Feb 15

Still Ill

So for the past two weeks I’ve had this nagging cold/cough/aches/junk that I cannot get rid of. I was feeling a bit better on Monday. I went to the store, took the dog for a walk, and then wham! I coughed like crazy and ran a fever.

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Yesterday I got nothing accomplished. I slept most of the day, and I was ready to call it an evening at 6:30 p.m. I feel miserable, and I’m frustrated that I’m not getting anything done. The house is a wreck, and the dishes are piled up again in the kitchen.

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I have to get better quick! February hasn’t been the best of months so far…

Feb 11

Stockpile Building

Over Christmas break, I started noticing that we ran out of everything way too quickly. I was always in the kitchen cooking a meal, making more cookies, and then cleaning up another mess. The kids were hungry around the clock, and when we ran out of something I didn’t want to drag them to the store. That got me thinking about stockpiling…

I haven’t kept a decent stockpile, or a proper stocked pantry since Dylan was a baby. I haven’t once a month shopped since Thade was a baby. I also haven’t hadn’t kept a decent coupon binder since Agnes was a toddler. I need to get back to being better organized, and keeping a better stocked kitchen.

First I need space. Since I have a (ahem very) small kitchen, I started out by cleaning out the cabinets. I cleaned out a lot of clutter, and we gave some unused small appliances to a good friend of ours. Once I had a little more space to work with, then I started list making. List making is my favorite!

I’m building up my stockpile, one week at a time. I’m allowing an extra $10.00 – $15.00 per week on the grocery budget for items to stockpile. That way I won’t break the bank, or use up too much space.

Here is a little of what my list looks like (all prices are estimated):

Week 1:

  • BBQ Sauce (5) $5.00
  • Brownie Mix (5) $5.00
  • Pasta Sauce (5) $5.00
  • Cake Mix (5) $5.00

Week 2

  • AP Flour (3) $6.00
  • Broth (3) $6.00
  • Sugar (3) $9.00
  • Mustard (3) $5.00

Week 3

  • Spaghetti (5) $5.00
  • Ketchup (2-3) $5.00
  • Asst. Ramen Packets (10) $3.00
  • Black Olives (3) $6.00

Week 4

  • Dried Beans (4) $6.00
  • Rice 5 lbs $5.00
  • Mac & Cheese (5) $5.00
  • Re-fried Beans (4) $6.00

I pick an item or two per shopping trip, and add it to the pantry. So far it is going well. We are running out of Saltines a bit too quickly though. I swear my kiddos eat those non-stop. I’m trying to think of more non-perishables to stockpile that we’ll use.

It seems to be an ongoing battle in the kitchen with a tween, a teen, and one cute picky girl that doesn’t want to eat what the boys are eating. What about you… What do you like to stockpile in your pantry?

 

 

Feb 2

Winter Knitting and Crochet

My knitting needles and crochet hooks have been busy this Winter. I have two biggish projects going on, and lots and lots of little ones.

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Since it is extra cold and full-on Winter. I’ve been attempting to crochet hats. This was the first one that I made. It turned out o.k.

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I finished knitting a little scarf for me. Honestly, I love making scarves, but I don’t like wearing them at all. The weather has been so cold while I’m waiting to get Agnes out of school, that I have to wear one, even though it drives me nuts. I do love this color combination though, soft greys and light yellow.

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One of the ongoing projects for the year is a crocheted Temperature Blanket. I’ve seen these on pinterest and I figured right from the start of 2017 was the best time to get into this project.

I gathered up my yarn, and assigned a different color to the temperature of the day. You simply crochet a row a day, and by the end of the year, you have a blanket. I’m using black wool in between the rows  when a new month begins.

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I had two requests for a messy bun hat. Agnes wanted one, and so did a friend that I wait in the very chilly school pick-up line with. I started with Agnes’. She chose a bright pink, and she loved the finished project. It fit her perfectly.

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I went with a muted berry color for my friend’s, and she liked it too. Both of the hats were quick to crochet. They looked silly on me though, my hair is too short to put up right now.

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The temperature blanket is coming along. I haven’t forgotten a day (yet).

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I’m still working on a twin sized knitted and crocheted blanket for Agnes. It is made of squares, and rectangles that have been knitted or crocheted. I make one square at a time, and sew it all together like a big cozy blanket puzzle.

After a solid year of practice, I’m finally getting the hang of knitting. I’m still only doing the basic stitches, but I need to get a little more confident and try some trickier stitches.

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Since I was in the hat crocheting mood, and the cold weather wasn’t letting up. I made myself a crocheted khaki/grey beanie. Agnes swiped it immediately, and claimed it as hers. This one fit her too. I just might have to crochet a couple more of these.

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I started to run out of Daffodil yarn for the temperature blanket, and our store didn’t have any. Time to place an order, and get a new book while I’m at it.

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And here we go, January 2017 all complete. Time to start on February. This temperature blanket has me looking forward to Spring and Summer, so I can crochet in some pretty shades of reds and oranges.

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Car time… I spend about two hours in the car each day taking the kids to and from school. Pick-up, and drop-offs are still a mess here. I always have a book to read in the car, and a project to work on while I’m standing in line. It is too busy and peopley at the pick-up, and I really don’t like talking to anyone, so I crochet, and try to stay in my little bubble. I’ve cast on another scarf for next year’s teacher gifts. This yarn is a pink/coral/melon color called Flamingo. It is bright enough, but not too crazy.

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I will finish this blanket. I will finish this blanket. I don’t even remember when I started it, I’ve been working on it for so long. Since this one is for Agnes, we decided to call it the “Agnes Blanket”. It is bright, colorful, full of different blocks, squares, and it is very unique just like Agnes. One night while I was crocheting a grannysquare, Thade came in to ask what I was working on. When I told him I was making a blanket for Agnes, he asked why haven’t I made him a blanket in a long time… Guess I know what my next project is going to be, but first I must finish this blanket.