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Wow.  It's Wednesday already.  That means it's time for the weekly Yarn Along.  I'm joining Ginny and others for the book and yarn update.  This week did not involve a whole lot of knitting.  I worked a little on my Log Cabin blanket.  I know I've said that before, but I'm really close to finishing.  Two more color blocks and a row or two of border and it's done!

On Saturday I went with a friend to Fancy Tiger.  It's like Mecca for the crafter!  One whole wall was yarn.  The other wall was beautiful fabric.  They offer classes and while we were there was a kids learn to knit class.  There was about 7 girls around the age of 10 learning to knit.  How fun!  Anyhoo, I went to this store with my friend with yarn for my new project in mind.  I did find a great color, but they didn't have enough of it.  I could have ordered it there, but decided to support my local lady and so I ordered it through her.  That's not to say I didn't buy any yarn.  How could I not in this wonderful store?

I bought some Madelinetosh Prairie in Tomato.  My plan is to cast on a Citron.  Karen has made several and they are gorgeous.  I have a vintage orange wool coat that this scarf will look fabulous with (if I get it finished during wool coat wearing season). On the book front, I'm reading Code Talker by Chester Nez.  It's about the Navajo code talkers during World War II.  The book starts out with his growing up on the Checkerboard area by the Navajo Reservation.  He attends boarding school where they teach in English only trying to erase any sense of their Navajo self.  It helped him become a Marine after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor because the Marines needed Navajos that spoke both the Navajo language and English.  I've just finished the part where they took the victory at Guadalcanal.  Fascinating reading.  But I really like World War II books. Does this stand for Physical Therapy or Pain and Torture?

I'm not sure. Right now I'm voting for the latter.  I did something to my shoulder last March.  It really hurt for about a week.  Several times I almost dropped the kid because of the pain.   I took Advil like it was candy and it started to feel better.  In October re-tweaked it and the pain never went away.  Finally in December I saw doctor.  He thinks it is a partial tear in the rotator cuff.  One cortisone shot later he recommended PT before we go to the next level.

After the first PT appointment, after she poked and prodded, I about couldn't use my right arm.  I see her twice a week and the next day the pain level in my shoulder is much higher than it was before the appointment.  She says the exercises are working.  My range of motion is better and she already sees my right arm getting stronger.   At this very moment I highly doubt it.  My shoulder hurts like hell.

I really, probably should have gone to see a doctor much sooner than I did.  Because I waited, my shoulder has gotten weaker and the other muscles in that shoulder are compensating to do the daily tasks that need to be done.  So in the mean time I'm going to Pain and Torture to retrain those muscles to work on their own again without any help.  I'm hoping this works.  I don't want to have surgery.


The 52 Project

A portrait a week for a year.  At a CU women's basketball game.  They've got buffalo murals hanging around the stadium.



Where do the weekends go?

Friday morning we went to the National Western Stock Show.  My dad works there during the event (otherwise he's retired) so we got a behind the scenes tours.  We saw the cattle barn, horses, goats, sheep, chickens.  Corrine also got to go on a pony ride!
Saturday was a work day.  No more vacation.  One day of work and then a day off (gotta ease back into work).  Sunday was a baking/cooking day.  I get daily emails from Once a Month Mom.  The idea behind OAMM is cooking/baking for one day to get a month of meals.  They provide the menus and recipes. I don't go quite to the extreme of a whole months worth of cooking.  I like to cook and I'm home enough to make dinner or bake that I don't have to do it all in one day.  Anyhoo, they do have some great recipes.  These are mini apple breakfast tarts.  I bake them, keep some in the fridge and the rest in the freezer.  The recipe says to bake only what you need and bake the rest when you're ready to eat them.  I thought they froze quite nicely already baked and the night before I need some for breakfast, I take them out of the freezer and leave them in the fridge.  Easy Peasy. I've got granola in the oven right now.  We usually buy granola to mix with yogurt but since I've been making our own yogurt (which I'll post on later this week), I thought why not try making our own?  It was easy enough to make.  We'll see how it turns out in about an hour.  I love knowing where my food is coming from!

Hubby called a little bit ago.  He's on his way to Puerto Vallarta to fix an airplane, so Corrine and I are on our own for the rest of the day.   The only comforting thought in that, is he doesn't get to stay and he is there for work.  However, it will be nice and warm...

How was your weekend?  Joining Amanda.

Chili Frito Casserole

This is one of those recipes that just tastes good, although it's probably not so good for you.  And it tastes better two or three days later.  I don't even remember where I came across the recipe, but it's one I've made for dinner for 20 plus years.

The basics-
fritos or frito style corn chip

Pre heat oven to 350.
Start with a layer of fritos.  Next add in layers (in no particular order) chili, cheese, onions and more fritos.  I always end with a layer of cheese, but I never layer in the same order.  Bake the whole mess until hot all the way through and bubbly.

Ideally I would use homemade chili, but we use canned turkey chili a lot too. Dee-lish!  We fight over who gets the leftovers in their lunch.


It's Wednesday!  And that means it's time for the weekly Yarn Along.  I'm joining with Ginny and others to share books and knitting.  Two of my favorite things.  I finished both lambys in time for both birthdays. Corrine's in the one on the left.  Lamby has slept in her crib every night since Sunday. I also finished my first 12x12 square for the square swap I joined on Ravelry.  There has been some drama in the group regarding postage and reorganization.  Some people have dropped out because they don't want to pay to ship squares internationally.  However, they knew it was an international group... and a person dropped out because the group moderator reorganized the group to make it more efficient and this person got pissy about it.  OK, whatever.  Anyhoo, I finished my square and will ship it off to England this week.

