I heart Facebook

I resisted the allure of Facebook for two years. A few times a week, an invitation to join would pop up and I would scoff, and delete it. I don't need to sign up for one more thing. One more username and password to remember. One more place to upload stuff too. I was not going to get sucked into spending even more time online.

I was wrong.

Facebook is awesome!

In the few weeks since I joined, I have been in contact with close friends I haven't talked to recently. I have reconnected with some people from high school. I have found a bunch of friends from Border's. And even cooler...I have found some family.

Growing up with divorced parents, you lose contact with members of your extended family. It happens. And I was always curious about the few cousins that I had, and what happened to them. This past week, I got some answers, from Facebook.

It's a slow going process, getting to know people  that you have abond with but no relationship. It will be interesting to learn about their childhoods, their families.

It's a cool thing.

Oh yeah, the picture above is on my fifth birthday. I am holding my cousin Cynthia. The towhead is my brother, and that's my Grandma watching over us.

FO-Firestarter socks

I finished these over a week ago but was too lazy to take pix. They are Firestarter socks, created by Yarnissima.  I did them as a KAL with some online friends.

The yarn is NummaNumma Baby Boo, color is apricots with mixed fruit. I love love the color and the little details that make this sock beautiful.

I am still feeling pretty bad. My head feels like it's in a vice, and I can't lay down anymore because it just aggrivates it. I got a call from the doctor's office today, and they want me to come in tomorrow to discuss my bloodwork. I don't like the sounds of that, but maybe I can kill 2 birds with one stone and get something to clear up the bronchitis. And he screwed up my headache meds last time. Stupid third choice doctor.

Happy Thursday!

down for the count

Apparently one doesn't need to leave the house often to qualify for a grade A sinus infection/bout of bronchitis. Cause I have it, bad. Feeling miserable and sleepy and unable to breathe. It sucks.

Today as I was dropping Evan off at school, I went to give him a peck on the cheek and he gave me the hand. He had the nerve to say "I don't want to catch your germs." He's probably the one who gave me the dang germs to begin with.

The punk.

everyday

Sometimes my life is a random series of photographs that make me smile. It's all about the everyday.

the definition of spoiled

How spoiled is this old dog?

This old baby blanket made it's way into the family room a few days ago and Bart has taken to covering Bud up at night. And he will stay just like that, until we go to bed and he goes in search of some furniture he's not suppposed to be on. Ridiculous.

He has a big fluffy dog bed, but this has been his bed of choice lately. It's a fleece cushion, stuffed with shredded paper and made by Emma. For the cat. Buddy loves it, even though he is more off than on. In the meantime, Ben sleeps in the dog bed. Naturally.

He has me home almost all day every day. He follows me everywhere. I know what he wants almost the second he wants it. I can interpret a look or a whine, like I'm finishing his sentences. Unless I have no clue what he wants, and that's because he doesn't know what he wants.

He is so funny and has such a funny personality. Crazy dog.

Yes, he is spoiled. But so am I.

don't hate me because they are beautiful

It's three days after Valentine's Day, which means that all traces of it have been removed from the stores in order to make way for the Easter candy.

When I was a kid, Easter was one of my favorite holidays because not only did I usually get a pretty new dress, that's when all the best candy was out. Of course now you can get Peeps, jellybeans, Cadbury eggs & just about anything else year round. Back then, you had to wait until spring to get your hands on a delicious fluffy marshmallow peep. And they only came in one color. One shape, too. (that would be yellow & chick)

As I was trolling thru the grocery store today I came across a huge display of Peeps; every pastel color you can imagine and three shapes! Don't fancy a yellow chick? Not a problem. Have a purple bunny! Or an orange cream egg!

As luck would have it, Emma & Evan aren't fond of Peeps. I thought I was raising them right, I don't know quite how it happened. The Peeps are mine alone.

Now excuse me while I release them from their plastic wrap so that I may enjoy them as God intended...

stale.

FO-Emma's bitchin' socks

Neither of these pix really shows off the color of the socks, but oh well!

These socks were made with 2 different colors of yarn held together, worked one stitch at a time. This is an awesome technique for really loud colored yarn, as this is. And the bonus is that there is plenty of yarn leftover...hopfully enough for another pair of socks.

This is a particularly lovely shot; covered in dog hair! Really, I vaccuum all the time!
This is a good shot of the pattern but the color isn't great. C'est la vie!

Evan had a kick ass soccer game today. He played goalie for more than half, and played all but 6 minutes of the entire game. They ended up in a tie, but far outplayed the other team, (who are a year older). He was a rock star.

Happy Sunday!

oops I did it again

Martha Stewart has struck again.

Emma volunteered me to make cupcakes for her Advanced Resource class. Or buy them. But who is going to buy cupcakes when you have the cupcake Bible at hand?

