23 December 2011
Just Curious
If you buy yarn to give as a gift.....do you have to reset your countdown clock? Just curious.
The Kids Christmas Party
On Thursday (22 December) we had arranged for the kids (mine and friends) could get together for the first time in a long time. They were able to visit with each other and we gave them their gifts. My friend and I had been working very hard to give all the children a few nice knitted items to let them know how special they are to us. The kids were so cute. They loved their items! The girls wore their purses or scarves or in one case, all of their wearable items. My girls came home and put their things away or played with them. The snitches and wands were a hit. I told the moms and grandmas how to disable the wands, should things get too out of hand. They love that. I told them care instructions on hats and scarves, etc. Some things were made with acrylic yarns and will wash like a dream, but some things (i.e. hats) were made with wool and need special care, but I know they will do it. So much fun had by all. The kids were good, too. It became a real party and the staff at our local Big Boy were so great. We had one waitress and she took care of the whole party and everyone had a nice meal. So much fun!
19 December 2011
6 Days to Christmas
So much has been happening since my last post.
First comes, November. We have a lot of birthdays in November. Some of my friends, my father, my daughter and my birthday. We even have a couple of anniversaries. It is just a very busy month. I did accomplish quite a bit of knitting and crocheting. Quite a bit more to go.
To celebrate my birthday, we went to the Cincinnati Zoo. I love going to the zoo. It was a gorgeous day and there were quite a few active animals. 
This guy did not like my middle daughter. He came charging right up to her, teeth bared and ready to fight. Good thing there was a solid glass wall between them.
3rd December 2011 is the Lebanon Horse and Carriage Parade. I just love this annual event. My children have missed a few due to extreme cold (and their extreme youth) or illness. This year we went with friends. We had a lot of fun. We got down early enough to get a good spot for photos and it was a gorgeous day. I think everyone has their favorite when it comes to horses. I do too! My favorites are Clydesdales. They are so beautiful!
I have also started tutoring a group of kids in math. So now I only have one day a week for myself (so to speak). But it is all good.
I took my girls to the Christmas event at EnterTrainment Junction and they got to see Santa. They loved that! They have been writing to Santa non-stop since they saw him. I love reading their letters. But they haven't understood something major....Santa said, "Listen to your mom and do what she says." I say pick up they go to bed and ignore that. So I finally reached my limit and picked up their toys and put them in a garbage bag and they were put away. The last time I did this the toys disappeared for over a year!
Here are some of the many things I have finished, including many pocket purses, scarves, purses, sunglass cases, Harry Potter styled wands, Harry Potter styled snitches, and hats. Not everything was finished, but that is okay. I will get what I can finished and finish the rest later.
Notes: The snitches were from http://www.innerchildcrochet.com/patterns/the_golden_snitch.php
The Zig Zag Scarf was from http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/90308AD.html?noImages=
The Harry Potter style wands are from: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/harry-potter-inspired-wand
The purse, the pocket purse and the sunglass case are from a book by Anne Akers Johnson....Knitting: Learn to Knit 6 Great Projects.
First comes, November. We have a lot of birthdays in November. Some of my friends, my father, my daughter and my birthday. We even have a couple of anniversaries. It is just a very busy month. I did accomplish quite a bit of knitting and crocheting. Quite a bit more to go.
To celebrate my birthday, we went to the Cincinnati Zoo. I love going to the zoo. It was a gorgeous day and there were quite a few active animals. 
This guy did not like my middle daughter. He came charging right up to her, teeth bared and ready to fight. Good thing there was a solid glass wall between them. 
3rd December 2011 is the Lebanon Horse and Carriage Parade. I just love this annual event. My children have missed a few due to extreme cold (and their extreme youth) or illness. This year we went with friends. We had a lot of fun. We got down early enough to get a good spot for photos and it was a gorgeous day. I think everyone has their favorite when it comes to horses. I do too! My favorites are Clydesdales. They are so beautiful!
I have also started tutoring a group of kids in math. So now I only have one day a week for myself (so to speak). But it is all good.
I took my girls to the Christmas event at EnterTrainment Junction and they got to see Santa. They loved that! They have been writing to Santa non-stop since they saw him. I love reading their letters. But they haven't understood something major....Santa said, "Listen to your mom and do what she says." I say pick up they go to bed and ignore that. So I finally reached my limit and picked up their toys and put them in a garbage bag and they were put away. The last time I did this the toys disappeared for over a year!Here are some of the many things I have finished, including many pocket purses, scarves, purses, sunglass cases, Harry Potter styled wands, Harry Potter styled snitches, and hats. Not everything was finished, but that is okay. I will get what I can finished and finish the rest later.
Notes: The snitches were from http://www.innerchildcrochet.com/patterns/the_golden_snitch.php
The Zig Zag Scarf was from http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/90308AD.html?noImages=
The Harry Potter style wands are from: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/harry-potter-inspired-wand
The purse, the pocket purse and the sunglass case are from a book by Anne Akers Johnson....Knitting: Learn to Knit 6 Great Projects.
16 October 2011
Happy 50th Birthday
Today, my DH turns 50. Everyone keeps telling me how I am married to an old man. I can see it, but I still the wonderful man that I married 11 1/2 years ago.
Our children love him so much that they ask him daily if he has to work, because they don't understand his work schedule and they miss him.
This year, he had to get glasses for the first time. They are just readers and eventually he will need to get bifocals, but right now he just needs the readers. But he is resistent to wearing them. He still sits and reads his paper without the glasses.
This year, I have noticed that he is starting to move a little slower. But he is still moving and helping our middle DD learn how to ride her bike. Middle DD and I butt heads, the reason, when I tell her to do something she refuses to listen to me. So where possible I let him work with her, she listens to him. But I also point out to him that this child is most like his mother! I see that more everyday. In fact, I took food to my mil, when I went to visit her at the nursing home and she screwed up her face just like middle DD and refused to eat it at all! "I don't like it!" she wailed. Wow, just like my DD.
This year, I have noticed more gray in his hair. But he is still very handsome.
This year, has been another good year with my wonderful, loving husband.
Happy 50th Birthday, Honey. I love you.
Our children love him so much that they ask him daily if he has to work, because they don't understand his work schedule and they miss him.
This year, he had to get glasses for the first time. They are just readers and eventually he will need to get bifocals, but right now he just needs the readers. But he is resistent to wearing them. He still sits and reads his paper without the glasses.
This year, I have noticed that he is starting to move a little slower. But he is still moving and helping our middle DD learn how to ride her bike. Middle DD and I butt heads, the reason, when I tell her to do something she refuses to listen to me. So where possible I let him work with her, she listens to him. But I also point out to him that this child is most like his mother! I see that more everyday. In fact, I took food to my mil, when I went to visit her at the nursing home and she screwed up her face just like middle DD and refused to eat it at all! "I don't like it!" she wailed. Wow, just like my DD.
This year, I have noticed more gray in his hair. But he is still very handsome.
This year, has been another good year with my wonderful, loving husband.
Happy 50th Birthday, Honey. I love you.
15 October 2011
Warning....71 days until Christmas
Just saying! If you are doing a hand-made Christmas you better get to work. I am right there with you.
Trick or Treating with the Dinosaurs
We have Kings Island Passes and go often enough that we are making out really well. We take the kids, ride some rides and play in water (when the water park side is open). We also go to their Halloween celebration. In previous years it has been in a section that was open to the public and free.
This year, they moved the stuff into the area where we had to pay to get in. They called it Trick or Treating with the Dinosaurs. They built this area with animatronic Dinosaurs and charged $5 for people to get in.
It is worth the money, but is an area that one trip through is enough. I was really upset that they were taking advantage that way. So I took a bag for the candy and apples also. Granted most would be sent away to nephew and I ate the apple (good apple). But it seemed that they were holding it hostage because they weren't able to generate the revenue to make back what it cost to build this area.
It seems that people went in once and that was all they needed because you walk around and once you have seen it, you've seen it. It doesn't change. It is too big to change it around every other month or every other week to make it interesting. So people came through or just went to COSI (which also had a animatronic dinosaur exhibit and was free to anyone holding a museum pass). Or they saw a similar exhibit at Cincinnati Museum of Natural History exhibit. Very interesting and free. So why would they go through more than once when they could see it free in other places.
So where I would have taken the girls to Kings Island at least 4 times before Halloween, this year we will only go once. Where I would have bought them something special on the way out of the park, I didn't that money went towards the Dinosaur Exhibit.
Will we go to the exhibit again next year? No, definitely not. We saw it. I took photos, it will be the same dinosaurs again next year, don't need to see them again.
Sorry Kings Island, but you just didn't research this as well as you could have. Someone sold you a bill of goods about how Dinosaurs are a draw and people would pay to see them, but that just was not the case. Why pay when it is free other places?
Maybe over the winter they will do something with that area or put in something else. Who knows, but this was just not a paying concern for them.
This year, they moved the stuff into the area where we had to pay to get in. They called it Trick or Treating with the Dinosaurs. They built this area with animatronic Dinosaurs and charged $5 for people to get in.
It is worth the money, but is an area that one trip through is enough. I was really upset that they were taking advantage that way. So I took a bag for the candy and apples also. Granted most would be sent away to nephew and I ate the apple (good apple). But it seemed that they were holding it hostage because they weren't able to generate the revenue to make back what it cost to build this area. It seems that people went in once and that was all they needed because you walk around and once you have seen it, you've seen it. It doesn't change. It is too big to change it around every other month or every other week to make it interesting. So people came through or just went to COSI (which also had a animatronic dinosaur exhibit and was free to anyone holding a museum pass). Or they saw a similar exhibit at Cincinnati Museum of Natural History exhibit. Very interesting and free. So why would they go through more than once when they could see it free in other places.
So where I would have taken the girls to Kings Island at least 4 times before Halloween, this year we will only go once. Where I would have bought them something special on the way out of the park, I didn't that money went towards the Dinosaur Exhibit.
Will we go to the exhibit again next year? No, definitely not. We saw it. I took photos, it will be the same dinosaurs again next year, don't need to see them again.
Sorry Kings Island, but you just didn't research this as well as you could have. Someone sold you a bill of goods about how Dinosaurs are a draw and people would pay to see them, but that just was not the case. Why pay when it is free other places?
