Jumping on the Bandwagon

All the blogs I read (my kids and nieces :-) ) have these fancy-schmancy end of the year slideshows. So I thought I'd put one together too. Here are the faces and places I enjoyed in 2009:

The 2009 FO Count

"FO": Finished Object. I managed to finish 31 knitting projects during the year. 11 pairs of socks, plus sweaters (mostly for little folks), hats and misc. other items.

My favorite? Probably the clock, although it doesn't actually keep accurate time :-)

We Heart the Dollar Store

Steve gave the boys $5.00 gift cards to the Dollar Store, brills! Mikey, Alex and I went yesterday to shop. Even though the DS was a little low on toys after Christmas, it still took FOREVER for them to choose their goodies. Mikey ended up (after much thought) with a Spiderman car and "Venom" villain that you put in a glass of water and it grows. Alex decided on a toy that shoots flying discs and a ball on a wrist strap and elastic string. They all survived leaving the DS parking lot, which is the true test of quality when you are shopping at the Dollar Store!

HP Scarf Progress

Almost done! Harry's hair is BIG though, so it's taking me a while to finish it.

Warm Toes!

It's rather cold here in Spokane (no snow though--after last year's two feet, I'm fine with that). I got some comfy Deerfoam (Dearfoam?) slippers for Xmas, but I'm also knitting some cute slipper socks. These are Arwen Slipper Socks (I'm a sucker for Lord of the Rings references), and I'm knitting them in some pretty green yarn Lorraine and the boys bought for my birthday when they were on Lopez Island. The yarn isn't actually as bright green as the picture, but rather a mossy green. One done!

Stylin'!

Cara & Tony know their mother well, as evidenced by their gift to me. The LEOPARD PRINT SNUGGIE. I may never get dressed and leave the house again.

Christmas Loot!

It's not ALL about the gifts, but I did score some goodies: the latest trashy true-crime from Ann Rule (thanks KT!), "Solar Queen" who waves regally from the B (who knows how I worship the royals), an Ipod Nano from Pia (she and Katie promise to teach me how to use it), and a beautiful Coach purse and a wallet from Katie.

Another Car Convo

sometimes our car convos get absolutely existential:

Liam: Laurie, have you ever had TWO words in your head at the same time?
Lavs: No, I don't think so. What's that like?
Liam: It's REALLY hard.
Lavs: How do you do it?
Liam: You have to think really hard. And it's a lot of work.
Lavs: Have you ever done it?
Liam: Yes, I thought and thought really hard.
Lavs: Ouch.

Amazing Knitting!

I am knitting the MOST amazing scarf! It's the "Harry Potter Illusion" scarf. The scarf is knit with just rows of garter stitch with some purl sections, and it creates this incredible picture! When you look at it 'head on' it just looks like stripes of red and yellow, but as you can see by the photo, the 'shadows' create a picture of Harry with his wand. There's a Malfoy scarf too, and a Gollum scarf. I could end up with a whole closet full of weird characters :-)

Happy Christmas To All

Hope you all have a joyous holiday! I am celebrating with the girls, then meeting up with Steve and having dinner with my favorite family (Lorraine and the boys, plus Jon and Lorraine's mom & dad, visiting from Ithaca, NY). We'll also fit in our annual trip to the movie theater, "Sherlock Holmes" is my vote.

Happy Birthday Little Tony!

My baby is 27 years old today!!! How did that happen?

He still looks pretty much exactly like this kindergarten picture:

(and he was ahead of the fashion curve with the pink polo shirt too!) Note the 'buttoned all the way up' look, with the pullover sleeves neatly tucked under. He was always a little persnickety that way...

And here's a card my little Pooh made for his mom in kindergarten. Though the drawing of me is a bit sketchy, I love it. The inside reads "My Mom: I love her - she gives me allowance and I go shopping with her!". OK, he was rather mercenary in his sentiments, but still.

Love you Baby Tony! Come Home Soon!

Tick Tock

My Fair Isle Clock (from Knitpicks) is done! There's a little 'lump' up above the 12 I need to fix, but it turned out really cute.

Out With The Old...

Pia and Katie are STILL using the hideous acrylic Christmas stockings I knit for them way back when they were little tykes:

I finally got around to personalizing and finishing some pretty wool stockings for them:

At least these ones won't melt into a plastic heap if they catch on fire.

