Crochet Me Crazy

I had started on the top in the photo below but the pattern was giving me problems so I frogged it all and I'm not making it. I started on this instead: Lapa Lace Top My mom is visiting and I don't have much time for crocheting so I need something easy to work on.

This is what I'm onto next I think:



It's in the Family Circle Easy Crochet Spring 2007 Magazine. I actually may make this for myself! :)

As you can see, I always have a running list of things to make next. Right now I'm working on finishing up the purse...(I got side-tracked on a ripple afghan - lol!) Really, the purse is almost complete. Just have to make the straps!

Here's the ripple afghan so far that got me side-tracked...



Well, I'm off to take Michael to the orthodontist and maybe hit a thrift store while I'm out.

I found this site with some nice free patterns. I saw the "Lapa" top and knew that was going into the projects to be made pile. Probably will make it for Alison though. I never make anything for myself it seems...

Check it out:

NaturallyCaron.com :: Spring Sweaters :: Crochet

There are other categories of free patterns in the pattern boutique.

Last week there was one of these little critters in my kitchen. Today, I found one in the clothes basket in the garage and another one in the kitchen! After seeing the 3rd one, I decided I need to figure out what these things are! I've never seen one before! I have looked and looked on the internet and I still can't identify it! If anyone knows what this is, please let me know! I'll try to get better pictures if I can. The round blue dot is a pin we stuck in him. Yuck!!!

(Click on the picture to get a closer look!)

My son caught a squirrel today in the back yard. He had gotten this huge cage out of someone's trash a little while back. He had it set up in the back yard and I knew he was planning on trying to catch a squirrel. "Yeah, right" I thought....I really didn't think he was going to do it. He was putting a pan of corn in there and the squirrel have been going in there and eating it but you can't get near the cage before they run out. Well, he saw the squirrel in there through the window today and ran out saying..."I'm gonna get him!" Next, thing I know...he has him! He had rigged up a long piece of yarn to yank the cage door shut from the front yard! The little guy was pretty freaked out at first but he's calmed down now. Yes, I'm sure we'll let him go but I thought it was pretty smart of my son. My son is out there trying to make friends with him now offering him all kinds of goodies to eat! LOL




Ali is sick today so I guess we won't be going to dance class. She started feeling back yesterday afternoon and started running a fever. She says her throat is soar. I'm loading her up with vitamin C. She seems a little better than last night.

We got up at 5:30 in the morning to drive to Austin for the March against the TTC (Trans Texas Corridor). The TTC will be the largest imminent domain project in the US History. We have a very close friend who's land is in jeopardy.

We love our state here in Texas. Listen to this young one's speach at the rally....
Speach about Texas

We took a little time after to look around the capital building:




We drove back home the same day. Haven't done much today. We went out in search of phonics flashcards to help my neighbor's son. I got rid of my phonics curriculums long ago now that I am done teaching my kids to read. It seems they don't teach phonics to the kids anymore in the public schools, at least not here anyway. The mom doesn't read well, as she is from Trinidad. I plan on helping her and her kids to learn phonics. I went to the dollar store first because they used to have alphabet flash cards there. I found "word" flash cards instead.

I don't have any completed crochet projects to show.

I made it through Tuesday! I'm home-free now! Monday's and Tuesday are busy and I don't get a whole lot done around here because by the time the kids are done with school, I have to rush out to drive 45 minutes to drive Alison to dance class. She's getting ready for ballet exams so its super important for her not to miss class from here on out. Exams...and then more business of getting ready for the final ballet performance. This year, they are performing "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe". I'm sure it will be awesome. It always is.

We finished up the 200 buttons today and they are in a box ready to be mailed. I should've have taken a picture but I forgot.

My mom is coming to stay with us next week and will be staying for a while. She is getting senile or is in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's...not sure which. She hasn't had an "official" diagnosis. A mother from dance who's in nursing school was telling me the test for Alzheimer's is pretty invasive. In any case, my mom really shouldn't be left alone. I think she'll do good while she's here because our whole family is home all day 24/7 so there will always be someone around to help her, keep her company, or keep her out of trouble when she's confused. Jeff works out of the house.

Well, I'm going to head to bed now. I'm trying to get in the habit of going to bed at a more descent time and get up earlier. Today was my first day of trying to start a new morning routine. When I wake up and put on the coffee I'm using what I call my "butt machine" until the coffee is done making. How hard can it be to force my self to excercise for just those few minutes? Well, apparently it did *something* for me today because I can feel a little bit of soreness in my rump and my legs this afternoon. I've lost a lot of weight after getting off of those awful anti-depressents the doctor put me on but I'd like to lose about 10 more pounds.

Well, good night....