Tomorrow is March and I've got to get at least 1 post in for February, so here it is....

I'm going to pretend like it hasn't been over a month since my last post. I'm going to pretend like I've been blogging this whole time, no one has missed me (which, let's face it, is probably the truth), and we will just all go on as usual. Ok? Thanks.

First, an update about my other blog that I told you about in my last post. If you're thinking that it is the reason I haven't been posting here, you're wrong. I've been totally neglecting that blog as well. In fact, I posted on it twice and then just sort of lost steam. See? It's a good thing I didn't tell anyone the address. Now I can just erase it and pretend it never happened. The blog, that is. The weight loss is going great! I'm down about 9 pounds last time I checked, and more importantly, I'm losing inches, so pants that haven't fit me in years are getting a second life! Yippee!!!!

Here is how my February went down.....

My Great Aunt Hazel celebrated her 87th birthday this month, and her children had a party for her up in Dallas. My mom, Betty Nuggs, came down for the festivities, as did several of her siblings. We had a great time eating, laughing, shopping and visiting. Here are some pics from the party.

Me and Nuggs at the party.

Me, mom, aunt, uncle, cousins and Great Aunt Hazel (center). Happy Birthday Aunt Hazel!

I bought some new fabulous cowboy boots while we were in Dallas. Actually, these are my first pair of cowboy boots. Shame on me, I've lived in Texas for nearly 4 years and have never owned a pair. I love these. They are cute and very comfortable.

The Cowboy bought me some beautiful flowers for Valentine's Day. My favorite - calla lilies.

Aggie took up residence in the laundry basket, after we had to throw away her dog bed because she chewed it up. Hopefully the laundry basket lasts a little longer.

My newest knitting creation. It's a scarf made out of a bunch of leftover pieces of yarn from various projects. Thank goodness I hung on to all of them! I tried to make the "theme" of the scarf green, and then threw in some complimenting colors.

Rather than knit this scarf length-wise, as with most scarves, I knit it width-wise. I cast on 180(ish) stitches on size 11 circs and changed yarn every single row. I absolutely love the way this turned out. I have enough odds and ends to make at least one more, possibly two. What will I do with them you ask? Drum roll, please................ I am opening an Etsy store!!! I having been knitting and sewing like crazy lately, (hence no blogging) in an attempt to get a stockpile of things ready to sell in my Etsy store. I am hoping to have everything up and running over spring break - which is 2 weeks away. I will be sure to let you all know when it's open, and post a link. In the meantime, here's a sneak preview. It's my store banner.

Speaking of new exciting things, Lexey Rhea was born this past week!!

Congratulations to proud parents Johnny & Tiff, and big sister Sydney! I can't wait to meet little Lexey.

It snowed in Austin this past week. Like, a lot. Serious accumulation. It's the most snow I've seen down here since I've been here, and I heard it was the most snow that they've seen here since 1985. Here are some pictures, taken from school, where I was stuck all day because they didn't cancel school. Boo.

The kids had a blast, though. We took them outside in the morning and let them run around and play in it. Many of them had never seen actual snow before, so it was fun to watch them. Someone tried to make a snow angel, but there wasn't quite enough snow for that, and it ended up being a dirt angel.

Today, it's sunny and 65. I love this state!!

That's my February in a nutshell. I would promise to try and write more, but we both know I don't mean it. So in case I don't blog again until the end of March, I hope you all have a great month!

2 Dogs, $50.00

Oh, hello. How's the family? Great, great.

I have a confession to make: I've started another blog. I'm cheating on Kibbles and Knits. My other blog is dedicated to my diet, exercise and weight loss program, which began in an official capacity today. I am not ready to go public with this blog yet, but after I lose a bunch of weight and look fabulous and am ready to capitalize on my success, then I will let you all know of the address and you can go read my musings over there as well.

In the meantime, I come to you today with a plea. I have two dogs for sale.

Sam

Aggie

Oh, wait. Did I say for sale? My bad. What I meant is, I will pay you $50.00 to come get these dogs and take them. They are naughty. They are rotten. They cannot behave to save their lives. They do not listen. They smell and they shed all over the house.

