Alex One Week Later

Yes, I'm going to be one of those people who constantly show you pictures of the new baby. I've been trying to snap at least a couple of day, but as she's still so little, a lot of them are different variations of the same thing. Just smile and indulge me.

May 24: Day 1

First bottle

May 25: Day 2

Sleeping angel

May 26: Day 3

Sporting her new hat. I know I showed this one already, but it's one of my favorites :-) 

May 27: Day 4

Sacked out in the bassinet. Big sister Hope hated hers, but Alex thinks it's great.

May 28: Day 5

New toys!

May 29: Day 6

With big sister, Hope

May 30: Day 7

Having an evening meal with Dad

 

Thanks for reading.

Blessings :-)

Today's Inspiration

Source: http://www.someecards.com/usercards/viewcard/MjAxMy03ZGU2MDM3Y2NkOTZlMDY3

Challenge #13: New Crochet Tip

This week's challenge for the 52 Week Crochet Challenge hosted by Red Berry Crochet is to find a new crochet tip to try this week.

The one I've decided to try isn't really new; I've heard about it for a long time but never tried it: corralling yarn balls.

I'm working on Hope's Peace Sign blanket as much as I can, and so far I've been able to use scrap yarn. She picks two colors from my stash and I make two complementary squares. While working with two yarns at the same time off of two yarn balls, I get frustrated at least once a square as one or both of the balls roll off in opposite directions.

So I took an old ice cream container that had been washed,

cut two holes in the lid,

and put the yarn balls inside with the ends threaded through the holes.

It works great! Now I can crochet without worrying about the yarn escaping.

Thanks for reading.

Blessings :-)

Today's Inspiration

Source: http://www.daveswordsofwisdom.com/2014/05/think-before-you-speak_20.html

 

Tickled Thursday

With Alex (aka the Bean) finally here, I can indulge one of my neglected addictions: coffee!! And although she's the best baby in the world, she's a normal newborn who wakes up 3-4 times a night. This makes me really happy to see the full coffeepot in the morning and know I can have as much as I want.

Source: http://www.lovethispic.com/image/89635/give-me-coffee

Source: http://www.lovethispic.com/image/31429/after-i-have-my-coffee

Thanks for reading.
Blessings :-)

14 Years Together

Our wedding anniversary is in November, but today Tim and I celebrate 14 years together. We met through an online dating service while I was visiting my mom in Florida for the summer. Two months after our first date, I traveled back to Ohio to empty my apartment and make the move to Florida permanent.

How can I sum up 14 years?

Two beautiful daughters

Death of one parent, five grandparents, and many friends

One household move

Loss of our business when it burned down

Many job changes

Holidays and vacations and ordinary days spent together

Laughter

Prayers

Arguments

Tears

Late night conversations about everything and nothing

A lot of faith and trust and love

And so much, much more that can't be put into words

I wouldn't trade a minute of it, and I'm looking forward to the next fourteen years :-)

Source: http://stokeglory.blogspot.com/2014/03/sweet.html

Thanks for reading.
Blessings :-)

I'd Like You to Meet

Alexandria Jean Lantry

Born Saturday, May 24, 2014 at 3:15 p.m.

6 pounds, 11.8 ounces

19 3/4 inches

With proud mama

Ready to go home

Relaxing. It's been a long three days :-)

Have a wonderful day :-)

Blessings :-)

Challenge #12: Best Crochet Tip

This week's challenge for the 52 Week Crochet Challenge hosted by Red Berry Crochet is about the best crochet tip I ever learned that I use all the time. 

I've received a lot of great tips, but I think the best was about reading patterns. My crochet teacher taught me that when reading a pattern, don't look at the whole thing at once; it can be overwhelming. Just look at one step at a time, from one comma to another. Visualize what you need to do. It turns the most complicated-looking pattern into a much simpler project.

That being said, I'm still bad about sticking with simple patterns. I won't go outside my comfort zone too far and attempt something really complicated. That's something I'd like to work on more this year.

What's the best tip you've ever received?

Have a fantastic Friday :-)

Thanks for reading.

