Holy Earthquake, Batman!

Wow! I usually don't feel them, but that one was a big one. Freaked Connor out when the bed started shaking. Wonder how much that one registered?

*edited to add* DH just called and said that it was a 7.0 and centered near Pagan (an island north of us), and that he is okay in his 5th floor office.

Peace.

Not in China

We are supposed to be in China right now. Unfortunately we had to cancel our trip while we were back home with Mom in September. I didn't feel comfortable being at home without our passports while they were processing our visas. So, we made the executive decision to hold off on our trip. Guess that is one more trip to add back on to the list of places to go.

Did I mention that we are spending a week in Hawaii (Big Island) next year? Oh, I did. Sorry! ; )

Thanks for the comments about my recycled bag-bag. I don't feel like such a loser now, lol.

KaLu has given me the "You Make Me Smile Award", and I was an honorable mention on Kim's blog. Thanks, chicks!! You both would be on my list also! It will be hard to pick 10 bloggers that haven't already been chosen...I have well over 100 on my Google Reader, but here goes....
1. Deece - Because I love the fact that you put your family first. And you crochet!! I got lots of info on Saipan just by reading your blog.

2. Chiloe - Your progress on your projects is inspiring! And I love the posts with your kids.

3. Heather - You are a single Mom and you manage to keep it all together. I admire you! I couldn't do half of what you do on a daily basis.

4. Little Cat - I love watching your projects grow and your pictures of Riley are adorable!

5. Aunt Tamie - Love the fact that you blog. And you now stitch! Yay! I enjoy reading your posts, makes me feel more like an insider to your life.

6. Bev Q - What can I say? I admire your craftyness, your humanitarian work and I absolutely adore your free pattern database. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

7. Kendra - I love looking at your blog, it is just so cheery. I can relate to many of your posts since "The Baby" and Connor are close in age.

8. Carolyn - Your blog graphics are awesome, I love the fact that you change it frequently. I admire your drive and commitment to cycling and exercise. I wish I had 1/10th of it!

9. Jennifer - Your stitching and finishing is exquisite! I know firsthand. I love wondering how you are going to finish something, and then seeing your pictures.

10. Melanie - I feel connected to you when reading your posts. You are one talented lady! And who wouldn't smile when seeing your kids? They are so cute!

Seriously, I had a hard time going through my reader and picking out blogs that hadn't been nominated. I didn't even get all the way through my reader actually *blush*.

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Did I tell you that Connor will be delaying his first year at college because his Grandpa spent the tuition money on a vintage tractor for the kid? (Kidding about the college thing, not the tractor)

Seems that my Dad has a picture of himself on a 1954 Mc Cormick Farmall kid's tractor when he was about 6 months old. He has been on a mission to find the same tractor for Connor. He was successful. He went to an auction and got into a bidding war with another guy for this restored vintage tractor (*hello*). The guy later asked him how high he would have gone, my Dad's response was, "As high as it would have taken." Oy!

Without further ado, here is our son, sitting on his Freshman tuition:
He is climbing around on everything, and working on standing alone. He has two tiny little teeth on the bottom now, just barely in. And he loves the dog. Her feelings for him? Notsomuch love, more like tolerance. We are still nursing, I can't believe it either. I never would have thought that we would make it to 6 months, let alone beyond 9 months.

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I have been knitting more dishcloths, I should take a picture of the ones I have done so far. I also crocheted a scarf using a variation of a pattern that another blogger gave to me. I have a question though...the pattern is based loosely on a published dishcloth pattern, so if I were to give the scarf pattern on my blog, is that a violation of copyright? Inquiring minds want to know.

I had this off label acrylic yarn from Mom's stash. I know, I know, it's acrylic. But you would not believe how soft this stuff is. It is beyond-science-scary. I used just about a skien and a half (approx 225 yards I think) and an "I" sized hook.

I have another skien and a half, I think that I am going to work on a simple knitted shawl... knit two, yarn over, knit to the end, repeat kind of thing. But on big bamboo circulars...maybe 10's...?

Speaking of knitting, I made out my wishlist for the parentals for Christmas ideas. Am I a total snot for wishing for a set of KnitPicks Options Harmony Interchangeable Needles? AND an 80gb iPod? LOL. Okay, maybe asking for those plus the 8 books that are on the list are a bit much... So many choices.

I am going to participate in the NaBloPoMo in November. Should be a challenge for me, but I am looking forward to it. Anyone else going to join?

Next post I will talk about festivals (fiber & craft related), quilting & thrifting...and whatever else I can ramble out.

If anyone else is on Ravelry, I am mhighfill (real original, I know). Just incase you want to friend me or anything. : )

Peace.

I missed it

Today is Oct 16 in Saipan, but it is Oct 15 in the mainland. While skimming through my blog feeds on Google Reader, I saw that it was Blog Action Day.

What is Blog Action Day?

"On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future."

So, here is my little bit. I married a Tree Hugger. So that has made me a Tree Hugger by association. I don't bring things home from elsewhere, disassemble it, and then recycle it like DH does (the broken paper shredder at work), but I try to do my part. I could wax poetic about cloth diapers, making your own baby food, clothes line drying, no airconditioning, no hot water heater, etc. ad nauseum. But I won't.

I am a woman on a mission. A knitting and crocheting mission. I have joined the plastic bag crusade. I am crocheting a plastic market bag out of...plastic bags. We use canvas bags when we shop at the farmer's market and the grocery store, but somehow we still manage to have bags of bags stored under the sink. Plastic bags are going to take over the world. Even if I stop somewhere to get an iced tea while out, the clerk will try to put my one bottle in a plastic bag. When I say "No bag", they look at me like I have spiders coming out of my nose.

