Whoops! Got off track...

Well, so much for my disciplined writing! Last week was busy, with a sick kid thrown in, so writing took a definite back seat to daily life. Life has a way of doing that to you.

Anyway, fall weather does seem to be here now, for the most part. Cool and cloudy today, with a light mist/ heavy sprinkling this morning while walking Sophie to school. Just lovely! We took the kids to a farm market on Saturday. We got apples and apple cider, and let each girl pick out a squash. We had a snack of popcorn and cider on the drive home, and made squash soup for supper. Warm soup and crusty bread for supper- the perfect fall meal for me! I also made some oatmeal cookies with chocolate-caramel chips- mmm!

My husband thought that Saturday was the perfect fall day. We'd had a lovely breakfast of eggs, hash browns and bacon, had a great outing with the crew, a good supper, and a great football game on TV. Go Badgers! Even though he's an alum of Michigan, we cheer for Wisconsin, seeing as we live here and he teaches there. Close games are the best! Especially when your team wins!

Projects- Ah yes, projects. Well, the Manos pillowtop is about 6"-7" so far; I'm going to knit it until I use up two skeins. It's mindless knitting, just need to do it. A complication has arisen though- more knitting classes! They don't start for a few weeks, but one has homework before class meets, so it takes precendence over the pillowtop.
*Class 1- a felted scuff class. Yippee! More felting! I get to knit scuffs in the round on #11 DPNs- we'll see how that goes. Then it's all about the felting and embellishing- looks to be fun, judging by the great sample in the shop.
*Class 2- Shibori felting. Yep, yet more felting. This class needs three 8" x 10" stockinette swatches for the class. It's a class using a unique felting technique that ends up with three-dimensional fabrics. Sounds cool enough. I'm doing the swatches in three color combinations- dark brown/dark olive, dark brown/pumpkin orange, pumpkin orange/dark olive. I had the yarn already, so no expense there.

I'm taking another felting class in November- wacky felting. It's taught by one of the owners of the shop, and I've wanted to take it for a while. Can't wait!

I broke my rule of not buying more yearn before I got some projects done- I couldn't resist it. Darn shop, getting more luscious yarn in every time I look. Anyway, I got yarn to make a scarf. A rusty dark orange, to go with a somewhat variegated mohair, in yellows and oranges with some flecks of other colors. It'll be a quick knit AFTER my homework is done. Promise!

Well, need to think about getting the crew ready for school pick-up. Takes a little to get them shoed, strollered, front-packed and happy. Better get started!

Fall starts when?

Ugh- this heat is gross! I'm so looking forward to at least our normal weather. Low 70's would be much preferred to this low 90's crap we've been having. I felt bad for all the athletes competing in the Ironman yesterday- it was in the mid 90's, and windy. That 112 mile bike ride must have been awful for most of them.

My oldest and I went to watch the swim portion yesterday morning. I can't believe she got up willingly to go at 6am. We could hardly see the swimmers for all the people there- there must have been several hundred people where we were alone. The bike part was much easier to watch- we just had to walk two blocks from our house. I just stood and clapped for the bikers- it truly amazes me to watch people who've worked so hard to be able to try and complete an Ironman, let alone one in 90+ weather.

Projects- you guessed it! Nada, zip, zilch done over the weekend. My other obsession took over; namely, reading. I could read all day long if given the chance. If only I could get paid to read- how sweet would that be? Maybe this week some progress will be made. I'm trying not to plan any more projects till I finish some. Need to get them done!

Kids are great! I actually got the twins to nap well today, and took the three to pick Sophie up from school. They wanted so badly to play with her on the school playground. Unfortunately there were tons of bigger kids that might knock over two year olds. It would be difficult to help/ chase them down with the baby slung on me as well. Maybe next time. They did enjoy wearing backpacks and playing Dora the Explorer in the backyard though. If I had Goodwin in the front pack maybe I could let them play at the playground- have to try that soon, but on a cooler day.

Wishful thoughts for cooler weather.

Football season- yes! Football weather- no!

College football season is definitely here- too bad the weather isn't! We've been getting into college football more every year it seems. I currently have the K-State/Marshall game on. At halftime K-State is ahead, 21-13. Gotta root for K-State; we are alumni after all. It'd be nice for them to have a winning season this year. We also root for Michigan- they'd better beat Notre Dame today- and Wisconsin- Go Badgers! We used to not like the Big Ten conference, but after my husband became an alumnus of Michigan, and employed by Wisconsin, it's easy to change some loyalty over. We'll never cheer on Ohio State though- Texas had better win that game tonight.

