The Gift Revisited

Home again, after our Christmas visit with a little gift from the boys.  My head is clogged, throat scratchy and I can't stop sneezing.  Grandchildren have the best germs!

Guitar Guy has a gig tonight for New Year's Eve and I'm staying home to drink tea and knit.  I started laying out my project list for 2013 and think I already have too many!  I ordered the Downton Abbey yarn from Jimmy Beans Wool to do the Mystery KAL.  I've never done of those before and am looking forward to it.

Yarn is on its way for a Water and Stone sweater for Nicole and another sweater for Rowan.  I think I might try a Baby Surprise Jacket for Ash and have several sock patterns planned.  A baby blanket for March and a Spiderman cap also made the cut.

I've got to finish Ash's birth record cross stitch and think about starting a stocking for him.  Don't know whether I'll get that done before next Christmas or not but I'll give it a try.

Hoping 2013 brings love, laughter, good health and prosperity to your house. Happy New Year one and all.

The Gift that Keeps Giving

It started Monday night when my d-i-l announced she didn't feel well.  Norovirus had struck the house!  Over the last few days, one by one, we have fallen victim.  Instead of feasting we are gingerly nibbling crackers and taking lots of naps (in between loads of laundry).

My poor Rowan has never had a stomach virus and was horrified.  We struggled through opening presents on Christmas day before falling back in to bed.  My son became chief cook and nursemaid, while his wife went back to work at the hospital.  Last night he succumbed too, so the grandsons are at daycare today.  Guitar Guy and I are feeling much better today and looking forward to our daughter's arrival tonight.  Hopefully she will avoid the bug and we can enjoy the rest of the week.

It hasn't been all bad, as we've had some time to play with our grandsons (and do some snuggling)

 Sir Rowan prepares to defend us (with his fierce face)

 Pop and Rowan play pirate vs. knight

 Pop overacts the death scene before falling on the floor

Baby Ash sits in his Bumbo chair for the first time.  Very proud to be sitting up like the big people.

Hope your family has a wonderful holiday and is staying healthier than ours!

Knitting and counted cross stitch for Christmas

 Fingerless mitts for my son from Malabrigo Rios.  Loved the feel of the yarn but hated the knots and thin spots.

 Mr. Pitts socks for Dominic from Hazel Knits Chocolatier.  Easy pattern and comfy.

 Toddler keyhole scarf and fingerless mitts to match his daddy's for Rowan. 

 Rowan's Christmas stocking.  Only a couple of hundred hours of counted cross-stitch :-)

Cowl for Alex.  This is the one that was too small but I purchased a pin for it and didn't seam the ends.  Will try again with bigger needles.

Having a relaxing day watching Miracle on 34th St. and Pocket Full of Miracles with a very excited 3 year old running around.  He keeps reminding us that there are lots of presents for him.

A very Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Dead sewing machine now?

You know appliances sense when you are in a hurry and choose that moment to break?  My sewing machine (which admittedly has been sitting for about 10 years) refused to work this week.  The motor is revving but the needle won't go up and down.  Oil, I thinks, would do the trick so I got some.and oiled where all the little arrows told me to.  Still no go.

This would not be a problem except that Rowan's Christmas stocking has to be completed and hand sewing is really not my strength.  I don't know anyone that still sews that I can call on short notice.  Was wishing Roxie was closer, as I know she could whip this right out.

I probably will need to replace my 30 year old machine, as fixing it would probably be more expensive than buying a new one.  I didn't want to rush in to choosing a machine, so punted.  I picked out a very basic, inexpensive machine and had it sent to my son's house.  With stocking pieces carefully packed away in my luggage, it will be a completed masterpiece before Christmas.

My son and daughter-in-law will have a simple machine for fixing the seam rips and tears two young boys are likely to create.  Crisis averted (at least I hope so)

Pictures will have to wait until I unpack everything.  Mega wrapping awaits me in Iowa.  I'm sure I will be cursing how easy it was to send all those boxes on their way as the countdown to Christmas begins.

One step closer

Hopefully I'll have pictures of my projects later this week before heading out for the holidays.  I finished a pair of gift socks last night and washed Rowan's stocking.  I still need to sew it to the backing (if I can remember how to use the sewing machine)  It's sad that someone who used to sew all the time hasn't touched the machine in 10 years.  Hope the bobbin doesn't need refilling!

I had a nice lunch with my business partners last week and we've decided to keep the business going for a while longer.  Our insurance is good until September of 2013, so we'll just play it by ear for the next few months.  We've had a few phone calls from families looking for services in the last week, so we'll see.

Now back to my WIP's.

I'm getting in the holiday spirit even if it is 80 degrees!

It has been an extremely mild fall and winter thus far in our corner of Arizona.  The weather is beautiful, but it doesn't even feel like an AZ Christmas.  The cats and I continue to forge ahead on the holiday spirit as best we can.  They spend most of the day sleeping under the tree, supervising online shopping and writing of the Christmas letter.  Thursday I'm off to see my daughter and spend a day baking cooking and watching Christmas movies.  Boxes are now winging their way to Iowa in preparation for a wrapping marathon once I get there. 

I'm not having a great success with my Christmas knitting projects.  I finished them some time ago, but just finished washing and blocking.  The lace cowl is too small to go over the wearers head so I'm not going to seam it. Instead I bought a pin to close it.  Ash's sweater is just weird.  I don't like the collar and I think it is already too small for him. Not sure whether it is worth salvaging. That pattern won't be used again.  Rowan's scarf isn't as soft as I hoped and I'm not thrilled with the way the sections look, but he won't care.  I'm almost done with my son's socks but had to rip the second one back and order some additional yarn to finish the toe.    Think that will be the end of my knitting projects for this year LOL

Last weekend we celebrated all of the donors in our community who helped raise over 2 million dollars to renovate a campus for Arizona State University to use here.  Hard to believe that the first class is almost done with their first semester!  I'm the president of the foundation that raised the money, coordinated the construction and provided over $100,000 in scholarships for the inaugural class.  That's me giving a speech at the dedication of the donor wall, which was followed by a brunch at a local restaurant.  I'm very proud to have been a part of this project, but am also really glad it is drawing to a close!

It has been a full day and I'm tired, so it's off to bed. Goodnight.