December 21, 2011

Merry (Early) Christmas!


So, we are entering the land of Christmas craziness, and I'm going to be even slower on the blog than usual! I'll leave you with a last charming shot of my dear boy--about to celebrate his third Christmas !?!?! In January, I will be back with a bazillion posts on all my gift knitting, Christmas celebrations, LOTR marathons with yummy lembas, and so much more!

December 15, 2011

Cutie Pie Thursday: Christmas 2011 Outtakes

This is what happens when I ask for a smile.

This is only marginally better.

This is pretty great, but we've lost an arm.

He needed to take Christmas pictures of mama, too.

I actually kind've liked this one, but it looked a tad suave, GQ for a Christmas picture.

"And then I said . . ."

And, of course, a quick shout out to Mama Cool, who celebrates her birthday today! Yay! Happy Birthday!

December 08, 2011

Cutie Pie Thursday: Cocoa Time

Don't talk to me before I've had my cocoa. *

Seriously.

Ah, that's the sweet chocolatey stuff.


Yeah, that's the stuff.

*Not actual Lincoln quotes, but imagined mama comments. Also, these pictures are actually presented in reverse order taken--he looked crankier at the end of his cocoa photo session than at the beginning, which is pretty par for the course.

December 02, 2011

Cutie Pie Thursday: 1/2 Birthday Hat #3

When Lincoln was six months old, I made it a tradition to knit him a hat for his half-birthday. This year, I made him an owl hat.

It's pretty cute, and he was certainly smiled at as we were out and about yesterday, but I think I'd like to give the beak another try in a bulkier yarn. The hat is big, but it still fits him, and he had fun wearing it. He never tried to take it off until it was warm!

I can't believe he's been around for 2 1/2 years--it simultaneously feels like forever and just a few seconds. Now, what hat to knit for next year?

December 01, 2011

Socks & Stockings

My second pair of socks, knit out of a self-striping yarn called "pink burst"--I really loved knitting these over the year, and have made it a goal to always have a pair of self-striping socks on the needles.

A manually striped Christmas stocking, knit for my dear friend Hannah's wedding--I thought a new couple deserved new stockings!

I really didn't get any awesome photos of these stockings, but they really did knit up fast! It was fun to bounce back and forth between giant stockings and normal-sized socks.


I didn't do a perfect job on these socks, but I like that. If they were perfect, I think I'd have a harder time wearing them, and I love wearing them. Handknit socks are the best thing ever--unfortunately, I'm not getting that much faster. My first socks took a few years, this pair took about 10 months. Maybe next year I can make two pairs!

November 27, 2011

Cutie Pie Sunday: Third (!) Thanksgiving

Hmm, tomorrow seems to have a had a fluid meaning for me this week! Anyway, here are some images from our lovely Thanksgiving, a beautiful day that involved a walk to the park! Blogger has scrambled the images a bit, and I'm in no particular need to order them, so there you go.

Buzz Lightyear, space ranger, visits the first Thanksgiving. Lincoln asked for forks for his pilgrims and indians, as they were eating food.

The lad enjoys pumpkin pie while looking at Grammie's cranberry/apple pie.

I high-five a turkey.
Lincoln and his Cool Cousin enjoy some tummy time.

And of course, the requisite shot of the lad attempting to eat a drumstick. He really couldn't make a go of it, but he gave it his best effort.

November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

As I was peeling and chopping potatoes yesterday for the mashed potatoes, I discovered this potato. It felt a bit like a sign--in the midst of all the Thanksgiving craziness/stress/food, remember the love. Cheesy, I know, but that's what makes the holidays different and special--we try to remember and show the love we have for our family and friends.

One of my favorite knitting writers/bloggers--the Yarn Harlot--writes about what an expression of love making socks for others is, as socks wear out and get holey in ways hats and sweaters won't. I think food is the same--making it is an expression of love, as it will get eaten and otherwise disposed of by the body. Food doesn't last, and I hope as you're preparing/eating meals this season, you will remember the love.

Come back tomorrow for Cutie Pie Thanksgiving pictures--drumsticks! Toy pilgrims! Football!

November 17, 2011

Cutie Pie Thursday: New Generation of Crafter



This week Lincoln and I worked on some salt dough ornaments--he had a great time, but I'm not too happy with my dough. Anyone have any great recipes/secrets?

