Spring is finally here :)

What's Happening?

     I'm so sorry it's been so long since I have posted.  I started a new job and moved to a new house.  So, life became a little too busy.  But, I've missed my blog, so I'm back just in time for spring.

     Since I last posted I lost 20#.  How?  Weight Watchers Points Plus Online, Zumba class once a week, and beginner's ballet.

What's off my sticks?

 The photo above is a pic of the socks that I knitted for my sister's Christmas present ...

Here's a blanket I knitted for the den.  I think that my Shih-Tzu, Daisy likes it the best.

Here's a monster family I knitted for a friend of mine.  She just added a second set of twin boys to her family!

Knitting News

     I found a new knitting book I love written by Nancy Epstein.  She gives you tons of patterns for knitting blocks and explains how to take the blocks to make bigger projects such as blankets, scarves, wraps, bags, etc.

What am I reading?

      I've been reading lots since I last posted ...

On Audible.com,  I've read ...  

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (*****),

The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank (***),

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (****),

The Next Always by Nora Robers (***), and

Seriously ... I'm Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres (****).

I just started The Next Thing on My List by Jill Smolinski.

On my Kindle Fire, I've read ...

A Life in Stitches by Rachael Herron (***),

The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club by Gil McNeil (***),

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (***** AWESOME BOOK!),

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (***** Seeing the movie tonight), and

Then Again by Diane Keaton (****).

I just started Catching Fire the second book in The Hunger Games.

Getting Ready for Fall

What's Happening?
     

      It was my birthday, August 1st.  My family visited me in Wilmington and we had a wonderful time.  My husband took me to Thalian Hall to see Always ... Patsy Cline.  We really enjoyed the show.  My best-friend, Susan, gave me a gift package from Adagio Tea including an amazing tea kettle that quickly warms water to temperature of your choice.  If you want green tea, you set it to the "green" setting, same for black tea, etc.  It also came with a tea sampler and I have really enjoyed trying different types of tea.  I have enjoyed drinking Adagio Tea so much, I decided to join the tea of the month club. 

What's off my sticks?

    Shocker ... I knitted another monster.  She is named Lurleen, the Laundry Monster.  She was fun to knit, but I'm going to take a little break from monsters for a while.  Not for good though, because I promised to knit monsters for two friends at work who are both pregnant, one with twins!
 
What's on my sticks?

     I just started a pretty big project.  I am knitting The Alpaca Blanket from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.  So far, it is not too difficult and an enjoyable project to knit.  It will be nice to wrap up in a warm blanket in the winter while I sip tea, listen to books, and knit. 

Knitting News

     If you have not yet joined Ravelry, I highly recommend it.  Ravelry is a social networking site for knitters and is so much fun.  You can keep track of your own projects, see other knitters' projects, and find tons and tons of new patterns.  Join by going to www.ravelry.com

What am I reading?

     I just finished reading Jaycee Dugard's memoir, A Stolen Life.  This story is a little difficult to read, because of the horrible life events Jaycee was forced to endure.  But, I am still very glad that I read this book.  She is an amazing woman.  She inspires me to become a much more optimistic and appreciative person.  As sad as her story is, she remains strong and hold onto a very positive outlook throughout her time as a captive.  
     I just started reading Kate Morton's The Forgotten Garden.  I have read only the first chapter so far.  This book received rave reviews on Audible and I really look forward to enjoying it.  Here is the publisher's description: "A foundling, an old book of dark fairy tales, a secret garden, a maze, an aristocratic family, a love denied, a mystery - The Forgotten Garden is a captivating, atmospheric, and a compulsive [read] about the past, ghosts, family, and memories from best-selling author, Kate Morton."