The Castle Diaries

A Knit A Week: Stashdown Edition

2012-01-31T16:47:00.000-08:00

I have been knitting.

A lot.

Just not posting.

That pesky sun,

he hasn't been around much.

Winter decided to come to the Castle.

For about a week, maybe two.

That's enough for me and mine.

Just a taste of the white stuff.

Then a lovely chinook took it away.

The chinook's evil twin Mr. Nasty-Wind stayed.

He huffed and puffed and blew a bunch of shingles down.

Grr.

Having to find someone to repair shingles

takes away from knitting time, don't ya know?!

Here are my first two stashdowns for 2012.

A beautiful little shawl for Princess #2.
Ruffles and stripes, oh yes please!!

Confession time: This yarn was purchased with birthday money
in (gulp) 2009. Yes, I'm blushing.

The Details:

Pattern: Little House Shawl by Joanna Johnson

Yarn: Noro Sock Yarn

(which in my opinion, would make horrible, itchy socks,

but does make fabulous little shawls)

Verdict: I love how it turned out. The Noro yarns have very long color

repeats which lend themselves well to a pattern designed this way.

My knock-off Airquote Mittens.
Mine did *not* cost $65 in materials.
Kate Spade's did.

Cute little quotes!
Instead of intarsia, I using a little thing called
duplicate knitting. Handy little skill that is!

The Details:

Pattern: Classic Mittens

I charted and added quotes by duplicate stitching.

Yarn: Cascade 220 Wool in black and white

(No confession needed, I love to keep Cascade in my stash

always. It is such a versatile, workhorse of a yarn.

This yarn was leftover from some felted bags I made last year.)

Verdict: I made these for a dear friend from college,

and she loves them. Yay!! More importantly she is

using them!! Hope she wears them out at some point,

so I can make her more. It is joy to knit for

people who appreciate your work by putting it to use!!

The One Where I Get Shot

2012-01-30T12:19:00.000-08:00

After a rough morning, involving, a tangled skein of yarn, an uncooperative yarn swift, and a little boy trying to help by turning the yarn winder unbeknownst to the untangler of the yarn (that would be me), tempers flared. I took the Prince over to the family room, ~~coerced~~ lovingly convinced Princess #3 to occupy him with Little People and finished untangling the mess that the "helper" had made. Once tidied up, I made the rounds apologizing to the helper and those who had to witness the "flare". I went on to make lunch, when the Prince crept up behind me and shot me with his little laser gun. After I pretended to be mortally wounded, I hear this little gem.

Princess #1: Hey! Come and get me!

Prince: I not bad guy. I just shoot mama!!

There you have it.

He wasn't a bad guy shooting an innocent lady.

He was protecting mankind from his evil mama.

Yep, That's My Boy v.2

2012-01-26T18:12:00.000-08:00

So here's the other side of my boy. As I lay on the couch this afternoon, fighting off a nasty headache, he came over to check on me.

Prince: Okay Mama?

Queen: No, my head is hurting.

Prince: Oh. Here. (hands me his special blankie)

Queen: Thanks sweetie.

Prince: Wait. (fiddles around with blankie) Here's the good corner Mama.

Queen: That will make me feel better.

Prince: Yes.

Yep, That's My Boy

2012-01-24T08:50:00.000-08:00

Prince: Mama, I made a picture for you.

Queen: Oh, thank you. Please tell me all about it (trying hard to decipher the chaos in crayon).

Prince: It's a litter box.

Queen: A litter box???

Prince: Yes, where Buzzy and Frosty go big poo-poos. And pee.

Queen: (thinking) I had to clarify.

The One Where I Should Have Known Better

2012-01-23T16:48:00.000-08:00

Silence.

Bliss.

Heaven for a mama's soul.

Right??

Good grief.

I have four kids.

I know better.

Silence.

Evil plans are being made, perhaps carried out.

Naughtiness is being reveled in.

Thick, eczema-fighting lotion, is being spread over a little boy's naked body.

Darn* you silence, you sweet talking, trickster you!!

*You know that is not really the word I want to type, right???

Happiness Is . . .

2012-01-19T12:01:00.000-08:00

. . . not usually having your husband considered to be a "non-essential" employee at work, but if it means a freebie day off, we'll take the label!!

Dear Void,

2012-01-17T08:14:00.000-08:00

It has been a while dear Void, since I've had to bother you, but it is time.

I would like to know, why, dear Void, why my nap boycotting son refuses to sleep in. I'm all for dropping a nap or two, if that time gets tacked on to the following day's wake up call. Surely, he is missing that extra hour and a half of rest he used to get (I know I am). So why won't he just take an extra few minutes in the morning and hit snooze on his infernal, internal, alarm clock. It sure would go a long ways to making the castle a happier place to be these days.

Get back to me quick, will you!

Signed,

The nap-deprived Queen

The Great Stash Bust of 2012

2012-01-12T15:51:00.000-08:00

So, I have a lot of yarn, by some standards. I am not apologizing or asking you to understand my obsession with string. It just is what it is. Last week, I took some time to clean out my yarn cupboard. My cupboard is three shelves high, just about 3 feet tall, so it's not like wardrobe size or anything. All of my non-sock yarn is grouped by weight or by project, if I know the yarn's destiny. My sock yarn is kept in a different location, because in my world, sock yarn does not count as stash, sock yarn is special and set apart, lovingly handled as the need arises.

One of my biggest peeves with knitting is leftovers. I try desperately to use every last inch of yarn and when I have a smidge left behind it annoys me. It annoys me because I have a hard time throwing it away. I might need it someday or it was ~~expensive~~ good quality. I have gotten better and each time I clean out the stash, more of the littlest bits leave the nest. However, there are a few stray balls of yarn. Not big enough to make something on their own, but too much yarn and too good of quality to just trash or Goodwill. (I do donate yarn to various charities, but most charities prefer machine washable yarn, and I just don't have much stashed.)

So, why tell you all of this dear readers, well, it is because this year I have determined to knit from the stash as much as is humanly possible (for me). I have two shelves in my little cupboard of yarn that is for potential projects, and by George, I am going to knit them up. I'll keep you posted (yah, you saw that one coming didn't you) on my progress, and may possibly have a give away or two this year. I'm working out the logistics of that.

Here's to stash-busting!! My needles are loaded with three projects right now, all of which are from the stash! It is on!!

Happiness Is Not . . .

2012-01-09T18:10:00.000-08:00

. . . having your personal latte maker head back to his "real" job. After two weeks of being served some amazing coffee creations daily, I have become spoiled.

A Knit A Week

2012-01-05T12:41:00.000-08:00

What better way to start off the New Year than

with a lovely wool cardy??

This sweater is actually a test knit that I

did for Terri Kruse, whose patterns I adore.

The buttons are made from a deer antler by
this etsy seller. ((I think they bear a marked
resemblance to banana chips.))

So warm and pretty. I love the offset opening and the cables.

And more pretty cables down the back.

Pattern: Foster by Terri Kruse (it hasn't been published yet)

Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers in the river rock color way.

Verdict: Wonderful, seamless, knit from the top down sweater.

Lots of stockinette, but having the cables to think about,

made it bearable.

I think I will get a lot of use out of this one.

I really like how it fits.

2011 Knitting Wrap Up

2012-01-02T18:16:00.000-08:00

I did this last year, if you'll remember, and found it so encouraging and inspiring for the new year of knitting. So I am doing it again. This is not to brag or any of that stuff, this is for posterity's sake. {grin}

The tally goes:

Pairs of Socks: 10 (approx. 3,500 yards of yarn)

Toys (stuffed): 13 (approx. 5,000 yards of yarn)

Sweaters: 2 adult; 12 child size (approx. 8,000 yards of yarn)

Scarves, Shawls, or Cowls: 8 (approx. 2,000 yards of yarn)

Hats: 7 (approx. 700 yards of yarn)

Pairs of Mittens: 1 (approx. 150 yards of yarn)

Bags: 3 (approx. 900 yards of yarn)

That is a whopping (approximately) 20, 250 yards of yarn I knit this past year!!

I'm suddenly feeling very tired.

My favorite project you ask, well, hmmm.

Favorite socks.
Love the stripey goodness on these.

Favorite cowl, this double knit
beauty. It is completely reversible, and
absolutely lovely.

