Max on Thursday!

Sorry I missed last week, so I give you Max on Thursday!

We have been settling in to our new home life. Since I have taken him to a relative who did the whole vet work up for free we have more energy and have started to be a little more mischevious. If you were gonna rescue a dog, well Max has been a perfect addition to the family since day one. He has only had 2 (yes just 2) accidents in the house. He has learned his routine of going out in the morning and when we come home from work. He goes out not on leash, does his business and next time I look out the glass front door he is already on the front porch looking in. He doesn't wander, he knows he has the good life now and isn't going anywhere.

I find it very interesting the things he has done from day one, such as he eats only when we eat or around. He gets very sad when his boys leave and he is left behind for school, or just to go play in the neighborhood. He goes to bed when the boys goes to bed and doesn't get out of it until they get up and leave their room. He might come check on me if I am leaving in the morning to get some loving but back to his bed he goes until the boys awake. In the mornings he goes from room to room checking on the boys and mom and dad to make sure he hasn't missed anyone leaving the house.


I love how one ear sticks up, and one ear flops! Is this a Jack Russell Trait Chan?

I know he has a sweet face, but this week he has started getting into stuff. I know I had left my yarn and sock in the chair and left for maybe a hour to run to the store. I came back and the yarn was rolled back and forth all over the den floor. It wasn't wet, he didn't chew on it. I can just picture him chasing the cake of yarn all over the floor. So dad took the boys to school and had a day off yesterday, to put the boys bunk bed together, when he came home he found that Max had licked the sugar of the boys Easter Peeps and took toilet paper from the bathroom and strolled it all over the den. It wasn't that way when we left, we don't just take toilet paper and roll the house unless we have Cameron visiting and Cameron hasn't been back since about 4 weeks ago, when he just appeared or was found.

There you have you our new love in this house.

Coffee
1. What is your preference? Whole beans or ground?
I guess ground, I don't have a grinder

2. What kind of coffees do you enjoy? A rich, bold roast; a light, fresh one, or something in between? Leaded or non? I am your flavored girl, but I like Seattle's Best Breakfast Blend that is Leaded please!

3. If you were headed out right now to buy some coffee for the house, what would you be picking up? Just what I said above or a good flavored one, or even some espresso for the machine!

4. Do you drink for caffeine, pleasure, or both? It depends, if I need a pick me up or not

5. Do you enjoy flavored coffees? How about add-ins or flavored creamers? Yes, I like all flavors except the Chocolate. Flavored Creamers are nice to?

6. A large, lovely mug or a small, dainty cup? I am a girly girl and would love to be all dainty, but I love a big sturdy mug, I also like traveler mugs.

7. Describe your perfect cup - not JUST the coffee, but how you'd enjoy it! It would have to be with some good company with a good dessert or pastry. I would take any of my knitting friends, or I always enjoyed getting up every morning and drinking coffee with my sister when I visited.

8. You're sitting down to enjoy a nice cup in the local coffee shop, knitting bag in hand, iPod all tuned up - or maybe you're there with a few friends for knit night! What treat do you pick up to enjoy with your coffee? A sweet, rich brownie, or something more healthy? How about a salty treat? What goes best with that great cup and company? I am your sweet rich girl (not really rich, don't I wish), a decadent dessert or pastry would do me just fine. I like coffee cakes, but cheesecake wouldn't be bad either. Forget the healthy stuff, I eat healthy the rest of the time.

Yarn
1. Do you knit or crochet? I am a hooker with needles. I do both.

2. What are your favorite types of yarns to work with? Everything has its use for something. I am getting into socks, I want to do lace, I use cotton for washclcoths.

3. What do you have on the needles (or hook!) right now? 1 sock to go to the frog pond and 1 sock that is coming right along. I want to cast on for some summer wears soon.

4. What are your favorite colors in yarns? What about those that you'd never find in your stash?If you read my blog you know what my favorite color is. I am not a big fan of Yellow and orange except like at halloween. I like brown and blacks mixed with other colors.

5. What sort of needles or hooks do you enjoy using? Any you just detest? I like bamboo dpn's or straights or brittany's. For circ.'s I like Knit picks metal. I use the metal Boye I think hooks.

