Thursday, December 29, 2011

Wow!

I can't believe how long it's been! I've been swamped with preparing for the holidays and life in general.

I'm working on a nice lengthy update post including a "How we spent our Christmas vacation" post as well as a long overdue review on the new Beautymint website launched by Jessica Simpson.

One thing I can tell you is I am writing this from my most favorite and long wanted Christmas present :)

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Football in Snowtober

Wow!

I feel like I have so much to update you on since I last posted.

First, off football season is officially over!   The season went on longer than originally thought because Logan's coaches decided to enter the smurf (Logan's division) playoffs.   The first playoff game was originally going to be an all day affair but it ended up being the day of the crazy odd snowstorm in October.   The first round was still held that day but they pushed the next rounds off until the following weekend.


I felt so bad for the boys because it was COLD.   Their hands and faces were like ice cubes.  When we first got to the field it was raining. Within 10 minutes of the game actually starting the above pictures are what the field looked like.




  Right before the game started the coach told us to keep the boys as warm as we could when they were on the sidelines.   Dads lined the side of the field with blankets, their own coats because the boys' wouldn't fit with shoulder pads, umbrellas and gloves. 

Our team was winning up until the final few minutes of the game.   We ended up loosing by 1 lousy point!


After we came home from that, the boys got to enjoy and very odd snow day in October.  Mostly spent wanting to go outside and then inside cuddled up watching Halloween movies.   It was rather weird...I was more in the Christmas mood but it was only 2 days before Halloween. 

The rest of the weekend was spent like this...







That just seems wrong, doesn't it?



Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Beautymint Launching Soon!

My fave jewelry site is getting a new sister site,  Beautymint. Jessica Simpson and celebrity aesthetician Nerida Joy, are the faces of the company.
 The new site is following the same plan as Jewelmint and Stylemint, upon signing up you will take a beauty quiz to determine which fixed price products you will be offered each month.  


The launch date is officially set for Monday October 31, 2011.  In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, they will donate $1 for every Beautymint registration to the National Breast Cancer Foundation starting today through October 31. 

So please go check it out and sign up here!   You can not only get sneak peeks and exclusive offers but also help the National Breast Cancer Foundation just by signing up!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

JewelMint: Faye Dynasty Earring Review

If you read my blog regularly you will remember me mentioning a company called JewelMint.    I reviewed a few pieces of their jewelry a few months ago here.  

I recently received the Faye Dynasty Earrings.  I picked them because they weren't something I'd typically order.   I looked through my stash of JewelMint that I've acquired over the past few months (and its alot).  I noticed I tend to end up choosing the 'same' things.


I have a lot of bracelets. I love them don't get me wrong.  I needed something though that wasn't a bracelet.   These earrings totally fit that.  They really are perfect for a casual look or great for a night out on the town.  Not that I get many of those anymore but you know just in case I do, I have the perfect earrings now ;)  You can check out the JewelMint blog here to read about Cher & Kate's inspiration for the earrings.

I love the detail on these earrings.  From the four little blue crystals on the front of the lever back to the blue enamel detail on the center of the earring.   This picture just doesn't do it justice.   Its a little hard to tell from the picture but they have a bronzed/antique look to them.  They really do have a great vintage feel to them.   I was a little afraid they would be to 'blingy' to wear for everyday but yesterday I paired them with jeans and brown 3/4 length sleeved shirt and they looked great.


If you haven't checked out JewelMint yet, now is a great time to start!  The October showroom was just released plus some old favorites have been re released (Birdcage I'm lookin' at you!).  Make sure you check them out before they are gone!    Also if you want to meet some great addicts  JewelMint fans, check out the JewelMint facebook page.



Disclaimer:  I was given a free piece of jewelry to review but that in no way determined the review of this product.  The opinions above are my own.

Friday, September 9, 2011

A Break From Rain

I am so sick of the rain!! 

As I'm sure you've all heard or have been experiencing yourself, the northeastern part of the US has been hit hard with rain this week.  I think on the news last night just in the past couple days areas around here got 15" plus of rain.

 Crazy.

Now we wait for the Susquehanna River to crest to cause even more damage.  

Luckily we have been fairly fortunate and haven't had any problems so far.  

So needless to say we've been stuck inside most of the week, Logan even had a 'rain day' yesterday and school was closed.   I've been sitting here catching up on blogs, looking through old pics and writing some blog posts myself.  

I found this picture last night....


