Another week has come and gone!

Man, where does the time go? Just yesterday it was Christmas, wasn't it? Now it's almost May and I've got so much knitting to do that have deadlines that won't be met.

The TASK project for our traveling afghan squares is kicking my butt! Who'da thought that knitting up twelve 12x12 squares would be so freakin hard. I never knew I was such a prefectionist, but I really want the squares to be perfect. They are going out to people who really don't know me, except for the me on Ravelry. The squares are representing who I am. I am an outgoing fun happy person on the outside, always looking for a good time, loves to hang with friends and family, but on the inside I'm not happy with myself and I guess that's what I don't want my TASK friends to see - my imperfections.

I've got to do something

I'm sure you've noticed the title to my blog, If you knit, you can't eat. Well that's not exactly true. I've been doing alot of knitting and apparently, according to the scales alot of eating. This blog is supposed to be about knitting, friends and family and my journey towards a healthier lifestyle and losing some weight. Instead of losing weight I'm gaining - to the turn of 20 lbs since October.

Yesterday morning I woke up and decided I was going to drink at least 8 glasses of water everyday. No more diet pop!!!! Healthy lunches like Subway, lean meats and lots of fruit and veggies. I did very good all day at work and when I came home someone had bought pizza for dinner. I ended up eating 3 slices of pizza (it was thin crust) but still, what the heck I totally screwed up.

I woke up this morning not feeling very good, probably the stupid pizza. Today will be a much better day. I've already started drinking my water and I'm having a cup of kashi cereal for breakfast. I'll be at a job fair during the luch hour and lunch will be provided. Usually they provide sandwiches, hopefully they are from Subway, and not something full of mayo. For tonights dinner, I'm planning on having a big salad with tuna fish sprinkled over the top and lite italian dressing. Lots and lots of water today.

On a brighter note - tomorrow is the Sheryl Crow concert!!! Yeah, I'm so excited.

Now for knitting stuff - I finished knitting the cardi for my daughter. It was a very fast knit, started on Saturday and finished Sunday. Now I just have to sew it together and I think I'm going to add a rib stitch all the way around. I was going to sew it up yesterday, but for some reason I can't find any of my tapestry needles. Where'd they all go???

I've got to get to work so I'll chat with you later!

Reading, Scarves and Squares - Oh my!

As you saw in my last post, the book reading homework assignment I have been given is getting in the way of my knitting.

I've made a deal with myself, that if I read 1 chapter (approx 15 pages) I get to knit for 15 minutes. Sounded fair to me, except for some reason that 15 minutes of reading lasts alot longer than 15 minutes of knitting. The knitting time just flies by and then I have to pick the book back up.

I have a scheduled personal day today and when I left work yesterday I "accidentally" left the book on my desk. Ooops! I guess I'll just have to knit without reading this weekend. (isn't that ashame.

I finally finshed my 1st square for the TASK (Traveling Afghan Squares for Knitters) project and I'll get that mailed off today. I got SueChicago's scarf in the mail yesterday and had the perfect yarn to add to it. I don't know if this stitch pattern is real and has a name or not, I actually was planning on a k3, p3 rib but I didn't have enough stitches and ended with a k2, when I turned to start the next row I didn't take into account that I only had 2 stitches on that end and when ahead and k3, p3, to the end and ended with k2 again. I could have fixed it but it was doing something cool and I wanted to see how it played out. It really turned out very nice, 1 knit stitch in each section stayed the same, so it is a rib pattern, just not the one I intended on making. I'm sure that's how most of the stitch patterns came to be, someone was planning on knitting one thing and screwed up and instead of frogging it and starting over they named the stitch pattern. I'll have to do a little research and see if I can actually find this pattern on the net or in a book. If not, I'll have to think up a cool name for it.

I've got pics but I can't find my cable to download, so I'll have to show you my stuff later.

TASK

Wow, it's been 10 days since I've written about anything. My lazy knitting project is being lazy and hasn't progressed any since my last blog. Mainly because I've taken on a new task, as in TASK - Traveling Afghan Squares for Knitters. It's a spin off our traveling scarf group and I took the lead on this project. Collecting personal info from each knitter, preferences, etc and compiled a spreadsheet for each knitter to keep track of their squares.

