Happy 2009 Everyone!

I don't really believe in Resolutions because they are most often forgotten about after the first 4 days following New Year's Day.

But, here is my list of things I will continue to do in the new year and a couple of new ones...

1. go back to WW meetings and eat on plan
2. go back to gym every day at lunch (or at least 3 times per week)
3. use the Wii Fit at least 3 times per week for Yoga to stretch muscles
4. continue to take multi-vitamin and glucosamine to stay healthy and pain free
5. continue to take baths with Epsom salt to reduce stress and tension
6. continue to get monthly massages to further reduce stress and tension
7. continue to pick up and finish one hibernating project before casting on for something new
8. finally knit my clapotis and chevron scarf
9. call the music school down the road and sign up for piano lessons which is a life long dream of mine
10. Draw and Paint again

Looking back over the past year, I feel content and happy:

• We had a tough time in the beginning of the year with A's diagnosis, but that diagnosis brought me peace when I realized that she got the Tourette's from me and I finally had some answers.
• We welcomed 3 new nephews into the family.
• I found four wonderful friends/sisters through knitting and thank God for them everyday (actually we might have met last year at the end, but we grew very close over the course of this year)
• E came home! :)
• I started sprucing up the interior of the house with paint and new ceiling fans
• I won a big award at work and gained a lot of recognition from it
• I got down to a size 14 and although I have slipped back to a size 16, I am not discouraged and will continue on my journey to a healthier life

Leg Warmers

"A'' loves leg warmers so I wanted to make some for her for Christmas. Knowing from experience that they won't stay in style for too long, I didn't want to knit anything intricate. So, I just made them up as I went along. No pattern. Plain, basic, black leg warmers.LOL

She likes them. :)

Another Mitten Chart

I made this chart for a full mitten based off of a picture of some very pretty fingerless gloves on Ravelry. Please feel free to download and Knit away. If you knit them, please link back to me so I can see how they turned out. (Click on the picture for a printable version)

Traffic Cone

Each Christmas in our city, they hold a huge drive-thru light display called Bright Nights. It was fun the first few years, but after living here for 7 years and battling the traffic along with the inconsiderate idiots who drive in the wrong lane and then cut you off once they get to the end of their lane, after you have waited in traffic in the correct lane for 15-20 minutes for the past 1/2 mile, it can get pretty obnoxious after awhile.

They take our normally 4 lane main road and cut it into a Bright Nights lane and then two travel lanes going in opposite directions. These are "mapped out" with miles of orange traffic cones. While driving through the mess at the beginning of this holiday season, my oldest daughter, "E" tried to get to me to stop and steal a cone for her. It became pretty funny after awhile. Every time I slowed down for traffic, she acted like she as going to open her door while looking to me for approval. Needless to say, although the urge was great, we did not succumb to the temptation and arrived at home without a traffic cone.

After the girls left for Florida last week, I decided that it was would be pretty hilarious if I crocheted the adorable little traffic cone pattern I saw on Ravelry and wrap it up for her for Christmas.

They arrived home at 10pm last night. When we got home from the airport we had "Christmas". This kid got Uggs (from her Dad) ($160), Nike AF1 sneakers ($75), a scrumptiously soft hooded bathrobe from Bath and Body Works, Skinny Jeans, Timberland Boots and a bunch of other assorted stuff (not to mention the Wii I bought for the family), yet, when she opened this gift, she proclaimed that it was her favorite present!

Folks......it's moments like these that matter most!

Tempting

I can't believe I never posted the picture of this sweater. It was the first one I completed. I have bought several ribbons to lace through the top.

Pattern - Tempting by Jenna Adorno

Yarn - Dream in Color - Black Parade

White Night

I think this scarf must have gotten it's name from the color the designer knit hers in. It looks totally awesome in white. I like my version too, but I prefer the white. I found the pattern when I searched for something to knit with the yarn I got with a total deal up at Webs (yay warehouse!!) This became one of Molly's Christmas Presents because she fell in love with it when it was done and it matched the hat I made with the same yarn that she also loved.

Pattern - White Night by J. Sun

Yarn - Rowan Chunky Print - maroon/yellow/white

Envy

When I saw this, I knew I had to have it. I am not sure if it is the pattern or the color it was knit in, or both. All I knew is that I had to have it and I had to have it in the same color.

Pattern - Envy by John Brinegar

Yarn - Brown Sheep Burly Spun - Limeade

Finished - 11/23/08 (knit in one day - cable pattern with no cable needle)

Winter Poem

I found this beautiful winter poem and thought it might be a comfort to you. It was to me, and it's very well written.

"WINTER"
a poem by Abigail Elizabeth McIntyre

SHIT, It's Cold !!!!

The End

Our Christmas Recipes

I thought I would share the recipes that are special to me and my family at Christmas time. Enjoy!!

We made these recipes every year throughout my childhood. I now make them with my kids and I think they all came from my grandmother.

Butter Ball Cookies (aka snowballs to some families) I do a double batch

1 C Butter or Margarine (soft but not melted)
1/2 C Sifted Powdered Sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2-1/4 C flour
3/4 C nuts

Mix butter, sugar and vanilla. Mix in sifted flour and salt a little at a time until well mixed. Mixture will be very thick and hard to mix. After thoroughly mixed, mix in chopped nuts.