The majority of the day yesterday was spent at the kitchen counter, measuring, stirring, baking, cooling, frosting, and washing.

There was much back & forth..I had the chocolate glazed in mind when I bought and set out ingredients. She wanted the yellow butter cupcakes, of which i also had the ingredients...except for one. Every f%$#ing time. I didn't even know there was a difference between cake flour and regular flour.

If I stocked all the ingredients she requires in her recipes I would need to build a new cabinet.

So here we have one bowl chocolate cupcakes:

These taste much better than they look. She needed 23 and the recipe makes 18 (NATURALLY!), so I had to double the recipe throwing me off even more. I didn't have regular cocoa powder, only dark, so the cakes are very very dark. I also ran out of semi sweet baking chocolate for the glaze, so I had to punt. After baking three batches because I only have one cupcake pan (21+ minutes per batch), I was sick to damn death of baking stupid cupcakes. The rest of the batter in is the fridge to bake new week. Screw it.

The things we do for our loved ones.

my mini-me sous-chef.

you've got mail!

I participated in a  Valentine's Day swap on Ravelry with a woman named Kate, who happens to live in Norway. It's the best kind of swap-no knitting involved! Only shopping. I know, what a shame!

I sent her 2 different yarns, 2 sock patterns she had requested, a knit journal that I made, and some Starbux chocolates.

This is what I got in return...

three different yarns, all Norwegian, 2 patterns, some cappuccino packets, and little gelli people. They are delish. I can't wait to cast on for the socks soon!

Thanks Kate! I love swapping :)

wednesday blahs

It's a gloomy, dreary, rainy day in the 'burbs.

Not that it's a bad thing...all of our snow has melted except for a 3"x  1" patch in the back yard. This time last week I was despairing that winter would never be over , and now I am looking at my fish swimming around in their little pond, going 'what's up!'

So maybe spring isn't too far away. And that's something to be happy about!

I have been feeling out of sorts and generally like crap for the last few weeks and I think I finally figured out why! Around Christmas, I stopped taking the anti-depressant I had been on for almost 5 years. It wasn't even really a conscious decision...I was forgetting doses more often than I was remembering them. My script was about to run out, and I didn't feel like trying to make an appointment with my doctor (whom I have mentioned before is becoming nearly impossible to get an appointment with). So I stopped. No biggie.

And then I started to notice that I was feeling 'different'. I can fall asleep at the drop of a hat. I can sleep forever and not ever feel rested. To top it off, i thought I had a sinus infection because I was getting dizzy spells, and I have had that happen before.

I did some research today on the web and found these to be side effects of meds withdrawl. Fabulous! Here I am, thinking I am doing something positive for myself, and it turns out that I'm not!

I put in a call to my Dr. a little while ago, and he (supposedly) will get back to me. I hope he can tell me something to do to get rid of these side effects. Everyone enjoys a little nap, but it's getting to be ridiculous. Not to mention that I probably shouldn't be driving when I am dizzy, which is more often than not.

No blond jokes necessary!

FO-Evan's Retrofit

This sweater is my second attempt at one for my little man. Above everyone else, he asks for handknits. The first sweater was a pullover that we both loved. Sadly, the melon was too big to fit thru the collar. I made a men's small size, and it should have fit but didn't. I learned an important lesson- no pullovers for large headed boys.

This pattern is called Retrofit, and I like it because it so basic. You can combine any number of colors to get a customized look. I chose these two because I figured they would match a lot of different things. He likes them, because they are Ohio State colors. Whatever works!
The length is a tad long, but mostly because he is slouching a bit. Wearing handknits? All for it. Photographing handknits? Not so much.

I also want him to be able to wear it for awhile. He is a growing boy.
I made this as a Christmas gift, I'm embarrased to admit. The sweater was knit, blocked, & seamed on time. I was hung up on the zipper. I have never sewed a zipper into a handknit before and I was scared to death. After watching a few tutorals, I sucked it up and just plowed thru it. It turned out to be a lot easier than I had originally thought. My zip was about 2" too long, and I was terrified to cut it, but I did. I backstitched the zipper first, and then went back and sewed each side securely a second time. It has to withstand Evan, afterall.

Doesn't he look handsome??

Sunday. in progress.

-It's not even noon and it's already been a long day.

-Evan had an 8 am soccer game. His team won by the skin of their teeth.

-I have a sinus headache.

- the Bunco party was great. I won second prize (a $25 gift certificate at a salon), and everyone     stayed until 1:30. We set a new record! Emma even got to play with us, and loved it.

-I think perhaps the marmot was mistaken. After another week in the deep freeze, it's been    above 30 degrees every day. Yesterday more than half of our snow melted.

-I officially have spring fever!

-Emma took a 4 hour nap yesterday.