Maybe over the winter they will do something with that area or put in something else. Who knows, but this was just not a paying concern for them.
07 October 2011
79 Days Until Christmas
For the past couple of days, I have not had time to touch needles! I have been either ferrying kids around to doctors (just sit down and then get called back) or working in the schools on projects for the classrooms. I also spent 1 and 1/2 hours chasing my cat through my yard and my neighbors yard, trying to get him back into our house. Rotten cat. He escaped again...his name: Houdini.
My middle DD has a UTI and as a result I am exhausted from getting up about every hour to make sure she gets to the bathroom (so she doesn't have an accident).
I also had to take my DDs to the shoe store. All of them needed new shoes, because their shoes were either too small (2 out of 3) or falling off their feet (1 out of 3). That was a very expensive trip to the store.
My DDs want to go to a park to play, ride their bikes (and people in my neighborhood...not all, just some) would rather run the kids down than slow down. They also want to go hiking. This is going to be a very busy weekend with me trying to get the girls through their homework. Get them out of the house (what can I say the weather is so very nice right now) and to Kings Island before they close for the season to see the Halloween stuff they have.
I am hoping that real soon, I get some semblance of life back where I can sit and knit a little, just a little. We'll see. Wish me luck, because I have looked at my to do list for Christmas and soon I will be feeling extreme pressure to finish.
It doesn't help that my dishwasher is still broken and I am still waiting for them to fix it (oh by the way, the latch to the dishwasher is now broken.....it broke on the repairman!). Time to do some dishes, get shoes on and go to school and help some little guy learn to read. Woo Hoo.
My middle DD has a UTI and as a result I am exhausted from getting up about every hour to make sure she gets to the bathroom (so she doesn't have an accident).
I also had to take my DDs to the shoe store. All of them needed new shoes, because their shoes were either too small (2 out of 3) or falling off their feet (1 out of 3). That was a very expensive trip to the store.
My DDs want to go to a park to play, ride their bikes (and people in my neighborhood...not all, just some) would rather run the kids down than slow down. They also want to go hiking. This is going to be a very busy weekend with me trying to get the girls through their homework. Get them out of the house (what can I say the weather is so very nice right now) and to Kings Island before they close for the season to see the Halloween stuff they have.
I am hoping that real soon, I get some semblance of life back where I can sit and knit a little, just a little. We'll see. Wish me luck, because I have looked at my to do list for Christmas and soon I will be feeling extreme pressure to finish.
It doesn't help that my dishwasher is still broken and I am still waiting for them to fix it (oh by the way, the latch to the dishwasher is now broken.....it broke on the repairman!). Time to do some dishes, get shoes on and go to school and help some little guy learn to read. Woo Hoo.
05 October 2011
81 Days until Christmas
Really, it is getting so very close. I have so much to do in that time. I didn't need the extras. My middle DD has a UTI. A very bad UTI. 8 year olds are not supposed to have UTI's that bad. Then the pharmacy gave us the wrong drugs. I caught that or it would have been an overdose for her. To take things and go over the top....my dishwasher broke. The buttons stopped working. Called in repairman, he replaced that part. 2 days later, it doesn't work at all! Nothing, nada. Handwashing 3 sets of meal dishes a day. That does not include all the cups that my DDs and DH use. They get a new glass for every drink. So I have many, many sets of dishes to wash throughout a day.
To make sure that my middle DD gets better, I have set my phone alarm to go off every hour, so I can get her to the bathroom. Otherwise, she would pee in bed and then I would have to clean her and the bed up in the middle of the night. Still trying to decide which is worse. Getting up every hour or letting her just pee in bed (remember UTI).
The repairman is here now trying to figure out what is broken on the dishwasher to make it not work. He says he is going to order the parts needed to fix the broken dishwasher, I think this is obstinancy on his part because he installed the part that is broken.
I am still plogging along on the Christmas gifts. I had to take a break on them to make something special for a little girl (who goes to same school that my oldest DD goes to) and her father (diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease). I made them both a little pocket purse with a prayer square and a cross attached for them to keep with them. I gave this to the pastor (who lives 2 doors down from me) and he is going to bless them. Then they were going to give it to the woman who works at the school with the little girl. Then we are going to see what else we can put together for all the family. But I am uncertain. I have so much to make yet for Christmas.
Scarves, hats, afghans, more and more and more. But I have 81 days.
Also, Oct 16 is DH's birthday. He is going to be 50! So we are working on the plans for that special day celebration.
To make sure that my middle DD gets better, I have set my phone alarm to go off every hour, so I can get her to the bathroom. Otherwise, she would pee in bed and then I would have to clean her and the bed up in the middle of the night. Still trying to decide which is worse. Getting up every hour or letting her just pee in bed (remember UTI).
The repairman is here now trying to figure out what is broken on the dishwasher to make it not work. He says he is going to order the parts needed to fix the broken dishwasher, I think this is obstinancy on his part because he installed the part that is broken.
I am still plogging along on the Christmas gifts. I had to take a break on them to make something special for a little girl (who goes to same school that my oldest DD goes to) and her father (diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease). I made them both a little pocket purse with a prayer square and a cross attached for them to keep with them. I gave this to the pastor (who lives 2 doors down from me) and he is going to bless them. Then they were going to give it to the woman who works at the school with the little girl. Then we are going to see what else we can put together for all the family. But I am uncertain. I have so much to make yet for Christmas.
Scarves, hats, afghans, more and more and more. But I have 81 days.
Also, Oct 16 is DH's birthday. He is going to be 50! So we are working on the plans for that special day celebration.
21 September 2011
More finished projects
I have been very busy knitting. One of my friends and I decided that we wanted to make some really great presents for our girls, her son and their friends. So we found some really great patterns for simple gifts and started working. We are making pocket purses, purses, scarves, Hats (if possible), sunglass cases, wands (ala Harry Potter), snitches. 
I have also been making afghans for my brother and father. I took some squares that my mother had made, made 3 more so that I had enough to get a good start and sewed them all together. After I had them connected I started using all the old yarns, from the 1970's and started crocheting around the edges. Then I used all the same colors and started working on another afghan (granny square) for my brother so he and my dad would have the same afghan, but one would have my mother's touch to it (especially since my mother has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma).
Other things that have been happening. School started (as can be evidenced by my previous post) and my cats are more present than ever. Making for some really great photos of them.
Notes: The snitches were from http://www.innerchildcrochet.com/patterns/the_golden_snitch.php
The Zig Zag Scarf was from http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/90308AD.html?noImages=
The Harry Potter style wands are from: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/harry-potter-inspired-wand
The purse, the pocket purse and the sunglass case are from a book by Anne Akers Johnson....Knitting: Learn to Knit 6 Great Projects.
The Penguin is from Lion Brand Yarns
The afghans are granny squares and my mom made some of the small squares and I made some and I am making one very large granny.
I have also been making afghans for my brother and father. I took some squares that my mother had made, made 3 more so that I had enough to get a good start and sewed them all together. After I had them connected I started using all the old yarns, from the 1970's and started crocheting around the edges. Then I used all the same colors and started working on another afghan (granny square) for my brother so he and my dad would have the same afghan, but one would have my mother's touch to it (especially since my mother has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma).
Other things that have been happening. School started (as can be evidenced by my previous post) and my cats are more present than ever. Making for some really great photos of them.
Notes: The snitches were from http://www.innerchildcrochet.com/patterns/the_golden_snitch.php
The Zig Zag Scarf was from http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/90308AD.html?noImages=
The Harry Potter style wands are from: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/harry-potter-inspired-wand
The purse, the pocket purse and the sunglass case are from a book by Anne Akers Johnson....Knitting: Learn to Knit 6 Great Projects.
The Penguin is from Lion Brand Yarns
The afghans are granny squares and my mom made some of the small squares and I made some and I am making one very large granny.
20 September 2011
Grrrr....such homework frustration
My children's teachers have arbitrarily decided how much time they are to spend on homework. Since this is a fighting point at the house, it takes much longer to accomplish homework than they figure it should take. Let's give an example. My youngest had to write her first and last name 14 times the "correct" way. She had a melt down that started with, "Why do I have to write my name? I already did it!" Showing me the page that she had completed at school. The response, "Because your teacher wants you to do it at home!" This then took 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete (Homework is not to last more than 30 minutes a night)! Now here is how the work is to break down: 15 minutes reading (3 books), 10 minutes math, 5 minutes spelling (25 - 35 words). Can you say, "Yeah, right!" Now we moved on to the reading and that did take 15 minutes because the books were short. Math, play cards. War, 21, go fish (what really are they learning from playing cards) and this took 25 minutes because DD3 likes to play card games. Now we move onto spelling. This took not 5 minutes but 25! So let's add homework time (for one day) 75 + 15 + 25 + 25 = 140 (2 hours and 20 minutes)! I have three kids.
My middle daughter is supposed to read for 15 minutes (let the battle begin - "I don't like this book! I don't want to read this book! Why do I have to read this book!") reading the WEB book sent home by the teacher that is the appropriate level for her reading level. Now this battle also includes, me telling her to re-read that section because I didn't understand what she said! This results in a 45 minute temper tantrum. When this is finished we move onto the math (10 minutes). This results in my requesting that she write her numbers correctly and neatly (so that they can be read). Another 45 minute temper tantrum (because I am picking on her and I am to leave her alone). Then we move onto the spelling. By this time her sisters are watching tv in another room and laughing about Scooby's antics or whatever they are watching. So she locks herself in the bathroom because I am mean and won't let her play! Finally, we are onto the spelling (remember 5 minutes?). She has to list 10 words each that have a long a, short a sound and a long i, short i sound. This took 45 minutes (we need 9 days to complete the homework!). So let us compute her time for homework 45+45 (90 minutes of temper tantrums)+20 (bathroom)+ 15 + 15 + 45 = 185 minutes (3 hours and 5 minutes). Yeah I realize that some of this time comes from the children, but it plays into the homework time.
My oldest daughter now starts her homework. Her break down for homework: 15 minutes reading, 10 math, 5 spelling. I still want to point out how are you able to accomplish anything of worth in 5 minutes! So we start with her math. It took her 20 minutes to do to the math, spelling took 25 minutes (5 days all right there), 15 minutes on reading. But she also had a melt down on having to write her observations on the book. This then took us 45 minutes. In order to accomplish anything, I have to have a whole day to get this work finished or I have to most of the work and they just re-write it.
