• Yesterday I took Eden to her first school friend birthday party. While I sat at Chuck E Cheese with the other moms, I kept thinking to myself, “I don’t feel old enough to be doing this!”

• We’ve been tearing our house apart and re-arranging for a relative who might move in with us. We should know soon if we’ll have a new roommate but we figured that the house could use a good organization anyway. We moved more of the kids toys into their room, so now I’m going to resume my search for a cheap, modern bunk bed. (Either that or find someone with a truck that wants to drive me 250 miles to Salt Lake City so I can shop at Ikea.)

• So all this re-arranging started with cleaning out the basement. Jim needed space for his home office and all his music equipment upstairs, so we decided that the kids would give up their play room. I moved all my crafting stuff out of our weird, hallway that goes nowhere (we’re talking floor to ceiling shelves worth of craft stuff) and the kids toys took up residency there. (Because the hallway is weird, there is a smallish space to play too.) Since the playroom was empty, we thought it would be a good idea to rip out the disgusting carpet and paint the floor. (I’m kind of obsessed with painted floors these days. Can you tell?) So that’s going to happen tonight before Jim moves in all his gear and my crafting stuff finds it’s way from the dining room floor to the new office.

• I’m also getting ready for a big, 20 person class Christina and I are teaching at a local church tomorrow. Because, you know, when it rains it pours!

•I should probably apologize. I subjected you all to my biggest pet peeve. I dangled information in front of your face and then jerked it away. I still don’t feel like I can say anything because it’s not my information to give. But it’s hard because I’m part of this, you know? And I do really appreciate all the thoughtful and heartfelt comments I received.

•My niece has been with us the past several days and all three kids are sick. And now I have a new nephew. Who I didn’t get to go see because my throat hurts. boo.

•Today is the day of rude people. At (evil) walmart today I needed my credit card approved at the self checkout because it was over $100. Behind me in line was a lady with her young daughter. As the checker came up, the girl tried to scan her pack of gum. And the checker grabbed her hand and shoved it aside. I didn’t even know what to say, I could not believe someone would DO that. (Also, I remember why I usually go to (evil) walmart early in the morning… good Lord it was awful around one.)

•Also today, Christina and I put in quite the exciting yarn order. Just wait to hear what it is! (yes, I’m dangling information in front of your face again…)

• I finally took and uploaded pictures of the cable 8 top that I started, oh, more than a year ago. It’s been finished for a long time, but I never got it photographed. I’m not entirely sure I’m in love with the neckline (which I changed up a LOT) but here it is anyway. I think it looks better as a vest over a long sleeved button up.

• I finished knitting the short sleeved cardigan from fitted knits, but I’m not sure what to do with the buttons. Even on the very square model, the buttons are gaping. see?

So I’m not sure if I should try snaps or hook & eyes or just smaller buttons much closer together. What do you think? (btw, I knit mine out of this color of eco wool.)

•Tomorrow is our first day of milk delivery. I’m so excited! We’re getting local milk and half & half in glass bottles, organic orange juice, farm fresh eggs and cheddar cheese that’s not loaded up with food coloring. And the great part, it’s not costing us any more money. Plus, think of all the trash we’re avoiding!

•Yesterday was blog action day and I missed it! But I’d like to go ahead and write about my dish washer detergent discoveries. Back when I started becoming more aware of my environmental impact, I decided to switch to Seventh Generation dish detergent. I probably costs close to twice what I pay for Cascade at Target, but I felt like the extra 2-4 dollars a month was worth it.

What I didn’t realize is how much better it makes my food taste. I realized this when I ran out of dish soap and didn’t have time to run to the health food store to pick up more. So I just grabbed a box of Cascade from Target. Whenever I would drink out of plastic cups washed with Cascade the taste of soap and chemicals was SO bad that I couldn’t stand it! Even out of glass containers, the soap taste came through. So! Not only is using seventh generation more eco friendly, but it also makes me not freak out when drinking water. (As we all know, this happens frequently.)

