Sugar Bunny Boulevard

Wrapping Up February

Gracious.  Time flies.  And I'm not sure I've done a thing but it seems like I've been very very busy when you put it all down on paper (or the computer screen).

So let's see.  February was filled with quite a bit of craziness.  All of us had a mild case of the flu except the babies - they had flu shots so we were hopefully spared that misery.  The last one to get sick was Katie and she stayed home from school with a headache one day.... I assumed because she was feeling left out from the real flu that makes you miss school.  It took about a week before everyone had it that was going to get it.

In early February I got to enjoy practicing for Special Music at church with two of my favorite grrlfriends from the choir.  I picked a song that they didn't know and we were singing acapella so it took a few good practice sessions to get it down - and wow - we had a lot of fun.  Our day to sing was February 15th.  We sang at both services and it turned out so nicely but at the end of the chorus for the last verse - about two measures from the end - I started thinking "oh no - this is the last time we'll sing this together" and I started to cry.  I'm so silly that way - I never want it to be over.  But that's okay - we're doing it again in June and I've already started picking the music - this time it will be a quartette.  I'm going to see if I can get a friend of mine to video record it and maybe the others won't mind if I put it on youtube.

The big kids' dad came up from Texas for Valentine's weekend.  Sunday morning I was surprised to see Benny and Suzannah come in for 2nd service at church and said they were getting away from Katie since she had been sick with the flu all weekend since Friday with fever and throwing up, etc.  Her daddy had been with her thru the worst of it at their hotel (right down the street - don't ya know that makes a mama hurt hearing how uncomfortable they all must have been) and once I got home from church (after all the singing and crying) he was insisting that she go to the ER.  I talked him out of it - it was just a relapse of the flu after all.  She came home to my house Sunday and the other two stayed with their dad because they weren't due to come back until Monday.  He called Monday saying we should take her to the doctor but her fever was down and she had started eating again - I didn't see a reason for her to see the doctor so he dropped off Benny and Suzannah and started for home.  Finally around 3:00 Katie's fever started going up again and she complained of her ear hurting and one side of her stomach hurt.  We called and had her at the doctor by 3:45.  She was really miserable and seemed like the flu was hitting her HARD.  The doctor poked around on her belly and ruled out appendix, then ruled out ear infection.  He said it's probably just an awful case of the flu, so he did a flu test (who knew? must be a new thing).  He came back five minutes later with a worried look.  She didn't have the flu and we needed to figure out why she had a 103+ fever for three days.  A urine test told it all:  kidney infection.  It was a sobering moment when he said "I can't let her go home."

So we spent three more days in the hospital with Katie on IV antibiotics and she was quite miserable most of that time and didn't want me to leave her side.  She had an early introduction to things like IVs, having your blood drawn at 6am by someone who can't find your vein, peeing in a "hat", and various other joys of staying in the hospital.

Katie at the hostpital with a crew of kids that came to visit after school - that really wore her out WAY more than she expected. 

That's kind of taken over our month, really.  Recovering from those few days away from the house is always harder than you expect.  While at the hospital I finished the body and sleeves of a youth size EPS cardigan.  Just need to sit down and steek the front so I can knit on the button band.  I started the 2nd mitten of a pair for Katie, but didn't get it finished - about to put in the waste yarn for the thumb on that one.

While at the hospital I got an email from my friend Shelly at Twist Yarn Shop revealing a plan for a series of lace knitting classes this summer.  I responded with some ideas and by golly I've got a new series of classes that I'm preparing for!  Lace I, II, and III!  I guess everyone around is pretty excited about it because the first round of classes for all three are full!  I've been busily knitting up store samples for the classes and am nearly half way through with the sample for Lace II - Branching Out in a lovely fingering weight alpaca.  Lace III will be another Susan Lawrence pattern - a triangle lace shawl called "Spring Things" knit with a lovely colorway of Cascade Alpaca Lace called "Flax Heather".  It's a honeybutter color with pink undertones.  Gorgeous.  And I'm choosing to knit the beaded pattern using peridot colored beads.  After looking through the Ravelry projects for this pattern I think I want to make the next one (listen to me, ha) in white with yellow beads.  I'm still on the hunt for just the most perfect beads - I need to check those projects pages again for bead suggestions.

