Ham, Cheese, and Hexagons

Not bad for a first go on a developing pattern.

I'm going to spend the day watching Elvis movies and making hexagons for a test crochet that I'm signed up for to help a friend.  We've already made a few design improvements to the pattern so it's been productive.  This hexagon was the first one - before the modifications were suggested that brought it to be in more of a straight line for seaming instead of the pretty swooping effect which would pucker.

I've let it sit by the wayside for a few days and now I'm going to spend the morning making these little suckers while I watch several of my favorite cheesy movies - all Elvis musicals.  Did you know that one time, there was a ham sent to him as a joke on the set of one of his musicals because he "hammed it up" on camera.  Seriously, it's true.  Funny thing was, he loved ham so he would cook it up and have a great meal.  He knew his films weren't much more than fluff but they made people, like me, very happy so he was alright with that... for a while.  Granted, he passed when I was only 4 years old but my daddy was such a huge fan that he shared him - as well as John Wayne and many others - with me to make sure I had a well rounded music and film experience.

So today, I'm going to ham it up with The King and tonight, I'm making something he would have loved - BBQ'd Macaroni and Cheese.  I'll share the recipe tomorrow - you're gonna love it!  In the meantime, enjoy some "ham" on me...

Weekend Wonderment

These are going to be filling my weekend hours when I'm not at work - should make for a fun time!

1. I am still working on my little orange top for someone very special.
2. I decided last night that I needed a white shawl, so I started one.
3. I am really enjoying my book so I will find some time to devote to it.
4. I'm thinking DPS for tonight, CSL for tomorrow, and the a British movie marathon on Sunday.

Anything planned for your weekend?  Whatever it is, I hope it brings you joy.

Happy Saturday

First off, I want to congratulate the winner of my giveaway, the most awesome Stacy!  I know she will get a lot of use out of this pattern book for her two precious little ones... and yes, I'll lend a hand if you get stuck though you are becoming a crochet rock star!  I've sent your information on to my contact at RAKJpatterns so they will be shipping your book shortly.  I can't wait to see what you create first.

Today, as you can see by the time stamp on this post, is actually still my yesterday because I've not gone to sleep yet.  For some reason, I am wide awake.  I really should go to bed but thankfully, it's the weekend, so I don't have to worry about getting up in time for Hobbit to go to school.  We can just be lazy.  I figured I have to work from the shift I just finished all the way through until May 3rd without a full proper day off because of training so I'm not busting my tail this weekend at all - especially since I've been sick for the past two weeks.  Yep, lazy days ahead.

Harry Potter movie marathon and crafting... that's all I'm planning.  What about you?

Weekend Wonderment ~ 5/31 - 6/2

Craft a bit, read a bit and watch some of my favorite movies.  I think that sounds like a plan!

This is my last weekend of the school year.  The last time to feel a pause in the momentum of days.  It's bittersweet.  One the one hand, I'm very excited to have summer vacation finally here but on the other... well, that other hand is something that parents will understand.  12 weeks of blank time that needs filled with fun, inspiring, educational and exciting things.  Not all of it mind you but a large portion of it... and it doesn't matter how well prepared and planned out you are - those two little words will sneak in and slap you silly and they will do it faster than you think possible.  What two little words?

...I'm bored.

Tuesday Tunes

We watched this the other night - and it's been stuck in my head ever since.

Oooo... new shiny things!

My view from my chair - lots of things waiting!

Yesterday, after much discussion with Pokey, we broke down and decided to give the free month trial offer of Netflix an honest go.  We also opted in for the one week of HuluPlus to give them a better side by side comparison.  So far, I think that Netflix might win out.

We are streaming them both in through our Wii and I have to say, it's really rather amazing.  Yesterday, I introduced Hobbit to some classic cartoons and television series (Doctor Who, Garfield and Friends, and The Greatest American Hero), I started watching "Downton Abby" (only on the first episode and except for one scene, I rather enjoy the story thus far) and Pokey talked me into watch "Starship Troopers" (I spent more time with my eyes closed than open).

While I may not have enjoyed every minute of what we were viewing, the options and experience have been more than I dreamed possible.  The only downside that I have experienced so far has come from HuluPlus - it needed a minute to buffer and it's done it twice now during two different shows.

Another plus, I got two hexagons done yesterday during all the shows.  Three more to go and a sole means a completed pair of slippers - and the halfway mark on my Dissertation!!  While I'm off to make more progress on my projects (and my Netflix queue), don't forget to pop over and enter for a chance to win my bloggiversary giveaway... it's right over here.  You have until Friday the 13th... best of luck!!

Weekend Wonderment ~ 5/25 - 5/28

We've got a long weekend ahead before we wrap up the school year around here.

