Wow.  It's Wednesday already.  That means it's time for the weekly Yarn Along.  I'm joining Ginny and others for the book and yarn update.  This week did not involve a whole lot of knitting.  I worked a little on my Log Cabin blanket.  I know I've said that before, but I'm really close to finishing.  Two more color blocks and a row or two of border and it's done!

On Saturday I went with a friend to Fancy Tiger.  It's like Mecca for the crafter!  One whole wall was yarn.  The other wall was beautiful fabric.  They offer classes and while we were there was a kids learn to knit class.  There was about 7 girls around the age of 10 learning to knit.  How fun!  Anyhoo, I went to this store with my friend with yarn for my new project in mind.  I did find a great color, but they didn't have enough of it.  I could have ordered it there, but decided to support my local lady and so I ordered it through her.  That's not to say I didn't buy any yarn.  How could I not in this wonderful store?

I bought some Madelinetosh Prairie in Tomato.  My plan is to cast on a Citron.  Karen has made several and they are gorgeous.  I have a vintage orange wool coat that this scarf will look fabulous with (if I get it finished during wool coat wearing season).
On the book front, I'm reading Code Talker by Chester Nez.  It's about the Navajo code talkers during World War II.  The book starts out with his growing up on the Checkerboard area by the Navajo Reservation.  He attends boarding school where they teach in English only trying to erase any sense of their Navajo self.  It helped him become a Marine after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor because the Marines needed Navajos that spoke both the Navajo language and English.  I've just finished the part where they took the victory at Guadalcanal.  Fascinating reading.  But I really like World War II books.

Does this stand for Physical Therapy or Pain and Torture?

I'm not sure. Right now I'm voting for the latter.  I did something to my shoulder last March.  It really hurt for about a week.  Several times I almost dropped the kid because of the pain.   I took Advil like it was candy and it started to feel better.  In October re-tweaked it and the pain never went away.  Finally in December I saw doctor.  He thinks it is a partial tear in the rotator cuff.  One cortisone shot later he recommended PT before we go to the next level.

After the first PT appointment, after she poked and prodded, I about couldn't use my right arm.  I see her twice a week and the next day the pain level in my shoulder is much higher than it was before the appointment.  She says the exercises are working.  My range of motion is better and she already sees my right arm getting stronger.   At this very moment I highly doubt it.  My shoulder hurts like hell.

I really, probably should have gone to see a doctor much sooner than I did.  Because I waited, my shoulder has gotten weaker and the other muscles in that shoulder are compensating to do the daily tasks that need to be done.  So in the mean time I'm going to Pain and Torture to retrain those muscles to work on their own again without any help.  I'm hoping this works.  I don't want to have surgery.

4/52

Last week I read about The 52 Project on Durango Mom's blog.  It is a portrait a week for the whole year.  What a great idea and it comes at the perfect time.  Bryan and I were just talking that we needed to make a photo book of Corrine's first two years.  This way we will have a photo a week.  My plan (and I say this now) is to start a photo book album on some photo website and then just leave it in the draft mode for the whole year.  I will add the pictures once a month for that month.  I think I can do that.  Why not, right?  

1/52

2/52

3/52

I've posted the first two already, but the third one was last week at the stock show doing a pony ride with Papa.

Corrine and Papa

Saturday was a work day.  No more vacation.  One day of work and then a day off (gotta ease back into work).  Sunday was a baking/cooking day.  I get daily emails from Once a Month Mom.  The idea behind OAMM is cooking/baking for one day to get a month of meals.  They provide the menus and recipes. I don't go quite to the extreme of a whole months worth of cooking.  I like to cook and I'm home enough to make dinner or bake that I don't have to do it all in one day.  Anyhoo, they do have some great recipes.  These are mini apple breakfast tarts.  I bake them, keep some in the fridge and the rest in the freezer.  The recipe says to bake only what you need and bake the rest when you're ready to eat them.  I thought they froze quite nicely already baked and the night before I need some for breakfast, I take them out of the freezer and leave them in the fridge.  Easy Peasy.
I've got granola in the oven right now.  We usually buy granola to mix with yogurt but since I've been making our own yogurt (which I'll post on later this week), I thought why not try making our own?  It was easy enough to make.  We'll see how it turns out in about an hour.  I love knowing where my food is coming from!

Hubby called a little bit ago.  He's on his way to Puerto Vallarta to fix an airplane, so Corrine and I are on our own for the rest of the day.   The only comforting thought in that, is he doesn't get to stay and he is there for work.  However, it will be nice and warm...

How was your weekend?  Joining Amanda.

This is one of those recipes that just tastes good, although it's probably not so good for you.  And it tastes better two or three days later.  I don't even remember where I came across the recipe, but it's one I've made for dinner for 20 plus years.

