Distracting You With Cuteness

I'm plugging along on holiday gifts. I'm feeling really good about where I am. Peanut's teachers are each getting a pair of Fetching gloves. Her lone male teacher may receive a hat or a more manly pair of fingerless gloves. Jury's still out on that one. Peanut has made many requests that her baby receive some sort of knit clothing soon as well. Well, "requests" wouldn't exactly describe how she's asking...demands is more like it. Each time she sees me knitting, she'll stop me to ask if that's for her or her baby? Because in her mind, there are only these two options.

We put our cool new tree up. She loved it. I let her put on whatever she wanted and did not move anything. We have large gaping holes and other branches that hold five ornaments each. She loves it and it's her tree, too.

My friend, Jennifer was given a grocery bag full of dress up stuff. She passed it along to Peanut. Here she is in her Princess Costume glory complete with accessories.

This is her "cha cha" outfit. That's a flapper dress with hat..and a pink holster and bunched up skirt to compliment the ensemble.

We visited Santa at her school...

There were no tears...no deep frowns...I think we've turned the corner on our Santa fears. I caught her hugging his leg as he was trying to leave. Her liking him and understanding his role in our Christmas celebration means that he's also become a major bargaining tool. The look on her face was priceless when I let it slip I had his phone number and could call him if he needed an update on whether she's been naughty or nice.

Let's say she had a "naughty" day on Wednesday when she and her buddy TP'd the girls bathroom at school. I know those huge rolls of TP are tempting...and it's something I would have loved to have done at 4...it was hard not to smile when her teacher told me.

Lions and Tigers and Bears...Oh my!

Peanut attended her first play on Saturday. We went to see the Howell Community theater's production of The Wizard of Oz. It was wonderful! Peanut had a lot of questions as the stage play does stray from the movie a bit and she had a hard time wrapping her head around the fact that we were in the same room as Glenda and The Wicked Witch of the West. She insisted on wearing her "Good Witch" dress instead of her kind-of-looks-like-Dorothy sundress. I'm glad she did. There was a sea of Dorothys and just one Glenda. And from the number of pairs we saw on Saturday, Target must have a hard time keeping red sparkly shoes in stock. We watched Return to Oz once we got home. That's 2 hours of my life I'll never have back. Horrible movie. I kept trying to persuade Peanut to abandon it and watch something else, but she stuck it out until the end. I made the mistake of putting it on and then going to put laundry away...when I cam back, Dorothy was on a table hooked up and ready to receive electric shock therapy. Evidently, her stories of Oz weren't all that well received by Aunt Em and Uncle Henry when she came back. I asked Peanut what was going on and she said she wasn't quite sure and insisted on watching the movie. I sat down with her to oversee the rest of it. Dorothy lucks out because a storm comes in before they can fire up the equipment and she escapes to Oz with a chicken....and that's all I'll say about that. Don't waste your time, though.

We visited the Knitting Den on Saturday to take advantage of their 25% off sale. I've received 3 emails and a phone call about this sale...so we went. I still hate the store. No one ever greets you and it's almost like they act like it's a privilege they let you in to buy things. I hate the way it's layed out and it's insanely impossible to get to everything if there are people sitting around the table in the middle of the store. I'm thinking that's going to be my last visit there. There are too many other good shops within 20 mins of the house that I want to spend my money at.

I finished the crazy pink eyelash scarf for Peanut. Photos coming soon. I'm making my way across the back of Haiku for her...I can't wait to see how this turns out.

Pouty Princess, FOs and 7 Things

Here's the pouty princess from Halloween. That's a genuine Sleeping Beauty dress, crown & wand from the Disney store. The crown she got for her birthday. The wand was a Chicago souvenir and Aunt Peanut, who spoils her rotten, got her the dress. Similar to The Blue Dress from last year, the kid would wear it 24/7 if I let her. This was the first year she "got" trick or treating. I've never seen the kid move so fast or run for so long in her entire life. It was pretty comical and she went the distance going the whole 2 hours without a complaint.

It's a little blurry, but it's my favorite picture of the night. This was taken just as we were wrapping up for the night. The kid wound up with an insane amount of candy. About 1/3 of it wound up at my office. We still have 2 gallon size ziplocs full at home. She's limited to 1 piece a day. We're set for a while.

I finished up some projects..

I finished a baby sweater for a coworker. It's Little Lamb sweater from Precious Layettes to Knit. It's done in red LB Cotton-Ease with lady bug buttons. It was very well received.

The sweater wasn't finished in time for her work shower, so she got these little guys then. They're Baby Eyelet socks made out of left over tofutsies. I hate the yarn. Enough that I don't care if I misspell it or not. It splits and bunches and I'll never, ever buy it again.

Ages ago, Amby tagged me with a meme. I've never been tagged before and quickly did the 7 things list. And then it sat in my My Documents until today. Sorry, Amby. Thanks for tagging me!

So, here are the rules.

1. Link to your tagger and post rules

2. Share 7 facts about yourself, some random and some weird

3. Tag 7 people at the end of post and list their names

4. Let them know they were tagged by a comment on their blog

1. I am the youngest, oldest, middle and only child for my family. Between my mom & dad, I'm the only. For my mom, I'm the oldest. For my dad, I'm the youngest biologically but when you factor in my steps, I'm in the middle. I believe I have traits from all of the birth orders because of this.

2. When playing cards, I cannot touch my cards until the final card has been dealt or flipped over, depending on the game. If I do, then it completely ruins the hand for me.

3. While I have an extensive ice cube tray collection, I tend to drink my beverages without ice and don't mind them warm or room temperature. (IKEA has some really great silicone ones with different shapes)

4. I hate Seinfeld. Hate it with a passion. The music from the show instantly puts me in a bad mood. One of my roommates in college was obsessed with it and now I work with guys that watch it nightly and then enjoy discussing it at length every morning.

5. I went to college to be a radio producer or an accountant. CMU had a great hands on program for radio at the time and they had a nationally accredited Accounting program as well. I took 2 BCA classes before my prof distributed typical salary ranges for the field...I switched to business. After taking an accounting class, I knew that was not my calling and went with a General business Major. One of my fraternity (AKPsi) advisers bluntly told me to pick something or quit school. Management Information Systems was the major with the shortest list of required classes, so I went with that. So, I have a BSBA with an MIS major.

