Happy New Year, all!

Well, it's a new year (almost) and looks like 2008 will be one of many changes. I'm sitting here thinking about all 2008 has in store for me as Zach naps before the ball drops. Don't worry - I'll make sure he wakes up in time. Can't miss our first New Year's together!

2008 does have plenty ahead for me. New marriage (still only a few days now, but we've beat Brittney Spears' first one! Take that, trampy pop star!) The new marriage means a new husband, and thus a new name (no longer Lara M, but Lara H). With the new husband comes a move and a new place to live in March. The move means a new town, new coast (never lived out west), new environment (never lived in the desert either) and new job (as my current one won't travel with me). All sorts of new news to be happening in 2008.

But still, am pretty excited. I'm ready for a change. I've lived in SC for about two years now (2 years exactly at Martin Luther King day in Jan) and need something different. Granted some of the things that I miss in Upstate SC I won't have in CA either (ocean! big rivers! 7-11! flat roads to run!) but at the same time, maybe change is sometimes easier to deal with if it's something totally new. In some ways, SC is similar enough to where I grew up and what I'm used to that I expect it to be certain ways, or to have certain things, and I miss them more because I don't have them. If I'm heading someplace COMPLETELY different, then maybe I won't expect those things at all and be more easily able to find what is good and unique about where I am at the time. (Nice mature way to look at it, right? Maybe I am growing up after all...)

'Course just getting out of SC will be nice anyway. It's not bad (could definitely be worse!), but it does have some quirks which are driving me up the wall. Don't know if those things will change at Ft Irwin, but I'm ready to have some adventure and find out!

So, bring it on! Here's to a good year past, and an exciting new one ahead!

Tiny post, big ones to come...

Yeah, so it's 3 in the morning and I can't sleep. I had about 3 hrs sleep and now can't get back to sleep. (Plenty of sleep for anyone, right?) So I'm playing on the computer, and figured I'd add a note here too. Beats staring at the ceiling in the dark.

So, in 12 hrs, it'll be all over and we'll be relaxing at the reception. Or taking more pictures. Seems to happen a lot at weddings.

At least that's the plan. So why can't I sleep??? Bah!

T-minus 14 hours....

Well, I've been going non-stop since ..... too long. What day is today again?

At least, I think everything is ready for tomorrow. Big day and all! We're doing a lot ourselves for the wedding. Trying to keep it small and simple and non-bankrupting. And I'm really proud of how things are coming together. Granted the lack of sleep has been frustrating, but there was so much we couldn't do until these last few days. Decorations and food and such - stuff that wouldn't last otherwise.

Here are a few things we've put together all on our own that I'm really proud of:

The Guests' Welcome Bags.

Directions, maps, information about the area, some snacks, tea, little things. Just basic white bags with green stamped decorations and silver accents. Anne had a lot of fun with the decorations ("coloring!"). Then stuffed with some green paper and tied with silver and white ribbon. She did a great job on those bags!

And her final product:

The Guest Book

Just a basic wire-bound scrapbook from Michael's. On the front page of the book I pasted in a extra copy of our invitation. On the pages inside I pasted in pictures of the two of us together, or from things we've done together. Made a neat photo album, with a lot of empty spaces on the pages for people to sign. Will be put out on the table with a handful of silver pens for people to sign the pages. Looks really neat now, and it'll look even better when everyone signs!




And before you start fussing about how I should be sleeping now....well I'm gonna try soon. Kinda dead on my feet right now, just too keyed up to sleep. Stupid nerves!

God bless you, Sandi Wiseheart!

I've finished I Do!!!! And it fits! Well, it's off the needles at least. Tomorrow will involve much blocking and weaving in of ends and then it will be truly done! I'll post pictures then, but I have to announce that it is OFF THE NEEDLES!!

So, thank you to Sandi and Knitting Daily, and the instructions on seaming without Kitchener (using a 3rd needle, instead of sewing the grafted seam together). I have to say that was SO much easier for me! Maybe it was being left-handed (I already know I knit oddly), but Kitchener just wouldn't work for me. I kept twisting stitches or having them come out purl instead of knit, as they should have been. Stupid stitches - what do they know? With the 3rd needle method, it just flew along. All I had to worry about was stitches slipping off unneccessarily, but I'd been dealing with that the whole project - slippy cotton yarn on metal needles will do that to ya.'

So, yes - big, busy day planned tomorrow. Besides the extensive blocking and end-weaving for I Do, there is much wedding business now that Christmas is past. We have favors to assemble, I have to finish putting together the guestbook, we have guest-room bags to put together, cookies to bake, I have to finish my bridesmaids' gifts, pick up a dress for the 5K on New Years (more on that later!) and if Zach gets in town in time, we have to run down to the courthouse and get a marriage license (minor detail, right?)

