A Great Visit With Wonderful Friends

There is no better gift than a good visit with good friends, especially ones you don't see very often. My friend Marsel and her two children David and Abigail are down here visiting her family. They live in Canton, GA so these visits aren't often enough.

Monday the kids were off school and we were blessed with a visit from Marsel, her mom Cindy and the kids. We had six kids in the house and it went surprisingly well in spite of that with no big melt downs by any of the kids.

Frankie gave David and Finn rides on his Razor Motorcycle... although, Finn was not pleased with the sharing of his chauffeur. Finn also tried to procure Abigail's new sparkly flip flops for his own personal use.

We had pizza, turtle brownies and strawberry cheesecake. I could do this every week just to have an excuse to eat those sorts of foods. It was nice to also get opinions on my projects, new bedroom paint color etc. They even offered to help me clean my sewing room because it was trashed due to the bedroom painting episode. How many people get to have friends that good??? I'm betting not many.

I wish we all lived closer so we could do this all the time. The kids and I would definately love it. Thanks so much for coming Marsel and Mrs. M. it got really quiet here after you all left and I got the feeling I wasn't the only one a little sad about missing my friends.

Frankie's 10th Birthday

Here are some pictures from Frankie's 10th birthday (February 9th). As you might guess he got a new bike as getting into the double digits is a big deal.

Frankie continues to do well in school and chorus in the spring he has a couple big concerts going on one will be at the Clay County Festival. He is also a huge help to me and a great big brother to Finn and Rylin. He even taught Finn how to swing on the 'big kid swing'. Notice Rylin refused to go without so he climbed into the baby swing...

Do you think Rylin might look a little excited over the prospect of eating cake?

'Those People'

Well, it's finally over. Christmas, New Year's and THE BREAK! The break I'm referring to would be the 18 day long holiday break from school. It ended Tuesday, January 8th and 'those people', I mean 'my little darlings' returned to school. They couldn't go back Monday, nope, it was a "teacher planning day", they need to be planning on having some school... that's what they need to plan. I hope the school is having fun, after 18 days those children are no longer domesticated and have gone back to the wild...

Don't get me wrong about the break. The first week between Christmas and New Year's was great and I totally agree that they should have that off to spend family time, have a vacation etc. But... the following week, let's just say that kids were bored which led to bickering. Mother has gotten rather used to being 'alone-ish', with lots of quiet, no television sounds, or tattling noises. Mother actually has grown to embrace Finn's quiet talking and the click of her heels on the floor. Well, this dear Mother came very close to resorting to immature things like saying, "Stop looking at me!", "You're grounded for being a tattle-tale!" and "Don't you people do anything besides make messes!?!", "Well, if he hit you go ahead and hit him back... your bigger and that'll teach him!", "What do you people have against playing OUTSIDE?" Relax, I didn't say these things but it was very near. I kept quiet and kept following them around putting up orange plastic hazard cones and cleaning up broken glasses, dishes (Finn did these things while I was playing referee he knows how to open the dishwasher now.), juice, milk and urine (don't ask, but apparently only I know how to open the door so the dog can go out - he doesn't bark he stands in front of the door and stares at it. I couldn't hear his staring because of the rackett)

Well, the situation is over now and the boys are getting back into the school thing and Finn and I are getting our schedule re-established. Our schedule works for us, with scheduled eating and nap times both Finn and I are less cranky. Mondays we clean, alot because there is a big mess from the weekend. Tuesdays we bake, because the smell of baking makes us happy and Finn has a small... let's just call it a "cookie situation". Wednesdays are for sewing, that's the day that I sew and Finn gets into stuff and makes a horrid mess. Thursdays we bake again, because you just can't beat homemade bread and we knit or read, Finn enjoys pulling the needles out of my knitting, unraveling my yarn and making big ole knots in it or if we choose to read he lies in wait for me to set my book down so he can see exactly how fast he can run toward the toilet with it, giggling hysterically before I catch him. I have failed to catch him in time twice so far... he has definate football potential and probably won't be much of a reader. Fridays if the season is right we garden, do a big clean again before the weekend and try to spend the afternoon doing whatever we like. It's not written in stone and it changes but it's kind of nice to know what to expect.

