7qt: Bright Spots in February

{1} My niece is the best niece

This week, I finally achieved my lifelong goal of becoming Auntie Em! Cannot wait to smooch those cheeks! (I mean, just look at them.)

Hard to beat the view this evening. Happy birthday, Madeleine! #bestbaby

A photo posted by Holly (@hollygphotos) on Feb 15, 2015 at 1:07pm PST

{2} Flowers for Valentine's

(I could really just stop at #1, but I'm told you need seven for this thing.)
I mean, I got real flowers, too (Which are still looking lovely, actually. Well chosen, husband!), but I'm pretty excited about these flowers. It's quite beyond any embroidery I've attempted before, but the supplies for the projects are mostly DMC floss, so if I mess up, at least I haven't put a lot of money into it!

{3} Sweater!

Real pictures forthcoming when good lighting and good hair days converge.

Finally finished off this sweater (at least, far enough to wear) this past weekend! There are still some loose ends on the inside, and I need to tack down my seam allowances and reinforce the sleeves. But I wore it, and it was awesome. Now I've got the colorwork bug, big time. I've got my eye on this, but I need to knit up some (many) unfinished projects, first.

I cut my knitting. Nobody died.

{4}

One of the questions people always ask me is how much money I save by knitting. I think my new answer is, "A few hundred dollars, if the website will let me zoom in close enough to count stitches." Seriously, though. Don't they just make you want to swoon? It almost would make February worth it.

{5} #LoveTHEONotreDame

My computer background for the past year. I read it in a 200 level theology class. #Augustine #loveTHEOnotredame pic.twitter.com/ZBmMET7Oup
— Erin Stoyell-Mulholl (@erin_sto_mo) February 12, 2015

It recently came to light that my alma mater has been thinking about dispensing with their core theology requirements in favor of checking that box with a "Catholic studies" type course or two in another department. Much to be said about that, angry letters to relevant parties, etc. But, it's been really wonderful to read the stories people have been posting on Twitter and this blog about how required theology courses changed their lives. Warms my little heart.

{6} Lent!

I put an exclamation point there, but I'm not really feeling it this year. However, two mornings out of three so far I've been awake (NOT of my own volition) and praying Lauds sometime around 5:00, so I guess I'm getting a little help. Can we at least make it 6:00, God? Monks pray it at 6:00. Thanks.

{7} Lenten Resolutions Booklet

If your Lent problem, like mine, tends to be half just remembering to do this stuff throughout the day, I've put together a little booklet (Prints on one page! Fits in your pocket!) so you can neatly check off the boxes each day, satisfy your OCD, and have a fruitful Lent all the way to the end.

Also, if you're looking for dinner ideas, Lucy has kicked off the festival of meatlessness for the year. Have a look at her recipe and the archives.

Find more Quick Takes here!

{pretty, happy, funny, real} Snowstorm Edition

{pretty}

This sweater, two years in the making, is almost done. If we have a sudden warm snap, you can thank me for jinxing any chances of wearing it this season...

{happy}

I suspect most of you got dumped upon once or twice in the past week. We got enough that DH got himself a snow day, and the wind stayed away, so it was nice enough to stay out in for quite some time.

Also happy: having a camera with a lens long enough to get these pictures from inside, wearing my pajamas. This was my actual perspective:

{funny}

Our sidewalk is shoveled, the neighbor's is not. At least one of the school children seems not to care.

{real}

A bit after the fact. Shockingly, snapping a picture of the actual flood was not on my mind.

Do you know what happens if you have an older washer and don't quite click the "load size" knob into place? A quarter-inch of water all over your floor is what. And just when you're thinking how responsible your four-year-old is getting, you will find him sitting at the dining room table, totally oblivious to the fingers of water slowly turning his chair into an island...

At any rate, thank goodness for Shop-Vacs and family with the foresight to give them as Christmas gifts. And said four-year-old did redeem himself by (perhaps too gleefully) tackling his brother every time he got too close to the puddle.


Find other {p,h,f,r} posts at Like Mother, Like Daughter.

7qt: Edel or Bust!

{1}

After seeing the price, I was on the fence about going to Edel, but my wonderful husband talked me into pulling the trigger. I must really look like I need to get away...

