How we are "ringing in the New Year"

Black ice + truck = wipeout

Good Grief!

I am so happy Christmas is over! Not that I don't love Christmas, because I do. But with 4 children it gets overwhelming. We had a "toned down" Christmas with fewer and more meaningful gifts. I was was worried there would be sad faces and maybe hurt feelings. There weren't and as a matter of fact, the kids seemed more calm and not so "over the top". The house isn't a mess like Christmases past (as there was less waste......less gifts = less paper and stuff) and the kids have been playing together. Yes, playing together! Santa was still generous, don't get me wrong, but he was a little more mindful of what is really important during the holidays. So, the kids are happy, mom is happy and dad is happy.

The boys (Nate and Tom) got a Nintendo Wii.....which by the way is AWESOME!! Abby got her "Chou Chou, Mommy make me better doll" and Jamie got a high value ("high value" for a 15 year old) Discover gift card. And then a few odds and ends (how can you buy a gaming system and not a couple games? And we live in Massachusetts, so we needed new sleds.....oh and Jamie wrecked his sneakers so Santa brought him new ones).

We spent a few hours with my mom and sister (and my sister's in-laws.....who are more than just "my sister's in-laws" to us, they are just as much our family as hers.....) and the girls and Dennis. My gifts to the girls were well received (I get a gold star from Dev.....she was quite happy). Just let me tell you, www.disneyshopping.com is awesome. I got some great deals there this shopping season, with free personalization AND free shipping. And since having nieces and a daughter, Disney is a a very important "name" around here.

So all in all, Christmas was good.

Now we just need to wait for the new year to arrive. I just know this year is going to be a great year for us! And I hope it is a great year for you as well....

Happy New Year!!!

Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Stupid Camera

My camera is stupid. It's a dumb, broken, stupid, piece of junk camera. Why o why now? It's the holiday season, I need to take pictures. I am mad beyond belief, especially at myself. Of course I didn't get the service warranty (why should I? That would be a SMART thing to do.......). I tried to get a couple good pictures of the kids, you know, to put in the Christmas cards. I think out of 20 pictures (when I actually got the camera to work (by smacking it around a bit).....*note to those having camera issues, calling your camera a little f*cker does NOT help.......it also doesn't help when you call the broken, stupid thermostat a little f*cker either...just sayin') maybe one is actually acceptable. So we'll see. I need to try and remember where I put all my photo paper.....it's around here somewhere.

After I print the pictures and mail the cards I will post the picture. I hope everyone likes it!

In the mean time, I need to go clean the house, find the photo paper, search the web for a new digital camera and take the chicken out of the fridge to finish defrosting for dinner (and bake some cookies for Tommy......the poor kid was tortured at the dentist yesterday....now I know how people develop fears of seeing the dentist, they have an experience like Tommy had and it scars them for life!!).

See ya tomorrow!

I saw this over at Karen's blog so I decided to "steal" it.

Christmas Meme
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper all the way! Who likes to open a gift bag? Tearing at the wrapping paper is, in my opinion, the 'essence' of Christmas

2. Real or artificial tree? I love fake trees, less mess. Billy likes real because he says they smell nice (I think they smell like cat urine). We used to do real, then fake, then real again and now we are back to fake (base board heating scares me so we decided against a real one....I am secretly ecstatic!)

3. When do you put up the tree? When we had a real tree we would wait until the 16th or so. Now with the fake one we put it up the weekend after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take it down? December 26th, sometimes a little later but definitely way before New Years.

5. Do you like eggnog? Ick, yuk, no way. The only one who likes it is Nate and then he only has it at his friend's house because I don't buy it!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? How could I choose? When I was a kid I loved all my presents. My mom took great care in picking out gifts for us. And now as an adult I love all the gifts I am given. My family is very thoughtful when it comes to gift giving. But if I HAD to choose I would say all the cute gifts my kids have given me over the years!

7. Do you have a nativity scene? No.

8. Hardest person to buy for? Usually no one. But this year Tommy, my 9 year old, is proving to be hard to shop for. He is at that age where they are getting too old for toys (and there is nothing 'new' out there that they don't already have) and not quite old enough for all the electronic gadgets that teens like.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Abby by far! I could go into Toys R Us and pretty much buy her whatever and she will be happy.