That is one of the gardens the early in the summer.   I remember taking this picture and can still smell and feel the summer air.  I can't believe it but I MISS summer already :(   I can't believe its OVER.  

Here are a few more...






I can't wait for summer.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Heelys Review

I was recently given the opportunity to review a pair of Heelys.    You might be wondering what exactly are Heelys?   They are these super cool shoes that look like regular sneakers but have a wheel hidden in the heel so you can skate.   You can also pop the wheels out and put a cover over the hole so you can wear them anywhere like regular shoes. 

Now, they were SUPPOSED to be for me...I honestly thought about it for 2 seconds.   I used to love rollerskating when I was younger and eventually rollerblading but that was two kids and a lot of years ago.   I'm pretty sure me being me would have broken something within 5 minutes of putting them on. 

Instead I got a pair for Logan and he was absolutely thrilled.   I must say when they arrived I was a little disappointed I didn't get a pair for me because they are really cute shoes without the wheel in them.   We had a really tough time picking a pair out because they were all so awesome looking.   Eventually we decided on ones that look like this except where these are pink his a lime green.  

I must say I was really impressed with the quality of these shoes not to mention how many different styles they have available.   We really did have a hard time deciding on which pair to get.  

Logan is having a hard time learning how to skate in them though and since I've never done it I've had a hard time giving him pointers.   Luckily there is this great how to video available on their website.

I can see that once he gets a hang of it, this will be something for him to do that is fun and also keeps him active.   They also have a great  safety playbook to go over for yourself or with your child.  It is a huge peeve of mine when I am in the store and a kid whizzes by me on their skate shoes, that is something that is NOT reccomended.




As required by the FTC: I received no monetary compensation for this review. I received a product sample for the purpose of my review. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

First Day of Preschool

Blah...

It has been rainy and absolutely miserable here the past two days.   Today it did absolutely nothing but rain. 

Luckily both boys had school today, if they would have been stuck home and inside again today it wouldn't have been pretty.   It was Cole's first official day of preschool, he was brave the whole way.  When the tears started to fall he very roughly brushed them from his eyes.....Here is a pic of the two off to school....


What is especially cute about this picture, right before I snapped it Logan told Cole to put his arm around him and when he did Cole said to Logan "do you love me brother?"  :*)  it was so cute.  Logan said yes as I hit the button. 

Oh,  like how the tractor gets to sit in out of the rain and snow in the carport but my car has to sit out in it?   There is something not right about that.  

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Back 2 School!

I can't believe that I am officially the mother of a second grader!  Where has the time gone??  I can't believe my 'baby' is that 'old' already, I REMEMBER second grade rather clearly.  Here he is on the first morning of school last week, Cole refused to stand beside his brother because the bantam chickens were out and he's scared of them.   Yet the crazy kid will go and pick up the bigger hens and roosters.   Can't say I blame him though, those little suckers are MEAN!!





So far second grade is going well.  He's liking his teacher and can't wait to go to school every morning.   Just wait until the  real works starts!  I'm sure he will change his mind. 

Cole is going to be startin preschool in a few weeks as well.   He is beyond excited about going.   While we were waiting for the bus he kept asking me where his bus was, he didn't like my answer that he wasn't going to be riding a bus to his school, instead we'd be taking my car.    This is him dealing with the news.




Football is well underway.   We had our first game this weekend.  It went well.  I think Logan is having second thoughts about joining again this year.   I'm fairly certain this will be our last year....at least unitl Cole is 6!  

Knitting is going well.  I'm chugging along on Vlad.   I have increased the body repeat from 7 to 10 because I want it to be a bigger shawl plus I have more than enough yarn.   I bought this yarn for it at sheep & wool this year.  I love it.  I can't wait to go back get more of their yarn.  I'm going to try to get a good picture of it soon so you can see how gorgeous it is! 

Not much else here going on.  Just super busy.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Utterly Embarrassed.

I knew it had been awhile since I posted last but I had NO idea it was before Logan even got out of school for the summer! 

Now here we are, 2 weeks before school starts again and summer is once again over and I am just NOW sitting down to write a post.

It seems like so much has happened since my last post but then again nothing really at all.  


I have a boatload of pictures to upload.  First from our overnight in  Philly, the zoo, the Phillies game and dinosaurs.  Knitting updates.  The garden and haul.  

If its any consolation I have a million blog posts in my head that I HAVE written in the past two months, just for one reason or another they never actually made it to the blog.  ;) 

So you may be wondering what exactly has been going on that I've been too busy to actually put those posts up.  Well, honestly I can't speak for the first half of the summer.  I really have no excuse and nothing really all that exciting to show for it.  Just work, work and more work. 

