What a week!

This week has been so crazy! We're all exhausted but especially the little man of the house who has had a whopper of a week...
Monday - School - Library visit
Tuesday - Excursion to Queanbeyan Library for book week AND a visiting science show
Wednesday - Visit the Life Education van for Healthy Harold
Thursday - Book week parade. He dressed as a knight and actually participated in the parade -yay!
Friday - Mrs Toone's birthday AND assembly where we was awarded with 2 certificates!

Well done Izaak - I love ya!

Frog... frog... frog...

Unfortunately Kermit and I have had a lot in common lately. I've done so much frogging I want to cry. I've lost my groove. It's gone. Hopefully one day soon it will be back but at this stage I'm mourning the loss.

Cast on a rainbow dress - yukky pooling with the yarn so --- FROGGED

Mr Greenjeans in a fantastic navy superwash was looking great until I realised I'd made a mistake with the cable and it was one of those mistakes that just couldn't be overlooked so --- FROGGED

Dragon scales scarf on my new, deliciously squishy Wool of the Andes yarn from Knitpicks? Great pattern, great yarn, not so great together so --- FROGGED

So if anyone out there has seen my knitting groove can they please send it back?! Ta!

Weekend adventures....

After a full-on week with uni and my practical placement starting I needed to de-stress, de-brief, de-whatever so the kidlets and I packed up and drove over to the coast on Friday afternoon. We went to our favourite camping spot in the Murramarang National Park at Pebbly Beach. It's just so quiet and peaceful and we were the only campers there so we had the place to ourselves. The kids had a ball running around like complete loonies and being as loud as they wanted to be without me having to worry about upsetting/annoying anyone else.

For the first time EVER I managed to get the camp fire going! Yahoo!!!! and we sat, staring at the flames for all of about 10 minutes before we started hearing the first droplets of rain falling on the tent roof and then within about 10 seconds it was pouring down! We made a run for it to the tent and I watched in sadness as the flames were extinguished but I did it! So we fell asleep with the sound of rain pelting down onto the tent. Everything stayed dry and we were fine although I did get worried when the lightening started but we were fine.

Saturday the kids and I went for a long (ie 2 hour) walk on the National Park tracks and my lovely little girl walked the whole way! I was really surprised because I thought she'd pike about 10 minutes in. We found a fantastic beach about 45 minutes walk from camp which is FULL of pebbles. Izaak loved it! Walked back and the kids fell asleep so I got some knitting time in. Mum and Dad called past on their way to their cabin in town so the kids were excited to show them around the campsite. We went into town on Saturday night for dinner with them which was nice and then as we were coming back to camp we spotted this little fella eating the scraps the kids had left out and yep - thats the inside of the tent!! Well between the outer shell and inner shell anyway.
Sunday they came back for brekky and the kids had another close up experience with the natives....

and then we went for another walk to the rocky beach. The Olympics have obviously had an effect on the little miss who was practicing her best discus/javelin throw with the rocks while Izaak went for a big walk around the rocks and caves with grandad - you can *just* see them in the piccie - gives you an idea of how big the rock flats are out there.

where we spotted yet more animal life which were quite friendly....

and what do you do to top off a fantastic day in the great outdoors? Roast marshmallows of course - the blacker the better!

Izaak loves writing his name in the sand and I was lucky enough to have mine done too this time! I can't believe my little man is turning 7 soon. Where did the time go?

So we finally packed up, exhausted an came home again feeling de-briefed, de-stressed and ready to face the week ahead. I managed to drop and break my camera at the beach though so I've got the photos that are on the memeory card but I can't take any now until he goes to the camera-fix-it place. Oh and I managed to cast off my fetching mittens late last night just in time to complete them for the Ravelympics. Now I've started this dress for the little miss for summer. Pics to follow when mine is fixed or when I see mum next to borrow her camera. So much yarn, so many great patterns, so little time!!

Still need a giggle?

OK I've finished arguing with Blogger now so let's try this again....

Still feeling down? Have a go at this...

Have a great day!

Need a giggle?

The perfect afternoon tea?

Take 2 snickerdoodles and heat until warmed through, some strawberries, ice cream and lastly some hot fudge sauce and this is what we had for afternoon tea today - yummo!

What a day!

I've had the best day. It was the pick me up that I needed after a long week of sick kids and serious study.

Firstly - my new mattress arrived **insert happy dance here**. The mattress I've previously been sleeping on is about 16 years old and it had more than served its time. I can't wait to go to bed tonight. Yeah!

Secondly - I had a great visit with a friend who also introduced me to snickerdoodles - yummo! I also faced something that I'd been afraid of for some time now - the full, scary, horrifying sight of the stash. Yep - all those random spotlight & lincraft bags stuffed into the cupboard, the kids santa sack stuffed with yarn and even the secret stashed-under-the-bed box. I am so proud to say that it's now all sorted, bagged and tidy.

Thirdly - Above mentioned friend and I took a trip to Sparty's and Izaak is now fully prepared for his book week parade. The focus book this term is Charlie Cooks Favourite Book. All the kids in his class need to dress up as a character from the book. After much debate we've moved away from the dragon and the little mister will now be a knight...