10. Worst Christmas present you ever got? I honestly can't think of anything!

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Do people really email Christmas cards!!??? I mail mine, which are ready to go, I just need stamps.

12. Favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Story, Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Frosty.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I just started. It seems like every time I go to the mall something happens and I need to hurry home. Of course if I had started in October like some of my friend's I wouldn't need to be at the crowded mall in the first place.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Nope, never.

15. Favorite thing to eat on Christmas? My mother is making spaghetti and meatballs, a family tradition, which happens to be my favorite food!

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored!!!

17. Favorite Christmas song? Silent Night, Josh Grobin does a beautiful version. His new Christmas CD "Noel" is awesome (thanks Louise!).

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Well, we just drive to my sister's a half hour away, if you call that traveling. But other than that, we spend the entire Holiday season at home!

19. Can you name all of Santa's Reindeer? Um, no, I can't......

20. Angel or star on top of tree? A tacky, all lit up with lights, silver star!! It's a beauty!

21. Open presents Christmas Eve or morning? Always on Christmas morning. Except when my mom comes over, then we open one gift each (my mom gets the kids their Christmas PJ's which they look forward to every year!)

22. Most annoying thing this time of year? Spending money I don't have.

23. Do you decorate your tree in any theme or color? Yup. The theme: tacky as all get out. Color: all of them!

24. What do you leave for Santa? Cookies and milk usually. This year we are changing it up a bit and leaving some Kahlua and milk and a Hershey bar (that's what Santa really loves!!). As for the reindeer, a carrot, to share.

Some pictures to share

Has more than a month gone by?

Sorry about that! I guess I could try to make up for lost time and try and post all of what's been going on for the last 2 months but then that would be overwhelming. So I guess I'll just "start over".

Of course I haven't taken any pictures, my camera was MIA. I found it while cleaning out a few boxes that sat languishing since we moved in. I also found my tape measure, cell phone charger (the spare one) and my Halloween decorations.

Speaking of Halloween, it was a bit "under"whelming around here. I was expecting, since we live in the center of town, to have many trick or treaters. But we only had a few and the kids that did trick or treat to our house were teens, not even dressed up!! No matter to me, I just wanted to unload the 10 bags (yes, 10 bags.....) of candy I bought. Tommy dressed up as Count Dracula. Billy did the make-up and he looked awesome (sorry no pics, camera needs batteries). Abby was going to be a witch but never ended up going out.

It was a weird day to start. I had an emergency appointment with the dentist for Tommy. He had somehow (he says he has no idea how) gotten a piece of dental floss tied in a knot around his tooth! He was afraid to tell me. So a month goes by (he said he did it around the end of September) and I'm sitting there looking at him and he is smiling at me. I noticed something on the side of his tooth that looked like food. I tried pulling on it (he tied the knot and then broke the floss close to the tooth) and it wouldn't budge. I wasn't sure what it was and thought maybe he had some food particle embedded in his gums!! I called the dentist and she made an emergency appointment for the next day (which was Halloween). We walked up there (this is where my point comes in for the whole "Abby didn't go trick or treating" thing), it's only up the street 1/4 to 1/2 mile. On the way there Tommy came clean and told me what had happened. Abby was very stubborn on our walk up there, complaining she was too tired to walk. I think the walk up and back pooped her out because all afternoon she was a witch (literally!) and very cranky. At about 5:30, just as dinner was ready, she passed out on the living room floor. I tried waking her (when she is tired she is TIRED and there is no waking her if she wants to sleep). So Billy and Tommy went out at about 6:15. I kept trying to wake her, I thought she would be disappointed if she missed trick or treating. Around 6:45 she finally woke. She was grumpy and groggy and didn't want to go.......She wasn't disappointed because I don't think she really "gets" the trick or treating idea. I am thankful I didn't spend much on her costume (under $5) and Tommy's tooth is fine! The dentist cut the knot, which was under the gums, and explained to Tom the proper way to floss. And I was able to schedule cleanings for the whole family while I was there!