6. Are there any particular notions you absolute do NOT need? Some of us swap a lot - are you sure that you have enough tape measures to last your lifetime? Enough stitch markers to mark every stitch of a 10 foot wide afghan? You can never have enough Tape Measurers, especially the cute ones. Stitch Markers are always great. I could use another stitch marker holder or a hook holder. I need something to hold dpn's as well.

7. You walk into the yarn shop and have exactly and only enough money to purchase 2 skeins of yarn in their 2 for 20 special they have going..The choices are a soft, thick cotton/viscose blend in your favorite colors, slightly variegated..a beautiful sock yarn that's just squishy and sproingy in your hands.. a soft, worsted weight wool like malabrigo.. and a lovely bamboo blend with colors to just die for. Which do you walk out the door with? That's a hard one. It would be probably the wool or sock yarn.

Spring
1. We're starting sign-ups on the first day of Spring - is it already truly Spring-like where you are? It depends on the day, Some day it is and then it drops off to the 30's and snow flurries.

2. What's your favorite spring flower? Do you have one? I love tulips, but daffodils, don't they make you happy?

3. What do you most look forward to about springtime? Warm weather, going to the park with the boys.

4. They've predicted a gorgeous day tomorrow - Sunny and about 65 with a nice breeze - how do you spend your day? I think it would be a good day for the boys and I to go to the zoo.

5. The day after, it's going to be cooler and pouring down rain - does that impact your mood? How do you spend that day? what helps cheer you up? Yes it does. I am a moody girl with the weather. Rain makes for a doom and gloom day and Sunshine well that is me.

Odds n Ends
1. Do you collect anything BESIDES yarn and needles? Lots of tea, never can have enough of different flavors.

2. Are you allergic to anything? Bee's

3. Do you have pets? Yes the 2 legged kind all boys and 4 legged, Max.

4. Is this your first swap, or are you an old pro? What are the last 2 swaps you participated in?
Pro - I host with this other hostess. Dishcloth swap and Cocoa Swap
5. List 3 of your favorite blogs - craft related or not - and tell us why you love them.

Happy Easter!

I just want to wish all my blogging buddies out there who celebrate a Happy Easter! I am still on the mends, but feeling better. We got up at 6am to open baskets. Big boys basket was made out of his new Skateboard. Littleman's basket was a Star Wars theme with a X-box 360 game, and Star Wars Legos. They both had bunches of candy. Our sweet Max had a basket. He sat in Big boys lap and they opened it. He had some new stripe bowls, a retractable leash, collar and some rawhides filled with meat. We are headed to my moms for lunch and to hide eggs with my precious nephew. I will try to take pictures.

Hope you have a wonderful day.

Just a reminder that sign ups for the Coffee Swap are open until March 25th. So, head on over and get signed up. Our last coffee swap turned out to be a good one.

Our dear friend Chan is celebrating a Bloggiversary. What would a celebration be without a contest when it comes to the blogging world. Well, you got it there is a contest. You can tell her I sent you or just go leave her a message on her blog, Congratulating her. She is truly an amazing and giving person, and someone I have enjoyed getting to know.

Well, there is some knitting going on, since that is what the Dr. ordered right? No, he didn't order that, he just ordered bedrest for the weekend. I have had a little complication, issue with my surgery and healing . So, I have started a new sock with yarn I dyed with my sister, I just can't bring myself to rip my other sock out. It was looking so good. Well, I hope everyone has a Happy Easter for the ones who celebrate. We will be hunting eggs.

Spring Fling Coffee and Yarn Swap

Contest ends for the Coffee Swap that Anne and I are hosting at Midnight tomorrow night. Sign ups begin March 17th. I mean what could be better than coffee and yarn right?
Hope to see you there!

Dogs On Thursdays

I accept my invitation to Dogs on Thursday, that Michelle extended to me and I will try my hardest to keep you posted on the journey through Max's new life.

