Cookies and Coloring

My husband made the comment the other day, that I haven't been baking very much lately; no cookies or muffins... 'Gee, I wonder why? It's only 112 out...' I said. Can you believe the nerve of him!? ;) He said 'Yeah but we have air' Ugh... he got me. Soooo.... guess what I have been doing a lot this week? Baking. In the 112 degree weather. First, I made some French Breakfast Puffs. (A picture I took of some I made before...) Those didn't even last 24 hours. I had to save two for the 17 yr old, and two for my husband, with little notes 'Do Not Eat These Evan's Muffins', and so on... :P (Serious!) My husband said the next day, 'Those are my favorite muffins.' Then, I made some brownies. Those lasted a little less than 24 hours. (I didn't get any comment on those, except from the six year old, he loves everything! :P) Today I made these. Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. We'll see how long these last. I couldn't find the exact recipe online, but this one is exactly the same (I added one cup of raisins): Famous Oatmeal Cookies. The 17 year old came in the kitchen while I was baking them and said, 'It smells like a coffee shop in here.' :0 I guess that is a compliment, especially when it is coming from a teenager who hates me.

Yesterday I made (okay, suggested) my six year old write a thank you letter (he likes doing it, sometimes...) to his Aunt who sent him a box of (her son's old, but...) clothes. One of the shirts is just like one he already has. (But, in a size bigger, which is awesome! It will fit him later.) Anyway; I said, "That was nice of her to send you the clothes. Do you want to write her a little note to say thanks? Or draw her a picture?" Well, he did both! I thought the picture he drew was so cute, I scanned it and sent it to everyone. ;P

He said it's "Bing, bing, bing; Ricochet Rabbit". "He's in the tall grass and he's hungry. He's thinking about a carrot." Those two little round things are his paws. LOL I think it's so cute.

Romantic Shrug (on me)

Well this is what it looks like 'on'. I thought it was going to be big, but it is just right.

You can find the pattern for this at Mimi's Crochet Pages, her Ravelry Page, and on her Etsy store.

Now I am working on the Simply Striped Shrug. I don't know if I ever posted about it here or not. But you can see the start of it on my Ravelry Projects Page. I'm also working on lots of little projects (that get me into trouble!): catnip mice, dishcloths...

HOT Day...

I took the kids to the water park today (it's a waterpark inside a park-- by where we used to live). I think I mentioned yesterday, that I had an appointment today. I packed a lunch and took it to the park afterward. Then they played in the water.

I wish I could have~~ It was SO hot! 106 today. I don't know how my husband can stand working outside in it. He must be used to it or something. It gets up to 150 sometimes where he works! Concrete cures at 150, and when he works in the Core, it gets that hot down there.... UGH.... He says when comes out it feels cold outside. I think his brain must be cooked. ;P

I did go stand nearby, just to get the spray of the water. I didn't know if it was chlorinated or not, though; and didn't want to ruin my clothes. :P Our ice waters I filled up to the top with ice were warm, by the time we left.

I am feeling better today; although I did have a headache all day. (Whacking my head on the play structure at the park didn't help at all, either...) Thank you everyone for your get well wishes. I think they helped! ;)

Romantic Shrug is Done

I finally finished my shrug today. It took a lot longer than I expected it to take me. Or me to get it done, more like it... Well, I do have to say that I did the second whole half (and started on the first sleeve, too!) wrong. I had to rip it all out and after Mimi sent me some pictures I said 'Ooooh. Duuuuh.' :P I will take some better pictures of it on me. I haven't been feeling well at all the last three days. I got some kind of virus. I didn't even do my hair today. Oh, forgot to say you can purchase a copy of your own pattern on Mimi's site! I would put a link in to her Ravelry page, but something weird is up with Ravelry tonight.

Thursday I had a horrible headache all day. (Well I didn't think anything of it, except it was probably bad allergies--since I had a headache all week.) Well then Friday I woke up and I was SO tired all day, and really out of it. Finally by the time my husband got home from work I told myself I was sick. I was in bed the rest of the day. Yesterday and today, I was a little better. I hope I am a lot better tomorrow; because there is a doctor's appointment I HAVE to go to. I already rescheduled it once; and went last week on Tuesday, but it was the wrong day--wrong week, even. (Ugh...) So I have to go tomorrow.

Then when I get back home I can crawl back into bed if I still feel sick. :P

My husband made me chicken noodle soup today. He's so sweet. I was going to make another kind of soup. But he said 'What about chicken noodle soup?' I said, 'ooookaaay.' It was probably better, anyway. (The way he makes it is always good.) :) Well, stay tuned for more pictures.

