Are you tired of house pictures? April 24, 2006

It might just have to be too bad because this was the best picture I was able to get of the baby blanket I am working on.  There are a few little flaws design changes to the patterns.  Modifying it to work with the worsted weight sometimes screws up the square.  It will sew up fine no doubt.  You know, I love cable ply yarn but the little knots drive me crazy.  The big knots I can deal with.  Why do they do that?  Tell me you know what I mean! 

Painting is finished.  Well mostly.  The contractors didn’t install all of the moulding–anticipating  the floors being done.  So it looks like Kevin and I will be doing some last minute painting sometime soon.  We’ll start with Gracie’s room.  I just love her color.  Spring Rain is so soothing. 

Owen’s room is a little brighter than I would like–especially given the small size.  It is, however, similar in color to his old room and I think that will give him some comfort.   He has been resisting going to bed (in the basement) before Cameron.  "I want Cam."  "Jammas"  "Cam, good night."  Poor thing is not going to like being on his own.

As I mentioned, Cameron wanted dark green.  We compromised and did half the wall the dark green.  The top half is an off white and we bought a chair rail  that will be painted white too.  Cameron is happy enough.  Although, the picture I showed him online had vertical panels on the wall below the chair rail–he wants that too.  No way!

The orange ceiling in our room has been painted white.  And the gold looks a bit better on it’s own.  I can’t say I love it but it isn’t always just about me, right?  I think with our cherry colored bedroom set and this pretty blue linen Pottery Barn duvet I have stored away–I am looking forward to moving up there.

The hallway was meant to be Monroe Bisque–like the downstairs but the painter misread his notes and painted it Wales Green–which is in the kids hallway bathroom.  Again, not thrilled with the Wales Green (in the bathroom as the hallway has been repainted).  It looked a lot lighter on the color chip.  But doesn’t it always?  We are planning to put up some wainscotting in that bathroom so it should dull some of the brightness!  And the kids are digging the Hawaiian/surf theme we have decided on for their bathroom.  Crosses gender borders–you know?  Have to try to make them all happy.

I guess I will get back to my knitting.  Thanks for stopping by.

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This and that April 18, 2006

Where does the time go?  Everyone has gone back to school today–all the kids have been home since Wednesday.  It was an enjoyable break.  Everyone got along pretty nicely.  Owen only threw up the once.  Life was good.  Lots of  bike riding. 

Hardwood floors have been ordered.  Thank you Lowe’s for the best price and nicest customer service.  Painting has commenced.  Ugh.  I don’t know where to start.  I let Kevin have the final say on colors.  Yucky!!  I admit, it looked nice on Benjamin Moore’s Personal Color Viewer but an orange ceiling can never be good.   Kevin chose a much darker and richer orange but the guy at the paint store refused to sell it to me.  So I toned it down.  And the painter toned it way down to white. We also let kids choose their own colors.  Gracie chose a lovely blue–Spring Rain.  Owen was not particularly cooperative in the choosing of colors.  So Kevin chose for him.  And Cam.  Oh Cam.  Cam went right to the top of the paint chip and picked the darkest green he could find.   Clover Green.  What the heck was I thinking?? 

My mom finished her Diamond Fantasy Shawl in Claudia’s Handpainted fingering that she got at Granny’s.  We blocked it on Easter.  She insists I must knit one as the pattern is so easily memorized.  But I am currently working on a baby blanket for Kevin’s newly  born nephew.  I am basing it on Debbie Abrahams 100 Afghan Squares to Knit.  Obviously, $418 for Rowan’s Denim is not going to work so I am using Saucy.  Oooh…I forgot how much my hands dislike cotton.  But it is looking cute.

Last, my mom suggested I share her hideous potholders.  I should save them for another day.  Blog fodder and all… but here they are!  Kindly gifted to her by Mary Walker Phillips.  Knit with Crystal Palace’s discontinued Big Georgia, well used and over 12 years old!

                                                                         

I didn’t want to dumpster dive April 11, 2006

Remember that stash organization?  Well, I never did finish it in time.  A mad dash to clear out the closet and  prevent beloved  neglected yarn from landing in a dumpster with the rest of my second story resulted in a contractor bag full of yarn!  It is chock full and overflowing.  Must knit more. 

I am currently working on another ribbed jacket from Debbie Bliss Special Knits.  It has become my standard Kevin’s co-worker new baby sweater.  This time I am using the Cashmerino Aran.  I really loved working with the Handpainted Yarn but Granny had the Cashmerino Aran so I wanted to give it a go.  The employee discount helps.  What I am really looking forward to is the leftover skein and square I am going to knit for Warming Grace!  I wish the sweater would finish knitting itself so I could move on!

Done and dusted. Far from it. April 10, 2006

Oooh…If I gave the impression that the house was completed–I am sorry.  It is, in fact, far from it.  My open house was just to show a bit of what the new upstairs looks like.  We are having a very difficult time getting the hardwood flooring squared away.  Home Depot has fallen short on their assurances of a quick job.  Lowes is trying to pick up some of the slack.  And private floor stores are really pricey and take quite some time as well. 

We’ll start by walking up the stairs.  Two new steps were added as the modular addition was placed above the old floor.  Looks like I will need a new runner, huh? As we turn right at the top of the stairs, we come to mine and Kevin’s new bedroom.  It is much larger than our old room and has a walk in closet and a bathroom with shower.  I am a bit disappointed with the placement of the windows as it difficult to place the bed.  And that lovely window–the eyebrow or elliptical–both difficult and expensive to cover. 