Favorite new skill, planned pooling shown
in this poncho for Princess #3.
I controlled (as much as I could) how the colors
would stack up by tension, and where I started
knitting from the skein.

This one is still my absolute favorite piece
from 2011!!
The Hitchhiker scarf.
You'll be seeing it again in 2012. {grin}

Thanks again for all of your kind comments and encouragement along the way.

I already have quite the long list of knitting projects

that I dream about having enough time to do for the coming year.

Happy New Year!!

Overheard At Dinner

2011-12-29T11:45:00.000-08:00

Our sweet Prince praying:
Deaw Dod, Kank oo for da dood. AMEN!!

Just had to capture his toddler meal time prayer.

He'll be three soon, and prayers spoken like

this one will be just a sweet memory

before I know it.

Just Because He's Cute

2011-12-22T08:36:00.000-08:00

One morning last week, the Prince woke up

singing a little song.

A song that one of his sisters taught him.

I will let you guess which one of those three,

and the first two guesses don't count!!

Prize Worthy

2011-12-21T05:12:00.000-08:00

So, remember that sweater I knit in 23 days.

Well, I entered it in a drawing that Jill Draper

was hosting, and . . .

WON!!

Whoo-hoo!

Best of all.

This is what I won:

Photo slurped from Jill.

It may not look like much, but dear friends,

that is enough yarn to make an adult sweater.

Almost 1,300 yards of yarn.

This is Jill's Empire Yarn.

Made specially for Jill, sheep to skein in New York state.

Now to find something to create with my beautiful prize!!

Christmas Random

2011-12-20T12:10:00.000-08:00

1. So I am about ready to scrap Christmas.

2. It is just too much.

3. It used to feel simple and now it doesn't.

4. It used to mean traditions and now it feels like one more thing I have to make myself do.

5. I am not sending out cards or letters or photos.

6. Super sorry.

7. Something had to go and that was it.

8. I overheard a lady at Target, today, tell the cashier that she would be done shopping when her credit card was declined.

9. That is sad and pathetic, and makes my stomach hurt.

10. My kids get three gifts from us: a book, a piece of clothing, and something fun.

11. And they are content with that.

12. I like that about my kids.

13. I wish I could have told that lady that it doesn't take *everything* a little heart desires to make it happy.

14. So I am telling you.

15. That way I can't see the crazy look you are shooting me, and the pitying glances to my "deprived" children.{grin}

16. Merry Christmas, dear readers. I will try for a better post another day.

23 Days

2011-11-29T15:34:00.000-08:00

I did it.

I started and finished a sweater for myself in 23 days!

Out of lace weight yarn.

With long sleeves.

And stripey goodness.

Best of all . . .

It fits.

Like a pair of favorite jeans.

Like it was meant to be.

So glad I paused the holiday rush to knit this for myself.

I really do love this sweater.
I swear.

It fits! I am in sweater love!

The Details:

Pattern: Versio by fallmasche (Rav link)

Yarn: Jill Draper's Aurora wool/silk blend yarn

in the Sterling and Blue Agate color ways.

Happy Birthday to me!

Gorgeous stuff, my photos do not do it justice!

Verdict: Doing a lace weight sweater for myself, was a bit on

the crazy side of things. But I am so glad I used the

lighter weight yarn because winter at the Castle

aren't really *that* cold. {grin}

P.S. Christmas knitting--it's on.

Two More Things for the Christmas List

2011-11-28T16:18:00.000-08:00

My toothless wonder!

I ♥ missing top teeth!

Overheard After a Correction

2011-11-15T11:22:00.000-08:00

Queen: Okay, little man, next time you choose to hit your sister, is hands on the wall time.

Prince: No.

Queen: Excuse me??

Prince: No hands on wall, I "bad hat".

Queen: {grin}

Can any of guess what book the Prince has chosen to have read over and over and over again this week??

Trust Issues

2011-11-12T12:41:00.000-08:00

Prince: Mama! Look at me!

Queen: Oh, nice shades mister.

Prince: They're sunglasses.

Queen: Yah, those are great.

Prince: For riding motorcycles.

Queen: Really?

Prince: Trust me, Mama.

Queen: Okay, I will take your word for it.

Prince: Good.

An oldie from last year, but a favorite. {grin}

Quiet and Crazy

2011-11-11T15:55:00.000-08:00

So in a moment of what is hopefully fleeting insanity and perhaps, an over-inflated sense of my knitting speed, I decided to tackle making myself an entire sweater started and completed in the month of November. (It may have also been due to the fact that what is left of my Christmas knitting is uninspiring.) Anyway, I decided to try. And being the impulsive freak that I am, I decided to make a long sleeve pullover . . . out of laceweight yarn. Yep, I am a glutton. But I am not alone.

And that, dear readers, is why it has been quiet here at the blog. I am knitting in every spare second that I have and am loving the challenge of this. So wish me luck. Wish me speed and accuracy.

Oh, and Christmas knitting, I'll see you in December!!

Overheard After Rest Time

2011-11-08T18:00:00.000-08:00

Princess #3: Did you have good sleeps?

Prince: No. Scary monsters in my room.

Princess #3: Monsters aren't real. Maybe it was a shadow.

Prince: No. Scary bad guys.

Princess #3: See here's a shadow (shows him her hand shadow), did the scary guy look like that?

Prince: Yes.

Princess #3: Okay, so it was a shadow, not something real. You don't need to be afraid.

Prince: Okay, Princess #3. No be scared now.

I've said it before, but the relationship these two have is AMAZING! Makes my heart melt to hear her help him conquer his fears.

Overheard While Playing Barbies

2011-11-07T11:58:00.000-08:00

Princess #2: This Barbie is mine. I know because I got her when I was really little after I begged and begged Mama to get it for me.

Princess #3: That never works for me.

Queen: That's right! And don't you forget it!!

A Knit A Week

2011-10-27T12:13:00.002-07:00

So I went a little crazy with the photos for this post,

but when you spend the amount of hours

that I did for one creation . . .

you want to heavily document it! {grin}

This is another mystery shawl knit-a-long.

I have admired the designer's shawls for a long time,

but had yet to screw up the courage to tackle one

on my own. It was great to be joined by a

couple hundred others in making this shawl.

My lame attempt at an artsy photograph!

Princess #1 showing off one wingspan.

Although you can't see them (due to my stellar photo taking skills),
there are about 200+ seed beads knit into the shawl.
I used dental floss to do it!

It has a crescent shape which is awesome, because the
curve keeps it on your shoulders.

So, so pretty!!

Pattern: Polaris by Susanna IC (Rav link)

Yarn: Aurora by Jill Draper in the Blue Agate colorway
This is one of Jill's new yarns! In a word: gorgeous!
Wool and silk lace weight yarn with stunning color!

Verdict: Okay, so this was a challenge for me. My first lace weight shawl and
first time adding beads to my knitting.
When I saw the first clue said cast on 361 I about threw in the towel.
However, the brilliance of shawls done this way (bottom up, crescent)
is that you tackle the multitude of stitches while the
excitement of starting a new project is highest. By the time you're done,
you're down to about a couple hundred. Easy peasy! {grin}

Overheard During Family Devotions

2011-10-26T06:01:00.000-07:00

Princess #1: That is too much to memorize Dad!

King: If you can memorize the levels on Mario Bros. than I'm pretty sure you can handle this.

Princess #1: I don't have all the levels memorized!!

King: I heard you and your friend talking in the car on the way home from the farm, and you knew what level she was on by the music.

((Long pause.))

Princess #2: Buzzinga.

A Reasonable Explanation

2011-10-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

A rash of horse-craziness has descended upon the Castle. It's not just affecting Princess #2 this time, Princess #3 and the Prince have both been diagnosed. Troubling for the Queen to be sure. If I thought being a soccer mom was a tough fit, imagine what being equine mom is going to do for my image. {grin}

I decided I needed to get to the bottom of this madness. Is being horse-crazy contagious? Is it genetic? Hmm. Or is there another, more reasonable explanation?

Queen: So why are you so crazy about horses all of a sudden Princess #3?

Princess #3: Well, I realized that I will never have a panda for a pet, but I could have a horse someday.

See? She is only horse crazy because *real* pet pandas are hard to come by. You can feel my relief. Can't you?

