it's here. spring!!!!!

Finaly the weather is turning spring like. sun and warmth, I even saw some flowers at the side of the road this weekend. I love this time of year.

Many things going on right now mostly Girl Scout realted. final few troop meetings, getting ready for our ceremony, I think i finaly have all the plans laid out. Invites will go in the mail this week. I have the park booked and the pavilion. I have to get all the candles and decorations yet but still have a while to go. Some thoughts buzzing around about table centers but nothing definate yet. will work on that.

May 3rd the day before our ceremony is going to be fun i think. Me, Dawn and Mickey are traveling to Bloomsburg for the anual meeting. That should not take too long and then we get to spend the day looking at all the booths and vendors taht are attending. we are taking Caitlin and Brittany. Should be good.

Speaking of my daughter Caitlin, she did a fantastic job a few weeks ago, wow has it really been that long since my last post. Caitlin and myself along with 25 other girl scouts and thier mom took part in a "Locks of Love" donation 20.13 feet of hair was doanted and all the girls had a blast. many tears were shed of course, but many memories were made. Every one of the girls who left The Vineyard Scene salon in Tannersville had a fantastic haircut and a smile all worth it. Caitlin was really not sure she liked it but went ahead and took part anyway and now she loves her new do!

As for knitting I have 2 really nice projects on thr go a beautiful sweater for Charlotte, a Crystal palace Bunny hop pattern. I love this yarn so soft. The border is pale green and the bulk of the sweater is cream. pictures to follow later.

i also have a bolero jacket on the needles just started for Charlotte. Pale pink with a plae lavender trim, really pretty but just started so nothing to show yet.

I did also buy some needles to start on a new pair of socks bought the yarn a while ago and really want to have a go at knitting with 2 needles. I have done it where you make 2 at a time socks but did not love the results found it left big holes where the heel was turned but I have been told this does not happen when you do just one on two needles. we shall see.

snow snow and more snow

We travelled to Vermont this weekend for short ski break. After leaving at lunch time friday taking the kids early from school. We arrived in Vermont just ahead of the snow. It had started to flurry when we were unloading the car. After unpacking and a delicious dinner of Chinese takeout. I have to say that the Chef Mei restaurant in Okemo is one of my favorites we settle down with a glass of wine and some tv. Not exciting I know but lovely. Waking in the morning to find a fresh coating of more than 12 inches of snow. Breakfast some what disjointed as we did not have eggs and the pancake mix provided needed them!!!! should always read the packet I guess..... my family head out to ski. A little over 2 hours later they are back and my 7 year old son is looking a little worse for wear and syas he is done and cannot go out anymore. He is so small that the snow was jsut way to much for him to manage.

The others head out again and I take Lucas and Charlotte out on some makeshift sleds. I turn a laundry basket into the perfect sled for Charlie and lucas gets the good old tea tray. He is not hrilled with this idea but we go out. We find a small but fun hill and he has the best time charlie enjoying her ride to and eating as much snow as she can grab along the way.

Home for a trip out to local shops to see what we can find for dinner and come across some lovely local treats. and some surprises. Barbecue ribs to die for lobster bisque and crab cakes. MMMMMMMM!!!! kids find some lovely things they like to. We all have fun night. More skiing follows the next day and lucas does much better with all of the prviuos snow having been groomed in and new layer of 6 inches they all have a good day. Me and cahrli pack up and we swim before we head for the long drive home.

All in all a great weekend had by all and a nice break for me some time time to relax and not do anything much.

Valentines day.

Valentines so far has been a bit of a blur....

I was woken up to the telephone only to find it was the delivery driver for the gym equipment ny DH issists is going to make us both thinner???? The driver tells me we will be there is an hour maybe an hour and 15 mins and so I am frantically trying to clean enough space for him to put it down in my bedroom when 20 mins after phone call they are here. Must be man minutes!!!! However they cannot get it up the stirs despite the fact we paid extra for their silver delivery package so they would. Eventually they take it in pieces, well at least they take the big bits and leave me all the rest to do after they have gone. Good job we did not pay for the bronze package they awould have left it at the top of the drive.....!

The children had a 2 hour delay for school today teachers much not have had enought ime off due to the very few inches we got on tuesday. We had a half day tuesday, all day wednesday off and a 2 hour delay this morning. I know we live in a rural mountain area but really seems excessive. Anyhow complaining over.

Yesterday I got 3 packages in the mail, a nice surprise. Everything from great mags and coffee to some beautiful yarn and a good book. Loads of fun cannot wait to have a few mins to sit down and enjoy.