6. I am Irish on both sides, so that's what I claim to be. My mother's maiden name and my maiden name are very, very common names in Ireland.

7. Knicknames that I've had are: Janetteski, MammaJ, Mudslide, Jaynet, J, JoanJett

As for the tagging part...well, if 7 of you still read this after my sporadic postings the last year or so, please consider yourself tagged.

And I shall name her Sparky...

My father and step-mother were avid bowlers. My dad worked afternoons and bowled on at least 2 leagues a week. Sunday nights with them were usually spent at an alley somewhere begging for quarters to play the video games. Bowling on a league seemed like such a cool, adult thing to do. The idea of joining a mixed league was tossed around in the last few years, but unforeseen circumstances never made it a reality...until this year.

Some friends and I formed a team and blindly joined a league that bowls every other weekend. We are not good, but we have a fabulous time! That's the whole point. To get out, meet new people and have a good time.

I've never had my own bowling ball. It always seemed so extravagant considering I rarely bowled and I wasn't any good. With joining the league, it's obvious I will not get any better using a house ball. I've been struggling with whether or not to buy one. Again, it seems like such a frivolous thing. I got shoes on sale a couple of years ago. They made sense because you pay $3.50 each time to rent them. Paying $9.99 for the pair I have means that they've already paid for themselves and then some.

On Tuesday, Peanut had to visit the pediatrician. I was a little freaked out about the why (and finding out later, justifiably so). We stopped to get gas on the way home and when I put the pump back into the holster, I noticed someone had dropped their credit card. It was raining...and to take it into the station, I'd have to pull Peanut out of the car and it'd be a pain. But then I thought, if that was my credit card I'd want someone to turn it in for me...so I did just that. When we got home, I found a check in the mail from our previous cable company telling me I had overpaid them. Huh? How did that happen? The amount of the check was just enough to cover a new ball.....

So I picked out Sparky. She'll come home with us on Thursday. I'll test her out on Friday. On Saturday, she'll be tweaked (if needed) and then used for league night. This photo really doesn't do her justice. She seems to twinkle like the night sky. Hopefully she can help my 93 average.

There has been a lot of knitting and photos of it, but they're trapped in the camera. I finished a pair of baby eyelet socks that were gifted to a coworker. I'm also working on a red baby sweater. I finished the first of the BFF socks and I'm nearing the end of the toe increases on the second. For some reason, lace seems to keep coming up. I'm wondering if I might be ready for a real like project soon. Maybe that'll be a 2008 thing. I would still like to get a little cardigan knit up for Peanut. I also picked up a few skeins of an awful fun fur at the Dollar Store to make into a princess worthy scarf for her.

We hit Zoo Boo last weekend....it was fun, but not really worth the money. If you have little kids that would tire easily from traditional trick or treating, then it's definitely worth it. A gaggle of kids aged 3 - 6 made quick work of the 13 stops and stingy candy amounts. I'm glad we did it, but I don't know that we'll do it again.

Oh! And I've been on Ravelry for a while now...I'm jbknits over there too. Might as well stay consistent, right?

This is what 4 looks like...

Peanut and The Monkees share the same birthday. I always forget to ask what time they were born.

The celebration of 4 started with a party at Peanut's dad's house and they visited Build A Bear. She came home with a pretty new pink bear. It has been given the honor of residing in her bed without her shoes.

The party continued when she got home with the party with my immediate family. I think she was happy with the Princess cake by way of Costco.

Tuesday, was her actual birthday. She took cupcakes & frosting to school to have a snack that they could decorate first. I picked her up early to go have dinner at Big Boy with Gram and Aunt Peanut. Big Boy is her new favorite restaurant for some reason. She chose to have hotcakes with apples & whipped cream for dinner. It was her birthday and she was allowed to choose to have whatever she wanted. That's the point of birthday dinners, right? That was followed up with a giant chocolate ice cream and carmel sauce sundae. Before she slipped into a sugar coma, we headed to Chuck E Cheese for a couple of hours.

40 hrs later, we were on a train headed for Chicago. This was a trip I'd been planning for seven months with one of my best friends from CMU. Her little guy turned 4 on 9/30, so it was a birthday present to both of them. We headed to Shedd Aquarium on Friday. She was most excited about the dolphins and beluga whales. She fell asleep on the city bus on the way back to the hotel and I had a really hard time waking her. I'd say she definitely enjoyed the aquarium.

On Saturday, we visited the Children's Museum on Navy Pier. What an awesome place! We had the best time there. We spent the afternoon on Navy Pier and finished up the day on the Magnificent Mile. I thought she would faint from the Princess display at the Disney store. Here she is modeling her new jammies and dolls from the day.

Peanut's other big birthday gift was a Leapster. The kid loves this thing more than I could have imagined. She's pretty good about only playing it for 30 mins or so at a time.

The last year has been tough on us both and I think we've weathered it well. She's recently snapped out of a phase where I affectionately referred to her as "The Devil". I was worried it was never going to end, but it did and I am so thankful for the sweet little girl that has emerged. While I'm sad that she's growing up so quick, I'm excited for the little person she's becoming. I can't wait to see what other adventures are in store for us, but I'm thrilled to have her to share them with.

Yeah for September!!

I am thrilled to say we’re settling in fabulously into the new apartment. Peanut loves it and actually cries when we go back to visit our old neighbors because she thinks we’re going back to the house. Each time we pull into the apartment complex she chirps “Yeah! New Apartment!!” from the back seat. She and I put up some of the wall stickers we bought earlier this summer to decorate her room. They are super cute and have made a big difference. We’ve found that the balcony is the perfect place for blowing bubbles.

