Tag Archives: Knitting

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Whoa, Oh, Mexico…………………..(LOTS of pics)

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Can I just say – WOW!?  It’s been quite a whirlwind and I have yet to recover.   Thursday last we flew down to Cancun with a group of about 65 other employees from Paul’s company and their spouses / significant others.  After passing through customs we stepped out of the airport……and there was a bar.  Right there on the curb, next to where our buses were waiting to pick us up.

It was over an hour from the airport to our resort, which is located in Playa del Carmen – it’s south east of Cancun, and you can see Cozumel island from the beach.  We all stepped very wearily off the buses, walked through the front door of the resort and were greeted by an open bar and a nice man taking orders.

The main lobby

Here’s the thing.  I don’t really drink.  But since they offered, and I had a headache from the long flight and bus ride, I accepted something blue and full of rum.  It was the first of many.  You see, while we were waiting to check in we were told that we’d be given bracelets to let everyone know that we had an all inclusive package.  That meant wherever we went, whatever we ate or drank, it was all included.  No tipping required.  We also had the same privileges at the other Palace resorts, should we wish to ferry to Cozumel or head north a bit.  Honestly, they kept us so busy and happy we never felt the need.

Our room.  I already miss waking up to the sounds of tropical birds.

The first night we were expected on the beach with the rest of our group for a welcome dinner.

Wait………….

W

here’s Paul????????

Ah – he found the coffee.  Even in this tropical paradise where it’s sunny and 85 every day……….he’s gotta have his java.

We had a mariachi band for entertainment.  That was rather awesome.  Paul and his boss were debating how many drinks it would take to run up and join them.  Paul would have done it sober.

Day 2 was Friday – we had most of the day to do as we pleased, and we discovered just how wonderful all – inclusive is.  We ordered all kinds of room service for breakfast and stuffed ourselves to busting at lunch.  The buffets had to be seen to be believed.  I even tried octopus!  But I digress.  We spent the day exploring the resort and lounging by the water.

This is the yoga hut, facing the ocean.  Our room was to the right of it.

There were all kinds of cool fish in the lagoons.  And btw, check out that water!!!

I spent the day like this.  Every 10 minutes or so a waitress would ask me if I wanted a drink.  I can’t even tell you how many frozen strawberry margaritas I consumed.

Don’t worry.  I don’t think they put as much alcohol in their mixed drinks as we do in the states.  Otherwise by all rights I should have passed out.  Instead we got showered and dressed up for the awards dinner.

I clean up pretty nice, right?

As for Paul…….

He was back to the coffee.

Saturday was phenomenal.  We toured the ruins of the Mayan city Tulum in the morning.

The city was built on a cliff over the sea.  There’s a staircase that we took down to test the water…..

That beautiful, beautiful water.  For those paying attention that is the dress from Heather Ross’s Weekend Sewing I am wearing there.  It was perfect for covering up my bathing suit .

There are also iguanas everywhere.


Paul said I couldn’t bring one home.

After Tulum we were bussed over to the Ecological Water Park called Xel-Ha.

I have but 2 regrets from this part of the trip.  One – we didn’t get to swim with the dolphins (it was extra, and after snorkling and tubing we didn’t have enough time) and two, I didn’t get my picture taken holding a bright red macaw.  Xel-Ha employees were all over the place with huge birds for photo – opps.  It was funny seeing each of them holding onto 3 or 4 of them, just hanging off their belts.  We did however have a blast.  Another couple joined us as we made our way down the mile – long inlet into the lagoon.  Aimee and I started off in the tubes and had to make ou way through some dense mangroves to get out into the spot where the guys were starting their snorkling.  They took a few breaks from that along the way to do some cliff – diving.  Us ladies were not so much into that.

And how does Paul cap off a hot day in the sun and snorkling?

He heads to the outdoor restaurant to wait for his coffee.  I had a frozen daiquiri.

A siesta would have been nice, had we had the time.  At Xel-Ha, there aren’t park benches.  There’s hammocks.

On our war back to our bus we donated blood to the Mex-quitos.

We capped off our long and happy day eating authentic Mexican food brought to us by a waiter who made fresh guacamole at our table.  Ole!

Sunday I designated as a day of relaxation (massage at the spa!) and beach lounging.  The drink of the day at the resort was a concoction of passion fruit, amaretto, coconut liqueur, cream and ice, all blended together.  So good.  I don’t know how many of those I had.  For dinner we gorged on sushi before heading to our group’s dessert reception and farewell.

I was relaxed, content, full of amaretto and loving the ocean breeze.

And Paul?

You guessed it.

