My Dad

My father died on Monday.
I am devastated.
Kind thoughts and prayers are much appreciated.

Homeward Bound

And I'm back, just for a moment, to say hello to the blogosphere, especially to the nice folks who've come by from the Twist blog. Thanks so much for stopping by and I do hope you'll come again.

Posting will be much easier and more frequent in the days to come, as I've finally finished the big project I'd hinted about: we bought our first house!

Z enjoying both her new kitchen and Mama's shoes! Wow, that kid can multi-task.

That's right, kids, the Family Boy-O has moved on up to our version of the deluxe apt in the sky (which is more like a 4bd/2ba 2 story, but whatever).

Despite the mass of boxes and crates and cables and the temporarily lost dog (Tom & Bel was just Bel for *several* days!) and the dying washing machine and the astonishing number of repair-type projects to be done --and the *endless* hours spent waiting for contractors to show up (who knew "between 11 and noon" meant 1:30?), we are all supremely happy with the new digs. We've got much more room to roam, better access to the sorts of stuff we like to do and are pleased as punch with our new 'hood.

More later...just now I've got to rescue Boy-O from the tot!

Good grief

Soon and very soon, I hope to have some positive news to share here. Not knitting related, but important nonetheless. That is, of course, if I survive homework hour.

(The toddler is feeling neglected and throwing things on the floor while the big ones both clamor for assistance. Gah!)

Baby's First Joke

The big kids have been getting lots of joke books from the library, so our car rides have been filled with lots of silliness. So Z decided to get in on it, too:

Z: Knock knock

DH: Who's there?

Z: Cat.

DH: Cat who?

Z: Horse.

She's becoming such a sophisticate, our little one. ;-D

Where I Have Been

DSC00028
Originally uploaded by cmu204

Sauvie Island, just outside Portland, is mostly farmland -- including several wonderful nurseries and you-pick farms. We've gone just about every other week. The baby runs around and 'helps' (i.e., eats herself purple) and the big kids are focused for about an hour and a half, which is enough time to get a couple of flats filled.
It is a really lovely outing. Of course, it means a good bit of work afterwards -- washing, hulling, freezing and/or prepping something for us to eat right now.

Which mostly means there's been very little knitting this summer. A few swatches here and there, and I'm currently working on a project for one of my favorite LYS, but this has mostly been the summer of fruity deliciousness. I can't complain, but I do miss it a bit.

More Foolishness from the Mouths of Babes

N: These boys were fooling around, and (name) kicked (other name) in the tentacles.

******

Me: Oh @!?! I forgot to call my Dad for Father's Day.

T: Maybe you could just call today and tell him Happy Melated Father's Day.

*****

(Waking up. Z puts her hands over my eyes, then removes them)

Z (big grin, sing-song voice): Boo-boo!

Hmmm. I love Italian.

Scene: Our living room. The girls are looking at a book N has brought home from the library.

Miss N: Hey Z, wanna learn about the cannoli-al days?

Me: What?

N: The cannoli-al days?

Me (looking at the cover): Can you try that again?

N: Oh. (exaggerated pronunciation): The colonial days.

Happy Easter

I keep meaning to come back and post, but somehow, living the life keeps getting in the way of reflecting on it. It's a good problem to have, I think.

We've been busy! We're trying a container planting this year:

The children were excited about the potatoes we planted in our recycled buckets.

Watching the flowers bloom in our back yard:

This was a few days ago: the cherry blossoms have exploded like popcorn!

And introducing the baby to the wonders of sun protection:

She looks a bit  geisha-like with all that sunscreen!

I'm also working on my new project for (HMMM HMMM), which arrived safely from (XXX) in a box perfectly suited to the little one:

Boy-O & I also celebrated our 4th anniversary (I think that means we're serious about this).

And now it's Easter. I'm a total heathen, but I love holidays -- largely because they are an excuse to make a larger, fancier meal than usual. 

Today's dinner will be lamb, marinated in Greek herbs*, with eggplant moussaka and a garlicky rice. I can't wait. 

*The herbs came from our very generous neighbors down the street, who gave me practically half their bay tree and rosemary shrub. (Just another reason to love Portland.) 

Still swatching

In a time-honored blogging technique, I'm distracting from a lack of crafty progress with cute kid pictures: 

They are adorable, aren't they?

Haven't fallen off the planet, just busy swatching, celebrating -- Mr. T is 8 now! -- and doing daily playgroups with the babe. It all takes a good deal more time than I bargained for -- I'm making no progress at all on my latest sweater. No regrets, but I think all of my projects will have to be vests in oreder to complete NaKniSweMoDo. 

For the moment, however, I'm home alone for the first time in ages: Boy-O's run off with the kids and allowed me to sleep in. 

It's a very weird feeling, just me and the dogs, looking at each other as if to say "I dunno. What do you want to do?" I can't speak for the dogs, but I plan to enjoy an unhurried shower and then unparalleled excitement of eating something without my little companion stealing from my plate!

Heady times. ;-P

My Favorite Memory

Visiting with my sister over Christmas, I got to meet my niece for the first time. Miss K is quite the character, and I was so thrilled to finally check out her antics in person.
They'll need to come see us soon!

Silly Babes

T: I've got chicken botch.

DH: That's chicken pox, boy.

*******

T: Feta jacques, feta jacques, gourmet vous, gourmet vous...

*******

N: The clouds are like a maze for the birds.