They'd make someone a great pet. Please come and take them. I will write you a check, or if you come now, I will give you $60 - cash money.

In the past week, the following occurrences have taken place concerning these 2 dogs.

I come home to find a small pile of vomit in the bedroom. Upon inspection, I notice something white and fluffyish in the vomit. Thinking this is strange, but not completely unusual, and because it's only a small pile of vomit, I don't worry about it. As I step further into the bedroom, I discover 2 more piles of vomit. Rather, I discover one more pile of vomit, and one giant mountain of vomit, which contains a partially eaten and digested man's sock. Further investigation reveals a partially eaten pillowcase from our BRAND NEW BED SET.

Not sure which dog is the culprit, I promptly get them both outside, and clean up the vomit before The Cowboy comes home and I have to clean up more vomit (he has a weak stomach, I've had to clean up both dog vomit and or poop and Cowboy vomit before...it wasn't fun and I don't want to have to do it again any time soon). Later we notice that Sam, the yellow Lab, is licking everything non stop. The carpet, the bedspread, my feet, The Cowboy's hair, you name it. She starts hacking and gagging. We deduce that she is The Mystery Vomiter, and conclude that she had gotten into the trash and eaten something she shouldn't have (unsure as to what), and then proceeded to eat anything in sight, including dirty socks and Brand New Pillows, which I can't imagine tasted anything alike. BAD DOG.

Aggie, on the other hand, rarely does anything wrong. She's just as sweet and nice as she can be. Her only fault is a big one. She's a Husky, which means she's a sled dog, which means she wants to RUN. Our backyard isn't fenced in, and I generally put her on a leash when I let her outside. She runs off from time to time, and I learned my lesson the hard way - right after I moved down here and I let her out in 105 degree weather and she ran off. 2 streets away. And I had to chase her down. In 105 degree heat, did I mention? And my neighbors were laughing at me, and also trying to help me. And I had to carry her home because I didn't have a leash. And it was hot. So, from that day forward, leash. Backyard. You understand.

SO. Saturday night, The Cowboy lets them outside to potty at around 12:30. It's worth noting here that the weather in Texas the past week or so has been the exact opposite of 105 degrees. It's been in the twenties and teens at night, which for Texas is what I like to call Freezing Fucking Cold. So naturally, Aggie chooses this moment to run off. I am sound asleep in the bedroom and I can hear The Cowboy trying to cajole her back inside. I can hear him going in and out of the front door and the sliding glass door in the back. I can hear him saying "Aggie, get in here! Aggie, c'mon!" I hear all this from the comfort and warmth of my bed. I let it go on for 5-7

minutes, no longer than 10, and then I decide that I'm being a big douche bag by not getting up and helping him. She comes back faster if we tag team her.

So I get up, throw on a sweatshirt, a coat, my warm boots, a hat and some gloves, and ask The Cowboy where she is. "In the neighbor's back yard." is his tense reply. Our neighbor's backyard is fenced in, yet they have no dog. We should probably switch houses, or at least yards. The Cowboy is standing in our backyard, and can see Aggie next door at the fence, and she's looking at him, but the dumb dog has no idea how to get back into our yard. The idiot got herself over there, but now she can't figure out how to get back. So I leave The Cowboy in the backyard and tromp around to the front yard, and over to the neighbor's driveway. I don't go into their backyard, and I don't speak too loudly - I don't want to wake them up. I stand there for a minute and call her. Nothing. All of a sudden, I see a light behind me. A flashing light. A red and blue flashing light.

That's right. The law. John Q. The po-po.

The cop walks up and says good evening. Through my chattering teeth (a combination of shivering from the cold, and being nervous about the cops), I tell him that I live next door and my dog is in their backyard and I'm trying to get her out. He's pretty cool about it. Asks me a

few questions about how the dog got out, how she got next door (I'm guessing he has cats), calls it in on his radio that I am not some crazy lady in her pajamas outside trying to kill my neighbors, and helps us get Aggie back. We thank him, and head home. BAD DOG.

