The men in my life can be taught! First, my father got me a project bag for my knitting that boasts on the tag that it can hold up to eight bottles of wine! Wow. I think that says it all. Then I got yarn from my son for my Birthday. OK, so it was Homespun from Michael's, but he MADE his father go out and get me yarn. He is going to make such a great husband! I'm telling you now ladies, he'll be eleven next month and he will make you a FABULOUS son-in-law. Get in line now!
Much knitting was done on lots of rides yesterday in Hershey, PA. We had sooooo much fun!

Chocolate World was as perfect as it sounds. My highlight was a dark chocolate frozen cocoa beverage with tons of whipped cream and chocolate sauce. YUMMY!

Then, while shaking from too much chocolate, we made our way into Hershey Park for lots of rides and entertainment. I always love watching the Hershey Kissmas tree that has lights that dance to the music. The kids loved seeing the reigndeer so much they purchased blinking Rudolph noses and antlers that amused tons of little kids and adults they encountered.

I think our favorite ride was the Reeses Xtreme Cup Challenge. It's like a live video game on a mini rollercoaster while playing laser tag, and then at the end they feed you candy. YEAH! How is this bad?

We closed the park down and made our way home in the wee hours of the night. I couldn't have asked for a better day!

Now to start my second afghan square. The easy one is done, and I'm about to get my butt whooped by this pattern! Fun.

Happy Knitting on New Years Eve!

Happy Birthday to Me,

Happy Birthday to Me,

Happy Birthday dear knitter,

Happy Birthday to Me!

Off to Hershey Park with the kids for Candy Lane. Let's see if I can knit on the rides :-) It's my Birthday and I'll knit if I want to...

On the fifth day of Christmas I treated myself to an early Birthday present. 10 balls of yarn to start my Aran Afghan. The remainder of the yarn will be my tax return present. I've decided to go with the Plymoth Encore color 256. A little yellow under the flourecent lighting of the yarn store, but perfect in my dimly lit home ( dimly lit so that you can't see the dust- dusting takes away from knitting time). Since this is the only afghan I plan on ever knitting, the color must go with all future living room decor, as well as be washable. Here's hoping for the best! I should be finished with the first of 20 squares this weekend, but we'll have to see how the Birthday/ New Year's Eve weekend goes.
By the way a happy birthday goes out to fellow blogger javajem. We share the same aweful day of our birth. A note to all looking to get pregnant in the month of March- hold off! Those December birthdays are killer!
Happy Knitting...

The day after the deadline. The gifts were knit at record pace, and it seems I can't quite shake the feeling that I must knit fast. I actually caught myself putting a time limit on how long it should take me to knit the rows of my current project. I think a deep yoga breath is in order along with a great movie and lots of herbal tea.

I found the Yarn Harlot's letter to non-knitting muggles a couple of days late, but printed out a bunch of copies and gave them out in hopes that I will receive knitting gifts for my birthday on Saturday. A gal can dream, can't she? Here's hoping!

Happy Knitting...

I made it!!!!! The last Christmas present was cast off late on Christmas Eve. The finishing touches were finished this morning. I made it!!!! Of course, some projects were crossed off along the way, but I made it none the less.

I did receive some knitting related items for Christmas. Miss Bonnie from sit 'n knit gave me a Singer scrappy vac, my children's father gave me shea butter hand cream, and my sorority little sis Kristen (whom I have been through thick and thin with) went out to a farm in Voorheesville, NY to get me YARN. No clue what the heck she was doing- that gal got me Alpaca. And that is why I love her so! Thank you all for thinking of me this holiday.

Of course the highlight of the holiday so far had nothing to do with presents. It is watching my children turn into a wonderful young man and woman before my eyes. Sharing our holiday traditions and seeing for the first time this year how special these traditions have become to them. Hearing the compassion in my sons nightly prayers last night as he remembered the electric truck he had seen along the side of the road on the way home from church, and he prayed for all of those in the military and those who work on Christmas Eve and Christmas day -so that we may have a good holiday. Realizing that they understand the reason for the season is not what they receive under the Christmas tree, but the gift they have received in the birth of the baby Jesus. These are all things I did not think would happen this Christmas, but in the years to come. To my surprise, my little babies are babies no more.

A note to all of those knitters out there who believe that yarn should only be purchased one project at a time:

How do you survive the Holidays? How do you run to the yarn store every time yet another last minute Christmas gift needs to be knit at lightning speed? How do you do it????

