Living with Me

Almost there

2010-07-30T07:17:00.000-07:00

We are almost to the end of the pregnancy, about 2.5 weeks left. Baby Mark is growing faster than ever and he is a pudge pot. He is a very mellow baby, though. This pregnancy has gone by so fast, and it was a challenge. For months I dealt with pulled rib muscles which was extremely painful. Finally, that resolved itself and I've been feeling great, with the exception of swelling and lots of contractions. We are all very excited for the big day to arrive.

The kids are doing great...Allie is down to every 2 months at the dr. I have to take her and Angelina for blood work this coming Monday, and of course Angelina is worried about it. It really is not a big deal, but it is for her.

I took the kids to the dentist last week. Matt had a small cavity which was filled today, and Krista has some cavities but I have to take her to a pediatric dentist to have them fixed. The rest of the girls have no cavities...YAY!

Michelle moved to Barnegat a while ago. It was hard, knowing she wasn't around the corner, but I think we've all adjusted well to the move. I miss her of course, but at least I know she's happy and healthy where she's at. Her house was so infested with mold, it was making all of them so sick and tired, literally. I'm glad they are out of that situation.

That's about all for today. I know I'm a terrible blogger and I hope to keep up more often. Until next time...PEACE

It's a......

2010-04-07T07:10:00.000-07:00

Boy!!! I had my ultrasound yesterday and we found out it's a boy! We are so thrilled it's not even funny. The kids are ecstatic that they will have a baby brother. Bob is so happy it's not even real. The baby is healthy, growing like he should. I have some 3d pictures and he looks like the rest of them LOLOLOL.

No other news. I've been feeling really well. I still have laryngitis...hopefully that will resolve soon. Not being able to talk well is really getting to me. You know, I'm a talker LOL. I'm 20 weeks pregnant and I'm really growing. The baby is really mellow...I don't feel him move all that much, but when he does, oh boy is it unreal.

The kids are all doing well. Anna might be retained and have to repeat 3rd grade. She is struggling so much. My heart aches but we need to do what's best for her and what we need to do to make sure she is successful in school. I don't want her to hate school, which she doesn't thank goodness, but still. Her self esteem in the classroom is dropping according to the teacher. Hopefully we can get just get her tested and get the help that she needs.

That's about all on this end. Not much else going on. Spring is finally here. We are going to reach 83 degrees today...it's already really warm. I'm lovin' it!!!!

My crazy life

2010-02-26T06:47:00.000-08:00

Another snow day. The kids are delighted (well, not at the moment as they are stuck in their room cleaning it), but at this rate, they'll be in school until the summer. I don't know about our district, but other districts around us have cut into the kids' spring break and they have to go to school until the end of june. Around here, they just don't figure snow days into the school calendar.

It's a little over a week into lent. I must say, I feel closer to Jesus now more than ever. I have this little black book for lent filled with meditations and that surely helps. I look at my suffering in new way, it's so hard to explain.

I've been keeping my fingers busy knitting again. I just finished a top for Allie the other day and a top for Krista this morning. I'm going to cast on for a hat for Allie in brown yarn that will match her coat. She can't wait for me to do it.

The kids have been fighting like mad this morning. Krista is playing "Swiper" and swiping Allie's things and not telling her where she puts her stuff. It's totally frustrating...but the stuff will be found. I told the girls, they'll be amazed at what they find when they clean their room.

Bob is doing good. He was amazing yesterday as he went to the foodstore to get me soup I've been "craving". Cheddar cheese soup to be exact. It was soooo good, but gave me heartburn later on last night.

I'm feeling really well. I had an ultrasound a week and a half ago and baby was lying with its hands behind its head. It was the cutest. He gave me a 3D picture and I'm just so amazed at how we could see every facial feature, everything. I'm more amazed every time. I go in 4 weeks for another u/s and hopefully we'll find out what we are having. I'm starting to feel more movement as well. It's awesome!

That's it for now...I'll post more another time.

Crazy Snow

2010-02-23T08:06:00.000-08:00

We've had totally crazy snow this year...a couple of blizzards and some light snowfall. We are still waiting for it to melt, but in the meantime, the kids are loving it. They have taken the boogie boards, made some hills and "sled". The neighbor also gave us a small snowboard that the kids are just loving. Here are some pictures of them doing their thing.

Not much else is going on...they kids have all been healthy. Allie had to go into the hospital a month or so ago, but other than that, things have been great. I've been feeling much better once the first trimester ended. It's nice being out of bed and doing stuff.

Pregnancy is hard

2010-01-02T17:59:00.000-08:00

Pregnancy is juts so hard in the beginning. I'm just so nauseous, especially after I eat, and I end up vomiting. I was feeling good, and then at about the 2 week mark after stopping my meds, this kicked in. The same thing happened when I was pregnant with Krista....only this time, I'm praying I'm not sick the entire time. I'd like to enjoy a pregnancy for a change. They have all been so hard, but my labors and deliveries (except for my last 2--csections) have been super easy.

It is just so cold out. The wind is just chilling me to the bone and I can't warm up. It's so frustrating...no matter how many layers or blankets I have on, I'm still freezing. Yep, not having a great day.

The kids are good...they go back to school on monday. Everyone is happy all the way around for that. They get bored so easily, although they had a blast playing WII the past couple of days. They go through spurts like that...they won't touch it for months, and then BAM, they fight over it.

Tomorrow we go to Sears for a huge family portrait for my mom and stepdad....me and my 3 brothers with our families. It was supposed to be for christmas, but our original appt was the weekend of the blizzard. Sears actually called us to reschedule LOL.

That's about all now...I'm going to try and knit a little bit more before going to bed.

A nice visit with friends

2009-12-31T11:55:00.000-08:00

We had a great visit with Missy and the girls. We went to the beach, collected some awesome huge shells and found lots of seaglass. We haven't seen them in over a year...enjoy the pics!

Christmas '09

2009-12-29T17:37:00.001-08:00

We had an awesome Christmas. The kids just loved everything they got and we have been playing lots of games. Now, onto the pictures.

Lifes a Beach

2009-08-27T05:43:00.003-07:00

Having fun at the beach!!!

Life

2009-08-27T05:43:00.001-07:00

more pics

2009-04-03T20:42:00.000-07:00

here are more

It's been a while

2009-04-03T20:05:00.000-07:00

I know it's been pretty long since I've posted. We finally have new pics of the kids. Matt stepped on a toothpick last night (long story), but he was very sore today and is having a real hard time walking. It also hurts him when anything touches his foot. Because of that, he stayed home from school today and I had to reschedule Allie's appt with the dr.

Now onto the pics...enjoy!

Bob's New Baby

2009-03-22T14:26:00.001-07:00

This is Bob's 7th (errr 8th) baby. The buick Park Ave.

