Update before Coffee & Presents

I've been wanting to log some finished projects and haven't taken the time yet, so while the coffee is brewing and the kids & dh are playing I'm going to do just that.

Fruit Cozies

Little Piggy

Rasta Hat

Bella's Howl

Slip On Down Hat

Spike's Howl

There are a couple more, but they're wrapped so I need to get pics as they're opened. I'm pleased with how much knitting I've gotten done, and what's more I've really enjoyed it.

The coffee is done, the kids are waiting patiently, and it's a beautiful day to celebrate Christ's birth. Merry Christmas.

Updating my FOs

Short post just to catch up on my Finished Objects (FOs):

Braided Cable Handle Tote

Fetching Miten

Cafe Au Lait Beret

Octopus

Respect

"Do you work?"  Yes. I am a SAHM.

"Oh that's important."  Yes, it is. 

"It must be nice to be able to afford to do that."  Yes, I am blessed that my husband's job provides enough for me to be able to be in my chosen life work. Did you know that there are many women whose husbands make much less than mine does and stay at home also?

"I'll bet your house is always clean."  Actually I'm a horrible housekeeper. I'm ok with that.

"I'll bet you get so much done during the school day while the kids are away."  Actually I seem to find myself more away from home than at home.

"I could never do that, the kids would drive me crazy."  Even if it were what you were meant to do, they would still drive you crazy. That's their job. Mine is being at home with them.

I hear the above or variations on it a great deal, and I honestly don't get it. All parents are important. When you have children it's not a 9-5 or 7-3 or even 6-10 kind of job, it's 24/7/365 for life. It doesn't matter if you work outside or inside or beside the home, parenting is parenting. Having said that, I did always want to be a SAHM. I'm not Becky Home-Ecky or June Cleaver or Wonder Woman. I'm just me. This is my job. I enjoy it, I get annoyed by it, I have deadlines and assignments and get bonuses and have to juggle a schedule and do bookkeeping. I am a counselor, a nurse, a firefighter, a mechanic, a teacher, a janitor, a referee, a cook, a plumber, a taxi driver, a police officer, a judge, a jailer, a parole officer, a pastor, a handywoman. Can I do everything? No, of course not. No one can. I respect women who have families and work outside the home. I couldn't imagine doing your job either. But I respect that it's what you do. Please respect what I do.

PS - Becky Home-Ecky, June Cleaver, and Wonder Woman all have one thing in common: they all came from someone's imagination.

Summer Sock Saga

Anyone who has ever tried to knit something and had it turn out less than minimally acceptable knows how I feel about knitting socks - I worked on a sock almost all summer, toted it to piano lessons, lugged it to wait in lines, and took it on trips ... my first toe-up sock, knit specifically to fit my left foot, in bright sherbety summery colors, soft and comfortable, in a blend that would be comfortable to wear in the summer and fall and spring (and winter if I really put my mind to it, and darn it if I'm knitting something I'll wear it when I want to regardless of season appropriate-ness). It was a thing-of-beauty-in-progress, and I was proud of it. I got to turning the heel and was so pleased with how it had gone from a tube to something that could actually fit on my foot, until I tried to put it on my foot and discovered I had started one needle off, which put the heel somewhere around the inside of my ankle.  DH couldn't understand how I could cry over a sock and was wondering aloud if I had taken my medication. How could he understand? He's never knit anything. On the other hand, he has had projects that haven't turned out the way he has wanted, after putting in lots of thought and effort to bringing them to fruition. That he understood... although he still thinks I'm nuts for wanting to try again. 

That's ok. Gotta keep that mystery alive somehow, and after 17 years of marriage I'll take it any way I can get it.

:)

A Turtle on my Counter

I never thought I would have a turtle on my counter, and yet this afternoon that's exactly what I have. He's been to school and to daycare and ooh'ed and aah'ed over by many, and after his brief stint of being famous I'm sure he'll be quite happy to be released later today. I'll be happy when he's off my counter.

On the crafting side of life, the weather has turned cooler (well, not today but it was earlier and will be again) and I realized that our mittens & gloves are MIA so last night I cast on for some mittens for ds. The first one is ok, although not exactly what I would like for a finished product. I've figured out some modifications to try for the next pair, as I'm certain at least one of these will wander off so he'll need more. I cast some for dd this afternoon as well and am planning on trying the mods on hers. Wish me luck.

