So… er…  Hi.

I’m still here, I SWEAR.  But I don’t know if you’ve noticed or anything.  But it’s like CHRISTMAS EVE tomorrow.  And I’m a knitter.  And as such I am burning the midnight oil (literally!) trying to get out a few last presents for the family.  And, sadly, amidst much knitting there isn’t much time for blogging.

Besides, all you would hear me say is, “FLU! ACK!  KNITKNITKNIT!  MY BACK! ACK! KNITKNITKNIT!”  That’s pretty much all that’s happened since I last posted anyhow.

So yeah.  It was the flu.  As evidenced by the crazy ass fever I was sporting (probably WHILE I was writing that last post which does actually explain quite a bit, don’t you think?).  Luckily, I bore the worst of it in the hood here.  Kile and Harry both were sick but neither were in the throes quite as deep as I was.  So… there’s that?  But I totally lost a whole day of knitting and that SUCKED.

KNITKNITKNIT!

And then the whole back thing.  I did something funky to it yesterday, popped something out of alignment behind my right shoulder blade or something.  Hurts like heck.  I had four ibuprofen earlier which sorta helped dull the PAINPAINPAIN, which is improvement because the 4 ibuprofen I took yesterday did nada.  I seriously woke up this morning feeling like one big old muscle cramp.

I can still barely turn my head to the right but whatever.  I don’t need to be able to do that to knit.

KNITKNITKNIT!

Luckily, I’m mostly done with gifts.  I wasn’t able to get everything done that I hoped, but perhaps that will remain as a lesson to me to START EARLIER.  And not to let ones customs list get so out of control next time.  *cough*  I only have left the rest of Evie’s longies (I’m on the second cuff ruffle… woot!) and a hat for Harry.  Oh and a hat for my father in law, but that doesn’t need to be done until like Saturday or thereabouts.  So a bit ol’ WHEW there.  I will finish!  I must!  And no, I don’t get a day off, because soon as I have a chance, I have to get back into customs.

It’s a good thing I like to stay busy with this, huh?

Kile has tomorrow off and doesn’t go back to work until after New Years which is going to be wonderful. I’m looking forward to a few days of family fun and chaos, actually.  I’m not 100% sure what our plans are for tomorrow yet, but I think they might involve eating Chinese food.  Which is fine by me!  And perhaps driving around and looking at Christmas lights.  That’ll be nice.  Oh and brining a turkey.  But that’s more Kile than me.

If I don’t talk to you before the Big Day, I just wanna say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone out there (there are still some of you left, aren’t there?).  I hope everyone has a great holiday together and that you get everything on your wish lists.

Ho ho ho!

I can’t believe how quickly this month is passing.  Normally, I’m excited for Christmas to come and anxious for November to be over so we can get to the “good stuff”.  But this year, I wouldn’t mind a few extra days, just to catch up!  There never seems to be quite enough time to finish everything that I would like to get done.

And yes, the blog does suffer.  Perhaps it’s good that I didn’t do NaBloPoMo this year!

But I do have some things to bring to your attention.  First off, I have a couple of new reviews up over on my review blog.  I took part in a blog tour (yes, really!) for a wonderful, festive and romantic novel, “Lakeshore Christmas” by Susan Wiggs.  I suggest all book and Christmas fans go read the review and then go buy the book because I had such a good time reading that one.  You know it had to be good if I’ve actually READ a book these days!

I also have reviewed, yet again, the custom holiday cards over at Minted.com.  I was lucky enough to get to review them last year and to get to do it again this year?  Just awesome.  Rest assured, Minted will be the first place I look should I need custom cards in the future.  And their holiday card designs this year?  Awesome.  Definitely go check it out.

I know you hear about my knitting all the time and how busy it keeps me (REALLY REALLY BUSY).  Do you want to keep up with how it’s going on Facebook?  I have a page for that!  Become a fan and make my day.  Please?

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to my knitting.  I swear, I’m such a slavedriver!

Gosh, is it Tuesday already?? What the heck?  Why am I losing large chunks of time all the time? And DON’T say it’s cuz I’m old.  Cuz then I’ll be forced to smack you over the head with my handbag, you young whippersnapper.

***

So the sixth Harry Potter movie comes out tonight at midnight.  I want to see this movie.  We’ve kinda slacked off in the drive-in department lately, mostly because nothing much good was playing in June so we got out of the habit of going.  The last we saw?  Transformers.  We didn’t even go see Ice Age 3.  I think the general attitude was: “Meh.”  Which, yeah… who really wants to see Ice Age 3?  I sure don’t.  But that’s never stopped us before.  We usually go to the drive-in just to GO.  What movie is playing is sort of beside the point.