Sunday, I decided to visit my LYS (Loops in Tulsa, OK) and pick out my yarn for my first square, (I actually could have just gone to my closet and picked out a yarn, but it was a good excuse to visit Loops). I picked out a really pretty color of Samoa (cotton blend). After, showing off my "Not your normal baby blanket" to the girls at Loops. I headed home to axiously get started on my square.

I chose my needles, got my yarn, the remote control, glass of iced tea and settled down in the recliner to watch BigBrother After Dark (I tivo'd it) and start my beautiful square. What stitch was I going to do, something simple like seed stitch, or something with a cable? Cabel it is! I love the X and O cable and thought it would be perfect ya know (hugs and kisses) for this labor of love. I started (without doing a swatch first) cast on 64 stitches and began. After knitting about 3 inches I slipped my stitches onto a circular needle to messure. I'm supposed to be making a 12x12" square. It's not! My gauge should be 16 stitchs = 4". 64 stitches should be 12". It was only 10". I've started, frogged and restarted my first square 4 times already. Then I decided maybe it's the cable stitch pulling my gauge in too tight. After the 4th frogging, I've chosen a new pattern, it's sorta like a moss stitch, but I've improvised a little bit. It's simple, but it will be very pretty.

The 2nd thing that has taken up some of my knitting time is reading. I've got to read this book for work, and I'm not good about reading if it's not something I really want to read. The book is titled It's Okay to Be The Boss by Bruce Tulgan. It's interesting enough, but if I'm gonna read, I'd rather be reading a knitting mystery by Maggie Sefton.

Here's a picture of my 5th attempt at making my square for TASK and the book that is getting in the way of my knitting.

Lazy knitting

Now that I've finished the "Not your normal baby blanket" I'm doing some lazy knitting. I'm in between traveling scarves, should be getting one soon (hopefully). I've got the materials to start on my first lace shawl, I'm hoping that by the time I get it finished that my daughter or niece will wear it as a wedding shawl. But that won't be anytime soon, I'm sure. Being bored this weekend but not wanting to take on a big challenge I got out a ball of cotton and started on some dishcloths.

I love dishcloths, the hard part is using them. Right now I'm trying to figure out how to make a dragonfly dishcloth. When I started, I really didn't know what I was going to do with this. I started out with a seed stitch border, and thought to myself, that's good, I could just keep it going all the way, but I kept hearing a little voice in my head "dragonfly". I continued the seed stitch (5 stitches) on the edge, but now I wish I'd only done 3 stitches, it's okay, but leaves less room in the middle for the design. I totally winging the design, I don't have a pattern or a chart, just picturing what a dragonfly looks like and knitting it as I go.

The picture is what I've done so far.

Not your normal baby blanket Pattern!

This will be the first time I've published a design of my own. So here it goes, (if you find any mistakes - please let me know immediately)

Not your normal baby blanket
Materials - I used Debbie Bliss Rialto DK weight 3) A: red 3) B: teal 3) D: orange 3) E: pink 3) F: purple 3) G: lime 3) H: pale blue 3) I: maize 5) C: Adriafil Knitcol - 046 self striping

Needles - size 7 /4.5 mm - 26" circular, tapestry needle.
Guage - 18 stitches x 24 rows = 4 inches

NOTE: To keep from having to turn your work each time you need to switch from knit to purl, I knit backwards for my purl rows. With stitches on right hand needle, insert left needle into the back loop of stitch, wrap yarn from back to front, lift right needle over left and slide stitch onto left needle. The directions are written to turn your work, when you come to a purl section you can knit backwards if you chose.

With A cast on on 160 stitches any cast on method will be okay for this project.

Tier 1 Section 1(Base Triangles)
Row 1: p2 turn
Row 2:k2 turn
Row 3: p3 turn
Row 4: k3 turn (continue in the manner adding 1 stitch on each purl row until you have 8 stitchs purled and a triangle base has formed (1 of 20). DO NOT TURN Leave these 8 stitches alone (you are finished wtih them) starting with the next stitch repeat the process of Section 1 (Base Triangles) until you have 20 triangles on your needles.