Life, paused

Sinus infections are my enemy, my nemesis. Go outside in the wind, get a sinus infection. Get a cold, it turns into a sinus infection. Open the windows because it's an absolutely beautiful day, get a sinus infection. You get the idea. I have found it impossible to do anything that requires logic and intelligence until the meds take effect because my brain isn't getting the oxygen it needs to exist, let alone work, so all activity is delegated to a complete minimum. Which is funny because today, at 4 pm, I will be at the middle school with over 100 girls doing iCarly activities for our local Girl Scout Fall Festival. Think about it: over 100 girls, ages 5 to high school, in a gym, for two hours, making Ocean in a Bottle and lip gloss and Spaghetti Tacos and who knows what else, and me. Thankfully I'm not the only adult there, otherwise things really wouldn't be pretty. Having said that, prayers are appreciated. :)

btw, I apologize for if what I've written doesn't make sense. No oxygen.

Baby Steps

No, I'm not pregnant. Not that kind of baby steps. More of the I've-got-it-figured-out-what-I-want-to-do-and-now-I-need-to-figure-out-how-to-get-it-done baby steps. I want to talk about specific goals but have decided against putting too much out here on the big wide web, at least too much too soon, so I have to keep things generic but still know what I'm talking about, which is turning into rambling so I should probably be making a point soon except I'm not sure what the point was supposed to be any more so maybe I should just stop futtsing around and do it. 

Baby step number one, making up my mind. Done. 

Baby step number two, telling someone so I have to be accountable. Done. 

Baby step number three, having a specific target date for baby step four. 

Done. Baby step four, get a job. Done. 

Baby step five, do it. That's where I am now. 

And I'm pretty happy with that. More goals to come later. 

(That was a lot of hyphens. Too many, I think. Oh well.)

A New Day

I've been doing a lot of thinking about daily routines and life, about organizing and routines, about worthwhile choices versus wasteful futtsing around (that's a Betsy-ism). My Ravelry name is HobbyCollector, which very accurately describes me - I love all sorts of arts & crafts hobbies. The problem is I don't seem to feel I have the time in the day to feed the artist in my soul because of my lack of taking the reins on my own day-to-day life. I've decided to make some changes to my outlook, my personal spaces, and my activities. I've also decided to use my blog to keep me accountable to myself, because really, there's only One other who knows me truly and completely, and I know He loves me regardless of what I do but that He does want me to use my gifts, abilities, and knowledge for His glory. And so, today is a new day with new possibilities, new opportunities, and new choices. It's a beautiful new day.

My Opinion

First and foremost I have to admit that I did not see the news about the man who tried to bomb Times Square last weekend. I have a tendency not to listen to the news - I could use my kids and Spongebob as an excuse, I say I'm too busy doing ________, but the truth is I forget to pay attention sometimes. Having said that, I was thankful my Mom told me about the attempt on Times Square. There are lots of news reports and speculations floating around so I'm going to throw my two cents' in and be done with it. Why did he do it? Who knows, he was brainwashed, he made a bad choice, he's disenfranchised with "The System," he ate a bad tuna salad - for whatever reason, he made the choice to follow through with it. My prayer is that he gets what he deserves. Having said that, here's my true opinion: I love living in America and being an American. People noticed something wasn't quite right and dealt with it. People got involved, made good choices, and ended up saving countless lives. We in America don't put up with those who want to hurt those we love, whether it's bullies on the school playground or bullies trying to blow us up. Some have tried and succeeded in giving us a black eye or a broken arm, but we keep healing and growing stronger because WE ARE AMERICANS. We stand strong together. God bless America.

PS - To those who don't like America, go somewhere else.

May has arrived!

I have always loved May - and not just because of my birthday - May baskets, birds, beautiful flowers, baseball,  the end of the school year - and of course, allergies. OK, so I don't love that part. But allergies are another reminder that spring is definitely here, and I can handle that.

I've been knitting a lot lately (can't do much else, allergies have knocked me on my butt), and it's actually a great way to be productive when you don't have the energy to do anything. It gets you to focus on something other than your infirmity/illness, you can actually make something useful (clothing, wash cloths, hats, blankets, etc), and depending on what you are knitting, you can actually expand your brain and learn something new. To quote Martha, it's a good thing.

Today I am blessed to spend the day with one of my favorite little people, Mason. It's definitely a good day.

Thankful

There are so many things to be thankful for, and on a daily basis I'm sure I don't remember to thank the Lord for even a tenth of them, but He certainly is good. In times of crisis, in good times, in the routine of every day - He is good. I encourage my kids to daily find something to thank God for, and at the ages of 5 and 9 their perspective is often more self-serving than not... but sometimes they really surprise me with their insight and their ready love for others. The faith of a child is a wonderful thing. May that mine and yours is always that strong.

By the way... it's -20 here this morning. Just in case you couldn't think of something to be thankful for. :)