Some Pictures..

I thought I would share a few pictures that I have taken since we got here. :)

Isn't this beautiful?  This is just along the side of the highway.

This lake is at the entrance to our subdivision. It is so peaceful, and beautiful here. I came and just sat there one day. I missed the lakes and trees, and grass..  Ducks and other birds were flying all over.  I saw a turtle (not by the lake, it was on the road). I so missed this! (I have never lived in TN, but it's somewhat like this in Michigan, where I am originally from.)  :) 

This is the area they seemed to like. They kept flying out of here. There was a few in there, I don't think I got them in the picture, though.

A big blue-ish bird was out there, to the left of the wood sticking out of the water. A Blue Heron? It was way out there, I took a picture of it and cropped it. I couldn't really see it very well.

Some ducks. The one closest to the camera was the friendliest (or, the most aggresive? lol)  There were a bunch of smaller ducks in the water. You can't see them very well here. But they were there.

One swimming by the bridge.. 

I can't wait to get some bird seed and fill my feeders. I bet there are some really pretty birds here. I missed that, too.

Eon on the retaining wall. :)  Duke loves to walk along the edge of this wall. Back, and forth; back and forth... He cracks me up. (Except first thing in the morning, when it's cold, and I'm tired...)

Both the dogs love it here. Especially Duke, though. He will run all over the place. Bury his head in the grass. Then take off running in the opposite direction. Then go up on the retaining wall and run back and forth. Lol  He never wants to come inside. I have to pick him up and carry him in.  (And he is getting too heavy to keep doing that!)  He didn't want to come in when I took this picture. He sits down and "resists". :P  We also have a big drop off wall at the end of the driveway. Jetta (and Duke) kept jumping off of it. (It's about three feet high.) It was kind of funny at first. But one time Jetta did it. I had Duke (Eon had Jetta on one leash, I had Duke on another.) I told Eon, "I'll hold her, you go down there and get here & I'll hand the leash to you." Well I don't know what she did, but she took off running, and I almost fell off there. I tried to catch myself, but my finger scraped on the wall (right on my ring finger, left hand). I was so mad! It hurt really bad. Fortunately I wasn't hurt worse. But...   We definitely need to get a (short) tie out chain.  Although I am afraid to do that, either. People just seem to let their dogs run around free here.  Jetta is fixed. But I'm worried about attacks. You know?..   :/  

It is beautiful here. I just wish I could get the kids to go somewhere. :/  We are going to take them fishing tomorrow (that's the plan, anyway).  Even Eli wants to go.   And it's so nice being close to some of my family again. Two of my brothers live here. And my Mom and step-Dad. (Even though my Mom is currently in Michigan right now helping one of my sisters).  Last night we went to one of my brothers' house for pizza and beer. I haven't seen their kids for over five years. They have a girl, Eons' age (six months younger). And a six year old boy.  We played a card game called "Pepper". Or "Shoot the Moon"? (I think it is technically called Pepper- or Bid Euchre- but if you take a hand all by yourself [without help from your partner], it's called Shoot the Moon?)  I had never played it before. It's kind of fun (once you get the hang of it. Which I kind of was, towards the end..) It's like playing Euchre (which I love playing, but it gets kind of old fast..)- on steroids. :P   What was funny, was; I won. And I didn't have a clue what I was doing half the time. Lol!  The only reason I knew what I was doing the other half, was because I know how to  play Euchre. But it got confusing at times. Like when you "play high", you don't have a trump suit. You just follow whatever was played, and highest card wins. So I would get confused when someone would put a Jack down..  Then the next hand, someone would call suit. So I kept getting confused at first. (You know how it is, trying to learn a new game.)
 
I applied for a job here (at an elementary school).  I hope I will get the job. It's 5.5 hours a day. Which is perfect. I needed a job that was at least five hours a day.  The one I applied for before we left Nevada turned out to only be three hours a day.  Keep your fingers crossed for me. I am actually really nervous. Trying to not think about it too much..  :/  But I do need a job, and one that I could have the same time off as the kids would be perfect. 

