a new year!

i have a new baby. happy new year to you!

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

well, i gave birth, had surgery, ran an entire 5k, completed three of them as a matter of fact, and stood up for myself at work.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?


i don't think i made any this year. and i hope to keep mine for this year. I like it :)

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?



me,

4. Did anyone close to you die?



nope

5. What countries did you visit?



just the us of a

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

uhm...shall i say a drive to love my job again

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

dec. 24-ada was born, thanksgiving--another babe in the family

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?



ada willow calhoun :)

9. What was your biggest failure?

my job--i had checked out for a while

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

nope

11. What was the best thing you bought?

huh...uhm...well...i don't know what i bought that i really love. well i did get some new baking mats :)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

my bobs, he has been a life saver this week :)

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?



that would be the montana politicians who drove their boat into the side of wayfairers park. grade a idiots.

14. Where did most of your money go?

no where great: house, windows, car payment, hospital bills

15. What did you get really excited about?

ada and having my job again

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

any stinkin' miley cyrus song i heard it so often!

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:


– happier or sadder? Happier.
– thinner or fatter? fatter.


– richer or poorer? despite a raise in my check, poorer!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?



played more, knitted more, slept in :), exercised, walked the dogs

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?



complained, spent money, traveled to gillette to see my sister

20. How did you spend Christmas?



in the hospital with my husband and daughter. we celebrated christmas at about 4 in the afternoon :)

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?

for sure!

22. What was your favorite TV program?



30 rock!

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?



nope

24. What was the best book you read?

oh gosh, there were some really good ones. twilight :)

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?


lady gaga--nice one bob :)

26. What did you want and get?

happiness & a daughter

27. What did you want and not get?

uhm...a new car?

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

oh gosh, battle for terra?

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

i must have been at bitterroot lake. enjoying the rain this year :) i turned 28

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

ada--this is a really unfair time to be doing this survey!

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

anything that fit! and wishing i had shoes that fit!

32. What kept you sane?



knitting and reading!

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

lady gaga! i just can't get enough!

34. What political issue stirred you the most?



i think i ignored political issues this year

35. Who did you miss?



my family being near by

36. Who was the best new person you met?



uh...it would definately becoming more acquainted with my friend sabine. she has been awesome this year and she has become a bff

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.



roll with the punches...and something always comes up!

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.



give me time on this...

cleaning, cookies, c...uhhh....

right, so now that christmas is just about here i have decided to start getting stuff done. I already have two kinds of cookie dough in the freezer, and the other four cookies/candies planned (spritz, snickerdoodles, pizzelles, brownies with peppermints on top, homemade marshmallows, and truffles). I am thinking I should be able to accomplish all of these this weekend and then handed out uhm...well...that's a good point because i have to go to butte on saturday to finish up bobs stocking stuffers, and sunday i have two, yes two christmas parties to attend. But they're not until afternoon/evening so perhaps the morning. i had better make a list of all those i'm supposed to bring them to. so that will be done. also accomplished this week: my bathroom is scrubbed from top to bottom (or as scrubbed as I can get it belly and all), the living room is at least picked up, and I should run a vacuum over it this week. The baby room is pretty much assembled and picked up and organized for now. I only have three presents left to wrap. HOLY CRAP AND THREE TO MAIL. oh shoot. i best get on that. And other than that...i'm ready!

we have an amnio on monday and hopefully they'll be able to induce this little child so we may be having a christmas elf. we shall see. :)

well i'm off. i'm either going to do some knitting, or some paint my fingernails. heheh so exciting! here is a recent photo of the belly

an update

well my youngest sister told me i need to update. and i do. i just hate updating without photos. so maybe i'll take really bad photos with photobooth and post them hehehe

but everything is going swell here. i am swelling up and keeping a healthy little baby in my belly. the rest of our family is shrinking, my cats have moved to kalispell (the final two make the trek tomorrow). i really am heart broken about losing two of the cats. they're my babies! but it will be really nice to be cat free for a while. and litter box free. and cat food free. so that's exciting. i'm pleased as punch about that. we have a bedroom ready for little calhoun. and i have a blanket for baby calhoun and a hat. other than that, not a lot is going on. we're waiting patiently for winter. it's cold but no snow yet.