Blessings :-)

Today's Inspiration

Source: http://spiritualinspiration.tumblr.com/post/43909445974/so-be-careful-how-you-live-dont-live-like

Tickled Thursday

I hate spiders. Really, really hate them. In theory, I understand they are very useful. In practice, I run screaming from the room when I see one no matter the size. Any other spider haters out there?

Source: http://www.dumpaday.com/random-pictures/funny-pictures/funny-pictures-day-59-pics-2/

Source: http://themetapicture.com/finally-the-solution/

Source: http://agypsycrystal.tumblr.com/post/36865120729/going-gangsta

Thanks for reading.

Blessings :-)

WIP Wednesday

Another week of some good, crafty progress. Probably my last one for awhile :-)

I finished the dark pink rounds, completed the light pink rounds, and started the dark brown rounds on The Wool Eater. After the dark brown, there will be a light brown and a white. Maybe a black but I haven't decided on that yet. This now officially has a home; my neighbor saw it while I was working on it one day and absolutely loves the colors. I'm going to surprise her with it when I'm done.

I'm halfway done with the squares for the Bean's Squircles Blanket. 

I made two more Peace Sign Squares for Hope's blanket. Ten done, thirty-eight to go. If I can keep making 2-4 a week, it'll be done by Christmas.

I added 212 stitches to the tan cat on Cats, Cats, Cats.

I finished the first peach stripe and started the second one on the March Cherished Teddy Roly Poly, adding another 336 stitches.

I finished the last pink stripe on the February Cherished Teddy Roly Poly, 298 stitches.

I go in tomorrow morning at 8:30 to start the inducing process for the Bean; she needs some encouragement to come out :-) I may be home after two hours if it doesn't work and have to return on Friday, or I'll stay in the hospital and have a baby. I'm praying for the second option. 

There are a couple of posts scheduled for the next couple days, but I won't be back until next week. The laptop's staying home so Tim can update everyone when the Bean arrives. Thank you for all your prayers and well wishes; I know everything will go according to God's plan :-)

Have a wonderful Wednesday :-)

Thanks for reading.

Blessings :-)

Today's Inspiration

Two Tuesday

Source: hooksandyarns.blogspot.com

Two Things I'm Grateful For:

1. Mom-daughter time with Hope. We've been trying to spend a lot of time together doing fun things lately just the two of us. Pretty soon, someone else will be demanding my attention. I'm very grateful for the 12 years I've had with just Hope, 8 of those years as a stay at home mom

2. Being able to make it on just Tim's salary. Money's been really tight with me not working right now, but we're making do just fine. God's blessings sure are abundant :-)

Two Patterns I Think Are Neat:

1. Sensual Shawl in Lover's Knot

This is so pretty. It's on my crochet want list to learn the Lover's Knot stitch.

2. Lots of Loops Dishcloth

I like the look of this dishcloth. I wonder how scrubby it really is?

Have a terrific Tuesday :-)

Thanks for reading.

Blessings :-)

Today's Inspiration

Monday Musings

It was a productive weekend at our house. We went to a few yard sales. We took Smores in for his shots.

He's doing very well, fat and happy. He seemed surprised when I took his picture with his bone. 

We discovered a new park. That's been a new ritual for Sunday afternoons, discovering local trails and parks. It's good exercise, or at least I tell myself it is.

Yesterday's park had a lot of paved walkways and a little retention pond. This mama duck was a little leery of us at first but relaxed when she realized we weren't going to bother her or her babies.

Curious as to why some birds were flying in and out of the bathroom, we looked up into the corner and discovered a nest with little fluffballs in it. We could see three babies, but there might have been more.

I liked yesterday's flat paved trail better than last week's exploration. On Mother's Day, we discovered a set of trails that were mostly uphill. 

I did enjoy the wildflowers...

the cactus growing wild...

and the interesting trees.

But my favorite part was on the way back to the truck. Downhill all the way :-) 

We only walked a fraction of the trails, maybe a mile and a half total. It's on our list to return later.

This morning we're off to Home Depot to buy concrete to fix the fence and paint for a dresser we bought at a yard sale this weekend. Then it's back to the doctor to check on the Bean's progress. 

Have a marvelous Monday!

Thanks for reading.

Blessings :-)

Today's Inspiration

Source: http://www.xitclub.com/famous-quotes/82800-beautiful-designed-inspirational-quotes.html#post129800