White Christmas

I always wish for a white Christmas and I am grateful when that happens. Christmas eve it snowed about 8 inches. So I got my wish.

Let the party begin!

Already for the Christmas season to begin. After working on the house today which included fixing the garland lights for the front door. We are now at Winger's for dinner before the big On Track and Groove Dr's acoustic night. The band from Risen Life Church will be performing along with singers for Sing Vocal Studios. I am so excited. Ley the fun begin!

Sent from my Windows Phone

Countdown to Christmas

I have this still to knit.

10 Things For Which You Are Thankful

This is very fitting for this week as it is Thanksgiving here in the U.S. on Thursday.

1. I don't talk about it much on my blog much as I think action speak louder than words but I have truly thankful for my Lord and Savior.
2. My family - this is more than those that are related to me by name, it also includes those friends that are so much more that they have become family.  
3. My job - I have been so blessed for the last four years to work for On Track Music.  My boss spoils me. While I don't make what I did when I was in the corporate world, you can't touch my lifestyle. I have a life, I am not on call 24/7. I come in contact with great people each day. The people that work in the surrounding business have become great friends.
4. Gluten free food - so many options and so many resturants and bakeries are now on board, such a great change in the seven years I have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease.
5. Snow - more importantly the change of seasons. Even though I am not a huge fan of HOT weather, I do enjoy the four seasons and feel blessed to live in a place that enjoys all of them.
6. My country - politics as side - there is not another country I would chose to live in.
7. My health - although it has its ups and downs I am grateful that I am as healthy as I am.
8. My hubby - he is so precious to me. He is encouraging and patience with me, especially when dealing with health issues.  He supports all of my hobbies, especially the knitting. Actually he is an yarn stash enabler.  
9. Coffee - Those who see my facebook status know that I can't go more than a day without a cup of this miracle!  Coffee shared with friends and family is the best!  Some of my best memories is having coffee with my grandmother at her kitchen table.
10. My Cats - they are fuzzy cuteness that makes me smile each day!  China and Fergie are adorable and I love them dearly.

I am so grateful/thankful for many more things but these were just the 10 I thought of today.  

10 things on my mind right now

I decided I would like to try to join in on Carole Knits' Ten on Tuesday.  So today's topic is 10 Things On My Mind Right Now.  Let's see what is on my mind....it might be crazy.

1. The election. While the national stuff is important. There is a few local issues that mean more to me, I am waiting to see how those go.
2. I really love coffee, I think I need to brew some more.
3. Snow is forecast for the end of the week and I want to finish Mr80grit's new knit hat so he has it for the day.  
4. I am hoping for a very snowy winter so I can enjoy all my knitted stuff
5. Christmas giving.  I have decided not to knit gifts for my family this year as I am a little burned out as I have done so much for so long
6. Doctor Who - it is all I seem to watch on Netflix these days
7. Chocolate is always on my mind
8. Not looking forward to dental work in December, I hoping my tooth stays in until that day
9. Return books to the library
10. what to eat for dinner.

First snow

Update - no pictures

Well I have been knitting fingerless mitts/arm warmers this last week.  I am doing it because unfortunately I have gain back about 30 pounds of the 50 pounds I lost and I refuse to buy new clothes for the winter. I know it is quite stupid but I refuse to budge on this point. 

I have been having a lot of fun with the knitting even though I lost (lost as in misplaced) my size 6 double point needles that I think to knit ragtop mittens.  Of course, it was only after I bought replacement needles, this time 40 inch circular needles that the hubby stumbled on them on the coffee table in the family room. Well, not a big deal, even he said so as he knows the love I have with doing everything on the magic loop.  I love it that he really gets me as a knitter. That statement reminds me that he really wants a new pair of socks for Christmas. Best be doing that soon.

On the health front, other that my weight going up, I realized this morning why I exercise the real truth not because I want to lose weight but to keep out of pain as my lower back and hips have flared up and I really don't want to go to the chiropractor.  I am sometimes so like my mom it isn't even funny.  So back on the walking circuit either tonight or in the morning.  Also I have a loose front tooth and the new dentist and I are waiting to see if the splint that he attached will help.  If it doesn't it means that either the tooth is too far gone or it is broken which means going to a specialist for an implant as it is one of my fragile top teeth.  So praying quite hard that the splint works!!!!

Today is very cold with some of my neighbors/friends/family getting a dusting of snow. I am really hoping for a very, very snowy winter.  All the more reason to get more exercise in so that I can use my new snowshoes!

Let the season begin!

Weekend part 2

Today has been fun with good food and fun. We slept in this morning! I was up before hubby so I had coffee and yogurt to start the day. We headed out for a late lunch, we grabbed A & E and took them with us. Afterwards we watched the avengers as we didn't get to it last night.

So this evening, hubby and I headed out to run errands and grab a treat. Since we had Mexican for lunch, we had frozen yogurt for dinner.

