The Dude abides....

The big Lebowski. It wasn't a great movie. I'm not even sure when it was that I first saw it. I think it was one of those weird movies that Danny had Brent and I watch at some point when he lived in our basement. I'm not, by all means, condoning this movie or recommending it. From what I can remember, it is pretty foul and "adult themed". But I did take a couple things from it.

#1--White Russians--by FAR my favorite cocktail. "the dude" drinks them throughout the movie.

#2--"The Dude Abides." The "dude" is one of the main characters in the movie, and he says (possibly more than once) "the dude abides". yes, weird. First of all that he calls himself "the dude". But that phrase always stuck with me.

On the street one over from us, about 4 houses away, there is a "dude." I'm not sure why we started calling him that. But every time we would drive by, we would find ourselves looking for him. If it is anytime after dark, he is there, in his garage, with the garage door open. Were not sure why he's there, or what he does. But he's sitting there, on a barstool, sometimes with friends, sometimes by himself. Sometimes he's out during the day working on something in the garage, using some power tools. It has become something that we always say when we see him--"The Dude abides." Because that is what he's doing. Just abiding. I wish I could take a picture of this, but that might seem a little stalker-ish, so I will refrain.

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh. I sure hope he makes the finals." --The Stranger in The Big Lebowski.

Happy Easter!

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Should I......

....have taken advantage of a crazy steal at JoAnns??? I keep thinking about this. It's seriously lame, but I can't decide what I should have done....

Yesterday, at JoAnns, I was picking up one skein of some yarn to finish Tami's hobo gloves when I saw a sign. This is ALL it said: "Lion Brand: Wool Ease $2" Now, there are 3 different kinds of Wool Ease, 1-worsted weight (normal-everyday thinner yarn--$2.50 regularly) 2-Thick and Chunky (heavier thicker yarn-- ~$5.00 regularly) & 3-Thick and Quick (super bulky--$6.50 regularly). I knew, in my heart of hearts, that the sale was probably only supposed to be for the worsted weight, b/c it's the cheapest, and there is NO WAY they would ever put the other, more expensive yarn on that huge of a sale. So I found an employee, had her look at the sign, and she said that if it didn't specify which kind, then it was all of them. I KNEW that it would ring up wrong, and I'd have to go through all of that again, but I decided to grab 2 skeins of the thick and quick, b/c there was this pattern I was dying to try that uses it. So of course, I get to the cash register as they're closing (lovely) and, what do ya know....$6.49/each. SO I explain to the cashier (only her 2nd day working there....poor girl) about the sign, and she calls a manager. Turns out, only the worsted weight is on sale (big freaking surprise) but they will honor the sign, even though it was wrong. I knew they would have to honor the sign, even though I knew it was wrong. My dilema is, should I have gotten more skeins to begin with?? One side of me says yes, b/c it was their mistake, but one side says no, b/c I knew it was a mistake and mispriced from the beginning.

Anyway, It's over now, and I'm sure they've fixed the sign error, so I got 2 skeins for $4, which is less than one normally costs. But I feel semi-good about it still, b/c one of the skeins is going to make a hat for a cancer patient. That's good karma, right??

Anyway, presenting the $2 hat!


It the Brangelina Hat from my new favorite blog. It's modeled after a hat seen on Angelina Jolie, not that I care about that, I just thought it looked cute! I also love how it looks in the red! Mmmmmm...wooly goodness....


I also realized, after I had downloaded the pictures of this hat, I have a disturbing pattern going on. I almost always finish up a project in the morning while Judah is eating breakfast and watching 'toons'....I am always to eager to get pictures of said project, I often jump the gun, and model it pre-shower....blech. **Note to self---people might appreciate seeing a showered Alicia...they might actually like the knitting projects better if there isn't greasy hair poking out of it!!

SILLY JUDAH FACE INTERLUDE!!!


Oh, and here are some pics of Judah and Ben at the play place on Friday! They had a blast!








and a rare pic of me and the man...


And some new pictures of Moose, b/c he seems to get left out alot...




wow....I've been working on this for too long...better head out and get to the gym (since I declared that I shall not work out during my birthday weekend...I've got alot of making up to do!)

best. birthday. present. ever.

Yes...yes...today is the day. Birthdays are, in general, less fun when your extended family isn't there to throw you a party with the dinner of my choice, cake of my choice, homemade ice cream, and a close knit family celebration. I really do miss that. So instead of focusing on what I am missing out on, I need to remember that this is a different stage of my life, and that means I get to do things differently.

