Kindergarten Already

I've been thinking lately about how much we all change over time..inside & out, some things more noticeable than others. I see myself here in the now..staring back down a road, a road of 8 years of parenting ups & downs, curves that eventually straightened out; wishing I could yell back at myself saying.."It's OK..he'll figure it out, or Don't worry it wont last forever." & even better, "Take your time, catch all the little details!"

I'm reminded everyday of how quickly kids grow up. It's hard not to want to slow down time & keep this stage of your child's life a little longer. This is how I feel about this summer. I am so ready for school to start, yet taking a further step back, I realize I'll never get this summer back. Maddie starting Kindergarten has me thinking about a lot of things, but mostly just reflecting about how thankful I am that I have been able to be here, a part of their everyday routine. We all seem a little bit smarter & braver each year.

Reading..

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
I've been fascinated by this story since I heard about it on NPR. This non-fiction reads like a novel.
Here's a link from the author's blog.
http://rebeccaskloot.com/the-immortal-life/

Monday Music on Tues & Knits..

No Internet yesterday, so I'm posting my Monday Music a day late. I've always loved Radiohead..esp their first album, Pablo Honey. But they lost me alittle with OK Computer. Happily, In Rainbows feels good & I love this song.



I finished Maddie's 'Tiny Tea Leaves" Cardigan yesterday. Sadly, it is much bigger around than I was planning. Gauge is not my strongest point on knitting..I suppose by the time I'm a grandma I will have mastered the sizing of a knitted sweater, but I'm hopeful that she will be able to wear it with a few extra buttons here & there. Also, I've started a set of super cute washcloths for a special little baby that's due in Sept.

Crew Game!!

GOAL!!! 3-0 Crew:)

Knitting

Maddie's sweater is taking shape! One sleeve done tonight..picking up the stitches on the other underarm sleeve is making me wanna scream. I've taken the stitches out atleast 3 times already because everytime, I am left with a few holes. ahhhh Here it is so far.

Dump Trucks..

I wonder if big machines will ever get old to Jack. I know my Dad would have loved to watch him drive his big machines around. Even at eight, he can spend hours just scooping & dumping. These are some of his backyard excavation sites:0

A Summer Night

Tonight was a beautiful summer night..a reminder that I should get out more past 8pm!

Monday Music

2 guys! Dan Auerbach & Patrick Carney = The Black Keys. Loving their sound.

Chamber Music

Jack was a part of a Chamber Music Ensemble this weekend. I was so nervous for him..since I tend to be nervous about any "eyes on me moments":0, but he was so confident & enjoyed playing with his group! Here's a few clips of his show!

Knitting with Bamboo & Wool

My yarn arrived today!! Yippee & Yaya wanted to take the kids for the day. You can probably guessed what I spent my time doing. Jemma kept me company. Always at my feet. She's learned to stay in her yard & we're slowly letting her play & hang out without the leash..which she loves. & I love that she listens!! (except when there are squirrels or rabbits involved.)

Back to the yarn thing..I started the Madelinetosh "Tiny Leaves Cardi" for Maddie. I bought yarn for both her & I. She lucked out & got this awesome yarn which is a mix of bamboo & wool. So soft & silky!! Mine will be 100% merino wool. The only downfall is you have to hand-wash wool & dry flat, but I wanted to make something with more natural fibers. I love the way the yarn feels on the bamboo needles..does that sound weird. Oh, life's little pleasures!~

Also..I'm including Jack's wrist warmers that I finished!! & He loves!! These were really easy once the three needle thing got going. I see more in the Demos' family future:)

Creating..

It was a rainy day today, perfect for hanging out at home creating stuff...
**Jack's loving these bendy waxy strips we found for him to create stuff with. Perfect for him!! I love his little creations.




We also made frozen treats..inspired by www.orangette.com. Ours were a mixture of lemon juice, honey, berry boost, milk & orange juice. They froze nicely & the kids loved the whole process..even the excitement of waiting for them to freeze.




I'm preparing for winter in July...making a long list of knitting projects for myself & others. I just ordered a nice assortment of yarns for the matching cardigans I'm planning to make Maddie & I. appropriately found at http://www.madelinetosh.com/patterns-tea-leaves-cardigan.html
I can't wait to start on those!. But until my yarn arrives, I started making Jack wrist warmers & the plan is to make a matching knit cap. They are a bit tight on me..but take a look.

Monday Music

We kicked off the summer at the Justin Roberts concert, never hearing his music before! Now we all know the lyrics & listen daily..this is our favorite!

Exploring..

All the things you miss from your car...pix of a little hike & fishing trip this morning.

Off the needles..

I finished my last stitch of the pink terry-cloth baby blanket this weekend!! It turned out much bigger than I thought, but nice & soft. Take a look!

I'm also excited to start a project for myself!! I'm almost sure this is the one..
http://www.shapingdesign.com/Portals/0/involving/shalom_cardigan.pdf
It's free from Meghan..I'm loving her blog. http://involvingthesenses.blogspot.com/
& I'm drooling over this website, http://www.magpiepatterns.com

Grandma Johnson 1935-2010

Grandma Johnson passed away Monday July 6, 2010 & today was her funeral. It was only a few months ago that we said goodbye to Grandpa. It's so hard to say goodbye to someone you love & Grandma's are the gold in life. They always give you that unconditional, nonjudgmental love we all yearn for. I can only hope one day I get to be a grandma & leave such a big legacy behind. You will live on with all of us.

Monday Music

Jemma J

Jemma continues to steal our hearts. She is so good with everyone & has us all talking with oooooss & ahhsss!! We've discovered she will fetch, loves bones to chew & going for long walks, is a cuddler, & doesnt mind the chaos of our house!Today we took her to Pet People to pick out a few toy/treats. :)