Summer is Here!

This is the garden sign Mike and the kids made me a few years back when we lived in San Diego. Mike was digging around the garage last week, found it and hung it in the new garden. I guess it should really read, Justine & Brenda's garden now, huh?
Tomatoes are finally turning red! They taste wonderful, too!

My friend was talking about some giant (disgusting) worms she found in her garden! Gross. I hope our luck holds and we stay "pest" free, we'll that is if you don't count Joey.

So today was the official first day of summer, and Justine is already complaining about how booooorrrrred she is and there's nothing to do. My eyes hurt from giving her my best parental eye-roll.

My Birthday

Today is my birthday. I'm very happy to say that I've made it to my 49th year...and the best is still to be. I feel like there is plenty of great things ahead for me. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up...

We celebrated my birthday last Saturday, so today was just a normal day. I did go out to lunch...very fun! And I also...

made 100 pigs-in-a-blanket for Justine's sixth grade dance.
You gotta admit...they're pretty cute, huh?

I finished my Sarai shawl this week. Made with Malabrigo Sock.

I finished Donna's Socks of Kindness.

And my Malabrigo Sock Monkeys (no purl version).

My family got me a new sewing machine for my b-day!! I'm starting my first project this weekend, so you can expect some blogging about it soon.

Since some of you will want to know...it's a Kenmore. Just a simple machine, but it's exactly what I wanted! The best is the needle threader...OMG, it's the best invention ever! Ok, I realise I'm probably (probably?!) behind the times, but I've never seen this before. It's my favorite feature on the machine because with my old eyes, I NEED it!

Kitty, tomato and cookies...

Lyra is keeping Donna's socks warm.
First tomato from the garden!

V making cookies.

Oh my!

Memorial Day

May 30, 2011 - Memorial Day 5K
We ran in the race this morning! It was my first race since December. All that work to come back from calve pain and knee trouble was totally worth it! I had a great run...ran the entire race and my time was 36:26!! Mike ran with me and his time was 28:20...fantastic! This was a new course for this race and was it ever nice...mostly shady and few hills. There weren't too many runners either. Sometimes there are so many runners that maneuvering around people can be kinda scary. Mike had a tougher time with that than me, so next race he's gonna start more toward the front of the pack. I like to start in the back, it forces me to stay slow and steady, that way I have some energy left at mile 2 to push ahead toward the finish.

And my number? 747...I was destined to run like a jet plane!

The rest of Memorial Day was spent relaxing, knitting, going for a drive and swimming in the pool with the family. A great day! Hope your holiday was fun too.

Oh Baby!

This baby was roaming around the church where I work. He (or could be a she) is no doubt the product of two much larger gopher tortoises that live on the church grounds. The parents have dug three or four holes that lead to their home underground. This little one was so cute! He sat on my desk and other than having a pee didn't do much, but the minute he was picked up he poked his head out and started waving his legs around. We all just cracked up. Hopefully we'll get to watch him and his siblings (if there are any) grow up. That is if my job and their lives hold out!

Spiffy

All dressed up for the band banquet Friday night.
Sharp lookin' bunch!

HELP!!!

HELP! It's happening again! You know, this obsession/possession problem I have with knitting. I just bought another pattern by Vanessa Smith called Sarai. I have some yarn in my stash perfect for this project...Malabrigo Sock in a deep olive-y with a few other dark colors thrown in (colorway called alcaucil, if that helps). I'm gonna wind it up today and get started...help! No way can I knit this beauty in a weekend, not this weekend at least. I have alot going on, thank God, otherwise my hands might fall off.

Here's a picture of the shawl. The solid parts will really show off the beautiful colors of the Mal Sock. I'm hooked on this designer!! Her patterns are extremely well written, charts are beautiful, too. Love the way they drape on the bod, too! This shawl has choices for different borders. Woohoo!!

Pretty huh? Gotta go get by swift and ball winder and get going!! HELP!