It's Not a Scarf!

From what I understand, just about every novice knitter starts with scarves and progresses to other projects. Well here it is. My first two projects other than a scarf. Both are beginner level patterns. Both were my first attempts at following a pattern. I'm so proud!

Thirteen Thursday 9

Thirteen Uses for Knitting Needles! 1. Hair Sticks. I never seem to have a ponytail holder when I need one but I always seem to have knitting needles with me! 2. Drum Sticks on the table. This is a favorite for my 9 year old daughter and just the thing to drive mom crazy. 3. A hole punch. Yes, as embarrassing it is, I have done this in a pinch. 4. A coffee stir stick. Again embarrassing but it has been done. 5. Back scratcher. Yep, I'm still embarrassed. 6. Pointing to something I'm talking about. 7. Pushing something down that I can't reach off the top shelf of a cabinet. 8. I tap the baby's behind with one when she starts trying to sabotage a current knitting project or unwinding a yarn ball. 9. Reaching something that fell behind the refrigerator or under the couch. 10. Carving and adding detail into Alexandra's latest playdoh project. 11. Pointing to one of the children when they are getting into something they shouldn't be when I am trying to knit. They have come to know this as a warning. Mom's knitting needles are serious business. 12. Measuring device when I cannot find a ruler or tape measure. This is one step better than eyeballing it! 13. The final and favorite use for knitting needles, KNITTING of course!

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Wordless Wednesday 13

Busy, Busy, Busy

I cannot believe how busy a SAHM can make themselves. I don't mean cleaning the house and taking care of the children. That's a given. I'm talking about everything else.

I now love to knit. Every free moment I can manage, I have two needles and yarn in my hands.

I have taken up sewing again. I also want to teach the basics to Monica. I believe it is a fantastic life skill for my daughter to have. I'm not a master seamstress or anything like that, but I can follow a pattern (although I try to steer clear of zippers because it's been 20 years since home economics).

Monica has gymnastics, Girls Scouts and saxophone lessons. They are all on different days of the week.

We are experimenting with Alexandra taking violin lessons. This has just begun and if it works out we will continue.

Alexandra also has preschool twice a week. It is a nice break for both of us but it can be hairy getting her there and back. I have to get the baby bundled, get Alex ready and usually get Alex ready again because she loves to take her clothes off after I get her all ready to go.

I have some Microsoft Office teaching manuals and software. I am going to begin training Monica with Microsoft Word. If this works out, I will move on to Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint and Frontpage with her.

There's always a doctor or dentist appointment somewhere during the month when you have three children. I have a doctor appointment once a month to get trigger point injections. I actually travel an hour and a half to get that done because I have trouble trusting yet another new doctor sticking needles in my neck. When we moved, I just decided it would be better to travel. I travel once every 3 months to Massachusetts for Lucianna's doctors appointment. She also goes an hour and a half away to one of two pediatric neurologists in the area. She is going to the other one (which is an hour away) in two weeks for a second opinion.

I try to find time to blog but have failed miserably. I love to blog. I really love to blog. The problem is that I love to blog almost as much as knitting. I'm sure that will change since knitting is so new to me. One day soon, I will realize that I love to blog just as much as I love to knit and I will find time for both each day.

Did I mention that I am the troop leader for Monica's Girl Scout troop?

I also am in process of starting up an eBay business. The hard part is getting started. It's very time consuming and I haven't gotten very far as of yet, but I won't give up on it yet. It's just for a little extra money. All the activities that the children take part in cost way too much.

I'm in the process of looking for a home church. We found a really nice church about 10 miles away. Being realistic, I know that I'm not going to drive that far for every function that goes on. My recent Sunday attendance alone has proven that fact. I have to start the search over again and focus more local.

I would like to go back to college in the fall semester. This is something that I want to do for myself. It will probably be half on campus and half online study. I don't even necessarily want to go back to work. It's really more to fulfill the need to learn. We will see.

Yes, you have just gone through my life in a week. Most is focused on my children but I'm trying to refocus a little on me. To top off the list above, my time management skills stink. I don't know how I get through a day accomplishing anything.

I do the best I can, especially for my children. I don't force them to do a thing (I've actually tried to get Monica to quit gymnastics so I have one less place to go) but if they are having fun, I will continue on.

My New Favorite Hobby

Okay, like I have time for anything else in my life. I did manage to squeeze it in though. I taught myself how to knit from a book. I love it. It's a great feeling when you finish a nice project.

The picture above is the latest scarf completed. It's by far my favorite. Now I am working on my first sweater. I completed the back and have started on the front. It's for my three year old so hopefully it will not take me forever and a day to complete.

Next I will have to make something for the baby. I'm so excited to have a hobby that I enjoy so much. I crochet too but I like the patterns for knitting better. I think it's much more trendy. My children love it when I make them something.

I still have a lot to learn. There's only so much you can learn from a book. I've picked up a lot of tricks and tips from the show "Knitty Gritty," my new favorite television show. I have the DVR scheduled to record it twice a day. I watch it whenever I can slip it in. I will most certainly have the marathon of Knitty Gritty recording while I watch the Super Bowl on Sunday. Too bad football is over for the season. I love to knit while watching football. It's my favorite thing to do!