So I'm knitting.  The kids are well now, and growing like crazy crazy crazy.  Jeff is working slightly less overtime right now which is a very happy thing.  It still seems like we have less opportunity than ever for family meals with all of us together but I know that's what happens when a family grows and gets older and kids have so many activities.

Benny and Adam - the Arby's Boys 

Benny is still working at Arby's.  He joined a men's league basketball team and will have his last game next week.  I'll be glad for that - he doesn't do much with it but he's been missing Wednesday night church which I think of as family time.  He's working harder than ever at some of his classes in school this year.  The sort of student that has never had to try very hard to get A's and has generally been an overachiever just to feel like he's doing something.... suddenly he has a few classes this year that don't just come naturally.  He's growing and learning with this difficult situation and seems to be taking the challenge responsibly to turn his grade around without me having to get onto him TOO bad.  We've had some serious discussions about expectations but if he's going to succeed in college away from home it has to be something he can do on his own.  It's better to start with baby steps now than to breeze through high school and get hit between the eyes with it (hard work and difficult classes) in college. 

Katie's blue glasses are a dead giveaway for which one is her in this picture.  :) 

Katie has gotten over the kidney infection with flying colors and started softball practice this week.  She waffled a bit over what sport to participate in this spring and finally landed back with her old standby - softball.  She played for many years in Texas and is really excited now to be back with the glove and ball and daily practices.  She's about to die from the practices at this point, and told me today that I was not to allow her to quit for any reason, no matter how much she argues that she wants to quit.  She said "I'm so worn out from practices right now that I would probably have already quit if it wasn't that you bought a nice glove and new cleats for me."  ha  Don't worry Katie, I won't let you quit.

Suzannah is the 3rd from the right in this picture.  Hard for me to tell sometimes who is who when they're in full makeup. 

Suzannah is enjoying a variety of activities and some of the privileges that come with "getting a little older than she was before".  She has started spending more time with friends after school and on weekends and is a member of the church Mime Team which is a really awesome ministry.  It's hard to explain but it's a great experience and I love watching their performances - generally a choreographed routine that uses a lot of sign language and mime moves to portray the message in Christian Praise Music.  She's also proud to say that she has the best GPA of our three school kids so far this year!

Emeline practices self portraits every time she can get her hands on our camera! 

Emeline should be heading up my ABC-along.  They have covered one letter per week in preschool this year and she's on T this week!  It's been fun for everyone in the family to help her think of what object to take for the "sharing box" at school based on the letter theme of the week.  They also have a color, shape, and Bible story for each week.  She is in "Cubbies" in the AWANA program on Wednesday nights at church and does a good job of memorizing her Bible verse every week if we do what we should as parents and help her out with it.  She loves memorization and is such a sponge for all things Learning and School right now.  She's excited to be turning 5 this summer - excited that she starts Kindergarten this fall - and is about to explode with happiness because she has a dentist appointment in 19 days!!!  hehe  She's crazy about going to the dentist!

Lila Pearl is hot on Emeline's heels for all things Learning!  Yesterday she wrote her name.  I nearly fell out of my chair.  She wrote her name.  She's three years old and hasn't even started preschool!!  I know it's not like she's some genius but it's still amazing.  And she's a potty trained Big Girl.  That's kind of old news now but she still likes to demand a reward of chocolate when she poops in the potty.  We should all get chocolate rewards for something, right?!  heh

I went to my first Diabetes Education Class last Monday night.  Whew.  There's a lot to know.  There's a lot to learn and it seems like everything is soooo serious.  I think I've mostly been in denial about my diabetic diagnosis ever since I was told.  But some of the facts and information I've been learning really put the seriousness in my face.  I am still trying to lose weight.  I haven't lost any in about a month, really - but I started yet another new weight loss plan this week.  I'll let you know how it goes.  It's hard to learn what you can't have - or can't have much of.  It will get easier when I have lost some weight.  And easier when I'm exercising more.  I'm still going to the Y as often as I can but it was hard to get started again after Katie was in the hospital.  The main thing that is hard to do is "take care of it NOW before it gets WORSE or you'll regret it LATER."  That's like telling someone who is 5 lbs overweight that they should lose it now or they'll have 50 lbs to lose later.  Hard concept to grasp, really, when you haven't been down the road yet.  As much as I hate doing it, I'm listening to the doctors and doing what they tell me.  Taking meds - but still exercising, trying to lose weight, and continuing to make a gradual lifestyle change for my family in the direction of eating healthier.  I really do love whole wheat pasta.  :)

Amid all of this, I'm working on a yarn order!  And I got a note this week from a dear sweet lady in Sweden named Annelis who owns a yarn shop in Geneve, a French speaking part of Sweden, she says - and she has asked my permission to translate my Grrlfriend Market Bag pattern into French for her customers who aren't so familiar or comfortable with English knitting terms.  I'm still amazed by that.  The Grrlfriend Market Bag is a pattern I haven't mentioned much here on the blog but it was published last year in July if I remember correctly and was an instant hit on Ravelry.  As of this writing it has been downloaded 2982 times and there are 233 projects listed on Ravelry (including my two).

