Ree's Kitchen Towel

For Christmas, Santa brought Ree a play kitchen. She loves "doing the dishes" and washing her hands in the pretend sink. And she is constantly taking our towels to use. So I decided to knit up a towel of her very own as her Valentine's present.

I improvised the pattern & took some notes while knitting & thought I'd share it here.

Ree's Kitchen Towel

On size 8 needles, cast on 46 stitches.

Knit every row for 8 rows creating the border.

Switch to stockinette stitch, knitting first & last 3 stitches of each row.

After 18 inches from cast on edge I switched back to knitting every row for 8 rows. Bind off.

This can easily be adapted for a "big person" kitchen towel as well. Just continue in stockinette stitch for a few more rows before finishing the border.

I used Bernat cotton yarn & to make me a towel would probably knit for about 20 inches before finishing with the border.

Joining up with Ginny at her Yarn Along this week!

4 o'clock

These pictures were all taken at 4 o'clock this afternoon. It makes my heart happy to see longer afternoons. Around Christmas time I don't mind it getting dark around 4, it makes it cozier somehow and the outside Christmas lights can come on. But there's nothing like the sun still shinning bright and the days growing longer that makes it feel like spring is coming. Even though there is nothing to complain about this winter. With much higher temperatures then normal and only two not even major snowstorms with the snow already melted. This is my kind of winter!

Weekending

It was a busy, full weekend. Saturday morning Ree had her first toddler music class. Afterwards we went on a Mommy/Daughter breakfast date to Panera. We shared a coffee roll & she had to drink her "coffee" like Momma. (Even though I had tea). Due to sickness on the actual birthday we had a belated birthday celebration. There was presents; cake; tons of food; and lots of fun family time.

On Sunday the husband & I went into the basement and cleaned out tons of boxes. The garbage is almost full and there are boxes for the donation bin. It's no where near complete but we both feel accomplished!

Now it's on to the beginning of a new week!

{in the picture}

Last week I came across a self portraiture project, {In the Picture}. As one of my goals for this year is to learn to take better/more interesting photographs and actually learn some of the techniques my camera has I found the project interesting.

I debated participating until I read in the description of how many self portraits to take this year. I quote: "If you're turning 30 this year, maybe that's the number for you." I came across the project the day before I turned 30. I've been looking for something neat to do to commemorate my 30th year.

I hate having my picture taken. But I like the idea of thinking outside the box and not necessarily taking a full on self portrait. And after having gone through the flickr group there are SO MANY neat ideas I want to try.

So I'm going to shoot for taking 30 self portraits in 2012. This is the first one and while it looks like I'm focusing on my camera, I'm really trying to focus on my hands. If I had to give one thing about myself I really like, it'd be my hands.

I'm interested to see where this project leads me.

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor & remember.

Joining Amanda at Soulemama! 

Instagram

I downloaded the instagram app for my iphone a few months ago but it's only been recently that I've started to figure out how to use it.

I'm enjoying all the different ways you can transform your photos. These are just a few that I've either taken the past week or played with effects on some old ones.

Yarn Along

This isn't the best photo but I missed the morning light. Last Friday when we went on my birthday adventure I bought yarn to make myself something. This is my "30th Birthday Shawl". Also known as Boneyard Shawl. The pattern is simple to follow and coming out beautiful. I wish it wouldn't turn up at the beginning there so I suppose this will be first blocked project once it's finished! I love the yarn and the color even though it's not showing up in the picture very well.

As for reading, I haven't been doing too much of that. I'm still reading Inheritance at night just before bed. But Ree has been sick again and not sleeping well so even the knitting has been slow the past few days. We got antibiotics for her though so hopefully she'll be all better in the next day or two!

Toddler craftiness

Cold, snowy winter afternoons can be long. Especially when you are two. (And when you're a Momma with a 2 year old stuck at home). If I let her Ree would spend all day with Curious George on tv. Not watching him exclusively, she'll play while he's on but after a while Momma can't take it. So we've been watching one episode of George after nap then shutting the tv off and putting music on and doing some crafts.

I've been working on fabric yo-yo's for Valentine's decorations. And while I do that Ree plays with the fabric sorting the colors of the circles before they become the yo-yos.

On Saturday we made the stained glass snowman. The idea for him came from Twelve Months of Fun.

We've also been doing some activities from Oopsey Daisy. Alison puts together Mommy School. A HUGE packet of activities that have a corresponding number and letter. Right now we're working through W is for Winter. This afternoon I cut out the W from the packet, glued it onto blue cardstock, gave Ree a glue stick and she went to town gluing & sticking "snow" (aka cotton balls) onto the W.

I also got out my collection of buttons and she's been having a blast sorting them into old baby food containers. She did that for about 2 hours the other afternoon! Thank goodness for the internet and these awesome women who share their great ideas for others to use!

This Weekend....

This weekend we....

...woke to more snow that lasted all day
....got layered up more then once to go out & play
....came in to lunch and yarn magazines
....played chase around the house
....took naps (for the toddler)
....knit with new yarn
....watched many episodes of Grey's Anatomy
.....cooked
....watched some football
....yelled ourselves hoarse
....had wonderful family time!

Birthday Snow

I turned 30 yesterday. When I woke up this is the site I saw outside our windows. A beautiful winter wonderland of sparkling snow. Before we started on our birthday adventures we took Ree out to play. She LOVED it. When it was time to go back inside to get ready to go she screamed and flung herself on the ground saying "No Ree inside! Ree outside!" I think we have a little snow bunny to be!

