Good bye September...getting ready to welcome October

Progress on Family Sampler by LHN

Last night was a stay-at-home-night (aka "no hockey") so after fixing the boys a healthier meal for dinner, something that they don't - or can't - eat before a hard hockey practice (Robert enjoyed a scallop/shrimp/salmon cooked in peach salsa dish I make and Matthew enjoyed 3 boiled hot dogs...typical pre-hockey practice meal is a cheese pizza or mac-n-cheese), I was able to sit down and relax...and pick up Family Sampler to work on. I was able to finish up the tree in the middle. Tonight, while everyone is at the rink, I can move to another area and stitch - not sure which area that will be. I am antsy to stitch the house, so I might work my way up...

Well, here we are at the end of September already - tomorrow is the first of October. The boys have already been in school for a month and have brought home their first progress reports (both have straight A's...very exciting!). We get formal progress reports every month. I love this little tool, for the boys always know where they are grade-wise, what they are achieving and where they need to challenge themselves to improve. And since formal reports are sent home monthly, we have monthly celebrations...that is what is really fun :)

As I enter into the month of October, I see that our life will get busier. Next week is a trip to St. Louis where both boys have a hockey tournament. This should be a fun trip, for once again we are able to incorporate some family visiting with hockey. My mother and father are driving down from MN, an uncle and aunt are coming in from CO, and another uncle is coming from NC with my 92 year old grandmother from SC. My mother's family is from St. Louis, MO...and my grandfather was buried in St. Louis when he passed away 2 years ago. My grandmother likes to try and get back to St. Louis to visit the cemetery, as well as many friends she still have there. Well, when they all heard that both boys had a hockey tournament in St. Louis, they all decided to schedule the trip during that same weekend. I will definitely have my camera with me, for it isn't too many young hockey players who get to brag about having their 92 year old great-grandmother watch them play in a tournament :)

After we get back from that tournament, Robert will have another tournament weekend toward the end of October...but at least it is here in town!

October will also be busy as DH and I are getting ready to be business owners. A couple weeks ago we put an offer on a business which was for sale and the owner accepted. We are in the process of doing all the work it takes before signing all the closing papers. After everything is signed and complete, I will be able to let you know what we got ourselves into...it is exciting!

Even though the arrival of October brings with it thoughts of the holidays and the end of the year - all the busy activities we are scheduled to participate in bring happiness and excitiment...as well as work and planning. But all good things!

I hope that you see much happiness and enjoyment in the month(s) to come!

Take care and...take a deep breath, decide to enjoy life

and cross a few X's!

 Lisa

Wacky Weather....and some show-n-tell

Is Mother Nature playing tricks on us?
While the calendar gave us a "heads up" that Autumn has begun...Micheals and Jo-Ann craft stores have been filling their aisles with crafty fall projects, Halloween decorations and a sprinkling of holiday decor...I am not sure that we in Northern California know what time of the year it is.

During the summer - from the months of June until mid-September - our average temp must have been between 75 to 80. Which for us in this part of NorCal is very cool (typical summer temps for where we live is mid to upper 90s with several days of 100-112). Our summer was so cool in fact, that we turned off the air conditioning and lived with with windows open from mid-July until recently (gotta love those low energy bills!). Well, we have been experiencing some record breaking temps here lately...99 degrees Saturday and Sunday, 100 yesterday and they are predicting another 100+ degree day.

What is very funny is how everyone reacts to the strange temps........

• Last spring, just as summer was approaching, everyone was walking around making the comment: "I am looking forward to the summer, but I don't care too much for those hot temperature."
• During our cool summer, you heard comments like: "man, it is cold. Where is our summer?"
• As autum has arrived, again the complaint are noted: "wow, it is hotter than hell out here, this is miserable! When is it going to get cooler?"

Boy we are just never satisfied, are we? Guess we better just not complain and whine or we will get what we wish for...remember, you can't fool with Mother Nature :)

Another Package in the mail...
Blogging has shrunk the world for me. It has allowed me to come in contact with so many wonderful people all over the world - many because of our common interest of needlework; some because of our role as a mother and our shared experience of raising kids; others because of a place that we visited or planning to visit; a few because of a life experience and the need for support...there are so many reasons why we follow eachother's lives and feel apart of them.

Just recently I have had some communication with some fellow hockey moms - one in particular who commented on one of my posts was Julie. After a few emails back and forth, we gave the USPS a little business as we did a little swapping of some hockey trading pins for the kids (something that is a collectable in many youth hockey tournaments). Yesterday I received this package from her:

Inside the package was 2 hockey trading pins and a hockey puck with her player's team logo on it (my boys were excited to receive these - Robert not only collects the pins, but also has a shelve of logo'd pucks...and Matthew was equally excited to add this pin to his pin collection, too!)...and there were also a few goodies for me. First is Mill Hill Autumn Harvest III: "Trick or Treat" Counted Glass Bead Kit (despite the temps, I know that Halloween is getting closer - so this will be a fun project and decoration!). Second is a beautiful scissor fob which has a wonderful sunflower on the end. I love it! This is my first beaded scissor fob...which of course I put on my scissors immediately...before packing up my stitching for my night at the hockey rink :)

And what am I stitching now-a-days?