Here is what a teacher told me to do: Write down that she spent 25 minutes on the spelling and she doesn't have to look at it again for the rest of the week because she did 25 minutes in one night (yeah right....what do you learn in one sitting of studying spelling?) I don't have a problem with the work, I have a problem with the arbitrary decision of how much time homework is to take! I think that a parent and the child should decide how much time to spend and the teacher's should fall in line. To sit there and say it should only take 30 minutes a night is just wrong and so many different fronts that it is sick. A child cannot learn all they need in one sitting and they are not going to retain any information just by looking at something for 5 minutes. But be reasonable in the work that is sent home. I try to get a lot of this work out of the way during the weekend because I don't want my kids hating school and staying up until midnight (like we have done in the past) or getting up at 4 a.m. to finish something (again we have done that). Make homework expectations reasonable.
My middle daughter is supposed to read for 15 minutes (let the battle begin - "I don't like this book! I don't want to read this book! Why do I have to read this book!") reading the WEB book sent home by the teacher that is the appropriate level for her reading level. Now this battle also includes, me telling her to re-read that section because I didn't understand what she said! This results in a 45 minute temper tantrum. When this is finished we move onto the math (10 minutes). This results in my requesting that she write her numbers correctly and neatly (so that they can be read). Another 45 minute temper tantrum (because I am picking on her and I am to leave her alone). Then we move onto the spelling. By this time her sisters are watching tv in another room and laughing about Scooby's antics or whatever they are watching. So she locks herself in the bathroom because I am mean and won't let her play! Finally, we are onto the spelling (remember 5 minutes?). She has to list 10 words each that have a long a, short a sound and a long i, short i sound. This took 45 minutes (we need 9 days to complete the homework!). So let us compute her time for homework 45+45 (90 minutes of temper tantrums)+20 (bathroom)+ 15 + 15 + 45 = 185 minutes (3 hours and 5 minutes). Yeah I realize that some of this time comes from the children, but it plays into the homework time.
My oldest daughter now starts her homework. Her break down for homework: 15 minutes reading, 10 math, 5 spelling. I still want to point out how are you able to accomplish anything of worth in 5 minutes! So we start with her math. It took her 20 minutes to do to the math, spelling took 25 minutes (5 days all right there), 15 minutes on reading. But she also had a melt down on having to write her observations on the book. This then took us 45 minutes. In order to accomplish anything, I have to have a whole day to get this work finished or I have to most of the work and they just re-write it.
Here is what a teacher told me to do: Write down that she spent 25 minutes on the spelling and she doesn't have to look at it again for the rest of the week because she did 25 minutes in one night (yeah right....what do you learn in one sitting of studying spelling?) I don't have a problem with the work, I have a problem with the arbitrary decision of how much time homework is to take! I think that a parent and the child should decide how much time to spend and the teacher's should fall in line. To sit there and say it should only take 30 minutes a night is just wrong and so many different fronts that it is sick. A child cannot learn all they need in one sitting and they are not going to retain any information just by looking at something for 5 minutes. But be reasonable in the work that is sent home. I try to get a lot of this work out of the way during the weekend because I don't want my kids hating school and staying up until midnight (like we have done in the past) or getting up at 4 a.m. to finish something (again we have done that). Make homework expectations reasonable.
05 August 2011
"Life is a Spiritual Journey,....
and, no, we're not 'there' yet." - Keely Chace
My girls and I have been on many journeys recently. We have been to many places to get them out of the house and playing. I took them to the Christmas in July at EnterTrainment Junction. They loved it! They got to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. They got a cookie from Mrs. Claus and got to tell Santa what they wanted. It was so nice!
We saw my mil for the first time in about a month. She was very mean the time before that with the girls and they actually refused to see her. I will not force them to go because I don't want them to dread going every single time. But it was her birthday and I felt that we should go and I promised that it wouldn't be for a long time. She was out of her room and a much nicer mood, but they hung back from her. They were still so uncertain. But they got to see my mom and dad and their dog. They got to see my friend's mom and dad and their cat and then they got to see my sister and her youngest DD. My darling neice. That was a good time for them.
We went to two churches on Sunday, a Lutheran church. I had to work there that morning. It was my turn to make the coffee. Then we went to the Baptist church that we have been attending. My neighbor is the pastor and I really like the service and the bible study time.
Monday, I took the girls out for awhile. Then we came home and watched some movies. Tuesday, my DH and I took the girls to Sunlight pool at Coney Island (an amusement park in OH). They loved it! We were there for such a long time that they all got burned.
Wednesday, I met my friend and her kids and my nephew at the museum center and went through the museums and closed the place down. They really enjoyed that!
Thursday was the PJ day that the girls wanted and we watched Scooby Doo and Harry Potter.
Friday, play time at McD's. Saturday is coming and I know that we will probably stay at home. We have been watching some old tv shows on Netflix through a gaming system. the girls think it is funny that these were the shows that their dad and I grew up on. My husband and I marvel over the price of gas back then. In 1971 and 1972 the price of gas was $.36 a gallon or less or more depending on the filming areas. Such a major difference between today at $3.69 or more a gallon. Got to love those old fashioned shows!
I am looking forward to church on Sunday. I just don't know where we will be attending that day.
My girls and I have been on many journeys recently. We have been to many places to get them out of the house and playing. I took them to the Christmas in July at EnterTrainment Junction. They loved it! They got to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. They got a cookie from Mrs. Claus and got to tell Santa what they wanted. It was so nice!We saw my mil for the first time in about a month. She was very mean the time before that with the girls and they actually refused to see her. I will not force them to go because I don't want them to dread going every single time. But it was her birthday and I felt that we should go and I promised that it wouldn't be for a long time. She was out of her room and a much nicer mood, but they hung back from her. They were still so uncertain. But they got to see my mom and dad and their dog. They got to see my friend's mom and dad and their cat and then they got to see my sister and her youngest DD. My darling neice. That was a good time for them.
We went to two churches on Sunday, a Lutheran church. I had to work there that morning. It was my turn to make the coffee. Then we went to the Baptist church that we have been attending. My neighbor is the pastor and I really like the service and the bible study time.
Monday, I took the girls out for awhile. Then we came home and watched some movies. Tuesday, my DH and I took the girls to Sunlight pool at Coney Island (an amusement park in OH). They loved it! We were there for such a long time that they all got burned.
Wednesday, I met my friend and her kids and my nephew at the museum center and went through the museums and closed the place down. They really enjoyed that!
Thursday was the PJ day that the girls wanted and we watched Scooby Doo and Harry Potter.
Friday, play time at McD's. Saturday is coming and I know that we will probably stay at home. We have been watching some old tv shows on Netflix through a gaming system. the girls think it is funny that these were the shows that their dad and I grew up on. My husband and I marvel over the price of gas back then. In 1971 and 1972 the price of gas was $.36 a gallon or less or more depending on the filming areas. Such a major difference between today at $3.69 or more a gallon. Got to love those old fashioned shows!
I am looking forward to church on Sunday. I just don't know where we will be attending that day.
19 July 2011
My Life for two days was a series of Ray Stevens Songs
My family and I went to my cousin's funeral on Monday and Tuesday. We spent a night at a hotel, because of the distance. We took the elevator up to the room and got right off and there was our room (We had the room right near the elevator). Across the hall from our room was the ice machine and soda machine (across from the ice machine). I heard the elevator and ice machine all night long. It was a very long night. My girls were very funny sleepers. Suddenly they would sit up, look around and flop back down. They squirmed, they wiggled and they moved.
When we went to the layout, we arrived just as the storm moved in. We were inside listening to the thunder and watching the lightning and the lights went out (I ain't sitting up with the dead no more.....the thunder crashed, the lightning flashed and the chains round old Uncle Fred went snap). When the electric came back on, the sirens went off. In the area where I live, we don't pay attention to the sirens. Probably because they go off when there is a storm, but no tornadoes sighted. Up there they sirens go off when there is a tornado. Everyone got very worried. The men who worked at the funeral home (very nice men) went to listen to the news, to see if we needed to move to the basement (all of us)!
Then I called my friend, Margaret (It's me again, Margaret). I needed to see if she could watch my girls when we got back home. My mil was rushed to ER Monday morning for shaking. She is thought to be having a seizure. I have questions, but I have to funnel them through my husband since it is his mother and his sisters may answer him. They only answer me when they feel like it. I think they are also mad, because they asked questions for my DH and I typed in his responses and so they think I am the one saying these answers.
I think I am going to go listen to some more Ray Stevens and see where else his songs applied to my life for the past couple of days.
When we went to the layout, we arrived just as the storm moved in. We were inside listening to the thunder and watching the lightning and the lights went out (I ain't sitting up with the dead no more.....the thunder crashed, the lightning flashed and the chains round old Uncle Fred went snap). When the electric came back on, the sirens went off. In the area where I live, we don't pay attention to the sirens. Probably because they go off when there is a storm, but no tornadoes sighted. Up there they sirens go off when there is a tornado. Everyone got very worried. The men who worked at the funeral home (very nice men) went to listen to the news, to see if we needed to move to the basement (all of us)!
Then I called my friend, Margaret (It's me again, Margaret). I needed to see if she could watch my girls when we got back home. My mil was rushed to ER Monday morning for shaking. She is thought to be having a seizure. I have questions, but I have to funnel them through my husband since it is his mother and his sisters may answer him. They only answer me when they feel like it. I think they are also mad, because they asked questions for my DH and I typed in his responses and so they think I am the one saying these answers.
I think I am going to go listen to some more Ray Stevens and see where else his songs applied to my life for the past couple of days.
More Finished Projects
I have been a very busy knitter. I am motivated. I want to finish some things so I can work on the things I want to work on. 
So I finished the One-Eyed Monster in Red, with the pattern posted in my blog. (I need 2 one in red and one in blue). I finished a prayer shawl for a man. It is crochet. It is a simple pattern and I don't remember where I saw it and I don't remember who claims it, but I did use it and I will share it and if the person who developed it says "It's mine." I will gladly give the credit. 