As much as I’ve talked about the how wonderful my dear former neighbors are, it’s been really hard to not talk about the bad things. Not about the neighbors, but people involved with the house. It’s taken a great deal of self control to not say things that would enflame the situation. There’s a lot of biting my tongue going on and my tongue is nearly bitten off. I have never, in my life met a more rude, mean spirited person. With the information I found today, I can now add greedy. I don’t know how I’m surprised by this considering I found out recently that she took the neighbor kids to court for playing in the street. She lost and now has a PPO in place that she cannot even drive down specific areas of the neighborhood. I know that I have scored major brownie points by being the better person and not sinking to her level, but I hope the Good Lord realizes the amount of strength it’s taken to do this. No wonder I’m getting 10 spi on the sock I’m knitting.

I cast on for a scarf for Aunt Peanut. She was promised a lace scarf nearly two years ago. I even bought some beautiful Elann Peruvian Baby Cashmere in this eggplant color. It’s like butter. I cast on for Branching Out, but doing the repeat twice over for double width. Monday night, I pulled it out. I hated it. I grabbed a new ball and cast on for Wendy’s Flickering Flames Scarf. I don’t know if I’ve made a mistake or I just need to learn to trust the pattern…but I’m not far enough along with it to pass judgment yet. I’m hoping to have this done in time to give it to her for her birthday in October.

I’ve also been working on a mini afghan for BFF’s mom. She collects dolls and has a smaller sized chair that one of them sits in. She wanted a mini throw to drape on the back. I’m doing a feather and fan pattern with some acrylic baby yarn in a cream color. As soon as I can find the book I got the pattern from to get the ending rows, I’ll be done with it. I think she’s going to love it.

What I’m most excited about right now is bowling. A group of us have formed a team and signed up for a league at the local bowling alley. It’s every other Saturday and Peanut’s Dad has been kind enough to switch his visits to correspond with my bowling nights. I’ve always wanted to do a bowling league and I think it’s going to be a blast. I’m hoping Santa will bring me my own ball for Christmas!

Thanks for hanging in there with me, even through the photo-less posts. Photos will return soon, I promise. I have a good idea as to where the camera and the cable for it are. Now I just need to find the time to put them together with the computer.

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I ended up where I needed to be." - Douglas Adams

That pretty much sums up the last few years. And I think it's my new philosophy for the next year. Every part of my life is crazy right now. Must be a full moon with high tides because Peanut has become difficult, 24x7. In talking with my friends with kids her age, it's not just her. It doesn't help, but it makes me feel better about holding off on that exorcism. We're in the middle of sorting, purging, packing, moving. It's a little overwhelming at the moment. Work is crazy as we migrate from Novell to AD and Notes to Outlook. It's a lot to handle right now. So many, many changes.

Three weeks ago, I had my first date since early 2002. It was fun. We saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I was having a particularly cute day...and it was good. Very good. We're kind of letting things play out as they will. I don't have a life plan and with the divorce only having been final a month, I'm really just looking for someone to go out with here and there.....but I have to admit, I had forgotten how much fun a good kiss can be. :)

The last two weeks have been tough. Each time I think I'm nearing the end of the bad crap, something new piles up. I'm dealing with it by just going through each day and kind of living with blinders on. It's too much to think about all at once...and I will certainly be buying a Mega Millions ticket. All of the crap could magically go away with a winning ticket. Money may not buy happiness, but it sure would buy some peace of mind. Well, and a 2007 Ford Shelby GT 500 Mustang. Santa, if you're reading my blog, I'm not picky. I'll take the Vista blue coupe with the white stripes. Or whatever...

We move this weekend. As I was promised, this will be the easiest move I ever make. Peanut's room was painted last weekend (Storybook Purple) and the cable guy was out on Tuesday. (We got a DVR!!) I'm really looking forward to some quite time on the new balcony. The cavalry comes in Saturday afternoon to move the furniture. I'm expecting to have 90% of the boxes moved on Friday. Saturday night will be spent eating pizza and drinking lots of beers in the new place with good friends. I shouldn't label them "good friends" they are "Great friends". More like family than friends, really. And I am thankful for them.

Quicky Post

We're in the homestretch of the Season of Change here a Chez JB. Peanut and I will be moving in the next month. That means a lot of packing, decluttering, cleaning and destashing...and purging. There, I said it. A good portion has already been completed and now I just have Peanut's and the spare room to tackle. Looks like we'll be going from 1980 sq ft to 900 sq ft. It's a good thing. Wake Me Up When September Ends has been on a mental repeat. It's definitely my mantra for the Summer.

I finally finished knitting the felted clogs for my dear friend, Jenn. Good thing I took so long with them, though. They were on vacation last week and came home to find a brass fitting had cut into the plastic pipe that feeds water to the toilet...in the upstairs bathroom...3 days before. They have a quad, so it's been an interesting spread of water damage. They are fully insured, but it's been a very emotional thing to work through for them. So, if I'd previously given her the clogs, they probably would have been ruined...along with her three favorite wool sweaters. I found a cute raglan pattern in the Knitty archives that I might try to do up for her to replace one of them. The restorers are working on the two irreplaceable items damaged: her Grandmother's antique table and their wedding album. They know they're lucky to have a home and that the damage wasn't worse, but it still sucks to watch her go through it all.

Peanut's off to spend the day with her cousins and to give me a much needed mini-break. First thing I plan on doing it showering...alone. She's been keeping vigil on the side of the tub if I do it while she's awake. She's super excited about the move, but I know she's had a lot to deal with over the past year and we're treading lightly. I have seen a great deal of improvement in her acting out and odd behavior since switching to the new school. That's a huge relief. I think she'll be back to "normal" once the move is over and we're in a new routine....right about the time September ends. See?

I'm working on knitting socks for FNJ. She's been amazing and I don't know if we would have weathered everything as well as we have without her. I'm using Tofutsies yarn and 2mm needles. Man, they are working up slllllooowwwww. I'm getting something like 10.5 - 11 stitches per inch. Nothing like jumping in head first with tiny needles and thin yarn for my first pair of adult socks. I'm doing a toe-up sock with beaded rib. No photos as of yet, but FNJ just loves what I've knit so far. I don't know that I'll knit with Tofutsies again. It's really splitty and I guess with the way I knit, one strand kind of bunches up...it's annoying. I love the fabric, just not the hassle.

