Naptime Check-in @ 7 Months

Currently Busy with:
-House Addition


     We tore off the little bump-out on the back of the house at the end of June to make way for the addition of a little back room (which we'll use as a sitting room/Etsy area, half bath & new back door) off the kitchen & master upstairs.



EJ sleeping just before the first sledge hammer swing.
However, we didn't anticipate it taking ALL of JULY to get our permits and then another month to get our foundation dug, poured and block laid before we could start the framing in September.








Putting up the I-beams to support the second floor.

Trusses go up for the roof.

Hubby attaching trusses.

He's having too much fun.  ;)


Hubby finally has the whole thing wrapped in house wrap and we are beginning to get the windows in.  We have already had a few snow flurries (Halloween night) and the forecast is calling for more unseasonably cool weather (30*s) this next week so we are hoping to get the rest of the windows in and the siding on very quickly.


-Catching EJ before she smacks her head on the ground now that she is pulling herself up on EVERYTHING.  She has been crawling like a pro for a month now (ever since we got a rug in the living room, she took off on Day 2) and her toys can't hold her interest longer than 2 seconds.  She will definitely be an explorer like her dad.  Did I mention she is nearly SEVEN MONTHS already??

I swear we have better fashion sense, this was Halloween
(that is a Jack-o-lantern sweatshirt & the hat was knit by my Aunt who taught me).


gif of EJ crawling & getting into a yarn bag

Latest Obsessions:
Peaky Blinders - set in 1920s Britain about a gang of brothers and their exploits to claw their way to the top of the underworld? or at least illegal money-making.

Shutterfly - I'm trying to stay on top of backing up my pictures (and emptying them off my phone), especially of EJ.  So far I've downloaded the app on my phone to make it easier to upload pictures that way (no computer and cord-hook up necessary; though over wi-fi definitely keeps the data bill low ;) ), and then during nap times I organize those pictures into albums by month (including big events of the month in the title) and writing the picture's corresponding story in the "description" which is printed on the back of the picture any time I order prints.  Score one for record keeping!

Swagbucks - mostly because I can get Amazon giftcards and I've been using them to bulk up our cloth diaper stash.  Yay for FREE cloth diapers!  And FREE baby shower gifts :)

Couponing has dropped to the very back burner (unless we are low on something, then I try to watch Joni's blog for deals).

But knit & crochet classes have really picked up at Michael's!  And I have another consignment opportunity in the works.  I hope to be posting about it soon!

Private Teaching

For the past month or so, I've been teaching a private class of ladies how to knit.  It has the feel of a home party (think Mary Kay or Pampered Chef) without the pressure to buy anything because we simply set up a time that works for everyone, meet at one of their home's and I teach them for 2 - 3 hours how to knit new stitches or new patterns to make off their wish list.  They pay me a set rate for each "class" or meeting.  I think it is a win-win for everyone.

So far we have had 3 or 4 classes in which we have learned how to cast on & knit; purl, rib (knit 2, purl 2), and short rows (we made an ear warmer); and then cast off & use circular needles.

Tuesday we finished up their circular needle hats and introduced double point needles to finish off the top of the hats.  I am so proud to see how far along they have come!  They even mastered the seam to sew up the top seamlessly!

Two of the 3 ladies with their finished hats; So proud & talented!

Before we ended, we cast on double point needles (which is definitely tricky to get started) for our fingerless gloves.  I can't wait to see how they do when we come to the thumb (in our next class).  I'm sure they will master it easily.  :)