It's been a while

A good 9 days it's been since I visited my blog. It's been an incredibly busy time. I don't know how parent's or anyone for that matter, work full-time and still have time to come home and get ready for Christmas? I've worked two days each of the last two weeks and I feel like I can't get anything done. We've done a couple of family things this season, like finally getting our tree, but taking almost all week until we actually got it in the house and decorated. Good grief. We usually get it the first weekend of December. I uploaded over 90 pictures today, just from the last 9 days! Full of fun Christmas stuff, but it's been just go-go-go, usually not that way for us this time of year.

We went as a family to downtown Portland to the waterfront to watch the Christmas Ships Parade. It was much smaller than when we first saw them. The first year we went, the kids might have been 3 and 8, there were at least 30 ships that year. This year, there were a total of 9. I was bummed by it, and it was cold, but the lights of downtown were pretty. I didn't use the flash for these and had to stay absolutely still. Obviously from the blur, I can't do that. :)

Weather pictures and blah, blah, blah

I just posted about a beautiful scarf package I got from my ISE5 pal over on that blog if you want to read it.

We've had a busy few weeks, though not a lot of knitting has gotten done. I've been working lots of hours(for me anyways). I've spent some time out in Vernonia doing flood clean out. That really wears on a person! We are so blessed to having not experienced anything like that. I hope they can get some of those homes done quickly. We are starting into our Christmas activities, visiting with friends, attending holiday parties, etc. I think between now and Christmas, I have 7 nights where I will be out attending different events, or hosting events at my home. Robert says I can't add anymore or I will be exhausted by the time Christmas gets here. True enough. Hmmph, and I thought I would have two weeks of nothing! No classes to get kids to, or work. It just got replaced with other stuff that's all. Oh and we don't have our tree yet, so we need to get out to find a Douglas Fir.

In knitting news, I did actually get another pair of Fetching done. And about 4 inches done on Lisa. I am finally to the decreases of the armhole. That's it. I still have about 1/4 of the test knit to do. I really want to get that done by Monday! Can I do it?

Snow from a couple of weeks ago.



Sunrise on Tuesday this week.

We are never satisfied are we?!?

I have found this week that we just aren't satisfied with what we have, or don't have. It's either too much wind, too much rain(or not enough), or it's too quiet(after the storm). Even if it's not as bad as what some areas of Oregon and Washington have experienced this past week, it's just not good enough for us. Robert and I were commenting to each other that it has just been too quiet yesterday and today. It has been, but should we complain or whine about it? No! We should be thankful that the worst is over, and now we just need to clean up. Well, we don't need to personally. We had just a few tree limbs, small things in our yard. Nothing major, like our home being flooded. I really can't imagine going through that myself, and I need to be thankful.

Be thankful for what you have, your home, your health, your family members. Take care this week and remember those around you, if possible through random acts of kindness.

Packages from Far, Far Away

I made this little box. Started it Saturday afternoon and finished it today. Isn't it cute? It even has working drawers. Did I do it from scratch? Nope! It was a kit that came as part of a package on Saturday. From Canada.




The package came from my birthday swap partner on Ravelry. Lisa, turned 30+ this year and celebrated by traveling around Europe. So, our packages to each other didn't arrive on our actual birthdays.

The pretty Opal in the lavender, yellow and black, is from Austria. The purple and blue yarn at the bottom of the package is from the TheSweetSheep.com. It is called Memories. I've already started using the handbag, you can see my checkbook sticking out. It is perfect for those short trips to the grocery store when you don't need your knitting bag. There was a journal, pens, a little flower garden, Eucalan, tea buds, hot cocoa and swiss chocolate that is creamy and yummy, hand lotion and a little book to put photos in. Thank you so much Lisa, this was a great swap!



More mitts, these are Cleckheaton Country Silk in a pretty olive green color. I finished them on Saturday night and cast on for the ones below. It's some leftover Rocky Horror from when I did a hat for Robert. I hope I can get a whole pair out of the leftovers! They will go to my nephew who's dad went to OSU, so Walt, the nephew is an avid Beaver's fan, just like his aunt and uncle!



My Lisa. I started it one day last week. I wanted to do it in the round, but at the time, I couldn't get my mind around converting the pattern. I am doing both the front and the back on the same needle, since you work to the arm holes using the same pattern. It is from Debbie Bliss book 7. The yarn is DB, cashmerino aran, and it is this deep of a purple.

Pay it Forward

I was just reading through a couple of blogs that I like and came across this idea on Angela's blog. She found it elsewhere, but I think it's a great idea.

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

So, if you are interested in receiving a handmade something from LavendarKnits, leave a comment. The first three will receive something...........knitted, sewn, papercrafted, food? Who knows.


Btw, no migraines since November 2!! The neurologist said they were migraines and has given me some new meds to try in case they happen again, even if it isn't until next fall. He seemed to be very interested that it is just a seasonal event. Oh he also put me on Vit. B2 and Magnesium to try to prevent them.

The Stash Sale

Before pictures.





You can see the yarn on the racks, and those bins are at least 3/4 full.

60 people in line at 9:45?

Looking through their armloads of yarn.

Bags of yarn!
Do I really need all of this yarn?

At one point, the check out line was at least 10 deep with three or four lines.
Empty racks.


Pictures Kim took while she explored the Inn.




Metal chickens.





We sat and knit the rest of the afternoon.
Came home and crashed!