November 12, 2011

Blinding Knitwear: Highlighter Cowl

Remember this skein, from the Taos Wool Festival? I was between a hat and a cowl, and I decided to go with a cowl. The more I looked at the yarn, the more I realized it was made up of the colors you find in a pack of highlighters, and I wanted to play that up.

I chose a pattern that used slipped yarnovers, to really give a slash-y, highlighted look to the bright yarn.

I made it extra big, so that it would fall more into the mod/trendy "infinity" scarf realm of cowls.

It can be worn long and looped like the above, which is still keeping me pretty toasty.

It is also long and stretchy enough to be worn doubled up into a really cozy cowl. This was fun and fast, and if I see Fiber Fanatic at another wool festival, I will definitely be snatching up more yarn!

November 10, 2011

Cutie Pie Thursday: Quotable Lincoln

Not all his time is spent quietly perusing books in his "Boy Cave"--our small lad is becoming quite the talker. Below, a selection of his bon mots (italics are my side of the conversation):

"I'm a scary robot monster . . . a dinosaur one!"

"The boot says yee-haw. The other boot says yee-haw. The hat doesn't say yee-haw!"

"The baby fork is sad." "Why?" "He misses his mommy and daddy fork." "Where are they?" "Mommy fork is on her plate. Daddy fork is in the drawer." (This conversation took place while we ate a meal without dad.)

"I have an idea!" "What is it?" "I don't know."

"What smells stinky on my body?"

"I'm not big. I'm just a little boy."

November 08, 2011

Cutie Pie Tuesday: Late Halloween


Mom: What do you want to be for Halloween? A cowboy?
Lincoln: No!
Mom: Hmmm. A knight?
Lincoln: No.
Mom: A robot?
Lincoln: No!
Mom: (running out of things we have free costumes for) A fireman?
Lincoln: Yes!

So, Fireman Lincoln visited Grammie Cool's class for the traditional Halloween parade. He then stuck with his costume all day, even taking his fire engine, hat, and boots into the coffee shop with mom! Next year, he may be truly old enough we have to buy him a costume!

October 26, 2011

Cutie Pie Wednesday: Early Snow

I woke from a dead sleep at 3 AM this morning to discover the power was out and there was a ton of snow outside. Our power came on around 1 PM, and the snow just quit gently drifting down, but I think it's safe to say we got around a foot of snow. Lincoln was ready to enjoy it.

Dad helps get him strapped into his snow pants. Lincoln learned that suiting up for snow is a serious business.

As Lincoln lounges on the bench on the porch, you can get a real sense of how deep the snow was around here!

Flomping in the snow was just about as good as flomping in the pillows!

Daddy helped teach Lincoln about the joy of a snowball!

He liked scooping and tossing the snow!


He tried a little shoveling, but it was just too deep and wet!

His mittens got pretty caked with snow--it's tough to tell where they end and the snowball begins!

My adventurous lad surveys the scene--it was tough to get him to come on in!

October 20, 2011

Cutie Pie Thursday: Bundles


The temperature may have dropped a bit here, and some members of the household may take umbrage at my thermostat dictatorship.

October 13, 2011

Cutie PIe Thursday: Productive Interaction

Painting with dad, using the classic paint with water.


Reading with mom before bedtime--if you are noting titles, we are reading the Golden Book retelling of Toy Story--there will be two more books read after this! We love all the "big kid" interaction we keep getting to have with Lincoln! It's amazing! And more will be coming!

October 10, 2011

Just In Case; or, Fun with 500; or, Everyone's Doing It

Just in case Mr. Cool ever becomes president, I have a very first-lady-ish hobby going.


There are dozens of photos of Eleanor knitting. She was always knitting. Especially on planes. It would be amusing to see her deal with the TSA today about her knitting needles.


This is Grace Coolidge, wife of Calvin Coolidge, for those of you who didn't automatically recognize her. She loved to knit as well. She also crocheted--including a coverlet for the Lincoln Bedroom.

In fact, as I celebrate my 500th post on this blog, loads of people love to knit (or at least pretend.) Check it out!

October 09, 2011

A Trip to Taos: Fall Color Explosion



I hope everyone gets a chance to see some gorgeous fall leaves this year--I'm not very good at photographing the beauty we saw. My favorites are a flash of golden leaves trapped in a green conifer zone.