Friday, December 28, 2012

Friday Mishmash - Yarn!

It was a very knitty Christmas for me this year, and I loved it!  I got yarn, beautiful yarn...I've already started on a cowl with one skein, and have nearly finished a hat with two more skeins.  Plus I have enough yarn to make a sweater - eeek!  I've had my eye on a couple of different patterns for a pullover, and am working on getting my nerve up to attempt one.  All yarn came from my mom - she really came through for me!
An armful of yarn, wheee! 

Jeff gave me a yarn swift, a yarn winder, and some blocking mats.  All items that I've been wanting, but waited to make sure that I liked knitting enough to stick with it before requesting them.  Here's a couple shots of me winding my first "cake" of yarn (the ball winder makes yarn look like little cakes, hence the term):
A yummy cake...of yarn!

I also received several knitting books that were on my Amazon wish list:
Sam gave me the three books, and a dear friend gave me the perpetual calendar - I feel very indulged!

I am so pleased with everything - I've really come to love knitting, and all of these goodies will help me enjoy my hobby even more!

I also received a couple of other fun gifts - Max gave me a Fiestaware spoon rest for my stove, in Peacock green:

And Jeff gave me this cute Lego set, which appropriately, is sitting on my desk:
Will I ever outgrow the thrill of getting a new toy at Christmas?  Probably not. :)

Speaking of new toys, Paco got his present:
 
While he's quite adept at unwrapping his gift, Paco was a very good dog and did not unwrap any of the other presents under the tree.  Maybe he knew Santa was watching?

Everyone posed with their favorite present:
I gave Jeff a mile marker from the half marathon we just did - they were auctioned off afterward with the proceeds going to the race charities.  I thought this one was very symbolic of our year of running together and was really glad to win the auction - bidding was going on right up to the deadline!  I framed it so he can hang it in his office.

Sam only asked for two things - a pair of sharp kitchen scissors, and new clothes.  We gave him an IOU for a shopping trip for the clothes, so on Christmas day, his favorite item was the scissors:
Goofy Sam, as usual...

Max wanted a pet rat, so we got him all the accessories and will take him to Petco next week to pick out the rat (we're going out of town this weekend and didn't want to leave the new rat alone so soon).  Here he is with the rat food (Fiesta Max, how appropriate):
If he looks ill, it's because he was.  The stomach bug (norovirus?) started with Sam last Tuesday night - he was really sick until Saturday.  Then poor Max got it Christmas Eve...he wasn't feeling very good here.  Heck, he'd been up most of the night tossing his cookies, so when he finally fell asleep, he didn't wake up until nearly noon on Christmas day - it was the latest we'd ever waited to open gifts!

Dinner picture - we'd just popped our Christmas Crackers, and my prize (a shoe horn, lol) was sitting on my plate.  Paco got in on the picture action, too:
Ham and all the fixin's - it was good!  

We're headed up to the Dallas area this weekend for a quick trip - it's going to be freezing up there, so I need to finish knitting that hat today!

Have a great weekend!

22 comments:

  1. So happy your knitting jones was indulged although I had to admit when I saw what you got, I thought it was a teeny bit sad that you got no new running stuff.

    What a great and thoughtful idea for a gift for Jeff! Those markers were fabulous - most of the ones I've seen just have a number.

    Have a safe and enjoyable trip to Dallas!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Honestly, I didn't need any running gear...otherwise, you know I'd have put it on my list!

      The mile markers were all made by art students from our local high schools - it was really fun to see what they'd come up with at each mile!

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Thank you - I never know how it's going to turn out, day-to-day, but that was a good one. :)

      Delete
  3. Wow girlfriend you are spoiler, totally deserved. Now start knitting that sweater, you are ready for it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think I need to actually do a gauge swatch and take some measurements for the sweater - I got lucky with the first one I made, in that it fit me...but I really should do it properly for the next one.

      Delete
  4. Love all the loot you got!! There seems to be a flu bug going around everywhere - my sisters family got it and one of my bosses family did too - hoping my flu shot keeps it away from me!

    ReplyDelete
  5. A mile marker from a half?!? What an amazing gift. Your husband is so lucky.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ooh, you got your ball winder and swift--isn't it fun?!!!

    And Knitting Without Tears--so glad you got that! Read a bit, and then get started on that sweater! Yes. AFTER you do your gauge swatch.

    A new rat! How fun!

    And in the last picture, you all kind of look like you're in prison. Or maybe you're getting ready to go into surgery?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I figured the E. Zimmerman book would be a good reference, plus I liked the title. THERE'S NO CRYING IN KNITTING! Well, not very often. Cussing, however, is a different story.

      Delete
  7. Sorry your boys got sick at Christmas. That sucks. Lots of great gifts and I love the mile marker. That is cool!

    Have a safe trip!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Shelley - Claire finished her first scarf. She didn't know how to end it, so she looked on-line to find out how - she did a great job for being 11 and starting it AND finishing it without my help. Thanks for the suggestion on the knitting needles, they are so much easier for her to use.

    happy holidays!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Not nice for your boys to be sick at Christmas. What great gifts you guys got. I wish I could knit. I used to knit slippers when I was a kid but haven't knitted in years.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Glad you had a great Christmas! I found your blog because of this post. I'm a knitter and I'm a little bit jealous of your new swift and winder. I've added your blog to my blogroll too. I literally just started blogging about losing weight yesterday and I'm out making new friends :)

    Have a great weekend!

    http://andthenichanged.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Shelley, you and your family are wonderful!!! I wish we lived in the same country so I could meet you all in person. Sorry the boys got sick. I'm sure they'll recover nicely for the shopping trips for clothes and the rat. (please post photos of it when it's brought home) I have no idea what a yarn swift is, but it sound SWISH!! :) All the best to all of you (yes Paco, that means you too. And Kip and Henry too)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yarn, what a lovely gift! I wish my family realized I need more yarn (nevermind the full boxes I have .... :p)

    You look happy!

    ReplyDelete
  13. What wonderful gifts and hope the sick get to feeling better

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ha, looks like you had another terrific Christmas! That yarn winder is both weird and cool. :)

    The mile marker for Jeff was perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your gift to Jeff was so sweet. What a great idea!

    ReplyDelete

Comments are now moderated to prevent spammers from leaving, well, spam - but rest assured that as soon as I read a real comment, I will publish it. So please, comment away, even though the blog is officially closed. Thanks!