A new year has already begun.  Our family was on vacation to welcome in the year by giving the kids a surprise trip to Disneyland.  We returned home just in time for a meeting to attend on Monday night.  I have enjoyed the first week home of this new year sick.  I can't recall being this sick with a cold in a while.  I haven't even done much, but managed a few meals here and there, turn in an attendance report and work on a few things for church.  Thankfully the kids and DH can help with cooking, laundry and homework.  Needless to say I am looking forward to being healthy very soon.

This past year we spent a good deal of our year remodeling our entire kitchen, and some work on the living room.  In addition we had the outside of our house painted, and deck awing removed and redone.  The kitchen is pretty much back together, with just a few more things to put up on the walls.  The living room is done, but because of the holidays we opted to not move in all that we could.  Instead we decorated for Christmas, then packed up all up before we left for a our vacation.  I usually don't pack up that early, but I was so thankful it was done when I came home sick!  

This year looks like we will be trying to par down what we moved out of the house.  I have lots of school stuff we no longer need with both children in High School.  Lots of things that just need to sorted and tossed that are just taking up room in the garage now.  We are also preparing for our son's graduation, lots of things to be done by certain dates for the big day. Between those I still have my responsibilities for church, and homeschooling the kids.  I would like to work on finishing up more of my knitting projects that I started, didn't quite get as much of those done this past year.  

I hope that I keep up this blog better, but no promises!  Happy New Year everyone!  May God bless you all through the year!

Magical Socks

Stitches West is here in Santa Clara and thanks to my kind husband I signed up for to learn how to knit toddler socks. I have been wanting to learn how to knit socks for sometime and since I won a sock kit last year, which is still waiting to be turned magically into socks, it's now time. So a class to learn to knit little socks, will at least give me a start!

Last year at Stitches West I learned to improve my sweater making skills, change to Continental/English style knitting, how to "magic loop", and how to knit short rows. I can now do short rows, magic loop, and Continental Knit, (still working on the purl, not so great at that yet). My sweaters, well, they are still a work in progress.

This year's class is the only one I can take due to my busy schedule this particular weekend. Most of the classes were sold out by the time I decided to check the schedule. The toe-up toddler socks seemed to be calling my name. So I will need to knit up a swatch to check gauge tonight, (yes, waiting until the very last minute), and then head to the convention center tomorrow very bright and very early so I can check in and get to my class. It will be a full day, 2 3 hour classes (it's one class just two sessions), with a 2 hour break. With my break I will do some booth shopping, and see what the latest is out there for knitters. Then home to my family, and prepare to leave for a church training in Sacramento on Saturday, which means leaving much earlier and less brighter (not so bright at 6:15 am) for a full day of learning about what is coming up with Vacation Bible School. Then our normal Sunday routine, and by the time I get home Sunday I will probably be good and ready for some serious rest!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

It is time to celebrate the ones we love! Our plans are to celebrate at home tonight with a special dinner. However we will see how well I can pull it together. ( I had a flu shot yesterday and let's just say next time don't have one the day before a special event!) This is also a great time to celebrate the Christ's Amazing Love for us! Happy Valentine's to everyone!

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:16-17

Family Vacation

Now the weather in the Bay Area looks like winter I thought I would post some picture of our summer vacation. I am almost finished with a cape I started a couple of years ago, just need to sew in the last few yarns and then block. Finally the weather is cool enough that I will be able to wear it!

This past August our family traveled to Florida to visit Walt Disney World. Now not being a native of Florida the weather is a bit different than here in the Bay area of California, hot and humid, with afternoon thundershowers, was pretty much the forecast for our entire vacation. Here are just a few pictures from our trip.

Our first full day we had lunch at "Sci-Fi Dine In Theater" at Hollywood Studio. Fun experience as you watch sci-fi movies from the 50's, the food was ok, nothing special. I am glad we tried it.


After spending a day at one of the WDW water parks, Blizzard Beach, we had dinner reservations at one of our favorite restaurants at WDW, The Brown Derby, back at Hollywood Studios. We had made special reservations for the Fantasmc! Meal Package, where you eat at one of three restaurants and get special seating at the Fantasmc!. Wow, we had no idea what we were in for! The host took us to our table, but we were a little concerned as he walked passed all the normal seating and took us to a private room. Turns out this was "The Bamboo Room", where we were one of three parties. The waiter was absolutely wonderful, we were treated like royalty the entire meal. This had to be the highlight of our trip! The "special" seating at the show, well, let's just say the show was nice, but dinner was way better!

After a day on the road to visit a couple of Florida beaches, we stopped at the best ice cream shop at WDW, "Beaches and Cream!" Butter Pecan Sundae, yep I ate it all.Dinner with Chip ... or is that Dale? Another of our favorite Restaurants, The Garden Grill, at "The Land" in Epcot. The coolest thing about this restaurant is that it rotates as you eat. The menu is family style with turkey, steak, fish, salad, veggies, and potatoes, plus dessert. And it's all you can eat! Mickey and Pluto are dressed up in their finest farmer outfits.
One of our days to the Magic Kingdom park, I booked a special tour, Keys to the Kingdom, but because you have to be 16 to be able to go on the tour, only John and Tyler were able to go. Lauren and I took advantage of the early arrival by booking a breakfast at the castle, with Belle, Ariel, Cinderella, and Snow White. While the boys spent almost 5 hours on their tour, going behind the scenes of several attractions and employee areas (and getting lunch), we had breakfast and then had some mom and daughter time bonding on the rides throughout Magic Kingdom. This photo was taken before the park was opened, we were able to get in because of our tour and breakfast reservations. Absolutely so cool to see Main Street empty!

We spent a little over a week in WDW, I always enjoy my Disney vacations, but it is always nice to return home to my own bed!

Sweet Baby Hoodie in 49er Colors

Last year my friend welcomed a new baby into her family, Julian, born on February 14. I couldn't decide what to make him...finally came up with a sweater with the colors loosely based on the 49'er football team.

Hook: 5.0 mm (H)

Yarn: Bernat Satin Sport Solids in black for trim

Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Solids, Heathers & Twists in Cranberry

Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Solids, Heathers & Twists in white for stripes

I used trying to use colors that would represent the team colors. Red with white stripes and then trimmed in black. I also always use washable yarn when doing baby clothes, just so it's easier on the parents!

I changed the HDC to 4 Rows of DC in the Red Yarn, and 2 Rows of SC in the White Yarn. I still had a lot of trouble with the hood, not sure if it is due to reading the pattern incorrectly or it just doesn’t work correctly. I found this to be pretty easy to crochet and fast, it’s the seaming that takes some time. Well worth it, love the way it turned out and looking forward to seeing Julian in soon!