I have been working 4 and a half days a week now. It all started because Logan had a ridiculous amount of cavaities and we don't have dental insurance.   I was working an extra day to help pay for them now its hard to go back to not working that day, it might only be one day but it does make a difference.  While I don't work anywhere near full time I really don't see how moms that work full time (plus) do it in addition to all of the other 'stuff' .   My house is never clean.  Laundry is constantly just thrown in baskets sometimes folded sometimes not.  It very rarely makes it to drawers, though that is my least fave chore and I hate doing it no matter how much time I have. 


The second half of summer however has become devoted to football.  Yes, Logan decided at the last minute of course to do one more year of the sport.  He had originally just wanted to do football camp which was the next to last week of July.   Then he found out his friend was signing up again for the season and the last weekend of registration decided he wanted to play again as well.

 I feel really good about this season.  Maybe I shouldn't say that, maybe I'm jinxing it.  But it just has a better feeling over all to last year.  Maybe its just because we all know what to expect now, we've been around this block before so to speak.  We are aware of how unorganized it is and are able to just roll with it this year.  Logan also is enjoying it alot more this year.  Not that he HATED it last year, he never refused to go or put up a fight about going but you can see him trying harder on the field at practice and being more confident in what he's doing.  I really hope he makes some lasting friendships this year. 

What else has been going on....

Cole is now officially registered for preschool.  I wasn't going to send him this year.  He's my baby.  I couldn't even think about sending him to school.  Then I started to get worried.  What if he's actually missing out on something that his brother got to do?  So I contacted the preschool that is THE preschool to go to and the hardest to get into and they had an opening, then I contacted the one Logan went to and they did as well.  I felt more comfortable with Logan's preschool so I decided to send him there.  Not that there is anything wrong with the other one but I KNOW this one.  I know what to expect I know how things work.   Plus the drop off time just works better for me.   He seems excited about going, he wants to start now. 

I think really that's about it.  It seems like there should be more considering I've been MIA for two months but really I've got no excuse. 

I really should be getting caught up on my house right now, my fil just came and picked up the boys for a morning out with them.  Instead I'm sitting here (finally) catching up with blogland and drooling over my gorgeous yarn that I recieved yesterday all the way from Germany.....I have so many other almost outdated pics to post but instead I will leave you with this....



This crappy cell phone picture doesn't even come close to doing this yarn justice.  It is gorgeous and so BRIGHT.  I love it!!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Technology Sucks.

Sometimes I absolutely HATE technology.   Like right now I have a bunch of pictures to upload for this post and of course I cannot for the life of me get my computer and my camera to 'talk' to each other.  Wtf is that all about?  Did they have a fight?   Did the computer get mad because I replaced my old camera with a newer model?  

Who knows.  Sometimes things that are made to make our lives so much 'easier' actually make them more complicated.   Like the last 30 minutes I've wasted sitting here trying to get it figured out.

:::sigh::::

Sometimes I miss the old days when I could just drop my roll of film off and get it back in a few days. 

But then I wouldn't be sitting here 'talking' to you either, right? 

At least I got this one  to upload before I gave up  ... Ugh!!  Now I can't even to get it to center   on the page the right way!!!!







 

We had a pretty good weekend.   It was nice having a long weekend for once.   We spent Sunday going to some cookouts.   Monday the boys and I went strawberry picking with my sister in law.  Of course I forgot my camera, though it doesn't  matter much anyway considering apparently my computer and camera aren't on speaking terms at the moment.  

I have some knitting pictures to upload as well.   I finished my Bakersfield!!  I can't wait to get it blocked, its been on my list for a few weeks now.  I'm a little 'nervous' to do it though.  It will be the first 'big' item I've done on own.   Hopefully I can get it finished this weekend.   I've also got far on a sunhat I'm making for my mom. Its  this the yarn was part of my haul from sheep & wool. I'm also going to be participating in the True Blood rav groups' KAL for this season.  I'm hoping Vlad wins I bought yarn to make it at The Sanguine Gryphon at sheep & wool even before it was up for the KAL. 

I've also had 4 more pieces from jewelmint show up in the past few days.  Not to mention the 3 more I purchased when the June showcase premeired yesterday.  Here is a picture of todays loot.  This is Daphne.  I almost didn't buy her because I just wasn't sure.  Then one day I had a pretty good discount code and figured what the heck.  I am so glad I did.  I think she will be one of my most worn and fave pieces. 