We had one long final night of uninterrupted sleep before heading back home.  The one blip was that right before we boarded the plane at Cancun they decided to search our bags by hand (after we’d already passed through security).  The agent handling my bag pulled out my knitting (a sock in progress) and looked too panicky for my taste.  I had to explain to 3 of them what it was.  Of course I was thinking that I would stab him with those dang needles if he tried to take away my wool and my dpn’s.  They finally let me though, with my knitting.  And hey, we saw Cuba from the plane as we were flying home.  I told Paul I’d be more than happy to throw him down there so he could get his Cafe Cubano.  He declined.  Oh well.

Maybe next time.

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And We’re Almost Outta Here…..

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For reals this time.  We’re taking the girls up to New York tonight so they can stay with my in laws while we are in Mexico.  Then we’ll drive back down to DC tomorrow and catch our flight out Thursday first thing.  Riviera Maya, here we come!

I am insane busy so here is the scoop, in bullet format:

1.  I hate packing and laundry.  It took me several days to tame the piles down enough to get everything sorted, into suitcases and put away.  I don’t want to even think about the explosion of dirty clothes that will occur once we get back.  For now I am focusing on what’s left – getting the dog to the kennel, picking up feed on the way back, putting clean sheets on all the beds and vacuuming.  I can’t relax if I am returning to a filthy house.

2.  I am packing a bunch of sock yarn.  I don’t particularly like flying, so the knitting and the ipod will be my panacea.

3.  We’re touring Mayan ruins on Saturday!  Yay!

4.  Emily is going to miss her animals.

11.09.09b

Really, really miss them.

11.09.09c

I am trying hard not to think about it.  Especially that little goaty face and her plaintive little “maaaaaaaa” and the little wagging tail whenever she sees me.

At least I know my mother will be here with them and they won’t be all alone.

5.  I still don’t relish the thought of my pudgy white self stuffed sausage – like into a bathing suit.  It turns out that I know exactly who I can blame this on, though.

The pie fairy.

11.09.09a

Seriously.  The pie fairy swoops in on a way – too – regular basis, takes control of my body and turns out multitudes of pies, like this chocolate cream one that flew into my belly over the weekend.  Curse you, pie fairy!

*Note to all of those who will be at our house this christmas – oh yeah, there’ll be lots of this!!!

6.  I have to go change a very stinky baby now.  Then I must finish all my chores and shove off for warmer (hopefully not rainy) weather.

See you on the other side!

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Holding Pattern

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Ever feel like you’re just spinning your wheels?  Like nothing much is getting accomplished despite what feels like non stop work?  That’s how it’s been lately around here.  Lots of hurrying up to wait.

The chickens are still not giving up the goods.  No eggs.  Plus something keeps stealing the golf balls I’ve been putting in the nesting bin to encourage said egg – laying.  Our friend Heath brought over his trap camera tonight so we are hoping to catch the culprit on film.  Most likely it’s a ‘possum; it’s been too cold for snakes.  You’d think, though, that after 3 golf balls the critter would’ve learned that there’s nothing yummy to be had from that particular bin.  It’ll be interesting to see what develops!

10.20.09a

Old decrepit house in Portageville, NY

I’m just about done knitting Neve’s cardigan.  All that’s left is to bind off the neck and knit the button band.  Pictures soon, I hope –  it’s currently sitting on my dining room table, mocking me.  It knows how difficult it has been to make it to a “knitting portion” of the day lately.  Maybe I need to forego sleep for a few nights?

We hooked up a small tank of propane to the fireplace since it has been getting cold enough that we have had a frost a few mornings this week.  That was when we discovered that the valve on our fireplace is bad.  Now I am awaiting a replacement and then we’ll hopefully be ordering a large tank that will see us through the winter.  I also found out on of those frosty mornings that the heat in my car is not working.  Nothing starts a day off better than three shivering  children whining about how evil you are to take them to the bus stop and wait in an ice cold car with frozen leather seats.  I am waiting (I know, big surprise, right?) for that to be diagnosed and fixed.  (Though to my credit I did add a quart of oil to the same car after the light came on rather than wait for the engine to explode).  I then continued my own transformation into ice – woman by driving to my doctor’s appointment without heat and was so cold, and apparently pitiful, as well, that my lovely doctor went and found me a blanket to wrap myself in.  ME.  Hot flashy, heat – hating, cold – lover ME.  What is the world coming to?

And while we are on the topic of frosty mornings – how is it that it can be 36 at 7 am when you get up and get the kids dressed and off to school and then at 3:30 pm when you get them off the bus it is like 78???  No wonder we’re all feeling a bit grumpy and out of sorts – clearly Mother Nature can’t make up her mind.

10.20.09b

Somewhere between Portageville, NY and Nunda, NY

The dog peed all over the living room rug again today.  She only does this when Paul is out of town, and she loves to do it in such a way that no one notices until their feet get wet walking over to the couch.  I noticed it while vacuuming.  I’d pitch the carpet right this second but I have nothing to replace it with so I am (guess what?) waiting for a new one.  (Disclaimer: If this were the first doggie indiscretion on the rug I would simply give it a good cleaning.  However, this is doggie indiscretion number eleventy-billion, and I am sick of watching Oona and Neve roll around all over that nasty, stinking rug).

