EASTER EGGS!

Yes, the new, lower area of the island is REALLY good for dying Easter eggs and not having to worry if the kids will fall off the stools! The eggs were especially bright this year because we put 2 tablets in each cup...plus the kids would let them sit in the dye till they looked good! They ARE getting small amounts of patience!!

Gabby's eggs came out REALLY pretty....

Oh, FINISHED my socks! These are the blueberry Waffle pattern socks from Knitlist.com made with Mountain Colors Bearfoot yarn (wool/mohair blend) in the color called Sweet Pea. They are nice & cooshy! Think I'll wear them tomorrow when we go out with Steve's mom. Since Gabby's off school, she invited us out to Great Lakes Crossing...should be fun. Also, it will be nice to get out and NOT go to the doctor! Both kids had double ear infections last week. Steve has bronchitis/walking pneumonia (coughing and coughing....) and I also had a double ear infection & popped my right eardrum! UGH! It is SOOOO GROSS as it's draining! I keep walking around with a wad of tissue in my ear so it doesn't drip all over the place. YUCK!!! DISGUSTING!!! And PAIN????!!! Oh, MAN, the PAIN is UNREAL! The pain pills are sort-of working. I'm on 6 meds...got an additional one yesterday from the ENT doctor the regular doctor sent me to when Steve told them there was blood coming from my ear. Right now, I have 50% hearing loss. :o( The ENT will not commit to say if the hearing will come back. Most people who have had this happen say, Yes...hearing will return & probably about like it was before. That would be nice! I can hardly hear the kids, unless they are yelling at each other! I'm getting used to reading the TV...since I can't hear all of it.


Oh, on top of all the illness...we've been redoing the basement. Here's a picture of the wall that will have the 100" screen on it in our new home theater! Yesterday the plumber got water going to the right places in the bathroom and today we're getting a "multi-zone" heating/cooling system...so we can heat/cool specific areas of the house...bedrooms, family room, basement, etc. Tomorrow the guys will be wiring the home theater.

Anyway, we're all just sitting here, trying to get HEALTHY again!!! I hope this is my AWFUL illness to cover the next 15 years!! Actually, the last time I was SO sick & in about as much pain was about 20 years ago...when I visited a friend & her family in South Carolina. The daughter gave me a NASTY cold that KILLED my vocal cords! Not that I was a GREAT singer before, but it really was BAD in the vocal cords...couldn't talk for 2 weeks!

Spring IS coming...Gabby & I saw daffodil & Greecian Windflower leaves poking up thru the dead leaves in the front garden! :o) Plus, there was some snow falling earlier...Michigan...spring, yeah, snow, rain, whatever.....

LOTS of stuff going on.....

Duncan got new glasses! And, amazingly, he WANTS to wear them! Guess he really needed them. He's also in love with Gabby's kindergarten teacher and wanted his picture taken with her the day he got the glasses! She was (is) a sweetie and let us take a couple pictures.








I was also able to finish the first of Gabby's waffle socks. I LOVE this pattern! Here's the link for it: http://www.knitlist.com/98gift/blueberrysocks.htm

Oh, one other "little" thing we're doing--we emptied the basement into the PODS container and are demolishing EVERYTHING in it...and building in a new (NICE!!) bathroom, home theater, storage room and play/homework room!! Just a SLIGHT changed from the 1970's burnt orange carpet and nasty old paneling and a yucky old "dry" bar that only worked for storage and the cats' litter boxes!


I think we are the "rejects" of the neighborhood at the moment...there's now a 25 foot dumpster in front of the house as well as this PODS thing.....yeah, REAL attractive for Easter!

Not sure how Easter will go this year--everyone's sick! Both kids have double ear infections, Steve's been working on demolition while coughing, wheezing, sneezing & blowing his nose; I have terrible vertigo...so I have been NO help whatsoever. Stairs are quite a hazard!

Well, the old carpet is coming up the stairs...should go take some more empty basement pictures. :o) Here's were to see updates: http://www.tabblo.com/studio/stories/shared/24334/kdtc6q7bzp29fv4

STUNNINGLY, I've finished more knitting!

