Itty Bitty Fries

Today has been a crazy busy day!

Swamped at work, errands that needed to be run TODAY, appointments, and basketball games. I went non-stop since the time I got up at 5:45am this morning.

Since there was no time to cook dinner we stopped at Mickey D's. We hadn't been in a while, so haven't seen the new Happy Meals. Even though Elijah is about to be 10 he still likes to get the Happy Meal. Well, they've changed them up to be more nutritious. You get apple slices and a smaller portion of fries - a very small portion.

"Mom - look at these little, itty bitty fries I got! I'm going to have to eat some of yours!"

I Make Kool-Aid For My Family

I don't like Kool-aid. Can't stand the stuff, but my boys like it. While making this batch today, I couldn't help but sing the Kool-aid song.

"I make kool-aid for my family...I make pitcher after pitcher...."

Can't help but get that song stuck in your head!

Kool-aid has a new flavor Peach Mango - Elijah liked it. All I can say is it smelled good...I'm sure it was nasty like all the other flavors though.

Elijah

Someone got a haircut today and wanted a picture taken.

He thinks he's too cute - he kinda is.

Babydoll

Childhood is a short season. ~Helen Hayes

Been a slow quiet day today.....making progress on Carmen's babydoll.

It's the Weekend Baby!

rushing out of the office - it's Friday!

I'm SO glad it's the weekend!

My day didn't start out so great, was up at 4am and couldn't go back to sleep, got soaked in the rain and ended up being late for work! 3pm couldn't come fast enough.


Dinner tonight was a fish fry, fries and sweet ice tea. And you can't have fish without Franks RedHot! Makes the fish so good!

Tonight is movie night. I got Paranormal Activity 3. I LOVE scary movies - hope it's good.

Not much else planned this weekend. Just hanging out at home. Of course I will be knitting. Working on lil' Miss Carmen's babydoll. Hopefully I can get most of it done.

Chili Cheese Dog

Not the most nutritious meal, but who doesn't love a chili cheese dog.

Coach

Tonight was an easy coaching night.

Tomorrow is the big rematch with the rival team. Last game they played, Fonzy got a double technical and was thrown out the game. I'm sure there will be no sitting down at the game tomorrow!

Comforts of Home

Everyday when I get home from work, the first thing I do is change into some comfy pajama pants and cozy socks.

Ahhhh - the comforts of home.

Nails

It's great having a sister who will come over and do your nails!

Forty-One

 

Today I'm 41!

I could complain about getting older, things sagging, having wrinkles...blah, blah, blah. But I'm not! God has blessed me to be on this earth for 41yrs and none of those things matter.

In my 41 years here on this earth, I've had loving parents.

My Mom, Dad and Me

A childhood filled with many happy memories.

 

Mommy and Daddy - the daddy that raised me. Both gone, but forever loved.

In my 41 years God blessed me with 4 beautiful sons.

And a man who loves me unconditionally. Who has been my best friend, my soulmate, my lover, my comfortor, my everything.

 

In these 41 years I have endured heartache and pain. I have questioned God, been angry at God, but He has always been there for me and has never left me.

He continues to Bless Me.

I have 2 beautiful Grandbabies, Carmen and Jonah.
I have a great life, surrounded by love and I pray to have many many more.

Forty-one years and counting....

Bday Cake

Someone is having a birthday tomorrow!

Weekending

So glad it's the weekend....

No Words

I have no words today.....

My Heart Aches Today

My heart aches today. 

My friend Phyllis received word that her oldest son Philip was killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan.

She's been in my thoughts and prayers all day today. I know the journey she is about to take and it won't be easy.

She has been there for me when my Samuel was killed. When I needed to cry, needed words of encouragement she was there. She would send me notes to let me know she was thinking about me and sending many, many prayers. And now I have to be there for her.

Phyllis has 6 other kids, besides Philip. 5 more boys and 1 daughter. 2 of her other boys are also Marines. Philip leaves behind a wife and many many friends and loved ones.

Please keep my dear friend and her family in your thoughts and prayers. Along with the military who serve this country.

Philip and Phyllis

Phyllis's Marine sons - Philip, Kenneth & Allen.



Philip with his Mom and Dad



Philip and his wife



Mr. Clean, Mr. Clean - My Momma's Husband

You know, it's funny the things you remember. I've been thinking about my Mom alot lately. I just at this very moment realized the anniversary of her death was January 6th. She has been gone for 25 years now. Such a long time.

I have many happy memories, but as time goes on you forget things. Your memory starts fading, but then you see something and it sparks a memory. Mr. Clean did it for me today.

