Wordle - Our Family

Wordle - Our Family: ""

On July 7th, we went to a Detroit Tiger's game. The kids had fun...and I was the one who got to take them to the bathroom, walking around, etc....

Duncan had a real THRILL...we took him to see Monster Trucks at the Oakland County 4-H fair on July 10th. (I have NO idea who the girl is...) Duncan was awe-struck by the sight of the big trucks and could barely believe we could go down to see them up close!

OK, gross-out time: This is my snap...for my BAHA (Bone attached hearing aid). I will get the BAHA on August 17th. :o)

The thing that's REALLY annoying is that even now, July 31, my scalp is STILL NUMB! Surgery to put this titanium rod in was on June 18th. I would REALLY like to get feeling back soon! I've whacked my head on a few things &, while it doesn't hurt, I know it's not good to do!

The other picture is a couple days after surgery. (With the pink pad) I was so glad to be able to wash the whole thing after 2 weeks!!

Kids are REALLY getting excited about going to school again. Got their backpacks & lunch boxes. Got the school supplies, got a few new clothes...now I need to talk with the principal and school nurse to make sure they watch Gabby for gluten stuff. I think the principal & I will become good friends...sigh....

The GREAT thing is, I'll have more knitting time...both kids will be in school ALL DAY! Duncan will be in full day kindergarten and Gabby will be in first grade. I'm so excited! (Can't understand why most moms are sad....I never said I was normal....!)

Oh, GRRRRR!

Why don't I remember blogger puts pictures in in backwards order?

OK, the beautiful afghan is from the women on Ravelry.com (http://www.ravelry.com) The day I went into the hospital for Acoustic Neuroma surgery (March 12), they started a group to make a blanket for me!! I was STUNNED to receive it on Good Friday. I could NOT believe a bunch of people I've never met in real life would put so much love into something like this for me! But, not only for me, but also the kids...they each got a little blanket! We all ADORE our blankies!

Gabby's blanket is nice & fuzzy--even after being in the wash a number of times! Duncan uses his not only for himself but also his puppies and bears in his room. (Don'tcha just LOVE the tie!??)

Here's the 'gruesome' after surgery picture....now, a couple months later, it looks pretty decent. My hair covers it, so no one knows I've been thru surgery...and no one can tell I'm deaf in one ear! The next surgery is scheduled for 9 days from now--June 18 at Providence Park Hospital in Novi, MI...surgery at 8:30...be there at 6:30...means getting up at about 4:30 or 5. Oh, such fun! It will be another 2-3 months till I can have the BAHA installed--gotta make sure the titanium rod is firmly cemented into my head!

Oh, also, like my 'head dress'?!! Yep, that's the day I came home from the hospital. It was another couple days till I could wash my hair...drove me CRAZY!!! ICK!

A warm day in February!

Picasso Gabby drew a cute picture entitled: A Girl Walking Her Puppy. (The next day it rained buckets & washed it away...such is the life of a sidewalk artist!)








Duncan 'helped' at Gabby's school Valentine Party....
And Gabby totally dressed up for the shindig! This is her with her very favorite teacher, Mrs. Melnechuk.

When Gabby's tired...she really sacks out!

Duncan turned 5 on February 14....he was SO HAPPY to have the number 5 on his cake...and to have his VERY BEST friend, Connor, at the party!

Now we are waiting for surgery day (March 12). Duncan has been doing lots of crying and worrying about it lately. Yesterday, Miss Deb prayed with/for us in the Kindergarten-first grade large group time. Gabby was so happy and GEEKED to be able to go sit next to Miss Deb! Praying with Gabby really seems to help her feel better. She's pretty scared, but we're working thru it.

Also waiting for a swap package from whoever my swap person is on Ravelry's Karma Yarn Swap group. I had a great time putting my box together for Joy. I was able to get a couple really neat yarns for her (and me)--Noro Cash Island (cashmere/wool blend) and a yarn made from sugar cane! Joy seemed to really like her box...yippee! I got a couple extra skeins of the Araucania Ruca (the sugar cane). It is SOOO SOFT and silky! I'm knitting a scarf for Aunt Lillian using it. She's allergic to wool and I wanted to knit her something nice.

I'm also knitting a pillow cover for Mrs. Melnechuk & her husband for their first anniversary. The design is called Twining Trees. http://knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns/afghans/twiningtrees.htm

I'm knitting it in BRIGHT WHITE cotton...I hope they enjoy it. (The colors in their regiatry were white, chocolate brown and turquoise) I also knit a pair of socks for her for the end of the year...The design is called Running with Scissors and is SO CUTE and EASY! I'll have to put some pictures up of this one later.

