I have been dying to tell you

Hello Everyone!

 How was your weekend?  And the start of your week is going well I hope.

There is something I have been dying to tell you!  I have been wracking my brain on the best way to share this with you. I wanted to smoothly transition into this. Reveal the news to you in a stylish sleek and even organized way. However much like when I was an awkward teen, I never seemed to grow out of that awkward stage. Stylish and sleek are not words I would readily use to describe who I am.  Even to use the word organized is pushing it quite a bit. I do not flow with grace nor do I tend do things in a graceful manner. I have lost count of the number of times I have looked back on how something went down and thought that could have been more graceful. So I am going to just forge ahead and spill the beans already!!

Remember about those changes that are going to be taking place??  Well here is the reason for those changes.

DH and I are expecting our first child! As soon to be first time parents we are concerned about well everything. Getting things done on time. Being good parents. Making sure everyone is good and healthy. We are by the way. Just came from the doctors and all is looking good.

 In fact here is the little one's first picture. Everything is right on track with a due date of May 26th 2013!  This news has thrown us for a bit of a loop. But its exciting and well received news. We were surprised because with everything that has gone on in the last few months, getting pregnant did seem high on the list. None the less we are thrilled!!!

This bit of news has had me doing a lot of thinking.  Of how, of course, our lives will never be the same, but of all the little things that will change.  I got to thinking that one of the first places it seems fitting to start some of these changes is right here on this "baby" blog project of mine. Writing helps focus my thoughts and calm me down when things feel like they are getting out of control. Plus I love the sense of community that is felt in the blogging universe.

One of the biggest changes in store for this blog is a name change. I have been thinking that Crazy, Crafty and Caffeinated just does not fit anymore. Oh sure I am still crazy, though more tired, and I am always looking for crafty and DIY opportunities, the caffeinated part has had to come to a bit of a halt though. Now my priorities are changing and I want to share this special time in our life from beginning to end. To get it documented to have forever. I want to tweak things to reflect that. Don't worry I still plan to speak quite a bit about DIY projects and Knitting! That's what got me started into blogging to begin with and I can not just abandon that. Besides even with baby coming I am not changing my thrifty ways, in fact they are probably going to increase!! Right now the new name of the blog  is still a secret but I have hopes of making that reveal later this week, by next week for sure(the websites that I use to help makes these kinds of changes are being finicky right now so that has delayed me a bit).

There I have told you! I feel better now!  I am so excited for what is to come, I hope you are too!  Now I am off to take a little nap and plot out what I have in store next.  Have a great evening everyone!

Till Next Time,

Amanda

Heart Broken

Hello Everyone...

I have not been feeling crazy(not the good kind anyway), nor have I been crafty, and the caffeine is one of the only things that has been keeping me functioning. I have been hibernating. Literally just going thru day to day activities on auto mode. This month has dealt me some pretty hard blows. You know what they say when it rains it pours. Some blows were personal, some concerning family, others work and frankly it was just to much for this heart and mind to handle.  So thus the hibernation. My world stopped for about a minute and then spiraled out of my control.

I don't think I can explain it any better than The Yarn Harlot did...

-my heart got broken.

It doesn't matter what happened. Hearts get broken all the time. Marriages crumble, people die, there are bad accidents, reversals of fortune, intentional hurts, crushing disappointments, or surprises that one can't bear. Every person is different, and to describe to you what broke my heart would only draw a divide between us. As humans we can't help it, can we? You hear about something that's a heartbreak to another human, and because you are strong where they are weak, you can't understand how it would hurt them. You can often see it in the face of someone as you try to explain your heartbreak. As you tell someone about something that has knocked you down, kicked you in the stomach, kept you awake and sobbing for ten nights, and then took your lunch money, you see that as sympathetic as they are to you, as much as they love you, they're sort of thinking "That's it?That's what all of this is about?" We're all different, and all you need to know is that something broke my heart, and I was beyond sad-  Stephanie Pearl-McPhee  All Wound Up: The Yarn Harlot writes for a spin 2011

That was a paragraph or two from Stephanie's 3rd book. I just love how she writes and I have been re-reading this book as it brings me comfort. I write to you about this difficult phase I am in, about this heart break, not to focus on the cause of it. For that does not matter. It will only cause me to keep hurting. No, I mention it to help the healing process. To move on. To work and focus on the ways this will all change my life and my outlook.  Hopefully all for the better.