Over the weekend I finished stitching the last ornament for the ornament swap and decided that I would start my new project before doing the finishing work on the ornament. What is my new start? It is The Family Sampler by LHN:

I purchased the pattern from http://www.123stitch.com/ as soon as it was released (the beginning of September), pulled together all the DMC and CC it called for and purchased the fabric at Stitchville USA while I was in Minnesota a couple of weekends ago. So, while at the hockey rink last night (from 7:00pm until 9pm) - here is what I got done...

The fabric I am stitching on is LL Vintage Strawflower 36ct, which is very nice fabric to stitch this. I started in the middle...where do you start your bigger projects?

Well, my blogging friends, it is time for me to sign off. I hope that you all are having a nice start to your week - whether it is the first week of autumn or not :) Take care and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa

And then there were 4...

Yesterday the mail person left a package in my mail box...it was the 4th ornament sent as part of the ornament swap group. This beautiful one is from Lori. She stitched this Santa & Reindeer from The Prairie Schooler's Santa and Snowmen Booklet. She used the called for DMC threads, except for the cuff of Santa's coat and the bands of his hat...for those areas Lori used Whisper 88, which seemed to have a fuzzy appearance. It was stitched on 32ct Joblean. Isn't it cute? I love it...my Christmas tree is going to look so nice with all these new, handmade-with-love ornaments. How exciting!

Well, it is Saturday - DH and Robert are at the rink this morning for a practice...Matthew and I are at home. I am fighting a cold & cough, which hit me as soon as I got back from Minnesota. Hopefully it goes away soon, for I don't like feeling run down like this.

Not much else to share with you today, but wanted to make sure that I showed you the beautiful ornament! Hope your weekend is going well...take care and remember:

Life, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

The 3rd ornament arrives

Yesterday, when I got home from work I found a package in my mailbox from Australia...it was another ornament from the Ornament Swap. Excitedly I hurried inside the house to rip open the package...

Inside I found a beautiful ornament from Lisa V.

She stitched a little snowman from the "Let it Snow" chart by JBW Design - using DMC thread and "heaps of beads" :) That is a quote from her card. :)

With the gold ribbon, the little gold ribbon button and the maroon/gold design fabric - it looks so rich and regal. I love it! Thank you Lisa.

I do find it interesting that it took only 6 days to travel half way around the world...but it took Angela's ornament 16 to come from Canada...Go Figure!?!?

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Well, I think that I finally got caught up on all the minor household things that needed to be done - catching up from being gone over the weekend. You know the tasks: grocery store, laundry, washing and hanging the hockey jerseys, making sure that the "game-day" dress clothes (button down shirt, tie and dress pants) were spot-free, checking the hockey skates for nicks on the blades, etc.

And I think that Robert (older son) and Matthew (younger son) feel like they have caught up from being absent from school on Thursday and Friday. Both sets of teachers were very supportive of the boys' extracurricular sport and the travel, for the gave the assignements that both would miss last week. Each were able to complete the assignments either before they boarded the plane(s) or while away - bottomline, when the arrived at school on Monday morning from their long hockey weekend they were able to turn in all their work and were ready to start in to the new school week. Perfect!

I am still working on Angela's ornament for the Ornament Swap...hoping to be done by the end of September (the mail date for her ornament isn't until the end of November), before life gets too complicated with hockey travel and practice, school, the upcoming holidays and life in general.

Well, time to say good bye for now. Hope you have a wonderful day.

Remember:

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often

Lisa

Home - and a quick weekend review

Yawn....yawn again. We are home - got in late last night, around 10:30pm and home around 11-ish. Up early this morning to get Robert (older son) up and around so that he can put the finishing touches on some homework before leaving for school.

Last night we flew from Minnesota to Chicago, where we had to change planes before getting back to California. In Chicago, we met up with Matthew and my DH who were in Cleveland over the weekend for his hockey games...so the whole family flew back together from Chicago to California. It is very rare for all of us to be on an airplane together :)


A Weekend Recap...
It was a very nice weekend, especially when you can combine hockey and visiting with family. At Robert's game on Saturday evening, he had his very own cheering section. My mother, 2 sisters, a brother-in-law and niece/nephew came to watch the game. The game wasn't very exciting, as Robert's team won 11-0, but my niece (who is 8) and nephew (who is 4) thought it was pretty cool that their cousin Robert was playing Hockey.

When they arrived at the rink, I took niece/nephew down to the locker room where Robert and his teammates were standing outside near the hockey boards watching another team finish their game.

Holding Nephew on my hip, we walked up behind Robert - I said to nephew, "this is Robert".

Nephew tapped Robert, who turned around, and then yelled, "ROBERT!" and leaned over to give him a hug.

Well, if you can imagine...here is a little 4 year old excited to see his cousin who is all dressed in his hockey uniform surrounded by all his teammates (all 14 years old) - well, Robert smiled from ear to ear to see his little cousin, but a slight shade of red embarrassment grew too. It was too cute. My nephew was wearing his Sharks jersey, which we sent him last year - which he had to point out to Robert, "Look Robert, I am wearing my Sharks jersey too, just like you!"

