StitchLuva and Yarn

Life Goes On...Life Is Good

2011-07-12T21:01:00.002-02:30

We are adjusting to the new normal. The kids spend 2 days a week and every other weekend with Dad at the new house. Originally I was against this idea because I do everything for these little ones. Laundry, food and clothing shopping, snacks, play dates; everything. I felt, either I do everything and pack it up for someone else to benefit from my work or walk away and say your days your kids. Long story short, I do it for them and they will be the only ones who will miss out if i stop. I sucked it up, put on my big girl pants and decided that what I do for them should not change just because the grown ups in there life are acting stupid. So the calendar has become my best friend, who's day is it, what are they doing, what is the weather, what kind of clothes will they need, who has there swimsuits & sweatshirts, laundry, laundry, packing and unpacking. When I am with them I try to make it fun and try to plan outings. But sometimes they tell me Nana, I just want to stay home. On those days, I let them stay in their pj's watch TV in bed and make them their favorite snacks. All in all, I think I am blessed to be able to to have them in my life and be able to be their comfort blanket and place of normal.

Coming attractions...we are struggling with the idea of do we renovate to make us all fit more comfortably in my house or move and start fresh. I live in Bergen County and although housing prices have dropped, the type of space I would need is very expensive. If I moved south or west, I could get a lot more house and land for the money, but the kids would be far from their Dad. That would make him crazy and he would make our life crazy. If we buy new in this area, we would get into debt at a point when we were planning to just slow down and enjoy our golden years. If we renovate, we could control the cost, but have to live with the mess, 2 kids and a crazy schedule for who knows how long. Spin the wheel...more to follow.

On the up side, my grandson, is now 2 1/2 and a big bundle of joy and love. My grand daughter is 7 a sweet young lady with a stubborn streak that make me crazy.

Life goes on...Life is Good!

Listen to Your Inner Voice

2011-06-27T00:10:00.002-02:30

So much has happened since I last posted and then again nothing new has happened. My daughter's marriage fell apart. This was both a shocking surprise and at the same time something my inner voice told me would happen. Twelve years ago, when my daughter told me she was in love with this man, i had my doubts. Not because i felt there was anything terribly wrong with him, but because I did not see that he had the same life goals and long term values that i wanted for my daughter. But she was so happy and isn't that what every parent wants for their child. my daughter was a very rebellious teen and those years were so hard and unhappy for her and us that to see her happy made my heart melt. We gave her the wedding of her dreams. Spent all the money that we had saved for her to go to college but she refused to go. To this day, people tell me that it was the best wedding they ever went to. Whatever she wanted, if i could afford it she got it. But behind the scenes his family was so difficult and disrespectful. I kept telling myself, maybe I am too sensitive, or maybe they don't realize that is rude or maybe they think we are the Trump family! For example, his father RSVP that he would not be attending because he did not have a tux to wear. I told him that a tux was not required, that anything that he felt was appropriate for church or out to dinner would be fine, he responded that he would not attend if he would feel like the poor relation. Long story short, in order for him to attend and not break his son's heart I told him to go to the tuxedo rental place where the wedding party was getting attired and pick something and put it on our tab. Of course he picked the most expensive outfit they had and never returned it so we had to pay full retail value. We never brought this up because we did not want my new son-in-law to be embarrassed by his family. But that was ten years ago, water under the bridge. In those 10 years, 2 beautiful remarkable child rend came into our lives. They became the center of my life. We have put our own life on hold in order to make their lives better. Now I am not sure that was such a good idea. As the marriage falls apart, our role as caregivers and providers becomes less important. i have come to learn (the hard way, that grandparents have not rights, only what the parents chose to give them)

2011-03-25T20:53:00.001-02:30

Visit SWAP MAMAS

Things Could Be Worse

2011-03-12T23:22:00.002-03:30

I have had a very rough 6 months. When I see what some people have to over come it makes me feel frivolous. I am so grateful for what I have. I will try to share my good fortune with those who are so much more in need. I will be thankful.

Hello Out There

2011-03-06T16:03:00.001-03:30

It has been almost a year since I blogged. So much has happened and not in a crafty way. I have started a few projects but have not been able to complete them. I did manage to make a blanket and hat for a baby born to someone I love. Made me feel good and want to do more creative things. My life is on the verge of big changes due to family drama. Funny--my last post was not drama. Things have changed a lot since then and not for the better. I will be posting again and bring my blog up to date.

BIG GIVEAWAY

2010-05-12T11:49:00.002-02:30

...for all you scrapbookers, and/or cricut users. check this out
Everyday Scrapbooker

No Drama

2010-04-06T14:32:00.002-02:30

Easter was nice. Family came over, dinner was very simple. Everyone played nice! So rare with our family gatherings. I liked it.

Happy Easter

2010-04-03T23:15:00.002-02:30

I wish all of you that celebrate Easter a very happy day.

I miss the days when we would go shopping for the perfect Easter outfit for the kids and dress them up. The go to a crowded church for mass then meet the family for brunch. Somehow we stopped doing the brunch and eventually stopped going to church and now we still get together but don't dress up or do any of the other "Easter" things. The kids get baskets and color eggs, but the whole meaning is gone. I know it is our fault that this happened but I still miss the old days.

Ta Dah...

2010-04-01T13:08:00.002-02:30

Like I said, no great work of art. But at least it's done. I have a busy day today. A friend is coming for dinner and I have nothing prepared and my house is a disaster from the kids playing and making a mess everywhere they go. Have a great Easter, those of you that celebrate. It is going to be a beautiful spring weekend here. I will be cooking dinner for 14 and again nothing prepared. So I need to go do what I should be right now!

Completed MY Layout!

2010-03-30T21:23:00.002-02:30

Took me long enough but I finally did it. Such a small thing but makes me feel like I accomplished something. Now all I need to do is take a picture and post it :) Will do that as soon as I get a moment with some good lighting. Now this is no great work of art, it actually took me more time to whine about it than to complete it. Now I will look for my sketch for my next one.

Scrap On Week 2

2010-03-11T13:29:00.002-03:30

I picked my sketch and my picture. Seeing how it is already Thursday. I better get a move on.

Well I did it

2010-03-08T03:00:00.004-03:30

Please excuse the poor quality of the photo, my scanner is not big enough and my lighting is poor. Although it is not my best work, I do do feel good that I finished it. Just used paper from my stash. I do not have a huge stash. I would have liked to use fabric flowers, but i did not have any so I just cut some out of pattern paper. I am looking forward to my next project.

Scrap On Update

2010-03-07T05:10:00.003-03:30

So I found a sketch, picked the paper and printed the photo. Then I was browsing through one of my albums and realized that duh, I already used this photo in a layout. Just proves how long it's been since I did a layout. So now I have to decide--find another photo to fit the sketch and paper, or find another sketch. I am leaning towards another sketch and photo. So far I like this one, which is more of a scraplift. But the papers I picked may not go with the photo. If I am going to post a layout by Monday, I am going to have to get on the ball. Sure wish I did not have all that laundry to do.

Preliminary Sketch

2010-03-01T16:19:00.004-03:30

So far this is what I am thinking of.
It was a lot harder to find a sketch than I thought. I had one in my head that I saw somewhere, but of course, I could not remember where I saw it. I finally settled on this because it is more important that I just do it. Otherwise, like many of my projects, it will remain an I want to do and not a done. I need to get in the habit of doing.

Getting My Scrap On!

