Month: June 2007

Circulars and Stash

Published by dee on June 11, 2007

Last week I ran across a link to a really cute hat pattern over at Knitting Passion. I’ve been getting really anxious to branch out a little with my knitting I fell in love with this Grace Beanie from KnitWhits the moment I saw it.

As soon as I had some spare time Sunday evening, I sat down and tried to start in on the beanie, only to find out that I didn’t have the right size of circulars to knit it. I purchased a few circular needles a while back so that when I was ready I could experiment, I just didn’t think I would be experimenting with a pattern quite so soon. I decided to start in anyway and see what I could come up with and to get used to the circulars.

Today I went out at lunch to try to find the right size needles. I headed out to one of my favorite craft stores (which is actually more of a fabric store) and at the last minute decided to change routes and go to a certain chain Hobby store to see what they had. I have to say it was an excellent decision.

Being a bit of a newbie to knitting, I don’t know a lot about yarns yet. I am learning, but there are so many different types and different textures out there. I haven’t yet ventured out to any specialty yarn shops because my skill level just doesn’t make it worth my time or money quite yet. Up until now, I’ve chosen to go the cheap route and pick up my supplies at Wal-Mart or other discount stores. But I think I may have found a new spot.

I was practically drooling over the yarn selection at the big chain Hobby store. There were so many colors and textures and ideas flowing through my head. Each new yarn I noticed put pictures of cute hats and scarves and sweaters and bags in my head. I wanted it all. I wanted to knit it all. Unfortunately, I don’t have the time or the money for it all. Besides that, I have quite a stash at home already that I need to use up before I buy any more.

I walked around a bit more, picked up the needles and a couple of other items I needed, and then glanced at the yarn one more time. That is when I caved. I ended up buying 4 skeins of chenille that looked just too fun. It was on clearance and I just couldn’t resist. I already have a gift recipient in mind. Now I just have to figure out what exactly I’m going to make with it. Maybe a larger Grace Beanie with a matching scarf?

Technorati Tags: circular needles, stash, knitting passion, grace beanie, knitwhits, yarn, chenille

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Quick Note

Published by dee on June 8, 2007

Apparently the video on the last post doesn’t show up in feed readers (at least not in Google Reader) so if you’re feeding, click on over and check out the “5 Years” video.

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5 Years

Published by dee on June 8, 2007

Dear Hubby,

Five years ago today I stood in my Dad’s church (in a hideous dress that I bought at the last minute) with you, surrounded by your parents, my family, and a very few dear friends, to say “I Do”. Some days it seems like only yesterday. Some days it seems like it was decades ago. When I think of all we have been through in the last five years I am amazed that we are still going strong.

I’ll never forget that boy with the Southern accent that I “bumped” into on the dance floor. The look on your face–half laughing because you could see how embarrassed I was–as you said, “I’ll dance with you, girl,” has been forever burned into my memory. That dance, and the ones that followed that night, changed my life and my heart forever. I told Amy as much on the way home that night and am still happy to be able to say I was right.

From the very beginning, everything about you felt so natural. I was with you every chance I could get from our first date on. I somehow felt incomplete without you by my side and I had the gas bill to prove it! I drove from OP to Independence almost every night to get just a few hours with you. Then it was off to St. Louis on the weekends when you got transferred there. If I wasn’t at work (or running home for a quick shower) I was with you. I have to admit I was a little happy when you got laid off and moved up here for good.

These days I still need you by my side every day. We may not spend every minute together anymore, but I can still count on two hands the nights that we have been apart since our wedding day. I may not express it often, but there is nothing more comforting than having you laying in bed next to me every night.

We have had so many joys and so many hardships over the years. Sometimes I feel like we have had more than our share of the hard times. There have been many times when I wondered if we would make it, but we always manage to pull through. Having a child together was probably one of the most difficult things our relationship has been through, but it is also the best. I know we still aren’t back to where we were before, but I think we’re going to get there. Looking at that little face, a combination of you and me, makes everything worth it and I can’t wait to add another little mini-us to our family.

I have no doubt that God put you in my path for a reason. I may complain and get frustrated at you for insignificant things, but no matter what I say or do, you always show me love and I regret that sometimes I do not do the same for you. Last year around this time I felt like things were slipping away out of my grasp, but now I feel like I have a much firmer grip. I hate that I questioned you, that I questioned us, but it only served to make me stronger. I am amazed that you stuck by my side.

I hope that you aren’t offended by me sharing these thoughts here, but as you know, it is easier for me to write than to talk when it comes to my emotions. You came into my life at a time when I had almost given up on love and together we learned that there was so much more to life and love than either one of us ever could have imagined. I hope in future years our love continues to grow and that someday we will be celebrating fifty years instead of five.

Thank you for loving me the way that you do and for letting me be me. When I married you I got so much more than I bargained for, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Love always,
Dee

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Just When You Feel Safe

Published by dee on June 7, 2007

I seriously can’t believe my lack of posting the last couple of weeks. Something in dee-land must be off. Oh, I remember. I’ve been busier than ever and I feel like crap. All week long people have been asking if I feel any better and unfortunately I do not. If anything, I’m actually feeling worse. It seems like every time I have something fun planned, I get sick. The last time I got really sick was right before our Hawaii vacation. The time before that? The night before I was supposed to leave for Portland. So what is happening this time? Hubby and I’s 5-year anniversary on Friday, a kid-free night (and morning to sleep in!), and Rockfest (an all-day concert) on Saturday. And I feel like crap. My nose is runny. My head is stuffed up and achy. My throat is getting sore from the coughing. All I really want to do is spend the next few days in bed. Standing up for more than 10 minutes or so pretty much wipes out any energy that I have. I think it will be an excellent weekend.