Obviously you posses some sort of organizational gene I was born without. Besides that, do you also posses some sort of radar detector for those gifts you don't realize you need until the day before they need to be presented?

For instance, how do you knit for an ex mother in-law who is not even supposed to be in the state for the holidays, yet still amazingly shows up and has a present for you- her EX daughter in-law. I suppose you, prepared knitter that you are, who can resist the temptation of purchasing yarn in bulk, would not have an EX mother in-law because you would have your life so together that you have chosen the perfect husband the first time around. However- just for a second, let's pretend you had a wild youth that you have since grown up and recovered from (all except the ex husband of course). How do you anticipate needing a gift like that? It must be gift radar!

I use this very holiday for the support of yarn stashes everywhere!!!! May you stash dive without injury up until the bitter end my fellow knitters! Happy Knitting to all, and to all a good night!

Does anyone out there remember the Yarn Harlot's Holiday knitters help line?
1(888) SOS-KNIT
I could use it right about now.

The entire weekend was spent baking. Me. Baking. Not one stitch was knit!

It started with the Pumpkin Spice bread (Oh, that's already gone-gotta make another one), then it was chocolate butterscotch cookies, chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate chip cookies, Italian wedding cookies, and caramel fudge brownies. Let's not forget the holiday ham dinner I made today, or the pot roast yesterday.

What of my holiday knitting? Yarn Harlot, why have you forsaken me and taken my only lifeline to sanity???? I need a fix. Please, I implore you, bring back the help line!!!

Highlights to the weekend (besides the sugar rush you get just from smelling those brownies) were the Steelers win and the presents that need to be shipped out are purchased, wrapped and ready to be shipped! Also a plus, was giving the boy and girl the Night, Night tea from Teavanna and (miracle) having it work like a charm!

Extra work, holiday shopping, kids, and the last ball of my Falling Leaves Shawl. What does that add up to? No time to blog!

Thank you to the ladies of the K1P2 sit 'n knit last night for bringing me back to life after a tough day at work. Thanks to Large Marge for heading over to Teavanna to pick up some more of that life-saving tea. (Having some Peach Tranquility right now) Shelby, thanks for the offer of the online coupon for tea. I think I do best smelling the tea in person. Alot of it sounds great, and then smells or tastes quite different. Then there are the hidden gems you would never have picked, and end up drinking 3 cups a day of it!

Happy Knitting to all, and to all a good night!!!!

I have quickened the pace on my Falling Leaves Shawl, and am back on track to wear it for Christmas Eve (I think). The reason for my sudden burst of productivity would be the realization that I need the needles that the shawl is on for a project being started on New Years Day. Deadlines, deadlines!

The only thing standing in the way of my finishing the shawl in time is the amount of shopping that needs to be done to find a present for my father. You know the type. He's the guy who has everything, and when he needs something- he goes out and buys it. My mother goes to pot every year trying to rack her brain for anything to give the man, so she is no help to give her children any ideas. So, not only is he driving me nuts trying to get some sort of gift for him, but I am also using up valuable knitting time. I will start his socks for Father's Day the day after Christmas. Really. I mean it this time. Honest! Why are you laughing at me?

16 days until Christmas and counting. My children are not helping my knitting time due to the fact that they both have book reports due. My daughter can focus at times on the task at hand, but the boy child.... let's just say it's slow going. I seem to be needed for a different crisis EVERY three seconds. "Mom, I wrote another sentence!" "Mom, I can't find a working brown marker for my report cover!" "Mom, Mom, Mom!" Augh!!!!!!! I don't recall my mother having to answer all of these questions, however perhaps that's just selective memory in action.

By the way, who gives 10 year olds book reports 16 days before Christmas???? They have the attention span of knats!!!!!!!

Since I've only been left alone long enough to knit exactly one row today, I think I'll have yet another cup of tea. They seem to give me time enough for a sip here and there.

Ok, ok- the kids were sooooo cute and I didn't knit a stitch at the concert. I stand corrected!

I have found a happy place that has nothing to do with yarn. After tonight's concert, I went over to the Mall (something I NEVER do) and found a tea shop called Teavanna. I am now sipping on a cup of Rooibos Toffee Tea (improves digestion, good for skin and allergies, high in vitamins, more antioxidants than green tea) and am thinking of the Rooibos Caramel Creme I will be having after this. And if I can take any more excitement, I will start tomorrow off with the Rooibos Orange! Squeeze me!

