I started my new cardigan today while dh played bball on the playstation2. For the life of me, I cannot understand how ppl play sports on a game console. It's not bball if all you're using are your thumbs! I must be missing some kind of fun that's going on here...or not. At any rate, the sweater is lovely, I'm in LOVE with Rowan yarn and I may never be able to go back to substituting the cheap stuff. oh help. I am becoming an official yarn snob. For my next project, I'm going to make something out of this yarn from this Rowan pattern collection: http://www.theknittinggarden.com/ro-magcalmer.htm#HEARTEN

I just need to go find a job or something to pay for it all...

We went to Southern Pines, NC yesterday for Joshua's back exam procedure (he's doing great, btw) and i FINALLY found a decent knitting shop. Scratch that, not just decent, it was exceptional. Bella Filati was so well organized and lovely! everything looked so fresh and clean and all the displays and the yarns were absolutely lovely. it made me feel like I was "home." I know, I'm a dork. It was awesome. So, here's my contraband. Joshua doesn't even want to know what I spent, but I feel like I deserved a little something after all that I've gone through this year. so I splurged on yarn and needles. It is, after all, cheaper than therapy! 

We had just arrived home from "school." Josiah's started to go to daycare on Ft. Bragg. I had originally turned down the free EDIS (it's like early intervention for military) daycare spot, but dh and Jo's PT (physical Therapist) thought it was a good idea for him. He's already been there twice and as far as I can tell, he loves going to "school" and playing with friends. There's one kid there that makes me SO nervous though! The first day I was there to observe, he was throwing blocks at some other kids head and then I saw him punching someone else. I almost grabbed Josiah and went running for the exit! but his PT assured me taht she would be there for a bit and that he would be fine. my goodness. Well, having the Smush in daycare does mean more time to knit and stamp (and clean, and run errands...fun, fun, fun). I just hope that kid doesn't hurt my baby, or we're going to have to throw down. right... 

now I'm just showing off. here's Josiah playing with Patrick (in the bkgd) and Connor (busy drinking water behind Jo). I just love that he has 2 matching eyes and cute glasses that he wears so well! btw, I taught Connor to knit last december and since he's made a scarf for Jenaa (the dog) and Jacob (schoolmate). They're not quite perfect, but pretty darn good for a 6 yr old! 

Here's Josiah with his new eye and his new glasses. It was oscar night and we were eating chocolate ice cream or something of that sort. Doesn't he look happy? Gotta love it. Oh, can you believe my hair's not long enough to donate yet? the SHORTEST piece has to be 10 inches. Almost there. There are times when I just want to get rid of it and be done with it, but I made that commitment to donate it...and then I'll pick up some magazine with the story of someone who received a wig from Locks of Love during their bout with cancer and I'll start crying (you know me). Hopefully it won't be much longer. Hey, wasn't that a pun or something? I am so witty. RIGHT. 

Here is my lovely lacy shawl that I am struggling through. I got the pattern from knitty. I'm using Patons Brilliant in cream something or other. Isn't it pretty? I've only got about 1,000 more rows to do... 

Frogging is the most painful thing to do. This pile of yarn represents hours of knitting a winter poncho that never was. It was a very hard lesson to learn; when substituting yarns, you need to measure both length and width (stitches and rows). I neglected to calculate the rows. Very sad. It ended up too skinny and the neckline really looked OFF. :-( I'm so disappointed! Ah well. It's not even cold enough here to warrant a winter poncho. Dang it! 

i will post a pic tomorrow, much too lazy tonight. i am EXHAUSTED b/c i have been staying up until the wee hours trying to figure out this lacy pattern that i wish i had never fallen for. i found it on knitty, and man it looks so good in the pics! so, i start before i realize that it's COMPLICATED beyond my nighttime knitting ritual. i usually start knitting around josiah's bedtime, so i'm already pooped. then, i put him in his racecar/bed/thing and i knit in the dark until he falls asleep. *what happened to falling asleep on his own, you say? well, there was Christmas and New Year's with parties and ppl galore, then dh left for training in Al and then the whole Duke University Eye Center and the ensuing ER insanity. SO, he's a bit off his schedule.* i tried to knit this thing in the dark, and OH MY GOODNESS it looked like i had, well, tried to knit it in the dark. very, very bad. i had to frog that thing over and over before i finally got it right. now i only have 1000 more rpts to do. i don't know if it's worth it, but it does look so pretty already...very shimmery and fringe-y. i'm knitting with bamboo straights and Patons Brilliant yarn. very pretty. i'll post a pic tomorrow! good night.