So that we didn't embarrass Robert too much more before the game, I took the kids back up stairs to wait for the beginning of the game. Like I mentioned, Robert's team won - but it was one of those kinds of lopsided games where it just isn't too exciting.

After the game was over, I took Niece and Nephew to the rink door where Robert and his team came off the ice, marching to the locker room. As the team came out, both Niece and Nephew got to do the "knuckle bump"  with each of Robert's teammates (they were very nice to the kids) and congratulate them on their victory. And as soon as Robert was dressed, his little admires stopped him before he got into the team van...

Robert "attacked" by his groupies :)

"Hey, Robert, will you sign your autograph?"

As Robert exited the rink, he was greeted by his groupies with a loud cheer and then was asked for his autograph (Nephew wanted Robert to autograph is a hockey card of Robert which was from last year).

It was a great weekend. Robert's team won 3 games - lost 2...and as mentioned before, it is fun to combine our hockey travels with family visits! It is also great when it is near your mother/father's house so that you can grab some delicious home cooking :)

Well, got to check in to see what the homework status is on this early Monday morning before getting myself around for work, too.

Until next time, remember:

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

Update from Minnesota

Hello sport fans...or maybe stitching fans :)
I am sitting in the hotel's computer room waiting for the exact time that I can check into my Southwest flight home and print out my boarding passes for tomorrow. We are having a nice time in MN - fun to combine a hockey trip with family visiting (if we couldn't it would be hard to see family with all the hockey travel we will have this year).

Robert (older son) and his hockey team have lost 2 games and won 1. The one they won, which was last night, Robert scored 2 goals (the final score was 2-2...but they won in the overtime shoot out). It definitely was a very fun and exciting game to watch and be at (yes, I was a proud hockey mom). Yesterday they had 2 games - a morning and a late evening. In between the games, I jumped in my car and took off for a visit to Stitchville USA. I love that shop as I use to visit there quite often when I lived here. They have everything...and more. I got some nice fabric for The Family Sampler by LNH - so now I am offically ready to start that when I get through with the Christmas ornament. It is nice to be able to combine a hockey tournament and a visit to a needlework shop...isn't it :)

Today, Robert's team only had one game and it isn't until 8:15 tonight. So after he participated in the team stretch and warmups, he and I got into the car and drove down to my parents' house. We had an opportunity to visit as well as get a good homecooked meal...and Robert worked on a little of his homework.


Well, just one more minute and I can check in...hope everyone is doing well...until next time - Lisa

I'm a Chillin' Out

Well, on one hand I am literally Chillin' Out here at home spinning on my stationary bike this evening and catching up on my blogging...I am, also, Chillin' Out as the weather here has been in the low to mid-70s during the day and the mid-50s at night - the perfect weather for keeping the windows open! And, when it is time to decorate the Christmas tree, it too will be Chillin' Out when it is adorned in this...

This cute ornament travelled all the way from Canada and Angela P's and took only 16 days to arrive (yikes!). I know that she was stressing out about it, but for me it was well worth the wait. Isn't it adorable?

For the Ornament Swap, Angela asked all of us to submit what our favorite designers were and what we liked & disliked regarding ornaments. My answer? I wanted everyone in the group to stitch something that represented them. According to the card, Angela said:

This is my favorite Lizzie Kate Snowman, it is very "me"

L*K Tiny Tidings IX
32ct Bone Lugana - Floss as charted

Thank you Angela, I love it!

Receiving that in the mail got my week off to a good start...although, if weeks start on Sunday then it was already off to a good start because Sunday afternoon I met up with Valerie and Brandy at Needle in a Haystack. We shopped a little, stitched a little and chatted...much :) It was a nice way to spend the afternoon. But now I am ready to kick myself...for yesterday I was gathering my stitching things in preparation for my upcoming trip to Minnesota for hockey tournament. I was kitting up Family Sampler by LHN and couldn't find any fabric that was the correct size. Ugh, and I was just at NiaH! Well, maybe while I am in Minnesota, I will make a trip out to Stitchville USA.

Well, it is time to put a close to this post, so stay well and be happy and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

Mailperson's Saturday visit was exciting

Yesterday the trip to the mailbox proved to be more exciting that normally (normal = advertisements and bills)...first, the Just CrossStitch Ornament Edition finally arrived!

I have been drooling over the fact that so many of you in blogland had theirs (whether you got it as a subscriber or just purchased at your LNS). As a subscriber of JCS magazine, I was getting a little worried about the whereabouts of my ornament edition...I even emailed them to make sure that my subscription was up-to-date; whether my ornament edition was on it's way or if I was safe to go out and purchase one. Well, while I only received their candid email response (thank you for contacting JCS, a representative will email your with an answer shortly...do not reply to this email) - I was glad that it showed up when it did!

If you have received this, what are your thoughts? I love it...I like the fact that the patterns show up right after the group display of the ornaments...I like that the patterns, thread color key and finishing instructions is legible and all the other comments and stories are in a smaller font (might be a little harder to read due to the size - they are wonderful quotes and Christmas memories from the designers and enjoyable reads - I am glad that they are included, but they just not the main focus) and thought it was really nice that the special recipes from the designers were grouped together in the back. And all the designs, well, there are so many that I would love to stitch! Maybe we should continue with the Ornament swap group...

