Summertime!

Okay, it's 102 degrees outside, we're all a bit sunburned, I've gained 5 lbs in the last day from overeating at our street party, I'm playing with yards and yards of wool, and Will is taking swimming lessons.  What does this sound like?  A typical summer.  I really do love summer (I DO NOT love the 15 plus days we have of 100+ degree temperatures).  Here is a picture of Will at his first swimming lesson.

Scared to death.  He had his third lesson today and is actually doing  quite a bit better but still scared to death!  His teacher is very cute with him which helps immensely.  Will no longer cries when it is time for swimming.  Big strides.  This is what Lizzy thinks of swimming lessons...

She usually has to stay in the car and watch a movie now because she wants to get in the water.  She is very unlike Will in that she's a complete daredevil.  We went swimming at our neighborhood pool yesterday and Steve, my sister Brooke and I were throwing her to each other in the pool and she was loving it.  Will chose not to participate.  

The funny thing about this summer (that hasn't happened any previous summer) is that I play with wool and alpaca in 100 degree weather.  The kids were riding bikes outside the other day and I was working on an alpaca blanket and after about 5 minutes I had to push it off of my lap because I was boiling under it!  What could I have been thinking?

Here are a few pictures of things I've knitted recently but have not taken pictures.  The first on is a free pattern from knitting daily.  It's called the boucle shrug but I didn't knit it out of boucle, nor did I make it into a shrug.  When I finished it I thought it looked lovely as a wrap.  I think I'll give it to my Mom.  It is the most boring thing I have ever knit.

Pattern:  Boucle Shrug from Knitting Daily online store

Yarn: Cascade 220

Needles: US 9

Changes: Didn't sew up the sleeves!

This is the Airy Scarf I knitted for my mother in law's birthday.  It was a really fun pattern and very quick to knit.
Pattern: Airy Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts

Yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Haze

Needles: US 10

Changes: None

Here is the cutest hat I've ever seen.  It's the Nightcap from "And So To Bed" by Lucinda Guy.  Was there ever a cuter children's wear designer?  I think not.  I was introduced to Lucinda Guy patterns by Hege and I love them.  This hat is HUGE on Will (and he has a huge head) but he loves it and I think it turned out very cute.

And how adorable are those buck teeth?  Oh, the future orthodontist bill!

Pattern: Nightcap by Lucinda Guy

Yarn: Rowan Wool/Cotton

Needles: US 7

Changes: None

Finally, there is another birthday coming up, my sister in law, and I just had to make her some fingerless mitts.  I've done at least 56 million pairs of these now but I can't get enough.  They are so fast and I just love the result.  I've fiddled around with the pattern a few times and I think this is my favorite.  I made them a bit longer and bound off with a needle 4 sizes bigger than the one I knit them with.  I FINALLY got the bind off I've been wanting with these!  I also did these magic loop and I really like that method.  I find it faster that dpn's.  

Pattern: Some variation of who knows what so I'm just calling it mine.

Yarn: Zealana merino (the itchiest merino in the world)

Needles: US 7 (magic loop) and US 11 for bind off

Changes: Yes

So, a lot of knitting.  It's been a good week.  Knitting, swimming, a holiday (24th of July, Utah's "Pioneer Day" commemorating when the Mormon Pioneers came into the Salt Lake Valley), eating, and a party.  Also, I got an award from Hege!  Hooray.  That's the cherry on top.  Happy knitting to all, and to all a good week.

Ugly and Not Ugly...

This would fall under the category of Ugly.  I went on another knitting retreat this weekend and we learned entrelac.  Glad I learned the skill, now I'm done.  This yarn is actually pretty cool, it's one of the Feza yarns and I made a scarf for my 16 year old niece, McKay, with it. It is a bunch of different yarns all in one ball.  It looks cool as a garter stitch scarf.  It does NOT look cool as an entrelac scarf (which is what this would have been had I not frogged the crap out of it).  Actually, I don't know if I've seen anything done in this technique that looks cool.  Maybe I haven't looked hard enough.   

