Christmas Report

We had a very good Christmas. My mother-in-law was here with us, after having to come a day early because of the weather. We went out to look at Lights on Christmas Eve, just like we always do, and it started snowing on us, again. Yesterday, however, it started to warm up and now most of the several inches of snow that we received since the 13th has melted, and since it's in the 50's, I don't think it's going to stop anytime soon.
On the knitting front, I knit my mother-in-law a hat, because she needed one, and I managed to get one sock done for Kim before Christmas. I wrapped it and the skein of yarn for the other as his present. When he opened it the skein of yarn came out first, he looked at me, held it up, and said "Are you sure this is for me?" I had to tell him to keep looking. At least now I know that the sock fits him. I'll post a pic after I finish both of them. I've also started another shawl. Pictures later.

Singing in the ....Snow

It started snowing again last night, and if you look closely at the top of my Van you can just barely see the raised area that is the luggage rack. This is accumulation since last night. Arrrrgh! I don't know that I'm going anywhere for the next couple of days unless Kim drives. Kimber has another concert tonight, which we were afraid would be cancelled. If they had cancelled school today it would have been, but they just did another 2 hour delay. We've had them every day this week, and I don't see them not doing at least that tomorrow, which means ARM hasn't gone to day program this whole week. Speaking of Kimbers concert Kim took this picture while they were doing the sound check for her Diva's group. He also recorded all three of their
numbers, but I'm going to let him post those. We were half afraid
that the Tuesday night concert would be cut short, as there was a reported problem with one of
the heaters, and it could have caused the fire alarm to go off. We
would have had to evacuate the building if that happened, but
luckily, it didn't. We all stayed nice and warm until the end.

Oh the Weather Outside...

has been frightful. Starting Sat. night it started to snow, and except for little lulls it kept snowing, and blowing, until last night. The kids had a 2 hour delay for school both Monday and this morning, which meant that ARM did not go to day program, as the bus would get him there just about in time for them to turn around and pick them up again. So he got to walk to middle school. Yesterday was so bad that he turned around, twice, to come back and get more covering. Today the sun is shining, and reflecting off of all that snow, which greatly increases the ambient light around here. This is a good thing, in light of my SAD.
I have completed two little projects that I can talk about, as they are for my visiting teaching sisters. At the beginning of the month we did a dinner and ornament exchange for Relief Society, and while they said, just give an ornament you already had, I couldn't think of one that I wanted to give someone that I didn't want to keep myself, so I knitted a small Christmas stocking. Then my V.T. companion mentioned that we should take something to our sisters, so I knitted a few more. I'll give the last two away tonight. They're just big enough to put 2 mini candy-canes into, and there is a loop for hanging.
If you're not interested, you can stop reading, because the rest of this is just the pattern. I should mention that there are at least two other stocking ornament patterns on the web that I know about, but I've only seen pictures, and didn't see them till after I did the first stocking, so I don't know how similar they are.

Mini Christmas Stocking Ornaments

Supplies: Set of size 3 DPNs
1 skein red Micro-spun yarn, separated into 3 strands.
( I did this as I knit, winding the half I didn't use into a ball )
1 skein white cotton, about size 5 pearl cotton.
this will be enough for several ornaments
a crochet hook, (size is really not an issue here)
a yarn needle.

Cuff CO 24 stitches with white Leaving a long tail to be used to make the hanging ring
place marker at beginning of round
purl 1 round
knit 1 round
purl 1 round
knit 1 round
change to red, and knit all rounds for an inch and a half ending at marker.
Turn Heel
knit the next six stitches , so that the six stitches before and after the marker are on the same needle, place the other 12 stitches on a stitch holder.
Turn
YO, purl back to end of needle (there should now be 13 stitches on the needle) turn
YO, Knit to the last two stitches on the needle, (these should be the YO and the first stitch from the previous row. this is called a pair ) turn
YO, purl to the first pair on the other side , turn
YO, knit to 2 pairs on the left of the needle, turn
YO, pull to the 2 pairs, turn
YO knit to the 3 pairs. You should now have 3 pairs on both sides of the needle. Knit the first stitch of the pair, turn.
YO purl back to the pairs, purl the first stitch of the pair, turn,
YO, knit back just before the first YO you come too. There should now be 2 YO, and then 2 pairs. Slip the YO's and the first stitch of the next pair knit-wise, transfer then back to the left needle, then knit all three tog. Turn
YO, and purl back, again to the 2 YOs and 2 pair. Slip the YO's and first stitch of the next pair purl-wise, and work as before. Turn
YO, Knit back. Work each set of YO's and pairs as described above, until just two Yo are left on each side. Place other stitches back on needles, and return to working around,
Instep
on the first round slip 2 YO and first stitch from the next needle and work as if it were the first stitch of a pair, continue to knit around to the last stitch before the next 2 yo's, and work this in a similar manner. Continue to knit around for about 3/4 of an inch,
Toe: first round:* Knit 3, Knit 2 tog* repeat around
Knit 2 rounds,
*Knit 2, Knit 2 tog* repeat around
knit 1 round
*knit 1, knit 2 tog* repeat around
Knit 1 round
*Knit 2 tog* repeat around
cut thread a ways away from the needles and thread end into a yarn needle. Feed through yarn loops on to and pull tight (I go through twice and then pull, just to be safe)

make a loop with the top white end and chain about 8 to 14 or so stitches, however big you want your loop to be. Fasten off into the cuff, and weave in the ends.

I've been lazy

at least about writing in my blog. Not much has been going on lately, though when we were down in Idaho Falls for Thanksgiving Kim and I bought a Wii for the family. We gave it to the kids as an early Christmas present, figuring we could never hide it in the car. Now it's in my room, where it will stay till after Christmas. I may insist that it stay there permanently. It's quite convenient having it there, I can bowl, box, or do other exercises right there, I don't have to go down to the utility room.
Most of the things I've been working on are gifts of one sort or another, so I won't be talking about them for a while.
Kimber has concerts on the 16th and the 18th of Dec. ARM is doing well in school, he's gained 2 1/2 pounds and grown a 1/2 an inch as of last Fri. I sang with a group of sisters at a Relief Society dinner last Thurs that went well, even though they asked me to sing alto. Greenwood will be Christmas caroling twice, on the 10th and the 13th. That should be about it for now.