eight

My husband’s parents were visiting this weekend, to see us, but also to take Big M back with them to the Virginia farm, where he’ll help my father-in-law rebuild a chimney on a log cabin there.  Since they would be leaving the day of T’s birthday, we celebrated early, with presents, and CAKE.  He requested "brown velvet with sprinkles," so I made him what he wished for.  We all loved it, I think.  He was especially proud to help make the frosting and be-sprinkle the top layer.  In our house, eight means helping to wash dishes, load the dishwasher, and unload it, too.  As much as the other kids dislike this chore, they’ve made it a rite of passage that T was eager to make.  It’s a nice thing for everyone to have another capable dishwasher available!

I hand-stitched the buttonholes and buttons onto the back of Little M’s gray dress sometime last week.  Hand sewn buttonholes look so much nicer than the ones my machine can do, so it’s something I do myself.  It’s funny how much I procrastinate, and then how pleasurable it is while I’m working!  As I was preparing to sew on the last button, I accidentally flipped it into the crevice at the side of the couch.  Fifteen minutes later, no button--but the missing remote, a pair of scissors, and umpteen legos were unearthed!  I found a button in my button jar that almost matches the other two, so on it went.  Thankfully Little M runs and twirls so much that the odd button blends in with the originals.  Now to hem and sew buttonholes on the last two dresses!

I’m embarrassed to admit how much time I spent last week photographing the yarn in my (very small as stashes go) yarn stash and cataloging each skein on Ravelry.  In addition to the gift knitting I have planned for the future, I also laid out the yarn I’ve intended for some selfish projects.  I love the colors in that stack of skeins.  I can’t wait to finish my sister’s stole so I can get going on those!  I began the edging last week (woohoo!) so just a million rows of that, blocking, and done!  My goal is to finish it by her original wedding date, July 22, so that I can give it to her when we get to spend time together the next week. 

I don’t know if you can tell that’s a firefly in the last picture.  Big M caught a bunch on Solstice evening and brought them in the house.  He put several in jars and they made the sweetest, twinkly lights before they escaped into the house.