2009-02-11T05:14:00.001-08:00

It's been a long while. I know I should keep up, but things have been so busy. The kids have the stomach bug, right now Alaina is at the tail end and Krista just started today. Ugh. Now, onto pictures.

another test

2009-01-20T12:50:00.001-08:00

Scan test

2009-01-20T12:46:00.001-08:00

Been a while

2008-11-03T05:29:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a while since I blogged...life has been crazy and I've been sick the past week. Yesterday I had absolutely no voice, I was reduced to a mere hoarse whisper. In any case, I'll be posting later when Krista is napping lots of photos.

Eventful neighborhood lately

2008-09-09T05:29:00.000-07:00

What a busy neighborhood lately. The other night, Allie woke up to screaming outside. By the time Bob woke me up, there were about 6 firetrucks and a gazillion cops. There was smoke pouring out of the back of the house across the street.

It was hard to sleep with all the lights and commotion outside. All day yesterday, there were the fire marshalls, the sheriff's dept, the electric company. It was so noisy!!

This morning, after the kids got on the bus and we came inside, there was an accident at the corner (not my corner, but Rt 88 and Bay). One car got crashed up pretty good.

Yeah, I hope that's all the excitement for a while.

A Day or Two at the Beach

2008-08-09T11:56:00.000-07:00

Daddy took the kids to the beach last Monday and we all went on Tuesday. It was a blast!! Enjoy the pics :)

Bike Riding Frenzy

2008-07-25T19:20:00.000-07:00

The kids are totally crazy about bike riding. We are trying to get Krista used to wearing a helmet (no pressure LOL) as I am getting a bike with a seat for her on Monday :) :) Well, she was prancing around wearing Alaina's helmet (which is like an orca whale) and she just looks so precious. Ignore the dirty face, she just came in for a diaper change and I quickly snapped pics before I realized her face was dirty.

Enjoy!

Now onto the kids

2008-07-13T09:05:00.001-07:00

They are so goofy lately :)

More Pics

2008-07-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

Here's some more

Reception pics

2008-07-13T08:35:00.000-07:00

I'll be adding pics in several posts as to upload a bunch is taking too long.

Wedding time!

2008-07-13T08:15:00.001-07:00

So, yesterday was Shari and Rob's wedding. Here are the pics we took. The ceremony was on the beach :)

Happy Mother's Day!!

2008-05-11T04:16:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to wish all of you mom's out there a very special day!!

First Holy Communion Videos

2008-05-05T11:32:00.001-07:00

Here are the videos:

http://www.dropshots.com/all4my6#date/2008-05-03/10:27:30

http://www.dropshots.com/all4my6#date/2008-05-03/11:06:04

http://www.dropshots.com/all4my6#date/2008-05-03/11:21:58

Just copy and paste the above links to see the videos :)

First Holy Communion

2008-05-05T11:20:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, May 3rd, at a 10am Mass, Angelina made her first Holy Communion. It was a beautiful mass, and she looked beautiful!!! Here are some pictures...I have a couple of videos that I took with my camera, and once they are uploaded, I'll put them on. I also have to take the other pictures off of Bob's camera.

Handmade Dresses

2008-05-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

I finally finished Allie's dress...she loves it so much. I knit a dress for Krista and Allie...all the girls want one, so I need to get to work. Enjoy the pictures :)

Finally Feeling Better

2008-04-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

Well, we are finally feeling better. I have been sick for two weeks, first it was thought I had gall bladder issues, but I ended up with pneumonia. Matt also has strep, so both of us have been on our antibiotics for the week. We were both miserable, having fevers that we couldn't keep away.

The kids are good...we are finishing up the spring break. Hartley is starting on Monday with tutoring Anna in math as she is really struggling. Hopefully this will help her.

Here is a cute picture of Krista in her pony tails...isn't she cute?

Yet more pics of the kids

2008-03-28T09:59:00.000-07:00

Fun Outside

2008-03-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

Here are some great pics of the kids playing outside.

Dressy Children All around me

2008-03-28T09:53:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful Easter, going out to brunch with my dad and Deb, my brothers, family...it was a nice day. The children looked so beautiful in their new clothes, we even got Matthew out of the sweatpants. In the picture, we had just gotten home from church and they wanted to go to grandma's, so they weren't very happy, but you'll get to see how big they are all getting.

We also went shopping for Angelina's dress, veil, and shoes for her first Holy Communion. The first dress she tried on was the ONE. I snapped a photo in the store and she is so beautiful!!! Enjoy!

Socks Socks Socks

2008-03-21T07:10:00.001-07:00

I have been super crazy knitting socks. I love socks!!!! Thanks to my lovely best friend Michelle, who helped me through the turning of the heel, I've knit 2 complete pairs. The first is made out of brown Vanna's Choice acrylic yarn. Normally, I'm a yarn snob LOL and I work with more natural fibers, but for an acrylic, this is an awesome yarn. The other pair I knit out of cotton that I hand dyed last summer. They match a shirt I just got last week :)

Yum Yum Yum

2008-03-21T07:04:00.000-07:00

I've discovered the secret to great tasting chocolate chip cookies...they are so good, even Uncle Johnny eats them and even complimented me on them. My stepmom said they were like cookies you get in a bakery, the kids say they are the best cookies in the world, and my hubby, God love him, said they are the best he's ever had. Don't they look YUMMY!!!

Sleeping Beauty

2008-03-05T08:09:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, I'm awful when it comes to blogging. I need to do it more often but life takes me away sometimes. Anyway, I tip toed into the room a few days ago to check on miss napping Krista. She was so cute when I found her in the pose of the photo.

3 New Sweaters

2008-02-18T07:52:00.000-08:00

I've been super busy the past couple of weeks knitting some sweaters for an online friend of mine for her 2 gorgeous children and her one baby on the way. I made two wrap sweaters and a pullover. I think they came out wonderfully, and I knit them with cotton-ease by Lion Brand.

My first cables

2008-01-29T03:15:00.001-08:00

I finally ventured into the world of cables. The kids and I were at Michelle's last friday and she shared a pattern with me for the Irish Hiking Scarf that she's been knitting on. Let me say, it's not only gorgeous and super easy peasy, but it keeps the knitting interesting!! Enjoy the pic!! I'm using Patons wool.

Catina's Diapers

2008-01-16T03:10:00.000-08:00

My dear internet friend Catina needed more diapers for her little guy, what a trip she's been on with finding diapers that do not leak. So, I made her 6 pockets. I have some more to make, but this is a start...she bought me my snap press, so I told her I would make her diapers whenever she needed them (no charge). She is a great gal...I'm so glad we are friends. I'm sure you are reading this, no onto the pictures. These are anti pill fleece outers, flannel inners and lots of room for soaker stuffing :)

Some New things

2008-01-15T02:27:00.001-08:00

Tia made these awesome shoes for Krista...she totally loves them!! They are soft soled shoes, made out of real leather. They are like the Robeez, but better!! Krista loves them...she even wants me to put them on her, although the other day she lost one and we have yet to find it. Also, she is wearing a penguin shirt Tia made...it's just so cute!!!