The laundry continues its assault on my mental well- being.  Not only is the dirty pile mountainous, but the clean pile that I started sorting out on Oona’s bed has become a veritable Mt. Everest of assorted clothing and towels that I am afraid might topple over and bury a small child should one wander in there to retrieve anything.  Every attempt at organizing and putting away this towering pile has been met with the inevitable wailing of children needing 378 other things from me.  (I’m hungry! I’m thirsty! I need more toilet paper!  I can’t find my homework!  I need help with the chickens!  The dog peed all over the floor!)

10.20.09c

Portageville, NY

Right now we are in the midst of Massive Bug Invasion 2009! It started with the fruit flies.  That’s really nothing new – around here late August through December is fruit fly season.  It doesn’t matter how clean your home is or how air – tight you built it – around here you WILL have fruit flies.  But, on top if those we have been inundated with those huge mosquito hawk things.  It looks like some biblical plague has been visited unto our neighborhood.  Spend some time at the bus stop here and someone will mention it.  You can’t walk or drive through  without being swarmed.  They’ve gotten trapped in the many spiderwebs all over our house and now we look more than ready for Halloween.  I’d be pretty happy if we could get someone out to power – wash the place right about now – but I am waiting for Paul to make that call.

Making an early appearance this year are the lady bugs.  Usually they don’t start invading until around Christmas, but I am starting to see them make their way to our windows and doorways already.  Time to break out the shop vac!  Not much else you can do, unless you want to spray lots of poison; with all the animals we’ve got I’d rather not risk it.

On the goat front I am still looking at finding some lovelies to adopt.  There are a bunch out our way looking for homes but right now I have no shelter for them so I will have to wait until I can get something built that will be an adequate shelter.  I also think I need a llama.  Or an alpaca.  Both?

10.20.09d

Somewhere between Portageville, NY and Nunda, NY

What we have gotten accomplished was a fruitful trip to Sam’s Club in the bus.  Yup.  We took the bus to Sam’s.  It was sort of weird but really fun.  And let me tell you – you can fit a lot of Sam’s Club merchandise in a bus.  It’s also a nice change to not have the kids whining and complaining and fighting for the whole trip to town.  I even almost got Paul to buy me a cute old – fashioned looking electric woodstove for the playroom.  It gets pretty cold in the winter since it’s over the un-insulated garage (geniuses built this house, I tell you).  Alas, he could not be swayed.  Oh well.  Maybe I’ll get some time to knit up some warm wool socks for me and the girls before the real cold sets in (Hey!  I hear you laughing!  Stop that!).

I also made 2 pumpkin pies so far.

10.07.09a

Or, as I prefer to think of them, Breakfast Pies.

I also made a few loaves of Pumpkin – Oatmeal bread but they have not turned out as well as I’d like.  I’ll have to fine – tune the technique with those a bit.  Thanks to Oona I am waiting for some time to do that.  Currently she is laying at my feet shrieking that she wants to go to bed.  What she means is she wants ME to go to bed with her, and that should I dare try and get up once she is asleep she will at once awaken and cry and cling to me fiercely.  Therefore I am hoping she will tire herself out and either let me hold her in my lap or fall asleep on her own.  See?  More waiting. Poor cute little thing.

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Anticipation…….

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While I anxiously await the final outcome of the goat giveaway (we’ll be informed by October 1) I have been trying to stay busy so as to avoid my head exploding from the tension.

I’ve been knitting away like mad (read – not doing any cleaning) on a cardigan for Neve – it’s getting close to completion and I will post pictures of it soon.  I’ve also been spending quality time with the chickens and interrogating them as to the whereabouts of all the eggs they are supposed to be laying for me.  So far they’ve had no comment other than “More treats please”.  Only Clementine has a valid excuse for not handing over the goods, as HE started crowing the other morning and has barely stopped since.  He is a lovely roo, I have to say.

09.28.09c

We’ll be putting them in a much larger pen and coop soon (as soon as the boss tells me I can, that is) and adding some females to keep them happy.  Three hens per roo is not enough to keep them from going a bit crazy (I know……human males wish they were so lucky, right?) and if I don’t add more girls chances are they’ll start fighting and picking each others feathers and they’ll wear out the girls I already have.  Stressed and worn out hens equals less egg production, and since I am having enough issues in that department……  But anyway I told Emily she should start reading them tasty chicken recipes as bedtime stories and smack her lips a bit.  Maybe that’ll put the scare into them.

In slightly more insane news – we bought a bus.  A Bus.  A big old ancient greyhound bus.  Why???  We’re crazy.  Haven’t you been paying attention?

