Family, Fibers, Flowers and Fish

Orchids

2012-02-09T09:07:00.000-06:00

As some of you know, I like orchids. This is currently blooming at my house. I don't think I've ever gotten this one to bloom before. I think I like it.

Just Stuff

2012-01-27T18:17:00.000-06:00

Since just before Christmas, I've been doing a lot of traveling. We drove to Denver (via Kansas due to icy roads along our regular route) for Christmas with the grandkids. We had a blast watching them open their gifts and playing with them in the snow.

After about a week, we left for home with a detour through Taos and Santa Fe for a couple of days.

Also, during that same week, CareBear decided to change jobs and move from Portland to Philadelphia. So, the first week in January, I flew to Portland to help her decide what to keep and what to sell and got everything ready for a huge estate sale. She is moving to a much smaller place and decided to buy almost all new stuff.

The second week in January, my Mom and I flew to Denver to keep the grandkids while their Mom and Dad took a quick vacation to Mexico for some sun and sand.

So now I'm home, keeping my nieces kids one or two days a week, trying to recover from a cold of some kind that has lasted for two weeks now.

We'll be back in Denver in about 3 weeks for Baby M's baby dedication and I'm sure I'll be in Philadelphia the first week in March to help CareBear unpack. (Her apartment won't be ready until then).

I'm tired.

Easier Said Than Done

2011-11-27T14:07:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, we went to my sister's house for dinner. My Mom wanted a picture with all of the great grandkids. My professional photographer brother-in-law was there to take the "good" shots, but I had my camera for the amateur prospective. It's not as easy as you'd think...

All were fed and dressed in the appropriate color coordinated outfit.

Children and babies were positioned...

Bribes were made...

Smiles were requested...

And,

a good time...

was had by most.

Car knitting

2011-10-09T20:11:00.000-05:00

I was recently informed that Toddler M had out-grown all of his hats from last year (baby sis might need one, too). Since this was their backyard this weekend...

I did some knitting in the car on the way to the football game in Lubbock this weekend.

Hopefully, warm ears will be coming soon!

Long time, no type.

2011-09-26T14:17:00.000-05:00

It's been much longer than I intended since my last post. We've been pretty busy. For one thing, it's now football season and trips to Lubbock tend take up our weekend time. I've made a few trips to Denver -- one a road trip with my Mom that included a detour through Santa Fe. There was lots of food and shopping done there.

Doc20 made a quick trip to Portland to visit CareBear and had a great time.

Lots of knitting has been done. (Mostly for babies!) Miss Bird is expecting the arrival of her new baby brother any day now.

Linz came to visit with both of our grandkids. Toddler M and Miss Bird had a great time playing together.

We took a short day trip to Tyler to introduce the little sister to her Great Grandmother and to have lunch with her.

And little sister tried on her new hat, hand knitted and given to her by one of my friends! She loved it and can't wait for it to be cold enough to wear it out.

Now There Are Two.

2011-07-22T11:12:00.002-05:00

I returned from Denver earlier this week after being there for a week and a half helping Linz with the new baby. Madelyn is a very good, mostly calm baby. But, she doesn't hesitate to let you know if she's hungry or needs a clean diaper. She's a good sleeper - sleeping 5+ hours at a stretch at night. She had already gained almost a pound from her leaving the hospital weight at her check-up when she was 12 days old.

Big brother, Mason, thinks she's pretty cute and loves to share his toys and cheese slices with her.

Mason had a great time while I was there, helping his Dad work in the yard, mow the grass,

and play on the Slip and Slide. (Of course, his Dad had to demonstrate this skill for him.)

I can't wait to go back and visit again soon!

Toddler M has a sister!

2011-07-11T15:46:00.000-05:00

This little girl arrived last Friday afternoon to join Toddler M and his Mom and Dad. She's a cutie pie and I think we'll keep her.

Happy July 4th!

2011-07-04T15:03:00.000-05:00

A Short, but Fun Trip

2011-06-01T09:57:00.000-05:00

We didn't want to spend the whole Memorial Day weekend sitting at home, so Doc20 and I decided to take a quick trip for some good food and shopping. Friday morning we drove down to Austin. We had lunch at Hut's Hamburgers (I love their burgers!), did some shopping at Chico's and a really great yarn store, Hill Country Weavers. We also checked out some of the shops along South Congress.

We checked into our hotel and then had dinner at Guero's. We hadn't eaten there before, and it was pretty yummy.

The next morning we had breakfast at the Magnolia Cafe and I wasn't very impressed. We drove to San Marcus and went to the Outlet Mall there. After checking out many of the shops and buying a few things, we headed back towards home. However, before we got back to Austin, we stopped in Kyle to eat lunch at the Texas Pie Company. We split a sandwich (which was really good) and then each had pie. Oh. my. gosh. The best pie ever! Don't miss this place if you're anywhere near!

A Fun Weekend

2011-05-10T10:33:00.000-05:00

So, Toddler M came to play this last weekend. We started with a trip to the mall for a ride on the Merry-Go-Round to tame the bucking broncs.

Then a trip to feed the ducks. (I don't think they were very hungry though.)

He helped Papa work in our backyard.

We went to Home Depot for Kids Workshop Day. (This is a really fun thing for kids, if you haven't done it before -- check it out!)

We also made several trips to the park.

He spent some time playing with Toddler Bird.

We all had a blast! Next time we see him, he'll be a big brother!

Two

2011-05-07T15:15:00.000-05:00

We have had a busy last couple of weeks. For this post though, I want to talk mostly about a birthday party. We went to Denver last weekend to be there for Toddler M's second birthday!

This was the SNOW the day before his party (April 29th) What's up with that?

I think he has a blast at his party, and so did his family.

He blew out the candle and ate his cupcake.

His shirt was made by a friend and was just in time for the party!

