Goal!

Hello! Hello! What a wonderfully lazy day I've had. I did some hooking earlier today but haven't done much of anything else really. But that's ok! It's actually extra ok because...

It's done! Completely, 100% done! Washed and everything, and cuddled with by everyone, including Mabel, who is the ultimate blanket tester. There has honestly only been one or two blankets that corgi has refused to lay on, not sure why though.

So last Wednesday after I had posted I thought to myself, why can't I get it done by next week? What is stopping me? Well, me, but I decided I wouldn't stop myself and got to it that day while Little A was napping. I set it all up and quilted each row vertically. One row at a time thinking it would be more random that way. I was right. And when Little A got up from her nap she saw it all laid out on the floor and said. "wow!" That little girl has never said wow before.

I got a little daring and did some hearts in the few solid pink squares I had. They're wonky but lovely I think.

I had way less ends to weave in with this quilt versus my nephew's quilt. My nephew's quilt was my first free motion experience but smaller than this quilt. This one is approx. 56x71 inches. But still not big enough for E. Sigh. He always tells me, when it's for me make it bigger than you think it needs to be, and then bigger.

It's perfect for me though! And he can still curl up under it in the chair.

I finished it yesterday morning and threw it in the wash before he saw it. It's actually a great learning tool too! Little A would run over and dance on it every time I spread it out on the floor and I would ask her to find the dogs, bugs, stars, flowers, etc. She would grin when she found what I asked for.

So happy anniversary (which was in July) to my wonderful husband. This is a little token fro me to you to say thank you for all of your hard work, thank you for going to work for Little A, Baby #2, and myself. This is a little piece of hard work from me to you. I sure do love you more than any quilt could really express.

Anyway... The other thing I was hoping to accomplish happened too. With a small set back.

It's the pattern "Contemporary Pinwheel" from the 50 Sensational Crochet Afghans & Throws. A Christmas present for my step-dad, I think I might try to do a version for my dad in Irish flag colors. Yeah, we're Irish. Or maybe like the German flag... We're German too. I have other stuff I need to make first though. Back on track; I got half of the pattern done and assembled when E suggested it was going to be too small. So do I add another two rows to make it longer or just leave it as the pattern says? What do you think? My goal is to have it completed by Thanksgiving. This should leave me plenty of time to complete my other holiday items. I've also started another crochet baby blanket. I'm not sure which baby it's going to go to. I have two cousins expecting, one in May the other in June, and my step-brother's girlfriend is due in May.

Besides all that, Daddy and Little A have been spending much more quality time together lately and it makes me happy. I love watching those two together.

Little A also ran off with a box of cereal the other morning. I caught her while watching Cars with her snack and when she was done she stood up on the blanket chest and threw chex squares to Mabel and Tonka. Oh that girl.

Well any hoot, that's all I've got for today. I hope you all have a fabulous rest of the week and have a great weekend!

Until next time!

Halloween

Good day! It's so nice that it's finally November. October was a good month but for some reason I'm glad it's over. Halloween was amazing! I hope you all had a great one too. We didn't go trick or treating on Halloween but I have a short little picture show to explain our Halloween events, yes there were many. The week before Halloween I finally started on her costume. I made a Yoshi hat and Yoshi body with a tail. I traced a pair of her pajamas on the green fleece and then sewed a white belly on one of the pieces and a zipper on the other piece and sewed the two pieces together. I made the tail detachable with velcro, and the same with the saddle.

Friday, the 28th, Daddy, Little A, and I went to the play group that our Parents as Teachers throws twice a month. She loved it! She loved all the kids and the toys, she really loved her costume too. All the kids were dressed up too. It was a blast!

Her tail cracked me up. E was the one that suggested I should probably make it detachable and it was a good thing he recommended it. It really helped with the whole car seat situation.

Friday night my mom and I took her to the Spooktacular downtown. The city blocked off the whole street and all the businesses passed out candy. Little A learned really fast that if she held up her bucket and said "treat" someone would put some candy in there.

My sister told me it looked like I was holding a real Yoshi's hand. If Yoshis were real.

All the kids knew she was supposed to be Yoshi and all the adults commented on how cute of a dinosaur she was. BUT! Most people did know she was a girl, as she's gotten older she rarely gets mistaken for a boy anymore.

Saturday, E took us to the Trick or Treat at the Barn at the Ag Hall of Fame. They have this little set up with old farm houses, school house, blacksmith shop, hatchery, and train depot complete with a mini train that circles the town. I didn't get any pictures except the one where she's hugging the Chick-fil-a cow. She hugged him like eight different times. She loved that cow.

Sunday, we had a bonfire at my in-laws'. Little A got dressed up again an we got this picture with her new baby cousin, older cousin, and nana. This was also the only picture I took there. Papa took the girls on a tractor ride in the small trailer and Daddy took Little A on a big tractor ride. I had to stand behind E on the hitch and hold her hand while she sat on his lap. She wouldn't go otherwise.

Monday was nice and relaxing really. Until 5 o'clock. Little A took a two hour nap and instead of getting the rest of our costumes put together, I took it easy. It was a double edges sword. I relaxed because I needed it but that time could have been spent finishing the costumes so come 5 pm I wouldn't have to rush arous getting things done.

It ended up working just fine though. The costumes were a hit with all the trick or treaters and Little A had fun running down to greet all the treaters with "hey guys!" and showing them the direction to the candy. She did really well when we would chase her as she wondered away with some other family and drug her back to the driveway. Our front door is hard to get to because of the stairs and we would have to sit by the door to avoid stairways inside. It's always easier to just sit in the garage.

The mustaches were my favorite part of our costumes. They were just cut out black fleece secured to our faces with double sided tape. E's was the best though.

It was a great Halloween! Little A got a bath and we threw her in bed, popped some popcorn and watched Day of the Dead. Love zombie movies! But I'm glad it's over. I never knew having a kid would make holidays so much more busy. I wonder what it'll be like with two in tow...

Well, the big granny (king size) has come out of storage. How does something get so stinky in storage? It's washed and on our bed now. So snuggly. I made this for E for Christmas '09, he had no idea it was coming!

But all other crafty has come to a trickle. Almost a stand still really. It's so cold outside today that it makes me want to hurry and finish our anniversary quilt so we have a new blankie to snuggle under. That'll probably be next in my list to complete. How cool would it be to have done by next week so I can show you?! One can dream...

20 days until we find out the Great Secret this little baby is keeping.

Until next time!