Summer Travels!

This summer has been really crazy. After our 3 weekends in May traveling here and there, June was a little quieter. July was HOT! August has been really great. We took our youngest to Purdue (he actually drove his car, but since I was a little nervous about him driving so far, we went along in our car) then flew from Indiana to Denver, CO where daughter #2 lives. We traveled to Cimarron, NM where my husband helped to a class at Philmont Training Center. We had the best time! The weather was wonderful, cool temps at night and somewhat warm temps during the day. Colorado and New Mexico are my favorite places. I'd move tomorrow if I could :)




40 jars of homemade Jams! Raspberry, Blackberry, and Blueberry :)


A pair of socks I made while riding in the car!




A pair of cute baby socks for a friend whose sister-in-law is having a baby.













The last four pictures are from Philmont Scout Ranch. The silly girl in the last photo is Daughter #2.


Blessings & Peace, Kathy

Mother's Day Gift

Happy Mother's Day! Today is one of those special days when we give thanks for our moms, grandmothers, etc. Besides today being a day we give thanks to our moms, it's also my first daughters 26th Birthday. She wasn't born on Mother's day, she came a day late, but ever few years we celebrate together!
I'm especially thankful for my wonderful children, Viktoria, Kari and Storm! They have brought so MANY years of enjoyment and smiles to my face. There's something extra special about each one: Viktoria is the planner of the bunch, she makes a list and follows thru and usually has a back up plan in place. I've told this story to many, but she actually potty trained herself. She would wake up in the middle of the night, take her diaper off, potty in the little potty, go back to her room, put Big girl panties on and go back to sleep, all this while never waking me or her dad up! Kari is and always has been the little helper in the family. She was always willing and happy to be in the kitchen wherever I was. She loved to go grocery shopping with me and she was the little girl that was always standing in a chair in the kitchen asking to help stir, bake or whatever needed to be done. As she got older she would call and ask what she could do to help with dinner. My little helper! Storm , well since he was the baby of the family, his older sisters became second and third momma's to him. They would do everything for him, even talk for him. That had to stop! The one thing that I just couldn't do without when comes to my Storm, is his laugh....he has the most wonderful sincere laugh, it's contagious! I can hear him laugh when he's watching TV and it just puts a smile on my face....just the sound. It's music to my ears!
They all have wonderful traits and I'd spend the next fees weeks listing them all, but without my three children I wouldn't have a blessed Mother's Day. They all maybe far away but they all close to my heart, especially on this day! I love you guys :)

Here's my Viktoria.....




Here's my Kari....




Here's my Storm.....



-Blessings & Peace, Kathy

Travels and Socks

The month of May has been filled with traveling and it's only the 11th. 26 hours for a round trip to Purdue and now we are driving 20 hours round trip to St. Simon's Island, GA for a wedding. About 4 hours into our trip today I finished my second sock, then I said what am I going to do the rest of our trip? Good thing I always carry several projects with me whether it's knitting or crocheting I always have at least 3 yarn projects, just in case I get bored with one I have another one to work on.
Here's my first pair of socks I've ever made and they were made with the "magic loop" technique......I think I'm in love with SOCKS!




Have a beautiful and fun filled Mother's Day!

-Blessings & Peace, Kathy

April Showers....May Flowers

I've been absent for about 3 weeks, working on some sewing projects, knitting and working in the yard. This past weekend husband and I brought our youngest child, a son, home from college. We just couldn't believe that he has just completed his freshmen year of college. We had a 26 hour round trip from Virginia to Purdue, and it's a long drive, well, for me it's a long ride!

Virginia has had a very dry spring this year and it's been tough to keep the flowers and veggies watered and growing, but they have survived!

The pink roses are from Purdue University and they always have the prettiest flowers!


Here's a few pictures of things I think are pretty!











And here's the sock I've been working on.....I just have to figure out how to work the Kitchener stitch and then I'm finished! One sock down one sock to go!





-Blessings & Peace, Kathy

Magic Loop

Today a wonderful lady from church starting teaching a few of us how to knit socks using the "magic loop". Now, I've tried to knit socks on double pointed needles but I seem to get confused as I get to the ankle and usually throw the needles and yarn in a bag and just start on something else. Not today! Fran is wonderful and is a great teacher. We'll be spending the next three weeks learning to knit socks! I think I'll keep these socks for myself :)




-Blessings & Peace, Kathy

The Waiting Begins

It's official, we are on the waiting list for a new addition to our family. We chose a great breeder and we can't wait! I will feel as if we are expecting a real baby, the wait list is usually about 6 months!!
We decided on a boy this time; picking out a boy name will be fun :). This is what a Cockapoo looks like.....aren't they just the cutest thing you've ever seen?




-Blessings & Peace, Kathy

Busy Spring.....

This month has been a busy month. Husband and I went to Glade Springs, WV Palm Sunday weekend. Had a nice time and weather was perfect. Since being home, I've emptied my sons room and painted (he's away at college -Purdue), cleaned and moved everything back into his room. Man, boys are really messy :)
Once a month, I usually send my daughters a little package of hand made goodies. For Easter I sent them placemats, coasters, and some knitted dish clothes. My son received cookies, snacks and a little bit of candy for Easter.
What are you sending or giving your loved ones for Easter?








