Secret Knitting Project Revealed

I can finally post the picture of my finished secret knitting project!  I still love the yarn.  It was so fun.  I worked on it for a long time so now I'm kind of sad that it's finished, but I'm happy with how it turned out.  This is the second scarf I have made using this pattern and I love it.  I only used one skein of yarn so it wasn't really long enough to be a real scarf, but, I read online that there is a name for short scarves!  They are called pidge scarves.  I think pidge scarves have buttons, but I didn't think I could manage to make a hole for a button while I was knitting so I didn't do buttons.  I used some felt I had to do a little embellishing.  This present, by the way, was for Jordan's friend, Maddy.  She is so sweet and I thought it would be fun to make this for her.  Here she is with her daddy, Marc, opening her present:

Secret Knitting Project Continued

I started this secret knitting project a while ago and I meant to be finished with it last week.  I am almost done.  I have about three more rows to go and then I have to figure out how to get it off the needles...I'm sure I'll remember once I see what I have to do.  It took me longer than I expected but it was worth it because I have fun doing it.  I love to see all the stitches line up.  I'll post when I'm completely finished.  You can kind of see the pattern in this first picture and a little bit more in the second picture that is closer up, except the flash was a little wild.  

Secret Knitting Project

I have been talking about getting crafty again...because it's been a while since I did anything really creative.  Finally, I took the plunge.  I got inspired by Kathy's blog and by a blog I saw that she reads.  I realized that I could make some pretty cool Christmas presents this year.  I love homemade/handmade gifts.  I feel like they are really special.  And, hopefully, we can save some money by making gifts this year.  

On Tuesday, when we were off from school, I made a stop at Hobby Lobby for a few supplies.  I was on a mission for some really pretty yarn.  I wanted a really thin yarn and the kind that changes colors as you go so you don't have to do anything to get a really fun design.  I found a great color mix and I am so excited.  I can't tell you what this is for but I love it already!

Summer Time Fun

I have been reading still...I've been focusing on our book club book because it's over 600 pages long!  I am really enjoying it and it reads really fast.  I didn't end up finishing Eat, Pray, Love because I had to return it to the library, but it's a book I will probably go back to.  

My sock has come a long way...but I think I did something wrong and I'm not sure it's going to come out right.  I made it through the heel but I think I did something backwards so I may have to start all over.  Chad thinks it's crazy that I can get so far and then just start over...but it doesn't bother me so much.  I love being able to do something where I can clearly see how much I am getting done.  In my profession, sometimes it's hard to really concretely see how much progress you are making with a student...even with all the testing we do.  It's nice to work on something you can actually see get bigger/longer.  I definitely feel productive.  Now, if I could just do it and actually complete a real and wearable sock I would really feel productive.  

I'm going to try and summarize our last few weeks.  Here are a few pictures to go with what we have been doing: 

We met Ben Gordon, a player for the Chicago Bulls, at Sam's Club.  

Aunt Jane came to visit and brought Jordan a fun fish hat.  He actually kept it on his head!

We drove and stayed overnight in Rockford.  We went out for lunch at Golden Corral, hung out and swam at the hotel, went to a bead store (me and Sue), and then went out for dinner.  It was a fun quick-trip.  On the way home from Rockford, we stopped at Wild West Town.  I had never been there before.  We got to do fun things like, ride a mini-train, throw a tomahawk, shoot bottles at the shooting range, shoot slingshots, go to a petting zoo, and pan for gold.  Here we are having a great old time at Wild West Town.  

Chad was invited to go to the Cubs/Sox game when they played at Cellular Field.  It was his first ever Cubs/Sox game.  Unfortunately, the Cubs lost...well, got creamed, but Chad still had a good time.  

After the game, Chad and Chris met Nikki and I and our other friends, Tom and April, and all their friends at Walter Payton's Roundhouse to see Hairbanger's Ball, an 80's cover band.  They are so much fun.  Chad and I were able to take a picture with our favorite band members: Sean Jovi and Polly Pants.  We know you are jealous!

We stopped in downtown Libertyville to play at the park the other day.  Jordan was kind of sleepy.  He loves going down slides the best.  We have been having so much fun with him.  It's so nice to be able to take him places and to play with him and relax.  We've been to the water park here in town...but I haven't taken pictures!  Tomorrow we are walking/running in the Freedom Classic so we'll definitely take pictures of that.  Our sitter, Patty, and her daughter, Emma are going to talk with Chad and Jordan while I run.  And then we have some other fun things planned for the weekend and the week...and, of course, getting ready for Florida and Disney.  I have already begun to make all my lists so we are fully prepared. Although, I'm not sure we will ever be prepared for a long car ride, a plane ride, and then another long car ride with antsy-pants, 14-month-old, Jordan Vincent.  

My First Sock

I have fallen in love with Prairie Crossing.  It is a fun, earth-friendly community near our house.  It's probably about 5 minutes from us.  They have a cute little area with little locally owned shops.  We went for the second time to story time on Friday with Jordan.  It was a pirates theme and he got a pirate bandana, got to listen to pirate stories, made a pirate necklace, and even got a pirate frosted cupcake!  How cute is that?  Afterwards we went over to the cafe for a smoothie and Jordan played on the train table they have.  Jacquie and I went to the fiber store for the first time.  It is a cute yarn store with space for hanging out and working on projects.  The other store I have been in is 10,000 Villages, which is a fair trade store.

Saturday morning, Jacquie and I went to Sock Boot Camp at the yarn store.  We took three mini-classes about how to make socks.  I was really scared of making socks.  It looks very confusing, but actually it's not that hard.  I decided to make Jordan a pair of green socks.  I love this color green!  I got through the ribbing and now I'm working on the part that will be around his ankle.  I'm getting close to the heel...which is the hard part...but I'm doing good so far.  Here is my WIP, work in progress!