That was probably my one bright spot today.  

I went on an outing to pick strawberries (again) with my MOPS group.  I almost wasn't going to be able to go because I was going into work.  This week was a short week for me with having Monday off, then Logan was sick Monday night so I didn't go in Tuesday either.   Anyway, I decided to go this morning with the group and then go into work.  

Cole and I are at the field and we no sooner get up there and I can tell he's just not into it.   He wouldn't go play with the other kids while I picked and he wouldn't even help me pick. He would just follow me and plop down in the middle of a row.  After about 30 minutes he wanted to go NOW.   I was so afraid he was getting what Logan had earlier this week (puking).  So we left.  He didn't want to get out of the car with me and he even refused an ice cream cone (he HAD to be sick!).  

In the 10 minutes it took us to get home he was fast asleep.   I carried him into the house and he felt like he was burning up.  My mom just told me to keep him home because she didn't want it and she knows I like to stay with them when they are sick when I can.  

He slept ALL afternoon.   He didn't wake up for good until Logan came home from school at 3.  He seems fine now.  I did give him some Motrin and he even ate dinner.  I'm hoping that if he was coming down with the pukes he slept it off and he's all good now. 


:::sigh:::

I think I'll go admire my beautiful necklace and work on some knitting :)
Hopefully I can get more pics uploaded tomorrow!

Friday, May 27, 2011

JewelMint Review & Promo Code

Honestly I feel like I need a 12 step program...I, Kimberly, am addicted to JewelMint.


There, I feel like its a step in the right direction...

You are probably wondering exactly what this JewelMint is.  Here ya go, straight from JewelMint.


JewelMint is the new and personalized way to shop for designer jewelry! As a member you get access to exclusive jewelry collections designed by actress, Kate Bosworth, and her stylist, Cher Coulter. Each month you’ll receive personalized jewelry recommendations and style advice. Membership is just $29.99 per month. Shipping is FREE, returns are hassle free and if you don't find something you love, SKIP THE MONTH within the first five days FOR NO CHARGE. There’s no obligation ever.





Let me just say before I was even contacted by the company, I was on the look for good, fun & affordable jewelry.   I just wasn't happy with what I was finding.  It wasn't what I was looking for. Plus I am a very visual person.  I'm not good at seeing a necklace in a store and being like "oh!  that would look good with this!" 

I need help.  

With JewelMint they take all of the guess work out of it.  When you  sign up for JewelMint,  you get to  create your style profile.  Basically they ask you a series of questions and you pick which picture best describes your style.   After you have answered all of the questions you can view the pieces of jewelry specifically picked for you!  When you see what is offered in your 'showroom'  there is also an option to see more, so you can add more if what you first see doesn't do it for you. 

You can also check out their blog at blog.jewelmint.com.   There you can get all kinds of style advice and you can even send them a message with any style question and they will answer it right there on the blog!!

As I was saying, I was contacted by the company and asked to pick out two pieces of jewelry from their site and they write a review about them, so let me get on with it! 











Each piece comes in these super cute mint green & black boxes.   The boxes themselves are enough to go crazy over. Really.  I can see me using these boxes for many different things.   Also in the box is a note card with the name of that specific piece as well as a note describing it from Kate & Cher. 

For my two pieces I choose to review the Calypso Necklace and the Soulmate Bangle. 


                                                               





I honestly couldn't believe the exceptional quality of the jewelry when I opened the box.  I really didn't expect them to both feel so solid.   The Calypso Necklace features three resin disks in deep mauve and lilac.  I can see myself wearing this with just jeans and a v neck shirt or pairing it with something dressier.  

The soulmate bangle is my absolute fave.  I have worn this every day since got it.   It is two bangles connected, one circle and one heart shaped.   I had started reading the JewelMint facebook page  before I received these two pieces and I was a little worried because people were saying that the Soulmate was very small and they couldn't wear it.   I thought I would be ok but when I first got it out of the box, my heart sank because it REALLY looked small.  Its totally fine though, I actually like it the way it is, it has enough slack to move around on my arm but there is no threat of it falling off. 

Here is the Calypso  on...


And Soulmate....






Let me just say before I even agreed to do this review I really did my research on this company.  I wasn't crazy about the idea that I would get charged every month even if I didn't buy anything.  First off even after you sign up, they don't charge you a dime until you make your first purchase.   You don't even have to enter your credit card info before that time.  Between the first and fifth of each month you get the chance to skip this month and you will not be charged anything. 

