WHERE DID 2009 GO?

Well, I guess you can say December was busy.  Duh, who wouldn't say that.  So I guess it's time for a Merry Christmas, December, Festivus recap (Think I'll work my way backwards so I might fully remember things):

Today we dismantled Christmas and put the house back to normal.  I am so glad it is all put up.  Truthfully, I had had enough merriment for the time being.  But now I feel that the house looks boring and empty.  Oh well, at least it's clean.

Christmas morning with Parker and Aaron was wonderfull.  Everyone was happy and we were having a wonderfull morning.  Until.... Wait for it.... I cut my darn finger open.  I mean blood gushing, gaping, open wound.  And oh no, not with a knife either.  A Pampered Chef pie server this time.  My friends keep joking that Pampered Chef is out to get me.  HA HA not funny.  I thought I needed stitches, Aaron talked me out of them.  Then made some sort of wise crack about me needing to be more carefull.  This ended with me laying in bed, holding my finger to ensure the bleeding stopped and crying for 15 minutes.  The bleeding stopped, I put 2 butterfly bandaids and 3 normal bandaids on it.  I still think I needed stitches but hey, it was Christmas and who wants to spend it in the ER?  NOT ME!

We then went to our friends house and had a wonderfull early dinner.  Thank you Denise and Randy for having us.  Denise painted me the most wonderfull "KAFFE" picture for my dining room.  Picture to follow soon.

So for the rest of December, Not to sure, Seem to have memory loss.  I know I did alot of baking, some shopping, lots of knitting for gifts and of course had a few mental break downs.  Here's a snapshot of my December.

Parker trying to figure out where to start shoveling.  It's our first snow and we got about two feet.

Parker, Aaron and I after the USS Missouri Christening.  It was a misserable cold, rainy day.

Lola and Santa.  Oh yeah, and her baby.

Me being goofy with a "surprise" envelope from my parents.  Very happy when I opened it.

Made lots and lots of cookies.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and love to everyone.

Lovely November Weekend

Friday night was a great Girls Night Out.  Denise, Tara, Lisa and I went to Margaritas for dinner.  Yes, we did have Margaritas.  We then headed for Mohegan Sun did some window shopping and a little gambling.  Came home $89 dollars ritcher than when I left for the evening.  Very nice having a "free" night out.  Especially enjoyed Tara's version of  "Pour some sugar on me".  Laughed so hard I snorted..

Had terribly hot feet that night.  Did plan on being out so late and I wore my Uggs, with socks.  Very hot feet, I'm surprised that flames weren't shooting out of my heels.

Saturday night we had another Girls Night and went to see "The Blind Side".  What an amazing movie.  Nice to know that there are still good people in the world.  Cried through almost the whole movie.

Also worked on a few projects this weekend (aside from laundry and house work).  I made a few small gifts using some lovely wool felt I bought a few years back.  Also used ribbon and bead.  Made an ornament, small tissue holder and a few pins.  Lots of fun.  Aside from the blisters from the hot glue gun.  OUCH.  I pulled the glue off not realizing it was stuck to a blister and I took my skin with it.  Remembered to have a small bowl of ice water after that.

Life sucks when you can't even make a frozen pizza.

This pizza sums up October as a whole.  How does this happen?

It's frozen, you cook it and this...  Where did I go wrong.

I'm Still Standing...

Still standing, HA!  More like hobbling.  My knees are killing me.  I keep thinking about that college graduation speech that was turned into a song in the 90's, you know the one I'm talking about, says something about being kind to your knees.  Well, I think my knees should be kind to me and stop acting like they're 98 instead of 38.  Or, 9 leap years, doesn't that sound better. 
Trying to blog every day, not doing too well.  But atleast I'm trying.

So I survived yesterday, It was kinda touch and go what with almost getting run over and all.  Today I took Parker to the doctors and yes, he has a sinus infection.  I swear, I need to go to med school, everyone always calls me with their problems for a consultation.  I've diagnosed everything from turrets syndrom to fifths disease.  Am I good or what.