Who's On First?

Car Convo:

Liam: Laurie, who were the first people in this world?
Lavs: Adam and Eve.
Liam: Who came next?
Lavs: I guess their children.
Liam: Then who?
Lavs: I don't know, who do you think came next?
Liam: The third people were the Cavemen, fourth were Africans...
Alex: And the Dinosaurs!
Lavs: Do dinosaurs count? They're not people.
Alex and Liam: Yes, they totally count.
Lavs: OK, who came next?
Liam: Cavemen AND dinosaurs, then Africans, next were the Jewish people, then Indians, then Pilgrims, then US.
Lavs: Huh, interesting. Did you know that some scientists believe that dinosaurs evolved into birds?
Liam & Alex: NO WAY. Birds are totally different!
Lavs: OK, creationists. I'm just saying that's what some people think happened.
Liam: I don't think so, Laurie.

O Christmas Sock

A Finished gift! I started to make Jon a 'real' pair of socks, but ran out of the yarn I was using (and not sure that I want to spend another $20.00 to buy more yarn, not that he's not worth it lol). So opted to finish this stocking that has been on the needles for a bit. It is pretty cute I think, and the name in duplicate stitch came out decently.

Now Jon HAS to stay in Spokane, because he has a stocking with his name on it. Right?

Me and Mikey P.

Mikey has been super lovey-dovey of late. Yesterday he begged me to "be my godmother, Wowe". I explained that he 1. already had a godmother, and 2. I was Alex's godmother. He countered with "I can have 2 godmothers". What could I do? Mike P. can melt my heart every time.

Bockety Xmas

We have a theme going here: "Bockety Christmas". You've seen our tree, now here's our grand light display. Yay Katie for putting up 3 strings of lights in our windows!

Today's Car Convo

Liam" I have three skills now Laurie.
Lavs: Really?
Liam: Yes, I can catch a piece of popcorn in my mouth when I throw it in the air, I can make animal sounds, and I can track animals. That's three skills!
Lavs: Impressive, I think you have everything you need to succeed in life.

The Search For the Perfect Knitting Bag...

latest installment. A Namaste Newport Bag that I traded for on Ravelry. This one could be a winner, roomy but not too huge (I have several that are so big I could fit Mikey in with the projects and still have room left over for a pizza). Lovely soft leather. Will give it a go this week and see how it works.

It's That Time of Year Again...

...To post the Kids Visit with Santa Picture.

So Many Questions:

1. Where was Cara?

2. Why is Katie wearing those boots?

3. What Kind of Pants does Little Tony Have On?

4. When did Pia quit wearing glasses?

5. Did we visit Santa right after a liquid lunch, because Ho-ho's nose looks awfully red...

O Christmas Tree

Our tree is up and it's looking festive (though you'd hardly know from this picture).

A New Guilty Pleasure

Thanks to Cara, I am now addicted to "Hoarders"! OMG I heart this show. Katie refuses to watch it bc she thinks the stories are too depressing (true, the hoarders rarely get 'cured') but I find it absolutely fascinating, in that train wreck kind of way. Thanks, A&E channel!

Precious Pup!

Had to share this picture! My great-niece Allie (4 months old and pretty as a picture) is modeling the Dale of Norway Setesdal pullover I knit for her. Pink suits her! She'll be able to wear this sweater all winter (and maybe next winter too).

More Socks!

Just finished these (in record time, yay for worsted weight yarn!). They are "For Better or Worsted" Socks, knit using some of the Island Fibers yarn I bought last year on Lopez Island. Very soft and nice yarn to knit with! These are going to be an Xmas gift for someone (I'll have to scrutinize people's feet to see who they'll fit). No worries, Katie, they aren't for you.

Snowmen!

Katie has been collecting snowmen ornaments and decorations for a couple of years, and she has some cute ones. Here's a little sampling of them. Sorry the pic is a little crappy as usual. Trust me, they're "f-ing adorable" as our Katie would say.

Santa Express

Mikey and I visited "Santa Express" (a fundraiser for Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery, where kids get to shop for presents) this morning. Our 'elf' was Pia!