As a special thank to my readers JewelMint is offering 50% off your first purchase!  That's right just use this code JustSayin50 (expires June 1, 2011).  

The super addicting part is the fact that things run out and they don't usually come back.  Though this past week I was overwhelmed with some past beauties that made a return appearance, I currently have 5 pieces on their way to me. I sort of feel sick about it because next week is a new month!!  That means a whole new collection of jewelry will be appearing! 

Here is the one piece that I am so upset that I missed.   It doesn't look like it will be making any return appearance, usually if an item is you can be added to a wait list.  

Be sure to check out the website!   Don't forget to use the code JustSayin50 to get your first piece at half off!!  Just be sure to click the link above to take advantage of this great deal.   Stop back and let me know which piece you choose as well!!  Maybe we can 'enable' each other!!






disclaimer;
I was given two items from JewelMint for free to review.   However, the opinions above are soley my own.   They are no way affected by the free items at all.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

A Look Ahead & Organization

Wow.

I cannot even begin to describe how excited I am that it is soon time for summer vacation!!  I'm not even in school anymore and I sure don't get the summer off from my job but I just love this time of the year.   The summer just seems to hold so much promise for exciting things to happen.

We don't have any major summer vacation plans, not that we ever do anyway.   Though we have been talking about doing a mini vacay to Philadelphia.   Cole is over the moon about dinosaurs, mostly TRex.  I have found one of the many museums in the city have a full TRex skeleton and an amazing dinosaur hall exhibit.  So we have been talking about going into the city for a few days and seeing a Phillies game, the dinos and possibly the zoo along with various other Philly attractions.   Last week I started really searching out hotels and I wasn't having much luck, I don't really know much about the city and where we wanted to stay.  I then started looking for Phillies tickets and surprisingly I got some the Phillies stitch n pitch night.  I was ridiculously excited because I'm not much of a baseball fan but I'm all about a chance to sit with a bunch of other knitters and knit!  I'm just not crazy about the fact that it is the week after school lets out and we still aren't sure what we are doing about the other stuff or if we are even staying over night.   I'm also hoping the boys will sit fairly well and watch the game or at least sit and be semi good. We had a sort of introduction to the Phillies this morning.   Today Cole got to 'meet' the Phanatic at our brand spankin' new Walmart.





Cole is there between my mom and the Phanatic, he of course was terrified of him and wanted nothing to do with him.  Hopefully he'll be more excited when we go to the game.  


A few posts ago I wrote and shown how my yarn is organized.   It was a giant mess and knew it needed something.   We are almost finished with remodeling the boys' new bedroom, right off of their new room is an area. Back in the day I believe it was used as a bedroom but now its just a room.   I've decided to turn it into a toy/tv room.  In this room is where I had a hodge podge shelf of some of my yarn.  The rest was in bags and totes all through my house.   Also in this area is an awesome wood hutch that Ryan's grandfather made for mil.   Its not just a hutch, he made it for her to store fabric, patterns and other sewing notions in.   I had been using it haphazardly, sort of a linen closet/place to put random things I don't know what to do with closet.    

Duh.   I'm not really sure why it took me so long to figure out how incredibly  PERFECT it is for me! 



On the left, there are these pegs that were meant to hang fabric from,  they are perfect for hanks of yarn!  I love it so much. I swear every time I walk up the stairs I open the doors just to look at it all!  Though it does make me a little sick seeing it all together like that.  Plus, that's not even all of it. I still have my recent MDSW purchases in the living room in bags yet.    I really have to start using what I have, I am officially on a yarn diet until next years MDSW.   For real.   I mean it. 

Yeah. 

So....

I am ridiculously excited for my three day weekend coming up.  No major plans,  hoping to do some planting on Saturday, family cookouts on Sunday and strawberry picking/relaxing on Monday! 

Stay tuned for a look at my newest addiction as well as a review.  




Have a great weekend!



Thursday, May 19, 2011

Time Flies.

Today was a day I found myself being very reminiscent of the past few years.  I can't believe another MOPS  year has come and gone. Some very good friends that I've made over the past 5 years have 'graduated' from the group today. 

Wow, it just seems  crazy to think that its been 5 years since that day in September when I first walked into the church and joined the group.   I was never so incredibly nervous in all my life.  I'm normally a very shy person especially walking into a place I don't know with people I don't know, back then I was worse then I am now.  Ironically (or not) being a part of MOPS and more so the steering team has helped me get over that. 