2010-03-01T14:22:00.003-03:30

As I mentioned before, I have been having a little problem with my mojo. A fellow blogger, the very talented Adrienne was having a similar problem and suggested a scrap-along. I have done crochet-alongs in the past and really enjoyed them. It also helped me to try things I might never have on my on. This is the first time, I am scrapping with others people. I have never been to a crop, although they sound like fun. I am excited to do this, so that is a very good thing. This is how it will work, and anyone who wishes to join us, well the more the merrier.

So I have some pictures printed out and I am going to scrap them.

Every Monday I will pick a sketch that I am going to use.

I am going to make it a GOAL to do ONE layout a week.

I want to try and do this for an entire month, so by months end I SHOULD have four LO's.

I will post the sketch that I am going to work from. Once I get my layout finished I will post it on her and a link to Adrienne blog where she will get them all linked in her post. So she actually has most of the hard work :)

This should be fun and I am really excited.

Here is a list of the ladies that are gonna play. If you want me to add your name to this let me know and she will get it up there:

Cynta
Kisha
Mrs. Saditty
Neecha
KeeKee

I think this will inspire me to post more often and maybe even get my mojo back for my yarn crafts. I have been thinking I want to take a class at Michaels to learn to knit. I have tried it before but never felt comfortable enough to actually make a garment.

So let's see how this goes. I feel gunho now, but by the time the kids go home and I am done with dinner and dishes, well that is just another story. Will look for my sketch now. Will keep you posted :->

New Day New Attitude

2010-02-19T21:43:00.006-03:30

A lot has happened since my last post which seemed a little dark. I felt I was in the need for change. The end of winter is such a hard time for me. I get a bad case of cabin fever. Being locked indoors with a toddler and a 5 yo is rough. I am not a cold weather outdoor person. And packing up 2 kids to freezing my butt off, is not my thing. I give a lot of credit to moms that have 2 or more kids, and are involved in everything and even have time to be creative. Just not me. Not because I'm old, I was this way at 25 when my kids were young. But my dh and i went to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, my first time. It turned out that we were there for superbowl so it was doubly crazy. A fun experience, everyone such try it at least once. My dh and I reconnected. We really needed that. When we got back, we all got this really nasty stomach virus that lasted about 4 days. I do feel better now, mentally and otherwise. I want to work on myself and make time for things I enjoy. I am so looking forward to spring, even though I just heard we are getting another big snow storm this week. :( I am coping with all that I have on my plate and I am grateful that it may be a crazy stressful life but I am so blessed to have people that I love and that love me. I leave you with a few photos of Mardi Gras and the last snow storm.

Working on my Mojo

2010-01-20T21:53:00.002-03:30

It is almost February and I have not been able to shake the end of the year wtf blues. I need to make some major personal changes in how I live my life. But in the am when I feel like crap, I allow myself to be overwhelmed by the minor inconveniences that are part of life. I don't want to be ther person I am now. I am so much better than that. I have more to offer than that. The people on the outside see me in a different light. They see me as someone who has it all together and when i try to explain that I am not all that, they dismiss me like I am just looking for a compliment, or that nothing is good enough for me. But that is not it at all. I want to wake up each day with a feeling of purpose. I want to tackle the things that will make me feel whole. I really want to handle all the things that are a part of daily life without feeling overwhelmed. I need to be happy if i just do everything ok and not great. I need to be able to live in the moment and not feel that I am letting life pass me by.

HAPPY NEW YEAR - YOU ARE AWESOME!

2010-01-02T14:24:00.001-03:30

Merry Zhu Zhu

2009-12-03T01:05:00.004-03:30

JUST FOR FUN!

2009-11-07T14:20:00.001-03:30

P.S. Just 7 more weeks for Christmas --OH NO!!!

My little boo boo bear is 1 already!

2009-10-30T19:47:00.002-02:30

It went slow at times and then it just flew. But I can't believe that my little gr son is 1 already! And the pumpkin pie is 5 1/2. He is walking and into everything and she is so grown up (discovering boys :( !!) Makes me feel like life is just zooming by. I truly enjoy them. But when I started this blog I was still adjusting to being a nana, staying at home and not a corp shark. Now I love being home and even when I am bored I don't want to go back to work. But i realize staying home is hard. Being a care giver is very hard work. And raising children is the most import job one is lucky enough to have.

I have the creative bug again. It seems that this only happens when I have so much to do that taking time to create, craft, knit or crochet seems crazy; that I feel like that is what I really want to do. It's like is not as fun without the guilt. Is that wierd? When I stop doing what I don't want to do or what I really have to do and tell myself that I deserve a break that I really enjoy my crafting. It is like a gift to myself. Just like a day at the spa. Not something I want to do can do every day, but a reward to myself because I deserve it. I made this and thought I would try to sell it but before it was finished, my dd wanted it for her best friend who recently had a baby girl. I did not even get to take a pic, but it was so adorable. I made it with Vanna White Baby. Although the texture left a lot to be desired, I love the weight of it. It felt somewhere between a sport and a worsted. Definetly not the fingering or usual baby weight yarn. I would love to find a soft non-synthetic yarn in this weight.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-30T18:44:00.006-02:30

We had a 1st Birthday, Halloween Party, Keg Party and it was a blast. But we had more than 1/2 the keg left over the next day and that made us all say we must be getting old. But we had so much fun.

Back To School

2009-09-06T13:57:00.003-02:30

School started this week and my little pumpkin is now in kindergarden. Hard to believe! So far she love it and said her new friends like the same things she does. How wonderful to be young. While she is at school, I am home with my other little one that I call that I call Boo Boo Bear or Boo for short. He is a hand full, just starting to walk and is into everything. This is a new phase for us. I look forward to it, but I am also sad. Time goes by so quickly, before I know it he will be in school too.

Delish--LOVE,LOVE,LOVE

2009-08-25T19:34:00.000-02:30

What can I say--I'm the Nana!!!

End of Summer

2009-08-18T21:36:00.003-02:30

Camp is over and we just got back from a week at Long Beach Island. I must say the house we got was a last minute thing and was a bit of a shack--but we had such a fabulous time. No family drama, great beach weather, fabulous food, what more could we want. :) Came home loving life. Had such a good time we did not take much pics. Now that I am back, I am glad that I don't have the stress of packing up 2 kids and being on a school bus at 8 am, but my pool pump is not working that well and in this heat wave I am running out of ideas on how to keep them entertained! Going to the mall tomorrow and try to do some back to school shopping. Let you know how that goes. I have been feeling the craft bug lately. While down the shore, my dh bought some dresses for bitty baby and I thought, I could do so much more for that kind of $. So now I am inspired to make some doll clothes. Any pattern suggestions?

long story short...!

2009-07-24T00:01:00.010-02:30

it has been a long time since i blogged regularly. and i do wonder why i still do it at all. a lot of the blogs i followed when i started this are long gone but there are some true die hards that inspire me to keep it going. why? because it makes me feel good to follow and feel like i am involved in the lives of people out side of my inner circle (inner circle means you are some how related by blood or marriage to someone of blood). i grew up to believe that you could not trust anyone that was not related. but from life experience, i learned that blood relatives are not so easily trusted either, so that does not leave a whole lot of folks!!! so you bloggers are my only family that i can relax and not worry about. you think??? i do hope you enjoy my pics almost as much as i enjoyed living them.

I was a fan

2009-06-28T16:25:00.002-02:30

A lot of sad news this week. Farah was so brave, Michael was so musically talented and Ed was warm and funny.