Chill at least 1 hour. Roll into 1" balls. Bake at 400* on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar when they are still warn and then again once they are cooled.

Party Mix I do a double batch

1 lb butter or margarine (4 sticks)
2 tsp celery salt
2 tsp onion salt
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
5-1/2 C Wheat Chex
5-1/2 C Rice Chex
5-1/2 C Corn Chex
5-1/2 C Cheerios
1/2 bag of pretzel sticks
1 can mixed nuts

Put the nuts, pretzels and cereal in a roasting pan. Melt butter with seasonings and pour over cereal mix. Bake in 250* oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Creamy Fudge

1 C (6oz) Chocolate Chips
1/2 C Marshmallow Fluff
1/2 C chopped nuts
1/4 C butter or margarine
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 C sugar
2/3 C evaporated milk

Place chips, marshmallow, nuts, butter and vanilla in a bowl. Set aside. Combine sugar and evaporated milk in a 2qt saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Boil 10 minutes at full boil, stirring constantly. Carefully pour boiling syrup over chocolate mixture and stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Pour into a greased 8" square pan. Chill until firm - about 1 hour. Cut into small squares.

The following is a family recipe that we use for gifts:

Kahlua

4 C water
4 C sugar
1/4 C instant coffee
1 vanilla bean with slits cut into it

Bring water and sugar to a boil and boil for 7 minutes. Add coffee granules and vanilla bean. Cool and mix with a fifth of Vodka. Pour into bottles for gift-giving. Best when made months ahead.

The next recipe is form the family of a childhood friend that I have been making with my kids.

Magic Cookie Bars

1 can sweetened condensed milk
8 oz chocolate chips
1/2 pkg coconut
1 C chopped walnuts
2 C graham cracker crumbs
1 stick butter

Melt butter and mix with crumbs. Press into 9x12 pan. Layer nuts, then chips, then coconut. Pour milk over top. Bake for 25 minutes in a 350* oven. If pan is glass bake at 325*

I have one more family cookie recipe that I can't find. If I find it, I will post it here.

My new favorite singer

This week's Private Practice episode played a song at the end that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE!! I have a nifty thing on my cell phone that will listen to a song, analyze the song's "DNA" and tell you the title and singer. It couldn't come up with ANYTHING. So I went online and did a search (love me some GOOGLE) and found that it is called Achin' All the Time by Ray LaMontagne.

I am so upset to find out that the song is not available on any of his albums. I guess it was supposed to be on the most recent album but it got replaced by another song. :(

Now I am on the hunt!

Have you ever heard of him? In researching him, I have found that his songs have recently played on Eli Stone, Grey's Anatomy and Fringe, too. It can't be coincidence that all four of these are my favorite shows! (sadly Eli Stone is getting cancelled)

Woolgirl Peppermint Patty Sock Kit

I got my newest specialty sock kit from Woolgirl today. It is the next installment in the Peanuts theme and is just in time for Christmas.

It includes a pattern for socks called Peppermint Twist designed by Christina Bain.


The yarn is Yummy Sport Hand painted from Miss Babs (love the colors!!). The colorway is called Peppermint Patty and they even included 70 extra yards of a solid red for heels and toes.


Next is some Peppermint Patty Candy Cane Hot Cocoa. I'm interested in trying it. I love thin mint cookies, so maybe this will be similar. :) Below that, in the same picture, you see a peppermint measuring tape from Lantern Moon. Soooo cute!


The next two items are a Soap Bar and Lip Balm made by Naiad Soap Art http://naiad.etsy.com/

Also, included and shown in the very top picture is a knitting accessory bag by Sheila at Sheila D Bags http://www.sheilad.com/ . I am impressed with the craftsmanship. The red material is corduroy and the peppermint print is adorable. The interior fabric is brown to match the yarn. Also included is a candy cane striped pencil stamped with "Merry Christmas from Woolgirl", Peppermint Patty chocolates and Peppermint Hard Candies, and last but not least, is a beautiful stitch marker with a really cool clear bead with a red core that has a "barber pole" white stripe all the way up the length of the core. That was made by Stitch Markers by Sunneshine at http://www.sunneshine.etsy.com/

I loooooove these packages. I needed a pick-me-up today!

Mystery Solved

When four of Santa's elves got sick, the trainee elves did not produce toys as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began to feel the Pre-Christmas pressure.

Then Mrs Claus told Santa her Mother was coming to visit, which stressed Santa even more.

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two others had jumped the fence and were out, Heaven knows where.

Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards cracked, the toy bag fell to the ground and all the toys were scattered.

Frustrated, Santa went in the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered the elves had drank all the cider and hidden the liquor. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces all over the kitchen floor.

He went to get the broom and found the mice had eaten all the straw off the end of the broom.

Just then the doorbell rang, and irritated Santa marched to the door, yanked it open, and there stood a little angel with a great big Christmas tree. The angel said very cheerfully, 'Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't this a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?'

And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.