I need to get a cake in the oven. One of the little dudes next door is having his birthday party today. His actual birthday was yesterday. Peanut and I got him a little digital camera. I'm excited to say that he was just as geeked about that as the DS mom & dad got him. Excellent gift idea for a seven year old.

Thanks for checking in!

Blessings

On July 5, 2003 at 1:50 p.m., we were married.
On July 5, 2007 at 1:50 p.m., we were divorced.
I'm still laughing at that. What are the chances??

This post is about blessings.

I am blessed with a beautiful child that I would not have had I not been married. A child that continuously teaches me about patience and the wonder of the world. A child that for all of her "I can do it myself" statements throughout the day, still cries for her mama at night. A child that softly snores while snuggled in bed with me. A child that reminds me daily that I'm beautiful and that she loves me, all without prompting. I've come to decide that she will be the only child I will ever have and I am thankful for her.

I am blessed with the wisdom to know better for next time and to pay more attention to those annoying red flags. They are red for a reason.

I am blessed to have lived through some tough times and come out knowing that there's a lot of truth in the sayings, "This too shall pass." "Everything happens for a reason." and "It all works out in the end." It may not be apparent at the time, but it will be eventually. I am blessed with the patience to not worry about things I have no control over until there's something I can do to change it. No need to waste my energy on it.

I am blessed with an amazing family. A familythat would love to say, "I told you so." But says, We love you and we are proud of you, instead.

I am blessed with an even more amazing inner circle of friends. Friends who drop everything to come to my aid. Friends that insist you become part of their family and get miffed when you don't understand that you're always invited to everything without being told. Friends that use the key to your house to sneak in to decorate it. Friends who make sure the evening of your divorce is jam packed with lots of fun. Friends that celebrate an event that is usually considered sad. Friends that are quick with a hug or a beer, if necessary. I've never been more understanding of "You find out who your friends are..." than in the last 9 months.

I am so blessed.

There is no hate. There are no angry feelings anymore. Time heals all wounds (another truth for sure) and my time to be still has passed. In fact, I feel nothing. It's such an odd place to be. There's no love, no hate, just nothing. As odd as it is, it's a wonderful place to be. I've worked hard to be here and I'm going to enjoy it. I'm practicing saying "ex-husband" rather than "husband", it's a habit that I know will be broken quickly. As a part of my identity (wife) goes away, part of me that I lost four years ago has come back brighter than ever. Music is sweeter again. Driving is fun again. Laughing is easier again. At least three people have told me that the Janette that they've known and loved for years is back and they've missed her dearly. I've missed her too. I feel like years have been lifted and I'm younger.

Phase I - the Breakup is complete. I've weathered it with my grace and dignity intact. I've set a good example for my child and I'm proud of myself. That's what's most important, I'm so proud of myself. And thankful for the friends and family who were kind enough to know when I needed a hug or a get yourself together lecture. Thankful for those that didn't back down when I pushed back. So thankful for those that knew I needed to be checked on daily. That I needed to be surrounded by the love of their families and distraction of joyful encounters.

I am thankful for those who are taking another look at our relationship and realizing it is much more than just a friendship.

I am blessed and I so am thankful for my life.

Shedir is Shedone!!

It only took me 8 months, but I finally finished Shedir this morning. It's definitely the most complex pattern I've completed to date. It was the first time I've yanked the needles out of something other than stockinette and ripped back. About 10 rows had to be undone because I opted to only follow one line of the pattern when it came to shuffling stitches around. Some of the double decreases could be a little smoother, but I'm quite proud of it. I used the Rowan Calmer the pattern called for, but in an off white color. I bought a spare ball just in case one wasn't enough. Maybe I'll do a second one with it. I need to check my gauge on this. I'm thinking it might be a little on the small side. It is pretty stretchy, though. I love it and I think it's beautiful.

Peanut started at her new school last week. It's tradition for us to take a photo on her first day. She wasn't overly excited about doing it, though. Her new school is proving to be a great place for her to be. She actually woke up on Saturday and asked if she could go. That never happened with the old place. They have a different them each week. Last week's was the States. On Thursday, they talked about Mt. Rushmore. On Tuesday this week, they're tie-dying shirts. I can't wait to see what she comes home with.

The divorce is final in 4 days. That's crazy to say. I know my checkbook is thankful this is all coming to a close. As I'm reminded constantly, it won't come to an end until October 2021 when Peanut turns 18. I'm thankful for the wonderful friends and family who helped remind me that dignity and grace are way more important than anything else. I'm celebrating with friends after the court appearance on Thursday. On Friday, I'm off to a much needed weekend vacation. I cannot wait!!!

12 Days and Counting....

I have my day in court on the 28th. It can't come soon enough. I'm so over all of the emotional crap and this is just the last stop in the journey to divorce. I might even have a little summer fling ready to start soon after. Nothing serious, just someone coming out of the woodwork after a long time. Surprising to me, really...but the best things tend to be that way, right? As my good friends say, I deserve someone nice who will treat me with respect. After all the drama, I'm so game for that. We'll see what happens.

I finished another hat for Dulaan. I'm working on a third. I have photos, but they're trapped in the camera. All the USB ports are in use backing up data and charging Grace at the moment.

The last two weeks have been kind of upside down here. Peanut's school had to unexpectedly close. As if the poor kid wasn't dealing with enough change right now. I had to do an unplanned day care center tour of all those close by. In the end, she was the one that chose which facility to switch to. None of them offered everything I wanted and they each had their own cons. She's super excited to start at her new school and she already has a little friend that attends there. It's quite a bit more for her to go there, but we always make do with making the budget work. It's a much better program education-wise and they also make sure to include community service work in their curriculum. That was a big selling point with me.

I'll close with a photo from our last trip to the zoo. They're opening a new giraffe viewing area where you can feed them crackers. I'm hoping we can get back again soon to see that.

Absenteeism

Sorry I've been MIA here recently. To say I have a lot going on would be the understatement of the year. Everything in life is changing except my family & friends. Work, life, Peanut, even the house...not much I can say about any of it right now. Don't fret, Peanut changing is just the normal growing up stuff. She's fabulous.