Mikey had a little trubs with the concept of "buying gifts for others"; he really only wanted to shop for his beloved Teacher Kim (preschool goddess) and himself. But Elf P. got him in the gift giving mood and he picked out prezzies for the brothers, Mama and Wowie along with TK. We went a smidge over our $10.00 budget with the additional purchase of a car for Mike...generosity and selflessness are learned traits :-)

When we got to preschool, Mike insisted on giving Teacher K. his gift right away. OMG he was totes adorable when he handed her the package. I wasn't fast enough with my camera, unfortch. His little face was beaming and he was so excited to give her the BEAUTIFUL red ring he chose. All hearts melted, of course.

This Is SO Not Right!

People, I have been knitting for 40+ years. And when the temp in Spokane dipped to zero, what did I have to put on my freezing hands? A PAIR OF STRETCH GLOVES I BOUGHT FOR A DOLLAR AT THE DOLLAR STORE. Wrong in EVERY way.

10 Great Things about Jon

Our baby Brother Jon has moved to Spokane, thanks to a clever bit of match-making by me :-) Seattle/Everett's loss is our gain, and here's a list of the many reasons we LOVE Jon (ps, I haven't snapped a pic of him yet, you'll have to make do with this one from Chase's Facebook page. That's Jon in the snazzy orange shirt).

1. He's not afraid of color. Despite the neighbors' comments, he's fearlessly painting Lorraine's house a "Browne's Addition" color combo of green, rusty red and blue.

2. He is a great cook. Who knew? Last week, he made a crab in lettuce wraps that was TDF. Once my mouth stopped burning from all the hot sauce.

3. He tells Lorraine her house is "too loud and too emotional".

4. He makes up songs for the boys. Mikey's special song is "Mike P." as sung by a trucker. It's as funny as you'd expect from Jon, I will try to get it on video.

5. He makes my friend Lorraine very very happy.

6. He has taught the boys everything they need to know about 'narding' (punching each other in the nuts), how to give a good heart massage, limpy, Buddhist Palm, and various wrestling moves, how to make a bow and arrow out of stuff you can find in the woods, how to make a 'switchblade' from two pencils and a rubber band (thank you St. Brendan's Catholic School for that bit of knowledge), how to use an ax, a hammer, a knife and a saw, and how to be a real man.

7. He is still 'shaky' and crabby in the morning until he has had some sugar and some caffeine.

8. He is totally happy with the simple things in life.

9. He's still the funniest guy I know.

10. He's HERE, and I love it!

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Gah! It's COLD today! While the temp isn't so bad (around 20), there's a nasty wind that is making it feel like it's arctic here. A good day to stay inside and knit, and dream of a tropical getaway :-)

Christmas Convos

Here are a few of the Christmas conversations I've had with the boys:

Alex: I know who Santa REALLY is.
Lavs: Really?
Al: IT'S MOM.
Lavs: Shhh! We don't want Mikey to hear!
Al: Yep, Mom brings the presents.
Lavs: Hmmm.
Al: Do you believe Santa is real?
Lavs: of course I do. Do you?
Al: Santa's not real.
Long Pause...
Al: IS HE?

Way to hedge your bets, Alex!
Lavs: What do you want Ho-Ho to bring you for Christmas, Mikey?
Mikey: Everything! (he's been lugging around the Toys R Us catalog for weeks)
Lavs: Maybe Ho-Ho will bring you a puppy! (not happening) What would you name it?
Mikey: YOU KNOW.
Lavs: Tell me!
Mikey: BAKUGAN!

RJ: I know what I want for Christmas!
Lavs: What?
RJ: (pulling out the Cabela's catalog) THIS!
Lavs: A REVOLVER?
RJ: Yes!
Lavs: You can't hunt animals with a revolver.
RJ: Yes you can! Jon, can you hunt animals with a revolver?
Jon: Yeah, you can.
Lavs: thanks for having my back, Jon. I'm NOT buying you a revolver RJ, and I don't think you should look for it under the tree either.
Jon: You are SO not ready for a weapon.
Lavs: Gak.
RJ: RATS.

My Dream Xmas Gift!

Thank you Helen Killer (Regretsy) for posting this fabulous vintage tea towel, which you can purchase for me on Etsy, make an offer and it will be mine!

Di's expression pretty much tells the story, doesn't it?

Let The Games Begin!

