Admitting you have a problem is the first step...

Yes, I have a mild addiction.  I love yarn, I like to knit, I waste hours of my life listening to the clicky clacky of my knitting needles.

But, I have TOO MUCH yarn.  I have to STOP buying it and never finishing projects.  I have to STOP pinning cute patterns on Pinterest.  It all must stop.  I mean, look at this stash!!!

My New Year's resolution is to use it all up, or as much as I possibly can.  (Some balls are too small and some projects are too big.) Also, I need to FINISH projects, and give them away! So, each quarter of the year, I swear to update my loyal blog followers with my progress.  Here is my plan for this first quarter:

These 4 remnant balls will be knitted into a cozy cowl for a certain friend of mine who has to face the elements everyday.  I won't say anything more because she might catch on.  I've already said too much.

These two balls will turn into some pillow cases, hopefully much like the one shown below ($39.99 on Etsy, by the way!).

And, looking ahead two the 2nd quarter of 2014, these balls of wash cloth-weight yarn will be knitted into wash clothes, all while I sit poolside soaking up sun!

Well... actually... another 2014 resolution is NO MORE SUN, LOTS MORE SUNSCREEN!  I'm getting too old for a suntan.  I already have too many sun spots and my skin doesn't rebound like it used to.   Was that too much information?  Maybe.  So, wish me luck!  And, if anything up there catches your eye, let me know!

Yes, I caved in...

Last fall I read the book Racing in the Rain: My Life as a Dog, by Garth Stein.  It was an entertaining book narrated by a race car driver's dog.  The story really made me think about what dogs really do know and understand.  Dave and I have owned two Spring Spaniels over the years.  Our Springers were great dogs, but by the time our second Springer died,  I had four messy kids and was losing my mind from dog hair, messy foot prints, and accidents in the house (Millie suffered a lot at the end and we spent a lot of time cleaning up after her.)   After Millie, we decided to try a new breed.  That's when we got Rex-- a Chesapeake Bay Retriever.   But, I banished him to a kennel behind our house.  It's a nice kennel, Dave puts a new bale of straw in it every fall (and in past winters he has put in a heat lamp, too); normally Rex is perfectly happy, after all he has never known any different.

Until last Sunday night.

With the temps so far below zero, we knew it would be unsafe for him to be left in the kennel.  So, Sunday afternoon when the temps started to plummet, we dug out an old blanket and gave Rex a talking-to.  We started by letting him out every 45 minutes and after he went to the bathroom, we'd call him back in.  He figured it out RIGHT AWAY!  Such a smart pup!











He must feel like he's hit the jack-pot.  Sunday night Dave and I made Steak Diane out of Sirloin with a nice big bone--for Rex!












He's gotten more attention than he probably ever dreamed possible because it has been fun having him around and we've been REALLY bored.

Today we were off of school again and decided to go into town for lunch.   We left him alone for about an hour and a half and he was a perfect angel!  We baby-gated him in the laundry room with his blanket (where he has been sleeping like a rock ALL night for the past 2 nights)!  I was afraid of what we'd find when we got home, but he just took a nap I guess!

















The bad news is tomorrow he's going to be kicked out to his kennel again because I don't trust him THAT much...        (By the way, this is a picture of Holly brushing Rex with a Barbie brush!)

They still love me...

When we come home from the fair in August, we literally back the trailer up to the pasture gate, open the back of the trailer, take the halters off the cows and their calves, and step out of the way!  The ladies and their babies are so happy to be done with us, they practically shout for joy and kick their hooves in the air!  (Actually, there IS usually some mooing and hoof-kicking!)

Then I go back to work and don't get to see my bovine friends much until the calves get weaned and brought home, and even then it's only when I drive by their pen that I pay much attention to them.

This past weekend I took some time to check up on two of my 2013 favorites.  They walked right up to me like I was their long lost friend.  (They must have forgotten all the cold showers, the yanking on their ropes, the pushing on their backsides...)

Chuckie (left) and Belle (right)
Cute photo-bomber in the middle!

Danny and Drew get in the pen with them every now and then, but right now the pen is over-full with the late summer calves that were recently weaned.  The boys and I will start working with them again when the weather straightens around and basketball season is over. (We also have another steer calf and heifer that will be 4-H fair bound, too.)  The little ones are so cute, but so dirty!  Chuckie and Belle have had this pen to themselves for awhile, I guess that's why they stayed so clean.  I love their furry hair this time of the year!

