What day is it?

I keep hearing it is March 31, but the weather outside is frightning!

SNOW SNOW SNOW!

Don't get me wrong, I love winter and downhill skiing, but what good does all this snow do when the slopes are closed? At first I was thinking all the snow advisories were just a very well coordinated April Fools joke - I guess not. I wonder a what a snow day on April Fools day would be like? Me at home trying to knit or read and my kids planning & pulling pranks all day long on me - or worse yet, each other (I can just hear the fighting!).

Well, I guess I hope that they go to school tomorrow. It is my normal day off, and I truly appreciate the peace and quiet. Plus I have a few errands to run, so I don't want to be tethered by them.

Change of subject (my husband wishes I would say that aloud often in our conversations so he can follow along easier). Took Mocha (new puppy - see earlier posts) for a walk yesterday. I am so impressed! Not to brag, but she is training up really nicely.

Confession: Gunnar's room was completed as far as painting during my break, but his furniture is still not back in place and the wall stickies aren't up. Still some work remaining.

I guess this isn't too bad because I only have 6 UFO's, One only needs buttons and another is hibernating. I am trying to just finish projects this month, but I know I am going to break down and buy something during the April 4 Yarn Tasting at Amazing Threads. I also have this really strong desire to start up a couple of different socks.

Oh great yarn stash - keep me from adding to you this month! Anyone out there can help try to keep me accountable.

Baby Shower Day

I had a wonderful, relaxing birthday yesterday. It was really fun to get the cards, e-mails, etc.

Today was the baby shower for my niece. I co-hosted and my mother-in-law provided the locale. It went well! She has about 4 weeks left until her due date. I am exhausted - not really sure why though. I was able to sleep in until 8am this morning.

Here are the pictures of the ducky blankie. This was a bear binkie (by Cid of CiD Designs) I was testing knitting, but the colors I had selected (trying to stay gender neutral) ended up making it look more like a duck. Friday the women I knit with at Champlin Dunn's confirmed it was truly a duck - and as a team, the duck feet were designed and knit. Last night I put the finishing touches on it, wrapped it up and gave it to the mother-to-be this afternoon.


I think tonight is going to be a restful evening, except I promised to take dd and her friend to Kohls - better find a portable knitting project or book to bring along.

Officially Middle Age...

at least according to many (45yo). However, I don't think I will really feel like that or be there until 50 - only time will tell.

My son sang me a cute song this morning:

This is your birthday song, it isn't very long - Happy Birthday!

I also have this cute little cake by my avatar on Ravelry & have already received birthday greetings on there and here on my blog. The internet makes this so fun - I get to 'hear' from people all over. Well, off for my day of leisure and yarn related activities!

Three Day's of Rest

Yeah!!! I actually have someone covering all the conference calls that were set up for tomorrow, so I can sleep in, go knitting on time & visit Amazing Threads (preferred LYS) to use my discount on yarn!

To top all this off, tomorrow is my birthday, so I am really excited that I will be living this day of luxury! (Maybe I will even get breakfast in bed?) I had the coolest phone message today - my great aunt Kat (turned 103 last Sunday) sang me Happy Birthday! She said she called while she was thinking about it so she wouldn't forget tomorrow - hah - she doesn't forget much of anything!

Saturday is almost completely restful - there is the baby shower I am co-hosting at noon, but I think that will go well. Again - rest of the time can be filled with fun.

Sunday is church, possibly shopping with my dd & her friend and then a fun gathering with our Couples Life Group.

This week I was one of the 'everybody workin for the weekend'! Can you name the music artist who sang that song.