{2}

Bean turned four this past week, which was great fun, as I think it was the first birthday that he really got the concept of it being his birthday, rather than just knowing there was some sort of ado. All he asked for was a balloon, some licorice (one of his recent stories mentioned licorice), and a bag of marshmallows to share with his friends (whom we saw that day, thanks to a trip to South Bend). He did get a few more things (or more than a few, thanks to being one of only two grandchildren so far).

I was so enamored by his lack of materialism that I refused to let DH rush him through present opening. Which meant it took us approximately two-and-a-half hours. I may rethink that strategy in the future...

{3}

I started this sweater in July. July 2009, that is. And even after the knitting was finished, it languished for a year, for lack of buttons and the dread of weaving in all those ends. But I finally finished it, and I love it, though I think I was a size smaller back when I started...

{4} 

You may have heard once or twice that Advent is coming! If you're looking for something to do, you might have a look at the Jesse Tree Ornaments over at the Church Ladies'. You can get fancy with them, or you can literally send them to Kinko's (or whatever it is these days), cut them out, and be done. This reminds me that I need to shellac ours before we start using them this year, as Peanut has a penchant for putting whatever he finds straight in his mouth...

There are also some great Advent playlists and other devotionals over there; have a look!

{5} 

So, a few days after the birthday festivities, both boys woke up with a fever. The night before that, I had uncharacteristically found myself in bed before 10, so I was sure I was coming down with it, too. I made sure get off to bed early the next night, too. I successfully evaded the bug only to, irony of ironies, give myself an I-will-hurl-if-I-stand-up migraine from messing with my sleep schedule.

{6}

We're headed 600 miles away in a couple of days, and of course have zero things packed (except the snacks! Priorities!) due to the sick days. I'm also supposed to bring something for a baby shower, and at this point, my best bet for a side dish is a pineapple. I'm thinking maybe Costco will save my butt this time...

{7}

I'm out of timely ideas, so instead here's a Halloween costume pic!

Those cobwebs are decorations. Decorations, you hear me?

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

WIWS: Game night edition

The "S" is for Saturday this time. Notre Dame was playing a night game, so, since we were already going to be up a little late, we decided to make a date of it (Netflixing "Ghostbusters," because we're hopelessly romantic sorts), and sleep way, way in on Sunday.

With apologies for the awkward angle. My camera holder was busy, so I tried to go it on my own.

Dress: Anthropologie (pretty sure I acutally paid the $19.95 that's listed)
Cardigan: me
Shoes: Kohl's (a little gold to go with my blue)

On a fashion note, I'm pretty sure everyone should have one pair of satin flats in a bright color. Wear them on your slobbiest day and you'll still get compliments.

The kids were both good at Mass (good enough that I tossed that box of pumpkin Krispy Kremes in my cart at the post-Mass grocery run, anyway), and Mass was a little higher than usual for the feast day. The Bean got to hear his name in the Roman Canon, and I actually didn't have any complaints about the music. There was even a bit of Latin!  Tack on an Irish victory and a Sunday morning that actually was easy, and it was about as good as a weekend gets.

Read about everyone else's Sundays at the WIWS linkup.

Tiny clothes!

Since the last of these shipped out a couple of days ago, I thought I'd share what's been on my sewing machine and knitting needles for a while now:

Top to bottom: Burda 9505 (OOP), modified to be a onesie, with my take on the My Little Man Sweater Vest; McCall 4865 (sleeveless, with a 9"x45" rectangle for the skirt), with my version of Petit Artichaut; The same dress with a cropped version of Seamless Yoked Baby Sweater (with a little crochet trim on the cap sleeves); and a little raglan sweater I came up with myself.

Da Aaaaanglerfish

Me: "It's hilarious ... all the cute stuffed animals people have given him over the years, and he's never really taken to any until he got this thing."

DH: "Yeah ... Makes me sort of proud."

"Totally."

Is this guy begging to be in a Strong Bad video, or what?

Boys will be boys, and when we started watching Blue Planet, my boy became obsessed with one of the grossest creatures of the seven seas (Here's a link; don't say I didn't warn you). So when I searched Ravelry on a whim, you can imagine my surprise when I actually found a pattern (not even an online pattern; it's in a real book!), that was actually at my library. So, here he is, in all his deep-sea glory. The things you do as a mother are really weird sometimes.

BFFs