Woo hoo! After traveling for about 10 hours yesterday and 3 hours today, we have finally arrived in Branson, Missouri!
We actually got here at about 12:30, stopped for lunch at the Subway in Wal-Mart, and then checked into our room at 2:00. Then we hung around our suite until we went to the 5:00 Saturday Mass at the local Catholic church. Then we went to Sonic (which I haven't been to since we lived in Kentucky, which was about 9 years ago!) and got groceries at Wal-Mart again.
Now we are in our hotel room, and just five minutes ago we had sat down and were watching The Two Towers on TV when all of a sudden, the FIRE ALARM WENT OFF!!!! AGGGHHH! We didn't even have anything turned on! So my dad called the people he was supposed to call (I know I must sound pretty ignorant as I say that but I can't for the life of me remember the name of the people you call for problems!) and apparently he heard people shouting in the background "Code red!" so it was weird. Also, a fire truck pulled up in front of the section of the building where my uncle's room is!!! :o My dad said they probably had to respond. I hope there wasn't a real emergency..... anyways, the alarm has just turned off now. Gosh, that was ear-splitting! :P
So, that was our excitement for the night!
And guess what! I FINISHED MY BERET!!!! And it is sooo cute! :D I wore it to church today and I'm sorely tempted to keep it, but I really need to start making money with my knitting. :P So, I'll wash the beret and put it up on Etsy when I get home. And I'll post pictures of it soon!
I would love to have included pictures of stuff in this post, but I'm too lazy to upload any right now. So y'all will just have to wait until tomorrow. ;)
Until then, my readers, I shall bid you adieu!
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Habemus Papam!!
Woo hoo! The Papal Conclave began yesterday, and today at about 1:15 (at least that's when I found out) the white smoke came out - a new Pope has been elected!!
His name is Pope Francis I. The FIRST! Not only the first Pope Francis there's ever been, but also the first Latin-American Pope. :)
I have started praying a novena through Pray More Novenas that started yesterday for the election of the new pope. The person who sends out the e-mail reminders said that if a new pope was elected before the 9 days were up, that we would continue the novena praying for the new pope. I haven't prayed my novena prayer yet today so I will go do that!
God bless Pope Francis!
His name is Pope Francis I. The FIRST! Not only the first Pope Francis there's ever been, but also the first Latin-American Pope. :)
I have started praying a novena through Pray More Novenas that started yesterday for the election of the new pope. The person who sends out the e-mail reminders said that if a new pope was elected before the 9 days were up, that we would continue the novena praying for the new pope. I haven't prayed my novena prayer yet today so I will go do that!
God bless Pope Francis!
Yarn-Along - A cute lacy beret!
Today, for Yarn-Along which I haven't linked up with in AGES, I am going to post the knitting project I have been working on lately - my lacy beret/slouchy hat!
I have been experimenting lately with making up my own patterns, starting with another beret that I knit a few months ago (I'll post pictures some other time). The reason I have been making my own patterns is because when I start my Etsy shop, I don't want to be selling a bunch of stuff from other people's patterns. I feel too guilty about it, especially if I don't see anything in the pattern about a copyright or if I'm not sure that copyright includes selling items made with the pattern. There's a lot less guilt in making something completely of my own design, and a lot more satisfaction!
Although I don't know if it's COMPLETELY of my own design. I get my patterns from a nifty little book called 400 Knitting Stitches - A complete dictionary of essential stitch patterns. I love this book! It has cable stitch patterns, lace stitch patterns, twisted stitch patterns.... it's awesome. All of the stitch patterns are written as if to knit flat, so I adapt them to be knit in the round. I also adapt them (for hats, anyways) to decrease near the top while still trying to keep a little bit of the pattern.
So, I've been knitting this hat for a few weeks now. I started with the band, which is a cable pattern that I got from the knitting stitch book. I knit 200 rows of this pattern - enough to fit my 22" circumference head. Then I picked up 240 stitches and began the lace pattern.
I could have finished yesterday. But as I was decreasing happily - my decreasing was fitting with the lace pattern! - I discovered when I tried on the hat to see how it looked, that it was WAY TOO SLOUCHY.
