Since I haven't taken any knitting photos

A meme (a la PumpkinMama)

1. What were you doing 10 years ago.
Huh. I had to think about this one. 10years ago was 1998. I was finishing my junior year in college and starting my first ever laboratory job as an intern at a local biotech firm.

2. 5 things on my to-do list today.
Besides the 28 things on my work one? Personal to-do list: start packing list for this weekend's wedding. Download hotel/rehearsal/bus information and print out 2 copies. Laundry, laundry, laundry. Make world famous meatloaf and mashed cauliflower to make PC smile. Make mani-pedi and eyebrow appointments for pre-wedding.

3. Snacks I enjoy.
Popcorn, popcorn, more popcorn. Fruit with cheese.... yummmmm.....

4. If I were a billionaire instantly, I would:
-pay off our new car, my student loans, my parent's bills
-move into our very own house. (maybe something like the one we saw this weekend?? in the "fancy neighborhood"?)
-buy PC all the books he could ever read. In first editions.
-stay home and knit, play tennis, give money to charities, hang out with my friends and my mom.
-buy my mom a smaller, sportier, reliable car
-get a dog. Or 4.
-get married
-have a baby
-see my trainer.every.day

5. Places I have lived:
Melrose MA, Goffstown NH, Melrose MA, Newton MA

Tagging: anyone who wants to play along... leave a link to your meme if you like!

good week/bad week

You know what I want to do right now? go home and knit. Seriously. I just want to go home and knit. Or drive. Yeah. I am loving the new car. I do feel a little guilty about driving a V6 in a $4 a gallon world, but I am a snow-panicker and honestly, I drive 11 miles to work. I am not indepently to blame for global warming. And, now that PC has my old 4 cylinder, he's doing 1/2 the driving. And he has a 3 mile commute to work.

Mornings lately have been wonderful for driving into work. It's light, but not bright yet... and the air is crisp. I prefer early spring and fall weather to all others. I hate hot weather. New Englanders are celebrating b/c we will have our 1st 85 deg day on Monday and I'm all like "where's the AC?" I have always been like this.

Mornings have also been well, tough. For about 6 weeks, I got up at 4:45am, changed, hit the gym and came home, went to work. for the past 2 weeks, I have been sleeping in and skipping the gym. This needs to change ASAP, if not sooner. My body clock feels off and I am kinda grumpy b/c of it. I think a lot of this is me missing my "mojo" lately. I am in a kind of workplace burnout-funk (I need a good long weekend and a new project and sense of responsibility) combined with wedding funk. Honestly, honored to be the maid of honor in the wedding next weekend, not happy about having to stay 2 nights in an exorbitantly expensive hotel in NYC and play servant/errand girl to the bride all weekend. I know, I know.. harsh. I do love my friend who's getting married and I love her hubby-to-be, but right now-- money is just stressing me out.

I think it's because of the following:
1. moving Sept 1. Anyone want to help us move? Anyone know a good 1+ bedroom in the Metrowest area with 2 car parking available for under $1200??
2. school. I start school July 7. Completly ecstatic. But, must pay all money up front and then get reimbursed.
3. Disney World. majorly expensive vacation in the fall ( made less expensive by PC's very generous parental units ) that has me cringing when I see the price of airlines going up-up and away! At least we have AAA and will save a little on Park Hopper tickets. And, since we are adults, our biggest expense is food... not toys. :)
4. saving money. I am a little late to the financial responsibility game, but honestly, with home prices as low as they are (sorry, good for those of us who want to buy, bad for you who just did) and everyone telling us "ohh... you could get a house for a steal!".... it's time to start thinking more than just 2-3 paychecks ahead. Add in the very unexpected car payments for the next 5 years... ugh.

I know I am sort of mentally dumping out there today, but it's what's on my mind and when I am stressed, I just need to throw it all out there and see what happens.

-mini

These are our friends. Our friends are having a baby!!! Their dear sweet little girl will be here in a few short weeks--- everyone's excited to meet her! Of course, this wee one will need some sweaters for her first few New England winters, but we're waiting to see how big she's going to be before I begin that knitting! :)

A word about my friend, M (shown above). It's funny how we became friends... she married A and we met when I started dating PC, A's friend. Now, A and PC were always friends, but never really did stuff "outside the group" and since M and I were always outside the group, we naturally did what women do--- we became friends and now the guys hang out all the time. M is the best kind of friend. The one who emails you at 3:55 pm to say "5 more minutes!!" until you both leave. The one who really appreciates a trip to the Christmas Tree Shop. She's the friend who's cabinets you can rifle through looking for tea bags. My mom once remarked that seeing me with M and S (another great friend) was like seeing me with sisters.

Now, M is having a baby. A long awaited baby. A long wished for baby. She's nervous. She's scared. And she's gonna be a wonderful mom. A's going to be the best dad ... and he will be completely wrapped around that little pink finger from day one. I'm very honored to have friends like these... we love them and we are so happy to be part of their lives. Baby C, you are going to have great parents and you will always be surrounded by people who love you. And yes, I'll sing the Katy Duck song to you.

baby sweater, receiving blankets, and quilt (under sweater) for C.

WW Would've Been Wednesday

Yikes! I missed a WW wed! So, you will get it today, Friday, instead... "and you'll like it!"(said in my best mom voice.)