And today. This actually is kind of funny, as opposed to naughty, but it just goes to show you that you never know what's gonna happen with dogs. I'm walking Sam through the neighborhood, and I happen to live in the neighborhood right next to school. So I see a kid I know from school and he says hello and asks if he can pet my dog. Of course! I say. And at that exact moment, while we are smack dab in the middle of the sidewalk, Sam decides to take a dump. A giant, green, smelly, nasty dump. As this kid is attempting the make nice and pet her. POOP.

Of course I didn't have any bags with me. So I tell the kid we have to go, turn around take her home, leave her there, get some bags, go back, clean up the crap, turn around and walk home with my little bag of dog poop. I think my pride was in there too.

So, if you want a dog that eats socks and pillows, craps on the sidewalk while you're trying to talk to someone, and gets you in trouble with the police, well then have I got the dog(s) for you!

Of course I'm only joking. Please don't go all ASPCA on my ass and think I'd really give you my dogs or get rid of them for being, well, dogs. I love them, but they sure do piss me off sometimes.

Something Old, Something New

No, I'm not getting married. Sorry mom.

Tomorrow here in Central Texas we are supposed to be getting some "winter weather". Oh boy. The high temps are going to be in the mid 30s, and it's supposed to precipitate, so the forecasters are calling for the-possibility-of-a-chance-of-we-could-see-some-snow-flurries-with-some-light accumulation-on-the-grassy-areas-perhaps-between-2-to-3-inches.

You would think WWIII was about to roll through town, the way people are freaking out. I went to the grocery store after work today to pick up some batteries and everyone and their brother was there. I ran into no fewer than 7 kids from my school, and the lines were outrageous. I find it highly amusing, and yet very annoying (especially in the store situations) that the people down here hear the word "snow" and they think they better stock up because "who knows when we'll be able to get out to the store again". Oh for crying out loud. It's snow, people! It's supposed to melt by Saturday morning, and it won't even make the roads slick. Geesh.

Also, the school was all a-buzz today with talk of cancellations and snow days and inclement weather and buses and what would we do if? like questions. Bunch of ninnies. I'm not saying it's not been chilly down here - for Texas this weather is unusual, especially this time of year, and it

hasn't taken long for my blood to thin out and for me to become acclimated to the weather. However, snow isn't anything to freak out about. Do you hear me people of Central Texas? I declare,

"SNOW ISN'T ANYTHING TO FREAK OUT ABOUT - ESPECIALLY NOT 2-3 FARKING INCHES!!!!!!!"

Moving on...

That wasn't what I wanted to blog about today. I realized that I haven't posted since my trip up to Michigan for Thanksgiving, so I thought I'd better remedy that. I'm not going to post a bunch of boring pictures of my family and I on Thanksgiving (that doesn't mean I didn't take a bunch, just that I'm not going to post them you see) or bore you to death with the details of my trip. I'll just say that it was fabulous and everything I'd hoped it would be. The food was great, I got to see some friends and hang out with my cousins and aunts and mom. In fact, my mom and I went yarn shopping and I picked up some new sock yarn and some Noro. But those are boring details that I promised to spare you.

Christmas came a little early for me this year while I was up north. My grandmother gave me a wonderful gift!

My Gram and I on Thanksgiving (Ok, so I posted one boring picture of me and my family)

Here's the back story. When I was a little girl, I loved my Grandmother's house at Christmas time. It was filled with familiar faces, food, smells and decorations. My favorite decoration of all was this ceramic music box that I believe on of my aunts had painted and given to my Gram. It

depicted Santa snoozing in his chair, near the fire, and had a Christmas tree with 2 elves on either side that rotated around, which was how you wound up the music box. It played The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire....), and it amused me for hours. I would wind those elves up and happily watch it turn. I don't know why I loved it so, but I always have.

My Grandmother gave it to me this year.

It's probably my favorite Christmas decoration that I have now. And I have a lot. It looks like Christmas threw up in our house. But I love it that way.

The Cowboy and I are scaling back our Christmas gifts to each other this year, for various reasons. One of the things I had asked for, before we decided to keep it simple, was brand new bedding. The whole shebang. Bed skirt, comforter, pillows, sheets, etc. Our dogs, I love them, but they tear shit up. And to be fair, I'd had my old quilt on the bed for a few years now, and it was time for something nicer and newer. Grown up bedding. Well, The Cowboy surprised me yesterday with an early Christmas present!