Home Again

2009-05-24T21:23:00.002-02:30

We went to the Bahamas with my family. We took my son who is struggling with whether to finish school after 5 years of engineering, my daughter and her husband who are struggling with the hard realities of real marriage, my beautiful grandchildren who are sweet, innocent and just pure love. We were all hoping to dump all our problems in the ocean, soak in the sun and come back totally new. Well it rained most of the time and we spent a lot of time indoors. We did have a lot of Dr. Phil moments where we uncovered some very raw emotions and at the end of the week we just packed up our troubles and came home. There were some real breakthrough moments but sometimes that can be cleansing but painful. At the end of the week we packed our bags with our troubles and returned home.

Home again, and I feel happy to be home, sad about my families burdens, grateful that I have a family that loves each other. We have these beautiful babies that give us hope. So for now we are home again and waiting for sunny skies.

To All Moms,Daughters, Sisters, Aunts....

2009-05-09T22:11:00.002-02:30

I wish you all a beautiful day. I hope you get to talk or spend time with your loved ones.

A beautiful weekend...

2009-04-20T01:41:00.004-02:30

My little princess is 5. I can't believe it. It went so fast.

luckily we have a little prince to fill in the gap

It felt like spring today...

2009-04-10T00:27:00.003-02:30

and I love it. I cannot stand to stay indoors anymore, expecially since I don't really have the time or energy to keep up with the housework. Nothing worse than staying home and feeling like your house is just not that clean. So we went to the park today and it was fun.

LIFE IS SO SHORT...

2009-03-28T21:58:00.005-02:30

It seems harder and harder to keep my blog up to date. I have been facebooking regularly and that seems much easier to keep up with. Not sure why-but maybe because it is just a quick blurb and not an actual commitment to writing. I have been very busy with my TWO grand babies. I am so in love with both of them that it is hard to really keep up with the rest of my life. But I look at it this way -- soon they will be all grown up and I will have plenty of time on my hands but this delicious time with these babies will be soon gone. When my children were little, I was so busy with working to pay bills and keeping house and family together that I really had no time to just enjoy and now when I look at pictures I feel so sad and a real loss. So this is my time to stop and smell the coffee (really smell the baby drooly breath) and I plan to enjoy every second of it. This is a glimps of what makes me so happy.

I have made a little sweater and a couple of tops for my granbabies--pictures will be posted in the near future.

I'm Back!!

2009-02-23T18:56:00.002-03:30

My dh and I took a trip to Cancun, Mexico. It was a last minute plan. We were celebrating his early retirement. Also, my dd is going back to work after 5 months of maternity leave and I will be officially the nanny to my "TWO" grandchildren. It is a little scary and a little exciting.
We had such a relaxing fabulous time but came home to a little family drama. Nothing of any importance, but caused one of the biggest arguments dh and I have had in a very long time. But he finally saw my point so I am trying to get past it. Why is it that when someone starts a sentence with I don't want to start any drama you can bet that is exactly what is coming. Also, why is that some people are just all about drama. I have no patience for it. I just want to say suck it up and get over yourself. Maybe next time that is exactly what I will do. Yes, sounds like a plan.
Pictures of Mexico to follow!

Baby Sweetness and an FO

2009-01-22T12:50:00.004-03:30

Awww!!! The little man is growing so fast. Pretty soon my dd will be going back to work and I will be watching both grankids. It's a little scarry :)

It has be since forever that I posted an FO. I have completed a couple but have not gotten around to posting them. This is something I made for him before he was born. Although I do love the way it came out, I find that crochet looks a little girly. I have been looking for patterns that are a little more boyish, but I find that I really wish I knew how to knit better (I can only make scraves).

It Was A Beautiful, Proud and Historical Day!

2009-01-21T02:09:00.008-03:30

I was glued to the TV. Michelle looked so stylish. The girls are beautiful and Mr. President you makes me proud. I love how they look so in love and happy. It gives me hope.

Stunning!

Don't they look happy!

It's A New Year

2009-01-14T00:29:00.002-03:30

And I am hoping it will bring good things to you all. I am inspired by Oprah to live my best life and to put myself on my to-do list. Since I stopped working (outside of the house) almost 5 years ago, I have been trying to squeeze my own needs in between all that I do for my family and my house. But that is just not working for me. So I am going to try and prioritize my health and fitness, MY fun and friends; without feeling like i am neglecting my family. Let's see how it goes.

I have caught the facebook craze, it's fun but different. When I blog I feel free to express myself with a certain amount of anonymity. Facebook is only people who know you which makes me a lot more careful. I think the biggest difference is that I blog what I feel and I facebook what I'm doing. And sometimes I feel, who really cares, either way.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2009-01-01T21:49:00.003-03:30

I am very excited about 2009. 2008 turned out to be a little bit of a downer, but I cannot complain. I have a new granbaby, my family is in good health and we are all still hanging in there. Things could be worse. I feel good about a new start in o9. I am going to try and focus on the things that are most important. Our health and quality time with those that I really care about. My new focus will be to simplify my life. Since my time is so tight, I want to use it only on things and people that are really important to me. And I want to focus on thing that make me happy. Seems like that is a no brainer, but I notice that many times I spend valuable time with too many people that I call friends, and then don't have time for those that I really love, and that make me happy. I also want to spend more time doing things that I enjoy.

I hope you all have a great 2009. May you spend lots of time with those you love and bring you joy. May you have good health and prosperity and time to do things you enjoy.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T13:02:00.001-03:30

Meet The New Man of the House!

2008-11-12T22:38:00.002-03:30

I look at this sweet face and I I feel like who needs sleep when I can look at this beautiful face and smell that sweet baby smell. I feel so blessed that my dd feels close enough to me and she actually wants me around to help so she can rest. I wish I could have enjoyed my babies this much, but I am not complaining.

I VOTED!!!

2008-11-05T00:36:00.001-03:30

GOD BLESS AMERICA.

Ain't It the Truth!!!

2008-11-04T01:00:00.001-03:30

Lack of sleep and too much candy and I'm with him! Not feeling very buff lately.

Rough Couple of Weeks

2008-10-27T19:07:00.004-02:30

I have been helping my daughter out by going to her house and watching the kids, so she can get some sleep. The baby is a night owl. While there I also cook dinner and do some of her laundry. Then I come home to take care of my own stuff. After a while I don't know if I'm coming or going. But it is so nice to have some time with the baby and of course my little princess. She has been so good with sharing the attention. I'm surprised, I thought it was going to be a problem.

This week she is all excited about halloween. A princess again, of course. I will be both happy and sad when this phase is over. What's next, Hannah Montana? I'm not so crazy about that. We went to a halloween event on Sunday and she got to
where her costume. It was a beautiful day and we had a lot of fun. Except that her princess shoes gave her blisters and my dh had to carry her about half a mile to the car. He was not happy about that and could not understand why I didn't make her wear her sneakers. Men just don't understand the shoe thing!

The baby is doing fine. At first he was not gaining weight and we were a little upset about that. My dd was told to supplement with bottles and he is now doing great.

IT's a boy!!!!

2008-10-07T16:10:00.002-02:30

To Blog or Not to Blog

2008-09-30T19:04:00.004-02:30

This is my little granbaby which is due any day!

Blogging has become quite a chore. Originally, I started to share my crafting projects and communicate with fellow crocheters and fiber lovers. But life gets very complicated and I don't have as much time to play with yarn as I would like. Then I started to scrap my photos in order to save my memories. I had hoped to get more involved the scrapping and paper lovers, but never really got it together to post and write about my layouts. Of course, I can post pics of my little pumpkin daily, but I do want to have a blog just about her! We are days from welcoming a new little pumpkin into the family. Of course, I will have to share those pics with everyone. I sometimes think it is time to give up the blog, it's not like I have a big readership. But everyonce in a while I do just feel like writing a few words or sharing some of my thoughts. So, I guess I will take a day at a time for now and see how it goes.

