The Next Sock Adventure
So after the success of Kaylor’s house socks, I decided I needed a pair of my own, and whipped up a pair with some pretty teal yarn, but they didn’t quite come out as comfy as hers did, though they fit fine at the foot, they were really loose around the ankle. One of the few things I can’t stand when socks do, so I knew I was going to need a better pair…
I found some great blue and chocolate verigated sportweight yarn at Hobby Lobby and a set of size 2 DPNs to try a real pair of socks. It was almost overwhelming to cast on those 60 stitches and get started but I was excited to see what I’d get. I was also excited to have also just gotten started with stuff on my Ravelry page, and wanted something to fill my projects with.
Its taken a few days, but I’ve finally gotten the first of the pair finished, and the next 60 stitches cast on ready for the next one. Thanks to KnittingDaily, I found a new way to finish socks that don’t involve the Kitchner stitch or completely binding off and sewing them up…
The Hunt for the Pup
YAY!! I’m finally getting a companion for my fat cat Spooky. Though I’ve wanted a poochie for quite a while, its kind of a trade off, he gets the new car instead of me, and I get a pooch. Not a bad trade, since I’ll likely have the pooch longer than he has the car 
So now the hunt is on, personally I really really want a Corgi. I love everything about them. Those big bat ears and those stubby little legs and the big booty with a little nubbin of a tail. Plus they’re energy leve is about roght for the way our family lives, active, but not overly so..
Now here’s the trick, I can find corgis around, but most are way out of the area, like over in Arlington outside of Dallas or are an ugly combining of a corgi with someting else, who mutts a cute corgi with a blue heeler, honestly?! I wouldn’t mind another small type dog, but I just LURVE Corgis. Theres a Corgi mix breed at the local shelter here, but since its the weekend, I haven’t had a chance to go over and take a peek at him, though I have a feeling from seeing his pic, he has longer legs than the usual corgi, whoever is other gene donor is.
I have a feeling some of the difficulty I’m going to come across is I don’t want a puppy like most people. I don’t want to deal with the teething, potty training and all the chewing n stuff that goes with puppies. Not my thing at all. Though puppies are incerdibly adorable and sweet, I just want someone whos gone through the terrible twos of puppy adolescense. That and I don’t think poor old Spook wants to deal with a hyper, crying, whining, wetting baby puppy. I’m looking for an associate not a torture device.
Though I know he’s going to enjoy whatever friend we find for him, he’s going to dread life a little, we’ll have to figure a new food arrangement, since doggies LOVE cat food just ever so much, and I don’t need an uber fat muttly running around. And I have to be thankful that we already have an automatic cat box to keep the kitty poop patroled, though I do guess that it means I’ll have to clean the tray out a little more often than I do, we won’t need the new fido treating himself to an all you can eat buffet if he ever figures out how to open the flap covering the bin.
It’ll be more work, but its sure to be fun… now off to find the addresses of the other shelters here in town so I can start looking around for a new friend.
The Bah-Humbug
Santa: Just a guy with a beard in a red suit? Or is he an idea, the spirit of the holidays?
To Kaylor, he’s a living breathing gift giving dude who she saw at school on Friday and made a wish to for a butterfly Barbie. The truest and easiest belief in something other than her family.
To me, he’s that thing you never expected, that BB gun you never thought you’d get cause everyone you told your wish to told you you’d shoot your eye out, but after everything is unwrapped is spotted hiding in the corner.
But what about to the bah-humbug? He’s a fake, a sham and a mean and nasty trick your parents have played on you for years. Becuase how can Santa, who everyone knows makes his trip only once a year leave a gift with his name on it under the tree well before then.
I hate to say it, but Aaron has become a humbug. A mean and nasty one this year. He’s slacking and rude and trying to get Kay to believe him that Santa doesn’t exist, despite her steadfastness. Today they were playing and supposedly Kay was chasing him and somehow she ended up IN my closet where, just a few nights ago Santa stashed that beautiful butterfly Barbie and a few other gifts. The next thing I knew, Kay came running out to us in the living room saying there was stuff in our closet.
Playing it off, we said there was nothing in the closet besides clothes and some stuff for other family. We’re really hoping the Barbie wasn’t seen, but are sure even if it was, Kay will still be thrilled to bits over her and everything else she’ll get.
BUT, what to do about our jaded humbug? He’s been in spoiled brat mode the last couple months. He does his chores only half-way right, smart mouthing back to us, is told repeatedly to obey rules which have always been rules; running in the house, putting the trash all the way in the garbage can, etc. He’s also started using his sister as a messenger to ask rude and insulting questions of us, things he knows would earn him a pop in the mouth, but we would likely try to just explain to er not to ask or words not to use. We’ve tried just talking to him, tried rewards for the correct behavior and just about everything we can think of, and are past the point of yelling any longer, and jut sending him straight to his room with the TV off, books and toys banned, and it still doesn’t seem to make any matter to him.
