Summer Fun

One of the things I actually like about getting older is that you get to meet more fun people. This past week I was able to see an old friend E who came into town for a visit and I was also able to meet 2 absolutely delightful people from Holland, J and M, who even brought me goodies although we had never actually met. I apologize for this picture, I was trying to get this post done this morning and didn’t have the best light, I promise I’ll get a better one! They also brought me some yarn (hee hee) so I'll get a picture of that too :) Although, if you're curious, the green yarn will be a sweater for little man and I am undecided at this point about the blue. The breakables will go into my "no little hands past this point" stash where I can still look and enjoy but, hopefully, they will not get broken.

J and M are on a nice little holiday and are visiting Iowa for only a portion of their trip, but they did manage to make it down to my in-law's lake house for a bit of fun in the sun. We played horseshoes, went out on the boat, and managed to get a little relaxation in I think. I think they rubbed off on me a little bit though, I found this quiz and even though I took it 3 times and changed the answers here and there, I got the same result each time:

Your Inner European is Dutch!

Open minded and tolerant.You're up for just about anything.

Who's" Your Inner European?

Historically, Iowa summers are hot and humid. This year is no different and it would appear that little miss is as fond of the weather as I am.Now that it has started to cool down (let us all cross our fingers and hope it stays that way) I have decided that it is high time that I get back in shape. I went for a run this morning. Now, I used to run religiously and it would not be unheard of for me to go for a run at 2am if I hadn't managed to fit one in earlier in the day. Those days are long gone. In fact, the last time I attempted this was after little man was born. I got it in my head that I needed to drop some baby weight before the next one came around and had gone out for a run... silently cursing myself with each step for letting myself get to that point physically but thinking at the same time that at least I wasn't sitting on the couch. I was almost to the home stretch, winded, tired, sore, and then I heard sirens off in the distance. They kept getting closer and closer and I was so tired that I thought to myself "Oh no, one of the people that drove by me thought I was going to collapse and called the EMS." Those particular sirens were not meant for me that day and I didn't hear any today, so perhaps that is a good omen. Of course it was 6am and there weren't a lot of cars out... I thought that maybe by telling anyone this that it might hold me a little more accountable so feel free to ask me how it's going and I promise I will tell the truth! Wish me luck :)

With every Iowa summer comes the Iowa State Fair. Mom and I took the minions this year for a short stint and I think the kids had fun, despite the heat. They saw some animals and enjoyed some ice cream. Little miss really enjoyed the ice cream. This is her "more ice cream please" face.How could you resist that? She also learned how to blow kisses that day.Little man took to cooling himself off in a decidedly different manner by utilizing the garden hose.It would seem that I haven't done much knitting lately. I finished a ribbed beanie for little man and have spent my "crafting time" sewing. That's right folks. I thought it would be a good idea to break her out and reacquaint myself with the sewing machine after a rather lengthy period of time. I've made a few bags for little man, some zippered pouches... place mats/napkins/coasters... nothing too exciting, just figuring it all out again. It pleases me that I can complete a project by sewing faster than I can finish them by knitting, so we'll see. I have by no means given up knitting. In fact, this little beauty will be my new best friend for the next month. It is the Forest colorway from Sunshine Yarns. I am hoping to turn it into a triangular shawl that I can wear for my SIL's wedding in the end of September. Originally I was thinking of doing a leafy stole, but I think I may get more use out of a triangular shawl so I am switching patterns last minute and am praying that I will have enough time to get it done before the 23rd. Cross your fingers on that one for me too!

I will leave you with a few visions of summer.

And now another chapter...