I got some batteries for the camera, I'll take pictures and post tomorrow (maybe).

Have a nice day! I finally had to turn my heat on this morning! November 8th is a record for me!!

Time flies when you are having fun

I still can't find my camera (did I tell you it went missing?). I think it might be in the bag Billy got from his "Breakfast with thePats". It was filled with goodies like a Dunkin Donuts gift card, a hat, a few pictures and a magnetic schedule. He had a blast and was actually in our local newspaper!

When I dig out the camera I'll have a picture filled post for you!

Until then............

Totally random on Tuesday

As some of you may know I love Mondays. I also love Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I'm not so much in love with the weekends. Call me crazy but when everyone is home, it's chaotic, stressful and for me, overwhelming. So, on Tuesdays it's calm and quiet here. We've (me and Abby) settled into the week and have gotten back to our routine.

Here is a list of random things floating around in this old brain this week.

1. I live on the same street as the Middle school. It's very very busy (ha ha ha, I just typed "busty" by accident....oooops, it's not really all that busty around here!) in the morning and afternoon with parents dropping their children off at school and the picking them up (throw in a little construction work on the surrounding side streets). I will also mention that the high school is on the next street over and one of the elementary schools is behind the middle school. So, yes, very busy indeed. I am a little aggravated in the mornings. Not because of the traffic, I find the noise and hustle and bustle kind of comforting (I am totally nuts, I know). Tommy is only 9 years old. He's old enough to look both ways and cross the street, at a "not so busy" time of day. In the morning, at precisely 7:20 A.M. I walk him to the sidewalk to help him cross. And NO ONE stops! They all whizz by us like we aren't even there! I am the 3rd house on the right and by the time the cars reach my house they are going at least 30 mph. Might not seem that fast until you are trying to cross the street (not to mention the children walking down the street to school). Yesterday the traffic stopped on one side to let us cross. The cars coming in the opposite direction, who clearly could see we were trying to cross and the other people were letting us go, DID NOT STOP! Five cars went by before anyone stopped. A friend mentioned that she was glad she didn't live over here, you know, having to deal with all the high school kids driving to school (you know how that can be). But to be honest with you, it's not the high school kids who are being careless and rude, it's the PARENTS! The high school kids all come down here around 6:30 A.M., they are in class by the time I'm crossing Tommy. So frustrating.
2. I am a little jealous this morning (and when Melissa hears this she is going to be jealous too!). My husband, Bill (a.k.a. Coach) is having breakfast with the New England Patriots this morning!!! BREAKFAST WITH THE PATS!!!! He was nominated by his players and some of the parents and he won. He invited me to go along, but you know he wanted to take his assistant coach. It was really for them anyway, so I declined (even though I really wanted to go. Could you imagine? Seeing Tom Brady? Tedy Bruschi? I probably would have embarrassed myself anyway, peeing my pants or drooling). He brought my camera and if he can figure out how to use it, there may be pictures to share (the friggin' Pats, man o man).
3. The planets are aligned, the moon is in a zone, karma is on my side.............Jamie has done the dishes 3 days in a row.......without being asked..........
4. Benedryl is evil in a bottle. So much for making you drowsy. I gave Abby a dose yesterday because she has a runny nose and a tickle in her throat (or "throaf" as she would say). Um, read the fine print because at the very end of side effects, after the whole, "may cause drowsiness" it states, "may cause excitability" in some kids. Yeah, excitability isn't the word for it. About 15 minutes after the dose she was doing headstands on the couch. Then she was sliding across the kitchen floor and then she was doing jumping jacks and gymnastics in the living room. This went on for a few hours. We eventually brought her into the backyard but it was not big enough to contain her. Billy had to bring her to the park until it wore off. I am not ashamed to admit I threw it away. I threw $5.99 in the trash and didn't look back.
5. I hate it when I make a cup of coffee (the instant kind) and then forget about it on the counter until it's cold. Normally this wouldn't be a problem. I could just reheat it in the microwave. But, my microwave died.......
6. I found a new blog that I like to read. Crystal is so funny! Check it out here.
7. I bought some new yarn that delights me. It's Lorna's Laces, Seaside . I bought it on Ebay, from Yarnbow . She has the fastest shipping ever. I ordered it on a Thurs. I paid right away through PayPal and I received it on Monday! And the yarn is awesome too, plus she has a huge selection. If you are in the market for some yarn, check her out, you will definitely be pleased.

