Guest Blogger-Alex

Tonight, I was helping Daryl with his 4-H record book. It is due tomorrow, so ya, we are that family. Daryl was telling me what he wanted his 4-H story to say and I was typing it. Alex was sitting at the table and when Daryl and I were done he wanted to write a story too. It was such a good story I told him I would like to put it on the blog, he said "OK." So here is All About Alex, according to Alex!

My name is Alex. I am four. I like to play around. My favorite foods are tomatoes and cheese pizza. I like playing on my kindle, and I like hanging pictures up.

I go to school and my teachers are Ms. Ann, Ms. Corie and  Ms. Jen.

I like giving dad hugs and give mom kisses. I like being nice to my brother and I like eating cheese pizza. I like eating the crust. I like playing on my swing set. I like doing stuff that is really fun like a vampire game. I play it when my babysitter comes. I like going in the car and buying chocolate surprise eggs.

The End

When did he get to be so big?! Ugh! 

Knitting Little Things

I had a lot of fun this weekend working on a Christmas sweater for Alex. When I cast it on the needles on Friday, I told Alex I was making him a sweater!
Alex-I don't want a sweater!
Me-Why Not? Momma likes to make you sweaters!
Alex- Don't make me a sweater, make me a yarn shirt, ok?!
Me-Can it look like this? (I show him the pattern)
Alex-Yes, make me a yarn shirt like that!

So from here on out, I only knit yarn shirts for Alex, not sweaters! Crazy kid! I blame this on Kelly, and his sweater disdain. Quit passing your bad opinions onto our children, Kelly!

Ever since then Alex likes when I am knitting on it, when I hold it up for him he always tell me, "Mom it is still not gonna fit, keep going!"

Sometimes, when my life gets busy, the first things I stop doing is knitting and running. That is sad because these are two of the things that help me recharge, but when I haven't had much time with my family I have to put them first.

Well, this weekend there was a bit of a breakthrough on my mom guilt. I went to church with the family and afterwards I was planning on a short, short run so I could be with the boys. As I was changing clothes Daryl asked if he could run with me. We have tried this before, him on his bike and me running. It is hard because he almost runs into me a lot when he is looking around and he either goes too slow or too fast for me.

However, I was feeling like I needed to be with him so I decided to give it a try again. He did great! He kept his bike exactly where it needed to be, he kept up with my pace, and he went 3.1 miles without complaining! I asked him if we should do this again next Sunday and he was really excited about it. This could be a new activity for both of us that checks several things off of my to do list. :-)

When we got back, the fairytale was over, Alex was crying because we left without him. So, I told him to come run with me behind our house. We live by a cemetery which makes for very quiet neighbors and nice roads to run on with little kids. I'm proud to say he went a quarter mile with only two breaks! Love being able to share my hobby with my kids, now just waiting for them to want to knit....

Second Time was the Charm

99% done! 

It has been awhile since I've had any knitting news. Life has been a little chaotic, and knitting has slipped off of my list of priorities.
So what I have been knitting on is the project I've been toting for the last year. I have a love/dislike relationship with this project.

Reasons I love these stockings:

• I'm knitting them for a friend for a very sweet reason
• They are really portable, they have been on many car trips
• I don't mind knitting socks and they are very big socks
• They have made me a better knitter
• They are DONE!

Reasons I dislike these stockings:

• The pattern was beyond my skill level
• I missed the original deadline for the project and that irks me
• I had to modify the pattern and that is outside my comfort zone

So I knit the first stocking and was really frustrated with the pattern, it was knit in a technique that I've never used. It was also knit flat, and I never knit round things flat, I will always figure out a way not to do that. 

When I started to get frustrated I put it in time out and kind of just forgot about it. Next thing I knew it was December 2015 and I was supposed to have two of them done! So I finished it too quickly and it looked really odd. That was my fault, I rushed it. 

When I started the second stocking Christmas 2015 had passed so I had a whole year to really figure this out. Stocking number 2 was so much better that there was no way I could give them together. So about a month ago I ripped out the bottom portion of stocking #1 and reknit it. They are still not perfect matches but I think you will agree, the second time around came out much better! 

I just need to block the second stocking, and see if my friend will duplicate stitch the name on. Time to start thinking about the next project! Christmas sweaters for the boys! Who know which Christmas!! LOL

I've been needing to post about knitting for some time now, but I would be amiss not to mention that Kelly's family is going through a hard time right now. A cousin was taken from them in a car accident on Tuesday. Please send all the positive thoughts and prayers right now to the Cortez/Ramirez family. If you would like to send dollar bills there is a site for that. Rest in peace Nathan, you are already dearly missed. 

My first try and stocking #1. Poor thing. 

Stocking #1 second try! 

Stocking #2!