Tier 2 Section 2 - (right side triangle)
Row 1: With B k2 turn
Row 2: p2 turn
Row 3: k3 turn
Row 4: p3 turn (continue in this manner adding 1 stitch on each knit row until you have 8 stitches knit and a right side triangle complete)

Section 3 - (left slanting rectangles)
Row 1:*pick up and knit 8 stitches turn
Row 2: sl 1 p7 turn
Row 3: k7, ssk (using 1 live stitch from the middle base triangle) continue in this manner until you have picked up all 8 stitches from base triangle. Repeat from * to end

Section 4 - (left side triangle)
Row 1: (WS) pick up and purl 8 stitch along left side of base triangle turn
Row 2: k6, k2tog turn
Row 3: purl turn
Row 4: k5, k2tog turn, continue until only 1 stitch remains

Tier 3 Section 5 - (right slanting rectangle)
Row 1: With C (WS) pick up and purl 7 stitches (to make up 8 stitches) turn
Row 2: *sl 1 k7 turn
Row 3: p7, p2tog (picking up live stitch from rectangle turn, Repeat from * until all 8 stitches from rectangle have been pick up. Repeat Section 5 until you have completed all right slanting rectangles. Continue using this process switching colors for every tier (3 times)

Bind off Triangles
Row 1:*(WS) facing pick up and purl 8 stitches turn
Row 2: sl1 knit turn
Row 3: p2tog, p5, p2tog turn
Row 4: sl1 knit turn
Row 5: p2tog, p4, p2tog turn
Row 6: sl 1 knit turn
Row 7: p2tog, p3, p2tog turn
Row 8: sl 1 knit turn
Row 9: p2tog, p2, p2tog turn
Row 10: sl 1 knit turn
Row 11: p2tog, p1, p2tog turn
Row 12: sl 1 knit turn
Row 13: p2tog (3 times)
Row 14: sl 1, ssk
Row 15: ssk - 1st bind off triange finished slip last stitch onto right needle and continue from * to complete all bind off triangles

Weave in any ends and you are finished.
Labels: baby, blanket, designs, entrelac

Not your normal baby blanket

So I decided to try my hand at designing and this is what I've done. It's about 1/2 finished and I'd like to know what you think.

My niece is having her first baby and so I decided to make her a blanket, but I didn't want to do the "normal" baby blanket. My sister and I were at Loops in Tulsa, OK and I just had to get this Debbie Bliss "Rialto". Now, I'm sure this blanket would be just fine in whatever color or yarn you'd prefer because I've got about $200 into this blanket so far.

I plan on posting the pattern as soon as I've finished the blanket. Check out my Ravelry page "knakedknitter1"

Tax Refunds

I don't know if you guys know this, I work for a staffing service. We specialize in finding people manufacturing and industrial jobs. We are not considered a TEMP service, because we only have 2% if that, that is really temporary. Anyways, as everyone knows this time of year people are getting back tax returns (some of us are paying). I've been in this business now for 8 years and every single year our employees disapear during January through March. I could never figure out why our hours dropped, numbers were sloping down and then around the end of March beginning of April the people would start calling and wanting to go back to work. A few weeks ago I called someone who had been looking for a job to tell him about a particular opportunity that we had coming up that he could start the next day. He told me he didn't need to work right now because he got his tax refund!!! What??? people actually quit their jobs or don't accept a good job because they are living off a tax refund!!! I thought you actually had to work and pay taxes before you got a refund back, but apparently not! I work everyday, I struggle, I've got mouths to feed, but I don't quit my job if I get a tax refund. Good God, what is the United States coming to?

I hate to be to preachy here, but something has got to change. We need stricter rules for giving people government assistance. Now, let me state this first, I am all for helping people who are out there trying to do for themselves. Let the single mother have daycare assistance, WIC for her children and foodstamps if needed, but the boyfriend who is laying on the couch all day while his single mother girlfriend is working a minimum wage job needs to get his ass up and find a job and quit living off the $100 worth of foodstamps she gets to feed her child. What has happened to work ethics? They need to have a mandatory class in school on work ethics. Kids need to be held responsible for their actions and not given a 3 day vacation when they mess up in school. They need to be given community service at the school, really make them work, clean the cafeteria, scrub the locker rooms, make them wear coveralls and no interaction with other students, zeros on all their work, then they might think twice about screwing up in school. They might pay more attention to their studies and really appreciate a job someday. I know no one likes to work, we'd all like to get paid and still be able to do whatever we wanted whether it's stay in bed all day, watch soaps, garden or hang out with the kids at the zoo. I work because they pay me to be here. How do we make our teens and young adults understand this?