I've recently updated my web site with class info and pattern links (tho failed to include a "contact me" link this time - what was I thinking?).  Any of my patterns can be found there.

For now I'm going to Knit (and dye!) On!  Take Good Care of Every Little Thing!  XOXOXOXOX

Wee Tiny Things

It will be a very happy day here at the Bunny Hutch when we get that Economic Stimulus check.  I just did a nice post, pictures, lots of chat about friends made with socks, etc etc.  This slow computer decided it didn't want to upload, Typepad couldn't figure out why I still have an archaic computer, and the post was lost.  Lost.  LOST.  No time to put together another wordy post like that one so this will be extremely brief.

Pink Ribbon Sock Kit Love:  Thank you!  Info page is here and linked on the sidebar.  Preorders begin Monday May 5 at 12noon Central Time.

Wee Tiny Sock Love:  will go on forever.

This dear person knit for me:  Becca aka Nutmegknitter.  Check out her precious daughter.  Be warned Becca - I chew on babies.  Keep her far far away from me.  And Koigu owners watch out - I will be stalking your stash pages on Ravelry to see if you have this colorway!  :)

I knit a precious Wee Tiny Sock for Abigail at 1870 Pearl.  There is a whole saga that goes with that sock and she tells it very well over a serious of several posts.  She ended up knitting a pair of gorgeous knee socks but nearly gave me a heart attack when she LOST her Wee Tiny Sock!  Wee Tiny Sock blockers are not safe I tell ya.  Not safe!  :)

I also had the opportunity to knit a Wee Tiny Sock for Angela at Revelations of a Delusional Knitter.  Her original pal had a mishap with a car door and was unable to knit in time to make Angela's Wee Tiny Sock so I got to be an Angel.  (\o/)

I failed to photograph either of the socks I made so thankfully my pals made up for it.  :)

Everybody take good care of every little thing and I'll be back here updating the Pink Ribbon Sock Kit Preorder Page with new photos during the weekend!  Yay - I'm knitting my 2nd pair of these socks in a row and still love them!  XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Beautiful Things and Surprises Revealed

Happy Spring Wednesday Everyone!

Sunday afternoon there was an estate auction two houses down on our street.  The neighborhood was a bustle of cars, people walking, a din of chatter and auctioneer sounds.  We picked up a few goodies and Jeff shuttled back and forth between the auction and our house depending on what they were selling at the moment.  For a while I sat on the porch swing knitting while Emeline and Lila Pearl played on the porch and ran about in the grass.  It was a beautiful sunny day - perfect for the auction.

Emeline was down in the grass picking dandelions and wandered over to the driveway.  She stopped in the middle of the driveway and stared for a moment at the garage.  Then she said, "Mommy..... Mommy!  Come see this!  Mommy.  You have to see this beautiful thing."

For a few days every spring our driveway is covered with a halo of bring pink blossoms - the red bud trees are stunning.  I actually hate those trees the rest of the year because every single tiny pink blossom produces what seems like approximately one hundred wafer thin seed pods that litter our driveway and patio later in the year then crack open and release four or five small disc-like seeds which get stuck on your shoes, feet, etc, and get tracked through the house.  Think cat hair.  These seeds and pods haunt you like cat hair.  The cat can be dead and gone for twenty five years but you still find their hairs around the house - even when you move to a different house.  Yes - the seed pods are like that.  The only thing that keeps me from cutting our red bud trees down is the picture above.  When they are in bloom I would like to set up a tent at the end of our driveway and stay out there until they're gone because it is a beautiful sight to see.  And I'd still be nearby to a bathroom.  I was happy to know Emeline notices these beautiful things in our world without being prompted.