Steve & I have been doing Financial Peace University for the past month. So far, we're doing OK. We have paid off a number of credit cards and finished paying some medical bills. We are working on saving $1000 for our emergency fund. We trimed the weekly food/gas budget from $200/week to $150. It's not easy, but we're doing decently. Of course, the fact that Gabby & Duncan eat very little really helps! Now if Steve & I can eat less.....

Time to go relax with more knitting...the scarf, the pillow cover, 2 pairs of socks and mitered square scraps that will eventually become a blanket! :o)

Life's been good...and kinda hard too....








Let's see, Long time, no blog...sorry!

Had a nice Christmas...KNIT many gifts for people, most notably fingerless gloves for Gabby and Duncan's teachers, market bags for them, coffee mug cozies for them and family, bath mitts made from silk noil. I made a pillow cover for Steve's mom that I just LOVED! It was made from KnitPicks Andean silk and KP Telemark on the front and an UBER-SOFT hand spun alpaca in a rich chocolate brown. Also used the handspun to make a mug cozy for Mrs. Melnechuk. I have a teeny little ball left.....(Must learn to spin alpaca.....)


The kids got to see Santa...even tho we don't 'do' santa! Covering their behinds, I guess!

My yucky news was that my new ENT sent me for an MRI...got it done the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I have an Acoustic Neuroma...:o( That means I need to get this tumor taken out of my head/inner ear. Saw the surgeon on January 13...surgery is set for March 12 at Providence hospital in Southfield, MI. They are using the trans-labyrinth approach, going THROUGH the ear, so I will be left with no hearing in my left ear. Surgery will be 6-8 hours. I'll spend the night in the ICU...spend 4-6 days IN the hospital. (Aside from being born and visiting people, I have NEVER been in the hospital....) I will have about 4-6 weeks of recovery at home; tho I can drive after 3 weeks.

God is blessing the socks off us, having people from church volunteering to learn to cook gluten free for us/Gabby; people willing to drop Gabby off/pick her up from school when Steve needs to go to the office & I can't drive yet. LOTS of prayers...they are working because, so far, I am calm. The last time I felt like this was during the adoption travel. I have NO CONTROL. God knows the outcome & I need to rely on Him...I spend lots of time praying.

A person, a VERY NICE, SWEET person from Ravelry sent me a whole BOX full of yarn last week!!! I was STUNNED! She wants to see what I make from it while I'm recovering from my head drilling! :o) I'm hoping I will feel up to knitting while I recover.

Oh, about 2 months after surery, I'll have outpatient surgery to implant a titanium rod on the left side of my head...to get a BAHA (bone aided hearing aid). It's very cool...the hearing part will be added 2 months after I get the rod. http://www.umm.edu/otolaryngology/baha.htm Cool stuff!

Another very neat thing...I actually won a set of knives from a favorite blog of mine, Wasabimon. Here's the blog: http://www.wasabimon.com/archive/ja-henckels-santoku-knife-giveaway/ I never win anything...so this is pretty wonderful!

Ah, back to helping the kids with Lego's...Gabby's building a princess castle and Duncan has a 4x4 firetruck.... What fun!

Ya gotta love goofy quizzes...especially when they get it right!

The Ultimate Color Test

When you are at peace, you are: Energized and innovative When you are moved to act, you are: Confident and optimistic When you are inspired, you are: Spontaneous and adventurous When your life is perfectly balanced, you are: Philosophical and expressive Your life's purpose is: To find contentment

The Ultimate Color Test

Getting LOTS of Christmas knitting finished...already gave Mrs. Melnechuk her fingerless gloves because she kept opening the door to let the kids out wearing her down vest snapped ALL the way up and her hands shoved in her armpits! Gabby & I took pity on her and gave her the gloves. Of course, now it's a bit 'warmer'...but she did seem to like them! :o) Now I'm finishing Shelby's flip-flop socks, a few mug cozies, some more market bags, a hat for myself and thrummed mittens for Steve using the roving we got at the Michigan Fiber Expo. It'll be a 'home made' Christmas this year.

Still praying for Steve to keep his job. SO many layoffs, SUCH a BAD economy around here, it's SO SAD....

