Summer in Review...

I feel like I am writing the typical back to school, "What I did on my summer vacation" paper.. LOL.. So, instead of trying to jam what seems like a year into one blog post - I'm going to do one a day until I get caught up.. Then again there might be some "random" musings along the way as well..

Bree got out of school on June 7th (I think - seems like years ago - hhahahaha)

There was alot of rain here in June - a ton, so much in fact, that the Tommy Bartlett water show lake was completely wiped out when the road bordering it gave out and drained the lake everywhere else than where it was supposed to be. Those poor people. I didn't know until the news reports that that lake was a man-made one -and thus was going to take a long time to basically rebuild. It is also the same lake that the Wisconsin Dells "Ducks" uses. Why is this all important and what does this have to do with our summer in review?

Well, because. Bree and I were invited by one of her friends along with another Mom and her twin girls to go to the Chula Vista Waterpark at the Wisconsin Dells 5 days later - free of charge. (Dad got free passes for rooms, park fees, etc..) What a nice thing to share.

So, 3 Moms and 4 Girls (all who just finished 4th grade) headed for the flooded area of the Wisconsin Dells.

We had a great time, the water park was fun and very nice. The rooms were spacious and well kept. The company was great too! Us Moms floated around the lazy river and Kathy (the host Mom) and I went down a giant drop slide - it was fun. (Lisa - the other Mom took some pics - but I don't have those to PROVE I did it) - And then Kathy and Bree (the bravest ones) went down this bizarre, U-shaped waterslide that dropped you down one side - and you went up the other side, back down BACKWARDS, and so on and so forth (kind of like those U-shaped skate board ramps) - I thought they were going to die from screaming. They only did that ONCE.

We didn't get to ride the Ducks, but, still had a great time!

We were planning to check out on the last day and spend the afternoon at the waterpark before heading home, but, I spotted in the newspaper some possible road closings (as in the one we would be driving to come home) and did some research and sure enough so much rain was falling (we didn't realize being indoors) that the I-94 main Hwy was being threatened.

So, we changed our plans and headed out earlier. We hit 2 MAJOR rain, thunder, wind storms and then pulled off to refuel - and just as we were walking into the gas station they were telling us the radio had just announced the road being closed - 15 minutes PAST where we had just come thru. Whew... (I had my big rig so wasn't worried too much - but Lisa had her van and that could have been trouble)

Then we hit another REALLY nasty storm at Rockford and finally made it back home. It was amazing that there was a 30 degree difference in temperatur (hotter) in roughly a 2-1/2 hour drive.

This is a picture of the girls.... near our patio at the resort. In the evenings at the resort they do a campfire where you can roast marshmallows and make smores - YUM!

So, that was the first week of summer vaca.

An anniversary of sorts...

Yes, an anniversary - the 2 year anniversary of me getting busted up coming off a horse at a team penning - oh around, 9pm at night... Funny how the minute I woke up this morning I thought that - I'm not even that conscious about the days/dates now that Bree is out of school (just 2 days out) - but, it immediately came to my mind. Maybe because with the weather, my shoulder has been aching a bit? who knows..

But, life marches on...

And just to prove I have been doing something - here are a few pictures of what has been accomplished!


These socks are called "Monkeys" - you can see the beginning photo on my previous blog post - Bree claimed them (which is a good thing since as I knit them the colorway didn't do anything for me) - but, I do love the yarn - Socks That Rock - Lightweight in the Foofaraw color - Foofaraw, Foofaraw, Foofaraw - I just love SAYING that color name!


The next is a pair of socks just for me! They are by Evelyn Clark - called Waving Lace and the yarn is from Jen and Knitting Like Crazy in the Crazy soft color called Mint Julip - and I must say, this combination of yarn and pattern has to be one of my all time favorites!!!! It is so soft and delicate looking and just lets you see the pattern with adding some dimension with the soft varigation! I can't wait to do another of her patterns...

The next is a project that I like the finished object, but the pattern as written - well is less than to be desired - and I shouldn't be surprised - I did 2 others (see other modular scarf patterns in my blog) by the same designer, in the same book - I am really amazed at how poorly written and edited this book is and the cost of the book on top of it - it should be PERFECT. This scarf calls for 60 yards of 4 colors. Ok, I bought yarn that comes in a 105yard ball. I used ALL 4 skeins COMPLETELY up and had to buy 4 MORE skeins for about 5 yards more of each color - talk about ticking you off! This is the Mirrored Angles Scarf from the Modular Knits book and I used Classic Elite Waterlily yarn in 4 colors - it is a really nice yarn to work with and it has a soft tone on tone color to it - fades and then gets darker.


And of course, Bree decided that the yarn I bought for me was to be "hers" - This is getting to be a common theme... This is Knit1, Crochet2 Soxx Appeal yarn and it is the "wool" version of Cascade Fixation - but, I must admit, I like it better, it is softer, not as "bumpy" and is just nicer in general to work with! I do have a 2nd color for ME and she's not getting that one! LOL! I will definitely be purchasing MORE of this yarn!


And I am in the beginning stages of making this for Bree - she decided going into 5th grade next year should warrant a "real" book bag instead of just a backpack.. I think it iwll be pretty when done!

We leave tomorrow morning for 3 days to the Wisconsin Dells (be back on Thursday) - one of Bree's friend's Dad got 4 free rooms/waterpark passes/etc.. up at the Chula Vista Waterpark Resort and there are 4 Moms and Daughters going - should be fun! I'm trying to figure out what knitting to bring of course - can't take any Cookie A as I want something kind of mindless as I'm sure we'll be visiting, etc..

And, I'm freaking as I ONLY have Bree's Messenger bag on needles - how did I let that happen? I better get cracking!