1. I plan on watching an insane amount of movies - mostly because Hobbit was home sick today with tummy trouble and when she's feeling puny, the TV never goes off... much to my chagrin.
2. Several swap packages are sitting open on my entryway table, awaiting their final presents to be made.  Working on these will keep me awake during all of the aforementioned movies.
3. I need to write notes to each of my spoilees - I always forget to do this part so I might just do it now and get it over with so I don't end up at the post office, frustrated because I just remembered that I forgot to write the notes!
4. That's my dye recipe book. I am hoping to add a few new ones over the holiday weekend - if I can get my hands on some wool at a reasonable price.  If not, I've got a pumpkin in my stash that I'm not crazy about... I wonder if I could overdye it...

So that's my holiday weekend.  Fingers crossed that Hobbit's tummy feels better tomorrow and our entire weekend isn't spent with her walking around all icky with her blankie, Henry and a bucket.  It's a rather sad sight.

Anything exciting going on with your family this Memorial Day weekend?

Motivational Monday - Mama's day off

I decided on Friday night that I was taking Sunday off.  I informed my family, left a reminder note on the refrigerator's dry erase board and set to task on my chores so that I wouldn't have to play a lot of catch-up come Monday.  This was going to happen, I needed a day off.  Just because I'm a homemaker doesn't mean that I get to sit around all day doing nothing - personally, this "job" is a million times harder than anything I ever did outside the house.  I have guilt if I am not working around here - I have the luxury of staying home so I better make productive use of my time... at least that is what I tell myself.  After 4 years, I think I deserved a day off. So I busted tail on Saturday - because if I worked extra hard then, I might not feel so guilty the next day and actually take the day for myself... then I got a surprise.

Hobbit's shawl, blocking in my room

Sunday morning, I wake up a little after 8 a.m. and the house is quiet.  I try not to jump into panic mode when this happens because it doesn't always mean that Hobbit is up to no good - it was early and I let her stay up late the night before in hopes that I would be able to do just as I had done - get up when my body was done sleeping but before her.  I then toddled out of the bedroom to get a cup of coffee when I saw it... Pokey sitting at his computer.  It was Sunday morning.  He works on Sundays.  My foggy mind tried to make it all make sense but I ended up hugging his neck and asking if he felt alright.  He said that he was here so that I could officially have a "Mama's Day Off".  He was going to be me and I was going to be a figment of everyone's imagination today.  The rules were set before me - I could not do anything.  Plain and simple.  If I felt the urge to do something, tell him about it so he could do it.  I smiled at the thought because it was sweet but we would have to see how well either of us would actually do in the execution of the plan - I'm too Type A and he's too Type B but it's always the thought that counts.  I sat down at my laptop and he brought me my coffee, the day had officially begun.

It's coming out perfectly!

After fiddling around on here for about an hour or so, I went and got dressed... and then proceeded to have the most wonderful day that I've had in quite some time.  I watched "Footloose", "Save the Last Dance", "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", "Raising Helen" and "Definitely, Maybe"... uninterrupted.  I had breakfast, dinner and supper served to me in my comfy lazy boy.  I was able to finish and seam my first panel of my Nerd Wars dissertation, finish and block my Nerd Wars Nerd Culture submission and almost finish my Nerd Wars Scientific submission.  I even got the first two photographed and the Nerd Culture project submitted.  I am most definitely going to be gleaming the cube this week.

Hobbit spent the day joyfully in her room.  She wasn't punished, she was playing.  After four garbage bags full of stuff, she can actually enjoy her space.  She is working on putting things up when she is done but it's still a new concept for her so it wasn't 100% when I tucked her in but I'll straighten up the little bit after I get back from taking her to school today.

The kitchen was cleaned last night - something I don't really like to do when Pokey cooks because he makes such a mess.  The food is delicious but the mess is always triple what I would have made.  He scrubbed and loaded the dishwasher stuff in the dishwasher.  He scrubbed and soaked that which needed to be soaked and even came back later to finish so I wouldn't have it waiting for me today.

Lovely reminder of a lovely day.

At the end of the day, I felt recharged and relaxed.  It was exactly what I needed and Pokey agreed that once a quarter, I can relive it.  Taking time off doesn't mean that I'm lazy or uncaring, it's actually quite the opposite.  I realized that I had no patience and everything was turning me into a fuss-bucket with a hair-trigger.  I didn't like it and I know my family wasn't enjoying it.  That's when I decided that I needed a bit of time to decompress and just let all the knots out.  I know I bring it on myself since I don't really 'allow' anyone else to help out - a trait I get from my own mother... nothing is just as I want it so I might as well just do it myself and not get annoyed with the lackluster performance of others.  That mentality backfires after a bit and slowly a person starts to feel as though they do everything... which they do but it's by their own design.  Taking time to step out of the game lets others shine and you recharge... even if it's just for one day.