Happy I Love Yarn Day

I would celebrate if I had only brought all of my yarn with me to Tennessee... :(  Well, I did bring a little. But not much. Only two projects and some odd ball bags of yarn.  I thought to myself, "I will maybe actually finish one project then." But...  That hasn't been happening either. I would have finished a pair of slippers, but after I got the second slipper done I realized it didn't look right. For some reason I made it an inch shorter. Sigh...  Now I will have to make two other slippers. :(  So I haven't worked on that in a while. (Making more minion slippers.)  I did buy about three skeins of yarn. Two Christmas Red yarn (I Love This Yarn!), with the glittery thread in it. (I want to make a Dog Paws Christmas Stocking for Duke.) And, I bought a skein of pale pink to make some Santa Bags with.  I will try to remember to take a picture of them. The pattern is from an old, out of print magazine I have. I was thinking about making some for Pine Ridge to put little goodies in. 

I will try to catch up here, soon. I've been so busy ever since we got here. :( Today I went to get Eon's shots updated, and I got him a flu shot, too. I had to get his immunization records switched over to Tennessee records. (I had never heard of that before..) Which meant I had to register at the Health Deparment (more paperwork... ugh..) But they were understaffed that day, so I had to come back AGAIN. Then they said Eons' shots needed to be updated. Ugh...  So I did that today. But, it wasn't just simple. "Do you have insurance?" "Well we did in Nevada. I'm not sure if it's still valid in Tennessee.."  If I did have insurance, they couldn't take me. If I did, I could go to Walgreens down the street. UGH...  So, I had to go out in the truck and call our insurance and find out. While I was on the phone, I thought I should probably cancel my mammogram appointment I had made for December, before we moved..   Then I thought I better see if I had any other appointments I made that I had forgot about... So, no insurance. So I go back inside and have to make an appointment. Ugh..  Now I have to wait around for an hour and a half. So we go "explore"...  O.o  Went to Books-A-Million. Now Eon wants everything. Poor kid..  :/  (We still have not celebrated his birthday, other than cupcakes in his classroom on his last day in NV.. I have a lot of catching up to do, here..)   Finally get back, go in for the appointment. More paperwork. Finally get back to the waiting room. More paperwork. Finally get back to the place where he is going to get his shots. Oh my God. More paperwork? WTF?  Finallly!! His shots are done. Had to check out... Sheesh.  Then we went to Arby's. I know he's 11 now, but I still felt bad for him getting shots...  :P   Now he is all set until he is 16. I asked when we were done, since I thought he was already done with all his shots. She said "Until he is 16. He can get the meningo..? booster. It wasn't necessary, but if he goes to college, it's mandatory. Ugh... Now I have to take Eli in. I should get him a flu shot anyway, since he has asthma. Nothing can be simple, can it?  ;)

I will try to catch up here soon.  Hope everyone had a nice I Love Yarn Day. :P
P.S. My secret project is finished and has been mailed. As soon as it has been recieved, I'll post about that, too. :)

Last Popcorn Friday

I know I have posted this picture before..  But.  Today was my last Popcorn Friday at Eons' school, ever. I'm kind of bummed about it. But... We are moving!! (Yes!!!)  After a lot of stressing, not knowing what to do, pulling our hair out, applying at every job available and not getting one phone call  (but the bank I applied at, the teller could barely speak English. At CVS, there is a girl fresh out of high school working in the pharmacy...  But they couldn't have called me and hired me?...  Same thing with my husband, too.)  A few days ago my husband decided we are moving to Tennessee.  (I had wanted to move there for a few years, but thought he never would..) So I was really surprised when out of nowhere he said "Let's move to Tennessee." I said "Okay." Lol...  My Mom and two of my brothers live there. And, it is only a 9 hour drive to Michigan from where we will be living.  

My secret project is almost done. But... I am not sure if I will be able to get it to the person in time. :/  And, with everything going on, Eons' Skyrim Helmet has kind of gotten put away.  I am so keyed up I can't even relax enough to crochet.   

Another Secret Project..And Birthday Preparations..

Here is my secret project. But I can't say any more than that. Cuz it's a secret. :P  I think this is getting me out of my funk, though. :D

I have been racking my brain trying to think of stuff to do/give Eon for his birthday. On a shoestring budget...  I forgot about the fabric I had for a pillowcase for him. So I got that out, and am going to sew him a fun pillowcase. He won't say it, but I know he secretly loves the pillowcase I made him for Christmas. And he picked out these fabrics for another one.   So...