Speaking of the Ornament Swap group...I received my first ornament:

It was received from Daffycat (aka Sharon)...Little House Needlework's Pear Tree - #2 in the ornament series. It is gorgeous. Here, let's take a closer look...

It looks like Sharon used the "called for" thread colors and Mill Hill beads...however, she was very sneaky :)

Look at the "l" and the "s" - looks like there has been a little color change there?

Could it be a "L" for Lisa and a "S" for Sharon?

I love it! Thank you very much Sharon!

Well, that is all the excitement for right now. DH and Robert (older son) are down at the rink for a hockey practice and off-ice fitness. As soon as they get come, I will be heading out the door to meet some stitching friends at NiaH (Needle in a Haystack) for some stitching, chatting and maybe just a little stash shopping.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend - remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

So, here we are - the weekend

The weekend officially started for me yesterday as I took off my normal "Friday-day-off"...from work that is, for I used it to catch up on my house work. And boy did it need it - for I really didn't get everything done. But I did focus on the main parts - bathrooms, kitchen and dusting/straightening up the boys' rooms (lots of dust bunnies hanging out and multiplying on their trophy shelves...and they weren't playing hockey...lol).

This morning Robert's team practice has been made into an exhibition game versus the Chinese National Hockey Team who has been in town for several weeks. The Sharks Club has some sort of relationship with this team and has invited them here for a while. I don't know a whole lot about this team, but looking forward to watching the game...well, I will try to watch the game as I will also be attending the club's Hockey Council Meeting (aka board meeting).

Well, today is Sept. 11 and as many of you, thoughts will turn to the tragedy that happened 9 years ago today.

Take care my friends and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

Back to the weekly routine

Well, our 4 day holiday weekend (boys had school off on Friday and I don't work on Fridays) really wasn't one for resting up - for around here:

HOLIDAY = HOCKEY

However, in between the games or when I stayed back with one of the boys as they slept in before their game, I did get some stitching done. Unfortunately it is for the Ornament Swap I am part of (working on Angela's ornament), so I cannot show it to you right now. Technically September is my month to receive the lovely ornaments from the other members, so I don't really have to be stitching it right now...as Angela's ornaments don't have to be sent out until the end of November. But I thought I would get a start on it because this time of the year tends to go by pretty quick - also I just needed a little break from Mary Wigham.

School in the day time, hockey in the evening and homework until the late hours of the night seem to be our routine right now. At least the practice schedule for both boys seem to be settling into a pattern which helps them with their time management skills - planning ahead. Which is really good because the school projects are starting up already. Matthew has to do a report on the 7 wonders (pictures, a paragraph for each wonder, cover sheet and bibliography) and Robert has to create a geometry photo album. I am hoping that I can get the boys to get some parts of their projects done over this coming weekend because the first travel tournaments are coming up the weekend of September 17 (plane ride = stitching time...yahoo!).

Well, I thought I would just check in this morning. Hope everyone out there is doing well!
Take care and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch (when you can) often!

Lisa

Hockey, hockey, hockey, hockey...

Do you play hockey? Well, I know that many of you stitch as I do, but this weekend in my household was a typical Labor Day weekend...filled with hockey as both Robert's (older son) team and Matthew's (younger son) team were participating in the Labor Day hockey tournament here in town. With 2-3 games a day, starting on Friday, we have been back and forth to the rink, putting lots of miles on the cars. But, what else would we do on a holiday weekend? :)

As part of the requirements this year, both boys have to arrive at the rink in "Game Day" dress code, which consists of shirt, tie, dress pants and dress shoes. It does make for handsome young men :) 

Well, it might have been a stretch to ask them to show a little brotherly love, but I know that they respect and support eachother!

Matthew's team was challenged this weekend, for they lost all 4 of their games. We were hoping that the score would have been a little closer versus the losses of 0-6 or 10-2, etc. This team is a young PeeWee team which the coach is taking under his wing and trying to develop them this year, making them more competitive as the year goes on and ready for next year. I just hope that all the families understand this...that they don't give up so soon into the season...that they don't speak negatively about the coach and the team at home around their player. It is situations like this where I want to yell:

Hockey parents...you knew what this year was going to be about and, yet you signed up for it - committeed to it. Your kids learn from you - your attitude and your mannerisms. Teach them to work hard for what they want, for no one on this team is a hockey star; everyone needs to work hard to continue their development and achieve their goal...mommy & daddy cannot buy it!

Unfortunately I cannot scream that out loud to anyone. Just hope that the parents do the right thing for their kid and, more importantly, for the TEAM.

Robert's team made it into the semi-finals which is close to starting (DH and Robert went down for the 7:15am game - leaving here at 5:30am - and I am at home with Matthew, who wanted to sleep in). His team, lost their first game, tied their second game and won their third...which was stopped in the middle of the 3rd period because both goalies on the opposing team didn't have goalie masks that complied with the new USA Hockey policy. The game was a mess - between stopping and starting the play, a little bit of fighting amongst the players. Well, anyway...they are in the semis.