Here are some photos to make up for my lack of postings:

2 squares were knit for Laura's Rebuilding Greensburg project. I just peeked in on Laura for the link and saw that her Father-In-Law passed away over the weekend. Good thoughts and prayers are being sent to the Bunny Hutch. (Caron Simply Soft Tweed in Grape - love it! it's a little short on yardage for my liking, though)

Peanut completed swim class and got a certificate granting her permission to take the next class. It'll be scheduled for some time this summer.

Well, that's all you're getting for now. Blogger's being weird and won't let me post any other photos. I finally completed one of the 5 items for The Dulaan Project for Grandpa's birthday (way back in March). I'm 1/3 of the way done with a 2nd item. Using a vacation day to cover sick time does wonders for simple projects that need some finishing up. Stress is not good for a body and I'm learning that one the hard way. Oy. This too shall pass, right?

31 R O C K S ! ! !

I don't think I have ever celebrated a birthday as much as I have this one. It started Wednesday night. Some of my family came to watch Peanut's swim class. After class I got presents and a trip to DQ. I had forgotten just how good a blue raspberry freeze was. Thursday was the actual day. I got taken to Claddaugh for lunch. During my department celebration, flowers from Peanut were delivered. They are beautiful! I've never seen carnations arranged so well and I never knew they could be as fragrant as these are. You could smell them from the hall before you even got to my cube. They are now gracing our dining room table at home. The Fabulous Neighbor Family had cake and presents for me at their place that night. I had 9 little kids circled around me singing Happy Birthday. It was a great moment. I got a little teary eyed. Friday night, a group of us went to The Melting Pot. Heaven, pure heaven. It took us 4 hours to get through dinner. It was awesome. So relaxing. I felt like an adult and not just Peanut's Mom. They had Sinatra playing. The lights were dim. The drinks were awesome and the food was amazing. Highly recommend it. Saturday, I got more presents and taken out to dinner to TGIFridays. More drinks. Great food. If you go, get the donuts. They're so worth it!! Saturday night wound down with a party at my house. Good friends. More good food. Lots more drinks. Not too many, but LOTS more drinks. Sunday was a repeat of Saturday, but with fewer drinks and ending quite a bit earlier.

And the presents!! Holy cow!!!

By far the biggest present I got was from FNJ. She used my house key without my knowing to let herself in. She spent several hours doing the Spring Cleaning that was put on hold because Mister was ill and unable to visit Peanut. The woman loves to clean. It makes her happy to clean. Initially, I was a little mad because I don't want anyone cleaning up after me....but then she told me how she wanted to do something nice for me and this was something she was good at and she knew I was stressing about getting it done. I have never had anyone do something so nice for me. Never. The house is beautiful. I can't thank her enough. And yes, I got teary eyed over it. I am so blessed to have such wonderful neighbors.

On Wednesday night, my family gave me a gift. It's something I never expected or thought I would need, but I am thankful for it. I am now the proud owner of a tent. A camping tent. A 10x13x72", sleeps 5 people camping tent. Let me just say that I've been camping exactly twice in my life. The first time was 5th Grade Camp and we stayed in cabins with running water and electricity. The second time was in high school when I went to Girl Scout Camp as a PA. We stayed in platform tents with cots that were very near the bathroom/shower facility. So, camping is generally not high on my list. Now FNJ, they camp. They love to camp. They've invited Peanut and I to camp with them this summer. I called up Aunt and asked to borrow their tent as I know they are well equipped for this sort of thing. She agreed and I figured I'd be done with it. Nope, now I have my own tent to camp whenever I want. 31 is my year to have fun and try new things, so we're starting with camping I guess.

On Thursday, I got to open my gifts from Peanut. She, Grandma and Aunt Peanut went to the new Dollar Store to shop. Aunt Peanut tells me she insisted I needed the yellow flyswatter with the giant flower on it. Kid's right. We didn't have one. Now I have one that's pretty as well as functional. I also received a cool magnet photo frame, a new magnetic shopping list and four coordinating magnets. A personal fan with the American Flag on it that lights up when it's run. Some cool hair clips and a bath scrubby on a long handle. There were many more goodies in the bag, but I can't remember off the top of my head. Thursday night, I opened the gifts from the neighbor kids. I've developed quite a little fan club. They each painted a container and a figurine for me. They are darling. They will soon be gracing our mantle. I'll post a photo soon.

And the yarn....I got some beautiful yarn from Knitpicks. I got two skeins of Memories in Rocky Mountain Dusk. Two skeins of Dancing in Hula and two skeins of in Campfire. I also got some new circs for Magic Loop and the new Harlot book. I'm about halfway through it and I'm really mixed on it. I'll save my comments for when I've finished it.

I really needed this weekend. Peanut was visiting Mister, so I didn't have to worry about anyone but myself. Friday night, I finally felt like Janette again. Janette's been missing for a very, very long time. Sunday morning, I was reflecting on the last few days and felt so much lighter. The world seems brighter. The divorce will be final in June and life moves on...and it's a such better happier life! 30 was all about transition and growing. Quite honestly, it sucked and I was glad to see it end. 31 is the first year of the second third of my life. I am so blessed to have people that love me and appreciate me in my life. The last year has has some really dark times, but now the sun is shining and "Tomorrow may rain, so I'll follow the sun".

PS A drunken trip to the grocery store Saturday night netted me a bag of Hershey kisses in the new confetti flavor. Love them! They are white chocolate with candy bits mixed in. I have a thing for Hershey kisses and all the different flavors, so these were an extra special birthday treat.

Settling Dust

Wow! What a crazy few weeks it's been. I don't think it'll truly end until this weekend, either. Lots of BIG plans for this weekend!!

Peanut has continued with her swim classes. I swear she's part mermaid. At her second class, she didn't bother to wait for the teacher to come back to give her another turn at trying to swim. She hopped right off the side of the pool and into the water. They pulled her out and she acted like it was no big deal and she did it every day.

