December 25, 2006

Merry Christmas!

It's after 5pm here in Vancouver. Rob & The Boy went to see Night at the Museum. Erin's at her mom's. I'm home at the computer.

Erin had her wisdom teeth out Friday and has been doing well enough to not need much V*cadin for the pain. She's been taking half doses if it gets to be more than ibuprofen can handle.

We met last night at one of the BIL's homes for the annual Christmas Eve gathering for Rob's side. Low key, fun and we got home around 10:30pm. Stayed up until midnight and opened our gifts. Normally, we'd wait until morning but with Erin heading over to her mom's before 7am we opted to get the midnight jump on the holiday.

My Christmas knitting is almost done. I still need to finish Kruz' hat, but I finished Miss K's sweater today (only needed the seaming). I'll post a picture of their gifts later.

The hats for Misses S & K are done. Here they are in the almost done stage. Knit in Debbie Bliss Merino DK using the Odessa pattern from Grumperina.

Miss S will get the purple hat and Miss K will get the pink hat. A fun knit and one that I would do again.
Well, off to watch Neat and try to finish the Christmas knitting before the day is officially over.

December 17, 2006

Making progress on the list!

Making progress on the list!

Ship out Kim's Christmas box o' stuff
Ship M&D's Christmas box o' stuff by 12/16
Wrap Erin's last gift
Wrap Rob's last gifts
Finish buying for Rob's stocking
Buy lottery scratch-its for all stockings (except Kim's - sorry!)
Go to Jaminga and buy Kruz' shirt
Find pattern to make black beanie with flames to go with Kruz' shirt
Do finish work (seams, ends, buttons) on Miss K's sweater
Find dress or pants/shirt combo to coordinate with Miss K's sweater
Go to Beacock's music for Samantha's gift
Buy beads to begin knitting on Samantha's other gift (although I now want to change the beads I bought)
Determine the best gift for Katie J
Buy beads to begin knitting on Katie's other gift Bought and 90% knitted
Block out Karen's scarf to give on Monday
Work on Raye & Bonnie's gift to have ready by Christmas Eve
Get tree and trim it OK, it's not completely trimmed, but decorations are out now too.
Send out cards to family and friends Not happening this year
Buy gift card for kid's mom & stepdad Actually, Hickory Farms came to the rescue
Make cookies
Clean house for after-Christmas visit by sister and girls
Take Sean out for birthday dinner
Check if I'm a great-aunt yet for the 5th time (Rob's family) Chy had a little boy on the 14th, Ezra Kai.

    December 14, 2006

    Mini update

    Just finished The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Can't wait to read something else by her. I loved the imagery, the clarity of the story her words painted in my mind. I may need to find a used copy to keep since I'll need to return this one to the library.

    Managed to check off item #22 last night. Sean turned 19 and we went out to Gustav's for dinner (his choice). He's making better choices than he was a year ago and has made the very adult decision to enter the Air Force. He's currently working at a local restaurant and working out to try to lose about 20 pounds.

    I need to get a plan of attack ready for tomorrow. I have the day off and need to donate platelets at 6:30am, buy Kruz' shirt, buy beads, and maybe yarn, to make Odessa for the nieces, wrap gifts, and work on M&D's gift so I can mail it out no later than Monday if I want any chance of it making it to them by Christmas.

    December 13, 2006

    Christmas To Do List

    1. Ship out Kim's Christmas box o' stuff
    2. Ship M&D's Christmas box o' stuff by 12/16
    3. Wrap Erin's last gift
    4. Wrap Rob's last gifts
    5. Finish buying for Rob's stocking
    6. Buy lottery scratch-its for all stockings (except Kim's - sorry!)
    7. Go to Jaminga and buy Kruz' shirt
    8. Find pattern to make black beanie with flames to go with Kruz' shirt
    9. Do finish work (seams, ends, buttons) on Miss K's sweater
    10. Find dress or pants/shirt combo to coordinate with Miss K's sweater
    11. Go to Beacock's music for Samantha's gift
    12. Buy beads to begin knitting on Samantha's other gift
    13. Determine the best gift for Katie J
    14. Buy beads to begin knitting on Katie's other gift
    15. Block out Karen's scarf to give on Monday
    16. Work on Raye & Bonnie's gift to have ready by Christmas Eve
    17. Get tree and trim it
    18. Send out cards to family and friends (this makes a regular appearance on the to-do, but rarely happens!)
    19. Buy gift card for kid's mom & stepdad
    20. Make cookies
    21. Clean house for after-Christmas visit by sister and girls
    22. Take Sean out for birthday dinner
    23. Check if I'm a great-aunt yet for the 5th time (Rob's family)

    So I figure on getting some of this done this week, but we'll just have to see how well I do since I did nothing to make a dent in it last night. Instead I read Linda Howard's Now You See Her and finished it.

    December 10, 2006

    Upgraded and updated

    Well, I moved to the new blogger format. Not bad. Still trying to get some things down. I'd like to be able to change the size of the font in the sidebar but have not yet been able to do so.

    In the meantime, here are some pics:
    First up is the Icarus shawl being blocked.

    Pattern: Icarus by Miriam Felton from Interweave Knits, Summer 2006 issue

    Size 3 and 1 needles (don't ask)
    Knit in Rowan Kid Silk Haze
    Recipient: Rebecca

    Started back in early November, it bumped along quite nicely. I would make it again, but knit the entire thing with size 1 needles. It blocked out bigger than I wanted since the upper portion was done with the size 3 needles.

    But Rebecca was thrilled with the result. She had wanted a shawl to take with her on a cruise for those dressier nights, the color needed to be dark but shiny and the Rowan KSH Night worked just right for this.

    I offered to knit it for her since there was no way she'd get it done it time. As it was, I barely got it done - I blocked it out Thursday night and she left Saturday for San Diego.

    Back in early October was Miss K's 4th birthday:

    I did knit a little purple sweater for the Bitty Baby her Nanny and Aunties bought for her and had started on a matching sweater for Miss K.

    But time got short and the sweater is still on the needles. It's going to be finished for Christmas and gifted to her then.

    She was princess for a day at her party. Rob & I had great timing: we were late enough to miss the madness of games & lunch with a bunch of small children, but just in time to witness the opening of the presents and get some cake.


    And just for kicks, here's Kruz in his Niner get-up.