Mexico was fabulous!

We have been back from Mexico for two weeks now. We had such a fantastic time!! It was 80 degrees when we left the Mayan Riviera in Mexico and today started out with snow. I want to go to the warm weather! We are definitely going to be taking some winter vactions to warm places in the coming years! Security for the AeroMexico Airlines is strict. At the Cancun Airport on the way home they pulled my knitting needle out of the Clapotis I was working on and said they weren't allowed. I was shocked! I got on the plane and quick pulled out a needle and scrap yarn and picked up the stitches as best I could. After we got home I bought some new needles and only had to rip back a couple of rows to get the scarf back on track. I hope to finish it this weekend.

Plans to teach a class on the Clapotis Scarf are moving along. I want to have a couple of scarves done to show as examples. I am excited to have this opportunity to try teaching. I have talked about it for years!

I have been working on my Master Level III work. Have completed the Fiber research project, one magazine review and one book review. Still have another magazine review, book review and techniques research report to complete besides the two main projects and a couple of swatches. I'm getting back in the groove though and things are getting done slowly but surely!

The boys will be home from college next month for spring break. I can't wait to see them. I love spending time with them and talking. Their views on things are always interesting. Their college stories bring back memories of when I was in college.

Have to get back to work. My desk job still gets in the way of my knitting!!

Christmas Knitting is done!

It took me until the first couple of days of 2009 to finish the sweaters for my boys but they are done. They turned out nice. Now my knitting is focussed on more personal areas: working to finish up my Master Level III work; preparing to teach a class on Kate Gilbert's Clapotis Scarf and knitting some things for myself. I have a couple of sweaters and a vest started for myself and would like to finish them up soon so I can wear them before spring!

My husband and I leave for a winter vacation to Mexico for a week very soon. I am looking forward to time away for just the two of us and warm weather! My knitting will be coming along. I promised I would bring a smaller project - something not to bulky. I am going to make another Clapotis Scarf. That should be easy to work on durin the plane ride and can be tucked away easily for transporation. We have never been to Mexico and are very excited to be taking this trip.

Happy Holidays!

Well a lot of time has certainly passed since I last posted here.

My son's afghan was finished the week of Thanksgiving and he took it back to college with him. Pictures are posted on my Ravelry site.

Then I got the brilliant idea I would make each of my sons a sweater for Christmas. What was I thinking?! It is a very simple pattern that you can make 'in a weekend' from Knitting Pure and Simple. I have both sweaters started but will be doing a knitting marathon this weekend to make headway on the projects. I would like to have them both done before the boys come home from college on December 20th. I would like to have them wrapped and under the tree so they don't see me working on them. It would be nice to have a few hours before Christmas to work on something for myself - what a lovely thought!

I have started organizing my completed pieces of the Master Knitter Level III requirements. I have more done than I remembered - woohoo! That was a very nice surprise. This is going to be my next project - to get this done. I have been talking about it and thinking about it long enough - it is time to cross the finish line!

Long day at the office...

It seemed like Friday would never get here. It has been a long week and today is a long day. I just don't want to be at the office. I would rather be at home knitting!

My son's afghan is well underway and coming along nicely. I hope to get a lot done while we ride the Amtrak to Glacier National Park the end of July. I doubt it will be done by the end of August when he moves to college but perhaps it will be done by early October when we visit him for Parent Weekend.

My sister Louise visited overnight in July and helped me take pictures and load them to my Ravelry Projects. It was so nice to have the help and suggestions! I finally understand my digital camera and can continue to load pictures myself.

Stitches Midwest is the end of August and I am so pumped to be going for the third year in a row! It is so motivational and inspirational to attend. Shopping at the Market is just as exciting as taking the classes. I plan to be organized this year and know specifically what sweaters I want to make and shop for yarn for.

Only 4 more hours and the weekend will begin!

How Time Flies...

This evening we will be attending my youngest child's graduation from High School. Where did the years go? Where did this school year go? It is hard to believe that in a few short months we will be an empty nest. It will be lonely with both of our boys away at college.

I will miss B & C terribly but do look forward to putting more time into my knitting. I want to finish up the Master Level III course work and get it submitted for evaluation. I want to be done and move on to other projects. I really want to focus on designing and see where that will take me. I wonder if I have the kind of creativity that others would be interested in?

I am now in maintenance with my diet. The 44 pounds are off and my weight is stabilized. I have been having fun buying new clothes. I want to make myself some new sweaters. I am really looking forward to attending Stitches Midwest in August and getting a lot of inspiration!

TGIF

It is finally Friday - this has been a long week. We are so busy getting things done for our son's open house I have not had time to work on my knitting. I am hoping this weekend to be able to sit down and watch a movie and do a couple of hours of knitting.

I bought a few more clothes last weekend. It feels good to have things fit well. I think I have a good assortment of work clothes now. I need to find some summer things - like shorts - it is finally warming up and it looks like the weather will hit 70 degrees this weekend!

Another Month...

I had such good intentions of blogging more regularly! It's been 2 months since I had time to write something - time just slips by so quickly!

I have been very busy with the school year coming to an end for my boys.

I have reached my goal weight, which resulted in a loss of 44 pounds! Woohoo! Slowly getting out and getting some shopping done for new clothes - nothing fits except for my socks!! I have an extremely small wardrobe right now - a very nice problem to have but anxious to build it up. Shopping can actually be a lot of work. Hitting clearance racks everywhere looking for bargains. I wear a much smaller size than I thought I would - WOW!

Many knitting projects going at once. I keep starting new ones and need to finish up a few! I am anxious to get back to my work for the Master Knitter Level III and get it done. It is taking me a LOT longer than I thought it would to get through this last level.

I have signed up to attend Stitches Midwest in Chicago in August. I can't wait! I am taking both of Brandon Mabley's all day classes along with a couple of other classes. This is going to be so exciting to take his classes. The shopping is always fantastic there and I am planning to be much more organized this year in what I am shopping for. I want to have a list of items to shop for before I leave home.