Actually, in this picture it doesn't look as bad as it does in real life (except for not showing the lace pattern and looking like I cropped the beret out of the picture, leaving a beret-shaped white spot). But trust me. As I said to my mom, "It looks like a mushroom took over my head!" And even she agreed that it was too huge. And she's usually the one who says that my projects aren't as bad as I think they are!
Luckily, I won't have to rip out the stitches ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE BEGINNING. I think that I'll be able to "only" rip out 20 rows or so and go back to when it looked less slouchy and really really cute! It would have been really painful to have to go back all the way to the beginning - but it's also a really slow painfulness to have to rip carefully, stitch by stitch, making sure that I don't drop any. Considering that it's about 250 stitches on the needles - the pattern calls for increases every other round. I had been hoping to have it finished before we left on vacation, and I had thought I was going to finish it yesterday, but that obviously didn't happen.
I WAS NEARLY FINISHED!!!!
Sooo yeah. Yesterday evening I began the slow, painful process of ripping out stitches, stitch by stitch. Luckily, when I FINALLY get to the point where I can stop ripping, I'll be able to start decreasing again right away. Maybe I'll finish it ON vacation....?
As for books I'm reading..... well, does my French textbook count? :P Well, I'm kind of reading a randomness of books. Lately I've been re-reading old favorites, such as The Scarlet Pimpernel. But mostly I've been reading my school textbooks. :P
Thanks to Ginny at Small Things for hosting Yarn-Along!
I have been experimenting lately with making up my own patterns, starting with another beret that I knit a few months ago (I'll post pictures some other time). The reason I have been making my own patterns is because when I start my Etsy shop, I don't want to be selling a bunch of stuff from other people's patterns. I feel too guilty about it, especially if I don't see anything in the pattern about a copyright or if I'm not sure that copyright includes selling items made with the pattern. There's a lot less guilt in making something completely of my own design, and a lot more satisfaction!
Although I don't know if it's COMPLETELY of my own design. I get my patterns from a nifty little book called 400 Knitting Stitches - A complete dictionary of essential stitch patterns. I love this book! It has cable stitch patterns, lace stitch patterns, twisted stitch patterns.... it's awesome. All of the stitch patterns are written as if to knit flat, so I adapt them to be knit in the round. I also adapt them (for hats, anyways) to decrease near the top while still trying to keep a little bit of the pattern.
So, I've been knitting this hat for a few weeks now. I started with the band, which is a cable pattern that I got from the knitting stitch book. I knit 200 rows of this pattern - enough to fit my 22" circumference head. Then I picked up 240 stitches and began the lace pattern.
 |
| A close-up of the cable pattern I used for the band. It looks more creamy-yellowish here but that's not the color it is in real life! I took the picture with bright sunlight shining on it which I guess distorted the color. :P |
I could have finished yesterday. But as I was decreasing happily - my decreasing was fitting with the lace pattern! - I discovered when I tried on the hat to see how it looked, that it was WAY TOO SLOUCHY.
 |
| (It's a kind of bad picture - my sister took it on her new camera with a "Posterized" setting which I tried to edit out, to no avail.) |
Actually, in this picture it doesn't look as bad as it does in real life (except for not showing the lace pattern and looking like I cropped the beret out of the picture, leaving a beret-shaped white spot). But trust me. As I said to my mom, "It looks like a mushroom took over my head!" And even she agreed that it was too huge. And she's usually the one who says that my projects aren't as bad as I think they are!
Luckily, I won't have to rip out the stitches ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE BEGINNING. I think that I'll be able to "only" rip out 20 rows or so and go back to when it looked less slouchy and really really cute! It would have been really painful to have to go back all the way to the beginning - but it's also a really slow painfulness to have to rip carefully, stitch by stitch, making sure that I don't drop any. Considering that it's about 250 stitches on the needles - the pattern calls for increases every other round. I had been hoping to have it finished before we left on vacation, and I had thought I was going to finish it yesterday, but that obviously didn't happen.
I WAS NEARLY FINISHED!!!!
 |
| Here's a close-up of the stitch pattern. The lace and the slipped stitches kind of make diamond shapes! |
Sooo yeah. Yesterday evening I began the slow, painful process of ripping out stitches, stitch by stitch. Luckily, when I FINALLY get to the point where I can stop ripping, I'll be able to start decreasing again right away. Maybe I'll finish it ON vacation....?