Finn is getting to be a boy, instead of a baby. He has graduated from the high chair tray to the big table with the rest of the family. You can tell this makes him feel very big and important. As a matter of fact he feels so grown that he has decided it should be perfectly acceptable to push a dining room chair over to the breakfast bar and climb on up to reach all the stuff Mommy sets up there so he can't get it. I even get the feeling while he is doing this he is thinking something along the lines of, "Whose the smart one now, Mommy?" No matter how many times I take him down from there, put the chair back, explain to him that he is not allowed to do that and that's how his head will get cracked open, I turn my back and he is back with his chair at the breakfast bar.... laughing right at me.

I finished my toe-up socks. It was very cold at the time and the went from the needles directly onto my feet.

The sewing room has had 2 new additions installed in the last week. The first is a sewing cabinet that has much storage for current projects and notions etc. and folds all in and down to save space, it seems just the right height and it is decent quality for the price I paid. The second is a hanging thread organizer. I've gotten the sewing room pretty much organized. We are discussing how we are going to do the floor in there as that floor and our bedroom walls (no, it's still not stripped of wallpaper completely) are what is left in our "redo the house plans". I'm trying to bring Bob around to the snap together stuff that looks like hardwood floors. I think that would be better than carpet as I like to slide between cut, iron and sew with the desk chair and pins and needles don't get stuck in hard floors like they do carpets.

You know, Bob still calls that room "The Office." Look at these pictures, does anything besides the printer suggest to you that it is an office where important, manly, service manager type work gets done? I actually use the printer to print patterns and copy templates. If you are in need of a sewing/crafting room because you don't currently have one this is how you do it. Firstly, remember to go slow; good things come to those who wait. Secondly, gradually start decluttering other rooms of your house of sewing machines and sewing tables and moving them into your husband's office. Remember to say things like, "There's no room for this in the bedroom anymore, that's why it's always so messy in there." Thirdly, as you move more of your important sewing/craft stuff in move the office stuff into a pile in the corner of the closet and call it "getting organized" or "decluttering". Fourth, make sure your stuff is on any open surface where the husband could set things like laptops, tech manuals that sort of stuff. Fifth, move all chargers that acomodate his computer, PDA etc to the breakfast bar and explain that you did this because it's 'more convenient for him'. He now officially has no reason to go in that room if you've done it right. Lastly, do not smirk, when he inevitably refers to that room as "his office."

Sweater Weather

Here is our forecast. We are cold. Very, very cold. I am wearing woolie socks and sweaters. The two youngest ones have been forced to wear feeted fleecy pj's all day long. We don't crank the heat up in spite of the cold because with the blowing heat coming from the ceiling and lack of the humidity we are used to (Florida should be called the humid state) we end up with bloody noses all day long. And peeling, itchy, crunchy skin like a sun burn. We are yankees (except for Finn) and we can handle the cold thank you.

Notice in the forecast it goes from 20 degrees to 75 degrees all in the same week.

I can smile a little though, when Bob landed in Tennesee this morning it was snowing and 19 degrees. I am one degree better than him. In our competition, I mean marriage this counts for something. Go buy a hat and some mittens, husband. And in response to your laughing about me living in Florida and knitting wool socks I have only one thing to say, "Nanana booo booo. My feet are warm, baby. Bet you wish I had knit you that pair of wool socks you said you would never ever wear." (I am actually cackling and doing a little dance right now.)

Sorry, for the childish post. I just love it when I'm right.

Welcome 2008!

