The Nephews

You have met my niece, the winggirl, Allison and my nephew Kyle. Those are my brother's kids.

I come from a blended family. My parents divorced when I was ten and my mom remarried later that year. My stepdad, Bill, a wonderful man, came with three daughters. Two older than me, one younger. I went from being the oldest child to a middle child, but my oldest tendencies were there (I strongly believe that there is such a thing as traits depending on birth order)

Anyway, my brother, who is younger than me, has a boy and a girl. My oldest step-sister has two boys, my next sister has three boys and the youngest has two girls.

There has been some fracturing in the family since my stepfather's untimely death in 1996. The most painful day of my life, I don't even remember parts of it.

However my next oldest sister (notice I don't call her step) and I have remained somewhat close, with life just getting in the way of us seeing each other regularly.

But her boys...I love to death her boys....and I have a fabulous relationship with them, especially the two older ones. I stop at the house to see them, not as much as I used to, but I adore them...

Today I went to celebrate the youngest birthday. He is 12. The oldest is 23 and the next 21. I also saw my oldest step-sister and her youngest son. The youngest lives in another state and I rarely, if ever, see her and her family.

These are my nephews: Jorden, Marc and Christian.
My mom says it's funny, she gets updated pictures of the kids from me, all the time, and not my brother and sister, and I'm the only one without kids.

Silence

On You Capture, the link is not up for the week yet, the word is "silence."

 

This is my silence before the day begins with 30 5th graders.

Election Day

Man, I am glad this is finally here....I don't have to hear anymore commercials slamming each other or throw a ton of flyers into the recycle bin. It was so negative. People need to learn to work together and compromise, it's the only way!

Now that said, was gonna head to school for a bit, then go shopping. I just went shopping instead. Got a nice pair of boots at JC Penney. I saw a pair on a commercial a couple weeks ago and been wanting them. Didn't find those, but got a nice pair of chocolate ankle boots...Then supplemented my MAC inventory. I've had a gift card since my birthday...Bought a new book at Borders: Sock Yarn One Skein Wonders It has both knit and crochet patterns and I had a 33% off coupon and $5 in Border bucks! Got some things at Michaels (yes it included yarn) and then headed to my local LYS: New England Yarn and Spindle.

I was reading MoonCalfMakes and saw those Fetchings and fell in love! So I headed out to pick up the supplies. Got myself some Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in a lovely purple, some dpn's and cable needles. I decided that I will teach myself to knit by picking up patterns I like and working on those. I got three new patterns with yarn at Stitches this weekend. It'll be easier for me than making those darn squares....These will have to wait, as I have a TON of baby things I need to make, literally a ton: redo Kailen's sweater, make Kai's sweater, make something for Anya, make something for boy of V, make something for girl of J...so I need to get a moves on!!!!!!

Hmmm...Bad Choice?

I'm kinda nervous....see today I shared my blog address with my students. It's a clean blog. A blog mostly about yarn...even if they stop by, they'll get bored (especially the boys) and move on.....

See I'm close to many of my students. In my two classes right now, I have 22 students I had previously. Of those 22, one is the third in a family that I have had....another is the 4 of a family group I have had (cousins/siblings/etc) and the last and I will miss this family alot! (The first was the young man, I featured here)
I have several siblings of students...and I enjoy my days with my students (for the most part, we all have days!)

So if any of them peek in, be nice, don't share the blog address, and remember report cards are coming up!

Now onto yarny news....hmmm do I have any more yarny news? I don't think so.

I got three trick or treaters, so there is a black cauldron half filled with candy in the living room...and I got a doctor's reminder call, hmm thought that was in December?

Think I'm going to have some oatmeal, toast and tea, as it is frickin' cold in the apartment and I need to bundle myself up!

Maybe I'll work on this! This is my Games Ghan. I started it during the Olympics. I think with my friends on craftpots.....I want to add at least two more strips. But I had run out of the cream, got it now, so can work on it again!

Last Day of Blogtober

It's the last day of Blogtober. I have enjoyed it immensely. I also have two finishes...

My first knit finish! Woo-hoo! I have made a square previously, but this is my first actual object! It is the Effect Hat by Steph Michaud for J. Knits. It was a cute kit, which I bought mainly for the bag it came in! The yarn is J. Knits Superwash Me-DK in Amesbury.

The second is mittens for my niece. They were made using Plymouth Encore and didn't not come out too great. But they are finally done, been working on them since last winter. They match a hat/scarf set I made her.....You can see that here Although I said it was Paton's Encore in that post, it is Plymouth Encore....

I hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween, that celebrates. We got 3 trick or treaters. It gets worse every year, mainly because we don't have too many kids on my street, so noone hands out candy. Also my porch light is out. So I moved a lamp to the window, but still 3! I may as well not even try next year!

Tomorrow I wear my skeleton earrings in honor of El Dia de los Muertos.