All of you multitaskers out there, I wish I knew your secret of how you keep it togother!

Where did the summer go?

2008-09-08T12:15:00.004-02:30

Back to school for my pumpkin. I can't believe how big she has gotten. It was a great summer, but really flew by. We are now preparing for the new baby coming the first week of October My daughter is nesting and I am trying to get my house in order also. I need to crochet some things for the baby and I want to scrap some of the great pics I have taken. Fall is a great time of the year, but I am not looking forward to the long winter.

Have a great week!

More Pics

2008-08-26T15:05:00.002-02:30

I have been busy unpacking, doing laundry and cleaning up my house and yard. When we got back, my house and yard looked almost haunted! I really have a jones to craft, but just have not time. But I will share more pictures of our beautiful vacation.

Isla del Encanto (Island of Enchantment)

2008-08-24T17:30:00.004-02:30

We are back from Puerto Rico and we had a fabulous time. The food, the people and the absolutely beautiful land was more that I could have expected. I would have loved to post all my pictures, but blogger will not allow me right now, but more will follow.

Summer is just flying by!!!

2008-08-10T18:52:00.003-02:30

I can't believe that it is already mid-August. I have been very busy and have neglected (among other things)my blog, my crafts and my garden. I have been hanging out with my grand daughter at the park, waterparks, the zoo. I went with my dh to Mexico, enjoying my pool (adding a heater really was worth it). My new gran baby is due the first week of October so I really need to hustle and crochet. Next week I will be going to Puerto Rico with my family and my sister's family. We are stay at the beautiful El Conquistador Resort. I am so excited.

Here are some of my summer pics.

I hope you are all enjoying your summer. I will post again when I come back from PR.

I though I was so great!!!

2008-07-25T00:52:00.005-02:30

As a 1930s wife, I am
Poor

Take the test!

What a suprise! I am so glad I was not born then. Here I thought I was so above and beyond, ha.

PS>> mexico pics coming

I Love Surprises

2008-07-09T20:22:00.004-02:30

My hubby is away on business and surprised me with an invite to join him in Cancun, Mexico for a long weekend. So, I am packing a bag as fast as I can and will be on a plane tomorrow. Back in a few days.

Happy 4TH

2008-07-06T14:40:00.000-02:30

It's summer and I'm Loving it!

2008-06-18T12:32:00.001-02:30

What else can I say!

Life, Love and Stuff

2008-06-07T00:36:00.007-02:30

This is a pic of me and my family at one of the weddings I just attended.

I am in black (I love those red shoes!!!), my hubby is hiding behind me, my daughter is in the polka dots and she is carrying my future grand baby :) the beautiful girl in the merlot dress is my 2nd cousin. She is a model. Behind her is her fiance and next to him my son-in-law (he is squinting in the sun). The couples next to him are my cousins and their spouses. The little girls are their daughters and my second cousins. I love this picture. When I look at it I don't see that we are older or fatter. I remember growing up in a big family. My father had lots of brothers and sisters. I had lots of cousins and aunts and uncles. We were a very close and very diverse family. Some, like myself, are olive, some were blond, some had blue eyes, some a nice warm brown. But we were so close and loved each other very much. I remember family picnics and Christmas parties at somebodies house and every room was full of people. I remember getting in trouble and how we would promise no snitching, no matter what. I remember how much I love them all. Sadly, as we grew up and started families of our own, we did not get together as often. Some moved away. A few died too young. We are all involved leading very busy lives. It feels like we just get together for special occasions.

Life has been very full for the past few months. My niece got married, we went to Disney and my cousin got married. 2 people very close to me have lost a parent and one of my favorite aunts is very ill. And I have been organizing my home, trying to get rid of stuff because I have realized that I have way too stuff. I started thinking that maybe less stuff will give me more time. Less dusting, organizing, more space, all good right? My goal is to simplify my life. It is June and I am still working on Focus on the more important things in life like the people I love and maybe some time for myself (I can dream :D ). This has been harder than I thought, I love my stuff and I can't just throw everything out. So I have been donating, recycling, gifting. My washer died so laundry is out of control. Like I said life is full and I am a bit crazy.

I am feeling very grateful but I want I need some craft therapy. Some quiet time to go through my stash and patterns and hopefully start something fabulous for the new baby. Now that would be living.

Back From Vacation

2008-05-27T23:42:00.007-02:30

We went to Florida because my gr d was flower girl at my niece's wedding in Orlando and we decided to stay a week and take her to Disney. She had a fabulous time. Walked around in a princess dress and a tiara all week. Then she got to put on a beautiful white gown and a real tiara. She was in her glory. She is such a girly girl. We had a good time also. It was just a little too hot! Not much crafting going on lately. But I do want to work on a layette for my gr baby that coming in the fall. I have made one sweater set with a matching rnd ripple (which i will post one of these days) but i want to may more stuff since it is a winter baby. It is a little hard to make stuff when you don't know the sex, but that is how they (and i) want to do it!

See You In A Week

2008-05-18T19:45:00.002-02:30

My niece is getting married on Memorial Day weekend and she lives in Orlando. So we decided to go a week early and take a vacation at Disney with my grand daughter. She is so excited she can barely stand it. I am looking forward to enjoying this with her and hopefully getting some great pictures to scrapbook.

Congrats!

2008-05-18T19:40:00.004-02:30

My nephew graduated from Bergen Community College on Thursday. It seems like just yesterday that he was graduating from kindergarten. Time really flies. This is my mom, my sis, my grand daughter with my nephew.

Belated Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-13T11:51:00.002-02:30

I hope you all had a great Mother's Day. I had a very low key day relaxed with my loved ones, burgers on the grill. How cute are these two little mommies!

I have not been doing too much crafting lately. Very busy with all the crazy stuff going on right now. I did make a couple of baby items for our grand baby that is on the way. I will post pics one of these days :) Next week we are going to Florida for my god daughter's wedding and then spending a week at Disney with my grand daughter who is the flower girl, so I will have some interesting pics.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

I am jumping on the bandwagon

2008-04-25T17:33:00.003-02:30

I just loved the movie. I made me feel good and a movie hasn't done that in a long time. I think I could learn a lot from this quirky little girl.

Spring!

2008-04-14T18:06:00.002-02:30

Goodbye cold weather, welcome spring. I am so glad it is finally warm and the sun is shining. I have been spending time at my little pumpkin at the park. She is now big enough to play with the children while I sit on a bench. So, I will be looking for a project that I can bring with me to work on. Nothing too complicated because I have to keep one eye on her at all times! I will look on Ravelry for something. I know that is where everyone has disappeared to but I just get so lost there. I have not made a real connection yet.

Don't Drink and Blog

2008-04-11T01:00:00.002-02:30

I just read my prior post and realized that I should have followed my instincts and waited a day to blog. At least until the booze wore off! My replacement earring is coming today and all without a fight.

More to follow and some pics too.

