Can You Say , "Hard Work?"

It's funny to look at the pictures and see the kids always in water!  We really did walk, ride and enjoy all the yard , too, but when outside we do a lot of chasing not picture taking!  Ethan liked the bath better than the pool.  It was loud and splashy with all the gang in there!

See, Abigail is here.  In fact, after everyone gets out of the pool, she enjoys her alone time in the pool for girls only swim! 

The last night together night swim!

Grandma and Marsel joined them earlier but someone has to take the pictures! 

And the bottom sock is the one I had made before company....the upper sock is supposed to match the lower one.  I shouldn't have tried to force my exhausted brain to knit in the evening.  I will rip it out on the car ride to Georgia tomorrow after we drop off the boys to their own home.

What a wonderful, hard, blessed week it has been!

(Next time you see a young mom with a couple of young children, give her some encouragement!  This is hard work to raise up healthy, happy and polite young people!)

Sharing Indigo Tie-Dye!

 Friday brought some hard news and some great visitors!   I learned at the doctors today what I have been pretty sure was happening to me-all of the odd symptoms of the last few months just fell into place when I realized what I am dealing with is Multiple Sclerosis.  I was prescribed some new medicine to help with the numbness and tingling and PAIN symptoms.  Family sure helped to ease the transition from 'denial' to 'lets work on this to manage it' mode!  More posts on this as I get more tests and God unfolds His plan for me in all of this.

 Today, we had a girls' project:  tie dyeing some t-shirts with the left over Indigo!  We put down lots of floor protection since it was thunder storming outside and got to work!  (play?)

 We did some dipping experiments and some tying off designs.

 Also some intricate folding and swirling;  some shirts were dipped quickly and some for longer to get different shades of the blue.

 We hung up the shirts to drip dry for awhile and then put them in the dryer to set the color.  Then we went for a walk because the sun came out!

 The kids loved the run while we tried to keep up with them!  We wound down the hike with a sandbox time while all the adults sat around and watched!

 Great Grandpa and Grandma loved the time with the babies!

Here's the results of the t-shirts!  We have plans for many more!!!

News Flash-the Sandhill cranes are off the nest with their TWO  chicks!  They are just beginning to venture out with them so I will be doing my best to get a picture of the happy family!

Shadow Knitting Part I

Let the knitting begin!  Mom and I have our first knitting project on the needles.  This is called shadow or illusion knitting because while it looks like stripes, when you look across it instead of straight on it reveals a hidden pattern.  Very fun in just the right size-a dish cloth!

We are taking this with us for a knitting project in the car while we drive up to visit grand babies!

A Pair of Flamingos

 I finished the second sock and made some changes along the way.  I didn't like the way the bigger pair fit-the heel was still too hard to pull on.  There is a reason that two color socks have a plain heel and toe-they are too bulky and do not have enough stretch when they are knit with two colors to fit well.  I didn't mean to reinvent the wheel over this but now I know why it is done this way!  Experience is a good teacher!

 I ripped out the first sock so that I could knit the heel again in just the white and moved right along to make that second one!  I finally have two flamingo socks ready to roost!  What a journey. The good news is that I have enough yarn left to make another pair!   After a few days........

 Bill's sister and brother -in-law with their friend , Esther, came for a visit from Vero Beach!

They wanted to see Bill after his surgery and brought him a dish of galumpkies to perk him up.
It was good to have Barbara scold him as only a big sister can because he is not staying off his feet!
He is walking around with the big ice packs on his feet so it will help with the swelling!  My man...

 (The surgery was to smooth the bones on the top of his feet where some bone growths have put too much pressure on the nerve that lays near the top.  The incision is 4" long on each foot-looks a bit Frankenstein-ish but the surgery has given him the relief from the nerve pain that he needed!

His foot wear for the next few weeks......if I can keep him down!)

Two Good Things!

I loaded my knitting needles with the first sock of the year!  (Thanks, Sharon, it is some of your yarn!)

And my parents arrived for the winter!!!!  No, they didn't come in separate cars, my brother and sister-in-law drove them down to their place first and then both couples had their own cars tonight!
It is a long hard two-day drive but it is over now and they are going to fly home in the Spring which is a change for them but a good change which made for some lighted loads on the way down!
It is good to have your comfort zone tested!  Dad and Mom did great with the changes and rose to the occasion!

Thanksgiving!

We were able to share a majority of us for the day!  We will be thankful for all who are here and give thanks for those who are farther away.  Thank you , Lord, for my family.

Happy Father's Day!

Have a great time at Bob and Shelly's today, Dad. Looking forward to our next visit. We love you.