TMI ALERT!!! Baby post!

Consider that your warning. This post is about babies and pink.

We had a lovely visit from Grandma and Grandpa F. this Easter! They came with tools in hand to tackle the baby room! Thank goodness they work for free! They really are lifesavers, and the task was way to daunting for one guy and a pregnant chick to handle!

We decided the room we wanted to use was my sewing/craft room. It wasn't pretty and it had cabinets across two of the walls. Great for sewing, but something about child labour made us think it wasn't suitable for a baby. Grandma and I headed off to the fabric store, to find inspiration and a color palette. which only took a mere three hours, and Grandpa and Dad set to work with the crow bars. By the time we got back, after lunch and some more shopping, they were all done demolition! So this is sort of, a before picture.

Sparky was positive this room was for him, if at anytime throughout the day we couldn't find Sparky he was usually curled up in the centre of the room. And of course Dorian could be found trying to get into Sparky's actual room, where the food was. Proving once again, that Julien really did leave behind a bulldog handbook, with all the greatest tips!

Now, came the girls turn, to take that room and dip it in pink! We painted all the walls pink and all the trim white. Side note to Jen: there were lots of giggles all throughout about how much you would love the color theme! We threw it back to the boys to get the floor in and headed down to the craft room! Because what little girls room isn't complete without some feathers! So we decorated the lamp and the shade and Sparky even got some too!

We didn't get too much done on the sewing, but I threw the front side of the dust ruffle up to show off the fabric we chose. I think I will do a window valence in the same fabric.

Now we need to get the decorative touches done, we have an adorable shelf and mirror to hang courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa. We are waiting for our chandelier to come on sale. And still looking for knobs for the dresser. I have bought an excess of fake flowers that we are going to use to make a mobile!

I'm so thrilled with this room so far! It is so sweet and dreamy! I hope we make lots of good memories in here!

Here in the Kootenays, there is not a lot of shopping options, but one thing we do have is thrift stores....and better yet, baby consignment stores. Grandma and I may have snuck into a few along the way! It's really addictive. And the shoes are extremely addictive! So here is a shot of our shoe collection so far...some are old, some are new, all are squeal inducing.....say it with me now....AWWWWWWWWWW!

Today is officially 30 weeks along! I am also done work now. Which is something that I have been looking forward to for so long, but now that it is here, it is rather unsettling. Hopefully I will get used to it soon. I'm finding it hard to talk in the evenings, when I haven't talked all day! Although keeping busy is certainly not a problem, the list is never ending, so I'm certainly not bored!

A special thank-you to Grandpa F. for working so hard, when he was not feeling well! We are all glad you are okay and on the mend!

Spring Sunday

Spring has arrived in the Kootenays! We have one little patch of snow left on the grass, and next weekend we will be getting busy in the garden for sure! But for today, all play and no work! This is the best time of the year to get out and do some of the local trails. Today we headed out to Syringa Park. It was nice and cool, which is great for Ling, nice and cool, which is great for us, and not too many people, which is great for Dorian. He only had to pass one dog, unfortunately this path is single file only, so it was a little hairy for a second and squishy. This is a really neat trail, you start out going up and up and up the side of the mountain, on a switchback trail, the whole while over looking Arrow Lake, which is a great view if you can take your eyes off the path. Then when you get to the top of the trail, you walk across the mountain and then take another group of switchbacks back down. I have feeling we might have some sore butt muscles tomorrow!

Break time!

Snack time!

You can sort of see the Lake down below. We were getting a little sprinkle at this point, but when the sun was out, the lake was sparkling. Maybe we will leave the yard work a little longer, and get the boat out next weekend, if the weather is nice again!

Another project left the needles last week, and headed out to Cowley Alberta to a new darling baby girl! I hope it fits her some time over the summer, I think I might be making one of these for myself. It was so adorable. It's called Flora Dress.

Happy Spring Everyone!

A Few FO's

I seemed to be continually sidetracked from writing on my blog lately. It's not even the knitting, that has been slow too this season. But I did finish a few projects recently.

This little hat is knit with the softest alpaca/bamboo yarn. It's heavenly, unfortunatly it won't fit anyone born before the new millenium, but I know a few little girls that it might just fit. It will be heading out in the mail shortly!

Tom officialy became a member of the Slocan Valley Threads Guild this year, and we attended together a really neat paper making day. Here is what we made,

Some of the colors arrived due to the recylced paper we used and some we added spices or food to. We did a batch of beets and celery! It came out really pretty!

I finished another pair of socks for Tom. I learned a new system for these: Toe up, Two at a Time. I didn't really enjoy it, everything seemed to take twice as long and I was continually untangling yarn. I have another pair cast on already, back to the good old tried and true, top down, on 5dpns! Sigh, already done one sock. So quick and easy!

There is one more project we've been working on that I would like to share even though it is not done yet!

We've been working on this one for about 23 weeks now. We are hoping to be done mid-July! For those who don't like the pink background on this blog, this is your warning, it's about to get a whole lot pinker around here!!!! I'll try to keep it to a minimum, but sometimes I get a little carried away.

Maybe I do know why I've been so distracted lately....

Yes, I am still alive!

Whoops, over a month since my last post. Time has flown on me and I didn't even accomplish anything!

I will start with Christmas....

