Well, it's time - I'm gonna work on some weightloss!  Thankfully, I don't have any leftover "baby weight," in fact once everything was said and done, I ended up smaller than when I got pregnant - but things didn't LAND where they used to be.  *sigh*

Baby brother, Tim, is getting married in July!  YAY!!!  I posted a pic of them for one of my "This moment" pics.

And, I get to be in the wedding - I'm SUPER excited!  The best part will be that except for the bride & groom, Hubby & I will be the only couple that'll get to walk together - because YES, he's in the wedding, too!  Double-yay!

So, this means that the "tighten it up" program needs to start NOW.  If it wasn't the dead of winter, I'd consider packing up the baby boy and walking.  But, have you ever pushed a stroller through snow?  Yeah...I'm not down for that.

I have a small kettlebell weight at home - if I can find it maybe I'll start with that.

Once the weather is warmer, there will be more options, sorta.  The schedule between the boys, the baby, and job doesn't leave much "wiggle room" for a workout.

But, maybe I'll see what I can do.  I'd still LOVE to get in on a 5k at some point this spring.  That'll take some training, too - although truth be told, I'm a great, big lazy bones.  :)

But, I've gotta at least get my arms toned - strapless dress, here I come!

Do you think she remembers I have a tattoo???  Hrmmm...

More crochet news...

Okay, so I worked on this while parked in front of the television last night.  It's not completely done yet, but hopefully tonight I'll be able to finish it - it should take more than a few minutes.  Oh, and it dawned on me after posting yesterday that they are not antlers, they're HORNS!! (...duh...)

I'm so excited, I think the older boys may get one too!  Well, and maybe Mom, too...*grin*

I apologize for the pic quality and the poor "ambience" - I didn't think to take a pic last night since it's not done yet, but I just couldn't wait until it's done.

*giggle*

I'm rather proud!  I hope you like!

Back to business...

I've been getting back into crocheting just a tiny bit lately.  Not nearly as much as I did, but just enough to keep my sanity.  I saw this about a week ago, and instantly fell in love.  I'm sorry - I'm a bad, bad blogger, and forgot to make a note to give credit, so I'm sorry - I have no idea where this picture came from...like I said, bad, bad blogger.  But, if you know where, please share!! 

Anyhoo...I'm widly in love with this lamp...it's so "Granny Chic," and those that know me know that my true design match is old, lame and cheesy (and sadly, usually comes with a musty, old-person smell...).

There are a few other things I've been working on, too!  A little girl at our church just turned one this week!  And since our family has been blessed with ALL BOYS lately, and I had some spare pink yarn laying around the house, I decided to make her a little lacy dress and matching bonnet.  I have to add buttons for the straps (it's a jumper-style dress), and block it, and it'll be all set to give her on Sunday!  I can't wait to show you pics!!!  *grin*

And, I started making our little guy a viking hat last night.  It's about the cutest thing EVER.  So far, the hat part is done,  I just need to work on how to make the "antlers."  Are they called antlers on a viking hat?  I'm never really sure.

 I'm basing my hat on the one under this link:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/63723647/crochet-pattern-lael-viking-hat-sizes

Right now, we don't have the money to pay for the pattern, but once we do, I hope to pay for it - just to give her the credit.  I realize I'm not using HER pattern (I'm making it up as I go - hoping for the best) - but it was her pic that made me swoon and need to make one.

And then, once it's done, I hope to have a couple extra dollars to work on a dinosaur hat for my new nephew.  It's been weird for me - all my other nieces & nephews had all kinds of home-made stuff from Aunt Stella - but because of the timing of Jordan, and being the same as Ben, I've not had the time (or the energy) to create for him like I did the others. 

Hopefully life can settle into a routine, and I can start making for him the way I did for the others...

*grin*

Yarn...Love...

*grin*

Ice and Ideas

While Ben spent some extra time with Nonna on Saturday, we took the big boys to the Plymouth Ice Festival this weekend.  It was nice to see all the people out, and to watch them carving away at the ice!