So, yes, I must get some rest for the full day tomorrow, but I just had to share - I finished I Do!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good knit!

I haven't posted much in the past week or so, as I'm a little busy. Between Christmas and getting married this Saturday (!!!!), there's been a lot to do. But I feel I should update :)

Wedding planning goes as smoothly as planning ever does with my family. Things are almost all ready (good thing considering we have less than a week left!). We're baking up a storm for cookies for the guests and for the reception. I'm "knitting like the wind," as a friend instructed, so as to finish I Do before Saturday. And before you fuss at me to pick my needles back up, I'm taking a break from knitting to type - at least it's a different motion for my hands! The two halves are finally done, and now it's just a matter of a mile of Kitchener to join them together!!

As for Christmas, for my present to you and to celebrate my 20th post, here's one of our family's favorite cookie recipes (and my absolute favorite Christmas cookie):

Chocolate Mint Cookies

3/4 c. margarine or butter (1 1/2 sticks)

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

2 T. water

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 c.)

2 eggs (real)

2 1/2 c. flour

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

16 oz. bag Smooth'n'Melty mint candies (use 3 little ones or cut big ones in half)

Combine butter, sugar and water. Cook over low heat until melted (microwave on high approx. 2:30 minutes).

Add chips and stir until partially melted.

Pour into large mixing bowl and cool 10 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, and beat on high.

Stir together flour, soda, and salt.

Add to chocolate mixture and mix on low until blended.

Chill one hour at least.

Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil.

Roll teaspoon of dough into ball. (Handle as little as possible! Does not have to be a perfect ball.)

Place on cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Removed and immediately (while still on cookie sheet) place mint candy on hot cookie, wait a few seconds and press in gently.

Allow mint to soften slightly and spread with a knife.

Cool completely and store in an airtight container. Makes 10 dozen.

Enjoy!

Rave Review for Ravelry!

So, yes, the squealing and running around like crazy last week is TOTALLY warranted. I've had a week now to play around on Ravelry, and I LOVE it! I was pretty sure it would be good, since people have been gushing about it for months now (at least, that I've been aware of) but things can get over-hyped quickly, right? Take the average summer blockbuster, for example.

But no grain of salt needed - I love it! It's not a hassle to use, and this is coming from someone who's not reeeally computer friendly. For example, I hate the Microsoft habit of having all sorts of nice, easy one-button commands for formatting, etc. but put in the most obscure places; it's all very easy, you just have to know where to look. Drives me nuts! None of that here in Ravelry though! It makes logical sense moving through lists of patterns, yarns, whatever, or organizing your own information. You can tell that the people who set it up really thought about it and making it useful. And it's easy to meet people and network too. Have groups and forums for just about everything under the sun! This is one of those tools that really does like up to its hype!

In short: Ravelry - highly recommended! Go get yourself on the list!

(And if you ever want to check me out on Ravelry: oddbird26)

Death Valley, here we come!

The big news of the day: Zach has gotten his orders. It looks like we're heading to Ft Irwin, CA.

For those of you who have no idea where that is, it's in southern CA, north of I-40 about halfway between LA and Las Vegas, just south of Death Valley National Park.

Don't worry - I was part of that group of unknowning, myself, until just a little earlier, when Zach called to tell me where we were headed. Had to look it up on Mapquest, and then keep panning out to find the next nearest town. Which is Barstow, CA, population 25,000. No, I didn't leave out a 0 in that number, it really is that small. And that's the town where I-40 and I-15 connect, so therefore the big traffic center for the area. And only 25,000 people.

So yeah, we're headed to the middle of nowhere.

Plus, it's not just the middle of nowhere, but the middle of nowhere in the desert.

I've grown up in the southeast US and mid-Atlantic regions. Hot and Humid (the capitals are fully warrented). And now me, Little Miss Dry Skin herself, is moving to the desert. So, a bit of financial advice: Buy stock in Jergens. I'm going to be drinking the stuff. I think that's about the only way I'll keep from drying up and blowing away.

But still, I'm kinda excited about it. I've never lived out there, and I've only visited CA twice, and never out to southern CA. It's supposed to be beautiful out in that area, in a desert-y kind of way. Part of why Irwin is so from from everything is because it's surrounded by so many national and state parks (kinda like Asheville and Brevard in western NC, but nestled in the desert, not the forests). So, we'll pack lots of lotion, deal with being 30 minutes from the closest town (nothing new to my farm boy), I'll keep myself busy on post, have Anne mail me yarn (lots of cotton and small projects) since there aren't shops around, and appreciate all the outdoor activities while we're there. And then I'll appreciate moving whenever we get new orders. At most we'll be out there 26 months, and if Zach turns in his OCS paperwork, we might be moving even sooner. Another added bonus, since Irwin is a training base, he's less likely to be heading to the Sandbox soon (lots of prayers!)

