Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Major Accomplishments

We have a lot to show off tonight!

Claire made these this week...two plastic bowls she made with those cool melt-in-the-oven bits you use for sun catchers.


She used a cookie cutter in the center for the heart and the car and then baked them in a tin pie pan in the oven. Then you let them cool, remove them from the pan and place them on a can in the oven again so they droop and turn into a bowl. Pretty neat! The kit was her big purchase at the rummage sale the church is having (one PK perk...you get to check out the church sale stuff before the sale!!).

Elliot made this puzzle tonight. He wanted to be sure I got a picture of it with him and by itself!

Kate made these cookies, too. Between the six of us there aren't a lot left, but they're really good!!


Christian had band camp today and his band tan is coming along very nicely! GO TJ!!


And what did I accomplish?? Well, I knit about 6 rows on Kathy's baby blanket at the playground today and then I, gasp, ripped out about 7 rows to go back and catch a mistake. SCARY! I know I could have just un-knit it (what's that called...tinking?) but I was too lazy, so I bit the bullet, layed it out on the table and pulled it out until I was fairly certain I was past the mistake and in a place that I could identify on the pattern. Looks like it's OK...


I also did laundry. Less exciting, but certainly an accomplishment!

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Wow


This is the view from my back porch this evening. Kate and I were trying the different settings on the camera to finally capture a pretty good picture. We didn't have a tripod, but we did have a plastic table and several boxes. We set the camera on its nighttime setting and used the timer so we wouldn't jiggle it while the shutter closed. Pretty, huh?

It's a stormy night here after three days of brutal heat and humidity. I'm very grateful for the air conditioning we now have. It's great to have the windows open to enjoy the summer breeze, but when there is no breeze and it's nearly 100 degrees I'm all for the AC!!

I had to have some repairs done on the van yesterday in Connellsville, so the kids and I paid a visit to Dawson and then we went to the Fayette County Fair. Oh my, it was a really hot, sticky, dirty day, but the kids had a lot of fun and got to visit with some old friends. We didn't head for Pittsburgh until nearly 10:00 PM and I had several kids to drop off en route. When we finally pulled in the garage I thought, "Oh, it's so good to be home." That's when it occurred to me...this is home now. For about a month it still felt like the "new house", but now it's home. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Dawson (and yes, I did buy a new cowboy hat at the fair...check out Yarn Harlot's entry for August 2...she wants to be just like me), but we are very blessed to be where we are and it just feels good. Maybe it's because I grew up right across the river in the same county and I love the city (hate the traffic, love the city). Dawson is an awesome summer place in particular and I will always keep a bit of that country girl in me, too.


I have done a bit more work on the baby blanket. It's 165 stitches wide and each row seems really time- consuming, but it's a great pattern and I'm very pleased with how it's turning out. Here it is with a lamp I got at a recent auction and one of two tea cups and saucers that Dennis and Doreen brough me from Ireland.


Think I'll finish this up and do some more knitting. Tomorrow we're off to Idlewild Park in Ligonier. Another long, hot day! Christian starts band camp on Monday, so we're trying to get some things done before he's gone every day. This year it's "Go Jaguars!" for this family!