Ahh, Summer!

Please forgive my absence. Things got so busy the last couple of weeks that I a) didn't have much to post about, and b) didn't have much time to worry about it. Now, though, Summer! I have a day to do whatever I please and I think I'm going to dye some wool. I stocked up on squeeze bottles, Kool Aid, and Wilton's food coloring. I'll post the pics when I'm done.

For now, I can show you my Mom's Fast Florida Footies. I used Cascade Fixation as the pattern suggested. I really like the yarn but I would knit them at a much tighter gauge next time because my big toe likes to peek at me through the sock. The pattern is quite ingenious in the way the sole is purled. I will use this technique again! The only other change I will make next time is to make a standard toe instead of this one that is threaded through the remaining stitches in a loop at the end. Fixation does shrink a bit so I made a swatch and washed it in the machine then let it air dry. On 3.0mm needles my swatch was 6.25 sts./in. before washing and 6.5 sts./in. after washing.

And here is Robbie trying to get my attention while I try to take a picture of the socks.

June!

June is a crazy busy month around here what with both Dan and I being teachers. I haven't had time to do much knitting so nothing to update on that front.

We had company last week when my cousin Terry came from B.C. with her mom and my uncle, who are my grandmother's siblings. My uncle and aunt from Manitoba also came for the visit.

My grandmother Elsie, my Uncle Steve, and Aunt Marion.

Junior Handling and an "Awe..." moment

Sunday at the dog show was my niece Katie's first time in the ring handling a dog and she did a great job! Junior Handling is to encourage the kids to learn to handle dogs and become the future of our sport. Katie was handling Kai in the Pee Wee class. It's for the youngest kids and it is non-competitive; everyone gets a prize. Pee Wee class is vastly entertaining to watch. Check out the non-customary presentation of the Golden Retriever just behind Katie and Kai.

I just couldn't resist showing this next picture. It is also from an unofficial dog show class but not junior handling. Here is Bentley's breeder, Daphne Bowering, showing Savannah in Veterans Sweepstakes. Savannah is almost 14 years old and you can see that she hasn't forgotten how much fun she had in the show ring when she was younger!

another good show weekend

Although I'm pretty wiped from our busy weekend at the dog show I'm happy too. Bentley earned 4 more points toward his championship bringing him to a grand total of 7 (70% of the way there!) and won his class in Puppy Sweepstakes. Bentley's sister Chloe also did well; she now has 6 points. And Kai, Darcie's sheltie puppy, earned his first 3 points. All in all, a very satisfying weekend!

another knitting kid...

Meet Eve, another of my knitting grade twos.

Thanks so much to those of you who have left comments for the kids. They are absolutely tickled pink and very proud of themselves! I am very proud of them too!

Bentley is entered in another dog show this weekend. Wish us luck!

Happy Birthday Geoff!

Friday was Geoff's 21st birthday. We celebrated today with family. Here is the official birthday photo of him with Carmen.

We adopted Geoff when he was five days old. This past winter, he was reunited with his birth-father, Glenn. It has been a wonderful experience for everyone! Glenn and his family, Leanne and kids Oliver, Eugenie, and Sabine, have become a big part of Geoff's life. I'm so happy that he has more family now. It's always bothered me that he has no siblings and now he has three! I couldn't have found him a nicer family if I'd made them up.
Sabine is helping Geoff blow out his candles.

Yesterday was Eugenie's sixth birthday so she had a cake too!
(left to right: Carmen, Geoff, Glenn, Eugenie, Oliver, and Dan)

Leanne with her camera.

My sister Darcie and her family came for supper too. Katie and Sabine were playing in the elm seeds, which blew down all at once in a mini-storm this afternoon. It looked like it was snowing. Frankly, I've gotten to despise elm seeds since they're incredibly messy and they'll sprout everywhere. But the girls only saw their potential for fun.

And some more.....

Keigan

Cohen

and Evan

The reason that the knitting kids' photos are being posted a few at a time is because I need to have written permission from the parents before publishing the pics on the internet. As the permission slips have been returning to school, I have been adding the pictures.

The children are so excited about having their pictures on my blog and knowing that people from all over the world are seeing them! They've been checking Google Analytics to see the map of all of the cities where you are viewing the blog (as we've been working on map skills, this has been great timing). Please leave your comments too. The kids have been looking for them and would be thrilled if they receive more of them!