Where did the time go...

I've now been a mom for 8 years.

This has been a wonderful and frustrating ride. She was a joy and easy baby. As a toddler her independence came in full force and we've been running since.

Here's MM two weekends ago at my niece's birthday party. She was just enthralled with the Boston terrier puppy, Maggie. That's the latest addtion to the animal farm she wants to have here at home.

So as one of the many getting to know you meme's includes - in 5 years, I'll be the mother of a teenager. Oh what will I have to blog about then.

So Happy 8th Birthday kiddo!

So neglected

Oh crap - I started blogging as a participant in the last round of Favorite Color Swap. I just finished my first knitting project and have yet to show off. It's a shawl/scarf/wrap for me. Hey isn't the first project you make typically for yourself. Besides most of my recent other handwork has been for others so I'm due.


The yarn is from my first participatory round of Favorite Color Swap. What a treat to get cotton yarn in colors that I just adore. My partner was great, but at that point neither of us were blogging so it just got left to the side.

The piece is from three balls of Reynolds Cabana, two brick red and one tan. The design is the result of being a new knitter and not totally paying attention to where I was in the process. Instead of ripping out again, I just kept going and figured out my mistake. Thus the striping. There is no method to the stripes. Heck the first five inches were knit four times until I finally got to a point that I didn't have a hole, dropped stitch, or some other problem.


I now have my second project on needles. This will be a Christmas gift so I won't give away the lucky soul who will be getting it. But do figure to see more pics later.

This time I'm working on a new stitch, seed stitch. I've always loved the feel of seed stitch, but I'm also enjoying the process. Okay so I only have 14 rows done at this point, but I'll keep going.

This yarn is Rowan Yorkshire Tweed. I picked up 3 balls at the 1,000 Knitters day at Wool Gathering. They were in the odd lot basket on sale and just called out to me. Take us home, we'll be so much happier then here identified as an odd ball. So this lovely soft blue, an oatmeal, and taupe is my next project - another scarf, but still learning.

Ennui

Okay so I've been neglecting blogging for the past couple weeks.

A week of the kids at Nana and Grandpa's, I had all sorts of plans. EveningPlans didn't make it due to being so tried after all the "stuff" at work.
This week DH has been in California so I've been running all around with the kids and work. Again just too tired at the end of the day to do much.

One bonus - I have enjoyed watching movies from Netflix and on DVR. So far I've enjoyed In the Land of Women, The Virgin Queen (part 1), Evening, and others I can't remember the others.

Tonight is Jane Austin Book Club - just because. Perhaps more later....

Happy Birthday to me

Not how I was planning to spend my birthday - but a day at home with MM healing from her tonsillectomy wasn't all bad.

Baby Elephant Walk

Our stopping point on the way home this time was for a day at the Pittsburgh Zoo. We picked a great day to go - it was Children's Hospital Baby Day. The kids had great fun with face painting, games, and seeing all the animals.

LB released his inner pirate while MM found a butterfly join her.

One of our first views came courtesy of the zebras....

We saw the baby tiger, the older baby elephant,

and many other favorite animals.

And here's Papa Jackson...

It has been years since I've been to the zoo and so much has changed.

The only exhibit space that I still recognized were the bear caves.Kodiak bath time.

The biggest change is the aquarium. It isn't the grand diverse aquarium in Baltimore, but it was fun seeing the fish, sharks, jellyfish, and penguins.


The polar bears put on a great show for us.And one was ready and waiting for his Kodak moment.

The sea otters enjoyed a shrimp snack and then went for a swim.

Ever seen a hanging lobster claw - me neither, but it is a cool looking plant.

Turtle time...

This kangaroo thought he could blend in with the people and escape the enclosure, too bad for him the zoo keeper was paying closer attention.

Hornbill enjoying a grape snack.

It was a great day. Hopefully another trip to Pittsburgh will come again.

Wonders of science

Thursday turned too hot and humid for our planned trip to the zoo, so we headed into Fort Wayne for a day at Science Central.

The kids had a blast from our first steps in. MM especially liked the house - it was set on a steep angle so you couldn't walk on any one plane.

Mirrors gave each of us a different point of view.












LB found his own special place - a nook within the walk wall.












One of the big entertainments was the moon bounce. In a harness the kids got to experience the idea of walking on the moon. LB spent quiet time on line, twice at least, to bounce across the moon. Just another round to confirm his wonders with outer space and the planets.


What a cool dude!


MM was big enough to enjoy a bike trip about 90 feet in the air. Better fun was the big tube slide. Due to length and for added protection, the kids were covered except for head and hands. I love the coordination.







This is my favorite pic of the day, the pin table with my dad and LB's hands. Bummer was the photo of the kids hands didn't come out clearly.