...boo!

So, maybe I have too much time on my hands waiting for the sun to go down. We've had one group of trick-or-treat kids so far. I made James take this shot of me in my very homemade costume. Then, I played with it a little in Photoshop to make it more nocturnal. I'm in a black dress and...can you guess? I slipped my arms thru several tabs on some old curtains. These are even homemade curtains that I patched together from old graduation gowns (from my years working at the college). They aren't pretty. In fact, they are pretty scary! I made them to shade the extra glare that used to block my hubby's video games. (Now if that isn't true love...!) What do you think? Am I a scary witch? Vampire?

And yes, Lucy is wearing a homemade costume of James' design. She's a good sport, really.

Homemade costumes are the best!

...return to hats and booties?!

I wasn't sure if this was something I wanted to post on the blog. It's been such a big part of my life lately, that I decided I would share it. I finished a crochet baby blanket last night. It took about a week and a half of an hour here and there. It's for a Marine in my hubby's unit who just had a baby girl. So, in reality, it's for her!


This came to be after James shared that he hadn't been able to contribute to the flowers fund when the baby arrived. He asked me if I could make something for the new parents instead. I agreed. After all, I've made hats and booties recently. I wanted to try something different. I challenged myself to make this blanket since I didn't have a deadline (the baby was already here).

I feel guilty that I haven't made blankets for all the new moms I know. Honestly, I'm not sure when I'll be attempting another one. This one took me a long time, and I need a break. I'm not saying that I won't do it again...ever. I just might be back to hats and booties for a while!!!

...gather.

The magnolia trees are still blooming. I guess they just go year round here. I love the bright, red seeds that come out of the fruit. I gathered up a few I found on my morning walk. It reminded me of gathering the bright colored leaves each autumn. I guess it is the closest I will get to gathering fall leaves out here.

...trumpet!

I finished the pink elephant!

...add and "h."

I hear a lot of fancy talk in church. We read scripture and say prayers that have "thee" and "thou" words. I haven't given a lot of thought to one of the old words until yesterday. For some reason, the word "O" got me thinking. What is it? Why do we use it? On my own, I figured out that it is an expression. However, I wanted to find out if there was more to "O."

There is more to "O." Nowadays there is an "h." The word "oh" is the later spelling of "O." Yep. It's as simple as that. According to Dictionary.com, folks have been adding the "h" since the mid-16th century.

Well, that explains a lot. It all makes perfect sense. Why didn't I know "O" was "oh?" It seems so simple now. Isn't is funny how the mind will not make a simple connection like that? Maybe it's just me...I wonder how often I miss things that simple in daily life.

Have you ever missed something as simple as adding an "h?"

...show progress.

I don't usually show my projects before they are finished. However, I'm just glad at this point to show my progress. I have been struggling with this tiny, pink elephant. I wasn't sure this was even going to work out. I had to keep taking out stitches and trying sections over again. I have also decided that I'm not using the best yarn for such an itty-bitty endeavor. Now, I have gotten to a point where this little guy is taking shape. I'm proud that I was able to get this far! He still needs a belly, tail, ears, and eyes. Now that I've got the hard part figured out, I'm feeling confident that I'll finish. So, stay tuned for the picture I'll post when I'm done.

...sleep thru conference.

Lucy curled up on the couch with us and slept thru this morning's session of the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (on the laptop).

You may remember some past posts where we caught Lucy falling asleep begging or not wanting to come out from underneath pillows. It's fun when we can catch her before she wakes up. She seems to have some sixth sense that alerts her that we are stalking her with the camera. That doesn't stop us from trying to catch her being cute.

She's a cute and often funny sleeper. Sure, she barks and runs in her sleep like most dogs. However, I think the funniest sleep habit she has is finding odd positions and places to sleep in. Here are some of our favorites that we could catch her in before she woke up!

...crochet a pumpkin.

This is my first try at crocheting something to stuff. I did a pumpkin since it is the harvest season. I got the pattern from a site called "The Itsy Bitsy Spider." This blogger is a very talented crafter who does some amazing amigurumi. Amigurumi is a Japanese craft where folks knit or crochet cute, miniature figures. I didn't choose to go mini since I am a beginner. I used a larger yarn and needle. So, my pumpkin actually came out more life size. Actually, James was calling it a basketball before I shaped it. It's now a little smaller than a basketball and pumpkin shaped. I like how it came out. Perhaps I'll make another in a smaller size...

...go crusty.

I made two loaves of strawberry bread this morning. I'm bringing it to a gathering tonight, so I sliced it up. Since most folks aren't fans of the end pieces, I set those aside. Then, I ate them for a treat. I love the crust on bread--especially homemade bread. The end pieces are basically all crust on one side. Yum!

So, am I strange? Does anyone share my love of crust? Or do you all cut the crust off your sandwiches?