Ouch!

Well, Owen's been benched with an injury. Poor little guy. He managed to break his collarbone on Saturday night and will be out of play for the next 4-6 weeks. They were doing gymnastics in the basement and he attempted a front flip (originally he was going to do one off of the coffee table, but I caught him and told him no way! Then as soon as I left the room he decided to try one just off of the floor instead!) He's pretty disappointed, he was enjoying hockey so much, and now he won't be able to play until close to Christmas! Soccer is also out, as well as swimming lessons which were to start yesterday. He can't sit up or lay down by himself, and walks very gingerly - he's so afraid he is going to jar it, it hurts so bad! And of course because it is his collarbone, they can't cast it, he just has his arm in a sling, and has to keep it as still as he can for the next 3 weeks. Ha! Try telling that to a 6 year old! The doctor said that kids heal much quicker than adults, and the break should be fully healed in about 4 weeks, but of course he will have to be careful as any impact could re-break it.

(check out the fancy sling from the hospital...they go all out! A foam tube.)

I'm going to have to invest in some button up shirts. We have one. And two pairs of button up pajamas. Looks like I'll be doing the wash everyday for then next 3 weeks!

I just want to hold him in my arms and cuddle him all day! But that hurts him too. I already tried.

However, as much as I feel sad for the pain that my "baby" is going through, I was a little relieved that our crazy, hectic weekday schedule is on hold for a while. It's been pretty exhausting, and this will give us a chance to recoup a bit.

A couple of days before this happened to Owen, Maeghan received a golf ball in the eye (courtesy of her brother - total accident though) and now has a black eye. They make quite a pair now! On top of this Aidan has been going to physio for muscle spasms in his back. I'm the only healthy one left. Knock on wood.

Well, that's it for now, Owen and I are going to put in some movies and vegetate together for the day. He's too sore for school, and thankfully my work is letting me take a few days off to take care of him. I hope to get some progress on my Jane cardi, one sleeve to go! Not sure yet how I feel about it. I hope I like it more after blocking, but I think I should have made the smaller size, it feels a little big across the shoulders/armpit area. I have decided that if I don't end up wearing it much, I will rip it and make something else. I love the color of the yarn way too much to leave it in the closet unused. Anyways, I'm probably jumping the gun a bit since I'm not even finished yet!

May I introduce to you...for the first time...playing whatever position he wants....number 96......Owen Michael Sheridan!!!!!!!

Yes, that's right, my wee little guy is now a hockey player. His favorite piece of equipment is the cup/jock strap (why am I not surprised...), and he walks around wacking it with his stick, marveling how it doesn't hurt when he does so.

Boys.

I'm surprised he can even skate with all of that gear on. It's really heavy! He is loving every second of it and as soon as one game is over he is asking when the next game will be. He just can't get enough!

The hectic fall schedule has hit us full force. Aidan is in school at the university three nights a week, just so happens they are the same three nights that the kids have their activities. Hockey and soccer practice for Owen, and Maeghan is starting Brownies. I'm exhausted. I give kudos to all single parents out there. I don't know how you do it! Saturdays we have gymnastics and a soccer game, and then in October swimming lessons starts on Sundays. Yikes. What have I gotten myself into.

But the kids love it, Owen has such natural athletic ability that I really wanted him to be able to experience a couple different sports so he can find out what he truely loves. So far he can't decide. He says he loves both equally.

We have started a new school this year, that has been quite an adjustment for us as well. Making new friends (both kids and adults) and trying to feel connected and a part of things is hard work! But we've met a few, and things are going well, Maeghan wants to start a book club for new and old Grade 3 friends which I think is a fantastic idea. We will try to organize a monthly meet-up, it'll be a good way for her to keep in contact with her old friends, and get to know new friends better.

If you have any suggestions for a good Gr. 3 level book, let me know, Maeghan has already read Matilda, which she loved...any others?

Winding Up

So a little knitting did get done while we were vacationing. I knit in the car for most of our travelling, working on the Gathered Scarf. Nice, easy, mindless knitting. Perfect for a long car ride with constant interruptions from the bored children sitting behind you. I began it in the line-up for the border crossing from BC into Washington State. I'm using Knit Picks Gloss fingering weight yarn and size 7 & 9 needles. It's producing a lovely fabric, I can't wait to wear it this fall! It's only a couple of feet long at this point, but it'll be a good travelling project to work on at work in the coming months.


A few months back, for my birthday, I received a ball winder and swift from KnitPicks. Because of our crazy double move I only just recently had a chance to wind up some yarn with it. I was very disappointed. The swift is a bit rough around the edges, not a nice smooth wood like I would have expected, but that is something I can live with. The disappointing part was the ball winder. No matter what I did it would not produce lovely looking yarn cakes like I have seen all over the Internet, and in person from my friends. In fact, one of my friends owns the KnitPicks ball winder and her cakes come out awesome. So I went on to every knitters favorite website, Ravelry, and onto the forums where I found a whole thread about this particular ball winder. Turns out I wasn't the only one to get crazy lopsided piles of yarn, it wasn't me, it was a problem with the actual winder. So late on a Sunday night I sent an email to KnitPicks, not expecting a response for a while, I mean, they were closed and all, but low and behold, immediately the next morning I had a response apologizing for my funky ball winder and that they would send another out in the mail to me immediately! They didn't even want the old one back! They said just to chuck it! Crazy!

