My, what big...everything you have!

His new favorite toy, a full-size basketball (slightly deflated.) He chased it around the yard for an hour, until I had to fetch it out of the woods one too many times. He can now easily graze off my table and counter tops and weighs in around 110lbs. My dog finally weighs more than I do! His back is just above my hips, I have to bend my elbow to rest my hand on his back now.
My little Easter Bunny. That's her crazy, maniac grin. It usually means trouble is about to ensue. Bwah, ha, ha, ha, ha. Catch me if you can!

1 Sheep, 2 Sheep, 3 Sheep...

24 Sheep

A pre-Easter surprise for BubbaLou's little classmates. Everyone had great fun "biting their squishy heads off". Their words, not mine. The only people who appreciated that they were low-sugar, whole grain cupcakes were the parents.

The good, the bad, and the ugly.

I began a new diet plan just over a week ago. It started with a 3 day fruit flush (day one, lots and lots of Jay Robb protein shakes, veggies and chicken for dinner, day 2/3 all fruit, veggies for dinner), now I'm on to high protein, no carb breakfast/lunch, high complex carb, low protein dinner. I basically just had to switch my pasta, buy whole grain sprouted bread, lots more fruit and veg. So far I've lost 7 pounds. 7 to go. Not a bad start, and I'm not hungry or craving sweets and carbs like I was. I was afraid I'd be starving all the time, I'm not and I have more energy.

That's the good.

Bubba Lou won't potty train. I've given up and put her back in pull-ups because I'm so sick of dirty panties. I'm at wit's end. A year and a half of this nightmare. I honestly don't know what to do anymore. Rewards don't work. Punishment doesn't work. Bribing doesn't work. She seriously doesn't care. She doesn't care that her skin is raw and hurts, she doesn't notice that she's wet or soiled. Is this a medical issue, or just a stubborn little girl who's going to drive me insane? It's getting worse every day.

There's the bad.

Now, for the ugly.

I'll get back to ya. Maybe I'll take a picture of my muddy, un-landscaped, debris laden backyard and post it. Makes me miss the snow a little.

You have to see these!

Please check these out...

Are they not the cutest little things you ever saw? Not particularly my style, but I may have to do a couple in fun colors to brighten up my home for spring. I love their whimsical design, not too country, not too vintage.

Sweater

I had it finished. All ends worked in. Tried it on. Decided sweater needed to be 2" longer. Commenced ripping out the border to lengthen the stockinette stitch, am currently reworking the border. Funny how a knit garment on needles is longer than a completely finished one when you try it on. Funny how sleeves that were a touch too long are now a touch too short (hopefully blocking the damn thing will fix that...I'm not re-doing sleeves, it's not in me.)

And I've decided to start a new project on the plane. I can't bear to spend 9 boring hours working on a project I've already spent countless hours on. I need a little (a tiny little) bit of excitement to get through 3 take-offs and landings intact....each way.

Off Again

I leave for (hopefully) sunny California next week to attend Expo. It's the biggest natural products show in the nation. I'm working there for All Terrain and Borlind but that doesn't mean I don't have time to sample all the wonderful products and foods. There just isn't enough time to see or do it all. I've made a list of favorite vendors to visit and see if I can get any little freebies to bring home and stretch my tight "organic, natural, earth-friendly" budget. I'll try and remember to give you the details when I return.

In the meantime, check out my artic explorers.We got about another 14" on Sunday night. I don't mind the snow, not even lots and lots of it. I live in New Enlgand, I chose to live here, I don't bitch about winter. Except one thing...I'm so tired of being super cold. It was ZERO when I got out of bed this morning, definitely not walking the dog. Let's hope CA will let me warm up my fingers a little, if nothing else, I won't have to wear Darn Tough wool socks (the best socks in the world, thank you David O!) and Sorels.

I am almost finished the sweater I started a couple of months ago. It went super-fast (did the body in a few days) until I got to the sleeves. Sleeves are always the death of me, especially when you have to knit them on dpns. I have less than 20 rounds to go...think I'll finish it tonight? Not a chance, I think I'll pick up a scarf instead of going around in tiny circles. I'll finish the sleeve on my lunch break tomorrow, work in my ends, take a picture and let y'all see it. I never photo-ed this one in progress, so you just get to see the done deal.

I wonder what I will bring to knit on the plane to CA...that's a lot of opportunity to knit uninterrupted by a small child, dog or man. Maybe start the linen skirt for summer, or finish the lace scarf, or the wool scarf, or the white Rowan sweater. Finish something? Nah, it's getting closer to spring...start-itis has got me.

Thank you!

My good friend Abbie and 2 of her children came to visit me yesterday. Bubba Lou and T had a wonderful time together and B.L. shared her toys and swing much better than I ever suspected she would. Zeep was well behaved, but quite curious. No one got an accidental puppy bite. All-in-all it couldn't have gone any better. Until I opened a little bag from Abbie containing a skein of yarn! It is a lovely shade of harvest orange (about the shade my kitchen will be someday) in soft, hand-spun, kettle-dyed wool. I had just the pattern for it:

I love that this pattern looks like I'm weaving instead of knitting. And one skein makes the perfect length/width for my chocolate brown leather coat. Many, many heartfelt thanks to you Abbie! I will think of you every time I wear this (and hopefully we have warm spring before I finish it, but I doubt it.)

B.L. was not left out of the gift-giving. For a belated birthday gift, she got the cutest little kitchen tools with bodies instead of handles and a spoon, whisk, and measuring cup for heads! She LOVES them and says "Thank You" again. We used them this morning to make pancakes.

And to top of our fantastic day, Nana came for a sleepover! Does it get better?