I stayed for a few more days after the party and helped Linz do some decorating for the soon to arrive baby girl. We embellished some curtains and made some decorations for the wall. She had seen some wall decorations on a website and thought we could make some ourselves that would look just as good or better, and for a lot less money. Here's what we ended up with...

She stenciled the fabric and wrapped it around a piece of wood with a layer of foam rubber.

We stapled the fabric to the back of the wood and - TADA!

I think they turned out really nice.

Also, remember these?

They became this mobile for Baby Girl's room.

I also made these a few days ago.

Linz and Toddler M came home with me for the weekend. More on that later!

Coming Soon

2011-04-21T10:20:00.000-05:00

Coming soon to a Colorado home near you...

(Pattern: Bow Shoes, from Sublime 616)

Red Hair and Flowers

2011-04-19T11:03:00.002-05:00

I took some pictures of my little Monday girl last week in our backyard. She is pretty cute I think.

Hummm, what can I do out here.

These roses are pretty.

Oh, what's that?

Are there fish in the water?

We also have these blooming in the backyard. I love Peonies!

Have a wonderful week!

Classes and Babysitting

2011-04-17T16:58:00.001-05:00

Last weekend, I took a couple of classes at the DFW Fiber Fest. I learned how to spin art yarns like this

and how to knit in the Entrelac style.

Both will take some practice when I can find some free time.

Linz and Husker had a fancy business party to attend on Friday night and needed a babysitter for Toddler M. So, I flew up on Thursday night and back on Saturday afternoon. (Being an American Airlines retiree does have it's perks!) Doc20 and I will be back in Denver soon for Toddler M's second birthday.

He runs or gallops everywhere he goes. I don't think he has a slow speed.

Makes

me

tired

just

watching...

Random Stuff

2011-04-07T10:56:00.000-05:00

The last few weeks have been pretty busy. Last weekend I went to Portland to visit CareBear. She has recently lost a lot of weight so we went on a two day shopping spree. We explored a mall that she had never been to before and also got a manicure and pedicure. We had dinner with some of her friends and I had a great time visiting with her.

The azaleas in our yard have been really pretty this year.

I have also been knitting a lot - mostly baby stuff. My other daughter, two nieces and a friend are all expecting babies between July and October. The two in Julty are grils, a boy in August and the October one is yet to be determined.

Blankets,

clothes,

and a yet to be completed original creation.

This coming weekend is the DFW Fiber Fest in Grapevine. I have signed up for a knitting and a spinning class. I'll let you know how they go.

While I was in Portland this last weekend, Doc20 drove to Oklahoma and found a pickup that he wants to buy and have fixed up. It's a 1947 Ford. He's thinking red, with AC and bucket seats. Here's the before shot. This will not be a "do it yourself" project. I'll let you know how this goes as well.

We (Doc20 and I) have several upcoming trips planned. We'll be going to Denver for Baby M's second birthday in about 3 weeks, then to New York for a few days in June, and then back to Denver in July for baby girls arrival!

New York City

2011-03-14T14:32:00.000-05:00

Last week, my sister and I went to New York City for a few days. She had been several times before, but I had never been and needed someone to show me the ropes. We had a great time. We saw a couple of shows, Mary Poppins and Billy Elliot -- both were excellent!, made a stab at mastering the subways, and ate at lots of really good restaurants including Mesa Grill, which is Bobby Flay's place. We also did a little shopping, checked out the World Trade Center, and found a few yarn stores.

This is the little church across the street from the WTC. The sanctuary was filled with cots for the rescue workers after the towers collapsed.

This was our pizza from the original Lombardi's in the Italian section of the city.

This was the view from our carriage ride through Central Park.

And an afternoon snack from Serendipity's. Yummmmmy!

We waved to the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park. (She waved back.)

I think we walked at least 500 miles.

More Knitting

2011-02-18T19:00:00.000-06:00

I have been doing some knitting since the holidays. Here's what I've done so far.

Some mittens, using Elizabeth Zimmermann's pattern and my own handspun yarn.

A scarf using a traditional Estonian Stork's Nest pattern and a Merino/cashmere yarn.

And this little sweater that is on it's way to a new home next week. The blue yarn is recycled blue jeans and the sleeves are a self-striping sock yarn. The pattern is called Avery from Holli Yeoh.

2T

2011-02-08T18:35:00.000-06:00

We went to Baby Bird's birthday party on Sunday. She's the cutest 2 year old that I know!

Addition to Knitting Resume

2011-02-01T13:12:00.000-06:00

I can now say that I knitted a hat that attended Super Bowl Media Day! This is a picture of my brother-in-law, a photographer, wearing the hat I knitted him for Christmas. It's good to have a famous hat... (Oh, I think there are some football players in the photo as well.)

New Blog to Read

2011-01-19T08:30:00.000-06:00

For those of you that know my daughter, CareBear, she has started a new blog of her own...Dancing Daylilly. Check it out!

Spinning

2011-01-13T11:04:00.000-06:00

I've been spinning a lot of yarn lately.

This roving

became this yarn,

and this

became this yarn.

Now I just have to wait for it to tell me what it wants to be...

For Me!

2011-01-10T10:00:00.001-06:00

One of our recent stops was in Taos at Lalana Wools. I bought a kit for knitting a shawl. The Caspian Kush Shawl pattern. Now, I don't really consider myself a shawl kind of person, but I really liked the way this looked. It only took me about a week to finish it. Here's a picture of mine.

Now I'm working on some spinning before starting a new project.

New Burger Place

2011-01-08T10:00:00.002-06:00

We recently had dinner at Chop House Burgers. It was pretty yummy. Definitely worth a try.

Guess What?

2011-01-06T18:17:00.002-06:00

Toddler M is going...

to be...

a big brother this summer!

Holidays...continued.