Soccer Soccer Soccer

2011-10-21T04:28:00.000-07:00

It is the last week of soccer here at the Castle.

(Can I get an amen?!)

It's been fun to watch the girls play this year.

And I cannot say enough great and wonderful

things about the Upward Soccer Program

that they play with.

This was our fifth season and each year

it just gets better.

Karate Kid anyone?? Princess #3 played for the 'Hornets'
this year. Or, as her coach fondly calls the girls,
the 'Annoying Hornets'. {grin} She learned to be an
awesome defender!!

That's Princess #1 there in the blue jersey running toward the goal.
Her 'Freedom' team was awesome!! And she has scored a lot
of goals this year.

And that is Princess #2 wearing blue chasing after the ball.
Her team the 'Crunch' really improved their teamwork
over the season!

A Knit A Week

2011-10-20T04:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I know it's not the end of the year yet,

and I may end up knitting something else

that is takes the cake, but for now,

this "knit a week" is my favorite knit for 2011.

I don't know if it's the combination of the

yarn with the pattern. Or the pattern with the yarn. {grin}

But . . .

something about this project, just makes me happy!

Fall colors--love. Pattern so simple it is stunning.

♥ Maybe it is my model? She is gorgeous too! ♥

Pattern: Hitchhiker by: Martina Behm

Yarn: Miss Babs Windsor Sock Yarn in the Mums colorway

(purchased at Sock Summit)

Happiness Is . . .

2011-10-19T16:45:00.000-07:00

. . . picking apples with your soon-to-be 98 (eep!) year old Grandpa, your Mom, and your four kids. Despite feeling cruddy, it was one of the best afternoons I have had in recent history. What a blessing!!

Happiness Is . . .

2011-10-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

. . . wearing hand-knit socks on a blustery day!! I'm wearing this pair of woolly goodness on my feet.

The One Where I Should Have Licked His Finger

2011-10-06T18:02:00.000-07:00

The Prince: Mama, lick my finger please. ((Holding out a finger covered in chocolate cake crumbs and a few token wisps of animal hair.))

Queen: No thank you.

The Prince: Okay Mama. ((Hops down from the table and proceeds to offer the finger to the patient, eternal optimist of the family . . . Jackson . . . the dog.))

A Knit A Week

2011-10-03T12:11:00.000-07:00

Just in time for that first bite of fall weather

a new pair of socks.

These are by far the laciest socks I've knit thus far.

So feminine and so delicate looking in this yarn color.

Pattern: Shani by: Nancy Whitman

Yarn: Malabrigo Sock Yarn in the natural colorway

Verdict: This yarn is so soft, but I do wonder how it will

end up wearing, it just feels flimsy. It would knit up a

fabulous shawl though.

The pattern was well-written and fun to do.

However, definitely not a project to just

toss in the purse and work on during soccer practice.

I worked on this with a group of other knitters

I met through Ravelry and it was

a good thing to have that accountability . . .

these might have languished a bit longer if I hadn't had their

encouragement!

The One Where I Buy a Semi-Pornographic Thermometer

2011-09-28T16:41:00.000-07:00

So, as I've mentioned before change is evil here at the Castle. And change is upon us in the form of cooler weather. For the last four years we have battled with Fall and every year he kicks our, well, you know. So I just purchased a little something that I hope will help us win this round . . . a somewhat risque thermometer for our spirited miss.

As well as telling the temperature, there is a picture of a lady, who bears a striking resemblance to "Barbie" who is in various states of dress (or undress) as the weather dictates. I am hopeful that this will help reinforce what I am telling my spirited little girl in terms of choosing weather appropriate clothing. It was a relief to finally find one that fit her specific requirements (this is not our first attempt at this): not a boy, not a little girl, not a girl that really looks like a boy. Thank you amazon.com for having this lovely option this year!!

Fingers crossed that our little miss sees this as
"such a hot day, I should wear a tank top dress" and
*not*
"whoo-hoo I can get away with just wearing my unders".

Happiness Is . . .

2011-09-16T18:15:00.000-07:00

. . . hearing your spirited child tell you how she is feeling instead of losing it. Yay Princess #3!!!

The above may sound trivial, I know that I would have thought so if I had read this post four years ago. However, this is a huge step of progress. One that makes me teary and grateful that this may be the start of hearing more articulate and effective communication from my little girl!! Thank you Lord!

A Knit A Week

2011-09-15T05:40:00.000-07:00

I can still remember when I learned about dinosaurs.

It was 2nd grade.

Mrs. Scherr's class.

I was hooked.

I checked out books from the library.

Wrote reports.

Wrote stories.

I was enamored with the things.

Probably drove my parents and siblings nuts.

Or maybe I kept it to myself, as a secret love.

I don't quite remember.

Anyway, Princess #3 has a best friend.

That special little gal is a lover of dinosaurs.

I can't tell you how giddy this has made me.

So when I saw this sweater, I knew I had to make it for her.

Because when I was her age I would have wanted one.

Princess #3 was willing to model for me!

The dinosaurs march around the entire sweater.

The Details:

Pattern: Diplodocus by Kate Oates

Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Worsted

Verdict: When I gave her the sweater, I blanked on the dinosaur's name.

This little sweet, took one look and told me:

It's a Diplodocus.

{grin}

I believe that says it all!!

Life. Now.

2011-09-14T10:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the absence of posting dear, faithful readers.

My life has been full to overflowing these past days.

Filled with stuff. Good stuff. Fun stuff.

But at the end of the day it is just stuff.

Stuff like:

playing with friends

school

soccer games

school

soccer practice

school

kids choir

school

Prince chasing

school

volunteering

school

knitting

school

playing trucks and guys

did I mention school??

Fall is busy.

I do my best to find balance with how we choose to spend

our family's time.

Making sure that our busy-ness is productive

and not stress causing.

Taking care to not overwhelm.

So far, it is feeling good.

A knit A Week

2011-09-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

More Socks!

Shocker!
{grin}

These socks were made for walking . . .

Check out my matchy-matchy pooling on these babies.
Cool huh?!

Modeled by Princess #1.
Yes, my 11 year old and I wear the same size.
She's gonna be tall like her Daddy methinks.

Pattern: Artichoke Socks

Yarn: Jill Draper's Splendor Sock in the Yarmouth colorway

Verdict: These socks have been a royal pain.
I started them at Sock Summit, which apparently made
my guage funky. However, I didn't realize that
Sock Summit knitting affected my guage til I got into the
second sock. The colors of the yarn pooled
completely differently!! UGH!
So I ended up cutting off (literally, gulp) the cuff of the
first sock (since it refused to be unraveled nicely),
putting the live heel and foot stitches onto a holder and
re-knit the cuff. It came out looking just like I wanted, phew.
Then using the Kitchener stitch, I joined the new
cuff with the live stitches from the foot.
And . . . it worked!!
Hurry up Fall weather. I need to wear some woolies!!

Happiness Is . . .

2011-08-29T16:45:00.001-07:00

. . . listening to my girls' play house, the way their mama does.

Princess #2: Well, the kids are all in bed.

Princess #3: Oh good. It's time to knit!

You Know You Live . . .

2011-08-28T11:55:00.000-07:00

in the desert,
when your toddler mistakes the sound of a thunderstorm . . .

for that of a Harley.

A Little Insight

2011-08-26T11:20:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought of your day

in terms of transitions?

I do.

Daily.

Wanna know why?

Because transitions in my spirited child's world

are

EVIL.

Everytime you switch tasks is a transition.
Try thinking about it this way . . .

#1- Wake up.

#2- Get out of pj's and get dressed.

#3- Eat breakfast.

#4- Brush teeth/hair.

#5- Play or School time

That's at least 5 transitions all before 9 am at our house!!

Think about a trip out to do errands.

#1- Get in car and buckle.

#2- Get to destination and get out of car.

#3- Errand.

#4- Get back into car and buckle..

#5- Get to destination and get out of car.

You get the picture right?
That's 5 transitions (at least) just for one errand.
It's a red letter day here at the Castle if we
get in more than one stop per trip because
of the affect that change has on our spirited child.

