More Squeals

Recently I've become interested in baking cakes/cupcakes and dabbling in a little decorating. Nothing fancy just playing with frosting. Made a mistake by putting sprinkles on it and they ran to the sides. Won't do that one again.
I used the Betty Crocker butter recipe mix. It's my new go-to-quick mix if I don't have time to make it from scratch. The frosting is a very tasty buttercream. Yum!






Another day for Chem DD to stalk the UPS driver. He arrived late and dropped of this very large package while she was at work. She has been saving for a while now and finally broke the piggy bank to get something special.










A guitar. This kid and her oldest brother love music and have a talent to pick up most instruments and begin playing. She had years of lessons with her flute so I'm certain that helped to enhance her instrument ability.

Music fills our home :).

What a Wonderful Music World

This is a lengthy post as the computer chair is my best friend right now. There are some things in my life that need to end and there are some thing in life I wish would never end.

One thing that needs to end is medical garbage. I have a severe nerve injury from a serious fall years ago. I went to wally world yesterday with intentions on going to my local knitting group luncheon. I bent over at wally world to check the price of an item. POP! Uh-oh! My back went out. I gently tried to straighten up and that was not a good thing. I managed to get back to the car. The pain is horrible. I called my specialist in the city. Now keep in mind I really like this doc but when he asked (among many other questions) "where's the family support system that we spoke about in the last visit?" (eyeroll here) I wanted to ask if he was living in a disillusioned world. Seriously, he did talk with the hubby and me concerning a complete family unit support. I lived in that disillusionment for approximately one day until I finally came to realization, "it ain't happenin'". At least not outside this little adobe. I have an appointment next week to see where this little medical scenerio will lead.



Tonite is the band banquet and I'm going if I go on a guerney. LOL The tickets are purchased, the scrapbook is finished and it's the very last banquet ever for me. This is one of those things I wish would never end. I enjoyed attending all of my kids' performances but this is it. I'm not much of a sports fan so I was fortunate that all of my kids were into music in one form or another.
Here's the DD playing her 10 minute (yes, 10 minutes) solo. On a serious note, no one wants to hear a kid play a solo for 10 minutes except the parents:). The piece was Concertino By Chanimade in a Level 6 (the most difficult level available). She nailed it! Her tone was awesome, her fingers literally flew over the keys. Chan & Jessi, you both need to know that the band director applauded her and gave her a compliment on stage. Upon hearing of her performance we received a phone call from Alderson-Broaddus College offering several flute scholarships. They have heard her previously when she played in their Honor Band performance and the director has called several times.

The kids formed a steel drum unit and Miss Flute DD was on lead pan. I enjoy listening to the steel drums and they have made such an impression with audience members from the previous performances they now have gigs for the summer.

I'm going to make a special effort to attend local school performances in the future. What else do I have to do? Driving distances will be reserved to visit the DD at college and medical garbage so attending anything fun is out of the question.

How many times have I told this dog, "not on the furniture, Mr. Bettis." And yet, this is where I found him this morning. Keep in mind, this is one thing that I have no disillusionment on ever being corrected therefore I have placed an old beach towel on the loveseat. Notice he is not making a move to get down.

I will be on the DD's laptop computer today while resting the back so I will try to catch up on emails and blogs.

It's Scrappy

The DD decided to make the band director a scrapbook of the last 4 years (yes, Chan, I know what you're thinking:).
She wants to present it to him at the banquet on Thursday. My kitchen table houses all of the equipment needed. Miss Aurora decided to pose right smack in the middle. Silly cat.
I won't be able to find her in a little while, she needs her face washed so she'll hide.





Imagine 268+ pictures to be scrapped in 3 days! It's a marathon here.
We're short a few pictures for the freshman year so I'm off to walley world this morning to get a few more. It would help if I was an organized person and kept the index cards with the picture cds. But, I'm not the organzier. DH and DD are the organizers. I am so much better at finding things in my own little system. Wait! Did I just say that while trying to think where I put the index cards?




Her flute recital was last evening. Here she is sight-reading a duet with her teacher. Her teacher is an awesome young woman and is very talented with a Music Major Degree. She is also a Christian Missionary. She is so kind and when I told her (she graduated with my youngest son) that my son was looking for an art teaching job, she suggested a few schools that she knew needed good art teachers. She is very thoughtful and compassionate and she has been a wonderful mentor for DD.

Tonite is the band concert.

sssshhhhh...........I see yellow sunshine rays in the sky. I hope so, it's 34 degrees this morning and there's an ice film laying on the pool cover!

Gnome MIA

It was cold, windy and snowy yesterday. I tried to capture the snow falling but the camera wasn't cooperating. Ranks right up there with my yarn/knitting pictures:). I do not proclaim to be a photographer by any means.
I'm in trouble here. I had BIG plans for hand knitted Christmas gifts. HUGE plans. Something went wrong. I know I had all year to knit gifts but Self needed socks. Self also needed a new sweater. Self has NEEDS you know?!


The eldest son is NOT getting a hand knitted sweater this year. The DH isn't getting one either. I am scratching gifts right and left from the Christmas list. There will be very little buying of gifts this year given fuel, food, utility expenses. So.............I am resorting to smaller hand knitted gifts. Like these little babies.
I found the pattern on Ravelry. My apologies to those who are not on Ravelry.
They make up to approximately 5 inches and they knit fast. I need fast right now. My needles are busy with mittens, gloves and socks. Hopefully they will get done in time for Ole' St. Nick to deliver:)
Thinking ahead to next year I plan to knit this for the youngest daughter. Fingering weight for a sweater. I know what you're thinking, "how can she possibly plan for next year when she's scratching gifts this year?" Hey! At least I have a plan.........lol

I started an Alan Dart Gnome. His body and one leg were knitted. I decided to clean the living room and change the furniture around. Mr. Gnome body parts are MIA. (I wonder if I can use MIA as an excuse for the unfinished Christmas gifts?)
There is no documentation i.e. picture, journal etc of the missing gnome. I realize no documention appears to be suspicious of, the procratinating knitter aka lil' ole me, but trust me, I really was knitting the gnome. I think I have a suspect of the 4-legged variety. Long white hair. Known to swipe yarn and WIP and stash them under beds. That Darn Cat!

p.s. That's what I get for cleaning. I'll learn someday.............