New Things A-comin'

I'm having a hankering for cooking/baking these days and I've decided this Saturday will be the day.  On the list:

1. Cinnamon rolls from The Pioneer Woman Cooks.
2. I hijacked a couple of folders & a huge bag of my Gram's recipes and I'm looking to see what I can fix. I found a wheat bread one that I want to make as well.
3.  Mom purchased the new Hungry Girl's 300 under 300 recipe book.  I've got my eye on a tex-mex pot sticker combo that I'll put together as well. 

And in between all the bread raising and the cooking I'll be knitting.  I started my 2nd quarter socks, a Christmas present (and it's not even October!!) and got one glove done of a build my own pattern that I'm not wild about, but Mom likes them so I need to get the 2nd one done for her.



I also finished a shawl that has been on my needles for a couple of years.  Coalie & Belle were real big helps when I was doing the fringe.  I'll have a better picture & post to come, but here's a peak.



Hope y'all are doing well.  :-)

Walking

With the weather being nicer (some days!) I've taken to walking outside.  I love where I live because it's close to the city, but far enough out that there is quite a lot of land around me with animals and vegetation.

Saturday morning I went for a walk and saw these pussy-willows along the side of the road.



I'm still learning about taking pictures with my phone so it's not the best, but it brought back so many memories.


One of my Aunt's house backed up to a canal in Nampa and when we'd go over there we'd always pick the pussy-willows and color them.  I can recall many bouquets left for her when we were all done.

It was always a fun thing to pick these. I wanted to stop every time we'd see them along the road.  They were always so soft and fuzzy.  And something to make one smile. :-)

A quick way to Remember Knitting

So I was excited on Monday evening because a new book I wanted was coming out on Tuesday so about 10:00 I set my knitting down and went in to check to see if it was available at audible.  Never even though of my knitting again.....

Until the following morning when I woke up to this:

Yes, the knitting was in one place, the ball of yarn in another and the piece in between.  :-)  Thankfully the monster kittens did not harm the knitting or the needles so they live to play another day! :-)

1st Quarter Socks - FINISHED!!

I finished my first quarter socks with a weeks to spare. :-)



Ravelry link for those that can see:


When Worlds Colide

I really enjoyed these making these socks. I made both at the same time using a circular needle. It got a little hairy since I was using the same ball of yarn, but turns out I have enough left over to make a pair of fingerless gloves.



My next sock project will be knitting a pattern called "Stacia" how could I no purchase that? Pictures will be forthcoming of the pretty pink yarn I'm going to use.

March 24th

March 24th is a day forever etched in my heart.  It is a day that my Mom & I honor with a trip to Buhl, Id with flowers and loving thoughts in our heart to remember my Gram.  It's been 7 years since she's passed and I still miss her so much.

I was the youngest grandchild in the area when I was growing up, my Grandfather had passed away before I was born so I had the special honor of getting to sleep with my Gram when we'd go visit.  Although I'm sure it wasn't her honor to sleep with me, there are many pictures with me spread across the bed sleeping.  :-)  There was also the times of sitting on one of the dining room chairs helping in the kitchen, or getting to sit on the old yellow metal stool, or playing with the ceramic pig pitchers on the shelves. 

Probably the most common memory of my Gram is the first thing we did when I (or any of her grandkids) got there.  She's have her arms open for a welcome hug and after a squeeze we'd see where we measured against her top button.  As the years went by and I grew it changed to where she measured on my top button.  Always, every time I'd see her we measure that top button.  I miss my Gram's hugs and her laugh and playing card at the table trying to teach me games.  I miss talking about her childhood, and her kids growning up.  And I'm SO THANKFUL that she was in my life.

Her last couple of years were rough for her, she was moved to Boise to be in an assisted living home with trepidation.  I'm so thankful for that last year.  I'd swing by and pick her up to take her to my Parent's house on Sundays and we'd watch NASCAR and eat dinner and just be a family.  I can remember the last Christmas, she was at my Mom's house helping out getting ready for Christmas Eve and I called for some reason and she told me, in no uncertain terms, to get my butt over there to help my Mom. 

I treasure the memories of that time.  The last time I saw her before the hospital we'd stopped at her place to check in and see how she was doing and drop something off.  I was the last one out the door and she was ironing.  I had the door closed and for some reason I opened it up and told her that I loved her very much, gave her a hug and ran out to the car.  I'm so glad that I acted upon that instinct, it is a great last memory.

Hanging out at the hospital is another story for another time, but there was so much laughter that the Nurses requested that we close the door so as not to disturb the other patients.  That's the kind of family I have, a loving, story telling, happy family.  And I'm so blessed to be a part of them.

January in Pictures

I didn't get many pictures taken in January.  I've not found much to inspire me outside. I cannot wait for spring!!  However, I did take some, so here is my January in pictures:

First new recipe of the new year.  Will be made again.

Coalie's favorite place to relax.

A sleeping Belle.

Second recipe of the year.  One that will not be made again.

Best Friend's birthday present as modeled my the Mom and sewn by me.

Socks and inquisitive cat.

Whatcha doing? Am I bothering you?

First finished pair of socks for the year.

Hopefully February will be a more exciting month.  I'm taking a photography class and am very much looking forward to it.

Goals - Progress Check

Let's revisit the 2011 goals now that we are a month and change into the new year.

1. Focus more on my health:
        Well I did sign up for the Treasure Valley Weight Loss Challenge with my Mom and I've added exercise to the formula.  So I suppose this one is going okay.  It would be better if I had added the exercise before this week.  But a girl has to start somewhere!

2.Get my finances in order:
         I've decided that one week a month I will not spend any money.  This is my 2nd time doing this and it's going well.  I don't quite feel the satisfaction I thought I would so I may revisit this in the future and define it a bit differently. 

3  Finish all knitting projects currently on my needles:
          As demonstrated by my previous post, I have done that with one project.  This leaves me with two projects still on needles and I am very much thinking that one is going to get frogged before too long.  It has been on my needles since 2008 and I'm just so not into it.  We'll see how I feel in a bit.  In other news I also wanted to complete a pair of socks every quarter for 2011 and I've cast on and knit the ribbing for the first pair.  Go me.  :-)

4. Try at least one new recipe a month:
          This has very much been a success.  In the month and 10 days since the beginning of the year I've done 3 new dinners (maybe 4) and only one has not passed muster.

As for the other goals, they are moving along at their own pace.  I've been quite focused on my new business but that will be it's own little post when everything is all squared away!