I have the most wonderful family for allowing me the time off but even more so for making sure I took full advantage of what was given to me.  Bring on the week, I'm ready to go!

Weekend Wonderment ~ 12/30 - 1/1

A nice relaxing holiday weekend, don't you think?

1. Pokey and I just watched the last Harry Potter movie last night and now I just feel the need to reread the series... again.
2. I am going to work on this sleeve if it kills me.  So what if I was told to rest my neck and shoulder... I knit with my hands and fingers, not my neck and shoulder.  Yes, I'm sticking with that train of thought, thank you.
3. I am working to clean up UFOs so naturally, this pattern must be completed... then written up, pdf'd and uploaded for all to enjoy... oh and mailed to Peanut so she doesn't freeze at school.
4. All the while during this fabulous knitting weekend, I will be indulging in selfish theatrical eye and ear candy.  Care to join me?
5. Hobbit chose one skein of this yarn when we were at the store the other week... no clue what I'm going to do with  it.  It's chunky weight and 109 yards.  I was thinking a hat but it also screams "bunny slippers" to me - what do you think?

That's my exciting New Year's Eve weekend - what do you have planned?

It's been forever

Our dear friends, playing Pooh Sticks

Pokey and I don't go to the theatre much.  To be honest, we rarely go at all.  It has to be an extra special movie for us to validate the expense - because when we go, we want the whole experience.  We had toyed with the last Harry Potter movie but talked ourselves out of it due to chattering teeny boppers and such.  We kicked around the idea of going to the new Tom Hanks and Julie Roberts romantic comedy but we realized that we are going to love it anyway so might as well wait until we buy it this Christmas when it comes out.  Today though, today we are definitely going and we are going all out.

Sure, we're going to purchase it when it comes out on DVD.  Sure, we've seen it a million times before in a million different ways.  This movie though - this one is a no-brainer.  There is no talking yourself out of a classic.  There are no excuses to give as to why you shouldn't be sitting in a disgustingly sticky floored theatre, in chintzy crushed velvet seats with built in cup holders.  It's a must for the full experience - because my childhood friend, whom I still adore, deserves the royal treatment and to be enjoyed in all his glory - meaning nothing but the big screen will do.

Today, we are all anxious 6-year-olds in this house and we're off to the 100 Acre Woods!

They grow up so fast

I must admit - I'm rather tickled with it so far

In this case, it would be overnight.  I know, you are probably lost since that is all the information you have - would you like for me to elaborate a bit more?  Okay, I will.

I am working on my first sweater ever for Pokey.  It is actually a test knit for another designer and I am loving it!  Intimidation did not get the best of me.  I saw her prototype and just knew that it would look fabulous on my husband - it was just "him" and I "had" to make it.  Enough said, I made up my mind and my nerves would just have to get over it.

I had the perfect yarn (and it has been such a delight that it is getting it's own post tomorrow) and the perfect set up to get the optimal amount of knitting done.  I could do the ribbing, no issues or focus delay but when it came to the knitty gritty of it all, I needed a dual distraction.  You see, I can't knit in quiet and I can't knit with music if I have to count stitches for a pattern because singing and counting don't mix well in my brain.  I can, however, watch/listen to a movie... so that is what I have been doing.

While I love to knit, and always have at least one project working, I apparently knit slower than others.  My fellow test knitters are already done with the back shaping and have moved on to the front.  I felt slower than usual... it actually was making me sad.  Now I know this isn't a race or anything but still - to be last, and by such a huge margin, was a tad much for me.  So I set my mind to having little goals... for example, this weekend I would like to finish the back section.  Nothing earth shattering but a bit of a push for me all the same.

Subliminal movie watching at work here

So yesterday, I sat down with the goal and wondered what I was going to do to keep my mind engaged while my fingers "flew" and the answer came to me - rewatch all of the Harry Potter series so that when July 15th arrives, I'm refreshed with the storyline and good to go.  Granted, I could have simply reread the entire series but I'm saving that for when Hobbit is big enough to enjoy them together (and we're almost there).  Yesterday, we managed to save the stone, close the chamber, rescue a prisoner and win a tournament.  Sure, Diggory died but we find him to be a ponce anyway.  Today, we're going to come to order, meet a prince and venture into part of the hallows - all the while working on a project aptly named "Hallows Pullover" because the designer created it off of the version that Ron is wearing in the most recent film.  You weren't expecting that twist now, were you!

Isn't it amazing how it all comes together?

Tomorrow, it all ends tomorrow

It's true - my lackadaisical ways will come to a screeching halt tomorrow.  Pokey goes back to work and I'm going to meet up with a friend for a cup of coffee.  Our vacation is coming to a close and then we've only got a handful of weeks before we are off to see family in Texas.

