Sick, Sick, Sick but Knitting, Knitting, Knitting

We have been struck with the germies here. I was scheduled to have my surgery the Thursday after Thanksgiving but ended up being out all that week with the flu - it was horrible - I was exhausted and had no voice. As soon as I started feeling good, Ryan got the stomach flu and was sick all weekend. This week I had the stomach flu for about 24 hours and right now Rob is down with it. We just can't get rid of all these germs.

I did get some knitting done in between my napping and then last Sunday when Ryan was sick, all he did was lay on the couch all day and watch Dora between naps- he was quite pathetic, but I got tons done.

I still have a lot to get done:
-mittens for my teaching partner
-hat for my dad
-dishcloth and bath mitt for our teacher's aide
-Ryan's stocking
-dishcloths for Ryan's godmother

I think that's it. I'm also making a list of things to work on after Christmas:
-scarf for me
-hat for me
-headband for me (see a pattern here? :)
-socks for someone - I just want to knit socks!

Christmas Gifts Galore

I have been knitting up a storm of gifts for Christmas - I'm quite pleased with myself. I finished a garter stitch scarf for my sister, a ruffled scarf for my Christmas around the world swap partner, a 1/2 dozen dishcloths for one sister for Christmas and a 1/2 dozen for another sister's wedding. I'm also working on a pair of mittens for a friend, a booga bag for me, a cell phone cozy for me and I want to work on a ball and a bear for Ryan. I have my surgery this Thursday and will be home alone on Friday, Saturday and Sunday so I'm hoping for some quality knitting time. I also have some little foam picture frames that I want to get glued together. Hopefully my resting my leg won't interfere with my knitting. :)

Ravelry, Christmas Exchange, Knitting Bags, Surgery, Oh My!

I haven't been on here much, but I have been keeping busy. Good news first...

My surgery is scheduled (finally) for November 29. It's a simple arthroscopic (sp?) surgery on a Thursday and I should be back to school on Monday - I'm relieved to finally be getting it done. I've been doing well without the crutches, but by the end of the day it's hard to walk.

I've finished a couple of books lately. I got into the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum books this summer and am still loving them - they're about a female bounty hunter from Jersey - they're hilarious and a good book from the heavy books my book club is reading.

I'm busy working on lots of Christmas projects - I finished a scarf for my Christmas exchange buddy. It's a ripple scarf and right before you bind off you end up with over 800 stitches on your needles - made it hard to knit and I won't make another but the finished product was really cute. I only hope she enjoys it. I'm also working on gathering other things for her. I need to work on Something for the Soul - I think I'm going to print out some knitting and quilting prayers for her on scrapbook paper and put them in a little booklet. I still need to get something for the taste - we have lots of different and unique places here so I want to get something local - I'll have to look.

I'm also cranking out tons of dishcloths - one sister is getting married next month so I thought I'd make her some as a shower present. Plus, I drew the name of another sister for Christmas and she wants some dishcloths and a Rachel Ray cookbook - I've ordered that now I just need to finish a few more cloths. I'm thinking a trip to the yarn store is in order as I don't have all the colors I want.

On one of my yahoo knit a long groups (which I've been horrible about doing) they were talking about a new site called Ravelry. I finally got my invitation and I am so inspired! There are so many wonderful patterns and projects that I now have a much longer list of things I want to knit. I really want to knit a bag for myself - I made a bag for my international tote exchange iv partner and liked it, but as I look at patterns on Ravelry, there are so many more that I'd love to do. I'm thinking about doing a booga bag or a sophie - they're both too cute! My current favorite yarn to knit with is patos soy wool stripes - it is so soft and I love the softness of the colors. Plus, right now it's on sale at Michaels - hmmm, might have to stop there after school and pick up a few skeins. I don't think I'll have time to use them until Christmas break, but we'll see. I also want to knit mittens for a friend of mine for Christmas - I made a pair for myself and they knit up really quickly, so we'll see. I just need to find a yarn and the time. Hmmm, maybe if I weren't on here? :)

Annoyed!