However, I don't have pictures of it to post right now...sorry! I've made 5 dishcloths as well as finishing my first pair of socks...and a pair for Gabby. I also got some great wool felting yarn from Ravelry--so I'll be making Steve a pair of slippers/moccasins...just in time for SUMMER! :o)

We got a new CD on Friday--New & Used by Apologetix. http://www.apologetix.com
They do some GREAT parody songs--Narrow Way to Heaven (Stairway to Heaven), Micah number 5 (Mambo #5), Livin' What Jesus Spoke Of (Livin La Vida Loca) and the kids' FAVORITE, Baa Baa, We're Lambs (Barbara Ann). That song comes on & Gabby can't stop LAUGHING or JUMPING!!! Duncan does slam dancing against the couch--to the floor! And wonders why he gets jumped on! When I get the video uploaded, I'll post it here.

Actually got out 3 times last week without the kids...FRUA mom's night out on Tuesday, lunch with Donna...then to the doctor's office to see how I was doing on Celebrex and Thursday night to a Tastefully Simple party!! With Steve occasionally working from home, it's GREAT being able to leave 1 kid home!

Went down to City Mission again on Friday. Gabby was SOOOO HAPPY! She met up with her little buddies Emily and Quianna. Duncan ate & played with Edward. We all (the whole school~35 kids) went outside to play on their 2 swingsets & empty lots...lots of fun running, slipping, sliding & throwing snow around. Then Gabby did quiet time with the kindergarteners while Duncan played quietly in the lunch room. Going back in 2 weeks...gonna stay longer & see if we can visit again the following week. Gabby & Duncan want to use their piggy bank money to buy some easter toys for the CM kids...how sweet. That was their own idea...NOT mine! But I think it's great that they want to share.

Time to get Gabby from school soon. Bye....

I'm almost finished with sock #2...really, I am! A couple more toe rows and then binding off...should get it done this evening.

Of course, I procrastinate & read Ravelry posts...and other peoples' blogs! Which is where I found this cool site:

http://www.freerice.com/index.php

I got to word level 42...donated 1700 grains of rice!

The kitchen is coming along quite well--tho I am getting extremely tired of washing dishes in the bathtub....

Today we are getting electricity back...yeah!! I get to use the microwave again!! WOO-HOO!! And plug things in in the kitchen...not just the bathroom or dining room! To see the progress, go to http://www.tabblo.com/studio/stories/shared/23444/yutkao8h6f0mv1c . This is day one...click on the small picture in the upper/lower right to see the next days.

Both kids had strep last week...Gabby's temp soared over 104! But, by the time we got her to the doctor's office, it was back down to 100.?? Oh well.... Now Steve has some terrible creeping crud. He actually stayed home from work Friday, Monday & today! I should be coming down with something for the weekend......

OK, back to my sock....

I FINISHED MY FIRST SOCK!!!!!!!!!

Here it is...one sock! Knit on one size 1 circular needle. I got a bit of a ladder "dimple" on each side of the sock...it's not bad, but I'd like to eliminate it all together. I've already cast-on the next sock and gotten a couple rounds done. Of course, having a 5 year old who decides she doesn't "need" quiet time makes for very little knitting! (I'm the one who NEEDS the quiet time! And, no matter what she said, Gabby DID need QT today...the wind had all of us up most of the night!)
Well, Duncan likes the sock too...now he wants some for himself! (wait in line...Daddy asked for some too!)

I really like how the purple stuck itself right there on the heel! The toe is all orange. They are very happy socks!

Oh no, I forgot to turn Gabby's picture...Oh well! She went to school today looking very "sofisticated"!! Don't know how long it lasted, but I sent her off down the hall with it twirled up like that. Also BUNDLED...with HOWLING winds at 40-50 mph and a dropping temperature from 45 yesterday to 9 this morning, it was very "CHILLY" outside! The car doors were iced closed! The "accurate" (HA!!!) Detroit weather forcasters say we'll get a snow storm tomorrow night & Friday. SIX INCHES!! That's not a snow STORM! One to two FEET is a snow storm, 6 inches is a nice snow!