A Four Year Old Potholder Finished

I should have just forgotten about it. With all the mistakes I made! This took me probably four years to finish! That post was in Sept of '05. I don'tknow when I actually started it, though. I don't know if I will ever make another one of these, either. I cannot keep track! It's so frustrating. Maybe I just wasn't doing it right, I don't know. I love the way they look. (There is a Squiggly-Wiggly CAL going on for these at Crochetville~~ lots of pretty ones there...) But, I was almost done. All the way up to the yellow. I had to even out some of the corners. I finally got so sick of cutting thread, starting over... that I started slip stitching across the top to get back to the point where I wanted to be. As it was, I had about three million ends to weave in. I started this potholder for my Grandma. Who passed away on May 22nd. Maybe that's why I *had* to finish it. I don't know. And I don't know who to give it to now, either. I will probably just send it to the Pass Creek Elderly Center.

I Got an RAOK, and a Roadrunner We Saw

I got this gift in the mail last week, I think. Someone who has been sending me cheery PMs and emails, also sends me little things in the mail. :) These are some patterns she said she picked up at the library sale. (I LOVE those library sales, they have something like that at our library and I have gotten a couple books from there.) I like the turtle. And the clothesline and autumn leaves patterns will make good fridgies. She sent me a pansy afghan, with a sticky note saying 'I hope a certain dog thinks these pansies are unappetizing' (or something to that effect). (She didn't know I had taken Koda back...) There were a couple more, some jack-o-lantern slippers and a bouqet of flowers barrette... And, a cheery note. Thanks so much, Gran!!

We saw a roadrunner today. We were just driving to WalMart to pick up a few things to last us til the end of the week (payday). My husband (who is home today from work because he doesn't feel good) said 'What kind of bird was that?' I said 'What bird?' He turned around and I got my camera out (I decided to start bringing it with me since you never know when a photo opportunity will come up-- not that I am a *photographer*, or anything, but...) and took some pictures of it.

Most of the time, we just see quail. I did see a roadrunner when we first started moving in here, right in my front yard. Of course I didn't have my camera with me then. It was different than this one (maybe?)~~ or else, it's feathers on it's head were sticking up straight...

This guy just sat there and looked at us. He didn't fly away, til later when we drove out of there (it was a condominium or duplex complex). Then, he just jumped up into that tree.

I Got a Dozen Roses... :)

(and a card) Today is my and my husbands 17th anniversary! :) We usually don't do much. I might get him a card (if I have money, which... I never do...) This one he got me a card and roses. How sweet. Sometimes we go out to dinner. There isn't anywhere nice to go out to dinner to, around here. Well, they did just open a new restaraunt, Tommasina's: an Italian restaraunt. I heard it was expensive, so that would be somewhere to go for an anniversary. But, we probably won't do anything. I read online that for the 17th anniversary you are supposed to get a furniture item for a gift. (Who comes up with these?) I thought it was kind of funny though so I thought I'd write it here.

Weekend Vacation

My husband had a five day weekend (he had to ask for two of the days, but they gave them to him no problem-- first time he's asked for off in a year and a half), so we went to Colorado. Here's a couple/few pictures from when we were there. Helen Hunt Falls.

A different part of it:

We didn't hike up it (I was wearing flip-flops).

Some from Garden of the Gods.... (Taken from inside the truck... in case you were wondering what the darker blue strip is on the top of the picture :P)

It is SO green there this year! I guess they are finally out of their drought there (now that we don't live there anymore) :(

Another big rock at Garden of the Gods. (From the truck..)

And another one...

This one is when we got out and walked (I wore my walking shoes this day). I didn't take any pictures of the classic tourist ones: Kissing Camels, the Balanced Rock, etc.... or of Pikes Peak. I do have a Picture Trail Album from when we lived there, that has all of those in it. If you would like to see more pictures. Turn up your volume, there's music too. :-D I am not a photographer by any means, but I thought I would share them with you, anyway.

I edited my profile picture. Since we don't have Koda anymore :( I thought I should put a different picture up. It's a picture I took of cactus (or is it cacti?) growing out of a rock. I figured since we live in the desert, now... I also added a new blog link in my sidebar: My Hook and I. I found her blog via Crochetville. Susan had posted about her 'Michigan Afghan'. Well being from Michigan; I of course had to go see why it was called a Michigan afghan... :P She didn't really say in her post; so I went to look at her blog, and the rest is history.... (Incidentally, it is called the Michigan Afghan because she started it on her vacation to Michigan. :P) I also added another blog: A Mom Living Life ~~ Hope you're not hungry.... ;)

More Boring Dishcloths...

For something to blog about. That's about all I have been doing lately. Besides working on the romantic shrug here and there. This one is a ballband pattern from the Peaches n Cream ballband. I added the border just out of my pea brain.

These are Idiot's dishcloths. Also from a ballband, til I realized I didn't like how the one side was thinner than the other so I went back to the old pattern I used to use. All these so far are for the Pass Creek Elderly Center. It's a KAL/CAL this month I am in.

This one is for my sister. To go with the crocheted one I did.