I also made a wallet out of fabric that Michelle had given me. It came out super duper. I'm thinking of Christmas presents for next year...I'm sure the gals in my life will love these!!

Christmas was awesome!

2008-01-03T09:23:00.001-08:00

We had an awesome Christmas. The kids loved everything they got. We had alot of gifts from the school and my heart was just so overwhelmed. Bob and I also had a wonderful christmas. My darling hubby bought me a fishing pole!! I can't wait to use it. We also got the Nintendo Wii It is so awesome~~we all have so much fun playing it.

My new knits!

2008-01-03T09:17:00.000-08:00

On New Year's Eve, Bob had to work late (he didn't get home until 11:30pm). I was a little sad because Hart invited me over and I was looking forward to going. Well, I did some knitting. Here is a hat I made for myself out of Patons SWS (wool soy blend) that Michelle gave me. I also made a felted bowl out of Lopi and I bought some fake flowers. I think it all came out so pretty!!! I also made this v neck sweater using a wrap sweater pattern that I modified.

After pics

2007-11-13T09:12:00.000-08:00

Here are the after pics LOL Had to take some new this morning

Fixing up the house

2007-11-13T02:36:00.001-08:00

We have decided to fix the house up and rearrange our rooms a bit to accomodate our large family. I have no idea when we'll be adding on to the house, so we are making do with what we have. We should've done this a long time ago.

Our current living room used to be our garage. This room will soon be the kids room. We need another bed, one of my kids is always sleeping on the floor (they fight over who gets to sleep in the sleeping bag LOL). I can't even walk in their bedroom. In turn, their bedroom will be our dining room. Because it's a small room, it makes sense to just put our dining room table and chairs in there. With that, our current dining room will be our living room.

My brother and hubby painted the dining room and pretty light sage green, called Fishnet. It's so pretty!!! My kitchen cabinets are now white. A few years ago, I painted them blue and then sponged white on them. I got tired of that.

We are also getting vinyl flooring that looks like hardwood. We have hardwood now and it's just destroyed. I can never get it clean enough. It's terrible. Here are some before and afters of the kitchen and dining room :)

Ok, I'll have to take some after pics today as I can't find the one of the paint that I have.

Still Hanging On...

2007-11-13T02:25:00.000-08:00

We are still hanging in there. Allie is still being schooled at home, her proteins keep fluctuating between 3+ and 1+. We had some hope though, at her last dr appt she only had a trace of protein in her urine, so we were hoping to wean her off the prednisone, but alas, they were at 3+ by the next day. All of the children have some type of ailment or another, whether it be runny nose, or a cough, or a sore throat, but by the grace of God, Allie has not been sick. He really is surrounding her with love and protection :)

Krista is now walking!! She started walking about a week and a half ago. Her 1st birthday is November 28th, she is my earliest walker yet :) We call her FrankenBaby :)

Everyone else is doing good. I'm finished with the podiatrist. I had a small plantars wart that only required two treatments and they didn't even hurt, surprisingly. I'm also on 20mg of Lexapro and wow, what a difference I feel. The dr also gave me something to help me sleep, Trazadone, because I was waking several times a night and it was really affecting how I function during the day. I'll only take it on the weekends, as it can make you still sleepy for a while after you wake...but it was nice to be able to only wake up once. Now, here are some pictures for your enjoyment :)

We have a diagnosis

2007-10-14T03:46:00.000-07:00

We finally have a diagnosis for Allie. She was in the hospital 2 weeks ago for 3 days of high doses of IV steroids. Her urine proteins went to 4+, and found out after her lab work her albumin and blood protein levels went down. She was retaining fluid, so was fluid restriction and lasix again. My baby is just going through so much. She also had a kidney biopsy.

I got a call from the doc last Tuesday. She has Focal Segmental Glomulerosclerosis (FSGS). Basically, there is alot of scar tissue on the filters of her kidneys, which is preventing them from working properly. Up until now, she has had little to no response to her meds. The dr wants her off of cytoxan and is putting her on prograf, but the insurance will not pay for it unless I get it directly from them through the mail. It's a very expensive med.

I have to call the dr on Monday because they were supposed to have called them on friday, but as of yesterday, the insurance co didn't have anything in their system. It's a pain.

Eventually she'll need a kidney. RIght now her kidney function is good...and the good thing about kidney transplants is you can get one from a living donor. There is no waiting on long lists for someone to pass to receive the organ you need.

So, that's where we are now. I'm sad that we are dealing with this, but relieved to know what we are dealing with.

Gone Fishing

2007-09-17T03:01:00.000-07:00

Off to the river again, yesterday, to go fishing. The family and I packed our vehicles and went to the beach. It's alot of work, as we have lots of gear, but it was so much fun!! Grandma, Grandpop and Uncle Mark ended up meeting us there, and Uncle Mark caught some fish he let the kids reel in.

Angelina caught a snapper all by herself. She casted out the line and caught the fish. She was so proud! I caught some snapper and a flounder myself! It was awesome! Of course, we threw our fish we caught back, flounder season was over last monday, so even if we wanted to, we couldn't keep him.

I look forward to going back and fishing again! It was so much fun!

First Day of School

2007-09-07T11:16:00.000-07:00

The kids started school on Wed...they love it!! Allie totally loves the bumpy bus ride LOL. They were all decked out in their new clothes, sneakers and backpacks. Matt is in 3rd, Nina is in 2nd, Anna is in 1st and Allie is in Kindergarten. So far we are off to a great start :)

Not responding to the meds

2007-09-07T11:07:00.000-07:00

We ended up in the ER at ST Peters Hospital on Labor day evening. Allie was very puffy, her belly was very distended and hard to the touch. She had a hard time getting up when she sat down and her breathing was labored. We called the doc and he wanted us there right away. Her belly was full of fluid. Up until this point she was urinating regularly, but that day, she didn't go that often. Paying careful attention to when she goes and what she does, I was concerned because she hadn't had a bowel movement in a couple days too.

They did labs, urinalysis and xrays. Her lungs were clear...no fluid (hooray), but her belly was full of fluid. So, they gave her lasix via her iv and she's been on it every since. The dr did increase her dosage as she only urinates 3 times within a 24 hr period. I'm very worried about my girl. In addition to the prednisone and lasix, she is now on a blood pressure med that is known to help protein the urine to go down. We had her appt today, and the protein levels in her blood are going up, which is good, but the levels in her urine went up also. The er labs showed her levels to be at 4 (up from 2 a week prior) and today, they were at 4.5, definitely a step in the wrong direction. We will be going for bloodwork on Monday and talking via phone on Tuesday. It looks like the next step is a kidney biopsy. The dr said that she's either steroid resistant (meaning she does not respond to this type of treatment, and those children are hard to treat) or she has what's called Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis. Here is info about that:
http://www.nephcure.org/Info_aboutfsgs.html

So, that's where we are right now. I'd so appreciate any and all prayers you have to offer. Here are some pics of my girl!!

What a ride!!

