Year in Review...2008

January: 1-16 our beloved Jim passed away. He was a grandfather figure to me and such a dear friend....he was also my Santa as I was growing up.



February: I became sick and didn't know what it was....also had Jim's memorial service.

March: I was still sick....a good friend, Sindia was diagnosed with breast cancer. As of now she is done with her chemo/radiation and is regaining strength. Started attending Knotty Knitter meetings.



April: Still sick but had visits from some good friends. Didn't get to go to Cambria for our yearly anniversary trip due to my sickness. James and Jimmy got some new Quads though and have been enjoying riding them all year!

May: Doctors performed a colonoscopy and found out I have IBS. Learning to live with this and deal with it. Indiana Jones movie out and Jimmy and James loved it!



June: Jimmy turned 11, where does the time go? Awesome knit in public day on the 14th! Bought a travel trailer and went camping in Morro Bay.

July: Local yarn store went out of business but benefitted from the 40% off sale. Fun times knitting with friends.

August: I started swimming every day and having a blast doing it. Jimmy found a new swim team that he loves. Celebrated all the August birthdays in my family.

September: Went camping in La Jolla...swam with the fish, awesome time!



October: Beverly Hills Chihuahua movie came out! Bought a nursery! Jimmy did awesome at his first Frog swim meet! Found my new favorite yarn store in Apple Valley...Fanciewerks! Cut fourteen inches off my hair....love it short!

November: Swim Team picture party. Shopping in Littlerock, CA. Started making soap with James! Got addicted to Twilight! James bought me a new car for my early Christmas present. Started knitting with a new knitting group!

December: Lots of Christmas knitting! Fun time at Build-a-Bear. Had an awesome snowstorm and had a blast playing in it.

2009 I plan on catching up on my sock knitting! After being so sick last year I plan on being healthy. Going to start back to swimming and when I find the Wii fit going to start the yoga! Also want to start attending my knit group more frequently. I've so enjoyed getting to know my bloggy friends more this year and hope to get to know you even better this year.

Happy Birthday!

Today is my aunts birthday...Happy Birthday Peggy!

Love you lots and lots!

Finished Jimmy's cowl! Slipped it on him as he's playing his Wii game!:) What a look of concentration! Love this chunky alpaca yarn! Michael's was having a yarn sale and went and got some wool for felting and some Caron Simply Soft for chemo hats. Love that yarn for these hats because its so incredibly soft!

Finished...

Made a quickie cowl. Very snuggly and warm!

Jimmy loves it and wants one too!

Was able to finish James' felted slippers because the extra yarn came in the mail!

Now they're drying...

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve and FO's!

Trouble trying to peek into packages....really terrorizing my curly ribbon!

Anxiously awaiting the arrival of Santa!

Finished the Loppem cardigan! Should of done the size smaller cuz its kinda big on my shoulders. Not a very flattering sweater...makes me look wider than I already am. The decreases show up real bad too which I'm not happy with. Will never do any more of Nora Gaughn's patterns because of all the errata (pattern corrections). The yarn was nice to work with though and will probably make some fetching mitts to go with it.

My flash made this look blue, in reality its a deep, dark purple! Misti Chunky Alpaca...love this yarn, its nice and squishy soft. Very fun pattern! Going to do another but without the ruffle so Jimmy can wear it or James...

Still feeling under the weather....going to make some more cookies, might make my sweet potato casserole, watch Charlie Brown Christmas and maybe start my Peppermint Patty socks.

Merry Christmas Eve!

Another Surprise!

xièxie 谢谢 : thank you

Hubby brought Jimmy and I presents from a dear lady at his work. She has been battling breast cancer all year and am so glad she will be able to celebrate the holidays. She is all done with her chemo and radiation and is regaining her strength, something wonderful to celebrate this season...her health! She sent this beautiful silk scarf for me and this adorable duck pillow for Jimmy. Fuji really thinks Jimmy should share this pillow with her!:) xièxie Sindia!

