Saturday, October 24, 2009

Just A Little Ketchup, Please.

Okay, not ketchup, but catch up.

Now Playing:
Say It Right
by Nelly Furtado


The following post is just a little update on what I've been up to.

Well, I've been busy making Stu and I's Halloween costumes. Whew, a lot of hours have gone into them! They are a surprise though, so I can only show you a glimpse...

My Halloween Costume
Here's mine, can you guess what it is?

Stu's Halloween Costume
Here's Stu's. Anymore guesses?

I've also been doing some knitting & crocheting...

100_6383_2
Oh, this is a fun game! Can you guess what this is? No? Oh, you don't like this game anymore? Fine...

Red Scarf Project 2009
It's my scarf for this year's Red Scarf Project! I LOVE that this scarf has different textures and I love each of them. I took out one texture in the pattern, it was too bulky, made the sides of the scarf bow out and the way I was doing it just looked like it didn't belong. The free pattern is called The Road Scarf and you can find it here. (Registration required, but free.)

Thanks to Jennifer at my knit meeting for donating yarn so our group could do some scarves this year! ♥

I Want Candy Coaster
I've done the last coaster in a year of coasters for my niece. It was a great creative journey and I'm pretty proud of myself. You can find the free pattern for this coaster here.

My cousin, Peachy, even suggested that I incorporate all the coasters I've made for Danika into a blanket somehow so she can still use them and treasure them when she is older. Plus, that way, she could keep them all together effortlessly, haha.

Story behind the themed coasters here.

Slim Line Tunic
My mom's sweater is almost done, too! Yay! Then we get to go pick out yarn for Stu's bathrobe. Yay!

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In other news, I went to the doc on October 12th, she said everything looks good and suggested we wait two menstrual cycles before we try again. This will ensure that my body has healed from the miscarriage and all back to normal. Also, it helps give the couple (and family) time to heal emotionally from the loss before the next pregnancy. She told me that my next period could come between 2 and 6 weeks from the miscarriage. (That could put us trying again in early January at the lastest, ugh.)

She said that everything should go fine the next pregnancy considering why I miscarried (it happens quite often actually) and that the chances of this happening again are significantly lower. Nice. She also kind of said (under her breath) that it wouldn't be a big deal if I got pregnant before two cycles. So, I asked Stu if we could wait just one cycle, he said it's a good idea to wait and take advantage of this suggested healing time... he's right. [sigh]

God, I hope my cycle comes fast, that we are able to try by early December and that we're pregnant before we know it. I've been waiting a long time already to get married and have babies, so having to wait even longer to get there is difficult.

Wish us luck and tell my body to hurry up with the regular functions! Haha!
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Okay, I think I'm done... I need some cold pizza lunch and maybe a nap? Nah, lunch, knitting, more coffee and a movie! Yes, sir, that's what I need on this cold, rainy Saturday.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

I Want Candy Coaster - Free Crochet Pattern


I Want Candy Coaster


Materials:
H hook
worsted weight yarn
yarn needle

With yellow, ch 20.

Row 1 - sc in 2nd ch from hook and each remaining ch, ch 1, turn.

Row 2 - sc in each sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 3 - sc 2 tog, sc to last 2 sc, sc 2 tog, ch 1, turn.

Row 4 - repeat row 2, finish off weave in ends.

Row 5 - attach orange with a sc , sc in each sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 6 - sc 2 tog, sc to last 2 sc, sc 2 tog, ch 1, turn.

Rows 7 & 8 - sc each sc, ch 1, turn.

Rows 9-20 - repeat rows 6, 7 & 8 (change to white to start row 17).

Row 21 - sc 2 tog, sc to last 2 sc, sc 2 tog, ch 1, turn.

Row 22 - repeat row 21.

Row 23 - sc 3 tog, finish off, weave in ends.

sc evenly around entire edge with white, doing 3 sc in bottom corners and 5 sc in top corner, finish off, weave in ends.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

It Was Fun, But I'm Glad It's Over

Now Playing:
Decode
by Paramore


So, last night Stu and I went out with some people from his old circle of friends for his best friend's upcoming birthday. I got drunk. I haven't gone out drinking or been drunk for years! There was a guy who was a part of the friend circle there. I kept referring to him as Ryan Reynolds (he looked a bit like the bearded Ryan). It made Stu laugh. Although I don't think "Ryan" found it as amusing as Stu and I did. Hmm.

And apparently after we left (Justin told Stu this morning) people made some positive comments about us, like how we seem so meant to be together and how cute we are together. Sweet, huh?

Justin, thanks for being born so I had an excuse to get poo-faced and sick, sucka.

Stu, thanks for suggesting I go, even though going out for drinks has kinda been your thing up to this point. I needed it and I had fun! ...until I got sick, lol.


Happy Birthday Dad

Happy Birthday Dad
My nephew Mickel has started playing guitar a short time ago and played Happy Birthday for my dad during birthday cake time.


The army is growing!

SLC Stitchers
Here's our October 1st meeting. We're slowly getting more regulars to the group! How exciting. Jessica is now a regular, Marissa comes everytime she doesn't have a church meeting and Ryn comes with me every other week now (so I can still have my just for me mommy time), because her interest in knitting has been revived.

Counter clockwise around the table from red shirt: (red shirt) Jessica, Michelle, Ashley, Ryn, Marissa, Peachy, Danika (behind Peachy), Jennifer.

Back To School Coaster

Back To School Coaster
Septmeber's themed coaster for That Baby! Free pattern here.

