Crocheting while watching a movie

It was a busy Sunday. We sanded, swept, vacuumed & sanded some more. I went on a solo excursion to Menards to get the ceiling texture stuff, came back, cooked dinner, Ken applied the texture stuff, did dishes, laundry, swept. swept again, showered. Once all that was done it was time for Ken to hit the road and for myself to whip up a pear smoothie and watch "Amish Grace" on LMN. http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/amish-grace What a great movie! No, not only because I like to learn about the Amish, but because it really made me think.

It's based on a true story. In 2007 a gunman went into a one room Amish school and opened fire, killing and wounding children. The gunman was upset/angry with God because his baby daughter died. The Amish forgive, no matter what needs forgiveness. The story and movie followed one woman's journey into forgiving the gunman.

If someone murdered your child, would you be able to forgive? Now, I don't have kids but, I love my pets as if they were. I also have nieces and nephews and the thought of anything happening to them sickens me. I would be mortified, and downright angry. I'm going to definitely watch it again and really think about it.

I crocheted this baby sundress, headband and dress shoes while I watched the movie.

This happened in Escanaba

Last Friday, which was March 19th Ken & I ventured into our local Walmart to pick up pet food & other necessities. When we came across this:

They were all set up for the release of New Moon. They even played up the whole, who's team are you on? Team Edward or Team Cullen. I have never laughed so hard. There were actually a handful of teeny bopplet girls camped out, sitting on the floor, holding Twilight memorabilia...at 4pm!!! Ken made the comment that he'd like to tell those girls that the store had a list you had to sign if you wanted a copy & that the list was full!! He obviously was joking bus seriously...can you imagine if he'd said that to them? LOL!!

We enjoyed the movie & knew it was one that we were going to add to our library of movies we own. I refused to stand in line for such nonsense though. Just the thought of cooing girls getting all emo over fictional characters makes my skin crawl. Before you think I am a prude, keep in mind, the biggest thing for me was New Kids On The Block. I ONCE was one of those emo teeny bopper girls. Had NKOTB came to my area I would have spent DAYS waiting. But, this is Escanaba, MI. Most people don't know we exist. Anytootles, Ken & I jumped in the truck at 5 till midnight, made our way to Walmart and found this:

My cousin's wife was in line!! I caught her on camera while she talked on the phone.

Even this older woman, whom I do not know was standing in line...at midnight for her copy!! Someone should have given her a Kleenex...or at least told her there are video cameras and a goofy 30 something year old taking random pictures!! EWWWWW

We were at the very back of the line.

I can't believe I stood in a line...for a movie....at midnight. The line went fast and we got our copy, stopped off at McDonald's for a Shamrock Shake and went home. We got home at almost 1am & were too tired to watch the movie.

Who knew my lil hometown that not many know exist would have a turnout like this...for a movie!!

Whew, it's been a long day!

I set numerous goals today & accomplished a great many of them. I have never made pumpkin puree & my to do list did not allot ample time to do this AND the other tasks. I am happy to report that 4 of the 6 pumpkins have become puree though =) The other two were so hard to cut & my hands had had enough. So those two will go for the deer.



I chopped off the top, cleaned out the pumpkin brains, sliced them up & placed onto an ungreased cookie sheet & baked at 350 for 45 minutes. See, they have a hint of brown? Oh, added bonus is that the baking made the house smell delicious!!!

After they were done baking & let sit to cool a bit I began peeling the outer skin & chopping the pumpkin up & placing it in a bowl.

Loaded up the blender & pureed the bazoinkels outta the chunks

And whaaalaaa! We have a total of 16 cups of fresh pumpkin puree for breads, pies, cookies & who knows what else I'll make. I suggest setting aside a couple hours for this. I had figured it would take a half an hour tops to clean them & get them ready to bake...WRONG!!! It took 3!!!

After that task was finished I cleaned up the kitchen, emptied & ran the dishwasher, swept, scrubbed the floor, etc. I now have a clean kitchen =) Well for the time being...

I tidied up the house a bit, did a batch of laundry. My neck is still sore since Saturday morning. I either slept wrong or dancin to "Black Betty" Friday night did me in. So I figured I'd work on my sit still type tasks.

Logan's afghan is finished...

Also made some mittens & a scarf for special lil ladies in my life while I watched a movie "Christmas in the Clouds".