I cannot belive that tomorow my Beautiful daughter Charlottte is turning one. She has been such a great additon to the family. It really seems like we have always had her. But I don't feel like we have had her a year, does not seem long ago I had just found out I was pregnant with her. Oh the surpise!!!!! Still I guess tooooooo many margaritas will do that to you...
My other beautiful daughter Caitlin is growing up before my eyes at 12 now she is growing into a young lady. With all the hormones to go with. When she is not a moody teen she is lovely. She is smart and funny and very creative. I spent some time this weekend making Dotte dolls for my Girls Scout troop and with no instruction she jumped right in and made one of her own. I had left all the stuff out as I had not quite finished and I find her making valentine stuffies. No pattern jsut having fun and creating. Sometimes I think they need to do more of that and have at the craft supplies who knows what they will do.

And must not forget that my Husband did not forget or ignore this year he left for to come down stairs to this morning a lovely vase full of lavender Tea Roses along with a card that said it all. We have been to gether for 15years now and I have loved every minute. Well ok there are one or two I would leave out but not many.

Home at last

My trip to England is done. It was great to see all the family and introduce them all to Charlotte Rose.

Mercifully she was great no problems on the flight and she behaved like the perfect princess she is. Grandma loved her and got to spend some quality time with both her and me. My brother and his new wife came on sunday for family lunch and we had alot of fun. I have not seen him in so long and I had never met his wife sarah.
My sister Sarah ( not the same one) is now 18 I cannot believe it when I left home she was just 3 and at preschool now whe is off to university and doing so well I am really proud of her she has accomplished so much and looks to have a great future ahead of her. For her birthday hubby and I gave her enough money for a flight to the US. This I think she is planning on using in October to come and stay for 3 weeks I cannot wait to show her around and introduce her to all the things I love about living this side of the pond.

However all said and done it is great to be home. I really missed Simon and the kids and confess to shedding some tears at the airport when I saw them waiting for me and Charlotte. We do not spend alot of time with me away so it always seems hard. I could have done without the hassel at the aiport, having to wait 20 mins for the airtrain to be told it was shut down and then having to walk from one terminal to the next cos my flight had come it at a different one than perviously scheduled. As we were walking in 17' weather to the next terminal the airtrain sailed by ARRRRRRGH!! and then to find that the elevators to take you from the next terminal out to the parking lot not working either was very frustrating. But being home in my own bed ( with clean sheets (yep he did laundry whilst I was away) was the best feeling. Dinner with the kids and then sleep I was a happy woman.

But no rest for the wicked tuesday brings with it school buses and activities and Simon back to work. And unfortunately a sad event. A funeral. One of my Best friends Mom passed away on thursday night whilst I was away and we had the srvice on tuesday. Viewing at one and then service at 2pm it was good to get the chance to say goodbye though I would have been very sad had I missed this.

The girl scouts all came together for this as Beatrice had been a big part of that. Every member of the service team turned out and all in uniform and so many other leaders either came or dropped off food it was very touching to know that we could pull it out and make Mickey proud.
A sad day and BEATRICE MACKAY will be sorley missed.

On a happier note I got a parcel from the crochetaholics swap yesterday and will post about it later. It always makes me smile when something in the mail that does not cost me anything to open....

Pay It Forward

I have just signed up for "Pay It Forward" on
http://gardenyarns.blogspot.com/.

It sounds like alot of fun Here's how the program works

:1. You must promise to send some type of handmade gift to the first3 people who leave a comment on your blog requesting to join thisPIF exchange.

2. The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog. If you want to join just leave a comment and the first three will be on my PIF list. Then post it to yours so you can return the favor.

3. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days,that is my promise!

Tote Bag swap

http://writemamawrite.blogspot.com/2007/04/martha-stewart-dish-towel-tote-tutorial.html

I used this tuorial to make dish towel toe bag for the Tote bag with goodies swap. very easy and have since made one for each of the kids. One has their music books in it. the other some lego he has to take to Girl Scouts each week ( yes he loves that, NOT!!)

It was not easy to find dishtowels big enough where I live I guess all the people who live in the boondocks only have small dishes....
I managed to find these in a Linens and Things, as a pack of 6 all with the same colors but different designs.

now just the goodies to put in it. might go shopping for that later today

.http://www.swap-bot.com/

swap projects

These are the fingerless mittens I made for the Warm Hands Warms Hearts swap. I Finished them in alittle over 4 days and had a great time making them. You really had to concentrate as the pattern is not that well written. Having said that I only had to take the ribbing back twice due to not reading properly and missing a cable row.

Hope that Paige enjoys them as much as I enjoyed making them.

http://www.swap-bot.com/