You may be wondering as to the point of this post.
Not sure, dear readers.
Just something I thought I'd share with you.
A little glimpse of my life.
And maybe, a little perspective to those of you with
children that may struggle with transitions as well.
Like a mom with a toddler! {grin}

Now granted we have come a long way in
dealing with the daily transition struggles.
It involves a lot of prep work from a Mama's standpoint.
Lots of thinking ahead.
Lots of being flexible with how much time may be needed to transition.
It's exhausting some days.
Especially now, as summer is winding down
and fall is looming. . .
Seasons=Change
Change=Transition
Transition=Evil
remember??

Interesting Assumption

2011-08-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

So I was given the privilege, inconvenience, chance, opportunity to be a part of our system of justice here in America this week. You guessed it, jury duty!

During the first stretch of waiting (if you've ever served, you know what I mean by that, right?), an older gentleman sat next to me and struck up a conversation with me about the sock I was knitting and it continued on to family life. It went a little like this:

Nice Old Guy (NOG): So do you have any children?

Queen: Yep. Four.

NOG: Wow. How old?

Queen: 11, 9, 6, and 2.

NOG: You must stay home with them.

Queen: I do actually. Out of curiosity, how did you guess?

NOG: Well, daycare for that many kids would be awfully expensive . . . plus you're knitting.

Queen: Ah, well, there you go, it was the knitting that gave it away.
***************************

What can we take away from this dear readers?

Some in the world assume you are a stay at home mom

when you have four children

and

(the best caveat of all)

you knit!!

Hope you got a grin out of this one. I know I did!!

Wonder what he would have said if I would have

also confessed to educating my children at home!!

Probably would assume that I also know how to sew!
The horror! {grin}

Overheard After Rest-Time

2011-08-23T16:04:00.000-07:00

Queen: Who is hiding in my curtain?

The Prince: Jertain in the curtain, Mama!!

Can any of you guess which book is the Prince's current obsession?!?

A Knit A Week

2011-08-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

So, did I mention that I attended Sock Summit 2011?

I didn't?

Well, I did.

And, it was, in a word: amazing.

To be surrounded by knitters from all walks of life,

who were wearing the most fabulous hand knits I have ever seen,

to not get any funny looks or feel as if you

might be the tiniest bit rude by pulling out your knitting

whenever you get the chance,

to have the sensory experience to see, touch, and

talk with the creators of incredible sock yarns and patterns was

INSPIRING!

I want to go back.

I got the chance to meet Jill Draper.

She's the gal I buy most of my sock yarn from,

as you faithful readers know.

Just meeting her, was worth making the trip.

To give her a hug and squish her yarn in person,

the icing on the cake that was Sock Summit!

I took some classes.

I met the Yarn Harlot.

I bought some yarn.

I met the Yarn Harlot.

I bought some patterns.

I met the Yarn Harlot.

I finished these socks while there.

Stood in line forever waiting for the chance

for the Yarn Harlot to "hold" my sock

as she so willingly does, rock star knitter that she is..

And realized that I forgot to take my camera [*&%@]

to document such a momentous occasion.

Anyway, as you may have guessed I am thoroughly

enamored with creating hand knit socks.

Sock Summit, just convinced me that this

obsession is right and true!

The Details:

Pattern: Socks For Euni a freebie from Liz Abinante

Yarn: Socks that Rock Lightweight by Blue Moon Fiber Arts

in a mystery color Mill End.

Verdict: These babies just flew off the needles. I love it when

that happens. Fab pattern and fab yarn! One more

Christmas gift off the list!!

Wonder No Longer

2011-08-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

Now I'm sure you've wondered dear readers,

how does the Queen make meals

that all the Royals will eat?

I'm sure you've thought to yourself, she doesn't seem to post

much about cooking,

yet her kids are getting bigger and

seem to be healthy, hmmm.

Or, her recipes must go through rigorous testing and

approval before she tries them out on her family.

Well, wonder no longer my friends.

I do have *a* stringent quality control measure in place.

His name is Clyde.

First Clyde cautiously does a sniff test.

Then, takes an aerial overview.

Finally, the all important taste test.

If Clyde approves, then I know I have a crowd pleaser! {grin}

Just having a little fun with you all this fine Monday morning.

Best Wishes for a fine, mid-August week, dear readers.

Happiness Is Not . . .

2011-08-09T17:09:00.000-07:00

. . . finding "Potsie" in the sink, when you go to drain the pasta and the corn on the cob.

Anybody else hear "Chucky" music playing??

A Knit A Week

2011-08-08T16:38:00.000-07:00

So by now, dear readers, most

of you know (or have figured out) that

I have the teeniest, tiniest obsession

with knitting.

I know, hard to believe. {grin}

But I also have a deep, deep love

for the written word.

I love to find fabulous, fun

books to read to my kids.

And I love to read, well, just about

anything for my own personal enjoyment.

I also love to give gifts. Handmade ones in particular.

Especially ones that I've knit with a specific

person in mind.

For the following "Knit A Week" post,

prepare to be astounded, dear ones for

I've combined all three loves!

Meet the Princess.

See all those mattresses. And her wee pillow.

Will she be able to sleep??
Hope so.

But will it be comfortable sleep is the question!

The Details:

Pattern: Princess and the Pea by Susan B. Anderson

from her Itty Bitty Toys book. Love this book!!

Yarn: Every last bit was from scraps! Fabulous

stash-busting project.

Verdict: I'm enchanted. And not just because it

was based on a fairy tale! I included a copy

of the story along with the princess for

my niece to enjoy listening to, while

she plays with her princess set.

Princess #2 is 9!!

2011-08-02T16:14:00.000-07:00

NINE?!?

Whew. Sometimes the passage

of time hits you all at once.

NINE!?!

The birthday girl with her Palomino cake!

Here are a few little things you should know about

my sweet Princess #2.

She (is a/an):

*fast and furious bicyclist.

*reader of anime.

*fabulous seamstress.

*knitter.

*Fashionista.

*songwriting wonder.

*aspiring singer.

*has yet to meet a stranger. {grin}

*lover of animals . . . especially horses.

*aspiring equestrienne.

*daughter of the risen KING!

*fun-loving and always fun-seeking!

God knew when He blessed us with Princess #2

that our castle was lacking in the adventure

seeking dept., the spontaneity dept., the

extroverted dept., and the flair dept.

So. . .

Nine years ago,

in a big, ol' hurry,

Princess #2 was born

with the loudest cry I have ever

heard a newborn make.

And she has been making herself heard

ever since. Our castle would

be awfully boring without her

to liven up the joint!

We love our free-spirited little miss very much.

A Knit A Week

2011-08-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

Princess #2's Birthday Sweater!

Completed completely (read: blocked!)

before her birthday!

Yay me!

She originally chose a swing cardigan

sweater, but after she saw the feather and fan

stitch pattern on her baby cousin's sweater,

she just had to have that.

What was this Mama to do??

Order more yarn and find a new pattern . . .

{grin}

I found a feather and fan sweater pattern that I ended

up modifying a bit in order to make it in

my aspiring Fashionista's vision!

Pattern: Feather and Fan Cardigan by: Cathy Pipinich

Yarn: Cascade 220 Paints/Hand Dyed

Verdict: She loves it! And I loved fiddling around

making the modifications that personalized this one.

The buttons are from the same fab etsy seller

as previous projects.

Same Game, New Name

2011-07-24T18:25:00.000-07:00

Prince: Go outside please with seesters?

Queen: What are you going to play outside with your sisters?

Prince: Play neener-neener*, Mama.

*the seesters were playing tag {grin}

Dear Void,

2011-07-19T08:36:00.000-07:00

Seriously, Void, seriously?

You know I get a very limited time alone during the Royals' waking hours. So why then, oh Void, do they have to start in on some nonsense right when I sneak away for some much needed alone time? It's one thing when my alone time is on the computer or knitting, but when their nonsense interrupts my five minutes in the throne room?!?

C'mon, five minutes of peace, it's not too much to ask for, is it?

Wait, don't answer.

Signed,

The Queen

Castle Quotable

2011-07-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

Queen: And we're having pie for dessert.

Prince: PIE!! I like that!

Overheard at the Store

2011-07-13T12:13:00.000-07:00

Princess #3: Mama, I really want that Barbie car.

Queen's side note: It was one of those battery operated, kid-sized Barbie cars!

Queen: It's $250, sweetie, Mama doesn't have $250 to spend on that.