Stole this pic from Pam. As part of her "World's Greatest Auntie" duties, B-Z plays a mean game of cards. No mercy! She challenged Tate to a game during our cabin stay. This must be before they started playing, because once the cards were dealt, these girls were all biznazz. No smiles, only fierce concentration. And you shoulda seen them battle each other for "Sorry" domination.

Up a Lazy River

The New (new new new new new, as Mikey calls it) YMCA has a fun water feature, the 'lazy river'. Sadly, there's no bar you can float into, a la Silverwood. I went to my first water exercise class in the lazy river this morning. One hour of slogging against the current. Muscles were definitely worked! The perfect workout for fat ladies :-)

Socks!

I HEART this picture Pia took! That's me (on the far left), Susna and Loutie modeling our hand-knit socks while knitting on the couch at the cabin.

And needless to say, our feet were the toastiest at the cabin!

T-Day Fun!

The Three Senoritas (Pia, Katie and me) headed over the Channeled Scablands (how great is the state of Washington to include 'scablands'?) to spend turkey day with the family. As always, B & Bob were the perfect hosts at their cabin. We loved spending time with my sisters and their spouses, Mimi, the cousins and of course the little girls.

Lots of knitting, chatting, laughing, favorite story re-telling, and eating = the perfect weekend!

The Best Thanksgiving Show EVER

I laugh every time I see this picture and think of Monica doing the turkey dance for Chandler.

So Thankful...

I have so many things to be thankful for this year (which hasn't been the greatest year personally):

1. the four best children in the universe. How did I get so lucky? Because they unfailingly have my back, are smart, successful, funny as can be, actually read books and know a thing or two, are beautiful, have all (or almost all) of their teeth, and are loyal to the nth degree. LOVE YOU ALL.

2. a fabulous family. My sisters are the BEST. And they have wonderful daughters and sons who make any family get-together a delight. Plus there's a new generation of Sundstrom girls who are going to be a great addition to the family!

3. the four wildest, wackiest, and wonderful boys (I spelled that 'wounderful', which may be even more correct lol) to take care of daily. I shudder to think what my life would be like without my daily dose of RJ, Liam, Alex and Mike P. Thanks, Lorraine, for letting me be 'Grandma Wowe' to your gang. Hopefully, introducing you to Jon was sufficient payback :-)

4. knitting. This is my daily therapy (not necessarily cheap therapy, but portable). I have been knitting pretty much non-stop since about 1972, and have a sweater, a shawl and some socks in my own drawers to show for it. But hopefully I've provided a steady stream of gifts to those I love.

5. books. Since I discovered "The Big White House" in first grade, I've always had a book in my hand. Laura and Mary Ingalls, Betsy, Tacy and Tib, Nancy Drew, Harriet the Spy and The All of a Kind Family were my best childhood friends, and I still love opening a new book and discovering what's inside. No Kindle for me! Paper books 4EVER!

Hope you all have a happy turkey day!

The Case of The Pilfered Wallet

The Scene of the Crime: The P. household
The Victim: Jon
The Alleged Perp: Mike P.

The Allegation:

Jon's wallet was missing. Circumstantial evidence (poker face plus shifty eyes) pointed to Mike P.

The Investigation:
Everyone tore apart the house looking for the goods. Jon "carefully checked" his pants (we have only the victim's word on this). No wallet.

The Interrogation:
The alleged perp was seated under a bright light and mercilessly questioned by the victim. He lawyered up immediately (aka Mom) and kept his piehole shut.

The Torture:
Victim enlisted expert torture squad (aka the brothers) to try to break the perp. Perp's room was 'tossed' with an item at a time being thrown out in an attempt to crack his iron will. Wails were heard when the Star Wars poster went sailing out.

The Lawyer:
Protecting her client was her sole concern. She disappeared into the scene of the crime (Mom's room) and reappeared triumphantly holding the missing wallet. Attorney claims said wallet was in the pants pocket all along.

The Verdict:
Collusion and protection of the perp are suspected. However, perp escapes without serving any prison time. Victim still highly suspicious of both perp and his mouthpiece.

CASE CLOSED.

The Turtleneck Question

Seems we have a split household here. Katie abhors the turtleneck (or any item of clothing that touches her throat). I would wear one any day (and in fact am wearing a pink mock turtle right this minute, mostly to horrify Katie).

Take the poll, what's your stand?