My mom once told me when she was little she use to pretend Mr. Clean was her husband. I don't remember what we could have been talking about, but she shared that tidbit with me. Of all the people in the world to pick, she picked Mr. Clean. Well - he wasn't a bad looking guy and at least her house would be clean, right?

WIP Wednesday - Mommy Memories

Hello knitting and crafting peeps! It's that time again - time to show off what your working on.

My slouch hat has been put on hiatus right now. Well, the original slouch hat that is, but I started another. This one caught my eye because of the name - Ida's Kitchen, which happens to be my mom's name. My mom taught me how to knit when I was about 12 or 13. I made a stuffed horse, gave it to a baby I babysat and never knit again. My Mom passed away from cancer when I was 15, she was 31. The picture below was taken the summer before she died.

Whenever I knit, I think about my mom and feel a special connection to her. She loved knitting and I'm so glad I found it again. I often wish she were still here so we could knit together. I can picture us drinking coffee, chatting and knitting away. I miss her....

Ida's Kitchen is a stripped slouch hat. I hate weaving in ends, so using chroma, in lollipop instead. I love the bright colors of chroma and can't wait to finish the hat.


My other WIP is the babydoll. I think this is taking me so long because of the boring yarn. I think the doll is too cute all done, but getting to the cute is rough! I like bright, pretty colors and this definitely is not bright. I plan on making her dress bright though!



For more WIP Wednesday go here.

For Yarn Along go here.

These are the Days of Our Lives

Our days are crazy right now. Up early, out the door by 6:30am for work and school and it's hussling all day!

I'm always stuggling about what to make for dinner on busy days of the week. Thank God for the crockpot. I don't know who invented it, but on days like today, I'm eternally grateful!

I threw some chili in the crockpot this morning and when I got home, dinner was done! All I had to do was make some cornbread.





While dinner is cooking, the boys do homework, we eat, then off we go again. During basketball season home is really just a pitstop. We get home from games around 8pm or later, then it's time for showers and getting ready for the next day, where we do it all over again.

Lucky for me, knitting is a hobby I can take with me! Games, practice, whatever, I'm never without it!

madden = headache

I guess I shouldn't complain. The boys are 12 and 9 and by this age most boys are playing video games, but we had avoided it until now.

Now it's non-stop football competition between Fonzy and the boys! That means non-stop trash talking and yelling at the TV.  Non-stop! Did I say non-stop!

Boys and their toys!

New Glasses

blackberry self photo

Got new glasses on Friday. I can see now!

Even though I wear contacts most of the time, I won't mind wearing these sometime.

What I Love About Sundays

Preppy GQ and American Gangsta - Double Trouble!



What I love about Sundays...

Boys and men all dressed up

Going to church, and hearing a message that speaks to my heart. It's not always what I want to hear, but always what I need to hear!

Coming home to a clean house, and cooking dinner that cooks slow in the oven, so I can smell it all afternoon.

Sunday afternoon naps!

Lazy afternoon just right for knitting.

Weekending

Betty Boop slippers

Spent the morning cleaning house. There's nothing better than having a clean house. I say that all the time, but it's true. Life just seems better and more relaxed when things are in order.

So now that the house is clean, I plan on relaxing and knitting. I decided to start the babydoll for Carmen. I'm giving myself a week to finish. Then will go back to making some hats. I have had more requests for mohawk hats, and I want to try the slouchy hat again. I think I've gotten over my knitting ADD. I'm just glad to be knitting, keeps me sane, especially since Fonzy and the boys have been on a Madden football kick! The other night Ezekiel and Fonzy were up until almost 3am playing! Craziness!

New

He got new glasses today.

He loves them.

So do I.

So Handsome.

So serious.

Going to have to beat the girls off of him.

ALWAYS

There are always basketballs bouncing in our house. The real kind and the nerf kind! It's never ending and most times drives me crazy!

Bouncing....bouncing.....bouncing!

Knitting ADD

I think I have knitting ADD right now.

I started my second slouchy hat, but have decided this yarn is not going to work. The pattern calls for chunky weight yarn, but I think my yarn is too chunky. So now I need to find another chunky yarn in hot pink.

Now that the hat is on hold, I can't decide what to start next. Last night I went though my knitting books, pattern binders, browsed ravelry and nothing is saying knit me. I have a list of things I want to knit, and some requests, but nothings grabbing me there either. Maybe I will just go back to my tried and true favorites  - monsters! Or maybe I will just go eeny - meeny - miney - moe and whatever I land on, I knit.

Do you ever have Knitting ADD, where nothing is holding your attention? What do you do! I can't NOT KNIT.