09.20.09a

Actually we’d been researching rv’s for awhile and found this, which had been converted as a touring bus for a bluegrass band.  Neat, huh?  It needs a good amount of cleaning and I am going to insist on a new bathroom (I’m a girl.  I have 3 girls.  My sister, who lives with us 75% of the time, is a girl.  Get the picture?).    There’s the big storage area underneath it that Emily has declared “Perfect for Pippa the dog!”.  Poor Pippa.  No, we will not actually put her in there!

09.20.09b

But it’s got these nice first – class style seats up front with nice big windows to look out.

09.28.09b

The driver’s area is pretty much identical to what I got used to as a transit driver (except that this is a manual transmission and manual steering – Oh boy….)

09.28.09a

And it has a kitchenette area with sink, fridge and stove.  That couch on the left will probably get replaced with a dinette bench.  There are six bunks behind the curtain there, and in the back is the bathroom, a sitting area and a closet.  We’ll be camping in style from now on.  Good thing I know how to drive a bus.

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A Short Mommy-cation

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The last three days have been spectacular.  I can’t even tell you how wonderful it was.  Saturday morning Paul took all three girls and left for Long Island.  They got home last night (Monday night) around 10 pm.  Three days of no whining, fighting, poopie diapers, cleaning up after small people and being woken up multiple times in the night.  It was absolute luxury.

Sunday Paul went to his brother’s bachelor party (the reason for the trip) and the girls got to spend time with their grandparents and auntie.  We may need to do this more often!  I loved being home and relaxing and having quality craft time.  I was thinking that the weekend of the actual wedding would be another opportunity for me (Oona’s not invited to the wedding, so I can’t go.  But hey, if he doesn’t want his niece at his wedding, that’s his deal).  But I think instead of sticking around the house Oona and I (and Maddie) will head out to see my grandmother up near Buffalo.  It’s been awhile since I’ve gotten out there and it will be far less stressful with only one kid and not all three.

But back to this weekend.  I watched a whole marathon of Destination Truth on SyFy and got half of a sweater for Neve knit.  HALF.  That’s huge.  I got the chicken coop all mucked out and cleaned up (of course they filled it back up with poop right away.  Oh well).  I pulled most of the weeds out of the front garden and began cleaning off the porch.  I got all of the wood floors steam cleaned.  I pieced out fabric for a quilt.  I watched an entire Ghost Hunters marathon followed by a Ghost Whisperer marathon on SyFy (I think they were going for a theme or something).  I ate cake and ice cream and peanut butter cups.  I read half of The Island of the Day Before by Umberto Eco and lounged in bed until 9:30 every morning (after the best sleep I’ve had in ages).  I got no end of kitty snuggles.  I made a sweet potato and chicken risotto for dinner and didn’t have to hear any whining about it.  I marveled at the fact that I would clean up a room and it stayed that way. I didn’t have to hear Dora, Kai-Lan or that horrible Fresh Beat Band at all.

I did have two somewhat freaky moments while out weeding.  Maddie and I had been talking (I don’t remember why, either) about how we don’t really like praying mantises.  I mean, they’re cool, they’re beneficial, and I like having them in my garden and all, but they kind of freak me out.  Not in a spider sort of way, just a “hey I don’t really feel comfortable touching you” sort of way.  So it was oddly funny when one kept popping out at me while I was weeding by the frotn porch.  And then again while cleaning around the rocking chairs out there.  And then again while grabbing the scoop for the chicken feed.

09.08.09b

He must have heard me saying how creepy I find them.  Here he is on the underside of the rocker I was tryng to clean.

Then I went to pick up the blower for the waterslide and found this guy under it:

09.08.09a

I like frogs.  I have no problem with them, and I ended up carrying this guy over to the garden since he didn’t seem to realize how foolhardy it was to hang out on the porch (he was there for a good 4 hours after I discovered him – just sitting there).  I figured he’d be safer amongst the herbs.  It did startle me when I found him, though.  You just don’t expect a gigantic frog to be sitting under a big blower like that.

So that was my weekend.  Now the kids are home and the house is already a mess again, much to my chagrin.  Ah well…it was lovely while it lasted.  And something wonderful happened today:  my rooster crowed!  I can now happily return to the grind!

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Happy Happy Joy Joy!

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It’s September!!!!  From now through January 1 you will notice a happier me.  It’s my favorite time of year – the time I live for.  AND quite a few things have come together nicely to make today even better.

The weather, for one.  It’s been cooler (70’s) and breezy – perfect for being outside, so I spent time pulling weeds in the garden this afternoon and playing with the chickens.

My new issue of Cooking Light came in the mail today.

I got an email that the Pumpkin Spice Latte is back at Starbucks.  Hooray!!

I finished the socks!!!!

09.01.09a

Finally I came move on to something more challenging and interesting!  I am thinking the girls need new mittens and hats.  And Oona could use some new hand knit socks.

I made double chocolate fudge cookies.  They’re brownies in cookie form.  mmmmmmmm.

