Must. Keep. Shopping.

Though I have no clue how we're going to get anything home. I am the packing queen however, the only problem is we have to be able to actually *lift* the suitcases.

Here are the promised pictures of productive knitting.
Vine and Lace Beret:

Since I took the picture yesterday this has actually been completed and is blocking as we speak.

Peaks Island Hood:

Since I took this picture yesterday I have completed a total of 22 inches. I have to get to 28 to begin the increases for the hood.

Dad's Socks:

Haven't worked on them in two days but that's okay, they're really car or airplane knitting.

Now I have to get to bed, we have another shopping marathon scheduled for tomorrow. Larry's mom could possibly out shop my mom. I'm hoping to never test that. Then again as long as I'm not paying who cares!

Yakira

Gratitude

Today I am grateful for family and friends. I am grateful for the people in my life who give me opportunities every day show my love and appreciation. I am grateful to have children who are growing up to be amazing people. I am grateful to my parents who have raised me to care about others and have helped me become the person I am. I am grateful to my step-parents who love my parents and who enrich my life with their love. I am grateful to Larry who puts up with my shtuss and my knitting and fiber obsession (and my heathen children.) But I am most of all grateful to the Almighty who formed me in His image and gave me the intelligence, talent and skills so that I can help create a better world.

Speaking of skills, I have had an amazing 3 days of productive knitting!

I will post pictures tomorrow. For some reason my computer is not letting me upload images today.

Tomorrow we shop.

What are you grateful for?

Yakira

Flight of Fancy

I mean to write last night. By the time I remembered Larry told me to go to bed, it was late. He was right, as usual.

The flight to Chicago was fine. Everything went smoothly from packing,

to the airport taxi, to check-in, (I love love love curbside luggage check, I love printing my own boarding pass.) to a quick line through security. Even Larry didn't seem to suffer too much anxiety, though I know he had a few rough patches.

I started a project in the terminal while waiting for our boarding call, this is how much I got done during our travels:

It's a pair of socks for dad. I'm using KnitPicks 4" sock needles. Aren't they cute?? The yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy. It's just like the name says, smooshy. It's a superwash merino and is knitting up nicely on US#2's.

We landed on time, baggage came down the chute in one piece, the shuttle to the train arrived not three minutes from stepping outside the terminal, we waited about an hour for the train which was on time and Larry's folks were waiting for us with smiles on their faces. We had a lovely evening and dinner and relaxed and caught up with family news.

Tuesday we hijacked Larry's mom, Tanya, and took the car into Wisconsin to that cheese place we had visited when I visited last spring. Yay Mars Cheese Castle!

They had EVERYTHING Wisconsin.


They're calling me to dinner. More later.

Yakira

Chicago Blogging Take Two

That is a picture of an incredible package I won from posting a comment on another blog. Larkin of The Lady Knits held a contest last month and I won! Unfortunately I did not get a picture of everything in the package before my heathen children got hold of it. Aside from the three magazines and the orange Blue Sky Alpaca Melange and the cranberry Malabrigo Merino Lace, there were some candies and cookies, and a small candy corn candle and a pencil with an orange troll like thing at the top, some orange bath salts and some amazing orange stitch markers. The contest's theme was 'Orange and Other Fall Colors,' can you tell? Thank you Larkin!!

Tomorrow we fly out to Chicago for a whole week. I'm really excited. Larry is a nervous wreck. He doesn't fly well. It's endearing in an anxious kind of way. If that makes sense. Me, I like adventure, I like to travel, see new things and meet new people. Larry is a self proclaimed cave dweller. I think the only thing making this trip possible is the fact that we'll be staying with his folks where he already has built his pseudo cave. Meanwhile I'm doing my best to curb my enthusiasm and just do what he says and avoid conflict. The man does not need any more stress.

So we had already decided not to take Rachel with us, a week with absolutely no kids, bliss. Late last week he told me how worried he was about me being away from Rachel for 8 days, the longest I've ever been away from her. He was really concerned about how I would handle it. We both know that Rachel won't even know I'm gone, she'll be having way too much fun with Bubby and Zaidy. He was worried enough to actually check flight prices for her. You didn't hear it from me but I'm thinkin' it's he who is going to miss Rachel more.

We haven't hammered out our visiting agenda yet, we figure we'll play it by ear. But I have planned my own personal down time agenda, knitting and more knitting. I'm going to make Ysolda's Peaks Island Hood for Chana. She will love it and it is knit up in heavy worsted weight on fairly large needles so it should be a pretty quick knit. I'm also taking along yarn for a hat and mittens for Nachman. For the plane I'm taking another pair of socks. Why? Because I finished my Monkey Socks!

They're mine, all mine. And soooo comfey.

So what's left for holiday knitting? I have to finish Miriam's Snapdragon Mitts, the Tam is done. Chana gets the hood/scarf thing. Nachman gets a hat and mittens from yarn he picked out. Rachel has the Cupcake Purse filled with knitted foods that I have to work on when we get back. Nosson wants an earflap hat. I have some really nice charcoal gray yarn I just haven't found a pattern I like yet. I'll take ideas, I'm open to color work but he's a teenage boy and doesn't want anything 'fussy.' I was going to try this skull pattern that I thought was really cool. He looked at it and said no way. I may make it for myself. I'd use only one row of skulls though.

I'm not knitting for Larry. The man hates socks, doesn't wear hats or scarves and only sometimes wears a sweater. Forget about it.

I'm already planning knitting and crafts for after the holidays. I'm insane. Here's a hint at what I've got in store:

Can you guess??

Tomorrow I'll blog from Chicago!

Yakira

Time

I have to tell you this whole time changing thing knocked me flat on my arse. It's been about three weeks and I still can't fathom why it's dark at supper time. Okay, I KNOW why, I just can't convince my brain to process it. Whatever, I'll get over it, or not.

Holiday knitting is taking over my world right now. I've got something for each of the kids with two mostly finished and one going on the needles to knit while in Chicago. You've all seen the Snapdragon Tam and the Mitts to go with it. I just have to knit up the second mitt and get the finger flaps on both of them. There's also the Cupcake Purse which I'm filling with knitted and crocheted foods.

One mini cupcake down.

Meanwhile in a fit of whimsy I made this:

No, it's not a salad, it's a scarf.Yes, I have nothing better to do with my time so stop asking. I'll sell it to the highest bidder. It's 100% wool, hand wash, hand knit/crocheted, about 5' long and 6" wide and some of the yarns I dyed myself. Bidding ends December 15.

On another note, I've got three close friends who have been trying to conceive for a while now. One has had two misses. I would like to make them a 'Mommy Blanket.' I am collecting 8"x8" knit or crocheted squares from mommys and grandmothers to seam together to send to my friends. Hopefully the love and prayers from other mothers all knit into a blanket will bring them comfort and, G-d, willing their own little soul to take care of and love. If you would like to participate please email me.

We're off to Chicago next week!

Yakira