two months

Two months is better than two years, right?

When I have such a long absence from the blog, I find it so hard to begin again. And not just getting into the habit of making posts. More like, where do I begin? Do I try and play catch up?

I’ve decided just to start new. Start with today and when the times come, share some things from the past.

Like I said in my previous post, the kids are getting ready for a new school year. My little guys are growing up right before my eyes. Too fast. I’m not ready.

 

We are getting our school supplies ready and trying to get back on a good bed time schedule. Our school starts at 7:15 am here. Which means I have to leave the house at the latest 6:50 am. Which means we have to wake up even earlier than that. Did I mention I AM NOT a morning person? I’m not.

Mike and I just got back from a two week trip to Ireland! It was beautiful, breathtaking, magical, unforgettable and just what we needed. We flew my mom up from Florida and she stayed with the kids for us. It was different being Mike and Val and not Mommy and Daddy for two whole weeks. I missed them so much, but I feel like I am a much better parent since I have been back. I even feel like I’m more patient with them now.

 

I hope to share some more photos from our trip. We have so many! Ireland is even more beautiful and green than you think.

two years

I miss this space…

Two years. Two whole years since my last blog post.

Babies have grown up. Kids have started school. Times have sure changed over here. There is so much that has happened in these past two years that it will be impossible to catch up. Jacob & Emma have started elementary school, Sophie will start preschool this Fall, I’ve had a baby through surrogacy for an awesome family (he’s already a year old!), Mike is now working from home, my siblings are busy getting married– Wally in January, Vanessa in March and Collin’s wedding is this weekend. Lots of wonderful memories have been made. And none documented here.

Maybe one day I will get better at that…

knitting, crocheting & a family vacation

We are getting ready to go on a family vacation to the Smoky Mountains! My dad, step-mom-to-be (she’s been a step-mom-to-be for over 10 years now– time to get married Jenn!), little brother & sister and nephew will be joining us at the cabin. I am very much so looking forward to it! Our cabin has the best view. Photos do it absolutely no justice. The kids are excited as well and are eager to get going. This will be our third time staying there. It’s become sort of like a home away from home.

I was hoping to have finished a Spring Shirt for each of the girls to wear while we were there, but that didn’t happen. I finished one of them and I’m not too crazy about how it turned out. Looks like I’m going to frog it, again. Yes, again!! It will be the second time. It’s just not fitting Emma right. Arg.

I was also hoping to have finished two hooded capelets, but again, only finished one. The pattern calls for self striping sock yarn and I got a great deal on sock yarn at Joann’s. The yarn is originally $6 a skein and I got it for $2.50! I’m really happy with how it turned out and will definitely be posting some action shots soon.

I’m going to make this post short and sweet. I really need to get back to packing!

Mountains– here we come!

i braved the shave!

So, it happened. I’m bald!! I thought I would be more nervous than I actually was. It really wasn’t that bad at all! And I feel SO great about it!

Thank you so, so much to EVERYONE who donated. You helped me raise $1040.00!! I still can’t believe it. My heart feels so full with all the generosity everyone has shown in helping me with this wonderful cause. Wow!!

I know you’re just dying to see. So here’s a little before and after for you!

Would I do it again? Absolutely! In a heart beat. In fact, perhaps in a few years (when it grows back enough for me to donate even more hair) I will sign up again. I can’t wait.

If you are interested in joining this wonderful cause you can read all about it here. There are events to participate in all over the country. It’s life changing, I promise.

autumn wheat chevron blanket :: in action

Today I am braving the shave! We are heading over to my in-laws and taking the kids to Chuck E Cheese. I figure that’ll keep me busy all day until it’s time to head on over to  Bald in the Boro, our local event for the St. Baldrick”s Foundation.

I will make sure to post before and after photo’s tomorrow, but until then I have something else to share with you. I was going through old blog posts and came across this post (I also blogged about it here as well) about my chevron blanket. I’ve since finished it and thought I’d share some photos of it in action.

 Pattern (Free) :: Ravelry Notes ::  And this photo inspired my choice of colors.

As you can see, this blanket sure does get a lot of love! I am so happy with how it turned out.  I definitely see another ripple blanket it my future…

st. baldrick’s

I have decided to shave my hair to show my support for children fighting cancer. Have you heard of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation? It’s basically an organization that raises money to help fund childhood cancer research.

“‘Shavees’ for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation show their support by shaving their heads voluntarily, and inspiring friends and family to donate money to support childhood cancer research.” –St. Baldrick’s Foundation

I can’t explain exactly why I have decided to participate. I heard about it before but didn’t give much thought to it. Then on the way to my in-laws while I was driving in my car alone I suddenly remembered it.  And that’s when I felt a calling to do it.

I’m doing it for the children. I’m doing it for the parents. I’m doing it because I feel like it’s what I can do, to do my part in fighting this awful disease. I just can’t imagine as a parent hearing the words, “Your child has cancer.”

I have decided to honor Brooke. Brooke is 9 years old and is being treated at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, the same hospital Jacob had his surgery at. You can read more about Brooke here.

So, here I am 10 days and  $680 dollars later. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous at all. Because I am. However, I feel like it is the right thing to do. It’s only hair, after all. It will grow back.