2011-01-02T10:04:00.000-06:00

After we left Denver, we drove to Taos, NM. We stopped for a late lunch at our favorite place, Orlandos. We also stopped for some yarn at Lalana Wools, and Steven Kilborns Pottery shop. Purchases were made at both shops. We cruised through some of the other shops and then left for Santa Fe.

We checked into our hotel, Garrets Desert Inn, and picked a place for dinner. After having such a late lunch, we were only a little hungry but decided to give Zia's Diner a try. The salmon quesadillas were awesome. I can't wait to have them again the next time we go to Santa Fe.

The next day, after a big breakfast at the hotel, we did some shopping on the square. We also visited my favorite yarn shop in Santa Fe, Miriams Well and another place I like, Oodles Yarn and Beads. We also checked out a bakery that had been recomended to us, Sage Bakehouse. The olive bread was amazing.

We weren't really hungry for lunch, so decided to hold out for dinner. We tried a place that was new to us, Santa Luna. If you have a chance to go, their appetizer, Chile En Nogata, was to die for. I think next time, I'll just get a couple of them for my meal!

The next morning we packed up the car and stopped at Tecolate Cafe for breakfast, before heading home.
We had a great time. Laundry is done, gifts put away, and football games watched.

Happy Birthday, Charlie!

Holidays

2011-01-01T11:11:00.000-06:00

We have had a busy last couple of weeks. On the Wednesday before Christmas, we left for Denver by driving to Amarillo that afternoon and then on to Toddler M's house the next day. We cooked, and ate, and got everything ready for the big day. We went to a very nice Christmas Eve church service.

Christmas morning, both sets of grandparents, one of the great grandmothers, two aunts and an uncle, and his parents, of course, were there for Toddler M's Santa extravaganza. Gifts were opened, paper was trashed, and everyone was (I think) happy with their loot.

This included a big truck,

and a "computer" all his own.

(Ohhhhh, truck and computer both at the same time - awesome!)

Hummmm. What have we here?

How cool is this!

Whoa! This looks cool!

Aunt Carebear made a terrific coffee cake for breakfast and later we had a yummy Christmas dinner (complete with chocolate meringue pie, and blueberry cobbler) for 12 adults.

That afternoon everyone helped clean up the kitchen and visited, wondering when Aunt S's and Uncle M's new addition would make her entrance to the world since December 25th was her due date. (Turned out she arrived on 12/29 - only a few days late!)

We left Denver on Tuesday morning for a detour through Taos and Santa Fe. More on that next time!

Supper Club

2010-12-18T19:25:00.003-06:00

Last night was our December Supper Club. I'm kind of glad it wasn't at my house this year. It can be a lot of work to have your house all decorated and "Christmas ready" for a party. But Sara's house looked very festive and her recent "home improvements" looked great. (Can't wait to see it all done!)

We had a great meal and then our annual Christmas ornament Chinese style gift exchange. Gifts were opened,

gifts were taken,

and gifts were worn.

Stories were told...

and Sara's newest quilt was displayed and oohed and awed over. She did a great job.

Everyone had a great time...and we get to do it again next month!

Red

2010-12-11T17:15:00.001-06:00

This is in my front yard...

Tyler

2010-12-03T21:53:00.003-06:00

Since Linz, Toddler M and the Husker are here for the Big 12 Championship game at Jerry World tomorrow night, we decided to drive to Tyer to visit with Toddler M's Great Grands. We had a good lunch and visit and everyone slept (except for me - I was driving) most of the way home.

One Hat, Two Hats, Three Hats,

2010-10-31T12:27:00.007-05:00

~~SIXTEEN!~~ EIGHTEEN!!!

So...

2010-10-25T09:46:00.008-05:00

This last weekend was my birthday. We went out to dinner and I got some cool gifts. Gift cards from Chicos and Nordstroms,
this yummy yarn from Australia,

and this camera.

I think this will also count as anniversary and maybe Christmas too.

Public Service Announcement

2010-10-22T19:08:00.006-05:00

For those of you that have been in mourning over the closing of Tony's Pizza -- the one across from Walmart in Kennedale -- you can rejoice! They have re-opened! Yes, they're back! On the corner of Bowman Springs and Kennedale Parkway. Yummmmmmm....

We actually ordered a small, but they brought us this huge one by mistake. Looks like Sunday supper.

This and That

2010-10-18T13:40:00.006-05:00

The last week has been busy. I got back from taking Toddler M home on Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday evening Carrie got here to stay through the weekend. We did some shopping and she got to see some of the family while she was here. Doc20 and I went to Lubbock for the Tech game on Saturday -- back on Sunday. And today I have Toddler Bird over to play. Maybe the rest of this week will be a little calmer, however, the in-laws will be here for a brief visit on Friday.

Here is a quick video to make you smile...

Pumpkins

2010-10-13T14:51:00.006-05:00

Last week, we also visited the pumpkin patch.

We had a blast taking pictures!

Toddlers

2010-10-04T19:01:00.005-05:00

Taking pictures of toddlers is harder than you might think...

especially if your trying to get both of them to look at you at the same time.

I did get them to sit still for a few minutes though!

Sliding

2010-10-02T18:36:00.005-05:00

and sliding and sliding...

and sliding

and sliding some more.

Knitting

2010-09-27T10:00:00.001-05:00

I have been doing some knitting recently. Some for Christmas gifts, some baby gifts and some for me.

I finished this sweater for me. The pattern is Quadraphenia Cardigan from Decadent Fibers. It is a pretty quick pattern to knit. This is the front...

and this is the back.

Now I just have to wait for it to get cold enough to wear it. Maybe in Denver in a couple of weeks?

New Stuff and a Busy Couple of Weeks Ahead

2010-09-26T19:19:00.008-05:00

Today, my friend gave me these to distribute to the appropriate Mom. I think they are super cute. Next week I'll try to get pictures of them both (kids and shirts) being worn by the appropriate child.

