Best question ever!!!!!!!!

When I was teaching in the classroom, we would start the morning with a group greeting. Today, boys and girls, I'd like you to meet Kristin! Everybody say, "Hello to Kristin." This is Kristin becoming a brand new knitter! Kristin had the very best question I've ever been asked after I sent her a picture of the inside of a LYS, "...that looks amazing!!! is it wrong to buy yarn just cuz u like it...lol"

What do you think, boys and girls? I think she's going to get along with us just fine! We love this girl.

Today we're off for an 'educational field trip'. I'm taking her to her first look inside two LYS. Sunday we bought her 'The Knit Stitch" and "The Purl Stitch", two of the 'bibles of knitting' as far as I'm concerned for first time knitters. Can't wait to put some EZ into her hands. Oh, and the first practice knitting that I left her with? She pulled it out and redid it so it would look better! Ya know what that means? She has no trouble with the concept of frogging and tinking! Yep..she's going to knit circles around us all! Can't wait to see where she takes us. This is going to be fun!

In other news, I got to be a stealth cupid from my Dad for my Mom. Don't you love setting up surprises for people you love?

Dad's surgery will be this Friday morning, as will be my Uncle's. He's have his hip replaced. Dad is having two vascular stints put in. Prayers for them and their surgical teams, good thoughts, candles, etc...all gratefully appreciated.

As EZ used to say, Knit On through all things? Or something like that. Right now, I'm heading for some yarn therapy!

Let the knitting..err....Olympics begin!

Are you doing any Olympic knitting? Here's how my Florence sweater has been since oh...April, 2009. I think it's time we get back to it-eh?

I saw the sample again the other day at 'A Piece of Ewe' here in Bay City, still up on the wall. It's so much prettier in person that the colors they picked for the pattern book. Can't wait for the opening ceremonies to begin tonight! But first....

I need to finish the baby blanket. Dad's surgery will be next Friday for his Endovascular repair of Bilateral Iliac Aneurysms. Can't wait until he's back on his feet. I have my sweater to knit while I'm driving him to all his appointments.

Ready, set.........I wanna GO KNIT!

Back to knitting again...yea!

Finally! I have been trying for the past 3 days to get pictures uploaded here and have had forty fits, it seems. The Wallaby sweater has been finished and is off on it's journey to the baker's helper. Now, it's a wait and see game to find out if I added too much length to the arms and body of the sweater. I used the child's size 12 pattern in the booklet by Cottage Creations and then extended the body and sleeves a couple of extra inches. It took me just under 3 skeins of navy "I Love this Yarn!" from the Hobby Lobby stores.

In about 2 days of doc's appointments/knitting time, I'm closing in on the next Feather and Fan Rainbow Baby Blanket. That one was due at Christmas time, I'm a little behind schedule.

But it feels really good to be back to my knitting mojo. And I have to say that it's due to the Baker's Helper. What a charmer. I do hope he's happy with the sweater, even if I didn't put in the 'C' that he wanted on the front. My brain just isn't back to that much figuring.

To answer the question about the Norwegian Star Hat-it comes from Charlene Schurch's book, "Hat's On!", and it's the 3rd time I've knit it up. Sadly I don't have the book with me, so I can't show you the cover. But if you google it, you'll find it right away.

The Irish Hiking Scarf was made with Silky Flamme yarn that I picked up from A Piece of Ewe here in Bay City, MI when I came on Christmas Day without my scarf and hat. It was on clearance, and I really like how soft it is! It doesn't make the cable POP like a solid wool would,but with the alpaca and silk in it, it's sooooooo cuddly soft to wrap around my neck! Even if it does shed on the car seat, I don't mind it one bit!

Prior to leaving over the holidays, I took advantage of some huge book sales, free shipping, and gift money and picked up/ordered some new knitting books. Can you see a theme here? Lots of color knitting! I'm just dying to get some things off my 'to-do' list so I can start the backpack on the cover of Norwegian Handknits! Oh baby! That is screaming my name! Can't.hardly.wait.!