As Mom always says (a career-Army brat and career-Navy wife, which I'll be the reverse), "If the military teaches you nothing else, it teaches you that you can live anywhere for 2 years!"

The Penguins are coming, the penguins are coming!

...and I couldn't be happier!

Be forewarned! The penguin invasion has begun. Prepare to bow before the beady-bird-eyed stare as the tuxedoed masses enter your home too!

They begin in such innocence; you should be careful! Take this little guy...

He recruited Zach's help to enter my house. (Zach saw him as these candies were being handed out at the hospital, and knew I'd love him - what a sweety!)

But the little guys are just preludes for the big ones! Check it out:

This is the bathmat I wanted from my registry!!!

Amy, my good friend from work, has a similar sense of humor and decorating sense as myself. She and her boyfriend saw this on my wedding registry and couldn't pass it up. And it matches my bathroom too, believe it or not! The bathroom is done is shades of blue and white, mostly pretty subdued, but I did need a bathmat. Can't stand cold tile on my toes in the morning (yeah, I know - I'm fussy). When we were registering, Zach and I saw this, and he graciously let me put it on our list - wouldn't let me get the penguin sheets though [pout]. Still, when Amy and Matt saw this on the registry, they knew they had to get it for me!

Personally, a home needs those quirky little touches, family pictures, etc. Those homes in Southern Living and Better Homes & Gardens and such things really don't seem REAL to me, y'know? Too put together, no personality shown. I guess it's supposed to be like when you're selling your house, and you're supposed to present it in a way that people can see their own things in the rooms, but it still strikes me as unnatural. A room needs those touches of personality, creativity, tackiness - whatever you want to call it. So bring on the penguins!! :)

EEEEE!!!!

[runs around room squealing]

My Ravelry invite came!

If anyone's interested, I'm oddbird26 (another Tacky the Penguin reference - "Tacky was an odd bird, but a very nice bird to have around.") Feel free to look me up!

And browsing through it, it's definitely as wonderful and time-guzzling as everyone says! Wonderful job, Casey & Jess!! I could spend forever in there. Which I plan on doing. Now. So a short post only, today, since I must Ravel!! I just had to share with folk who'd appreciate the hypersonic-squealing-inducing excitement of a Ravelry invite :)

EEEE!!!!

A quandry

So, back in October, Knit Wits, where my sister works had a PJ Party there at the store. Kinda like a Girls' Night Out in silly flannel pants. I was actually home for the weekend, so of course I had to go too. Best part was, that I won a door prize - free yarn! (best type of yarn!)

Net loot from the party - 2 hanks Colinette Giotto ribbon yarn in Jewel:

See! See! Isn't it purty!

That brings my to the conundrum I now face... what to do with 2 skeins bright ribbon yarn? It's pretty and fun, but certainly brighter than most things I wear. And 2 skeins isn't quite enough for some of the projects I've found so far. It's one of those yarns that calls to you, but then you're not quite sure what to use it for...

At any rate, since I Do is progressing along nicely (I'm up above the second elbow!) I figure I'll start looking for a pattern for this fun stuff. I'm thinking some sort of shrug-capelet-ponchette-wrap sort of thing, to go with my Little Black Dress. I love wearing brightly color accent wraps with that. That black dress makes colors pop so nicely!

Decisions, decisions....

Best Christmas Song EVER!

One last post before I head to bed. I checked my mail, and my sister sent me this. YOU HAVE TO CHECK IT OUT! HYSTERICAL!

Penguin, James Penguin... he's Santa's little spy...
Like a well-dressed duck in a 3-piece tux...

I love Brad Paisley... such a great sense of humor!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Well, not in South Carolina, it's not. It was 80 degrees yesterday and today. Pretty much is going to stay that way for the next couple days, too. Our nice cool weather won't be coming back until the weekend. And I was so excited to bring my cute sweaters out of the cedar chest last week too... :(

But!

At least it's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas!

Tonight was the Canadian Brass Holiday concert in town. Of course I had to go. Actually, it was the third time I've seen them in concert. Always a fun show. Definitely go see them if they ever come to your town. It's not just classical pieces, too, which is what makes it fun. Tonight's show had the classical pieces, of course, but holiday pieces, Glen Miller, and some just plain ol' silliness.

And I head out of the concert into 65 degrees at 10 at night, happily humming Christmas carols.

But, it's all good! One of the guys in the office I work at grew up in South Africa, so he's been loving this weather. Says that Chirstmas time is beach time! Crazy southern hemisphere...

I'm just ready to break into my winter wardrobe. I'm tired of it being hot, wearing jeans and polos every day to work. I'm ready to wear my cords, my sweaters, not break a sweat simply walking to my car... Bring on the coat weather!

A nap, a nap...