Time to get dinner on the table...or actually, on the plates...since the table is FILLED with kitchen stuff...rip-apart starts tomorrow! :o)

WOW!! I finished some more knitting! Amazing!

This cute little number is from Knituition's blog. You can put a ball of yarn in & either pull the yarn from the hole I left in the bottom or from the top...good so you don't lose the ball while in a car, travelling, just sitting on the couch. (Mine tend to roll away, get grabbed by kids or cats, etc!)

I modified this--leaving the bottom hole open and not using D-rings, but essentially, it's the same. Knituition's instructions can be found here:http://knituition.blogspot.com/2007/04/wrist-yarn-holder.html
















And, the sweater I've been working on since VERY late September...from Awesome Ewe... I love the way it's turning out, but I've had to knit it in size small...it's knit in cotton &, even tho I'm knitting to gauge, it's coming out much larger than the pattern stated! Hum...


Oh, and the really neat news on the knitting front...I got my invite to Ravelry! YEAH! That, of course, means I need to take pictures of my knitting... I've discovered if I partially cover the flash with my finger, my colors are truer and the patterns show up a bit better. I'll keep playing around with that tho.





Tonight we start a new couple's small group thru church. I hope we "click" with these people. It's been such a LONG time since we've had a group of good friends. I've been enjoying the Beth Moore Patriarchs study with my "Young Mom's" group at Woodside, but don't get together with any of the women outside every other Tuesday, where Duncan has become quite a terror! I guess, according to him, he hits other little boys to get the cars & trucks! The older women who are watching the kids either don't see or are content to not tell me! Duncan tells me he makes little boys cry and then says sorry! Gee, that's nice....

One of these days I'll post some christmas pictures. And some pony riding pictures. Gabby LOVED it...Duncan wasn't quite so sure. Gabby's THRILLED that she gets to bring snack to school tomorrow...Quaker Quakes (the jury is split on Silly Yaks as to them being cross contaminated or not...we're trying them!) and Hi-C fruit punch in boxes. Gabby's requested me & Duncan helping her schlep the stuff to her classroom in the morning. :o)

Well, best go reign in the wild kiddos...up from "quiet time" and GOING at FULL SPEED!

Not Quite a knitting or kid post...well, maybe kid-oriented!

My Disney Alter-Ego....I actually have 2, but they were kind enough to only give me Sleeping Beauty's qualities in the description! She & Goofy tied with 75% each...nice combo!

http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=1107N

Quiz results:
Which Disney Character is your Alter Ego?
You scored as a Sleeping Beauty
Your alter ego is Princess Aurora, a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty! You are beautiful and enchanting, and as sweet as ever.
Sleeping Beauty
75%
Goofy
75%
Cruella De Ville
44%
Snow White
44%
Peter Pan
44%
Pinocchio
38%
The Beast
38%
Donald Duck
31%
Ariel
31%
Cinderella
31%

Just got back from the pediatric Gastro-enterologist...good check-up! Gabby's up 1/4" from December 18's check up with the pediatric endocrinologist! She's now 39 3/4" tall. But, she's down 1/2 pound...I attribute that to gluten in her food on Tuesday night--she's had 4 episodes of...um, not QUITE diarrhea--3 of them in her undies with NO warning. So, she was home from school today. Now we have a slew of bloodwork that needs to be done between now & early May and a baseline bone density test. The bone density test is to be done by, no joke, Dr Bone! HA! I thought I was miunderstanding the GI's latin accent...nope, it's Dr Bone. So, Gabby's 39 3/4" tall and 27 pounds even.