Thank you to each and everyone of you who have taken the time to write about my Auntie and my Dad. We'll know the outcome of surgical appointments tomorrow afternoon when we meet with the surgeon now that all presurgery testing has been completed. He's had an aneurysm that's gone untreated due to the seriousness of his fall back in 2004 that led to all the other surgeries, treatments, etc...since that time. After his 12 weeks of being in the hospital in 2008, he'd sworn off anymore surgery. However, after looking at his pictures last week, we are all in agreement that it can no longer be put off. So for this trip I brought along 2 baby blankets that are past due and my Florence sweater. I have decided to join the Ravelry group for WIP's for the Olympic knitting feat with my Florence Sweater. Because I've not touched it since April, 2009, it qualifies. Now, I know I'll have one baby blanket done prior to opening ceremonies, but the 2nd one is doubtful -and that baby came back in December! Are any of you participating in Olympic Knitting?

As to the notes about my Auntie, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. We had my Uncle over for dinner Monday night and there was an obvious 'hole' at the dinner table. They had a love story like no other! I'll try and share the recipe that I made soon. It brought back a lot of good memories! Good food, good family and friends. Not to mention some great memories. I get to sprinkle it all with some good knitting...what more can a girl want?

I'm heading out to take some snow pictures. We are at the top of the snow storm on the weather maps, but we still got plenty! Stay warm!

While you were knitting...

I had a quick Christmas with the kids...

Saw sunrise from the Detroit Airport...

Ate ice cream with Mom at the mall...

went to Michigan with out my hat and scarf..so started to make Norwegian Start hat for the 3rd time...

Received some venison!

Ate a whole lot of this yummy stuff...

Knit a Christmas colored kitchen set for a very special caregiver...

made another hat in the right colors this time..

said Goodbye to a very special Auntie...who taught me to knit when I was 7 years old with these needles...

Apparently grew much shorter standing next to my niece...

Finished my hat

which looked like this because I apparently had been skipping a whole paragraph of directions on the 2 previous run throughs of this pattern...(amazing how things fit when you read and follow all of the directions-sometimes you find you didn't need such a hu-moungous size!

Shoveled a whole lot of snow...which was covered up..and shoveled lots more...yep, that was a 6"ruler buried in there the night before I left...



fixed Mom's apron.

Watched a HUGE snow plow do it's thing..

Started a scarf to wear in Michigan but worked on it while waiting for the plane to leave Michigan...because I went to Michigan and didn't bring my hat or my scarf...

hung out at the beach with my daughter and the baker's helper prior to the big rain storm of 2010 while we could...

taught the 7 year old, baker's helper to knit so he could help make his scarf for his homework...


got nailed by a whole lot of rain around town..and down the backyard...

yep..a whole lot of rain...

finished the scarf back in California...

after multiple attempts, got all 4 kids to stand together semi-politely for a moment to snap their picture...

before starting on another Wallaby sweater when the baker's helper asked every so shyly how long it would take for me knit him a sweater and taking it on the plane..

to fly back to Michigan this morning while Dad is having some more testing done this week...

Merry Christmas!

... As the stockings were hung, by the chimney with care...

Merry Christmas to all and to all, a good night.

While you're preparing for the holidays...

Do me a favor...reach out and hug your family members really tight...for a really long time. Even the ones you have issues with. I have 4 items left to knit and 2 to sew to get ready for 'the big day'. Then on Saturday morning I'm hopping on a plane to go home. I need to be with my Mom and family as they have been called home to say their goodbyes to her big sister. She's my Auntie who taught me to knit when I was a little kid and her path with Alzheimer's seems to be coming to a close.

Let this season be one that brings you peace and love and healing. May good memories both support you and be created to carry you and yours throughout the years to come. Family is a precious thing where I come from. There is NOTHING that can replace it. I'm hugging my kids tonight really tight..and soon I'll be hugging the rest of the family just as tightly. Consider yourselves all hugged from me, too. May you all enjoy the memories, traditions and love passed down through your own families.

From my house to yours..Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Now..go hug someone.