But I really wanna see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.  I’m not one of those quasi Harry Potter fans who don’t even bother to read the books.  I read them all!  More than once, even!  I’d like to see it tonight at midnight but… yeah no.  Unless I took Harry with me.  And he has school so that wouldn’t work so hot with a 2 hour and 33 minute movie on a school night that starts AFTER midnight.

The best option is going to the drive-in tomorrow night.  Also a school night, but with a movie starting roughly around 9, would be home slightly sooner.  So what if Harry has school the next day?  So what if Kile has work? This is HARRY POTTER.  This is bigger than school and work.

Damnit, I’m putting my foot down.  We’re going.  And that’s final.  Just suck it up, boys.

***

My children are monkeys.  That is all.

***

Our big Disney Extravaganza is next month.  Like in WEEKS.  It’s getting close.  I’m still scared, but mostly about the traveling to Florida component.  I think the rest is going to be a blast and a half.  But two toddlers and luggage and car seats and strollers and airport security?  BE STILL MY HEART.  Has anyone done an air trip like this before and if so, HOW.  We’re flying Southwest.  On the way out, we stop but don’t have to get off the plane which has GOT to be a plus, right?

I have a feeling this will be the death of me.

***

I think Evie just ate something quite possibly non-edible.  Uhm…

***

The overwatering of the grass continues!  Kile is starting to think maybe he should turn down the sprinklers a hair.  You think?  There’s almost seven hours between the noon and evening waterings and the ground doesn’t even get 100% dry.  And that’s through the hottest part of the day!

The water conservation police are SO gonna have our asses.

***

My left hand is misshapen and sore.  I’m turning into a crone.  I blame the knitting.

***

And yet, I insist that I am NOT OLD.

Oh and GET OFF MY LAWN, punks!

As referenced in this post here, I was a guest vendor on a “congo” over on Hyena Cart yesterday.  I was very excited and nervous about it.  I have my own little Hyena Cart shop, I pretty much only sell slots on my customs list and maybe the occasional stitch marker.  It doesn’t get a lot of attention and I get most of my customs from my message board pals.  I was nervous about stocking something already made.  Would anyone actually WANT it?   Or would it be a spectacular fail?

It wasn’t a fail.  Far from it.  I’m stil in shock today.  I sold the shorts I made right away, sold both of the customs slots I stocked and the auction on the skirt I made is currently at $170.  This, quite literally, blows my mind.  Unbelievable.

***

Liam’s birthday was a RAGING success on Tuesday.  He had a great day, which I think is the best thing we could have done for him.  Liam really responds to the gift of “quality time”.   We picked up Kile from work to go to Evie’s 15 month pediatrician appointment and he took the rest of the day off.  We went to Chuck E. Cheese for lunch (which was like crack for that kid, he LOVED IT).  After, we ventured next door to Toys R Us to spend some birthday money from his grandparents.  He walked out with a ride-in toy car (that we literally have to keep out of sight in the garage or we will never get him out of it), a “Cars” pillow for his bed (that he keeps trying to cart around with him) and a couple more “Cars” cars to add to the ever-growing collection.  This was on top of all the “Cars” stuff that we got him as presents.  We did a little shopping before heading home and after playing hard for a couple hours, we all went to McDonald’s for dinner: Liam’s favorite restaurant.  Then it was home to cake and ice cream and presents.

What a great day!  And what a lucky kid!

***

As I said, Evie had a pediatrician appointment on Tuesday.  She’s doing great and had a fabulous time ripping around the room in her diaper while we waited for the doctor.

She comes in at 50% for weight and 40% for height.  Yay for my average girl!  She did have to get a couple of shots, which she did NOT like.  And, quite frankly, they made her a Crankapotomus for the next day or two.  So far, she seems fairly genial today, so I hope that means we’re in the clear.  Whew!

***

I can’t blame any crankyness on Evie’s part on lack of sleep these days.  We got a room-darkening shade for her window this weekend.  Her room gets the bulk of the morning sun and since the sun is up at an ungodly hour these days, she was waking up rather early.  And I always got the impression that she was still tired but she would NOT go back to sleep.

With the shade up?  She is sleeping in until at least 9am EVERY DAY.  Now, this may even out after she gets used to it… but for now?  OMG, I love it.  It keeps her room a little cooler too.  The boys have a shade too, but theirs is “light-filtering” which means it doesn’t make it darker at all.  However, Liam is a fantastic sleeper and I never have to complain about him getting enough sleep or waking up too early.

I just LOVE having some time in the morning to get some things done and have peace and quiet.  I better enjoy it while I can, because who knows how long it will last!

***

I recently discovered “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” was playing on the “Gospel Music Channel”.  I didn’t even know we GOT that channel, but apparently we do.  I used to watch “Dr. Quinn” back in high school and it was something my friends and I would giggle and talk about.  We even passed notes about such subjects as “courtin’ and sparkin’”, Sully’s braid, and our dislike for Matthew’s girlfriend, Ingrid.  Good times, man.

