What I've been doing

Hi everyone reading this. It's been about a week since I've posted, though my intentions are to write more often. But it's been busy in the Cardell home as I'm sure it has been in many of yours. We're getting ready for Christmas and as always I wait too near the deadline to finish projects I want to get done before Christmas. Ah well.

My parents are coming down for Christmas this year, which is different, pleasantly so. Normally we 3 children and our families go to them. However, this year my husband is working Christmas day and my brother is working the day before and after Christmas along with his fiancee, and so they are unable to go up to our parents that day. It's only a 3 hour drive for my brother or me but we normally spend the night there instead of coming back that evening. But since DH is working and brother has to work next day, we won't be going up to our parents this year.

My mom called me yesterday to say that they and my sister and her family are coming down here! What a wonderful surprise! I had suggested to my brother that we all just get together down here. They must've talked.... (grin)

I'm very excited anyway about having everyone down here. We have a small and modest home, so it will be quite cozy with all of us here together. Let's see...it will be my mom and dad, my sister, her husband, their 3 children, my brother and his fiancee, and then DH and me and our 3 children! Sound cozy enough? :)

Besides wanting to work on some family gifts (crochet), I have been working on putting together my final Secret Pal monthly gift. I don't know if I should say yet or show pictures of what I've done thus far because she may be reading this! I will wait.

I did whip up a little sky-blue helmet hat for my TJ last night. I actually tried to make it according to a pattern found here, but I could not crochet the hat by the instructions. Admittedly, I wasn't using the P hook or double strands like this pattern called for but rather a H hook and a single strand of sport weight yarn. I crocheted with this hook and single strand to possibly turn this adult hat into a baby hat. Well, it did turn into a baby hat, but not with the same instructions in this adult pattern. I figured out the gist of the pattern and was able to create something that looked decent I thought. I have not added the pom poms yet, but want to at least add one to the crown of the hat and possibly one at the end of each tie. Here are some pictures of the helmet and one of my 6 month old TJ sporting it. :)







So what do you think? Is it presentable? It's certainly functional. My poor baby didn't have any hats. We had been enjoying wonderful Fall weather lately, but these last few days the temps have dropped from the 70's and 80's down to the 50's during the day and 30's at night! My baby had to have more than just a blanket over his head, so I sat down and whipped this little hat up for him. I think I might make another one or two in different colors. They certainly cover his ears nicely.

Well, that's all for now. I will write more soon, I hope. I feel just fortunate getting an opportunity to write this as our TJ has not been sleeping, or getting to sleep, very well (I think he's teething again - top teeth this time?) and he wakes up so easily after being laid down for the night.

I hope that you enjoyed reading. Until next time...

Karla