April showers bring May...vegetables?

Getting started on this blog post has been a bit of a challenge.  I just haven't had the time to sit down and write lately.  Things are getting busy at work as we approach the end of the fiscal year and when I'm home I'm either cleaning, gardening, playing with Maegwin or taking just a wee bit of time to knit.  I sort of need the knitting to help relax so sadly the blog suffers.

Since I last blogged, we went to my sister's graduation.  She was going for nursing and like me her college has been a loooong slog.  (I think she has me beat for number of years it took to get her degree-I took seven).  It's the sad fact of having to work full time while getting a degree.  This is the reason that we won't have more kids until we are sure we can provide for each to go to college.  Sorry, everyone, you won't convince us otherwise.  hehehe  But, I digress.  Missy couldn't get enough tickets for her graduation so we went to her pinning ceremony.  My impression is that it is more meaningful for nurses anyway and honestly I don't think Maegwin could have sat through an entire graduation.  As it was, the beginning was going great. We got there and the girls wandered around outside.




 She and Sarah sat together, she played with some empty seats beside me, then as a hush came over the crowd...she started shouting "BOO!"


Now, she meant it as scaring people and trying to get a laugh but geez the crowd reacted in a really awful way.  People were glaring at her and saying "What?  Oh my goodness?  What's wrong with you?" etc.  which only freaked her out more so she kept trying to get people to laugh.  Josh had to take her out sobbing that she couldn't stay at the "party for Aunt Missy".  Everyone kept glaring back all around me like I was the worst parent in the universe.  Seriously-she's three!  Graduations are boring even for adults.  Had I less self control I'd probably want to stand up and scream in pent up rage and boredom myself.    Not to mention it was late in the evening so at this point she would have been winding down for bed.  So for everyone out there, maybe a bit lower expectations of three-year-old comportment mmkay?

I got some pictures of people filing in and I think they were sitting in alpha order.  I'm glad I took a picture when I did because by the time it had filled in you couldn't see my sister at all.  We short women of my family  get eclipsed easily.  Some don't know quite how short I am because at work I'm never without heels.


We got through it though and now Missy just has to take her state test and done.


That same weekend Mom, Missy, and Sarah came out and took Maegwin to see the butterflies again and Josh and I worked all day to get the rest of our garden in.  We planted onions, corn, black & green beans, cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, and weeded around what was already out (radishes, beets, carrots, lettuce, spinach, peas).  It was a long day but it all looks good.  We need to get our scarecrows out though because I saw deer in the back of our lawn this morning.  They weren't inside the garden but we need to deter them.  I read that we can also run a string up at chest height along the fence to keep them from jumping in so that's probably on the agenda for this morning once everyone wakes up.

On the knitting front, I'm currently working on a Spring Garden Tee for myself.  I picked up the same yarn I made Maegwin's in last year but a different color.  It was on sale so I also got enough for another in a larger size for her.  Might take a break between them though because the plain stockinette in the body is boring the daylights out of me.

I'm trying to make the sizing match the shirt underneath which is one of my favorites from Gap.  I've had it for at least seven years now and it's beginning to be a bit worn.  For anyone who doesn't know, I keep my clothes for a ridiculously long time.  I have shirts from 2001, shoes from 1998...you get the idea.  If I can repair it myself or get it repaired in the case of shoes I do.  I see no reason to replace something that is perfectly serviceable.  It's one of the reasons I love knitting.  I can continually darn my own handknit socks.

I also made a cowl for California mom for Mother's Day.

I really love how it turned out.  The pattern called for more repeats of the pattern but it already went up past my chin so I figured it was perfect.  The yarn was originally intended as something to match my grey coat but honestly I might have to replace it this winter (see comment above-the lining is shredded and parts of it are wearing thin) and I thought this was a better use for the yarn making a lovely present.  For my mom I got the Botanical Knits book.  We are planning to do a knit along with each other once we get our books.  I'm excited!

I also knit a Dalek washcloth for my friend Mel in Australia.


We are doing a mini skein swap that is continual and goes all over the world.  It is so fun.  Each time we include some little goodies for the next lady in line to enjoy.  We joke that we are keeping the US postal service in business with yarn swap packages.  Here's what I got as goodies in the last one.