TN Santa Package!:)

Just got an awesome package in the mail from Dawn! Of course I didn't wait till Christmas like she is doing with my package. I'm too much of a kid...had to open it, it told me to!:)

I can't even begin to thank her for all the wonderful goodies...I love them all!

She is a very special person and I treasure her friendship! She means a lot to me!

She sent...yummy strawberry lip gloss; strawberry bath salt (going to use tonight); gingerbread man soap; a pedicure set (see she knows I try knitting with my toes!); a knitting gauge (we're supposed to check gauge Dawn???):); notepad; a beautiful pen that has bells on it that I keep ringing and which the cats are eyeballing; cool Christmas stitch markers and row counter that has a clip on it (awesome); a stuffed frog which Fuji is waiting for me to forget where she can sneak off with it; an awesome pattern called a Swirl Shawl; yarn to go with the pattern; and an awesome yarn holder that has grommets in both ends so the yarn can pull through and stay clean and cat hair free and is in an awesome green! Boy did she spoil me!

Swirl Shawl Pattern with Jojoland Melody yarn!


Close up pic of the cute, Christmas stitch markers and row counter!

Close up pic of the beautiful yarn...look at the gorgeous colors!

Can't wait to start it!

Thanks again Dawn.....love it sooooo much!

Mini Mittens!

Made these Mini Mittens today while watching Christmas movies on the Lifetime channel. Not feeling so great so was taking it easy today.
I used my scrap Wollmeise, size 1 toothpick needles...even busted one of my dpn!:( You wouldn't think these would take long to do but they did...must be because of the teeny needles and teeny yarn! Should of used bigger needles and bigger yarn like Dawn did!

Made Holiday Snowball cookies and chocolate chip cookies yesterday...and the day before I made peanut butter ones for Jimmy! Lots of yummy goodies!

Pine Cone Kit!

My last 2008 Woolgirl kit of the year! This has been such an awesome sock club! The packages are always awesome...never a disappointment! Can't wait to see what next years bring! Guess I better get busy and start knitting some of these socks!:)

This kit included:

1 skein of Hazel Knits sock yarn; Pine Cone sock pattern designed by Anne Hanson of Knitspot; a Whimsical World of Thomas Joseph 2009 desk calendar; a set of 25 knit tags designed especially for Woolgirl Sock Club members in a cute little tin; a pine cone evergreen stitch marker from Spindle Cat Studio; 10% off coupon for Woolgirl.com; and Hershey kisses! Think I'm going to use the coupon for a new Namaste bag...still trying to decide which style and color!:)

Hand-painted Whispering Pine sock yarn from Hazel Knits

Snow Day!

Fuji had a blast in the snow! I didn't think she'd like it...boy was I wrong! She ran soooo fast in it, would bury her nose in it and throw it up, and run, run, run! So funny watching those little legs running in the snow!:)

Fuji drying off....one tired puppy!:)
She kind of looks like a Star Wars Jedi....Let the force be with you!

Snuggling with James!

Jimmy and I made a Pooh Bear Snowman!

We also ate some snow...no not the yellow kind either!

Fun day! By tomorrow it'll all be melted away!:(

Let It Snow...

This is when it first started...will update later!

Couple hours later and it's sticking! Jimmy made a snowball!:)

Hours later and it's looking like a winter wonderland.

Still trying to get James home. Fwy is closed so they're having to go back ways...been four hours since they left LA....which is normally an hour away!

James finally arrived home after five hours of driving! Glad he's home safe!

Building a snowman!

Jimmy's first snowman!:)

Wolf Lace Rib Cloth

Since I've been knitting cloths I decided to make my own pattern...Wolf Lace Rib Cloth!

I used Bernat Handicrafter Cotton in Virgina Rose with size 7 needles.

Cast On 37 stitches or the pattern is in multiples of 4 + 1 if you want it smaller or larger.

Knit four rows.

Row 1 (right side): K4, K1, *YO, K2tog, P1, K1; rep from * to last four sts and K4.