Here are some pictures of my Grandfather, Cadence and Hannah from Christmas day. I don't really have any new pics of my own to post, so I'm posting some that I got in my e-mail. Bob, myself and the boys brought in the New Year last night with our friends Al and Micky and their family from across the street. Bob and I even dressed up for the ocasion because if you can't put your finery on for New Year's Eve when can you? Unfortunately neither of us thought to have someone take our picture. It was wonderful to hear my husband tell me how great I looked and to see him all handsome in clothes we rarely see on each other. Housewives aren't exactly famous for evening gowns you know and a/c guys seldom wear tuxedos. We kissed in the New Year and decided without a doubt that 2008 must be a better year than the previous one for us. Yes, we had good times in 2007 but the sad ones are pretty fresh in our minds just now. Now that the busyness of Christmas is over Grandma's passing is really sinking in with me and another person in my family as well I think where it wasn't felt quite so keenly before.

Bob leaves tomorrow morning for Tenessee again, he'll return Friday and I will without a doubt miss him while he is gone. Yes, I know we aren't young newlyweds, but I still feel that way some times just the same. It will be a bit more rough this time as the kids are out of school for Holiday break and don't return until Jan 8th. So it's all day and all night with 4 kids and no adult companionship. I think absence will definately make my heart grow fonder. : )

While Bob's gone my plan is to clean and reorganize my sewing room so I can set up the new embroidery machine in there. To answer a question, yes, my sewing machine and the embroidery machine are portable. I have yet to use the embroidery machine as I am holding it hostage as a reward for getting the sewing room better organized to be more productive. I have many projects that didn't meet the Christmas deadline. 3 quilts and 4 knitted projects to be exact. You needn't leave any comments telling me that I'm crazy out of my mind if I thought I was actually going to accomplish all that, I am well aware... trust me. In my defence, if you don't keep the bar high you will have nothing to strive for and now that these projects are not breathing down my neck in an "I'm going to be a Christmas present" kind of way I will enjoy them in more of an 'I do this because I love this' less 'sweat shop' type way. If I had a lick of sense I would complete them and store them for 2008 b'day/Christmas gift giving, but we all know that won't happen... it never does.

Another one of my brilliant plans is to organize, de-clutter and clean the ENTIRE house including the wall paper I started stripping in my bedroom in Sept. There's half a wall done. Bob was supposed to come in and say, "Give that to me you're doing it all wrong" per usual. I waited... and.... NOTHING! I get the occasional question from the errant spouse saying, "Are you ever going to finish that?" Usually we are lying in bed when this question pops up so in the darkness he either doesn't see or pretends to not notice my eye rolling/glare look I do as an answer.

Of course, these are the plans. Would you like to know what will really happen? Bob will go away on his business trip, I will allow the kids to run wild to a certain extent and make sure they are fed, cleaned, made to sleep and basically kept alive. I will sit on my bottom watching girl movies that Bob does not enjoy such as the Hallmark ones that make me tearful (Love Comes Softly and Love's Unfolding Dream are on the roster if you're interested) , meanwhile eating huge bowls of snack that I would never eat in that quantity were another adult watching that could hold me accountable (yes, there will be chocolate and pop-corn) and I will knit when my hands aren't covered in salty or chocolatey delights. The kids and I will play board games and make messes that we won't clean up. Come Friday round about the time Bob is landing at Jax airport we will all run around the house cleaning and shining and mopping up evidence of our "domestic duties vacation" This is most likely what will go on in spite of my best laid plans. Of course, now that I'm mentioning it on here it is beginning to sound a bit like a plan, eh? Forget you ever read this. We all know dutiful wife/mother that I am I would never do such a thing and would never think something so slovenly as wearing a pair of pajamas all day was an excellent idea, seriously. Could someone call me Friday morning and remind me that it would be a good time to shave my legs and put some make up on? Thanks.

