5-30-2013 Smiles

During this morning's run to the grocery store

I saw these two sights...

both of which made me smile:

Not sure why an Iowa Football semi

was parked in front of the grocery store?!?!?

And this license plate

made me think of my dear S-I-L.

5-29-2013 New Toy

Today, this big truck

stopped in front of our house

and delivered a new toy for DH:

a 200 pound box

containing a new band saw!

I'm sooooo happy to see DH 

get back into his woodworking hobby!

Let the fun begin!

5-28-2013 Into Darkness

DH & I

took advantage

of $5 Tuesday

and went to see

"Star Trek~Into Darkness" 

today.

It did not disappoint!

Loved it!

I hope these new Star Trek movies

create a whole new generation

of Trekkies!

5-27-2013 Pretty in Pink - again

Our granddaughter (on left) was fascinated

with her cousin's (on right) pink hair!

She kept touching it all weekend.

5-26-2013 Tunnel Vision

One cousin showing the other cousin

how to crawl through the tunnel.

A-man (a newbee to the tunnel)

only crawled through once...

that was enough for him!

A wonderful reminder that 

we all need to get outside of our comfort zone

once in a while 

and try something scary/different!

A-man also started walking like a champ

this weekend! 

And it was the first time

we didn't get the 'sad face'

(see  3/3/2013 post)

when he first saw us.

He finally remembered us

and we had so much fun

interacting with him

and watching him learn to walk.

Thanks so much for coming to visit!

We love you all.

5-25-2013 It's Never Too Early...

...to start reading to your babies!

Just one of many 'Kodak moments'

from this weekend's visit

with my kids and their families.  

:*)

5-24-2013 Sixty Degrees and Sunny

Sixty degrees and sunny...

a perfect day

to visit the zoo!

...checking out the giraffes...

...going for a train ride...

5-23-2013 Pin Cushion

Next month's challenge...

this pattern is knit in-the-round.

A friend who does not know how to knit in-the-round

wants me to help her knit it flat

and then seam it up.

I'm thinking it will take much more time and effort

to try and convert the pattern to flat knitting

than it would for her to just learn

to knit in-the-round!

Wish me luck!

5-22-2013 Rats

...no caption needed...

5-21-2013 Hats

I wear many hats...

daughter, friend, wife, mother, etc.

This coming weekend 

I get to wear my 'grandmother' hat.

Looking forward 

to seeing my grandson 

and his parents

this coming weekend!

Check out his new hat.  :*)

5-20-2013 Storms

Storms headed this way...

prayers (and Red Cross donations!)

for the tornado victims in Oklahoma!

5-19-2013 Pretty in Pink

Check out my new swimsuit and shoes!

5-18-2013 Girls' Night Out

The owner of the LYS

invited a few of us 'regulars'

over for s'mores and a movie...

girls' night out.

One of us had fun feeding the koi in her pond as well.

After a lovely evening outdoors

we went inside to watch the last Harry Potter movie

"Deathly Hallows~Part 2".

I was so happy to be invited/included!!!

I don't know if these lovely ladies

know how much they mean to me!

5-17-2013 Can't decide...

...which is cuter?

~the helmet?

~or the baby?!?!?

Just kidding!

The baby wins!

5-16-2013 There's a Reason

...why this table and chairs

is not recommended 

for children under the age of 3!!!

Babies are climbers (and fallers)!!!

5-15-2013 Splash

Outdoor temps have gone

from  30*F last week

to over over 90*F this week...

we went straight from winter to summer

with no intervening spring!!!

So, it's time to get out the pool

and make a splash with my GD!

5-14-2013 Happy Anniversary

Dear Nephew and wife!!!

5-13-2013 Ten Months

Hard to believe my grandson is already 10 months old!!!

Looking forward to seeing you soon...

hugs and kisses from Oma and Grandpa. 

5-12-2013 Happy Mothers' Day

5-11-2013 Tulips

...are finally blooming!

5-10-2013 Texting & Driving

5-9-2013 Before & After

These past few days 

I've been doing some Spring (closet) cleaning...

(See my cheeks red with embarrassment

as you see this first photo!!!)

I decided to go through the office/computer room closet

and 7 years of accumulated 'stuff'...

...and turn it into my 'fiber' closet

so I can have easy access to 

my '3 year old yarn stash.'

Now that everything is visible and handy

I can 'shop' my stash

for my new projects!

(Much easier than searching through

about 30 bags in the bottom of a closet

and some boxes in the basement!)

I love sitting in this green chair to knit

in the office/computer room...

very comfy and great light from the windows...

and now my yarn and patterns are handy!

And what a great feeling of joy and accomplishment

to have completed this transformation!

5-8-2013 Between Showers

Between Rain Showers

DH & GD & I

made a quick trip to the garden center...

GD helped Oma pick out some pretty flowers...

and she helped Grandpa 

pick out tomatoes and peppers 

for our vegetable garden...

Thanks for all your help, dear Granddaughter!

5-7-2013 A Kindred Spirit?

5-6-2013 Current Reads

I enjoyed "The Omnivore's Dilemma" so much

I decided to read his second book too:

"In Defense Of Food."

Both are thought provoking!

5-5-2013 Tulips

Today DH & I

drove to Pella, Iowa

to check out this weekend's Tulip Time Festival.

There was snow in the ditches of the highways

as we drove to Pella,

and when we got there and walked around

we were wishing we had on coats, hats, and gloves!

Brrr....

Even the tulips seemed to know it was cold...

most of them were closed, but still delightfully colorful.

We enjoyed seeing this beautiful water feature

leading to the Royal Amsterdam Hotel and plaza.

Check out the plaza benches...

in the shape of "Dutch Letters."

One of several beautiful windmills in Pella...

5-4-2013 New Wheels

It is fascinating

to watch our granddaughter

approach a new toy for the first time

and try to figure out how to 'play' with it!

She has no idea what it is, what it does,

or what she is supposed to do with it.

Here she is, checking out her new wheels.

It didn't take her long ...

5-3-2013 Happy Birthday

... to my dear nephew...

5-2-2013 Wallaby

Started a Wallaby sweater

for grandson to wear this coming Fall/Winter.

5-1-2013 Kokeshi

Started this Kokeshi doll today...