Row 2: K4, P1, *YO, P2tog, K1, P1; rep from * to last four sts and K4.

Rep these two rows until desired length.

Knit four rows and bind off. Weave in ends.

Yummmeeeee!

Cookies and Yarn! :)

This package came today from Marisol...thank you, thank you, thank you!

My first Socks that Rock yarn in a beautiful colorway...Rare Gems! Sooo pretty!
In the tin it was filled with all different kinds of yummy cookies.....Russian Tea Cakes; Peanut Butter Cups; Lemon Butter; Granola Cranberry; Bourbon Balls; Hawaiian Snowballs; Apricot Jam Thumbprints; Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprints; and Snicker doodles. She's been one busy baker!:)

Gotta get back to my baking...Peanut Butter cookies and Sugar Cookies!
Knittin' and watching Christmas movies!

Christmas Spirit?

Your Christmas Sprit Level: 90%

Your Christmas spirit is almost as big as Christmas itself. Christmas is definitely your thing. You celebrate Christmas with enthusiasm. You love every minute of the holidays. Your Christmas spirit is inspiring to everyone who runs into you during the holidays. You make everyone's day just a little bit brighter. And that's what the holidays are all about!

Do You Have the Christmas Spirit?

Mooooseriffic Day!

Jimmy and I went Christmas shopping today and then went to Build-a-Bear!

We had such a great time....Jimmy cracked up when they made me jump up and down and do all the funny things at Build-a-Bear! We got a free book featuring these moose and a $10 gift card free! Whoopee! We had so much fun!

This is Jimmy and his Christmas Moose...Blitzen!


Me and my moose...Noel!

Lacy Zigzag and Star Stitch cloth finished!

Christmas Fuji...

Not a happy puppy!

Ignoring me!

Somewhat cooperating so I'd take this mess off and quit bothering her!:)

13 more days....can't believe it...still need to shop, put up tree, take picture, mail off pictures, more baking, wrap gifts, finish making gifts, mail gifts, enjoy myself doing all this.......:)

Bookmark!

Look at this beautiful bookmark my friend, Julie, sent me the other day. I'm not the only one who has this Twilight obsession! :) It's sooo pretty, thanks a bunch Julie I love it! I'll think of you everyday when I read because of it! She has some family members who are not in the best of health, so please say some prayers for them.

Another FO!:) This is the Little Arrowheads cloth. Another great knit! I'm having so much fun doing all these different stitch patterns. Starting to slow down because my hands are cramping and moving up into my neck. My new perfume is Ben Gay! Poor Jimmy told me yesterday that I had a nice minty smell!:) Every time I put it on I think of that Kaiser commercial.."When I grow up I want to be an old woman..." The way my body is feeling the past week I feel "grown up!"

I'm a little behind the times but if you want to listen to a great podcast check out Alana's, its awesome! She has mentioned podcasts to me for years (my Dell doesn't do this) but never got around to listening. Well lately I've fallen into the podcast world. There's tons of them! So now at Jimmy's swimming I snag my hubby's Zune (where I've downloaded all these knitting podcasts, poor guy) and knit in the lifeguard station! Plus its warm in there...added bonus!:) If you have any podcast recommendations let me know!

Peppermint Patty!

Peppermint Patty is the freckled-faced brunette who lives across from Charlie Brown. Often displayed as a tomboy and has a crush on Charlie Brown.

This is another wonderful Woolgirl kit in her Charlie Brown series!

Included in the kit: Miss Babs skein; Peppermint Twist sock pattern designed by Christina Bain; a peppermint knitting accessory bag; a crocheted tape measure from Lantern Moon that resembles a peppermint candy; peppermint themed stitch marker by Sunne; a peppermint themed pen engraved with Woolgirl message; peppermint patty soap bar and lip gloss by Naiad Soap Arts; Peppermint Patty hot cocoa to warm ya up; and peppermint chocolates and stripe candies.

Miss Babs sock yarn in the colorway Peppermint Patty and a matching mini skein for optional red toe/cuff.