I also forgot about this stamp I got. I think I got it off ebay a while ago.  Used Eon's markers.. 

...and stuck them on the tissue paper for his first present I wrapped. I had thrown out ALL my wrapping paper when I was in a packing and cleaning frenzy (when I thought we were going to be moving back to Colorado soon-- that is still up in the air.) Stupid move throwing out all the wrapping paper. :(  But, I did still have a bunch of gift bags I saved from previous birthdays..   So...  :)    I might use one of those Happy Birthday stamped images, to make a card for him, too.Still haven't thought of a good card design yet. 
 I had forgot that I bought Eon a Lego book with a Ninja minifig at last years' book fair (he didn't know about it, it was when Steve was still working).  It was one he kept looking at and liked. (Whether he still likes it or not... I don't know. :/)  He still is into minifigs, so...  Well, it's one present. So.  :)  
I splurged (big time, kicking myself..) and ordered a cupcake sheet cake for his classroom.  Used this picture; printed it out at the library, and took it up to Albertsons. Going to use that on the top of the cake, with a grey border. I hope he really likes it. Then for his birthday cake at home, I'm just going to do a bundt cake with icing to look like a skyrim sweet roll. Forgive me if I've already posted about the sweet roll...  five times... :P 

I saw this on facebook this morning...  This is SO me, lol....    Okay got to get back to work on my secret project(s)! :D

Trying to Knit An Angry Birds Version..

.. of slippers. Here they are knitted..Waiting for their faces.

..Sigh.. :(  I don't really like how this is turning out. Thinking I should have left them plain. Maybe after I get a beak and some little tuft thingys on them... Oh well. Maybe it will make some little boy (or girl) happy on Pine Ridge. And it will definitely keep their feet a little warmer. :)

Secret Skyrim Project

I am crocheting Eon a Skyrim Helmet for his birthday. Money is really tight this year, since my husband got laid off. But I am going to do a few things... He's really into Skyrim this year. I'm going to get a Cupcake Sheet Cake for the classroom. I may or may not make them myself, and just take a picture I printed out, up to be scanned for a cake topper at Albertsons. That would only cost $6. But I'm really afraid I will ruin it, when putting the topper on. The whole deal for 35 cupcakes would only cost around $20.  So.. We'll see about that. Maybe Evan could help me put the topper on, since he would (maybe) be making it in the store..  For his birthday cake at home, I am going to make a Skyrim Sweet Roll Cake. (A big one, though.. :P) With my bundt cake pan.  I was going to do that for his classroom (mini ones), but...  Long story short I don't have a mini bundt cake pan. Plus it would *probably* make me stressed out trying to get it perfect. And, I know that he is really impressed with the cupcake sheet cakes. Every time someone brings one in for their birthday, he tells me in great detail how awesome it was. :P      
Anyway, this is how far I am with the hat. I've been trying to work on it while he's in school. I have about two weeks to finish it..  :0  I better buckle down. 

I started a different slipper..  Going to try some Angry Birds slippers. I had to quit because my arm was getting really sore. :(  So I took a picture of my progress so far. 

A picture of Duke..  He's in the Puppy Penitentiary. :P  We have the kitchen gated off, so we can keep him in here when we can't keep an eye on him (in case he has an accident- which he is still doing now and then), or when he is just so rowdy and hyper (driving us crazy). Jetta doesn't help with that..  ;P  Poor Duke...  :P  He's 14 weeks old today. "They" say (or, some people say) they should be half their weight at 14 weeks. I weighed him and he is 20 lbs. So... We will see. I hope he gets really big, like a Lab sized dog. It's hard to tell with a mixed dog.  The mom was a lab sized dog, but the dad was smaller than Jetta. (Or, is; I should say..)    

More Minion Slippers

Both pairs are for two of my nephews. This pair is for Corbin. He started kindergarten on Monday of this week. :) 

And these are for his baby brother Holden (he's 10 months old). I used a different pattern (actually kind of mixed the two patterns) for these. They are 4 1/4" long. So tiny!  I noticed that Bev put my slippers up on her pattern page. :)   Everyone seems to like these.  I kind of want to try making an Angry Birds version next.. 