Tomorrow (or when I get around to it) I'll post some pictures of my honey and the Pats!

My brother and his children

A very nice picture of my brother, nieces and nephew. Aren't they a great looking group?

Haircut

My niece Breanne has been growing her hair long for a while now. First a little background on Breanne and then the reason she was growing it long.

Breanne is one of those kids. You know the ones, the really thoughtful and sensitive ones. She notices things that other children her age don't (she is 6 years old) and she has a strong sense of empathy. She cries when she sees injustices and feels sad when she sees others hurting. She picks up on other peoples feelings and truly empathizes with people. She has an old soul.

So one day she pipes up with wanting to donate her hair to Locks for Love. She had heard about it and really wanted to do it. She talked about it often and was really excited about donating. She never wavered, so very confident in her decision. It definitely wasn't a passing fancy or something she wanted to do because everyone else was. This was her own choosing. My sister and brother-in-law swelled with pride, their big girl has a heart of gold. We sure could use more people in this world like my niece Breanne, a truly kind, loving and caring girl!

Brenda took her to the hair dresser where they measured and cut her hair! They also packaged the hair and sent it off. We are so very proud of Breanne. Below are some pictures. *warning: be prepared, your heart is going to melt from all the cuteness!!

Sunny

This weekend we went to visit my uncle and his family. My cousin Cheryl has a cockatiel named Sunny. Abby loves all animals. When we went to the Southwick Zoo she went right into the petting zoo and sat down (on the ground) with the goats. She was loving them, kissing them and just seemed to be at ease with them.

So anyway, Cheryl took Sunny out of his cage and let the kids hold him. Abby was first and she was so darn cute and funny (me and Brenda almost peed our pants laughing). I never remember to bring my camera to these get togethers, thank goodness my sister doesn't leave home without it (she is more apt to forget one of her kids than her camera).

Is she not the cutest? She really does love animals. Before we went to the BBQ I stopped at my mom's house. As Abby was coming down the stairs she heard the neighbor's dog bark. Tommy jumped, he's afraid of dogs. But Abby squeals and says, "Oh I love dogs and, um......sea turtles." She says the funniest things sometimes.

Can you hear that?

That sound? That ticking sound, like a clock? The countdown is on, school starts in 5 days. 5 DAYS!! Woo hoo.

Louise suggested I sit down and have a stiff drink.....

This is the kind of week I've had (in list form):

• Tommy fell on his head while playing tennis, he's fine but missed football practice for 2 days due to the fact that he couldn't get his helmet on because the EGG on the side of his head was HUGE.


• The boy who lives upstairs from us had a terrible skateboard accident that I kind of witnessed. It was one of the most horrifying things I have ever seen, as well as heartbreaking. His mom and dad are beside themselves with worry. (I got an update on his condition....his compound fracture to the left lower arm was operated on and then got infected and now has to be operated on again Monday. He's 14 years old and a really good kid. Please have good thoughts for him and his family).


• Nate hurt his foot playing football. We had xrays taken, he's fine. His foot was just bruised, badly, but not broken.


• Abby got Coxsackie virus (also known as "hand, foot and mouth"). She was miserable for 2 days with BLISTERS in her THROAT. She's doing much better now.


• Nate had an accident at a football scrimmage on Thurs. He was taken by AMBULANCE to the hospital. Thank God it was only a broken clavicle (it could have been worse, like a broken shoulder or a broken neck). He'll be fine but he's out of football for the season.


• Tommy has Coxsackie virus. He's had a high temp for 2 days and a sore throat.


• Took Tommy to the doctor's to rule out strep throat since he's prone to it (I started worrying that maybe it wasn't hand foot and mouth, that maybe for him it was strep). He's negative. Thank God because they said one more time and we'll schedule a tonsillectomy (like I need that crap).