Till Next Time,

Hanging Lake

Hello Everyone,

How is your day going? Mine not too bad. I am currently procrastinating in cleaning my house.  Of course I am justifiying not cleaning at the moment with taking care of much needed things on the computer( like writing to you all). Also I have a strict rule, "No work to be done till the last drop of coffee is gone". Right now I still have a half of a cup so I got time! Course now I look at the clock and feel a twinge of guilt because I think of how the day is slipping past me and what will I have to show for it, alos how nice will it be to have all of my have tos out of the way before Dear Husband gets home. *Sigh* Ok I will get to work on things as soon as I am done here I promise!

So I took a break and I actually did get up and give the dog a bath and cleaned the house, plus got some laundry going. Motivation must have finally hit me. Or it could have been that I hit an impasse with finishing this blog. My tablet and I are still feeling each other out and I have yet to figure out how to get pictures where I want them in a post on my tablet. Can anyone tell me how to do this??? Anyway with this difficulty it was going to require going to the library to use their computers and I could not allow myself to leave the house with out cleaning it. Anyway back to the story...

First I want to share with you about our trip up to Hanging Lake. Rememeber I mentioned here that Dear Husband and I needed to get away from the craziness we have been experiencing lately. So we escaped to a town not to far away from where we live. We went to Hanging Lake for a hike. And it was beautiful. Once you got there. Because let me tell you think you are going to die as you are climbing up there.

Just before starting the hike up. I don't think its a very good picture but  I am keeping things real.

Thoughts are running thru my head like, How did I let myself get talked into this? And why doesn't some one just shoot me and get it over with already? When you first start out you are so joyful and looking forward to this little trek you are going to do.  I wasn't even half way to the halfway point when my legs were screaming and I was sweating in a very unlady like manor and felt like I had a permanet scowl attached to my face. Maybe I really should get that Gym membership after all. I didn't think I was that badly out of shape but apparently I am! I kept thinking how if we ever experience one of those Day After Tomorrow or Deep Impact scenarios, I am likely to be the first to die because my survival will depend on getting up the mountain the quickest and I shall be trampled!

This is the stream you get to hike next to on  your climb up to the lakes. It really was peaceful, even with the other hikers around. Frankly I found myself doing a lot of Think Walking. I didn't speak much, that could have been due to a lack of oxygen but I like to think it was because I was being reflective. I wanted to be absorbed in the moment. I wanted nature to take me in and restore my soul if you will.

Here we are at the last leg of the trail up.

And then before I knew it I was there! And I was pooped!

sshhh! I am sleeping

But the view was worth it!

There that's a much better picture of Dear Husband and I. Mmm I should get it framed. The hike down was much easier and faster and very much looked forward to, by me anyway. Obviously I survived to tell the tale, unlike how I felt on my way up. Nature did her trick, I was relaxed and at peace. Anyone else go somewhere that put them at peace and was beautiful to see?

The End...Till Next Time

I am worried...

Hello Everyone,

How are you doing? I hope all is well.

All has not been well for me. That is why I have been MIA of late. For that I am sorry.

 Lately this statement has been true.  We have been dealt a few lemons that have made us pucker.  Namely with family. Not to long ago we learned that my father in-laws cancer had spread to his bone.  He has been so tired and weak of late and its no wonder. Naturally it has us all worried. Worried for him and how life is going to change with this development.  Already we have had more responsibility thrust upon us.  This has caused my head to spin. There is so much running around to be done, I don't know if I am coming or going anymore.

