Wild Ride

What an odd and introspective past month or so. I meant to post FO photos and then I meant to post a mosiac of some sort from our Annual Fart Food Party (more on that later) and then things came up and I wanted to try to do this and this and that first so I could include it in a post and then it just didn't happen. Life is like that sometimes.

If memory serves, my last post went up shortly before we hosted our Fart Food Party (FFP). I should probably provide a few details. This annual event was something that I married into; years ago (when my hubby was a wee lad), my MIL and FIL thought it would be a fun little something to help break up the Winter blahs and before they knew it, it was a regularly scheduled event. Basically, a bunch of people get together and bring a dish or two of a gas-producing food and people eat and drink and have a good time. As word began to spread, the event got bigger and bigger and people began to "train" before said event so they could perform at their optimal level... o.O There were prizes of course that fit in with each year's theme. A few years ago the in-laws hosted what was to be the final FFP and things remained quiet until the hubby decided to start it up again. This time, at our house... I didn't actually take any photos at the event, so here are some photos of this year's "Blast From the Past" FFP taken by little miss, my MIL, and the hubby's Aunt A.

The minions have been doing well in school and are currently enjoying a bit of freedom while on Spring Break but they both think going to school is more fun. The fact that they enjoy learning just makes me insanely happy. Little man is reading more on his own now every day and little miss has made up a ton of ground with her writing and letters and all that.

For the past while now, I have been able to stay at home with the kids full-time and do my "dye-thing" (as the hubby calls it) but it would seem that that will be coming to a close and I will be adding 2 jobs into the mix. I had hoped to be able to remain at home until the Fall when both kids will be in school all-day (which would allow me more time to work without messing with daycare) so the fact that that wont happen sent me into a bit of a pouty pity party. After speaking to some people online this past week about the trials that they are - and have been - working through and after seeing the recent Earthquake/Tsunami events, my perspective has shifted and I have gotten over it so-to-speak. I have no reason what-so-ever to complain. I will still knit and dye and spin and will even be putting on another Club (sort of) inspired by Dr Who later this Spring. Somehow. Adding these jobs to my Mom duties and my little business and family time will definitely test my time-management skills but I think it's doable. It would probably be easier on everyone if I wasn't such a Hobbit who liked my little realm to stay just so and not change but that's not very realistic, is it? ;)

There has been some knitting and some spinning completed these past few weeks. I finished up a pair of thicker socks for little miss (that started off as little man's...) using Fresh From the Cauldron's (FFtC) BFL DK in the Nightcrawler colorway,

and I finished the first really long sock for little man out of FFtC BFL Worsted in the Al Capone colorway.

His second sock is on the needles as we speak. Let's see, what else... I finished a vanilla sock for me - (FFtC Silk Sock in Seth Clearwater)

and then received a fantastic Winter Package from my friend Jen (of FFtC).

I immediately CO for a pair of St Patty's Day socks using her Silk Sock in the Jameson and Clover colorway. Hee hee :)

Iowa is absolutely void of any color right now and the endless beige just seems to suck the life out of any potential color that happens to show up. Tomorrow the minions and I will be heading to the Botanical Center for some color, warmth, and humidity so hopefully I'll be able to snap a few better photos then. I'll finish up the other Seth sock and little man's Al Capone sock here soon.

Also contained in my recent-FO-pile was a pair of mitered mittens for my Aunt T and a hat for my Uncle B which I sent off but never heard if they received them or not so keep your fingers crossed...

The mittens were knit using a 2ply handspun (woolen method for any interested parties, worsted weight) from a braid I received from my friend Krysten's Southern Charms Club - Steel Magnolia's edition in the Walk Me Home colorway. The hat was knit using my new base Superwash Aran in my Norse Colorway.

Oh, and I almost forgot, I finished up my pair of FIFA socks :)

Slowly but surely I am starting to restock my pitifully lacking handknit sock stash just in time for Summer! One of these days I'll get around to darning my others. Speaking of handspun sock hole issues, little miss blew out both of her new-school socks right at the heel so those are goners. I'll make her a new pair soon :) Is that it? I think that's it for the knitting portion.

As for my recent spins, I spun up a skein of my SW BFL in my Wizened colorway for my friend's Birthday but I forgot to snap a photo before I mailed it off... Yeah, I know. Maybe she'll let me post one of her pictures when she takes one. I did, however, take a photo of these skeins.

These are Gherkin's Bucket Mixed BFL/Silk in Winter Cower and Spring Salute. I had 4 oz of each and plied them together resulting in approx 400 yds worsted weight 2ply plus a wee 10-12 yd skein of Spring Salute that I n-plied using the leftover singles. Not sure what they'll become, but I think they would make a cute Baby Surprise Jacket. We'll see. Little miss might claim them for her own too, you just never know...

That's about it for now. I'll let you know how the new-job thing goes... In the meantime, does everyone have their March Madness Brackets filled out???? I am hoping to dominate this year!