Princess #3: Well, you could save up for it Mama.

Queen's side note: Doncha just love it when your own words come back to roost?

King: Do you really think that if Mama had $250 to spend, she would spend it on a Barbie car for you?

Princess #2: NO WAY! She would spend it on yarn!!

Queen's side note: What can I say? They know me well!!

A Knit A Week

2011-07-12T06:46:00.000-07:00

My sister just sent me a picture of my niece in her

welcome baby knitwear and I had to

share because she is such a little doll!

Patterns: Sourball Bonnet by: Larissa Brown (Rav. link)

Lillie Baby Cardigan by: Laura Edwards (Rav. link)

Both patterns are fab freebies!

Yarn: Jill Draper's Hudson in the Dainty Bess colorway.

Buttons are from a wonderful maker of fabric-covered

creations. I love her buttons!!

Verdict: I could not ask for sweeter, quicker, more

fabulous projects than these two. Jill's amazing, soft, squishy

Hudson yarn paired with my sweet niece. . . scrumptious!

Both the hat and the cardy were made with just one skein

of yarn and a wee bit of some left over

Hudson from a different project.

Love, love, love!

Happiness Is . . .

2011-07-11T11:42:00.000-07:00

. . . not generally insomnia. However, last night, I was grateful to be awake in the wee hours so I was able to hear the coyote conversation that was taking place. I love the mournfulness of their cries. So haunting and beautiful.

Associations

2011-07-10T15:49:00.000-07:00

I seem to have a lot of weird associations. Most of them stemming from a certain food that holds a sweet memory. Hmmm, Sweet and Sour Chicken from Leeann Chin's comes to mind. (The King will know what I'm talking about . . .) {grin}

Today I realized another. While making strawberry freezer jam, I was overcome by the urge to make biscuits. I blame my Mom. Whenever my Mom made jam when I was kid, which was basically all summer long, she usually made the real deal--cooked jam., and one of the steps to making cooked jam is to skim the foam off the top.

She would ladle it into one of her peach lustre Fire King bowls and add to it from each of the batches she made that day. Then for dinner she would make a big batch of baking powder biscuits and we could slather the fresh foamy goodness on and enjoy.

So tonight in honor of my Mom I will make a big batch of baking powder biscuits to go with my freshly made jam. It won't be foamy, but I won't be hot and sweaty from stirring jam over the stove either. Sounds like a win-win to me!

All Before 8 AM

2011-06-28T06:17:00.000-07:00

. . . lest you have the mistaken idea that life here at the Castle is

idyllic on a daily basis I give you a typical morning

of my life that happened this week.

Here it is by the numbers:

. . . 1 child out of 4 happy to start the day.

. . . 2 1/2 children dressed for the day.

. . . 1 pot of Scottish Oatmeal overflowing onto the stovetop.

. . . 1 Queen swearing . . . softly. (Just keeping it real people.)

. . . 1 child screaming for MOMMY.

. . . 1 child screaming that they didn't *want* Scottish Oatmeal for breakfast.

. . . 1 child running around with no unders on. (The happy one.){grin}

. . . 1 can of caffeinated beverage of choice consumed by the Queen.

. . . 5 bowls of oatmeal dished up.

. . . 1 wrong spoon used causing more screaming.

. . . 4 children eating.

. . . 1 Queen sighing.

. . . 1 pot of water on, to make the second dose of

caffeinated beverage for the Queen.

And all this, before 8 AM, my dear friends.

. . .

One For the Frog Pond

2011-06-27T16:31:00.000-07:00

I decided early on in my latest knitting project to turn a blind eye to what common sense was telling me. I mean, I was spot-on for gauge, so what if the baby sweater appeared to be growing in width rather than height. I continued on because darn it, this was my mindless knitting project, my reward for completing a lacy scarf out of over 400 yards of fingering weight yarn, this little sweater was my sanity saver.

However, today as I laid it out on the school table in preparation of adding sleeves, I opened my eyes and began to laugh, because surely this was a joke from the knitting gods. The shape was supposed to be boxy, but this little baby sweater for a three month old, would have fit my 2 year old for width!!! Yikes.

Common sense took over.

I began to frog.

And frog.

I told the girls it was rather ironic that taking apart a sweater only takes about 15 minutes as opposed to the solid week I've knitting I had already put into it.

I hated to do it, but it is for the best.

Sometimes taking things down to the beginning is important. Sometimes rebuilding, or in this case, re-knitting, is the best action. Sometimes, you've got to start from scratch, even if it hurts to take it there.

Just Another Day . . .

2011-06-23T08:16:00.000-07:00

. . . here at the Castle. However, this day is starting with a trial. It is the case of The Castle vs. Princess #1 aka the girl who didn't take her allergy meds.

I give you the cast in order of appearance:

The Judge--Princess #2 (finally her chance to boss the big sis legally)

The Defendant--Princess #1

Jury--Princess #3 (look out Princess #1, you're goin' down)

Witnesses--Mama, Princess #2, and Princess #3 (you can see where this trial is headed, can't you??)

Bailiff--The Prince who is patrolling the trial while riding his fire truck.

Verdict: Apparently we'll find out after a commercial break (the Queen wonders if they have been secretly watching Judge Judy when she's not looking).
Aaaaannnnd we're back. In a surprise twist, no one saw coming, the allergy medication is guilty because it forgot to tell Princess #1 that she needed to take it.
Justice has been served?!

The Queen thinks that this was a great intro into Civics, don't you?!?

Never a dull moment, although they are prayed for daily.

A Knit A Week

2011-06-21T06:28:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I mentioned on this blog that

I am striving for a pair of socks knitted

for each month. That is why, my knitting

projects may seem a bit heavy on the sock projects.

(And it may also because I have the teeniest tiniest bit of a sock yarn obsession. Maybe.)

Pattern: Twinkleberry Socks

Yarn: Mountain Colors Crazyfoot in the Harmony Lake colorway

Verdict: I really like Mountain Colors yarn. The colors are so rich

and lush. I wish my pictures did justice to the

beautiful green that is subtly striped in this yarn.

The pattern is another fab freebie. Complete

with cables and lace, short row heels and toes.

Fun!

Happiness Is . . .

2011-06-20T11:27:00.000-07:00

. . . hearing the Prince singing, "Jesus Love the Little Children", Papa Al style* at the top of his lungs!

*Papa Al's version has a twist, "Red and yellow, blue and green, strangest kids you've ever seen." {grin}

Queen's disclaimer: This is not crystal clear singing mind you. I could pick out the tune and then hear the green and blue very clearly. It's his maniacal laughter after, that clued me in that this was his Papa's way of singing it!

Good Answer

2011-06-14T15:34:00.000-07:00

As I was rocking the Prince at rest time today, we had this little conversation. Again. We seem to have it at least once a week. It's cute. And he always makes a good choice with his answers! {grin}

It starts with the Prince burying his little nose into the Queen's shirt and inhaling loudly.

Queen: Whatcha doing?

Prince: Smell you.

Queen: So, how do I smell?

Prince: Mmmm, good, like Mama.

Dear Void,

2011-06-13T17:06:00.000-07:00

Why, oh sweet Void, why, must the ice cream truck man drive around my neighborhood at dinner time?

Get back to me quick will ya, my kids are crying 'bout their mean mama.

Thanks.

Signed,

The [mean] Queen

I Felt A Need

2011-06-09T18:19:00.000-07:00

Felting is addicting.

It is so much fun to make a huge giant project

throw it in the wash for 15 minutes

and watch it shrink before your very eyes

to a normal sized object.

I've been on a stash-busting mission.

Why?

Because I couldn't shut the doors on

my yarn storage cupboard anymore.

It was a wee bit embarrassing.

Here are the results of the felting madness . . .

for now.

A little iPod wristlet for Princess #2.

It is made out of some left-over Tilli Tomas Flurries which

is a wool yarn with glass beads woven in it.

Her gadget fits just right and has just

enough bling to make my girl happy.

I closed it with a snap and she found a

rhinestone button from the button box to put on top.

A Rainbow Waves bag made out of left-over

Elann Peruvian Wool and some Brown Sheep Wool.

I've never felted with either of these yarns before, but

I definitely will again.

I love the end result!!

Another Rainbow Waves bag, this one

done in Noro Kureyon Wool and Cascade 220.