15th anniversary weekend part one

Well it is Friday night and hubby and I are going to make a run at our 15th anniversary again. Our official wedding anniversary is September 13th but our first wedding date was October 4th. So since our wedding se have messed up the official anniversary either by forgetting it or making bad choices. So we have had better luck with the 4th of October. This year was the same, so for the first part we are having dinner at Stella's and then heading home to watch the avengers. It is a better start, we are at a restaurant that serves wine and has real silverware and plates.

Random thoughts

I meant to start blogging each day but I had such a crazy start to the month at work that it didn't happen so I thought I would begin it today. 

I have just realized that i meant to brew more coffee when I got to work but totally forgot about it until now.

I have been dealing with allergies all year and have decided that I am going to stop letting them control my life, I will start getting up in the morning and working out either by going to the gym or taking a walk. 

I set a goal to run a mile by the end of October and I haven't started working on that yet.  No better time than now.

I did get up earlier today that I have in a while even though I haven't been sleeping well.

I started my book for book club this morning.  I am hoping to get to page 100 by tonight.  It is "The Passage" by Justin Cronin.  Everyone so far has enjoyed it.  I do like the author's writing style so hopefully that will keep me interested. 

The weather finally changed and we are out of the 80's for now.  Maybe I will take a walk with the hubby tonight before it gets dark. 

First homework assignment complete

I have a list of things to accomplish this week. The first one was to sew the buttons on this baby sweater for the shower on Saturday. Completed today at 8:20 pm.

The next step is to block it, assignment #2.

The other main assignment I have is to read a book that I borrowed from my brother MrHarley eighteen months ago. He is on a trip currently but when he gets home next week he wants the book back so that he can read it again.  So no pressure! ;)

Knitting Update -Socks

I started this sock on vacation in Washington and finally on Sunday got to the heel flap. Then I found out I have a baby shower on the 25th of August and I just barely bought the yarn on Friday. So as soon as I got home on Sunday, I cast on the Baby Surprise Jacket. I will do a mobile post later today with a picture.

My new goal

I can't seem to stop at one piece, I guess I should give the other pieces away! ( but then I would have to buy more chocolate).........

Red Butte Gardens

Tonight was my first visit to Red Butte gardens here in Salt Lake. My boss's son was married there this afternoon and the reception was this evening. It was very beautiful and amazingly very cool considering the temperature outside. The picture is the only one I got, but the whole place was beautiful. We enjoyed our time there, but I forgot to take allergy medication before I went so I had to take two doses this evening.

Company parties

For the first time since we got married hubby and I got to go to his company picnic. Just after we got married the areas we worked for started doing employee only parties. Although we worked for the same company we never could attend each others. Since I changed jobs to the guitar school, he has gone to mine. But today I got to go to his as he changed jobs/position within the company to another division which allows family to their party/picnic. We had fun playing bingo and won all those prizes. I was even able to eat some of the food with no issues. Not bad.

Milestone

Today my van made a milestone today, so I pulled over and took a picture. We went nearly 2400 miles on our trip.

First day back to work

Wow! What a vacation! That was so awesome!  It was busy and I feel like I have actually had a vacation, not just a break. My boss even went the whole time without calling or texting me. I will do a recap later but not now.  The girls (cats) were happy to see me/us and really were hanging around last night. I was able to snap a picture or two.

Fergie, the top photo just want to sit beside me as I did a few things and China was out to smell everything that we brought back with us. I don't know if she found the items that smells like Bear the dog or Nimbus the cat that was at the home that we visited.  Both were very happy to see us and hope that we don't take off again anytime soon. 

Yesterday's fun

I didn't feel good yesterday morning so our trip to Seattle was delayed until Thursday so we stayed around town again. We hit Purple Haze lavender farm, a dropped stitch yarn store and the creamery.  We hung out the rest of the day at the house. I knitted outside while enjoying the amazing view.

PS. We did stop for coffee at the same coffee shop as the day before

Marina

Coffee

View from the house

In front of the van in the driveway

Summer break day #3

Outside the coffee place in Sequim

Almost there

We are in the pretty part of the trip. I already don't want to go home

Summer break day #2

We started late yesterday and stopped about 3 am local time into La Grange, Oregon. We have had some sleep and now we are ready to continue.

Entering idaho

We made our first state

Entering idaho

We made our first state

Food on the road

Almost the end of the day, but we are finally on the road

Summer break day 1

Slow and lazy start. Do you think they know I am going on a trip without them?

Summer break

I love it that I work for a guitar school. As after work today started my summer break. The coolest part of this break is that for the first time hubby will have the exact time off too!  Can I just say Woohoo!!!!

So what are we going to do for nine days????? Well we are going on a road trip, starting tomorrow and we will be back in nine days. We are going with our friends A and E and Bear of course. We will be heading to the great Northwest to enjoy much cooler temperatures! I am actually going to pack hoodies and some of the mountain passes we are going over will have snow!!!  I am going to post hopefully more on here than on Facebook.  I am going to try to use my blog as my journal, we will see how that goes.  