Knitted Minion Slippers

I was going to come on here today to post the one minion slipper I had finished knitting yesterday. Then I finished the other one. :P  I was so stressed today..  I just had to veg out and knit for a while.  I applied for two more jobs today: First at the library, then at a bank. :0  I am just applying everywhere that A. Is hiring, B. I would want to work.  The bank is hiring (yikes). The library isn't, but she said she would keep my application on file.  I have never worked at a bank before. Mostly I am really super nervous about the interview. (After the application and "assessment"..)  I hate those "questions"...  Wish me luck. This is five places I have applied at since my  husband got laid off. No one has called me.But today I went into the bank (I was shaking in my shoes), and asked. I talked with someone and gave her my resume and shook her hand. Then I came home and applied online.  So maybe I will have a chance.. (If I can just pass through the interview..)  It's only 20 hours a week. But that's good enough for me.   Anyway, back to the slippers...  I think I mentioned in my last post.. I used Aunt Maggie's Slippers pattern. I think they're cute. These are for my friend- for her daughter- for a Christmas present. I just have to mail them to her. 

Knitted Minion Slipper Progress...

I think I mentioned I was going to knit a minion slipper, too... Well here is my progress so far. The girl I am making these for wears a size 81/2- 9 womens (and she is a year younger than my son Eon). :0 She is the one whose Mom asked me to make some and she will pay me. I said I was knitting a pair, would she like to wait and see if she likes those better. So.. If she wants them crocheted, I will just send these to PR. Either way it won't be a lost cause. :) I personally think she will like these better. I saw a pair online. Hopefully mine turn out as cute. I am going to knit a pair for two of my nephews, too. I'm using Aunt Maggie's Slippers pattern.

..Today was the boys' first day back to school. Eon is in fifth grade. Eli is a Junior. My babies are growing up too fast. :( I was actually surprised Eon let me take his picture. (But this was the "only one" he let me take.. Lol) He must have either worked too hard today, or had too much fun. He fell asleep right after dinner. He got "the best teacher in the whole school". So I was glad about that. I was really hoping he didn't get two other ones (one of which was the one he had last year- she moved up to fifth grade). So having an awesome teacher is... just awesome all around. :)

I crocheted these over the weekend. I don't know why, or where it came from, but I just thought, "I want to try crocheting some Minion slippers." I figured a basic slipper pattern just made in yellow and blue, with a black stripe, would work. Then do some eyes like you would for a hat. I used the Fluffy Bunny Slipper pattern. (A free Ravelry download.) For some reason; I thought it was this pattern, which is for a child. But... they did come out on the smaller side anyway. So..  they will still fit an elementary school aged child. (I am sending them to Pine Ridge.) A friend saw them on facebook and wants to pay me to crochet some for her daughter for Christmas. :)  I was going to try knitting a pair, too. See if she likes those better. I had an idea to make an "Angry Birds" version, too. Wouldn't be too hard.   This is how I did the eyes:

w/ brown, magic circle, 6 sc. join. FO brown, attaching white.

Rnd 2: ch 1, 2 sc in eah sc around. join. 12 sc

Rnd 3: ch 1, 2 sc in 1st sc, sc in next sc around. 18 sc. FO white, attaching grey.

Rnd 4: ch 1, 2 sc in first s, s next 2 sc around. Join, fo grey, leaving a lengh to sew onto slipper with.

W/ yarn needle and black, make a french knot in the middle of the brown, for the pupil. Or, work first round in black.

I think next time I will definitely just do the first round in black and then just skip the french knot.

Santa Cocoon and Hat

I finished this yesterday. It's for the Pine Ridge OB Ward in South Dakota. (For Christmas. :D) I'll probably send it at the end of November or first of December. Hopefully I'll have some more done by then. It was so cute, I had to make it. It's from the "Christmas in Crochet" issue of Crochet World.

Bloomin' Bag

..is done!! Yay! I finished it this morning. I have been meaning to make this bag for my Mom (so we can have "matching bags"- even though mine is red.. :P), forever. I had started it, too; a while ago. But never had motivation to work on it.  Somehow, I finished it today. (I forced myself.)  It's the Bloomin' Bag (like the title of the post says, right?) by Cathy Phillips. It's a free Ravelry download.
 