•Do you think it’s possible to for your eyelashes to get longer? I think possibly mine might have gotten a tiny bit longer. This would be a very important event.

•Today is our 8th anniversary. Wow that’s a long time! But it’s been a good 8 years and I am SO thankful for my husband and our marriage. yay!

•Yesterday was the benefit ball that Jim planned for one of the non-profit organizations we support. It was fun and a lot of work to plan and pull off, so I’m glad it’s over. But it was fun to get all fancied up in a dress that was probably a little too boob-alicious. oops! They’re just hard to contain sometimes. And I whipped out a pretty silk shawl because I knew I was going to freeze. We should have pictures soon.

•Because we spent the week pulling the remaining pieces together for the gala, things at home were totally neglected. So today I spent the day gathering up laundry, doing dishes, cleaning the bathroom and floors – all things is just LOVE to do, let me tell you. I can’t for the life of me find a way to maintain the clean around here.

•Things at Tangle are going really well. It seems like almost every day we get new yarn or needles or books in. (Lets just say, the UPS lady and I are becoming pretty good friends!) I’m working now on adding lots of new free patterns and tutorials to the website. It’s nice to be busy.

•I can’t say how much I love this weather. It feels like such a calm time of year. Something about the cool air – it brings such peace. I suppose it brings good memories too. Our 8th anniversary is in a little over a week.

•I have a sore throat and I’m realizing that I don’t chew my food up good enough.

•Honor turns 4 on Friday. Do you think Friday morning he will suddenly transform into a manageable boy? (I can hope right?)

•It’s coldish here today. I’m reveling in it.

•Over the weekend I decided that I didn’t want to do any cleaning and instead decided to watch reruns of Americas Next Top Model. Now the house is trashed and I find myself working on my runway walk when I’m all alone.

•Dried bananas look yucky but they are so yummy!

•Now that Tuck is the only puppy in the backyard, we’ve been trying to keep him cheered up. On walks we’ve been channeling our inner dog whisperer and tonight we’re going to try to take him running. I foresee a disaster involving two small children on bikes and one clumsy puppy. At least all the passers by will be entertained.

Trying to get my 5 year old to wear skinny jeans is not going very well…

I sit down to write and
I have nothing to say. Eden
is combing her
polly pocket’s
hair
with my hair brush. Honor
changed out all the
arms
on his lego robots
and they look
funny.

I packed up all the stuff
that
I’ve forgotten
to take to Tangle the last
several trips.
I can’t forget my camera
too because there is
new
hand dyed yarn to
photograph. (I do not
use my camera entirely
enough.)

I really want this jacket.

My mind is buzzing with
way
too
many ideas. This is good,
but I fear I will
forget
them all.
It is a relief to be inspired,
though.

Everyone has been quiet
lately.
Are you still out there?

So where have I been that last week? No where really, just working and playing with the kids. We spent some time at the local lake, went to a movie at the new fancy theater and swam at the only outdoor public pool for this whole 100k people town (ridiculous really). Can you tell the weather has finally turned summer?

After attending a very loud performance at the battle of the bands that won Jim’s band a spot in the next round, I think I’ve been experiencing a bit of vertigo. Something about the sharp pain in my ear that night (that also stuck me outside for the rest of the night) has really messed up my equilibrium. I’m sporting bruises up and down my arms from bumping into things as evidence. As if I needed another factor to add to my clumsiness.

I finished my eyelet cardi, it’s a little big. I’ll overcome my laziness soon and post a pic. It’s wearable, but I like things to have a little less ease. It’s my fault for not looking at the finished measurements. I get frustrated with knitting that doesn’t fit, especially when I could have used common sense and knit the right size. BLAH…

I think I’m going to go have my third, 10 calorie popsicle for the day…

My kitty. I realized today that he’s got to be 10 years old. wow.

“At night the sporks pick on me.”
I’m possibly the only person who is amused by the Taco Bell sauce packets.

‘Nother photo of the herringbone scarf. It’s SO comfy, I need to make myself one in Celery, I think.

This pic and the one before it are for Tangle’s upcoming newsletter.