The basics-
chili
cheese
onions
fritos or frito style corn chip

Pre heat oven to 350.
Start with a layer of fritos.  Next add in layers (in no particular order) chili, cheese, onions and more fritos.  I always end with a layer of cheese, but I never layer in the same order.  Bake the whole mess until hot all the way through and bubbly.

Ideally I would use homemade chili, but we use canned turkey chili a lot too.

It's Wednesday!  And that means it's time for the weekly Yarn Along.  I'm joining with Ginny and others to share books and knitting.  Two of my favorite things.  I finished both lambys in time for both birthdays.

The tabby is named Winston after George Winston.  And the black kitty is named Brickman after Jim Brickman.  Both are new age pianists.  Yes, we have the musician pet name theme going on here.  Winston is the alpha animal of the house.  The Big Boss.  Brick is the resident scaredy cat.  She hides under the covers when the vacuum comes out and she'll stay there all day.

Winston has the food thing figured out.  Whoever is up first feeds them a small spoonful of canned food.  Then she'll cry at her food dish to whoever is up second that she hasn't eaten yet.  Grandma comes over after coffee to visit Corrine and Winnie will tell her that she is starving and these people just aren't feeding me.  This has been going on since Bryan and I got married five years ago.  It took him a month or so to say something to me about not feeding them before I left in the morning.  We still laugh at how convincingly she meows.

They are snugglers.  Many a night I'll wake up in the middle of the night to find them both snuggled next to me.  And sometimes right on top of me.  They are also being very tolerant of a now two year old petting them.  Both are talkers.  They both like their heads scratched.  Brickman loves tummy rubs.   Brickman will sleep in the closet on Corrine's baby blankets if you let her.  She also has a box under C's crib in front of the heater vent.

Winston barely tolerates the dogs.  Brickman just ignores them.  Henley (the Newf) follows them around the house.  Winnie hisses, although sometimes it is half heartedly.  Brick again just ignores them.  Henley licks her, she just cleans herself, with a look of disgust at the dog cooties.  He tries the same thing with Winnie and she smacks him.  And yes.  She has her claws.

It's a crazy house full of pet hair.  But I wouldn't change it for the world.

My sweet baby girl is two.  I'm not sure how it's possible that I have a two year old.  Where did the time go?  Everyone said it would go so fast, but I'm not sure I've even blinked and she's two.

We had a birthday party for her on Saturday since The G's couldn't make it on her actual birthday (the 13th).  However, there was the ultimate conflict.  The Broncos played the Ravens at 2:30.  Her party was from 3-5.  We had the game on upstairs and downstairs, so no one was far from the goings on or the TV.  We cut the cake and sang during half time.  Mama bought football balloons.  Corrine opened her presents during the third quarter.  The kiddos played and the adults watch football.  Most people stayed until the game was over.  Fun was had by all.

 I just tore through Sleeping With the Enemy:Coco Chanels Secret War.  I had seen it in the bookstore so I placed a hold on it at my library.  She was not a nice woman.  Homophobic, anti-semitic, morphine addicted and snobby (for someone who was an orphan born to gypsy parents raised in a convent).  She was also a Nazi spy during WWII.  Although she was never convicted of treason in France, I think because she lied her ass off and had ridiculous amounts of money.  We like a lot of WWII history books in our family so I've passed it off to my parents.  I've got a ton of books to read on my book shelves so I'm not sure what I'll pick up next.

Happy Yarn Along Wednesday!

Back in early December I had an unexpected day to just sit and knit.  I got most of Corrine's Benedick and Beatrice vest finished.  By Christmas I had finished the button band and the arm bands.  Then it took me a week to find my way to the store to find a button that would work.

We hung out!  We relaxed.  Almost all of the outside Christmas lights have been repacked for another year.  The inside has been rearranged to its normal state.

It's been quite chilly here.  And by that I mean some days we have been lucky to warm up to 25 degrees, which is not normal for us at all.  Saturday it warmed up to 37!  Heat Wave.  The boys got in a good hike with hubs.  But before it warmed up I took us all downtown to the Tivoli (back in the day used to be a brewery) which is now the student union for the Auraria Campus.  The campus is home to (I think) 4 different community colleges.  Anyhoo, we went down there because they were hosting the Denver Preschool Showcase.  Like a college fair, but for preschools.  Unfortunately it's next weekend.  Good thing we don't live too far from downtown.  We'll try again next Saturday.

Bryan is working in Kansas City this week.  He left today and won't be home until Thursday.  So today Corrine and I went to a basketball game.  My parents and I have had season tickets to the University of Colorado Women's basketball program for years.
We've had this little cheerleader outfit since C was a baby.  She finally can wear it!  She claps when we clap and today was really getting into the swing of things.  Made me laugh.

The rest of today is hanging out and relaxing.  Dinner at The G's and packing for mama to go to work tomorrow (Then 12 glorious days off!).

How was your weekend?  Have a great week!