A friend was supposed to join me that day but ended up flaking out on me at the last minute, luckily I didn't realize she flaked out on me until after I was already in the door and signed up for the group.  If I had known that she wasn't going to show there is no way I would have braved that walk into the church on my own.  I would have missed out on knowing some of the most friendly, funny, crazy and awesome women I have ever known.
 I fully believe people are brought into your life when you need them most and believe me I needed them more than they will ever know. 

I am the kind of person who has friends and loves having them.   All through school I had the same best friend pretty much since 1st grade up until the day we graduated. Not saying there weren't others along the way or there weren't years where we were closer than others but we were pretty much a constant in each others lives for a lot of years.   After graduation we did stay in touch for awhile and hung out but then I got married when we were 22 and she didn't.  We were leading very different lives and I can remember the day, driving down the road with her and just knowing that the friendship was over as I had known it.  It wasn't anything specific that happended or was said it was just this feeling that I had, I can't explain it and I never said a word about it.  I just knew and I was right.

So after I had Logan I felt so alone.  Of course I had my family and Ryan but its just not the same.   My sister in law and I were (and are) very close but she lived in Philly at the time so that wasn't the same as having a friend to hang out with  or have lunch with who understood where you were in life, having a child.  Especially your first one.   

I have no idea why it took me so long to find out about MOPS but eventually I did.  My friend and I were originally looking into going to a group that was about 15-20 minutes away but I wasn't sold on that.  I'm wasn't nor am I now a morning person.  I knew I wasn't going to make it there by 9am ever.  So I found the website looked up a local group and low and behold I found a group right in my backyard, almost literally.  At a church that I had totally forgot exsisted but I had passed a bazillion times in my life.

As I was saying, today was our last meeting for the year and inevitably, especially over the next few years, more and more of the original friendships I made that first day in Septemember will be changing.  I will no longer see them twice a month during the school year (sometimes more).   Not only was it sad today when these friends were up there giving their speeches about what MOPS has ment to them but it made me realize I only have 3 more years left with the group.  That might seem like alot but these last 5 have gone by in a blink of the eye.  What's even more sad about that is the fact that my babies are growing up so quickly.  What that 3 years also means is that in that amount of time Cole will be entering the 1st grade.   WOW!!!

 It will be weird when that time comes. The day I 'graduate' from MOPS I will have been a part of the group for 8 years.  That is 8 'years' of walking through those church doors at least two times a  month, usually more because of set up days, steering team meetings and the occassionaly MOPS potluck MNO that we hold at the church.  Wow no wonder I feel so comfortable and at home at that church, I sure do spend alot of time there considering I don't even GO to church!

Another thing that has been awesome because of MOPS is seeing Cole make all of these friendships as well.  As I said Logan was 2 when we started so it was different.  Cole has been there since the day he was born. He was with me there even before he was born so he is incredibly comfortable there as well.  It is so cool to see him now have all of these little friends and even when we aren't with them he will bring them up.  Wanting to show this friend something or wanting to play with that one.   That is what I want for my children, friends that they can say truthfully they've known all their lives.  I can't tell you how great it is to go to opening day for baseball and know every other mother or child there because they are either currently a  MOPS mom or they have been at some point.

So, I know I've said it before, if you are like I was and are looking for that support or to make some new friends please look into joining a local MOPS group.  And if you find one and have the time to dedicate do it, look into joining the steering team. That is were the deep friendships are really made. Its alot of work sometimes but it really is worth it. 

Wow!  ok sorry for that rambling...tomorrow will be an exciting post. I promise!!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Updates & MDS&WF

I am RIDICULOUSLY embarrassed  that it has been so long since my last post!!   I guess a week of almost constant blogging is way too much for me.

We have just been running with baseball and other end of the school year activities.   I have also started working 4 days a week instead of my typical 3, believe it or not that 1 extra day makes a huge difference in the amount of 'extra' time I seem to have.   Not to mention the past 90 days with P90X.

We are officially P90X graduates!  Its been about two weeks since we finished.  Ryan just started mentioning today that he would like to start Insanity this week, I however am not ready.  I have decided that I will instead do another round of P90X before I move on to Insanity.   I'm just not 'there' yet.  

In more exciting yarn news, last weekend my friends and I attended this years Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.





