Extreme Adventures in Motherhood (and life and knitting and photography and trying to keep a house with 3 boys from smelling like a locker room!)

I’m a multi poster today—
You can find me at:

Laced with Grace

And a new post at Missional Mom… find out about the first missionary I ever met… and how he wasn’t even a Christian, at the time;)

“Mom, will you put that camera away?”

“Mommarazzi, sheesh! You can’t get away from it”

But who could resist???????

Was it a full moon? Apparently not— just a crazy mom;)

Maybe a little too much with the camera this weekend… someone is looking a little irritated with his mommy. No clue where all that attitude comes from…..

Pre- dinner— the guys look tired, because they are. The went deer hunting @ 4:30 a.m.! Missing from the table, sugar free- maple glazed corn squash, Mashed potatoes, mashed garlic cauliflower, green beans almondine…(yes- for Mr S and I it was a low carb holiday;) I’ve lost about 10 lbs;)

Pumpkin pie for the guys- (I don’t like pumpkin pie at ALL….not a temptation) I used almond flour to make the crust.. low carb, and they said it was great)

What’s left after 3 grown men (2teen- men) eat a holiday meal??? Not much!

As the pie settles, and a crummy football game plays in the background, a wicked game of chess ensues. (Lasted over an hour. Let it be known that my guys are multi talented and diverse in their interests! And- yes I was standing on the kitchen chair to et this shot— someone really needs to clean the top of that light fixture!) Hunting in the morning- politics over dinner- chess over dessert, and video games before bed….)

And what have I been doing during this little break? Well- I refused to go to the mall. I am working on a “Clapotis” in Lorna’s Laces Lion and Lamb- Black Pearl- (dropped 9 stitches-so am making nice progress) and I am spinning some shetland/merino/silk blend… I’m hoping to make handspun mittens for some of my gifties this christmas;)

Today was the “Spinner’s Flock” Handspun Holiday Sale, at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens, in Ann Arbor. I’ve decided to start going to the meetings on second Saturdays each month…. we’ll see how that goes! I picked up- Shannon Okey’s “Spin to Knit” while I was there- and some mohair, and a few other goodies… it was interesting. There was plenty of handspun, (which I’d rather make- so didn’t buy) books, wheels, no real fiber to speak of… but a good opportunity to meet some of the members- and shop for fibery treats.

The guys are out hunting again, and Noah and I have a date for dinner and a movie, TGI Fridays, and “Happy Feet” . The reviews are pretty mixed…so we’re planning on ignoring the politics, and watching the cute penguins.

And that is a holiday weekend at our house- how bout yours?

“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” Colossians 3:16-17

Today, My husband is giving me a special gift. He knows I am closing in on a self imposed deadline to get my book proposal out— by December 1. He took today off of work, so I can go someplace quiet and work for as long as it takes, to make some major progress.

I’m taking: my Bible, my laptop, my Ipod…… and some 115 printed pages(notes chapter outlines ideas etc…) to go get my crap together….this will involve re-organizing sections, and cleaning up chapters… Please pray— and join me in thanking God- yet again- for the best husband in the world….;)

I’m posting at Laced With Grace Today….visit there;)

A Warning to Wives and Mom’s of Hunters:

Between Martha Stewart and my Mom, I thought I had the “How to do laundry” topic pretty well covered.

I fold my towels “the right way” (Lengthwise in thirds, then in half width wise and again— so they are ready to be placed over the towel rack…whatever- everyone has their own right way- your house- your towels- your way- I say;) )

I do a load (at least) of laundry everyday, so it doesn’t become an overwhelming mess… umm theoretically, anyway, not so much working for me in real life). See? I know how to do laundry.

The thing I didn’t know? To check pockets for shotgun shells. Martha said nothing about it. Mom said nothing about it. Nada. Not one word. This morning? AFTER a load was finished? A shotgun shell, unexpended, was rattling around the dryer.

A few things about that…

1) Shotgun shells are explosive.

2) Even a nice dryer isn’t bullet-proof.

3) The dryer gets HOT, very hot.

4) I’m having a lucky day. There were no bullet holes to be found.

Shannon- at Rocks in my Dryer- ocassionally blogs about things she finds in her dryer… usually rocks and other child- found treasures. I can only say this…as they get older and their interests change…. you’ll find things that are equally interesting, but very different!

Can you comment on the strangest thing you’ve ever found in your dryer? Come on— help a Mom out— I can’t be the only one with shotgun shells…. (ok- this was a first at our house even, but I’ve found…video games, money, wallets, wheelbarrows of lint, candy, diapers, (still not sure how THAT happened) rocks, notes from teachers- business cards, (lots of those) receipts….

Whew. Just glad it didn’t go off and hurt anyone. THAT would have been awful. I can see the headlines now…. “Teenager shoots his mother (ummm could have been husband, not sure whose pocket it came from) days after he unloads his gun…..and while he’s actually at school.. nearly a perfect crime…if not for the laundry pile she was found on…”

Wow! My first Secret Pal 9 Package arrived! All the way from England! What a thoughtful- sweet and beautiful package! There are two UK Knitting Magazines, (which were devoured upon arrival, with an appropriate cup of Earl Grey, as the sun has not been out in Michigan in DAYS, and it’s perfect curl up on the couch and browse magazine weather!)

There is beautiful lace-weight “Fiberspates” Yarn, which is produced in Wales, (where my Great- grandparents lived prior to coming to the States, and where my Grandmother was born!) There is also a beautiful Calendar, full of pics of the UK… My SP even wrote a lovely letter, taking me on a pictoral tour, of where she’s been, lived and worked! In addition, to all the above are English Rose Scented Drawer sachet’s which I put immediately into my knitting bags!

There were even 2 large pages of dinosaur stickes for Mr Noah! Which he promptly stuck all over his half naked body;)

All I can say- is THANK YOU!!!!

Next up—- After blocking pics of the Print of the Wave Shawl…. as requested;) The sun is NOT very cooperative it’s rainy, overcast and gloomy here, lately! If you;d like to better see the stitches in thes pics, click the pic, then you can see the enlargements at flickr!;)

Here is a corner- up close and personal. I was incredibly intimidated by that border, especially the corners, I’m happy how they’ve turned out!

Here’s a pesudo- artsy hanging in the doorwall shot :

Because we have “teens” and a little guy. We sometimes have interesting TV viewing habits, which includes in any given day watching Spongebob together- or Mythbusters, or Clifford the Big Red Dog.

Typically, it’s the little one cracking us up. Using “Big people” words etc… This time it was Mike, my 17 year old. While watching the much annoying (albeit funny) “Spongebob’s Best Day Ever Marathon” he thoughtfully announced:

“Isn’t Spongebob saying “tartar sauce” the equivilent of us saying “embalming fluid? That’s nasty.”

(For the non- Spongebob imbibing… Spongebob uses the word “tartar sauce” as a pseudo-swear word.

Mike must have been really thinking hard that day- because while watching “Clifford, the Big Red Dog” He wondered aloud…

“Man, it would suck if Clifford got rabies, that would be carnage”

Yes- I laughed out loud. You never do know what kis are thinking….

Eunny Jang’s Print Of the Wave Scarf/Stole…. about 1000 yds of Knitpicks Shadow Laceweight in Vineyard… knit and waiting to block

Merino soup? Nope- First a 30 inutes soak in Eucalan….. to prep the fiber for blocking.

A strange pic of the stole blocking… There are mistakes everywhere… but I don’t care. I love it. It’s taken since June. And it’s DONE!

Hmmm with what will I wear it? I’m thinkin t-shirt and jeans or white top and slacks;)

More pics when it’s dry;)