5-11-2015 Mother's Day Photo Shoot

Today is our Mother's Day Photo Shoot!

(Thanks, Dear Daughter, for such a lovely gift!!!)

My DD, D-I-L and myself

decided to wear some Jamberry Nail Wraps

for the photo shoot.

Here are the ones I chose:

Here are my D-I-L's:

Here are my DD's:

My grandson would NOT go down for his nap

today of all days,

and finally fell asleep when we were ready 

to leave for the photo shoot at 5p.m.

and he was not a happy camper

once we got to the park!

The photographer finally got him to sit down and smile

by entertaining him with a stick on her head.

5-10-2015 Rainy Day Trip to the Family Museum on Mother's Day

Son and family came in from Chicago

for Mother's Day weekend, 

so we took them to the zoo yesterday

and the GDs showed their cousins

how to do their favorite things.

Today's weather, however, was dreary and rainy

so we made a trip to the Family Museum

where the grandkids had fun playing

in the pizza parlor...

driving the tractor...

playing with the toy trains...

and the favorite was the water park

that features the Mississippi River Locks and Dams...

- - - - - - 

Also, I got this wonderful card from my Sister-In-Law

for Mother's Day:

She always sends them most amazing 3D cards

and lovely sentiments!

Thank you soooooo much, dear Sis!!!

Love you!

5-9-2015 Match This!?!?!?

DD texted me this pix

of the outfits she and the girls are wearing

for our Mother's Day Photo Shoot

so I could find an outfit

to match or coordinate with them.

Umm....?!?!??

5-8-2015 At the Zoo

Today was another perfect Spring day

so we took the GDs to their favorite playground...

the ZOO!

Teased the Kookaburra

with a dandelion...

 Fed the giraffes, fish and goats...

And last but not least,

rode the LIONS!!!

5-7-2015 Splash Time

Our first Spring day

with outdoor temps in the mid 80's...

time to fill up the swimming pool

and try on the new swimming suit Oma got GD 

for her birthday!

5-6-2015 Like A Kitty

After playing "Gottcha" with some squirt guns

and watering my flowers with her squirt gun,

GD said,

"Look, Oma, I can drink like a kitty!"

5-5-2-15 Back Home

Back at home,

while I was away at retreat,

the GDs were busy picking dandelions

and my DD sent me these pix of the girls.

5-4-2015 Local Bakery

Each morning at Retreat,

I would take a walk to the local Bakery

and sit in the window seat to enjoy my coffee and breakfast.

Grandview Ave. in Dubuque Iowa 

is so lovely in the Spring!!!

Tons of flowering trees 

and well-manicured older homes

line the road.

I was almost sad to come home from Retreat...

haven't been this relaxed in months!!!

On the walk to the bakery

I would pass this Man Hole Cover...

which made me smile...

because I was having some "fiber-filled" days!

(wool fiber, that is...)

5-3-2015 Taking a Break

When our hands, arms shoulders, backs and necks

grew weary of knitting

we would take a break

by getting a massage from Steven,

eating and drinking,

and also playing some Mah Jongg.

Lots of WIPs (Works In Progress) were finished at Retreat

and many others were started.

5-2-2015 Common Areas

The former Convent Chapel is now the living room area

where we congregated to sit and knit.

The dining room was used mostly for sewing machines

by those who brought some quilting projects.

The kitchen is where we made our meals each evening.

5-1-2015 Happy May Day!

A pix of my room at the Knitting Retreat.

I had the entire room to myself!

Sweet!

4-30-2015 Knitting Retreat

Today is the first day

of a four day knitting retreat

that I am attending.

Ahhhh...

It is being held in the Convent Suites

(top floor of the convent building on the left)

in Dubuque, Iowa.

4-29-2015 Jungle Gym Fever

GD monkey-ing around on her new Jungle Gym!

She  L  O  V  E  S  it!!!

4-28-2015 I Love A Man...

...who isn't afraid to read and follow directions!

He's one in a million!

Thanks DH, for the wonderful new Jungle Gym

for our little climbers!

4-27-2015 Remember?

Remember the socks

I started knitting for a KAL?

( see post on 3-10-2015 )

Well, I finished them this morning!

Love them! They fit perfectly.

I love how the pattern develops from the toe to the cuff...

from the toe to the ankle, small cables represent the flower stems,

from the ankle up the leg, the flower buds begin to open,

just below the cuff, the flower is in full bloom,

with their seed pod bobbles,

and at the top of the cuff

the picot edging is the seeds being cast to the wind.

If you click on the picture to enlarge it

you can see the progression better.

This was a fun KAL project!

I learned a new heel technique

as well as a picot bind-off.

-------

Also finished a dishcloth last night...

(the blue and green one).

Have a purple and pink one underway now.

Once it is finished I will be good to go 

for the dishcloth exchange at my LYS.

4-26-2015 A Walk In The Park

After church today

DH & I decided to go for a walk at the local park...

saw some BIG turkey tracks in the trail mud!

Also came across lots of wildflowers in bloom.  :*)

4-25-2015 Birthday Party

Today Dear Daughter has a birthday gathering

for GD's 3rd birthday.

Here she is checking out her crafting supplies

from the Giant Art Jar we gave her.

4-24-2015 New Sweater

The owner of my LYS

doing her JCPenney's pose

to model her latest sweater.

One day I will work up the courage

to knit myself a sweater!

4-23-2015 Doing The Splits

Saw this giraffe at the zoo doing the splits

to eat some grass...

looks sooooo uncomfortable!

It was such a beautiful day to be outside

we decided to go to the park as well...

blue skies... 15 mph winds... 46*F temps.

Ahhh, I love Spring!