Story behind the themed coasters here: www.flickr.com/photos/yarnpixie/3011425018/

Red Scarf Project 2009

Red Scarf Project 2009
Here's my scarf for The Red Scarf Project this year. I'm using the pattern for this scarf. Thanks to Jennifer from my knitting group for donating yarn she bought on clearance so some people in the group could make a scarf!

Our apartment management has had our apartment sprayed for bugs 5 times in the last 4 months and everytime they do, we have to clean out all cupboards and shelves in the kitchen and bathroom and linen closet. So it's like moving everytime, yay! Pfffft. They claimed that an ajoining apartment still has bug problems, even though we've had no evidence of this in our own home. And this time, to make things even "better" we were instructed to move everything out of our garage and given less than 24 hours notice. WHAT?!?! Our garage is our storage space (which we were told upon moving in was fine) and it's still SO very full of boxes.

Luckily, doing our best by moving everything away from the walls and to the center of the garage pleased the bug man (who was hired by management externally, not part of their staff) just fine. When Stu apologized to him for not moving everything out of the garage, he laughed and said, "No, this is great. Besides, where would you put it?!" Thank gawd the person we actually deal with each time this happens has THEIR head on straight.

So, yeah, I'm going to try to motivate myself to go unpack half our house again (ugh) so Bruce and Marissa can come over for dinner tonight. I think I'll make Dorito Casserole. I gotta repay them for being so sweet and bringing homemade chicken enchiladas for dinner the day I miscarried. I love them, they're always there for us, they're great! Thanks guys! ♥

Until next time, hugs and love to all! ♥

Back To School Coaster - Free Crochet Pattern


Back To School Coaster


Materials:
H hook
worsted weight yarn (pink, grey, yellow, tan, black)
yarn needle


With pink, ch 16.

Row 1 - sc in 2nd ch from hook and each remaining ch, ch 1, turn.

Row 2 - sc in each sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 3 - repeat row 2, finish off, weave in ends.

Row 4 - attach grey w/ sc to previous row, sc in sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 5 - sc in each sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 6 - repeat row 5, finish off, weave in ends.

Row 7 - attach yellow w/ sc to previous row, sc in each sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 8 - sc in each sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 9-16 - repeat row 8 (at the end of row 16, finish off, weave in ends).

Row 17 - attach tan w/ a sc to previous row, sc in each sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 18 - sc 2 tog, sc to last 2 sc, sc 2 tog, ch 1, turn.

Row 19-22 - reapeat row 18 (at the end of row 22, finish off, weave in ends).

Row 23 - attach black w/ a sc to previous row, sc in each sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 24 - sc 2 tog, sc, sc 2 tog.

Row 25 - sc 3 tog, finish off, weave in ends.

Top stitch all pencil details, then sc evenly around entire outside edge, finish off, weave in ends.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

My Deepest Thanks

I just wanted to say thank you to all those who have expressed regret for our loss and have offered love and support and especially those who commented on my last post.

Glo & Jessica, my sisters in crafting and blogging. You two have followed along with my life for a while now and in some small but significant way you both have touched my life in a wonderful way. Thank you. ♥

Mimi, mscl-thtr-lvr and Alisha (all yarn crafty ladies as well) also left a comment extending sympathies and well wishes for us. Thank you. ♥

All the support that My husband, step-daughter and I have recieved from all the people in our lives (and some we may not even know, like my readers) has meant so much to me, I can't say enough.

That is all.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

4 - 1 = 3

Now Playing:
Nightmare Mash
by Billy Lee Riley
AOL Halloween Radio

Well, we have bad news. During our ultrasound Thursday, it was determined that there indeed was no baby in me, just an empty gestational sac. There was a baby at one time, but sometime very early on (we don't know exactly when) something probably just didn't develop correctly, so the pregnancy just stopped progressing and the tiny, tiny embryo reabsorbed back into my body, nature's way of terminating what was probably an unhealthy baby. But the gestational sac kept growing a little more and producing all the pregnancy hormones that make a body act pregnant.

[Correction on above paragraph: It has been explained to me again by my OB nurse and I finally understand it correctly. After fertilization, the egg starts splitting (multiplying) its cells. During this process something did not develop correctly and the clump of cells disintegrated. So there never was actually a baby.]

So, I took the rest of the day off of work and asked for Friday off as well so that we could do a medicinally induced miscarriage at home (of the sac, since there was no baby) and I could have the weekend to relax and recover, since this sort of thing can be physically and emotionally taxing.

I ♥ Lortab, I hate miscarrying... wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, seriously.

Turns out that my body decided to miscarry naturally, just before the medicinal induction was to start.

It started at about 5 AM Friday morning and I was finally able to get to sleep once the pain began to subside at about 7:45 AM, one hour after taking a Lortab. We spoke with the nurse shortly after waking up at 10 and she said that everything we described is what she would expect. I actually feel pretty good physically and relieved that it went quickly and seems to have gone by the book. I am having the expected amount of bleeding and only a tiny bit of pain here and there. I'm taking it easy this weekend as to not stress out my body anymore, it's been through a lot.

I must say also, Stu was really great. He was strong, supportive, attentive, helpful and even scolded me for being a busy body patient while going through the scariest and most painful part of this process, lol. I love you so much, honey, thank you! ♥

Ryn actually slept through the whole thing, which is probably for the better. I'm sure being awake and aware during that probably would've been really hard for her.

I'm pretty okay emotionally. I made most of my peace with the possiblility after the previous ultrasound when we didn't see a baby. Stu and Ryn are having a little harder time right now and that's to be expected.

Lastly, I hope that none of you (male or female) have to go through this and if you already have, my compassion goes to you. I am glad that the worst is over and now our little family can start the healing process on the road to trying again.

Thank you to everyone for you prayers, support and love during all of this. It means the world to us. ♥