Love it!

Noro is such an interesting yarn to work with, not only

because of the beautiful color changes, but it's texture too.

It is rough to the touch and as you knit you may come across

some organic stuff-like bits of dried grass (?).

But once it is felted it is so soft and fuzzy.

Interesting stuff.

Overheard At/After School

2011-06-08T10:21:00.000-07:00

Princess #1 (while trying to finish up school): May I order something please?

Princess #3 (waitressing for Chef Princess #2): Sure.

Princess #1: Peace and quiet.

Princess #3: I'm sorry, we don't have that. We're just swamped with orders for veggie burgers and cotton candy.

Princess #1: I tried.

Queen's side note: It's hard to be the last one at the school table some days. Especially on those days when the kitchen is busy cooking. {grin}
Thankfully Princess #1 is an old pro at tuning out her siblings' noise!

Current Fave

2011-06-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

So the Prince talks a lot.
Do I understand what he's communicating? Mostly.
Would you? Probably not. {grin}

Anyway. My current favorite of his little Prince-ism's is this one:

"Mama, juice me, pwease!"

Which of course, means more juice please! Stat!

A Knit A Week

2011-06-02T16:29:00.000-07:00

Pattern: Temperance by: Liz Abinante

A fabulous freebie that works great with semi-solid sock yarn.

Yarn: Jill Draper Makes Stuff Splendor Sock in the Moonless colorway.

**Color is truest in the top photo.**

This is the deepest, richest navy blue.

Oh how I love the color blue!!

Verdict: Mine. All. Mine.

These were my first toe up's and it was fun to

try something new when it comes to sock design.

Happiness Is . . .

2011-05-30T11:06:00.000-07:00

Life. Captured.

2011-05-22T16:59:00.000-07:00

Another Knit This Week

2011-05-18T12:33:00.000-07:00

I just finished up my first, of what may turn into

many, "Mystery Knit Alongs".

The basic idea is you know what you are going to knit

in that, I knew that I was going to make a shawl, but

beyond that you no nothing about what the final

creation will look like.

The designer gives you an idea of what kind of yarn would

be best suited to the pattern, in this case, a subtly

variegated yarn as opposed to a wildly, hand-painted

yarn was preferred. And with this mystery knit, the

designer had paired with a yarn-dyer and had a

custom made yarn for her KAL (knit-a-long) that you could

choose to purchase (I did).

And then you wait for the clues to appear.

Fun, fun, fun!

I started my project April 15th and finished

exactly one month later.

It's not too big of a shawl, which I like.

However, I haven't decided if I'm going to keep

it or gift it. Purple is not one of my go-to

colors, but I couldn't resist this yarn for some

reason, maybe because was meant to be

for one of my many purple loving friends! {grin}

Pattern: Roxanne by Liz Abinante

Yarn: Hipster Sock in the Ethereal colorway by Little Red Bicycle

and the bottom border in Dream in Color's Smooshy Sock Yarn.

Verdict: This shawl has cables and lace and lots of fun

texture to it!

Would I have chosen this pattern to make on my own?

Probably not, but that being said, it was a lot of fun to

join in the discussions and knit up a mystery item!

(Some have compared it's shape to Cylon ships from BSG.{grin})

A Knit A Week

2011-05-16T12:28:00.000-07:00

A birthday sweater for Princess #1.

This one may look familiar, as it was the same

pattern I used for the Prince's b-day sweater!

She chose the yarn and then waited patiently

for me to finish, which I'll have you know,

was only one day after *her* day! {grin}

Pattern: Hotshot by Julia Stanfield

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash Paints in

Fruit Smoothie

Verdict: Turned out great, she loves it!

The only modification I made was to add a

kangaroo pouch to the front.

Happiness Is . . .

2011-05-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

. . . feeling emotionally and spiritually recharged and ready to deal with life again, despite being physically exhausted.

*****

I follow that with a question for the Void: How is it that my kids always seem to know when I've had a late (fun!) night . . . and choose the following morning to bless me with an extra early rising?!?! Why, oh Void, why??

A Knit A Week

2011-05-12T07:58:00.000-07:00

Easter Knits for the Royals

All of these patterns came from the amazing

book, Itty Bitty Toys by Susan B. Anderson.

I started this tradition last year, when I made the sock monkey

for the Prince's basket, hoping to distract him from

the lack of candy. It worked so well for all the kids

that I did it again this year!!

A little hippo for Princess #1 out of

leftover Socks that Rock sock yarn in the

Wonderful Goodness and Mr. Greenjeans colorways.

A stripey snake, complete with slithery tongue

for Princess #2 out of leftover Misti Alpaca

sock yarn.

A reversible bluebird/egg with a little nest for Princess #3.

How cool is this pattern???? Love this.

It was made out of scraps of Cascade 220.

And last, but not least, a little "Biscuit" puppy for the Prince.

He is made out of scraps of Cascade 220 and other

stash finds.

Eleven

2011-05-04T15:13:00.000-07:00

PRINCESS #1 is a . . .

* voracious reader

* faithful friend

* daughter of the One Most High

* responsible brother watcher

* creative creator

* lover of shoes

* gentle big sister

* giver of wonderful back scratches

* excellent scholar

* delightful dessert maker

* fast and furious bicyclist

* knitter

* wonderfully sweet daughter

Eleven years ago, we were blessed here at the Castle by the birth of our first born.

A daughter.

Thankfully, she broke us into parenting gently, however, her presence

rocked our little world of two.

We are eager to see what the "Judy Blume" years have in store for

our sweet princess. We know that she will continue to

grow ever in grace and beauty because of Who

she holds dear in her heart.

Happy 11th Princess #1. You are dearly loved, Bugga.

Overheard While Playing Barbies

2011-04-27T06:12:00.000-07:00

Princess #3: I'm the Lost Princess.

Princess #1: Well, I'm the Queen of Sheba.

Princess #2 scoffs (as only she can).

Princess #1: I am! I have I.D.

Princess #2: Well, we're not going to bow down to you or anything, if you're just going to lie down in our crops.

Brilliant!

2011-04-26T06:47:00.000-07:00

So a while back a friend of mine turned me on to the most brilliant piece of parenting weaponry ever: the written tattle-tale. (Now, I know many of you, dear readers, do not have children who can write just yet, so please tuck this little gem into your back pocket for future reference! You will thank me later, I promise!!)

Back to the weapon. So, if either of my older two have need to tattle, it now has to be in the form of a written complaint. They write down their complaint (isn't this great?? A little bonus handwriting assignment too!), and turn it in to me. I read said complaint (usually with much self-contained giggling) and then decide what should be done about it. It has cut down the amount of tattling done in the castle substantially!! It is not nearly as much fun to write down all of the terrible atrocities committed to your person, as it is to run over and immediately blab them all to your mama. Writing them down takes some of the heat out of the mad and slows you down as you decide how to write the heinous wrong doings of a sibling. Brilliant!!

I alluded to the other little bonus with handling tattles this way, and that is getting to read the complaints!! This is one I received today, and I am hanging on to it! {grin}

It is a joint effort by Princess #1 and Princess #2. It reads:

Mama, Princess #3 stole one of Princess #2's Easter candies for no reason at all. (Princess #1's handwriting.)

And she is a j-werd. (Princess #2's handwriting.)

Priceless I tell you. Absolutely priceless.

Try it my friends. You will like it.

Can You Handle More Randomness??

2011-04-25T10:21:00.000-07:00

1. I hope so.

2. Because I don't have any energy to form coherent thoughts today. It's been an exhausting couple of weeks.

3. I even broke down and made coffee. If you know me, you would know that is a rare occurrence.

4. Of course, my version of coffee is all about what you add to the coffee to make it taste less coffee-ish.

5. I wish coffee tasted the way it smells.

6. I finally finished a test knit I've been working on. It looks really cool.

7. If I get permission, I'll post some pictures on the blog.

8. It took a lot of attempts to get it right, since I was learning some new skills.

9. Every once and a while it is good to get out of your knitting comfort zone and try something different.

10. That being said, I'm not sure I'll ever double knit anything, again.

11. But I know how to! {grin}

12. I'm making tennis racket shaped pasta for lunch.

13. My parents bought it for me.

14. When I was in 1st grade I picked up my first tennis racket and was hooked.

15. My parents haven't forgotten that love I had.

16. And I like that about them.

17. Thanks for putting up with a bit more random, dear readers.

A Little Randomness

2011-04-11T16:49:00.000-07:00

1. I have not been motivated to post anything on the blog as of late.

2. In fact, I am forcing myself to type this post.

3. It may be time to be done with blogging.

4. My kids are driving me insane today.

5. Not that I'm not always on the brink, but today, I'm full on.

6. I hate yelling at my kids.

7. But I did today. A lot. Really loud and often.

8. Felt good at the time, but now, not so much.

9. I know why, but I can't post it.

10. That makes me want to start a new, completely anonymous blog, that I only let select (non-judgmental) people know about, just to talk about the "taboo" subjects.