So far, teaching Gabby's small group is going well. The other 4 kids have been pushing & trying to 'get away' with as much as they can, but really, they ARE very good. :o) I LOVE how FAST the hour goes by too! Now if we can just remember to do more bible study at home....

Duncan couldn't get in & out of his Remy the Rat from Ratatouille costume, so we had to find another one for preschool. That's my boy: the Wise Man!

I think Duncan's bothered by the feelings around halloween too. He doesn't like scarry or spooky. He wanted to be a Wise Man because "They were nice guys and gave Jesus gifts." Good boy!


These are the only things left of the kids halloween pumpkins. Last night, someone took both and SMASHED them in the street. In driving around the neighborhood, these were the ONLY smashed pumpkins...the ONLY evidence of 'devil's night' in our area. How sad. The kids were thrilled with their pumpkins when we carved them a couple days ago. I hope whoever smashed them knows how sad the kids were...The kids were sad that someone was THAT MAD that they would smash someone else's pumpkins. They weren't really sad over the loss of the pumpkins tho.

Daddy's taking the kids out tonight with Connor's family for their first ever trick or treating. I hope they have fun. I really HATE halloween and EVERYTHING that goes with it...but I like the kids to have fun with dressing up.

Been knitting up a storm...finished Mrs. M's fingerless gloves, I'm almost finished with Mrs. D's market bag & fingerless gloves. Have to make a bag each for the 2 preschool assistant teachers and Gabby's speech therapist. Also working on socks for Steve, a mitten/scarf for me (scarf with a mitten on each end!) and need to START coffee cozies for the in-laws. The cozies are small and should go quickly. :o)

Managed to claim another cashmere sweater to frog for projects. (Frog=rip back to resue the yarn...from 'rip-it, rip-it') I'm big into frogging sweaters these days! Go to the Salvation Army, buy a cashmere sweater for $3 and get 100's of yards of lace weight yarn!! Oh yeah...that's good! I also like getting old cotton sweaters--got a 1980's neon pink one that's now become a market bag for one of the teachers! (With yarn left over for about 4 more projects!) I think that sweater was $4. The only problem with cotton is that it 'unplies'...so you end up with 8 or 10 very thin 'strings' making up the yarn. So far I have not had trouble with that in knitting it...maybe I just know how to knit that way instinctively?!!

Well, looking forward to Thanksgiving...a much HAPPIER time of year! I can't WAIT to put halloween behind us for another year...what a sad, sick 'holiday'...espeically since the word "holiday" actually means "HOLY DAY". Halloween is the polar opposite of holy.

May Jesus bless and PROTECT you during this icky time. :o)

We've had some fun lately...Had friends over and the kids insisted we make the chocolate garbanzo bean cake...Picture one is Gabby "helping" clean the melted chocolate chips!



Then, we got to go to an apple orchard/pumpkin patch with Duncan's class; Gabby came along and had LOTS of fun chasing the 'little' boys. (Duncan outweighs her by about 4 pounds and Connor by about 30 pounds!! But, she's older....!)


Duncan enjoyed the animals but was a bit scared by them too. He loved feeding one of the little kids some hay. I think this Mama Sheep intimidated him!

Connor and Duncan on the playground...on a tractor! They also had "Straw Mountain" and a dirt pile to climb up & down! (Must be NASTY when it rains!!)

We are getting ready to celebrate 4 years of being a family!! AMAZING!!! FOUR YEARS! Yep, Saturday October 25 will be 4 years. Duncan was an only child for 1 night...Gabby wouldn't look at me because I was holding Duncan when we went to pick her up! I'm amazed at how GOOD the kids are and how sweet they can be. Today Gabby decided to take the project box she got as a birthday gift & make all 4 projects for other people: Grandma, Aunt Diane, Alex & Shelby! We are STILL working on things like toilet training, but her heart is in the right place. Duncan is suddenly into BIG hugs and telling me he loves me over & over. Oh, and my favorite, "Mommy, you are the RIGHT mommy for me!" Not sure where it came from, but it's sweet....

Here are 2 hats going out to the Larkin Street Project...homeless teens in San Fransisco. I like the Monmouth hat (blue) better than the Twisted Rib Watchcap (orange)...not the colors but the pattern in general. Duncan loves his Twisted Rib Watchcap tho! (a copy of it is going to SF!)

The birthday girl with her Diamond Castle Barbie!

And, inside the LARGE, ride-inside ball!