More sports news- The Ironman Wisconsin is tomorrow. It's supposed to be pretty hot for it though. I'm going to try to get up early to go watch the swim portion- we'll see if that happens. If nothing else I know I'll see the bike portion- it goes through my town just 2 blocks away. Two years ago my brother and I volunteered to work the bike portion. We wound up handing out GU packets for hours on an unseasonably hot September day- it was like 97 degrees that day. It was a lot of fun, but wore us out being in the hot sun all day.

Project updates- yeah, right! I had the desire this morning to knit. The smell of coffee, warm cinnamon-pecan pancakes for breakfast, the perfect fall feel to knit with wool.... until a glance outside at the hot sun, wilting plants, and the hum of the air-conditioning brought me back into reality. It might SEEM like fall, but doesn't FEEL like it yet. Maybe I'll work on the butterfly hat tonight as I root for Texas to beat Ohio State. It's a superwash, soft wool- doesn't feel as wintry to me, and the colors are positively spring-like, so maybe I'll overcome the heat of the day and get it started.

Anyway, things to do off-line- must get started.

Another birthday passes by...

Tuesday was my birthday. Not a milestone birthday, but pleasant nonetheless. My husband took us out for Mexican food and margaritas- yum! Chocolate cake, and my week is complete.

School is turning out to be great for my daughter. She's already made several friends, and loves having something to do most of the day. I love having her out of my hair and occupied by others. Her sisters play better with each other when she's gone, so there are less fights, and more quiet times. Good for everyone all around.

Project updates-

*Felted pillow top- on the needles. I've gotten about 2' knit so far. With the margaritas on Tuesday, too much wine on Monday, and recovery from both yesterday, I haven't gotten very far. I already love the color variation that the "Woodland" Manos gives- it is so pretty!

*Butterfly hat- not started yet. I need to cast on and get it started. It looks to be a pretty fast knit, so I need to do it. There's other hats I want to make for the rest of my kids, so if I complete one that makes me so much closer.

*Couch pillows- not sewn yet. Got to get that machine out!

*Felted fall bag- I have all the yarn, and felted a test swatch. I just need to cast on and start. I'd like to do the pillow and hat first, so this has been moved back in priority.

Today is overcast and cool- a feel of Fall in the air. Makes me want soup for supper. I should peruse my cookbooks and choose a soup to have simmering when my husband gets home from work. Maybe corn chowder- I have some ears or corn that need to be used. Maybe I'll take the kids to the store when we pick up oldest from school- that'll charge them up.

Mmmm- warm soup, crusty bread, and chocolate cake. A little slice of heaven.

Long time, no blog!

Seems to be a lot harder to write on this than it should be! Don't know why that should be, but oh well! I'm back now. If I try to schedule time to write on this, instead of spending all my time reading, I should be able to work on my writing/posting and get better at it. It's a goal at least.

I've decided to make this blog not only for rants and raves, but as a way to keep track of little daily happenings and to compel me to work on projects I have going right now. You see, I'm a novice knitter and sewer, as well as a novice writer. If I blog about my projects in the works, then I actually have to get them finished.

Here's a brief update on what's happening in my life now-

*My oldest daughter started kindergarten last Thursday. She loves it so far, and has adjusted well to being away from home all day. It's a little quieter around the house (not as many fights among her sisters), but increases our busy-ness.

*My husband starts his semester this week. I'll find it interesting to see how I handle the younger three all day, as well as picking up my oldest from school. Probably will push the twins in the stroller and wear the baby.

*Current projects in the works- a beehive hat for my oldest, from the "Stitch 'n Bitch Nation" book. I'm using a variegated yarn in pinks and purples, and will use butterfly buttons instead of bees. Guess that makes it a butterfly hive...

-a felted pillowtop- to be knit from Manos del Uruguay yarn in "Woodland". It's a variegated yarn in greens, golds, reds and browns. I'll back it with a piece of silk, and possibly add tassels to the corners. It's a pattern I got from a felting book.

-Sewing pillows for my couch. I've got it all ready, just have to pull out the sewing machine and do it. My husband recovered a chair of ours recently (did a gorgeous job!), and the leftover fabric is to be pillows. Just have to get it done.

Well, that's enough for now. Got to try to get something done on an otherwise lazy Sunday.