As Maria Von Trapp always says, "whenever He closes a door... somewhere He opens a window".

I had to include one of my most favorite songs from one of my most favorite musicals of all time!

30 Days of Thankfulness

I've seen this around but never thought to put it down on paper, as it were.  I use it as a reminder to show my thankfulness every day - regardless of the month - but I thought I would share with you all that I am thankful for as well.

1.  The love and understanding of my husband.  He is my rock, my foundation, my light and without him I would truly be lost in this world.

2.  The blessing of my Peanut who has taught me what beauty and grace truly mean.

3.  The honor of my Hobbit who is teaching me what patience and humility truly are.

4.  My parents - the two souls who continue to show me the way I wish to be.

5.  My brother for his perfectly timed oddball sense of humor that can make anyone smile.

6.  Amy1, who is a dear friend that I have yet to meet but brings so much love and light to my days.

7.  April, who reminds me to stop long enough to gaze at the wonder of the moment.

8.  Kathy, whose silent strength screams from the rooftops and lifts us all up with her graces.

9.  Becca, whose compassionate and gentle soul leaves us all soothed in her wake.

10. Jacque, my best girl friend in the world who is more like my sister.  She has the most understanding heart that I could only dream of emulating.

11. My knitting.  The rhythmic motion and melodic clicking of the needles, coupled with the scrumptious feel of the delicious yarn keeps me grounded.

12. The ability to cook delicious meals from scratch for my family.

13. The ability to bake sinfully.

14. My education.

15. My health - no matter how wonky it gets, it could always be worse.

16. My camera so that I can capture moments in time that I don't want to forget.

17 - 19. Music and movies and books - ways to get lost in fantasy worlds to recharge.

20. My dog who always loves me, no matter what happens around here.

21. My cat who brings joy to my girls which is more important than my allergies.

22. My home - the trim and trappings don't matter, it's what's inside that counts the most.. and my house is filled with laughter, love, music and joy.

23. My coffee.

24. The sun on my face and the gulf breeze in my hair.

25. Sidewalk chalk - because not all masterpieces are done on canvas.

26. Hugs - from anyone really.  There is no way to have a worry in the world when you're being hugged by a loved one.

27. My crock pot - yes, I love my kitchen appliance because it makes delicious pot roasts.

28. Wisdom though the years and the humility to learn through my missteps.

29. My sense of humor because the only one who can truly cheer yourself up is you.

30. God - for walking along with me on this journey and wrapping me in his loving arms every day.

What Happened To Men?

Every time I read an entertainment article or see something on the news about today's hottest stars, I noticed a common theme - there aren't any 'manly' men any more.  All the boys look like girls.  Seriously, they do... no wonder we have a generation of sexually confused individuals - the boys are so uber feminine that you begin to wonder if they are even male.  Don't believe me - here is one who is supposedly the 'hottest young male lead of our time' all because of some poorly acted vampire series...

Does he look at all masculine to you?  Nope, me neither.  He looks like a teenage girl in need of some electrolysis and hair care tips.  Men are supposed to be strong, protective and give off an air of confidence... at least, they did but if this is what the next generation has to offer, I worry for our future.  I am sorry, but he looks too much like what the media are claiming to be the sexiest female celebrity...

In case you have no clue - she played "13" on House... oh, and here's an interesting twist to the character she played - she was bi-sexual.  I guess they did that because apparently she also looks like the 'sexiest' version of male celebrity as well... sure, give her a wider fan base then.  They both look alike - who can tell and since she was sleeping with everything on two legs what a great way to further the cause and confusion.

I'm sick and tired of this androgynous world.  Men should look and act like men.  Women should look and act like women.  There are roles that we were meant to play in society and when you muddy the water and blur the line, society falls apart.  I would like a leading man who actually is a man - virile and testosterone filled.  I would like a leading lady who is actually a lady - sweet, feminine and demure.

Our kids emulate these people, whether we want them to or not, and the next generation seems to be so sexually confused and disoriented that they have no clue what to do.  Take back gender roles, be proud of being a man or a woman and let's get society off this downward path... let's get everyone back on track.. and for the love of Mickey - let's get some manly men back in Hollywood.

Speaking of Famous People...

The other day there were three movie stars at my husband's work filming  ~ Harry Connick, Jr., Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman!!

Winter

Pokey was so excited but he never got to actually see them.  They were upstairs filming in the Bay News 9 studios for an upcoming moving called "Dolphin Tale" - it's about Winter, the local dolphin who doesn't have a tail, over at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium... fascinating  story and sweet animal.  We've gone to visit her several times and she truly is amazing.

You know, for all the fussing I do about living here, there are some pretty cool things around.  After all, God himself was here and he keeps some pretty cool company in Harry Connick, Jr., if you ask me.