Fourth - During the trip I met Olivia, a fellow Canberra stitch & bitcher of the felted pod fame. I first saw her pods at an exhibition in Civic sometime last year I think? It's always nice to put a face to a name or project in this case!

Fifth & finally - after a big blow up and much venting about things my mum and dad are coming around for dinner. A nice wine, chinese take away and a new bed to go to sleep in - what more could a girl want?

I've been killed....

in terms of the death by hat competition anyway!

I feel terrible that I haven't blogged this little beauty before now but honestly I've been wearing it most days! A huge thanks to joeyn who assassinated me with the adorable Noro slouchy copy cat hat. Had I received just the hat I would have been extremely happy but she also included lots and lots of extras - stitch markers, tape measure, a cute little tin, choccies, tea and coffee - I felt so spoilt!! Thank you ;-)

Sickies, sunny boys & scarves

I wasn't able to go to uni last week because Charlotte managed to end up with an ear infection, conjunctivitis and as asthma diagnosis all in the one week so I've been the ever vigilant mother with antibiotics, eye drops and the like to ensure I could go to classes this week. So last night I'm busily preparing uniforms and lunches for the day ahead. And then it all went pear shaped. Izaak woke up with a raging temp and is home from school sick. The weird thing? Well 2 things really - Izaak never, ever gets sick. This is the first since we moved here (15 months) that he has needed to see a doctor and of course it's the week that I really need to go to classes! 2nd weird thing is that Stuart has parked himself in front of the lounge where the above mentioned sick child has been for most of the day and refuses to budge. Izaak goes to the bathroom and within seconds Stuart is trapsing up the stairs behind him. Izaak goes to the kitchen for water... Stewie is right there with him.

We did go for a drive to see quilting mick today to pick up my goodies - 2 absolutely divine sunnyboy project bags and a drawstring bag which is really very roomy. If you don't have one of these already then head over to Buttontree lane to share in the goodness. Her work has drawn some attention lately as well which is great to see. My ravelympics projects are now safely stored away in these...

Finally in Ravelympic news I've done some work on the full size clappy and quite a bit on the scarf size clappy which I'm loving in the Noro silk garden ....

and some work on a new slouchy hat....

I'm hoping to have my moment on the podium tomorrow in the hat dash ;-)

Ravelympics - FO #1 - Neckwarmer

Finished the first project for the Ravelympics. Yeah!

Pattern : Baby cable rib neckwarmer

Yarn : Shepherd Lamswool 12 ply in Avocado.

Needles: I am a hopelessly tight knitter so the pattern is for 5.5mm and I went up to a 6mm knowing that with chunky yarn it would be a bit bigger which ended up being the perfect size!

I'm not in the sub-60 minute category like the wonderful quilting mick - more around 90 minutes for this little baby but I can tell you now that this will be repeated. Quick and easy pattern that looks good and is snuggly and warm - particularly in this yarn. I wanted a neckwarmer to wear under jackets when a full scarf is too bulky. I think this fits the bill perfectly.

Are you ready to enter the birds nest? I am!

The needles are out, yarn balled up and ready to go... let the Ravelympics begin!

Tonight I'll be casting on the clapotis for Mrs Toone's yet again! and then all things going well, over the next 16 days I'll also complete a pair of fetching mittens and a grocery bag as well. I've got so many things that I want to knit and so little time! I got some Lion Cotton at the Spotlight sale and love this stole so after the olympic knitting and the WIP culling and in between being a mum, student, housekeeper, cook, cleaner and generally super woman I'll cast on for the stole - *insert insane laughter here!*

Who else is signed up? What are your plans?

Decisions.... decisions....

One of my units for this semester is chronic illness and the main assignment is a creative project which relates a) to my clinical placement area (paediatrics) b) to a particular chronic illness and c) to the 4 principles of chronicity care - diversity, empowerment, mutual relationships and collaborative decision making. I have to present this project to my clinical placement and then write a rationale for it.

I can't make a decision about what I want to do and I have to present my initial ideas at next week's tutorial which is worth 10% of my mark. I either want to do a play pack for diabetes - a teddy/doll with a blood sugar monitor and syringe so that the kids can pretend to take the dolls/teddys glucose levels and practice injecting him with insulin. I'll do a picture book to go with it a well. Or I will do a doll and have a set of lungs drawn/sewn on and relate it to cystic fibrosis. I think I've got a pretend stethoscope around somewhere so it would be about chest physio and listening to chest sounds. Which one do you think I should go with?

To practice I had a few bits of felt laying around the place so Charlotte and I made a doll for practice tonight. Definitely not good sewing but it's really hard to sew neatly when the 2 year old is in charge of the pedal!! I'm just grateful we got a half decent looking doll and I haven't lost any fingers! She didn't want a face on the doll and like I said the sewing is pretty dodgy but she seems to like her.

Oh and on the knitting front I've cast on for Mr Greenjeans in the navy superwash and I'm very much liking how it's coming out. I'll have to put it away tomorrow and start on the Ravelympics list but it was definitely a good choice of yarn and a great match with the pattern.

Off the wagon.... and it's running away!