Gabby & Duncan were both THRILLED to meet the women from City Mission. Gabby has been BEGGING me to be able to "help" there. Starting next Friday (January 18), we will go there every other Friday to "help"...the kids get to play with other kids & I'll do whatever they might need me to do...work, sit & chat, watch the kids, etc. We've supported City Mission since Jamail & Nicole started it. It's nice to know Gabby has such a big heart to help others. :o) Even nicer since she came from the orphanage background & poverty herself. Read more about City Mission at: http://city-mission.org/

Our lives should be chaos soon. New kitchen cabinets arrive tomorrow. The guys come to inspect on Monday...probably start ripping the kitchen out on the 28th. I am SO not looking forward to this! But, the kitchen WILL be nicer...granite counter along the walls, Stainless steel counter on part of the island, granite lower counter for the kids--eating & homework area. The new cabinets will have a moss green glaze, a new stainless single bowl sink that's 30" across!! YIKES--you could sail a boat in it! The kitchen re-do will be bad enough but later this year, we'll rip apart the basement & put in a theater room down there & update the bath. THAT will be painful...emptying the basement...yeah, right!!

Well, this is the dual personality of Aurora and Goofy signing off.... :o)

Ignore the nose & tongue...look at the scarf! I knit scarves for my 2 nieces, my sister-in-law and Gabby's teacher--all the same pattern with different yarns. I liked this one the best, but you can't really tell what it's like! GRRR! Cheap camera!! (it's Gabby's Fisher-Price kid digital that grandma & grandpa bought for christmas! She's already taken over 400 pictures!!! Most like this one!)

Anyway, the scarves were all "potato chip" scarves--cast on between 75 & 100 stitches, knit the next row, double every stitch on the next, knit the next...and so on until you get sick of it! I usually made it to about 10-12 rows before quitting! My neice was THRILLED with this one! When you bind off, the "ruffles" appear--very deceptive until then.

This is what the kids did to burn energy down in Charlotte, NC! I'm glad there were a number of good days because the 4 of us slept in ONE room!! Not something I'd like to keep doing for any length of time!! Both kids mastered the zip-line & now want one for our house...but we don't have anything to attach a zip-line to...so we will just have to visit!

I'm now knitting myself a "Piece Of Cake" hat with some Malabrigo I got from an early christmas swap. I'll post a picture when I'm done. It's the softest wool I've ever used. Good thing we get COLD weather here! (HA! Understatement after yesterday's 5 degree beginning!) Of course, this being Michigan, specifically, NE of Detroit, we will be having 50 degrees & rain on Sunday....Oh well...It'll be good for bringing in the Christmas decorations from outside! (Gotta look for the bright side!)

YES, I'm slow....

Gabby started kindergarten on September 5. She turned 5 on October 2. See my dolled-up photo of her dancing with her musical Sleeping Beauty card from Grandma & Grandpa!!








On October 13, we went to Rochester, New York for my cousin's son's wedding! Gee, 3 weddings in 3 years! Must be something in the air in Rochester!!

The kids looked cute in their fancy outfits from Grandma, super-discount clothing shopper! :o) We love Grandma's finds! The lamp in the background is from my mom's house. She always told Aunt Lillian she could have it when she was done with it! We all decided when mom died, she was done with it! :o) The loveseat was my mom's mom's. Aunt Lillian says we get BOTH those items when SHE'S done with them! I hope it's not too soon!!






Gabby and the bride, Alisha. It was a "tropical" theme. The bride & bridesmaids carried seashells as a bouquet...very cute!




















And, here's Duncan trying to horn in on Gabby's photo...typical! :o) He's so cute!

I forgot...I have to brag a little...here's the little dress I knit for Gabby. That black "fun Fur" is a pain in the BUTT to work with, but overall, I think it's a very cute dress!

Cute Kids.....
Oh, come on, you gotta oooh & aaah over my adorable kiddos! This picture was taken at The Somerset Collection (used to be Somerset Mall) on Daddy's birthday...July 19, 2007. Gabby snagged Duncan just as I pressed the button!

Just for the record...Duncan was 3 years, 5 months and Gabby was 4 years 9.5 months in the picture.











Warren's "new" downtown area has a cool feature--a fountain area where you can run around & cool off. In the winter, it's a skating rink. Gabby & Duncan enjoy running and getting wet. We have discovered, after a number of falls, it's best to wear water shoes/sandals when you go into the fountains! I also love it when the kids lay down & make "water angels" on the flat surfaces! I guess they are looking forward to snow/winter...even in 95 degree heat!


















