I'm getting brave!

I think I am ready to knit an actual sweater. I went to Knit Night at the yarn shop (Knitorious--the greatest place on the planet with the coolest name!) tonight instead of at Borders. I usually go to Borders but it's always a tough choice. My two favorite things are yarn and books. I can't lose either place! Gotta leave my wallet in the car or I'm in trouble. Tonight it was in my knit bag. I peeked around at pattern books and ran across a sweater pattern that was very cute, looked very comfortable, and said Beginner. Perfect! That's what I am. It is in Jo Sharp's Contemporary Knitting book on page 49. It's a squarish tunic. The shop owner (this shop has the most wonderful and helpful and patient folks) helped me do the math and we figured out how many yards of yarn I will need and picked out some gorgeous wool. It is Classic Elite's Rennaisance. It's bluish-gray and tweedy. I brought a couple of skeins home and she stuck the rest behind the counter for me. I started my guage swatch (my first one) when I finally joined the other knitters.--who were lots of fun, by the way. Now the Wednesday Knit Night decision will be even harder! I think this sweater will go quickly and that Autumn will never get here so I can wear it! I know that I will live in it if it turns out decent at all.

My Goofy Girl

I found some pictures of Julianne at camp on her friends' Facebook profiles. Is she a character or what? Yes, those are water bottles on their heads and they wore them most of the day. I have learned that the picture on bottom is from last year. Still funny.

Don't know, Holli, Julianne, Lauren, & Lacie:

Julianne, Jenna, & Lacie:

Happy Independence Day!

I'm a day late but I ran too much yesterday to blog! I have pictures of our day but they are not available right now. I'll add them later in the week. I'll stick some from the phone here for now but they're crappy!

My youngest brother, Ed, carried the flag for the National Guard in the parade at DeSoto, Missouri. My mom, Julianne, & I watched the parade with Ed's wife, Denise, and his daughter, Aubrey. I hadn't seen Aubrey since Christmas and couldn't believe how much she's grown up! She's still not to big for Aunt Cyndi to hold her and carry her and I do both every chance I get! We were all so proud of Ed. It's hard to take a picture with your hand over your heart but we managed. After the parade we went with my cousin, Dan, (didn't hook up with him for the parade) to lunch. That was fun. I haven't seen Ed since before he left for basic training in January. He went to ATI training directly from there. I've missed him! We had a joyful reunion and I got my Aubrey fix. Life is good. Ed is the cute one, second from the right, with the Missouri flag.

I talked to Aubrey on the phone not long ago and promised to make her a doll blanket. She wanted a red one (a kid after my own heart!). Realizing Thursday night that I was going to see her the next morning I frantically ran looking for red baby yarn and ended up with Yarn Bee's Cameo in a gorgeous red called Carnelian. I am using size 11 needles and just knitting the whole thing. I worked on it some while I waited to meet up with the others before the parade and some at lunch. Aubrey had to help. There is a hole in the rows that she did but I can't take her stitches out. Her baby will just catch a draft. Aubrey likes the blanket so much she said that she would be under it. I don't think it's big enough for that, but who am I to judge?

After lunch Julianne & I hooked up with my other brother, Jim, at our gym. Julianne & I joined it about six or seven weeks ago with the intention of going 3-4 times a week--which we were faithfully doing. She has been at camp or Granny's house for the last three weeks but Jim has been going with me. He finally just joined himself, too. He dragged my fat heinie there every night while Julianne was gone! It's cool, though, because I'm really seeing results. Now that I can see it working I want to go more often. My mom said I looked "narrower" at the parade. COOL!

Julianne, Jim, & I ate dinner out and then went downtown to watch fireworks under the Arch. That was so nice! We have the most gorgeous fireworks display here in St. Louis that I can imagine! Jim had never seen our downtown display. He declared it almost as nice as Pilot Knob!