This isn't the best picture, and it's still a little wrinkly from being in the package, but here's our new bedding! We set it all up, I took a quick picture, and then we had to cover it all up with the "dog blanket", which is our old quilt, which we are keeping on top of the new stuff, so the dogs don't tear it up. I wish we could see the bedding all the time, but it makes me happy just knowing it's there, and I love sleeping in new sheets.

Well, I'm off to watch the weather report and laugh at some fools. I hope it does snow, though. That would be pretty neat to see. But I'm not gonna lose my cool over it or anything.

Good Things

Here is a list (I love lists!) of the latest and greatest in my life. Because I know you've all been waiting with baited breath on tenterhooks on the edge of your seat for this.

Thanksgiving

My cousin Ang called me last weekend and asked if I wanted to drive up to Michigan for Thanksgiving with her. Um, does a bear shit in the woods? The answer is yes. I haven't been back to Michigan for Thanksgiving since I moved down here, so it will be my first "My Family Meal" since 2005. I am EXCITED. I mean no disrespect to The Cowboy or his people, but you know how Thanksgiving with anyone else's family just isn't quite the same. The food is always different. Not necessarily bad different, but different, and I look forward to eating familiar, wonderful, comforting food this year.

Because we're leaving in one week, I've been scrambling to get my Christmas shopping (for those in Michigan) done so I can bring it with me and save me an ass ton on shipping. Well, I haven't really been "scrambling", so much, as I've been loving every minute of it. It gave me an official excuse to get into the Christmas spirit. I try to show a normal amount of restraint when it comes to music, decorations and shopping, but my pending trip north allowed me to throw caution to the wind and dive nose first into Christmas Time. I'm a happy clam. Y'all know how I feel about Christmas.

It's Back!

Hey speaking of Christmas, look what's back on the store shelves!!

I love this stuff. I bought 3 2-liters today, only to get home and discover that one of them is diet. DAMMIT. Oh well, that will be the stuff I use to mix with the vodker. That way I won't taste it as much. Speaking of drinks....

Box-o-Wine

I was leery of the wine in a box concept. Perhaps because my only experience with it was Franzia White Zinfandel. And that shit is nasty. But recently, I was at my friend Christy's house (mom of BSP) and she offered me a glass of wine, which of course I accepted, and it was a glass from a box-o-wine. And it was good. And I was shocked. And then I was happy. And I was all, "Mmm this is good." And she was all "Yeah it's from a box." And I was all "Shut up!" And she was all "No, it's true". And then she showed me, and it was true. The end.

Target has their Wine Cubes on sale this week - $15.99. And there is the equivalent of 4 bottles in one box. For SIXTEEN DOLLARS. That is $4 a bottle. I did the maths, you can trust me. And it stays good in your fridge for up to 4 weeks (if it lasts that long, which it won't at my house and if you need any help polishing your box off, please let me know). Now, it's not the best quality wine I've ever had. But it sure as shit ain't the worst either. It falls somewhere right in the middle. For $16, I will take it. I am enjoying a glass right now as I type this.

There's my box-o-wine, nestled happily on the shelf in the fridge. What's that? You say that you see a six pack of beer, a bottle of champagne AND a bottle of vodka in the fridge? No, we do not have a problem. No, that orange juice was not purchased for the sole purpose of making mimosas. No, I do not need 12 steps. Let's move on.

Oranges!

The Cowboy bought some fruit trees this year. Apple, lemon, lime and orange. So far, we haven't produced any real quality fruit, but he tells me that it sometimes takes a full year for the trees to produce. However, when I took the dogs outside the other morning, I noticed this:

!!!!!! It looks almost ready to eat. Perhaps I'll cut it up and float it on top of my mimosas. I'm KIDDING. Geesh, lighten up.

Baby Hats

A girl I work with and her husband are adopting a little girl. The pick her up tomorrow, and we are having a baby shower for them at work on Monday. The little girl is 19 months old, and has Chromosome 18, which is a disorder I'm told is similar to Down Syndrome. She is the sweetest, cutest little thing (they've had her on weekends now for several months), and her name is Alyssa. I don't have any pictures, but if I get some I will post them. Natch, I made a hat for her.

