Objets finis!

I thought about writing this entry in French, just because I'm in that mode from a 2-day writing marathon, but I figured too many would not understand, so English it is...

This...
is how I spent much of my afternoon yesterday. Margaret did not want to sleep in her bed, did not want to be put down, did not want me to sit down.

But this...is the result, me clicking on send to transmit my dissertation finale to my professor, thereby ending my career as an undergrad and transitioning to graduate studies. (OK she still has to grade it and I still have to receive a passing grade for the class to get my degree.)

And these...are my other finished objects, a couple are almost finished, more about those tomorrow. I'm taking the kids to the park, it's only 94 degrees outside.

must . finish . writing

Tomorrow is a designated writing day. I must finish my 4-page paper and turn it in to complete the work required for my BA. I will finish tomorrow.

So, if you catch me surfing onto any blogs, on-line stores, or checking my e-mail a hundred times, remind me that I must finish writing.

If you see me looking longingly at my corner of knitting projects, or pulling out a pattern book or magazine to peruse, or even picking up my needles, remind my why I must wait.

If you see me picking up a book that is not French, not written by Rousseau or Sarraute, and not Les Confessions or Enfance (a dictionary or grammar book is allowed), warn my that my degree is waiting.

I cannot put this off any longer...my materials for the class I will be teaching in August are waiting on my bookshelf for me to start planning...I've got itchy fingers.

It is only 4 pages, the introduction is done, it will not be that hard.

(I just needed to give myself that peptalk. I've got finished objects to post, on Tuesday, after I finish my paper.)

Just some random pictures from this week

More extensive post later, including some finished knitted objects.

Margaret is now 15 weeks old, and she's started rolling over from her tummy, then gets mad she's stuck on her back. She's found her thumb and we've discovered she loves books, and prefers them to her other toys.

I need to take more pictures of the other kids!

I am weak...a knitting post

I succumbed...I was unable to resist temptation...For so long I looked the other way...then I was left home with a baby and the internet and a credit card and this happened...

That, my friends, is my first shipment of the sock of the month club from here. Not that I really needed any new sock yarn, but all my sock yarn is Knit Picks, now don't get me wrong, I love their yarn, but a knitter reads about all these other yarns, and well, you just gotta try them out some time. What better way than by receiving a new pattern with different yarn every other month? So this is Betsy...see, not only could I not resist the temptation to buy, but I had to cast-on right away, never mind the ten other projects I have on the needles.

As if that wasn't bad enough, I got an e-mail from Knit Picks, and wouldn't you know...they're having a book sale. Well I've been wanting to get more Elizabeth Zimmerman books, so Knitting Workshop, and maybe some yarn (in ballerina, wisteria and aloe, I already have natural) to make the Baby Surprise Jacket and a stripy hat from Itty Bitty Hats (which I already own) to match, found their way into my stash, they should be here next week. I did good though, I could have walked away with lots more...

So now, I have on my needles...
1. The Mable dress for Margaret, this is actually at the seaming stage, almost done
2. "Labor" socks, these are the bed socks that were intended for wearing during Margaret's birth, one done, small start on second
3. Betsy socks, foot left on both socks
4. Palette Fair Isle, lots left
5. EZ February baby sweater, about 1/3 done
6. Estonian socks, one sock is half done
7. a sweater for Elisabeth from this book, lots left
8. a Mason Dixon bib
I frogged the other baby sock I was working on...it's too small for my little chunkster! I will start it again soon on bigger needles.

I think that's it! Most of these are fairly small projects and could be knocked out in the next few weeks. I'm not going to start anything new until most of these are done. Wish me luck on that resolution :)

Oh my, I just clicked over to Knit Picks to check the status of my most recent order...and they have their new fall yarn line up...temptation...new colors...new yarns...

The kids were up to some silliness this weekend...they covered themselves in colored foam peanuts and did some silly shows for us...they did get along well for some of the weekend too...

And toes...look how chunky they are!

Holidays and Summer Camp

So Margaret is three months old now (as of Monday). She has finally outgrown her newborn clothes...she has fat rolls on her arms, legs and neck...she is sleeping for about 5 hours at night!She celebrated her first 4 of July...nothing really fancy...we were going to have people over, but everyone canceled at the last minute...so we grilled our hotdogs and hamburgers ourselves, lit off our own fireworks and ate our homemade ice cream. The kids had a good time and stayed up really late.

Elisabeth has been having a great time at summer camp. She goes horseback riding every Monday and Thursday, does arts & crafts, swims every day, does a ropes course, hangs out with her best friend, Savannah, and has made some new friends.

enjoying dinner with Grandma I-I (Aida)

Joseph is doing great at his camp. This was the perfect transition to Kindergarten. He is outside most of the day in free play or organized sports and games, he plays with the boys his age (I think he has a couple of friends that are girls too), they go on field trips, they swim twice a week and he comes home singing all the camp songs.

with Aida's sister Melba 7/1

I am almost done with my undergrad course work. I only have to write one paper, 4 pages, and turn it in. I got the offer from my department for my graduate studies. I will be teaching one beginning level French class, 5 days a week plus 3 (I think) office hours, UF will pay me a stipend to teach, plus they will pay for me to take 9 credit hours a semester. My program is 2 years, 2 1/2 years for thesis option (I plan to write a thesis) and I will be eligible to teach every semester, I should be able to take on teaching another class in the future (like spring semester). It will be busy, it will be intense, but this is what I have been working so hard to achieve, I am so excited about starting.

Pictures of knitting soon...even some finished objects :) And more pictures to come of a certain little girl in cute dresses.