So, with that my stitching friends, I will have to sign off with the traditional chocolate milk shakes that occur after dinner...

Take care and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

Money and Laughter

We all know that times are tough out there and we all look for ways to cut spending and tighten the belt. In our household we tend to spend money on food (mainly at the grocery store with only a few meals out), on the boys' hockey sport (the club dues, the travel associated with tier travel), the household stuff (mortgage, gas for the cars, utilities, phone, cable) and health care (all out of pocket while DH is looking for a job).

We have been lucky with our weather temps here, for they have been cool enough to turn off the AC and open the windows for the majority of the summer (except for a few days here and there when the temps did reach 100), which has cut our energy bill in 1/2 if not more.

As stated above, we don't go out to eat much except on special occasions and have been trying to plan out meals at home so that we can shop the grocery store wisely.

But lately there are things we have done that have made us laugh so much it hurt...

First...Alarm Clocks

Did you know that if you turn on the alarm of your alarm clock, it takes more energy for that little thing to make a noise at a certain time???

And, if, you press "snooze", it takes even more energy for that little appliance to count to 10 minutes and then start the alarm again??? Can you imagine how much energy you are paying for if you press the "snooze" again???

Well, Robert (older son) came up with a better way to make sure that he was woken up at 6am on Tuesday morning...

He took several index cards and wrote:

"Wake me up at 6:00am"

and staged them in several key places that I would see when I got up in the morning (my morning routine is to get up around 4:15-4:30am and get on my stationary bike so that I can get my exercise in before the day really starts). One was set on the book easel on the stationary bike that I set the laptop on while I ride. Seeing the "wake up call request" at this location is somewhat a sure thing, as long as I get my butt out of bed and on the bike before the required wake up call. Robert was lucky this day that his notice was seen, for there has been some mornings I haven't been able to get out of bed for my early morning exercise...however he must of thought about that, for all day long I found white index cards all over the house, which just made me laugh all day long. There was one by my bed (hoping that I would see it when I woke up), one on the laundry pile outside our bedroom (hoping that it would get noticed when I walked out of my room)...well, I guess he was lucky that I got out of bed before 6am to see those notices.

And as far as a "snooze" button...when your mother wakes you up - throws off the covers and turns on the light so it shines on your face - you better wake up because you don't want to find out what mother's "snooze" button is :)

Second...Hair Cuts
Having all boys/men in the household, getting their hair cut is pretty easy. You walk-in to the nearest Great Clips, sit in their chair and when asked how you want their hair cut, you point to the picture of the boys with a very short shaved cut, saying "that one". The $15 hair cut consist of the person taking out their razor, attaching either the no. 2 or no. 3 measuring attachment and "zzzzziiiippping" the hair off on the floor. In 5 minutes, they hop off the seat with a shaved cut and your wallet is $15 + $2 tip lighter.

Three guys in the household equals $51 a month or $612 a year in grooming expenses. So what is the solution...get your own WAHL hair cutting kit and start grooming your boys/men at home.

Well, we have seen informertials about the WAHL clipper and have thought about this very thing. One day as the whole family was tooling around our local Target store, we see one of these kits for $21. And, laughing uncontrollably in the middle of the aisle, we decide that we would invest in this and cut out the need for visits to Great Clips.

I, being the creative one in the household, was designated the barber and my first guineapig  customer was DH (let's say that the "D" stands for daring in this story...lol)- and last night was the night for his new do. It took awhile to get the right attachement figured out for the desired lenghth of his cut, but once that was determined, off it went. Soon, there were little piles of "salt and pepper" hair on the patio (we were outside, best to have hair out there than in the house). The boys and I couldn't stop laughing at the thought that we were actually doing hair cuts at home. After a little cutting was done, he would have to run into the house to check himself out in the mirror - then he would come back out, sit in the chair giving me directions on what what was still too long, what needed to be cut more and what needed to be blended so that it didn't look lopsided. We did have a good time doing this and in the end, it didn't look too bad - confident that we can say that it looked better than what he has been getting at our local GC.

So, after his cut was complete, I did a little trimming of Roberts...so we probably just paid for that appliance in just one evening.

Well, turning off the AC - eating only at home - not using the alarm clock (lol, Robert just doesn't like the noise of the clock) - cutting our own hair...may not really save us a lot of money but what we do save -

we can laugh all the way to the bank with :)

Hope everyone is having a good day...remember:

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

BTW...I haven't gotten my hair cut in a long time for I am growing it out. However, I have been trimming my own bangs to save money :)...I am not sure that I would let any of my boys/men cut my hair...

The mailperson was my best friend yesterday as she delivered my Family Sampler pattern by LHN yesterday which I ordered from http://www.123stitch.com/. Once I read about this on FB as well as a few other blogs, I knew that I needed to have this and stitch it up. I have thought about doing something like this - to capture our family and have something special to hang on the wall - something stitched by me. I love the colors of this LHN pattern and the ability to customize it with no only your name and initial, but the make up of your family. It calls for CC thread as well as DMC. I probably have all the DMC, but will need to get the CC...and then just determine when to start.

