Spring is coming!

How can I tell?

1.) I rode my bicycle from the bike shop to work today, and back. (11 miles, took me waaaaay too long, but I did do it. I wore a long sleeve t-shirt, and broke in the new tuneup.)

2. One of the daffodils at church is blooming.

3. We had the soup supper and Taize service for the first time this Lent.

4. My plans for Friday include calling the parents of the children on my soccer team.

: )

Being boring

Not much to report.

Soccer starts in a couple of weeks. L & M are both playing. I am coaching L's team.

I'm still chugging away on the swap socks--I am on the foot of one sock and have finished the gusset of the other. Maybe by the end of this week they'll be ready to go.

My bicycles are tuned and ready to go. Tomorrow the plan is to do my half commute, as it will be 60 degrees. Maybe on Friday I can try out the new pedals on the Dolce.

Spring break for me is in less than two weeks. Hooray!

The Palestinian and the Israeli (Maisie and Patti) are sort of getting along. If you define getting along to mean only snapping at each other when I am in the room. If I'm not around, they get along just fine.

Unique

One thing that is true about Kentucky is that it is filled with unique places. Being cheap, and interested in what we have here in our state, we've been trying to visit some of them. Today's adventure was to here:
Cumberland Falls, one of only two falls in the world where you can see a moonbow. The boys and I drove down this morning and hiked over to see the falls. Even though we weren't there to see a moonbow, the falls are still quite impressive. The boys really enjoyed seeing them, and so did I. They are apparently called the Niagra Falls of the South. Oh, and today I was elected to Camps and Conference board for our diocese. That's the actual reason we went to Corbin, but who can go to a place like this and not go and see them?


Sock Swap!

Two post day! I received my socks today from Amanda! Aren't they beautiful? I have pictures of them on my feet, but they don't show off the socks well enough, so I also have a picture of the socks on the wood block outside. Amanda's socks deserve better pictures.

I am also posting a picture of one of the set of stitch markers she sent. They are very nice, and I'll use them a lot.
It is resting on one of the socks I'm knitting for Sara.

I am much further along on the socks now. I have turned both heels, and have started on the gusset of one of the socks. They are moving along. Since I've memorized the pattern, it makes it much easier to work on them. They are longer than they look. They have been a fun knit, too.

The Sun

is out today! I am happy to see it. Of course, on Tuesday and Wednesday, the temperatures were warming (we reached the 60s), but it rained. It should hit all of 45 degrees today, but that's not so bad. Too cool for me to ride my bicycle (I haven't bought a jacket yet). Next week, the plan is to have both bikes tuned so I can start going out more. Spring really is coming. Just ask the male robins!

I'm feeling pretty cheerful, even considering that B is at Diocesan Convention. I haven't gone in 3 years, which is too bad, because it's the only time I am able to see some of my friends. I will be dragging the boys down tomorrow, though, because I'm running for office. Some how I will need to juggle them, dressing appropriately, and taking the boys out for a hike. Um, okay.

I've been knitting on the knee socks. I'm ready to turn the heels! The end is in sight, even if I might not finish them on time. Sorry, Sarah.

L had a great birthday. On the actual day, he and Daddy made brownies, because a second cake is just ridiculous, and the three of them never finish cake. While he was waiting, I snapped this picture:
I suppose we are entering the goofy years. ; )

Secret Pal Package

My Knitty Secret Pal sent me a package! It came yesterday, but yesterday was my early day for teaching, so I wasn't home. This morning, I schlepped over to the pick up stuff post office (we have two, you see). Any day this week is a good time for some sunshine--lots of the not fun memories from the week L was born are popping into my brain. Someday, I'll have to write about it, but not this year! It also doesn't help that I seem to have caught L's virus. If I didn't have to teach today, I'd be curled up in bed.

Anyway, my most generous Secret Pal (she's the one that bought half of the yarn from last week) sent me a lovely package full of yarn and knitting notions. She also sent stickers for the boys, who will be very pleased AND some beautiful dried flower notecards. I feel so spoiled! The cream, tan, and blue yarn seems to be telling me that they are going to be socks for B. The blues are definitely for me.

Now all I have to do is finish a couple of things--such as B's sweater, the knee socks (which are now ready for the heels!), the other socks for me, M's sweater (which is still just yarn), and...
Thanks, SP!

Six!

When I was One, I had just begun.

When I was Two, I was nearly new.

When I was Three, I was hardly Me.

When I was Four, I was not much more.

When I was Five, I was just alive.

But now I am Six, I'm as clever as clever.

So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.

                                    A.A.Milne

Warm Socks Soon

but we'll probably have warmer weather before that! (Crosses fingers and hopes.)
This is the yarn that I bought with a gift certificate from my secret pal and a little bit more. The top yarn is 2 skeins of Claudia's Handpainted in Jungle and the bottom is Fleece Artist in Mermaid.

I also bought 3 sets of needles: 2 more in size 1 and 1 set in size 2. Most socks I knit on size 1s so having extra needles is a good thing. I'm also knitting pairs of socks, so I have to have two sets to do that, anyway!

Today was L's b-day party. He chose to watch March of the Penguins, which was probably not the best choice. Everyone had fun anyway. I'll do a proper birthday post on Monday, the actual day. With this kid, we could celebrate the day he was born (2/19), the day he got out of NICU (2/24), and the day he was supposed to be born (April 4). Poor M only has the day he was born (8/15) and the day he was supposed to be born (9/12). The joys of preemies.

Yesterday

was an interesting day.

