Happy New Year!!

 Happy New Year and Welcome 2012! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas Holiday with some relaxation to go along with all the excitement and hustle bustle. Our family had a quiet and restful holiday, but it's back to the usual routine tomorrow. My mom sent me some wonderful yarn from her LYS for Christmas and I just had to share some of it. This colourful ball is called Florcitas and it looks like it has tiny little vines growing out of it! One skein knits up a very cozy cowl and it knits up fast...about 1 hour. I started in the afternoon of New Year's Eve, finished it and wore it all night.

Wishing you a happy and healthy New Year!

Stripe Study Shawl

Introducing my Stripe Study Shawl. A fabulous pattern by Veera Valimaki. I used Cascade Yarn in Heritage Solids, one skein in a gray and one in a plum colour, with size 4mm needles. I wasn't sure if I was a shawl wearing type of person...but this I know I will definitely wear! (I even bought a shawl pin!)

School starts tomorrow for us. Two in high school, (grade 10 and grade 8), and one in grade 4. I'll be working at the same school as my youngest, and we are both looking forward to that.

Hope your summer was enjoyable and that the beginning of the new school year gets off to a great start!

What We Did This Summer

Since the start of school is just around the corner, I thought I had better write up a post about our quick, fun filled family trip that we did this summer. We are originally from Ontario and i usually head back ever summer to spend a long weekend with my parents. It's been 4 years since the kids were there so it was time for a family trip back east.

Usually we land in Toronto and catch a connecting flight to our home town, but this time we landed in Ottawa first. Ottawa is a neat city, such that it's big but doesn't have that big city feeling. We toured around museums, visited the Parliament buildings, and took in this great light show called Mosaica. The back drop was the Parliament buildings and a historical sound and light show was presented on it. A simple, quick and entertaining show told you all about Canada's history!

We spent some time in our home town, and the mister then headed back to Vancouver. The kids and I ventured on to Toronto and took in all that we could in 2 days. First on the list was the CN Tower.

Then the Hockey Hall of Fame, and on to the Art Gallery of Ontario.

On the next day we drove to Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and then on to visit a university friend. All of our Toronto sightseeing could not have been possible without my fantastic friend Allison and her wonderful husband Mark. Thanks so much you guys.

Family trips are always an adventure for both parents and kids. As the kids get older there are issues that arise that would not have been issues a few years back, and then there are instances that happen that make us extremely proud of how our kids can handle any situation that is presented to them. Lots of great memories were made on this trip with family and friends and I'm looking forward to the next family adventure whatever it may be!

fifteen

Last week was Natalie's 15th birthday. We spent the day biking around Bowen Island, which is approximately a 15 minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay. We packed a lunch, rode around on some trails, up a killer hill which the locals actually call "Killer Hill". Headed to a quiet little beach and just took in the amazing scenery.

Happy Birthday to the best 15 year old girl I know!!

I have quite a bit of catching up to do with our summer activities....so hopefully I will get it done before school starts next week!

Enjoy the rest of your week.

What's Happening

Summer is moving along at a quick pace once again. My oldest brother and sister-in-law, who are from Nebraska, just spent a few days visiting with us after finishing their Alaskan cruise. We are now getting ready for a trip to Ontario, visiting Ottawa, Toronto, friends and family!
While at a knitting store in Vancouver a while back, I noticed one of the ladies with her knitting out on the table. She had the neatest looking stitch markers, which were actually those tiny colourful hair bands that you can buy at the dollar store. I am now the owner of 750 tiny colourful hairbands!
Hope you are enjoying your summer so far!

Radian Yoke

My Radian Yoke is completed! It was waiting patiently after being block for a chance to have it's picture taken, unfortunately though, the weather was not co-operating with us. While most of the country is experiencing a heat wave, our weather on the west coast has been on the cool and rainy side. Similar to fall weather, I heard someone say.

I'm pleased as to how my Radian Yoke turned out, even Natalie (who will be 15) wants to wear it. I loved knitting the lacy bit. A fun little knit for summer!

Pattern: Radian Yoke, from Knitscene Summer 2011

Size: 36

Yarn: Berroco Pure Pima, colour# 2225

You can make one too...there's still time.
Have a wonderful day!

summer knitting

I've been doing some summer knitting and I'm almost done, all I need to do is block it! The pattern is the Radian Yoke in the summer issue of Knitscene. It's been a fun little knit that's knit from the top down. I used Berroco's Pure Pima in colour #2225, which is a pretty robin's egg blue. More to come after blocking.....see you soon!