Vacation Update & Now...Back to Work

Ok, so I did it! Things completed (some of these are repeats, wanted one consolidated list to review when I am feeling unproductive):

• baby shower invites sent
• remainder of baby shower tasks documented or done
• G's room painted
• knit baby booties
• knit baby hat
• knit swiffer covers (up to 4 now)
• knit bear binkie
• seamed baby dress
• tax prep & meeting - RETURN!
• almost done with bamboo T
  
• house cleaned (had company on Saturday)
• laundry completed
• basement ready for a 'youth' party
• trained puppy (not done by any means, but a good start)
• attended church stuff in addition to Sunday services
• survived 2 sleepovers (9/10yo boys)
• survived 4 days of dd's friend visiting (this was actually fun and easy)
• attended 4 knitting gatherings
• attended oldest daughter neighborhood group
• kidcare for a 3yo one early morning
• knit a tribble
• read 2+ books
• updated Ravelry
• blogged regularly
• got card/flowers out to Aunt for 103rd birthday on time
  

Wow - pretty good for Easter vacation!

Happy Easter & Happy 103 Birthday Katty

HE IS RISEN!
HE IS RISEN INDEED!










My great aunt Katty is 103 today. It is the 2nd time in her life that her birthday fell on Easter Sunday. The first time (her 8th birthday), she was told that she would never have her birthday fall on Easter again - boy were they wrong!



Trivia:
This is pretty neat. Easter this year is: Sunday March 23, 2008.

As you may know, Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

Based on the above, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22) but that is pretty rare. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier!

Here are the facts:

The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!). The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285, 277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

MORE SNOW!

Today I'm not complaining - don't really have any reason to leave the house. Plus the white is really beautiful.

Well, the tax man was an answer to prayer. I will get to pay off a few bills that got ahead of me. Today is the 2nd to last day of my vacation. Things on the list for today:

• clean main floor
• prepare for company tonight
• finish G's room
• finish laundry
• finish Bear Binkie knitting
• read
• prepare for Easter morning
• pay bills if time (other wise moves to Sunday)

Not bad, I think with the families help, today will go smooth and allow us all time to relax.

Since I have no control over the weather anyway:

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!

Friday - SNOW!?!?!?!?

OK, I love snow and downhill skiing, but not today! I fell asleep last night about 8pm and overslept this morning (probably a good thing on vacation), but missed knitting at Dunn's. I have the bottom 1/2 of G's room to finish, no ambition left. I have to take M to hair appt. at 11:45, G needs a hair cut, need to make a bank run and I still haven't prepared for the 4:30pm tax guy appt.

I THINK MY VACATION IS OVER!

Ok, enough of the pity party, I need to get moving! Mantra for today - the better prepared I am for tax appt. the more likely the tax return! READY, SET GO...

Thursday...

This morning I got up early to help out a neighbor by watching her grandson for an hour or so. You forget so fast about the earlier ages. He was so fully of curiosity and energy. My son was up, so they played Rescue Hero's most of the time. It was fun. After that I had the privledge of attending 3 meeting for work (YES, I know I am on vacation), icky. I think I will want a nap later this afternoon!
Today's plans:

• kid care for neighbor (DONE)
• 3 morning meetings for work (DONE)
• coat 2 of blue in G's room (DONE)
• coat 1 of green
  
• laundry (still)
• knit at AT this afternoon
• run to some stores
• library run
• post office run?
  
• get Easter stuff?
• prep for taxes meeting tomorrow (YUCK!)

I am notorious for procrastination. That is why the laundry is taking so long and also that I am going knitting this afternoon, putting off tax preparation until as late as possible this evening.

Wednesday - "hump day"

Well, I guess we are getting over the "hump" of getting Gunnar's room done. The primer is done, dry and the 1st coat of the blue is almost done. It will need a second coat - oh well. Then we get to do the bottom part of the walls in a green - I know that will be two coats - covering up old sponge paint job.

Last night I got to visit with my neighborhood group. The four of us are all the first born, daughters, names with K or D, and often feel like we are giving the soap opera's a run for their money as far as funky family stuff. We also always meet after 8:30pm and never get home before midnight - often way later than that!