I'm reading the newest Stephanie Plum book.  I started it at Physical Therapy the other day and it will be a fast read.  It's certainly not great literature, but it makes me laugh.

Happy Yarn Along Wednesday!
 


My sweet baby girl is two.  I'm not sure how it's possible that I have a two year old.  Where did the time go?  Everyone said it would go so fast, but I'm not sure I've even blinked and she's two.

We had a birthday party for her on Saturday since The G's couldn't make it on her actual birthday (the 13th).  However, there was the ultimate conflict.  The Broncos played the Ravens at 2:30.  Her party was from 3-5.  We had the game on upstairs and downstairs, so no one was far from the goings on or the TV.  We cut the cake and sang during half time.  Mama bought football balloons.  Corrine opened her presents during the third quarter.  The kiddos played and the adults watch football.  Most people stayed until the game was over.  Fun was had by all. Today we have had a family celebration.  Dad took the day off of work.  We had a breakfast out and went to the Children's Museum.  We wanted to get there before it got crazy busy.  As it was I'm not sure we accomplished that.  It was 5 degrees this morning so I think many families had the same idea we did.  Someone overdid yesterday on fun and sugar (and since she hardly ever has that kind of sugar I'm sure it sent her for a loop!), she's cranky and tired today. It's the week for celebrating birthdays.  Next up?  Mama's is on Wednesday.  Mama plans to celebrate my sweet baby girl and the incredibleness that she has brought to our lives.



It's Wednesday!  And that means it's time for the weekly Yarn Along.  I'm joining with Ginny and others to post the weeks accomplishments.  It's all about the books and knitting.  This week I'm working on two fuzzy lambs.  I started the one on the right in the picture for Corrine's birthday on Sunday.  Then I decided to do another one for her little friend whose birthday is the following week.  I used bigger needles for that one.  I thought, if I'm doing one, it's just as easy to do two.  I'll give the smaller one to the friend, not that I think it will be that much smaller.  I found the pattern on Ravelry and thought it was super cute.  It has knit up pretty fast.  I started it this past week and considering I'm lucky if I get an hour in a night to knit... I just tore through Sleeping With the Enemy:Coco Chanels Secret War.  I had seen it in the bookstore so I placed a hold on it at my library.  She was not a nice woman.  Homophobic, anti-semitic, morphine addicted and snobby (for someone who was an orphan born to gypsy parents raised in a convent).  She was also a Nazi spy during WWII.  Although she was never convicted of treason in France, I think because she lied her ass off and had ridiculous amounts of money.  We like a lot of WWII history books in our family so I've passed it off to my parents.  I've got a ton of books to read on my book shelves so I'm not sure what I'll pick up next.



Back in early December I had an unexpected day to just sit and knit.  I got most of Corrine's Benedick and Beatrice vest finished.  By Christmas I had finished the button band and the arm bands.  Then it took me a week to find my way to the store to find a button that would work. I'm hoping that she'll be able to wear it next fall as well since it's a little big.

I also finished The Summit.  FINALLY!  There are 12 repeats of the right and left sections.  I had debated adding two more sections (no 13!), before finishing off.  I thought it might be more of scarf as well as a shawl if I made it longer.  But in a moment of utter frustration and lots of bad words I called it done.  As I soaked it in wool wash, I watched those tight little fibers give a little bit.  And after I blocked it I'm glad I didn't add the extra sections (and give myself a headache in the process).  It relaxed    beautifully and will do one wrap around the neck or lay very nicely as a shawl across the shoulders. I'm not sure I would knit this one again.  While it was easy enough, I thought having stitches on the needles constantly was a bit tedious.  I mailed it on Friday to my sister in law.  Not sure how long it will take to make it to Japan, but I'm hoping she likes it.  A couple of little projects to finish and mama can make herself something!


We hung out!  We relaxed.  Almost all of the outside Christmas lights have been repacked for another year.  The inside has been rearranged to its normal state.

It's been quite chilly here.  And by that I mean some days we have been lucky to warm up to 25 degrees, which is not normal for us at all.  Saturday it warmed up to 37!  Heat Wave.  The boys got in a good hike with hubs.  But before it warmed up I took us all downtown to the Tivoli (back in the day used to be a brewery) which is now the student union for the Auraria Campus.  The campus is home to (I think) 4 different community colleges.  Anyhoo, we went down there because they were hosting the Denver Preschool Showcase.  Like a college fair, but for preschools.  Unfortunately it's next weekend.  Good thing we don't live too far from downtown.  We'll try again next Saturday.

Bryan is working in Kansas City this week.  He left today and won't be home until Thursday.  So today Corrine and I went to a basketball game.  My parents and I have had season tickets to the University of Colorado Women's basketball program for years. We've had this little cheerleader outfit since C was a baby.  She finally can wear it!  She claps when we clap and today was really getting into the swing of things.  Made me laugh.

The rest of today is hanging out and relaxing.  Dinner at The G's and packing for mama to go to work tomorrow (Then 12 glorious days off!).

How was your weekend?  Have a great week!

 Joining with SouleMama.  Have a great weekend!
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