Basically, you chain 63. The 1st row is single crochet. The 2nd row is half double crochet. The 3rd row is double crochet. You repeat these rows until the shawl is 60 inches or wingspan length. I quit at 63 inches. Now my problem with this piece was the type of yarn that I used. I couldn't see my stitches very well and so it started to become narrow in spots. So be careful what type of yarn you use. I finished a scarf called 
the Universal Scarf by Vicki Square (http://www.interweave.com/wir/kr110604.htm#2). It is a simple, pretty scarf that knits up quickly. I liked it so much I started another one. I finished 2 pocket purses 
for a project that my friend and I are going to work on. 
We are going to make all the little girls in our group that goes around together (11 girls), 1 purse, 1 pocket purse, 1 sunglass case, 1 scarf, 1 hat. The little guys (only 2 boys) are going to get 1 messenger bag (not a big one because they are small), 1 sunglass case, 1 scarf, 1 hat, 1 cell phone case (for use with walkie talkies), a scarf and a hat. For our DHs who are wonderful men, a scarf and if we have the time, a hat. We also will make them duct tape wallets in rival colors (Blue and Gold - Navy/Notre Dame for my friend's husband who cheers for UC and Red and Black for my husband who cheers for Navy). 
I finished a pocket prayer square with an army eagle image in it for a friend. I will be mailing it this week. 
I also finished a dishcloth with 3 crosses and a pocket prayer square with 3 crosses. The dishcloth is being mailed for an exchange and the other was given to a neighbor who just got a job as a police officer. I am working on a Prayer Afghan using knitting and crochet together. Some of the squares are knit on a diagonal. Other squares are granny squares. I think it is coming together nicely, but it is taking some time. 
I am also working on a Cable Sampler Scarf from a Debbie Macomber book and from her website (http://debbiemacomber.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=nnp&pageID=265). I am really liking this scarf because I am learning cables at the same time.
Happy Crafting.
So I finished the One-Eyed Monster in Red, with the pattern posted in my blog. (I need 2 one in red and one in blue). I finished a prayer shawl for a man. It is crochet. It is a simple pattern and I don't remember where I saw it and I don't remember who claims it, but I did use it and I will share it and if the person who developed it says "It's mine." I will gladly give the credit. 
Basically, you chain 63. The 1st row is single crochet. The 2nd row is half double crochet. The 3rd row is double crochet. You repeat these rows until the shawl is 60 inches or wingspan length. I quit at 63 inches. Now my problem with this piece was the type of yarn that I used. I couldn't see my stitches very well and so it started to become narrow in spots. So be careful what type of yarn you use. I finished a scarf called 
the Universal Scarf by Vicki Square (http://www.interweave.com/wir/kr110604.htm#2). It is a simple, pretty scarf that knits up quickly. I liked it so much I started another one. I finished 2 pocket purses 
for a project that my friend and I are going to work on. 
We are going to make all the little girls in our group that goes around together (11 girls), 1 purse, 1 pocket purse, 1 sunglass case, 1 scarf, 1 hat. The little guys (only 2 boys) are going to get 1 messenger bag (not a big one because they are small), 1 sunglass case, 1 scarf, 1 hat, 1 cell phone case (for use with walkie talkies), a scarf and a hat. For our DHs who are wonderful men, a scarf and if we have the time, a hat. We also will make them duct tape wallets in rival colors (Blue and Gold - Navy/Notre Dame for my friend's husband who cheers for UC and Red and Black for my husband who cheers for Navy). 
I finished a pocket prayer square with an army eagle image in it for a friend. I will be mailing it this week. 
I also finished a dishcloth with 3 crosses and a pocket prayer square with 3 crosses. The dishcloth is being mailed for an exchange and the other was given to a neighbor who just got a job as a police officer. I am working on a Prayer Afghan using knitting and crochet together. Some of the squares are knit on a diagonal. Other squares are granny squares. I think it is coming together nicely, but it is taking some time. 
I am also working on a Cable Sampler Scarf from a Debbie Macomber book and from her website (http://debbiemacomber.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=nnp&pageID=265). I am really liking this scarf because I am learning cables at the same time. Happy Crafting.
14 July 2011
One - Eyed Monster
I decided that I needed to make something that was sort of squishy and soft, but didn't have any extras that could be torn off...for some young boys. So came my work on the One-eyed monster.
ONE EYED MONSTER
Using a thicker, softer yarn and a size 10 1/2 US knitting needles. A very large button with a wiggly eye.
Cast On 3.
Row 1: Knit
Row 2 - 50: K, wrap backwards to avoid a hole, knit rest of the row.
Row 51: knit
Row 52: k, k2tog, knit rest of the row. Continue until there are 3 stitches left on. Cast off. Make another panel the same way.
Attach the large button securely. Then glue on the eye. Sew sides together with the eye on the inside and then when there is a small hole left, flip it inside out and stuff it. Finishing sewing it shut and you now have a one-eyed monster....you can add arms and legs if you want, but this way there isn't too much to be pulled off.
ONE EYED MONSTERUsing a thicker, softer yarn and a size 10 1/2 US knitting needles. A very large button with a wiggly eye.
Cast On 3.
Row 1: Knit
Row 2 - 50: K, wrap backwards to avoid a hole, knit rest of the row.
Row 51: knit
Row 52: k, k2tog, knit rest of the row. Continue until there are 3 stitches left on. Cast off. Make another panel the same way.
Attach the large button securely. Then glue on the eye. Sew sides together with the eye on the inside and then when there is a small hole left, flip it inside out and stuff it. Finishing sewing it shut and you now have a one-eyed monster....you can add arms and legs if you want, but this way there isn't too much to be pulled off.
09 July 2011
RIP Marti
Friday, 8 July 2011, my husband's cousin, Marti, left her life with us and went to join her parents and God in heaven. Marti had been diagnosed with Stage 3 Ovarian Cancer. She lived longer than anyone thought she would. She was not to live past a year, over 4 years ago. But she was a fighter, who had a heart of gold. Towards the end she was living in a facility and only wanted to get home to see her dog one more time. She never made it home, to her earthly house, but she went home to God. Marti was a knitter/crocheter. She helped me to find yarn for my girls for their special scarves, hats, and socks. She and I spent a weekend night talking about knitting and yarn. In fact, she was such a good sport that she had her picture taken with a sock I was working on. I never finished the sock, more because I didn't realize that working a heel in a car with a driver who likes to hit potholes, was a very bad idea. I had to tear out and since I am getting to an age where I need bifocals (and still don't have them) I couldn't catch my stitches to reclaim and start again when I wasn't in a car. I am praying that she is with her family and that the family that remains is able to find their own peace with her loss. Goodbye Marti, you will be missed. But we are glad that you are no longer in pain.
14 June 2011
Ever feel like a Character from "The Peanuts?"
In dealing with my husband and children, I am feeling like a character out of the "The Peanuts." When I was growing up, my sister, brother and I loved to watch anything with Snoopy and Charlie Brown. I felt a lot like Charlie Brown or his little sister, Sally. These days, I am feeling a lot like the adults in Charlie Brown, where all that was ever heard from them was "Wa wa wa wa wa wa." I tell my children something and they say, "WHAT." I repeat myself, and then demand that they come to where I am for the next repeat. They argue with me and then refuse to do what they were told to do and then I am yelling at them. I often feel that the only people who understand my words are my friends (women), because my husband makes me feel like a Charlie Brown adult (wa wa wa wa). So just wondering does anyone else feel the same way that you are speaking some foriegn language to your DH or DD or DS? Just wondering.
13 June 2011
Crazy Weather
Last week our weather was so very hot and humid. It was miserable outside and if you had to go from place to place, the van was miserable to be in. One day we drove to so many places (running errands) that I was so very glad that I could be home and not go anywhere on Thursday.
Friday, I took my oldest to get two teeth pulled. She had two coming in and two staying put. We waited two weeks to see if she could wiggle them loose (she didn't). Then she and I stopped at our local yarn pushers and got a skein of yarn to send in a swap. Really pretty blue/green combo. I need to pick up a post card and finish some dishcloths to send in my swap (and I want to pick up some chocolate) for my swap partner. We discovered that they are starting a Kid's Club for knitting. My oldest wanted to join and so I signed her up and my other two girls are interested in participating also. So I have signed them all up. Then I took them shopping at JoAnn Fabrics to get them some needles. I will take them stash diving for yarn. (DD#2 blue, DD#3 pink). While at JoAnn's we found out that you can make a craft for Dads and card. I will be taking the girls for that activity (all JoAnns).
Come Saturday, it was a little cooler after a little rainstorm at 5 a.m. Saturday was knit in public day (KIP Day) and I convinced some of our knitters to come and knit on this day at church. We had 5 knitters show up. We are going to try and plan a once a month meeting and see what comes from it. But the weather was not hot like it had been. It had cooled down. After running some errands, I brought the girls home and we had some supper and went outside and played a little and then watched some movies.
Sunday, we went to JoAnn Fabrics and got another needle (for the last daughter). We also searched for a yarn color for a Ravelry friend from Washington (we were successful). I just mailed that today. Now Sunday was very cool outside! Very nice day. Today, Monday, was also very, very nice, but haven't been outside (due to playdate with friends at McDonald's). The kids had a blast playing together. I am hoping to get them outside yet! Have a great Monday!
Friday, I took my oldest to get two teeth pulled. She had two coming in and two staying put. We waited two weeks to see if she could wiggle them loose (she didn't). Then she and I stopped at our local yarn pushers and got a skein of yarn to send in a swap. Really pretty blue/green combo. I need to pick up a post card and finish some dishcloths to send in my swap (and I want to pick up some chocolate) for my swap partner. We discovered that they are starting a Kid's Club for knitting. My oldest wanted to join and so I signed her up and my other two girls are interested in participating also. So I have signed them all up. Then I took them shopping at JoAnn Fabrics to get them some needles. I will take them stash diving for yarn. (DD#2 blue, DD#3 pink). While at JoAnn's we found out that you can make a craft for Dads and card. I will be taking the girls for that activity (all JoAnns).
Come Saturday, it was a little cooler after a little rainstorm at 5 a.m. Saturday was knit in public day (KIP Day) and I convinced some of our knitters to come and knit on this day at church. We had 5 knitters show up. We are going to try and plan a once a month meeting and see what comes from it. But the weather was not hot like it had been. It had cooled down. After running some errands, I brought the girls home and we had some supper and went outside and played a little and then watched some movies.