2007-09-07T10:59:00.000-07:00

We are embarking on a long journey. It began mid-July, when the girls had their well visit. They all checked out great, the normal make sure they exercise and watch what they eat. The next day we make a trip for their annual blood work that checks cholesterol. No biggie.

We get a call a few days later from the ped. telling us that Allie's cholesterol is 446, that we need to take her back to the lab and have her fast. The results were almost as stunning as the first. Her cholesterol was still in the 400's, and they found blood and protein in her urine. Immediately, the ped wanted us to get in with a nephrologist, she was really worried about her kidneys.

We get an appt for the following week...we go to Freehold (Centra State Medical Center)...about a half an hour drive with no traffic. Her dr is the chief pediatric nephrologist for St Peters University Hospital, so he's the best in NJ. She was diagnosed with Nephrotic Syndrome. Every day here eyes were really puffy when waking, and we thought she had allergies. Turns out that is a symptom of this disease.

In a nutshell, the filter in her kidneys are not working properly, causing blood and protein to spill into her urine, instead of staying in the body where they belong. This is causing water to be retained in tissues, her liver to release some kind of enzymes that cause the cholesterol to go up. At our first visit, her levels of protein were at 3.

The treatment consists of 3 months of prednisone...6 weeks to see if it works, the next 6 weeks slowly coming off of it. At our 2nd visit, 2 weeks later, her protein levels were down to 2. A step in the right direction, just not as fast as the dr wanted. 60% of kids with this disease respond to treatment within the first 2 weeks, 30% by 4 weeks, 5% by 6 weeks.

Yet, more pics

2007-07-15T03:55:00.000-07:00

Here are some more :) Krista modeling her new diaper covers :)

More pictures

2007-07-15T03:51:00.001-07:00

Here are some more pictures from the new camera :)

New Camera

2007-07-15T03:41:00.000-07:00

Bob got me a new digital camera for my birthday from the kids. Our sony was going on 9 years old and was only 2.1 megapixels...it didn't take great pictures, but it did the job. Anyway, the new camera is a Nikon cool pix, 6 megapixels and is very compact. I love it! The pictures are just so clear and fantastic, and the videos I can take with the camera...WOW!

So, here are some pictures of the family that we took with the wonderful new camera.

Redondo Twirly Skirts

2007-07-15T03:33:00.000-07:00

I can finally sew with a pattern! Tia bought me the pattern for the Redondo skirt, which is a super twirly girly skirt. I've been admiring the ones the other mamas have made and I knew my girls would love them! It took me about a month before getting the courage to trace, cut and sew.

I made Alaina hers first. I used a butterly fabric with a coordinating flower fabric. I just sewed this one...but Anna's and Angelina's were serged together, which gives it a more professional look, and it doesn't fall apart at the seams :) Enjoy the pics!

Matt received an award

2007-07-01T04:28:00.000-07:00

All the kids are promoted to the next grade. Matt had an end of the year party as well as an awards ceremony a couple of days before the last day of school. We are so proud of him. He did so well in 2nd grade is really excited about going into 3rd grade. Here are some pictures of Matt and his award and him with his best friend Eddie :)

Krista's New outfit

2007-07-01T04:21:00.000-07:00

I've found a new hobby...like I need another one, but it just blends in with what I already love to do. I've discovered the art of dying yarn. It's so much fun seeing the colors I can create. I start out with either white or natural color wool and just use food coloring to dye it. The process is pretty easy too.

So, I dyed some yarn in the middle of last week. It came out beautiful bright shades of pink, orange and yellow, perfect for the summer. I also dyed a smaller coordinate skein in the pink that's in the yarn. Well, I was hanging out laundry and got to a shirt we picked up for Krista at a garage sale last weekend and discovered the yarn I just dyed would match perfectly!!! So, I knit her up a skirtie to wear over her cloth fitted diapers (diapers that need a cover). There is a panty style soaker under the skirt. It came out adorable. Here are some pics of the yarn cooking, yarn with the shirt and her wearing the outfit.

I also wanted to mention that everyone's first thought is "wool is just so hot". Actually, wool that's been handknit with breathes and is not hot at all. It's super absorbant and is not heavy like the wool sweaters that people automatically think of. Enjoy the pictures :)

Time is flying

2007-07-01T04:08:00.000-07:00

Krista is 7 months old already! I can't believe how fast the time is flying by. Within the past week, she started crawling (regular crawling instead of the "commando army crawl"), pulling herself up to standing and she's coasting on the furniture a little bit. She's also enjoying different foods. She loves her veggies and fruit, I gave her some of our peas and carrots one night and she LOVED them. She also had yogurt yesterday and couldn't get enough.

The kids are enjoying their summer vacation. At night, we try to get to the river beach with my girlfriend and her kids. They all have so much fun playing together!! Here are some pictures :) Krista's 7 mos pics, Anna on the last day of school and Matt & Nina on field day.

Krista's New Swim Suit

2007-06-21T03:46:00.000-07:00

I was involved in a "traveling" box swap a couple of months ago on a diaper sewing message board I belong to. The first person would fill a flat rate box full of stuff, mail it to the first person on the list, they would take out what they wanted, put more stuff in the box and mail it to the next person, and so on. It was awesome.

Anyway, I found this lycra PUL fabric (pul is a waterproof diaper fabric)...which would make a great swim diaper. I sent it to Tia because she said she would make a swim diaper for Krista. Well, her imagination took off, and she made this gorgeous, super cute swim suit for the baby :) She also made a surprise for me, a knitting needle roll. It's beautiful and now I have a place, other than a basket to store my needles in.

We Miss You Beau

2007-06-21T03:26:00.000-07:00

We got Beau 2.5 years ago. We were dog sitting for my brother in law...He and his daughters were taking a trip to Florida, so we happily took Beau. When Mark came to pick him up, Beau didn't want to go, stuck his nose up in the air and went to lay down in the corner of the living room. We've had him ever since. Yeah, he was a pest at times, but we loved him. We took care of him. He wasn't very playful, after all, at that time, he was 16. I took him to the vet, and other than being an "old man", needing a good dental cleaning and having some arthritis in his hind legs, he was a healthy dog.

I took him to the vet this past January. His arthritis had gotten alot worse, and he started dry heaving. He was still pretty healthy though, for a dog his age. His health just started to deteriorate. His back legs started to give out frequently, causing him to fall down our 2 little steps we have on our side porch. Sometimes he couldn't get up the step into the kitchen, his legs would give out. The dry heaving got worse. His breathing when he came in from outside was horrible, it sounded as though he had emphysema. He couldn't see. The cataracts I'm sure had made him completely blind, as he bumped into everything. It was very painful to see.

Yet he was so loyal to us. He loved us as much as we loved him...I just know it. He was pesty at times, bugging us for food when we had dinner, refusing to eat his own. Being unable to see, he was always bumping into me as I was trying to cook dinner, not a good thing when I was carrying a hot pan or hot food. He was a very good dog, who loved being pet, hugged and kissed.

