Monday, May 31, 2010

WOW...7!

Today is Jay and my 7th Wedding Anniversary! 

It was a wonderful day!


Together we made this little man out of love...


 Who made me these little lovelies out of love...


One big happy family!  Through the highs and lows we are always there, and know the love is what binds us!


Here is to many more!

Monday, May 24, 2010

READ THE BOX!

Ok ladies and gentlemen.... today after much hemming and hawing I decided to make 
a trip with Jay to go get a grill.  
THERE IS NOTHING I LOVE MORE THAN MEAT OFF THE GRILL. 
We had a grill for years that we found on the side of the road over 4 years ago, and we did not have much luck with it.  So, that being said, we decided it was high time for a new one.  
Off we went, and got our new baby.  I also picked up 12 flats of begonias for the hanging baskets I saved from a few years ago.  


When we got home, Jay had to go to work, and I set to work erecting the Grill.  
EASIER SAID THAN DONE...believe me.  

NOT ONE PIECE WAS ATTACHED TO ANY OTHER PIECE.  EVERYTHING NEEDED A NUT AND BLOT, AND WASHER, AND FITTING, AND F$%# this!  I was sweating bullets, and tired, and hot, and sick of reading the directions.  Then I moved a sticker off of the inside of the top of the grill and saw a sticker saying " ask about FREE assembly"  FREE ASSEMBLY????? 
FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE F$%&'ing ASSEMBLY?????

Oh, and then I moved the monstrous box with the packaging contents spilling out of it,
and what do I see then???




THAT IS RIGHT!  Just incase I didn't feel like a super dolt before.  

Well, after 2 1/2 hours of swearing, sweating, nutting and bolting I was finally done!

HERE SHE IS, and I must say I take pride in my job!


 Sam, Jay, and I also planted the Begonias, and hung them to admire while our dinner sizzled on the grill.



Sausage, and Chicken DONE TO PERFECTION!  SO DELICIOUS!

Public service announcement...
 READ THE BOX...THAT IS ALL!

P.S. I wrote pubic service announcement 3 times before I finally wrote it right. LOL!




Sunday, May 23, 2010

Ahhhhh...a spruce up, and a skirt!

Today I was lucky enough to get the day off, and woke up full of energy!


Our outside looked a bit on the shabby side recently, and I decided that it was time for a mowing.


So this morning at 7:15 I proceeded to get out the lawn mower and get to it before the sun burned me up!


It looks fantastic, and I am super relieved and excited to have it done! I have these lovely little Pansey's beside my house that I am hoping my husband doesn't weed wack today.


I had placed our screen door back on the front door the other day, and I must say...MOM YOU WERE RIGHT...it makes a huge difference with the cross breeze, and it looks nice too!!!


I also donned my first skirt of the season today, and man oh man does it feel good!


Couldn't be left without my new favorite accessory, my crocheted headband!


Love this one, only did 3 rows instead of 4 because it is a larger guage yarn. 

Find the pattern here: Headband


Sunday, May 16, 2010

Here Kitty Kitty Kitty

Made this today for Hairy Cat...


Think he likes it???


Now Ella Bella needs one!

UPDATE:

Here is Ella Bella's...notice if you will the bow!

 
Pattern on Ravelry here:   Little Mouse by KristieMN

Saturday, May 15, 2010

The Lala Cowl/Scarf Free Crochet Pattern

Love this...sharing another one of my patterns


KEY

CH-CHAIN
DC-DOUBLE CROCHET
SK- SKIP
SC-SINGLE CROCHET


HOOK: G
YARN: BERNAT ALPACA NATURAL BLENDS 
(1 SKEIN TOTAL)



PATTERN:

-CH 16

-PLACE 3 DC IN THE 4TH CH FROM THE HOOK, SK 3 CH, SC IN THE NEXT CH, CH 3, AND THEN PLACE 3 DC IN THE SAME STITCH YOU JUST SC'D IN, SK 3 CH, SC IN THE NEXT CH, CH 3, THEN PLACE 3 DC IN THE SAME STITCH YOU JUST SC'D IN, SK 3 CH, SC IN THE LAST CH

-CH 3, PLACE 3 DC IN THE SC YOU JUST DID, SC IN THE NEXT CH 3 SPACE, CH 3, PLACE 3 DC IN THE SAME CH 3 SPACE, SC IN THE NEXT CH 3 SPACE, CH 3, PLACE 3 DC IN THE SAME CH 3 SPACE, SC IN THE LAST CH 3 SPACE.
THEN REPEAT THE ABOVE ROW FOR 38 MORE ROWS FOR THE LENGTH OF THE PATTERN I MADE, OR LONGER OR SHORTER ACCORDING TO YOUR TASTE.