My crafting has slumped because of all of this. And of course since I haven't been crafting much these last couple of weeks, having something to write about has been a little thin. Never mind that I have not had the time to sit down and write you out something proper. This has been very frustrating to me of course. Crafting of any sort is my outlet.  I don't need to tell you other crafters out there how important the stress relief of crafting is. Yet I have not been able to do that. Gee! No wonder I am twitchy here lately!

I know these are things that are a part of life and well I just have to ride the waves I am on. But I needed to share with you what was going on. About why I have been absent. Why I may be spacey and absent quiet a bit. Till I work out a new rhythm that is.

Coffee, Knitting and Everything Else In Between

Hello Everyone!

Hope your weekend is coming to a pleasant end. I just returned home from my little trip out of town and I wanted to pop by here and tell you all hello!  Now comes the task of unpacking and putting everything away. I sorta don't want to. But that would be counter-intuitive of the challenge I am doing this month to get more organized.

I had a wonderful time seeing my family and friends. I even made a few new friends on the way. It was too short of a visit, but then again when does a visit ever feel long enough, especially when it comes to seeing loved ones? Some days I hate that I live so far from family. However it does make me appreciate our time together that much more!

While visiting there was some time for coffee and knitting.

I love this mug my sister has!!! Its absolutely perfect. Then I had to take a little walk downtown and visit some of the quaint shops I have not been too in a long while.

 Its a small town so getting to downtown takes about two minuets! I stopped and got some pizza from the local pizza place. I love their cheesy gooey pizza!

My sis gave me the best gift ever! Some of her yarn stash and one of her knitting books! I died and went to heaven! That is love right there! Not to just give me yarn because she knows I am totally fiber obsessed, but to have given it to me from her own knitterly stash. That means something!  Mom happened to have the green paint I have been looking for to do one of my projects that she let me bring home with me, along with some seeds for flowers to put in my yard, so that is some future projects I will be talking about here very soon.  Not to mention there is going to be a little house tour and review, so check back for that!

My weekend has been very full and very fulfilling. Family and Friends are well. The service for the dear Friend that is no longer with us was beautiful. I am happy. Have a wonderful rest of the night. I am looking forward to getting back to my organize challenge starting tomorrow!

Till Next Time,

 Amanda

April Showers

Tragedy has struck our family. I learned earlier this week that a close friend to my side of the family has been killed in an accident. It has shaken up the community for she was active and well known in my little home town and of course my family is feeling the loss deeply. Her life was taken too soon.

When these kinds of things happen it really makes you stop and think. We get so busy with our lives. And most of it is all necessary. After all those bills keep coming in. The kids still need clothes and shoes. They like to eat too.

But we get so busy that we forget to appreciate the little things in life that make our life worth while.  The time with our friends and family. The beauty that surrounds us each day. Flowers that are coming into bloom this time of year. The little animals we see around us but take for granted. All of these things my friend Audrey always appreciated. She was an artist. She loved to capture in her paintings the beauty that she saw thru her artistic eyes.

 And even though she wont be painting any more, I know that I will not be able to pass a bed of flowers or an old time truck in a field without thinking of her and how she would have exclaimed in excitement at a new art project. Walking around the house today showed me more evidence of her in my life. She helped my sister and I paint these boxes. She gave me a small copy of an original water color she did. In the kitchen I have a recipe book that she gave me when Dear Husband and I got married.

With her passing April has become a month of bittersweet memories, especially for my parents. Tuesday was their 30th wedding anniversary. With every thing that has happened I didn't get a chance to write a post on it and a nice dinner to celebrate has been postponed. So I am taking a moment now, to acknowledge both of these events. Happy Anniversary to my parents. May they have so many more happy years together, keeping each other strong despite the sadness they meet along the way. We will never forget Audrey. She will be in our hearts and memory forever.  Have you taken the time to say I LOVE YOU to someone close to you? Is there a friend you have lost touch with? Take a moment to do that. You never know when your I love you is your last one.