I talked with my husband about having him put to sleep. His quality of life was just so poor, but it seemed as though he would shut down and not want to talk about it, so I feel like this was a decision I had to make all on my own. The other night, I asked him if he had any objections to me calling the vet and making an appt. He was only worried about the cost, but wouldn't talk much.

Yesterday, it was a miserable, rainy day. The kids were very good though, they kept the fighting to a minimum, and actually played nice together. So, I called the vet in late morning and made our appt. I was very upset, but knew I had to do this for Beau. He just had to be hurting, after all, he would sporadically just cry in his sleep. It totally broke my heart.

Not long after I made the appt, the sky cleared and the sun came out. I took it as a sign from God that I was making the right decision for our beloved pet. I talked to the kids after lunch, and we shared stories, I answered their questions, and we shared lots of tears. I made Beau a meal he loved...hamburger! He ate two hamburgers and then some cheese quesadillas I made for supper.

We took him to the vet. Angelina, Anna, Allie and Alaina wanted to go. My mom came with us as well. I know there are people that would have a problem with children being present, but it's all a part of the cycle of life. I wasn't going to deny them wanting to be with him when he passed. It was a very peaceful process. I held him, the kids loved him and hugged him and we all cried as he took his last breath. I hope he knew how much we really loved him.

We are all taking it pretty hard. I'm very sad. I know in my head and heart that I made the right decision for him, but I still feel like this horrible person, who was trying to play God. My heart aches in a way it hasn't before. I feel like the weight of the world is sitting on my now. The kids are taking this very hard as well. They miss him terribly. We are going to get some flowers, a tree or something and plant a little garden in Beau's memory. He's my first pet that I had as a grown up, and he was our first and only family pet.

I know my hubby is hurting too, although he won't admit it. Every night we do a "circle time" with the kids, where we pray and then talk or do fun things. They will take turns reading a bible story, or we will play quiet games like question and answer. He didn't want to participate in our circle time last night, he "wasn't in the mood". I pray for my husband that he can come to terms with Beau's death. I think he loved Beau more than he wants to admit.

Anyway, here are some pictures that Matt took of Beau yesterday, and one I took of him and Beau together.

Birthdays Birthdays Birthdays

2007-05-27T02:53:00.000-07:00

I can't believe another year has gone by already. Time is just flying so so fast!!! So, I worked out a trade with a gal on the diaper sewing message board. I knit her a pair of shorts for her son and she made me 6 hairbows, 2 each for the girls for their birthday. I also got some elastic, tulle and ribbon and made them tutu's. They are going to love them! Here's a couple of pictures of Allie and Krista. I wish my camera would hold a charge, everytime I go to take a picture, the battery is dead. So frustrating!! In any case, enjoy the pictures :)

New Outfits from Old Clothes

2007-05-16T07:48:00.000-07:00

Well, not old clothes, but gowns that Krista has outgrown. I chopped them and was able to get a shirt and skirt out of a couple and a dress from another :) Krista is sleeping now and wearing the green one.

1st Holy Communion

2007-05-06T09:36:00.000-07:00

Well, yesterday was the big day. Matt made his first Holy Communion. I got all teary eyed, he did great! He was so mad that he had to wear a suit, but other than that, it was a great day. He looked so handsome. He was even singing during the mass :) Enjoy the pictures :)

Kids Kids Kids

2007-05-03T10:45:00.000-07:00

Here are some great pictures of the kids...enjoy!! Not much to report...just busy as always LOL. Matt makes his first Holy Communion on Saturday. We are busy getting ready for it :)

More Knitting and Diapers

2007-05-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of recent knitting and diapers :) The Skirtie is the latest hit :) :)

The melon color one was hand dyed to match a gymboree clothing line :) The lavender one is called Lavender fields. These are so much fun to make. Also, a hand knit skirtie and tank top.

My newest diapers I made are all in ones...longer drying time, but no more stuffing.

Beautiful days!

2007-04-22T03:58:00.000-07:00

We had such a beautiful day yesterday, and it's going to be wonderful today and even warmer tomorrow! YAY! The kids are thrilled because they get to be outside without bulky coats LOL. Bob had them out yesterday, so I was able to do a good mostly thorough clean of the house yesterday. Some things I didn't get to, but the decluttering was amazing! I got rid of so much!

Krista is getting so big...she rolls and scoots all over the place now. I'm sure the kids are tired of me saying "Get that little stuff off the floor". Angelina had a skit on Friday in her class, on Dr. Seuss's "The Lorax" for Earth Day. They sang "What a Wonderful World" by Louie Armstrong, and than at the end, her teacher showed a slideshow of pictures of the children she took, and played the Hawaiin version of the song. To hear it, here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztepu9bIMBE

Get your tissues out, as it's a real tear jerker LOL. She did wonderfully though. We are working with Matt on being neater with his school work. Other than being messy and rushing through, he's doing great!

Anna is doing great in school too. SHE CAN READ!!! We are so proud of her :) Allie is really excited about Kindergarten. I'm going to request the teacher Anna has, so I have to write that letter this week. Alaina is just growing! She's getting so tall, and just loves to draw. She drew a picture of a whale the other day, and it looked just like one!

Here are some pics of the kids :)

Goofy children--Spring Break Has Begun

2007-04-09T17:58:00.000-07:00

Spring break is now upon us. We had a wonderful Easter. The children were perfect angels in church for Easter Mass. We sat in the "big church" (I finally evicted daddy from the quiet room) and the kids were perfect. We sat in the front pew and they really did "WOW" us :)

Afterwards, we came home and they played for a while. Than we met my parents, brother, sil and the kids, my aunt and cousin for brunch. It was so yummy, and boy what a spread. Again, the children were fabulous! They ate most of what they were given and sat patiently until it was time to go. They weren't ancy and just loved being out in their "fancy" dresses.

So, here we are, Monday, our 2nd day of spring break. They were generally good today, just going nuts in the house. It was a bit chilly to take the baby to the park as she is just getting over bronchitis. Maybe tomorrow. Anyway, here are some silly pictures from today.

Krista trying to reach for a bag of bread/goodies from Uncle Mark...and than "kissing" a banana. The girls were eating a push up pop that daddy bought them. Lastly, a shot of Krista not very happy. Enjoy!

Shorties

2007-04-09T17:56:00.000-07:00

I finally finished the shorties I started the other day that I'll be selling as soon as I get my wool wash. I got some yarn friday so I can knit some of these babies up to sell. I nailed the kitchener stitch (which is a way of closing up the gusset without any bumps). I'm putting this in a post of it's own because my next one will be about the kiddos LOL

The Knit Skirtie

2007-04-05T06:59:00.000-07:00

I finished the skirtie for Krista last week. I can't believe I didn't post pictures of the final product! It came out so cute and looks wonderful on her. The wool is just so soft and not scratchy at all. A few posts down is a picture of her in the shorts portion...I just then picked up the stitches and knit the skirt. She is also rolling all over the place now. I'll put her on the floor on her back and she flips right over like a pancake LOL. The first picture is of her in the skirtie, the 2nd was snapped a moment after the first. She doesn't stay put for long!