I know I'm ranting, but it just really pisses me off, everyday I see these people coming in saying they want to work, but then no call no showing, or tardies everyday, missing because their girlfriends, step mothers, 2nd cousin is in the hospital. I've heard them all!!!

Leap Year 2008

Wouldn't it be weird to be 40 years old today, but only celebrating your 10th birthday? What if you were a twin and one of the babies was born at 11:58pm on 2/29 and the other was born at 12:01am on 3/1. Would you just tell them they were both born on 3/1? That reminds me, my brother-in-laws birthday is tomorrow, and he's a twin (identical). Was there a leap in in 1966? hmmm, makes me wonder.

So, thank goodness today is Friday. I've really been tired this week, going to bed too late and getting up too early. But, tonight my plan is to leave work (maybe stop and pick up dinner - I don't want to cook) head to the house, play with Hayden for a little while (until he gets cranky, then I'll let him mom have him back), starting planning the yarn organization project, better known as YOP.

Oh, I forgot to mention the traveling scarf. I mailed my scarf to Lindaspinandknit last week, she received it but I don't know if she's sent it on to the next person yet or not. I did receive a scarf from Merrypurl on Wednesday. I went home and sat in the floor of my closet with my stash spread out around me trying to decide what to do with Merrypurls scarf. She started it with a yarn that is bulky and thin, the color is a purplish and black, on size 7 needles in a lace pattern. I finally decided to use Pattons 100% wool in a worsted weight in a very pale pink, it's a huge contrast from the dark to light, but I think it works and will probably be very pretty once all the other knitters add there flair to the scarf. I decided on using the herringbone rib stitch for my section. I love this pattern, it's easy and quick. So I started knitting and noticed the edges rolling in on me a little and realized the guage just wasn't going to work using size 7 needles, so I did what all knitters have to do sometime in their lives, I frogged it. Yep, ripped her right out of there. I thought about using a double strand, but was afraid the pattern wouldn't show as pretty with 2 strands of yarn. I then moved up to a size 8 needle and actually could have probably gone for a 9 if truth be told. I knit my 4-5 inches and it's very nice. The edges do still roll a tad bit, but not bad, I think I'll block it before I send it on, just so it looks nice and neat. Tonight when I get home, I'll take a picture of the scarf at this point and post it in the Spoilers thread on Ravelry. I'm hoping to get it mailed off tomorrow, Monday at the latest.

I hope everyone has a great weekend
ttfn
Teresa

Traveling Scarf

I've joined the traveling scarf team on Ravelry and I'm so excited. Yesterday, after I found out who my team mates were going to be I ran home at lunch and started digging through my stash and started my scarf. The rules of this game are very simple. You start a scarf and knit 3 to 4 inches and then you will mail it on a stitch holder to someone else on your team, along with a note card with any instructions or suggestions for your scarf (needle size, type of yarn, etc) also, each knitter will sign the note card so the owner of the scarf will know who knit which portion. We will each be given 1 persons address and mail each scarf to the same person, that way we are sure that everyone knits on each scarf.

I started my scarf with a deep chocolate brown acrylic/cotton blend, if I remember right it was Black Horse brand. I bought it at Edla's Yarn store in Walsenberg, Co last year on a visit to see Mom and Dad. Edla was discontinuing the yarn so I bought a gob of it at $4.00 a skein instead of the normal $7.99 per skein. (I always loves me a yarn sale). So when I got home and picked the needles up again, I just wasn't feeling this scarf, so I went and dug through the stash again and found a skein of olive green tweed Tahki wool, I don't remember the exact name right now, but I'll include it when I send out my scarf.

So, I've already knit my 4 inches, but if there are 13 people on my team and each person knits 3-4 inches, my scarf will be somewhere between 39 and 52 inches long. I was thinking, if I knit 5-6 inches at the beginning and then the other 12 team members knit 3-4 inches and then when I get it back I'll knit another 5-6 inches on the other end to make the ends match that might just work out long enough. That would put it roughly around 60 inches which is perfect.