Have a great weekend.

nana is sad :(

2008-04-04T21:10:00.003-02:30

i feel so shallow for how i feel, but there is no way i can do anything to change it. my post are mostly about things i make for other people or things i do for or things i do with or for my granddaughter. mostly, making my dh, dd, ds, my little pumpkin, my mom happy is what
makes me happy. but when i was 50 my dd gave me a surprise party and my dh gave me the
most magnificent diamond earrings. now my dh works for the Tiffany & co., so when i say they were breathtaking that is no lie. but what made them priceless to me is that for the first time in our 20++ yrs together, it was a total surprise and very unexpected. i never took them off unless i was cleaning them. and just looking at them made me feel loved.
ok, so now you know how much i love them. so last sunday, as i was cooking dinner for 8 at my dd house, one of her friends commented how outstanding my earrings are and asked what kind of clasp i had and if i worried if they would fall off. so i told her and everyone else (i love these guys) about how this is the best gift i ever got and explained about the clasp. i also mentioned that i was in the habit of checking them to see if they were still on.
fast forward to tuesday morning, i am on the phone with my dd, while talking i rub my ears as i always do, to check my earrings. one is gone!! i spend the rest of the day checking every corner of my home and it is gone! i am heart broken, but my dd tells me to call my insurance co. well, it seems like i have to learn everything the hard way. unless you list items worth more than $1M that is all they are paying and that is not nearly enough to replace it.
OK, so i can deal with that is the way insurance works, etc. but that feeling of i am so important because i always put everyone else first is gone. that reminder that what i do is of so value to everyone in this house cannot be replace. i spend all of wed and thurs trying to find it, with no luck. friday, i send the day talking to jewelers getting prices and opinions. it seems that it would cost me more than 2x the price of both to replace 1 and insurance is only giving me 1/2 of the cost of 1. OK i now feel like shit. but i now have to tell my dh. he is not like a crazy man, not his style. but he says he is depressed. not like i am depressed. but because of the $. AND he says, we need to go over our budget and see if we can afford to replace them.

so gone is the feeling of we love what you do and that you put yourself before everyone else. it is now can we afford you after everyone else. this makes me so sad i can not even put words to it. it also makes me angry. i may need to rebel an do something totally out of character by putting myself first and let everyone else make adjustments.

but right now i am drinking vodka on the rocks and feeling very sorry for myself.

This is a little scary

2008-03-26T20:45:00.002-02:30

I saw this on another blog and decided to try it. I couple of things don't really apply, but the rest is so dead on!

What Elsie Means

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.
You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.
At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow.
You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily.
Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is.

You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong.
You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know.
You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do.

You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing.
You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long.
You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.

What's" Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Tired of Winter - Ready for Spring

2008-03-19T18:49:00.002-02:30

It is such a drab and dreary day. We have all been taking turns getting sick and I feel as if I am about to start the cycle all over again :( This made me think about Spring. I know it is just around the corner and I cannot wait to feel the warmth of the sun on my face. This got me to thinking about,

Things I Love About Spring

End of Winter :)
Sunshine on my face, my back and through the windows
Being outdoors again
Opening the window and breathing real air inside the house
Not wearing a coat
The smell of things getting green again
Playing with the dirt and cleaning out the plant beds
Tulips
Going to the park again

Wow, that made me feel better!

A month already!

2008-03-18T01:30:00.007-02:30

I have been meaning to blog on a more regular basis, but I find it harder and harder. I'm not sure why but I just can't seem to get it together. Those of you that have children, jobs, hobbies, etc., and still manage to keep up with your blogs and the board, please tell me what is the secret. I know a lot of you are as busy as I am and can keep it together. I have been keeping myself busy. I have been crocheting scarves and hats but there is always someone who wants it before I can even take a picture. I made a caplet which i love, but I don't know how to wear it. It doesn't fit under a jacket and when the weather gets warmer, I won't want to wear it. I have also been making clothes for the baby dolls. My little pumpkin is getting to be such a big girl and really has been wanting a lot of attention lately. I think she has cabin fever. I can't wait for the warmer weather myself. This winter has been rough on us, we have been taking turns getting sick. Once we are all well, then we start all over again. Colds, viruses, but thankfully not the flu.

I have also been going through all my photos and trying to get them organized. I have scrapbooked some of them. But I have way to many to scrapbook all of them so I need to find a way to save them and be able access them when I want to. That is a very big project.

That's all for today. Hope you are all well and loving life!

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T14:14:00.002-03:30

I hope you all get to spend some time with those you love. I have been busy making little cards for the pre-schoolers, such fun! I have also got my crochet mojo back (a little) but not the photo and posting part yet. I hope to post pics soon. Have a great day. Don't eat too much chocolate!

How's Your Year So Far?

2008-01-05T03:24:00.000-03:30

I made a mini scrapbook as a stocking stuffer for my dh with our favorite pics of the little pumpkin and now everyone wants one. This is the one I made for my sister. It is a fun little project. Taking out my supplies and tools and then putting them away takes more time than the actual scrapbook!

Stayed home all week. I am trying to work on my goals for 08. I would like to simplify and declutter my life, home and my mind. I also want to focus more on the people in my life and not on the things. I started off by donating tons of clothes (8 black garbage bags full) that I loved but do not have much use for since I no longer work in an office.

I have been crocheting hats. It gives me instant gratification because I can finish it in one sitting while watching tv and use up some stash. No pictures because I have been giving them away as quickly as I make them. Hopefully I will get a couple of pics during the week end.

Have a great weekend. I will be taking down the tree and putting away all the christmas stuff. It looks so festive when it first goes up, but now it just looks like crap!

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T20:59:00.000-03:30

I am sitting here still in my pj's eating leftovers. I am happy the holidays are over and feeling warm and fuzzy as I look at the pictures of Holiday 2007. We kept it a little low key and had a great time. From our house to yours a very healthy and happy new year to you and all your loved ones.

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas

2007-12-22T03:07:00.000-03:30

My tree is up finally. Every year we say this year we will buy a smaller tree and we even think we are buying a smaller tree and every year it is the same tree! We have to cut the top to make it fit and move the furniture to make space. But I love our tree. Like all of you, I am crazy busy with my to-dos. I have 2 gifts to finish.
The gifts I bought on-line are piled up in my foyer unopened. So I still have to sort them out and wrap, wrap, wrap. I have to clean my house and prep for house guests, food shop, etc., etc.

So this will be my last post before Christmas. I wish you all love, peace and happiness. Talk to you next year. Time to think about my resolutions :(

Something Homemade for Christmas

2007-12-12T03:03:00.000-03:30

I have no decorations up. I have done my cards but not mailed them. Very little shopping (online only) . I completed a scarf (which I love, link to pattern on previous post) and started a shawl. I put so much pressure on myself to do homemade stuff for Christmas and then have no time, but I made these today and I feel like I did something !!! These are super simple to do, just melt a Hersey's hug on a pretzel then add an M&M. They take about 10 minutes to make, look so cute and people love them. Recipe here. Such a little thing that put me in the mood to maybe bake and who knows maybe even go out shopping :) My little helper was not much help at all. She basically just wanted to eat my supplies and lick my utensils but we had fun.

Just A Little Update

2007-12-10T23:08:00.000-03:30

I spent thanksgiving at my sister's. That's her in the left hand corner. It was nice. No fights and that is a big deal in our family.

I have actually started to craft a little. I have been playing with paper. I find that when I do this I don't think or worry. Unlike crochet which lets me think too much. I made 2 mini albums to put in my dd and her dh's stocking. And have also started to make a scrapbook for my dh of his family tree. I crocheted a scarf to give one of the gymboree teachers http://www.knittingdaily.com/freepatterns/crochet/Float_away222-1.html and am giving the other teacher one from my stash of fo's.

My mil is in hospice but hanging in there. My son who is 23 went in for an annual checkup and they found his ekg was abnormal, so now he is going in for a stress test. I am quite stressed about that.

