Knitting

Meet Me In St. Louis

April 4, 2014April 8, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

This is the post that apparently was published in an alternate universe yesterday. Don’t know what happened to the original.

ROADTRIP CONTINUED

Everyone made it safely to St. Louis – just in time for some bad weather – hail, torrential rain and high winds/tornados. We spent a little time down in the basement when the tornado got a little too close for comfort. Mr. Iknead’s new car fared pretty well during the hail, a couple of minor dings, one on the hood and one on the top. I think we got off easy – it could have been much worse.

It was so good to be with everyone, watching all the little girls giggle and play. We marveled at how much everyone’s grown and were been introduced to Baby Carter, the newest leaf on our family tree.

Babymama spends some QT with Carter

We went to The Magic House and the Zoo. Little niece Marin had a mishap at The Magic House with this resulting pretty blue cast on her leg. Her doc couldn’t pinpoint a fracture on x-ray since two year olds still have so much cartilage, but just to be on the safe side, he recommended the cast. Poor baby!

For the record, I didn’t hear this kid complain once – at all, about anything, before or after her adventures in casting. We should all be so cool, calm and collected. Marin, you’re awesome!

Lunch at the Zoo with Sprout

Art with Cousins

The young lovelies in this photo are, left to right,

Babydiva aka Harper

Papoose aka Susannah

and

Mollie

Another Cousin, Lila, at the Zoo

Mr. Iknead: Truly a Wild and Crazy Guy

Dad Jason, Mom Julia and daughter, Mollie at the Zoo

Raja

Sprout and Me at the Zoo

More pics to come. Stay tuned!

Time stays long enough for anyone who will use it. Leonardo da Vinci

Morning at the Zoo, Wondrous Yarnbox, Meet Forrester Gump

March 20, 2014March 21, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

ZOO FUN

Big and busy day today. Mr. Iknead and I spent the morning with all three grands and their moms at the zoo. I don’t know about the others but I’m totally beat. I bet we walked three miles today, easy! We had a blast and except for one tiny episode of COTTON CANDY COTTON CANDY IWANTCOTTONCANDY!!!! everyone’s sunny disposition stayed put. The four newest tiger cubs were a particular favorite. Babydiva developed a short term obsession with mole rats but was eventually distracted and we were able to carry on with our visit.

Babydiva and the Papoose – Cousins and BFFs

Patient Tiger Mommy

The Sprout’s Pushing ME Next Time!

Just Us Girls

Mr. Iknead and Babydaddy don’t have a chance.

And you know what? They love it! Mr. Iknead melts completely when he around the grands, it’s the sweetest thing – no request refused, no job too large or too small. Pawpaw’s got this and is loving every blessed minute. I married a marshmallow and it’s grand!

Babydivalicious

That Smile!!

YARNLOVE

Another wondrous box arrived while we were visiting the zoo and (be still my heart) this was inside:

SIIDEGARTE

Silky Swiss Gorgeousness

“Siide-Flauschig”

50% Silk/50% Merino

Aichblatt

250m/273 yds

There were two, count ’em, two hanks of this in the wondrous Yarnbox; the sheen on this stuff is phenomenal, as you can see from the photo. Now the hard part – picking a project because, as we all know, fabulous yarn calls for a fabulous pattern. Shawl? Shrug? Sweater? Who knows? Most of the time, in my plane of existence, the yarn decides what it wants to be, then it’s my job to figure out what that is. I’m thinking some type of wrap, maybe something with a hood?

RUN FORRESTER RUN!

Meet Forrester Gump, the newest member of the Iknead family.

Mr. Iknead has been so patient, waiting until he found just want he wanted, from the sort of silvery green paint job, to the moonroof, to the automatic back hatch – just touch a button and it opens and closes *snap fingers* just like that. I’m happy to see him so happy and excited. He deserves this new ride, he’s been driving my dad’s car for the past couple of years, a good car, a Buick LaCrosse, nice, not too fancy, but really, not his style. He’s more of an SUV kind of guy. I don’t mind telling that I’m a million times blessed to have him as the love of my life.

It is better to travel, than to arrive. Buddha

Knitting

Botany, Zoology and Grandology

June 11, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

HAS IT REALLY

Only been a few days since my last post? The calendar says it was last Friday, the 7th, but my brain feels like it’s been a lot longer than that. Mr. Iknead and I did have a busy weekend, spending most of the day Saturday browsing our local nursery and Home Depot for new flowers, bigger pots and such. After (OMG) 34 years of marriage, we’ve discovered a mutual love of gardening (neither one of us has ever even tried) and have been so enjoying being together and learning new things. Does that sound as sappy as I think it does? We put out some begonias and coral bells, which I think are so beautiful even without blooms and put a large pot on each side of our front door with cuphea. Of course I love that especially – it has purple flowers.

Coral Bells

Begonia

Cuphea

IT WAS A ZOO

I had my last pottery class for the spring session yesterday, so Mr. Iknead, Bigmommy, Babymama and the grands all went to the zoo. Word on the street was that it was a blast and thankfully, Mr. Iknead took pictures.