Christmas Insanity!

We had a wonderful Christmas, as, I hope, did all of my friends in Blogland.  I LOVE this season's constant stream of parties, food, and general "togetherness".  There's never a lack of something to do.  We had festivities from the beginning of December until Boxing Day (aka the Feast of Stephen).  Steve loves having a plan for the Feast of Stephen as a way of extending Christmas.  

I knit myself into a frenzy but forgot to take ONE picture.  Yes, I am the newly crowned Queen of the Idiots.  I shall get pictures shortly and update soon.  Since the camera is always in the diaper bag (must be prepared), I have just a few Christmas festivities to write about...

The first is my extended family's annual Christmas party (mom's side).  I have a bit of a love/hate with this party as most of my family members on this side are fabbity fab but some are incredibly odds bodkins (as extended families tend to get).  I will NEVER say which are which but there we are ;).  Example (which is going to give things away): an entire branch of this family tree went on strike this year and didn't show up.  What?! 

The below pic is of the littles singing Jingle Bells.  Very higgeldy piggeldy but very  cute nonetheless.  They were each given a jingle bell for the song and later turned said jingle bells into weapons, as you do.  

We have a pinata at this party every year.  Pinatas cause a crazed frenzy.  Anytime you give a child a stick and tell him to beat something until candy falls out, you will create armageddon.  Oddly, this activity is usually kept pretty well under control and we have not had a child broken or stitched to this date. Where is some wood?

Here is the Lizzard with a savage gleam in her eye.  I feel certain she was seeking out a child to hit.

And now Will, bound and determined to smash the poor snowman to bits until he offered up his candy stuffing.  

Our next party is our annual Linton Family Christmas Bash held at Steve's parent's house.  This has become such a fun tradition.  We have appetizers, a cookie exchange, and an insane talent show in the basement (think Dan in Real Life).  It's all very wonderful.  Will insisted on singing two songs and I felt the tiniest bit like Mr. Bennett telling Mary to "give the other girls a chance to exhibit".  Oh well, he was humored and remains one of the cutest children in existence ;).  This picture is of him singing Jingle Bells very off key.

Lizzy loves nothing more than to dance.  Her favorite song in the world is the Hot Dog song from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (she asks me to sing it to her before bed).  For her talent, we set up a CD player and let her fly.  She was a dancing fool and there was never a happier girl.  She mainly stomps her feet and flaps her arms like a chicken but it cracks us up and was absolutely perfect.

So here we are at Christmas morning.  For many months Will has asked for nothing but a Buzz Lightyear and and Emperor Zurg.  These he got.  Simple pleasures.  Lizzy also got a Buzz and a Woody since she loves him with all her heart.  Now, being the smart mom that I am and knowing that children two years apart are interested in the same toys, I got Will a Woody too.  We got the two Woodys at separate times and from different places.  Will's talks, Lizzy's does not.  Yes, Lizzy noticed.  She's not particularly fond of her Woody and usually plays with Will's.  Ahh, well.  You can't win 'em all.  

 



As I said, we had an absolutely fabulous Christmas this year. Kids make Christmas so much more fun for us. They have brought the magic back. I love having little people in the house who fully believe that a man is coming down the chimney to bring them toys and that if they're good enough, they'll get what they asked for. I only hope they never ask for something I can't (or won't) get them. Like another kid, or another dog ;).

Coming soon, Christmas knits (yes, this is still a knitting blog, I swear!), and my gift to Steve (it was really cool).

I've Become a Noblog

I have no idea what's wrong with me lately.  I CANNOT summon the desire to blog.  We've done Christmassy things.  We've had parties.  We've decorated.  I've knitted.  I don't really care to write about it.  I'm taking laziness to a new level. I've been knitting quite a bit but as said knitted items are gifts, I can't very well bandy them about on my blog for the recipients to see, can I. 

 So, with a terrible lack of blogging creativity, I took a picture of my Christmas tree.  The one I claimed was so pretty.  Well, pictures of lit Christmas trees are crap.  As you see...

It really is great.  I swear.  It's 12 feet tall and has about 12 million lights and wonderful purple, gold, red and green ornaments all over it.  But this is the best I could give you, so there it is.