The only stitching project that has a deadline right now is an ornament for the Ornament Swap group - last person is Angela, the moderator of the group - and the deadline for that is in November. I have actually picked out the pattern of her ornament and have started it. I have been trading off between the ornament and stitching on MW the last few days (when I find time to sit my butt down). So, I might get her ornament done early or at least finish it before I start a new project. That will also give me time to make sure that I have the "right" fabric and all the thread for the Family Sampler.

Last night both boys had hockey practice. I actually went down early with Robert (older son) for he had off-ice training before his ice time started; and then DH came down a little later with Matthew (younger son). It looks like this year is going to be a little challenging for Robert when it comes to hockey and school - especially when it comes to getting to bed at a decent time on the school nights when he had hockey practice. As per what we experinenced last night and last Thursday night...he gets home from school around 3:15pm, starts a little homework while eating a light meal, leaves the house around 4:15-4:30pm in order to arrive at the rink for off-ice fitness at 5:15pm which last an hour; then is hockey practice on ice for an hour and a half. That means getting back home around 9pm or so - to shower and start/finish the rest of his homework. Last night we all went to bed while he was finishing - at 12:45am this morning I got up and found him still sitting at his desk working on his English. I told Robert to finish what he could by 1am and get in bed so that he could get some sleep. When I got up to ride the stationary bike at 4:30am, I found a note on the bike to wake him up at 6am so that he could finish (which is in 15 minutes). Poor kid. At least he doesn't have practice again until Thursday, which is the day before a 4 day weekend.

Today is the last day of August. I keep watching the countdown box on the upper left hand side of my blog as it counts down to my 2nd blog-o-versary. This falls around the Thanksgiving holiday time - so as the numbers get smaller that means that Thanksgiving and the holidays are getting closer. Anyone know how to slow down time? :)

Take care everyone and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa

A hockeymom's day

"Yep...we are getting back into it, eh?" As Cole, another hockeymom, commented on my last post yesterday (I added the word "eh"). Yep...School...Hockey....Hockey...School...Hockey, again...it has begun :) And when we aren't at the rink, for the kids might actually have a day/evening without practice, there is always the drills - shooting, puck handling - that take place in the garage.

Matthew working on his stick handling skills while balancing on a board
(board is held up by 2 hockey pucks stacked up on eachother)

Yesterday, while Robert (older son) and DH were at the 3-on-3 hockey jamboree/tournament, Matthew and I were at home. After getting some of the basic household errands accomplished, we then had time to go out into the garage to work on his hockey skills. Normally this has been the kind of thing that DH did with the boys every morning during the summer; while I was at work. So, this was my first time working with Matthew and I had to pass him the puck for one of the drills, so that he could shoot it into the net.  I was told that I did a pretty good job at passing...well...that is after Matthew gave me a lesson on "how to pass the puck without slapping it".

Like they say, "you learn something new every day" :)

Well, after the choas at the rink yesterday, with Robert's 3-on-3 team registration not getting submitted, the rink adminstration handled it wonderfully and the boys were able to play 5 (30 minute) scrimmages. And I think that they had a good time, but it did make for a long day - they left at 7:30am and didn't get home until 5pm.

In between the household errands, helping with Matthew's hockey garage workout, I did manage to sit down for a while and put some stitches into Mary Wigham yesterday. I am just about done with another little motif and will probably be able to post a photo of it soon.

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend! Remember...
Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa

The end of the week

A Look Back at last week...

The first week of school is in the books and both boys had a good week getting use to their new schools and schedules.

Matthew (younger son) not only mastered his school locker combination, but also got use to having a PE locker too...and is able to remember 2 locker combos.

I, too, am getting use to my "new" schedule of taking Robert (older son) to high school before 8am and then going into work, where I have increased my hours to 20/wk.

Tuesday and Wednesday the temps were hovering 105 degrees outside, thus causing us to close windows and turn on the AC.

Thursday and Friday, Mother Nature decided to roll in the fog bank again and turn on nature's AC - with temps back in the 70s our windows have been thrown open and our AC is off.

Hockey practice schedules have seem to be settling on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday for Matthew...and Monday, Thursday and the weekend for Robert...which makes it easy to start scheduling life for the family and the boys can manage their homework.

I pulled out Mary Wigham a couple of times, but haven't made any more progress than what I posted earlier in the week.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Now the weekend is here and seemed to have started off with some chaos...I registered Robert and a few of his hockey friends for a little 3-on-3 hockey tournament (something that we have done over the last 5 years - it is not part of the hockey season, just a fun event that the rink does 2x a year). Well, long-story-short, the team didn't get registered. However because the schedule had another team listed with the same team-name, we made the assumption that Robert's team was registered. Well, at 9am, when Robert's team should have been out on the ice another team was out there - yikes - with me here at home and DH down there handling everything, he did track down the people who were handling the tournament so it sounds like they were able to put some games together for the boys to play. But, OMG, do I feel foolish.