Super busy knitting

2007-04-05T06:53:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy knitting it's not even funny. Sewing and knitting take up lots of my free time, but I need both to help me unwind. I just finished this knit tank top for the site. Anna is my model, but it will fit better for a size 4. I dyed the yarn myself and I think it came out great! I also made some velour/flannel washcloths/babywipes and they came out beautifully. I'll get pictures of those later today. Oh, and I finally got a picture of Krista smiling. Whenever we pull out the camera, she just studies it and looks so serious.

The kids are doing wonderful. They start their spring break tomorrow and are excited for Easter. I still need to get things for their baskets...nothing like waiting for the last minute LOL. I'll post more later on...have lots to do yet LOL.

It's been a while

2007-03-30T05:38:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while since I've blogged. Life has been crazy and hectic. The kids have been sick on and off, and I've been going through a rough time this past week. The doctor is thinking I have an incisional hernia (at the site of c-section incision scar) and that some of my bowels are pushing through. In any case, I had an ultrasound done yesterday so now we just sit and wait on the results. If that is what it is, it needs to be fixed asap through surgery. If that is not the case, than I need to go to a gastroenterologist to rule out colitis/crohn's/ibs. What a whirlwind of emotions I'm feeling right now. I'm pretty scared with what's been going on with my body. When I get scared, I get quiet and try to keep very busy. It's been a rough week.

The kids are doing great. We have parent teacher conferences next week (so the kids have half days) and Easter/spring break starts next friday. The kids are excited to have over a week off of school.

Krista is 4 months old already! I just cannot believe how fast she is growing. She is now 13 and a half lbs and is 24 and 3/4 inches long. She is still nursing great :)

I've been busy sewing diapers/baby carriers/ other things and knitting away. Here are some pictures of the diapers, of the kids, of the pouch I made and dyed and of the little skirties I'm knitting for Krista (although in the pic, they are just the shorts...the skirt gets added on later...I hope to finish it today).

Angelina and Anna got haircuts last night. I gave Anna a little bob and she looks so precious! Angelina saw it and wanted her hair a little shorter, after just trimming her ends. Her hair went from past the mid back to near her shoulders and she loves it. There is nothing like a fresh new look to boost your confidence.

Well, time to get Anna ready for school...until next time.......

My first pocket diaper

2007-02-18T08:07:00.000-08:00

Well, we are switching to cloth diapers. I just need to order a couple of more supplies before I can make the diapers, although I do have some prefolds that I got yesterday. I'm just knitting a soaker to go on top (they are like little shorts/pants that go over the diaper made of wool for absorbency). Anyway, I'm going to be making Pocket diapers (where a soaker pad is inserted and than taken out for washing) and aio's (all in one). I made my first pocket diaper last night. It's not usable, but I wanted to get the "pattern" down and really see if I can do it. It was the first time sewing with elastic, and I used the wrong stitch, but you get the idea of how the diaper is supposed to look. I'm really excited about this, helping out with the environment as well as saving money. When I get good enough, I'll be making nighttime training pants for my allie :)

Krista's Baptism

2007-02-18T08:02:00.000-08:00

We had Krista's baptism last sunday, February 11th. It was absolutely beautiful as was she. The baptism was at 1pm at St. Peter's Church in Pt Pleasant. There were 2 little boys being baptized that day as well. It was wonderful. Here are some pictures of her getting dressed and getting baptized.

Our new baby!

2007-02-06T12:18:00.000-08:00

We have a new baby!!! Finally a vehicle that seats all 8 of us. It's a 2000 Ford Excursion, black with a tan leather interior. I can't wait to take her for a ride!!

Lined ring sling with pocket

2007-02-03T17:32:00.000-08:00

So I was chatting with my friend, and we were coming up with ideas for products for our site. Tonight, I made a lined sling with a pocket, that was supposed to be a sewn in carrying bag. The idea is to have the sling fold into itself when not in use into a drawstring bag. What I had in mind didn't work, however, I came out with a double pocket attached to the sling tail. The first picture is of me in the sling...the main pattern is a paisley type with stripe lining. The second picture is of the drawstring pocket on the tail. The last picture is of the pocket with drawstring closed (where keys, wallet, that kind of thing is kept) and a diaper with wipes in the back portion (behind the original pocket). I think it came out pretty cool :)

Lined baby sling

2007-02-01T18:31:00.000-08:00

So, I changed my baby sling pattern a little. I've been making them for over 3 years now! Wow the time flies (I can't believe it more and more each day). Anyway, I bought fabric to start on some stock for the website (I'll post the address when we go live), and I've been eyeing this one up since I got it...that's the bad thing about being in the sling business, every sling I make I want to keep LOL. Anyway, I cut the fabric in half lengthwise (it was too bulky with it being 45 inches wide) and I folded the fabric differently around the rings and came up with this design. This is also my first successful lined sling. It came out great. My dd Angelina took the picture for me since dh wasn't home from work yet LOL. It was a quick pic because I needed to start dinner. I'll be wearing the baby lower next time, with the rings closer to my arm pit for more of a fan effect on my shoulder. Cute, huh?

Starting a WAHM business

2007-01-30T08:28:00.000-08:00

A very good friend of mine and I are starting a wahm (work at home mom) website business. We should be live in about 2 weeks or so, but I've been working on my stock. As well as baby ring slings, I'll be doing some knitwear. Here are two sweaters, just like Krista's. They are both wrap sweaters, but the tan one has a ribbing along the trim instead of the rolled trim. Krista is my model :)

2 Months old already!

2007-01-30T08:22:00.000-08:00

I can't believe the baby is 2 months old already! Time sure is flying. I took her for her well visit yesterday. She is now 11 lbs, 22 1/2 inches long and her head is 38 1/2cms. She really is doing great. She's in the 50th% :) She holds up her head really well, loves to be held and talked to. She just wants to stand all the time. She still sleeps alot, and gee, look at how fast she's growing, no wonder why!

We got report cards last week. Matt is doing excellent. There were things he needed to work on last marking period that he totally excelled in this marking period. Angelina and Anna did awesome as well. We got the "----- Is a pleasure to have in class" for each of them.

Enjoy the pics :)

Let's FLY!

2007-01-23T02:39:00.000-08:00

I started to do Flylady again. You can check out her website at www.flylady.net It's a wonderful system for cleaning, organizing and decluttering your home. I went to town yesterday and did a basic surface cleaning/wipe down/vacuuming/dusting of my home yesterday. Now I can work on my zones and my daily routines and just be done with housework in minimal time, leaving time for the "fun" stuff in life.

And, I shined my sink...ain't it purty??

Getting so big!

