Spiffy and Luka

 
Rushing home after OMSI we made it to Noah's Cub Scout Pack meeting. It appear Luka helped *Spiffy* make the awards. 

OMSI Fun

 
Luka and Melissa are having fun at OMSI in the toddler sand pit. We spent over 5 hours playing all over OMSI. It is an awesome place for kids aged 1-99. 

Luka Checks out the Portland Map

 

Luka is checking out the map of Portland. He is my fearless navigator and sometime paper shredder. I did get to figure out the route to OMSI before he completely shredded the map.

By the by ... we spent the night in this LOVELY little hotel called the Inn at Northrup Station. It is a cute, funky, colorful, friendly and immpeccably serviced little hotel on the streetcar line in NW Portland. It comes HIGHLY reccommended by this family. The (roomy) rooms have sitting areas, kitchenettes and two TVs (when adults and kids can't agree on some mindless viewing). 

Santaland pictures

This Santaland has been happening at Meier & Frank in downtown Portland for over 40 years. My parents both sat on Santa's lap here when youngsters. My sister and I sat on his lap when I was 13. My own kids have sat on Santa's lap here as well. Always a top notch Santa!




Meier & Frank has been bought out by Macy's. In 2006 it will begin its metamorphosis into a Macy's with a swank hotel on the top floors. Santaland will be (reportedly) relegated to the basement. The monorail will unfortunately be dismantled and taken to who knows where. I am SO sad about this. My kids are devastated!

Portland Zoo Lights

 


Part of our annual holiday festivities is to visit the Portland Metro Zoo for Zoo Lights. We eat a yummy buffet dinner then walk it off looking at the beautiful lights at the zoo. We always take a ride onthe Zoo Train too. Unfortunately Luka was asleep and hidden under his blankets when I took this photo. Ah well ... the kids had a blast. The weather was dry if not warm. 

Halloween 2005

I LOVE Halloween! I guess most adults do as it is one of the most popular adult holidays.

My kids love Halloween too. We start planning our costumes in August. Every year my husband and I have been together we have had themed Halloween costumes until this year.

Jasmine and Aladin
Sunflowers
Raggedy Ann and Andy
Sunflowers and Sweet Pea
Bumble Bees
Duckling and Hunters
Dragons
Peter Pan ensemble
Renaissence Royalty
Star Wars ensemble
This hodge podge of characters seen here - Noah didn't want to be anyone other than Anakin Skywalker. Melissa was set on wearing last year's ballet recital tutu. Luka was a shoe in for Laa-Laa as the Teletubbies had taken over his vocabulary and life at this point. At the last minute I found a cool and (very) inexpensive Maleficient costume. A little make up and I am good (personality was already in place).

I doubt I will ever again get the whole gang (usually including Andy) together in costume again. I like the idea, the style, the togetherness of the whole idea. I am sick that way. Iwould have the kids in sibling outfits for every major holiday if I could. I think it looks cute. I really think I have limited imagination.

This will go in the October 2005 folder in a week or so but until then ... enjoy!

Our Spanish Student ... Pablo

Meet Pablo! He came to stay with our family this past summer. We really liked him. We were very sad to send him home at the end of the visit.

Here he is in the Kinetic Lab using the Bridgeport Milling machine. He also got to try out the lathe, drill press, and welding. He was thrilled. In Spain folks don't own garages. Garage type hobbies just aren't done. 

Newborn Baby Sweater(s)

This is the second of three baby sweaters I knit. The first was kelly green , lavender, and yellow and went to my friend in Salem for her (then) unknown sexed baby. A yellow ribbon was used.

This one was knit for my friend Deb and her baby boy - Ian.

The third was knit with a similar yarn the the second except the yarn colors are tan, pink, and orange. A pink ribbon was used.

The pattern is relatively simple, quick, free online (if I can remember where I'll post it). Cast on the back. Knit up tothe arm pits. Cast on the arms. Knit up to the neck. Place neck stitches on holder yarn. Knit up over the left arm. Cast off the sleeve stitches. Knit down the front. Cast off at the front bottom. Knit over the right arm. Cast off the sleeve stitches. Knit down the right fron. Cast off at the right front bottom. Pick up the right side front stitches, pick up the live neck stitches, down the left front. Knit the band. Cast off. Weave a few ribbons in to tie the sweater closed. About 4 (uninterrputed) hours for me from start to finish. 

Happy Mother's Day!

Today (well at least 3 minutes from me starting this) it is Mother's Day. My mother in law, Beth, returned home from a medical mercy mission and the family is getting together for a late lunch. I will miss it for the Blessingway I am co-hosting with Diane and for Deb. Andy has a plan to make bagels and lox and cream cheese with the kids for me in the morning. I watched two movies tonight relatively childfree AND got a lot of knitting done. (More on the knitting in a later blog.) I'd say it has been pretty great but I will miss the lunch tomorrow.

Happy Mother's Day!

First Communion

On May 1, 2005 Noah celebrated his First Communion. He worked long and hard to prepare for this day. We are so happy for and proud of him. 

Our WONDEFUL friends!!

and Melissa of course. 

The Cousins!

My two older kids with their cousins. I met up with my sister and her kids for a fun jungle themed lunch. It isn't hard to see the family resemblance.

I was very happy to see my sister again. It has been a long time. 