I cut my pinky finger today. :( We recently got a new steel grater (cuz our old one was SO rusty and falling apart, I was afraid to use it cuz of the rust...) Need I say more?... Well, I was grating carrots for meatloaf and whack! OOOOOOWWW! (I said a more colorful word than that, but I shouldn't repeat it... I hope my six year old didn't understand/hear it. He was my little helper today. I hiss/whispered it under my breath as I was walking away....) It hurt!! I put a band-aid on it right away. I could only find two band-aids~~ the one time I need one. I had to change it and use the second one, cuz it was soaked with blood. It doesn't hurt anymore (it stopped hurting about an hour or so later). But it is right on the last joint of my finger, and it is seriously hampering my knitability!! :( I think I am going to go get some Barbie band-aids or something. Then when I need one, there will be some. :P

I have been cleaning today. (Breaking News!!) :P I cleaned off the computer desk (mostly all my crap: dishcloth cotton, crochet hooks, patterns I printed out... books....) Cleaned off my dresser!!! Yay, me! And cleaned off the ironing board in my room. (Note to self: If you put it away right after you use it, stuff won't pile up on it!! And, yes; it is all my stuff...) Sigh. I need a craft room. Then there won't be piles everywhere. Only in my craft room. :-D (And I can keep the door closed.) I dusted the whole house, except the 17 yr olds room. He's old enough to do it himself. Swept and mopped the kitchen floor and entryway. (I found a cockroach on the floor- dead, but.... I HATE cockroaches! That is what started this whole cleaning frenzy btw...) It's okay. I needed to clean anyway. Tried to re-organize things on my kitchen hutch. My husband unpacked a box of stuff and kinda put it on there, but.... (I didn't like the way it looked.) Plus, it is REALLY old antique stuff, that I know one of the kids will inevitably knock off *somehow* and break... So I put that INSIDE the hutch, and tried to redecorate. (It doesn't look *much* better, decorating-wise, but... it's clean.) I need someone to help me decorate, I am no good at it.

Well I am going to go make a cup of tea. I hope summer is treating you all nicely. Or whatever season it is in your part of the world. :)

Goodbye, Koda :(

I took Koda back to the Animal Shelter today. :( I didn't want to, and I probably wouldn't have if my husband hadn't insisted. But maybe it was for the best. He wouldn't listen to us. And it seemed like he was getting worse, not better. I took this picture of him this morning. He will be four months old next week. The woman behind the counter asked me if I signed up for the free training classes they offered. (No, because after calling the number forty times and finally getting someone on the phone; she said--after a whole life story of all the dogs she has ever owned-- the next classes aren't til this fall. But, I did read Cesar Millan's books, and about three different training sites online....) I don't know if training courses would have helped him, or not. When the girl came to get him, he bit her. All she tried to do was pet him. :( (Maybe they will see why I brought him back, for theirselves; later...) Then she went to get the muzzle and he wouldn't let her get close to him. I picked him up and carried him to the back room. I hope someone (with no kids/ who knows how to handle a dog like him) good will adopt him. We had a rottweiler/black lab mix puppy who was like him, and wouldn't listen. We had to ultimately have him put to sleep. We didn't want to wait until Koda bit Eon-- like Buddy bit Eli..... It has been a hard, hard day.... :(

Dishcloth Tuesdays!

....and Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays.... :P I have been in the Dishcloth Tuesdays CAL over at Crochetville for a while now. Dishcloths are something I always like working on. Especially knitting. These two are knitted. The ballband dishcloth pattern I just recently tried. The red and green variegated is for my friend in Colorado. We went there this weekend for a weekend trip. I was on about the third band of 'bricks' and she said it was really cool. (The blue one was done, too. But she liked the other one better.) So I am going to send it to her. (With some other stuff.) I will probably be making more of these, and others. The CAL/KAL/SAL for this month at Crafting fo a Cause is dishcloths/hotpads/towels.

Here is one I started for my sister while I was in Michigan. It goes with her colors in her kitchen just about perfectly. I thought it was really nice but now next to the ballband ones I don't like it so much. I will probably do one in knitting, too. I ran out of cotton for it. It's funny, because I bought the pattern and cotton for it while I was in Michigan. Brought it home and couldn't finish it cuz I ran out. While I was in Colorado, I bought more; and finished it back home. :P I can't remember the name of the book it was in. But I am pretty sure it was on the Bernat site. Maybe not. I remember seeing it somewhere. It is on their site. Dishcloth You will need to be a member, but it is free. :)

I will have dishcloths going all over the country.... Colorado, Michigan, South Dakota. :P

I am almost halfway through the body edging on my romantic shrug! I am ** this close. I took it with me to work on while driving; until I couldn't do it anymore. I thought I would have more time to work on it while there, but.... (no waa- aaay....) :P I also started another shrug, the SSShrug. (That's Simply Striped Shrug.) Hmmm, I should have posted a picture of it here. It is on my ravelry notebook, if anyone is interested. :)