Current happenings

Spring has arrived.  I am so thankful, what a long cold winter it was.

 I am working on a few projects, one of them is a knit blanket for a brand new little nephew that will be born in August.  The blanket I made for Jericho, his big brother to be, was pretty... but we didnt know if Sarah was having a boy or a girl when I chose the yarn, so I made it from a variegated baby yarn in pale blues, purples and white.  The new blanket is definitely different, it's going to be very bold. 

The yarn for Parker's blanket.

 

Jericho's blanket

 Maddy is doing well with the homeschooling.  Right now I would say that World history and Latin are still her favorite classes.  We need to start lining up her materials for next year, but I still have lots of time to find just the right stuff for her.  Tentatively next year she will be taking English, Geometry or Algebra 2, US History, Latin 2, another lab science as well as some "fun" classes.  Fun being the point... so it will be totally Maddy driven.  We have some local art classes, including stained glass, pottery, as well as things like Karate etc.  She will also be getting a part time job in the fall... and sometime over the next year will be taking Driver's ed through a local program.  We will also be utilizing a SAT program to help her get ready for that in the spring of 2014. Her Junior year is going to be a busy busy year for us.

In July, the husband and I will be going on our first vacation (alone without children) in 23 years.  A group of our friends, that we met online, get together every year in July for a weekend.  This year the stars all aligned and we are able to go. *knock on wood*  Its also the year of our 25th wedding anniversary, so we decided to extend our trip past the weekend and visit the area.  I am so excited, and nervous, and excited, and just can't wait, and excited...

Eileen has moved into a new place with her young man.  He is a full time culinary student as well as a  full time sous chef at a local restaurant.   Eileen will be returning to college in the fall. She is also working full time as a pharmacy tech at the state's biggest hospital.  She is a pretty busy young lady but she knows what she wants to do with her life and is moving herself that direction.  I am very excited for her.

Its a lovely day outside... there is a soft breeze and the sun is shining.  Its a very nice day and I hope you are having a great day as well.

~Regi

Changes

Isn't Jericho the cutest.  Look at those little toes. I can't wait to spend more time with him.  Which brings me to my next topic.

Lots of stuff changing around the old homestead.

 We are moving from the country back to a city.  Back in 2008 when we moved here, I was so excited about the peace and quiet... I so had it set in my mind that I was a country girl at heart, that I didn't allow myself to be unhappy with the way things were.  So what if it took 30 minutess to get to the nearest grocery store, or there was no delivery for pizza.  I wont mention the first 2 years here struggling with an antenna so we could pick up 3 channels, 2 of which were the same programming but different stations.  There wasnt a single cable company that came out this far and the landlords at that time were very anti-Dish.  Who cared that if we lost power we had no water or working plumbing.  You just had to walk across the road to the lake and get water to flush the commode.  Anyways... after almost 4 years here we are moving again.  This time to a city larger then the one we used to live in.  Waterville Maine... home of the Waterville High School Panthers and oddly enough the same city my sister and her family live in.  We definitely didn't plan it that way.  We tried to find a place nearer to the husbands work.  They have a fantastic high school there and we were so excited about Maddy possibly going to that school.  We had no interest in buying a house with the economy the way it is... and the job field, we didn't want to tie ourselves to another community the husband would have to commute from.  Been there done that and its not fun.  So... we were looking for a house, not an apartment, and one where we would be happy for the next 3 years at least.  Once Maddy is out of high school we will have a better idea about the future of this new company the husband is working for, and just might be ready to buy a house or some land.

  The new place we are renting is nice... I can't wait to get moved, but the journey there is going to be a bit long and a bit rough.  It will work out though, just have to keep telling myself that, and all will be well. The best part... it's in a city.  They have actual coffee shops, grocery stores and a big old library all within a minutes drive or walk.  We will be 45 minutes closer to the eldest daughter, and the husband will be 25 mins from his job.

We have decided that the night we move in, we are going to celebrate by ordering pizza and getting it delivered.  Ahh... the good life.

*grins*  I guess I am a city girl after all.

~Reg

Jericho is here!