We participated in WalkAmerica on Sunday with our family team. This year we raised $1,170! That brings our 3 year total to over $5,000. I am in total awe of that. That's just a few of my friends and family. The March of Dimes is near and dear to my heart. I know for a fact that if it weren't for them, I would not have the pleasure of being a mom to Peanut. Walking 3 miles and bugging people for money once a year is the very least I can do. (Also my 007 April Photo)

Not a whole lot has been going on with the knitting. I get in a few rows here and there. Mickey is still coming along. I'm about 1/3 of the way through it. It really doesn't look any different, so I'll spare you the photo. Erin and I start the Clapotis KAL on Thursday. It's my birthday and it's all about second chances. 30 was my year of transition. 31 is my year to start enjoying life again.

Speaking of enjoying things again...I've started branching out from SpongeBob in the evenings. Of course, I returned to The Sopranos when it came back. It should be an interesting ending. I've also become addicted to The Tudors. That totally feeds right into my love for history and trashy romance novels. Well, I'm a reformed trashy romance novel reader. I have a total crush on George from The Hour. Smart, cute and hip. Yeah..I think I'd make a run for the border for him. Big Love is returning in June. I can't wait to see where they take that show. The Easter Bunny brought me Season 1. I'm planning to rewatch it before it comes back. Dexter won't be back until October.

That's it from here. Thanks for checking in. My good news from before was compounded with even better news (about something totally different). I'm still not ready to share, but I will as soon as I can.

To apologize for the tease, here's a Peanut photo. That's wool in her hand from a freshly shorn sheep. When you ask her what they do with the sheep's hair she'll reply, "Um, make it into yarn!"

Super Fast Drive Thru Post

Peanut had her first swim class

The Easter Bunny paid us a visit. He has great taste in yarn, dvds and chocolates.

The weather finally cooperated enough for Peanut to try out her new two-wheel bike.

And, I just got the best news yet this year! Can't share just yet...but it's no coincidence that it's timed along with the tax deadline.

Hello Virus...Goodbye Harlot

My body family gave up and gave into the cold I've been fighting for the last week on Thursday night. A good friend of mine described her throat as feeling as if she were "swallowing glass". I'd have to say that's a pretty good way to say how I'm feeling. I broke down and bought some "behind the counter" sudafed on Friday. I'm now on the State of Michigan's books as having purchased 48 tablets. The stuff you can still buy on the shelf can't do anything compared to the real stuff. So, I feel like crud and will be skipping the Harlot visit tomorrow. Bummer.

I got my L&V Secret Pal swap box this week. My spoiler was none other than Manda from the Knitting Psychos podcast. She sent me a fabulous skein of hand dyed yarn. A super cool new chibi, bamboo cable needles, some needle clippy things, wool wash, a note book & pen, and some great candy. I have yet to photograph it but will soon. Thanks so much Manda!!

In super fabulous news...Baby Logan will be coming home soon after Easter. How awesome is that?! He's truly a miracle baby. Thank you for all of your good thoughts and prayers for him.

The meds are finally kicking in and I'm heading to bed.

Updates...

It's been a while since I've posted. Sorry about that. Life gets in the way. The last week has been a bit topsy turvy. I can't say much. But I think I've been more angry in the last week than I have ever been in my life. Way more angry than I ever thought I could be. I kept it together and I smiled because I'm trying to rise above and "Be Better". I am still in awe that some people show such a lack of respect for things that are personal and private to their lives. Moving on before I say something I'll regret later....My dear neighbors also experienced an incredibly sad tragedy that really puts life in perspective. I've been doing all I can to help them out, but it never seems like enough to help ease them through it.

Baby Logan is progressing incredibly well. He's almost up to 5 lbs and he's been practicing maintaining his temp in an open air bassinette. I've seen photos of him sporting the cap I made, but I haven't asked for permission to post them. His parents are hoping he'll be home before his due date at the end of April. It's amazing how well he's done.

I've been steadily working on Mickey. Her hot pinkedness is coming along...slowly, but surely. I finally looked at the ball band and it's the Watermelon color of Caron Simply Soft....and it is bright pink. Peanut comes to check it out each time I work on it and repeatedly asks if it's for her. Two things have happened while working on this project. 1) I have confirmed that I am an insanely slow knitter. The pattern is a six row repeat. There are a couple of wrap & turns, but that's 8 rows max. While watching Tristan & Isolde on Sunday, I timed how long it took me to get through a repeat....six rows over 69 stitches = 35 mins of my knitting life. That's really pathetic. No wonder it takes me forever to complete things! 2) I can now do plain stockinette/garter stitch without looking! I had become enthralled with the movie at one point (Irish/English tribes, Dark Ages, forbidden love...who wouldn't get caught up?) and suddenly realized that I had been watching the screen and still knitting! I consider this to be a major turning point in my knitting career.

I got notice today that my Lime & Violet Secret Pal box arrived at the local post office. I am so excited! It almost feels like my birthday. Speaking of my birthday...you may remember that last Summer, the blogless Erin and I decided to do our own Clapotis KAL. I had a project ending moment 2/3 of the way through when I realized I wouldn't have enough yarn. Considering it was Lisa Souza yarn, getting more would not be an option. I put Clappy in time-out while Erin sailed on to finish hers. A month or so ago, I pulled Clappy out and frogged her. She's been resting comfortably in pretty little Shade Garden cakes waiting to be brought out again. After some discussion, Erin wanted to make another one for a gift and I need to give mine another try. So...we launch Clappy2.0 on my birthday. 30 is my year of change and one I'd like to forget, but 31 is the first year of the 2nd 3rd of my life! It's all about new beginnings and a better life, so it's only fitting Clappy get another chance.

It's a busy week for us full of birthday parties, a Harlot visit and a school function. Thanks for checking in on us!

Springing Forward

I spent an hour and a half tonight updating and bouncing mail servers. What an exciting way to spend a Saturday night. Friday night was spent out celebrating, so I can't complain too much. I'm glad to say the server updates seem to have gone well so far. I can't believe how much work a single decision generated for the IT world. Y2K had nothing on this one. I can only imagine the backlash if the government decides this wasn't such a good idea next year and revoke the change. Oy...I don't even want to think about it.