Over Memorial Day weekend the hubby got to go on a fishing trip to Canada. These two photos were taken on the "only partially sunny day" while they were there. Evidently the fishing wasn't quite as good as it was the year before (according to the annual trip takers) but I'm thinking, you're able to go fishing in Canada, how bad could it really be?
The weekend after he got back into town there was a fiber festival close to where I live so I thought it would be a fun outing for the family, especially when I found out that Briar Rose Fibers was going to be one of the vendors. Hee hee.We make our way through the aisle over to the Briar Rose Fibers section and what do I see but the fabulous Morning Glory Shawl from Knitspot. Of course I had to try it on for size, oh be quiet, you would too :) With all of my 5' of fury I came dangerously close to being able to sweep the floor while I walked. So, I only bought Wistful instead of two hoping that it will be enough with a little shortening of the pattern. Add one Sea Pearl

and one Grandma's Blessing and you have my haul. The hubby laughed at me and said that I resembled a kid in a candy store. He was probably right. Realistically, I would have liked to have walked away with everything there, but I thought I'd share with other fiber enthusiasts :)

During a little walkabout, we made our way to a shearing demonstration and little miss just smiled when she saw a few sheep in a pen waiting to be sheared. Trust me, poor picture, but they're in there. I think you can see one little eye in the space between the boards.

In other knitting news, it would appear that not only have I been on a lace kick lately, I have also been on a scarf kick. I finished the Classic Elite Inca Alpaca lace scarf a while back now, but since I have yet to block it, it still resembles a spaghetti noodle. I'll post a picture when it is all blocked out and looking pretty. Once that was done, I began work on two scarves: a lace scarf for my Grandma K using the Orchid Lace pattern from Knitspot and Fearless Fibers sock yarn in the venerable colorway, and the second scarf a simple double stranded Classic Elite Blithe lengthwise garter stitch scarf which has been gifted to my dad. Soooo squooshy! I had a hard time giving this one up :) But it went to a good home, so I'm happy about that. Besides, there's a few leftovers just for me. I wasn't planning on working on this particular scarf until later this year, but I was rather drawn to it -- from the very beginning actually. My favorite yarn store has been closed for a while now and I hadn't ventured out to another one since then. Scarred by my first LYS experience (snooty with a capital 'S'), there I was in the parking lot of the new LYS, feeling like I was the new kid in school. How sad is that? I literally had to take a few deep breaths just because I hate that snooty crap that can be found in way too many LYS! Anyway, that's a rant for another day. I make my way into the store and right off the bat my eyes fall on a rather fabulous looking scarf on one of the front tables. Curious to see what else the store had to offer, I make my way around a very poorly lit store (okay, a dark yarn store? what is that all about?) and end up back in front of the scarf. I must make this. Buy the yarn and plan on making it for Christmas. All was going according to plan until little man gives me a little push; he is becoming quite the fiber fiend himself. Every day he spends some time with his 'favorite' skeins and kept bringing me the Blithe saying "so nice, Mommy." So I CO and finished in a day - couldn't keep my fingers off it! Of course it helped that I was using US11's. I also finished the pant portion of the camo baby ensemble although I say 'finished' rather loosely as I still need to add the elastic, but the knitting portion is finished. I am looking for a fun little hat and cardigan pattern. I think I might have found it, but I'll let you know. Of course, there was always a little time in the day for Katja. For little miss' 1st birthday (how is she going to be 1 already????) I thought I would knit her up a little halter. I used Knit One, Crochet Too 2nd time cotton in the Beluga Blue colorway. I made the largest size per pattern and it is a tad large for the little lady, but I'm thinking that I am really good at shrinking things unintentionally so maybe I can use my powers to my advantage. Or I could just let her grow into it. The pattern said that it was supposed to take 2 skeins, but as I was about 3 or 4 rows from the end I was close to the end of the first skein and I was just lazy to be quite honest and didn't feel like winding the second skein so I just BO there and I think it will work out just fine :)

To add a little color...

A little tribute to the natural lace knitters out there, though if they know what's good for them, they'll stay out of my house!

And of course, the minions. This picture was taken by my MIL at the lake. I thought I'd throw it in because I don't usually end up posting many pictures of the two of them together. Little man has enjoyed several discoveries and/or milestones over the past few weeks. He had his first jump session on my neighbor's trampoline - (the pictures were a little blurry) and seems to have gotten over his aversion to boats and went on a nice boat ride a few weekends ago. He also likes to go down "the big slides all by myself".

Little miss is cruising around at lightning speeds and can go from this

to this in the blink of an eye.Always the explorer...

She is keeping us on our toes!

Until next time...