Back From Outer Space

(No knit content here today, but check back tomorrow: new and possibly insane developments are coming soon.)

Boy-O, the kids and I just did the grand tour of Chicago, visiting my folks and his to show off our adorable baby. 

Exhausting, but worthwhile. Next visit, though, they are definitely coming to see us.

3 Years

Today is the third anniversary of my brother's passing.
I think of him -- and miss him -- every day. There is an Antwyon-shaped hole in my heart that can never be filled.

But as I sit here, listening to my niece and nephew giggling and being silly with the baby, the hurt is less raw, the ache less intense. I see him in their faces, with beautiful dark eyes and gorgeous long lashes, and I'm comforted. Though life will never be the same, it is still good.

Working It Out

I feel like I've fallen down the rabbit hole this month - I swear there should be more posts than this.
I would blame NaNoWriMo, but DH & I sort of bailed in the worst way. Instead, I'll blame the baby, since she is small and can't defend herself. ;-P
Z's been rather sad and clingy much of this month, but now we can see evidence of why:



That's my girl. Cutting her very first tooth ... just before her first birthday.

Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Programming

More gems from the minds of the minors:

From Boy-O: Miss N is being her usual chatty self, talking non-stop about something or other when she sees a sign on the door of the sub shop:
Ooh, help wanted. Can we help?

***
N, while writing a story: I'm gonna guess how to spell exactly.

***

T: Homework is (makes air quotes) "boring."

***
Baby Z, at this juncture, is limited to "gog" (dog), "mama" and "bapa" or "dada".
Therefore, her story is told via photo essay:


"Ooh -let's go over there."


Jezebel interrupts with an "Oh, please, can't I lick her a little?"


"Look, mama! I found the pretty pictures!"

[At this point, we genius parents realize that she's watching South Park. A hasty channel change is effected.]


"Mama Bear - what a huge head you have."


"Eh. I'm bored with this show."


"Ahh. The static channel is the best."

More True Stories

T (Holding the Mini Masters box): Is there an artist named Luther Van Gogh?

Boy-O & I (Between giggles): Um, no honey, it's Vincent Van Gogh. He was a painter.

T: How did he faint?

Me: (helpless giggles)

Boy-O: I imagine from blood loss when he cut off his ear.  

You just can't make this stuff up.

******************************

Just so there's some yarn content:

Socks That Rock in Gypsum. 

I love this yarn. It knits up wonderfully, it smells good (yeah, I sniff yarn) and the colors are enchanting. I know many sock people are all about the Koigu - and don't get me wrong, that's good stuff, too - but there's just something about this yarn that makes me a little weak in the knees. 

I'm having far too much fun with it.

Beautiful BSJ

Have I mentioned lately that I love my MIL? It always amazes me how well we get along.
She is someone I'd want to know even if I weren't in love with her son.

When we found out about the baby, part of the thrill was knowing we'd be supplied with lovely baby knits. True to my expectations, Baba has come through magnificently:


Baby is stylin' in her lovely new Baby Surprise Jacket. (I would post a Schoolhouse Press link, but I couldn't find a direct link to the pattern or the DVD). I can't comment on the pattern, but given the vast number of these in the blogosphere -- 4,615 on Ravelry alone! -- and the fact that it's by the great EZ, I'm sure it's a good one.
(I love the February Baby Sweater so much that it's my standard baby gift; I've never even tried another one. But this is so cute; it's tempting me to branch out.)
Thank you so much, Baba J!

Mi Familia

Taking a little knitting break - baby's cotton sweater is a tough knit for me - so I have to show off my adorable family:


Baby's first bump: Z fell off the bed and scratched her head. I think I cried harder than she did.


I took the kids to Sand in the City this past weekend. Aside from seeing giant sand sculptures, having Hawaiian pizza, watching a puppet show and getting their faces painted, they had no fun at all. ;-D


Boy-O giving me "Blue Steel."

B-day Redux

Sometimes the good stuff just comes at you all at once.

1) My in-laws are in town. It's always a hoot when they visit. The big kids love them, and even little Z is starting to smile at her Baba and Papa. they are supposed to move out here in a few years, and we can't wait. I want our kids to have as good a relationship with them as I did with my Grandmas.
(Of course, the fact that they're taking the kids to the amusement park today means that our house is oddly quiet for a Saturday. That's nice, too.)

2) I got a copy of the Fall Knitscene -- it's gorgeous! (I'm not just saying that b/c my design's in it. There are several things in there that I want very much!)
And it's bigger! Love that.

3) I just had another piece accepted for publication; woot! (And yeah, I really do still go around the house saying, "Go Cher, it's ya birf-day...")

4) Speaking of birthdays, my MIL brought along my present:

It's a lovely shawl, made with Elann's Seta Lana, and I adore it.
This up close shot shows the texture and the color more accurately:



Baby liked it, too:

Yup. They really said it.

Our oh-so-classy kids strike again with the witticisms:

(Both children were given cashews & tea for a snack. Quite some time later, I notice the boy is still chewing.)

Me: T, what are you eating?

N: He’s still got his nuts.

Me: I should hope so.

******

T: (pretending to be hurt) I need crunches...

Boy-O: Wha?

N: You mean crutches…

******

N: (Indignantly) T! Imagine how your booty would feel if you did that!

******

T: (After watching the Muppet movie, where the bad guy sells frog legs) I want a frog egg.

******

T: (“Creole Lady Marmalade”) Itchy itchy mama ya ya…