It is OFFICIAL!

It is official now so I can POST it!

My days (or should I say EVENINGS) of knitting are going to become more free now.... (or so I hope).......

THIS was in my IN Box yesterday with some fun graphics I can't translate to blogger but you get the gist........

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Congratulations On Your Promotion !!

It is my pleasure to announce Bonnie Mobley, RN, BSN has accepted the position of Trauma Coordinator in the Emergency Department.

Bonnie has been a nurse for over 8 years, the last 2 at (omitted) in the Emergency Department. I am confident Bonnie will be a tremendous asset to the Trauma Program.

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Weekends and holidays OFF!!!!! M - F DAYS!

AND a huge career boost to boot!

Praise GOD!

WHERE o Where is the knitting fairy when you need her?

GASP.....

Okay - at the risk of a certain person (who never reads my blog) READING my blog I am still going to post this....

I am heading back to Michigan in a few days (a week) and while this brings me great joy to see old friends, I have no desire to be in Michigan longer than I need to be. However, I am returning for a baby shower.

What a joyous occasion!

Now the rest of the story..... I had intended to create a baby scrapbook (almost done -but not quite), knit an outfit and get a baby bag from Lil Street purse company here in Chicago. Clearly I have nothing.... I will be returning to MI in as little as no time to spare - and no time to get anything done....

I frantically started knitting at knit nite last night and almost got the (shhhhh) hat done. I am planning on starting the booties as soon as I log off. I PLAN on going to the purse shop TODAY on the way into work.... What I really need..... is a knitting fairy god mother!!!!!!

Knitting Santa......

I am off to knit.....

BUT - I wanted to leave you with........

Rowan's coveted IDog that Santa brought her.........


YES I actaully am able to sit and knit..... in my clean organized house...... sipping coffee and watching some downloaded episodes of HEROS, Law and order (CI, SVU and the original).

BTW - Santa was VERY good to me.... I have a little over $100.00 in gift certificates to my two favorite knit stores in Chicago! AWESOME! and my DH got me some Makula yarn.... that is a DREAM to knit with.... Only it's 750+ yards... and I am having a hard time deciding what to use it all for..... right now a hat for a friend's baby..... (shh that is a secret!)

The DH also made me a new collection of stitch markers.... that I am using for this hat..... I am making out of the Makula yarn!

New Years New Bloggin?

I have been a very bad blogger but REFUSE to feel guilty about it. My life has been turned upside down and inside out over the past two months.....

With that said - lets get down to the new years resolution (which I said I would never make) of KEEPING the blogs up to date! (blogs - as in my two (knitting and scrapbooking)as well as prodding my DH to keep his up to date).

What have I done in the past two months?

• Work... work alot....
• School.... Finals blew me away... (in essences alot of BUSY paper work making disastor plans and plans of action in improving the health of chicago.... YOU LAUGH NOW).
• Thanksgiving and the Christmas holiday doings..... Never (and I will probably say this next year too) has this time period flown by so fast.
  
• Interviewing for a new job... career advancement if you will. One job I was interviewing for had about five separate interviews... that can really wear on a person you know.

Plus all my personal needs of SLEEP, eatting, (not working out - one thing I lament) and spending time with the fam.

What did I accomplish.... I did get several knitting projects done before Christmas. Each of Nat and Ro's teachers got a knitted scarf. The DH got a knitted scarf (be all that it may it was knitted and finished at the wee hour of 0230 on the 25th). Each friend got a hand made Stitch Marker (made by the DH) and Lorinda - PLEASE email me your address so I can send you a much belated Holiday card.

I haven't even kept up SASI blogspot which has many members itchy (with good reason!)

What I did accomplish in the last week of December makes me GLOW with happiness.
One of the goals of moving to Chicago - and DOWNSIZING our life - was to DOWNSIZE our clutter. Well unfortunately CLUTTER was ready to PUSH us out of our humble abode. So - we decided to move our bedroom to the guest room and the guest room to our room. WHAT an undertaking. If left to my DH devices it would have been a DISASTOR. What is it about men that they do not see DUST, Debris and un-organization. He - if not caught by me in time - would have literally swapped closet for closet. Fortunately - I caught him in the act - and instructed him to leave EVERYTHING out of the rooms till they were CLEANED top to bottom, repainted (or at least touched up), scrubbed floor - and then SLOWLY replace everything away.

The result.... after a week of CLUTTERED living that left me TWITCHING, ten HUGE bags of TRASH (more to come I am sure) is.... (drum roll please?)



This is the Guest room now..... I am sure the cough will find another home soon.... (praying it will) and we will have a different sofa lounger in there with another piece of furniture I have praying for the need for. This is the official PLAY room for the kids between guests. The Legos in the corner have never looked that good. What I need - is an area rug, a trash can, a magazine rack (I can never depart with old scrapbook mags and knitting mags... if you know of a system please EMAIL me!)



As you can tell - this is now the FAV hangout for the girls..... I hope they don't get too comfortable on that couch.....





I do not remember the last time my room looked this uncluttered..... I need a new bed spread/comforter.... it's time. I am thinking Red and Black colors.... Domestications online here I come!



The Dinning room table..... NEVER looked this cleaned off inbetween meals..... How exciting.....

These photos (taken by my lovely Rowan - photographer in training) do not appropriately reflect how much we cleaned out and cleaned up. Lets just say..... I feel so much better... the new year is lighter.... (now my weight on the other hand is another story.... hopefully with the onset of the new year and BETTER work schedule....that will all be a thing of a past.....)

What does describe how I feel is this picture (again by Rowan).....



Yes - this describes how I feel on so many levels.... order, a basket full of yarn waiting to be fondled AND knitted.... warm and fuzzy all over..... that's how I feel!

Happy New Year and Good knitting to all!!!!!!

For Christmas Pictures - please click on my other blog - I actually was able to get all my Christmas cards MADE and mostly distributed in time - more on my OTHER blog.....