11. Like yelling at your kids or bad days or things/events that cause you incredible stress and possible ulcers.

12. And if this day wasn't enough, now I have to feed them.

13. So, what I'm making for dinner is completely unhealthy.

14. I don't care that it is, because they will all eat it without complaint.

15. At this point, I will do anything to avoid the complaining, whining, and general gnashing of teeth that this day has brought.

16. Just keepin' it real for you, dear readers. Some days, life sucks here at the Castle.

A Knit A Week

2011-04-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

A Momo Sweater for

the Prince to wear on Easter!

Verdict: This little sweater is adorable! It was knit from the top

down, which allows you to avoid any pesky seaming,

and it is knit up with sock yarn, how cool is that--

one more justification for continuing in my

sock yarn obsession! {grin}

Yarn: Jill Draper's Splendor Sock Yarn in

the Beatrix color way. The colors are straight

out of Peter Rabbit-so fun!

Pattern: Little Momo by Terri Kruse

Overheard After a Trip to Papa's Farm

2011-03-31T07:01:00.000-07:00

Princess #2: Oooh, look at all those baby boy calves!!!

Princess #1: Those aren't all boy calves, you're seeing their umbilican (her word) cords that haven't fallen off yet.

Princess #2: Yes I remember, you have to watch how they go to the bathroom, so you can tell if they are a boy or a girl.

Princess #1: Yep. That's right.

Princess #2: But it only works when they go #1, you can forget about #2.

Queen {shaking head}: The things your Papa teaches you.

What Goes Around

2011-03-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

The entire month of March, give or take a couple of days, some member of the Royal family has been sick. So, so much fun. And it wasn't just one illness that hit each one of us, it was the combo. Fever, throwing up, coughing, sneezing, 20,000 boxes of tissue runny noses, sometimes even a double dip (Princess #2 and I both got sick twice) like I said, fun.

School crept along at a snail's pace depending on who was sick, I should mention that we have a couple of Oscar contenders in the dramatic category when they get sick.

Poots training, believe it or not, has continued to go splendidly. Of course, the Prince being dehydrated, probably helped our cause while he was sick.

Knitting was done it bits and snatches. I purchased huge balls of colorful acrylic for the older Princesses and they have been going to town. Princess #1 is making a garter stitch blanket with her ball and Princess #2 is making herself a poncho. It's been fun to watch their confidence take off as they attempt "real" patterns.

However, I am hearing lots of these kind of phrases now:

"In a minute Mom, I'm in the middle of a row."

"But Mom, I really need to get five more rounds done before I stop."

"I really, really feel like I need to knit."

"Can we take a knitting break?"

And for the record, they came up with the last two phrases on their own, I promise.

A Knit A Week

2011-03-24T05:47:00.000-07:00

No-Purl Monkey Socks for Christmas 2011!

Woo-hoo, my 2nd Christmas knit is completed!

Verdict: This is the third time I've made this pattern and

each time I just absolutely love it. It looks great made up with

most any kind of yarn, is easy to memorize and looks

great on. It is a free one from designer Cookie A. and

you can find it using the link above on knitty.com

Yarn: Splendor Sock by Jill Draper in the Northampton colorway.

The colors of this yarn scream spring, doncha agree??

The red is perfect, tulip red.

I think I'm going to have to wrap these up now, so

I won't be tempted to give them a test wear.

Overheard After Dinner

2011-03-23T17:44:00.000-07:00

. . . some Kingly wisdom.

Princess #2: I'm not planning on having a boyfriend.

King: No one ever plans on having a boyfriend, and those that do seldom end up with one.

Poots Update

2011-03-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

I hesitate to mention how potty training is going here at the Castle. It is going so well, that I am typing this post with one hand, while knocking on a piece of wood with the other! {grin} This is because in my experience, as a mama, the minute you say things like, "Oh yah? Well, my little Susie has been sleeping through the night for weeks now!", then that very same night, little Susie will be up fifty bazillion times. It's true. Kids love nothing better than to prove their parents wrong. From this opinion, I cannot be swayed.

So, where was I? Oh yah, the Prince is doing awesome. Even went so far as to stay dry during our errand running this morning, even though he told us the entire.way.home. that he needed to "poots". We're at the point where he is wearing his big boy unders all day, except for sleeping and is doing pretty darn well at telling us that he needs to go. Secretly, the King and I are still waiting for the other shoe to drop as far as his training goes. We're keeping our hopes on the down-low that this first run is a success.

All this being said, to show you this little gem of a product! I think these would be very handy in toddler size! I could have a box in every room and the car!!

A Knit A Week

2011-03-11T06:26:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered what a "thrum" is?

Me either.

That is, until I had the chance to make some

thrummed mittens--then I was all ears.

A thrum is basically a piece of roving which

is unspun wool. In my case, the very pretty pile

of fuzz you see below.

You have to separate the roving into

little wisps, which

you then knit together with your working yarn.

Each thrum makes one stitch. You leave the ends

of the thrum hanging inside the mitten for an

extra layer of warmth.

This is the inside view of the mitten. All that fluffy goodness

just waiting to warm up your hands!

I wish you could see these babies in person, in order

to truly appreciate just how squishy they really are.

This particular thrummed mitten kit came from

the amazing Jill Draper. She dyed both the yarn

and the roving I used, as well as provided the pattern.

Thrumming is rather addicting. I have enough roving

left over that I will most likely be making more of

these chubby mittens!!

Overheard While Playing

2011-03-10T06:56:00.000-08:00

King: What's the magic word?

Princess #3: Daddy, may I please have the ball?

King: What's the other magic word?

Princess #3: You have no power over me!

Life. Captured.

2011-03-09T06:58:00.000-08:00

Overheard in the Kitchen

2011-03-08T06:32:00.000-08:00

Queen (while pouring sugar into the sugar dispenser): Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives . . .

Princess #3: That's deep.

On Poots and Beds

2011-03-07T16:38:00.000-08:00

So, I don't know about you, dear readers, but potty training is one of my least favorite duties as Mama. It is probably second, only, to being consistent. {grin} And it has begun here at the castle for the last (please God) time. I'm not ready to start, but the Prince seems to think he is. And if there is one piece of advice this tired Mama can give you, it's this, if your child is telling you that they have a wet diaper, then start potty training if you haven't already. It has been that little gem of knowledge that I have been studiously ignoring these past couple weeks, and decided that today I needed to "man-up" and get serious before that window closes.

Our Prince calls every down-low bodily function, "poots". It's cute. It gets this Mama rushing. Today we spent entirely on the wood floors waiting for poots. Princess #1 helped me set up the potty chair, the paper towels, the sanitizing wipes, the extra socks, big boy unders, and other garments necessary to make this first day go smoothly. I prefer the $60 method of potty training. It involves a lot of toddler nudity, a lot of paper towels, a lot of laundry and one good carpet cleaning when everything is said and done, but no pull-ups. But it seems to be more effective, and dare, I say, quicker (again, please God).

The Prince did well, hit the target several times, the floor a few more than that. I think we were averaging about a 1:4 ratio this morning! That's pretty good for a first day out. Especially when your first day out, followed your first night in a BIG BOY BED (that is the Prince shouting). Yep, we put away the crib for the last (and again, please God) time. So far, he is staying put, which is always my biggest thing. I put you in bed, not as a possible option to spend your time, but as your place of residence until I'm ready to see you again! {grin} However, around midnight he was crying, I rushed in there to find him under the bed, in his own words, "scared", but he went right back to sleep, so it's all good.

I've said it before, and am sure to say it again, but is it just me, or does this boy have the warp drive on???