On my birthday we had some family pictures taken.  Always an adventure.  Steve's cousin is a photographer and does a bang up job with these photos.  She's the one who took the pics of the kids on my sidebar.  She is not a parent at the present time and is still under the impression that all children are hilarious.  She never gets impatient with them and they respond very well to her.  Therefore, she has excellent results.

The above is one of my faves and looks like a J Crew catalog page to me (you look hot, babe).

This one (forgive me, Steve) was just too hilarious not to display.  This is Lizzy in full rotten mode.  Steve was caught unawares and thus looks a wee bit mental ;). 

In my previous post I told you about my hideous pain issues.  Well, my poor little 3 year old is concerned.  Far too concerned for a little boy.  I suited him up yesterday to play in the snow with his friend.  He couldn't be bothered to wait inside so I sent him out to wait on the front steps.  When I opened the door to check on him and this is what I found him doing...


Poor little man!  What 3 year old feels the need to shovel the walks?  He has no clue how to shovel!  Look at his little hat.  He was just chucking snow everywhere.  It was v v cute.  

Okay.  That's it.  That's what I came up with because I was boring MYSELF with my blog.  I hope it's mildly interesting to some.  

32 Reasons I Like Being Me.

I just had my 32nd Birthday on the 6th and was not going to do a Birthday post but decided that I've been on a bit of a whinge so I needed to list the reasons it's great to be me.  

First off, I'd like to announce the winner of the "drawing" which didn't end up being a drawing because only one person said what they were thankful for... Julie.  Ta da!  She wins!  However, since she is a Noknit I will have to invent a prize for her as yarn would be a stupid gift for a non knitter.  Watch out Julie, a really cool prize is coming your way!  

Now.  I have become the most hideous whiner of late because of a long standing back injury that has decided (after two pregnancies) to rear its ugly head.  Its REALLY ugly head.  However, this gives me NO reason to be a chronic complainer and become the bane of my family's life ;).  SO, I've decided to list 32 fantastic things to remind myself that the good outweighs the bad in my life!  Honestly, just look at the above picture.  How could I not laugh hysterically every time I see that?  I have two hilariously rotten children for whom I don't even have to buy Christmas prezzies due to their level of naughtiness and hatred for Santa.  Kidding!  Will actually did like Santa, I just think he didn't know how to react to Lizzy's Christmas induced fit.  

Here goes...

32 Reasons it's great to be Heidi

1) I've got the best husband in the world

2) I've got the funniest/cutest little boy in the world

3) I've got the silliest/cutest little girl in the world

4) We have amazing families (Steve and I)

5) We live around great people

6) I can knit!  

7) I have a home (and I really like it!)

8) We have two really cute and really bad dogs

9) We have great friends

10) I get to read all the books I want

11) I live in a pretty great country

12) I live in a place that has 4 seasons

13) I get to watch 30 Rock (and it's stinkin' funny)

14) I'm surrounded by amazing people who will pick up the slack when I can't do it anymore

15) My husband is the self proclaimed "Captain Surpriso" which means he likes to surprise people (mainly me) with gifts

16) I have a newly organized pantry!

17) Even though I gained 50 lbs with each pregnancy, I know how to lose weight!  Phew!

18) I can swim.  Like a madwoman.

19) I can do Weight Watchers.  Like a madwoman.

20) I get to watch A LOT of British movies and TV

21) My husband has a job

22) I get to go back to school someday to get my MA.  Whenever I feel like it :)  And study whatever I want!

23) I'm 5'10"

24) Will only wants Emperor Zurg and Buzz Lightyear for Christmas.

25) Lizzy only plays with toys Will plays with!

26) I have husband who likes to cook

27) I have a husband who likes to travel. A lot. Just like me!

28) I have a really pretty Christmas tree. Really pretty ;)

29) I am the proud owner of a yarn winder and swift (as of two days ago)

30) My kids say REALLY funny things

31) My kids smell REALLY good

32) I still like birthdays and don't worry about getting older! Woot Woot!

So there it is. The 32 reasons I need to shut my gob and go to physical therapy!

My 1 Year Knitaversary!

In celebration of A YEAR IN THE KNIT, I will be doing a random drawing for a really cool prize (because that's what knitters seem to do ;)).  

