:: Yarn Along ::

On the needles :: I haven't worked on any knitting in weeks. I need to go to the yarn store for more for 2 of my biggest projects and ripping back all of my lace must have added a block in my brain about wanting to work on my shawl. But I realized that it will be fall before I know it so I need to get over my phobia about placing buttons myself and work on the sweater for #6. I purposely made it big, casting on the 6-12 month size, so it would fit her when it was sweater weather. I didn't want to have not finished it and miss sweater weather or her 6-12 month size. Though in my zest to place those buttons correctly I just knitted right along past the point of binding off the arm hole...back to ripping out. Sigh. I'm going to the yarn store this week so I'll have some more options soon. 

 On the nightstand :: It is that time of year where I'm not reading much but trying to read ahead and plan for school. I think I have all of my FIAR pre-planning done so now I just have to figure out when to put each book into our schedule. I'm ordering the rest of our books this week so I'll be planning and researching and scheduling for awhile yet.

Fo on over to Ginny's to see even morn yarn and books.

:: Yarn Along ::

On the needles :: I was about half done with the lace pattern on my Multnomah when I had to tear it out. I missed something somewhere and was off. I knew I was off but kept going until I reached a point I couldn't fake it anymore...rip. Good thing I'm enjoying the simplicity of it and how pretty the lace is even though it is so simple and the yarn...I guess my summer shawl making is going to take all summer.

On the nightstand :: See that "lucky day" sticker? That's my library's brilliant idea of having a shelf next to the self-check out counter with a copy of new releases. I got to pick up a grown up book (the adult sections of the library are many floors above the children's section and very quiet...not something I want to haul my collection up to very often). I read The Witness by Nora Roberts in two days, this included two very late nights because I had to know if it turned out! I'm sticking with Jane Eyre and it is getting good. Surprised me, Mr. Rochester did...

4 months

We are back to bring you our sweet #6's monthly update. We've had a milestone around here this month but I'll let #2 tell you about it since it is him month to share about his sister.

• She's cute.
• She's fun to hold.
• She's rolling over a lot.

That last one is just too much of a big deal to leave in the words of an 8 year old brother. Miss #6 rolls from her back to her tummy now and most often gets a little worked up that she's stuck sucking carpet. But in a move completely unusual for my babies she has been completely content to just lay there. Eyes wide open and laying completely relaxed. She even laid on her tummy in the middle of the living room and fell asleep the other day...strange and wonderful.

Byzantine Crosses

I'm thinking July may have to be the month I catch up. I looked over my list of things I wanted to write about, share here, document and remember. I'm behind. I always say {at least to myself} that I will be more consistent. Perhaps it just is what it is and I won't worry about it but with no journal and no scrapbook, this space is where I keep track of most of our goings-on...so I'll catch up.


We are in the thrills of summer with absolutely no routine, which I think can only last a couple more weeks before I go crazy, and school work in few and far between moments. But I bring you a project from all the way back in March (!).


Byzantine Crosses









We learned that Byzantine artists used egg yokes to bind the pigments of their paints. We tried our own painting with egg yoke based paint by painting on sugar cookie dough. And enjoyed an afternoon treat of beautiful and delicious snacks!

Dance

I'm thinking July may have to be the month I catch up. I looked over my list of things I wanted to write about, share here, document and remember. I'm behind. I always say {at least to myself} that I will be more consistent. Perhaps it just is what it is and I won't worry about it but with no journal and no scrapbook this space is where I keep track of most of our goings-on...so I'll catch up.

So...today I bring you dance. As in the dance class #1 took most of last year and finished with a recital and community performances in May (!).

 

#1 started being curious about dance at some point, I don't even really remember the start of her interest, and started dropping hints about maybe taking a class. In an effort to invest in the children's interests and passions and as a way of making sure #1 has other interests besides basketball we decided that dance would be something worthwhile of her time. I started researching dance places around town. #1 wanted to take a hip-hop class, that added a level of "concern" for me as I wasn't sure what kind of moves, music and costumes we would encounter. I found Hosanna Dance in town, and know some friends who have taken classes there, that met my "concerns" and #1 interest in hip-hop.

She started weekly classes in December and as the spring got closer and closer the work of class started turning toward the recital. Recital week is a pretty big deal with rehearsal, pictures and the actual show. For #1 we also had to purchase all the make-up and hair supplies necessary for her performances. I don't use a lot of make-up and hair supplies so we had to purchase everything new and #1 had so much fun with it all!