Sunday, we went to JoAnn Fabrics and got another needle (for the last daughter). We also searched for a yarn color for a Ravelry friend from Washington (we were successful). I just mailed that today. Now Sunday was very cool outside! Very nice day. Today, Monday, was also very, very nice, but haven't been outside (due to playdate with friends at McDonald's). The kids had a blast playing together. I am hoping to get them outside yet! Have a great Monday!
07 June 2011
Secret Languages
I recently acquired a Texting Dictionary with lots of little definitions for short terms used frequently. My favorite is BAG - Busting a Gut. I borrowed a book from the library called The secret Language of Knitters. I found some very useful terms. For instance, FROG POND is described as a place that unloved UFOs and WIPs go to await their froggy fate. These places tend to be bottoms or backs of closets.
FUN FUR: acrylic yarn that is not fun or fur. Hides mistakes and doesn't allow you to frog it.
FROG: The act of ripping out knitting (i.e. rip-it, rip-it).
KAL: a knit along, a group of people working on the same project at the same time. It can be online or in person. Allows for support on projects.
KIP: Knitting in Public. This is the act where someone (a knitter) sits somewhere publicly and knits from a KIP bag.
LYS: Local yarn store...or local yarn pusher. A place where a knitter can go to get their yarn fix or help on a project or even just to be with other knitters.
SSS: Second Sock Syndrome. The problem caused by finishing the first sock and not starting or finishing the second sock.
SEX: (my all time favorite) Stash Enhancement Expeditions. This is where the knitter goes to an LYS and adds to their stash.
STASH: The knitters collection of yarn.
TINK: a way of going back to a mistake stitch by stitch or unknitting (knit spelled backwards).
UFO: Unfinished Object. Something you have started but have not finished. I have many of those. I really need to finish them this summer.
YARN CAKE: a skein of yarn that has just come off a ball winder and is easily stored.
YARN PORN: A term used to help describe beautiful photos of yarn. Sometimes spelled pron to keep dirty minded individuals away from a blog.
What are some of your favorite new words...texting or yarn related.
FUN FUR: acrylic yarn that is not fun or fur. Hides mistakes and doesn't allow you to frog it.
FROG: The act of ripping out knitting (i.e. rip-it, rip-it).
KAL: a knit along, a group of people working on the same project at the same time. It can be online or in person. Allows for support on projects.
KIP: Knitting in Public. This is the act where someone (a knitter) sits somewhere publicly and knits from a KIP bag.
LYS: Local yarn store...or local yarn pusher. A place where a knitter can go to get their yarn fix or help on a project or even just to be with other knitters.
SSS: Second Sock Syndrome. The problem caused by finishing the first sock and not starting or finishing the second sock.
SEX: (my all time favorite) Stash Enhancement Expeditions. This is where the knitter goes to an LYS and adds to their stash.
STASH: The knitters collection of yarn.
TINK: a way of going back to a mistake stitch by stitch or unknitting (knit spelled backwards).
UFO: Unfinished Object. Something you have started but have not finished. I have many of those. I really need to finish them this summer.
YARN CAKE: a skein of yarn that has just come off a ball winder and is easily stored.
YARN PORN: A term used to help describe beautiful photos of yarn. Sometimes spelled pron to keep dirty minded individuals away from a blog.
What are some of your favorite new words...texting or yarn related.
02 June 2011
Ravelry
I just got the word that Ravelry has been attacked by people who have nothing better to do with their time than make something good - bad. I still like Ravelry and I changed passwords on other areas as soon as I saw that I needed to. I just feel that these people need a better punishment. Something that would make them not want to do this ever again. What kind of punishment would you think is best for this type of person.
24 May 2011
Another storm and another project
We have been hit with a lot of rain and a lot of storms over the last several weeks. Yesterday, the storms were so bad that they put out tornado warnings with the storms. We kept the kids up so that we could move them quickly if we had to. But once the worst had passed us by, to bed to bed sleepy heads...
I am also working on a prayer blanket for a friend of mine. She had many tests and they tried to biopsy the area without success and now she has to have surgery to see if there is cancer. She is scared (her youngest is 1 year old) and she is a single mom. So I went in search of her favorite color (red) and couldn't find what I wanted for her in yarn. So I went for the next best thought: felt blankets. A two sided blanket (two colors) with tied ends. I also picked up some decorations for it (faces of the sort you see on the poster "how do you feel").
Please pray for my friend (P.M.) that this is nothing more than an inconvience and not cancer.
I am also working on a prayer blanket for a friend of mine. She had many tests and they tried to biopsy the area without success and now she has to have surgery to see if there is cancer. She is scared (her youngest is 1 year old) and she is a single mom. So I went in search of her favorite color (red) and couldn't find what I wanted for her in yarn. So I went for the next best thought: felt blankets. A two sided blanket (two colors) with tied ends. I also picked up some decorations for it (faces of the sort you see on the poster "how do you feel").
Please pray for my friend (P.M.) that this is nothing more than an inconvience and not cancer.
22 May 2011
RLC's Prayer Shawl Ministry
Recently, I have received many phone calls about needs for prayer shawls at my church, Resurrection Lutheran Church (RLC). One of these requests was for a little boy (age 4) who was in a bad accident. I told the requester that a prayer shawl would not be good for him....wrong age and wrong sex. I said I would make something for him and in my free (feel free to laugh here) time I would make something for him. 81 squares of a prayer afghan. It will be small, but he is small. It will be small, but he can carry with him and it won't trip him up (very important given the type of injury). Then I went to church and found a prayer shawl for his mother. I saw her the Monday after the accident and she was looking very stressed and I felt would benefit from this gift. But we didn't have anything for the dad of the little guy. We didn't have anything for him or for his brothers. I spoke with the secretary and got put down to give a temple talk. (A speech about the needs for this ministry).
I then called people that I knew had received a prayer shawl. They gave me some great quotes. I will share part of my speech here:
I remembered something that I read: In every stitch there is a prayer. This prayer shawl started with just 3 little stitches and increased by one every row. When it is finished, it will have about 12000 stitches or 12000 prayers.
Then I began to remember all the people who received a prayer shawl, afghan, toy or gift. Then I began to talk with them.
My first ever shawl was given to Clara after the death of Jack. It took me a long time to compete. But I worked on it a little bit every day. But I finished it and gave it to Clara. Clara told me that prayer shawls make you feel good because it helps to know that people are praying for you. It is wonderful!
After the crash Alex and the girls were in, we gave the family a prayer shawl or afghan. Kristin just recently told me that her girls cherish their shawls.
Diane told me, after her mother lost her leg and she received her prayer shawl, it helped her to know that people who didn’t know her were praying for her and cared for her and wished her well.
Annie told me that she wears her prayer shawl all the time. She feels the extra prayers and love that are meant for her.
Marty told me that the prayer shawl given to Carson brought him a lot of comfort, especially at the hospital and he wore his all the time.
In speaking with Judy, she reminded me that making a prayer shawl provides benefits for the knitter or crocheter. The person receiving gets the benefits of knowing someone cared for them. I remembered reading many different books where someone said that there are health benefits in knitting or crocheting. It lowers blood pressure and relieves stress. Basically, a hook or needles and yarn are cheaper than a therapist.
Glee told me she also cherishes her prayer shawl, given to her before she had surgery. She wore it all the way to the OR and would only give it up when there was a chance that it wouldn’t make it back to her. She shared her prayer shawl with her husband Paul and Betty Robertson before their surgeries. This shawl means the world to her.
Sharon said, “Crocheting is a gift that God has given to me. To be able to create a prayer shawl for a special person I care about with the wonderfully soft, silky yarns that are available is actually relaxing and comforting to myself as I stitch and pray for my friend or loved one, I’m concerned about. I pray, asking God’s blessings for them as I stitch along, “Oh, Lord, bless my loved ones with your healing touch!” So my gift becomes a gift of hope, of comfort, of peace, of love. And when the recipient wraps up in one of these beautiful shawls, it will remind them of the love with which it was created.”
As one person told me, “It is like comfort food. You wrap up in your afghan and you have a feeling of comfort.”
When I got to church on Sunday, we had some new prayer shawls in our bin and someone that I didn't know could crochet or knit, brought me a blanket she was working on and said I made mistake, help me fix it and then teach me how to cast off. She had made a baby blanket for anyone who might need it for a baby! How wonderful!!
I really do go to church with some great people!!
I then called people that I knew had received a prayer shawl. They gave me some great quotes. I will share part of my speech here:
I remembered something that I read: In every stitch there is a prayer. This prayer shawl started with just 3 little stitches and increased by one every row. When it is finished, it will have about 12000 stitches or 12000 prayers.
Then I began to remember all the people who received a prayer shawl, afghan, toy or gift. Then I began to talk with them.
My first ever shawl was given to Clara after the death of Jack. It took me a long time to compete. But I worked on it a little bit every day. But I finished it and gave it to Clara. Clara told me that prayer shawls make you feel good because it helps to know that people are praying for you. It is wonderful!
After the crash Alex and the girls were in, we gave the family a prayer shawl or afghan. Kristin just recently told me that her girls cherish their shawls.
Diane told me, after her mother lost her leg and she received her prayer shawl, it helped her to know that people who didn’t know her were praying for her and cared for her and wished her well.
Annie told me that she wears her prayer shawl all the time. She feels the extra prayers and love that are meant for her.
Marty told me that the prayer shawl given to Carson brought him a lot of comfort, especially at the hospital and he wore his all the time.
In speaking with Judy, she reminded me that making a prayer shawl provides benefits for the knitter or crocheter. The person receiving gets the benefits of knowing someone cared for them. I remembered reading many different books where someone said that there are health benefits in knitting or crocheting. It lowers blood pressure and relieves stress. Basically, a hook or needles and yarn are cheaper than a therapist.
Glee told me she also cherishes her prayer shawl, given to her before she had surgery. She wore it all the way to the OR and would only give it up when there was a chance that it wouldn’t make it back to her. She shared her prayer shawl with her husband Paul and Betty Robertson before their surgeries. This shawl means the world to her.