bad photos from photobooth of the baby blanket...oh well :) i love the blanket

okay...the guilt worked

well, school started. baby is still cooking. cats are annoying me. new couch arrived. baby room is painted, carpeted, and waiting for a crib that got partially cleaned tonight--more to be cleaned tomorrow and hopefully assembled. sheets purchased. quilt started. blanket being knitted. it's fall and a mere 75 degrees today. griz games have started. and a house that is all sorts of messy.

hope all is well and if you're in the area and looking for a cat, please let me know :) i have some good choices.

baby room
baby growing room :)

*sigh* i've come to a stand still

well, i had such a successful last week, this week has been a big fat disappointment. i haven't gotten squat done. part of it is that my week has been split up into bad days. tuesday i had a dr. appointment at 2:30. so i couldn't get anything big done. i think i went recycling or something. and then thursday bob had acl surgery, so that screwed yesterday, last night, and into the weekend. i'm sleepy and just cant get squat done. i was supposed to start painting the second bedroom. not done. not even ready to be primed. heck, not even cleaned out! so that is sort of dissappointing to me. i wish i had a wand to swish the crap out and i would gladly paint the damn thing!

but good news: bob seems to be recovering slowly, but surely. so that's good news. i want him better now. mainly so i can sleep in our bed again. it would be fantastic! even though it's only been one night of the couch. but baby makes couch sleeping uncomfortable AND its difficult to get up off of. but enough complaining.

it's raining and is cool. could be worse i suppose :)

another check on my list!

kitchen window (yes, the neighbors house really is 4 feet from that window)

back bedroom (baby room)

bathroom

they're here! they're here! our new windows came and i'm so excited. the windows look so good and even though it's a detail that is only noticable to bob and i, we are so thrilled that we had them done. it's amazing the difference that they made in the rooms. i need to put the curtains and shades back up so i might accomplish that this afternoon. and in the kitchen, the window seems to let in so much more light!

i was so worried when i saw the window people cut my screens because i was figuring i would just keep those screens even though they weren't real nice, but it would save me a little money. so i was heart broken to have to pay for screens--until i noticed the new windows came with screens! score! so now i just gaze out my new windows are enjoy the view of the rain and lightening.

we also picked out the color for the back bedroom. it's called vanilla bean. i had gone back and forth on colors and doing something bright or doing something neutral so i could do bright colors in accessories. but i found a picture at a store in town and i loved the colors. it's a picture of a robin in a tree with it's eggs. i've also been told to do something fun and whimsical and i was thinking gnomes or woodland creatures and i've just been...unsure. i want something that is really clean and in all honesty, will look good when we sell our house. so i'm really happy with what we have so far. we'll see how it goes :)

rain rain go away

well the rain has come. this is good news because i still don't have my hoses out so at least my lawn is getting watered. but this brings potentially bad news too. our new windows were supposed to be installed tomorrow and if it's raining, they'll wait. but if it's raining, at least the temp is slightly lower and bearable. so i guess i can wait.

today was a somewhat successful day. i got a project done that's been waiting...oh two years :) i put in a programmable thermostat. i was real excited that it also controls the cooling in addition to the heat. then i realized it won't let me turn down the external heat :) i'm excited for in the winter. i can set it to be warm by the time i get home from work. that is very super exciting for me :) it's also nice because i think it will be a more accurate temperature keeper. here are some fine photos :) thanks for all of your help this week dad! at least now i don't have to put you to work when you come down this week!

a closer look :)

todays project

today i got my bookshelf done! i forgot to take a before photo. but it was brown. that's all. brown and dirty and brown. now it's whitish. i'm pretty happy with it. so that's another thing off my list. i'm pretty excited. now just pick a paint color.

also accomplished: we bought new carpet! now, i'm sort of feeling like it's a silly thing to do, but our two bedrooms have brown industrial carpet. it's ugly and not nice. so we went looking for a remnant (if that didn't work out, we were going to go to lowes). but it worked out. all the remants we wanted were already sold. so we looked at the other carpets. and looked at remants again. we were going to settle when i said lets go to the other carpet store. but as we were walking away i looked at the carpets again. and found some for us. now i'm cheap. real real cheap right dad? and i found us carpet that we both LOVED! and the price: $3.49! without the sale! with the sale: $.99 a square foot!!! i am so excited. so we got that and padding and then we decided to have it installed. so for a grand total of $379, we're getting new carpet in a baby room. so we'll take it. tomorrows goal: i haven't decided yet. i'm thinking put away power tools, go to the thrift store, and the recycling center. OOOOOOOOR rest :)

whew! what a day!

