While Natalie was here, as a thank you, I took her to the local yarn store, Ivelise’s.  She had a great time looking at ALLLLLL the yarn and the books for ideas.

While we were waiting, we had some yarny fun of our own.

That’s my mystery knit* with Ducky on the big round table. Can you see all the yarny goodness hiding in the background?  To the left are wound up scarves in a cute little crochet pattern.  When wound up they look like little heads of broccoli or something.

Miss R and Ducky show off a bright pink flowered headband that she would like me to make for her.  Only skinnier.  And with rainbow yarn.  And a bigger flower. And stretchier. So really, it won’t look anything like that at all.

A stealth shot of Natalie picking out some yarn. She took FOREVER to pick out yarn But she got some really great stuff that made her happy.  Plus a new book, 60 Quick Knits for Cascade 220.  I’d like to get a copy of that book.  Lots of fun little projects in there!

I can’t wait to see what Natalie is up to with all her yarn and new patterns, but since she was doing some stealthy holiday knitting, I think I’ll just have to wait.

More updates coming!

In other news, Ben is still in Switzerland.  But he’s sick.  Say a quick prayer, light a candle, cross your fingers, slaughter a pig** or whatever it is you do to pass on the good luck he needs to finish his class, graduate on Friday, and make it home without the flu.

*More on the mystery knit later.  It was finally released, so I’ll show it off to you later.

** Ok, don’t really do this unless you are a trained professional who will later eat the pig, please.

Ducky helped Miss R and Natalie make Pirate Jello this week.  It was Pirate Jello because of the marshmallows and blueberries they added-you know, hidden treasure.

Arrrr!  Ducky is worried he may have to walk the plank!

Donut got some jello too!  I don’t think he really cared for it too much-a little too sweet.  But he did enjoy playing with it.

We needed a bath after this.  Surprisingly, the red dye number4 that was all over his hands and elbows came right off in the bathtub.  No long lasting red baby!

Ducky also went back to ceramics class.

I designed a bowl to be used with yarn while knitting.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to put the yarn in the bowl, run the string through the loop and be able to knit while the yarn stays put in the bowl.  We’ll see how that turns out!

Then, Ducky went to visit the girls at knit night.

Here’s Ducky with everyone! There was lots of coffee and ice cream around this table along with the wools, alpacas, cottons, and acrylics.  I left Natalie with the group last night because Ducky was so tired (and so were the kids).  They had a great time, and now Natalie is looking for her own knitting group.

In other news, my super crazy busy week is now coming to a close, and I only have to do eleventy seven things this weekend instead of eleventy eight.

Easter Sunday was a beautiful day.  The sun was shining, the breeze was blowing, the daffodils were blooming.  Miss R had a new dress (and new socks too!)

Speaking of which, the March socks are complete. And boy do I feel clever.  I designed that little heart on the back of her heels all by my onesies.

Miss R looking all adorable.

Using the daffodils as an umbrella?

Uncle Jon hanging with the Donut. He was worried the Donut was going to drool all over his cool skater shirt.

It was a very nice little Easter weekend.  Chocolate bunnies, potato salad, a puzzle, a nap, some yarn, and a very exciting church service (we even got to use little fire crackers to send confetti all around the sanctuary).

We made these goofy hats awhile back with Grandma.  They are just rectangles sewn together on three sides with tassels.  This is actually MY hat, but Miss R has decided that she really likes to wear my hat more than her own.  Hers is bright pink with rainbow colored tassels.

We made a mini one for Donut too!

Then, when we were over at Grandpa’s this weekend for his birthday, something extraordinary happened.  Donut’s feet grew too big for his shoes! In fact, they grew so big, he could wear his sister’s shoes!

Ahhhh!  He’s growing up SO fast!

It is now March, which means that there is only 4 more months of winter here in Michigan.  Just kidding! I’m hoping that spring is just around the corner!

This is the snowman in February:

This is the snowman in March:

See? It’s totally almost spring!  When you have a snowman that belongs on CSI, you know that the weather is warming up and the flowers are coming out soon.  Ok, I’m not so delusional as to think we’ll have flowers next week or anything, but in Michigan, you gotta have some hope.  Come April, there had better be some crocuses (or would that be Crocii?)

My February socks are not finished.  Boo.  But I did make a valiant attempt. The toe of the first one took me a whole week as I knit and tinked because I started it too soon and it was much too short.  The second sock is ready for the heel, and I have great confidence that I will have it finished by the end of the week in time to start March’s socks.

And those sock blockers? Those are a splendid surprise from Emily that she sent me from Webs.  Isn’t it great to get a package in the mail that you weren’t expecting? Thanks Emily! They are perfect!

A funny story about sock blockers and Emily.  Last June, we were putting up a display of yarn things in the library display case.  I brought along a couple of homemade sock blockers, just in case.  It ended up that we used them, but not for what they were intended.  Instead, we took the clothes hangers that had been manipulated and manhandled into sock shapes and manipulated them and manhandled them until they resembled coat hangers again.  Emily was so funny, because right after she got them into shape, she said something like, “Oh! were those your sock blockers? I think they can go back into sock shapes.  I hope!” And while we never actually got those twisty bits of metal back into shape, I had made another set.  Homemade ones are fine, but the Webs ones are so much sleeker and refined.

As for March’s socks, they are all ready to go, the Lang Jawoll sock yarn from Siwtzerland is waiting patiently for time on the needles!

Happy Birthday to Dr. Suess.  Miss R’s class has an exciting week ahead, and today she is wearing her jammies.  I’d take a picture, but she is already in her coat and hat because she wants to go to school and show off her pink nightgown and tights.  And flower barrette.

And just because everyone wants to see a little baby looking like Mr. Rogers, here is Donut in his old man sweater.