As for books I'm reading..... well, does my French textbook count? :P Well, I'm kind of reading a randomness of books. Lately I've been re-reading old favorites, such as The Scarlet Pimpernel. But mostly I've been reading my school textbooks. :P
Thanks to Ginny at Small Things for hosting Yarn-Along!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
My past few months in a nutshell!
Wow! I'm actually posting WITHIN A WEEK of my last post! That hasn't happened in a year... possibly even longer. :P
So, what's going on lately with me? Well, first of all, I would like to ask your prayers for our family, as my grandma died on March 1st. It was REALLY sudden - we had all gone out to a fish fry (we had to get at least ONE in during Lent!). My grandma lived with us, along with my uncle who still lives with us, in a separate part of the house built for them. Before we left, my grandma was all chipper and happy - my sister and I were getting ready and my grandma threatened to leave without us! We had a great time at the fish fry, which wasn't very far from us, and then we all came home, my grandma went into her apartment, sat in her comfy red rocking chair, and basically just fell asleep. There were no signs of her being sick or anything, although she has had health problems. The funeral was this past Friday and so now we're trying to get into a new rhythm. And it is hard because we're so used to seeing her around all the time. So anyways, please keep us in your prayers.
In October I auditioned for our homeschool theatre production of "Oklahoma" and I got in! I played a farmer's wife. It was fun! And since I was an elderly lady, I had my hair sprayed grey/silver for the shows!!! Haha, it was definitely an interesting experience! The performances were a weekend in mid-January. I'm sad it's over. I made a few new friends (although me being the shy person that I am, I didn't make as many friends as I would have liked) and we had a lot of fun times. And since I'm a senior this year, it was the last homeschool theatre production I was able to perform in - and it was the first one I'd ever been in. I really wish I had been able to do more shows. But I can still play in the pit orchestra for any future shows, which is good.
I have been taking classes at the local state university through PSEO this spring semester - French, English, and Introduction to Mass Communications (which is an online course). My ratings for the classes?
French = :)
English = :)
Intro to Mass Comm = :-/
I like the French class because it is really fun learning the language. Someday I want to go to France and I want to be able to understand what people will be saying there - and not look so much like a typical American tourist with a French phrasebook in hand. :P English is cool because the instructor goes to our church so I'm not as scared of him. :P Although it's also hard because since we know each other from church, I feel like I've got to be really good because he'll be paying attention to my work! As for Intro to Mass Comm..... well, the class is really interesting. But being an online class, it's really easy for me to forget that I have deadlines, and with all the stuff that's been going on lately I've been forgetting to do my homework until the last minute - sometimes literally the LAST MINUTE before something's due. And finals are in the beginning of May. AAAAGGGGGHHHHH. I hate feeling behind!!!!! Thank goodness this week is spring break. But still. AAAAGGGGGHHHHH.
So, this week is spring break at the college, but NEXT week (actually, this Friday) is our family vacation!! We are going to Branson, Missouri and spending a week there, going to the Titanic museum, possibly Silver Dollar City, and we're going to the Sight and Sound Theater to see their production of "Joseph", which is opening.... this weekend? Anyways, we're gonna see it! It'll be interesting seeing Joseph without disco dancing and and Elvis Presley-type Pharaoh. :P And my cousins are coming with us!! :D And my aunt and uncle! They're the ones that I don't get to see a whole lot normally, but we invited them along on our vacation and they were able to come! Which is SUPER exciting. That just makes the vacation so much better!
Well, that's pretty much all for now, so.... bye! Or... adieu! A bientot!
So, what's going on lately with me? Well, first of all, I would like to ask your prayers for our family, as my grandma died on March 1st. It was REALLY sudden - we had all gone out to a fish fry (we had to get at least ONE in during Lent!). My grandma lived with us, along with my uncle who still lives with us, in a separate part of the house built for them. Before we left, my grandma was all chipper and happy - my sister and I were getting ready and my grandma threatened to leave without us! We had a great time at the fish fry, which wasn't very far from us, and then we all came home, my grandma went into her apartment, sat in her comfy red rocking chair, and basically just fell asleep. There were no signs of her being sick or anything, although she has had health problems. The funeral was this past Friday and so now we're trying to get into a new rhythm. And it is hard because we're so used to seeing her around all the time. So anyways, please keep us in your prayers.