Jericho Michael was born on March 28 at 12:39pm.  He, his momma, daddy and Mimi are doing well. My sister is beside herself in love, and I don't blame her at all, he is totally a sweetheart. I got to hold him yesterday, smell him and just stare into his little face.  Everyone says he looks so much like his daddy but I can definitely see Sarah in him.

This is Jericho and his mommy.  Sarah looked incredibly tired but so happy to have her little man with her finally.

My youngest daughter holding the newest member of the family.  He grabbed right a hold of her finger and with that a piece of her heart.  She told me later she had never seen a baby "so brand new." She seemed to think it was pretty awesome.

Welcome to the world little Jericho... we are all so glad you are with us.

*hugs*
Reg

Jericho's sweater... wip.

Jericho's sweater in progress (sorry for the horrid picture!) I have separated the right front and back onto stitch holders and am working on the left front. Its coming together quickly and I am in hopes the rest of it goes as smoothly... *knocks on wood*

Its been a lovely week so far, temps in the 50's and today we are getting a bit of rain to wash away more of that cursed snow. Bring on the spring!!! 

I am off to work... I wish you a wonderful day!!!

*hugs*
Reg

In progress...

Started a new project, because you know.... its not like I have don't have enough stuff going on. *grins* I swore after the baby blanket that I knitted for Jericho, that I would never knit another thing. I even warned my girls that knit blankets for their eventual children were out of the question, and yet I find myself casting on stitches to make little Jericho a baby sweater. I found the pattern at the Lion Brand Yarn website and its very sweet. I got the yarn yesterday, its Caron, Simply Soft and the color is Ocean. Its a very pretty dark blue... almost a dark denim color. I think it will be very sweet and manly lol... My only concern is that it calls for two little buttons. Can I secure them on tightly enough that they dont present a choking hazard? Or should i try to find a different way to close the sweater. So far I have about an inch done... the yarn is so soft in my hands and almost silky. I am enjoying the texture of it so far. Here is a picture of what the final project is supposed to look like.

 

In other fronts, work is going well, we are all adjusting to the husbands coming home on weekends, and staying up in that area during the week.  Maddy is doing well in school, and the eldest has decided to get married in the fall, though she has no details picked out.   The weather was glorious yesterday, in the high 50s with a warm wind, a hint at what is to come and it was so refreshing.  I can not wait for spring even though it brings the mud.  hehe.  

Guess thats all for now... still haven't found the camera or its cord, might splurge with some christmas money and get myself a new one.  

*hugs*

Reg

ps... as much as I love this yarn I bought for Jer's little sweater... how I long to use pink.  I definitely need a little girl to knit for.

Two Pips down... a million billion to go!

I am happy to report that two of the pips on my list are completed.  The first one was Eileen's fleecy blanket.  We got the fabric and then she said, "Mom, would you mind if I made it myself?"  I hemmed and hawed... looked disappointed.  "Sure Eileen, if thats what you want," I said... "its your present." 

Ok ok... i know thats kinda cheating but a pip is marked off my list  *grins* and hopefully she didnt see me cheering as she drove away with a large stack of fleece. 

The second one is Jericho's blanket.  I am happy to announce that it is complete and in its new home just waiting for Mister Jericho to be born.

I am sure glad to have that little blanket done.  I did a simple pattern.  I knitted 10 rows, then for the body of the blanket I knit completely across on the right side, and on the back side of the piece I knit 7 stitches, purled across and then knit the last 7 stitches.  I did this until the blanket was a comfy size and then knit the last 10 rows.  When adding new yarn in I always did it on the wrong side at the beginning of a row.  I used a pretty variegated yarn and it ended up with 8-9 purple stripes.  Its not the best picture above but I was trying to get everything ready for the shower when i realized i hadn't take a photo yet. 

Superbowl Fun

We had a lot of fun watching the Superbowl last night.  The game was riveting.  Unlike years in the past where we would watch a bit and then do other things and come back for the commercials and halftime show, we watched every minute of it.  I did manage to get some knitting done but for the most part we sat glued to the tv.  I do wish the Patriots had managed to win, but my hat's off to the NY Giants... it was an awesome game and they totally deserve that win. 

At one point Maddy started talking during a commercial and her father and I both said "Shhh Maddy the commercials are on".  She looked at us like we were insane and said "wait wut?"  I told her, "its the superbowl... if you gotta talk... do it during the game but please be quiet for the commercials" and she just laughed.

