Giving Thanks

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.

This is my favorite time of year by far. I confess I like Thanksgiving better than Christmas. Somehow, the whole gift giving thing is stressful for me. Maybe it's because I never feel like I can knit fast enough- and then I worry if the person will like their gift, or just say so, or maybe even not say so.

But Thanksgiving-

Thanksgiving is about being together.  It's about celebrating what you have (not planning what you want).  It's about gratitude, family, love, and counting your blessings.   Somehow, it's hard not to be content and joyful when you are counting your blessings.

I love it.

This year, if the weather is cooperative (and it looks like it will be), we will have a total of 6 kids and 9 adults in our cozy home tomorrow. They'll start coming today. I am so excited.

Tomorrow, we will feast and talk and watch the kids play and share what we are thankful for this year. We do it every year. It's my favorite part. There are those things we are always thankful for- but each year also adds its own blessings.

This year, I am thankful for health. My family is healthy- and I am healthier than I have been in years.
I am thankful for my husband's job- he has work that he enjoys and it provides enough that I get to be with my children all day.
I am thankful for our warm home, our vans that work, the good food that fills our bellies....
I am thankful most of all for my family. They fill my days with adventure and my heart with joy. I am blessed beyond measure.

Happy Thanksgiving- from our family to yours.

What are your special blessings this year?

Today

Today, I took a wild trip down memory lane.

 Today, I tried on a dress that I wore once- 11+ years ago.

 Today, I got to remember one of the happiest days of my entire life.

Today, I spent over half an hour ironing a dress that I haven't worn in 11+ years, and apparently will be completely unable to ever wear again.

 Today I realized that 11 years and 4 kids changes ones body in rather unexpected ways.

 Today, I am thankful for every minute of those 11+ body-changing years and the 4 miracles that helped change not only my body, but my entire life- for the better.

 Today, my daughter said she wants to wear my wedding dress someday.

 Today, as I am every day, I am completely and utterly blessed.

 I am thankful for today.

50 Things every Young Lady Should Know

A little Book Review Friday for you:

By Kay West with John Bridges and Bryan Curtis

This is a very nice little advice book for young ladies.  It was advertised for ages eight to fourteen, but I have to say I really think it is not for girls under eleven.  That’s just my opinion, but it does not seem necessary to me for an eight year old to read about dating and cosmetic etiquette.  If you’re okay with your daughter dating and going to dances at a younger age, then this book would be appropriate for her at that age. I am a bit old fashioned, maybe, but I think this book is for tween and teen-aged girls.

                That little rant out of the way, this is a good book. I do recommend it.  It covers a lot of material- from writing a thank you note to getting out of a car correctly.  It also covers how to use modern media such as the internet correctly- something I appreciated.  It is easy and quick to read, as each topic covers no more than 5 or 6 pages at most.   It will be a couple years yet, but this is one I am definitely going to have my daughter read- and keep for a handy little reference book. 

A Little Purple Hat

This story is just a bit on the late side. It actually happened a little over a week ago. But I have been so busy with school, kids stuff, and other knitting in the meantime I haven't taken the time to blog.

Not last weekend, but the weekend before, I sat down to knit a little purple hat for a baby. I grabbed some nice warm wool, because the baby this is intended for will be living in Canada. Canada in the winter is cold.
The yarn is Plymouth Galway Chunky.  The pattern is the hat from the Bouncing Baby set in Homespun, Handknit- which you may recognize from the YarnHarlot's blog a couple months ago.

I chose this pattern because after the intensity of the lace on the pink blob (which did turn out totally gorgeous by the way- and she does love it- but you can't see it 'til it's published, sorry), I desperately needed some instant gratification- and garter stitch.
So I happily sat down and cast on- with larger yarn and larger needles than the pattern calls for. Didn't swatch, just started merrily knitting away. You'd think I'd know better.
Half a day later, I realized that I was almost out of yarn, and not even halfway done with the hat. Hmmmmm.
This is what I had:

(remote for scale). Even my 8 year old laughed at me when I replied to his "Whatcha makin' Mama?", with "A baby hat." Yeah, not a baby hat. Not at that rate.
So I sat down, frogged the whole thing. Turned on a movie, cast on a good deal less stitches, did a minimum of math, and started merrily knitting again.

Three hours later, I had this:

(remote for scale, again) Much more like what I was looking for. I happily went to bed, got up in the morning and did some seaming, and got this:

I think it will do a great job of keeping a little Canadian girl's head nice and warm- and cute at the same time.