In October I auditioned for our homeschool theatre production of "Oklahoma" and I got in! I played a farmer's wife. It was fun! And since I was an elderly lady, I had my hair sprayed grey/silver for the shows!!! Haha, it was definitely an interesting experience! The performances were a weekend in mid-January. I'm sad it's over. I made a few new friends (although me being the shy person that I am, I didn't make as many friends as I would have liked) and we had a lot of fun times. And since I'm a senior this year, it was the last homeschool theatre production I was able to perform in - and it was the first one I'd ever been in. I really wish I had been able to do more shows. But I can still play in the pit orchestra for any future shows, which is good.
I have been taking classes at the local state university through PSEO this spring semester - French, English, and Introduction to Mass Communications (which is an online course). My ratings for the classes?
French = :)
English = :)
Intro to Mass Comm = :-/
I like the French class because it is really fun learning the language. Someday I want to go to France and I want to be able to understand what people will be saying there - and not look so much like a typical American tourist with a French phrasebook in hand. :P English is cool because the instructor goes to our church so I'm not as scared of him. :P Although it's also hard because since we know each other from church, I feel like I've got to be really good because he'll be paying attention to my work! As for Intro to Mass Comm..... well, the class is really interesting. But being an online class, it's really easy for me to forget that I have deadlines, and with all the stuff that's been going on lately I've been forgetting to do my homework until the last minute - sometimes literally the LAST MINUTE before something's due. And finals are in the beginning of May. AAAAGGGGGHHHHH. I hate feeling behind!!!!! Thank goodness this week is spring break. But still. AAAAGGGGGHHHHH.
So, this week is spring break at the college, but NEXT week (actually, this Friday) is our family vacation!! We are going to Branson, Missouri and spending a week there, going to the Titanic museum, possibly Silver Dollar City, and we're going to the Sight and Sound Theater to see their production of "Joseph", which is opening.... this weekend? Anyways, we're gonna see it! It'll be interesting seeing Joseph without disco dancing and and Elvis Presley-type Pharaoh. :P And my cousins are coming with us!! :D And my aunt and uncle! They're the ones that I don't get to see a whole lot normally, but we invited them along on our vacation and they were able to come! Which is SUPER exciting. That just makes the vacation so much better!
Well, that's pretty much all for now, so.... bye! Or... adieu! A bientot!
Sunday, March 10, 2013
I won an award!!! :D
Ya know what, I'm not even going to comment about how pathetic I am about posting on my blog.
And yes, I know that that was technically a comment about how pathetic I am about posting on my blog. But I don't care! BUAHAHAHA!
Anyways. SO, I was tagged in a blog award so I figured now was as good a time as any to post something again!
I was given this award by "Aaliyah" over at Ramblings Of A Writer, and it is called the Liebster award. As I am going to quote for Aaliyah's blog, "The Liebster Award is given to up - and - coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. Liebster is German for "sweetest," "kindest," "nicest," "dearest," "beloved," "valued," "endearing," and "welcoming." "
And now for the rules:
1. List 11 things about yourself.
2. Answer the questions that the nominator has posed for you.
3. Nominate 11 up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers.
4. Create 11 questions to ask the nominees.
5. Go to the page of each nominee and tell her about her award.
11 Things About Me
1. I can be extremely shy, but all you have to do is say "hi" to me and I'll perk right up!
2. My favorite color is blue. But it's more of a turquoise/aqua blue. But I also really like dusty rose, bright red, and deep purple. Actually, I think that all of the above listed colors are tied for my favorite. ;)
3. I play the piano, the flute, and now I PLAY THE ORGAN!!!!!
4. I PLAYED THE ORGAN IN MASS TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THE WORLD DIDN'T EXPLODE!!!!! :D :D :D
5. I love dressing feminine, and really wish I had a cute, flowy, summer-y, flower-y dress to wear casually.... but alas, I do not.
6. I love to read. I'll read just about anything with a good storyline, but my favorite stories are medieval stories. And fairy-tales! But my all-time favorite books are Regina Doman's Fairy Tale Novels (You can find them HERE!! <---).