Stitches East...

Holy Traffic Batman! For reasons only known to the Department of Transportation, on a weekend with something going on it the city, they decide to close two of the three lane highway going into the city. It was a freaking nightmare! And people were not allowing cars to merge over to the left. I finally just took an exit and trusted Stella, my GPS to get me there. With a few wrong turns, we eventually ended up at the Convention Center about 10:30.

I did some damage.....Last night I went through all the vendors in the market and wrote a list. I did not visit the vendors that I have previously bought from, except Holiday Yarns to get the bacon yarn. But I forgot to look for the Gnomespun. I did get the Firebird sock kit, as that is my ultimate sock goal.

Holidays Yarns was my first booth (which was good as they had only 3 skeins of the bacon left, they did find another in their tote - yeah me!), then a quick bathroom break and I was off and running....I went systematically up and down the aisles and checked vendors off my list as I went.

Next purchase was Bijou Basin. I got two skeins of the blueish teal yak/bamboo blend.
I had printed off a coupon, so got a deal. And she was nice enough to give me a bit of fiber for my class. I want to put together a display of different fibers for my students to feel. I got a bunch at Rhinebeck and hope to get more next week at Fiber Fest.

After feeling and touching my way through many vendors, I found Kitchensinkdyeworks. She was on my list. I bought the Petal Edge Scarf pattern and a skein of Seacell Merino Fine in Valencia for the scarf.


I checked out the rest of the vendors on my list. Stopped and said hello to Barbara at Sit and Knit and Mary and Maureen manning The New England Yarn and Spindle (my local LYS, right up the street). I also had to order some yarn from her, as I have to remake a baby sweater. I did stop by Creatively Dyed to show off my fingerless gloves and the Nook sock I made from the yarn I purchased last year at Rhinebeck. Diane took a picture, so it may end up on her blog.

Then I made my way back to Miss Babs. I knew I was going to spend some time and money here. She had just some gorgeous yarn choices. I eventually settled on Tierno, a handpainted alpaca and silk in Roasted Pumpkin for the Alhambra pattern that I also picked up. I also purchased a skein of Yummy in Moss and a skein of Mums in Windsor. I can't wait to try these yarns!









My Baggu bag was pretty full by then, but I stopped by Webs and picked up some Madelinetosh. My friend LoriNY raves about the Pashmina, so I picked up a skein of Norway Spruce. As it wasn't enough for the discount, I also got two skeins of Madeinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Well Water.

I'm not done. As this knitting thing is new and I go "whole hog" when I start something, I picked up some supplies too. A set of Hiya Hiya circulars, a set of Addi circulars, a set of Crystal Palace bamboo circulars and a set of Lantern Moon circulars. I also picked up a set of Lantern Moon straights. I had a list with me of what needles I had, as I picked up the patterns, I picked up the needles to go with them. I absolutely ADORE Lantern Moon crochet hooks, so I'm hoping to adore their knitting needles too. I also want to try a variety to get a feel of what brand I like. I'm a Bates over Boye brand in crochet hooks, or wood, if I have my choice.

I picked up three non-knitting items. I saw a pendant and fell in love. But I did not impulse buy. It was the last thing I went back and bought, however I also bought a pair of earrings. Then this ADORABLE sheepy mug. When I just unwrapped it now to take the pic, I realized there is a sheep inside too! Sorry for the craptastic pics on these, I just thought about taking them

So although I did buy a bit, it was mostly stuff that I had on a list. There was one vendor that I will wait to buy from at the Fiber Fest (spread it out, plus I get paid this week :)

The only other thing I would have bought was a Namaste bag, if there was a deal. I saw them only at one vendor. I have 3 of them and love the last one I got....

You can't take pictures inside the venue, so hope you enjoyed the yarny pictures. It wasn't the sunniest of days to take them....

More Yarn on the Way!

So tomorrow I will be heading to Stitches East in Hartford, CT. I'm not taking any classes, just wandering the market floor and buying yarn. I'm especially looking to get bacon yarn from Holiday Yarns. As I forgot to get it at Rhinebeck. That Fool's Gold is pretty nice, too. Think I might pick up a sock pattern and some Gnomespun yarn if they have some...How can you live without gnomespun yarn? (It would only be better if it was hobbitspun) I left that gem with my students today, that I'd be buying gnomespun yarn. They were quite intrigued. They can't wait to see the bacon yarn either...

I was going to go after school, but plans changed. It's okay, gives me more time tomorrow to wander...and I have a free ticket thanks to the Ravelry gift bag!!!!

I was going to come home and organize my stash some more and figure out what else I wanted. I think last time I was intrigued by some kettle dyed yarn, but didn't get it...Also I found String Theory last year that was scruptious...I just like to feel it, as I haven't used it yet...But I fell asleep instead and woke up stupid.....

I think I'm awake enough now to do some stashing.....Or watch Lord of the Rings again....