A Knit A Week

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.

A Knit A Week

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!

Overheard After a Horseback Ride

Queen:  Did you have fun riding with your Auntie and your cousins?

Princess #3:  YES!!  But now I'm all puckered out!!

Another Monday Ramble

1.  School was back on today.

2.  Surprisingly, it went really well.

3.  I don't know why that surprises me, but it did.  And it was a nice way to start the week.

4.  I didn't make any specific new year resolutions.

5.  Just kept to the broad one:  survival.

6.  I got the Pioneer Woman cookbook for Christmas and boy, have we been eating yummy new stuff these past couple of weeks.  The sour cream pancakes were delish!

7.  The pancakes were notable because as a general rule, I could do without pancakes in my life.

8.  I started on my February must-have knits.  I am knitting up Princess #3 a bunch of fun goodies for her b-day.

9.  And I found an adorable (easy, I hope) pattern for making a fire engine cake for the Prince.

10.  When I showed him the picture, it immediately triggered his siren wail. {grin}

11.  Next week all three of my sisters and their adorable children arrive at my parents' place.

12.  I should probably convince the King to buy or rent an RV for us to live in while they are in the area.

13.  Thataway, we won't miss a minute of time spent. {grin}

14.  Happy New Year, dear readers!

A Knit A Week

Dougie Dog Hat and Scarf

These were made in anticipation of my

nephew joining our family and it makes me feel so

incredibly happy and blessed to see him wearing them.

Pattern: Dougie Dog Hat and Scarf by Lucinda Guy

Yarn: Zenith by di.Ve

Verdict: This is a fun little pattern that would be a great intro into

intarsia. Intarsia is probably one of my least favorite

knitting skills to use, but it sure makes for a fun finished project.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Meeting this little guy was the only
thing motivating her to cooperate for our long trip.
So glad she did.

Exhaustion

I am exhausted. It's that plain and simple. If you're a mom, recall that feeling you have those first few weeks of having baby home. That's how I feel now.

Over two weeks away from home, away from routines, away from your own comfy bed, co-sleeping when you'd rather not, on top of traveling for days and days will do that to a mama.

And instead of finding rest now that we're home, it's post-trip/cousin/over-stimulation detox time for the Royals. Time to do chores again. Time to get school going again. Time to follow up with consequences to actions that mama had to let slide while on the road. Time to obey the first time. Time to eat together as a family unit again (ruh-roh better eat all those veggies, mama's watchin'!).

Maybe next week I'll find time to rest.

Happiness Is . . .

. . . seeing your sister and brother become a family of three!!

Isn't my nephew the cutest EVER?!?!

Almost Wordless Wednesday

I just learned last night that
the nephew of my heart
will be joining his forever family soon!
I'm so excited I could burst!!

Sweet Cousins

Our annual trek to the Midwest this year had a fun beginning in the form of a teeny tiny family reunion for my family. A day and a half is not really a reunion, but seeing as it will most likely be the one chance this year for my family to all be together we jumped on it. I wish it could have lasted a lot longer, as it was so hard to say goodbye to everyone when it felt like we had just arrived. But I refuse to complain because seeing everyone for a blip is better than not at all.

The princess' loved meeting their baby cousins, even though as Princess #1 put it, two were missing, one we hope to meet soon and one in heaven (she took my feelings and put words to them, sigh.). We played "musical babies" as the King put it, passing the babies to whomever had free hands. What a blessing and what a treat to all be together!!!

A big thank you to my two travel weary sisters for making the long trip up and a thank you to my youngest sis for hosting us in and out of her bungalow in such style! And a thank you to my folks for just plain making life easier for us by going out of your way to make sure we were comfortable and had all we needed.

The Prince and his cousin R. hanging out!

Princess #1 holding cousin S.

Princess #2 hanging out with cousin R.

The Prince and cousin R. holding hands. So sweet.