Tomorrow I will be keeping Toddler Bird, as usual. Tuesday, I have a lunch date and my Mom comes home from her month long trip to Australia. Wednesday, Linz and Toddler M will be here. I will get to keep Toddler M for over a week while his Mom and Dad go on vacation. We're going to have a blast!

Somewhere in there, we're going to try to fit in a photo shoot, a trip to Tyler, the zoo, the State Fair and a Tech football game.

Then, a shopping trip to Denver and home to rest. Lots of fun things are planned for the next couple of weeks. I'll try to have lots of photos of our adventures.

Traveling

2010-09-09T17:02:00.009-05:00

So far this week, we have been to Lubbock for the Tech game (it was really HOT). We drove home Sunday night after the game and then left early Monday and flew to Denver for a visit with Linz, Husker and Baby M (make that Toddler M). Then we left Denver on Wednesday afternoon and flew to Portland to visit with CareBear. We did some shopping today and have a Hood River trip planned for tomorrow. Then a flight back home on Sunday.

While in Denver, Toddler M's Daddy finished a really cool step stool he was making. Toddler M loves to help Mom and Dad "cook" in the kitchen.

It remains to be seen, however, what other trouble he will be able to access...

This morning, breakfast in his highchair was not on his agenda.

Currently...

2010-08-12T16:29:00.003-05:00

I have a new pet peeve. I have really started hating the way that many stores display their clothing. Tops and dresses are displayed and, when you look, there is a big clip of some kind in the back that bunches up the fabric and makes the clothing look like it would fit tightly to your body. That's fine if you want your clothes to fit that way -- and are skinny. However, since I am not skinny and prefer to have a top that fits a little looser, I often pass by those bunched up items thinking they wouldn't fit me. But, maybe they would -- if I could tell what they really looked like.

Anyone else feel the same way?

That is all. I feel better now.

On It's Way

2010-07-22T15:28:00.003-05:00

This......

is on its way to a new home.

It's getting closer...

2010-07-09T15:02:00.003-05:00

Not too much longer...

'til it's football time!

Summer Visit

2010-06-29T14:52:00.005-05:00

Last week, Linz, the Husker and Baby M came to visit. Linz wanted to visit with some of her friends and check out their babies. We did a little shopping and did a litle swimming at her Aunt Tricia's house. Here are a few photos and a video from their visit.

Playing with cousin Baby Bird.

Checking out the rocker "just my size".

Playing with the water hose and Aunt Tricia's dog.

Having fun!!!!

Click here to view this video

Key West

2010-06-28T10:23:00.010-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, Doc20 and I went on vacation to Key West. It was one of those places that I had always wanted to go. We stayed at a really cute historic hotel, The Key Lime Inn. It had really cute rooms, swimming pool, breakfast, and a really good air conditioner. It was a great place and we would definitely stay there again.

We went to some great restaurants, one called Seven Fish was the best! It was a tiny, off the beaten path, place. You had to have a reservation and it was always packed.

We also checked out all of the shops along Duval Street.

Another fun thing we did was to take the ferry to the Dry Tortuga Islands and visited Fort Jefferson which is located there. You can snorkle and check out the National Park.

We also went on a fishing trip one day. We had a great time catching tarpon and can tell you the name of a great guide if you ever want to go. I caught 3 and Doc20 caught 4. We had several that got away. All were 60 to 100 pounds and we had a blast!

It was a great trip!

Working in the Yard

2010-06-12T16:46:00.017-05:00

Doc20 and I are in Denver today visiting with Baby M and his Mom and Dad. Yesterday Baby M got to play with the "forbidden" computer. He kept looking up to check to make sure it was OK.

Then we went to the plant store and Doc20 and Linz came home and planted trees and flowers. Baby M was a big helper.

This morning we all loaded up in the car and drove to Estes Park for the Wool Festival. It was pouring rain, muddy and in the 40's. We did check out the sheep (they were only a little scary) and some other animals and I got in a little yarn shopping in before lunch and the drive home.

Tomorrow, back to Texas!

Mother's Day and Other Stuff

2010-06-04T10:11:00.005-05:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Not much out of the norm has been happening recently, but thought I'd update on this past and the next couple of weeks. Last weekend we went to the Colonial Golf Tournament. It was hot, but fun. Here is a (iphone) shot of my favorite golfing fashion statement.

Guess he likes orange - shirt, pants, shoes and hat...

Linz and Baby M went to Portland to visit Aunt CareBear. It sounds like everyone had a great time eating ice cream, chasing the cat, going to the zoo and the beach, and pulling on tablecloths which resulted in broken bowels filled with tiny round sprinkles.

Last night I got to collect on my Mother's Day present from Doc20. We went to one of my favorite burger joints, Twisted Root, in Dallas for dinner, and then to see the musical Wicked. Both were terrific!

Tomorrow, we are going to Doc20's elementary school reunion in Dallas. It includes lunch, a tour of the school, and a visit with some of his former teachers.

Next week, we're off to Denver for a few days and then a vacation in Key West.

(And I've already gotten Doc20's Father's Day gift. I think I did good this year!)

Another ONE

2010-05-03T09:44:00.008-05:00

His Daa-dy made this for the yard...

There were cupcakes...one with a candle,

and balloons.

And lots of friends,

and presents!

Boy, this party hosting thing is tiring. You have to make sure everyone gets cake, has fun and gets a party favor....I'm sure there is something I'm forgetting. Oh yeah, the ice cream!

Happy Birthday Baby M!

New Sweater From Grandma!

2010-04-18T20:22:00.015-05:00

Here are some photos of a sweater that I made for Baby M recently. I see catalogue modeling in his future...

The pattern is from Rowan, The Organic Cotton Kids Collection book. And the pattern is Ben.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2010-04-16T21:10:00.004-05:00

Pretty busy for an eleven month old.

The dust on the floor is from the basement remodel, but major dusting is this weekends project.

