A great weekend

I hope you all had a great holiday weekend. I know I did. I will admit to going out with the crazies early Friday morning trying to get the bargains. I didn't get everything I wanted, but I still did ok. I managed to pick up a few Christmas presents, had a great time with my sister and snagged myself a new toy.

Finally, I am the proud owner of a new laptop. I can now take my computer to my favorite knitting spot and multi-task more comfortably than ever. I am still getting used to it, but so far I just love it. Mom's sock has been keeping me company, and as you can see, I am almost done. I just need to kitchener the toe, and woo hoo, a gift is finished.

I have already started another gift too. Another pair of socks, and these will be for my sis.

I'm using a new yarn for me, Araucania Ranco. I picked a semi-solid in shades of gray for her (she usually doesn't like loud socks). I hope I like working with it. It has split a few times already, which really tends to bug me, but the color might win me over.

I almost used this.....

Almost.....you see, I won this skein from Sharon's blog. I love the colors (Sharon dyed it), so I wasn't sure I could give it up. She sent it all the way from South Africa. My kids were so impressed. They think it is so cool that I know people all over the world. I am always talking about Arkansas, Texas or Hawaii because I have knitting friends in all those places. I've said it before, but I just love how knitting brings people together.

Since I've been gone....

Wow it's been two weeks since I posted! Yikes, sorry! In case you're interested (you 3 people who still read this), here's a little update since I posted last.

• I attended at least 4 looooong musical practices and tweaked costumes.
• I attended dress rehearsal and 3 performances, all of which were at least 3 hours.
• I knitted half of mom's second sock.
• I knitted a few rows on the prayer shawl.
• I charted a new lace pattern for a stole for a friend.
• I worked on the triangle shawl pattern a bit.
• I bought a little bit of yarn and resisted some more.
• I got sicker than a dog and looked horrible enough for people to comment on it.
• I layed on the couch for two days doing nothing because I felt as rotten as I apparently looked. (I HATE being sick!)
• I made my bed for the first time in about 4 days. (If you knew me well, you would know that I RARELY-as in almost NEVER- leave my bed unmade. That is how crazy busy and sick I was.)
• I bought my first and only Christmas present this weekend. (Could I have an extension please?)
• I now have to wash and sort some musical costume stuff so I still don't have time to take pics and write a better post.

I am so thankful I don't have to cook the turkey this week! I don't have the energy. I will try very hard to take some pics in the next couple of days so my blog doesn't look so boring. Sigh.

Oh, just to add a little excitement.......there might be a contest coming up..........stay tuned.

It's all about the progress

I have a confession to make. Last week I was feeling very overwhelmed. I wasn't getting as much done as I wanted, I had a rotten cold and I was struggling a bit with feeling depressed. Not really depressed, just blah. (It didn't help that none of you have been commenting lately either...sniff. Haha, just kidding. I know how busy ya all get!)

I knew that the next two weeks would be crazy with the musical and costumes, Christmas was less than 2 months away, and things were not going as well as I expected. So I didn't knit on much of anything. A few rows here and there, and that was it.

Then I managed to work a BUNCH on my shawl pattern. I am finally close to finishing it. YAY! That helped me to feel better. That pattern was hanging over my head and I had no desire to work on it. I'm so glad I finally buckled down and did it. I feel so much better now that I have made a lot of progress.

I also got a fair amount done on the prayer shawl for my friend. My hands paid for it, ouch, but I have over a foot of knitting done.

Remember these socks?

Well, I hate them. Plain and simple. My girls think they are really cute, but I don't like them at all. I was going to knit my niece socks for Christmas, and she would really love these. They are totally her colors. However, she is only 8. These would be way too long. So, I made an executive decision to rip the toe off and shorten the foot to her size. That way I am 1/2 done with a gift, I won't have to feel bad that these just aren't me and everyone is happy! :)

Sock #1 is finished for mom too. I was beginning to think I might have to give her the Sedona Socks after all. (Many thanks by the way to those of you who have purchased the pattern already! I really appreciate it!)

I really like these! I will definitely make this pattern again. Maybe even for my sister for Christmas. I am pretty sure I have yarn in the stash for them and still plenty of time to make them.

So.....I am just excited that I have made some progress, and I don't even care that nothing is finished. I'm getting there, and that's what counts.