(This is not the prize. I just REALLY love this photo).

As it is Thanksgiving in this part of the world, I would like to ask you all what you are thankful for.  Just a thing or two.  I'm only putting one thing I'm thankful for because I've been knitting for 1 year.  I have millions of things to be thankful for but since I haven't been knitting for millions of years...  I'm thankful for my hands ;).

The little beauty below is how it all began. Kara (knittinglemonade) taught me how to knit 1 year ago this very month (maybe even this week, I can't remember exactly). In fact, I was in tears one year ago last night over this very scarf. I had taken my needle out to "fix" something and getting it back in was not as easy as when Kara had done it. The yarn for "sort of short, fat" (name of scarf) was given to me by Erin (girlwhoknits) after I had my first baby, in a vain attempt to get me to knit. I kept saying "I REALLY want to learn... some day". 

Well, I just couldn't keep looking at the amazing things Erin and Kara were making, saying I wanted to learn, and doing nothing about it. SO, I finally begged Kara to teach me. I think she actually took matters into her own hands and said "I'm coming over this week, feed me and I'll teach you to knit. This is mental". Or something like that. Anyway, a year later, here's a look back at some of the highlights and not-so-highlights of my knitting career. Obviously, "sort of short-fat", couldn't be worn so I felted it and made it into potholders. Really cute potholders.

This scarf, as you might notice, is just a random jumble of knit rows and purl rows. I HATED purling at first and so this was sort of my "cilice" scarf. Every time I REALLY didn't want to purl, I made myself (like pulling that chain tighter). It was very Opus Dei. It worked though, because now purling doesn't bother me at all ;).

After this I knitted about 75,000 additional scarves because I realized that I LOVED knitting. Loved it! I got on knittinghelp.com every time I needed help, and figured things out. I also knitted with Kara when I could. Kara, you see, was preparing to abandon me for London. This worked out for my knittinghood better than I could have hoped because it made me learn to fix mistakes and figure most things out on my own (I admit that since her return I've become the teensiest bit lazy).

The next project I did was the adorable Brooklyn Cap which I renamed the "Jon Merrick" because of its ridiculous size before felting. It could have been a LIFE SAVER for the poor elephant man and covered all his wonky bumps.

This was a wicked fun project wherein I learned how to knit in the round, how to use double pointed needles, pick up stitches, and some bind off that was new to me at the time (I don't remember what it was). All very simple now but it was quite an undertaking that night and I'm sure Kara wanted to slit her wrists. Oh well.

Next we have my first hats I did on my own. These are a bit tatty but I still love them and make the kids wear them.

Thus began my obsession for hats. Well, accessories really. You see, they're very quick and make such great gifts and aren't expensive and... Well, these ARE very cute. And what baby wouldn't want to be seen in one?

I tend to be a very careful knitter. Thus the title of my blog. I have to remind myself that I'm not on the bomb squad, I'm just playing with sticks and string. What's the worst that could happen? Well, I could have to frog something which IS super annoying but it's not like I'm losing a limb. Right? Anyway, I got sort of brave for awhile and learned fair isle. It was so great and straight forward so then I tried cabling. What a treat! Granted, I haven't done anything remotely complicated in either of these techniques but at least I've tried!

This hat will likely never be worn for more than five minutes as "IT ITCHES!" but it's so cute that I shall continue to try and force Will to wear it through the winter.

This hat I just gave away to our kids favorite babysitter who has moved away for a few years. She'll look much better in it that I do since she has long hair. Also, she deserved it-she's an amazing girl.

Some other knitting wonders I've tried this year (it's all very magical, isn't it?) are lace knitting...

Turning a heel...

The amazing Kitchener stitch...

Entrelac... EEK! (Obviously this baby HAD to be FROGGED!).

Sometimes we create things, when knitting, that make us want to gouge our eyes out with our needles. My shell was one such project. Bad yarn (for the project). Bad pattern. Bad knitter? I don't know. The stars were not aligned for this one and I have yet to wear it. It's a bit too shlumpadinka. Ahh well, you can't win them all and I did learn many new techniques so I guess it's a triumph. Right?