Hope you have a Happy Easter!
-Blessings & Peace, Kathy

A Longing for.......

A new addition to our family, a puppy! I never thought after losing our beloved Abigail Rose, that I'd want or think of wanting a new puppy, but the past few weeks, that's all I've been thinking about. I can't get the idea out of my head. I've even had dreams about our Abby and a new puppy. Abby tells me it's ok to get a new puppy and that she will always remain in our hearts.
It is so strange to hear the door bell ring and not hear a bark that goes along with it. Abby was a great "let me know when someone was coming" kind of dog. She was not a guard dog! She was so loving that we always joked that she'd go home with an intruder instead of protecting the house.
Our house is so quiet now, we have 2 sweet cats, but that don't bark at certain noises, they actually run when the door bell rings! They were both stray kitties that found our home and they have been great additions to our family, one is 9 and the other is 2 1/2, but there is nothing better than to have your dog come over lay her head on your lap and just look up at you asking you to pet her head!
We are looking for a smaller puppy than our golden retriever was, and I've had my eyes on a cockapoo. A friend from church adoption a Goldendoodle from Carriage House Cockapoo and she said they are a great breeder. NO PUPPY MILL!
I'm hoping that by the end of the week we will have filled out an application and made a deposit on a new puppy...wish us luck!
http://www.carriagehousecockersandcockapoos.com/
-Blessings & Peace, Kathy

I love this new App!

I'm not the most experienced tech savvy person, but I found this new app that I just love, love, love. It's the Goodreader App! I'm always downloading new crochet or knit patterns, printing them every time I want a new copy so that I can mark on them with little notes, etc. this new app is for PDF files that you can save but you can make notes, etc on them. I know that I haven't learned everything about this app, but I'm going to try!


Blessings & Peace,
Kathy

Spring Flower Garland

Hello Spring! Spring time is so wonderful. Waking to the cool spring air, the sound of birds chirping, and the smell of spring flowers blooming...that's what I love about spring.
I'm not a huge holiday decorator but I do love simple things that I don't have to move furniture around for or things that take hours and hours to put up and then the dread of taking things down....here's a little something to bring some spring to my fireplace....








I found this pattern here: http://sarahndipities.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-tuesday-free-crocheted-flower

Enjoy the sunshine! Peace & Blessings,
Kathy

February Creations

I know, you're thinking February Creations in March? You're right, I'm behind in publishing or even keeping up with my blog, but I'm trying to work on that. Both my daughters live out of town and I love sending them little things each month. I've been sewing since I was in middle school and I've acquired a lot of "holiday" fabric and wanted to find a way to use the fabric....I've been making place mats and coasters for my girls. I usually forget to take pictures so I have to ask my girls to email me pics so that I can keep a 2012 log of projects. So, here's February...hope you like.








Hope you're having a great week!
Kathy
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

March Happenings.....

It's crazy how we are already half way thru the month of March. My son was home for spring break this past week and he was able to celebrate his 19th birthday at home! His birthday is on the 15th and he attends Purdue University. Two days later, on March 17th, husband and I celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary! The day was beautiful, sunny and warm, and we had a wonderful dinner at The Melting Pot. We always enjoy talking about what we were doing at a certain time 28 years ago....we did marry on St. Patrick's Day, but it wasn't about the "green". We usually get asked at least once if we wore green for our wedding......NO is always our response. That weekend was the perfect time and being Episcopalian we weren't able to get married any later in the spring because of Lent, so we asked for permission to marry on that day!
I have been working on a few things this month, I started my first sweater. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to knit a sweater but choosing a top-down sweater that's one piece was the right decision. I'll post the link in a day or two along with a photo.




Happy Spring,
Kathy
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

My Sweet Abigail Rose

So many things have happened in my life since I started blogging, things that I haven't wanted to talk about until now.  My sweet Abigal Rose, our 12 year old Golden Retriever, became very ill on Sunday, February 5th, and we made the decision that it was time to put her down.  She had a Heart murmur, old age and 2 very large cyst that needed to be removed.  Making that decision was one of the hardest decision of our lifes. After spending all day Monday trying to figure which was the right decision, we finally decided that it was best for her, not us, but for her.    Husband and I spent the next day home with her............ We wanted to make sure she knew that she was loved unconditionally as she has given us unconditional love for 12 years.  We called our three children to let them know of our decision, that was tough.  We decided to be with her loving her as she took that last breath and then we just cried.  We sat on the floor with her for was seemed like hours but I know was only 10-15 minutes and then we left out a side door and sat in the car and cried like babies.  We had lost our most loyal companion, our sweet Abby.  We opted to have her cremated privately with her ashes being returned to her family.  The clinic also made prints of her feet in cement as another momento for us. It felt as thou we had lost a family member.  I will forever remember February 7th as the day our sweet Abigail Rose passed.   As my daughter quoted... On that day, I'm thankful that all dogs go to heaven. 
Mommy will miss you sweet baby.  

The Blog Plunge!

Hi, I've decided after reading some of my favorite blogs that I should take the plunge. As you can probably guess by the name of my blog that I love to Knit, Crochet and Baking. Starting this blog was a way to keep track of the things I'm making, more of a complete list with pictures. As I get more comfortable with the blog thing I'll add a picture or two. Happy February! Kathy