Typically, when I register for something like this, I email the registration applications to the people handling the tournament and follow up with an email. But with the start of school, work and other family things going on this week I forgot to follow up to make sure that we were registered, but when I pulled up the schedule on Thursday, I saw that the team-name was listed - so I assumed that everything we "ok". Well, I guess I should never assume for I can make an A$$ out of U and ME, or at least me :( Oh, well it sounds like they got some games, but I just feel foolish that it happend.

That is really the only event that we have going this weekend, aside from Robert's hockey team practice tomorrow. So, for the most part it will just be a quiet weekend at home.

Hope your day is going well and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa

Stitching, stash, school and sweltering heat

Here is a status photo of where my Mary Wigham is. I have been working on the motifs on the right hand side: the ones stitched in Berry Cobbler (pink) and Picnic Basket (brown). Here is a closer photo of that area:

It is still a very enjoyable stitch, so when I do find time and sit my "bahooki" (aka bottom) down it is a lot of fun.

I also did a little stash shopping, purchasing the "September/October" monthly sampler from LHN as well as the new "Family Sampler" which just came out...unfortunately it is on back order, but since it is not something that I am going to start immediately I can wait.

So that is all the stitching news right now. Other topics - the boys started school today. Both were very excited to start the new school year and their new schools (Matthew in middle school and Robert in high school). However, both came home and said the day was fun, yet boring. For the first day of school means each class they had went over the rules...Bo-o-o-ringggg! Nevertheless, after listening to them talk about their first day experiences, they do so with much excitement.

Robert's new experience is having classes with all age groups - 9th through 12th and having some of the boys have beards and/or mustaches.

Well, as I predicted as soon as school started - summer decided to rare it's ugly head. All summer long we have experienced temperatures in the mid-70s to mid-80s. Typically our summers are well into the 90s and 100s as we live in a valley east of San Fran. With the lower temps, we have actually been living without AC and open windows. That is until last night. Yesterday the temps were in the high 90s - today it was in the low 100s (current temp at 6:45pm is 104 degrees). And once those temps go up, the fire alerts are issued. In fact, we actually have a fire going on about 20 miles or so north of us. I believe they said that it has already burned over 150 acres. There is no threat to us here (so, please no worrying) and there are no structures in danger - just a lot of wooded areas as it is a regional park.

Stitching...stash...school...sweltering heat...I think that is all the news right now.

Hope everyone is doing well - remember:

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

Attacking life with a positive attitude

Dear blogging friends - your comments and support over whelm me each and every time. As I have mentioned several times since I have started blogging, I find typing words and posting thoughts a wonderful way of journalling for me. Not all of my posts get comments, not all of my posts are about stitching, not all of my posts are interesting...but they are a representation of me. My last post was a journal of all that I have accomplished to get the school year and hockey season organized in my house hold. The comments I received were so apprecitated as you all acknowledge the hard work, effort and time it takes to juggle family, work, personal time and life in general. Yes life is busy and it does seem amazing when I do find time to sit and stitch or even go to the bathroom :) But while it is busy - the word I like to use is: FULL. My life is FULL...of activity, of support, of love, of life, of laughter...and I truely believe that as long as I can attack it with a positive attitude, all can be accomplished.

Speaking of accomplishments...yesterday I sat and read a lot after getting home from work. I have been reading the Sweet Magnolia series by Sherryl Woods. During the summer she came out with 3 new books in the series, which I requested from our local library...and when they are on the "hold" shelf I get an email to go check them out. Well, long story - short...one of the books was over due and I was only 1/2 through it; and because it has a request on it I couldn't renew it...so I spent most of the afternoon laying in bed reading - something that I haven't done in a long time. But the good news is, I did finish it and can take it back today and clear up my library account :) With that book complete, I am moving onto the next in the series: "Sweet Tea at Sunrise"...which I also have to finish quickly because I just checked out "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. I requested "The Help" 3 months ago and it finally got to the "hold" shelf for me to pick up. I have it only 3 weeks...so I need to get reading.

So on that note...I will sign off and get in a little reading while I am on the stationary bike this morning. Hopefully I will make a lot of headway so I can get in a little stitching today too.

Take care you all, and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often

(unless you have library books that are almost over due)

Lisa

I am feeling like I can just about breathe :)

Well, the last few days has been used to try and get things organized for the upcoming school year and the new hockey season. Yesterday we were able to get both the boys registered for their respective schools and, now, with that accomplished I am the proud mother of a new Middle Schooler (6th grade) and a new High Schooler (9th grade). Hard to believe that I have entered into a new phase of life where I have no child in elementary school.

School...
Registration day for both went very smoothly and quickly. It has always sounded strange to me, when I moved to California, that I had to go to the schools and "register" the boys before school started. It is a day when you have to turn in all the emerencey forms, health forms, signed acknowledgments that you are aware of the attendence policies, etc. And then of cource there is the payments you need to do for the PE clothings, the spirit wear, the year books, donations for the school, donations for the school district, donations for the science tools, etc. So filled out forms and money were the items to turn in and then once that is done, you go to the last station in the gym and get the thing you have been wanting all a long - the "reward" of the child's schedule (the dangling carrot). And as soon as the schedule is in your hands, the child snatches it only to post their schedule on their facebook account as well as txt all their friends to see who is in their classes. It definitely is an interesting world we live in.

