The Reveal

Finally, the reveal of my secret pal! I have been particpating in Secret Pal since August and today I received my last package from my Pal. She's no other than Lesley. She has been spoiling me since September with thoughtful gift and wonderful yarns. Here's my last packageLindt Chocolates (how did you know????), hand cream, lip balm, pampered foot and leg cream (I drafted my hubby to massage it in), ornaments, Beads and DB yarn for a hat pattern. (I must admit, the dental floss threw me off until I read the instructions for them) LOL and cute and wonderul stitch markers.

and my absolute fave:

Personalized stitch markers! I ADORE them! I have an obsession about stitch markers lately and this was the icing cake! Oh thank you!

I can't wait to get to know my pal a bit more. However, the family is off to a ski chalet for Christmas week and we're leaving this Friday. I would not have any access to the net for a while - how primitive!!! LOL.

Mommy's Little Helper

This weekend had flew by. It was filled with putting up the Christmas tree, decorating it, putting up Christmas lights and shopping. Good thing I had my two little elves to help me:

While shopping for additional ornaments for the tree, the knitter in me can't resist this

Of course, in a perfect world, these ornaments would be knitted by yours truly, but instant gratification won the vote on this one. Decorating the tree with a toddler and pre-schooler took longer than expected but it truly bought out the magic of the holidays. Complete with broken ornaments, screaming toddler and frazzled mom. However, the finished product ain't half bad.After putting the kids to bed, I started this sweater for a friend who's wife will be delivering in February. This original designed is by Anny Purl. I volunteer to test-knit the Hickery Dickery Dot in size 3 months. I am knitting this in a simple cotton from Cottontot. The front is done and I am finishing up the back. I'm hoping to have this finish by next week.

Winter Wonderland

Over the past few days, we officially had our first snow. Like every other city in North America that ever experienced the first snow of the season - no one knew how to drive, everyone and their brothers stocked up on bread and milk, we all ran to Home Depot panicking that the last snow shovel might be sold out. When I tuned into the weather channel and they announce a winter storm watch, the whole city braced for a gruesome .....1/2 day of storm. Yep, we're a paranoid bunch!

The snow was beautiful, well, at least from the inside anyway. Since this was the first snow and Aliana is a bit obsessed about Frosty the Snowman lately, Max took her out to build one.

I can't even take credit for this snowman because I didn't go out at all. My little boy, who's future looks promising as a couch potato, opted to stay in with a bowl of popcorn and an episode of Blue's Clue. I had no choice but to sit with him, right?

Awwww - he sures takes after his mommy when it comes to his laziness! (notice the hand movement from bowl to mouth!)

While Hubby and Aliana was out playing, I stayed in and made Beef Stew. They both came in red cheeked and I sat them down for a nice hearty meal. My goodness, all I was missing was a film crew since it really felt like another Campbell Soup commercial.

I've made some progress on the Fleece Artist Northumberland sweater. I must admit, knitting in the round with just ribbing of K4, P4... my brain was slipping into comatose. I'm sure eventually I will finish this sweater. My goal would be Winter 2010!

Since I developed this love for the Continental method, I decide to knit Max a yoke sweater. This one is knitted from Dream in Color in Dusky Aurora. I figure I'll keep knitting this up to the arm hole and I'll figure out a texture stitch for the yoke later. That's me - knitting on the fly. I can barely follow a pattern so I'm not sure what possess me to knit this sweater without one. As with all handpainted yarn, they always recommended that I use 2 balls and alternate between rows so the color all blend together. It says it on all the label, my LYS had mentioned it when I bought it, all the blogs I read had talked about it.

Since I think that I am always the exception to the rules and that the knitting gods is smiling on

me, I proceed to knit this using one ball at a time. I guess I shouldn't whine as much since it was expected. There's a HUGE color difference halfway up the sweater. Oh well, if my Hubby mentions it, I will tell him it's an artistic intention.