Now I've just got to add another 2 inches and get my team mates address and ship her off in the mail, then it's just waiting for my next scarf to arrive to do some creative knitting for someone else's scarf.

This is going to be so much fun to see all of our creative minds working together.

The ugly little bug

The weekend started out great. Our granny slumber party was off to a bang and everyone was happy and cooing and gooing. Sabina and I ordered sandwiches from Jason's Deli at 7pm for delivery. At 8:15 still no sandwiches so we called them, we were told they were in the car and on the way at 9pm we receive a call from Jason's Deli saying the driver was in a car accident and the food was back in another car and on it's way. So our chicken salad sandwichs and pasta finally show up around 9:15pm and the driver told us he was only charging us 1/2 price. I thought it should have been free by then. So I ate 1/2 of my sandwich and a few bites of pasta salad before Hayden woke up. But, he was back down for the night by 10:30pm. We were all awake by 7am on Saturday morning and then everyone's Mommy's came and picked them up.

After the babies were gone, I stayed at Sabina's and did her kids taxes and then we ended up going to the Creek Casino for the evening. I'm not sure if we caught the bug at the casino or if it was our chicken salad riding around in a car with the heater going for over 2 hours. I ended up spending the night and woke up Sunday feeling a little queezy. I got home around 2pm and was really starting to feel bad. Mike had planned on coming by around 3pm for me to work on his taxes and I was actually feeling relieved when he didn't show up. I was just about to head to bed at 4:45pm when he showed up, so I let him know I wasn't feeling good at all, but did his taxes in a hurry and then excused myself to the bathroom.

The worst feeling in the world is not knowing whether to sit or stand, so I sit with a bowl in my lap most of the night. I stayed in bed all day yesterday and slept most of it off. My fever finally broke around 7pm last night, I'm still achy and very tired so I stayed home from work again today. But I'm feeling better so I'm sure I'll be back at work tomorrow.

I haven't done any knitting since Wednesday nights knit-in with Carrie, Leigh Ann and Pam. I need to get back to it and get my wrap finished up. I've got to get busy making some baby things for Alyssa's baby. I have a feeling she's going to have a girl, but don't want to get carried away with pink things before we are sure. It seems like just yesterday that I was a young mother and my sister was having a baby, now we are the grandma's.

Granny Slumber Party

First let me just say, TGIF - Thank GOD!!! it's Friday...this has been the longest week in forever. On Wednesday, I was feeling like I'd already put in an entire weeks worth of work. I don't know why I've been so tired lately. But, finally, here we are and it's Friday. Yes, I've got plans tonight. I'm going on a double date with my friend Sabina. We've got the most loveable guys in the world. Our grandbabies. After work (I'm going to try and take off early) I'm taking Hayden to her house, her son is dropping Caden off with her around 5:00 tonight and we are going to have a Granny Slumber Party. We've done this a few times and it's getting more fun each time we do it, the babies are finally starting to notice each other. Caden is 2 months older than Hayden and he is really cooing and telling you all about it, always laughing and very interested in what Hayden is doing. Hayden has just started really focusing on us and making noises, he has really been watching our mouths and trying to mimick what we do. It's so much fun to watch them learn and grow everyday.

Now, for knitting talk. I found out last week that my niece, Alyssa, Leigh Ann's daughter, is going to be having a baby. Her due date is September 1st. We are all hoping she will have an August baby. That way the family August Birthday Bash will be even bigger. My birthday is on the 14th, Dad's is the 22nd and Leigh's is the 29th. Leigh wants her grandbaby to be born on the 29th so they will share a special day. Of course it's too early to know what the babies sex is, but they all think it's a girl. Don't worry - I'm getting to the knitting talk right now (I had to build the suspense at little). I found the cutest little sweater/coat pattern. I'm going to use Debbie Bliss cotton, it's probably considered a little girls sweater, but I think a boy could also wear it as long as it's not pink. So I was thinking mossy green or maybe even gray for the color. I'm also going to knit her a baby blanket as soon as I found out what colors she's planning for the nursery. Once I get the knitting finished on the blanket, I'll have mom back it with fleece and sew a satin edge around it. I made one like this for Hayden and it's a great blanket to put on the floor for playtime.