So what did I do today on this, oh magical of days? Not a ton. really. Sharon and Benjy treated Judah and I to Starbucks on our way to Child's Play, an indoor play place with dress up costumes and toys up the wazoo. It was a good outing. And Judah is sufficiently pooped (which is always good). On our way home from that, I stopped off at Temecula Valley Yarn Company And bought myself a little B-day prezzie. Well, one skein for me to make this and some blue and orange yarn to make this for my brother (yes...in BSU colors). I got 15% off b/c it's mah birfday! BONUS!!!

Then I came home, hopped on the interwebs to check my e-mail and had a lovely little surprise in my inbox, an e-mail from Laurie, author of one of my favorite knitting blogs, http://www.crazyauntpurl.com/ , which is where I got the basis for my beret pattern I shared a few posts back. And I'M ON HER BLOG!!! I was so happy and excited, and a little freaked out to see me (and apparently my bra strap) in pictures on her blog!!! Anyway, it just is the best Birthday present ever, to be published (in a very loose sense of the word) on such a wonderful and popular blog!! Oh, and yes, I am a humongous NERD!

So anyway...back to our regularly scheduled programming----Brent and I are going out for a fabulous dinner tonight (we don't know where yet, but since we're breaking our diet, it WILL BE delicious) and possibly a movie. I know...boring boring boring. But that's what you do for kicks when you have to line up a babysitter and all (thanks Sharon).

So what have I learned in 28 years of living on God's green earth? Hmmmmm.... I'll make a list, b/c lists are fun. (Yes they are. Lists are SOOOOO fun)

1. I DO have the strength and willpower to lose weight (17.5 pounds so far) YAY!

2. I love to love my family. Brent and Judah are the best. period. It is hard to be so far away from the rest of our family, but I'm learning how to deal with it.

3. I really love my dogs (not a big surprise to most of you). Even through all the hair and slobber and holes in my yard...I can't get enough of them.

4. I never thought I would love living in California, but I really do. Wearing flip flops year 'round can't ever be bad.

5. I love knitting. Even if I don't fit the stereotype for being a knitter. I'm 28, and I'm not going to knit a button down sweater vest....but I love knitting.

Ok...I think I'm done.

Surprised by Beauty

When we moved into this house, last August, our front patio was just a big patch of dirt with a large, nasty, poky aloe vera bush in it. I was actually planning on what kinds of flowers I would plant in it when spring came. Brent is toying with the ideas of a small vegetable garden also! Then, the beginning of January, we noticed some leafy green stalks protruding from the ground, where nothing had been for 5 months. At first, I thought they must be weeds, but as time progressed, i realized they must be some sort of bulb, that had died back completely during the late summer. Time progressed, and I started to recognize the leaves...but i couldn't put my finger on it. Then yesterday, as I was walking back towards the house, I noticed something. It had bloomed!! Imagine my surprise, as I see this:



I am so excited!! There are 5 more blooms yet to open, and 4 more plants! The bulbs probably need to be spread out, one plant is way huger than the others, so this fall, I will do some rearranging! It was just such a surprise to see something so beautiful come from nowhere. I never watered them, I never cultivated the soil, I never fertilized them. I didn't even know they were there. But they turned into something so beautiful, without me, without my help. Someone put those bulbs there a long time ago, and I get to see the results. I don't know. I'm weird like that! It just seems like God knew I needed that. It was a good object lesson to me. Even when I don't do everything I should, God is still working on me. Whether I take the time I should to pray, be in the Bible, whatever....He is still there, working on my heart, and my life. And there is always the potential that something beautiful will come of it. But then I know that next year, after I have replanted the bulbs, fertilized them, watered them, how much more beautiful they will be! The same goes for me.

Anyway....I couldn't stop taking pictures of that single Lily...





Also---I have started a new link list on my sidebar for knitting/crafty blogs or websites. Feel free to leave a comment with some of your favorites, and I can add them to the list!!

For Better or Worse....

I'm in love with this hat.



(pardon me while I talk about knitting)

This hat is a modification from this pattern I had to modify it b/c circular needles are EXPENSIVE, and I have no money. But it turned out great! (hold on to your hats...here comes the technical stuff) I cast on 66 stitches on #9 circulars, 1x1 rib for 1 1/2 inches, then increased by k1, kfb, then knitted over to #11 circular needles. I was worried that the giant change in needle size would make the hat turn out all wonky, but it actually made it just the perfect slouchiness!! I started the decreases at about 6" into the hat, and began with k13 k2tog (you have one extra stitch on the last set, but I just chalked it up to imperfection and said "SCREW IT!" you just have to knit one more regular stitch on that set every time. but it works out just fine.) In between the decrease rows I knitted one regular round, until about the sevens....when I started to think that this hat might very well be the cause of my early demise, so I started to decrease on every row after that, I ended up with either 14 or 7 stitches to choose from at the very end, I went with the 7, probably should have chosen 14, it would have been more flat on the top. But I love it anyway! I will wear it in sickness and in health.....(the sickness comes in when I am wearing it in our 110 degree weather this summer...)