I love the wooden buttons and want to use them to put on my Gnarled Oak cardigan whenever I get around to it.  I have a deep wine colored yarn to make mine in.

I think that is all for now.  I leave you with a self portrait of Maegwin:

and Survivalist Maegwin:

Butterfly kisses

Today is tilling day so I don't have too long to write.  I'm trying to sneak something in while breakfast is cooking and Maegwin is running around.  Last weekend we went to the conservatory and it was wonderful! I've been wanting to go to the butterfly exhibit since I heard about it three years ago but just never took the time.  My parents-at-work group did a playdate there so it was a great opportunity to force myself to do it.  This year they have Brazilian butterflies and going into the exhibit was like descending into the jungle.



It was humid in there with a brook running through it and waterfalls.  We immediately started spotting butterflies!  Here are a few of my favorite shots:







We all loved this camo butterfly.  It was so hard to see.


This one had the most amazing blue wings on the inside but the outside of them were so interesting as well.


We found a koi pond at the base of the exhibit.


Maegwin wanted to go in and swim with the fishes but we persuaded her that wasn't a good idea.


We tried to get all the kids together for a picture, but Maegwin and Carson did not appreciate it.


Next we checked out the orchids area.  They had a whole fairy tale village with a train running through it.


Josh spotted a cocoa pod but it was up too high to really check it out.  This is on 15x zoom.  That tree was tall!


They happened to be having their retired plants sale which is all the plants they take out of their exhibits as they change them out so I bought a miltonia orchid similar to this one.

No idea what color the flowers will be on mine but it is so healthy!

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a total sucker for orchids so I really enjoyed this biome in the conservatory.  So I don't bore you all with orchid pictures, I will just share a few of my favs.  I took a LOT of pictures.  LOL






Maegwin pointed out these red "spears".  She really wanted one but we managed to keep her from picking almost everything.  More on that in a minute.


Next was the desert biome which of course was Josh's favorite because it was dry.  Just as hot as the orchid exhibit but no humidity.  He doesn't do well with humility, I mean humidity.  The plants were very unique.


The roots on this tree were fascinating.




This succulent had gorgeous flowers.


There was an educational area that explained all about how butterflies see.  It had several pair of eyes to look through and also showed how they saw light.


So eventually, Maegwin picked a lantana.  At least it wasn't a big orchid or anything.  She wanted to go back to the butterflies and get one to "land on her skin".  She took off her jacket in order to offer them better perch choices.


We spotted a close and relatively serene butterfly so we offered it the purloined posies.


It mulled the offer over.


Then voted for my hand as the most beneficent of the bunch.


We could even see his proboscis so we got a mini science lesson.




Josh was amused by all the butterflies by the windows longing for freedom.  (Keep in mind it was about 32 degrees outside so they would not have lasted long)


I got a bit of video too so you can hear the water rushing and see the flitting around.

Here's my favorite photo of the day.  Just so perfect and serene.  It was a fun day!  If anyone comes to visit us this is definitely on the agenda.


All the walking tired us out.  I even wanted a nap!


See you all next time!

The babe is growing

We had a bit of a rough night last night so while I intended to blog, it just didn't happen.  We lost track of time and realized Maegwin was still awake (and without a nap too) at nearly 10:30!  I don't know how she just goes and goes but by that point she was over tired and just trying to wrestle her into a diaper for bedtime was too much for us.  We managed tooth brushing and a lot of crying.  She is doing really well on potty training and most days doesn't need diapers and even sleeps overnight dry just fine but in the morning she is in no mood to use the potty.  Like her father, she needs time to ease into the day.  I can easily imagine her as a coffee drinking adult and one for whom flex time will be a must.  hehe



We've had a very good month and she has been getting so much more mature.  We went to her first official birthday party with a friend and she had a blast!  It was at a bounce house place full of bounce houses and slides.  She went down the slides still with me but climbed up to all of them herself.  The handholds are basically just glorified nubs and the slides are really high up so I was impressed.  I even felt a bit squeamish about the tallest one-mostly for fear that in going down it with her I would squish her into the bumper at the bottom.  I knit a little fairy and a flower purse for it for Maegwin's friend and it was a huge hit.  Maegwin was even good about giving it away but was very excited to show Gabby all of its "features".