I got a mini little nugget of a pumpkin out of the garden.  And a mini nugget of a watermelon as well.  The pumpkin had every intention of being that small, and is just fine.  The watermelon?  Not so much.  But it’s cute anyway.

09.01.09d

The pumpkin is the same size as this braeburn apple.

09.01.09b

Little baby watermelon.

09.01.09c

Pippa thinks it owuld make a tasty puppy snack.

Tonight I am making some butternut squash and apple soup with some fresh bread for dinner.  I just love this time of year.  I dont’ think I could live in a place that didn’t have autumn.  I know, it’s not technically autumn yet, but close enough.

The only thing I need now is for my rooster to start his crowing again.  I haven’t heard him in over a week now.  At first I was really worried.  I feared throat worms, all kinds of parasites, you name it.  Emily and I examined every chicken to make sure there were no creepy crawlies to be seen.  Poor Roo.  I pried open his beak to see if there was anything amiss down his throat.  Nothing.  I have since come to the conclusion that they all have a bit of a respiratory thing going on, so I’ve been throwing a wide – spectrum antibiotic in their water to head off any infectious germs that could be brewing.  I figure after a few days on that my boy should be crowing good and loud again.

09.01.09f

Hopefully he’ll start fulfilling his “manly duty” with the hens soon, too.  Not that I plan on hatching any chicks anytime soon, but it’d be nice to know my roo isn’t you know…..

Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I might like  chicks in the future.  I guess I’ll have to just wait and be patient.  I don’t think the hens mind much.  They’re full of attitude and don’t need no rooster messin’ with ’em.

09.01.09g

Yup.  I just need a crowing rooster and my life will be complete.  Though getting rid of that last ten pounds would be nice, too.

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Little Girls

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Here we were getting adjusted to our new schedule (and doing rather well with it I might add) when what should rear its ugly head but the FLU.  Neve came down with it this past week and has been pretty miserable; Emily has no voice and a bad cough so I fear she may be next.  As for Oona, she took Neve’s ice cream spoon and shoved it in her mouth this morning before I could stop her, so I imagine we’ll all be pretty flu’d up by week’s end.

I am looking forward to fall getting here – though down here in the South it takes its sweet old time, unfortunately.  I spent a good amount of time out in the garden today pulling out the squash vines that were past producing and the weeds so that I can do a light tilling and prepare the spot for the fall plantings – arugula, spinach and an heirloom variety lettuce.  I may also try some peas again as well.    Most of the other plants are about done producing, though I did spy some small watermelons – we’ll see how they fare.  It was rather nice to be able to pick some of the ingredients necessary for dinner the other night:

08.18.09c

I made a nice chili with some fresh bread.  But as nice as it is getting fresh ingredients outside my door the cooler weather is beckoning me.

I took this weekend off from maid duties so I could actually relax and maybe get some knitting done.  I am sad to say that this did not go over well for all parties involved.  However Oona and Neve were  happy with the extra snuggle time (Emily was at a sleepover) and I did get past the heel of that darn sock Ive been desperate to finish.

08.23.09b

Still trudging along.  I even watched some Ice Road Truckers on Hulu.  I just wish they had more than 5 episodes.   It’s been a nice experiment to just let go of the need for clean, but I don’t forsee being allowed to do it again.  It was almost nice while it lasted!

The other thing I did this weekend was eat far too many cupcakes, because my little baby Oona turned 2!  Which reminded me that I needed to still mention Emily’s birthday, so I will do both now.

08.18.09d

That’s my Emily – born 10 years ago after the world’s shortest labor (My water broke at noon; at 2:45 pm she was out.  And let me just tell you.  Short labors mean intense pain, because it’s like having one long gigantic contraction that never lets up – I screamed.  A lot).

08.18.09e

At first she was colicky, but then she settled into an easy toddler – hood.  She didn’t hit the “terrible” stage until she was 3, and even though at the time I thought it was pretty bad, I now have the experience of 2 more babies that have been far, far worse.

8.18.09f

I was still going to school full time when Emily was a baby – she was 3 when I graduated with my BA.    That was tough at times – it was hard to be away from her all day and then have to still study.  She came to more than 1 class with me and even rode around on my bus routes at times when Paul was game to tag along on those late night shifts.

Emily was also my “poop – painter”.  Any time she went into her crib for a nap she’d sleep nicely for awhile, then wake up, fill her diaper, and use that fragrant medium to paint the walls, her face, and the crib bars.  It was a white metal crib that never came quite clean from that at all of the joins, and I refused to use it for any baby thereafter.

08-18-09 i

08.18.09g

She was also always our little princess and had her papa wrapped firmly around her little finger.  On one occasion she manipulated her way into getting half a pint of Ben & Jerry’s out of him before she startled giggling maniacally and we cut her off.