My grand daughter is almost 4 (in April) she has become a hand full. Now that it is cold out she only wants to stay in side and play pretend with me. She puts on costumes and wants me to do voices for all the characters. By the end of the day I am exhausted. This is my son trying to give me a break so I can cook dinner. She really needs to go to school now. We will probably enroll her in a pre-school in January.

I am doing most of my shopping on line because I cannot go shopping with her any more. On the weekends I have to try to do my cleaning, laundry, food shopping etc. You guys know the drill. All you stay at home moms, you know how hard this job is. At least she goes home at night with her parents. But This is my dd busy season and so she is dropped of sometimes before 7 am and picked up after 7 pm. It is a long day. If I could only get her to nap!

Well take care all. Don't let the holiday's stress you out too much. I will probably do a couple of posts before Christmas.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

2007-11-22T01:23:00.000-03:30

I have so much to be grateful for. I hope you all get to spend time with the ones you love.

Life Goes On...

2007-11-09T21:17:00.000-03:30

because what is the alternative...right? We are going through some difficult time right now, but we have to keep moving forward. My mil is near the end of her time here with us. I would like to see her go on to a better place without pain. But letting go is very hard, especially for those that are the closest. I am still sad over the loss of my kitty and do not feel ready to be strong. But we do not get to choose what we want to deal with, we have to deal with what we are given. My brother, thought it would be a great idea to just bring me a kitten and that would make everything OK. But I am not in that place right now and had to convince him that I was not ready. It was a hard thing to do and I am sure he cannot understand.

Happy Halloween

2007-11-01T03:02:00.001-02:30

I hope you all had fun. I was a beautiful day for us. Watching all the adorable little princesses and goblins parading up and down the street really lifted our spirits.

I even started to look at patterns for a project to crochet. Now that's progress.

Good Night Kitty

2007-10-29T18:24:00.000-02:30

We had to put down our cat today. She was 18 years old and her body just stop functioning. She was a sweet little cat and we will miss her.

A Little Sugar and Spice

2007-10-23T18:07:00.000-02:30

Things can't be that bad when you have such sweetness in your life. My last post was a little bit down, but I do have so much joy in my life and I am truly greatful. One of these days, I will have my house and life organized. I will crank out the creative projects and I will post tons of pics of stuff I've made. But in the meantime, I can't complain....

Where did my mojo go?

2007-10-23T17:46:00.008-02:30

It feels like last year I was not happy if I did not have at least 2 or 3 wips to feel guilty about not finishing. But now I just can't seem to start something. I don't even have the desire buy yarn. I need some motivation and inspiration. I got my invite to join the Ravelry group and hear nothing but good things about it. But I have not even taken the time to look around there. I am afraid that it is a time sucking spot and I don't need another one of those. I can't remember the last time I spent time at the ville, fiber freaks or dogwood dreams. I've lost it and don't know how to get it back.

My dd is trying to add another little pumpkin to the family and hopefully that will get me going; making cute little baby things. Although I don't know how I am going to manage watching a baby and a preschooler!!! I am barely hanging in there right now. I think we had better start looking for someone to help me. It is no fun getting old.

Home Again

2007-09-27T17:51:00.000-02:30

I had a great time at Vegas. I do not gamble much which is strange to some people. They always want to know why I go there if not to gamble. I love the shops, restaurants, the hotels, shows and I don't mind dropping a few $ in the casino. However, I cannot sit and bet big $. I start to think of all the things I could buy with this $, like shoes, jewelry, gifts for my little pumpkin and then I can't enjoy it.

We went on the new skywalk in the Grand Canyon, which was an awesome experience. I really enjoyed it but was also sad to see the commercialization of such a beautiful natural wonder of the world. There is lots of construction going on and they told us they are building an airport, a hotel and a casino right on the canyon. We also went to Hoover Dam and Red Rock.

Now that it is officially fall, I am a little disoriented. I am home more and can't stand that my house is disorganized. I need to get back into the swing of things. I want to start crocheting again and getting my crafting organized. In general I need to come up with a routine so I don't bounce between guilty and overwhelmed. Before I know it the holiday crunch will start. That is a scary thought!

Vegas Baby

2007-09-15T03:43:00.000-02:30

I am on vacation for a week at Las Vegas. As usual I am running around trying to do everything at the last minute, so this will not be a very long post. I so need this time with my honey and away from the rest of my family and friends and (some of those so called friends). I hope to reconnet with my dh and myself and when I come back I need to get my house in order! Have a great week.

Cropping

2007-09-05T19:21:00.000-02:30

Like many of you I have boxes and drawers and envelopes full of pictures. And for the longest time I have been wanting to start scrapbooking them. I bought magazines and read books. I even bought paper, albums and tools. But when I sat to actually do a page, I started going through the pictures and was totally overwhelmed. I had no clue where to start. In my mind, I figured I had to start with my earliest pictures and work my way to the current ones. I thought I had to use every picture I had. The thought made me dizzy. So, I put everything away and felt like a total loser! One day while I was at one of my pumpkins outings, one of the mothers mentioned that she was taking pictures for a scrapbook about camp. We started to talk about scrapbooks, and I explained how I felt about scrapbooking. She told me "...don't be silly. Buy some pretty paper and some stickers, pick out some pictures you like and put it on a page". Those few words were like a bolt of lightning to my brain. I suddenly felt like it's no big deal. I browsed through one on my books, Clean & Simple Scrapbooking by Cathy Zielske and I was inspired to do a page. She also said something so basic but that was a wake up to me. Put your photos in albums or photo boxes and only scrap the ones you want to. Duh, that made such a difference. So I took my latest photos from out stay at the shore and made a few layouts. I cannot tell you how much better I feel. It is like a weight off my shoulders. I can now justify all the $ I spent and I look forward to making more pages.

Hopefully, while I am doing this I will be inspired to crochet something. I am just not feeling it. Not another shawl, scarf or hat. Definitely not an afghan, not ready for another one. I bought a pattern from Crochet Garden which I love, but it's a sundress. I meant to do it for the summer and never got to it. I could probably go through my stash and find something I can start or finish. But like I said I am not feeling it. I am afraid to go to Michael's or AC Moore, because I can never seem to walk out without spending way too much $. Now that I am cropping, I have to avoid hoarding paper and stuff.

So for the time being, I am going to do a few layouts, read all your blogs and wait for the feeling to hit me. Love reading all your blogs and sooner or later one of you will post something and suddenly I have to have it!

Here She is...

2007-08-31T00:32:00.000-02:30

My summer project. I have posted that she was done, but now that I have taken the pictures and posted them, I can really say done. It was a fun project but I really hate weaving in the ends. I still have a lot of yarn left so I am making a giant granny in the same colors. More ends to weave in! My gr d thinks it is her blanket but I want to keep this one for myself.

Soon it will be Fall...

2007-08-29T01:10:00.000-02:30

Although I love the Fall, to me it is the beginning of winter. I am not looking forward to the cold weather. I will miss going out every day, working in my garden, my flowers, the beach, the pool, the parks and sitting out on my deck.

But maybe I will get my crochet mojo back (I hope!). This summer I only worked on my ripple afghan. I love how it came out but it took me the whole summer and it is still not 100% done. I decided to add a picot edge and mama mia, what a pita that is. I have done 2 sides and have 2 more to go. Then I will be done!!!! I will post pics after it is complete.

In my garden, many of my tomatoes are still green and the squirrels are having a feast with them. I have to pick them as soon as they get a little pink before they take a bite. It is really pissing me off. Next year I will do my planting totally different. I planted too much in a small space and some of my plants are choking. And I need to fence off the squirrels somehow.