In other news, Carrie and Dave are having another girl and she is to be named Elizabeth Margaret after out Grandma (Margaret Elizabeth). She will be called "Ellie", isn't that beautiful? If you're of a mind you could get a hold of my dear sister and attempt to convince her that it is very self centered of her to keep having female babies and not let me have one of them. Especially after all I've done for her. You could also mention that the one that's coming in March or April would be a good candidate for her to gift to me before she gets too attached. It's only fair. Carrie, it's not nice to tease your sister hasn't anyone ever taught you to share?

Happy New Year everyone. May God grant you many blessings. And some chocolate and pajamas too!

Syracuse Pictures

Here are pics of when I was in Syracuse. The ones with Grandma in them are from October, ther rest are from December.
Me and cheeky... I mean Cadence.

Pap-pap and Cadence.
Pap-pap and his children.
This is an old picture of Grandma that was found. Unfortunately it is stuck to the front of the frame.

Frankie's chorus concert

Knitting and Sewing...

Here's some things I've been working on or finished in the last month....
Slippers for Finn
Socks for Pap-Pap. Because you are my friends you will absolutely pretend to not notice that one is bigger than the other. They are the exact same number of rows/stitches but when I was finished I noticed the one that was knit while I was in Syracuse was knit much tighter. Just goes to show how your mood and feelings goes into your knitting.
Unfinished toe ups. Not quite finished quilt. It needs a few finishing touches but I had to stop all sewing as my sewing room was repurposed to a sleeping room. (sleep is overated if you ask me...) I get my room back Sunday when Jacob goes back home and I get to add my NEW EMBROIDERY MACHINE TO IT!!!!

Christmas Card Outakes

Where's Rylin?

There's more. These are only

about half.

Christmas Pictures

Pajama Boys

This is what it's like to try and get a picture of two of the kids together in their new pajamas...

This is the best I could get....

But put a clearance bin sweater on a dog...

and he'll pose. (He will also assume that if he is wearing clothes, he is human enough to sit on the funiture...)

A Beautiful Gift

This afternoon I went out and checked the mail and there was this. A beautiful gift, from a wonderful friend. 2 skeins of handspun, hand dyed Finn wool that she thought I should have because obviously Finn wool would belong with my son, Finn. I am terrified to touch this beautiful wool. She spun this herself and that makes it more special than any yarn I have ever paid obscene amounts of money for,...err, I mean a reasonable amount of money for. (Bob may be reading this.) I am afraid that like the picture my knitting skills will not do it justice. When I get my knitting courage up and free up the wicked double pointed needles, I hope to make this into a pair of socks for Finn and Rylin. Rylin has been lusting after socks since I "yarned" the first pair and wants some in 'beautiful colors'. I am now the blessed recipient of these beautiful colors... Thanks Mrs. M. for the beautiful yarn. It is amazing to me, how just when I need to be pulled out of my sorrow that someone does something so unexpected without knowing that just lifts me up and makes me smile because I have proof that someone was thinking kindly of me and perhaps praying for me. I appreciate this gift so much and extra because it came on a Monday. I will try to make this wool feel very happy and loved and not make it sad by ripping it back 10 times, I might even try to show the wool my respect with a circular instead of those nasty DPN's that the wool probably dislikes do to the taste of the spinner. Sending my love and gratitude, Mrs. M. - Jess.
Should you like to see how the Finn Wool came to be Finn's Wool, go here Delighted Hands

Adventures in Domesticity

Here are some of the normal everyday things that are going on here. The kids and I dug up the sweet potatoes. I started then the next thing you know they were helping and so excited when they found one that I just stepped back and watched them dig for their buried treasure. In the south, it's sweet potatoes not gold. I think a couple may have been missed because I noticed two new vines growing in the garden that was nothing more than plain ole dirt. They look strangely similar to sweet potato vines. I've decided to just leave them and see what happens.

I'm knitting my first toe up sock. I've had to rip it back twice but I've gotten past the heel now and wrong or right I refuse to rip it out a third time. I love the color of the yarn, it's very autumn feeling although in the picture you can't see the "mocha brown" color so well. I might even make the second one... it's a long shot though.