Bubbles

2010-04-05T11:57:00.009-05:00

I know, I haven't posted for a while. Doc20 and I have been to Portland to visit CareBear. We had a wonderful time. We've also been working in the yard -- planted some Impatiens in the front flower beds.

The backyard is starting to look nice as well...

Also, do you know what this is?

Another hint...

Tada! Stained Glass Bubble Socks. I really like this pattern. And, it's pretty quick to knit. I am usually a really slow sock knitter, but it only took me about 2 weeks to finish these.

Amazing!

2010-03-09T16:49:00.002-06:00

I think I've seen this before, but it's still pretty cool...

Knitted John Deere Cuteness

2010-02-27T10:31:00.006-06:00

Oh my. How cute is this (if I do say so myself)! Since I couldn't find a pattern of a Texan holding a toothbrush, I opted for the tractor instead -- and I'm glad I did! I think this will be a Christmas present, it's a little big for now, but I can't wait to see Baby M in this one.

I just used cotton yarn and buttons that I bought in New York last fall. I ordered the pattern online from Roo Designs.

Yea! for tractor cuteness!

Visitors

2010-02-22T08:31:00.005-06:00

This past weekend, Baby M and his mom, Linds, came to visit. She was helping with a baby shower for a friend, and we got to play with Baby M. He is 9 months old now and a lot of fun.

New toys are lots of fun!

Off to a friends retirement party with Baby Bird today. It should be fun to see everyone again.

More on the Snow

2010-02-13T13:11:00.005-06:00

Yesterday, this is what our street looked like.

But this was what our neighbor across the street saw when he woke up yesterday morning.

Most of the neighbors on the court pitched in and helped get it cut up and the driveways and street cleared. With all the help, and a chain saw, it only took a couple of hours.

This is what it looks like now.

Today is sunny and I think will be in the 50's. The "big snow" is melting fast.

A Birthday and Snow

2010-02-11T11:05:00.013-06:00

Last Saturday we went to a birthday party. There were presents and cake. I think Baby Bird is partial to chocolate cupcakes.

(One of my favorite parts of this video is the background music. The selection is....interesting.)

And then today, we have this...

Doc20 had to go out and shake the snow off of our camelias and azaleas before they broke in half.

One

2010-02-06T08:24:00.003-06:00

We are going to a party today! It is Baby Bird's first birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Just for fun.

2010-01-20T12:17:00.001-06:00

WHOOOOOOO...do you think I should get this hat?

A New Crawler

2010-01-08T21:59:00.002-06:00

Give me a minute and I'll be really good at this!

Click here to view this video

Christmas Knitting

2010-01-04T09:57:00.005-06:00

Now that all of the gifts have been given, I can show you all what I knitted for Christmas gifts this year.

For the gals, I knitted Mitts. I think I knitted 11 pair - 2 didn't make the photo session.

For the guys, I knitted 5 of these Noro scarfs. One didn't make the photo.

I also knitted 3 baby sweaters and I seem to have forgotten to take photos of them. I'm already starting to think of next years projects and have a few in mind. They're all a lot of fun to make.

This will make you smile!

2010-01-01T13:40:00.002-06:00

Enjoy, and have a great start to the new year!

Click here to view this video

I Love

2009-12-18T10:20:00.004-06:00

this photo.....

SANTA'S COMING?

Advent Candle Friends

2009-12-13T14:29:00.005-06:00

I think the theme this year for the lighting of the advent candles at our church was "friends". The men from our Supper Club group were asked to light the candle this week. We all were originally members of the same church and they (and us as couples) have been getting together for dinner every month for the past (in February) 29 years.

What a handsome group of guys!!

Most of us were able to go to lunch afterwards. It was a good time.

21 Years Ago...

2009-12-04T18:05:00.005-06:00

21 years ago we had this carpet installed...

Yesterday, it was replaced with this...

Now, since I had to empty the floor in all of the closets, I have two huge piles of stuff. One for Goodwill and one for the trash.

Last Week

2009-12-02T21:14:00.007-06:00

We had a house full last week. Both daughters, one son-in-law, and one grandson staying for a week! It was a lot of fun. We had 16 adults for dinner and a whole bunch more for a late dessert. We did some shopping, cooking and visiting with friends and family.

There was a visit with one of Baby M's Great Grandmothers,

a visit with cute cousin Baby Bird,

and a snooze with Granddad.

On Saturday, we went to the Texas Tech/Baylor game at Jerry World (also known as the new Dallas Cowboy Stadium). Baby M's first college football game!

We had a great time, even though Baby M thought it was a little loud.....

A Little Ahead of the Game

2009-11-18T21:50:00.005-06:00

Today, among other things, I wrapped these,

and these,

and these.

I still have some more gifts to buy, but I think I'm definately ahead of the game.

Faces

2009-11-13T07:29:00.003-06:00

Some of the faces of Baby M....

He's a 6 month old cutie!

Before and After

2009-11-12T08:18:00.003-06:00

This is the front yard before the rake,

and this is the yard after the rake.

He's a WINNER!

2009-10-29T13:10:00.004-05:00

This week my favorite Husker Son-in-law was a winner! Every year the large company where he works gives a trip to the top 5 sales people for the year. He has been close in previous years, but this year he WON! I am very proud of him and all of his hard work. Congratulations!!!!

In the mean time, we have had some more representation from the other Big 12 schools attended in the family.....

Hope you all have a fun Halloween!

Yarn

2009-10-20T14:47:00.007-05:00

My Mom and I got home last night from Rhinebeck and the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival. We had a great time. On Sunday it was colder and raining, but we were able to visit the vendor booths that we didn't have time for on Saturday, as well as check out some of the demonstrations and food.

Here are a couple of photos of the stuff that called my name and came home with me.

At least I tried to get yarn for specific patterns I've been wanting to try. I only bought a couple of thing without projects in mind.