well, i had a very successful day! i hung up some shelves in our bedroom so bob could have one of my dressers since his got moved to the garage because it was in the new baby room. i'm very pleased with the outcome and and even more pleased with me doing it myself. now i have to come up with tomorrows new goal.

have you seen the new interweave knits? there are so many things in there that i want to make! i don't have it near me, but i really want to do the short sleeve cardigan with the cableing. i'm thinking it will be a good winter time sweater. plus...i can shrink back into it :) other than that, i'm not knitting anything right now, i am trying to figure out what to start next (or more importantly, when i get to the yarn store). hope all is well!

it's sunday

it's sunday. we have a birthday party today and are working on our house. lets hope that it all works out! what are you doing?

i'm a liar!

well, i took my sweater to kalispell to block and promptly forgot to block it and then left it. so there will be photos. maybe my dad will wear it and take some photos for me. that would be nice dan! other than that, i would really like some yarn to start some knitting. i wish i lived closer to camas creek! but perhaps i'll travel north this weekend to catch up on some yarn purchases and some lake time. other than that, i finished up some baby hats i started last summer which was good. which means other than the strange little doll i was working on for bob, my projects basket is empty! i'm thinking of starting a baby blanket or two and some sweaters. 'cause in case you didn't know...i'm havin a baby. so that is very exciting. that's my summer doins. tomorrow, i think some yard work and maybe some delicious dinner. here is a photo from seattle. i went to baseball games with my husband, dad, and sister. it was such a blast! i didn't want to come home!

two of my favorite people :)

suck on that!

ha! the owls sweater is done! pictures to follow tomorrow. or the next day. and it needs to be blocked. but i even got it all sewn up! HA!

free fridge

please please please anyone in this area...i have an older fridge that still works, just didn't have a big freezer for us, and i really don't want to see it go to the landfill....please help me by taking it. it's free and can be clean. just needs to be out by saturday. hell...i'll even bake you something if you take it!

glasses

it was the weekend of glasses. what did you do?

it's raining

wait, i'm a liar. it's snowing like a maniac. and i'm sitting here and i am working on a new spring scarf. so this will be short.

i had a post here that i was going to post. but i can't really air my dirty laundry in public. so i'm not going to post it. i'll figure out a way to get input and uhm...consolation?

but i'm working on a new spring scarf that is made out of corn fibers. it's really great and i'm loving it. plus it's washable and dryable. so i'm excited and i'm going to go get working on it!

lexie...update!

a little stressed

my yarn came from knit picks last weekend, so i started owls yesterday. i swatched this damn sweater and i don't know what my problem is. i got gauge in stitches, but uhm...not so much in rows. so i winged it. now i'm questioning my decision to go with it. i'm worried the back decreases will be in strange spots. PLUS because i'm a tight knitter, i had to go up to a size 11 needle. that's usually not a problem, but these sweater seems a little loose. so what do i do? i'm almost the armpits, so do just keep going and see how it turns out? or should i just say screw it and frog it? i'm really uncertain. this is why i need a knitting mentor. or someone who lives with me who knows more than i do about knitting. this is the problem with being a wing-it kind of knitter...it usually works out with scarfs, but sweaters and socks is a whole different deal.

problem two...i cast off my sock on wednesday and realized that it was too tight. what kind of cast off should i do to aleviate this problem?

not pictures of either for now, but this is a photo of me and francisco. he comes home about twice a week at night and tonight he was wanting to sit with me. he is the most cuddly cat and i'm always so excited when he comes home. i've had this cat the longest so he's super special to me, even if he's dirty and smells funny.