So, I was thinking Gin and Tonic......or vodka straight up.

*EDT: To Becky in Iowa, Southern Comfort sounds damned fine! And thanks for your good wishes. I remember reading about your sons broken arm, I'm glad to hear he's doing well.

100 Things About Me; Part 4

1. I don't (or can't) memorize the words to songs.
2. I never sing along, even when I am alone.
3. I have a terrible sense of direction and am thrown off even more if I am within a mile or 2 of the ocean.
4. For instance, if I go to Quincy, anywhere except the Registry of Motor Vehicles or Quincy College, I will undoubtably end up at Wollaston Beach. If I need to go to, say, Hingham District Court for jury duty (because we all know the only reason I would need to go to that court would be for jury duty, wink, wink) I will end up at Nantasket Beach.
5. I can sew. I can make and alter clothing, I would say I am at an intermediate/advanced level. I've been sewing since 1982.
6. I can also hand embroider, crochet, knit (I've mentioned that before) and I have dabbled in origami and calligraphy.
7. I'm not a very good cook. I get by, but just barely.
8. Some people enjoy cooking. I don't. I find it boring (which came first? Do I dislike cooking because I'm not good at it or am I not good at it because I don't like it?) and tedious.
9. I used to like Tom Cruise but now I think he is a big boob.
10. I also used to like Rosie O'donnell, again, I think she is a big boob.
11. I suffered from post-partum depression with 3 of my children.
12. I don't ever hide that fact. I am not ashamed to have suffered and by being open about it I hope to be able to support other mothers who are suffering. If you are suffering from Post Partum Depression, I have a shoulder to lean on and an ear to listen......day or night, don't be shy or ashamed.
13. I would consider myself to be a good listener.
14. I prefer small groups over large parties.
15. I used to be painfully shy.
16. I'm not shy anymore, at least not in social situations. But you better believe I would never, ever get up in front of a huge crowd of people and make a speech. I would fake a heart attack before I did that.
17. I had the same pair of sneakers for my entire Highschool years. I would have probably had them alot longer than the 4 years of highschool if my little sister (who is almost 33) didn't borrow them for softball practice and ruin them.
18. I don't wear out my shoes. They go out of style or I get bored with them first (usually years and years later).
19. I find it hard to talk about myself (that is why it has taken me so long to compile this list).
20. I remember exactly what I was doing and wearing on 9/11.
21. I was just about to get in the shower when my mother called and told me to turn on the news. I was wearing a white t-shirt and pink sweatpants. My couch was under the big picture window and the sky was so clear and it was very sunny outside. I turned on the news and watched nonstop for the next 24 hours. I even slept in the living room, with the TV on, dozing on and off.
22. I would have another child in a heartbeat if I could financially afford it or if I could at least guarantee it would be another girl.
23. We really want to have another son, but a girl would be better, she could share a room with Abby.
24. We are NOT having anymore kids.
25. This is the last one, let's see, one more thing about me.........I wear a size 9 shoe.

Well, that's it. More than you ever wanted to know about me! I wanted to post some pictures but the boys are all away (one at mom's and 2 at a friend's) and Abby is sleeping. I am going to take this opportunity to spend some quality time with my hubby instead of uploading photos (I have priorities you know!).

Is the summer over yet?

I've been kind of absent lately. The summers are always long for me. Not having a vehicle is a real drag, especially during the summer when the kids are all home. We tend to spend a lot of time together, at home, in close quarters. I get a touch of cabin fever and the kids get the "I'm bored"s. Although this summer has been slightly different. We moved! To a bigger place, closer to the center of town. Karen over at http://nothingbutknit.blog-city.com once gave me a tip for entertaining the kids during the summer. She suggested we take a walk to the library. It was an excellent suggestion except that we lived over 2 miles away. But now, we live 2 blocks up!! So Karen, now we can walk to the library. I took Abby the other day, we stopped at the Deli on the way back and bought some Salami and cheese, went to the insurance agency to give them our new address and popped into the hair salon to have Abby's hair fixed/cut. It was awesome to be able to actually get out of the house and get some errands done also (without a car!).