And did I tell you that the leaves were gorgeous?

OMG

2009-10-17T17:11:00.008-05:00

Today, my Mom and I went to the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, NY. If you are a yarn person, think of all of the yarn and knitting and spinning supplies that you have ever seen in all of the yarn stores that you have ever been in your whole life and then multiply that by about 1000. Talk about yarn heaven.....I will have to do some creative packing to get everything back on the plane home.

We arrived a little after 9:00 am and didn't leave until 4:00. We were both pooped and we still didn't visit all of the vendor booths. We'll have to try to get to them tomorrow.

The trees here are wearing their colorful fall attire and are gorgeous! The weather was cold -- and is supposed to be colder tomorrow -- but that is what sweaters and coats are for I guess. There were gobs of people there, but it was really fun.

Portland

2009-10-12T12:07:00.003-05:00

This last week I went to Portland to visit CareBear and took these photos at an outdoor mall and the Rose Gardens.

The weather was perfect. One day we did the "Fruit Loop", visiting several fruit orchards and fruit stands in the Mt. Hood area. We also did some shopping and eating. I had a great time!

Blankie

2009-09-23T18:54:00.005-05:00

A few months ago I knitted a blanket for Baby M. It is fairly small and perfect for his car seat or stroller and has become his "go to blankie" for sleeping, holding on to and just cuddling.

When the mom of his most recent "cousin" saw it, she put in her order. I finished it last night and it went in the mail today. Enjoy Baby B! Your Blankie is on it's way!

Hummmmm....

2009-09-17T07:50:00.007-05:00

Since this little guy is already being influenced by the alums of Lincoln, Lubbock and Austin (and lives in Colorado), it will be interesting to see what his choice will be.

The Austin and Lubbock folks are going to have to step it up -- looks like Lincoln is a little ahead in the influence race...

However, he still has a few years before he has to make a decision.

Football and Babies

2009-09-13T12:50:00.005-05:00

So far this weekend, Doc20 and I drove to Lubbock to watch Tech beat Rice and then got up at 6 am this morning to drive home in time to watch the beginning of the Cowboy game that started at noon on TV.

I also got this photo emailed to me of Baby M modeling the outfit I knitted for him. All ready for church!

What a cutie!

Everyone's Been Traveling

2009-09-08T18:11:00.003-05:00

I haven't been posting a lot lately. I figured I could bore you with nothing or bore you with words about not much. I guess today you get words.

Doc20 and Carebear are back from their great Peruvian adventure. They hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and had a great time. The tour group they used, Gap Adventures, got great reviews. Their guide was terrific and even the food was terrific on the trail -- think cream of asparagus soup and even a birthday cake. Doc20 did a great job shopping in Peru and brought home lots of great alpaca goodies like sweaters, a throw, and some yarn for me to knit.

While they were gone, I just had to make a trip to Denver to visit with Linds, Husker and Baby M. I had him model his new hat and his new "kind of" cousin had one to model as well. We had a great time shopping, going for his 4 month doctors visit, and freezing some of the many, many tomatoes from their backyard garden. We enjoyed dinner with Husker's dad, brother, and grandparents. We also had a rather frantic search for car keys -- found in the kitchen junk drawer....

Tomorrow, my Mom will be back from her cross country trek and my sister, Matt, will be here from Australia for Mid-Week Mexican. Yea!!

Busy Times

2009-08-28T09:49:00.004-05:00

The last couple of weeks have been busy.

I got Doc20 off to Peru to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with our daughter, CareBear. They'll be camping out in tents for 3 or 4 nights. I don't do tents. They'll also be "doing" the Amazon and sleeping on platforms. I don't do that either. He'll be gone for a couple of weeks. I've gotten a couple of e-mails from them and it sounds like they are having a good time so far.

My nephew, with his wife and daughter, were here for a few days. They are on there way to a new assignment in Alaska where he is a pilot in the Air Force.

I have been doing a lot of knitting -- finishing up some Christmas gifts and also finished a hibernating project or two. Since my camera is in Peru, I'll try to post some photos when it gets home. Tonight, I've been invited to go to the theater with some friends and that should be a lot of fun. Monday, after Baby Bird goes home, I'm going to Denver to play with Baby M for a few days. I KNOW that will be lots of fun.

I'll leave you with a couple of pictures that I took with my phone, of Baby Bird eating guacamole at Mid-week Mexican this week.

Yummmmmm....

Favorite Photo Blog Hop

2009-08-11T12:23:00.010-05:00

Today I am participating in the favorite photo blog hop.

This is one of my favorite photos. My daughter was studying abroad in Paris for a semester. We went to visit and took a side trip to the D-Day Cementary in Normandy one cold, foggy Sunday morning.

Cooking

2009-08-09T14:33:00.004-05:00

As most of you know, I try to avoid cooking (and ironing for that matter) as much as possible. However, since August is our month to have our Supper Club meet at our house, some cooking is in order. The plan is to have "make your own tacos" a la Fuzzy's Tacos. I'm going to cook a pork roast, a beef roast and chicken in the crock pot (on different days of course), and shred the meat to be used for the tacos. I found some recipes on line, went to the grocery store (which I also try to avoid whenever possible), and the pork is cooking now. Can't wait for Saturday!

Side Trips

2009-08-02T10:50:00.006-05:00

I know I haven't posted in a while, but we've been busy. Last weekend we made a run to Denver so Doc20 could have a visit with Linz, the Husker and Baby M before his upcoming trip. The flights were full and kind of tricky for stand-by, but we were able to make it on. We had a great time visiting with them. And, I managed to fit in visits to a couple of new to me yarn stores in the area.