Yeah, so I've been working on another pair of socks for Peanut. First there was the "I can't handle US0 needles and this will be a great bracelet" pair. I then had a go of it with a heavier yarn. US2 needles seemed huge after the US0s. So this is what it looked like just before it visited the frog pond.

It was a little too small. It fit fine now, but it did require a bit of a tug to get past her heel. That's great. I finally realized by the time I got them finished, they would be too small. I really liked the yarn and will pick it up again, but I think I need a break from the tiny needles.

On that note...Knitty.com Spring 2007 just came out. Totally perfect timing!! I love Mickey. So much so that I did a gauge swatch the night it came out. I have quite the stash of Caron Simply Soft. I found the brightest, most annoying pink I had and went with it. I got a gauge of 6 sts/1" on US5s. They feel like clubs compared to the US2s, but I'll take it! I'm 2.5 repeats into and I can tell it's going to be adorable. I'm already trying to figure out how to make the pleats wider with additional short rows and make it more "twirlable" for the Grand Princess.

Last week marked a major milestone for our family, my Grandpa turned 80. That seems so strange to write. The men in my family tend to have a lot of heart problems. I have a cousin who had his first heart attack at 35. Just a couple of weeks ago, a different cousin in his late 40's had quadruple bypass. Last year, Grandpa had his own scare and now sports a pacemaker. Each gifting event, it's always such a struggle to figure out what to get him. The man wants for nothing. Things he mentions in passing my Aunts or Uncle buy for him. Of course, the "don't waste your money on me" argument happens every time. Gram insisted he didn't need another hat as he babies the one I made him. He won't wear scarves or mittens. Peanut and I sat down last weekend and whipped him up a card. It involved her stencils, markers and LOTS of stickers. Then it hit me...why not do a charity knitting donation in honor of his big birthday? So that's what I've pledged to do. I've chosen the Dulaan Project as the charity of choice for this. I have a lot of odd skeins of wool that will be put to good use as hats. He seemed to enjoy the idea and it sparked interest in the family for the Dulaan Project.

Peanut is wearing the blue dress every where and every moment she can. She's not allowed to wear it to school, but she considers every other waking moment fair game. Even during the strep stint, she wore it to the doctor's office with her cowgirl boots. We went bowling last weekend and she insisted it was what all the young ladies would be wearing. She's covered and warm, so I didn't really care. Funny, two little girls over were dressed in sparkly, red dance outfits.

That's it from here. I've just lost an hour of my life and my servers are still happy. I'm off to bed!

DST & LV Swap Quiz

Damn DST!! That's all I can say. This is way bigger than Y2K ever was. I'm up late tonight updating and bouncing mail servers. Tomorrow and this weekend will be spent running agents overnight from home. Joy, joy, joy. It's not so much the work from home that I mind...it's the fallout of things not going well. Keep your fingers crossed!!

I joined the Lime & Violet swap. I'm pretty excited about it. I think it should be fun. Here's my questionnaire. Please keep in mind that it's late and I've had limited adult conversation this week...

1. What kind of fibers do you prefer? I don't really have a preference. I like things that are soft and smell nice. I don't buy Red Heart Super Saver because it's not soft enough and I don't like the smell. I don't buy fun fur because it makes me crabby to knit. Those are the only things I tend to turn down. I'm not snobby about my yarn at all. I made a scarf out of alpaca and loved it. I have some cashmere blend that I'm using for a scarf. I am the proud owner of a few skeins of Lisa Souza (sock! (L&V, Miss V's Pink Ribbon) and the wool/silk blend in the beautiful shade garden). I'm totally fascinated by self-patterning/striping yarn. I'd love to try some of the new fibers (bamboo, corn, milk, crab shells, etc). I'm really easy to please. I do tend to lean towards more blues and purples. With a resident Princess, it's also hard to stay away from pinks.

2. What kind of weight do you prefer (sock, worsted, bulky)? I tend to shy away from bulky. Doesn't seem like you get much bang for your buck with it. I just started working with sock yarn in the last few months. I tend to like the heavier sock yarns rather than the thinner. Socks that have to be done on US0 needles do not hold up to my attention span at this moment.

3. Do you spin? I do not, but I find it incredibly interesting and would love to give it a try.

4. Do you crochet? Only if I have to. All of my crochet work tends to be unpredictable. Squares turn into odd trapezoids.

5. Are there any books, patterns, magazines would you like to own that you don't? I'd really love to have the new Yarn Harlot book, A Gathering of Lace, Knitting for Peace or Knitting Nell. My little girl is fascinated with my knitting and I think she'd enjoy Knitting Nell a lot. I have a lot of single skeins of yarn I loved and wanted to have but was a bit pricey. I'd love to get something to help put them to functional use.

6. Are you participating in any themed a-longs like the Project Spectrum? I am not. I did last year, but life's been a bit to hectic to keep up with it this year.

7. Do you have a wishlist on Amazon.com or Half.com? (provide a link) I do have an amazon list. It's kind of a catch all I keep up for birthday & holiday list requests from friends and relatives.

8. Any Etsy stores that you would love to get something from? I've always wanted to get something from To Knit Perchance To Dream. I love her bright colors. She really puts some beautiful colorways together.

9. What other crafty things are you involved in (quilting, drawing, painting)? I once had a dream of quilting but I can't cut a straight line to save my life. Even with the ruler things. I did just inherit a nice sewing machine and I do have quite the fabric stash to taunt me, though.

10. What is your favorite sort of scent? I don't like heavy florals. I really like fruity/citrus scents. I like anything that could be tropical. I got a knock off bottle of the new Britney Spears perfume. It's totally my favorite at the moment. It reminds me of cotton candy. It does not make me want to shave me head or not wear panties, though.

11. Do you have a sweet tooth and what kind of sweets do you like best? I think I have more than one sweet tooth!! I like to try different types of chocolate, but love a good Hershey bar here and there. I'm not allergic to anything and tend to be adventurous in my candy tasting. I absolutely love Gobstoppers and Lindt truffles, too. I actually craved Gobstoppers while pregnant!