Along with my sickness woes, some pretty crappy things have been going on around KC. The first I’m sure many of you have heard about (and many have already blogged about). An 18-year-old girl, Kelsey Smith, was abducted at a local Target and killed. Her body was found just a few miles from my house. The Target store she was taken from just happens to be my favorite in the area and is one that I go to frequently. It really has me thinking about how careless I can be at times. I tend to believe in the general good of others but when things like this happen it tends to freak me out a bit. I’ll definitely be a little more careful the next time I’m out shopping.

The second incident occurred yesterday. A man came home to his house in a ritzy neighborhood for lunch and apparently interrupted a burglar who was there. Shots were fired and the man was later found in a pool of blood on his driveway by a neighbor. Fortunately, he is doing ok. I realize that things like this happen every day in cities and towns across the country, but this time it happened to someone I know. The man is a lawyer who my boss and others in this office do business with frequently. I certainly don’t know him well, but have had interactions with him for over 5 years now. It just brings it all a little closer to home, ya know?

I think I’ll go home tonight, check the locks behind me, and hug my little family a little tighter. You never know what might happen tomorrow.

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Gearing Up for Summer

Published by dee on June 6, 2007

Summer is here and that means busy, busy, busy for me. I always think that the summer will give me lots of time to relax, but in reality it ends up being the opposite. It seems like we are always running to do this or do that all summer long. I can’t believe how packed my schedule is already.

This past weekend I had a garage sale. Even though it made for a very busy weekend, it did allow me a bit of time for some knitting while I sat and waited between customers. By the time I went to bed Sunday night, I had finished up the baby blanket that I was working on. All I have left to do is tuck the ends of the yarn in and it will be ready to go. I had quite a bit of yarn left over (because I was really afraid I would run out!) so I think I’ll work on a couple of hats and then see what else I can make to go along with it. I’m looking forward to doing something a little more challenging than the Easy Baby Blanket.

I’m debating whether to post pictures of the blanket as it is a gift and won’t be given out for a while. I doubt that the recipient would happen across this blog, but it is possible so I might hold off until she has received her gift.

I’m getting really anxious for an invite to ravelry.com. The screen shots that they posted almost had me salivating yesterday. It is looking really cool. It has me wanting to go take pictures of my stash, even though it surely doesn’t even compare to that of the other fabulous knitters out there.

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Garage Sales Suck

Published by dee on June 4, 2007

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly time flies by. I spend the entire year looking forward to the summer months and then end up being so busy that I don’t get to enjoy them much. I cannot believe that we are already into June. The next two weekends are already booked up, then Zach’s birthday and party are at the end of the month. Before I know it we’ll be into July. I am looking forward to July, but it will be busy as well with a weekend trip to Springfield for the annual family 4th of July bash and then off to Alabama for a week to hang out with the in-laws. A week of swimming, relaxing, and limited internet connectivity will do me a lot of good though. I really want to find some time for a weekend getaway to the lake as well. Maybe in August?

This weekend left me totally exhausted and feeling a little ill. I was up until almost 1:00 a.m. Friday night getting things sorted and set out for the garage sale. Just as I was finally falling asleep, my nephew woke up crying. I jumped up to get him before he woke Zach up. I ended up putting him to bed with my mom (who was also staying over) and getting back to sleep just in time for Zach to wake up crying. I couldn’t settle him down so he ended up coming back to my bed with me. I think I might have gotten about 3 hours of sleep before my alarm went off at 6:00. As much as I wanted to stay in bed, I made myself get up. I still had to post sale signs around the neighborhood and pull the tables out of the garage for the early birds.

The garage sale wasn’t a huge success, although I guess it depends on how you look at it. I ended up making about $60, and my sister made about $40. Some of the bigger items that I thought would go pretty quickly did not go at all and some of the junk that I didn’t expect to sell was picked up right away. Go figure. I’ve still got two strollers, a TV, foosball table, guitar and amp, and an old computer sitting around that I would love to get rid of. I didn’t really expect the foosball table or the guitar to sell as I’m not willing to give them up without getting some money out of them, but I would practically give the TV and computer away if anyone wanted them. I was also really surprised that the baby items didn’t sell well. Those usually go pretty quick at garage sales. I’m thinking next time around I’ll just donate what I can and trash the rest. It was entirely too much work for the $60 I made.

What I did end up with after the weekend, was a massive sinus headache and a queasy stomach. I’m pretty sure that is the result of forgetting to take my allergy meds all weekend while digging around in a dusty basement and garage for two days. I’m not sure about the stomach thing, but with all of the sick kids I’ve been around in the last couple of weeks I could have caught anything. I’m feeling pretty miserable today but hopefully I can get some rest tonight and get myself back on track. The good news is that Zach seems to be getting over his illness, except for a bit of a lingering cough.

In between garage sale customers and during some down time Sunday night, I also got some knitting done. I finished up another baby blanket with plenty of yarn to spare, so now I’m trying to figure out what else I can make to go along with it. I’ll definitely be making a hat to match the blanket but I might decide to try something new as well. I’ve been really getting anxious to try something different with my knitting. The blanket ended up a bit shorter than the last one I made and is more of a square instead of a rectangle shape. I prefer the square shape and hope that the new mommy will love it too.

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