Busy Weekend Ahead

No pictures until I get home from work, so I'll make this short and sweet!  I'm still busily plugging away at my sock:  First one is done, hoping to finish the next one by the end of February.

Yarn is ordered for Radiator Mittens for the Seaver kids.  Hoping to have those done by the end of next week.

Will be busy working on sewing Anna's dress for the Gala next Friday.  The pieces are all cut out, and it looks like it should sew up nicely (famous last words....).  I can't wait to see her in it!!

I also have a market bag to sew up for a friend, then I want to go through my material and see what I can come up with for a rag quilt for Anna first.  Nicholas also tried on the hat I made for him a LONG time ago, and it fit, but he couldn't flip up the ribbed bottom.  SO it's high time I made my boy a new hat :)

And that's what's going on in my world.  I'll post pictures either later this evening or tomorrow.  Hoping all my East Coast friends in the path of the blizzard stay safe.

Super Bon Bon

Still working on my sock--it looks nice.  It's still winter. (BAH).  I take the GRE on Wednesday.  And I have eaten too many super bon bon's and gained 10 lbs since Christmas.

This is the opposite direction I would like to go.

I purposely didn't make losing weight as a resolution this year.  I never do it if it's a resolution.  I figured I'd start eating healthier (I didn't) and drink less (I didn't) and get on the treadmill more (I didn't) and not worry about the number (I didn't).  I even got a Fit Bit, because it looked like a good idea, I wanted a pedometer anyway, and it sinks with my My Fitness Pal account.

So my Fit Bit came.  And it asked for a weight.  And I got on the scale for the first time in a couple months.  Honestly, I'd been noticing my pants were tight and my underwear were going up my butt.  But, hey!  I wasn't going to worry about that.  I noticed sometimes I would snort like a pig while I was walking from the back of my throat, like really fat people do.  That worried me a little, but not enough to stop eating pizza and potato chips.

Then I saw the number.  And I was horrified.  Not the heaviest I've ever been, but damn close.

So, it's time.  I'm not going on a radical diet I'll never follow.  I'm not going back on Weight Watchers, where I feel the need to lick my plate because "I need to get my full points!  They're mine!".  I'm not going on South Beach, which probably works great, but won't work with my family. And besides, I like a sandwich now and then.

I am going to eat healthier.  I am going to make better food choices for my family.  I am going to keep track of what I am eating, and be accountable to myself and my family.  Salads are in our future, with our dinner.

I am going to move more.  I am going to try to get on the treadmill or exercise bike 3 times a week.  When the weather gets warmer, I will walk to pick up my kids.  They will walk home with me, or we will ride bikes.

I am going to drink more water.  I HATE drinking water, so I will flavor it with Crystal Light.

I will start today.  I will slip and fall.  I will sometimes eat too many potato chips with too much dip.  I will get back up.  Enough is enough.  I'm not getting any younger, this is something I have needed to do for a long time.  I need to do it for me.  I need to do it for my family.

It's not a resolution.  It's just the way it is.

A Trip to IKEA

The closest IKEA to us is over 3 hours away.  The last time we went, Nicholas (who is 10) was just born, and Emily wasn't even in the thought process yet.  So today we took a roadtrip down to Schaumberg to visit IKEA.

You get there and someone greets you right away.  Then you are herded like cattle up an escalator to a world of things you never thought you needed, but feel like you have to buy.  It's like the pump something into the air, just like oxygen in a casino.  I didn't even know I needed a Pruta, but I own one now!

Everyone told us how you have to eat lunch in the cafeteria.  We get up there, are trying to figure out what line to go in (and what they serve besides meatballs) and some woman is screaming about how there is no line.  Then another woman is screaming about how there are multiple places to pay.  So our cafeteria experience was a little "Screamy".  And the meatballs--meh.  I've had worse things to eat I guess:

Lingonberry??!!