12. What kind of music do you like? I'm not overly fond of hip-hop or rap, but I like pretty much everything else. I love the free single of the week on iTunes. I was heavily into music before meeting my husband. I'm trying to get back to that. I've recently developed a fondness for Amy Winehouse's "I'm No Good" and Justin Timberlake's "Sexy Back". Those are a pretty big leap from the country I've been listening to for quite a while.

13. What do you like to knit? And for whom? I tend to knit smaller things. Baby sweaters seem to be my niche at the moment. I have a 3 year old daughter and I have yet to knit anything "big" for her. I have all of the Wendy (knitandtonic.typepade.com) patterns, just need to pick the yarn to do one for her. I have a couple of shawl patterns that I hope to one day complete, but my life's just a little too crazy right now to focus on that. I tend to like simple, classic things. I've been working on Shedir from knitty.com for months and I think it's the most beautiful thing I've knitted. I did the Branching Out scarf and attempted Clapotis.

14. What sort of things do you like to collect? Nothing really, anymore. I have an extensive snowglobe collection that's been sitting in boxes for the last couple of years. I used to collect dragons. I still love them, but tended to get the cartoony or gothic ones. I love the Chinese style dragons.

15. Do you want needles? And what kind do you prefer? I don't know that I really need needles. Santa brought me some KnitPicks Classic ciculars. They're helpful for sock knitting. I would love some fun stitch markers, though.

I really am easy to please. I love surprises! I'm so very excited about this swap!

PS: I totally suck. I completely forgot to mention that my awesome package from Amy arrived last week. I'll have to post a photo of it soon. Thanks so much Amy!!

Pediactric Algebra

4 days with a rollercoastering temp +
refusal to drink chocolate milk +
"mommy, my mouth hurts" +
1 trip to the pediatricians =
1 diagnosis of strep +
1 prescription +
10 days of antibiotics +
1 new Barbie toothbrush +
1 'nilla shake from 'Donalds

She's never too sick to not wear the "blue Princess dress", though. This ensemble is completed with a pair of butterfly embroidered cowgirl boots.

Promised FO Pics

What do you do with a sock you really don't like, but can't bring yourself to rip it out? Improvise! Good bye sock! Hello Peanut's bracelet! Every Princess must have one for this Season.

Here are two completed hats for Baby Logan. They were finally gifted to him on Friday.

Gifted to Logan's brand new cousin on Friday, a little girl we'll call LV was the following take home set. She was 8 lbs 5 ozs, so it really is just a take home set.

All Grown Up

Peanut got her very first haircut this week. I think these photos say it all...

We've been sidelined at home today originally with pink eye and then a stomach bug scare this afternoon. Turns out the fever may be due to a molar making it's way in. The upset tummy due to the new Tylenol melt away tabs she got for the first time. I thought she was all done getting teeth in. Guess I need to turn in my mommy card.

New FO photos coming soon. I promise!

Lovely, Quiet Weekend

Peanut's off visiting Mister this weekend. The house is very quiet, but that's not really a bad thing. I spent most of Saturday working on the promised take home baby set. I'm so happy to say the sweater and matching hat are finished. Photos soon, I promise. It's definitely a newborn size, so the little one needs to be little. While working on the set, I was able to catch up on some TV that I've been wanting to see but aren't exactly "Peanut friendly." I watched Dark Water, An Evening With Kevin Smith 2 - Evening Harder and The Magdalene Sisters. All were time well spent. I actually didn't finish Dark Water. I won't give anything away, but the bath scene at the end was getting to be enough for me...the phone rang and scared me to death and I turned it off. I think the whole storyline might have hit a little too close to home with recent life changes. Excellent movie, though. The Magdalene Sisters was really good. I had seen a documentary on the laundries in Ireland a few years ago. I hadn't actually planned on watching the movie, but it was starting on IFC just as I'd given up on Dark Water. An Evening with Kevin Smith was something I'd seen onDemand and had been waiting to rent it. I've had such a crush on him for years. Friends and I would load up on alcohol and spend Saturdays watching Kevin Smith movies (Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy) while at CMU. It was well worth the wait. It was a 2hr Q&A session with him in London. It was really interesting. It also made me want to go back and (buy) watch all of his movies again....and it reignited my crush.

Friday, I had my 6 week checkup with my doctor. I last saw her the day I filed for divorce. My blood pressure was pretty high at that time and she told me if it was that high the next time I saw her, she'd be putting me on BP meds. My BP on Friday was well within the "normal" range. I was so relieved. It's amazing what stress does to your body. She was also thrilled with the weight loss. To celebrate, I visited Old Village Yarn Shop ** in Plymouth. I needed to stop by to get some coordinating yarn to go with the blanket of the coming home set. I also picked up a new row counter, a skein of Lorna's Laces, a bottle of my favorite lotion and Sensational Knitted Socks. Many people have recommended this book to me and I've had it in my hands to purchase before, but just hadn't. I know why people love it so much. It's a wonderful resource. Since I've done socks for Peanut already, I think the next pair will be for me. I'd forgotten about the beautiful heathered sock yarn I bought from Laura. I think that will be the next project. I've promised to finish some of my UFOs before starting them, though.

I'll leave you with cute Peanut photos...

In an effort to help keep her Baby Cousin happy, she resorted to silly faces.

Last Monday was her very first picture day at preschool. We spent a lot of time Sunday night trying to find just the right thing for her to wear. She was very opinionated in what she liked and didn't. We originally settled on an embroidered peasant top because I wasn't able to find a shirt to go under the cardigan she'd picked. Monday morning I found her white turtleneck and she was thrilled to wear her chosen cardigan. She just looks so grown up here! I can't until we get the photos back.

**Just a quick note about Old Village Yarn Shop. Previously, I'd discussed how much I disliked this shop. It was overwhelming to walk in to and the staff was less than pleasant. I have to say, they've done some major straightening up and the woman manning the store that day was incredibly nice. She said they're getting ready for a major reorganization of the store by gauge/weight rather than what they've got going on now. If you've had a negative experience with them before, I'd suggest going back again. I'm glad I did.