Another project I've been slowly working on is our Den/TV room. I've never really been happy with the furniture arrangement, which I've worked on recently, and also some of the furniture. I didn't like the way the modern, black wood and glass TV stand (for our rather large flat screen TV) looked with the rest of the furniture. If I had to call our furniture style something, I think it would be traditional eclectic with a touch of antique and southwestern thrown in for good measure. So... we'd been thinking that something like an "antique" looking buffet or sideboard type piece of furniture would be the perfect choice. But, finding one we liked and could afford, and was the right size, color, etc., hasn't been easy. For the past few weekends, when we were at home, we've been checking out antique stores, and malls for the perfect piece.

Yesterday, we left early and went to some of the small towns nearby (within an hour or two drive) to see what we could find. First stop was Stephenville, (nothing there) then Hico, (they have a lot of really nice shops, but not what we were looking for -- we ate lunch here....

try the jalapeno, cream cheese burger - we split one - and the pie).

Next we drove to Hamilton, (nothing there), then Meridan (they had some good shops, but not the perfect piece), then to Glen Rose, where we had been a couple of weeks ago.

We checked the same shops we had gone to before, and voila, there it was!

The shop owner said she had only had it out for 4 days and it had come from a house in Plano.

Any one want to buy a wood and glass TV stand? I posted it on Craigs List...

Oh, and I also finished this...

for Baby M.

Dinner tonight

2009-07-21T15:31:00.002-05:00

I had a sudden craving for BLT's for dinner tonight. Yummy! The only thing is, I had to go to the store and get the bacon, lettuce, bread, chips and I also got avocados. I had the tomatoes and mayo. I'm glad the grocery store is close...

Blog Hop

2009-07-14T09:07:00.007-05:00

I am trying something new today. A blog hop. I'm trying to think of three things you don't know about me. Hummm.....

Most folks will already know these things, but if you're new, you may not.

I have two really smart beautiful daughters.

I have a wonderful hubby that buys me knitting workshops for Christmas.

And I have this little guy. Our first grandbaby.

Have a great time checking out these new blogs. And, I'm pretty excited that I figured out how to insert this into my blog!

Peaches and Lizards

2009-07-11T13:17:00.004-05:00

Today we went to the Peach Festival in Weatherford, Tx. We drank lemonade, ate peach ice cream and really yummy peach cobbler. There were lots of crafts and food booths and all of the shops on the square were open as well. It was really hot too, even though we got there early and left around 11:00 am.

Most of the crafts were a little too "crafty" for me, but some of the "antique" stores along the square and side streets seemed to have good prices on some interesting pieces.

We bought these peaches

and these tomatoes from a produce stand.

I also bought this lizard to go in my sun room.

He will join my other lizard friends on the wall. I'm always on the look out for unique lizards we we take a trip.

Now we're home to keep cool for the afternoon.

Frogs

2009-07-09T19:41:00.005-05:00

In our backyard, we have two ponds...

this one

and this one.

Usually, several time during the summer, we have waves of frogs come to serenade us with their LOUD croaking. Of course, they don't start their entertainment until around 10:oo pm. Doc20 will go into the backyard, armed with a pool net and flashlight, braving the mosquitos, to catch and send to frog heaven the current crop of croakers. I know this is not very "eco-friendly" and they do eat bugs, but earlier this week he had a record catch for one night. You try sleeping with FIFTEEN frogs calling their girl friends just outside your bedroom window.

I "Need" to Go to the Yarn Store

2009-07-02T09:45:00.004-05:00

I'm off to the yarn store soon. The item in my last post is almost finished. I ran out of the yarn I'm using for the ribbing and I need a button for it as well. I'm sure I won't find anything else that I "need".

Hot

2009-06-25T08:12:00.006-05:00

Ya know what? It's hot. And humid. Outside. So what am I doing? Knitting of course. With wool. Christmas presents. Thank goodness for air-conditioning.

Baby M

2009-06-20T09:38:00.007-05:00

Baby M and his Mom and Dad have been visiting this last week. We have had a great time. He was able to meet all of his Texas relatives.

Aunt Melissa (Baby Bird's Mom)

and Great Aunt Alicia,

and his elder cousin (by 3 months) Baby Bird. Baby M thinks that she may be older and be a really cute red head, but he'll out weigh her soon!

We also drove to Tyler to meet one of his Great Grandmothers and Great Granddad.

He met lots of other relatives but I don't have the photos on my camera. (If some of you have additional photos I would love for you to send them to me.)

We did some shopping, they had a family photo shoot, and Baby M is smiling more every day.

His Husker Dad installed some programable thermostats for us while he was here. Thank you Matt!

We had a great time!

American Gothic

2009-06-12T13:46:00.006-05:00

OK, for the two middle generations shown here,

there is this thing where the sides of your mouth turn up called a smile. I know you two guys and you usually have a smile going on. I have a request. How about trying this again at the anniversary party? The rest of the photos from the last weekend in Nebraska look like you all had a great time though. I hear it was a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to their weekend here in Texas.

2009-06-05T08:19:00.003-05:00

Last night we went to this smiling girl's high school graduation. Congratulations Allyson! She'll be going to UT in the fall.

Busy, Busy

2009-06-04T08:53:00.004-05:00

I just got back from visiting the cutest baby in the world in Denver for a couple of days. (Oops, sorry Baby Bird, the cutest boy baby in the world.) I had forgotten to charge my camera battery so I only had my phone for pictures.

I went with Linds to his one month doctors appointment. He had gained 3 pounds since he left the hospital!

Today my youngest niece graduates from high school. So, Doc20's parents will be staying at our house and we will all be going to cheer her on tonight. Carebear has business meetings in Houston next week and will be here tomorrow to stay for the weekend.

Mason and his parents will be here the end of next week and Mason and Linds will stay most of the next week while Matt is out of town for business training. We will have a busy next couple of weeks.

I have posted a few new Mason photos (taken with my phone) here.