Two people, two dogs, one spinning wheel and a suitcase full of yarn, loaded into a van...and set sail for the seas of Saskatchewan. One person, was supposed to accomplish a ton of knitting on this 17? hour drive. One person didn't even get behind the wheel on the trip there, or the trip back. And let me show you what this person knit...

Did you see it? Nothing. Anyone who says there is nothing to look at in Saskatchewan is apparently wrong. It was frighteningly mesmerizing. We don't very often see Diamonds in the snow, as far as the eye can see, in the Kootenays. I would have taken a picture, but that would have involved getting out of the van to find the camera, and it looked way too cold for that!

We made it to my mom and step dads, just in time for Christmas Eve, it was postcard perfect to be at a quiet lake, where most people are gone all winter. Right up my alley! We spent a week eating and doing dishes and cooking...and the boys played the shop all week. My step dad is building guitars, and Tom got lessons in guitar building, cabinet making, and then I suggested a new project, knitting needles! They found a little wood lathe, which ended up in our van, and we are now the proud owners of it! So if anyone needs some custom made knitting needles...you know where to find us!

The finished project: knitted mat made from bed sheets torn into strips!

Mom got sparklies for her ears...Mel looked very relieved!

And of course her seasonal headband, reindeer ears!

We really enjoyed our time at the lake. It was so relaxing, and a nice change of scenery. This was our big holiday of the year, so we were overdue for some R&R! The week flew by and on New Years Eve, you guessed it...more food! We had a fondue with some other lake folks, of course, oil, Gouda cheese and white chocolate with toffee for dessert. It was scrumptious. We even managed to make it to midnight this year, a feat that has gone unaccomplished for many years in a row. We dug out dutch blitz, and yahtzee and had a good time playing the games we always played when we were young! And then we ate some more.

On New Years day we loaded up the van, plus one wood lathe and a knitting machine we are going to foster for a while (Thanx Mel!!!). And one passenger still did not knit the whole way home. What was wrong with me!!! We made it back before all the big snow storms and the house was still in one piece, a little cold, but still standing. For a brief moment I wished for a furnace, until the fire got burning again! There's no heat like wood heat.

Since we've been back, it's been snow blowing and snow blowing. We bought the kids shovels, so that really cuts down on snow clearing when they help out.

But there is an end in sight, I got my first seed catalogue in the mail, and I am already dreaming of weeding! I mean gardening!

A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Everyone!

Snowshoeing at Nancy Greene

We had a lovely visit this past weekend from our good friend Jen! She flew in, to get a taste of a Kootenay winter wonderland! I innocently forgot to tell her that our airport is better known as "Cancelgar", but she lucked out and the flight landed! And there was only one cancelled flight on her way home, so she still made it, in the same day! The Kootenays wants her to come back for sure!
Although winter is meant for knitting and sitting by the fire, here at the Underwood house, we did manage to get out and do some sightseeing! We decided to try something new and learn how to snowshoe. Off to Rossland we went to get some rentals and advice. Everyone was very helpful, and full of good winter spirit. The snow was falling heavily and it looked like perfect weather! A good nights rest and we were ready to head out in the morning....but of course some Saskatchewan driver ( :P, wink) creamed and oncoming vehicle and the firefighters had to perform some jaws of life rescuing. Jen and I practiced around the yard and realized we might be in for more then we bargained for. Especially when you have to shake a dog off the back of your snowshoe after every step.

Tom eventually came home and we ate our packed lunches at the dinner table, since it was already lunchtime, and really why carry the extra weight?? Shortly after lunch we headed up the mountain to Nancy Green Lake for some kickass snowshoeing!
My dial up is failing me, I had more pictures to post, but no luck this morning.

Here's Jen, looking like a pro already!
We walked the trail around the lake, Tom went in the lead to "break trail" and the girls took it easy following behind and enjoying the scenery.

A view of the lake, it looked frozen, but nobody was interested in verifying that.

Breaktime! And time to turn around! We didn't even make it halfway around the lake! It was hard work!

Everybody slept well that night! The rest of the weekend was spent eating good food mostly! Lots of knitting, and lots of catching up!

Who's coming next?

Classic

I was recently lent some knitting patterns from my local yarn store owner. They are all patterns for knitting machines. This Christmas we will get to spend some time playing with a machine, so I asked her if she had any patterns.

How could I not share these gems?

This one is my favorite. For so many reasons.

First of all, why is she wearing a veil? Is this a wedding sweater? It must be, because why else would someone go so overboard on the tanning? The pearls are the perfect accessory along with the silver bangle. I also love the red cougar nails, but I'm unclear on why her thumbnail is so short? Every bride needs something blue, how about blue spandex to match your wedding sweater?

These next ladies are fantastic. This blond lady is in many other photos, and in all of them, she wears this terrible painful smile. I think it's the fem-mullets. It must be. They really are fantastic when swept into an updo. So versatile. What is the rule on blush ladies? As dark as you can find, and no blending! A straight line , UNDER the cheekbone into your hair...remember ladies, we are creating a shadow effect, to mimic strong cheekbones!

Don't worry boys, there are knits for you too! Don't forget your glasses maverick. Men need to accessorize too!

Halloween

The pups couldn't be more excited for halloween,
But dad was excited to carve this little green pumpkin that came out of the garden all on its own! (we didn't plant any pumpkins this year, what a trooper!)

Here he is,

And with the lights off!

Of course it's a bulldog!

And kid count for 2010 so far, 0. But it's only 6:30, I guess there's still hope.