And another for my friend Sarah's daughter, Elbow Macaroni.

I am loving these hats - they knit up in several hours and are so cute. Hats for everyone!

And the last Good Thing in my life right now is

This dog.

She is so sweet. To put it simply, I love her.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Maths

Time for some number crunching:

It's been 3 weeks since my last post, and I have been in 1 giant funk lately. You know, the kind of funk where you put on Iron & Wine and listen to it on repeat like 3,478 times.













I love me some I&W, but it's not exactly feel good music, you know?

I don't have any reason to be in the funk, I've been off work for 7 weeks, and have 3 more to go before I have to go back. I have 2 vacations coming up. Michigan next week, and Palo Duro Canyon the week after that. But you may have noticed that I've been noticeably absent from my blog. I've been doing plenty of reading, but 0 knitting this summer.

Needing to snap out of it, I've come up with a guaranteed mathematical equation that is fail proof and will work every time. Feel free to apply this formula to your own life, should you find that you need a little defunkifying. And you're welcome.

1 Girls Night Out with my friend Megan. Dinner, margaritas, a movie and numerous laughs. Works every time. (You'll need to find your own friend, though. Megan is not for rent.)




















2 viewings of The Hangover. Once was funny, twice was more funnier. If this movie doesn't make you laugh, probably you are dead inside and should go listen to your Iron & Wine and wallow in your tiny black hole and lay on your pile of dirty clothes.














3 books purchased. Hey, you all know my motto. It's "You can never have enough wine". That doesn't pertain to this, but I stand by it all the same. If I could have another motto, it would be something about buying books when you're down. I've really cut back on my book buying the past year or so, but sometimes desperate times call for desperate book buying.

3 viewings of Twilight in as many days. I might be slightly obsessed. But Lord help me, Edward cheers me up. One of these days I'm going to learn how to use PhotoShop (right after I finish that Time Machine, find the cure for Aids, and win the lottery) and figure out how to super impose my face over Kristen Stewart's. I would smile a lot more than she does too. I mean, hello? What on earth do you have to be so damn glum and gloomy about, Bella? Do you not see the fine specimen standing next to you? Show some respect.














1 baby calf (is that redundant?) fed. Hey, if feeding a baby farm animal doesn't cheer you up, I don't know what will. And ok, the truth is that I was terrified of the cow (whose name, coincidentally, is Bella), and spent most of my time feeding her backing away and crying for my mommy, but in the picture I look like I know what I'm doing, so that's the official story.















Also, do we like my new dress? Or do we think it makes me look slightly like a baby cow? Jury is still out.

1 FO! What? A FO? Yes! A FO! I actually knit for the first time all summer yesterday, and managed to finish this scarf. Never you mind that I started it 6 months ago and it was almost finished. Never you mind that it's garter stitch and required no thought whatsoever. Never you mind that it's 105 degrees outside and I have no need for a scarf. Small victories, ok? I'm taking them where I can get them. It felt so good to feel the yarn in my fingers again. I'd forgotten how therapeutic knitting can be.















Also, I'd like to formally apologize to DaisyMum, winner of my blogiversary contest, who has yet to receive her socks. I have no excuse for my laziness. The first sock is done, and the second one is the next project I'm going to CO for.

105 hugs given to Sam. This number is an approximation, as I was not keeping a tally. This dog is good for very few things. She eats trash, and spills her water all over the place, and chases the cats, not to mention eats the cat poop, and she barks in the middle of the night sometimes for no reason, and she licks the pillows on the bed so when we get in bed at night our pillows are soaking wet, and she smells, and she stands RIGHT BEHIND you when you're cooking to try and catch any spare bit of food that may go flying (even cabbage) causing you to step on her almost constantly, and she hogs the bed, and she leaves her toys everywhere so that you are always tripping or rolling over them, and she follows you into the bathroom so that you can't even get a moment of privacy to do your business. I'm telling you, this dog isn't winning any awards or contests. But, the one thing this dog is good for is squeezing, hugging, snuggling and kissing. She will curl up right on top of you, spooning up next to you and just lay there and let you pet her. It's one of the only times she is calm, and also one of the only times she's not getting on my last good nerve.