My Kingdom for a nap...

Such as my kingdom is, at any rate.

I swear, I haven't slept well since December started, maybe 3 or 4 good nights in the past week and a half. I honestly didn't think I was that stressed about the wedding coming up, but I've been having weird, unsettling, often wedding-related dreams recently. I feel so stupid that I'm getting so stressed out about it, especially since my conscious self doesn't seem to be as stressed. I can go through the day alright, and then head to bed, and proceed to wake up 2 or 3 or 4 times in the night.

It's like in The Princess Bride:
"It was ten days 'till the wedding. The king still lived, but Buttercup's nightmares were becoming steadily worse...."

I guess everyone has pre-wedding stress, jitters, nerves, edginess, jumpiness, cold feet, anxiety, tension, whatever you want to call it...

Except I'm not marrying Humperdink, having abandoned true love! I'm just too busy and stressed to sleep well, and it's making me sick and grumpy.... Bah!

Besides, I do know better than to get involved with a Sicilian when death is on the line!

Where's my letter jacket?

Goodness, I thought I'd already graduated high school.

This evening was a celebratory happy hour for my departmental manager at work. She recently tested for a major professional certification and passed, so we're all really happy for her and wanted to go out and congratulate her. But hanging out with most of the people I work with during my off hours is just .... forced at best, painfully awkward at worst.

My office is just so clique-y! There's the 'cool kids' clique, the nerdy clique (my own social setting) .... it's like high school all over again. And it travels down department lines, pretty much. There's the 'cool kids' over in the engineering department, those that can do no wrong, or if they do, they aren't gonna get chewed out for it. Spoiled little darlings. It's like the football or basketball team, without the athletic physiques. Then there's the environmental departments (my own setting), the nerdy little bookworms who don't bother playing the politicking games. They do their work without being recognized, and get beaten up by the popular bullies at regular intervals. Then there's the social rejects, those so awkward that they don't fit into any particular setting, but make all around them uncomfortable. Yeah, we've got a few of those too (two at the moment).

I just thought that we'd outgrow these games eventually, or at least that it would be a different sort of kissing up and political games. But it really feels sometimes like it's the football team beating up on the math club. I'm the youngest in the office, and I''m mid-20s. Most of these people are 30s and 40s. Why do we still feel inclined to play these games? I wonder sometimes if those in the 'cool kids' clique realizes that they are and how they act, or if it's only something we see as a 'have-not'?

I feel like I should be heading into pep rallys sometimes...
wait, that's what the marketing meetings are, aren't they?

Go team!

Could it be any more of a Monday?

This will be quick, but it needs to be said.

I. Hate. Mondays.


And this was a Monday for the records books.

I had two reports due at work, had a jerk of a co-worker in another office to deal with, spent some time fighting with a difficult computer program we're being forced to use, and got to listen to my manager and the branch manager yelling about a difficult client who doesn't want to pay their bills. Even if the client is being difficult, it's never fun to listen to angry voices in the office. Oh, yeah, that same difficult client is the one for The Project That Will Not Die (one we've been having to deal with since last December and STILL aren't done with), so even more fun. And it was time for the techs in the concrete lab to mess with sulfur again (probably a bi-weekly smell filling out office), so the office reeked all afternoon.

And the kicker?

The office bathrooms backed up, so the bathroom smell mixed with the sulfur stench just was stomach-turning-ly fun the last 3 hours of the day....

Yeah, it's never good when we get an e-mail from Admin saying "Don't use the office bathrooms, or go down that hall."

So, now that the day is over and I've got this off my chest, I am going to take many deep breaths, pat the bunny, pick up my knitting, and try to forget that I have to head back there tomorrow.

Woohoo! Halfway!

Yay! I finished the first half of my I Do shrug! I'm on that giddy FO (or half-way FO) high right now! Whee!!

Here's how it looks at the moment. I'm very excited about this, but looking at the pictures, it seems so .... I dunno.... Unblocked lace is so unimpressive...

Still! I'm excited about it, because I can see the lace pattern when I gently pull at the fabric, so I know it'll open up like it's supposed to once it's blocked. Makes me happy. :)

So, I'm now halfway through the shrug! Yay! And it's now less than a month til the wedding! ('scuse me while I panic for a moment!!)

Only 3 weeks? Still plenty of time to finish the other half!

That's what I'm telling myself, at least. I don't have Christmas knitting this year; I've got wedding knitting instead. That gives me 3 whole more days to do it!

I just have to be very conscientious about tying myself to my needles every evening for the next three week and those miles of lace will just FLY by...

riiight....


Anyway, I was talking to my mom about wedding stuff and nerves and such, and asked her "When does the panicked feeling go away?"

Her helpful response?
"Probably January 1st" (my wedding is Dec 29th!)

But enough for now - must continue with the knitting!