I have always heard good things about the customer service from KnitPicks, but this was my first experience with it, and I have to say I am thoroughly impressed!

Anyways, my ball winder has crossed the Canadian Border (according to Canada Post), and I expect it will arrive any day now. I'll let you know how the new one works.

A Vacation in Pictures

Cannon Beach, Oregon

(The Cabin Where We Stayed)

Long Beach, Oregon

(Kite Festival)

(Wild Bunnies)

We are so going back.

Heat Wave!

Well I guess it's from one extreme to the next around here! Last post I was talking about how we were so cold in the house since we've turned the furnace off, now we are in a bit of a heat wave! My car thermometer registered 40 C (104 F) on my drive home from work the other day. Granted, the hot metal of the car usually ups the temp by a few degrees, but wow. For some of my friends who are used to this kind of heat (hi Charmaine who lives in Phoenix!!!) are probably rolling their eyes at me right now, but we do not have a pool in our backyard, nor do we have air conditioning. So to us, this is significant. I have been surviving by laying on the couch with a fan blasted right at me, spreading out as far as I can so none of my skin touches, and eating plenty of ice cream sandwiches. I've gained 3 pounds. I am so not made to live in the heat!

We had a family reunion yesterday - all the relatives from my mom's side of the family. It was pretty cool to see everyone - some I haven't see for at least 15 years! My cousin hosted at his home, a very beautiful home on acreage. There was so much to do. We spent the afternoon swimming in the pool, jumping on the trampoline and flying down the zip line!

Here the kids are getting ready to come flying down. It was soooo high up. I was really scared when it was my turn, it was so hard to step off the ledge! (I'm a big chicken.)

The smaller kids were just rippin' down. It was very fun. The event was catered courtesy of my cousin John (the host), and the food was FANTASTIC. I never in a million years expected such extravagance. I thought it was going to be hot dogs, hamburgers, and pasta salad - typical BBQ fair, but instead there was Fillet Mignon, salmon, brisket, so many salads and yummy vegetables., and chocolate fondue for dessert. It was heaven.

Here's Maeghan with a couple of cousins (my second cousins) whom she has never met. The girls were inseparable. They had a great time. It was especially nice for Maeghan because on Aidan's side of the family there are no other girls her age. And in our immediate family no girls at all. So she was really thrilled, I hope we can keep in touch with everyone a little bit better.

Tomorrow evening we are having a family dinner to celebrate my brother Darren's 30th birthday (Happy Birthday Darren!) and my Dad's 61st Birthday (Happy Birthday Dad!). Their birthdays are 3 days apart, as well as Aidan and I having our wedding anniversary right in between! It will be 7 years this year. Time flies!

I'm going to need this weather to cool down a bit if there's going to be any knitting in the near future. I'm trying to think of a project to take along to Oregon this summer (road trip!). Something small, and portable. Maybe I'll start some of those Ribby Slippers fr0m last year's IK Gifts. They would make good gifts. Or perhaps a lacy scarf for me. Hmmm, I'll have to think on it a bit more. Have a great weekend everyone! Happy BC Day! I love long weekends!

Apparently we need to build another fire.....

This is what I woke up to this morning. The kids playing their Game Cube, apparently a little cold!


Hopefully the weather will get a bit warmer by the end of the week!

Slowly we are bringing boxes over from the storage unit. Aidan is planning to rent a truck for the heavier stuff later this week. It's hard having things here and there, but most of the stuff that is there can probably head straight to the thrift store anyways! We've been doing without a lot of it since last August!

Owen has managed to finds his caps, but not his cap gun. So, he's banging the caps with a rock! I remember doing this when I was kid. Great fun!

Ski goggles and swimming goggles - safety first!

We are finally home!

Wow! Has it really been two months? I know it's been awful quiet around here (Aidan sent me an email saying, and I quote, "You need to update your blog, you're beginning to look pathetic!"). Thanks dear. So here I am, finally!

We've been very busy around here, after two big moves we are finally home!!!


I think that was one of Aidan's happiest moments, pulling that sign out of the ground. I think Maeghan's favorite moment was the "loud" party we had on the first day. We let the kids scream as loud as they wanted for as long as they wanted! It felt so good after years of constantly shushing them. Now we can let them be kids. It's awesome!

Notice the lovely brown carpets.......or actually, try not to!

I swear there is nothing more attractive than a man who'll clean the toilets.
(picture taken on the sly by Owen)

The first major renovation was a new roof, hopefully the roofers will be done by tomorrow. The big bin finally left today. I can park in my garage again! That is a novelty in itself! A garage! The only other work going on right now is renovating the kids bedrooms. Here is Maeghan painting her room. She chose the color and I think it will be very pretty when it is done. I will do a before and after post when everything is complete.

Last night we had our first fire! I know, in the middle of July. It's been cold this week and we've shut the heat off until fall. Boy was this a long time in coming. When we purchased our townhouse 5 years ago, one of the selling features was that it had a wood burning fireplace, however, we were never able to use it due to the chimney not being safe and the long drawn out process of the Strata figuring out whether they would pay, or if we had to, to get it fixed. As soon as that fire was lit the whole atmosphere of the evening changed. It was lovely! And the best part? We actually have TWO wood burning fireplaces in this house. I can't wait till winter!