I don't think I've shared very many of my knitting adventures on here yet. I have lots of pictures of stuff....you can see them here if you're the least bit interested!

The trouble with being 3.... ***UPDATED***

Judah pulled our TV off of the entertainment center this afternoon. Thankfully, no people or animals were injured in this process. But our 8 year old TV was. That blasted TV faithfully followed us from house to house, apartment to apartment, state to state, 6 places in all, and now it is gone. Oh well, it's just "stuff", right? But the only real problem is, that this "stuff" keeps me sane....many of you know just what I mean, being a stay at home mom, the TV really is a nice distraction and time filler when you need a break, need to do the dishes, need to make lunch, it is just a luxury you get used to having around, and take for granted.

We may be TV-less and insane for a while.

***One of Brent's former co-workers is giving us their old TV! YAY! They invested in a giant big screen TV, and didn't have a use for their old one...until now!! ***

Before that happened today, I was all prepared to write a happy post about how much I love my little man....how silly and sweet he is, how wonderfully complex he really is, even at his young age...but I feel a little disenchanted about that topic right now. So I'll just post the pictures I was planning on posting....

Decompression

you know, when you get home from a big trip, you need a vacation from your vacation? At least that's what my mom always called it. I was glad we got home on a Saturday, so Brent didn't have to go straight back to work. We got a nice day of rest in yesterday, Church, lunch with friends, Judah got to play with his buddy Ben, Brent had a meeting, and I got to smoosh puppy faces. really.



A friend of mine has these 2 little 1 month old Pomeranian Pups...it's a long story, but the short version is this: she adopted a senior male pom, Nick, who was really too old to go under anesthesia to get neutered...fast forward to her adopting a female pom from our local shelter who was inspected by the vet at the shelter and deemed already spayed....well, fast forward to a year later....OOPS! Puppies! By the way, Nick, the male is AT LEAST 17 years old! Look Ma! No VIAGRA! HA HA HA!!! So this is truely what you would call an "oops litter". So I played puppy photographer for the afternoon, and caught some really great pictures!





So, anyway....today was our lazy day, as most Mondays are. lounged around in our PJ's for waaay longer than we should have, and then decided Judah and the dogs needed a trip to the park. So we hopped in the car and headed down to Temecula. It was t-shirt and shorts weather. I love California.






Judah is having a little bit of a hard time getting back into the schedule of Pacific time, he was tired and whiny all day today. So when he fell asleep on the couch at 5 o'clock, I didn't even try to keep him up.



Well, the second half of the trip was super fun as well! I can't even remember anything we did...I am having post-vacation amnesia. maybe some pictures will spark my memory.

Oh yes, we got to hang out with Eddie and Becky!!! We haven't seen them (in their entirety) for 2 1/2 years. It was sad to see them be with out Mason. But is was so good to get to sit down and talk and just *be* with each other. They are some of our dearest friends, and it was so good to remember just what their friendship means to us. And Judah and Jazzy got along swimmingly, so that was a bonus. Until 1 in the morning, in fact. I know. We're insane.

Something I knitted for myself!! Anna was disappointed it was Slytherin colors.

Me and my Daddy

Oh, and one of the afternoons it was nice enough to be outside playing on the playground and to eat popsicles! Imagine that!

The similarities are eerie...maybe it's just the hair. Judah and his Uncle Nick!

Oh yes, and a night of fun and fellowship at Dan and Reb's....I LOVE this pic of Ella!!!

Friday, we had family pictures taken by Dan Beighley. YAY! I can't wait to see the results! This is my amateur photo or Paul and Heather.

I can't get enough of this silly face!!!

Judah chasing the geese. It isn't Idaho until you chase a goose.

Friday night we had a get together at Mom and Dad's to see friends we hadn't had the chance to see yet. What a whirlwind! It was so much fun, though!

Steph and William...he was just a little bean when we left for SoCal!

Josiah and Brody....they are the "big boys" now....so weird.

I didn't realize this post would be so picture heavy! Hope they all load well for you. Next time I guess I should make a slideshow or something.

Be sure to stop by and say "HI!" in the comment section! I am up to around 40 visits a day, and go for weeks without any comments!!

Alright....off to bed I go! Nite!