It's always a fun and unexpected surprise when someone who I don't know ads me to their "Friends" on Ravelry.  I always wonder why in the world they want me for a Friend if they don't know me.  A few days ago I received a notice that Cedric added me to his Friends.  When I get a new request I always add that person to my Friends, then click on their picture to read their profile so I can learn more about them.  Cedric is a 74yo man.  He has been knitting for over 70 years.  And lives in the Shetland Islands.  This is all very interesting to me.  Even more, he's all of this - lives in this place - and has a computer and is using Ravelry.  And he has less than 40 people (at the time of this writing) on his list of Friends.  I am so honored that Cedric added me to his Friends.  Hmm.  His birthday is November 9th.  Maybe he wants to participate in the Ravelry Scorpio Birthday Swap this year!?  You never know.  I could ask him. 

Although I haven't been posting a whole lot, I am getting caught up on Bloglines.  Why oh why do I love to read so many blogs?  I'm keeping the number down - less than 200 unread posts now when it was over 2000!  And I'm happy to say I did read - a bit of skimming might have happened - but I didn't just wipe it all out and start anew.  I'm not commenting much (who has time? actually I would have time but my ancient computer doesn't like to leave comments - that will all change when we get our Economic Stimulus Check next month!) but I'm reading reading reading!  :)

SURPRISE TIME!

So the surprises.  I have three surprises right now.  I'm keeping one as secret a while longer.  The other two are ready for a Reveal!  Yay!

Surprise #1:  I told you I've been writing a sock pattern to be released with a kit.  Here's a little more information about it.  I've got my fingers crossed that you'll LOVE this!

Introducing Pink Ribbon Socks!

These are not the final pattern photos - I'll probably try to get the giant sack of yarn stash out of the way for the final photo shoot.  heh

The kit concept began with this colorway - called Pink Ribbon.  After I dyed it and I saw this yarn I was instantly inspired.  The pattern came together quickly in my head and with some research, lots of swatching, and diligent knitting, my idea became an actual knitted item (even a pair!).  Now the pattern is on paper, has been charted and is on its way to my test knitters!  Wow!  The original pair of Pink Ribbon Socks fit my daughter Katie perfectly (and it was her turn in the family sock knitting queue).  She wore them for the first time to school yesterday.  For some reason that made me nervous.  hehe

The Pink Ribbon Sock Kit is a limited edition and will soon have a web page with instructions for preordering.  The kit will cost $40 plus shipping, international orders will be accepted, and $20 of every purchase will be donated to the national Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation!

The Pink Ribbon Lace pattern begins at the top with a cable twist and goes down each side of the leg, seperating at the gusset, carrying the ribbons to meet in the front and back.  The Pink Ribbon Lace pattern continues down the front of the foot and at the heel concludes with a cable twist.  The foot and leg can be adjusted in length by adding or subtracting repeats from the pattern, or adding stockinette at the end of the foot.

Complete instructions are given in the pattern for heel flap construction, turning the heel, and completing the toe.  Alternate toe construction can be substituted for what is given in the pattern.

There will be 100 kits available, and each will come with the pattern, hand numbered, in a sheet protector along with 100g of the exclusive Sugar Bunny Boulevard Pink Ribbon colorway and the receipt confirming your donation to the Susan G. Komen foundation. 

If there is an overwhelming response to the kits there may be a second limited edition release later this summer in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.  At this time I haven't found a way to release the pattern for sale on its own so that the money can bypass me and be donated directly to Susan G Komen with an automatic download.  If anyone has ideas for this please let me know.

Surprise #2:

If you can stand it, I do have one more surprise.

Sugar Bunny Boulevard yarn and stich markers will soon be for sale at The Loopy Ewe.

I think that sentence stands alone.  If you're reading this you probably have a clue.

Had enough surprises?  Okay, then I think I'm done for now.  And next time I promise to show and tell about my Wee Tiny Sock Swap experience of 2008!  Yay!  I really love WTS.

Have a super wonderful rest of your week - enjoy the beauty of spring all around you - unless you're cussing about snow still falling - but still there must be some beautiful things to be appreciating, right?  Like you could pretend that you live in Australia and it's supposed to be getting cold and starting winter now?  :D

Take care of every little thing and I'll see you back here next time or maybe in your blog comments!

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Priceless

There are times when you need something.  Something special.  Something to pamper yourself.  Something to pamper your mind and heart and soul.

When the winter has been long, or whatever the reason - rejuvination comes in many ways.