It is 11:49 on Friday night, P is doing laundry of the clothes that we bought this evening as we realized we were both very low on t-shirts and shorts.  I know we are weird that we head to temps of 50's and 60's and we pack shorts but those who hang out at our house know this is quite normal for us.  We haven't even begun to pack, we still really don't know much about the trip as most of the planning will happen tomorrow when we see A and E who have been away on a family reunion.  I am not worried about the clothes and other stuff for the trip, I am worried about what knitting projects to take with me.  I have one shawl on the needles, but what else to take? I don't want to have to buy yarn on my trip just to have something on the needles, so I must plan ahead with yarn, needles and patterns. I guess I should think about Christmas gifts.  It will take two days of traveling to get where we are going and then two days back plus whatever little trips we take.  We hope to get to see Mr P's sister and family if we plan it right.  

Also I am worried that I don't have good reading material to take with me even though I have about 5 books to take including the one for book club.  I really should try to finish this month's book for book club as I don't have a very good record and I want to be able to go to book club next month with the knowledge that I completed the task. (I know it is my little waffle square, ie. my thing to check off my list).

I have to say that I am super excited about going on an actual vacation, more than just camping in the woods in Utah and for so many days. P and I haven't done this long of a trip, the closest we have done is when we went to Kauai in 2001.  I should be doing research on gluten free restaurants etc for the trip but I just can't get myself motivated to do it, maybe it is because now I have a smart phone and know I can do it when I get there instead of having 500 print outs, maps, etc.  Plus I can find the closest yarn shops on my phone too.  

Well let the vacation begin, or at least let summer break begin.  So off to bed to get things started.

Saturday mornings

It's all about the bacon!

Cuteness

China decided that she needed quality time with her human this morning

Weekend Knitting Update

I worked on a shawl this weekend that had been dogging me and a fellow knitter. She works two doors down from me at the office.  The pattern is Oaklet Shawl and the yarn is Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauberball.  I don't know the colorway as I lost the ball band.  I really like the color repeats in the yarn.  I finished with a lot less than the shawl before.  The edging/border was a little tricky as I think i did some crazy knitting but I was too tired to go back and fix it so I just made adjustments to the pattern. I can't wait to block it and see how it looks.

Maybe after the soaking and blocking, I can convince the rest of the usual suspects to take a picnic up the canyon and take some pictures.  I have two other shawls that I need to block and get good pictures.

I have the seaming on the baby surprise jacket to do and need to find some pink buttons.  I have another project that I am working on that are baby boot booties.  They are interesting and should turn out very cute.  I am making them for a friend's granddaughter. I should have her measure the baby's feet while she is visiting this weekend.  

My goal for the future is to give more information on my knitting projects as I realize not everyone who reads my blog is on ravelry or on facebook. 

Wednesday Whine

I know that I am not a writer and that my blog is just for me and some dear friends who want to know about me.

The Whine part....I finish the blue shawl last week with no issues and immediately cast on a grey version, same type of yarn. Everything was going smashing and got a lot done on it on Saturday while hanging out with the hubby while he upgraded the studio to laptops.  Then Saturday night while knitting while watching movies I dropping and bunch of stitiches and in a bad comedy of errors ended up laddering it down to the start cast. So I headed up frogging it and starting it again.  But my heart wasn't really in it.  So it was sort worked on Sunday and Monday.

Then on Tuesday, one of my knitting friends who works two doors down from my office was struggling with a shawl pattern that wasn't making sense to her.  After trying to help her, I printed off the pattern and when I got home last night, I frogged the other shawl and started on the new one.  It is pretty similar in design so I should go fast. I did modify the start of the shawl to give it the neck to it looks pretty when it is done.

I love summers in the office as it is quiet enough to do a little knitting. So time for another cup of coffee and more stitches. 

Knitting update

I finished the hat and pictures will follow but in the meantime here is a picture of the shawl I cast on Sunday. It has been pretty fast and fun to knit, just perfect for my current mood.

Dinner ala King

What an awesome gluten free version of chicken ala king! Over rice with the beauty of red, orange and green peppers. It was the perfect Wednesday night meal after a very long day at the office.

How I spent my weekend

The Usual Suspects plus the rest of the Marshallwood gang headed out of town on Friday to Maple Canyon for a weekend in the great outdoors.  We enjoyed all the weather experience, warmth, rain, hail, snow, wind, sunshine and then the last day was the prettiest. 

We love getting away as much as possible especially the weekend after Student Fest.  The quiet of the the woods had its own harmony. The birds sang most mornings to wake us up. 

Over the weekend I remembered those who served and paid the ultimate sacrifice not for what was in front of them but what was behind them - us, the people. So for all those who did, I enjoyed the freedom they gave me this weekend. Thank you.

Friday night yummy dinner

Yummy dinner

Breakfast for dinner

Peanut butter cookies gluten free

Monday night dinner

Saturday mountain at twilight

Friday sky

Chocolate mousse cake

Pots of chocolate

Dinner at Stella's

Dinner out

Lunch with Mom

Sweet bear

Newest knitting project

Sunday night sky

Friday night dinner alfresco