We've put my mom's house up for sale...$151,000. I'm REALLY hoping it sells quickly and for the asking price...but, we have not had a single showing yet and it went on the market August 24th...OK, 5 days! But, the woman we have selling for us got Donna's uncle's condo sold in 6 days! Tomorrow we are selling mom's car to the neighbor's grandkids. It's sad to see so many things going when I know how much mom loved them, worked for them, enjoyed them.

Gabby begins Kindergarten on Sept 5th!! YIKES! We bought the stuff from her school supply list today. Duncan also had to get "matching" items...paper to "write" on, a folder for his papers, tissues, etc. This weekend we're going to Arts, Beats & Eats in Pontiac (http://www.artbeatseats.com). That should be fun...the kids LOVE the bouncers and there's always good food to try, maybe even find a Christmas gift or 2. Sunday we are going to a BBQ at the Oliver's house. The kids can't wait!!! They adore Ashley! So, it'll be a fun weekend.

Tuesday, Steve has knee surgery. We are PRAYING for a good outcome & speedy recovery. Steve's mom is going to play babysitter for the kids.

Gabby's up to 11.3 kg and 97 cm...24.91 pounds and 38" for those non-metric people. So, height is going well...weight is still WAY under. So, we're trying periactin again as an appetite stimulant. I hope it goes better than our 6 week trial at the begining of the year...she LOST weight (1.5 pounds) on an appetite stimulant...go figure!

Me, I'm just trying to hold together. I stress about every stinkin thing and have lots of aches and pains from lack of sleep & stress. Duncan's eating a bit better now that we're not at Grandma Jill's every day. He actually got up last night & asked for help using the toilet. :o) OK, it was at 3 a.m....but that's better than peeing in the bed! He's growing up!

It's been a serious BUMMER of a couple weeks here. On Wednesday, July 25 I went to visit my mom in the hospital...and she didn't know who I was! When she finally recognized me, she had me back in high school...or maybe college! YIKES! That was FREAKY! She was talking about seeing my dad & that he was redecorating his office...dad passed away 8 years ago. Then she thought I went to the zoo with my cousin Jim--only she called him Jimmy. We have not referred to Jim as Jimmy since he was about 12! And Jim passed away almost 14 years ago. EEK!

Thursday morning started with a call that my mom's cat was dying! Kidney failure...He was nearly 19 years old. I picked him out as a 1 month old kitten, left him with my parents when I got married...He was an OLD cat! Of all the days to die, he had to choose the day my mother died too! Geez!

Yeah, my mom died on July 26. Got a call from the doctor at 1 p.m. that she wasn't doing well. Steve & I went to see her. By 3:45, we couldn't understand her because she was in so much pain. We had them go to pain management--no heroics. Went home, fed the kids & put them to bed. I went back at 9, stayed till 10:10. Before I got home, Steve called the emergency only cell phone I was carrying to say the hospital called...mom had died.

My brother & his family arrived late Friday afternoon. We made visitation and memorial service arrangements on Saturday. Family came from Rochester, NY on Sunday. Visitation was Monday afternoon/evening. Memorial service was Tuesday morning. Lawyer's office Wednesday morning--I begged off going to sort stuff at my mom's house on Wednesday afternoon. I'm still reeling--my mom & my cat on the same day! Nice!

I thought this "doctored" picture of the kids generally describes how I feel!!



















Steve went back to work today. The kids & I hung out. Tomorrow we put mom's ashes in the ground next to my dad. Wednesday we have a person coming to appraise the stuff in my mom's house. Anyone want a 4 year old, 3 bedroom ranch in pristine condition in the city of Roseville, Michigan????!! Anyone??? I'm already sick of dealing with all of this!

zoo!!!

Went to the zoo with Grandma & Grandpa today...got some really cute pictures! I love the ones of Duncan & Gabby on the train. I STILL wish I had had a video camera on the first trip to the zoo when we took the train...Gabby was SOOOO excited, she SQUEALED with joy! It was something to behold! Only Grandma & I have that memory...oh well!









I also love the compare & contrast of Gabby in April 2005 and now in July 2007--both shots at the monkey statue. Amazing how much she really HAS changed!