  This was my 4th year attending the festival and I must say it was by far the best sheep and wool I've ever been to.   Normally we get there bright and early and try to see it all as quickly as possible.  Last year we were so hot and miserable we left by 12:30 or so.   This year we decided to set up a base camp and just hang out all day.   So that's what we did.  We ended up leaving our houses later then we had planned but we still got there by 8am and snagged the perfect spot.   It ended up being a gorgeous day. Not too hot or cold. Perfect yarn buying weather!! 






After we got base camp set up a few of us wanted to go and hit up the Sanguine Gryphon.  I had only ever heard of their yarn but never seen in irl.  They had just gotten word a few days before the festival that they were even going to be there.   We got to their booth around 8:30 and there was already a line, technically the festival doesn't 'open' until 9am.  Some booths start selling right away and some stick to the 9 am start time.   Of course they were waiting until 9am.  We were relatively early enough that we were left in the booth as soon as they said the word.  It was tight and cramped but overall it wasn't bad.  If you've never been to an event like this you just sort of have to go with a good attitude and deal with the crowds.   Everyone was polite and we were reaching around each other and helping each other out as best we could. 


Sorry for the flipped picture.  The is was the Sanguine Gryphon's booth after I was finished. This I believe was the line to get in the booth, there was a seperate equally long line to pay. 


We ended up staying the whole day at the festival and had a great time.   Here is the rest of my loot....

The top row is all from Brooks Farm for various different projects I have planned.   Then there is my lovely sheepy mug from jennie the potter.   Then there is the skully hat kit with glow in the dark I yarn I got for the boys.   Next to that is my very first ever hank of Sock that Rock.  In previous years I could never even get close to their booth, since we were there later in the day this year, we could get in.  The bright pink hank is Miss Babs.   Then it is my lovely Sanguine Gryphon, two hanks of Little Traveller and 2 of Bugga.  Then some Noro and other little trinkets. 


So thats whats been going on here.  I am offically on a yarn diet. I have so much yarn now, omg!! I have decided if I don't get some of this knit up this year I will not allow myself to go next year.

I have also been doing some organizing/getting ready for a yard sale and I finally organized my yarn stash.   Later in the week Iwill take pictures of my organization, I love it.  I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner.  The problem is now all of my yarn is in one place and I really have too much!!

Sunday, April 3, 2011

2KCBWDAY7....Your Knitting/Crochet Time

Before I start this final post for blog week, I just want to say that I had a blast doing this.   I'm sorry I didn't post yesterdays topic.   Yesterday was super crazy here with fishing, errands and my knitgroups third anniversary dinner I couldn't find the time to make the post.  Anyway,  thanks to everyone who has stopped by and commented on my posts.  I hope you stick around and keep the comments coming!



Write about your typical crafting time. When it is that you are likely to craft – alone or in more social environments, when watching TV or whilst taking bus journeys. What items do you like to surround yourself with whilst you twirl your hook like a majorette’s baton or work those needles like a skilled set of samurai swords. Do you always have snacks to hand, or are you a strictly ‘no crumbs near my yarn!’ kind of knitter.

My 'typical' time is really whenever/where ever I get the chance. If I'm really into a pattern, I will get Logan off to school and sit at the kitchen table with my coffee and knitting for as long as Cole will 'let' me.   When I was in a crunch for time during Christmas, I took it to work with me and worked on it between phone calls/customers.  I also enjoy my weekly knit nights with a great bunch of friends.   I used to be a regular attendee to our friday night knits but with life and kids I haven't gotten to attend as much as I'd like.  

My most favorite time to knit though is later at night when the whole house is asleep and I can kick back in my favorite spot of the couch either catch up with that weeks tv programs or most recently listening to an audio book on my ipod.   I can have my netbook and kindle handy loaded with my pattern and relax.  

As for food near my knitting it really depends on what I'm working on and what the food would be.   At knit night there is usually always food around but we usually have enough room that its safe.

Remember if you'd like to read more posts about this topic just google 2KCBWDAY7.

Friday, April 1, 2011

2KCBWDAY5...Something Different.



Day Five: 1st April. And now for something completely different.


mosesnorman
bunnie
baby bunny



wheel









logan weaving

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Summertime Bowling and a Free Weekend at Hershey Gardens « « YorkMama.com YorkMama.com

Summertime Bowling and a Free Weekend at Hershey Gardens « « YorkMama.com YorkMama.com

2KCBWDAY 4... Where Are They Now?



Today’s topic is Where are they now? We’re looking back at past projects. What actually happens to a knit/crocheted piece once it’s finished. Are gifts cherished, or shoved to the back of a wardrobe or cupboard to never see the light of day again?