Last Saturday after the sun came out and the snow melted (yes I can't believe we had snow), I looked out and on my front porch I should have taken a picture the boys had gotten there pillows and had the neighborhood dogs laying on their pillows with them. Totally a loss kodak moment. I saw the dog who since was a baby laying out there with the boys. This precious little pup has been wondering for a year door to door and has grown a little. He laid on my porch many of days and I would go out and love on him and the boys kept telling me, he doesn't belong to anyone, can we keep him. I would say no boys we don't need a dog. So, one night he was still on my porch and it was dark, I let him in for a minute just to see. He was so behaved. He layed right beside me and didn't move. I just pet him and then he went out and he disappear and then he show up a couple days later. Everytime I saw him, I would tell my husband he would be the perfect dog. I promise he would be the perfect dog. Well, this weekend, the boys talked me into letting him in the house and I said, "Only if I can bath him". Well, to the boys that meant we are keeping him. I wanted to try and see if was just that behaved and he is. I went out bought him food, rawhide chews, bones, beggin strips, a bed and a gate. We have had him since Saturday and we have only had one accident on the tiled floor. Since Saturday night he has slept with the boys everynight. I get ready to go to work and some mornings are pretty early when I leave. I will open the door to the garage and he will walk down the hall, I will pet him while telling him bye and he will walk back down the hall and get back in his bed (next to the boys) and lay there until they both get up and leave their room. He cries when they go outside and leave him in. He is so sweet and doing so well at our home. So, I give you a Dog on Thursday, our dog!

Max Eugene Waldrop

He loves to sleep with the boys and he is truly grateful to be in our family.

Just Some Handmades!

While I was on leave I was involved in 2 Swaps the Dishcloth Swap and the Cocoa Swap.


My Dishcloth pal was Alana and I wanted to try some new patterns. I made my first lace item and I think it turned out great, I was very pleased. My second pattern is the one on the left it is one of KT's patterns. KT was my dishcloth spoiler and at the last dishcloth swap in the fall I had came across her blog and found some great patterns she had written. So, I really liked this Dimple Washcloth on the left. It made it thick and sturdy. I loved both patterns and will probably make some for myself.



Then I had Lesley in the Cocoa Swap. I was late getting her package to her, but I made her some fun items for the swap.

She said she liked Butterflies and I made these stitch markers with some pink beads, she is like me and likes pink.






She is a big advicate for Breastfeeding and so Michelle her cohostess suggested I knit her a breast. So, I knitted for her blah buster buddy a breast buddy. It was so soft. I used

Yarn: Bernat Bamboo ( I didn't like this yarn it bunches up.)
Needles #6 DPN's

I even put some bells in there with the stuffing.

Some Contest and A Hat For Megan

First line of business, some of my online blogging friends have some contest going on. We have Devon, she is just a cool chick. She was my spoiler in the Knit1Tea2 Swap. She is celebrating a blogiversary, filled with some sweet treats. Devon is a pastry chef and you should go on over, if for any reason just to check out some of her sweet treats. It will make your mouth water.

Then we have one of the sweetest people I know, Amanda. She is having a PMS contest. No, it's not what you think, it is Promote My Shop. Even if Amanda was PMS you would never know it, she is that kind hearted. She does have a awesome Etsy Shop with great yarns. I have ran my fingers through her yarn and it is so soft and squishy. She has some great colors right now for spring. So, go on over and tell her I sent you.

Ok, now all the business is taken care of I can show my FO. Its a hat for Megan. I would of had it finished except the yarn I chose and knit with was to flemsy and wasn't working for me . So, I went out and got some more. I tried adjusting the pattern but it wasn't working either. So, the day my mom went into the hospital I started all over 1 more time. I decided to go by the pattern, and Chan and Michelle you knit 18" and then pick the stitches along the side, which 80 stitches = 18". Well, with the yarn I used it was 110. I used a combination of patterns of crocet and knitting for the flower and leaves. So, here I give you Megan's hat.

I like the way it turned out after all the ripping. I just wanted it to be perfect for her.

Hat

Yarn: Bernat Satin Sport

Needles: Susan Bates Circular #7's

Flower

Needles: Clover #8 DPN's

Crochet Hook: G/6 4.25mm