Chuckie was SO happy to see me, he wanted to give me kisses!

I had just finished making Scotcheroos, suppose he can taste it?

I think that they miss me.  I miss them too.  Summer vacation can't get here soon enough!!

The new girly-girl fad!!!

All the toys my kids have are really just variations of toys that we had as kids:  Legos, Barbies, dolls, a play kitchen with play food, you get the idea. 
Finally there is something out there that I never had as a kid: "Tapeffiti"--fancy tape and myriad ways to use it!

Holly got a Tapeffiti fashion designer kit from Santa.  It came with 15 dress patterns and 24 little rolls of tape, along with a cutter that holds the tape and cuts it neatly.  The kit also came with a dress form and 3 or 4 more dress hangers for holding the dresses after you've finished them.

Holly loves it! She and Emma have made quite a few outfits, and they also got another set of 30 Tapeffiti rolls from their great-grandma!

Holly has figured out how to "construct" her garments after she's "designed" them with the tape.  The construction process involves cutting out the garment (you put the tape on one side, then cut the pattern that's shown exactly the same on the other side), then on the reverse side you match up the numbers and tape (with the Tapefetti-side out) with clear tape. 

I'm afraid they are going to run out of patterns before they run out of tape or interest, so I plan on making photo-copies of the patterns they haven't yet used up!

Emma got a Tapeffiti wallet kit with tape and has made the wallets and a pencil holder out of a Crystal Lite container. 

What are your kids playing with this winter?  Any new favorites?  Any old favorites? 

Off to a great start!

Christmas vacation at the Daly house is off to a fantastic start!  I am glad for the ice!  I'm glad for the snow! I'm glad for the cold!  These dreaded weather conditions mean that we are stuck at home (or at least not too far from it)!  I made sure I stocked up on library books, I've got a fresh bottle of Bailey's, and the cupboards are full--let's hunker down and enjoy the time off!

By night, this house is toasty warm and full of sparkling lights!

By day, the tree out my kitchen window is draped in diamonds!

Merry Christmas!  I hope you are able to enjoy some rest and relaxation, too!

Next week at this time...

What we accomplished today:

• the finalization of 1 African Penguin poster (approximately 25 minutes)

 

• a 5th grade "weekly reading log" report:  (approximately 15 minutes)

• the practicing of 1 piano lesson (approximately 30 minutes)

• the beginning and completion of 1 end-of-the-semester book report/project: a poster, a RAFT question (a three-pronged thesis, 5 paragraph essay), a 3-5 minute presentation, (all adding up to at least 5 hours of work straight through the afternoon by oldest son, aka "Mr. Procrastinator")

• the grading of 18 Algebra 2 tests (approximately 1 hour 45 minutes)

• completion of 3 teachers' Christmas presents

• and 5 bills paid (thank goodness for online bill pay:  4 minutes...I'll balance the checkbook next week!)

At approximately the 2-hour mark of aforementioned book project (while I was helping him glue stuff to his poster board) I looked at Danny and said, "You know what we'll be doing NEXT Sunday at this time (1:45pm)?" and he smiled at me and said, "NOT THIS!" 

Only 5 more days 'til Christmas Vacation!!!!!  We've earned it!!!!

Just please don't drop by in the next two or three days, this house is... um... scary.

An evening at the theater!

Holly had a special invitation to see the Rockford Symphony Orchestra and the Rockford Dance Company's production of "The Nutcracker".  Her piano teacher plays the oboe with the RSO and invited her to come see this beautiful ballet production.   Last night we bundled up, ventured downtown, and I know that it was a night I won't soon forget!  We were both so excited!  Right as the lights began to dim, Holly looked over at me and said, "It's finally time!!!!" 

The Coronado Theater is so gorgeous.  I haven't been there probably 15 years.  Holly was captivated by the glitz and glam! 

When I ordered our tickets, I requested balcony seats so that we could see into the pit where the orchestra sits underneath the stage.  Before the ballet started, we walked down and peaked over the railing and saw our piano teacher warming up her oboe!  From our seats up high we had a good view of the harpist, as well! 

The music was breathtaking, the dancers all did an amazing job, it was such a wonderful night! 













And--We went to Culver's for supper (before hand), which was another big treat! 

The night was perfect in every way; I think I know who I can call if I ever want a date for the theater!