Disneyland

Here are the two older kids with the Mad Hatter. Its a great place to be. I've got the BEST help a mom could ask for ... a LLLLeader and her two lovely, grown daughters!! They live near Disney and know all the tricks. The best tricks are someone for mom to chat with and someone to ride the rides with big kids while the baby sleeps. 

Legoland

We are visiting Southern California so Andy can attend a conference. We wpsnt two days in Legoland and really enjoyed ourselves. 

Happy Birthday Dr Suess!

Today is Dr Seuss's birthday. Happy Birthday!

I took Noah to Dr Amador to get his plantar wart frozen. It is SO HUGE that it may take several freezings to get the job done right. I don't know how that kids handles that huge bump on the inside edge of his big toe *knuckle*.

Luka had a DaTP shot while we were there.

Sunny days

Today was clear and bright and warm - for late February in Oregon. I scheduled a Reach for the Stars read-a-thon for a Portland area Charter School. We (the kids and I) went to swimming. We went to the Corvallis brewing Supply shop for more ingrediants. Noah finished his Singapore Math 1B book then left for a Wolf Cubs meeting. The baby and I cuddled and nursed on the couch. Melissa played and sang her sweet songs. Andy took the kids to the park to ride bikes and I went to a Benton County Breastfeeding Coalition meeting. Dinner as a family. I racked beer into the secondary fermenter. Kids played. We are all dropping off to sleep one by one.

Almost no knitting today. Well I did get 3-4 rows of the second turkish heel in my dad's socks. They will be here on Monday so I should step it up and get them done. I almost chose a Witbeer recipe called Knit Wit. I went with Belgian Clouds instead.

Sunny and busy days.

Toe up Twists & Checks

Finally! This is my first toe up sock!!

It is for my dad. He has 12 inch long feet. He picked this cabernet colored skein of Opal yarn. I was worried I wouldn't have enough yarn left over for the second sock so I took it to the LYS to split the skein. We used a yardage meter (sucked on the fingering weight yarn) then weighed it on the scale. I also (obviously) chose to make the heel in a contrasting dark grey color.

I used a pattern out of the sock book Cool Socks Warm Feet by Lucy Neatby to start at the toes and add back in the turkish heel.

I knit the foot, heel, and leg using the two circular method from Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles: a Manual of Elegant Knitting Techniques and Patterns by Cat Bordhi.

I used a rib pattern called Twists & Checks from page 60 of the Summer 2004 issue of Interweave Knits. It was called the Anniversary Pullover by Kathy Zimmerman. 

La Leche League Life

 
Today I had several Leaders from around the state at my house. Also in attendance was Joel G. He is the consultant working with (not FOR) LLLI. He came to discuss Distributed Systems and Areas.

I feel like LLLOR is already a long way toward being a Distributed System. It would, in my opinion, be a good thing for Leaders and League to become a Distributed System. The beauty of the thing is those who were excited about it could join us and those who liked things the way they are could stay where they are.

Sunday night I hope other Leaders (and some of the same ones) will be here for some fun. Monday morning is the Area ADC/ACT/Leader meeting. We'll discuss DS, the Area Conference and other important (to me) stuff. I'll also take photos of Leaders so they can be uploaded to the LLL Community Network.

Soon (I was hoping today) the Area's new software will arrive. I am hopiong the FrontPage SW will help me make webpages that the Leaders can do more interacting with. It will be GREAT to make a month by month series of webpages the Leaders can use to be accountable to each other with. I envision each Leader inputting her stats and leaving a brief message about how her LLLLife is going for her.

Baby is pulling on my arm so it is time to sign off.

Working on my brewing journal

I am making beer again. It has been almost 8 years since I first started to brew. I am looking forward to the outcomes. :-)

My brewing journal is here Dizzy Broad Brew. I hope you will join me there on occassion to see what I have brewing.

My Sweet Boys

Here are my sweet boys. Luka was particularly, um, difficult. I was particularly, um, difficult and exhausted. Noah took Luka into his bed with him to snuggle, calm down, and nod off to sleep.

Big brothers ... yum! 

Twists and Checks Part Duex

This is the second sock getting ready for a heel to be inserted. The lesson I learn from these socks is if I ever do another heel like this I will DEFINATELY knit a row or two of plain stockinette before starting the cables or tricky stitches on the leg.

Learn from this - it was SO frustrating to try to pick up twisted cable stitches properly to insert the heel. 

My Little Red Coupe

Every boy needs a little red coupe at least once in his life! I hope to trade up someday. 

Good icing

Good thing grandma lets you have seconds. 

Let the party begin

All right let the party begin!

 

Waiting for things to get started

Luka has had his meal and is waiting for the birthday show to get on the road. Note the laid back body language. Turning one is not such a big deal! 

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Luka in December 2004

The family on vacation at Crater Lake. August 2004

It is a new day and a new year!

Well it is a new day and a new year. I am awake early despite going to bed after midnight. The kitties thought it would be a good morning to attack us while we tried to sleep. Melissa spent the night with the grandparents having her first solo sleepover. Noah spent the evening tossing cyber water balloons. Luka spent the evening bouncing between Andy and I. He also spent an inordinate amount of time perfecting his *babyzilla* walk. The boy WALKS! Am I not panicked or what?!?

I am trying to learn about Blog skins and how to create them. I suspect its more useless knowledge that I won't actually use. I can see it will be a BIG time waster for me but ... I got to try it out. :-)

Off to make the family artery clogging breakfast!

Happy New Year.
-m