Mar 27, 2016 | DIY, Family, Farm |
While the majority of our weekend was spent indoors due to the rainy weather, we did have a few bursts of sunshine here and there. On Friday, Eddie took a four hour nap and Sam was determined to spend the entire afternoon outside. I really wanted to sit on the couch with my heating pad but I feel like my one-on-one time with him is going to be so limited (if not nonexistent) after the baby arrives so I set up a lawn chair with my knitting and watched him play while working on my Milo vest. I have to admit, the sun on my skin did feel amazing. It made me long for summer.
I have been coloring here and there but not too much. I have found that if I spend more than a half hour or so at a time coloring, I start to feel guilty. At least with knitting I’m producing something for myself or my family. Playing with colored pencils is just so…delightfully frivolous.
I finished Milo and after going through all my boy and girl knits, I am realizing that this baby really doesn’t need a single knitted item. May will be cool, but it will quickly warm up and the baby will be almost five or six months old before he or she will need even a light sweater. I am casting on a pair of socks for Gabe with a lovely hand painted yarn called Mountain Colors Bearfoot. The color is Mountain Trail.
I hope everyone had a lovely Easter filled with family, friends, and lots of chocolate.
Mar 23, 2016 | DIY, Family, Knitting, Yarn Along |
Joining Ginny and Nicole
Why, hello there. I’ve been a bit silent for the last week, my apologies. It was my birthday this past weekend (thirty-three…Sigh) and Gabe whisked me away to a lovely hotel for the weekend. In preparation for the trip, I was too busy getting myself and the kids ready (first time they were left overnight with a sitter and they did wonderfully) and once we were there I completely shut out the world. No, phone, no iPad, no internet. It was wonderful. Gabe and I returned home Sunday evening and I have spent what seems like the past three days getting caught up on the household chores, grocery shopping and sleep. I don’t know how it is I can have such a relaxing weekend only to return home exhausted. I blame the pregnancy.
We celebrated my birthday with the kids before we left, mostly because once Sam realized it was my birthday all he could talk about was cake. My mom picked up a cheesecake on the way home from dinner one night and brought it over. I look tired and you can see the bra strap from my super-supportive third trimester maternity bra, but other than that I think it’s a great photo of the me and the kids. Ha.
I took a photo of one of the gifts I received from my mother: an adult coloring book and colored pencils! I’ve colored about a quarter of a page since then but it was an enjoyable experience, short as it was. I’m excited to experiment with color combos and hopefully work those combinations into my knitting somehow. Gabe gave me the hilarious “Naked Hug Time” card and I couldn’t stop laughing…until I opened it and saw my children had signed it. “You had the kids sign this card?” I asked him. Gabe admitted that he saw the card and found it hilarious (it’s totally our sense of humor) but for some reason, when he got home, instinct took over and after he wrapped my gift, he had the kids “sign”the card out of habit. The inside of the card says “Naked hugs are the best,” and it’s oddly creepy and funny to see my kids’ names below the punch line. Oh, and instead of signing the card “Gabe,” he signed it “Daddy.” He knew it was a mistake the moment he did it, but by then it was too late to go out and get a new card. I’m glad he didn’t. I have it sitting on my desk and every time I look up and see it, I laugh. Plus, it will give our kids something to complain to their therapists about when their adults.
Oh, the leg of lamb. I should probably explain that. Doesn’t it look gorgeous? I’ve never cooked an entire leg before. I rubbed the marinade over it, and now I am supposed to let it sit for anywhere between four hours and overnight before cooking it slowly in the oven. I have to say, there is something very satisfying in cooking a lamb that was conceived on our farm, raised and butchered on my parents’ farm and then wrapped, frozen, and ultimately prepared by my mother and myself. This lamb led a happy, healthy life and I feel good about that. I believe strongly that animals are a food source that deserve respect in both life and death and I want my kids to understand that raising their own meat is both a blessing and a great responsibility. I’ll let you know how it tastes.
I’m working on the Milo vest. It’s a fast knit and Lord, it’s adorable. I opted to do the owl motif on the cable portion because, well, it’s owls. How could I resist owls?
Glad to be back, everyone. Now it’s time for me to check up on everyone else’s blogs and see what I’ve missed these past few days in the knitting world!
Happy Wednesday, my friends.
Mar 15, 2016 | Family, Farm, Knitting, Yarn Along |
Joining Ginny and Nicole
Okay, so technically the tree didn’t fall down in the woods. It fell down in our backyard. And oddly enough, we didn’t hear a thing; the wind was blowing so hard the house was shaking, and it had been raining for five days straight, which had softened the ground considerably. Early that afternoon, Gabe noticed the tree leaning a little to the side and said “Huh, I hope that doesn’t become a problem.” An hour later, we happened to walk by the same window and the tree was completely down. It must have been a slow and gradual fall for it to happen that quietly. Neither Gabe or I were all that surprised. The tree had to have been approaching 100 years old and it hadn’t been pruned or cared for in at least 60 years. It was covered in disease and hadn’t produced a single apple in two seasons. It’s more useful as firewood. It clears a nice spot in the yard for a play structure and allows more sun to hit the exact spot where we plan on planting a row of raspberries or blueberries. All in all, I’m glad it happened…although I must confess, I’m not the one who will spend an entire weekend cutting the tree into rounds, splitting it for firewood, chipping it for apple wood chips (for future use in our smoker!), or hauling the wood to the east side of the barn.
Poor Gabe.
I finished my first Wander Baby #3 knit. A little striped hat. Isn’t it precious? I used Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino and it…is…so…soft. I know it’s girly. If we end up having a boy I won’t make him wear it. I’ll just have to save it for the next baby! Tonight I’m knitting up a swatch for Milo, a sweater vest recommended by Tania. I happened to have the recommended yarn in my stash (Jo Sharp Silk Tweed) in a lovely celery green color. It will be my “boy” knit.
Baby is kicking and moving like there is no tomorrow. I know that will slowly subside as he/she runs out of room. I’m sort of looking forward to that point. Little One wakes me up with summersaults and karate punches to the ribs and I have to resist the urge to give my stomach a sharp finger poke back in retaliation. Only nine more weeks to go.
Looking forward to seeing everyone’s projects for this week’s Yarn Along. Happy Wednesday everyone!