Good news--NO MENINGITIS! YIPPEE!! They still drew blood and did a spinal tap but it seems to be a cold mixed with sleeping weird.

Going to the lab for ANOTHER blood draw from Gabby this afternoon. For some reason, she has excess iron in her blood...and it keeps going up! Weird since most kids on growth hormones have or develop low iron/low ferritin levels. The ped won't tell us what might happen if Gabby's levels keep going up. I looked up Hemachromatosis...I think we'll be going for numerous blood draws if this is what Gabby has. Oh joy.....

My back is MUCH better...tho now Duncan, Steve & I all have sinus troubles. :o( Little Miss Gabby is fine, of course!

Need to go knit some more....I'm 2 clues behind on the Mystery Adirondack Knit Along. Oh well!

Blessings,

Laurel

Well, it's been an "interesting" few days...Last Wednesday Connor's little sister, Hannah, turned 3. On Thursday, Gabby turned 6 and "Baby" Dylan turned 2 on Saturday! Sunday both Gabby and Dylan had their parties. Living on a small, dead-end street means limited parking! I'm so glad we were able to 'stagger' the birthday party times!

Gabby had grandma, grandpa, Aunt Sally and all 5 Cadmans over for her party. Aunt Diane sent a BIG gift, which was the HIT of the party...Alex & Shelby's Princess Legos from Disney World!! Man, the girls LOVED it! Gabby's still playing with it 3 days later!!! Amazing!

She also got a Barbie from Barbie & the Diamond Castle and a Sleeping Beauty Barbie...they sleep with her at night. We gave her a Disney Princess book, a new tiny kitty in a carrier, a necklace with nail polish and a new Sleeping Beauty DVD. She made out pretty well.

Monday, I pulled something in my back...OUCH!! Ice for the first 48 hours and now I'm doing heat. I AM loosening up...but it still hurts!

Picked up Duncan & Connor from preschool...they were happy I parked on the grass again! That place has about 70 parking spots...when all 3 preschool classes let out, there is NO parking available because they are also running 3 nursery programs, a few ESL classes and other adult ed stuff!!! So, I use the grass. I SLOWLY made my way to Gabby's classroom door--expecting the teacher to be waiting to talk to me. Um, no...she didn't get my e-mail from yesterday...so she has no idea what's been going on! Oh well...I tell her I'll resend it when I get home.

Drop Connor off & am met by Connor's mom...child number 3 (of 4) has SUDDENLY developed a 102+ fever, has a headache and can't move her head!! Possible meningitis...so Connor & 2 other sisters are being 'farmed out' to relatives for possible overnight stays...if said child ends up hospitalized!!

So, I add THAT information to the other stuff from yesterday's note to send to Mrs. M. Inform Steve...he calls ped & is told to keep the kids (ours) inside & monitor them for symptoms because they had been around the sick child for quite awhile on Monday & Tuesday!!! Oh great! Still have not heard from Mrs. M...don't know what the school policy is regarding possible exposure to meningitis! I'm just glad today is drippy & rainy...the kids don't want to go out. Tho that DOES mean we have some pinging off the walls & stuff...oh well!

Wonder what the incubation time is for meningitis...have to go look that up. Should I send a note to church, telling them we may not be there on Sunday? Should the kids go to school tomorrow? Hope I hear from Jenn soon and I SURE hope it's NOT meningitis!!!

Well, best go knit to take my mind off things...making a REALLY PRETTY scarf out of Katia Magic. I'll post a picture when I'm finished. I'll also add birthday party pictures & video soon....

Enjoy the day.
Blessings,
Laurel

Ready for School!

OK, this picture is day 2...but both kids are ready with backpacks on! Mornings for the 'school bus' (me) are busy...Mondays I will drop Duncan off at preschool at 8:50, then Gabby at 9:22. Pick Duncan up at 11:35 and get Gabby at 12: 14. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Gabby gets dropped of before 8:30 and Duncan goes in at 8:50; Then Duncan gets picked up at 11:35 and Gabby at 11:49...did I mention it's about 15-20 minutes to drive between their schools??! Fridays are liesurely...only Gabby goes to school from 8:35 to 11:49.


Thought I'd show you how Gabby's grown in the past year: Amazing....


<-----Yesterday 9/4/08















<---Last day of Developmental Kindergarten
June 11, 2008











<---------and begining Developmental Kindergarten last September...September 5, 2007










So far, both kids love their classes. Duncan enjoys singing...favorite song is "itsy bitsy spider"!!! He also likes playing with the monster truck. His teacher has actually gotten him to COLOR twice!!! AMAZING!! He favors scribbling yellow all over the page to qualify as coloring!