Don't let this picture fool you. She cute, but she naughty.

And finally, if all else should fail, I've got the piece de resistance (and if I knew how to type accents, that would have them, so please just imagine them there)....

7, the number of times I watched this video (no joke, I really watched it that many times), although it sufficiently cheered me up after only 1 viewing. If you haven't seen this video yet - what, do you live under a rock? - you should take the 5 minutes and watch it. It's awesome. It gave me chills and brought a happy tear to my eye.



That concludes my defunkifying formula, but I have some more numbers to throw atcha.
3 - number of blogs I have pre-written and floating around in my head. I will try to get them down and out sooner rather than later.
4 - number of days until I leave for Dallas for a few days to hang with my cousins before departing for Michigan.
6 - number of days until I see the "new" Harry Potter movie with my girl Chicken. It's been torture waiting this long, but I know it will all be worth it!
47 - my excitement level, on a scale of 1-10, about the movie.
19 - the number of pretzels I ate while composing this blog.


Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Freaky Friday

I know it's been awhile since I've blogged, and instead of offering you a million excuses about why, I will instead dazzle you with some scientific fact, which, I believe, will also inform you as to why I haven't been around.















It's too hot. TOO HOT. Here in central Texas we've been having a wee bit of a heat wave that started 3 weeks ago and hasn't let up. Temperatures have been in the 100s every single day. Yesterday it was 106. I am not making this up. It's fricking hot here. It's too hot to blog. It's too hot to breathe. It's too hot to do anything. Really.

This is the end of my third week of summer vacation. It hasn't been a total waste, though. I mean, I have kept busy.















I've been busy taking pictures of Sam.















That dog is ridiculous.




















And I even tried to get the dogs to wear my reading glasses long enough so I could snap a pic.






























The crazy times never end around here, let me tell you. Dog in glasses!! Whoo. What's next.

I must have been temporarily insane yesterday because I attempted to clean out the Cowboy's closet. The Cowboy and I, thank the Lord above, have separate closets. Mine is organized, tidy and neat (most of the time). The Cowboy's is the exact opposite. But worse. The Cowboy's looks like a land mine went off in there. It looks like North Korea dropped a bomb in there. It's just piles on top of piles on top of piles on top of mismatched shoes and socks and boxes and ammo and papers from 1997 and wires and broken hangers and a bottle of something suspicious looking that may have been wine 10 years ago but now who the hell knows.



















It's a mess.



















But, he wanted to find a particular t-shirt that he owns, because tomorrow we are driving to Houston to watch the Houston Astros play the Detroit Tigers (his team vs mine, in other words) and although he's got about 20 Astros shirts (and I know this because I found every last one of them in there yesterday), he had to have this particular shirt. And because I'm a nice girlfriend, and am bored out of my ever loving mind, I decided to tackle the closet and find that shirt.



















I've also been reading quite a bit because, obviously, that requires minimum movement, so I've knocked quite a few books off my summer reading list. And I've been working on my tan.



















Today is me and The Cowboy's Anniversary (hence, the reason for the trip to Houston) and he surprised me with flowers this morning - delivered to the house after he left for work.



















My favorite - Calla Lilies!

So I went to the Super Special Cupcake Store and bought these bad boys.















They are almost too pretty to eat, but I'm sure we'll find a way. S'mores, Strawberry Cheesecake and Toffee Chip. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

But I suppose the biggest news of the past 24 hours, what everyone is talking about, and what I wouldn't feel right about including, would be the death of a pop icon.


















Say what you will about him, and all jokes aside (and I've even heard some good ones about his death, not even 24 hours later), he was an amazing entertainer. At least back when he was in his hay day. Every little kid I knew growing up had the Thriller tape and idolized Michael Jackson. The man was not without his problems, who among us is, he just happened to be more in the spotlight than the rest of us. Well that, and perhaps he was a bit sick in the head. But that guy could sing and dance. And in his death I suppose we should focus on the good he did in the world, and the music that affected and shaped my childhood. Rest in peace, Michael.

