I think I'm alive again...

After that test I had on Friday, I was pretty miserable. That night my legs were still hurting and I could still feel those "zings". They were also jerking some, it was driving me nuts. I took everything I had to try to sleep so I could get thru the night. After Tylenol PM's, Vicodin and ibuprofin, I finally remembered I had some Rozerem (a sleep RX) . So I took one of those with a Xanax and I feel asleep after 5 am (which is almost my regular time anyway !) . I slept literally all day Saturday and barely was awake on Sunday. I still don't know what's wrong with me, but this wasn't fun.

Today I finally got up and took a shower (I'm sure the big guy will be grateful) and got moving around some again. It's easy to tell when I haven't been downstairs for a few days (and the natives take over). Needless to say I had to do some quick sweeping, vacuuming (and laundry etc) so I could rest better today. I also got the checkbook balanced after not writing anything down for about a week, (darn debit cards!) I swear, I think I'm really losing it. I wrote things down that I thought I had paid online already, and today I checked and I never paid them!! I'm really scaring myself with my forgetfulness! Well, at least I have some yarn and got these done (which took forever in between all the Christmas Knitting):


My Girls Best Friend Anklets done in Lorna's Laces Old Rose. They're soooo cushy and soft. I think I'm going to send them to my Mom....I almost want to keep them....I'll have to make another pair soon! LOL!
Okay, I'm off to finish some laundry and "try" to work on a couple of quick IPOD cozies for the girls. I'm not sure what to use, but we don't have a shortage of yarn so that's not a problem.....

Stash Is Inventoried! Wooohooo!

I did it. I went thru it ALL! Yea Baby!! I guess from my last post it was easy to see I was feeling pretty crappy & depressed while doing it (sorry to whine so much). But late last night, after I was done, I felt so hugely, insanely relieved! I found things I had totally forgotten I ever had!

It was great to take the time to become reacquainted with it all again and to put things where I know I can find them. My stuff is grouped by what it's for (sock, felting) and the rest is by color and/or novelty. Now I don't have a bag here and there, or stuff tucked in this corner or that. I also have about 5 bags of stuff to go to the thrift store. I feel so much better. Just wanted to say I'm not having that nervous breakdown after all.

I am getting ready to take a nap about now, I only got about 3 hours of sleep (5 until 8) and I had to get up to go take that diagnostic test for my muscles. It's a Nerve Conductive Survey and it measures my muscle and nerve whatever. I got zapped with shocks up and down my legs and poked with a needle (in several places! ). Let me tell you, not the worst I've had done, but not something I ever care to do again.

He did say that my Doctors will let me know the results but that he could tell me that there doesn't appear to be any damage with either. Now I'm sure that Rheumy Dr will just shrug his shoulders again and tell me I'm fine I bet. I see my regular Dr on the 14th. At least I know she knows my pain is real. I'm going to beg her to give me an elephant tranquilizer to make me sleep. I'm getting desperate.

Happy Friday!

Wow! Is all I can say...

The stash inventory project isn't turning out to be so much fun after all. Yes, it's helpful "to know what you have", but obviously you must face what you have. Actually, it's kind of gotten me down a bit! (The not sleeping thing isn't helping either). I didn't think it would take so long to input without photos (I'm not done yet) and I'm truly shocked at how much I forgot I had! I guess I've been a tad bit more impulsive than I thought! It's time to find patterns for some of this and to knit me a boatload of socks! For sure I'll be shopping my own Stash this next year. No excuses! (I think).

We finally got away from warm weather and got a TEENY TINY amount of white stuff. Think I'm kidding? Look, isn't this funny? At least it feels more like winter at 20 degrees.

The skimpy amount still doesn't stop them from throwing what little there is at each other:

Sasha says "Mom, get these kids away from me!!!!"

Okay, I'm going to dive back into my closet and try to work on the cabinet I didn't finish last night. I'm past 100 items already and I have one more cabinet and some cubby holes to go yet. They're more novelty stuff, I may postpone that....yes, I think I will, I totally need a nap.

A tribute to my Friend Elizabeth:

My friend and co-worker passed on December 23rd after a long battle with Ovarian/Cervical Cancer. She had a sense of humor that was legendary. We'd all be in tears with our sides splitting when she'd tell one of her stories, she was so much fun. We shall miss her, and her spirit, but know she's got them rolling in Heaven as well. God Keep you and may you rejoice in Heaven. I'm so sad to know you're gone, but so happy that you have no more pain. God Bless and watch over us Liz. And give my Grandparents a big hug!!

http://www.nccc-online.org/

**There are many Ovarian Foundations out there, I posted this one since I didn't know that January was Cervical Health Awareness Month. I thought it was fitting to let us all remember how important Women's Health issues are and how we need to get screened for things.