So, yeah, we had to get Abby's hair FIXED. I knew it was coming, the day she would get a hold of a pair of scissors and cut her own hair. I cried, really, because the little pile of hair looked like so much (I saw the pile of hair before I actually saw her). But, as it turns out, it wasn't so bad. She cut a few of the wispy hairs around her face and then a small chunk from the back. I just had it trimmed to her chin in a cute little bob. It looks adorable and it's still long enough for some little pigtails.

The boys started football this week. They are adjusting to actual physical activity. It's quite sad though, you'd think being young kids that they wouldn't be so sore afterwards. I know they work them hard but my kids have been sitting around for the last month and a half, now they are running laps, doing sit-ups and other assorted drills. I figure by September, when the games begin, they will be in better shape. I'll post some action photos soon.

Another bonus of moving is we live on the same street as the middle school, high school and Memorial Park Elem. I can see the front door to the middle school from my front porch. And the boys practice at the field behind the middle school so they can walk to practice. Billy is a coach so it is extremely convenient. Plus this season I will be able to go to all the home games, and be able to get more photos of them in action.

So I put the Mystery Stole down for awhile. It required more attention than I could give it. I was so busy packing and moving and unpacking, I just couldn't concentrate on it. And in the mean time, the theme was revealed and all the clues have come out (all but one actually, but we basically know what the design is). It's not a symmetrical design, one side is a wing (swan), the other comes to a point (you can see that in my previous post). I am contemplating changing it to a symmetrical stole (as so many others are doing). I still haven't picked it back up yet, but definitely plan to soon.

I kind of got a "bee in my bonnet" and started a new little sweater for Abby. I wanted her to have a really cute hand knit cardigan for nursery school. So I pulled out my Dale of Norway patterns and got started. Photos to follow as soon as I have something good to show. The thing with using Baby Ull (Dale of Norway's baby yarn, which is fingering weight) is the gauge is like a million stitches to the inch. So the short of it, one round is 241 stitches long. So the progress is slow. And since it's the summer and the kids require so much of me, I haven't the time to sit and knit more than a round here and there. This will be my first project that will require cutting a steek (for the non-knitters that means when I am all done knitting I will CUT my work and make a pullover into a cardigan......scary stuff).

So that's it. School starts soon (3 weeks and counting), we can't wait! I'll try to post some pictures of the new place (where the heck is my camera anyway!) and some cute pictures of Abby's new haircut. And of course some knitting pictures too.

Look what I'm making

It's a lace stole and it's part of a mystery knit along. I signed up after hearing about it over at Becky's.

I'm not usually one to join knit alongs (I tried and failed at an Elizabeth Zimmermann one) but I couldn't resist this one. I've never knit a stole before. I've made lacy things, like baby sweaters and such, so I am not finding this too difficult. I like to try new things, at least in knitting, so it seemed like a natural thing to do. There are over 6500 people currently signed up to do this mystery stole knit along. It's been interesting to see every one's different interpretations and to hear the guesses on the theme. But alas, it is a mystery so we won't know for sure until the last clue.

This is a closer look. I like how it's coming out. I am using a fingering weight yarn as opposed to lace weight. I like a denser fabric, this one will be warm that's for sure!

I pinned it out onto a piece of cardboard, the only thing I have handy. And I used my sewing pins, which seemed to work well.

100 Things About Me; Part 3

1. I love Pepsi....regular, not diet


2. I drink coffee (light-ish with sugar....unless it's iced coffee, then I take it light-ish with Equal)


3. My sister Melissa and my friend Heather N. make the best coffee. They both take it the same way as I do.


4. I clip coupons and USE them.


5. I save at least 25% each time I enter a grocery store and sometimes as much as 75-80%!


6. My friend Louise is my "coupon buddy" and has, over the last 3 years, helped me take my couponing to a whole new level. Often sharing and trading coupons as well as turning me onto deals I might have missed. She is the true COUPON QUEEN and a dear friend.


7. I love to read.


8. I read 2 newspapers each weekday (The Patriot Ledger and the Boston Herald), 2 newspapers on Saturday (PL and BH) and 3 on Sundays (PL, BH and the Boston Globe). And surprisingly, not all the "news" in each of these papers is the same.