 

We did buy quite a few things we needed, like Lack side tables in black for $10 a piece, and some floating Lack shelves.  Brian got some Ribba frames for his Amazing Stories comics.  My splurge item was this little guy, and I should have bought is fat little brother too!

I did start a sock (of which I haven't taken a picture yet, and I will post it tomorrow, along with Downton KAL progress).  I used some stash bamboo yarn, left over from my friend Kris' shop, Sonny&Shear.

Turning 40...

Wow.  What an amazing day I've had.  I had wanted a big party, but kind of nixed that idea at the last minute.  Truthfully, I was afraid no one would come.  Then I wish I had told Brian to do one anyway.

Emily surprised me this morning with breakfast in bed.  Four cookies, 2 pieces of dry toast and a juice box.  She brought me a banana later.  It was the best birthday breakfast I ever had!

But, I went to work today and brought donuts (It's winter break, so there are not many people in the building.  This equals lots of donuts left.)

Aren't they gorgeous?

Brian picked me up, and there were beautiful roses waiting in the car, and a little box with a new bracelet for my beads in it.  He had scheduled a massage and facial for me at 2:30 at Massage Connection.  I had been wanting a massage for a long time, but was too chicken to go, so this worked out great (and it was amazing!  Although I don't know if I'd do a facial again.  It was a little claustrophobic under that really hot towel.)

Then Brian wanted to take me out for a nice dinner.  He made reservations at the Melting Pot.  I didn't want to go to the Melting Pot.  I've never wanted to go to the Melting Pot.  He wanted to go someplace in Algoma, which sounded really good, but when he called, they didn't do reservations and we couldn't eat until after 8.  I hate waiting for a table more than anything.  I have Texas Roadhouse programmed into my phone so I can do call ahead seating.  I HATE waiting.

So he got crabby.  He said he wanted to do something fancy and special for my 40th.  I told him I don't like fancy.  I told him he's really over thinking things.  I said, "I love Frank's Pizza.  I love Texas Roadhouse.  And I love perch from Lake Park.  Let's do one of those things.  My perfect birthday would have been coming home to my dishes done and a new TV in my bedroom with the Wii hooked up to it."

So we got home after my massage, and he brings in my present from the kids, which is the serger I always wanted.  I don't have a clue how to use it, but I'll figure it out (the knives part is a little scary!) 

Then Brian said, "Go into the bedroom." and there is a new TV with the Wii hooked up to it.  Genius!  Score!

He had to get the better one because the salesperson told him I was playing video games on it.  And he doesn't like to buy cheap crap.

We got rid of the kids and went to get fish from Lake Park.  (It wasn't as good as usual, but oh well!  Can't have everything...).  We came home and watched some Wipeout and there is a loud bang at the door.  It's the UPS man with packages.  One was the tubing to hook up the water on the fridge.  (Hooray!)  Then there is a long one from 1-800-Flowers.  In it are these pretty things:

My friend Jessica spoiled me today!  Oh they are beautiful!  They smell as pretty as they look, and NO ONE has EVER sent me flowers.  They've brought me flowers, but had them actually delivered?  Never!

Then there is another package from my friend Thora.  I was speechless.  Inside was tons of wonderful yarn, and a felting daisy kit and honey soap with little bees on it and a pretty bracelet and a lovely card:

And then I unwrapped the most beautiful pair of mittens I have ever seen in my life.  And they are mine, made for me by Thora's amazing hands:

I am so blessed!  What a great day!!  I feel like Cameron on Ferris Bueller's Day Off when Ferris tells him, "And you didn't think we'd do anything good today!"  I was wrong.  If this is the start of my 40's, surrounded by people who love me enough to make my birthday terrific, bring it on!

Rose Bowl Badgers

My Badgers are back in the Rose Bowl.  Their ex-coach decided to run away before he lost again, so Barry Alvarez is back in his sweater vest to coach a win (I hope!!)  I am ready.  I have:

Go Badgers Brownies, and a dozen roses...