Gabby has the same teacher--and room--as last year: Mrs. Melnechuk. Gabby is THRILLED! I hope Gabby can keep up with the academics when they get going. But, so far, so good--only good reports from Mrs. Melnechuk the first 2 days. :o)

Knitting is going great guns...got a bunch of Christmas gifts done already and mailed off a box of baby items to Dana & Benji...Steve's cousin's daughter/son-in-law...who have a baby due in a couple weeks. Unfortunately, I was mean enough to not use very 'baby friendly' yarns! Some silk, some wool...hand wash/lay flat to dry...but it's all so PRETTY! Knitting a "princess dress" for Gabby right now and some socks for me. Been selling things on e-bay to help pay for my yarn addiction lately! Maybe one of these days I'll get my stash organized and put away...instead of having it all around my chair in the family room! But, I LOVE to look at all the pretty yarn!!

More later.....

First day of school!

Yep, this is the first day of regular kindergarten and World of Fours preschool. Since both kids get marched into class today, Steve & I are splitting forces & each taking a kid!

Went to WOF yesterday & sat next to a mom with another CARS crazy 4 year old boy, Connor. Turns out Connor, and his THREE sisters & mom & dad, live a block away...OK, a very CURVY block...but just a block from us. I think we'll be seeing more of Connor. Connor was nice--he can already write his name...Duncan scribbles when the mood strikes! Connor also didn't cry & whine when he was told he couldn't play with the toys around the room. Duncan did....Duncan is excited to go back & play with the Monster Truck today! Hope Mrs. DiPaola is prepared for Mr. Whiney!

Gabby gets the SAME TEACHER as last year! She is GEEKED! Saw Mrs. Melnechuk at 'Meet the Teacher' night last night...and discovered Kleandra is also in Gabby's class again. Oh happy day! Six girls this year...only 5 last year. What IS it with a gazillion boys and 5 or 6 girls????! Duncan gave Mrs. Melnechuk one HECK of a HUG! He was SOOO HAPPY to see her! He's back in love with her again! I'm still working on "older woman" and "already taken"!

Well, tis time for MY shower...I'll post again later with a school update. :o)

I realize the bag is a bit fuzzy...but that's actually pretty much in focus! I felted it & it got really soft & fuzzy....really much prettier than when I was knitting it! It's my own "creation"...sort-of! I used the pattern for the pinwheel baby blanket for the bottom and the leg for the Uzumaki sock for the body of the bag!! Gave the bag to Donna...kind of an early birthday gift.
Donna also got this pretty little "soap sweater"....Valley Yarns Goshen...cotton, silk, modal and some nice smelling soap. :o)
I got the LARGE pile of lace yarn in Shipshewana...found the smaller skein to coordinate from http://www.Twistyarns.com . Boy, they are FAST at shipping & really great for customer service! I'm still deciding what to make....possibly a sweater/cardigan....I have patterns in my favorites & my queue on Ravelry.
Gabby & Duncan are turning into such AMERICAN KIDS! They hijacked the M&M's from my Swap On a Budget box! Oh well...like I need more M&M'S!! LOL! They can't wait for school to start. Duncan's been practicing his colors...in 3 languages: "That is white. We call white 'blanco'. We also call white byely." "That is red. We call red, krasny. It's also called rojo." He still counts in English, Spanish & Russian quite well but is forgetting the French, German & Japanese. Oh well, he's 4 1/2...he'll pick them back up quickly.

Gabby has been practicing printing. She LOVES doing dot-to-dot pictures and mazes these days. I got a subscription to Enchanted Learning on-line so I can print off practice sheets for her. Lots of paper & ink, but she really enjoys them. She also goes into TOTAL MELTDOWN when she can't remember things she knows she has learned. I've learned not to push...but to slowly empathize & try to help her remember...or tell her the answer, if she's "too far gone." Hope school goes well for her.....

We had a busy day yesterday...went to meet Ashley's new baby sister, Nina. She's 10 weeks old & about 13 pounds. For reference...Gabby was 15.5 pounds at 25 months when we adopted her! YIKES! Later, our neighbors came over with their 8 week old...she's 11 pounds. Hey, I am THRILLED by Gabby's recent weight/height gains. She's been eating REALLY well and it's showing.

