Saturday, June 23, 2007

C'est fini!

 


Sure, my nephew's four weeks old and I meant to have this done to give to him the day he was born. But he won't remember that I'm a slacker, right? I mean what does a four-week-old remember about when he got a blanket, right? So anyway, the pattern is modified from Lion Brand's Happy Baby Blanket. I used different yarn, different sized needles and different colors. I can't seem to just follow a pattern in its entirety. Sign of a creative thinker? Probably I'm just lazy. And cheap (especially when it comes to the $20/skein yarns recommended in a lot of knitting books - $5 is my limit, maybe $10 if I have a gift card).
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Friday, June 15, 2007

Last day of school...

I think I'm the only dork parent who's teary-eyed at the thought of the end of the year - and not because I'll have all three kids (and Tom) home all summer. It's been a really long year for Mr. T in school and I'm glad to see the end of it. He's grown a lot, physically and emotionally. And I can't get over how he just picks up anything and reads it. Anything.

When I was in school, I had this bittersweet thing about the last day of school. I hated to see it end, but I wouldn't give up summer (and sleeping in) for anything. And I always looked forward to starting school again. I didn't really love school all that much, academically. I guess inherently I'm a people watcher. I loved being around all the people from school.

So starts the summer. Typically, we go spend a lot of time at my husband's parents' farm. He drives a tractor while I play farm wife and the kids have a freedom they just don't have here in the burbs. Then we'll spend some time here trying to clean out the basement from the mess we made all winter when it was too cold to spend any time down there, just shoved the Christmas decorations in a corner. Then two crazy adults are going to drive three kids for 8-9 hours. Yeah, that'd be Tom and me. Tom's brother Uncle E is receiving his Ph. D., so it's a big deal, so we're all making the trek southward. I'm so crazy that I'm excited about it.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

More on children's television...

I can justify anything. Seriously. I have had to eat ice cream every night this week because I have acid reflux (apparently, although my gastroenterologist had to delay my follow-up appointment even further than two months). I mean, I can come up with a semi-logical rationale for doing damned near anything. That includes my parenting decisions. Like watching television.

1. Fact: Television is part of our pop culture. Almost everyone can relate to something on television. It's a unifier. I'm supporting unity.

2. There is no end of children's programming. This is most assuredly true. 24-7. Freaking PBS Kids is on. The point is, if the television is going to be on, it should at least be tuned to something appropriate for children.

3. Most of the television we watch is educational - Animal Planet, History Channel, Discovery Channel.

Got something you need rationalized? I can do it. No problem.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Been crazy crafting...

I got my sewing machine out a few months ago and ever since I've been experimenting with purses, camera straps, headbands - all sorts of stuff. I'm not sure what I'll work on next. I made some really cute purses for my nephew, who is 2 and loves to borrow my girls' purses. We're calling them boy bags so as not to offend my brother, whose son shall not carry a purse.

I finished knitting my new nephew (he's almost three weeks old!) his blanket, but I lost my yarn needles (AGAIN!), so I'm stuck until I either find them or admit that I just need to buy them by the dozen and go to the craft store for more. And once I do that, I need to figure out if I can still crochet, since it needs a crocheted border. Probably should have thought of that before I knit it, huh?

My goal for today is to pretty up my blog, since I had to lose my very cute template to add my etsy stuff. Don't know why. I'm pretty savvy about computers, but the blogger thing totally confuses me, although if I really cared, I could probably figure it out. I love computers. Like, seriously love. My dad's computer got a virus and I was so excited to go over there and figure it out. Tom laughed at me when I told him how much I loved getting rid of a virus (Trojan in this case). Yeah, I'm a dork.

Monday, June 11, 2007

38? What the hell?

Athlon's preseason college football rankings are out. All I can say is 38? Dude, what the freaking hell? Miami is freaking 23rd and Notre Dame is 38th? Okay, so they're a big unknown this year with the loss of some seriously major players. And so they didn't have such a great bowl appearance even with those players, but, come on, ranking dudes, 38th? Eh, anyway it's a better starting position than 2 (which is where they started last year and fell all too hard, all too quickly).

September cannot get here fast enough. Although I'm not wishing away my summer (bypassing the birthday - 31, why does that sound worse than 30?), but at least when the lazy days end, I'll have a reward.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Sharing something with another generation...

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to share with my children the most magical, wonderful movie moment. You know the one. Dorothy's up inside the cyclone and suddenly the house drops. First she opens one door, then she opens the second door onto...color. Glorious magical color. Tom and I let the two older kids stay up late Sunday night to enjoy just that very moment. Miss G loved it - the way I love it. Mr. T was less impressed, lol.

I've been conscious lately, especially as my children start to express their musical tastes ("I don't like this song, Mom." "Turn this one up, Mom."), of just how my music could be shaping their musical tastes. I know at some point they discover their own music, but for now, I am sharing my favorite music (courtesy of my beloved iPod). Some of it is music of my own parents that shaped my childhood that I get a rush of nostalgia and intermingling joy that I can share the same songs that I remember hearing in the back of our mint green wood-paneled station wagon.

So my kids will remember Fleetwood Mac, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Dave Matthews Band, Sublime, Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Herman's Hermits, the Beatles, ABBA, Garth Brooks and Jimmy Buffett. To name a few.