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Joining Amanda at SouleMama!

Winnie the Pooh Day

Thanks to an early morning post of Dawn's I was able to put together a quick and simple Winnie the Pooh Day celebration for Ree.

Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart. ~Winnie the Pooh

 While she was eating her breakfast I gathered all the Pooh things I could find. I really think there are more but this is what I found quickly. 

Some people care too much...I think it's called love. ~Winnie the Pooh

She was so excited when I had her come into the kitchen and found all the Pooh stuff. Here she's touching her breakable Winnie the Pooh figurine. She's never allowed to touch it just look at it so she was happy.

You're braver than you believe, stronger then you seem, and smarter then you think.

~Winnie the Pooh

She still wasn't feeling 100% from her cold so the coloring and reading of the books didn't last too long. But she had fun while we sat at the table. I put in Tigger & Pooh and a Musical Too which she's only seen a few times so she was in her glory to see Pooh on TV.

If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart, I'll stay there forever. ~Winnie the Pooh

Weekly Yarn Along

Linking up with Ginny from Small Things for her yarn along

I finished my lattice socks this week. I like them. I like the yarn I just wish I had knit them in a different yarn to show the pattern off better. Even though I liked the pattern I don't think I liked it enough to make ANOTHER pair using it. But I'm happy they're done and I'm very happy they're for me!

I started this awhile ago as some mindless knitting to do while watching one of the Harry Potter movies. It's the Harry Potter 4 chapter hat.

After that is finished I'm going to knit the Boneyard shawl, again for me. My husband told me to pick out a "nice" skein of yarn (meaning one that costs more then 8 dollars) for  part of my birthday present. I'm thinking I might use Madelinetosh Pashmina but am not sure yet. We were thinking of taking a day trip to visit WEBS on Friday but with Ree not feeling well I'm not sure if we'll do that. 

I forgot to take a picture of the book I'm reading but it's Inheritance, the 4th book in the Eragon series. I'm really enjoying the books and will be sad when this one is finished.

Sick Days

Ree came down with a cold over the weekend. So the past few days have consisted of trying to get her drink and lots and lots and LOTS of hours snuggled on the couch with too many blankets to count.

This morning we had our first snowfall of the winter. About a quarter of an inch that was gone before noon. Even not feeling well she was so excited to see it!

This afternoon we shared a cup of tea together...the first one she's ever had! It was so cute. We then sat and counted up some of our gifts from Jesus. I love hearing what she wants to thank Him for. I should start writing them down along with mine.

Here's hoping Ree feels better soon so we can get onto celebrating this coming weekend!

Sunday evening

Sunday evening, a photo by mariology21 on Flickr.

The weekend has been pretty low key. Ree has a little bit of a cough so we've been relaxing. This evening we did manage to start out Sunday routine of visiting the Auntie for football and dinner. It was nice to start it up again after missing a few weeks due to colds.

Here's hoping the coming week is illness free and warmer then it was out today!

Friday

This post was supposed to go up last night. But it came down to being on the computer or curling up on the couch with a book. The book won!

Thursday & Friday were both yucky weather days. Thursday deluges of rain. Friday unbelievable wind. So we stayed close to home both days.

We had an impromptu afternoon with my sister. Playing with every single one of Ree's toys; having chicken nuggets for supper; watching Tangled; and ice cream (for the husband).

Here's hoping the weekend is full of fun!

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Joining Amanda in everyone's weekly moments!

Mid-week

This week has been tough emotion wise with so much negativity swirling around cyber space. Between mean comments on a blog that brings beauty and peace to so many people; mean spirited words on various social networks; sad, negative articles on the news it's just getting depressing!

Part of my New Year's "resolution" is to try to find Joy in each day. I've joined Ann Voscamp's Joy Dare to count 1000 gifts in 2012. I need to focus on finding the beauty in each day and counting those in a little journal will hopefully help.

Life really is good. Beauty and joy is all around. Even when we need to search for it each day holds it. We need to focus on that instead of the depression and darkness that seems more prevalent then the beauty.

So only 11 days into this New Year and I'm renewing my resolution to look even HARDER each day to come up with joy and photograph at least once a day what has brought beauty into my life. It shouldn't be too hard...I've got a gorgeous 2 year old whose whole being brings joy into life!

This Weekend....

This Weekend we....

....played outside without our coats
....went on a family outing to the mall
....played wii fit together
....took pictures of nature
....built some shelves
....watched football
....took ornaments off the Christmas tree
....knit some socks
....knit a bit of a hat
....had fun with Rachel
....watched some more football
....ate lots of good food!

This Moment

.{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Joining Amanda at SouleMama for this week's "This Moment"

Thursday

These pictures were taken about 45 minutes apart just a little while ago. I like seeing the different afternoon lights around the house.

I didn't get as much done today as I had planned. Instead Ree & I went to dunkin donuts to get coffee & donuts. Then we had a tea party.

This afternoon I was going to bring up all my boxes of books to finally unpack them in the built in bookcases. I didn't feel like making umpteen million trips up the stairs with heavy boxes. 

So I made meatballs instead.

My husband will be happy about that! 

I found myself wishing for some snow this morning. Just a little bit. Enough to take Ree out & play in for a little while. Plus there's something calming in sitting and knitting with the snow falling!