Since I'd been paid, I went over to the co-op to buy some of the gluten free foods that I use. On my way home, I was driving along and the car started behaving strangely. Shortly after that, the front driver's side tire went. I have a front wheel drive car, so I managed to get it off of the road and into the bike shop's parking lot. (They know me there.) No wreck. I tried to crack the lugs on the tire, but I couldn't. So I wound up calling B and he came and bailed me out. I hung out at the bike shop until he got there. I complained with everyone else about hating the trainer.

So I am now the owner of two new tires. It's made a difference in the way the car handles. I have had yet another car emergency where I managed to get the car off of the road and into a safe spot before I have to completely stop the car. The first time I was 18 years old and my brakes went out. I managed to get the car into a parking lot. The next major problem was the minivan's transmission went out on Main Street in Lexington. I drove it to the church (that's where B was working then) and got it into the parking lot where the transmission completely locked up. The tow truck driver was most impressed at my driving skills. Now I've gotten a third.

In other news, I had a parent/teacher conference with L's Kindy teacher. He has greatly improved since he started in the fall. I need to remember the fall conference is bad, the spring(-ish) one is better. He's doing very well academically, but he has trouble in large groups. Small steps, right? I also told her what had happened when I missed the IEP meeting. She was most amused that it was due to the painkillers I was taking for the sinus surgery. She said that she knew that I wouldn't just skip it.

That's where we are right now. Today was buying groceries (I always buy more than we need after we've been short on cash) and paying bills. Woohoo. I'm glad that February is short. It's always a miserable month (unfortunately, that includes the year L was born--that was a scary February).

Happy Valentine's Day

It was a quiet day. The boys had another snow day (but not me). They stayed in their jammies all day and mostly got along. L's feeling better. Hopefully the IG and giving him his inhalers are helping him clear everything.

L gave me an angel magnet for Valentine's. I'm going to miss this sort of thing as he grows up. M gave all of that up awhile ago. : ( B and I are giving each other mice for our laptops. We are so romantic, aren't we? I gave L a couple of Star Wars guys, and M some yarn, which will turn into a hoodie. His other one disappeared, and it was getting to be too small anyway.

Anyway, we also had the "traditional" heart shaped meatloaf for dinner tonight. It's decorated with squeezy cheese. My only qualm is I'm not sure that it counts as edible. (Rule #3 is all decoration of meatloaf must be edible. Does squeezy cheese fall into the edible category?)

It Couldn't Last

SCIG is wonderful, but even it can't keep L healthy all of the time.

He had a sniffly, scratchy cough, went to a clingy, weepy day yesterday, and now has a cough that seems to be coming from his chest. He's home sick today. When B asked if I thought L should stay home, it was pretty clear that he should. If Dad thinks he needs to stay home... We'll probably go to the pediatrician tomorrow. This will be the first time this winter!

I've been working on the swap socks, and they are coming along nicely. I can't take them with me any more though because they keep sliding off of the needles. I've fixed them three times already, and I'm tired of it. They will be finished though, so I'm not too worried about it.

Patti and Maisie aren't fighting all of the time. Only about half of the time. : )

It's warmer today--hopefully it will stay that way. We might hit 50 degrees!

I should go. I'm using this as a work avoidance. I have 23 notebooks to grade, and I don't want to do it. Sigh. Sorry for the boring, picture-less post. Not every day is interesting.

Proof of Knitting

I've been working on my sock pal swap socks. They are a very nice pair of socks, if I must say so myself.

Here's a view of the cuff and the leg:I'm knitting them in Lang JaWoll superwash. I believe that they are a pretty nice pair.
A better view of the stitch pattern of the leg: I hope that knottygnome likes them!

Something pretty

for a very cold week. M gave me this amaryllis as an early Christmas present. It finally bloomed! There are four flowers right now, and there's another inflorescence coming up. It should last until March!

Snow Day!

The boys were out of school today for snow. We had maybe 2", but for here, that's a pretty significant amount. L was excited, as it's the most snow he's ever seen. M's technically seen more (when he was 5 months old we had 19" all at once), but he's never really seen snow either.
M used up the snow to do this:It took him pretty much all of the snow on the side of the house to build it, too. You can see the lack of snow around the snow man.After the boys were finished outside (only one argument between them, too!), they came in to this:I spent the day re-knitting the last project I finished (I made it about 20% smaller--still a little big, but it'll do). My ears will be warmer, at least.

Murfy spent the day doing this:
He might have had the best plan.

P.S. Please keep B's uncle and aunt in your prayers. Their house in FL was destroyed yesterday morning in the tornado. They were relatively unharmed, but they still have a lot of things that they need to do.

Restless

I'm restless. Today I cast on for a pair of socks, and messed up the ribbing on the first round. These are for someone else, so they need to be at least mistake free on the cuff! Rrriiippp. Yesterday, I finished this. I did get gauge, but it's too big. Too big around, too wide for my head, too big. So, I'm ripping it too. Oh boy. The picture isn't so great, as we have no sun again. It's cold, and flurrying, but no snow, or ice, or sun.

However, also yesterday, I made meatloaf (yes, again!). This one isn't scary, or white, or gross. It's just kind of nice. The boys really liked the shape of this one, and the cheese decoration didn't hurt either. But it did work, and I at least feel like something went right!

Before you think that I am absolutely out of my mind, how many of you look forward to meatloaf for dinner? I know that when I say we are having meatloaf, the boys are actually excited!

I have "fixed" the restlessness some. B & I went to the Y (we go on TR) and ran on the treadmills. I am slow, slow but I am getting better. Running/walking for 45 minutes will help witht the restless feeling.