As I'm sitting here trying to write this post,  I've come to realize two things.   Either 1. I don't really finish much (which is very true)  or 2. the things I do finish are never for me so I don't really know what has become of them.    

I think for this post I'm going to go super old school.  The first thing I made...ever.  Way back going on 10 years ago when I first learned to crochet and the shell stitch blanket I made.   When I only crocheted I only did afghans.   That's all my mom and my grandmother did when I was growing up.  Though I do sort of remember my grandmother making pillows and a shawl.  So when I wanted to learn to crochet my grandmother had already passed away and my mom hadn't done any of it in many years.  
Luckily for me my sister in law knew how but she basically did only one type of afghan and that was the shell stitch one.  There is no real pattern for it, just something she's been doing forever.  

My afghan is terribly sad looking now, it was sad looking right after I finished it.   I used way too big of a needle for the yarn.   It has holes in it now from dogs, kids, cats.   I can't bear to throw it out though...


Told you it was sad looking.    Even though it looks horrible and isn't terribly warm, it still  gets used alot.

So while the perfect sweater made out of  THE perfect yarn might be laying upstairs in my armoire,  its pretty safe to say this sad looking blanket gets more use than that sweater ever will. 




Wednesday, March 30, 2011

2KCBWDAY3.....Tidy Mind, Tidy Stitches

First off I just wanted to say how much I am enjoying participating in this year's Knit & Crochet Blog Week.   I have greatly enjoyed reading all of the new (to me) knitting & crochet blogs.   Though I have had a hard time keeping up with all of the new posts on Ravelry!

How do you keep your yarn wrangling organised?


Today's topic has been so incredibly hard for me.  I have been wrestling with weather or not I really wanted to show the world just how unorganized I am.    Then I decided if I'm going to do this I'm REALLY going to do it...so here ya go!

 

This is some of my 'good' yarn.  This  is in the living room right next to where I sit to knit.  This is usually the first stopping place for any yarn that comes in my house.   If its something that I don't have an immediate need for it stays here until I can stand to put it upstairs with the rest...though all of last year's Sheep & Wool purchases are still here in the pink & green Nantucket bag I purchased at the festival. 







These are my bags of acrylic or 'big box store' yarn .  I really have to go through this mess and deal with it.

This is only a small portion of the numerous magazines and books I have.   This is the tote where I keep the rest of my 'good' yarn and fiber. There are various hanks of malabrigo, brooks farm and others in this bin.


Finally, this is my shelf upstairs in the soon to be remodeled area.   This is the home of the remainder of my beginning knitting/crocheting days yarn stash.  All of that yarn was Red Heart and the old Walmart brand of acrylic.  When we moved into this house, I really downsized on that yarn.  I gave bags and bags of it away and this is what I have left.

 In my defense we live in a 200 year old farmhouse with only one communal closet.   While we are currently remodeling the upstairs, I have to keep my knitting stash anywhere there is room.  Taking todays pictures has really opened my eyes to how much yarn I really have. 


As a reminder if you want to read more blogs that are participating in 2KCBW, just type 2KCBWDAY3 into google and it will lead you to all of the blog post on today's topic! 


Tuesday, March 29, 2011

2KCBWDAY2 Skill +1UP

Look back over your last year of projects and compare where you are in terms of skill and knowledge of your craft to this time last year. Have you learned any new skills or forms of knitting/crochet (can you crochet cable stitches now where you didn’t even know such things existed last year? Have you recently put a foot in the tiled world of entrelac? Had you even picked up a pair of needles or crochet hook this time last year?


Sigh....This is a very hard question for me.  I honestly haven't gotten that much accomplished this year.   At least I feel that way when I see what my knitting friends and people on Ravelry get finished.   The things that I actually got finished were either for gifts or things for swaps. 

I guess I have two things that I learned how to do this year though I haven't technically finished either projects.   The first one is my Monkey sock.  



According to my Ravelry project page, I started this sock in February of 2010.  Before doing this sock I had never turned a heal before, so I guess I actually DID accomplish something this past year :)

Next would be Cole's tractor sweater.  Before doing this sweater I had never done any sort of color work.  Yeah I'd done strips but nothing like this...even though I haven't gotten really far at all on the intarsia part.   Its still more than I had done before this past year. 

Wow...so not only has this post help me realize that I did learn something new this year but it also made me dig through some unfinished knitting and make me want to get some of these projects done!