And todays action was just the last straw, he’s not going to be getting any of the gifts that arent already under the tree. I don’t even know if I should bother filling his stocking at this point. It’s nearly set me off this years holiday altogether, I think if it wasn’t for Kay, we’d be packing up the tree and decorations already.
I just don’t get it… any ideas or suggestions for helping the resident Bah-humbug?
The Thing About Timelines
I love kids, and I love their lack of a timeline most of the time.
Many of us can tell you we got that kickin bike we always wanted 20 years ago, and learned to drive 15years ago, and went to the doctor last week, but to little kids everything happened yesterday.
I’d almost forgotten about the nonexistant timeline until last night when Kaylor was talking to my mom on the phone. She was prattling on about Seeing Santa in school today and how we went shopping yesterday for presents, and then how we were visiting them in the bus (read RV) yesterday and how she loved the trip to Disney and she saw Tinkerbell slide down the castle last night, and tomorrow was Christmas and her birthday tomrrow would make her 6 and on and on.
All I could do is sit there and giggle at something she didn’t get. We try to explain things might have hapened 2 days or a wekk ago or even longer, but to her little mind its all yesterday. And anything happening in the future, even something as far away as May is tomorrow.
I miss having a lack of timeline, I wish everything happened yesterday and everything was going to happen tomorrow… Well, maybe tomorrow it will!
The Thing About Cleaning
I hate cleaning.. really I do. Picking things up n putting them away, when they soulda just stayed away in the first place. Then vacuuming and dusting and raising up the dander n dust making my allergies go. Then the wet washcloth and soapy water that just kills my skin, gloves PFFFTT.. fugettaboutit!
I know i’m not the only one that makes the mess, but why does it fall to me to be the only one to care enough to clean it.. There’s no way that after working a full day and then coming home and creating a giant pile of garbage on his side table, that hubby can’t just pick it up n toss it on the way to the kitchen, that I have to be the one to pick it up?!
And toys.. OMG toys, usually tiny little ones drive me totally bonkers. They like to dive deep into the pile of the carpet nd wait till im getting ready to put my fut down to jump up and gets stepped on, kinda like the crumbs that accumulate in the kitchen, they must sit and wait under the edge of the counter till i come along. Noone else ever seems to be bothered by them.
And I guess it’ll be a dark day in the Collins house when this mom finally gets fed up with it and goes on strike.. Noone to wash n fold the laundry, to make sure the pots n pans are clean, noone to vacuum or dust or sweep and mop.. the house would be a shambles in no time, not to mention the lack of real food that would be eaten… It scares the pants off me, but noone else seems to realize just what would happen, and then the mess would just sit until I couldn’t take it anymore and HAD to clean it all up to my standards…
Maybe we need to unionize?
The Joys of the Holidays
I’d been cruising along up until the other day… I’d forgotten just why we work so hard through the year and look forawrd to December and Christmas, it dawned on me the other afternoon.
I had my tree up and decorated the 1st, WE had so much fun doing it, despite having to kick Spook out from under the tree a few times… Its hard to decorate a tree when you have this little clawed hand coming out from under it to grab at you, or you end up stepping on a tail n getting mrowed at!
I’ve made a couple batches of cookies, my grea grandmother’s sugar and Spice gookies to be exact. Soo yummy n full of family memories, though I still can’tget then to turn out just like hers or gram’s for some reason. But thats part of the JOY of doing things with memories attached to them, isn’t it?!
I’ve learned a new craft and made something for the kids, WARM and fuzzy is always a great thing to give to the family.
But it all felt like something was missing, the tree, the cookies, the cooking, the presents, they’re all there but its plain, nothing stands out at special… Then it hit me, Christmas music. There was none, no Carol of the bells to direct with the spoon as your mixing cookies, no 12 Days of Christmas to sing along to nd mix up the ladies dancing with the maid a milking, no babies in mangers or even toes on rooftops. Its been quiet. Like a SILENT NIGHT.
I know a lot of people are struggling this year, and feel like their missing Christmas becuase there arent many gifts under the tree, but I think we all might just need a little music, a few CAROLS to lift our hearts. Like the Who’s on Christmas morning, gatherig together to sing their sing despite the fact that the Grinch had taken everything. All the trees, trimmings and logs for the fire, the roast beast and who pudding and left behind only crumbs too small for the who mouses… They still gathered together in the square and sang their little who hearts out. Its not boxes and wrapping and things that make Christmas.. its the songs in our hearts and memories we make toghther that makes our holidays special.
So turn on that CD of Country Christmas, or Thats What I Call Christmas #a million and one, or load up Limewire and download a million tracks of carols and tunes, or even dial in that funny station on the radio you never listen to but you know plays holiday music all December, and cry your eyes out at memories of Christmases past, make happy memories of this year to cry about next year, and go into the kitchen and make something together, or just dance like crazy to Rocking around the Christmas Tree… Just do it. Move to the SPIRIT in your heart.. this is what the kids remember about the holidays. not that 300$ iPod or the barbie they bugged you about all year.