Colonial

2009-05-29T20:08:00.004-05:00

There's not too many places that you can see a perfectly normal looking guy in purple pants. (Even though they don't look too purple in this phone photo -- they were.)

We try to go to the Colonial Golf Tournament in Fort Worth every year if we are not busy doing something else. I think that today was the best weather we've ever had -- at least for the times that we've gone. Not too humid, only around 90 degrees and a little breeze. Usually, it's 110 degrees and 90% humidity.

We usually find a seat in the stands in the shade at the 9th hole and just watch all of the groups come through. (And, yes, I know that your not supposed to take in a camera or a phone, but just about everyone has their phone with them. You just have to be sure and put in on vibrate and then I text if someone calls.) Then we come home and watch the last of the players on TV. It's kind of a different and fun thing to do on a free weekend.

Helmet Liners

2009-05-26T21:02:00.004-05:00

I have just finished my second one of these Helmet Liners. My Local Yarn Store (LYS) has started a project to make several thousand for the military folks, mostly those stationed in Afghanistan I think. You can find more information on the project here. Here is Doc20 modeling the one I just finished.

I'll let you know when I stop laughing. Maybe I should make him one in red and black for cold Tech games this fall...

Finished Projects

2009-05-20T10:06:00.005-05:00

I have finished a couple of knitting projects this week. This Noro scarf ...

and this Clapotis pattern. You can find more details here.

I worked on both of these while waiting for baby Mason to make his appearance in the world. These were both fun projects and I would knit them again.

2009-05-17T15:21:00.005-05:00

We were back in Denver this weekend to give Grandpa Doc20 some Mason time. I'm going to try to stay at home for a few weeks if I can. I think they will be here to visit in a month or so. Maybe I can wait until then to see him again.

Hey Grandpa...

I bet we'll have some fun times when I'm older.

Some knitting projects have been finished. Look for photos of them later this week.

Knitting and Mason

2009-05-13T12:50:00.005-05:00

Actually, I did get quite a bit of knitting done last week while in Denver and on the flights in-between .

I worked on this Noro scarf for Doc20,

and this Clapotis shawl/scarf.

We're planning to go back to Denver tomorrow for a couple of days since Doc20 only got to see Mason while he was still at the hospital. Between waiting for flights and waiting for Mason to wake up, maybe I can finish up these projects.

My local yarn store also has this project going on and I am also working on a helmet liner. She has been on several local TV news shows so hopefully lots of folks will knit and donate.

First Week with Mason

2009-05-09T10:19:00.006-05:00

Well, he is really cute, at least his mom and dad and I think so. He doesn't cry much and is pretty laid back. We're still working on the diaper changing routine. None of us have much experience with changing boys. Maybe his Nebraska grandmother will have some tips for us. She and Nebraska granddad will be arriving this evening to be here for Mother's Day.

I know I should be doing something for Mother's Day, but these pictures with Dad were just too cute.

Dad?

Hey Dad. It's me, Mason.

What'cha doin?

See my tongue?

You're a pretty cool Dad. (Go Huskers?)

He's here!!!

2009-05-03T10:03:00.004-05:00

The grandson has arrived! Mason is 7 lbs 1 oz and 20 inches long. He arrived last night at 10:44 after lots of pushing and then a C-section. Mom, Dad and baby are doing fine but it's been a long night, day, and most of the next night. Mom and Dad are pretty pooped. We didn't leave the hospital until around 1:00 last night (or I guess this morning) when Mom finally made it to her room. Hopefully everyone was able to get some sleep after we left.

Dad thinks he's a keeper....

I'll try to post some more photos later today.

A couple of things

2009-04-27T18:09:00.007-05:00

This.....

is a Peony. Peonies don't usually grow in Texas. I think it's not cold enough in the winter or too hot in the summer or something like that. However, this one came from my back yard! I have had this peony plant (bush?) for at least three years. This is the first and only bloom it's ever had. I was hoping for more, but I'll settle for this one. I love it. Maybe after producing this one this year, it will learn how it's done and have a lot more next year.

And this....

is Baby Bird. She is almost 3 months old now and a real cutie. Today was my day to keep her while her mom went to work. We worked on learning multiple bubble blowing methods and had a great time.

It's In The Mail

2009-04-23T18:33:00.004-05:00

Two knitting projects are done! They are in the mail to the recipient. They should arrive at her office tomorrow. I hope she likes them.

February Lady Sweater, and

Short fingered gloves and mitts.

Now, on to the next project.

Football...already?

2009-04-19T14:14:00.007-05:00

Last Friday we were going to fly to Lubbock for the Texas Tech spring scrimmage football game on Saturday. As most of you know, since I am retired from American Airlines, we fly stand-by almost every time we fly. You have to be pretty flexible - time wise - to fly that way. When I got up at 5:15 am on Friday morning to check us in for the flight, I found that the flights that had been only half full on Thursday night were now full. Since there had been bad weather in Lubbock the night before, flights had been canceled and the passengers moved to Friday AM. Great. The third flight on Friday still looked pretty good though, so we decided to go ahead and give it a shot. After waiting in the airport for a hour or so, the weather from Lubbock the night before arrived at DFW and canceled the fight we were waiting for. So, we just got in the car and drove.

My reward was going to be getting to visit the one yarn store in Lubbock, maybe in all of west Texas, when we got there. I discovered that they went out of business last January. Great.

We went to a Tech baseball game that night (I went and sat in the car around the 4th inning because I was cold). Saturday we went to the football game -- the weather was really nice. And then to dinner at Orlandos. Today we drove home and stopped on Thurber for lunch. It was pretty good.

I did get some car and football game knitting done though. I'll post some pictures later this week after I fix the part that I did wrong.

I will end with some on my favorite flower photos from this past week. Enjoy!

One Million (almost)

2009-04-13T22:05:00.004-05:00

Done.

One million planted in one day!

Mother Nature stay away!

Send your hail another day (like January or February would work).