Knitting has not only provided me with an art that I ADORE, it has introduced me to women all over the world who I now consider my friends, and it has allowed me to help others less fortunate. Earlier this year I found out (through Marit's blog) about a girl in California who was going to Ukraine to do some volunteer work at an orphanage there. 300 children were in need of hats because they don't always have heat indoors in the winter. Enough people responded that Kristi was able to collect enough hats for 2 orphanages and all the children in the surrounding village. How's that for knitters pulling together?

This is a picture of just a few. My sisters in law made a few as well and I think we sent 8 all together.  I'm so glad I came across "Kristi's Hat Quest".  What a great experience.

And finally, knitting has provided me with a crazed obsession. Fingerless mitts. I'm in therapy and hope to overcome it soon. WHATEVER! I LOVE them and I'm going to keep on knitting them. I don't have a single pair for myself yet-they have all been knit as gifts! HA! How's that for selfless ;)? Yes, it's my most recent pair. I still haven't finished that idiot thumb. Oh KARA!

So there is my summary for A YEAR IN THE KNIT. It's been so much fun and I look forward to many more years of knitting and getting braver and braver! Hooray for knitting!

Oh Dear.

Well, as many of you out there probably are, I'm in a mad rush to get Christmas prezzies done.  A hat for him, a scarf for him, some mittens for her...  (Kara, I hear you in the background murmuring "accessory knitter, accessory knitter").  I've found some fabbity fab patterns that I'm really excited to try and some fantastic yarns that feel like a dream to knit with.  Do any of you find yourself in a pickle when you combine a particular pattern and a dream yarn?  I fear I have knit myself a bit of a fiasco...

This pattern is so cute and I think I've done it a bit of a disservice with the yarn I chose.  The friend I'm making them for is allergic to wool so I chose a lovely Llama/Silk mix but it's really a bit too slippy dippy doo for these!  I had to use 4 different needle sizes during the course of this pattern (one to cast on, one to knit, one for the top ribbing, one to bind off)!  They're still a bit shlumpy.  The receiver is a non knitter so she won't notice the shlumpadinka parts of these and will probably love them (they feel AMAZING) but I don't like the result.  What would my fellow knitters do?  Yes, you've noticed the thumb isn't done.  Well, I started knitting it and noticed it was inside out and got so mad that I ripped it back and decided that Kara was going to have to help me on this one.  I know it shouldn't be that hard but now I'm frustrated and stuck.  This is what happens when the Sensei returns from London.  I have stopped crying over knitting mistakes (and then figuring them out), instead I wait until Kara can help me and all is well.  Thanks friend!  

Pattern: Cabled Fingerless by Kimberly (ravelry download)

Yarn: Scacel Llama/Silk something DK

Mods: Done in magic loop.  Threw me off a bit since I'm not well versed in this method!

For: Friend (can't say unless she reads this) 

On a happier note, these are perfect (of course, they're pathetically simple...)

Aren't they cute?  Another baby gift.  They take about an hour and a half each and you're done!  

Pattern: Baby Mittens by Malin Nilsson

Yarn: Knit Picks Felici in Arugula

Made For: Baby Mason

I'm also working on a scarf for one brother in law and picked up a hat pattern for another brother in law.  

The Silky Flamme is for the hat and I think it'll be great.  The pattern has got sort of a medieval warrior look to it (earflaps and all ;)).  The Kathmandu is working out really well for the scarf.  I'm using a pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts (best pattern book) which is terribly boring but has a really great look.  The yarn is amazingly soft (merino, silk and cashmere) but has this wonderfully rustic look to it.  It'll need a good blocking but I'm v v excited for the end result (especially because I'm going gouge my eyes out from boredom!).  

I'm tiring myself out with this post.  This is only the tip of the Christmas iceberg!  I think I'm going to have to start buying things, ripping the tag off and saying I knit it myself.  I'm kidding, of course.  I have a bit more class than that (I think).    

Now for a tag.  It's called the 7  things tag.  Here goes...

7 things I can do:

1) Sleep

2) Knit

3) Eat

4) Swim

5) Scuba Dive

6) Go to an ice cream parlor and not eat anything!