9. I get the Herald free and the Sunday Globe free (my husband's office buys the Herald and he brings it home for me and my son sells the Globe and he gives me his extra).


10. I sometimes find it hard to think of interesting things about me. That's why it has taken me this long to complete the list and why I need to drone on and on about my newspapers and coupons.


11. I love a good lipstick and am on a quest to find an under eye concealer that looks natural. I'd wear make-up more often if I didn't look so "done up".


12. I have O- blood (meaning I am RH factor negative). While my blood type isn't the most common, it is used in hospitals the most for emergencies and surgeries. All blood types can receive O- blood, it is universal. But, I can only receive my own type.....any other type could kill me.


13. I donate blood often. And, when a family member needs surgery, and there isn't enough time for them to store 3 pints of blood, I go in and give a pint of mine (keepin' it in the family).


14. My father had O- blood. Out of his 5 children my sister Melissa and I are the only one's who got it.


15. I'm not afraid of needles, doctor's or hospitals. I am considered to be an excellent patient (so I have been told).


16. I love Neil Diamond (I must have told you).


17. I went to one of his concerts, 2 weeks after 9/11. It was amazing when he sang "America" and they unfurled the American flag. I cried....because I am a sap and I am patriotic. God Bless America.


18. I love concerts. I have been to many. Most of them are too embarrassing to mention. But imagine some of the metal bands from the 80's and chances are I went to one or more of their concerts.


19. I wanted to start these 2 subsequent lists at the next number (part 2 would have started at #26 and part 3 would have started at #51) but for the life of me I can't get blogger to do it.


20. I am assuming the zero people reading this are intelligent enough to catch my drift.


21. I have another blog over on blog-city that I am phasing out. Eventually I will be sending the 5 people who read my blog over there to this blog over here.


22. I am in the process of moving. It sucks.


23. I've lived in this apartment for 12 years.....I don't want to leave but our family got too big.


24. I love the New England Patriots.


25. I am making a prediction, the Pats and the Sox are going to go all the way this year.

Ok, installment 3 complete, stay tuned for the final installment (I'll need to think long and hard for that one).

100 Things about me; Part 2

1. I don't tan. I burn, blister and peel.
2. I always, always, use sun screen.
3. I love elephants.
4. I'm not a pet person (nor is my husband).
5. I have ugly toes. Really, UGLY toes.
6. I have been told, by more than 2 (ten) people that I have the ugliest big toe they have ever seen.
7. I don't wear sandals very often.
8. I got married, had my wedding reception and honeymoon all in the same town in which we live.
9. I've lived in this town since 1982, when I was in 7th grade.
10. I had my wedding reception at the same place my high school senior banquet was held.
11. I also used the same caterer.
12. That Son's of Italy hall is now a Walgreen's
13. I loved being pregnant and giving birth. (that's probably why I have 4 children)
14. I don't care for pizza, potatoes, or apple pie.
15. I also don't like bread.
16. I am proof that following a low carb diet isn't always the way to diet (I naturally don't eat many carbs and I am "fluffy").
17. I was the exact same age (to the DAY) when my first son was born that my mother was the day I was born (exactly.the.same.age.)
18. I love asparagus, broccoli and cauliflower.
19. I haven't rode a bike in 26 years.
20. I hate the winter.
21. I have never been skiing and have no intentions of ever going.
22. I could live with never seeing snow again, or having the temperature drop below 50 degrees (f).
23. I shouldn't live in New England, it gets cold and snowy here often.
24. I love Neil Diamond (have I ever mentioned that?)
25. I like reading other people's "100 things about me" lists.

Stay tuned for Part 3!