08.18.09k

Emily is my most sensitive one – she’s a lot like me.  She is creative and artistic and loves animals.  She has been a huge part of the chicken experience here and has proven herself time and again to be very responsible at pet – owning.  Even if she is a total slob otherwise.  She was absolutely thrilled when little Oona came along:

08.18.09h

And Oona, for her part, can’t get enough of Emily, either.

Oona as an infant was my easiest.  She ate like a champ (first baby that I did not once get mastitis with!), didn’t cry much and just loved to hang out and cuddle.

These days she’s a busy little booger.  Her vocabulary is expanding exponentially and each day she makes me laugh with something new she says (she still says “butthead”, much to my chagrin, and has recently added, “Oh Crap!”).

The other day she was crying because I wouldn’t give her chocolate (I know, I am so mean) and she stuffed her blubbery, snotty, wailing self into Neve’s play kitchen.

\08.23.09a

That actually made her happy.

08.18.09b

Her Foofa doll makes her happy, too.   I’ve taken to telling myself that she will also become a great knitter one day.  Why else would she take such delight in grabbing at my knitting needles and yarn every time I try to use them?  She just can’t wait to learn, right?

She also must really want to learn to sew, because while I was trying to finish up her birthday dress she kept coming up and stomping on the pedal.  That’s always great when you’re trying to thread the needle.  Trust me.

08.23.09c

Happy 10 and 2 to my girls – stop growing up so fast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Now With Knitting Content!!!!

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Yes!  I have been knitting!  I haven’t mentioned it really because it really gets done in bits and spurts at a snail’s pace these days.  However, I have gotten a sock and a quarter (almost).  It’s not a huge accomplishment, and boy oh boy I cannot wait for it to be over because I am SO OVER this yarn now (though it is quite lovely and soft, just, you know.  Months of the same barely progressing project doesn’t engender much charity towards it for me right now).

07.14.09f

I’m slogging away on the second sock.  I’ll let you know if it gets better.

In other news…..

We had a nest in one of the trees lining our driveway – I had suspected it was a Killdeer and turned out to be correct.  They’re pretty plentiful out in that portion of our property.  I dared a peek a few days ago and saw a little open beak craning up for mama.  I hadn’t even realized there were eggs in it yet.  I dared to venture back with the camera but had the weather working against me (it was way steamy out and the lens kept fogging over) and the mama bird kept screeching and diving me so I got in a few blurry shots with the camera held way away from me.  Only one is worth showing, and it still sucks.

07.14.09a

Can you make them out?  Anyway they are gone now – mama taught ’em to fly and they’re off.  It was cute while it lasted.

Also in avian news, we now have a chicken tractor.  This is not an actual tractor in the heavy machinery sense, but a bit of moveable daytime housing for the chickens.  You move it to a different spot each day so the birds get to eat all of the bugs in your lawn without pecking the spot muddy, as they have next to their permanent coop.  They really seem to enjoy being in it, but they really do NOT like it when we gather them in the morning to be put in it.  The girls are having a grand old time of it, watching the poor dumb things run around like, well, you know.  They don’t enjoy being held.  Except Ruby – she’s my buddy.  She’s our golden colored Brahma/Cochin mix.  She also loves to eat the Japanese beetles off of my basil plants, which pleases me to no end.  I may have plenty of pesto this year after all!

07.14.09c

Paul put handles and wheels on it so I can easily move it to whatever spot I fancy.

07.14.09e

See?  Chicken tractor.  Grand idea!

07.14.09d

Hopefully they’ll be happy enough to give me a decent amount of eggs once they start laying.

Paul also completed the bead – board facing for the window bed he made in the playroom.

07.14.09g

I recovered the back pillows with some upholstery – weight black and white toile I had and covered the mattress top with some black and white stripe cotton knit I had.  I’ll make two roll pillows to go on the sides.  I’m thinking this may be my favorite spot in the whole house.   Jasper loves it, too.   If only the girls didn’t consistently destroy the room in which it is located. They are wild ones, those girls.  But that’s ok.  My in laws are coming this weekend to take them away for a week.  A week!!!!!  Hooray!!!  I’ll still have Oona to contend with, but with the older girls away I may actually get some cleaning and organizing done in time for the new school year.

Yeah, you heard me.  They go back August 10.  A crime, right?  Makes us feel like summer is over when it really is nowhere near being over.  We’re trying to live it up as best we can.  Emily got an early birthday gift of Rock Band 2 for the Wii and they are loving it.  We also roasted marshmallows again last night.  Over the weekend we had my parents, my uncle and my grandmother for the day (Neve plum wore out my grandma, I can tell ya that) and ate lots of summer food (burgers, potato salad, peach cobbler, fresh homemade pickles).  Oona made grandpa very happy by hangning with him on the swingset and giving him lots of baby love.