Till next time

Amanda

Finally...

I know it seems kinda late to be posting, but I couldn't wait to share this with you. After two or more years and much stop and go, I can finally announce that the Cable and Lace Scarf is finished!

This scarf was so tedious in the beginning, but it got easier as time went on. There were 24 rows to repeat over and over. Thus the tedious part. So it was easy to become enamored with  another project. Which happened a lot. I believe in the course of this scarf, I have finished, four baby hats, three scarves, a shrug, a hat, a pair of leggings, and two cowel's. Not to mention little stuffed toys. And yet despite the tedious nature of this scarf, I love it! I love it's intricate lace pattern and the cable up the side.

Getting a bath!

Taking a stretch on the couch

Being blocked

I love it so much I want to cast it on again! I just hope not to take two years to finish making the next one! In reality it only took me three months, if that, to make this scarf. If you add up the actual time I sat working on it and not the time it spent sitting in my basket, looking forlorn and wondering if I would ever return. The bulk of this scarf was done while waiting in the hospital. Last summer my father in-law became very ill. He had been ill for some time but it had climaxed and he landed himself in the hospital in need of emergency surgery. At the time Dear Husband and I lived 8 hours away. As soon as we heard what had happened we jumped in the car and away we went.  That was 8 hours with nothing else to do but worry and knit. And the knitting helped keep the big worry at bay. Then there was the hospital. There was waiting, and knitting, more waiting and more knitting.  This was the perfect scarf to work on really because it required focus, which helped take my mind off of all that was going on at the time and what changes Dear Husband and I were about to have to go through. Then of course when those potential changes became reality, well then I needed something  that took less concentration to work on. I needed easy, simple and fast. Something I could see the progress on right away and feel the accomplishment of finishing a project. So then, yet again, Cables and Lace got pushed to the back burner. But not now! Now it is finished! 

Wow there is quite a story with that scarf. And here I thought I was just going to show you pictures of the finishing steps and call it good. I guess some things are not that simple. What about you do you have any projects that have much bigger story to them than you thought they would? That just started out as another project but grew into something more?  

Despite the personal story that scarf became involved in for me, it will be getting shipped off this week to its new home with my friend. I promised it to her back when I first started it. Thank goodness she was not in a big hurry to receive it! Well at least now it will be like a surprise for her. She wouldn't be expecting a scarf now!  

Till next time,

Amanda

A ho hum day

Yesterday was just one of those slow lazy days. It was a beautiful day, quite warm. So Dear Husband and I thought a walk to the park with our wonderful Lab Kelly was just the ticket. For those of you who don't know our baby here she is. She likes to model from time to time.

So off to the park we went to enjoy the sunshine and get a good dose of exercise.

Kelly enjoys the slide like any kid. Haha

After that a nice evening of knitting was what was in store. Curling up with a book would have been good too but I didn't get that far. Here is what I have on the needles currently:

Stockholm Scarf from Ravelry

The Stockholm Scarf is a quick knit. Only has four rows you repeat until you get the desired length. Its easy to do while watching your favorite show or movie. You can find the pattern for Stockholm here.  I hope to have this guy finished and blocked by the end of the week. I will keep you posted. I just recently finished the Garter Stitch Loop-Through Scarf from the 101 Designer One Skein Wonders book. Its also a fun and fast knit up. A great scarf for beginners who are ready to tackle something a little more than just the Knit and Purl stitches.

I just love how it looks. I have made this for a friend, so now that its finished I need to ship it off to her. I must try this pattern in a self striping or multicolor yarn some time. Has anyone else done projects from the 101 Designer One Skein Wonders book? I would love to hear about it. Well I am off to go knit some more of the Stockholm Scarf.  Have a wonderful evening.

Till next time,

Amanda