Red popcorn from Dairy Queen....

and red Bacardi Bahama Mama!

Now the Badgers just have to do their thing, beat a really good team, and show Bielema how much of an ass clown he REALLY is.  In case you haven't seen it, this is great:

 

On Wisconsin!!

2012 Wrap Up

I like that my last knitted object of 2012 was something for me.  I don't have a lot of things I knit for myself (although I think my first 2013 items will be mittens).  I made an ear warmer out of some Malabrigo worsted my friend Thora gave me.  It's beautiful and soft, but it was a little shlubby, and I couldn't figure out what to do with it.  Turns out it makes a beautiful earwarmer, and I had just enough in the hank:

Yes this is me in an Adrian Peterson jersey.  He's da bomb.  Don't you judge me.

It's hard to see the flower, but I ended up finding a knitted one, which was relatively easy.  Not as beautiful as the intricate "sc, hdc, sc, dc" ones, but I just didn't have time to learn how to crochet if I wanted to get this done...this year.

I did manage to knit THIS much this year (Since I go back to 0.00 tomorrow):

So that makes me happy.  It's respectable for me.  Here's to 3 miles in 2013!

Knitted resolutions for 2013--MORE SOCKS!  I think I knit one pair of socks this year, and they were for someone else.  I have tons of beautiful sock yarn (and patterns to go with it) from my Yarnista sock club.  I need to use some of it.  I'd also like to do a sweater, and keep using more of my stash yarn.  I've been doing a good job of going there first lately, and I really do have some beautiful yarn laying about.  I need to use it more often.

Other resolutions:  I will yell less.  I will get my laundry room cleaned and organized.  That's it.  :)

2012 in terms of the world and my friends and family around me, was kind of suckish.  I sincerely hope our US/World leaders get their shit together this year, and the people around me that are struggling can have things turn around for them.

As for 2012 itself, it personally wasn't all that bad.  We still struggled financially, and I don't think that's going away anytime soon.  But I found a job I love, I'm going to grad school next year, we now live in a house that we all adore and are proud to come home to.  No one got seriously ill.  Anna got her crap together at school (although she is backsliding, spending too much time with her "boy-who-is-a-friend", but we're working on it.)  It's not a bad little existence we have carved out here.  I'm much more hopeful than I was last year at this time.  I did lose one friend due to personal differences that I won't even go into, but I did gain some friends.  When your friend meter is in the positive numbers, filled with positive friends, "It's a good thing".

So 2012 will likely go out quietly at my house.  We will have a nice dinner, and a toast at midnight (which reminds me, I need to go replace those champagne flutes that broke earlier this year...).  Happy New Year!  :)

Recent events in Picture captions

I can't believe it's December 30th already.  I guess I am happy it is ONLY December 30th, because I have to go back to work January 2nd, and I turn 40 on January 4th and I take the GRE January 23rd.  Let's not rush January, shall we?

Tomorrow--last finished FO of 2012 (I hope) and a summary of the year, that is not all gloom and doom.

So, a short summary of events.  I knit, and my Denise needles kept unsnapping.  Which is not fun, working with bulky yarn, and a lot of stitches.  But I did finish my 2 gifties...they need to be blocked, buttons need to be chosen and sewn.

Bad Denise!!

Our first big snow

Heaven in a Carton!

New Tardis

Brian got me something to deal with those pesky Denise needles.  They came from WEBS, so far, so good...but I really wanted to the Knit Picks ones.  No one listens to me.  These seem on the surface like Susan Bates, with the stupid key.

He also got me this, which is handy.

I got 2 cute beads for my Pandora bracelet--a kitten in a chair and a ball of yarn....

Only when I went to put them on, my bracelet snapped in half.  Figures.

We picked a nice tree

Emily made beautiful ornaments for me!

We got more snow.  This is a "dusting" that ended up being about 10".

I finished Trevor's Owl hat.

I think that sums up recent events.