2007-01-19T02:49:00.000-08:00

Krista is just getting so big!! I had to take Allie to the ped the other day for a boo boo on her thumb, and while there, we weighed the baby. Here is the breakdown:

Birth: 6lbs 8oz
3 days: 6lbs 3oz
2 weeks: 7lbs 7oz
7 weeks: 10lbs 15.6oz

Momma's milk is doing this baby good! The older kids are doing great with her...they just love her to pieces. I have pictures on my camera that I need to get off, but here are some to show for now. Krista in her bouncy seat with Anna and Krista with a fretful look on her face LOL.

Sweater/Hat/Bootie sets

2007-01-19T02:42:00.000-08:00

I've been really busy knitting up these little sets as gifts. I made this sweater for Krista and it came out so cute, so I made 2 sets as gifts, I have one more to go for a gift and I'm donating a set to a friend for a LLL gift auction. Aren't they cute? My dd's doll is the model, she is a newborn baby size doll LOL.

Now for the specifics. The hat is my own pattern. The booties are my version of the Diy, knitty gritty suede booties and the sweater is from Lion Brand.com, the Lion Cashmere blend luxury kimono.

1 Hour Booties

2007-01-19T02:38:00.000-08:00

I took out the SnB Nation book from the library and found this cute little pattern for 1 hour baby booties. They are supposed to take 1hr or less for the pair...they were a real quick knit, only they use bulky weight yarn. The only bulky weight I have is Patons Allure, which is a furry yarn (so soft and yummy nonetheless). So I wanted to try the pattern. They look like little mary janes but instead of doing the strap, I just threaded a strand of yarn through the bootie and tied it in the front.

Sweater Time...

2006-12-31T04:39:00.000-08:00

knit my first "real" sweater for my little one. I have made a reglan sweater, but I really didn't like it all that much, plus the seaming is just so different. I made the Lion Brand Kimono wrap sweater (can be found on Lionbrand.com under knit patterns). It calls for Lion Cashmere blend, but I substituted with Bernat Satin (it was what I had on hand and didn't know what else to do with). It came out wonderfully!!! Here is a pic of the sweater and of my little one wearing it. I plan on making this sweater, a hat and bootie set for gifts...I know of a few gals having baby girls :)

Baby pictures

2006-12-31T04:15:00.000-08:00

Krista is 1 month old already! Where is the time going??? She is started to coo and really respond to us, she's been holding her head up for a while now...she is just getting so big! The kids are just loving her :) She is nursing great...really getting to be a chunky monkey. Here are some pics :) ENjoy!!

New Baby Time

2006-12-16T03:26:00.000-08:00

Well, I cleaned out my photobucket account not too long ago, not realizing that my knitting pictures would be erased...be patient, I'll get them back up :)

We have a new baby...our little girl was born on November 28th, 2006 at 1:41pm via c-section. I was in labor for 26hrs and didn't get past 1cm, so we opted to just do the section (although the dr will tell you I wasn't in labor because my cervix didn't change, yet I was in a good contraction pattern). In any case, both baby and me are doing great.

She was 6lbs 8oz and 19 1/2 inches long. When we came home she weighed 6lbs 3oz and at her 2 week checkup at the pediatrician, she weighed 7lbs 7oz. Mommy's milk does a baby good! Her name is Krista Faith. The kids love her to pieces!! She looks just like the rest of them LOL.

In any case, I'll be putting pictures up real soon!

More felting fun!

2006-10-18T16:30:00.000-07:00

I feel like an idiot...the first couple of times I felted, I ran the projects through my machine 3 times, but I could still see the stitches. I discovered today that my washing machine has a heavy/fast agitation cycle...so I felted some more today. First is a pair of booties for my friends baby.

Secondly, I knit a christmas stocking. The pattern was in a magazine that I bought last year, I believe it was Family Circle Easy Christmas Ideas...or something similar. I knit up the medium size...and the pictures show pre felt and felted. I love the felted stocking, although it is quite small (see the tube of toothpaste next to it)...so I'll have to knit it larger for felting.

Felting is so fun!!

28 Week Baby picture

2006-09-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

This us utterly incredible! I had an ultrasound today, the dr. wants to keep a close eye on my cervix due to my history of preterm babies (I had a 34 and a 35 weeker). He gave me these incredible pictures. Today, I am 28 weeks, 1 day pregnant (7 months along). The one black and white, you can see her nose and mouth, with her arm up to her head and her other fist covering her eye. The others, the doctor called "book shots", they were so incredible!

Yet another bootie

2006-08-27T16:37:00.000-07:00

I'm in bootie heaven here, with this pattern. My real good friend wanted to make a pair of these for her little boy, so I made one...I have yet to make the other. They are a real quick knit...takes me a couple of hours from start to finish.

More Baby Booties...these are cute!

2006-08-26T16:29:00.000-07:00

So, I started these about a week ago...did one and it came out so cute. Well, I finally finished the other today. I got the pattern from www.diynetwork.com, do a search for baby booties and they are the ones "suede booties". I am a huge UGG fan and these just reminded me of uggs :) The only thing is, the smallest size the pattern makes is 3-6 mos which will be way too big for my little peanut this coming winter, so I think I'm going to start a pair tonight in wool and felt them. Whatever bit they shrink will probably be perfect! Aren't they just so cute though??

First Felting Project

2006-08-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

Well, I felted for the first time last week. My best friend gave me some wool that she no longer needed or wanted. I had never felted before, so I thought what the heck. I knit a small bag and felted it. It was SOOOOO much fun!!! I can't wait to make more. I'm going to make little felted purses for my dd's for Christmas :)

Knit baby blanket

2006-08-09T14:54:00.000-07:00

This is the blanket I knit for our new little one. I used Bernat Denimstyle yarn (cotton/acrylic blend). It's so yummy. I picked the stitch out of the "Stitionary" book...

Cast on an even number of stitches
Row 1 Knit
Row 2 K2tog
Row 3 K in front and back of each stitch
Row 4 Purl

Work 4 rows until desired length. It came out real nice...all I have to do is weave in the ends :)

TOday I did my first felting project. I made a little purse for my daughters, whichever one wants it. When I get the pics off my camera, I'll post them.

New Additions

2006-08-09T14:47:00.000-07:00

Wow, I certainly haven't kept up with this like I wanted to. So much has happened since my last entry.

My children all were promoted to the next grade. Matt is going into 2nd grade, Angelina into 1st and Anna is going into the kindergarten! We have kindergarten orientation in a few weeks.

We found out in March we are expecting another little one. I am currently 6 mos along, due November 29th...IT'S A GIRL!! I've already knit her a blanket that I started before we knew her sex, so now I can start working on "girlie" things :)

I've been very sick this pregnancy, finally starting to feel better now. I had hyperemesis (extreme nausea and vomiting) for the first few months. I had to go off my bipolar meds as they are not safe for pregnancy and nursing, so I went through 2 weeks of hell...the physical withdrawals were awful. The last day I took a small dose (trying to wean off as cold turkey wasn't working) was when the excessive vomiting started.