This weekend is the American Festival of Momness. My mom has a lot of momness.

• She owns mom-jeans, but 2 years ago finally said "what about straight leg?"
• My mom has said things like "I brought you into this world and I can take you out!" with a straight face.
• My mom's spit has magic dirt removing qualities.
• My mom bravely took 3 hungry kids to mass every week. By herself.
• My mom makes the best chocolate cake with icing (the cake must have a hole in the middle).
• My mom tolerated me from age 12-22, when I knew everything.
• My mom tolerates me now, when I admit I have no idea what I am doing.
• My mom allowed "mental health days" when you didn't want to go to school.
• My mom played more than she did housework.
• My mom knows how to throw a football and cook a pot roast.
• My mom is a world reknowned emergency doll surgeon: complete with dishtowel "mask" over her face, spatula "defibrilolaters", flashlight and "sterile" dish gloves. She never lost a patient. And she let me say "Stat!"

So, this weekend, b/c my mom (and PC's mom) need to be celebrated, I am hosting my 3rd Mom-Day Brunch. The menu includes: hashbrown potato quiche, french toast souffle, salad, cheddar/apple kisses (PC is making these), and fruit salad and pastry (if my brothers remember it's their job to pick these items up).

Hash Brown Potato Quiche (or White trash tater tots 'n eggs)

Ingredients:

• 1 bag tatertots, thawed
• 5 eggs (or egg beater equivalents)
• 1/2 ham steak, diced
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp salt

In a pie dish, put 1/2 the bag of tater tots. Mash with potato masher and form into the "bottom crust" of the quiche. Line the sides with the intact tater tots. Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes. Put cheese and ham in cooked crusts. Beat eggs, milk and salt together. Pour into quiche crusts, over ham and cheese. Bake at 375 for 40-50 minutes (Until eggs are set). Serve with salad to your favorite mom.

No points on this one... though, i think with the egg beaters, it's like 6 per slice. Makes 6 slices.

Lions and Tigers and Bears... Oh My!

Now, lion cupcakes don't get made for just any old birthday....

It was M's 1st birthday!

A jungle party!

Pattern: backpack based on the backpack pattern from Jujube & Lolo.

Elephant: my own design :)















Lion: my own design














"M" puppet: my own design














Lion-y pocket: loopy stitch from Grr... the washcloth (free on knitty), but I did the face as intarsia with duplicate stitch. I think it came out pretty cute.

Most important: the birthday boy liked it, and he can now take his treasures with him... it'll be more useful this summer when he is running around and will be feeling more independent.

whirlwind

I have knitting to show. Finished knitting and just-started knitting. Pictures tonight. (I'm not at home).

Weekend of whirls. We took the new car for a whirl. A few of them actually. Friday we found out that my dear friend, S, will be having a BOY in September! S, her hubby and her step-kids are super excited. :) Saturday was all about PC--- specifically, PC needing a suit. We have a wedding in NYC (oh, yeah: Manhattan here we come!) at the end of the month. I am the maid-of-honor, so my outfit is covered, but PC, well.... when you lose 75lbs, you have to buy a new suit. Think navy pin stripes. *me-ow* PC doesn't wear a suit very often, but when he does: hubba hubba!

Saturday night was a wee adventure to Coolidge Corner. Dinner at b.good. Oh how we LOVE b.good. (WW girls: they give you the nutritional info ON THE SIGNS in their restaurants. And you can email Jon and Anthony for any more specific info. PC and I used to have date night at their restaurant on Dartmouth for a long time... ) Then off to the Trader Joe's (they have booze) for wine, beer, tuna-for-cats, and turkey jerky. A quick diversion to Finale for coffee and dessert. Oh.my.god. Orgasmic chocolate creation --- and I left 1/2 of it on the plate. I guess working out and changing the diet is working. And now we know: next time PC and I will share a dessert there.

Sunday was our friends' son's 1st birthday!( there are photos of his cupcakes here) A jungle theme set the mood... it was nice to chat with good friends and catch up. Watching everyone's kids grow up so fast... makes you realize that time does move quickly. PC and I love kids,but right now, we are very happy to come home to one very happy cat.

Speaking of Pumpkin: tomorrow is her 2 year adopt-iversary. :) 2 years and she's still better entertainment than the tv. Just this morning, she jumped on my lap for pre-work snuggles and tried to drink my tea. And then she bit me.

Photos of a jungle themed backpack and the start of PC's sweater tomorrow.

:)

May Day

My middle name is Mae. I always thought that having my name spelled like that made me special. I thought that I was called by my first and middle names as a child made me special. Later I found out it was to distinguish me from all the other kids with my name. My full first name is long and very traditional (my dad picked it) and my nickname is common and "cutened me up" a bit (so says my mom).

So, until I was about 6 , I thought May 1 was "Katie Mae Day" and not May Day. Hm.

And before I forget: Karen touch Eddie Izzard. She knit him socks and handed to him in person. I would have passed out. Karen's stronger than me.

Happy Maryland Sheep and Wool to all of you--- busting at the seams to hurryupandgetthecarpackedandgetontheroadthereisyarnwaitingtobebought. (yes, I wanted it all one word) :) Think of me--- not buying any yarn and avoiding all those crowds.