Sharon said, “Crocheting is a gift that God has given to me. To be able to create a prayer shawl for a special person I care about with the wonderfully soft, silky yarns that are available is actually relaxing and comforting to myself as I stitch and pray for my friend or loved one, I’m concerned about. I pray, asking God’s blessings for them as I stitch along, “Oh, Lord, bless my loved ones with your healing touch!” So my gift becomes a gift of hope, of comfort, of peace, of love. And when the recipient wraps up in one of these beautiful shawls, it will remind them of the love with which it was created.”
As one person told me, “It is like comfort food. You wrap up in your afghan and you have a feeling of comfort.”
When I got to church on Sunday, we had some new prayer shawls in our bin and someone that I didn't know could crochet or knit, brought me a blanket she was working on and said I made mistake, help me fix it and then teach me how to cast off. She had made a baby blanket for anyone who might need it for a baby! How wonderful!!
I really do go to church with some great people!!
06 May 2011
Double Rainbow
For the month of April 2011 we had 13 inches of rain. 2nd highest rainfall for April since recording of weather. One night we had a gorgeous double rainbow. 
Also, the past couple of weeks have been so traumatic. My oldest DD was pushed on a playground during a game of freeze tag and broke her distal radius.
Then my husband's aunt had passed away and we had to travel north for an overnight stay to attend the funeral. On the trip home we passed through Berlin, London, Charm, South Charleston and then we came home. For people who don't know...these are all places in Ohio. The girls had a really nice time visiting with their relatives. 
(The girls with their Great Aunt Karen) They played shying around some of them. But others are so great. I love my husband's Aunt Bev. She is the most wonderful woman. She has been in the convent helping people and teaching for 50 years. Congratulations on your jubilee, Aunt Bev (aka Sister Winifred).
This week my youngest DD had to have 2 teeth pulled because she was keeping her baby teeth while her new adult teeth were coming in. Poor kid, but she was phenomenal. They said she did better than a lot of adults. She is a real trouper. She got a gold coin ($1) and 2 half dollars and true to form she lost one of them.
Knitting time has come down to a little here, a little there and simple memorized patterns that don't need thought or concentration to be created correctly.
Also, the past couple of weeks have been so traumatic. My oldest DD was pushed on a playground during a game of freeze tag and broke her distal radius.
Then my husband's aunt had passed away and we had to travel north for an overnight stay to attend the funeral. On the trip home we passed through Berlin, London, Charm, South Charleston and then we came home. For people who don't know...these are all places in Ohio. The girls had a really nice time visiting with their relatives. 
(The girls with their Great Aunt Karen) They played shying around some of them. But others are so great. I love my husband's Aunt Bev. She is the most wonderful woman. She has been in the convent helping people and teaching for 50 years. Congratulations on your jubilee, Aunt Bev (aka Sister Winifred). 
This week my youngest DD had to have 2 teeth pulled because she was keeping her baby teeth while her new adult teeth were coming in. Poor kid, but she was phenomenal. They said she did better than a lot of adults. She is a real trouper. She got a gold coin ($1) and 2 half dollars and true to form she lost one of them. 
Knitting time has come down to a little here, a little there and simple memorized patterns that don't need thought or concentration to be created correctly.
30 April 2011
"WOO HOO, What a Ride!"
My husband's great-aunt passed away on the Friday of Holy Week (the Friday before Easter). She was a very sweet lady and we would visit her whenever we would go up to Massillon. Today, was her funeral. On the card given at the funeral home, there is a motto for living on it from Aunt Grace. One that I would like to share.
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid sideways, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, maple cream in one hand, golf ball in the other, and screaming, "WOO HOO, What a ride!"
Rest in Peace, Aunt Grace. You certainly went skidding sideways into heaven...it was a great ride!
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid sideways, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, maple cream in one hand, golf ball in the other, and screaming, "WOO HOO, What a ride!"
Rest in Peace, Aunt Grace. You certainly went skidding sideways into heaven...it was a great ride!
19 April 2011
And Tuesday Began with A Bang
During the night thunderstorms moved through our area. Now as a general rule, I am not afraid of storms. I can sleep through them. I know to stay inside and away from windows.
Today, my alarm had just started to go off, when there was a loud bang and a bright flash of light. Then everything went black. I searched in my yarn bag (yes it was right by my bed) for a flashlight. Then I went down the hall and discovered light, coming from my daughter's bathroom (the benefit of having a night light in there), but my room was still dark (nothing lit), my one DD's room was dark (no lights or fans), the other DD's room lit up (another night light).
I wandered down the stairs and turned on the light in the kitchen....it worked. I wandered down to the basement and checked the breaker box. There was a switch flipped. Okay, I am woman, I know how to flip the switch. Nope didn't work. That's not right....I now wander outside to make sure my house is not on fire. Nope, nothing on fire, nothing smoldering....still no light in my room or my one DD's room. Now I am getting scared and I need to talk with my husband to let him know what is going on. He finally comes home and we decide to get an electrician out to the house....King Electric. The man that comes is very good, he determines that the breaker is destroyed and he puts in a new one...all in an hour from arriving at my house. He was polite, he was nice and he worked quickly.
So if you are in the Lebanon, OH area and need a reliable electrician call King Electric.
Today, my alarm had just started to go off, when there was a loud bang and a bright flash of light. Then everything went black. I searched in my yarn bag (yes it was right by my bed) for a flashlight. Then I went down the hall and discovered light, coming from my daughter's bathroom (the benefit of having a night light in there), but my room was still dark (nothing lit), my one DD's room was dark (no lights or fans), the other DD's room lit up (another night light).
I wandered down the stairs and turned on the light in the kitchen....it worked. I wandered down to the basement and checked the breaker box. There was a switch flipped. Okay, I am woman, I know how to flip the switch. Nope didn't work. That's not right....I now wander outside to make sure my house is not on fire. Nope, nothing on fire, nothing smoldering....still no light in my room or my one DD's room. Now I am getting scared and I need to talk with my husband to let him know what is going on. He finally comes home and we decide to get an electrician out to the house....King Electric. The man that comes is very good, he determines that the breaker is destroyed and he puts in a new one...all in an hour from arriving at my house. He was polite, he was nice and he worked quickly.
So if you are in the Lebanon, OH area and need a reliable electrician call King Electric.
13 April 2011
The Prayer Shawl and other things
The Prayer Shawl
I made this for a friend of mine to keep in her office. She is a nurse midwife and she was telling me about having to help a woman deliver her baby (dead). I asked her if she would object to keeping a prayer shawl(s) in her office should she ever have to do that again. She said she would like that. So I finally finished it. This is the prayer shawl that fell out of my bag and didn't get run over (because the driver of the truck must have been the recipient of yarny goodness). It is very pretty and very warm.
I also have been making a lot of dishcloths (still, yet, again). But I have also made some scrubbies they are kind of fun to make and are so simple.
The prayer shawl can be found in Debbie Macomber's book and also on her website. The dishcloth is a diagonal (I am loving this because it is so simple and so fun to change colors on it). The scrubbies are from the same pattern page. These are from Gwen Bortner http://tankhouse.knitability.com/freepatterns/DishClothDuo.pdf.
Have a good night.
I made this for a friend of mine to keep in her office. She is a nurse midwife and she was telling me about having to help a woman deliver her baby (dead). I asked her if she would object to keeping a prayer shawl(s) in her office should she ever have to do that again. She said she would like that. So I finally finished it. This is the prayer shawl that fell out of my bag and didn't get run over (because the driver of the truck must have been the recipient of yarny goodness). It is very pretty and very warm.
I also have been making a lot of dishcloths (still, yet, again). But I have also made some scrubbies they are kind of fun to make and are so simple.
The prayer shawl can be found in Debbie Macomber's book and also on her website. The dishcloth is a diagonal (I am loving this because it is so simple and so fun to change colors on it). The scrubbies are from the same pattern page. These are from Gwen Bortner http://tankhouse.knitability.com/freepatterns/DishClothDuo.pdf.
Have a good night.
11 April 2011
A Rainy Monday
We had a busy Sunday. I took my daughters to church for service (and coffee making) and then Sunday (LIGHT) School, signed them up for VBS (Vacation Bible School), took them to brunch (at Big Boy's) because I had a bad feeling. I felt that there would be no food for anyone at the church on Sunday and I didn't like that. But what was I to do about it. There were three (yes 3) girls left at the church while their parents left to go get lunch with their other children. I offered to go to my house and get a wheel of cheese and some crackers to feed all those children. But no one wanted that. After I stayed at the church with the 3 girls who were abandoned after calling all their parents to let them know that they girls had not been fed (hey what can I say) and that they were waiting for them. Only one girl knew her phone number (or her parent's cell number) and the other two did not. When I called for them, they were not there or not answering. One girl had someone at her house who answered but did not know where the parents were (really...you leave your child somewhere and don't leave a number)! But he would try to locate them. After the final child was picked up, I took my girls to the zoo. 
The Cincinnati Zoo's female giraffe had a baby! She is a pretty little girl. I don't know who took this photo, but I love how the parents are wrapping their necks around their little girl. She is sooooo cute. I had a feeling that with the good weather and the new baby that the zoo would be crowded, but I figured that at 3 p.m. (2 hours to closing) it would be easy to get a place to park. Boy, was I WRONG! There wasn't any parking, anywhere! So I took my daughters to Krohn Conservatory. This is a like a very large greenhouse with different areas of flowers and plants. It is just a really nice place to visit. They are getting ready for their butterfly show! My children are so excited about this! I also cannot wait for this show. It is the butterflies of Brazil!!! After that we went up to a park that is called Overlook park, but there wasn't any parking there either. After that failed, I took the girls to McDonald's the outdoor play area McDonald's was not open, so we went to the one in Taylor Mill, KY. Let me tell you about that real quick....dirty, dirty, dirty. They only clean it once a week and on Sunday, it was filthy!!! Also, paying customers beware. Training for new employees at this site....non-existent. Poor kid, first day and they threw him to the wolves. After that visite my mother-in-law (she is still recuperating) and they girls like it better when she is upright.
Today, had the van checked out and there aren't any more critical oil leaks. So we will move onward. Then I worked with my youngest daughter's class and then brought her home to feed her and then we went to McDonald's to visit with a friend for a moment and then to the post office to send a box of goodies to my nephew (in college). I have fun filling up boxes for him. He doesn't know what he will get and I have fun picking things out for him. But the rain makes things gloomy. But I will take my middle daughter to the store to search for a dress for her for her 1st Communion and maybe get a few other clothes.