Tomorrow will be a much more productive day! I plan on going to bed at a decent hour. Which means, before 5am!! Ken's on the road so that means I rarely sleep. Tomorrow I will tackle the den and take the Christmas decorations upstairs after I put the Christmas Village we painted out on display. Tonight when I go to bed my jewelry making supplies will be taken to my craft room.

Hopefully I will have some time tomorrow to work on the memory quilt. The pieces are cut & the rows have been laid out & put back in order. Now I just need to park my fannie in front of the machine.

Weekend Madness

Ahhh another busy weekend! Ken got home late Friday night & we found ourselves leaving the house at 11:30 pm & heading to Perkins for our friend Chad's 30th birthday. I told Ken he could drink & I would drive. We never drink & drive...actually we really never drink. But it was Chad birthday so a few celebratory drinks would be fun. Well Ken decided not to drink so Nikki & I decided to try some apple pie shots...well after 4 I was a whipper snappin holly jolly gal!! It was totally fun though.

Shaney baney bo baney, myself & Ken

No clue what Ken had the giggles for. But Shane & I did a shot in celebratory fashion =)

Chaddy Chad the birthday boy & myself

Saturday we watched my lil brother Jess & Miss Madison for a few hours while Jim & Donna attended Donna's cousins funeral. JJ also came over & spent the night. Ken & his dad installed a new motion light on the front porch & a new dusk to dawn light on the garage in the back. No more loud buzzing bulb!!! Yahooo!!!! Serious, it sounded as if a swarm of bees or wasps were lodged in the old light. This one is energy efficient too =) Wonder what our electric bill will be next month. I'm actually excited to see it!!! We watched a couple movies before the Kenster & JJ vanished to the den to do some XBOX 360 gamin. Ahhh gotta love gamer geeks!!

On Sunday we put a turkey breast in the crockpot with some broth & picked Jesse & Maddy up & took them up to Ken's family's camp for his cousin Andy's 10th birthday party. Total funness!! The kids were fabulous & such fun. After we dropped them off it was time to come home & veg out in our fluffy clothes & watch the Packer game & the race. We were both tired & dozed on & off. Totally uncool for me!! I slept through part of the race!! By dinner time our turkey was finished. Oh we also added some veggies & had a yummalish turkey noodle (nuunuu as my niece calls it) soup, watched Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Family Guy (Ken's show) & American Dad (another one of Ken's shows) & then we watched Mr Magoriums Wonder Emporium. I suggest you watch that!! Totally magical & whimsical!! I'm almost finished with Logan's (my friend Shash's son's) afghan. There's still so much I have to do & make in time for Christmas. Speaking of Christmas...bathroom is decorated now with lights & pine garland, and a lil tree, village is up on the tv & end stands. My home is still a mess though & in need of some serious attention!!! I wonder if it would be animal abuse if I put some dusting cloths on my dogs feet & had them walk on the tables....hmmm Arizona is an Alaskan husky...perhaps we could have her pull the vacuum around!!! Ok, lots ta do & only a short time to do it!! Happy Monday =)

Buster Brown snugglin with ken while we watched a movie. I just love this pic. =)

The Christmas Village

Only 45 more days till Christmas!!!! =)

Into The Wild

We just watched a fantastical movie called "Into The Wild" about the adventures of Christopher McCandless. I highly recommend this movie! It's based on a true story too!

After graduating in 1990 from Emory University, McCandless gave away his savings of $24,000 and began traveling. He ditched his car, cut off all communication with his family and burned all his money. He yearned for a more simplistic life.

In April 1992, Jim Gallien gave McCandless a ride to the Stampede Trail in Alaska. There McCandless headed down the snow-covered trail to begin an odyssey with only ten pounds of rice, a .22 caliber rifle, a camera, several boxes of rifle rounds, some camping gear, and a small selection of literature—including a field guide to the region's edible plants, Tana'ina Plantlore. He took no compass or map.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Wild

What I love so dearly about this movie was the zest for simplicity in life this young man posessed. He was not into the fancy schmancy things , even though his family could afford him all those luxuries.

I just ordered the book written by Jon Krakauer off of Amazon for a nifty $1.95 & totally can't wait to read it!

Quotes from the movie to ponder that I just love:

"So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun."— Chris McCandless


"If we admit that human life can be ruled by reason, then all possibility of life is destroyed."— Chris McCandless