-She's napping again.

-I'm tired of cleaning house.

-I'm really glad the warm-up didn't come before Bunco night. I had all my ice candles lit and the  ladies all thought I was a creative genius.

-the cupcakes were delish!

-I need a nap.

-Bart spent almost an hour scooping up dog poop yesterday.

-I had red, white, and blue pancakes for breakfast. Yum.

-I need to make a pedicure appointment :)

-I plan to connect with some friends this week.

-I think I have a sinus infection. I keep getting a vertigo feeling, and am stuffed up.

-Emma asked at 7:30 this morning..."Is Ellen a lesbian?"

-7:30 is too early to have this discussion.

-I need a nap!

Happy sunny Sunday!

the domestic diva strikes again

Tonight is my first shot at hosting Bunco at my house, and I have been cleaning chez Treiber all week. Bart called the other day and asked what I was doing. Me: "I'm washing walls." Him: "Who are you and what have you done with my wife?"

Hardee har har.

It's not that I don't clean house...it's seems like I am always cleaning house. But it's definitely more of the 'pick up everyone's shit and throw it into their rooms, fold blankets, laundry, groceries, vaccuum, laundry, clean the kitchen, vaccuum' variety. I don't deep clean. Well, not on a regular basis. This week I have wiped baseboards, cleaned bathroom, vaccuumed the furniture, washed rugs, bathed the dog, baked cupcakes, washed windows (inside. It's cold out there!), baked cookies, washed walls & cleaned the stovetop.

I've had some good motivation this week- they all have nicer homes than me!

Don't get me wrong- I don't need a pity party or anything. I love my house. My house is warm and kid friendly and you won't find a single white carpet anywhere. It is unfussy. It suits me perfectly. And yet, I feel a little embarrased when people I don't know come over. Embarrased isn't even the word...way too strong. I feel like the kid at school who wears the knockoffs while the cooler kids all are wearing designer.

Bart does a fantastic job of remodeling and redoing, but my house was built 40 years ago and there are parts that look it! Our kitchen badly needs remodeling...we have  old dark cabinets and I hate them. Unfortunately we can't afford to have the whole thing redone...he does it bits at a time. Which is just fine, really. I'm happy for any work he does. But a new kitchen sure would be awesome! And front doors. And repainting the family room.

I do a mean garden party, but sadly it is too cold and snowy outside for that!

I also do homemade, hence the baking. Many of these women work and don't have time to bake cookies, so that is going to be my specialty.

And when everyone has been here for an hour and we're all laughing and chatting and having a good time, I can relax and stop feeling so self conscious and enjoy my party.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

I interrupt this blog to bring you the following very important public service announcement:

STOP WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING AND GET THEE TO A STORE IMMEDIATELY AND BUY THIS!

flip to page 90 and try not to drool all over the pages. They will stick together and make it hard for you to bake the deliciousness within.

You may be confused by all the luscious temptations within, so may I suggest going directly to the Boston Creme Pie cupcake?

You will not be sorry. I haven't even put all the layers together and it's all I can do to not scarf them down immediately.

Your life will never be the same.

p.s. I was also going to make the handwritten valentine cupcakes with chocolate glaze, but I seem to be out of fresh buttermilk and safflower oil. Damn.

p.s.s. Martha Stewart is an evil genius.

won't you take me to funky town

Yesterday Emma says to me "we get the most boring mail EVER" and stomped off in a huff. Evidently not only do I have to deal with the everyday parenting stuff, I now need to worry that our mail isn't stimulating enough. Gah!

Well today I beg to differ, because look what showed up in my box-

Holy 80's flashback! I swear when I opened the envelope I got a whiff of Love's Baby Soft and heard the chorus to "Wake me up before you Go Go".
This one is a little too blown out- the light purples are really dark and the navyish color is black. The color is called 'LOOSE NUT' and it's from a punk rock sock collection. I don't know anything about the indie dyer, but the yarn is delicious and soft and I can't wait to make something from it! I think I will make her some socks. And a mix tape.

I also got a different type of good mail today, in the form of a praise email from Evan's teacher.

They got report cards on Monday and she had written some nice things in there, but she took the time to send me a note saying how much she likes Evan and how great he is to have in class, and what a responsible and respectful young man he is. Awww. My kids have had the best teachers, I swear!

Happy Wednesday!

stupid marmot

Rumor has it that Punxatawny Phil saw his shadow and we are in store for 6 more weeks of winter. Sheesh anyone in Michigan could have told you that! We have tons of groundhogs in our area, and they are not done hibernating. When I actually see a groundhog, I'll know winter is over.

Northville's own FatSquirrel was on hand to celebrate the 6 more weeks of putting out birdseed.

I don't see his shadow, so maybe spring will come early despite what the marmot predicts.