GO GO AND DO IT NOW!!
The Thing About Dinner
Sometimes I really hate dinner. Not so much eating it as making it. It takes soo much effrt some days, to plan it, prep it, make it, then serve it, and hopefully everyone likes it.
More often than not lately, with everyone sick with a cold of one sort or antoher, I’ve been able to get away with soup, but Dave and the kids are finally starting to feel better and are now demanding real food. Normally I would be excited to plan up n cook something yummy, but he can be such a picky eater sometimes. Its puts us in a rut… like those families that always eat meatloaf on Fridays kind of thing.
The last time i talked to mom, she tol me about these slow cooker meal packets McCormack makes, you can find em in the same section as the meatloaf and gravy mixes. There are a few different ones, an Italian Stewed Chicken, a BBQ pulled pork and a pot roast one. I don’t have a slowcooker, but have been known to slow cook in the oven, so I picked up one to give it a try.
Italian stewed chicken, one of my all time favorite things. Pretty easy, toss the chicken a tin of mushrooms a couple tins of stewed tomatoes and a tin of tomato pastes. I had everything but the paste so have used a tin of sauce instead. Its been cooking a few hours, and it smells really good so far. I’m going to cook up some pasta to serve it with, hoepfully I can get away with noodles that aren’t spaghetti (that rut thing again).
Maybe they’ll actully like it, Mikey. And be willing to try the other packets. Or maybe it’ll be like most other new things I try, it’ll just past muster and I’ll get ready to make meatloaf again on Friady.. yum
Or mabe I’ll just run to the grocery and pick up all the veggies I like and actually cook something that I love for a change. mmm, fajitas with bell peppers and montery jack cheese instead of just plain ole tacos, or stuffed bell pepper instead of chili again , or filet of fish with fresh sweet potatoes instead of a burger and fries or a fresh shrimp alfredo from scratch with lots of garlic instead of spaghetti and meat sauce and maybe even a broccoli and potato cheese soup instead of Cambell’s Chicken Noodle…. A girl can dream can’t she…
The Black Cat Treasury
Since it seems treasurys are ever elusive, I’d make my own right here, simple enough… Gather together a collection n put it up..So here’s my first, Inspired by my Siamese half breed and resident Halloween Kitty, Spooky.
Adult Black Cat Slippers, piddies 36.00 Curious Cat Peeking at YOU Pendant, DebsRandomArt 10.75
Purr-fectly Pretty- Black Kitty Cat Snap Clips, jackandjane 4.50
King Cat Fish Stick Co. black cat artwork on canvas, geministudio 75.00
Retro Black Cat Flannel Rag Edge Quilt Crib/Lap/Throw Blanket, 2CraftyChix 27.00
Black Cat Inside and Eager to Cross Your Path - door sign protects your cat, KnobNots 3.50
Black Kitty Scarf with White Eyes, rosaleendhu 25.00
Scrabble Tile Pendant - CAT EYES - Buy 2 Pendants Get 1 Free, ShowWhoYouAre 6.50
Sleeping Kitty Pincushion- black, LucysLocket 16.00
The chance to Save
I love a sale, but then I think all women do, it might be something biological… we will go out of our way to save $1.00 on something even if it costs more in gas to get there.. IT WAS ON SALE!!
I love shopping online, and I have found that a free or reduced shipping offer appeals to me more than a reduced price on items. Maybe I feel the items are worth the value im paying, but love to feel like im getting one over the Post Office… who knows,
But now that the shipping deadline for Christmas Deliveries is nearly up, but that doesn’t mean people stop shopping. So to be special, im going to offer a shipping special in my KaylorsKreations Etsy Shop and heres the special…
Priority shipping starting at $1.00, every additional item is only $ .25 more.
So if you order 3 things, your shipping total is only $1.50!! Thats a lot of savings!!
The Bath Cupcake
Everyone loves a bath, and everyone loves a cupcake.. but does everyone losve a bath cupcake?
Now people may scratch their heads, a bath cupcake.. wouldn’t that get soggy? If you took a real one in the tub, more than likely.
But a bath cupcake is usually an adorable bath goodies in the pleasing and delicious looking form of a cupcake. Sometimes they are soaps, bombs or bubble bath or even a cute way to add oils to the water.
There are also a million ways to make a bath cupcake, moreso especially the frosting. Some people use meringue, others a modified royal icing recipe and other still keep the secret of what they do up their hats.
SweetTushies- Bath Cupcake Favor
SweetCoutureBath - Sugar Plum Bath Cupcake
LilyBaySoap - Cupcake Soap
DoctorSweetooth - Cubcake Bath Bomb Bubble Bath
Kaylor's Kretions - Bath Cupcakes
All Very Cute and adorable and all do something different. Much like real cupcakes, they are made to satisfy any bath lovers sweet tooth.
Lost Ponderings.. Thoughts in my Head 