Most Saturdays I drive early in the morning to Wichita and spend time feeding my heart and mind with knitting and chatter among like-minded friends at Panera, then head over to Twist when it opens.  Sometimes I'm teaching a class, sometimes not.  It's always a good thing for me.  I try not to feel too guilty about leaving Jeff with the babies on those days - it's good for Mommy to get away.

Occasionally I have the opportunity to really get away.  Last summer when I went to the Estes Park Wool Market and met Margene and several other knitting grrls was one of those Real get-aways.  One that left me feeling renewed in spirit though a bit weary from the drive home.  You know it's always harder to drive home from a good time like that.  But I came home knowing that I'm one of the few people in blogland who can claim that they've slept with Margene.  heh

A few weeks ago I had a similar get-away when I visited with my friend Kyra in Kansas City.  One of the bonuses is that it didn't take 12 hours to get home.  It was a lovely weekend in every possible way.  Kyra was a delightful hostess - her home is beautiful and serene.  Serene is a perfect description of the entire weekend.  Yes - even with her four dogs and two cats it was serene.  Knitting, spinning, fiber chat.  What else could you want in a rejuvinating get-away kind of weekend?

On March 15th we woke to 1/2" of new snow - quite a surprise.  Kyra fixed a beautiful breakfast (she thought I was crazy to take pictures of breakfast) then we went to a few of the area yarn shops.  I was limited by disc space on my camera so I only took pictures of the best stuff (yes, breakfast qualified!) and wow - it came out lovely in a slide show.  I used every single picture.

Two things I'll tell you about besides the great breakfast and Kyra's beautiful home are Cottage Fiber and Maggie's Farm.

Cottage Fiber is operated by friendly and dear PJ.  Her studio style shop in the historic Crossroads Art District of Kansas City is a symphony of texture and color and contrasts for the senses and Heaven on Earth for anyone that loves fiber in whatever form you like.  Floor to ceiling - there are things to see and look at everywhere.  Not one single photo could sum up the experience of visiting Cottage Fiber so I included every picture I took in the slide show of the weekend.

Maggie's Farm, named for the resident dog, is an organic sheep farm operated by Barbara and her husband Dave.  The first time I visited her website I was sold on her attitude toward their animals and love of their farm.  I wrote her immediately to reserve a fleece and ended up bringing home two!  The experience of visiting with Barbara and Dave was a such a delight - I hope to get a fleece from them every year.  The sheep - their home - Dave's workshop - it was all too wonderful to describe.  After visiting the sheep we went inside, had a cup of tea... and then another... enjoyed chatting about spinning wheels.... and the clock kept ticking the minutes and hours away.  We had to leave.

It was a priceless weekend - the kind that you take a deep breath and have a dreamy look in your eye as you recall the restoration of your mind and attitude and body and outlook on everything.  Everybody should have a get-away like that once in a while. 

Here is a photo story of the weekend along with a bit of video that Kyra took of the shearing just two days before my visit to pick up the fleeces.

Everybody have a wonderful week and take good care of every little thing!  XOXOXOXOX

I Have A Friend Who Knits

I have a friend who knits.  Her name is Margene. 

Margene has been in my heart since we first began exchanging comments with each other nearly three years ago.  She has been on my mind and in my prayers for several days.

Please keep Margene in your prayers for healing, wellness, comfort and peace, and wisdom for her doctors.

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I have a friend who knits.  Her name is Kathy.  She lives in my town and goes to my church and doesn't have a knitting blog.

Kathy is wearing the olive colored t-shirt in these pictures.

Kathy has been in my heart since the first time her son's mother-in-law told me about her.  "She's constantly knitting socks!"  Who wouldn't love her?  heh  Kathy is in my prayers right now because she is doing something that has been a surprise to most everyone who knows her:  she is on a mission trip with the church in Haiti!  Our entire mission team needs prayers for safety and wellness but I'm especially thinking of Kathy and praying for her during this adventure because she's having to overcome a lot of fears that would normally keep her from participating in this kind of mission work.  Her ability to do this is truly the work of God and I'm so proud of her for following his leading this way.  If you're a person who wouldn't normally travel to a third world country to do construction work, it must be a leading from God that would get you to go!

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My prayers are with Margene for healing and comfort and peace, and wisdom for her doctors.  My prayers are with Kathy for safety and courage, faith, peace, and physical strength.