Do you see the picture of the cookies? I made 9 dozen of these cookies which took me half my day. I made these cookies for my son Gage to take to his boyscout dinner. That was really nice of me. The next time I ask you to take out the trash, "Yes Ma'am!" Would be an appropriate answer and this task should be completed immediately the very first time I ask or the next time you need to bring food to one of your dinners I'll cook poultry for you to take instead. I'll even let you pick which of the two flavors I make, raw or dry. (I have issues with the timing when I cook poultry. I even have a meat thermometer for safetly purposes; it's a lier though. Just like that bathroom scale.)

Okay, I have completed two posts... how long does that get me off the hook for?

Sorry, really I am.

Where have I been? Well, here basically. What has prevented me from blogging? Upgraded to Windows Vista; I will not say more due to the fact that Microsoft may sue me for slander. Our wireless router went (that is the thing that allows me to get internet access anywhere in my house or yard) and had to be replaced. After the router was replaced I tried to blog numerous times and it turns out that I was not granted internet access for more than five minutes at a time. The cause of this? A wrong setting on the new router. Oh well, I am back in cyberspace now. I'm thinking I was a bit more productive when I was denied access though...

Hmmm.... news. My Mom had a small stroke at the beginning of last week which has effected her eyesight so that she has to wear a patch over the effected eye or the whole room tends to spin. She met with an eye specialist on Friday and they said it was not her eye it is most likely the damage done to her brain by the stroke. She is going for more tests next week I believe.

I leave on Wednesday for Syracuse and will be back Sunday. I'm going to have a visit with the Grandparents. Grandma is getting new chemo and it is really wiping her out. I am going all by my lonesome and Bob is taking time off of work to stay with the kids. I'm pretty excited about my visit, not just seeing people I love but being able to eat apples.... as many as I want without having to visit the pawn shop first. Oh, and I'll get to wear a sweater! I have a thing for sweaters... a very serious thing. Serious enough where I have considered leaving Florida and going to a place where I can wear them more. Perhaps, a place like Maine. Bob is not going for it though. Staying in a house with two older people for a few days must have benefits as well, like quiet, it has got to be quieter.

Bob spent from Wednesday to Friday of last week in Tennessee for work. We all missed him. I always think I do everything around here myself without any help. I was wrong. Three kids who all had homework, a 1 year old who kept insisting Daddy was in the garage (I really think he assumes Bob is in the garage without him all day and doesn't go to work or anything), my normal household chores and then Bob's chores... well, I've come to the conclusion that Bob helps out a lot. Not only that, but things just tend to run smoother when he is here. Is it because he is a calmer person? I don't know. Is it because he is big and scary? Again, I don't have all the answers. But it just works better. I always think we don't spend much time together. He left and I realized we do. Even when it doesn't seem like we are spending time together we are. Sitting in the same room, doing our own thing. Or watching TV in the evening. (I am better at Jeopardy. Do not let him tell you any different.) Just knowing he's here or going to be here soon, makes a difference. Anyway, the day before he came home he got the whining phone call from me saying, "I can't do this alone." I sort of expected him to tell me something along the lines of, "Dry it up and take one for the team!" Nope! Instead, I heard, "No one could, Jess." Perfect answer. I don't feel so unequipped anymore.

Unfortunately, when I planned my trip I didn't realize that Gage has a Boyscout event on Saturday, Frankie has a chorus event on the same Saturday and the kids have no school on Friday due to a teacher planning day. I almost feel badly about leaving him with this messy schedule but let's just say there's a bit of a smirk on my face, it's tiny though... really it is. Multi-task, husband. My thoughts and prayers will be with you.

I added a picture of Finn because Bob is threatening to cut off his curls because he says he looks like a girl. They may not be there when I come back. I have explained that when you cut the baby curls they don't come back, this has gotten me no leeway at all.