Finished scarves!

So I finished the pinky scarf for Emily.

And I had another stein of the yarn, so I finished a matchy-matchy one for her BFF.

I did have a slight problem, when Coats & Clark decided to throw a knot in my creative process.

This sucks!

In other news, Anna decided to spend her money on 2 male hamsters and a cage for $35 someone left at the pet store.  Well, miracles never cease and 2 males somehow had 2 babies...more to follow on this breaking story.

Pink Frills

Anyone who knows my knitting habits knows I hate novelty yarn.  I'm using hate here.  About yarn.  Fun fur, ribbon yarn, you name it.  I hate it.  So what in the world possessed me to try Red Heart Boutique Sashay?  Well, the scarves were pretty.  And Emily really wanted it.

So I went to Herrschners on Sunday, because we were out for a drive and Hey!  Herrschners is ALWAYS a good destination.  And it just happened to be--their yarn sale.  Now, I'm not a big "stash building" kind of gal.  I always need to have a general idea what I am doing with the yarn before I just buy it because it's a good deal--because I could have bought a metric F-ton of yarn had I wanted to, even on a limited budget.  But I didn't.

I did buy sock yarn for $2.  Enough to make a whole pair of socks.  I had bought it for my swap-bot partner, but then I read she hates browns and oranges, so it is my fall pair of socks yarn now:

So then there are all these pretty scarves hung up.  In all kinds of pretty colors.  And Halloween colors.  And Christmas colors.  But oh so pretty, frilly, lacy.  And Emily wants a pink one. 

So I get it home.  And I have to watch 3 YouTube videos to figure out how to knit with it.  The best video is this one.  But here is what you are looking at:

When you undo the wrapper, it looks like fat shoe laces:

 BUT when you undo the shoe laces, you find something more sinister.  Something mesh-y:

So you actually only cast on 6 stitches.  By cast on, I mean you put the needle through 6 holes in the top of the mesh.  The rest of the mesh hangs.  Then you knit by put the second from the needle "hole through the yarn and knitting that.  It makes little lacy potato chips:

 But you kind of get used to it after a while, and this is where I'm at so far:

It looks like one skein is enough to make a good sized scarf, especially since I am not even halfway through the skein, and this is how long it is already.  It's a little tedious, I don't think I could do it for a living, but it's a little fun too.  I wish I could figure out a good way to twist the ruffles without twisting the yarn all up, but that's for another day.

On the Soapbox

Stop reading now if you don't want to read a rant.

This blog is directed at another mom in Wisconsin.  Maybe it will get back to her.  Maybe it won't.  I don't really care at this point, because I need to get this out--and maybe she needs a reality check.

Using your blog as a soapbox to rip on a 12 year old girl is wrong.  I don't care if you think she's stupid, ugly, dresses like a slut, whatever.  She's a child.  You are not.  Grow up already.

Giving parenting advice when Child Protective Services has your house programmed into the GPS--also wrong.  People in glass houses and all.

And finally...ripping on your sister's parenting ability when, seriously, if there was a mom-of-the-year she'd put them to shame, is the last straw.  You don't even know your sister.  You certainly don't deign to know her kids.  She has overcome more problems than you will ever have to deal with and is still overcoming them on a daily basis.  Don't you DARE compare your children to her children, who really DO have actual diagnoses.  Don't you DARE try to mislead people into thinking that her children are naughty, because she doesn't know how to parent.  Her son has AUTISM you FUCKING MORON.  And you're going to be a nurse?  I guess at least it's not a social worker.

Your sister has more parenting ability in her little un-manicured finger (she just doesn't have time to go get a mani-pedi every week) than you will ever know in your entire life.  So go stick your head in the sand some more, get another manicure, rip on some more 12 year olds and pretend like you are perfect.  We'll all be here in real life if you make it over.

*stepping down now*

The Last Hurrah

Well, our family said goodbye to the last days of summer in grand style I think!  Here's the run down:

Menominee Park Zoo in Oshkosh

Camping at High Cliff

 BIRTHDAYS! (Anna is 13 and Emily is 7):

 Pickles!  OK, not as exciting as birthdays, but I am so grateful to my coworker Kelly for giving me cucumbers this year.  15 jars!  I'm so happy!!

I tried Ball's pickle mix.  I actually ran out--so we'll see how they turn out.

Pickle mix looks like this.  Smells very dill-ish.

 Kites over Lake Michigan!  This was great--we are going to go every year I think!

I will learn eventually that I need to bring their swimsuits and/or an extra change of clothes every time we go to Two Rivers.  This time I just said:  "Go!  Get wet."  They obliged.

 Labor Day at the Labor Temple:

WE Energies was giving rides up in their cherry picker.  I can imagine this is better than how they spent last Labor Day.

Way high!

 And then....
Back to School:

Anna in 8th grade

Nicholas in 4th grade

Emily in 2nd grade.

And me?  Well, I missed Emily's meltdown this morning because the students at work are back to school too.  But I am enjoying the kids being at school in the afternoon.  I even have time to update my blog!