7. I have done NaNoWriMo! And finished it!!! Now I just need to start editing my book.... and finish the book....
8. My sister is five years younger than me and our hands are the same size. :P
9. I have been saying that I want to start an Etsy shop for a year now. I've created an account, but I HAVEN'T OPENED THE SHOP YET! I'm close though! HOPEFULLY this spring!! So keep an eye out!
10. I knit. And make jewelry. And have even picked up crochet recently. I should post a picture of the crochet owl hat I made for my cousin's baby shower! :)
11. I'm going to be EIGHTEEN this summer! EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD!!! *runs around screaming like a crazy woman*
11 Questions I Must Answer
1. What is your favourite pastime? Hmmmm.... knitting, probably. At least, that's my favorite PRODUCTIVE past-time. :P Otherwise it would probably be reading or getting on the computer. :P
2. How many wonderful people follow your blog? A grand total of 8!! I'm so popular!! ;)
3. Do you have a special place where you love to spend time by yourself? Not in particular.... I spend a lot of time by myself in my room, but I wouldn't say it's my FAVORITE spot.
4. What is your favourite prayer? The Memorare. "Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided...."
5. Do you enjoy swimming? Yes, I do! I mean, not professionally or anything, but I enjoy it. :)
6. What is your favourite season, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter? Why? I believe, the springtime. Everything is beginning to grow, the grass is becoming green, the snow is melting away and it's starting to be warm again, but it's not too hot!
7. What is your favourite pastime? Hey! This question was listed twice! Tsk, tsk, Aaliyah.... ;) :P
8. Have you ever gone bowling, skiing(water or snow)? I have gone bowling, but I've never gone skiing, water OR snow. ;)
9. Is there a singer that you enjoy listening to when you are down? I guess it depends on the particular down-ness of my mood. I like listening to Taylor Swift. I LOVE Britt Nicole... and I also like Jack Johnson and Nickel Creek. :)
10. Who is your favourite saint? St. Therese of the Child Jesus. Has been ever since I was little! I also like St. Maria Goretti.
11. Which do you like better horses, cats, or dogs? Why? I like cats cuz they're cute and cuddly and they purr!
2. How many wonderful people follow your blog? A grand total of 8!! I'm so popular!! ;)
3. Do you have a special place where you love to spend time by yourself? Not in particular.... I spend a lot of time by myself in my room, but I wouldn't say it's my FAVORITE spot.
4. What is your favourite prayer? The Memorare. "Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided...."
5. Do you enjoy swimming? Yes, I do! I mean, not professionally or anything, but I enjoy it. :)
6. What is your favourite season, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter? Why? I believe, the springtime. Everything is beginning to grow, the grass is becoming green, the snow is melting away and it's starting to be warm again, but it's not too hot!
7. What is your favourite pastime? Hey! This question was listed twice! Tsk, tsk, Aaliyah.... ;) :P
8. Have you ever gone bowling, skiing(water or snow)? I have gone bowling, but I've never gone skiing, water OR snow. ;)
9. Is there a singer that you enjoy listening to when you are down? I guess it depends on the particular down-ness of my mood. I like listening to Taylor Swift. I LOVE Britt Nicole... and I also like Jack Johnson and Nickel Creek. :)
10. Who is your favourite saint? St. Therese of the Child Jesus. Has been ever since I was little! I also like St. Maria Goretti.
11. Which do you like better horses, cats, or dogs? Why? I like cats cuz they're cute and cuddly and they purr!
Nominations for the Liebster Award
Kathleen at The Messy Desk of Me
Raewyn at My Spare Oom
Una at Petticoats and Muckboots
Mae at Imaginations of a Princess
(Yes, I know that's not 11.... but it's SOME, right?!?)
1. What is your favorite color and why?
2. If you could choose between a flying monkey and a singing hippo, which would you choose? And why?
3. Where do you go when you want to be alone?
4. Are you a creative person?
5. Why did you start a blog?
6. Do you post on your blog very often?
7. What is your personality?
8. Do you like fairy-tales?
9. Are you girly or a tomboy?
10. Do you have a large family? (Immediate or extended family)
11. Would you rather travel to Oz, Narnia, or Middle-earth?
Sometime this week I shall post a picture of the knit beret I'm working on! And tell you a bunch of stuff! Maybe if I say I'll do it I'll really do it! :D
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