Organization....My Way

I finished the baby's raglan suit.  I made some modifications because the yarn that was called for was a fine yarn, fingering maybe.  I had worsted weight on hand.  Of course my gauge was a lot bigger when I swatched.  I cast on the smallest size for stitch count, but I used the 12 month measurements for length.  When I blocked it to make it a little bigger it looked really huge so I thought that I would have to roll it up.  I like to make most of my children's knits bigger so that there is at least 2 1/2 years of wear.  I was shocked that he fits it very well.  Because it's wool I'm sure it will stretch to accommodate his growing little limbs, but I thought it was going to be a lot bigger on him.  It's a little bit wonky as far as proportions go and it's only do to my amateur modifications I'm sure.  I usually just knit straight from the pattern without trying to change anything.  It's less brain power on my part that way and keeps my knitting enjoyable.  He just looks adorable although I couldn't take a picture because he was angry about something and he kept falling to the ground. 

Yes I took this picture with it placed on top of that pile of books on purpose.  Easter and Passover got away from me this year.  I knew they were on the way and would arrive eventually.  It was just somewhere in the back of my mind.  Well honestly I thought I had missed Passover altogether and was just set on not mentioning  it to the children and catching it next year.  I know that's terrible right?  Well my husband came home from work and was in the shower getting ready to go to soccer practice or somewhere and I kissed him in a whirl wind with keys in hand and told him I was running to the library.  When I got to the library there were no Easter books about Jesus.  I guess I had already checked out the only one.  So in a flash I just decided to grab every cute story about an egg with story lines that I knew my individual children would like.  I couldn't order any online because I already have my limit reached of how many books I can put on hold.  (Yes our library is well used by all of us.)  I told them the story of Easter over lunch as is a tradition with holidays and we died eggs once.  I'm looking for another Easter craft to do, forgetting about Easter décor, going to assemble Easter baskets (which I'm very excited about because I tend to just keep them simple), and then I'll try and prepare for Passover in a more "organized" fashion.

We are living in a new State, new house, new homeschool style, etc.  And in the midst of it life does not stop.  Laundry must be done, dishes, food - Oh the food that has to be bought, planned, and cooked for all of us - the arguments to settle, the projects to plan, the places to go, the bedrooms to organize..............  I used to think that one day I'll have it all together and I always felt that I wasn't measuring up to what I should be.  Now when I look at the children running around (yes sometimes literally running.  I just saw a pink streak fly down the hall.) happy, my husband and I happy, the now clean laundry room and 2 bedrooms that I'm sure will be dirty again by Saturday, the bills and paper work in piles after the first step of paperwork organization, math problems correct when they were incorrect last week, and on and on and on.  I'm starting to think that this IS my sort of organization.  It's never all done.  Something is always falling apart when another thing is being straightened out and in the midst of it there are accomplishments, happiness, and memories being made.  This is how our life is and it looks like it works for us.  What it looks like from the outside may not be very poised and proper, but for us it works.

I forced myself outside in that very bright sun yesterday.  The overwhelming feeling of it had to be dealt with of course, but I knew that it would be good for them to go outside.  I strongly believe that it is a part of a child's good development to be indoors with family learning to occupy their hands and minds and imaginations without computers, TV's, and other electronic gadgets.  But they also have to be outside in the open, unorganized, unplanned, and free to just be.  We took a walk around the neighborhood after the park, but I just wasn't able to deal with the whole street crossing situation this time so we just kept in a big circle.

I tried to do by best by coping with knitting, but my hands got really cold and I realized that my gloves were changing my stitch guage.  I decided to sit in a different spot, but everytime the wind blew I smelled wet dog.  There were lots of dogs in the park and I'm very sensitive to certain smells.  I sort of joined in a snowball fight with the children to pass the rest of the time, but then the littlest had to go potty.  Yeah, saved by the potty!!  Yes folks this is me at the start of every Spring.  It's just a little difficult.

And here you have it finally.  It's me.  The mama behind all of this lovely, madness.  I'm trying to include my face in more of our pictures, but I usually avoid them and I actually had plans of never showing my face in this space of mine.  I'm not very fond of my face I guess.  I've always been extremely camera shy my entire life and it's honestly gotten a lot worse since I've had children and a husband.  My camera has been so focused on them that I even forgot about self portraits altogether.  I don't have a problem with this at all, but it occurred to me that when we're old I won't be any of the memories to look at in photos.  Anyway, this is me nevertheless.  So nice to meet you.

I hope you're having a wonderful day.

Always,
Stephanie