#1 did a great job with her performance. It was a joy to watch her on stage and working out something new and taking an interest and following through.

Another thing I really liked about Hosanna Dance was that after the recital, the last couple weeks of the class year were devoted to community performances in assisted living homes in the area. I thought it was a wonderful way of teaching the kids to give back to the community in whatever way they could and a blessing to the residents who maybe don't get out much.

:: Yarn Along ::

On the needles :: I didn't get as much knitting (or reading) time this week...last week must have been a fluke but I have been working on #5's vest. I should be able to finish up the ball of yarn in the next few days. I must also work away at Mr. Wiedz's sweater as I promised  myself no trips to the yarn store until I needed more yarn for that project.

On the nightstand :: I read a free kindle version of The Perfect Blend, I did not think too highly of it, glad I didn't purchase it but it was short and I wanted to know enough about what happen to finish it. I figured out how to download books from the library to my kindle but the options are pretty limited, I did find A Brief History of Montmaray and so far it is pretty good. AND I found a great thing at the library when I took the kids last week...an adult shelf right next to the check out counter! The one thing that is most difficult about our library is even though it has a beautiful children's section the adult section is upstairs and far away from that children's section. In order for me to check out books I have to haul everyone up there and put up with the stares of the patrons up there who think I'm nuts for having this many children and/or bringing them to the library. I know I can request books but if requested books aren't picked up by a certain date then the library charges a fee and I've experienced requested books being available all sorts of days other than the ones I'm there so that makes for extra trips to the library...not as convenient as it sounds. So from this shelf I found two books to check out...haven't even taken them out of the basket so have no idea if I scored or not.

Project :: The Tale of Two Quilts

I'm sure this post could be a "tale" but I'm not feeling particularly wordy today. But I did want to document and share my baby quilt for #6 and as with all things #6 it includes a story.

You may remember my dilemma with not finding out the gender of #6 when it came to hand-knits and coming home outfits. I had the same problem with the quilt.

I have waited through four boy's baby quilts to make a girly quilt. Sweet pink, pastels, flowers...oh I wanted to make a baby girl quilt. So when I decided not to find out the gender of #6 a gender-neutral quilt wasn't really an option. I wanted pink! Flowers! Pretty!

But I couldn't really come to the hospital and only have a girl quilt. No matter how much I was hoping and figuring and willing #6 to be a girl I wouldn't want to not have a quilt for the baby had it been a boy. 

So just like that meant two sweaters. And two coming home outfits. That meant two quilts.

 

I started the boy one first (deciding on fabric and making first cuts in November) but while waiting for the right backing fabric I finished the girl one.

I loved it. The fabric (for both) was from some pre-cut square bundles my mom gave me for Christmas years ago. I just laid the squares out in a somewhat pleasing way and sashed them with pink. Mom's gift even came with some yardage that was used for the border and I was able to find the same line online to order the backing. I hand quilt my baby quilts so I did a simple in the ditch around the squares and once around the last border. It's not my best quilting and binding sewing. I see a lot of ripples but it is already well loved and in the years that follow I won't even notice or care.

I found the right blue for the backing and binding of the boy quilt and got to work quilting in the last couple weeks before #6 was due. I was on track to finish. Once around the border with hand quilting, once around machine sewing the binding, and once around hand sewing the binding to the back.

But the stomach bug hit.

And I went to the hospital to deliver #6 with only a baby girl quilt packed. But I only needed a baby girl quilt!

I finished the boy quilt a month or so after #6 was born. I needed it off my shelf but didn't want to put it into the unfinished projects tub to languish in almost done state!

Of course I've heard all the jokes about saving it for the next one. Ha! Ha! I have nearly daily conversations with the Lord, thanking Him for the blessings He has blessed us with. Marveling at Him for deeming us worthy of these little people but asking Him to bless the next girl next time. And because I know not everyone believes that the Lord is completely in control of that sort of thing we have also taken the precautions we deem right for us. We would like to enjoy the children we have. We are ready to move on and have big kids and enjoy the next stage.

And as it happens a great friend of Mr. Wiedz found out his wife is expecting while I was pregnant with #6 and right after I had #6 they found out they are expecting a boy! So now the "extra" quilt has a baby cooking and waiting for it.