7) Learn

7 things I can't do:

1) Keep my house organized

2) Be patient

3) Cook

4) Draw/Paint/Sketch

5) Play an insrument

6) Organize my time

7) Go a day without TV

7 things I always say:

1) You cannot be serious

2) ENOUGH!

3) I have had it!

4) Lizzy, stop hitting

5) Will, stop crying

6) I love you

7) Who's my best?

8) That is MENtal! (I had to add this, Cinda is right-I say it ALL the time)

7 things I always eat:

1) Cheese

2) Bread

3) Apples

4) Soup

5) My kids stupid chicken nuggets

6) Pancakes

7) Used to be Diet Pepsi but my neurologist has forbidden it.  I'm still counting it.

7 tags:

1) Cinda

2) Hege

3) Amanda (from BYU)

4) Marie

5) Blah

6) Blah

7) Blah

Norway, we're hard on your heels!

Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.  Well, I did.  I saw all the lovely snow on Hege and Bea's blogs and I wanted some for myself.  We got it.  Lots of it. 

The first snow of the season is always so fun.  It's such a surprise to wake up to a white world. Everything is muffled and the only things I heard were the neighbor kids yelling to each other to get their sleds.  

Lizzy has no memory of snow since she is not yet two.  When I told her to go look out the window this morning her response was "eewww"!  It was very cute.  Will was beside himself with joy and I had a hard time shoving breakfast down his throat.  I got them both kitted out like Storm Troopers and plopped them in the back yard.  Will got to work throwing snow immediately but Lizzy took some time getting used to it.  Her faceplant into the snow about 5 minutes in didn't help matters ;).  

Lizzy is still getting used to the idea of snow at this point.

She didn't dare to brave the snow alone and had to be escorted by "Buddy" (her name for Will) for the first 20 minutes.  He's such a good big brother to her.

Of course, it always turns to fighting in the end ;).

After about 40 minutes (a pretty long time for a little girl) Lizzy had had enough.  Will continued to play for about another hour since his cousin Logan came over to join him.  When they finally came inside, it was time for hot chocolate and a viewing of "The Polar Express" (I can't help myself, Christmas movies come out VERY early around here!).  It's been a fun day for the kids and even though I'm sad to say goodbye to fall (my favorite time of year), it's so fun to have the first snow.  Will asked me, "does this mean it's Christmas now?".  Yes, it does!

Two FO's and the Most Hilarious Phobia Imaginable...

Steve's secretary just had a baby so I, of course, had to knit her something.  I actually threatened not to because they wouldn't find out the sex until she was born (I have no patience for these ancient rituals ;), but I relented in the end.  I've decided to make baby mittens with my insane amounts of sock yarn that I can't seem to stop buying so here are Miss Ivy's little mittens...

Pattern: Malin's Mitts

Yarn: My Bootee (local yarn company)

Needles: US  47" size #3 (love me some magic loop)

Made for: Little Miss Ivy

I had what looked like "tons" of this sock yarn left so I thought "hmmm, wouldn't it be cute if Erica (Ivy's mom) had matchy matchy fingerless mitts in the same yarn".  So off I go a knittin' and barely had enough to finish Erica's mitts let alone do an i-cord for Ivy's.  Sorry Ivy, if one of these falls off, you are OUT OF LUCK ;)

Here are Erica's...

Pattern: My Bootee Arm Warmers

Yarn: My Bootee

Needles: US 47" size #4

Made For: Erika

Here they are, matchy matchy, mitts squared (they're MFEO)...

Cute, huh?  And no, I do NOT expect Erica and Ivy to wear them together.  I'm not THAT nerdy!  But I do expect them to have professional pictures taken in them ;). 

Okay, here comes a confession.  I may lose some blog readers over this one!  I have this hilarious phobia for which I get made fun of all the time.  I know of only a few people that have it including my mom and one of my sisters and a couple of friends.  I'm telling you this so you know I'm not completely crazy ;).  It's called "cluster" phobia or, as I found out last night, the technical term is trypophobia.  It's a real thing!  It's this revulsion for clusters of holes.  For some people it's an actual fear but for me, and any of the people I know who have it, these things just MAKE OUR SKIN CRAWL.  Beyond the clusters, I have an aversion to the sight of any odd texture or cluster.

 

Here's an example...If I'm making mac and cheese for my kids and all the stupid noodles are facing me, hole side up, it makes me sick and I have to mix it up really fast to destroy the pattern!  

Also; fish scales, the backsides on the chickens in the movie Chicken Run, skin cells under a microscope, hair follicles under a microscope, WOOL under a microscope, mushrooms growing in my grass, beehives, spores on the underside of ferns, bundles of pipes on a truck bed...the list is infinite.  They all make me crazy!  

I'm in fits of laughter just writing about this.  I had to post about this because I was talking to my friend last night and she thought I was nuts and that I should look it up-so I did.  Apparently, it's some form of obsessive compulsive disorder and for some people it gets so bad that they have to be on medication.  When I was reading about it last night I was crying I was laughing so hard.  There are so many people grossed out by the same things as me but also people who have nightmares about clusters getting imbedded in their skin.  Now I want to puke.  

For your viewing pleasure (and so you can gain a full appreciation for my phobia), I thought I'd include a few pictures of some things that gross me out.  Beware, if you have trypophobia you'll hate my guts forever for this.

This is the mildest...

Now we're getting worse...

COME ON!!!!!!!

WHY DOES THIS HAVE TO EXIST?  No good can come of this.  Only more hideous frogs who have babies out of their backs.  What do you think is left after these eggs come off?  I'll tell you.  Holes.  Some people keep these as pets.  Come now, pets?  Honestly.  Well, there is your ride down Insanity Lane for the day.  I hope you enjoyed it!

Great, now I have these hideous pictures on my blog for all eternity!

Without Family...

Without Family, a lot would be missing from my life.  Steve and I both have all of our family living close by and it's a blast.  We can count on them for everything.  We spent the week with my family up in Wolf Creek in Eden, Utah.  It was great.  The kids loved it and though it exhausted us completely, I'm so glad we have these opportunities to spend with our families.  I know they are the memories our kids will keep forever.  This post is just a little ditty about things I would never have realized or been able to enjoy without my family.


Without family, we wouldn't be able to do fun things like spending the week up in Eden, Utah.  It's amazingly beautiful and the kids had a riot.  We spent some time in Ogden, eating at some delicious restaurants, going to a wonderful yarn store, and visiting the Dinosaur Museum.  I also discovered a use for all of my sock yarn...baby mittens!  Hoorah!  Pictures coming soon. 

Without family,  I wouldn't have seen the joy this painted horse could bring to two little kids.

Without family, we wouldn't have Logan to tell us things like "I think this car is broken" and then point to the part of the car he "thought" might be broken.  The car is at the Ogden Dinosaur Museum and I think it's meant to look like a dinosaur ate part of it.  I almost tinkled my pants for laughing over his observation! 

Without family, I wouldn't have this little boy to take a picture of.  This naughty little boy who turned into a raptor about 30 minutes later when I told him it was time to go home.  He threw a cliche of a fit wherein he kicked the car, called me an "idiot" and "stupid" and laid himself out on the ground.  Oh, how I wish I'd had the Tobasco sauce!  Luckily my Mom was in the parking lot so I told her to keep an eye on him while I "left" him there.  That calmed things down rather quickly and he called me on my Mom's cell and asked me to come back and get him.  This of course, broke my heart but honestly, what the heck was I supposed to do with that?  Worst fit of his life, bar none.  It is, of course, extremely funny now and fits aside, I love this little man with more than my whole heart.

Without family, Steve and I would just sit around on Sundays instead of inventing "fun" activities for our kids like making chocolate dipped pretzels.  Well, they thought it was fun and I guess that's all that counts ;)

Without family, we wouldn't have people to go to Gardner Village with to see the Witches and sit on crazy wagon rides with women dressed up to entertain our kids...  

and be able to stand in line with chubby nephews who make crazy faces...

and have cute husbands who try to kiss cute daughters...

and have cute daughters who try to scare everyone in line (how cute is she?)...

Without family, we wouldn't know how much fun it is to have a picture taken in front of a giant wooden pumpkin with haystacks to sit on.  Or have cute little nieces who help with the younger kids and always has a smile to share (thanks, Morgan).

Without family, I believe life would bore me to sobs!  Thanks family, you're the best!