A Rainbow of Tiny Tea Leaves

My girl asked me to knit her a rainbow sweater. 

Loving rainbows myself, I was happy to oblige.

The yarn - Noro Silk Garden, in several different colorways, that I moved back and forth from, choosing the color that called to me most :)

The pattern is "Tiny Tea Leaves" by Melissa LaBarre.  I love love love this pattern.  The yoke is gorgeous, and yet really not hard at all technically.  I knit it in a size 6, so she'd have room to grow - which she definitely does.  Looking at it, it might have been better to go with the size 4, and lengthen the body and sleeves.  My girl is such a slim little gal - it's a bit wide.  It's fine tho - she loves it, which is all that matters to me :)

The sun in this photo is making the colors look a little washed out, but I wanted to show the two different sleeves :)  My girl picked out the buttons :)  The whole time I was knitting it she kept asking me when we could sew the buttons on :)  It's hard to tell in the photos, but the stars are sparkly :)

I suppose I should have fiddled with it so it actually laid straight hey?  

I don't think I have ever enjoyed knitting a project as much as this one - it was so fun to watch the colors change :)  Next I think I may need to knit myself one ;)  

accidental smile capture

I talked my boy into posing for a photography exercise.  Don't worry, I said - I am not looking for smiles You can do what you want - it's just a technical exercise.......

I can not be held accountable for accidental smiles induced by silly little brothers who happen to choose that moment to pee on the old Christmas tree on the burn pile.......

*He tried so hard not to smile too......*

Maybe a bit opportunistic of me, but who could resist a smile like his?  So rare when the camera is out at this age....

Yay for Sisterly Love....

My sweet 5 year old told me that she really likes to go places - just mama and her and her little sis.

And so we went to the cafe´.

There were lots of big smiles...

And quiet contemplation of strawberry spritzers.

Warm glowing eyes.

a little yoga....

much giggling....

lovey dovey hugs.....

and ever so much dancing.

By the end they were plum tuckered out from all that lovin.

Photo shoot with my favorite teenager.....

Today was a good day.  The kind of day where you feel completely alive at the end.

My camera, my girl, the local yarn store, bubble tea, and a trip to the salon of course.

Bliss...

 My favorite......what a smile :)

 Her favorite.....

Spring Sunshine

The playground isn't covered in snow anymore.  The sun seems to jump out from behind the clouds whenever Big Miss A asks him nicely, and.....

the air just feels so fresh and new - spring is in the air!

My Scientist's Christmas Hoody

Yes Christmas - it's taken me that long to remember to take a photo of him when he was wearing it - which is quite a lot actually, so I don't really have a good excuse.  He's grown since then - I'm wishing that I'd made the sleeves about 3 inches longer.  He loves it tho.  I think he's my favorite person to knit for in a way, because he just loves anything I knit for him sooooooooooo much :)  One of the things I love most about knitting things for my loves is that I feel like they are just all wrapped up in my love for them, quite literally.  My Scientist definitely gets that.

The other day I happened to have my camera with me at piano lessons, and he happened to be wearing his hoody, and it just so happens that the light there is quite wonderful :)  So here I am again finally.

The pattern is by Knitting Pure and Simple, the Children's Hooded Tunic #232

The yarn is an organic cotton that was such a good deal I just had to buy it  - it's not available anymore tho, so I suppose it doesn't matter.  I have some more of it actually, in a yellow, and also grey, so eventually there will be more projects showing up here.

It feels good to be back in this space.  I spent much of the winter sick, catching one bug after another - it didn't much put me into the mood to blog - I mean what was I going to say?  "I'm sick and bummed about it..."day after day lol!  I definitely was feeling pretty discouraged by the end of it.  I'm feeling so much better finally tho, spring has arrived, and the inspiration is starting to flow along with the sap in the trees.

I have another very rainbowy knitting project almost complete that I am very excited to share, so I will be back soon ......

2 whole nights.

In 11 years together - my husband and I have only gone away together once, on our honeymoon, for one night.  Crazy no?  Well this weekend that changed :)  My youngest is finally ready to be away from me overnight.  This fact actually fully rocks my world.





















And so, knowing that the kids were well cared for, off we went, for 2 whole nights at the Hotsprings.

Yummy food, wine, soaking, lounging around, going for walks.....with my camera in tow of course....  It was heavenly.

I'm at such a strange strange place right now - a little unsettling in some ways - but oh so exciting in others.  After so many years of intense focus on nurturing attachments, and caring for wee ones, my littles have grown, and aren't quite so little.  My mind is buzzing with ideas, interests, passions, that have been on the back burner for so long.  Not that my kids are all grown up or anything, just not needing me quite so intensely as they did as babes.  We are still homeschoolers through and through, so my time is still quite limited, but at least there's some.  There's more.  And promise of more to come.

How's this for symbolic ;)  ?

Yes that is the camper roof they are jumping off of....

......but don't worry - there's so much snow underneathe, that it makes for a much smaller jump....

and a cushiony landing....

Yes they certainly do grow up fast.....