WHEN YOU REACH YOUR DESIRED LENGTH, FASTEN OFF, AND HIDE TAILS

ATTACH A BUTTON TO THE FLAT EDGE OF THE SCARF (THE SIDE YOU BEGAN ON, NOT THE ONE YOU JUST FINISHED), ABOUT 5 ROWS UP AND IN THE CENTER.  OR YOU CAN PLACE IT WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE IT.  

NOW...ROCK IT GIRL! 

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Laura...lets act like a grown up...

Well my friends, after oh, say give or take 12 years of snacking all day, and NEVER eating 3 meals a day, even when I was pregnant, I am eating like a grown up!  

What brought about the change you ask?  

Well Julia and I were discussing the other day that we can't stop eating!  Then a light bulb went off...maybe that is because we don't know when to eat!  We just were eating whenever we saw something yummy, and even sometimes not even something yummy.  Then by the time our kiddos got home we were stuffed from eating all day, and they have to eat dinner alone.  BAD BAD BAD example, BAD BAD BAD mommies!  So we thought, why not set a good example for our boys? 
Why not eat the food that NORMAL people eat for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. 
WHAT A NOVEL IDEA, HUH?

So, I have been doing as we proposed, I am eating with the boys, we are all together, they are loving it! I am eating delicious, healthy meals, and they are SOOOOO satisfying! I am not eating between meals...NEVER! I am cooking real dinners, and enjoying them because I don't feel guilty eating them because..."It is dinner time, this is your dinner Laura."

So, thanks for listening to my epiphany...now for my newest pattern!



Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Crochet Head Band...Free Pattern!

THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE MY HEADBAND PATTERN

Hook : G
Yarn: Lambs Pride, or any worsted weight yarn


Key:
CH: CHAIN
DC: DOUBLE CROCHET
SC: SINGLE CROCHET
SS: SLIP STITCH

PATTERN:

-CH 44

-PLACE 2 DC IN THE 3RD CH FROM THE HOOK, SKIP 2 CH, SC IN NEXT CH, CH 2, PLACE 2 DC IN THE SAME CH AS YOU JUST PLACED THE SC.SKIP 2 CH, SC IN NEXT CH, CH 2, PLACE 2 DC IN THE SAME CH AS YOU JUST PLACED THE SC, ETC TIL THE END OF THE ROW.  SC IN THE LAST CH, AND CH 2



-PLACE 2 DC IN THE SC YOU JUST MADE, SC IN THE NEXT CH 2 SPACE (NOT THE CHAIN ITSELF, BUT IN THE LOOP MADE BY THE CH 2), CH 2, THEN PLACE 2 DC IN THE SAME LOOP, SC IN THE NEXT CH 2, CH 2, DC IN THE LOOP AGAIN, ETC TILL THE END OF THE ROW, SC IN THE TURNING CH OF THE LAST ROW, CH 2

 
REPEAT THIS LAST ROW FOR 2 MORE ROWS, AT THE END OF THE LAST ROW CH 30, SS INTO THE OTHER END OF THE HEADBAND, SS ACROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SHORT END OF THE HEADBAND, CH 30 AGAIN, SS TO THE OTHER END OF THE HEADBAND, AND FASTEN OFF! IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE ABOVE! (THIS WILL FORM THE BASE OF THE HEAD PART OF THE HEADBAND) YOU MAY HAVE TO ADJUST THE LENGTH OF THE CHAINS DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF YOUR HEAD. 

ENJOY!

CHECK OUT MY OTHER $3.00 PATTERNS:
ADIRONDACK PATTERNS

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

How Lovely

How lovely is this little dishcloth I made today? 


I found the pattern here, and it was a breeze to make! 


First pattern, besides my own, that I have made in a long time!


After making a MILLION (give or take) crappy, over cooked, dry, pieces of meat I have finally found out the secret, and made these luscious pork chops!


Cook at a low to medium heat with a super fabulous stainless steel pan!  I am sure all of you have known this, but I feel like a lightbulb, and the tastebuds simultaneously went on at the same time.  I owe it all to the uber-fantastic Gordon Ramsay!  Have you ladies seen him with his shirt off...oh, and I love the expletives that freely fly out of his handsome face!  Sam's hair looks like his in the morning.  I affectionately call him Gordon.

Thanks for the advice, and for being my eye candy Gordon!


Monday, May 3, 2010

Barefoot Contessa

Today, I had the pleasure of finally making something worthy of wearing my gorgeous apron that Julia made for me.  She gifted it to me a while ago, but I have been on the run, and not very kitchen oriented in my endeavors.

Today I made some homemade mashed potatoes, meatloaf, and carrots for dinner, and thought I would share some pictures of the dinner festivities.
Notice the barefeet?  Hence the title...


Isn't it Lovely?


Boiling the potatoes


The boys and I went outside to play while the dinner cooked
We had a blast...they were super impressed with my kicking ability!

"Rock Star" Eben


"Kick Ball King" Sam


Some whipped up goodness


Voila..finished and oh so delicious!