Matching hat and scarf!

I have lost my beloved Twinkle Handknits hat and matching scarf:(

Since I do car riders at school in the morning, I really need a hat.

I absolutely love the pattern for the Super Bulky Button Hat from Kaleidoscope.  It is such a fast yet nice looking hat.  I used a Bernat Softee Chunky in the Nature's Way color and the cream colored Berant Chunky (the name of the colorway escapes me) instead of the Malabrigo Chunky it called for.  Yes, it's not a natural fiber but at the rate I lose scarves and hats but it seemed prudent to buy cheaper yarn.  The colorway is beautiful.

Ray is modeling it.



Instead of the button, I used a clip on flower.  That way, I can change up the accent if needed.

I then went to the scarf.  I started of with the cream and did something.  I cast on 15 stitches using size 17 needles.  The white part looks like two pyramids--one standing wide base up and the other inverted.   The next pattern was a simple checkerboard.  The next is YO and K2tog.  The next is plain old knit.  Then back to the YO pattern, checkerboard and inverted.  Kind of wonky.

Merry Christmas!

May you have all the Presence you need!

Warning: Necessity is really THE mother of children

Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.  I've concocted stories lies to make parenting easier.  The following is a partial list of the little white lies whoppers I've told to my children:

1.  The M in McDonald's does not mean that they only serve children on Mondays.

2.  Toys R Us is not really a toy museum and you can really touch the toys.

3.  Seeing a toy to buy on a commercial, well, is easier to buy that I've let on.  When the announcer says, "You must be 18 to buy," it does not mean that the child who would play with said toy has to be 18 years old to buy it.  In reality, I, as the parent, could buy it.

4.  There is not really a shortage of Wii games because of El Nino.

5.  The police didn't really threaten me with prison if you didn't eat all your veggies.

6.  The dogs will not really protect you if there is a zombie outside your window.  Since it is 1:30 a.m. when you stumbled down the hall to wake me and the dogs didn't even stir, it's a safe bet to say that Zack and Darby would probably sleep through an Undead Apocalypse.

7.  Even though taking Holy Communion will fill you up spiritually, this one little wafer will not tide your hunger over until we get home thirty minutes later. (I think Wesley has caught on to that one)

8.   Mommy is hiding the bag of jelly beans from you.  The dogs do not have the capacity or the thumbs to to open my secret stash so there is only one reason for the hiding--I don't want you to eat any jelly beans until I can fish out all the red ones.

9.  Telling my daughter that taking a sip of my coffee will result is in new orthodontia is really horrible.  I know that but in my defense, I need all my morning coffee.

10.  When I ask for patience during our morning prayer to school, it's not for parenting.  Rather it is for biding my time until I can escape to a tropical island without detection.

Bonus Lie:  I don't watch cartoons to monitor their content.  I just like cartoons.

For all of these sins and the ones I'm sure I've done but cannot remember because my daughter drank my coffee again, I am sorry.

For those heroes who were, are and will be teachers....

 

Earthbound Angels

I saw earthbound angels today

Lifting others with their grace

Always trying and sometimes falling

A shine within their peaceful face.

 

Some were holding hearts and hands

With their charges throughout the day

When the moon dripped diamonds in the night,

The angels still protected as they pray.

 

And in the end their children know

To come to them for love

For earthbound angels are teachers

Who are sent from up Above.

Warning: When you decide to become a graffitti artist, get spell check.

You know, my son, Wesley, is very bright.  There are times, however, that even the brightest child can display bursts of goofiness.

Example 1:
If you read this warning, you should know Wesley's proclivity to Sharpies.  Recently, in middle school, the new fad is to "tattoo" yourself with Sharpies.  This trend coupled with his Sharpie usage and unpredictable goofiness in this warning is trouble. 

Last month, he comes home with proudly displaying his tattoo.  "I wrote 'I was here'," my little junior Andy Warhol announces. 

I try not to laugh as I read his leg.  "It says, 'I mas here.'  You wrote upside down, didn't you?  Don't worry--it will come off when you take your weekly bath."

Wesley shrugs off my attempt at spell check.  "No, it won't 'cause it's in Sharpie."

If you're going to be a criminal, be a great one and use spell check.  It will come in handy with future body art, ransom notes and any correspondence with your attorney.

Example 2:
While this is not in the graffiti arena, I felt that it fit in this warning.  Wesley volunteers me to make cupcakes on Wednesdays to sell at school to replace a poster making machine.  I don't mind because hey, we all need posters, don't we?

I make the cupcakes and Wesley makes a sign proclaiming that my cupcakes are great. 

Notice the spelling of "homemade".  While I admit I can be a word that rhymes with witch, I am no ho!