100 Things about me; Part 1

1. I knit.
2. My favorite color is orange.
3. I was married on my husband's 25th birthday (he never forgets our anniversary!)
4. I have 3 sons and 1 daughter. They are 15, 12, 9 and 3 years old (my daughter is the youngest).
5. I've had the same job for 18 years, and I love it!
6. My best friend lives in Arizona, I miss her terribly.
7. I despise peas.....really, really, really.
8. I haven't had a bowl of cereal in over 25 years.
9. I prefer to drive a pick-up truck (at the moment though, I don't own a vehicle).
10. I didn't vote for George W. Bush (or his father).
11. I wouldn't consider myself to be a political person.
12. But I do vote, ALWAYS.
13. I am not affiliated with any particular political party.
14. Cancer has devastated my family, more than once.
15. I donate money to the American Cancer Society (even though it's a small amount, I believe every little bit counts).
16. I have 3 sisters and 1 brother
17. Between the 5 of us we have 18 children.
18. 8 boys and 10 girls. The oldest is 22 and the youngest is 13 months.
19. I like hospital food.
20. I have been hospitalized 5 times (4 children and 1 surgery).
21. The emergency surgery took place in New Mexico while I was traveling (the hospital was so small that the kitchen "cooked to order"......I had the BEST food there!).
22. I'm still working on trying to solve the Rubik's Cube (I'll get it eventually!).
23. I couldn't live without spell check. It's not because I am an inadequate speller it's because I am a terrible typist (2 finger poky poky......but I am fast).
24. I love baseball.
25. The Boston Red Sox are my home team.

Well, that's installment #1. Check back again soon for the next one.

Tomorrow, knitting pictures so stay tuned.

Wacky Wednesday

I was watching the local news this evening. The weatherman reported that it was 97 degrees (f) today! Yikes. That's hot. Boston actually broke weather records today. Right now it's about 85 degrees (f) and it's 8:45 PM. Damn it's hot. I've had the AC on since yesterday morning and have no intentions of turning it off until this heat breaks. Friday will be cooler, the weekend will be even cooler and the 4th is supposed to be a glorious day.



Anyway, knitting is my thing. I knit, a lot. And I like to read. I read knit blogs, often (who the heck am I kidding, I read knit blogs everyday, sometimes more than once in a day!). I like to read books too, mysteries especially.



I've been knitting for quite a long time, sporadically. I learned when I was 8 years old. When the whole Cabbage Patch Doll craze hit I knit like a fiend. I was a little too old for the dolls (well, I had one, because you know, everyone did. I didn't really play with her though, she sat on my bed and looked pretty...I may have been 12 or 13.) but my sister wasn't. I knit her dolls some of the best outfits ever! I never used a pattern (didn't need to really, the dolls, if you remember, were quite boxy) I basically knit rectangles and squares, to the measurements of the dolls and then sewed the pieces together to form clothing. My mother saved one of the outfits I knit. It is a special yellow and green ensemble knit with none other than Red Heart!



I didn't knit through junior high or high school. It wasn't cool I guess and I was too busy depleting (or helping to) the ozone layer with hairspray ( 80's BIG hair, oh no!!). I did learn to sew though. At the junior high I went to we were required to take sewing, cooking, wood shop and drafting. Along with all the other fun stuff (math, english, history, science etc.). We were lucky, these days, schools (especially junior high schools) around here don't offer those programs. I loved sewing (didn't care too much about the other classes). I took sewing in high school, for all 4 years. I am an avid seamstress (quilter, fabric-aholic). I can make clothes, yay!



I picked up knitting again 15 years ago when I was pregnant with my oldest child. I knit him sweaters, blankets etc. Unfortunately I was uninformed and used mostly acrylic yarn (an aside, I work for a painting contractor and one of the main ingredients in house paint is acrylic......yik!).



I also hand embroider, crochet (a little), do counted cross stitch, quilt and of course sew and knit.



I knit socks (among other things). I have a pair of basic socks on the needles (2 circular Addi turbos, size US1) at all times. My favorite sock yarn is Cherry Tree Hill but I've been known to use Koigu, Lorna's Laces, Trekking and others that escape me at the moment. I like the portability of sock knitting. I save the big stuff for knitting at home, in front of the tube or while listening to a podcast on the MP3 player (or my music).

So, that's a little bit about me. What do you like? Do you knit? Do you like to sew or read. Leave me a comment!

Me

What is a Snickerdoodle? I have no idea, but it was available (sort of) and it has a nice ring to it.