Microphones for the Royals

2011-03-05T07:40:00.000-08:00

The baby rattle that started the madness!
Now the Prince's microphone.

The prototypes, all basically the same, but I like how Princess #2's
came out the best. Her's is the purple stripey one.

Close up of the sparkle silver mic lids. So cute!!

Well, I am happy to report that my experiment in modifying the rattle pattern into a microphone was a three-fold success! Each one took less than a day to make and they have been happily put to use ever since. If you're a knitter and interested in my tweaks, let me know and I'd be happy to share!

Overheard At Dinner

2011-03-04T17:45:00.001-08:00

Princess #3: Princess #1, did you know that red velvet cupcakes don't have real velvet in them. They're just red cake.

Princess #1: Yeah, I knew that.

Princess #3: That's weird isn't it?

Queen's Note: Personally, I think it's weird that 1) She thought that there was velvet in the cake, and 2) that she even knows what velvet is.

Overheard From the Backseat

2011-03-03T18:01:00.000-08:00

Princess #2: Now that Princess #1 is getting so old, it means that she'll be able to drive me on my dates soon.

Queen: You're not going on dates.

Princess #2: No, Mama, not now, I mean when Princess #1 gets her driver's license, then I'll go on dates.

Queen: You're not going on dates.

Princess #2: Hmph.

Princess #1: Well, I guess you'll have to go on on-line dates instead, Princess #2!!

One Thing Leads to Another

2011-03-01T12:33:00.000-08:00

So, I just finished knitting up the most adorable baby rattle, (pictures forthcoming since for some reason March is starting off rather deary), anyway, the kids--all four just went crazy for it! The first thing they did after shaking it, you know, to make sure it would rattle to their own personal satisfaction, was to use it as a microphone. {grin}

Well, that got me thinking. What if I tweak the pattern and make them each a little microphone? If I could make it work, that sure would save wear and tear on the Rockband microphone! I dug through the stash, found some silver crochet thread leftover from the little tea set I made last year and then a bag of leftover sock yarn scraps and went to work. This is one of the first times I've actually gone ahead without a specific pattern. I am relying on the rattle pattern, but am modifying it to suit my needs, and that is kind of fun. It is by no means an original design, but is a tiny step in that direction.

Times like these, make me thankful that my Mom taught me sew and sew well, and to those that know me, no, the irony of that last statement is not lost. {grin} The ability to eye ball something and know if it is "right" is invaluable when it comes to knitting, and I am grateful my Mom persevered with her lessons. One of the main reasons that knitting garments is not scary to me, is that sewing experience that I received as a child/teen. I know how patterns work and how they *should* go together from a sewing aspect, so if I am in the midst of a knitting project, I can usually figure out where it headed south and fix it or fudge it into submission!

Anyway, I will be back to post pictures of the rattle and hopefully a successful prototype of the microphone! Thanks for reading a kind of a boring post, I apologize, but I was excited to share where my knitting obsession took me today!

Happiness Is . . .

2011-02-26T18:12:00.000-08:00

. . . eating homemade brownies.

♥Especially when they are made by your daughter. ♥

A Knit A Week

2011-02-22T16:17:00.000-08:00

Birthday Knits Galore!!

As you know, we here at the Castle love books, some

might even call us "book-alcoholics". {grin}

Now imagine my giddiness in finding

a sweet book with beautiful illustrations

complete with knitting patterns in the back!

I know, right???

This is exciting stuff, my friends!!

This is Phoebe mouse wearing her knitted dress!

This is Phoebe's sweater to match Princess #3's sweater.

(Pardon the crazy flash that makes the color weird.

It's actually the color of the following photos.)

Phoebe just opened!

Princess #3 and Phoebe all bundled up!

These are knit from the patterns found in the book

Phoebe's Sweater

by: Joanna Johnson and illustrated by her husband, Eric Johnson

They have their own little publishing company that I

discovered through my favorite knitting website Ravelry.

They have a second book out called

Freddie's Blanket that I am eager to purchase and

knit from as well.

SIX

2011-02-21T18:26:00.000-08:00

Princess #3 celebrated her 6th birthday last week! Hard to believe it has only been six some days. {grin} She continues to stretch us as parents and individuals. I think she has taught me more about myself than any other person in the world, and there is something to be said about that.

Doncha just love how Rapunzel is nekkid, riding horseback
with a boy?! Too funny!

Here are some things about Princess #3 that we love:

*She loves to play barbies. Anytime. Anywhere.

*She loves the colors pink and orange.

*She loves to wear dresses.

*She has a very quick wit.

*She plans to take care of her mama and dad

when they are old.

(However, they will have to move in with

her because she is going to live where

it is warm all.the.time.)

*She loves her big sisters and baby brother.

*She loves pandas.

*She has a best friend, whom she mentions

pretty much daily. {grin}

(This is notable, because it is something

that I have prayed for her daily for

a.long.time. God is good.)

Happy Birthday sweet Princess!!

The Birthday Cakes

2011-02-21T18:08:00.000-08:00

He loves trucks.

Especially fire trucks.

Engine #2!

And Princess #3 loves pandas!!
We aim to please here at the castle. {grin}

I can't believe she is 6 already!!

A Knit A Week

2011-02-14T16:29:00.000-08:00

A Hotshot sweater for my little hotshot!

His birthday sweater this year.

Pattern: Hotshot by Julia Stanfield (rav link)

part of the Little Rascals e-book of patterns

Yarn: Lana Bambu by Cascade yarns

only 2 skeins!!

Verdict: In a word: adorable. The perfect kind of layering

sweater for my little runs-like-a-furnace boy. Top down, seamless

construction, a multitude of sizes (0-10!!), and the other two patterns

that came with the e-book will be made at some point.

This yarn is deliciously soft too, the only downside is that it is

hand-wash, but I tend to hand-wash all the knitted

things, you know, just in case . . .

TWO

2011-02-12T14:59:00.000-08:00

The Prince turned two yesterday. Two, two wonderful two. One of my absolutely favorite ages!!

He ended his day with a wonderfully stereotypical temper tantrum! However, the age two doesn't scare me nearly as much as three, so I chalked his melt up to too much birthday! {grin}

Here are some things that we find TOO cute about our guy:

--he loves trucks.

[We cannot stress this enough.

Trucks are where it's at.]

--he loves to be outside.

--he loves to talk and sing.

[You can even understand them for the most part now.]

--he loves to do whatever big sisters are doing.

[And that means "tool" too (school)!]

--he likes to arrange mama's hair into a pillow before

snuggling in for a rock before bed.

--he still likes to have his head under mama's chin too-

for reading or cuddling.

[The Queen is pretty sure that this demonstrates

he still has fond memories of trying to

dislocate her rib cage with his head while in utero!]

--he loves to play chase.

--he loves to help and is a great grocery unloader!

How did we do life without him?

I'm not quite sure anymore.

Super Sniffer

2011-02-08T17:04:00.000-08:00

A real life conversation here at the castle tonight.

Princess #2: I think the Prince stepped in dog poop.

Queen: Really? Oh great. Let me check his shoes.

Queen (after checking and removing his shoes): Well, I don't know what you smelled, but it's not his shoes.

Princess #2: Oh, well it must have been whatever you're making for dinner.

Queen: So, so nice. Way to spoil the surprise I was making.

Princess #2: Eeew. Maaammmaaa!

Overheard After Rest Time

2011-02-05T13:42:00.000-08:00

. . . a Spanish spelling lesson.

Princess #3: I know how to spell chipmunk in Spanish.

Princess #2: You do?? How?

Princess #3: E-l c-h-i-p-m-u-n-k! See it's easy, you just add an "E-L" in front.

He Totally Gets Me!

2011-02-04T16:21:00.000-08:00

A conversation I had with my beloved today.

King: Going slummin' today?

Queen: What?

King: You're wearing store-bought socks, instead of your $100 hand-knit ones.

Queen: Oh, yeah, guess I am slummin'. {grinning}
. . . Pausing mid-grin, "Wait, you mean the cost of all the time it takes to make socks right?"
{worried that he might be making a veiled reference to the cost of her sock-yarn-habit, and forcing her to explain that you really can't put a cost on one's sanity.}

King: Yep.

Queen (thinking): He loves me.