This post is linked to Ginny's "Yarn Along" at her lovely "Small Things" blog.
I've begun the Great Hat Crochet that commences every fall. My guys like a simple double-crochet skull-cap type of hat for winter. Everyone from Jeff down to Ben asks for this hat. Fortunately for me, these hats only take an hour or so to make. I'm looking forward to picking up some more yarn this week to see what colors I can offer my seven men. :) The nice thing about making hats is that you can easily take them anywhere and add a row in a few minutes of time. Yesterday, while I sat waiting for my son to grab an iced-tea at a gas station, I put a row on this hat. When you are making something so small and easy, a minute here and a minute there really adds up. I think that Emily is planning to help me make some for us girls. Ours will be cuter, of course. :)
I've begun the Great Hat Crochet that commences every fall. My guys like a simple double-crochet skull-cap type of hat for winter. Everyone from Jeff down to Ben asks for this hat. Fortunately for me, these hats only take an hour or so to make. I'm looking forward to picking up some more yarn this week to see what colors I can offer my seven men. :) The nice thing about making hats is that you can easily take them anywhere and add a row in a few minutes of time. Yesterday, while I sat waiting for my son to grab an iced-tea at a gas station, I put a row on this hat. When you are making something so small and easy, a minute here and a minute there really adds up. I think that Emily is planning to help me make some for us girls. Ours will be cuter, of course. :)
I've also been reading lots of different books.
I have this really weird way of reading.
I'll have about twenty books that I'm half-way to two-thirds of the way thru but just can't seem to finish before I find another good book that simply must be read. :)
I'm a sucker for books from the "newly acquired shelf" at the library, so if I happen to visit said library I most likely will come home with a stack of books that immediately jump to the top of the pile (because of dates due and fines, etc.)
Every once in awhile, though, I will take a month or so to catch up and go back and finish all of the books that I've started. That's the kick I'm on right now. I finish a book a day.
It makes me feel really smart. :)
Paperback Swap is my new best friend.
From the library:
Last week I finished both of the Duggar books -
A Love that Multiplies and 20 and Counting.
I enjoyed 20 and Counting better than their new release, but still,
came away thinking that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are really, really incredible parents.
Their style and philosophies are a little too rigid for me, but on the other two hands, (Ha), I'd imagine they have to be very structured to make things work so well AND I realize that I still have a lot to learn about managing a large family. Bottom line, ideological agreement or not, the Duggar books called me to be a better parent, to love my children more and to find better ways to make our home work well.
I have this really weird way of reading.
I'll have about twenty books that I'm half-way to two-thirds of the way thru but just can't seem to finish before I find another good book that simply must be read. :)
I'm a sucker for books from the "newly acquired shelf" at the library, so if I happen to visit said library I most likely will come home with a stack of books that immediately jump to the top of the pile (because of dates due and fines, etc.)
Every once in awhile, though, I will take a month or so to catch up and go back and finish all of the books that I've started. That's the kick I'm on right now. I finish a book a day.
It makes me feel really smart. :)
Paperback Swap is my new best friend.
From the library:
Last week I finished both of the Duggar books -
A Love that Multiplies and 20 and Counting.
I enjoyed 20 and Counting better than their new release, but still,
came away thinking that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are really, really incredible parents.
Their style and philosophies are a little too rigid for me, but on the other two hands, (Ha), I'd imagine they have to be very structured to make things work so well AND I realize that I still have a lot to learn about managing a large family. Bottom line, ideological agreement or not, the Duggar books called me to be a better parent, to love my children more and to find better ways to make our home work well.
Upside: This book deserves a special mention. It's based on the long-view of life, backed up by long-range statistics. You know, there's so much bad news out there, so much panic and gloom. The truth is, a lot of it is based upon misinformation and fear. Statistically, there really is a lot of good going on in our world, and Christians have had a good hand in it. Dr. Bradley Wright, sociologist, has written this well-documented book. I think everyone should read it and be encouraged and challenged to press on.
My highschool/college kids will read this; Emily will use it to supplement her Sociology class this year.
Somewhat along the same lines, but on the flip side of things, I read Among the Truthers. It's about the burgeoning growth of conspiracy groups post 9/11. Fascinating read.
Also this week, all from PaperbackSwap, I've finished up:
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
The Flying Carpet of Small Miracles by Hala Jaber
Letters to Gabriel by Karen Santorum
Even though my family is much smaller I always find myself making hats this time of year, too. In fact several years in a row I've made camouflage hats, too. :-)
ReplyDeleteThat newly acquired shelf calls to me, too. So much so that I have to limit myself in the number of trips I make to the library or I'd never get any work done....lol
Thanks for the book suggestions! I'm going to add them to my list.
ReplyDeleteConfession: I have 29 books checked out from the library right now. 4 of them are cookbooks. I'm bringing them back today and picking up at least the 17 I have on reserve (2 cookbooks) and whatever my 3 yr old finds...
When I get home from the library, I always go online and request to renew the books I just took home. It will tell me which ones I can't renew due to someone waiting and I read those first. I also get a couple more weeks to finish the others no one has requested yet.
And note to self: get out those knitting needles and pick up some yarn.... Tis the Season! :)
Hey Nicole - the books at the bottom from PBS? Those aren't really recommendations. Those are just books that I have read. :) Some of them are okay, some of them are....meh.
ReplyDeleteI love your confession. I feel so much better now. :) Your suggestion is awesome, too. Why didn't I think of that? :)
Shara, thank you for stopping by! I know what you mean - I have to tell myself "No" a fair amount of the time. :)
Holly
I never did learn any yarn crafts. I always thought I'd pick it up at some point but I never have.
ReplyDeleteI love the Duggars. They've done an amazing thing, I think. All those kids, no debt - seriously, that's just amazing, especially in our society.
I read "multiple" books at the same time too. I think I get bored and start another, then go back to the previous ones out of guilt to just finish the doggone things, LOL.