With school basically set and each boy has some basic school supplies to get them through the first couple of days (I don't buy everything off the school supply list anymore - too expensive - I just buy what they need for their own classes) the excitement for the first day is growing.

Quick story regarding prepping Matthew for Middle school

On the printout of his schedule is his locker number and combination. Having a locker is a new thing for him and of course he was excited to see where it was and open it up before we went home to share his school schedule with DH and Robert. So we found his locker and he starts to work the combination;

"Turn combo 2x to the right until you get to #, then turn to left pass the first # until you get to the next #, then turn right to the last #"

Well, after a few tries, he gets it and has already memorized it. However, as we are walking away from the lockers, he says:

"Mom, I think the hardest thing about Middle School will be the locker combo especially when you can't remember your right from your left."

Hockey...

In addition to all the prepping for school registration, I have been working on all the hockey stuff. As I probably posted, I have volunteered again to be the team manager of Robert's team - which consist of organizing the team travel tasks (hotel, team vans, submitting rosters, etc). It always takes a few weeks to get things organized and figured out for the new season, especially working with a different coach (I have found that each coach has their own way of working with the team manager as well has having their own level of communication with the parents of the players...so I am getting use to this year's coach's style). But I think that I have the first travel tournament all coordinated and will be ready to work on the next one when more information comes out.

Both Robert (older) and Matthew (younger) have their first couple practices under their helmet and are excited about the upcoming year.

Stitching and "me" things...

While school and hockey prep are the things that have basically 'taken over' my life for the last few days, I have also been running/jogging with my older son. We started running together in the mornings in mid-July after hockey tryouts, for he wanted to keep in shape during the "down time" before the season started up. Now I have mainly been a biker - my road bike unfortunately hasn't seen the light of day for a year, but I get up and spin on a stationary bike in the morning for an hour or two before the house gets up. Robert and I started out jogging/running about 3.5 miles and then have increased it to 4-5 miles depending on how much time we had in the mornings, before he or I needed to be somewhere. We have done a couple of 9-9.5 miles runs...which we did yesterday. It has been really a treat to do this, not only for my own self fitness, but to have this time with Robert. And even though his "old mother" slows down his pace, he thinks it is pretty cool that he has a hockeymom willing to do this with him :)

So with all that going on, it has been difficult to make time to sit and stitch. I have put a couple of stitches in Mary Wigham, but really not enough to show and tell about. I will try to put some more stitches in her so that I can post a status photo soon.

Anyway, just wanted to catch up a little on my "goings on" before I start catching up on your "goings ons". Hope everyone is doing well and remember:

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

A new week begins

Good morning, afternoon or evening depending on where you are and when you read this post. Monday has rolled around again and a new week begins. Last weekend was filled with meetings down at the hockey rink in between my older son's first of the season practices. Saturday brought a 3 hour meeting which was run by the hockey clubs new council (or board) - beginning with a Team Manager's Q & A session followed by the council meeting. While it definitely was long and there were some people who talked alot, there was some good information - policy changes and updates - that I took away from the meeting (however it didn't need to be 3 hours long!). Sunday's meeting was lead by my son's coach - and he definitely has done this before. Each player received a binder with information outlining the coach's policies, procedures, philosophy, etc...for the season, for hockey, for school, for life. On and off the ice, these players are expected to do a lot this year...it definitely will be a good year!

So asside from my weekend of morning meetings, I really didn't get a whole lot of stitching done. By the time I got home, I was pooped and decided that a nap both afternoons was a better use of my time :)

Well, just dropped by to say "hi". I hope to have a stitching update soon!

Take care and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

Weekend update: "It is the end of our summer as we know it..."

Well several of our laptops are still experiencing some issues left behind by the Malware virus and some have that "google-analytics" bug as I mentioned in my last post, which is a pain to get rid off...which we have not been successful yet. It is like your computer is possessed on some occasions...jumping from one website address to another or just not allowing you to sign in to specific places. Like on one of our laptops, I can pull up my blog, read and comment on your blogs, but I cannot sign into my own blog in order to post or change anything. But at least we have my little cutie laptop to use :)

Well, the weekend is here...and "It is the end of our summer as we know it" is playing in my head. The first of the early morning hockey practices kicks off the new hockey season for the boys this morning; so now our life is back in hockey mode for the next 9 months (at least). Robert's (older son) team gets going this weekend with on-ice practices, off-ice fitness training, parent/player meetings...and then since I have volunteered as team manager again there are the manager's Q&A session and club council meeting to attend. At least all of our hockey committments are in the mornings today and tomorrow...leaving the afternoons open for any summer like activities, if we still have energy (maybe we all will just go home and nap). Matthew's (younger son) team starts their practices on & off the ice next week. It is nice to get the hockey-stuff going before school kicks in...that starts Aug. 24 for both boys.

I have continued to put time and stitches into Mary Wigham this week, but haven't made enough progress to post a new photo. I am hoping to find some quiet time this weekend to put needle to thread...maybe during nap time :)

Well...just wanted to check in. Hope everyone has a good weekend and remember:

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa