Carving and Baking

Yesterday, we did some baking, roasting, and carving.

Oh, and please ignore the big spot of missing paint in the back wall. That's one of the many lovely advantages of having a macaw.

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So, we started this adventure around 3 o'clock.

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This is what my son did while we were decorating.

Video Games.

Besides eating all the cookies as soon as they came out of the oven.

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These are all the cookies that we had left after the rest were devoured.

We almost baked 150.

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Then came the pumpkins.

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Sugey really enjoyed the guts this year.

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What's the best part of pumpkin carving?????

The roasted seeds of course.

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Here's the recipe we used.

http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001438toasted_pumpkin_seeds.php

Boil them first with salt. Always works great.

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Can you guess which one is mine?

Sinister Jack, of course!

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How about the kids?

Daryn did the cat. Ryan did Bowzer, Kailen did the skull and Sugey did Lightning Mcqueen. If you look close enough, you can see the cat. (:

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9 o'clock

Who knew that all of this activity would be so tiring.....

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Guess what I did while the kids went to sleep.

Knit, Knit, Knit.

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Pumpkins and Mango Delight

Pumpkin Patch Day!!!!!!!!

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It was actually nice to get cool weather.

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Why is it the older kids always want the bigger pumpkins?

It must be all the seeds we roast.


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I think Sugey liked to ride in the pumpkin cart the best.

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For some reason, I really like this picture. They weren't really posing and those are always the best.

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Little gourds always make good alien guns.

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I wonder if the bumpy ones have more seeds?

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When we got home we made caramel apples. Thanks to my secret spoiler!

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Sugey really liked rolling the apples in the toppings.

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After the apple making, I went outside to watch the kids on the skate ramps and spun up some mango-y goodness.

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I am amazed how much of a difference my spinning has improved.

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Finished product.

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Woke up this morning to some odd looking birds in my yard.

Swappity Swap

I got my second package from my secret spoiler yesterday!!!!

How amazing is this??????

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For the past two months, I have been sleuthing to find out who my secret sister is. She's a tricky one!!! Before I received my package, I had "favorited" her Amigurumi Zombies. I had no idea it was her, my spoiler, until I received her package. The funny thing is I had many guesses to who she was and none were right. BUT, I had been admiring her work in our group and reading through her blog, never putting it all together. When I opened my package all I saw at first were the two dolls. I cried and laughed at the same time. This has been one of the best knitting experiences I've had. Not only have I gotten really cool stuff, I have made a friend forever. To me, that is the most important thing. I can not thank her enough and she always seems to come through at exactly the right moments in my life. Thank you Jo Anne. With all my heart.

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My favorite little Zombies.

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Some of the softest sock yarn ever!

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Look at all my wonderful goodies.

The kids have been dying to get ahold of the apple dipping kit. She loves to include my whole family. I am so grateful (:

Earthy Giving

This week has been all about giving. Sort of. (: You know I had to go yarn shopping too. But first, I shall talk about being earthy. One of my best friends in the world was annoyed with me last night for counting while I was knitting. I couldn't answer her call at the moment, I HAD to finish one of the Christmas presents I was making. So, in her annoyance, I often tell her I would teach her how to knit. Her response was " That stuff is for grannies" (mildly put). My friend is a very very earthy type of person. She has taught me a lot about the world whether she knows it or not... I told her knitting was as earthy as you can get. She laughed. Some people just dont get it.
( I LOVE YOU ANNETTE) (;

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This is one of my first handspun yarns.

To be able to spin your own yarn is as earthy as you can get.

One day, I shall teach her...whether she likes it or not.

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YARN SHOPPING

I must stop!!!!!! (:

But look how beautiful.

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This is what I was making while on the phone.

A pretty dishcloth. I plan on making sets of these in different colors for holiday presents.

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Another holiday present. A Coffee Corset.

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This is what Sugey does when I get most of my knitting done.

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Random kitten love.

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This week has been very stormy. But I love it.

Yesterday, wasn't so bad. But, the palm trees were swaying.

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And this is what my house looks like when it is raining.
All the neighborhood boys congregate in the back room to play video games.

Nature and Harmony

This is one of those weeks when it seems a black cloud has been over my head. I strongly believe that even amidst all the negativity, bad energy produces more bad energy. So as much as things get you down, keep your head up and keep giving and giving.

This is a Buddhist picture that I find extremely beautiful.

Represents peace and harmony to me. Plus the colors are inspiring. Rainbow is my favorite.

So, in keeping with peace and harmony, I present one of my favorite poems by Robert Frost.

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Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound's the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

So lovely.

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A lot of people ask why I knit. Well, it's very peaceful. It actually produces gamma brain waves, which monks have been associated with. I use it as therapy. Here is a very interesting article written about it.

http://www.knitmagic.com/4.html

This is one of my first attempts at spinning yarn.

This is a drop spindle and on it, is pure alpaca roving.

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I have finished the Branching out scarf for my aunt.

Next, I will be making one for my other aunt. I do have a bunch of great aunts and uncles. (:

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I received my first shipment in my Dexter stitch marker club.

Of course, the wonderful Torii made these. I absolutely love the egg one. The one on the blue background represents the opening scene of the show. She hit it right on!!!!!!

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Homeschooling Update

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This week we are learning about the atmosphere and the earth's beginning.

Here is our experiment on how much oxygen the atmosphere contains.

First, we got a bowl and put a candle in the middle. Then, filled it with colored water.
Keep a glass nearby to cover the candle completely.



Light the candle and then cover it with the glass.

Once the candle is out, the water will fill 1/5 of the cup. This shows that the air in the atmosphere has 1/5 percent of oxygen in it.

Here the kids are drawing diagrams of how the earth began. Did you know that the first cell started in water? Everything on this earth, came from the torrential rains that covered the earth.

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Which brings me to Kailen's boyscout meeting.


Just a little funny mixed it. (: It did downpour today and we were caught in it during the meeting.

Kailen learning his Citizenship Badge.