07.14.09b

I took her out on the swings again today, and let her run around in just her onesie while I was moving the chickens.  Since being a mom is my job I often forget to allow “vacationey” things.  I get too caught up in trying to get things done! that I forget it’s a good time for Oona to play outside and for my older girls to enjoy chasing chickens.  It’s summer, and for a few more precous weeks we’re not on anyone’s schedule but ours.  If we want to take time just to look at the stars or watch the bats we can.  We may still be home, I may still be on the job, but you know what?  It’s still vacation.

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A Day In The Life

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12:30 am – off to bed finally.

1:30 am – Wake up to pititful cries of Juice!  Juice! from little Oona.  Administer sippy cup (full of water, not juice), briefly fall back to sleep before waking to DONE!!! and having said sippy cup smacked rudely into face.  Put sippy cup back on nightstand.

2:00 am -Wake up to whining and cries of Cuddle!! from a very restless Oona.  Attempts to cuddle are met with cries of Stop it!  Stop it!  Hey!! Wrestle for 20 minutes trying to get her into a happy and sleepy place.

2:30 am.  PACI!!!! Fumble around in the dark looking for paci in the sheets.  Check under pillows.  Roll over and squint through the darkness on the floor.  Give up and turn on light, ignoring increasingly louder screams for paci.  Pull apart bedsheets and blankets lookng for GD paci.  Concede defeat, grab Oona, go downstairs in search of paci.

2:45 am – back to bed.

7:00 am.  Aware that Oona is wide awake and crawling over to side of bed to get down.  Stop her.  Get rewarded with crying.

10:00 am – Unhappily roll out of bed after enduring 3 hours of restless baby crawling all over and pulling at hair and trying to go downstairs by herself.

10:05 – make coffee while holding Oona, who has begun to scream Oh-gook!!! Grab yogurt out of fridge, sit Oona on bar stool in kitchen with her yogurt, sit down and attempt to drink coffee.

10:10 – finished with her yogurt, Oona throws herself face first off of stool onto floor and cries.

10:15 – cuddling on couch with Oona.

10:20 – Oona throws her weight around and spills now cold cup of coffee all over lap and couch.  Grumble loudly and get up to clean self off and make new cup of coffee.  Neve begins whining campaign in attempt to get her oatmeal made for her.

11:00 am – pull small tick off of belly while getting into shower.  Shampoo while Oona chants Shake your Butt and destroys a roll of toilet paper.

12:00 pm – Oona is total mess 15 minutes after being cleaned and dressed.  Neve wants lunch.  Oona is screaming for apples.  Remind Neve she still has half full bowl of oatmeal to finish.  Watch her stomp and cry.  Manage to elude Oona long enough to get dog on leash and out the back door to relieve herself.  Dog stands still and woeful, unwilling to answer her clearly pressing need due to the rain.  Sigh, return to house, give Oona juice, turn on Spongebob, go to garage with Oona screaming and hot on heels.  Listen to Oona scream on other side of door while getting chicken feed ready.

12:20.  Fall face first into chicken coop while attempting to feed.  Feebly swat away flies with poop – covered hands.  Close up coop after finishing chicken duties.

2:00pm – Cleaned of poop, lunch made and eaten, dishes done, Oona cleaned up from her 4th or 5th meal of the day, relaxing on couch trying to knit.  Oona believes this is “jungle gym” time.  Become increasingly frustrated over arms and feet in face, elbows digging into belly, rancid poopie smell coming from her diaper.  Oona grabs at knitting needles and rips sock in progress away and throws it across room.

2:30 pm – after much wrestling finally manage to convince Oona her diaper needs to be changed.  She continues kicking while being cleanup up, and the dog is frantically asking to go back out.  Throw out diaper, wash hands and grab leash with Oona hanging off of left leg.  Take dog and Oona out in rain.  Dog refuses to budge again.  Walk out into wet and muddy yard with dog, wait full 10 minutes before dog finally does her business.  Go back inside.  EMily and Neve are screaming at each other.  Break up fight.  Emily stomps away in a fury.  Neve wants to know if it is lunch time yet.

3:00 pm.  Oona a total cranky mess,  clearly in need of a nap.  Oona pulls Neve’s hair and tries to rip keys off of laptop.  Stop her and she yells HEY!! and begins throwing tantrum, still holding firmly to Neve’s hair.  Emily yelling at Oona to stop and at Neve to stop.  Yell at Emily to mind her own business.  Emily stomps away in a fury.  Oona lets go of Neve’s hair and demands a marshmallow.

3:30 pm.  Oona still crying for marshmallow.  Opt instead to put her in car and drive around the block to put her to sleep.

3:45 pm  -Oona is asleep after a brief trip to the end of our road.  Put her in bed.  Neve asks for a snack.  Emily wants help with making her bracelet.  Neve can’t find her crayons.  Clean up mess from lunch.  Feed dog, finally.  Emily begs to have coffee.  Refuse.  Emily begs louder and Neve joins.  Give emphatic NO!  EMily stomps off in a fury.  Remark under breath that she will really get it if she wakes up the baby.  Neve begins rough housing with dog.  Give menacing look at both.