No big plans this week except for a picnic for the Orphan Care group this coming Saturday. We're hoping for no rain so everyone can swim! Then we have another picnic on Sunday with our small group! I'm going to continue knitting....I'm not doing well at keeping up with my Ravelympics projects!! Oh well....

Have a happy, WONDER-FILLED day!

This is Duncan on the store's wooden backhoe...we got him one as an early Christmas gift...he LOVES it! Oh, got this in Shipshewana, Indiana Here's Duncan with Gabby's teacher on the last day of school, June 11. Duncan was madly in love with Mrs. Melnechuk. (formerly Miss Stull)! He still has the picture of her with him on his dresser!
Gabby by the school sign...we also have a First Day of School picture here...in the same dress too! I think we'll try to do this for both kids while they are at Wilde.
Gabby with Mrs. Melnechuk and Mrs. Vincent. She was so sad to be having summer vacation. She wanted to continue to see her friends every day!
And, some knitting....these are called "Emma's Unmentionables" and are very quick & easy to knit. http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring08/PATTemmas.html

Yes, I know it's been a LONG time since my last post. I've been busy...doing summer with the kids and family! :o) We went to the zoo with Steve's parents a couple weeks ago, my brother & his family are coming into town this week--we'll see them Friday, Sunday we're having Donna over, next Saturday is a picnic, 2 weeks from Sunday is another church picnic with our small group, school starts the day after Labor day for Gabby and the following week for Duncan! WOW!

I'm busily knitting a purse for Donna. I've signed up for the Ravelympics...making soap sweaters, socks for Jeff, a knitting bag for myself and seeing if I can also finish up Steve's socks! THAT should keep me busy for the couple weeks of the 2008 Olympics!! :o) Been trading yarn like mad on the Karma Yarn Swap on Ravelry. I LOVE Ravelry...so many other knitters/yarn fiends! And a GREAT place to find patterns I never would have seen before.

Hope your summer is going well......

Go ahead, guess what size Gabby's shorts are!! Just guess! I bet you're wrong!

The answer: 0-3 MONTHS!!!! Yep, MONTHS! And, no, they are NOT made for "monster size" babies! They are Old Navy Vintage Baby brand! I got them on e-bay...thought I was getting 3T shorts, but I think this worked out better! Got another pair too...Gabby's THRILLED! She LOVES them! One of the new "hobbies" at our house is trying to balance on the exercise ball....
Or, Gabby's method....use it to launch into a handstand, cartwheel or walking on her hands! Gives the neighbors a GOOD LAUGH too when Steve or I try! No, I'm NOT posting pictures of me or Steve! Be happy....
Another new hobby is golf...Duncan is a leftie and very accurate...when he actually connects with the ball! He can hit the whiffle golf ball across the street from the middle of our front walk. Not bad for a leftie 4 year old with an astigmatism!
And, lastly, our new neighbor...Mama Mallard Duck! Goodness only knows WHY she chose the neighbor's garden to build her nest, but she did. Now she's egg warming. She is surprisingly calm when people are around! There's NO pond, pool or anything nearby, so we put out a pan of water today. The neighbors put out some bread.

OK...the funny story to go with Mrs. Mallard Duck:

Gabby's teacher is getting married tomorrow, April 25. The young man she is marrying has a last name of Melnechuk. Gabby, however, says, "Mallard-Chuck" making me think of a cross between a duck and a woodchuck!

Mr. and Mrs. Mallard Duck showed up on Monday. I say to the kids, "Hey, do you know what kind of ducks those are?" Silence... "They are Mallard Ducks." Duncan pipes up, "Mallard DUCKS?!! You mean like Mallard-Chuck?!" TOO FUNNY! I told the teacher...she thought it was amusing.......

Doing lots of knitting, but have not taken pictures lately. I made a pair of socks originally for Gabby's teacher, but I think I'll make her a pair in a different color. Besides, I REALLY like these socks! The pattern is called "Running With Scissors." I'll post a photo/link soon. Also just started a dress sock for Steve. He has NARROW feet and LONG legs...and he wants his dress socks to go TO his knees! Very difficult to find...so I thought I'd knit some & see how they turn out. Gotten LOTS of COOL yarns thru Ravelry--a WONDERFUL online knitting/crochet/spinning/yarn community. I just LOVE it!

That's about it...been enjoying the WARM weather and the basement is NEARLY done. YIPEE!!