Do you ever have one of those impulsive moments and do things that you'll later regret? Please, tell me you have and especially tell me them if they involve purchases of yarn. So I had a bit of a stash blow-out yesterday and then came home and tried to work out what was going to be what. I've liked Mr Greenjeans for a long time and I think the superwash 8ply will be perfect but I only bought 10 balls so what did I do? Of course, I went back to Lincraft today.

4 more balls of the superwash, 3 of balmoral tweed in a lovely green (slouchy hat) and 5 balls of Smoothie DK (textured cardigan). Why? Why did I do it! This afternoon I re-arranged the furniture and went through the various stash bags/baskets/boxes/crates and got all the yarn I own together in one spot on the lounge room floor. Honestly, if you see me in a yarn store PLEASE kick my butt and tell me to leave. I can not buy anymore. I'm out of control. Seriously. I think I have a serious problem and I need to get a handle on it so I am ABSOLUTELY not buying ANY yarn for the next 3 months. I've got so many projects with the pattern and yarn ready to go that I really have no excuse to buy anything.

Going through the stash also revealed some long term WIP's that I want to get finished. I've got a clappy, fetching & grocery bag organised for the Ravelympics and after that I want to get these done.
1 - Knitting Needle Bag - knitting of the bag is done but it needs lining put it (I've already bought the fabric - just needs to be cut and sewn in) and straps
2 - A set of fingerless Noro mitts - first one done.
3 - Buttony - Have done one sleeve and am down to the waist of the body. About 8 inches of body and 2nd sleeve to do.
4 - Another clappy for my aunt. Set up rows done.

Then I'll start on the stash. I feel like I could quit uni, sell the kids and knit 24/7 and I still wouldn't get through the ridiculous amounts of yarn I've gathered ! !

Falling off the wagon...

Honestly, I need to start AA meetings but for those of us who just can't resist buying yarn. Lincraft has their yarn at 33% off at the moment so I ducked in for a few things. Of course, it's like ducking into the grocery shop for a few things and you always walk out with a trolley full and my trip to two different Lincraft stores today was no different. I have to say though that one good thing about being single is that I don't have to hide yarn purchases anymore! I didn't really realise how much I had bought until I got home and unpacked the car. I've got a plan for the Bamboozle (clappy scarf) and the pink/red colourway (scarf for mum) but other than that I have no plans for the rest so I'm definitely up for suggestions please!

I have to add that the addition of 5 balls of Balmoral tweed is definitely Helen and Georgie's fault - couldn't pass it up at just $2 a ball! It's a nice denim sort of colour too - now I just have to figure out what to do with it!

Dodging a bullet....

I signed up for the Death by Hat competition over at Woolaholics. Basically the pattern is released to everyone at the same time and you have to knit the said object and send on to 'kill' your victim. The aim is to finish and send the article before you get 'killed' by receiving finished said object. I cast this on yesterday afternoon at about 2pm - knit the rib bands then had a nanna nap. Knit about 2 inches of pattern last night then finished it off today. Hopefully I've avoided being killed.

Pattern - Slouchy Copy Cat Hat

Yarn - Patons Jet in red colourway (can't find the ball band)

Needles - Knitpicks Harmony Interchangeable Set - 4.5 & 5mm

Please be kind. I know I'm not a hat/beanie/slouchy hat wearer - I've got this weird head that just doesn't seem to suit coverings but I do live in hope that one day I'll find a beanie/hat/slouchy that will suit me but the search continues....

Surfs up dude

Izaak has sensory issues that relate to his Autism and as such whenever he seems something that swings/rocks/turns he *has* to have a go. I could see this ending in a trip to the hospital emergency department with a broken limb because the first few attempts were rather wobbly...

Relaxed, refreshed, replenished

We're starting the new week feeling so much better - We ended up taking some time out and packed up the car and headed away for a few days for some much needed R & R. We headed out camping with my biological father, his little boy and my two. It's strange to think that I have a brother who is younger than my own children.

Anyway, we headed up to the Cotter camp ground and got set up. It is a great spot right on the river which I'll definitely be heading back to once the weather warms up so we can swim as well. In the middle of a Canberra winter though it was bloody freezing! I don't think I've ever felt as cold as I did during the night when I honestly thought I'd managed to get frostbite on one of my toes! It was great though and there is a 1.6km walk up to some caves which dad took the boys on. Of course I took loads of photos but these are the best of the little ones...

I almost felt like I was having a sliding doors moment - I was having this great holiday mucking around and running around with the kids having lots of laughs, tickles and spending some great time with them but those quiet moments when they have gone to bed or first thing in the morning when I'm awake before anyone else feels like a totally different break away from the world. The thing that I like the most about camping is the quiet. The silence is just so refreshing when you live in a townhouse in the middle of a city. The other thing is the night sky. Living in town when you look outside at night you can see the stars but there are so many competing sights - house lights, aeroplanes, etc etc. Camping? This is what you see....

Then you wake up in the morning, open the tent door and are faced with this - it's just so serene and relaxing.

We also called into the park on the way home and had a great play. I know that this has been a photo - heavy post but I'm indulging my own proud-mumma moment.