Tagged

I've been seeing these tags all over blogland this week, well, Mim's got me this time.

1. Name one person who made you laugh last night. Hmm, maybe KT, or Joann at the BMFA destash sale.

2. What were you doing at 0800? Writing out the directions for a chart for the Mystic Waters Stole. It is usually done on Friday, but I worked Friday and Saturday, so it got done here and there.

3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago? Reading about the Writer's Guild strike, and why they are doing it. Thanks Lisa, I didn't fully understand they whys behind it.

4. What happened to you in 2006? Hmm, obviously nothing noteworthy, oh wait, I started a blog! Oh and I started working for Tina.

5. Bless you! One of the kids sneezed.

6. How many beverages did you have today? Two, coffee and water.

7. What color is your hairbrush? Blue and white.

8. What was the last thing you paid for? Fruit trays at Haggen yesterday morning for the BMFA destash sale.

9. Where were you last night? At the destash sale until 6:00 pm or so, then home to just sit and veg. I think I knit, but I really can't remember.

10. What color is your front door? Brown, kind of an oak stained color.

11. Where do you keep your change? Usually in my pocket, then once I am home it goes into a small pottery crock, then when that's full, into a glass jar that is almost full and needs to go to the bank for our rainy day fun.

12. Whats the weather like today? Kind of gray with some sun spots. I don't think it rained though.

13. What's the best ice-cream flavor? Hmm, chocolate, chocolate mint, orange blossom (Lucerne brand, it's orange with chunks of chocolate/orange.

14. What excites you? Spending alone time with my husband ;), knitting, being with friends, watching my kids grow up.

15. Do you want to cut your hair? I just got it cut on Friday, so no, I really don't need it any shorter.

16. Are you over the age of 25? Yes, and I feel like it too.

17. Do you talk a lot? Not usually.

18. Do you watch the O.C? No

19. Do you know anyone named Steven? I think I have a cousin named Steven, but he's old, like in his 70's or 80's. He is my grandma's cousin or nephew or something like that. He's the only one I know with that name, but I know several Steve's.

20. Do you make up your own words? Rarely, but I will use one's that my husband makes up.

21. Are you a jealous person. Sometimes.

22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter 'A'. Angela

23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter 'K'. Kathy

24. Who's the first person on your received call list? I don't check that information.

25. What does the last text message you received say? I don't send or receive texts.

26. Do you chew on your straw? No.

27. Do you have curly hair? No, unless I have a perm, which has not happened in a good 3 years.

28. Where's the next place you're going to? Nowhere today, tomorrow, probably to take my husband to work.

29. Who's the rudest person in your life? He's not in my life anymore. (ex-father-in-law)

30. What was the last thing you ate? Chocolate bar with hazelnuts in it. One of those Ritter Sport things.

31. Will you get married in the future? I hope not, I plan to stay married to my husband for the rest of our lives.

32. What's the best movie you've seen in the past 2 weeks? I don't think I have watched any movies.

33. Is there anyone you like right now? Well, there isn't anyone that I don't like.

34. When was the last time you did the dishes? Well, I loaded the dishwasher with a few more dishes this morning and ran it.

35. Are you currently depressed? No.

36. Did you cry today? No.

37. Why did you answer and post this? I felt like it.

38. Tag 5 people who would do this survey. Suz or Leah, Donna, Gail, Jan, and Kristin.

The Girlz had a partay!

The young queen's decided it was time for their long-lost Halloween Tea.



Here we have Queen Victoria with her knitting and tea.



Queen Mary of Scots on the left and Queen Elizabeth 1 on the right, getting down to some spooky tunes.



They loved the dancing, and could have gone on for hours.



But settled down for a game of Cartagena. It's a pirate led prisoner escape game, based on the real escape from 1672.




After it was all said and done, it was time to relax and snooze.

Bad blogger and mom didn't take pictures of the tea or food. I think Queen Victoria will share some of her pictures with me and I will add them later. I know she got an excellent one of the wine glasses!

I fixed it!

Friday morning while I was waiting for my CT appoinment, I ripped it back to the cables and stuck it back on the needles. It's not perfect, I think I left out two rows near the top, but it is so much better than it was! Btw, the CT was quick and painless, almost noiseless too. I had an MRI done last year and it was so noisy, I was expecting that! I don't think I could have done the noise this time around. Hopefully I will have some news or (there's nothing wrong with you) on Monday.

Anniversaries and Holidays

I realized this morning that I had passed my grandma's death anniversary with not too much notice. I certainly noticed it at the beginning of October this year. I was weepy and depressed. Then it passed and I didn't think about it. Now that it is a day past, I feel relieved, a little.

Today was a little bit better on the migraine front. I went to the doctor this morning, but didn't get much in the way of answers or relief there. Well, except an appointment for a CT scan of my sinuses to see if it's something in there. That's tomorrow morning at 9. Maybe it will show something, I hope not. I don't particularly wanting them messing with my sinuses, but at the same time I want this to be done with.

Thank you Roxie, MotherGoose and Jen for some words of wisdom. I am going to look into all of it. I have looked at all of the food before and some of it doesn't apply to me. I don't eat much in the way of red meat, dairy or red wine. But the chocolate, beans and some citrus do apply. I do want to try the visualization exercises, but want to practice it before another one strikes. I have actually done some relaxation that way.

Hmm, there was something else I wanted to add, oh yeah, this! Sewmama is doing a November Handmade Holidays. It looks like it will be good.