Monday, September 17, 2012

Here we go again!

We started school last Monday. I had forgotten just how busy that makes me. I believe the only things I accomplished last week were cooking and teaching. It is a good thing I have kids to help me with the cleaning!

It was a good week. It took us a couple of days to get back in the swing of things, but by Friday, we were feeling comfortable and back in the routine.

For some of us, more than comfortable. Ian enjoys math so much that he would get up in the morning and just start doing it- before breakfast, even!
Friday, Joel's parents took us on a mini-vacation. We went to Cannon Beach and enjoyed the play, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, by the Coaster Theater (it was so good, and the kids loved it! Even Milo stayed awake for the whole thing), then to spend the night at a house in Seaside.

The house was great- although, it was apparently not built for tall people:

 Some beach time on Saturday:






And home again for a most excellent birthday party for the now 9 year old Ian on Sunday:
(Thank you, Diane, for the most excellent photos!)

And here we go again! Happy Monday!

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Birthday Boy

Today, my Ian turns 9. It's crazy that it has been that long already. And yet, it's amazing that he's only been with us for 9 years. I can't imagine life without my athlete. It's hard to remember what it was like before Ian was a part of our family.

Ian has always amazed me.He is my incredible athlete, my mathematician, my sensitive one. I am so excited to see what God has planned for this great kid. I'm so glad he's a part of our family!


Sunday, September 9, 2012

New Club Pattern

The Unique Sheep just started sending out shipments for their Art Nouveau Club. And the first shipment is a new pattern of mine!

Introducing the Edwardian Sock:


This sock was a little different than my usual designs. For one thing- I never actually touched the yarn or the sock. I didn't knit it. When Laura put out the call for submissions, I sat down with my stitch dictionaries and thought about the fashion and style of the turn of the last century. I found some stitch patterns I liked, did a sketch, and sent it off.
            When it was accepted, I sat down with the stitch patterns and a calculator and wrote the pattern. Sent it to The Unique Sheep, who sent it to a test knitter, who emailed me a lot because I messed up a lot, then the tester sent the sock to The Unique Sheep. Laura took pretty pictures- and here it is!



 Laura is a much better photographer than I am....

I don't know how to put my inspiration into words with this design- it just embodies my ideas of accessory fashion for that time period- small gauge, attention to detail, texture....  I think it turned out well. I might enjoy this kind of designing in the future!


Monday, September 3, 2012

It's all in the Details

I am at the point now if just finishing the details of my home. You know, putting the pictures on the walls, unpacking the last few boxes, all of those fun little details of organization that make a house into your own personal home.

In this case, those details are different than they have been in any other home I've lived in. Oh, there's the normal details of putting the pictures up, deciding which wall the piano will be up against; but here, I've added some special details. I'm not totally done, but I think this is the last time I will be posting what I'm doing- as the rest is pretty small stuff.

So, remember this?
 That turned into this?
 Well, now it is this:





 It was very hard to photograph, as there is no way I can get all the steps in one shot. So you got three. I hope you can see the progression a little bit. If not, just look up Psalms 121. All 8 verses are there- on 10 steps. I know, because I put them there.
First with pencil, then with a very small paintbrush.  It's not perfect- for sure the phrases are not centered, I know the lines are not straight; I have a definite drift in my writing. But still, I love how it turned out.
And that chapter just seemed so appropriate to have on the stairs leading to Joel and I's space.

Also, in my living room, there was this:
 Which is now this:

 Which I love. Somehow, it fits that space to perfection.

For whatever reason, the first thing I decided I wanted in my living room when I found out I was moving- was a tree.
A big one.
On the wall.
Where it's obvious where you first walk in the front door.


I didn't get it.

I got 5.


 And 6 birds.

And I love it. With this on one wall, the vine on the other, and a painting of my grandmother's of deer in the forest between them- I have a bit of God's creation in my home. I find it so peaceful in this room now. 

I am so pleased with how this all has come together. The kids are so pleased with their special walls, and I am thrilled with mine. For us this home really is "Narnia",  as Joel calls it.  We are so incredibly blessed beyond our wildest imaginations. 

Sunday, September 2, 2012

September 2, 2012

12 years ago today was one of the best day of my life up to that point.
It was the day I married my best friend.

12 years later, he is still my best friend- and so much more. Our lives have changed, but by the grace of God, the changes have been full of immense blessings.
Our life together is busy, crazy, and absolutely wonderful. This has been an amazing 12 years. How good God is.