So stay dry (if it is raining by you) and have a good Monday!
The Cincinnati Zoo's female giraffe had a baby! She is a pretty little girl. I don't know who took this photo, but I love how the parents are wrapping their necks around their little girl. She is sooooo cute. I had a feeling that with the good weather and the new baby that the zoo would be crowded, but I figured that at 3 p.m. (2 hours to closing) it would be easy to get a place to park. Boy, was I WRONG! There wasn't any parking, anywhere! So I took my daughters to Krohn Conservatory. This is a like a very large greenhouse with different areas of flowers and plants. It is just a really nice place to visit. They are getting ready for their butterfly show! My children are so excited about this! I also cannot wait for this show. It is the butterflies of Brazil!!! After that we went up to a park that is called Overlook park, but there wasn't any parking there either. After that failed, I took the girls to McDonald's the outdoor play area McDonald's was not open, so we went to the one in Taylor Mill, KY. Let me tell you about that real quick....dirty, dirty, dirty. They only clean it once a week and on Sunday, it was filthy!!! Also, paying customers beware. Training for new employees at this site....non-existent. Poor kid, first day and they threw him to the wolves. After that visite my mother-in-law (she is still recuperating) and they girls like it better when she is upright. Today, had the van checked out and there aren't any more critical oil leaks. So we will move onward. Then I worked with my youngest daughter's class and then brought her home to feed her and then we went to McDonald's to visit with a friend for a moment and then to the post office to send a box of goodies to my nephew (in college). I have fun filling up boxes for him. He doesn't know what he will get and I have fun picking things out for him. But the rain makes things gloomy. But I will take my middle daughter to the store to search for a dress for her for her 1st Communion and maybe get a few other clothes.
So stay dry (if it is raining by you) and have a good Monday!
08 April 2011
Best Night of Girl Scouts Ever
My friend and I are Girl Scout Leaders. We have a little troop (and I do mean little - all of 9 girls). Of those girls 4 belong to other moms and the other 5 belong to us. We have been with this troop for 2 years and have discovered an interesting little fact....we are a babysitter for these other girls. The parents drop their children and leave. They don't stay and they don't participate and they don't even come into the building to make sure we are there or who might be there. They just leave them in the parking lot and leave.
So tonight once we knew that the storm that the previous night was going to be coming missed us (gotta watch the news right before meetings), I called my co-leader and said, how about a night of playing in the great outdoors. She loved it. So we found a bunch of games that they could play and we let them play. We threw out the games and they played and they played and they played. They had a lot of fun and so did we!!! The best game....Kick the Can!!!! The most simple game was the most fun. They ran and they ran and they had fun. But tonight we only had our daughters and then one other. When she arrived she was dealing with issues brought about by living in two homes. Sad, but true. Our other girls all have issues. These issues are what make every meeting night a new adventure for us. But we love our girls and we love the fun that they have and those rare, wonderful, fun nights are what make things the best.
So tonight was the best night of Girl Scouts, to date!
So tonight once we knew that the storm that the previous night was going to be coming missed us (gotta watch the news right before meetings), I called my co-leader and said, how about a night of playing in the great outdoors. She loved it. So we found a bunch of games that they could play and we let them play. We threw out the games and they played and they played and they played. They had a lot of fun and so did we!!! The best game....Kick the Can!!!! The most simple game was the most fun. They ran and they ran and they had fun. But tonight we only had our daughters and then one other. When she arrived she was dealing with issues brought about by living in two homes. Sad, but true. Our other girls all have issues. These issues are what make every meeting night a new adventure for us. But we love our girls and we love the fun that they have and those rare, wonderful, fun nights are what make things the best.
So tonight was the best night of Girl Scouts, to date!
05 April 2011
Changing Tides
What can I say, but today, I am irritated. Yesterday, as I was driving to the Library with my daughter, the oil light came on. I know that this means there is a problem. I know this with every fiber of my being and yet, because I am a woman, they treated me like I didn't know what the light means. Seriously, it was not need an oil change light, but the oil can symbol light, which means there is low oil in the vehicle! Today, when I took the vehicle back to have a gasket changed, I asked about something else (just to get a price so I could know how much it would cost to fix it) and the mechanic (a man) gets into the car and changes from hot to cold and back again and says that it is not broken. When I explained again that this is something that is in the dash and requires getting up in the car underneath the wheel to fix and I asked did he do that? "No" says the woman in charge. The reason there is a woman in charge because women don't like to take their cars somewhere to get work done on them because men do tend to talk down to them. They are trying to get more of the female population to bring their cars to them for service (very expensive service). Now here is the fun part, the leak that was just fixed is actually an old one that was not noted on earlier visits. This was put off as not cared for by the master mechanic. Seriously, the guys you are hiring don't know there is a leak! Then this, he moves the controls and there isn't anything wrong with the vehicle. I would like to put that man in the back of the van on a very hot day, with the windows closed and the airconditioner (that is not broken according to him) on....after he has been back there for a good long time, we can discuss this "dumb" female's knowing or not knowing her vehicle.
Then to add to the frustration. My daughters are participating in a program at school called "I've Got the Facts." When the paper work came home, it read that a box is used for every 10 minutes. So I had been marking off the 10 minutes on their sheets.
Today, the Assistant Principal sent home a note saying that it is to go by the day! Now when did that change take place? Why wasn't this information sent home earlier? I don't know about you, but the principal of this school doesn't make me very happy with his job performance. He ignores parents and teachers that he doesn't like. He pretends that they don't exist and he refuses to respond to them when they greet him. I have seen this and in fact, when I have greeted him, he looks over my head (an interesting thing since I am almost as tall as he is) and pretends that I said nothing to him. I will be very glad when I no longer have to work with him. But I have two more years, unless he is replaced first. Because of these things, I am seriously reconsidering my position on voting for the increase in taxes to pay for the school. I mean why would I pay for this behavior. You put this with the aid who treated my child so horribly in front of me in the cafeteria! Seriously, is this what I am paying for: A principal who pretends that I and many others do not exist! An Assistant Principal who changes the rules on a program because someone is completing it too quickly! An Aid who yells at children in the cafeteria, for of all things, taking too many ketchups, when she actually didn't her mother brought them for her!
I guess I better tell that story. My middle DD requested that I come to lunch with her and I brought her a sandwich from a restaurant. I requested additional ketchups for her because she likes the stuff. She had the sandwich, the ketchups, the bag (with the name of the restaurant) and the wrapping to the sandwich (also with the name of the restaurant) in front of her. This woman demands to know why she has so much ketchup and does she really need it. When I got to my daughter, I had to work to get her attention. Then I had to let her know that I brought the ketchup. Does this woman apologize? No not in the least, but then when this is the behavior of the principal, why should she? She huffed and left the area, but the damage was done, my daughter was in tears and shamed in front of her friends. Is this how a public school employee who is dependent on the funds of another should be treating the children? No!!! But she still has not apologized for her behavior and I am still irritated that it occured.
So if you are uncertain as to whether you are voting for an increase in taxes, consider the above. Many of the teachers that were low on totem pole are already searching for new jobs, so they may be gone and then the tax increase will not be needed but they won't reduce it and they won't cut their spending on people in administration.
By the Way, can you tell that today was not a good day!
Then to add to the frustration. My daughters are participating in a program at school called "I've Got the Facts." When the paper work came home, it read that a box is used for every 10 minutes. So I had been marking off the 10 minutes on their sheets.
Today, the Assistant Principal sent home a note saying that it is to go by the day! Now when did that change take place? Why wasn't this information sent home earlier? I don't know about you, but the principal of this school doesn't make me very happy with his job performance. He ignores parents and teachers that he doesn't like. He pretends that they don't exist and he refuses to respond to them when they greet him. I have seen this and in fact, when I have greeted him, he looks over my head (an interesting thing since I am almost as tall as he is) and pretends that I said nothing to him. I will be very glad when I no longer have to work with him. But I have two more years, unless he is replaced first. Because of these things, I am seriously reconsidering my position on voting for the increase in taxes to pay for the school. I mean why would I pay for this behavior. You put this with the aid who treated my child so horribly in front of me in the cafeteria! Seriously, is this what I am paying for: A principal who pretends that I and many others do not exist! An Assistant Principal who changes the rules on a program because someone is completing it too quickly! An Aid who yells at children in the cafeteria, for of all things, taking too many ketchups, when she actually didn't her mother brought them for her! I guess I better tell that story. My middle DD requested that I come to lunch with her and I brought her a sandwich from a restaurant. I requested additional ketchups for her because she likes the stuff. She had the sandwich, the ketchups, the bag (with the name of the restaurant) and the wrapping to the sandwich (also with the name of the restaurant) in front of her. This woman demands to know why she has so much ketchup and does she really need it. When I got to my daughter, I had to work to get her attention. Then I had to let her know that I brought the ketchup. Does this woman apologize? No not in the least, but then when this is the behavior of the principal, why should she? She huffed and left the area, but the damage was done, my daughter was in tears and shamed in front of her friends. Is this how a public school employee who is dependent on the funds of another should be treating the children? No!!! But she still has not apologized for her behavior and I am still irritated that it occured.
So if you are uncertain as to whether you are voting for an increase in taxes, consider the above. Many of the teachers that were low on totem pole are already searching for new jobs, so they may be gone and then the tax increase will not be needed but they won't reduce it and they won't cut their spending on people in administration.
By the Way, can you tell that today was not a good day!
04 April 2011
Monday Mutterings
While reading another blog, there was an encouragement to blog about something that bothers you or that you want to talk about, with a link back to her link. So clicking on my title will lead back to her blog so that you do the same.
My Monday Muttering:
I am so tired of people who just drop their children off somewhere and don't even bother to make sure that they are with a responsible adult or when they are supposed to stay and participate they can't get out of there fast enough, so they just drop the child off at the door and drive away before they are even in the door. They talk about how important that child is, but they don't really prove it because they just dump their children. Cases in point...I am a girl scout leader and the parents just dump their children outside the door, they don't come in to get their child or make sure that the leader is there. Dump and run. Another case in point, a child is getting ready for their First Holy Communion, the parents drop her off and then leave, they don't even stay to make sure there is a class or that the instructor is present. Dump and Run. Seriously folks, what kind of example are you setting by doing this?