Oh yeah, I also took my own stitches out the other night.  From my hand, not my knitting.  Wow does it feel better.  It doesn't look like I'm gonna have a scar.  I heal pretty fast.  Good thing since I'm hurting myself all the time.

I also finished my shawl, I'll post a picture as soon as I block it.  I also finished knitting a lovely star for a tree topper from the newest issue of Interweave Knits.  Once I stuff it, I'll post that pic too.

I totally forgot about Halloween.  We had a great day.  Aaron got home from work earlier than expected.  Our friends Jason and Alicia came for the day and brought their darling babe Isabel (we are her god parents).  We all went to lunch at Chili's and the guys had  ...baby back ribs, barbaque sauce.  (Sorry I couldn't resist).  To keep Izzy busy, I taught her to pour salt on the coloring book and slap it.  We had so much fun watching the salt fly up in the air.

We had fun watching Izzy trick or treat at a few houses.  Aaron had to go to bed at 8 because he had to be to work early.  We must have had 20 or so people come over to visit.  It was wonderfull see Maggie and sweet, sweet angel Madasyn.  She is looking so good.  Tara and the girls were here as well as my partner in crime Denise.  Even Niki and Andy stopped by with their girls.  We had so much fun.  Ate carrots and celery with my yummy garlic and spinach dip,  and chips with my homemade salsa sauce.  Num Yummy.


Me with a scary red wig looking like I just woke up.
     
 


Maggie, Tara and Denise. The Ho's.

And Tara's daughter Kylie.

Lexie, Kylie and Madasyn

One of those days....

I hate these types of days.

I feel like I've been run ragged.  I had a doctors apointment at 4:20 and actually saw the doctor by 4:30, that was the good part.  I was there for a check on my meds and guess what?  I found out I had broncitus (yeah, I know it's spelled wrong and I just don't care).  So, I went to get my meds filled and I sat down and waited for a half hour.  When they finally called my number one was missing so I had to go back to the other line then wait another 20 minutes for them to fill the one they forgot.  I love being punished for others stupidity.

I came home and Aaron has duty and he wants me to bring him dinner.  It is now after 6pm and I have NO CLUE what we're having and I frankly don't care.  Parker is upset because his head hurts, I think it may be a sinus infection.  I call Aaron back and tell him I'm not bringing him dinner and to see if one if his guys can get him something.

Parker wants to know what we're gonna eat.  I decide pasta and some fresh french bread (yes, that also means a latte for me).  So I run to Stop and Shop to get my latte and french bread and this crazy lady cuts through the parking lot and almost t-bones me.  I scream numerous profanities as I park my car.  Then as I'm walking in the cross walk to the store an old man almost runs me over.  I am not kidding he was soooo not paying attention.

Yeah, yeah karma for not wanting to bring Aaron dinner.  But in my defense the store is just at the corner and he wanted Mc Donalds which is at the other end of town, then I have to go to the waterfront to bring it to him and by the time I got home Parker's would be cold.  So there. 

I've had enough of this day, time to relax and do nothing,.

Scary Pumpkin People, Chocolate Cupcakes, Socks, and a Shawl (Oh My!)

So, It's nearly 11 pm on Friday night and I'm still going strong.  I think the three, quad non-fat, caramel sauce lattes I had today may have something to do with it.

Anyway,  Aaron has duty and Parker is at a friends and I'm all alone, YEAH!  Well, sorta, I got bored.  Ivce done some cleaning, then decided that I needed to make some yummy homemade, chocolate cupcakes with a cream cheese, chocolate, butter cream icing.  Heart attack anyone.  Thought it would be fun to take the picture in front of the pumpkin people.  Turned out a bit frightening.