Remember, take the time to Take care of YOU!

The work has begun...

Okay, I'm not going to go crazy trying to get pictures of all my stash for Ravelry, I don't have the room on Flickr (or the time to do it all!), and I'm too cheap to pay $25.00 a year for the space that I'd need for it there. I'm just going to list it to SHOCK myself into seeing how much I truly have. (I think in the future I'll just get pics of my sock yarn so that I'll have something to drool over and say "hey! That's already MINE!". I know, I need help. )

Since the "RESET" thing didn't work for me (I STILL couldn't sleep worth beans ...) I thought tonight I'd do something constructive like at least 'start' to input data. All I entered was what was already in the bedroom from recent purchases and also from ideas to start new things. This isn't even entering the closet where all the rest of my stash is and I think I was already up to 20 items. (gulp)

Well, it's a beginning, and it's for a reason that I'm doing this. And then The Big Guy offers to take me by The Yarn Patch in Crossville on the way to his folks this weekend! How can I do this if he TEMPTS me so!???? I have a little left on my gift card so techincally that should count for last year right????? Anybody on my side on that one??? Maybe I won't get yarn, I'll just a book or notions....yea....that's a great idea!

Can't wait for Saturday!

New Years Resolutions...

I've been trying to think about what resolutions I'd like to try to work on this next year. I've never been one to make any, (or take them seriously if I did), so I'm just going to make myself a list that I can relfect back on next year (hopefully) and see how I fared.

1) I'd like to try to exercise - do ANYthing- at least a few times a week. That's been a big issue for me with all the pain and sleep problems I've had this past year. Not that I was a big exerciser before that, but knowing I now have *something* that is actually causing my issues does make me more determined to try to fight back some. (I also hope that my Dr can pinpoint what those issues are!!!)

2) As you can see from my STASH KNIT DOWN Button on my blog, I want to finally take stock of what, and how much I have (for pete's sake!). I've been thinking of (and acting on) every excuse NOT to get down to business (because I fall in love with yarn at the drop of a hat). I just love colors. I love reading other blogs and saying "Man, that's AWESOME, I gotta get some!" It's like pirates treasure to me! Somehow I'll get it all onto Ravelry and use what I have this year instead of impulse buying (often). My goal is to not buy ANYthing, but you know how it is, maybe that exercising thing can be a goal I work towards and use yarn as a reward. I'll sort the details later. Finishing things isn't a problem for me. I usually don't have very many UFO's around. Right now there's just a couple I can think of so I'm okay in that department at least. **I will also work on new techniques (like blasted toe ups).

ETA: I WILL also keep track of what I knit this year!!! I'd like to have a nice long list of FO's on here someday!

3) Needless to say, trying to save money and pay down some bills is top on my list too. That's aways there, but being a single family income household, I really need to get control of the reins again. . That goes right along with the Stash Busting Year I'm going to have.

4) Tell my husband that I appreciate him more. He does so much. He works so hard. He's such a good father and provider. He NEVER complains when I buy yarn. Need I say more?

5) Teach my youngest how to knit, and also get the oldest back to her needles. Then they can help me use the stash and I can buy yarn again! Always gotta think ahead.

6) Try to stay ahead of all this cat hair and remember to check myself before I go out the door. Geez, I'm the crazy lady at the market with a black sweater on with white cat hair all over it! I swear I clean house often, it's just everywhere!! I had forgotten how that happens with my furry friends!

7) De-clutter and GET RID OF STUFF in every single room of this house. I literally take a van full of stuff to a local thrift shop a couple of times a year at least, but I never seem to make a dent. This year we've ALL resovled to seriously pare down the toys, books, linens (I'm a crazy pillow case collector), knick knacks and just stuff. When we do move someday we want it to be easier than it has been in the past, and a one level home is in my prayers for the future. I want to be ready.