Shaving day is tomorrow, February 15th at 4:40 pm.  I’m sure it’ll be life changing. I can’t wait.

my cheating heart

I love crocheting. I really, honestly do. If my hands ever have a spare moment, I like nothing more that to hold a hook and yarn in them. It relaxes me and takes me to my happy place. But recently I’ve been itching to knit. And I feel as if I’m cheating on my hooks.

Yes, it’s true. Silly. But true.

You see, I just love the look of knitted clothing. Over the last couple of years I’ve been collecting some beginner knitting books and purchasing a few patterns online here and there. I’ve even made a garter stitch scarf for Emma a few Christmases ago. It was awful, but I made it nonetheless.

I have a problem that when I first learn something I want to be PERFECT at it immediately. I want it to come easy. And that is not always the case.

I remember five years ago when my Nanny first taught me to crochet when Jacob was only a month or so old. I got so frustrated at times and wanted to just give up. But I didn’t. I kept going. And eventually I got pretty good at it.

I just need to remind myself of this as I am trying to teach myself to knit. Practice really does make perfect. And eventually, if I keep at it, I will get better.

I’ve successfully knitted quite a few things lately. As soon as one things comes off the needles, I immediately cast on another project. And quite often, I have quite a few projects going at once.  Oh, yes.

So what I have I been working on lately? I’ll show you!

Pattern: Pebble Vest   My Ravelry Notes

Pattern: Plain Vest (Size 12 months pattern is  free, additional sizes available to purchase)   My Ravelry Notes

Pattern: in-threes: a baby cardigan   My Ravelry Notes

Pattern: in-threes: a baby cardigan   My Ravelry Notes

As you can see in the pictures I have slowly got a little bit better. There is still a lot that I need to work on. But if you are a newbie knitter looking for some simple garment patterns, I really suggest the patterns above. Any questions that I had regarding the patterns were quickly answered by doing a simple youtube search. (Oh, google and youtube— where would I be without you?!)

I’ve mad e a few other things too that I haven’t got around to photographing. But I’ll be sure to share them as soon as I do. One of those finished projects may even be for me. Would you believe it?

I have something else very personal to share with you tomorrow. See you then!

Hi

Has it really been a year since I have last posted? Really? A year?

I will admit, blogging is on my mind frequently. I love it. I love reading back and seeing what our days were like. I love being able to go back and watch the kids grow through the years. I have been blogging since Jacob was just a few months old.

Blogging also keeps me inspired to create and write. It’s sort of like an outlet for me. I miss it.

I’d love to start again. It will be too much to catch up on all that has happened this past year, so I won’t be doing any of that. No. I will just start off fresh. How about tomorrow?

I’ll see you then!

garden planning

Spring is just around the corner. I see it in our daffodils. I smell it in our hyacinth. I feel it in this windy air.

Besides admiring all of these pretty flowers that emerge from their bulbs and greet us with their beauty every year around this time, I’ve been planning this year’s garden– which will hopefully include a couple of new raised beds for growing food and a couple more for flowers. I’d also like to get our front beds fixed this year. I say it every year. Who knows, maybe this year we will actually make it happen! (How’s that for positive thinking?)

Around my house you will find gardening notes, plans, books, and seed catalogues lying around in just about every corner.

We’ll be starting a lot of our plants from seeds this year, just as we did last year. The kids always have so much fun planting seeds. What’s even more exciting is that a few of the seeds we plan to grow this year were actually harvested from last year’s plants. I can’t wait to see how those turn out!

walking & [inspired] bear cub beanie

Well, hello there!

As you can tell, I’ve been absent from blogging… yet again. Lots going on. Busy times ’round here I tell ya.

Miss Sophia is on the go. She has even started walking these past few weeks. At 9 months! Can you believe it?

She took a total of 13 steps two weeks ago. What an exciting thing to watch! We really are having a lot of fun with her. Watching her grow and develop her own little personality. Definitely one of my favorite things about being a mommy.

Jacob has been doing well in preschool. He really enjoys the two days a week that he goes. He comes home with all sorts of crafty things. His art work is really starting to grow. His drawings are becoming more clear, he is using more colors when coloring (he used to use one color for a project), and he’s just becoming all around more artistic. Love it!

His funny and sweet comments never end. This little boy has me wrapped I tell ya. Last night as we were snuggling in bed he told me, “Mommy, your hair is so beautiful. You are gorgeous! I love you the best!” He sure knows what to say to make my heart melt.

Emma is still two. And she has been pushing our buttons more than ever lately. (Three, how long away are you?!) But she is still her lovey, snuggly self deep down. She has been having so much fun playing with her BFF, Maisie. From the moment she wakes up she asks for her.

Emma: Mommy, I want to play with Maisie.
me: Not right now, maybe a little later.
Emma: But I love her!

Pure cuteness. Those girls, though two and attitudey at times, really are two peas in a pod. I can’t wait to watch them grow up together.

On to my newest craft project! I came across this bear hat on flickr the other day. I fell in love with it and knew instantly that I had to make one.

Source: flickr.com via Valerie on Pinterest

 

I put my own little spin on it and came up with this:

I have to say that it is by far my favorite thing I have ever made. I’ve made plenty of bear hats over the years, but this one takes the cake! I’m just so sad that this cooler weather won’t be lasting much longer. Believe me, Sophie will be wearing this every chance we get until it is just too hot to wear anymore.