Hope everyone has a great, not 105 degree weekend, and this includes me, but alas that will not be possible because we'll be in Houston where, if you can believe it, it's even HOTTER than Austin. I might melt! Go Tigers!

Blogiversary!!!

I am 10 days and 6 posts away from both my 1 year Blogiversary AND my 100th post. So I'm going to try and post 6 times in the next 10 days so that both will fall on the same day. I figure that will make for some awesome poetic justice (Ok, so I don't know what that means but I like the sound of it) AND a blog give-away. Since I promised more of those way back when and never delivered. Add it to the list.

Oh, and just so you aren't anxiously checking back in here every other day hoping for some sort of great mind blowing earth shattering knee slapping news, I did not say, nor do I promise that these next 6 posts will be interesting. Probably the opposite, in fact. So you've been warned.

But, in a blog to come tomorrow (because I'm too busy drinking wine right now to do it), I will update you on my knitting status and many projects, including the sweater I swore up, down and sideways I was going to have done by St. Patrick's Day. I know you won't want to miss that!

Ta for now, hope you all had a delightful Easter!

Gratuitous Cute Dog Shot.

Sam's face always looks like this when we take her in the car. We haven't quite figured out if she loves it or is terrified of it.

Despite Appearances....

Contrary to how it looks, I've gotten a lot done in the past week. Let's review.

House - decorated (inside anyway, The Cowboy is in charge of the exterior holiday illumination, a la Clark W. Griswold and he's been sick sick sick for over a week, the poor bastard)

Shopping - done (except for a few minor things for The Cowboy for his stocking and what not)

Gifts - wrapped

Tree - up

Cards - signed, sealed and stamped to be dropped in the mailbox tomorrow

Knitted Christmas Items - almost done (save one more that I'm just starting on for one of my cousins, but it will only take me 2 days, MAX)

Blog contest winners packages - mailed, delivered or scheduled delivery (I get to meet Lisatastrophies in person, yay!)

Yarn Swap from Ravelry package - delivered

(those bastards at the US Post Office who I and my friend Heather both hate very much got like $30 of my money today, which I parted with not easily)

Sometimes I ask myself how I do it all. And then I pat myself on the back. All that's left to do is bake cookies and make party mix and I am waiting until the second week of December for that, so now I'm just relaxing, reading (re-reading, actually, Eat, Pray, Love which if you haven't read it you should because it was so good that I'm reading it again. It soothes me), and knitting for pleasure. And drinking wine. Right now, I mean. Not all the time. Hehe, I wish. I could be so lucky.

Hey remember how I told you about those fancy shmancy Christmas decorations I used to make for my friends? Well I took some pictures. Sit down my friends, you're about to get your pants knocked off. I am so damn crafty.

The first year I made these little guys - Snowmen.

Then came the Angels (I KNOW!!!!).

And finally, Rudolph.

I stopped there, though I contemplated doing a Santa Claus, but did not. These little characters are between 3 and 4 inches tall and are among my favorite Christmas decorations. Mostly because I did them myself.

Speaking of things I did myself, I painted this Nativity. I bought the figures plain ceramic and painted them. Damn, I'm good.

I didn't make this, but someone did. Everyone in my family has one of these trees. Do you? I think they're old school. This one belonged to my late great aunt Betty (Betty Six Tooth, we used to call her, for reasons that I don't think need explanation). When she passed, it became mine and I love it. The Cowboy broke the tip off a few years ago and I about died. I was so overcome with grief. He glued it back on, but you can still see where it broke.

Here's our "real" tree. I put it up all by myself while The Cowboy laid his sick ass on the couch and told me where to put stuff. He's awfully bossy when he's sick. And oh. Those lights? Yeah, not my first choice. I prefer the white lights, but the Cowboy went all LED crazy on me last year and bought all new Christmas lights for both the inside and outside, so I have to use them for at least a few years and then I'll switch back and he'll never know.
Moose likes the tree.
I like snow globes.

Coincidentally, the dogs didn't help me one bit. They are so lazy!

But they're also really really cute.
Hope your holiday preparations are coming along as swimmingly as mine!!!