My Daughter, the Comedienne

My middle girl can come up with some one liners that will stop you in your tracks. Back in July, we went to visit family. The area is known for the Amish who live there and certain areas are more aromatic than others. While driving through one of these areas, my husband commented on the smell. My daughter says, "Somebody hit a skunk." We told her that no one had hit a skunk that was the smell of horses. She replies, "Somebody hit a horse?" After we stopped laughing we explained that the horses manure was the cause of the smell.

Another time, she asked us, "Where are we?" When we told her we were in Massillon, she replied with, "It's cold in Massillon." Her sister (my other comedienne) says, "No, that is the air conditioner."

Then recently, while driving to the Art Museum, we were explaining relationships to her again. When I said her Daddy's brother, she quips, "You have a brother?"

Then again, during a temper tantrum, caused by her not getting her way, she says to me, "I want my Daddy and you won't let me have him!" I explained to her once again, her Daddy is at work and that she could have him when he got home.

Then later during the same temper tantrum. I explained that Aladdin would be over when she finally finished eating her supper. She says, "I want to watch Aladdin." Her sister quips, "Eat faster!"

As they get older, I am certain it will be memorable. I have to keep a list of the things they say. They won't believe me when they get older.

Birthdays, Illness, Projects and Christmas

We have been so very busy. We celebrated my youngest daughter's birthday (2 days before mine) and then my birthday, followed by Thanksgiving. During all of this, my children stayed ill or they became ill. This is par for the course. We spent many days traveling down to Kentucky. We went down on Friday (the 20th) to celebrate my daughter's birthday with my family (primarily my parents and brother and one sister and one niece). We went down to the Cincinnati Art Museum for her birthday (the 21st is my brother-in-law's birthday) and she wanted to spend some time at the Museum and my sister-in-law and nephew came with us. They made dragon masks, heard stories about dragons and then we went to a late lunch early supper at Ruby Tuesday's. This has become the thing to do with the girls. They love to celebrate with their aunt and have lunch or supper at Ruby Tuesday's. Then we went over to my mother and father-in-law's house to celebrate with them and my other brother-in-law. We purchased and ice cream cake from Dairy Queen on the way over. The girls just love their grandparents and they love to visit with them. Then Sunday, my oldest daughter started vomiting. So we just stayed home and watched TV, while my husband and younger girls went to a park to play. Then Monday, I started the Thanksgiving cooking. I cooked 2 turkey breasts for Thanksgiving. Monday and Tuesday the girls went to school and were off for the rest of the week. Tuesday, was my birthday and my husband didn't make a cake for me, but he promised to make it up to me. Wednesday, we took girls to the dentist, got more medicine called in for the older two girls since they were still coughing and couldn't get them into the doctor on Wednesday. Then we went back to Kentucky to celebrate my birthday with my family. Thursday (Thanksgiving), we got the house ready for the visit from my in-laws. My mother, father and brother-in-law came to our house for Thanksgiving and we had a nice visit. I really enjoy visiting with them. I have also started working on family trees for my daughters. I am working on it through ancestry.com. I like how it is working out. I think it will be beneficial to get all this information now while my in-laws are around to provide the information on their side. It seems that my mother-in-law can trace her family back to the Revolutionary War. My side is not that far. But I have a tree that my cousin had worked on and when she passed away they wanted a family member to take it with them (my cousin was a Sister of Notre Dame). So I am going to try and put that information as much as possible on the tree and I have been asking other family members to help with information also. We will see what comes of that.

Christmas is coming. I usually have my Christmas cards signed and addressed ready to mail by the end of October. I then mail them a day or two before Thanksgiving so that they arrive at their intended address by Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving. I even did this after I had my youngest. I had to finish writing them and addressing them after her birth, while in the hospital. I put up my Christmas tree (it is just a light tree) in the living room. My girls are getting so excited for the holidays and I want them to enjoy them. We will start Christmas cookie baking soon. A little here, a little there. They will be included as Christmas gifts. I have finished a few more dish cloths and I am working on my youngest niece's hat. I really need to get that finished for her.

Hope everyone has a good week leading up to St. Nicholas's Day. We will put up stockings on this date and the girls will get gifts from St. Nick. Time to feed the children, wash some bed clothes and clothing and put away laundry from yesterday (it wasn't dry when I fell asleep last night).

Sick Kids and Finished Project

Well, it is official for the third time in 6 weeks, my middle girl is ill again. She will see her doctor and find that very good. My youngest is also, not acting herself and she will be seen also. The middle girl is very unhappy, she does not get to go to school and she is throwing a massive temper tantrum because of this. But if she is sick she should not be exposing anyone else. My youngest, is happy about missing school, because she gets to play with her toys.