8) I want to sleep like a normal person again. Sleep is so simple for some, I wish it was for me. Last night I stayed up all night (which really is the easy part for me) to do the "reset" thing. That's why I was up putting buttons on my blog, etc. By 9 am it was getting really HARD to stay awake! Lately that's been the time that I CAN sleep. I've been like a baby who has their days & nights mixed up. I did doze off from 12 until 2, it was unavoidable, I've never felt so dippy. I hope tonight that I CAN sleep! Figures I'd try this on NEW YEARS!! LOL!! I crack myself up! Oh well, I'm usually the one who's up past midnight and everyone else is sound asleep. Maybe this year I'll be the lucky one and be asleep.

And Now for your viewing pleasure:

This is some Woolly Boully Meanie in Neopolitan which I KNEW I HAD to have. I ordered it from The Yarn Grove - GREAT service, I was thrilled with the yarn, the fast shipping and packaging. This is so SOFT....yummmmmmmmmy



Here's some Dixie Chick Socks That Rock from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. I've gotten more from them recently but you'll see them someday on my Stash on Ravelry!! Yea Baby!!! Another example of: "I probably wouldn't have picked that out"- until I saw it on Yarn Harlot's blog knit up into some socks recently. Then I couldn't stop thinking about it. Luv it!!!



That's about all I can think of for now with no sleep and new yarn in my hands. Yes, I'm stocking up a bit BEFORE 2008! (Pretty obvious from past posts that's been my M.O!) LOL!

Here's to Happy Knitting,

Good Health, Family Ties

and Great Friends.

Happy Dreams.

Happy New Year!

Catching Up

I hope everyone had a great holiday! For ours we were awake at 4 am due to the little ones having been up since 3 am (they confessed later) and had a nice Christmas Morning. We were very blessed in what we received this year and were very appreciative. I was amazed that I got a stereo for my van! That was my big surprise! We've only been talking about doing that for the past 7 (Yes, SEVEN) years! I think I was probably the only person left in the USA with a cassette player still in their vehicle! I was so surprised! Bless The Big Guy's heart, he totally got some special hugs for that one. It was just one of those things we always talked about doing but just never got around to!!

I also got $$$ (gift cards are so wonderful) but oh the decisions about WHAT to get! I've already bought some yarn online and went to a sale today that a LYS was having. I barely made it though - my stomach was acting up and I had to make one stop before we even got there (it's in another small town nearby), but NOTHING can keep me from a YARN sale I suppose.

It's funny, I didn't end up getting much after all that drama and discomfort. Just an addi turbo circ, one more DIC Classy and some Louet Gems sock yarn. I didn't make it to another LYS and it's a good thing, I just read on her blog that she was closed this weekend for inventory, I guess the sale was all this past week (Bummer!). It's all the way across town, so I'm glad I backed out. Trust me, I just wanted to get home! I think the stomach thing was due to my eating something with onions in it the night before. Oh, I LOVE them, but they don't love me back! Sometimes they really jack my tummy up! (I know that's more than you wanted to know! LOL!)

I've sort of been MIA this past week because I've been feeling icky-achey again. (Nothing new, you'll hear it all the time here. I apologize!) And the girlies are home on winter break so they've got me on my toes. They've also been hogging my computer some to download stuff onto their ipods. They sure love those things. Both the Big Guy and I want our own now too! I can see why people are so addicted to them. Again, I'm finally catching up to the rest of the world tech wise! **sigh** '

I've gotten a little knitting done, I did a couple of washcloths, one only took me three days. (Don't laugh) and I also finished this last week sometime: Here's another adventure into Hat World but The Big Guy said this is NOT masculine. After seeing him with it on (and laughing my head off) I decided he was right. It's one of those Irish Hiking patterns I found on someone's blog (it's modified from the Stitch N Bitch Nation book). I'm now working on hat #4 for my FIL with some Encore I picked up today. Since GM & GP didn't make it for Christmas day after all I gained some TIME and want to give the whole hat thing another go.

I'm also making some progress on my Girls Best Friend Socks. One is done and the top of the second one I finished up today. I like the pattern and I don't. The T1L and T1R weren't much fun. But luckily you don't have to do it very much. Hopefully I'll post a pic soon.

Okay, another night where I can't sleep so I'm off to go read everyone else's blogs!

Merry Christmas To All...

Well, it's 12:06 am and Santa has made his stop by our home! The cookies have been eaten and the milk drank so we know that for sure. I now have a few hours before the girls are wide awake and dragging us downstairs.

Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas and mostly this for the new year:

Oh yeah, and some of this:

Yummmmmmm.....