The retreat was fun and I ate like a pig and finished my alpaca armwarmers for my niece who is turning 12 in a few weeks and just broke BOTH her arms flying over her bicycle handlebars.  Poor girl!  These would fall under the category of Not Ugly.  This is probably my favorite yarn ever.  It's Plymouth Yarn's baby alpaca paint and it is the softest, warmest yarn. These will look great on Megan's newly healed arms!  Will is going to be sad to see them go.  He has put them on a few times to "fight the Huns" on Mulan.  Don't ask why he thinks they're for fighting Huns.  Megan will be glad to know she'll be protected while wearing them!

Last weekend we also took a drive up Farmington Canyon.  Also Not Ugly.  It was 25 miles of dirt road up Farmington and then down Bountiful canyons.  That is a very long distance on a dirt road.  The scenery was amazing.  

Here's a lovely little path...

A lovely little beaver pond...

The Great Salt Lake (apparently air quality wasn't so great in the valley that day)...

Really beautiful flowers...

SO, a great weekend was had by all.  I'm currently working on my "yarn quest", a little game put together by some yarn stores and I have only two to go.  Wish me luck in winning the $450 (worth of yarn) grand prize (yeah, right!).  I drove 100 miles yesterday just to check out a yarn store in Ogden.  OGDEN!  SOO far away but I  found a really adorable yarn store.  

Happy 4th and Happy Feet (and a hat)

I love America (even if people think we're annoying!)

 

 Don't you hate how firework pictures never show up?!  We had a great 4th of July.  We did some shopping and then went to a friends front yard which is located right behind Cougar Stadium (Brigham Young University, go Cougars!).  BYU does "Stadium of Fire" every year, we never go to the actual concert etc. in the stadium but we always go to Provo and sit on the grass all day in order to see the spectacular firework show they do.  This year Mylie Cyrus was the main event and the kids were very excited because we could hear the concert from where we were.  

Every year Will freaks out over the noise of fireworks and so we have to put head phones on him!  This year, he asked if he could have them off so he could hear better.  My baby is growing up!  He loves, and had has always loved sparklers.  How cute is he?   

And so to knitting.  The first project I completed was this pair of "pedicure socks".  I'm giving them to my friend, Jennyanne for her birthday.  The yarn I used was Berroco Comfort because she's allergic to wool.  These are great socks, they can be slipped on after a pedicure just before you get your nails painted!  Ha!  Jennyanne will love these.  They turned out sort of "camo" looking so I sewed the button on to make them a bit more feminine.  I'm making some for myself for lovely winter pedicures.  

You can put your flip flops on and out of the salon you go.  Obviously these are not for everyone.  My sisters laughed at me when I showed them.  My sisters-in-law, however, thought they were great!

Pattern: Beginner Socks from Knitting Pure and Simple

Yarn: Berroco Comfort, 1 skein

Needles: US #4 for ribbing, US #8 for the rest (dpns)

Changes:Made them pedicure socks and left out the toe!

The second thing I completed was this lovely lace cap.  I ordered all three yarn samplers from Knitpicks.  They come with 6 balls of yarn and patterns for each of the yarns.  Great idea, I thought.  This cap was fairly simple but I did lose track a few times so I had to start putting a safety pin every tenth stitch to keep track.  It was supposed to fit me, but I used the suggested needle size (I need to go up two!) and therefore, it fits Lizzy.  She refuses to wear it so I am gifting it to my friend's baby.

She allowed me to take one picture of her and then I had to hold her hands down for the next...

Very cute, yes?  I will probably make another one with size 9 needles someday, I really like it.  

Pattern: Lace Cap by Knitpicks design team

Yarn: Comfy (cotton and modal, really liked it!)

Needles: US #7 circulars and dpns

Changes:None, but in order for it to fit a grown up, must use bigger needles if you are me (which you're not so don't worry about it)

I'm having some great fun with knitting and trying new things.  Socks had scared me but no biggie-I really like them.  Lace also scared me-the simple stuff I've now done has encouraged me to do more!  Yay knitting!  

Now for the important things...Will got tagged by his friend Maggie.

Eye color: Blue

Hair color: Blonde

Favorite Movie: Toy Story 2

Favorite TV  Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (but actually, Little Einsteins)

Favorite Book: Fairy Tales

Place to go: "Quarium" (aquarium)

Restaurant: Barbacoa (what?)

Fav Food: Chickies (chicken nuggets)

Fav Candy: Suckers

Fav Color: Dark blue and white (BYU) and yellow and green

Fav Toy: Buzz Light"hear" gun

Fav Song: Edelweiss

Fav Game: Write numbers (again, what?)

Fav Cereal: Cap'N Crunch (like father like son)

He tags Luke and Ellie!

California Dreamin' (Part III) Disneyland!

May Walt be praised for inventing Disneyland!  I love this place.  Steve loves this place.  Our kids, as a result of their parents' obsession, love this place.  I never get sick of Disney (Land or World or Cruise Line).  The kids are entertained and happy (for the most part.  There is a portion of every day at Disney where you will find the parks' entire population throwing a fit.  Kids screaming, parents yelling...), and the parents have it relatively easy as far as traveling with kids goes.  

This Disney trip was fantastic.  Our first day was especially wonderful because it was not crowded and we got on a lot of rides.  We were even able to ride many of the rides in "Fantasy Land" without waiting an hour for each one.  Wonderful. 

This photo was taken on our second day and it was a miracle that we got to see these guys.  They have "union" rules about how long the characters can stay out so they cut the line off JUST as we got in it.  Phew!

Will got to ride his favorites, Buzz Lightyear being on the tippy top of that list, and he and Lizzy convinced me to be a nice mom and go on the dreaded rockets with them.  May this ride burn down in a freak accident after hours...

It is the same concept as "Dumbo" etc. but the line seems to last even longer.  It took FOREVER to get on this thing.  Each time the line would move, Lizzy thought it was our turn and would say "wide, wide" (ride, ride) over and over and then we wouldn't get on.  I think we waited 5 or 6 times for the stinking thing to go around.  When we finally got on, I remembered just how uncomfortable the thing is.  I wrestled Lizzy the whole time because she thought it was grand to stand up and we all know the rule-"Please keep you arms and legs inside the ride at all times.  Thank you."  It looks like Will thinks this is a real rocket..."to infinity and beyond!"

Here we are on Dumbo just as we were about to leave the park.  The line was amazingly short and so on we got.  Lizzy was asleep so she didn't get to join us on our flying adventure. 

This trip, as I have said, was one of the best trips we've had to Southern California.  Everything we did was great (seriously, how often does that happen?).  The tour of the studio-great.  The Observatory and food of that evening-great.  Friends-great.  Disneyland-great.  I'm so glad we went.  I'm sure we'll be there again soon.  It's like an addiction.  Not a bad drug, yes? 

As for knitting.  No pictures right now but I did my first lace scarf.  Very cool.  I gave it to my Mother in Law and haven't taken a picture of it yet.  I also started a lace cap which I frogged because I got all messed up on the lace pattern and decided it was better to unravel than try to figure it out.  Also, I have started my first pair of socks.  I'm doing a beginner pattern with worsted weight yarn and I'm not going to finish the toe so they can be "pedicure socks".  I love them.  

ALSO, I've been tagged again!  Ha!  I got tagged by Nicki.  TEN THINGS I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF...

1) Will and Lizzy laughing

2) Lizzy's new words

3) Will telling me how his day at "Little Gym" went (tuesdays and thursdays are his favorite days.  He gets to spend 3 hours playing on gym equipment and doing crafts)

4) Steve's laugh

5) Knitting

6) Cookies (heaven help me!)

7) Gnocchi Pomodoro at Le Nonne (to which I have not been for 3 years!)

8) Travel

9) Will and Lizzy playing outside in the backyard in the evening (when it's actually tolerable to be outside.  98 degrees again today)

10) Did I mention Will, Lizzy and Steve?

I tag Marit and Hege.  Can't wait to see your lists!