She tucked her in:


We made her a hair a little punk rock!  I had to tie each of those pieces individually into the head.  It took a LOOOONG time but so worth it:


I think her face turned out especially cute.  Gabby named her Tinkerbell:


I always enjoy seeing my knitted creations well loved and her mom is a co-worker of mine so she understands the time that knitting takes.  Maegwin told Gabby without me prompting "Thanks for inviting me Gabby!  This is the best birthday ever!"  I was so proud.  :)

This Easter we continued the tradition of having Easter at a restaurant.  It just worked out with Mom still recovering from surgery and my sister working.  No mess and we get to meet halfway.  It was very nice to hang out with everyone and Maegwin even ate calamari like a champ.  She also ate a good dose of eggplant parmigiana.

We put on lipgloss together:


Glamour shot time!


Family hugs:



Semi serious faces-it's funny that her expression is like mine in this one.


Now the silly:


Not sure where Sarah is looking in this one but Maegwin looks like she is plotting something...


With the grandparents but sadly we caught her on the downside of a laugh.  She does this silly giggle where she covers her mouth partway.  So funny.


Now, from this Easter day came the Great Ducky Sucker incident.  Maegwin got a cute marshmallow-y ducky sucker from Mom and she loved it but not the way that one would think.  She proclaimed that they were going to be best friends.



She carefully tucked him into her carseat straps with her and spent most of the day mothering him (i.e. giving bottles, tucking in, etc.)  The next day I headed out for work and Josh was calling our financial planner to roll over his 401k from his last employer.  To set Maegwin up to be occupied during the call, she had been saying she wanted to eat the sucker.  Now, Josh anticipated the minefield this might become and asked if she was sure.  What follows is an excerpt of said conversation:

Maegwin: "Daddy, I want to open him."

Daddy: "Now Maegwin, you understand if we open his package that you might eat him and then you won't have a ducky."

Maegwin: "Yes...I want to eat him"

Daddy: "Are you sure?"

Maegwin: "Yes, Daddy. I'm sure."

Daddy-holding the scissors against the package: "I'm going to cut the package open now."

Maegwin: .... (says nothing-has stopped responding and is fixated on the ducky)

Josh cuts the package, hands her the sucker, and she runs off happily.  He dials the phone and starts talking to Brent.  All is well until they both get on hold with the 401k company at which point a soft crying issues from another room.

Daddy: "Is everything ok, Maegwin?"

Maegwin: "Daddy, I ate his soft yellow hair...."  sniffle sniffle

Daddy: "Well, I told you this would happen.  Why don't you put him away and I will see if I can fix him when I get off the phone."

Maegwin: "I want to eat his googley eyes"

Daddy-now sensing that this is a problem but unable to do any serious negotiating because he is on the phone: "I don't think that is a good idea."

Maegwin runs off again.  Time passes and then shrieks issue from the other room and uncontrollable sobbing.  Josh tells Brent to hold on.  Brent has two children of his own, one of which is Maegwin's age so he understands.

Maegwin: "We were gonna be best friends, Ducky, but now we can't be because you....don't....have....EYES."  followed by incoherent sobbing.

Daddy: "It's ok, Mommy will fix him when she gets home from work.  Let's put him somewhere safe." He spends some time at this negotiation but finally gets her to give him the sucker which he wraps in a paper towel and stuffs in the fridge.  I was laughing so hard when he told me this story.  I'm pretty sure that makes me a bad mommy but I could just picture it all in my head so clearly.  After much searching between Mom and I we located another ducky (and a spare) which I intend to shellac or modpodge so his wanton sugary goodness does not tempt his friend.



I can only imagine the mental conversation that Maegwin had with herself.  "I want to eat the ducky...but he is my friend.  I love playing with him....but he looks so delicious."

I'm going to need to write another post later as this one is getting long and there is gardening and housework to be done today.  Next up-garden updates and knitting finished object.