Now, watching these episodes again, takes me RIGHT back to those days in high school and hanging out with my friends.  It’s been a wonderful walk down memory lane.  I’ve been DVRing the episodes and watching them while the kids are napping or at night after they’re in bed and Kile is playing his computer game.

Oh the memories!

***

We finally got some strollers for our trip to Florida next month (gulp!).  It’s feeling more real all the time that this trip is actually going to happen and I’m scared stiff.  I know it’s going to be loads of fun.  But the plane trip scares me.  Mostly, the fact that we’re doing a plane trip with two small children.  And that one of those children, Evie, doesn’t have her own seat booked.  So she’s on my lap.  CROSS COUNTRY.  This is not good, my friends.

The airport(s) and the plane trip are easily what I’m most nervous about.  I think once we get there, we’re all going to have a marvelous time.  I’ll have the almighty Jesus Phone (read: the iPhone) with me, so hopefully I’ll be able to post quick updates and snapshots here and there.

Oh and pray I don’t blind anyone at the pool when I wear a bathing suit with my pasty, white skin.

***

We’re getting SOD tomorrow!  SOD!!  This is HUGE!

We’ve lived in this house for over 5 years now, and just NOW are finally getting something of a landscaped backyard.  The sod will be delivered at the crack of dawn and Kile plans to get out there and lay it before it gets hot.  I sure hope he isn’t expecting me to join him.  I’ll cheer him on in spirit, as I’m sleeping soundley in my cozy, cool bed.

Seriously though, this is a great thing!  The kids will be able to run through the sprinklers at last (we’ve always been reluctant to do this before because the front yard is so exposed and the grass patch out there isn’t terribly large) (or flat).  And the dogs will have some place to crap!  SIGH.  Oh well.  The good with the bad, yes?

The next step will be to pour a cement patio (I have NO idea when this will happen, only that it’s the plan so far) and to buy some trees and plants and such to finish stuff out with.  But the grass?  That’s a huge chunk of it.

***

So that’s all I’ve got to say.  For now. Are you glad I shared?

It’s been a few days longer than I would like since I’ve posted.  But as the title to this post indicates, I have a good excuse.  Or rather, a couple good excuses.  Or maybe they’re only good excuses to me because I feel like I need an excuse.  Which may not even be the case because the two people who read this site might not even care that I haven’t posted in two days.  In which case, these aren’t excuses but rather that annoying buzz in your head, like a bad fluorescent bulb or something.

Anyhow.  Where was I?

Oh yeah!  My excuse(s):

1) The internet was kaput on Wednesday.  HIGHLY frustrating.  Apparently Charter (I love them so) (not) was upgrading their equipment or something on Wednesday morning.  The only thing is that once they were done fixing their stuff, I still had no internet because something or other had to be fiddled with on our cable modem.  And I’m pretty stupid when it comes that sort of thing.  So I had my phone.  And my knitting.  I could check email and do basic internet functions.  And YES, I suppose I could have written a post from my phone about how I had no internet or something.  But no one likes to read about people who have no internet.  It’s boring.

Oh… wait…

Ooops.

2) Wednesday night, once Kile was home and fixed the internet, was busy, busy.  We went to the drive-in to see Transformers (at last).  It was a great night ot go and we all had a good time, even though Evie went thermonuclear midway through.  She’s officially reached that age where not being in bed at bedtime is a criminal offense.  Still, I got her knocked out eventually.  And the movie was a lot of fun.

What would I do without the drive-in? I ask you!  Oh and I also did some knitting.

3)  I’ve been knitting a lot.  Surprise, surprise.  I’m going to be a “guest vendor” at CongFu on this next coming Wednesday and that means having a few items (like the one in the picture above) to stock.  I’m kinda excited about it but not really expecting anyone to want my stuff all at the same time.  Anyhow, it means I’ve been knitting any chance I get for the last several days.   Let me just say:  This is going to be some CUTE stuff.  I won’t be entirely heartbroken if they don’t sell because that means I can keep them for my own.  Muahaha!

4) Thursday was a busy day as Kile took the day off (hurray for a four day weekend!) and we got some shopping done and just basically had a good time.  It meant not a lot of time spent at home though.  I did take my knitting with me so I could work feverishly in the car.  But we went and spent the rest of one of Kile’s gift cards, raided the Carter’s outlet store, bummed around Target (I seriously want to live there), went to Kohl’s and finally found Liam some sandles, had dinner at Texas Roadhouse which I’ve decided is my new BFF and then finished up our monthly grocery shopping trip (the one I started on Tuesday) at Walmart.  WHEW.  All that and we were able to get the kids home and in bed on time.  I think that deserves a medal.

So those are my excuses and I’m sticking to it.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some knitting to do.