It's time to get busy and get the work day finished so I can start playing.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Why do I have to work?

I'm tired of working. I just want to play with my yarn, buy more yarn, organize my yarn, knit my yarn and have fun. I think I might have been a cat in a previous life, lol.

One of these days, it may take me 10 years to make this idea come into fruition, but I'm going to open my own yarn shop. My idea is that I'll let my kids have my house, if they want it. I'm going to buy one of the old buildings downtown on main street, renovate it and have my yarn shop downstairs and turn the upstairs into an apartment. Then I can play with yarn all day long. My vision is a cute little shop with all types of yarn with all price ranges. (I won't carry Red Heart or Bernat because they can get that at Wal-Mart cheaper than I could carry it). I'll have a big round table in one room for people to sit around and knit, retro couch and chairs in another room, a tea pot with hot water at all times so people can help themselves to a cup of tea.

I may have to win the lottery to actually afford to buy one of the buildings, but that's my plan. What do you think about it? I can't tell you the name I have in mind because I don't want anyone using it before I get the chance.

It's coming along nicely

It's not a fast knit by any means, but it's coming along nicely. I wish I'd have been able to find some other colors, the picture is hard to tell but I have a pale blue and a pale lavendar side by side and they look like the same color and then I also have a deep red and a burnt orange side by side and they look like the same color too. I found the color swish so I'm adding it in my next square and I've got dewberry and drab on the way. I guess I should have waited until I had all my colors to start, but I just couldn't stand it any longer. I'm the type of knitter who can only have one project going at a time. I start feeling guilty about leaving a project and going to the next, kind of like I might hurt it's feelings. I know, I'm just weird like that. I'm the same way with reading books, I've got friends who will say "I'm reading this, and that, and I've just started on the next one, etc" I have to read one book at a time. Plus, with knitting I like to look at the pattern read through it, work a few rows and then just go. If I had 3 or 4 projects going at the same time, I'd have the patterns mixed up and my knit a mitered square in the front of a sweater. Hmmm, that give me an idea for a sweater, just take this pattern, some cool colors and viola! a retro 70's sweater. Maybe I'll make one for the baby.

New Project

I finally finished my interlaken blanket and I love it. It's so comfy to curl up on the couch and watching tv or working on my lastest knitting project.

I've started working on the modern quilt wrap from knitting daily. (pictured) Isn't it soooo pretty? I'm using kid mohair in all different colors and working mitered squares in different sizes, picking up stitches from one square to another. The pattern suggests using a size 7 circular needle, but it just seemed so tight so I switched to an 8 and it's turning out really cool.

Changes

I was reading some of my old posts and realized alot has changed in a year and a half. Like the animal situation, KC (Kitty Cat, my beloved 17 year old) died last year, his kidneys failed and he went blind all in one day, I had to have him put to sleep which was so hard. KC you are truly missed.

We acquired a new dog, Nellie in February (she was a Valentines present from Brennan to Chelsea).

Beau, our loveable big black lab was killed by the neighbors. I'm not certain, but the neighborhood rumors confirm they did it. He went out one night to go to the bathroom and he never came back, the shotgun blast concerned me, but I thought he was okay. Why are some people so cruel. He was a very sweet and good dog.

The most important addition to our family has been this little man (pictured above). Hayden Michael will be 2 months old on Jan 17th - he is the reason I continue to breath. I look forward to seeing him everyday.

Almost finished

Here it is, this is the Interlaken blanket from Berroco. I used Berroco Comfort worsted weight yarn and size 9 needles. It's really been fun making this blanket. I just wanted to let you guys see it. I'm not quite finished but almost, I need to complete 2 more sections and weave in some ends and it will be complete.

I taught my son-in-law Brennan how to knit last night, he has alot of anxiety attacks and worries about everything. He won't take pills, he says he can't - it's all in his head, but he needs a way to relieve the stress and tenion that builds up on him. So I told him knitting was the best thing to help you relax. I got out a pair of size 13 bamboo needles and some yarn I got on sale for .99 cents and showed him how to cast on, once he had 20 stitches on the needle, I showed him how to knit. He's making a scarf, and doing very good on it, if I do say so myself. He was able to catch on very quickly.