I did finish another project. I have a sister, a friend, a sister-in-law and a mother-in-law who like the dish cloths that I have made for them. I finished a plain dishcloth, with varigated colored cotton yarn. It is very simple: Cast on 46 and then knit every row until it is the size you want it to be.

The one that I cast on last night is Cast on 40, Row 1 & 2: Knit 2 rows, Row 3 & 4: Knit 2, *p1, k1 repeat from * until the last two stitches and then knit 2. Repeat these four rows until size you want. This would work well for a scarf.

I'll post photos later. Right now I have to get the girls together to get to doctor.

Have a good day.

The First Weekend of November

On the first weekend of November, we took our girls to see their Grandparents. While we were down in Kentucky, we got together with my friend Elaine and she let the girl's ride a horse and her friend Harland who owned the farm where the horses were kept, let the girls check out the donkeys. My girls had a blast riding a horse, feeding horses, watering horses and brushing them and putting them in their stalls for the night. Then when the bats came out they were jumping for joy. It is so much fun to spend a day like we did.

It is November, Already!!!

It seems that the time has just flown by. I have been so busy. First, we had to make costumes for my children. My youngest daughter is the only one who was allowed to wear a costume to school for her "Halloween Party." My older two daughters were not allowed to wear costumes and it was called a "Harvest Party." But they still want to wear their costumes in some fashion to school. So to get around the rules, we buy real clothes and the accessories get to stay home. For instance, my youngest was a fairy princess. We bought her a fancy party dress (it twirls), wings, a tiara and a wand. She was so happy and she looked adorable. My middle girl decided to be Jack Hanna again. So we shop in the boys clothes to find khaki pants and a khaki shirt, then we go through the toys and find animals that she can carry with her. My oldest wanted to be a witch, so we bought a purple outfit, a matching purple hat, a broom and gave her a cauldron. We didn't go trick-or-treating, we went to a friend's house for a party and they were so excited to be there. They had a blast, my nephew came along, because he wanted to go somewhere and do something for Halloween and we had an activity.

I finally brought the little black cat in from the outside. Halloween is a dangerous time for cats, especially black colored cats. She was very uncertain her first days in the house, and we would take her out to the garage whenever we would leave. We were keeping her away from the boys (the indoor cats) until she was examined by the vet and determined to be healthy. She is now officially in the house forever and for good and the vet we choose to treat her is so truly awesome. She did really well. I was worried because of all the times I had been clawed when husband and children got too close to me when I was carrying her. Every day she and the boys work out their differences, but it is getting better.

I have my Christmas cards written, addressed, photo inserted and ready to mail. That is the mess that she was standing in. I have some Christmas presents finished and ready to be given (sorry no hints given on this gift until after Christmas). I finished 2 prayer shawls (the Debbie Macomber website Triangular Prayer Shawl). I am excited about that! I have 3 more on needles, one is almost finished and the other two are just on needles. I have a hat on needles (I really need to finish that), a dish cloth that is almost finished, a rug (I only use the leftovers from the dishcloths, so that is going slowly).

So many, many birthdays!!!! First belated birthdays: my husband, my uncle Bob, my friend Marilyn, my friend Elaine, my friend's son: Phillip (he is 19!!!), my adopted "mom" Peggy, my dad and my cousin, Denise. For those that are coming: my brother-in-law Tim, my youngest daughter (she is going to be 5!!!), my cousin's daughter (same day as my daughter-17 hours apart), my other cousin's daughter (same day as me), my birthday, my friend Judy, and my uncle Bill. Happy Anniversary to my cousin Kathy and her husband Bob, my friend's mom and dad: Keith and Angela. To all those that I have forgotten to mention, I hopefully, did not forget to call you.

We are going to be so busy next weekend, celebrating my youngest daughter's birthday.

Christmas is coming and I have so many more gifts to make and so little time. Hopefully, this time of constant activity will quit so I can finish the presents. It has been so stressful. I need to get more birthday cards so I can get them out to those I haven't yet.

For those, who get Christmas cards from us, we are on track to have them delivered to you by the Day after Thanksgiving, just like always. Roll your eyes, grit your teeth and be prepared.

Next up, to what has taken some of my time: I am a Girl Scout leader for my older daughters Daisy Troop. They are so excited. My middle girl wants constant love and attention at the meetings and I have to keep reminding her that while I am her mom, at the meetings I am the leader and she cannot keep coming to me for kisses. My youngest comes to the meetings and tells everyone that she is a Daisy Girl Scout too. Hopefully, soon I will have their uniforms in time for the Lebanon Horse and Carriage parade on Dec 5th. They are so excited about everything they are doing and I am glad that they are enjoying this.

Have a great November.