Bree's Tennessee Trip...

After the 4H Fair was over and we recuperated - and got everything put away - which seems to take 2x as long as dragging it all out - my parents came to town -

They spent a long weekend here and then took Bree back with them to Tennessee - it's an annual thing - Bree and my Mom do all sorts of stuff together. This year I went down to get her on Thursday, we spent Friday antiquing and then Sat went North towards home 2 hours to my Brothers' Family house, spent the night there and then started home on Sunday while stopping off to visit the Strawns and see all the babies (including Boce Boy) and then headed home.

In years past (this dates back to 2003) - My Dad used to tease Bree about his FIFTY horses vs her ONE horse - (his 4 wheeler) - he built a box on the back and would take her for rides out in their woods and such. This year, he "tested" Bree to see if she was strong enough and had long enough legs to drive it herself! Well... Here you go:


My Dad (Bree calls him "Poppa") - surveying her technique!


My Mom and Bree - Bree loved being the "limo" driver and shuttling us all over the place - Notice the box on the back and keep in mind she USED to fit in there - infact both Bree and my Niece would fit in there together (arrggh, I'm getting old!)


Bree showing Poppa how "strong" she is (She is going to kill me for posting this one - but oh well - too bad - so sad)


And of course, her threatening to run me over since I told her I was going to post that picture...

She had a blast - She is getting so grown up!

While at my Brother's house, it is our "annual" go out on his boat on the Lake of Egypt - it is a power plant lake which is nice because it is pretty darn clean and the average temperature is around 83 degrees - delightful!

The kids (including my Brother) had a great time swimming - (notice Bree without the life vest on IN the water?) another first -


On the way back in, my Brother always lets Bree drive at some point - this first picture is from 2003 (the first year out on the boat) - look how little - she has to sit on his lap to see - Look how short her hair is -

This year driving, she's too TALL to sit on his lap, her knees hit the dash!
I love her concentration!

Sunday morning, we got up and headed again North towards home and stopped an hour later at Paige and Barry's - we got to see how big Boce has gotten, said hello to Thor, Teq, Twist and Sly - Fonzie was hiding - I think he saw Bree's size and said "unt uh, no way, I'm not getting roped into that again and hightailed it off somewhere to hide!)

Then we went to the farm to see this year's babies and all the Strawn kids out there - they are looking SO good! I still say I'm stealing Radar one of these days!

After a lunch to which Bree drank 4 full Chili's sized glasses of Dr Pepper (it was hot out at the farm) which caused us to stop what seemed like every 20 minutes for her - (reminds me of Paige's story about BS and going to Canada) we got home around 6:30 Sunday night -

We all had a great time and have a ton of memories!

Pictures... At least some of them...

Well, My dear Mom has complied and sent me some pictures of knitted things -

First is her "Sheep Tote" - basically the pattern calls for you to needlefelt a "sheep" on the side - thus the name - it is simply a nice square tote - which for some reason my dear Mom continues to call a purse. This "purse" is big enough to store 4 purses... Doesn't make sense to me - but, if she likes calling it a purse - it's hers - so be it.

It's made holding 2 strands together of Lamb's Pride (Wool/Mohair - thus the "fuzzy" look) one is a "swirly" (I think they call it varigated - but I like calling it swirly) and the other is a solid blue. It's cute, I have one, they are so so so so functional - this is the "bigger" version of the one I did for Paige back in October.


The next is another pencil vase like I knit for Bree's Teachers - but, I made this one to teach Mom how to felt. I like the colors - I have enough yarn left over to make one for me - which I just might - once I finish all these silly things I have on needles as we speak (way too many for my usual way of conducting knitting business). It's made with 2 strands of Galway - one multi color and one solid. It's from the Plymouth Felted Vase pattern - just made a scoish shorter so pencils don't disappear (that happens enough in my house at least without losing them in a holder).


Then while in TN at Christmas, I taught Mom to make the vase and here's her rendition - it is also in a Galway pink mulit color and one strand of a solid. I don't think she's felted it enough (can see stitches as well as it's HUGE compared to the Turqouise one) - But, it's cute! I like the colors in this one as well. In her vase, is also a flower she knit and felted from a kit she purchased when she was here in April - cute isn't it?

Speaking of on the needles... I made a vase like the above for Peggy's as a shop sample and am making a "jewelry box" one -also a Plymouth Pattern, but have to get more yarn - Am making it out of Malabrigo worsted (yum - still I think my all time favorite multi use - good for anything yarn). So, have to finish that.

I finished my felted clogs last night - have to felt them, THEN, I'll take pics of my "happy feet". I am alos 57 rows of stockinette on size 1 needles away from finishing Bree's KNEE socks - someone please - anyone - remind me NEVER EVER to make KNEE socks again - they take more than a LIFETIME. I also have figured out what I'm going to do (or in this case REDO) on my Brother's Alpaca Hunting socks - so, when I'm finished with the never-ending knee socks - then I'll turn my efforts to those.

I'm also working on an American Girl Doll Bathrobe, and I'm using the most disgusting to use yarn (I'm not a yarn snob, but this stuff is just gawd awful to work with - and yes, it is CHEAP yarn) - But, I couldn't find anything suitable and Bree liked it -Why did I even dream up the idea of letting her pick??? I'm not sure. I keep finding excuses to finish "other" things instead of just biting the bullet and knocking this out - afterall, the back is done, one front is done, and I'm on the 2nd front panel and that leaves the sleeves and collar - How difficult could it be to just "git er done"??? Afterall, it's just for an 18" doll - not like a human - ummm.. apparently VERY difficult. I was even trying to bribe my Wednesday night knitting group to each do a few rows on it and pass it around so that it gets done.. No one has taken me up on that offer - if that gives ANY indication as to how yucky this yarn is!

Well, speaking of which - I see Bree's never ending knee socks giving me the evil eye saying "knit me, knit me" (said in my best - which isn't very good) - Ron White "pick me" puppy voice...

So, I think I will listen to that voice - since it will save me from the gawd awful robe yarn....