I have prepared, ok, overprepared for my subs and was ready to go. I have all this little foam picture frames I want to glue together for Ryan. I have books that I was going to read. I have knitting projects galore. I was ready to rest and recover for 2 weeks after surgery. I should have known!

Today my principal called me in and told me she got a call from workmen's comp and I better check because she got the feeling they were going to deny the claim. Lo and behold, I got home tonight and got the message. Grrrrr...........

So, a few (hopefully only a few) more weeks on crutches and ibuprofen (my new best friend) and then I'll have some time. I'm hoping to tie this in to either Thanksgiving or Christmas break to save some sick days. We'll see. Tomorrow I start talking to my insurance company.

Surgery :(

I tore my miniscus and will be having surgery next Thursday 10/18. It's not that I mind the actual surgery so much, it's that I will miss 2 1/2 weeks of school and I am way overly possessive of my classroom and way too controlling with things - I know I just need to relax - I have great subs coming in, but it's me - I want to make sure the kids have a good routine and nothing is too out of the ordinary for them.

I also HATE going under! I don't like anesthesia - it makes me horribly nauseous. When I had Ryan (via c-section)and they brought him up to me to show him to me, my first thought was, "Oh, he's so cute. I hope I don't puke on him." Seriously! Poor kid! The drugs make me nasty sick and I am not looking forward to it. I am, however, looking forward to being able to walk without pain!

I'm getting everything done - classroom stuff first. I am also gathering things to do while I'm at home. During the summer I have Ry here so there's always something to do. For the most part, he'll be at Grandma's or daycare during the day so I'll be on my own - weird!!! I've got tons of knitting projects to work on. My secret pal project will hopefully get done while I'm at home. I also have things to make for my sister and for some friends at work.

I also got a bunch of books from the library- the first 4 Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich. I've read 2 of her later ones but decided I better start at the beginning. They're hilarious and a great read. I also got our next 2 book club books. The first one is about Robert Hanssen - an American who spied for Russia, I think. It sounds interesting. I'm looking forward to the reading, knitting, and healing, but oh, not the anesthesia or the time off.

Cookies!!!

Ryan helped me bake cookies yesterday. I am so excited to bake with him and have him at an age where he loves to help. I want to do frosted sugar cookies with him but I'll probably save that for Christmas. For now, I made my mom's sugar cookies which when done mixing, you roll in a ball and then roll in sugar and then back without flattening. So, I dug out some of my colored sugar and put it in bowls and Ryan rolled them for me - he loved it! Of course, he had to sample it a bit when I wasn't looking. Here's an awesome picture of his great smile with just a little red sugar on his lips.

I changed my mind

I've changed my mind regarding Ryan's Christmas stocking - even though the stocking itself is done except for weaving in ends, I think I'm going to put it away until after the first of the year and work on it next year. We're hoping to have one more child, so I thought I'd go ahead and made one more stocking and then decorate them at the same time. Plus, I just don't have the time next year due to stretching myself a tad thin. I am still going to make Ryan's stocking - I'm going to get some sports material for the stocking and then a white material for the top and then sew sequins on for his name. I've got the pattern and idea, I just need to get the material now. I think he'll love it as anything even remotely round shaped is a 'ball'. He's very into sports and not yet 2 years old.

Ok, so what's stretching me a bit? My friend is getting married in May and I'm planning on making her a variety of different patterned dishcloths. I've started them, but now I think I'll need to put them away until after Christmas. I drew my sister's name for Christmas and guess what she wants? Dishcloths! So, I'm hunting for some cute ideas and will probably make her 10 in different patterns. Plus, I joined a Christmas knitting exchange and am working on what I will make for my pal. I had a great idea last night while trying to fall asleep, but I'm going to hold on to it and surprise my pal with it. I'll also join the next international tote exchange, but phew, they've put it off until after the holidays. So, I really need to quit typing and get knitting. But first, shower, laundry, trip to grandma's and maybe making some sugar cookies with Ryan. :)