Happiness Is . . .

. . . 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

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

. . . 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

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 . . .

. . . 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

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 . . .

. . . 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

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,

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

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

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

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

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 . . .

Life. Captured.

Another Knit This Week

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

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 . . .

. . . 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

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

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.