And, for good measure, a close-up of a giraffe from the new feeding platform! They come RIGHT up...of course, we had no food, so they walked away rather miffed!














Today, my mom was to get her feeding tube...have not yet heard if it's in or not. I'm planning to go visit on Wednesday without the kids. I don't know how she will be & I would rather they NOT see her in a really BAD mood. I think they will have more fun with the girl next door babysitting.

Most of the summer is gone...we have not done much because, as of this morning my mother is BACK in the hosptial! She was released on July 4th. So, 12 days home and she wasn't doing well at all.

Yesterday she told me & my aunt to leave and don't come back. By early evening, she called to ask Steve to come over & check her toilet because something was wrong with it...he couldn't find anything wrong. She also said she had not fed the cat...would he please?

When I got over there this morning, she had not been able to feed the cat again...was still in the same clothes as yesterday and had really messed up her house. So much for living on her own.... Not sure at all what will happen...

These pictures are of some of our summer fun...a day in the park, in our little backyard pool. We don't have the time or energy to do much--well, us parents don't have the energy...the kids sure do!


















Sorry it's a bummer of a blog today...but not much has been going well! Oh, last night we also discovered that the kitchen window--a nice Pella we had installed a number of years ago-- is all rotted out across the bottom...the wood just fell out....I'm glad the glass is hanging in there! We have a call in to the company who installed it...PRAYING it's covered under warranty!

Day one of growth hormone therapy....

Well, the flowers at the Smith house weren't too good this year, but Aunt Lillian had some very nice Forget-me-Nots...so we took nice pictures there:















Almost all the Baciulis/Smith cousins together...FINALLY....

L-R: Brian, Gabby, (Bob Baciulis holding Jessica's dog, Bella...16 weeks), Jack, Duncan & Frank. Only missing Ava...the 1 1/2 year old who's bigger than Gabby! Gabby had a GRAND time with Bella--Gabby's 24 pounds, Bella's 29; Bella DRAGGED Gabby all around the park! It was funny...the grass stains DID come out.









We had dessert with Justin & Jessica. Gabby, the picture princess, got her 3 favorite people in the picture with her!










Tonight we go for Developmental Kindergarten orientation. Last week, Steve & Gabby went to Kindergarten round-up...Steve listened to whiny moms ask annoying questions and Gabby got to color & take a ride on a school bus. She decided she did NOT like the bus...too NOISY and BUMPY! Then again, 24 pounds gets bounced around pretty easily even in the smoothest of rides!

Both kids did VERY well with Great-grandma's visitation & funeral. Gabby wanted to kiss great-grandma; we kept telling her no... We've been answering lots of "why?" questions... but they are slowing down now. Our "excitement" lately has been my mother being in the hospital. We arrived home from Rochester on Mother's Day (May 13) & on the 14th, mom went into the hospital with SEVERE abdominal pain. After a week, they finally did surgery. Discovered her appendix didn't "look normal"--so they removed it--and also her intestines were "tangled" or "twisted"... Uh, yeah, right! Anyway, they put them back "correctly"! Mom's STILL in the hospital. I'm getting SICK of taking care of her cat & wasting gas to drive to her "hospital of choice"...WAY the heck over in Grosse Pointe! With gas at $3.50+ per gallon, that's a TON of money being wasted. Mom is also being a pain in the butt--won't do her breathing exercises, refusing to eat, etc..."It hurts"...NO DUH! Suck it up & deal with it. (Yes, I'm mad & annoyed with her.)

Summer heat has hit...near 90 degrees today. I hear thunder rumbling. The kids will be mad that they can't swim in their new little pool with thunder going. The new pool is a 6 foot circle of plastic, about 18" deep. Good for cooling off--tho the kids can actually "swim" a few strokes!

Ah, time to go & stir the spaghetti sauce. We finally found some YUMMY gluten free noodles! YIPEE! Also, made a "rustic" gf bread with Kalamata olives & rosemary the other day...OH, YUMMY! Here's the link, if you're interested: http://glutenfreebay.blogspot.com/2007/03/kalamata-olive-rosemary-bread-search.html

Enjoy....