Thankful!

Sometimes the Lord just stops me and reminds me of how much I have to be thankful for!  That happened recently when DH read this.  A Kansas City food critic died of an AVM.  I am so thankful that God's grace protected me and my AVM was removed.  May we all take time this season to be thankful....for so many things....for life....for a Savior....for His grace!

In awe!

Thanks to a dear friend, I've been enjoying the amazing wisdom of Elizabeth Zimmerman.  I find myself enthralled and watching these DVD's over and over again just wanting to get every little piece of advice.  She is amazing and makes me want to learn to knit continental style....who would have though?  So now I want to cast on for one of her EPS sweaters.  Totally based off percentages and no pattern really needed....just amazing!

While watching, I've been working on these:

They are the Anniversary socks from Favorite Socks! (be sure to check the errata if you make them though)  I'm enjoying the nice details of these socks and loving the little cable without a cable needle!

Here is the plain back of the socks!  I'm using undyed Louet Gems yarn.  I'll keep you posted on my progress!

Happy 20th!

I can't help but think of DH on the 20th of December!  We went on our first date 11 years ago! (in recent years we think it might have been the 19th due to a saved movie stub, but we've celebrated on the 20th for so long....)  It has been a joy getting to know and love my dear husband!  I never would have thought that night, that my coworker at the library would be my husband.  God is so good to me!

The last required Christmas knitting is done!  (actually done before Chicago, but....)

These are modified Broad Street Mittens from knitty.  I left off the mitten cover and added a few stitches to make it a little larger!  I used Knit Picks Essential in Cocoa.  While I'm not sure I would make these again....they were fiddly....I'm happy with the end result!

Speaking of Christmas....one of the ladies at knit night made these for all of us!

So very sweet and unexpected! and so needed....my stitch marker collection definitely needs enhancing!    Here are a few more Chicago pics for good measure!  Now Ashley cleverly noticed that there are no pics of LYS in Chicago....sadly I didn't make it to any....I know, I know.....we had every intention of going to one Tuesday night....directions were written out.....doable from the train.....hadn't counted on 5 inches of snow......so we stayed in.....I have plenty of stash....I know....how pathetic!

Catching up

It feels so good to be home!!!  Yesterday was busy with laundry, reimbursement forms, authorization forms for the next trip, church budget and finance meeting, and enjoying time with the cat!  She missed us and has since been very clingy and sweet!

Chicago:

Math: was very productive!  It was awesome to see my advisor again and we got to talk quite a bit.  I spent a lot of time talking with another grad student and while I've haven't proven anything else yet, I have new insights and a deeper understanding of my problem!  I figure that is enough details for you all, but if you want more I can talk about this stuff forever :)

Knitting:  I realized it would have to be super simple.....so a plain sock was perfect!  This is using Austermann Step (has aloe in it)  the yarn is quite nice.  Nothing like cold Chicago to remind me that I need to knit more socks for myself!  I've also realized I can knit plain socks with fun yarn....solid yarn....not so much.  It was a good realization!

Sightseeing: So we ate lots of good pizza including a place where the St Valentine's Day Massacre happened!  Yum!  We made use of the great public transportation, so Sunday we went shopping down the Magnificent Mile....WOW!!!...it was so festive and amazing!  I wasn't feeling the best this day, so I don't remember exactly what all these buildings are so you will just have to enjoy the pics without the details! (DH probably knows, but he is off working)

This one I couldn't resist!  One of my favorite coffees....if only I had left room in my bag for souvenirs....why was I so practical?  It was fun window shopping though and smelling the coffee fumes!

There is no doubt we got in the Christmas spirit....the cold, the snow, the lights, but now we are back to air conditioning...and excited to be going to Kansas to spend Christmas in the cold!

Sneaux Pictures!

We got 3 inches of snow!  It has been 20 years since they have gotten that much and close to 10 years since there was any snow here!

Mike the tiger!

