiling a bit more before spring. I am loving the sun, doing ok with the snow, and not loving the cold wind, so I am conflicted LOL

Sorry for the novel but it really was a great week! Little things make me happy!

FO Friday : the hat I made

pattern: perception
yarn: plymouth worsted merino

greeeeen!: my favorite color!
Hat is a gift for a friend. Her fav color is green too.
The hat is also a bit snug on me for a slouch style hat.
i assume her head is smaller than mine but i have not measured to be sure.
most peoples' heads are smaller than mine LOL. (wonder where my son gets it from!)
this hat is sooo soft & i loved the pattern.
i changed the pattern just a bit at the beginning to use the tubular cast-on which I just learned and is really stretchy and works perfect with k1p1 rib.
that's all.
happy friday!

FOUR

Devin turned 4 last month! It's still sinking in and he reminds me every so often that he's 4 now LOL

We weren't going to plan a party for him, just do something (presumably dinner & cake) with his aunts, uncle, and grandparents on my side. We ended up going to a hotel to swim and it ended up being on a day I had agreed to watch my friend's son (one of devin's pals) for her company Christmas party (in feb LOL) so he had a friend along to swim with.

He has tons of Thomas trains now, and that same weekend we decided to spend his b-day money at toys r us and use up his birthday rewards from them. He got even more tracks for his Thomas stuff and a boat for the bath LOL.

boysss!

Plus he got to have dinner Space Aliens with mom & dad and play lots of games.

I think he likes being 4!

five things friday

I know i have been a sad blogger lately!
but i thought we could go over the crappy tv shows i'm watching lately :)
i love me some crappy tv.

1. jersey shore. i have finally watched all of the seasons. it all started with netflix and then after that i couldn't just be done until i reached the end so i just finished it yesterday.

2. buckwild. maybe i have a thing for mtv lol. this show is extremely dumb, but funny if you come from a place like them where all your schoolmates are like family.

3. catfish. i am probably behind on this because we stream on hulu, but rob & i love to watch this together. again with the mtv. wonder if i could convince the cable company to let me have just MTV?

4. nashville. this one is actually a good story & decent acting. i hadn't originally started watching it when it came on tv, but thanks to hulu i was able to start (and get caught up to the current episode) after hearing people say how good it is.

5. the office. always with the office. my very favorite show and i am so so so so sad it's over and will be forever watching this on netflix & hulu. i am kinda sad about pam & jim though... wth!

Right now I am waiting for the voice to come back too. I love that show.
what shows are everyone else watching?!

WIP Wednesday.

I have finally become productive with my knitting again! :)
but i don't really have much to show for it.
currently i am working on two projects from my queue! say what!
normally it just builds and builds while i cast on other random projects lol!
project 1:
love socks.

yes that's a paperclip for a stitch marker :) I was knitting at work and lost my marker!

what's not to love! i am knitting these in knit picks stroll. and actually i have now made the heel of this sock and knit the heart in stroll shimmer in a more hot pink color. love it!

project 2:
perception. i don't have a photo of this one, but here's what it should look like:

I am actually using a solid green from plymouth yarns called worsted merino superwash. it is really soft!

plusss, on my trip to the yarn store for this yarn, i bought some new needles!

fancy ones. well, fancy for me. $10 fancy for a set of 5.

they are knitters pride dream DPN. they are a polished wood and they are purple!

anyways, i like them, but i will probably still be sticking with purchasing needles at hobby lobby.

sorry yarn store. i do like how pretty they are, but the cheaper ones work the same for me!



Happy Valentine's Day



knit pick

I just ordered a biiiig order (my biggest one yet!) from knitpicks. I will be so happy when it comes!
also, i made a blanket. i'll show you soon. it's a big accomplishment for me!

winter weekending

I am not a fan of winter.
I really do prefer the heat & sunshine of summer, probably because I am a Leo and born in August.
But, we had a great winter weekend this past weekend.

On Friday we took Devin to Monster Jam for one of his birthday presents. It was a cold night and i did not actually take any pictures because we were sooo far up in the seats. It was a great show, and one that I know Devin will talk about all year until we go again next year. Last year was my first Monster Jam and I actually liked it alot more than I expected.

Saturday morning, Rob really wanted to go snowmobiling since we just got several inches of fresh snow but we did not have anyone to watch Devin so he went alone while D and I went out to play in the snow. We went over to our park and walked the path and Devin really wanted to swing and slide even though the playground was covered and nobody else had been on any of it. We were out there over an hour even though it was right around 10 degrees and snowing pretty good. We had no wind though (unusual!) so we were comfortable all bundled up.

On Sunday we woke up early so Rob &I could finally take our first snowmobile trip!  We have gone a few times for an hour or so but not off for the day like this time. We had been watching the forecast all week after the snow and it seemed that Sunday would be our warmest and calmest weekend day. So we dropped D off with some friends and headed out of town and rode the ditches & trails for about 2 hours and then stopped for lunch at a popular snowmobile stop. There were more sleds than cars in the parking lot. Every person we saw come in was taking off gear as they sat down. Anyways, we rode back to the car & made it back to Fargo just in time to watch the Superbowl. On our way back we realized the temperatures hadn't made it to the 20 degrees we were expecting and that it was only around zero. That made me feel tough HAHA! And now, two days later I feel like and 80-yr-old! It was fun though and I hope we get another chance before spring comes!