I really like the tile we chose for the bathroom floor.  While tumbled marble is lovely–it was a bit out of our price range.  I think this is a nice alternative.  We need to order some shower doors.  The vanity is ugly.  Kevin took a few liberties while I was in Paris and ordered a very ugly oak.  Maple or cherry were among my suggestions.  I, of course, insisted the company was mistaken and they took both ugly vanities away.  The kids is being replaced with the maple I chose and the ugly vanity is on its way back. 

A walk in closet is a luxury I have never had.  What on earth will I put in there?  I am not much of a clothes shopper….Yarn?  Sure!!  I have plenty of that. 

Back in the hall and to the left we have the kids bathroom.  This is very good.  We desperately needed that bathroom.  Owen has been wetting the bed since last May and carrying him down the stairs at 11pm stinks.  Woohoo!  To the left of the bathroom is the most exciting room in the house.  Are you ready?

It’s the laundry room.  Can you imagine–all the bedrooms AND the washer and dryer on the same floor?  Oh, I can hardly contain my excitement.  Yes, that is a bit of sarcasm but some real happiness too.  I have enjoyed having all of the kids dressers in the dining room.  I just fold the laundry and put it right in the drawers.  Happiness. 

Just past the washer and dryer is a linen closet and Owen’s room.  Kevin had it designed with a double window on the back wall and a single window on the side.  I had the single removed.  I know they thought I was all nuts but I don’t think Owen can be trusted with that window next to his bed.  Even if he didn’t jump he might kick it.  We got Owen and awesome bed from IKEA. 

Next to the O-man’s room is Cam’s room.  I wanted to put bunk beds in there but it will be tight with Kevin’s windows again.  Sigh.  A trundle if nothing else–the kid is desperate for someone–other than Owen–to sleep in his room.

Gracie chose the largest room in the house (next to ours in place and size).  Sleeping in the basement with her brothers has lost its novelty and we moved her up to her room.  Hopefully the hardwood gets installed next week.  Keep your fingers crossed.  Inspections went well today.  Things are moving along.  Not nearly as fast as we thought but steady enough.  Very little knitting but I can hardly find it in the midst of this chaos.

Open House April 7, 2006

Come to the open house next week.  Hopefully Monday (kids are off next week).  Be sure to step over the construction debris.  And watch out for nails. 

Mark All Read April 3, 2006

I have yet to do that.  The only blogs I seem to be reading are the ones who post infrequently.  Unlike some people, I don’t usually skim.  But I don’t think I am ever going to catch up! 

Let’s see…Owen’s school held it’s annual dinner dance on Saturday.  Kevin and I didn’t do as much fund raising as year’s past.  Life has been a bit chaotic.  April is Autism Awareness month.  I was surprised to see so many siblings and twins on this years video of the children.  It is fun to socialize with the teachers and see teachers from years gone by…it does, however, remind us of the progress Owen didn’t make.  The expectations unfulfilled.  But he has been having a heck of a run with little to no behaviors–like a month or two!  I think his PECS book is really helping. 

The house or Costa Rica…what to post.  Costa Rica is like a blur.  However, I think the trip refreshed us for the chaos that began upon return!  It was fantastic.  The Four Seasons is incredible.  The pictures aren’t as great as I hoped.  Or maybe  I just didn’t lose weight!  The room was gorgeous, the bed comfy and the porch overlooked the water.  We weren’t on "the monkey side" but from what I understand–the Howler monkeys woke everyone up at 4:30am.  We did see a family of monkeys from our porch in the evening though. 

The food was great.  I had an incredible Chilean Sea Bass the first night.  It was so good that I got it again on the last night–not as good.  They grilled chicken and hamburgers by the pool and delivered them to you at your lounge chair–even at the beach.  The pool guys came around with cucumbers for your eyes and Evian spritz for your face.  They had water, cold fruit and ice pops. 

I have to admit I was spa-ed out!  I was done with the spa.  Who knew you could overdo it?!  But I did.  Kevin and I started out on Sunday with the couples massage.  It was his first and we were cracking up.  The cheesy factor alone made it totally worth it.  The hot stone massage was cool though.  And the fancy pedicure with volcanic sand and rocks between my toes rather than tissue paper–very cool.  Easily impressed, right?  The cooling cucumber wrap was FREEZING!  I nearly walked out as I was so miserable.  The facial killed my face–I was red, blotchy and dry for days!  The aloe wrap phenomenal though. 

Swinging through the trees was a blast.  It was about 20 minutes from the resort and the guys who helped us were fantastic.  This is the dry season so the scenery was not as beautiful as we hoped–no waterfalls but it was still pretty cool.

The golf course was beautiful.  Kevin says the course wasn’t very challenging.  He won longest drive.  My game–if you could call it that–sucked.  I haven’t played for several years.  I guess since Hawaii.  I could barely top the ball.  Kevin kept telling me to use the hand wedge.  Jerk.  My short game was okay though–lots of miniature golf with the kids.

There was a good bit of drinking and revelry.  I read two books–Wicked and The Kite Runner.  Crappy reviews right?  Back home with the kids and my brain has gone to mush again.

All in all–it was  a fabulous trip.  Smart move on the part of Kevin’s company.  He can work later hours with little to no guilt–all in the pursuit of winning the trip next year!