I've also been working on my shawl that I started this week.  It is turning out very nice and I can't wait for it to be done.  Technically the pattern calls it a "shawlette" but I think that that sounds pretty gay, so I'm going with shawl.  It's not super huge but I love the yarn and hopefully after it's blocked it won't look to grandma-ie.  I got the yarn last Saturday when my partner in crime - Denise - and I went to the Bitches with Stitches Expo in Hartford.  Really, it was the Yarn Expo and it was wonderfull, wish that I would have had thousands to spend.  So here's the picure.  Will post a new one when it's blocked and you can see the pattern better but you can kinda, sorta, maybe,see the lovely, deep colors here.  Oh yeah, it's the Bison Shawlette from Luxury Yarn One Skein Wonders by Judith Durant.  And, if you want to learn more about the Yarn Expo with Denise, check out her blog: http://lastbraincell.blogspot.com/

Finally, the damn socks.  Denise and I always joke that we have "Sock ADD" unfortunately, there is no cure.  It appears that you start knitting a pair of socks, rip them out, start another pair, rip them out too or finish one sock and are tooooooo damn bored to start another.  Now, I really have made many, many pairs of socks for my self, friends, family and babies and kids.  But sometime, ahh.  Well, this pair is from the Socktober Mystery Sock 09 that should be done by October 31, wait, yes, it is tomorrow.  Halloween.  As you can see, I'm not gonna make the deadline, been a little distracted by stitches, shopping, cupcakes and scary Pumpkin People and all.  But I really do love them.  For more information you can click here.

I'm using the Flat Feet yarn to make the socks.  First time using it, I really like it.  The sock on the left was completed through week 2 and while I was waiting for the week 3 directions I started the second sock.  Well, you can see that it's not even on the needles,  I was almost done with week two and found a problem, yep you guessed it, I ripped it out back to week one.   Well, I was so ticked, I'm now two weeks behind and need/want to finish them.  After the shawl (well, unless I find something better to knit, damn ADD).  Here's a close up of the left sock.

So, I'm off to finish the shawl and I'm thinking that I may try to pull out my stitches (from my hand, not the shawl).  It's healing very nicely and it's closed and I have no patience to go to the doctors to wait hours for them to take them out.  Maybe I'll search the web first and find direction on how to do it.  Yeah, yeah, I know clip them carefully and gently pull them out.  I just want to be sure I won't pass out.  Let you know how it goes.

Getting ready for Halloween.

I love Halloween.  However, this year, I'm the Grinch of Halloween. 

I decided that I was going to make some cute pumpkin cookies using my cookie press.  I made the delicous butter cookie dough and dyed it a lovely shade of orange.  I loaded the dough into the press and the plunger wouldn't move.  So, with my left hand I was pulling the trigger and with the right I was pressing on the plunger.  And wouldn't you know it, yes, you guessed it, my right hand slipped and my web went down the metal teeth of the darn thing and I cut my webbing between the my thumb and first finger.

The pain turned my stomach over, I looked down and there was a huge hole in my hand.  I grabbed a wad of paper towels and applied pressure and threw my hand up in the air.  I gave my son Parker the phone and told him to call Aaron at work. 

Aaron thought I was going to take myself to the hospital.  I told him that wasn't possible because I thought I was going to pass out.  About 15 minutes later he was home and took me to the ER.  We spent only (ha ha) two hours there and I got three stitches.  Hey, that works out to 40 minutes per stitch.  OUCH!  Oh yeah, and a tetanus shot.  You, have gotta love injuring yourself. 

And yes, as you can tell I am a HUGE BABY.

So, Here's a picture of my right hand and the stitches. Kinda hard to see because it was kinda hard to take the picture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This all happened on Friday.  On Sunday, I decided to finally make the cookies.  I put the dough into the cookie press and I decided that it wasn't such a great idea.  I decided that rolled cookies would be easier and safer.  And behold, it was.  I used melted chocolate to decorate, nice and easy.  Parker helped and it was kinda funny, we were tying to paint the chocolate on using a toothpick..  They turned out frightfull.  Could have done alot better, but hey, at that point I just didn't care. 

 

To package them up for friends I made cute little cards with hand stamped "Eat, Drink and Be Scary" sayings and burned the edges for an authentic Halloween look.  I also made cute candy corns (say that three times fast) useing candy corn colored paper and a corner rounder.  Tied it all together with some nice hemp cord.  I also included a package of caramel corn I had made a few days earlier, that resulted in a blister on my thumb.  I guess you can say that I'm accident prone lately.  Lovely.  And no, there was no blood or anything in, near or around the cookie dough.