What disappointed me - and I guess it happens a lot - is that the older people at the festival were SO RUDE.  Okay, maybe rude isn't the appropriate word - maybe I should say inconsiderate.

All the old people were at the barricade lines, watching the people carving, and had all the kids behind them, trying to see the action between the adults legs and winter coats.  If we ever got the chance to move to the front, we shuffled in as many kids as we could, to stand between us and the barricade.  I guess maybe we had a different opinion than the older people that were there - but in the early afternoon, when the young kids COULD go to the festival, I want the kids to experience it, and see the process - I can google it later, and see it, if I'm interested.  I have always thought that things like this were for families and the children - not for the mid-60s men & women to block the fun stuff from the little guys!  I mean, if you want to come down, come after the sun goes down, when the kids are snuggled up and getting ready for bed.  Take advantage of it then!

But, it was definitely a fun day for us!

  This was a great, big bench that was made to sit on - and the boys thought it was the neatest thing ever!  They wanted to come home and make one!  :)

Of course, I can only imagine the state of the ice sculptures today - it's supposed to be 52 degrees!  I know this is what they do, but I just can't imagine putting in ALL THAT WORK, for your art to just disappear in a day or two. 

To change the subject - I've been telling myself for months now that I really need to get an apron.  Now that I'm back to work, and we're trying to get our finances back on track (a 5-month medical leave will destroy any financial goals you have for a year - let me tell ya), I'm back to cooking more at home.  This week, I've made a roasted turkey breast, a huge chicken pot pie, meatloaf, and a crock pot of pot roast - with onions, potatoes and carrots.  All were yummy (except the turkey breast, I was not impressed), but I realized that I come out of the kitchen with gross gunk all over my clothes, or I burn through a hand towel or two in cleaning up. 

Of course, I can't just run to the Wal*Mart and pick up an apron!  First, we don't have the cash right now - and second, well...that's just not me.  So, I'm going to start looking for alternatives online for aprons - to sew, to knit, to crochet - something!  I'd really like to find one that is full - I tend to drop a lot on the "shelf."  *grin*  But I'm keeping my options open.

I have a few friends or family members that have sewing machines - so I can either try to use their machine, or *grin* try and talk one of them into making it for me.  Perhaps I can barter something I'm good at for something they're good at!  :)

So, if you're reading this, and you have a sewing machine - and can sew...and you'd be willing to barter services, let me know! 

Or, if you know of a fool-proof apron pattern...send it to me! 

*giggle*

This Moment...

A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.
A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Hrmmm...I'm kinda digging the idea of just putting up pictures...maybe I'll try that!  One of the reasons I came to blogger, is because my dear cousin lizi has her blog here, and she just makes me smile. 
lizilovescake.blogspot.com

She does her regular (on occasion) Thursday Purrsday.  It makes me giggle uncontrollably.
And so, in homage to her adorable Thursday Purrsday, this is Gus!  Well, a bit of him, at least.

I adore this pic of him, because...well...this explains Gus!  Never really present, but ALWAYS keeping an eye on the commotion of the house (as you can see from the toy collection on the steps).

He is 11 years old, and is to annoyed by all the boys in the house to come down and play.  Him & I had MANY years just the two of us, and suddenly one day I moved him to a new house, added 3 new people (one being a MAN (*gasp*) and the other two being BOYS (*double gasp*)), then, did the unthinkable...and added two dogs.

He had nine years of a good cat life...and he seems rather bitter about the changes, even if they were nearly 2 years ago.  Poor guy...

This Moment...

Okay, I'm gonna try this thing.  We'll see how it turns up.  I feel like so much changes so quickly, I want to know that it counts...somewhere.

I will post mostly about me, but it will include my boys (all of them), my family, my pets, my life.

Maybe sometime it'll be something that people want to see.  Maybe not.  But, I want to put it out there.

This Moment...

To be a ritual, hopefully I'll do it on Fridays.  No commentary, no explanation, just a picture that captures...well, THIS MOMENT.