I have my secret pal to thank for all of this. In my holiday package, I got some Prickly Pear Tea which I thought was loose leaf tea. I did not have a tea ball, so out I went to get one so that I could enjoy my tea. Of course the tea was, in fact, in a bag. This left me craving loose leaf tea. The mission was on. Where o where could I find something to put in my tea ball? Large Marge suggested just ripping the tea bag open and putting the tea in the ball that way. I refused, stating that it would be cheating. The Prickly Pear Tea was good in a bag and did not need to be stripped to prove a point. And then came Teavana!

I can't remember the last time I felt this way about a non-yarn retail space. I am at peace. I must knit!

Happy Knitting...

I get to head off to the kids winter (notice the lack of a Christams reference for politically correct reasons) concert tonight instead of Sit 'N Knit. Seeing as the kids are now in fifth grade, the cuteness of the whole thing has pretty much worn off. It's standing room only, so knitting while leaning is my only option. Not to worry, the instrumental concert (why can't we combine it for one night of misery?) is on a Thursday night as well. No Sit 'n Knit for me! This is why the Lord makes kids so cute, so you won't abandon them for your knitting group.
Happy Knitting..

I have yarn that is hiding from me. I know I bought it just a week ago to make a purse for a Christmas present. The problem is, now I can't find it. I hate to accuse the girl child of stealing my yarn, but where can it be? My ever dwindling stash is NOT to blame, so don't even think it! I have checked all areas of the car (under seats and in the trunk), under my bed (you would be surprised how often that spot is the key to all missing things), not to mention all bags of Christmas related items that have entered the house recently. Alas, the search continues.

Happy Knitting...

My Christmas package arrived from my SP9 Pal. We are all drinking hot cocoa out of snowflake mugs tonight. My kids are also decorating their wooden ornaments. I'm excited to try my new Prickly Pear Tea tomorrow morning!!!!!! Also in the package food wise were Lemon flavored clove honey sticks, three candies, and a tea bag on a greeeting card. An adorable sheep was hiding in a cosmetic bag. I think she'll end up on my Christmas tree! Yarn was also in my package. A skein of blue Astermann Step sock yarn (the one with Aloe Vera and Jojoba oil!), a skein of Laughing Lemon recycled silk, and last but not least a skein of pink granite Socks That Rock (with the marble arches pattern to go with it). Rounding out the goodies was the latest issue of Creative Knitting Magazine. Thank you so much to my Secret Pal for giving me yarn for Christmas. It probably is the only yarn I will get, knowing too well the others who shop for me. Thank you , Thank you , Thank you! Happy Knitting...

Since the Steelers won yesterday, I thought a little Steeler trivia was in order for today.


The Steelers are the only NFL team that sports their logo on only one side of the helmet. At first, this was a temporary measure because the Steelers weren't sure they would like the look of the logo on an all-gold helmet. They wanted to test them before going all-out.
Equipment manager Jack Hart was instructed to put the logo only on one side of the helmet - the right side. The 1962 Steelers finished 9-5 and became the winningest team in franchise history to date. The team finished second in the Eastern Conference and qualified for the Playoff Bowl. They wanted to do something special for their first postseason game, so they changed the color of their helmets from gold to black, which helped to highlight the new logo.
Because of the interest generated by having the logo on only one side of their helmets and because of their team's new success, the Steelers decided to leave it that way permanently.
Today's helmet reflects the way the logo was originally applied and it has never been changed.

This weekend was spent with some fellow knitters, but there was not alot of knitting going on. Friday was Lindsay's (from the Celtic Knot) father's funeral at Arlington National Cemetary. Last night was a slumber party for Lindsay at Carol's (owner of Celtic Knot) house. Also in attendence was Sarah (also Celtic Knot) and Large Marge. I've never done so little knitting in the presence of other knitters.
Friday's experience at Arlington has me thinking of all of the knitting that has been done in the past for the soldiers. Knitting socks and bandages were a way to do your part for the war. Today it seems that when we go to war there is a push to keep life the same for those at home, instead of sacrificing and doing our part. Wether or not I agree with where our troops are and the orders they are given, I always have the utmost respect for the men and women who have committed their lives to protecting their country! I did some surfing and found a GREAT project for us knitters to do to show our support for our troops. http://www.operationhomefront.org/Community/knitters.shtml Large Marge has a nephew being shipped out to Iraq soon and I would love to adopt his unit and be able to provide these men and women with helmet liners that we have knit for them. Please post if you are interested in joining us and knitting at least one item for the men and women protecting your freedom.
Happy Knitting...