When I started to feel better from that, I lost my voice (for a total of 2.5 mos...I still don't have my singing voice left) and I ended up on meds for a throat infection. It's been a heck of a ride, although she is moving around now. I have a 3d u/s pic :) It's so neat.

I'll post more later with my latest knit projects :)

It's Been Hectic

2006-01-29T03:04:00.000-08:00

I know it's been sometime since my last entry. I've been trying to gather my thoughts, which I've come to the conclusion, is never going to happen. My meds are finally adjusted to suit my needs. I'm on geodon, 40mg in the am and 80mg in the pm...I'm on lexapro, 10mg in the am and the dr also gave me something to help me sleep better at night. I'd wake up after 6hrs of sleep and be ready for the day...normally around 2 or 3 am. I woke at 3:30am today, forgetting to take my sleep medicine last night. I fell asleep before taking it LOL.

I've been knitting up a storm, making things for a gift basket for a charity auction to benefit the PTO at my children's school. It has been fun, but I'm glad I'm nearly finished. It's a baby themed basket, and I'm just working on the hat to go in there.

I've begun working with double pointed needles finally and love them. I picked up a pair of bamboo and I've made two bottle socks (they go over the water bottle). I used Wool Ease by Lion Brand and it really does keep my water cold...which is great for when I work out at the gym. I'll post a picture of that soon.

Baby Bootie Time

2006-01-15T15:17:00.000-08:00

I finally made my first pair of baby booties. I'm really happy and surprised at how easy they are..taking about an hour and a half from start to finish for both. I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease for these, but I'll be making some more out of fun yarn! To see more of my handknit projects, feel free to visit my website at www.freewebs.com/lilsealights/

Poncho and hat time

2006-01-09T07:11:00.000-08:00

My 2 newest projects that I've made since yesterday. I bought a crochet poncho kit for $5.99 at RagShop, and it came with 6 balls of this nice yarn. It took 3 balls to make the poncho and there is enough for a scarf as well.

I also made this hat for my little one out of Bernat Baby lash yarn...it's so cute and warm. I made it a little too small, so I need to make another just a little bigger. I plan on making more hats out of this, makes a great gift :)

It's time to move

2006-01-08T16:55:00.000-08:00

So a few months ago, during fire prevention week, I won a free 3 month membership to Curves gym. I was so excited because it's been so long since I've been to a gym and I never win anything. I have been getting these treatments for warts on my feet since the beginning of august, with this stubborn area that won't budge as far as anything we've tried, short of amputation.

I started my membership last week. I am really motivated to get into shape, by going to the gym and on the days I don't go, I'm doing Tae Bo at home. Boy is Billy kicking my butt!

I also have DeQuervain's tendinitis in my writs, and it can be a literal pain to knit sometimes. So I've been going to the chiropractor and she works on my wrists twice a week. It's painful but they do feel better after the fact.

Ahh, I have so many projects that I want to make. I found an easy sweater pattern that I want to make for myself and I want to do a dog sweater for my dog Beau, which will come in handy when he goes for his haircuts. Perhaps that will be my next project...I will cast on for that tomorrow. Knitting club meets on Wednesday, so that's the time to get help with things I need help with, things I've never done before.

Knit Tricks

2006-01-06T07:34:00.000-08:00

I was at a knitting group one night a few months ago, and one of the ladies was sitting there in awe at all the tricks I was talking about when it comes to knitting. These tricks are not my own, but I do utilize them and it really makes it so much easeier. For instance, I was telling my friend to put her circulars in boiling water and it will straighten out the cable. I recently purchased 2 pitchers from our local dollar tree. I'm working with fun fur double stranded, so I put one ball in each pitcher. This prevents the yarn from tangling and keeps it contained, and it only cost me $2!

I love the tips and tricks we pick up while knitting.

Coughing, yet again

2006-01-05T20:34:00.000-08:00

Here I sit, it's after 11pm, I already have a couple of hours of sleep under my belt. I woke in a coughing fit, this little bothersome tickle in my throat that sends my crazy. I took some cough medicine, and I'm exhausted. I wake at 4am pretty much every day, and it makes me nuts when I get woken out of a sleep because I can't go back. The medicine is kicking in, but I get this tickle every night, and it's getting kind of old and frustrating.

There is nothing worse than interrupted sleep.

Knit Happens

2006-01-05T02:49:00.000-08:00

I'm so addicted. I always have several projects going at once because I get bored easily. Switching between projects keeps it interesting for me, plus I am so eager to finish projects. I have lots of people who love my work, and today, I need to work on christmas stockings and a hat. I'm also making a scarf for myself to go with a new coat I just ordered yesterday (although I have about 10 days before it's delivered).

I am so relaxed when I'm knitting, and my children love to watch me. My oldest daughter, 5yrs old, wants to learn how to knit, so the next time I go to the store, I'm going to pick up the child knitting needles for her use. Hopefully she'll pick it right up as she is eager to learn and watches me all the time.

I'm exploring different yarns as well. I'm getting away from the regular acrylics. I love Wool-Ease for a worsted weight, it's so soft and pretty cheap. I love Babylash by Bernat for children's items and I will be buying bernat cotton to start making sundresses for my daughters for the summer.

I also dabbled in Intarsia. I made a rosary pouch. This is my own pattern and it came out great. Not bad for a first project :)

The baby lash poncho

2006-01-04T17:43:00.000-08:00

I'm all for creating my own patterns, just picking up my needles and letting my imagination take me to the end of a project I can rightfully call my very own. My latest big hit is the baby lash poncho, which uses Bernat BabyLash yarn. This is a very luscious yarn, very inexpensive and it creates a wonderful item for adult and child alike. The pictures show just binding off for the neckline and my daughter wearing the finished project.
Eventually I'd love to tackle a double pointed project, whether it be mittens, a hat, or socks...I can't wait to do socks, since my feet are so cold lately LOL

Crazy Knitter I am

2006-01-04T17:29:00.000-08:00

I have been a crazy knitter for about 8 months now. I have been a crocheter for most of my life, learning when I was about 12. I didn't know how to do anything but a chain for quite sometime, so I gave up, picking it back up when I was pregnant with my first child. My best friend and I had a fall out, she picked up knitting and I was a crocheting madwoman. When we made up, I went to a knitting club and have been knitting every since. I have made scarves, ponchos, purses, bags, christmas stockings, hats, and even a sweater for my youngest daughter. I knit to keep my hands busy, it's very meditative for me, a great time to pray and get great results :)

I also have bipolar, that's where the craziness comes in. I was diagnosed at the age of 16 during a 2nd hospitalization. I was on meds for quite some time, all kinds of meds for the bipolar, for anxiety, for psychotic episodes. I went off my meds soon after dating my husband. I was able to manage my illness, or so I thought. I've been struggling, unbeknownst to me, for many years, but my illness has manifested itself in horrible ways the past few months.

I am now back on medication, more stable and I am able to enjoy my husband, my children and my life.