Thursday, December 30, 2010

backwards down the number line...

happy, happy, oh my friend
making a best-of list once again
leave the presents all inside
take my hand and let's take a ride

backwards down the number line


(creative liberty taken with that second line, sorry trey)
alright, here's my top 10 things that made me happy in 2010:
10. new hello kitty sewing machine. i know it looks like it's for a 12 yr old, but who am i kidding, i'm very much still a 12 yr old at heart. it's turquoise and has a fair amt of nice settings on it, how could i go wrong! (thanks to mickey and michelle for the gift)


9. this killer banksy-inspired phish tank top! originally only offered as a silkscreen on men's style t-shirts, i begged Sanberdino (aka Josh, my favorite Montana mountain man and fellow phan) to print one up for me on something a little more girly and flattering. he even let me choose what color i wanted for the hand dying :)



8. little girl birthday parties. i love that my boys have friends who are sweet little girls and they get invited to pink parties. trying to figure out what to get for a 7 yr old is hard enough, but when i found out she loved piggies, it gave me the courage to try my hand at making a plushie. i wouldn't have had the confidence to make one otherwise.



7. Star Crossed Slouchy Beret pattern from Natalie Larson. it took me some fanangaling to get the gauge right for my little head but once i did, i went on to make this pattern in 3 different colors: red, violet, and lime green! i love this pattern, it compliments my personality and wardrobe perfectly!!!

6. John Butler Trio's Paleo Festival Nyon on Dailymotion. it has been the soundtrack to most of my summer and fall kitchen baking projects. huge thank you to AnEerieFeeling for sending me a link to not only this show, but also a few others and some albums too.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xe59ox_john-butler-trio-paleo-festival-nyo_music#from=embed




5. visiting Washington DC for Keegan's birthday. we invaded the capitol for a couple of days, exploring the Smithsonian and National Zoo and wandering through the city.





4. Hershey Park with the family. mike and i went to the Phish show on Sunday night (6/13/10) and monday was spent with the family riding rides, eating deep-fried food, and picnic-ing with mom, dave, kim, nathan, and almost all the nieces and nephews. running into old and new friends was just icing on the cake.


3. speaking of Phish shows.... i was very lucky to hit up 7 shows this summer, including taking Keegs to MPP for his very first show (well, that he can remember, anyway). the summer started with Blossom, then Hershey, MPP, Raleigh, Charlotte, and finally 2 nights at Jones Beach. it's always so much fun to go to shows and boogie all night, esp when you know that friends will be there too! even getting lost on the way there or home can make it fun :)



2. Piper's birthday weekend (10/15, 16, 17) in Charleston, SC. i was really dreading spending her birthday at home again this year, so when the opportunity presented itself for us to travel to carolina instead, we thought long and hard about it and in the end chose to go. it was a beautiful weekend, back in the beautiful city of chucktown. the beach was a little chilly but we braved the wind and cooler temps.




1. well, this is kinda a no-brainer... my boys, all of them, including mike, the cat tigger, and new puppy gryphin. i'm completely surrounded by males and although sometimes i wish for more female company, i fell very blessed to have each one of them in my life. (special thanks to all my female friends for keeping me sane) i'm lucky to be married to my best friend and we've had 12 wonderful years together, have 3 healthy, smart little boys, and i know he'll stick by me through the tough times (he's proven his worth many times over). what more could i really ask for?

they provide endless entertainment, making me laugh, dancing in the kitchen with me, helping me bake... they are the literal reason i get up in the morning, but also the metaphorical one too. i can't imagine how lonely and sad i would be without them and hope i never have to live in a world of which they aren't apart.



so, that's about it. my year of lovely things in review :
)

weaving in loose ends...

weaving in loose ends: (v) the act of reworking all the little bits and pieces of yarn from a project back into the main body of knitting so as to create a clean and seamless item


well, it looks as if 2010 is almost over and while i'm a little sad that another year has passed (and i'm a bit older), all in all, it was a pretty good year. there were good times like going to shows, swimming with the boys,
amusement parks, and our mini-getaway to charleston, sc in october but the year also ended sadly with the death of my beloved grammy 2 weeks ago.

ups and downs, mountains and valleys, whatever you want to call it, life is a series of events that can quickly take you from happiness t
o sorrow and then right back up again. i've learned new lessons this year and worked hard to remember who i truly am, even when feeling frustrated and sad, which is all i can ever really hope for.

so, tomorrow night, as we toast in the new year, i'm going to look back and say goodbye to 2010 with hope and love in my heart that 2011 brings my family and friends a wonderful year filled lots of highs and the occasional bump to remind us all how truly fortunate we are. there are always little loose
ends to weave in before moving on to the next project but if you find a good starting point and work your way out, then everything seems manageable again :)




Annie layed her head down in the roses
She had ribbons, ribbons, ribbons
in her long brown hair
I don't know, it must have been the roses
All I know is I could not leave her there

I don't know, it must have been the roses
The roses or the ribbons in her long brown hair
I don't know maybe it was the roses
All I know was I could not leave her there

Ten years the waves rolled the
ships home from the sea
Thinking well how it may blow
in all good company
if I tell another what
your own lips told to me
may I lay neath the roses
and my eyes no longer see

I don't know, it must have been the roses
The roses or the ribbons in her long brown hair
I don't know maybe it was the roses
All I know was I could not leave her there

One pane of glass in the window
No one is complaining though,
come in and shut the door
Faded is the crimson from the
ribbons that she wore
and it's strange how no one
comes round anymore

I don't know, it must have been the roses
The roses or the ribbons in her long brown hair
I don't know maybe it was the roses
All I know was I could not leave her there

Annie layed her head down in the roses
She had ribbons, ribbons, ribbons
in her long brown hair
I don't know, it must have been the roses
All I know was I could not leave her there

I don't know, it must have been the roses
The roses or the ribbons in her long brown hair
I don't know maybe it was the roses
All I know was I could not leave her there


*words and music by Robert Hunter