DH has even helped out:

Here is what I have so far:

I got the pattern in one of those "Crochet-Pattern-A-Day" calendars, but here is the same one, for free!

Peace.

THE List!!!

So, the list is out for our rotation next year. Did I mention that DH has decided to help ease the burden of moving with a one week trip to Hawaii on our way to our new home? Since it is on the way and all...

Anyway, on to the good stuff. The list is out and as I told DH, I am pretty underwhelmed at this point. No Sturgeon Bay, no Paducah, no Massena...bleh. I have a pretty good idea of what my ranking is, I am just wondering what your thoughts are. What would be your top 3 choices? Don't take into consideration the cost of living (certainly can't be higher than Saipan, where we are now with our $10 gallons of milk) or the housing market, since we get a Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH). And we do intend to buy. If it is a big city, we would live outside of the city in a suburb or some such. Here ya go...

Houma, LA (we lived here before, I would go back)
Huntington, WV
Cincinnatti, OH
Portsmouth, NH
Wilmington, NC
Portland, OR
Ketchikan, AK
Buffalo, NY
Seattle, WA

I have already ixnay-ed St. Thomas, USVI and Kodiak, AK since I have had enough island living for a while.

The really crummy thing is this: Our friends in Cape May, NJ have a higher priority than us since he is a Company Commander(boot camp). DH & I have been talking and we really wanted to put Portsmouth, NH as our #1 choice, but it seems that our friends are putting that as their top choice as well. So, we get screwed out of it. Really bites.

Peace.

Making Strides Walk

Today (Saturday in IL) was the Making Strides for Breast Cancer walk. My Aunt just shared a few pictures and this is what she wrote:

"The "Making Strides for Breast Cancer" walk took place this morning. Approximately 3,000 walkers participated raising $191,000 to fight this disease. To all of you who donated money in memory of Lauri, my heartfelt thanks. It was an inspiring and emotional event that made me realize how we are all connected through this journey of life. I am grateful for your friendship and love. "

Here is a picture of the team, posing by the banner that they had made:

I wanted to thank everyone who donated to the team, you are all so special and I send much love and many thanks. And a huge thanks to everyone that bought the special pinkeep kit that Mary Kathryn designed for her shop, Handcrafts Online. Mary Kathryn made an incredibly generous donation from the sales of her kit. Go check out her pink page, I know that I am really looking forward to getting my kit! Thank you, Mary Kathryn!

Peace.

More yarn love

Did I mention that I recieved my invite to Ravelry last week??? WOO HOO! I was on the waiting list for most of the summer. I *heart* Ravelry. You can see other people's projects, search for patterns (free & paid), search for yarns, search for projects by yarn types, etc. And it is for chicks with sticks (knitters) AND hookers (crocheters).

Get on the list, you will love it!

And to answer Monique's question:

I keep the yarn in the deep freezer because 1) We lack storage space like nobody's business. 2) It keeps it nice and clean and pet hair free 3) I need to use this brand new deep freezer for something since power supply here on island is iffy at times and I would hate to have a freezer full of food spoil.

No, it is not turned on. Plus, it makes a nice cutting surface for my giant rotary cutting mat.

Hooking for Christmas

Have I told you all that I have a deep freezer full of yarn? I do. It is almost embarrassing. And that my inheritance from Mom was more yarn? Yeah. I probably have almost another deep freezer full of yarn stashed at various homes back in IL, waiting for me until next year. It is like my own little Hobby Lobby.

Since I haven't had one bit of desire to pick up needle and thread to do any cross stitching since Mom died, I have turned to crochet. In a way, it helps me feel closer to her. She was a crochet maniac. She always had a few projects in the works. I am disappointed that I never took the time to actually sit down and try to crochet her slippers with her. She always gave slippers to the kids at Christmas. And cotton dishcloths. You didn't leave her house without a dishcloth at Christmas. So, in that vein, I have decided that this year, instead of making ornaments for people, I am going to do dishcloths and try to make her slippers.

It is kind of funny, she never followed a pattern. She didn't write down her patterns. I found a soft briefcase full of patterns that she had bought and stored, but I am not even sure that she could follow a pattern. Not because she didn't know the stitches, but because she always flew by the seat of her pants and let her creativity take over. She made lots of afghans, scarves, dishcloths, hats and slippers.

This is Connor, asking me "Just how much yarn do you have, woman?!?!?!"

Peace.

Thinking of switching

I am considering switching to Wordpress or Typepad. I like the layout of both.

Anyone have any pearls of wisdom or want to sway me to one or the other?

Peace.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

My Mom, Lauri Vincer-Ebens 1957-2007

Hello my friends! Thank you all for your condolences, for lighting candles in memory of my Mom, your prayers, your good thoughts and your emails checking on me. I am okay...as okay as an only child can be after losing her Mother I suppose. I am trying to get back into my real life. We are back on our island, we got in on Saturday morning.

As many of you are aware, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month...a month that is very special to me. My Mom used to have a team that participated in the Making Strides Walk. The team is carrying on without their fearless leader in memory of my Mom. Because we must never forget. And we must find a cure. Watching someone you love die from Metastatic Breast Cancer is something that I hope nobody has to endure in the future.

I have signed up to raise money for Mom's team, The Pink Ribbon Girls. Please make a donation...no donation is too small. Every single dollar helps.

My personal page is here: Missy's Pink Ribbon Girls Page

I am sending a check today (it is Monday here) to the American Cancer Society for $1500 to go towards the walk, it is money given by Mom's friends at her Memorial. I am also sending a check to Hospice from the Memorial.

Please make a donation, and while you are at it, check out the awesome site that Kim has put together Stitch Pink!

Peace.