Personally I enjoyed the halftime show, although the reviews seemed to be mixed.  It was filled with pageantry, old and new artists alike (forgive me Madonna for calling you old)  *grins*  dancing and familiar songs. 

We had lots of yummy food,  most of which the husband had prepared while I was at work.  He is such a good egg, I might keep him for a bit longer. *wink*

All in all we had a very good time.

This morning we got him all packed up for another week at his job.  Its been tough with him living up there during the week and only coming home on the weekends, but we are managing.  We are both so grateful he was able to find this job.  He seems to be enjoying his co-workers, and the job is a nice challenge which is always a good thing.  He says he is meeting some really nice people and he has even found some co-workers with kids Maddy's age, and has found at least 2 that will be Sophomores with her next year at MCI.  Its going to be a challenge to help her adjust and fit in at the new school and yet help her keep her ties at the old one but we are going to try our best.  Its only an hour away and with FB, Twitter, texting etc she will never be too far from her friends at all.

My job is going well and I have made some nice friends there.  I am not sure how feasible it would be to continue working in the Augusta store after we move but I would sure like to try.  Even if its only a couple of really long shifts a week, as it wouldn't make any sense to drive 45 minutes to work for a 4 hour shift.  Oh well... we will cross that bridge when we get to it.

In regards to my crafting, I still have some work to do on Jericho's blanket, and my sister has given me a cross-stitch bib to work on for her.  She will be coming over sometime this week with her sewing machine in order for us to sew the backing and binding on the baby quilt she made.  I can't wait to see how its going to turn out.

Guess thats all for now.  Hopefully I will get at least one more post in before March.  lol

*hugs*
Regi

... And it's November!

Time sure flies when you are having fun!  *grins*

I have been getting between 32 and 34 hours a week at work and I am really getting into the swing of the job.  One of the CSMs told me last night that everyone has nothing but nice things to say about me... so that was good to hear.  I will have my 3 month performance review the first week of December and also my discount card.  That will be nice!!  Things have been getting busier and crazier at work as the holidays approach.  The weekend before Halloween everything was orange and black... costumes and scary themed food and candy.  I worked Halloween night and it was really dead.  I had a day off and when I came in next there were Christmas decorations up, Christmas trees in the entrys and Christmas music playing.  I felt a bit disoriented lol.

My niece, who got married in August, is pregnant.  Well technically, she was pregnant at the wedding, but it was early on yet and very few people knew.  She now has a baby belly... although its a little one and she finds out on Wednesday what the gender of the baby is.  I keep reminding her that not all babies want to share that info right off... but she is confident her child will behave and show the appropriate bits hehe.  Boy does she have a lot to learn about being a parent lmao... i cant wait to see it all unfold.  I hope her child is as much a joy and handful as Miss Sarah was for her parents.  I am trying to figure out what to make for this little one.  My sister is making the traditional (well in our family) cross-stitch blanket.  My eldest has stated she is making a quilt, so either i make some clothes for the child or knit something.  I may just go ahead and make a quilt too... a baby cant have too many quilts, but we will see.  I found a very cute pattern for a knit hat... it resembles a small berry, pattern can be found on Ravelry here.  Also found a pattern for a little knit blanket with a waffle pattern that looks adorable.  I think I will wait till we know on Wednesday (or dont know for that matter) before i finalize my plans. 


Paul and I had a long talk yesterday... he told me he fully intends to take the new job in Jan.  Its going to be very hard for the family to adjust but its going to be a good thing.  The pay is wonderful for this area, we will have medical insurance for the first time in a very long time... 401k, etc... and the town this business is in has a wonderful highschool.  Its actually a private boarding school but families that live in the town get to send their high school kids there.  Maddy will have the opportunity to get a fantastic education which will only benefit her in the future... and its half way between my sisters town and the town my eldest daughter lives in.  I just found out today that the library there is a Carnegie library.  That's exciting!  They also have an Egg festival in July... a week long festival of egg stuff.  >.>  hehe.  It will be nice to be part of a town again.

I guess thats it for now... i will try to post pictures of the projects I am thinking about doing for the baby.

*hugs*
Reg