I have done some crafting!!! I finally completed a layout page for a scrapbook. I have been reading about it and buying supplies and tools here and there for the longest time. I was so intimidated to actually just make a page. Then one of the mothers at the park said to me just get some nice paper, glue the pictures on and put some stickers. For some reason that just made me feel I could do it. I looked through one of my books called Clean & Simple Scrapbooking by Cathy Zielske and I felt inspired to do a very simple page. It is no great work of art but it is my first page and it is the beginning of a new form of expression for me. I am happy with it.

Summer Fun

2007-08-20T21:50:00.001-02:30

I have been very bad at blogging this summer. But that is a good thing. I have been having such a good time enjoying the weather, my grand daughter and family that I have been too exhausted to blog, crochet, craft or even cook. My house is not it's usual orderly self, the laundry is sometimes piled up, my bills are sometimes late, my fridge is sometimes low. I think my family is starting to realize what would happen if I quit. The funny thing is that it took my quitting my job to realize that I was a slave the chores. The world has not ended because we had takeout twice in one week and the laundry was not there when they wanted it! It is a pressure I put on myself and I feel foolish now. But I think I will make up for lost time from now on.

We just came back from a week at Long Beach Island. It was a fabulous family vacation. My mom, my sister and her husband, my nephew, my daughter and her husband, my little pumpkin, my son and my husband and I all shared a beautiful beachfront house. There were no fights or even any arguments. I think this is a family first. I took over 150 pictures before my digital's battery ran out. These are a just few. They speak for themselves.

So, the ah ha moment is -- enjoy life when you can. The chores will wait patiently. But life will pass you by.

I'm still alive and well

2007-07-30T02:50:00.000-02:30

?....but I have been busy enjoying the summer with my granddaughter. I am doing all the things I could not do while my children were little, because I was a full time working mom. Now I get to go on trips, go to the pool, the beach, the park, the movies, etc. My house is a little messier and I am not cooking like I use to but no one is complaining.

My garden needs a little more care. Soon I will have tons of tomatoes and I just can't wait. i need to find some new recipes.

Hot Time In The Summer

2007-07-13T02:21:00.000-02:30

It has been very hot and sticky here for about a week. Really feels like summer now. Too hot to cook or crochet. My daughter and I my grand daughter to Hershey Park for the weekend. It was her first time in a hotel and she loved it. I took some pics with a real not digital camera and will post them (maybe) when they get developed. I spent a day with her at Keansburg Beach at a water park and a day at Mountain Creek water park. When we are home we are outside in my pool or at the town pool. She is learning to swim and is fearless and adorable. We are really having a blast. I am so sorry I was not able to do this with my own children, but I was a work outside of the house mom. Those of you that are lucky enough to stay at home with your children enjoy every moment. Time goes so quickly.

On the flip side, I am so tired when she goes home that I have not done laundry, cooked, my house is a mess, have not paid bills (or blogged). Oh well!!! Maybe I will be a little more appreciated after this.

Today was much more comfortable. A perfect day. I spent it at the park with a playgroup. Then came home and did some laundry. Tomorrow I am going to do a playgroup at the town pool and then maybe I will throw a couple of burgers on the grill. I may even pay some bills and do a few rows on my ripple.

That's how I roll now!

STILL ON VACATION, SOME ANIMAL PICS AND A JOKE

2007-07-05T23:25:00.000-02:30

I am still hanging with my family. We have been cooking, having cocktails, talking, hanging out by the pool. Tons of dishes, dirty towels, laundry but lots of fun. We went to the Bronx Zoo. This place is amazing. I never get tired of it. We are leaving for Hershey Park for the weekend. The kids will have a great time. Monday I will be going to a water park with my little pumpkin and then try to get my house and myself back to normal.

AND NOW MY ANIMAL JOKE. (please if you are offended easily... don't read further!!!)

A monkey is sitting in a tree smoking a joint when a lizard walks past and looks up and says to the monkey, "Hey! What are you doing?" The monkey says, "Smoking a joint, come up and have some!" So the lizard climbs up and sits next to the monkey and they share a few puffs. After a while the lizard says his mouth is dry and is going to get a drink from the river.

The lizard is so stoned that he leans too far over and falls into the river. A crocodile sees this and swims over to the lizard and helps him to the side, then asks the lizard, "What's the matter with you?" The lizard explains to the crocodile that he was sitting smoking a joint with the monkey in the tree, got too stoned and then fell into the river while taking a drink.

The crocodile decides he has to check this out, he walks into the jungle, and finds the tree where the monkey is sitting still finishing the joint. The Crocodile looks up and says, "Hey!" The Monkey looks down and says... "Fuuuuuuuuck, dude... how much water did you DRINK?!"

I hope you all had a great 4th of July. We had bad weather so we hung around the house and went out for dinner. No reservations needed.

I LOVE AMERICA!!!

On Vacation

2007-06-25T03:20:00.000-02:30

I am not going away, but my family is coming to visit from Florida for a week. I will be busy entertaining and spending time with my house guest. No crochet and no blogging. Hopefully I will have some good pictures next week.

Searching For People With Big Hearts

2007-06-22T19:55:00.000-02:30

I don't normally do stuff like this, but I should. I have been looking for a charity and stumbled across this one in one of the cal sites. It is perfect for me right now, since I have many scraps from my ripple and a square at a time seems about all I can handle.

I know many of you crocheters do charity work, so if you would like to add another good cause to your list, check this one out.

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A Very Good Day!

2007-06-18T23:31:00.000-02:30

Today was my idea of a perfect day.

Got 10 hours sleep (with help from Ambien)

Pumpkin woke me up at 7:30 am

Watched Sponge Bob in bed, drinking coffee and hot chocolate

Breakfast out on the deck

Lunch with great grandma

Went for a swim in our little pool

Leftover sausage and peppers and pasta salad for dinner

Glass of wine alone after everyone went home!!!

Life is good!!!

Thank You

2007-06-18T22:17:00.000-02:30

I get a lot of emails with interesting stuff, funny stuff and some things that just make you say huh! But this just touched the inside of my heart. I have a 22 year old son, almost 23. I nag him constantly, complain about what he does and doesn't do. But I cannot imagine the pain of losing a son or daughter. I feel so indebted to the young men and women giving their lives for their country. And my heart goes out to the families that are suffering such an unimaginable loss. Whether or not I support this war and I will not go into the politics of it. I support our soldiers, their families and all those affected by it.

I wish I knew how to post this video directly on the blog, but I can only put a link. Please check this out. This woman is awesome!

http://www.militarytimes.com/multimedia/video/hancock/

2007-06-10T14:59:00.001-02:30

I am in love with my ripple. The colors are so warm and refreshing at the same time. It makes me happy to look at it, touch it. But I am hating those ends. I always try to avoid projects with a lot of color changes for that reason. This is one project that is worth it. It was supposed to be 10 colors and I left one out, the teal. Now I have to figure out if I should just skip it or work it in somewhere. The colors are named after food, grape, honey, chocolate, berry, bordeaux, so I get hungry every time I look at it... :D I am supposed to be doing laundry, so I have to go. Just could not wait to share!

Wow Time Flies When Your Having Fun

2007-06-06T05:43:00.000-02:30

I just spend the entire evening on-line. Why? Who knows, but it seems once I sit down in front of the computer, an hour turns in 4 or 5! I ended by reading my entire blog. It really is nice to have a record of one's life like this. But in reading it, I noticed that time really does fly. Everything seems like it was just yesterday. Really! My little pumpkin is getting to be a big girl and I am getting to be an old lady. What's up with that? And I realized that I need to stop complaining about life beeing stressful, etc. Because just when things get all comfy, cozy, warm and fuzzy; something happens to screw it up again. I need to just chill out, smell the roses, drink the coffee.

