Journal of an angel

Having warmed back up to crochet, I was able to start on the patterns for the Star Wars ones I'm making for Alex.

(Pictures are tiny so I'm not even cutting them)




I've also made a little mama owl for missmorte (part of her birthday shwag) and need to make the little baby owl that goes along with it. Also have a request to make a little sheep for locknkey, which will hopefully be adorable.


Got bloodwork done today and go in next week to see my new doctor, as my previous one left the practice. I hope I like him and don't have to doctor shop. In other health news, last week was pretty much a loss due to Head Cold of Doom, but I seem to be at the end of it. Felt well enough to go to denyce's housewarming/fangirl gathering on Saturday, which was really really good for my soul. Sunday we went out to attend my niece Sarah's dedication - good to spend some time with them. Rest of the family is still dealing with the cold since they picked it up after me, but will hopefully be feeling better by next weekend. As most of you know, my beloved's birthday is on St. Patty's day, so we're having friends and family over to celebrate. Usually I offer pressed four leaf clovers to my friendslist, but see comments re: head cold of doom.... I'm not sure they'd make it through the mail in time at this point.

But hey, what the heck, if anyone wants one anyway, comment and send me a message with your address. These are genuine clovers found by me, stuck into books to flatten/dry. This means that picking up some reading at my house brings with it a shot at getting lucky (because I'm not always industrious about removing them) and also that you should expect slight imperfections (usually disparity of size of the leaves, sometimes tiny nibbles on them from natural clover predators).

Your Parenting Choices Are Not My Parenting Choices, But Your Parenting Choices Are OK

This PSA brought to you by my frustration with people who can't seem to grasp the above, unless it applies to them of course. *cherishes and appreciates my fangirls/fanguys/openminded non-fen friends*

Okay, it's really not all that different than the recent D&D version, but.... it has Seth Green!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eJmYKN_1QE&feature=player_embedded

Hello dear ones! I am in a wonderful mood and it seemed like a good time for an update. I am back home from playing in the snow, which was lots of fun. Ryan actually dragged me over to the saucers to go down the hill again, which... XD I'm such a sap, but it made me so happy that he genuinely liked it, because sometimes snow is weird and unfathomable at that age. Justice and Alex had tons of fun and got along really well which was awesome. Alex is getting better (but still has work to do) about winning/losing, and we had a good amount of playing Lego Magikus and Go Fish to kinda cement that - appropriate manners regardless of whether you win or lose.

Side note? I found a fake pictionary on facebook and I want to play it ALL THE TIME. I love that game.

Ms. Stasha lent me the Alexia Tarabotti novels the last time I was over and I took the opportunity to read through the first one which was enjoyable and had me wishing I'd brought them all with me. Instead, I was faced with the cabin-supplied books which run in two distinct genres: Romance and ZomgRussiansAreEvil thrillers. I was less than thrilled by the latter, and had to abandon one of the former because it was trying to make me sick in my mouth. I have pretty low standards for reading (though I'm always pleased to have them exceeded), so me abandoning a book is almost unheard of, it was that bad.

Anyhow, rest of the trip was awesome and I also got some more of Ryan's pirate monkey crocheted on the way up. Tonight is knitting circle at the local coffee shop (did I mention that?) and I'll probably go. MUST remember to order decaf this time though. Also, my fascination with coffee shops is kind of ridiculous. If there was a barista AU rec list, I would be reading every single one regardless of fandom. It's kind of a sickness.

Things that Alex has done to make me smile today - talking about building his own Starbucks that always has every drink and snack we want and doesn't let customers buy the last ones :) still says 'Gabbyrella' instead of 'Gabriella' which makes me think of the Cinderella Disney movie mice :) responded sincerely, "Thanks Mom" when I (sarcastically! playfully!) informed him that he and his friends were weird little deviants (seriously, first graders are an unequal mix of charming, appalling, and confusing).

We've got childcare trading with Trudy this weekend which is awesome... we both get a chance to have Valentine's-y stuff with our sweethearts, PLUS I get to spend time with wee adorable Ella. I've been taking her for an hour on Wednesdays and Fridays while Trudy does pilates, and so far it's gone very smoothly \o/ Okay, off to oversee homework time. Hope everyone is having a lovely afternoon.

I know that, as a parent, the idea of something happening to your child goes directly to the most innate part of you, bypassing your higher consciousness... but we as a society cannot allow ourselves to be ruled by what-ifs. Not every man with a child is a criminal.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703779704576073752925629440.html

Personal note: Nate's been harrassed by parking lot security while carrying our sons and while changing dirty diapers, and I know he's not the only father it happens to. He is the kind of person who makes friendly small talk with the people around him, and has learned to police himself when it comes to children because even in clear view and hearing of multiple parents, with his own kids running circles around his legs, just acknowledging or speaking to a kid sometimes garners dirty/suspicious looks.

Biggest change of the year so far is that I've lost my type II diabetes cred and been reclassified as "atypical adult onset" type I. Which is really just a way of saying that my insulin levels are too low to be detected and so I have a new paramour - bedtime insulin shots. I'm not that into him, but I haven't figured out how to break up with him yet.

I've also picked up a new purse... not my usual style but I'm really liking it so far. Wish it had a built in wallet thing, but otherwise quite pleased.

Ryan is adding a bunch of new words to his vocabulary, which is exciting and fun. Both boys had a great time on NYE as we had some good friends over... their boys and our boys are perfectly overlapped in ages and interests, and Alex is now even more obsessed with sleepovers than he was before. Given that I *still* haven't outgrown them, I can't complain :)

Alright, I know there was a whole list of stuff that fit this "new" theme, but I cannot recall it... love to everyone out there in LJland

I feel like I don't bring much cheer in my very few posts. So let's try and focus on the positive while still being honest...

( Ramblings about life lately )

Much to catch up on, but for now, wishing the incomparable and fantastic denyce a very very happy birthday!

I haven't abandoned my meme-in-progress. I'm just on a day that requires more thought, so it's slow in coming.

Spent a wonderful weekend with various sides of the family, which has me all excited and wanting to plan social things. I'm trying not to get in over my head, though... with the anniversary of my mom's death coming up, chances are good that my current mood and energy may go away without much warning. I hope not, but... uncharted territory for me.

I'm currently doing alright... moments of sadness, obviously, but really enjoying the changing of the seasons as well. Autumn has long been my favorite time of year. The mornings are cold enough for me to really savor a hot cup of coffee or tea, and I'm getting excited about Halloween. Doing a Star Trek costume theme this year \o/ I think I've even got Alex talked into it (bribed with the promise of a toy phaser). So that is really a happy thing. Likely just buying all the costumes, though I may end up making mine as the commercial selection is not entirely pleasing me. It appears there is not a commercial pattern, though, which makes it a more intensive project. We shall see!

Ryan is currently having a major fascination with Buzz Lightyear. He hasn't actually seen any of the Toy Story movies, but he's entranced by Pogo's Buzzwing and Toyz Noize videos (I really like that style of mixing, so those and Upular get played a lot at our house) and has really latched onto Buzz's character.

Feel like I had a bunch more to talk about, but it's all suddenly left my mind. Love to all of you <3