So since I last made note, here are the accomplishments:

• seamed baby dress (need to work on my knit garment seaming)
• looked for buttons for above dress - will have to go to store (maybe tomorrow)
  
• e-mailed some friends
• watched 7th heaven
• primer done in G's room
• 1st coat of blue done
• will attend "3" tonight with church Jr. Higher's
• more laundry
  
• read
• knit more on M's pink T - still hoping done by Easter?!?!?

Feeling quite lazy today (up to late last night?) - probably will be reading/knitting for the rest of today.

Day 5 of Vacation

Hi!
Wow I love not having to work! I am mixing laziness and productivity - if that can be done. So far I have:

• knit 2 swiffer covers, 1 baby hat, 1 pair baby booties
• knitted with Champlin Knitter's at Dunn Brothers on Friday morning
  
• attended Friday night stitch-in at Amazing Threads
• printed some new knit patterns to play with
• attended Tuesday SSK @ Amazing Threads
• knit a 'tribble'
• updated Ravelry with photo's of stash and projects
  
• bought paint for son's room
• stripped wall paper in his room
• spackle and priming today (at minimum)
• taken dog to vet (her first visit)
  
• invitations for baby shower sent
• reading a book called Deception by Randy Alcorn
• prodded my kids to get the basement cleaned up (done, now they want friends over!)
• laundry

I think I am doing pretty good!

Just 4 hours left until vacation...

I have so many plans, probably too many, but I can try...

• finish up some knitting projects
• baby shower for niece all planned
• read, read, read
• G-boy's room redecorated (mostly paint)
• knit
• read
• fun with kids - thier choice
• basement youth friendly
• Oldest Daughter Group night out
• knit
• read
• train puppy
• walks if weather is nice
• blog
• ravelry
• clean house
• knit
• read

So, anyone out there want to hold me accountable for any/all of the above?

Side Tracked, but almost done

Puppy training, influenza in the house and some other family issues have side tracked me from completing by blog site, but all I have left is to fix the corners. Some day I will add more yarn pictures and something that better shows off my FO's, but, for now I am just enjoying many of my favorite colors.

Why is your 'golden' doodle black?

After posting the pictures of our new puppy, as well as e-mailing them to family, I received the same question many times. Why is your 'golden' doodle black? So, in hopes of answering many people at once, here is the answer.

Golden Doodles are not purebred, but a hybrid dog. They are a combination of a golden retriever and a poodle. In our case a BLACK standard poodle is Mocha's father. Because a poodle comes in pretty much every doggie color, doodles come in a wide variety of colors as well. Click HERE to see a photo gallery of the many colors of doodles. Doodles are supposed to shed less, if at all. It is said that a later generation doodle provides even less shedding. Another interesting item is that doodles are now coming in different sizes. My understanding is that the golden's are being bread with different size poodles to achieve this. This is where I believe the label of 'designer dog' refers to.

Feel free to post questions, I am still learning, but will always make an attempt to answer.

our newest family member - meet MOCHA!

on saturday we made a visit to "see" a puppy. we came home with her. after a few hours of brainstorming and conversation, she was named Mocha. she was 10 weeks on 3/1. she is a golden doodle. her mom, the golden retriever, was about 50lbs & pop, the standard poodle, was 80lbs. We're hoping for the smaller side of that range.

she is growing fast, so I will try to keep this updated. the kids are really pitching in - hope it lasts ;)

trust & time...

how long does it take to gain trust in someone? some people you trust easily, others may take longer, something in you just says to go slow. how long does it take to lose trust in someone? it can be gone in a flash, one statement, one test result.

HOW DO YOU REGAIN TRUST & HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?
that I don't know. can it be recovered faster if you have a strong relationship, or does that make you feel even more deceived and wary? are things that can be done to help speed up the process?

what i am struggling with is the depth of lies, the danger of lies, not to just the liar, but to those unsuspecting around.

how long does it take to gain trust in someone who has lied to you?