Yarn Along: 2

I began this project with a different yarn and hook size and a different tail pattern. I made up the project as I went along, and now it is complete, but not really 'done'. I have yet to get good photo of Nina wearing this little mermaid papoose because she kicks and squirms right out! I need to figure out a way to cinch the waist a bit, maybe run a ribbon through? This is really more of a photo prop item right now, it just doesn't seem very useful. Maybe if I made the stitches tighter so her toes wouldn't poke out and I could fix the waist so it would stay on, then maybe it would be good for a cozy, cute sleeping bag.



I'm just now on the next book of the Outlander series, Drums of Autumn. I also read the Order of the Phoenix with my oldest boys. I have to confess, not one of my favorites. It was kind of boring in places and I skipped a bit. We watched the movie on Friday and it was pretty bad. We're moving on to the next book and I'm hoping it's better.

Thanks for checking in on me. Leave me a comment and I'd love to hear any suggestions about the mermaid cocoon/papoose. I'm a fairly new crochet-er. Check out more projects with Ginny at the Yarn Along.

{PHFR}

{pretty}

This was on MaryClare's birthday. I was trying to get a picture of just her but she really wanted to be holding her newest sister. MC is a girl who is pretty inside and out.

{happy}

This was right after she was baptized. We were all happy and smiley!

{funny}*

The kind of pictures that show up on my camera phone after it's been missing awhile....

{funny pt2}**

I am not at all surprised to find an onion under my dining room table in the middle of an afternoon. After all, I have a two yr. old.

{real}

The girls and I tried to make sock bun curls. To figure out the sock part I must direct you to google, it is kind of difficult to explain. The basic premise is this: roll your hair into a high bun and sleep on it. In the morning unroll and wake with gorgeous curls. (a la Sara who already has been blessed with pretty curls) Our experiment had lackluster results, but I would not rule out user error. We decided we'll try again sometime. We had mucho fun trying it out. So novel to have socks! in our hair!

*so I know it's pretty, happy, fun, real-not funNY, but I am just a rebel and like to do it this way. (((((I just re-read and it IS funny, not fun! Well not much of a rebel I guess,lol!)))))

**yes, i know about back 2 sleep etc...she is in a cradle for a daytime nap right near me...

Nina's Baptism

We had a very busy weekend and I'm still recovering! Some good friends and family came and celebrated Nina's baptism. I thought this was the first baby that Lee held during the actual baptism, but then I remembered the twins. I bet he held one of them, I'll have to look back through the photos...

From nina's baptism

She slept and woke up a bit after the water and began smiling at all of us!

From nina's baptism

From nina's baptism

From nina's baptism

Our wonderful priest asked Ryan if he'd like to serve in attendance and he was thrilled. He was totally focused and solemn during the service, handing Father items and holding the book for readings.

From nina's baptism

The two grandmas were all cooing over Nina. Back at our house we had a small cook-out and party to celebrate. My good friend helped us decorate these sweet cupcakes.

From nina's baptism

{PHFR}

This weeks edition will not be in order. I am having the heck of a time with photos in blogger. I know you're supposed to be able to click and drag them around, but I guess I'm doing it wrong or something-urgh! Thanks for stopping by!

{real}

bills, bills and more bills...we are in an insurance mess trying to add Nina to coverage. I'm sure all will be well in the end, but the mess in the meantime is exhausting.

{pretty}

my pretty girl with her pretty girl! Lainey's holding Tiffany, our sweet black cochin.

{funny}

The kids are really loving the chickens. They love to play with them and show them to friends. Until we can follow our dreams to a small homestead, we are trying to be content with our suburban options.

Thank God our city allows backyard chickens! My hope is that we will all learn with these first 3 and be able to care for an even bigger flock someday. In the meantime we have happy kids and some funny cuteness. I mean. chickens in a baby buggy? Tell me that's not stinking cute!

{happy}

Of course it's been so hot here the kids have been playing with chickens in the morning and retreating inside in the blazing afternoons. Hot wheels have been the attraction lately and along with some friends they've built several cool car cities.

Yarn Along: 1

I'm excited to share in my first yarn along! I'm not much of a knitter, but I do like like to crochet. This project is one I made up after being inspired by something I saw on Pinterest. It's going to be like a papoose or cocoon that Josephine will snuggle in like a sleeping bag. I love the whimsy of the mermaid fins!

I forgot the picture of what I'm reading. Right now I'm in the middle of book 3 in the Outlander series, Voyager. Some friends of mine are super die hard fans and it's been fun to get into the series so I can talk and squeal along with them! The main male character, Jaimie, is just so wonderful, but I have a hard time relating to the female main character though. She's growing on me a bit now. I think there are at least 4 books in the series.

Thank you Ginny, for hosting the weekly Yarn Alongs

Chicken mania!

After months of planning, plotting, reading and dithering, I finally acted and we are now the proud owners of 3 chickens!

MaryClare is holding Amy, a Buff Brahma. We also have Isabelle, a Barred Rock, and Tiffany, a Black Cochin. The kids named them. I guess it was an 80's theme? We're getting used to them and vice versa. They are just teenagers, pullets, and won't begin laying for a few more weeks. I am surprised at how not big of a deal it all is.

Truly, they are very cute and funny. I'm not sure why I tend to complicate things, but I'm glad we finally just did it! The kids love the chickens and the other day I came out and saw Luke and Laine each had one perched on their heads and were laughing hysterically. I wish I had a picture of that!

Poor Baby!

Poor Nina was in the hospital week before last. (7/18/11) The big kids were going to an arts camp and as I dropped them off I noticed Nina felt very hot. of course it's been very hot here lately, but she felt hot and was also very lethargic and had been sleeping more than usual that morning. That may not sound like much to go on, especially as new babies are pretty sleepy, but something just seemed wrong.

I said goodbye to the kids and took her to the doctor. The triage nurse took her temperature under her arm and said she was fine. As I was holding her though she still felt abnormally hot! We finally saw the doctor, our regular pediatrician whom I really like, and he examined her. There really was nothing really wrong, but he said she felt hot too and then we took a rectal temp. and it was over 102!

We headed off the to the ER and to make a long story brief she was diagnosed with a UTI and then blood sepsis and because of her age she was admitted to the children's hospital to receive IV antibiotics. We finally came home on Thursday.

I feel terrible that she was so sick and had to have such intervention. I worry that I didn't catch it soon enough, although the doctor assured me it comes on very fast. I am deeply thankful to have the resources to get her the urgent medical care she needed to heal and that she recovered so quickly.