Boy Socks

I only knit 2 pairs of socks last year.  So a couple of weeks before Christmas I set to rectify that by making my boys some.  I had wanted to give them as Christmas gifts, and even though we had a loooooong car ride home for the holidays, I just couldn't get both pairs finished in time.  They wouldn't have understood if I'd given 3 socks and one on the needle, it just wasn't worth it.  So a couple of days after Christmas, they were complete and the boys loved them.

They are a plain 2x2 rib on 60 stitches, with an afterthought heel.  Thanks go to Turtlegirl76 for helping me out with her very own afterthought heel tutorial that went a little something like this: "pick up the stitches and work a toe".  Doh!

Both pairs are made of Socks That Rock Mediumweight - the sock yarn of champions.  Thanks to Irishgirlieknits, she gifted both these skeins to me at different times.  The boys sure find them cozy and warm in their winter boots.

It's snowing here in MI this morning.  We woke to a fine layer on the ground and since then, the pace has picked up.  I'm off out for a quick run.  It should be so peaceful with the snow falling gently, and I'm hoping a lung full of freezing air will chase away the sniffles I've had since last night :0)

Happy Monday knitsters!
Disco xoxo

Snowy Goodness

I'm really enjoying the ladies' from Mason Dixon lightning blogging this week.  Great idea - 15 minutes per post.  I have 10 minutes before I have to leave to get the boys from school, so here goes....

We arrived back in Michigan last weekend to lovely snow on the ground.  This is the most snow I've seen in for. ever.  The boys had so much fun after school on Monday, sledding down the hill.  We are so blessed to have the school grounds permanently open to play in. 

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

 I ran round the lake and tagged a bit extra on to my usual run on Tuesday.  Gradually building my mileage up.  The snow and ice certainly add an extra dimension to keeping the muscles in control while stepping.  The scenery was so pretty that I went for a walk on Wednesday and took these pics.

This is a mini lake by the lake.  The ice is melting right in the middle of it.

Marshland on the other side of the road round the lake.  Pretty melting ice.

Summer, a distant memory.......

....on the frozen lake......

.....starting to melt.

Finishing with my cuties.  Brothers in arms :0)  It may be snowy but it's not 'that' cold.  I'm told!

Happy Friday knitsters.
Disco xoxo

A Productive Road-Trip

Yesterday, we drove the million miles back to Michigan from South Carolina.  I say a million, it's more like 900 and no direct roads.  Gotta go West to go North.  We spotted this awesome truck leaving a Kentucky gas station.  Fortunately it was traveling the same direction as us so we were able to catch up (at a safe speed, promise!) and take a snap of it.  Fun!

 My boys must be the best travelers ever.  Give them a Nintendo and a Nap and they're good for at least 12 hours.  Throw in a couple of McDonalds/Subway/Starbucks pitstops and they're good for 13 :0)  They are funny - see how they nap in the same positions.  Bless!

And here's how productive I was.  Edged 12 granny squares and knit a full 5 hexipuffs.

Michele's blanket is coming along nicely - 74 of 150-ish squares complete.  I'll call that half-way and be pleased :0)  Take a look at her Etsy shop - she is a whizz with a needle and thread, so creative and a colour maestro: makehandmadegoods

Happy Monday y'all.
Disco xoxo

New Year Re-do

So, we had to have a little New Year re-do today.  I backed up our car into a neighbour's last night.  Hopefully, not starting the year as I mean to go on.

Actually, this year is going to be full of positivity.  I will make it so.  Have you seen this dansko design - spotted on a shopping trip yesterday, I just knew y'all would love them :0)

Here are the shoes I will be mostly wearing this year.  After I ran, and enjoyed, an 8k Turkey Trot at Thanksgiving, I decided it was time to take things up a notch, so I just committed to running a (for me) super long race later this year.  Lots of training to be done.   I can't wait to have everything in place so I can share :0)

Happy New Year, y'all.

Disco xoxo

Halloween 2012

When we moved here to MI, I vowed to get my Pinterest on and actually make some of the projects I'd been pinning.  My Halloween board overfloweth, so that's a good one to start with.

Thankfully, one of my boys asked to wear a costume from a couple of years ago, so the parrot trick-or-tweeted again :0)

The other one, though!  We vowed after last year's mega construction project, we wouldn't make any more elaborate costumes.  He was inspired by a souvenir wooden sword he bought from the Jorvik Viking Center in York when we were there in the summer, and asked to be a knight.  Pinterest turned up a couple of inspiration images and we were off - cardboard, duct tape, spray paint and printed fleur-de-lys and it was all completed in a (k)night.  Hallelujah!

Have you seen the Pin showing how to make a wreath circle with insulation foam from the plumbing aisle?  Well, I tried that.  Cut the length I wanted to make a circle and duct taped the ends together.  All well and good, til it started sagging.  Ours was wrapped in black fun fur and decorated with white styrofoam balls with googly eyes glued on.  It drooped right into the shape of the glass in our front door, so I guess that wasn't too bad. I'll be investing in ready made wreath circles in future.

Someone from school was obviously also getting their Pinterest on.  Here's a little ghostly guy who arrived home from a class party yesterday.  I kind of like him :0)

How did y'all's Halloween projects go?

Summer

A quick post from me with some highlights of our summer so far (it's not over yet, right?!).  

I knit Carrie's beautiful and very simple baby girl cardi pattern, Lilliana.  The yarn is Miss Babs Yowza What a Skein in Spruce.  You'll be seeing more of that yarn - I bought 3 skeins and that was enough to knit a cardi for me, one for a baby and a whole Honeycomb Cowl too!

In fact, I knit Lilianna twice.  Here she is in some scrummy Madelintosh dk, colourway Cream.  I modded a little bit, giving this one slightly longer sleeves - the baby lives in Boston, so I'm sure she's getting cold already.

Not exactly a highlight, but excitement nonetheless.  We spent some time in the Emergency Room this summer.  A Boxer's break to one brother's hand when they crashed their bikes head on into each other.  Then three weeks later, an unexpected allergic reaction requiring shots and breathing treatments.  Poor love!

Someone had an Olympic Birthday this year.  We had fun with these decorations and games.

Can you guess where we had our summer holidays?  Here's a clue :0)

Yes, this building does say 1352.  And that's not its street address!  Loved the bunting everywhere this summer.  National pride :0)

Pensive Gorilla.....

Roald Dahl's writing shed, installed in his very own museum.  LOVED this place.  Beautiful village, too.

The Angel of the North.  See the crowd of people by its feet?  Loved this giant piece of art.

SO many good times, places visited, memories old and new this summer.  Brilliant!

And now we have a new adventure to look forward to.  A year in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Bring it!

Oh no, not another one!

People, you know I have the blanket love?  Well, have you seen this beauty on Rav - POP Blanket ?

Mama Mia, I'm in love.  So colourful.  So portable.  So Noro!  Can I resist?