I love the lining..  I sewed a little pocket, too. Don't know if you can see it very well. I tried my best, but I still sewed it in a little bit crooked. :( 

:) 

And, another picture..   I am so glad it's done. Now to just mail it to her before summer is over. :)

Flooding in Colorado

This is a short clip of the flooding in Manitou Springs, Colorado (the town we used to live in when we lived in CO). That is a street. Taken (I am assuming) from The Cliff House Hotel. Post Office is right across the street, Adams Mountain Cafe is the building the water is raging towards. Soda Springs park is down the street from the Cafe, to the right. The Arcade is to the left. Everything is probably ruined. :( They have had all those fires, last year the Waldo Canyon fire, and the fires this year, too. With no trees or anything to catch the water, now they are having epic flooding. :(  They had a flood in early July, and one yesterday. It makes my stomach hurt to see. We used to play in the park, and visit these areas often. And I keep hoping to one day move back there.

 

Here is another one. These are roads the water is raging through, I think one part is of the overflowing Fountain Creek.. I'm not sure.

Video of Lovers Lane 

 

Denver News Article with another video

 

So sad. :(

 

 

Yes, I am still alive. :P  I have been crocheting, too. And, finishing things. Woo Hoo. :D I finished this a couple days ago (maybe yesterday?). To go with the Baby Boy set I made, for Pine Ridge. The pattern I used doesn't seem to be available online anymore. It was the Preemie Diagonal Afghan, by Crochet Cabana. I just made it bigger. I actually was going for 40 x 40 inches. But... I didn't have enough yarn, and it came out to be 29 x 29. So... Hopefully they can still use it. Someone could still use it to at least cover up their baby, if not wrap them in it all the way.  I had to use a different colored light blue to finish it. You can tell (on the very top right). But..  Oh well.  :) I am pretty sure the baby who is warmer with a blanket won't mind. :)
 

And, I finished a little vest. I really like Twinkle27's vest she did, so I tried to make one like it..  I don't know if I succeeded. (I hope the hood part will actually work, but... I don't have a newborn to try it out on. So..)  I ordered some little pants that were only $2 online, plus only 97 cents shipping. 

Duke is 10 weeks old today. Lol. He doesn't know he has something hanging from his lip. :P  He was chewing on the chair (again)..  (I don't really care, this chair is so old..) 

Poor Jetta...  What she has to put up with from him. (I think she secretly likes all the attention..) ;P

He likes to hide under the couch, when I let him out of the kitchen (I have to watch him though, so its only for an hour or so, each night). Pretty soon he is going to be too big to get under there! He already can barely fit. He weighs half of Jetta's weight, already. (I hope that means he's going to be big!) :D

Awww...  They have been sleeping together/cuddling. I have seen them curled right up next to each other, but every time I get the camera out Duke jumps up and comes running over to me like it's food. :P  So this is the best picture I have so far of them sleeping together...

My husband was laid off on Thursday. We knew it was coming, just not exactly when. :/  So...  We are hoping he gets something else soon. Monday morning he is going out job hunting with a couple of his other (ex, now) work mates.  And, I have been applying for jobs, too. :0  So far only to a couple places. I have been looking every day online though. I am really hoping to get a job at Eons' school, but nothing has been available so far. In a couple of weeks school starts, so maybe I can ask in the office... :D (I know the secretary.)  I would rather work in his school than the other two places I applied. But...  Hopefully I can get in somewhere. Especially since my husband got laid off; and Eon is older, it will be easier for me to work now, than it was seven years ago. 

New Family Member

We got a new puppy! :D  We had been thinking about it for a while, and looking at the Humane Society..  Then Evan said he knew someone whose dog had puppies, yellow Lab/Corgi mix. I thought "Eh..."  (We wanted a Border Collie puppy.) Buuutt....   Look at that adorable face!!! How can you resist it?  And Labs are good family dogs. Although it is a mix. (A mutt, really. The mom is a Lab mix, the dad is a Corgi/Corgi mix. So..)  He's six weeks old. We got him on Sunday. It was Evans' friends' wives' brothers' dog. :P  Actually, two of their dogs, they must need to get one of them fixed..