I'm back

Wow, alot has happened since I was here last. I've gained back all the weight I lost while on NS. I remodeled my house and I became a grandma. I know, I know, you think I'm too young to be a grandma. I'm really older than you think, I'm just aging gracefully! LOL!!! My grandbaby's name is Hayden Michael and he was born November 20th. He's 6 weeks old and very healthy. They've had a little trouble trying to get him on the right formula. Yes, he's on formula. His mommy really wanted to nurse him, but she just didn't produce enough milk, after 2 weeks she just didn't have anything to feed him. He is such a good and happy baby, and he is sooo loved.

So, It's a new year and I'm trying to lose this sickening weight that I've gained back. This time I'm just going to do it the old fashioned way. Portion control and calorie counting. That's right. I've joined a group called SparkPeople, if anyone is interested - check it out. It's free, they offer menu plans, articles to read, message boards, you can sign up with other groups and it's really motivational. Tomorrow will be my first weigh in.

Since, I'm back trying to lose weight, I've picked up the needles again. Right now I'm trying to finish a really cool blanket. It's a Berrocco pattern called interlaken and it's been really fun to knit so far, but now I'm getting antsy to finish it because I'm dying to start a new project with Rowan Kidsilk Mohair, it is a wrap that uses 9 different colors, absolutely gorgeous. We found a sale and were able to get some of the colors for $2.12 per skein, the other colors we had to pay $16.99 per skein - crazy, isn't it. I'm excited and I'll post pictures when I've finished my projects. Oh wait, I wanted to talk about a great find. Ozark Handspun yarn is beautiful and so fun to knit with. It's made by a guy in Missouri and the yarn shop in Tulsa finally got some in and I was able to get a few skeins before it sold out on the same day. It's $27.99 per skein but you can knit a great looking hat with only one skein and it only takes about 30 minutes to complete. Check it out.

Back on the wagon

Hi everyone - I'm back on the NS wagon. I've tried to lose weight on my own without buying the food from NS. I did really good until I went to Colorado a few weeks ago and now I've noticed a few extra pounds. So, I'm putting in my order with NS again. My food should arrive next Tuesday. I still need to lose another 34 lbs.

One of my employees, Sheri, just signed up for NS last night. It will really help having someone in the office eating the same way. She only has about 23 lbs to lose.

My sister and I are still planning on meeting my cousin Judi in Las Vegas the 3rd weekend of September so my goal for this month is to lose 10lbs.

Wish me luck on trying to lose the last 34lbs.

Happy 4th of July

I hope everyone has some fun plans for today. I'm going to my sisters again tonight. We had Chelsea's birthday party there yesterday. We cooked burgers, chicken, and some dogs on the grill.

I'm so sore today, before the partiers showed up I went to Leigh's early. She was telling me that she had ordered Turbo Jam and wanted me to try it. It's a combination of ty-bo and dancing. It's really pretty fun. But, why don't skinny video instructors understand how hard it is for short fat girls to balance. First, knees wide apart, toes pointing out. Now tuck your tail bone up under you, this is the (tuck) and squeeze the abdominal muscles. Now with your tailbone under you, (Pump)! Keep your knees wide, toes pointing - now tuck and release. Kinda of a sexual looking move. Don't stop, now we are going to add jabs and kicks. Keeping your knees wide in the tuck positions with fists up (protecting your jaw) Pump and jab, 2...3...4... now kick out to your side. Oh I forgot the 7 step (it's like running through the tire part of an obstacle course, but on the 7th step you kick someone next to you.) I really can't remember if you lift your knee or kick out. Also the zig zag and kicks. Like I said it was fun, but will take a couple of times to get all the moves.

After the workout, we ate dinner. I think I did really good on portion control. I had a hamburger patty, lettuce, tomato, pickle, a tsp of quacomole, tsp of beans, tsp of potato salad.
1 bite of birthday brownie with icecream. Lots of water. After all the kids were gone, Leigh, her husband Brent and I sat out of the deck with the dogs. Drinking our water and listening to bluegrass music, talking and having a good time. Leigh and I even got up and did a couple of jiggs to the music. I'm just glad no one had a video camera.

I've got to get some laundry done today and hopefully knit up another purse. Then I'll probably go back to my sister's this evening and watch her neighbors shoot fireworks.

Have a safe and happy 4th everyone.