night

proof reading

i didn't knit that easter dinner. that would be really amazing. thanks dad for pointing that out to me. i'm sure there were people who thought i was a grade a knitter...wouldn't that be awesome? i could start working for magazines making photo spreads for them! or just going on the road with my incredibly realistic knitting. perhaps i should pursue this a little bit more. have a great day

a day late...but not a dollar short...let's go with $80 :)

anyways, i'm not really short $80. well i spent that much on some new clothes, but its not like i lost it or something. but i digress. here is the photos i promised. i do love how they turned out. and bob does too. He thought they were really cute. they were so much fun to knit and so quick and easy!
Other than that, not a lot going on. just rain/snow which isn't unusual for this time of year...just depressing to be honest. every time i think it's time to get my bike out, it rains again. but that what happens when you live in montana. i've seen snow in every month of the year, so it's just not too suprising.

some bitching...some knitting...and some eating

happy easter everyone! we had a great chill easter here. we went to breakfast at the inlaws and then dinner with our friend jason. and a delicious dinner at that! we had ham, rosemary potatoes, cranberries, rolls, grape salad, and strawberry shortcake for dinner. it really was delicious! there will be photos added tommorrow. my camera is too far away from my seat :) also on the camera are the rediculously cute bunny nuggets i made for bob for his basket. i just about died when i saw how cute they were!

the picture i have is from my photobooth. now i realize they're not very good photos--due to the bad light in the living room and my laziness to get my camera. but lets look at these images:first: note the tired look in my eyes. that is due to trying to figure out how to do short rows. i was up until 12:15 last night trying to do it. now i don't know if i'm short row retarded...or if i just need someone to show me how to do it correctly. but i have done my cast on for tow up socks (using patons sox yarn--i think) but the heal and the toe just don't look neat and tidy like it should be. maybe i'm expecting too much for myself. but i've knit one sock just about two times. it appears i can't measure my foot correctly, but i've past the heal for the second time and now i'm on to some nice boring 2x2 ribbing. this should do me good.

next: this yarn i'm not loving. its scratchy and my needles keep splitting it up.

next: i started these on my latern moon needles. now i LOVE these needles almost more than i love my bed. however i couldn't get it to not have that ladder between the needles. AND the yarn kept getting caught when i was moving it up the needle. so i switched to double pointed and my speed increased drastically. i don't know if this is the fault of the needle or the yarn. next pair i'm going to use my addi turbos and hope that works better. my fingers are all crampy from knitting too much the past two days. but i feel good about the socks.

finally: i am bitching and moaning about knitting socks. i still feel like socks are something i should LOVE to knit. but everytime i just think, god, am i not done yet? but i'm doing it so that i can learn it and know it. i really am a librarian at heart and want to know how to do things incase someone asks me. it's like if i cook something bad. most people would say, "hey that was awful! i won't ever make that again!" i however think, "hey that was awful! i wonder what i did wrong. i'll make a list and make adjustments until it tastes delicious." i need to do it so that it is perfect. these socks are the same way. maybe i should suck it up and buy some nice sock yarn and make really nice socks instead of cheap yarn so i can practice. and to be honest, the socks look good off, but then i put them on and...i just don't love them. my feet look big and puffy and the socks look all stretched and...homemade and not nice and dainty like most homemade socks do. so i don't know. i'll let you know tomorrow how they go. since i don't have work i'll take advantage of the day--with a run and some knitting. my house is clean and so it's a fun day!

things that are unstoppable

my knitting
bob throwing up
my running

to expand:

i'm knitting another thorpe. i am loving it still. i'm using the same colors because i'm crossing my fingers that i have enough yarn left over. its not looking too good. and my guts are telling me that i need to rip it back and make a smaller size. but i'm getting together with friends today to knit, so i will have some difinitive answers today.

bob has the stomach flu. the problem with working at a school where the students also live is that bugs get passed around a lot. and this stomach flu is a killer bug. i'm looking forward to a healthy spring :)

and my running. it's kinda stoppable, but i did run another race this weekend. i'm really dissappointed in myself to be honest. i did walk some of it...and i should have kept running...i don't know what my deal was. i just got lazy. but there were some hills to run and since i run on a treadmill, they were challenging. but i completed it and my time was so sad. 38:24. But I guess it gives me a goal to stay under.

and it's beautiful and sunny here, maybe spring is here!