My Monday Muttering:
I am so tired of people who just drop their children off somewhere and don't even bother to make sure that they are with a responsible adult or when they are supposed to stay and participate they can't get out of there fast enough, so they just drop the child off at the door and drive away before they are even in the door. They talk about how important that child is, but they don't really prove it because they just dump their children. Cases in point...I am a girl scout leader and the parents just dump their children outside the door, they don't come in to get their child or make sure that the leader is there. Dump and run. Another case in point, a child is getting ready for their First Holy Communion, the parents drop her off and then leave, they don't even stay to make sure there is a class or that the instructor is present. Dump and Run. Seriously folks, what kind of example are you setting by doing this?
01 April 2011
The Height of Laziness
This week I spent a lot of time with my children and traveling across OH and KY. We have also spent a lot of time in many bathrooms (what can I say three girls and they all can't go at the same time). We would go into the bathrooms and many are equipped with automatic toilets (and if they aren't many people have forgotten how to flush), automatic sinks (and if they aren't they assume they are broken and walk out without washing their hands) automatic soap dispensers (see previous comment) and automatic hand dryers or towel dispensers (then they get mad because they were unable to dry their hands after washing them).
I watched this in many bathrooms across these two great states. If it didn't happen automatically people forgot how to do this for themselves and walked out of the bathroom upset that these items were broken.
I watched as my children (even) put their hands under the faucet and got confused because it didn't turn on automatically. These things are supposed to be water, energy, paper savers and yet they make it possible for more people to waste these things because they work too sensitively and then you have children who like to play in them because they do work automatically.
Let's go back to the flush yourself, turn it on yourself and work to get it yourself.
I watched this in many bathrooms across these two great states. If it didn't happen automatically people forgot how to do this for themselves and walked out of the bathroom upset that these items were broken.
I watched as my children (even) put their hands under the faucet and got confused because it didn't turn on automatically. These things are supposed to be water, energy, paper savers and yet they make it possible for more people to waste these things because they work too sensitively and then you have children who like to play in them because they do work automatically.
Let's go back to the flush yourself, turn it on yourself and work to get it yourself.
31 March 2011
Attention Parents
On Tuesday, I took my children to a museum and wonder of wonders there was an supervised young (toddler) girl...This girl was flinging water everywhere and no mother, or adult around. Now I will admit that when I take all three DD to places, I cannot be with them all at once, but I do try to keep track of them. But when they were this young, I did try to stay closer to them, especially near water.
This child was not being watched. Many people were soaked by her water flinging and no one came to stop her and/or supervise her. Eventually, after I took a photo of her, the mother came in and said don't do that and then moved far, far away from her (into another room)!
Wednesday, when I took my daughters to another museum, a young boy decided to force himself between me and an exhibit, stepping (not once, but three times) on my sore and aching foot (arthritis didn't help me) and I was very irritated with the boy and his mother (who didn't care what her progeny was doing).
Today, (Thursday) I took my children to another place and while at McDonald's having a drink and some more play time, another mother told me about another child who was not being supervised and was doing some major harm.
Listen parents, your children are your responsibility. We other moms will help if you are trying and are being torn three different directions at once, but you need to step up and do the work!!! We will applaud you (yes I have been part of that scene when a dad used a very commanding tone to get the attention of his child who was screaming) and we will support you as you deal with your child's misbehavior. But don't expect people to be supportive of you when you are ignoring your children. Don't expect people to like you if they are being really horrible and you aren't doing anything to stop the problem! You need to step up and teach your children proper behavior. Today, a lady at the restaurant where I took my children for brunch told me how good my DDs are. She said that there are times where people bring their children in and they are so very bad that they are happy to see them leave.
My friends and I took our children to lunch at this same restaurant and someone treated our whole table of children (about 9) to a dessert! It was a special treat for the children. We did take them out as fast as we could before the sugar could cause major issues and took them somewhere to run it off, but they noticed and let us know that they appreciated the good behavior of the children.
Please, take notice of your children and watch them. Demand respect from them. Demand that they behave when they are places. Demand that they sit in their chairs. Demand that they use utensils and not show the food in their mouths! Demand from them what your parents demanded from you! Be the good parent! Be the strict parent and stop ignoring your children.
28 March 2011
I found another LYS!!
I took my daughters up to the Columbus Zoo (OH) today. They love zoos. This zoo is so large that getting through it in one day just hasn't happened. We walk until we are tired and then we head for home (with a stop at a play place restaurant for good measure).
On the way home, I decided that I wanted to see what LYS's in the Columbus area had to offer and did a quick search on my cell phone (did I mention I have a new cell phone and carrier and I love my cell phone!) for LYS's in the Columbus area. It came back with this website Knitty Knotty showing all the current LYS's in the area. I went to the one closest to where we were at the time and it was fabulous!!! Thanks knitty-knotty for the great information!!! I went to a store called Temptations Yarns. Inside I met a woman named Michelle Hunter and she has a site (KnitPurlHunter) where she has videos on how to knit socks, knit socks using the magic loop method and many other things. She teaches classes at this store.
The store was wonderful...so much yarn, so little time! I had the girls with me which meant they were touching everything and wondering all over the place. I bought some yarn (I guess I'll have to change my counter again, but I just might wait until after I have another chance at another store first).
Maybe after Spring Break, I'll get around to posting the yarn for all to see. I found some gorgeous colors and it is so soft. Not sure if I will use it for socks or for hats or scarves....decisions.
Today, I also found another Burger King with a play land. My girls had a blast playing there! It was good for them to have a place to run and play for a little while. You see while the Columbus zoo has 3 play areas, only one girl is allowed to play there. The other two are too tall! They don't go by age, they go by height. My older two girls are over the height for playing...something is wrong with that thought if you ask me. It's like saying you are too old to do anything, once you are a certain height. They don't want to watch her play and it's not fair to them. So I make a point of finding a place where they can all play for a little while before the long trip home (although coming home from Columbus at 5:30 takes way less time than coming home from Cincinnati at the same time)!
Have a great night!!!
On the way home, I decided that I wanted to see what LYS's in the Columbus area had to offer and did a quick search on my cell phone (did I mention I have a new cell phone and carrier and I love my cell phone!) for LYS's in the Columbus area. It came back with this website Knitty Knotty showing all the current LYS's in the area. I went to the one closest to where we were at the time and it was fabulous!!! Thanks knitty-knotty for the great information!!! I went to a store called Temptations Yarns. Inside I met a woman named Michelle Hunter and she has a site (KnitPurlHunter) where she has videos on how to knit socks, knit socks using the magic loop method and many other things. She teaches classes at this store.
The store was wonderful...so much yarn, so little time! I had the girls with me which meant they were touching everything and wondering all over the place. I bought some yarn (I guess I'll have to change my counter again, but I just might wait until after I have another chance at another store first).
Maybe after Spring Break, I'll get around to posting the yarn for all to see. I found some gorgeous colors and it is so soft. Not sure if I will use it for socks or for hats or scarves....decisions.
Today, I also found another Burger King with a play land. My girls had a blast playing there! It was good for them to have a place to run and play for a little while. You see while the Columbus zoo has 3 play areas, only one girl is allowed to play there. The other two are too tall! They don't go by age, they go by height. My older two girls are over the height for playing...something is wrong with that thought if you ask me. It's like saying you are too old to do anything, once you are a certain height. They don't want to watch her play and it's not fair to them. So I make a point of finding a place where they can all play for a little while before the long trip home (although coming home from Columbus at 5:30 takes way less time than coming home from Cincinnati at the same time)!
Have a great night!!!
27 March 2011
Some very Pretty March Days in 2011
We had some pretty days in March and when they fell on weekends, I took advantage and took my children out to get some fresh air. They loved and so did I. We went to the zoo many times and I was able to take some nice photos. I also took my youngest DD for a picnic with friends. Here are some photos from those gorgeous days.
A photo of a tiger. I love the expression on his face (I am guessing he).
A photo of a white lion. They are a gift from the magicians from Las Vegas who used lions in their act. I am drawing a blank on their names.
I love to watch the guerillas at the zoo. They are so interesting.
A flower that was already showing up when we were at the zoo.
There is a park near us that has a "spider web" for the children to climb on. At some point we looked up and most of the children at the park were on the web. It was so fun to watch them climbing around on it.
More spring flowers...beautiful yellows!
Gorgeous reds on the flower and the butterfly (this was indoors).
Squirrels were out and eating bulbs. This one let me get pretty close to take it's photo.
The zoo had it's fountain out and on.
Some days have been so warm that we have had our windows open and all three cats are in them!
March is almost over and then it is on into April. March 31st is Opening Day for Baseball and there will be parades and other activities in Cincinnati. So I will gladly stay away! April 1, is my anniversary. It will be 11 years that we have been together.
Spring Break is here and many people are already travelling. We are staying home. We will go places as weather permits, but we will stay home.
Make a note...April 16 through June 19 there will be the Butterflies of Brazil at Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati. Lots of fun. Love to look at all those gorgeous and in some cases exotic butterflies.
A photo of a tiger. I love the expression on his face (I am guessing he). 
A photo of a white lion. They are a gift from the magicians from Las Vegas who used lions in their act. I am drawing a blank on their names. 
I love to watch the guerillas at the zoo. They are so interesting.
A flower that was already showing up when we were at the zoo. 
There is a park near us that has a "spider web" for the children to climb on. At some point we looked up and most of the children at the park were on the web. It was so fun to watch them climbing around on it. 
More spring flowers...beautiful yellows!
Gorgeous reds on the flower and the butterfly (this was indoors). 
Squirrels were out and eating bulbs. This one let me get pretty close to take it's photo.
The zoo had it's fountain out and on. 
Some days have been so warm that we have had our windows open and all three cats are in them!March is almost over and then it is on into April. March 31st is Opening Day for Baseball and there will be parades and other activities in Cincinnati. So I will gladly stay away! April 1, is my anniversary. It will be 11 years that we have been together.
Spring Break is here and many people are already travelling. We are staying home. We will go places as weather permits, but we will stay home.
Make a note...April 16 through June 19 there will be the Butterflies of Brazil at Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati. Lots of fun. Love to look at all those gorgeous and in some cases exotic butterflies.
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