He was really attached to Eons' shoe for the first two days. The only thing I could think of is it had the smell of all the other puppies on it? Eon was in with all of them, they were all attacking his shoe.

Maybe this will be Steve's dog, finally. :D  We have been calling him Duke. It's the only name we can all agree on. The kids kind of liked Marley. And I thought, he kind of looks like Marley. But my husband wanted a "real" dog name, nothing sissy. Lol

Aw...  A boy and his puppy.

And look! Jetta loves him, too! I was worried about that. Every time I would mention that we looked at dogs, to my Mom; she would say "Jetta's going to be so mad at you." I have to admit she (Jetta, that is, lol) was a little freaked out, and jealous at first. But I have been making sure to pay extra attention to her. Today she did a lot better, and they have been playing. Hopefully she will settle down after a while. She is being so motherly to him. But, whenever he tries to lay down by her, she gets up and walks away. :(  Poor little guy..  I'm glad they get along, though. Maybe he won't have separation anxiety as bad as he might have (if we didn't have Jetta).

Project Progress, and a BBQ

This is the "Lollipop Tank" from the May/June 2013 Crochet Today issue. I have been wanting to crochet "summer" clothes, since...  We moved here. (Only almost six years ago now..)  I had started the Grove Park Tank. But... It's more complicated stitches (at least to start out-- foundation scs), and my yarn is a tangled mess. I guess those two reasons were why I kind of put it away. This project is kind of not going so well, either. The top part seems to small (when I put it on). My guage was right on. But I had to block the h*ll out of it to get it to the measurements. :(  Then I had started it with a darker turqoise color, but it seemed all wrong. So I switched to this lighter color. The yarn seems a lighter weight, even though I am almost positive they are both the same brand of yarn. (It was in the same bins as Pound of Love, but it didn't have a wrapper.) Anyway...  We'll see.

I also sewed the lining for my Mom's bag. I might have to fold it down and re-sew the top part...  All the crocheting except for the flower is done. I just need to sew the straps on, and the lining in. And I might line the straps, too. I saw that someone else had done that and I really liked it. I haven't decided. I'm kind of leaning towards not doing that. But, I might sew a pocket in, too. So I still have to do that. I was going to work on it today. But, I sewed a t-shirt into a tank top, and baked cookies..  So. Maybe tomorrow. I really need to get this done so she can actually use it this summer..

Jayce was in Utah for the past weekend (convention), so Evan brought Bailey over for a play date with Jetta. We had a BBQ.

She's a year old now, and pretty much full grown.

She had just got a bath and her fur was so pretty. (Jetta needs a bath, big time..)  Yes, he's smiling here. His eyes were half closed.

Appetizers..

Dinner

...and dessert. I made peanut butter and jelly bars. I think I posted about making these before. They're pretty yummy.

So you can see the layers. If you make them, start early in the day- or even the day before, since they need to chill (and they are even better after sitting in the fridge over night.) :D

Some "Fourth of July" Kool-Aid. I used the star ice cube trays to make different colored ice cubes..

4th of July

It's HOT...

This is what it feels like here lately.. O.o  Sunday it was 117, "officially"; although people who work with my husband said it hit 122 where they are. The forecast for the next two days (and yesterday) is a high of 113. Too hot for me.. :( 

I tried a flavored coffee creamer recipe I saw on a group I am in on facebook. There is any kind you could want. I made the plain vanilla. I thought I had almond extract, but I don't. I should have kept it on the burner longer, since it did taste a little grainy. But still pretty yummy. :)

I have really been loving the "ombre" look, lately. Or, I've heard it called "dip dye", too (in clothing). Sooo... I painted my nails ombre. Since I don't have a ton of money to go out and buy new clothes. ;p  (I did get one tank top from Target, though.. Just like this one. ) Have you seen the Target "Height of Summer" commercial? (Man I cannot believe the comments...)  At first I thought "that song is so obnoxious"..  Then it started growing on me, every time I saw the commercial. :P  Then I thought, "I need to get that song on my phone." Lol.. I got it here.  I found this tutorial on how to paint your nails ombre. I painted mine to match some crocheted tank tops that I want. :P This one in particular.  I did start a crocheted tank top, the Lollipop Tank. From the May/June 2013 issue of Crochet Today. It's not exactly "ombre". But.. :)