Sledding on the Indian Mounds

Snowman in from on Christmas tree (everyone made a snow man today...I've never seen so many before)

It was a productive day:

• Finals given DONE!
• Finals graded DONE!
• Grades finished DONE!
• Last minute projects for assistantship duties DONE!
• Stockings delivered DONE! She was happy!
• Bags packed for Chicago.....all that is left....we leave tomorrow!  Should be fun! (it is school related, but we hope to enjoy the city too!)

Snow!

It is snowing!  in Baton Rouge!  it is sticking too!  They are saying 1-2 inches.  Many schools are closed, but it is finals week so I doubt the university will.  I love snow!  it feels like Christmas!  I'll try to get a pic to post later!

Finished!

Boy does it feel good to be finished with this project (and in plenty of time)  Last night I hid the last thread and did a light blocking (which helped tremendously) and called it done!

I made Sherie's (from a pattern) another unknown to me knitter made Drew's.  Sorry for the poor lighting in the pics!  I think in person the colors are closer too.  

Maybe tonight I will finish my fingerless gloves...then I would feel really good.  Okay off to study...thankfully no finals to take....just giving and grading...and working on research :)

A present for Lindy!

Last week I'm mentioned that Lindy was feeling lonely and neglected.  Thursday night I got to go to a knit/spin in at a new shop in town:  Knitting Asylum!  I had decided before I went that I could get a little fiber!

I got 3oz of lovely merino!  The color was just perfect!  So Friday night I got to relax with Lindy (and stayed up way too late spinning....I just had to finish and see what it looked like plied!)

A 2-ply yarn....3oz merino...260 yards....pure fun!

Stocking update:  All knitting AND weaving in of ends----done!  I need to block it and seam the back!  Woohoo!

Today:  I have a spinning date...bound to be fun!

Relief!

Thank you all for your prayers and kind comments about my presentation!  It went well....maybe a little shorter than I wanted, but I was pleased, very nervous, and happy it is now done! (Except for the recap with the advisor and figuring out the answers to the questions asked that I didn't know)  There is still plenty to do this semester, but nothing nearly as stressful!

On the knitting front:

I'm making good progress on the stocking!  I had to rip back 4 inches this weekend because I didn't like my color-work.  I was carrying a lot of the colors behind the work and it was puckering and didn't look as good as the stocking I'm trying to match.  So now I'm not carrying and happy with how it looks!  The only bad part of the stocking (and the part I didn't anticipate) is the back:

So many ends to weave in....I spent 2 hours at knit night weaving in ends (it looked even worse then) and while I made progress, I still have a long way to go!  Maybe just maybe I can finish this weekend?  We will see.

On the shopping front:

I did mention DH and I went shopping on black Friday right?  While most men aren't good shoppers DH is!  (not always, but when he is in the mood to shop it is fun!)  We were working on shopping the sales for clothing needs for both of us and working on Christmas shopping for the family.  While he was checking out....I wandered over to the purses and admired this:

How could I not love it?  I've been eyeing them for awhile, after all it is a giraffe print :) but never really thought I would get one.  I don't spend that much on myself let alone a purse.  Well DH decided, right then and there, that I should have it.  No talking him out of it!  I mentioned the cost, he mentioned we would be doing our part to help the economy, what can I say, there was no use arguing with him.  (I reminded him Lindy was my Christmas and he said he knew that, but which one did I want, we could afford it)  We did get a deal though, I insisted that we check another store who carried said purses and they were having a deal where is you traded in a used purse you got so much off your new purse.  Well of course I was using a favorite purse that day, so we went and bought a cheap knock-off giraffe purse and gave them that in exchange for the discount!  (All donated purses were going to charity)  I love my new purse and hope whoever gets the donated one likes hers too!

I'm so glad to be back to blogging again! I've really missed it!

Quick Update

Hi all!  Just wanted to update you that I am well!  Had a super Thanksgiving....got to spend lots of time with DH!  What a treat!  I have a big presentation at school tomorrow so blogging has been on the back burner right now....so towards the end of the week you should expect a real post!  Lindy is lonely...no spinning over thanksgiving....knitting, shopping, DH time, no complaints!  Things will settle down soon and blogging will return to normal....I promise!