4:00 pm – Tidy up downstairs and water hanging flower baskets out front that are too sheltered to benefit from the rain.  Send Emily out with umbrella to check the mail.  Receive incorrect bill of $2,000.00 from insurance company.  Spend half an hour on phone with them while Neve hops around singing and dancing, making too much noise and begging for a marshmallow.  Emily still wants coffee.

5:00 pm Dog barks loudly at Fed-ex truck delivering our monthly coffee shipment.  Neve screams Someone’s here!! and runs for the door, despite being told 800 billion times to NEVER do that.  Emily comes down the stairs with a wide awake Oona in her arms, claiming the dog woke her up.  Neve wants to know what is for dinner.  Resist urge to throw box of coffee at her.

6:00 pm Finish cooking spaghetti while holding Oona.  Find that her diaper has leaked.  Change shirt and put new diaper and dress on Oona.  Serve dinner to kids.  Dog needs to go out again.

6:30 grab plate of food to eat.  Oona screams Cuddle and demands to be held in lap – this makes eating difficult and pretty much guarantees she will be sharing.  Find her juice cup and refill it for her.  Allow kids to play on the Wii while attempting to gain some nourishment.

6:45 pm – Emily and Neve are screaming at each other over game.  Refuse to listen to any instructions.  Turn off Wii.  Emily stomps off in a fury.  Neve wants dessert.  Dog still needs to go out.

7:15 – Clean pile of dog poop off of living room floor.

7:30 pm – clean up dinner mess while holding Oona.

8:00 pm – Sit down on couch, feet aching.  Oona screams for crackers.  Ask Emily to get Oona one graham cracker.  Emily gives her the whole box.

8:10 pm – Oona feeds entire box of graham crackers to the dog.

8:30 pm – fight Oona to change another poopie diaper.

9:00 pm – Yell at older kids to clean up their various messes all over the living and dining rooms.  Neve whines and claims it’s all Emily’s fault.  Put Oona in jammies.  Grab Liquid antibitoics and dropper and begin hunt for Jasper cat.  Put Oona on bed and ask her to stay put while Jasper gets his medicine.  Lock self and cat in bathroom while Oona pounds on door and screams.  Wrap cat in towel, jab dropper in his mouth, squirt meds.  Cat becomes angry but swallows anyway.  Feel bad for the best behaved member of the household and let him go.

9:10 pm.  Open door for Oona who is now naked and wants to sit on her potty.

9:15 pm – re – diaper and dress Oona while Emily and Neve fight over something downstairs.  Ignore it.  Sit on couch with Oona and knitting and try to relax and wait for Oona to go to sleep.

10:00 pm – Neve running around like a wild hooligan and screeching with Oona.  Every attempt to calm them down fails.  Finally scream at Neve to sit quietly and watch tv or go to her room.  Neve stomps away muttering under her breath but goes no further than the kitchen.  Resumes wild behavior 5 minutes later.

10:05 pm – Yell at Neve and repeat warning.  Neve argues she doesn’t want to go upstairs and wants to play with Oona.  Begin counting to three.  Neve stomps toward the stairs crying and screaming.  Oona laughs and demands more “oh-gook”.

10:30 pm – Neve sneaks back down and begins roughing around with the dog and Oona again.  Yell at her yet again and send her back upstairs.  Hear crash from up there.  Ignore it.  Oona continues to careen around wildly and jump on couch, tearing away yarn and making knitting impossible.  Dog begins barking wildly at thumping noises Neve is making upstairs.  Give up on knitting and pour glass of soda.  Bemoan inability to drink alcohol due to being sole adult in the house.  Neve returns and begins crying about wanting to open dvd cabinet to pick out a movie.  Oona immediately tries to get in the cabinet as well.  Yell at Neve to go back upstairs while she throws massive tantrum.  Oona demands soda while Emily tries to cuddle her, making her mad.  Yell at Emily to let her go.  Emily stomps off in a fury.

11:15 pm.  Laying in bed with Oona trying to convince her to go to sleep.  Dog is chasing the cat downstairs and Neve keeps wandering around, slamming doors as she goes.  Emily joins cat chase and makes plentiful noise doing so.  Both girls eventually settle into their bedroom and slam door.  Presumably they have the cat.  They begin lots of giggling and thumping around.

11:45 pm – Oona is finally asleep.  Carefully make way downstairs to let dog out one last time.  It’s pouring.  Come in, lock doors, clean up and go upstairs.  Tell girls to be quiet and go to sleep.  Go into bathroom and change into pajamas.  Wash face, brush teeth, give cats water and food.  Attempt to sneak into bed with a book.

12:15 am – peer over edge of book at spider gliding down from ceiling toward the bed.  Smoosh him between two books, waking up baby.

12:20 am – turn off lights, snuggle up next to baby, closes eyes, pray she falls back to sleep soon.