Something else I noticed, we started working on fixing up the house last November. Christmas came and we dropped the ball. At this rate we will be rushing to get things done for Christmas again. And what's up with that?

Gotta go, need to make a list for my dh... :D

Starting The Ripple

2007-06-03T19:07:00.000-02:30

I have been lurking The No-End-In-Sight Ripple-Along for weeks. It has given me a whole new inspiration. I was on the verge of feeling burned out by crochet. Another shawl, shrug, scarf, sweater? I just wasn't feeling it. Then I found this Ripple-Along. Not sure how I got there but the creativity and use of color with such a simple classic pattern is just what I needed. Just looking as the beautiful creations that this group is working on, gave me just the boost I was looking for. In addition to the never ending display, I have also found a whole new set of blogger. They are so talented and creative that I feel renewed and excited about trying new things. I am starting my afghan tonight. This will be an ongoing project and I will also be working on small projects here.

I will also be starting to put together a scrapbook for my dh. I hope I find something to give me a push on this project. I have been dragging my a$$ on this one for a long time and father's day is coming. I hope to have something by then.

Summertime

2007-05-31T00:19:00.001-02:30

It is not officially summer but it sure feels like it. I have been busy for the couple of weeks working outside. Going to the nursery for plants, weeding, turning the soild, trimming my bushes, planting flowers in the beds and in the pots. That is such hard work and it has been so hot, I don't understand why I have not lost a ton of weight!!! I still need to add topsoil to the vegetable bed and plant my tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini. It is a small bed so I put my herbs in pots. Lots of basil, some mint, thyme, and italian parsley. I still need to get some rosemary and some cilantro.

It has been very hot here and my pool is not open and I don't know when my dh will have time to open it so I got my little pumpkin a new kiddie pool and filled it up for her. She really loves playing in it and it gave me a little free time to play with the dirt. Hopefully, I can get the veggies in the ground tomorrow. I am getting a late start this year.

At last a picture of my hot pink beauty. It is the half moon shawl from the Lion Brand Website. I finished it a couple of weeks ago but did not get a chance to post it until now. I made it with LB Woolease and it is really warm. I won't be wearing it anytime soon but I LOVE it. Originally, I was going to give it as a gift. It is just too nice to give away to someone that cannot appreciate the labor of love put into it. My dd was drooling and hinting but did not give in. I will probably make her one in the future. My next project is a multi colored ripple for a ripple along. When finished it will go on my couch in the TV room. The yarn has been bought and so far I love the colors.

Happy Friday & Memorial Day

2007-05-25T02:35:00.000-02:30

I have been very busy this week. My daughter has been home for the past 6 weeks due to a medical problem. Most of this time she has been blue and in pain. But last week, mama mia, she snapped out of it and has been keeping me on the go. We have spent many hours pulling weeds, digging up plants, shopping in the garden stores. Every bone in my body hurts! But it has been fun. My little pumpkin has been tagging along as our little helper. She is so cute I just can't stand it. Today we are going up to the outlets at Woodbury Commons and then making pizza on the grill for dinner. Have you ever tried that. It is easy, tasty and fun! Sunday, my family will be coming by for a BBQ. That means I have to food shop and clean on Saturday. Monday, I am meeting my bff's for breakfast and then I hope to relax and maybe start my ripple blanket.

I finished my half moon shawl. I wish I had a picture to show you. It came out so beautiful, I just love it. I was going to give it as a gift but this one is going to be a gift for me. I used Lions Woolease Chunky in deep rose. I can't wait to wear it, but it is just too hot now. I am hoping to take it with me when I go down the shore for those cool ocean breezes.

Have a great weekend everyone. Hope to have some pictures soon.

Quick Update

2007-05-16T20:02:00.000-02:30

Hope you all had a great Mother's Day. Mine was a little strange but nice. My sister decided to cook dinner for us on Saturday because my brother could not come on Sunday and we all usually hang out together on holidays like this. This worked out good for my daughter (I thought) because she could then spend time with her in-laws on Sunday. Of course, I ate too much and drank too much (as usual). Sunday woke up feeling like crap! Stayed in my pj's all day, watched TV, cleaned out my closet. But since we all got together the day before, it did not feel like Mother's Day. We did not do the big breakfast thing and I was pretty much feeling sorry for myself :( But my husband surprised me and redeemed himself. And got me this beautiful necklace and bracelet. This may sound crazy, but I was a little disappointed. !! Don't get me wrong, I love it and him for feeling I deserve it. But I felt that something was missing. I think I would have preferred a big fuss, breakfast and maybe a smaller gift.

Nah, I'll just keep what I got!!!

No Place Like Home

2007-05-07T01:51:00.000-02:30

We are home and we had a great time. We spent 7 days on the beach doing nothing. I am almost done with a book I started on the plane. We took a walk every morning,ate nothing but fresh fish and vegtables, drank rum and that's about it. On Thursday, I told my dh, "Why don't we do something today?" and he replied, "why, do we have to?" Well, of course we don't have to! So, nothing but beach, no shopping, no sight seeing, no crochet, no internet, very little tv and no phone! Very relaxing. I wish I had tons of pics to share, but on my first day, after taking tons of pics, I noticed an error message on my camera. NO MEMORY CARD!!!! Oh well.
We spent a few days visiting my sil in Orlando, FL before we came home. It was very nice, since we don't get to see her very often. Then back home. Can't wait to sleep on my own bed, with my own pillows. But when I wake up, where's the beach!!!

But there's no place like home!!!

See You Soon!

2007-04-26T23:37:00.000-02:30

I am happy to say that I will be on vacation this week. I can't remember when I needed it more. We are going to Abaco in the Bahamas. We go there every spring to just decompress and veg out. Very low key vacation. Lay on the beach to tan, read a book, long walks, waterfront dining and not much else. Sounds like heaven. There is a lot going on at home right now and I am having a hard time just letting go but sometimes I have to put myself first.

Have a great week all. I hope to bring back some nice pictures.

Turkeys???

2007-04-26T23:24:00.000-02:30

What a surprise when I walked out my door !!! Are these wild turkeys on my lawn? But why? I don't exactly live in a rural town. My grand daughter was delighted and wanted to keep them. I had to hold her back because I don't know if they are aggressive or not. They hung out for a while. I stepped away for a few minutes and they were gone. Do these birds fly? I think I will have to do some research.

Happy Birthday Pumpkin

2007-04-23T01:08:00.000-02:30

Yesterday was my grand daughter's birthday. Three years old already! A little gymboree party with her friends and cupcakes. Life is good.

Some Pictures!!!

2007-04-22T01:45:00.000-02:30

I finally was able to upload some pictures from my camera. I want to share some things I have finished. Although, it has been so long since these were done, it almost seems silly to post now! The first is a Baby It's Cold Outside sweater. These are so fun to make.

The next one is my first attempt at a ripple afghan. I did not use a pattern for this. I used the stitch encyclopedia as a guide and stopped when I felt it was a good size. My next one will be for a ripple-along and will be multi-colored stripes.
And last but not least is my round ripple I made for my grand daughter. She uses it to watch tv on the couch or to cuddle with nana in bed. I love making these! They are fun and go really quickly. I plan on making a couple to save for the next baby gift I need.