Here are some Halloween pics of Tricking and Treating. The street right behind us fills with kids and parents and it's so much fun,

Those of you who reside in and around Los Angeles might be familiar with the eating establishment Canter's. Tonight we were there and upon leaving my daughter offered a new friend she had made one of her tiniest pet shop figurines- which i thought was really generous because she really loved them. Then as we walked to our car we encountered a homeless man and my husband suggested that Hunter give him her and Mac's leftover pancakes. Which she did. As we were driving away she mused at how good it felt to give the little girl her toy. Then she said, "But, ya know what felt better? Giving that homeless guy my pancakes." And she's right, it does feel good. We as knitters are by nature givers. I think we're very in touch with humanity and making contributions that seem small but in actuality mean alot. In this spirit I challenge, encourage, and hope that we can march as a group in Homewalk -United Ways walk to help end homelessness. On November 17 I hope to walk with my family -including my knitting family. Will you walk, too?

This is what I've been doing. Keeps the baby entertained and eating. These are Joe's O's, personally I think Cheerio's make for better stacking.
This is what I haven't been doing. It used to be when the house got really dirty I knew I was knitting alot! Now I just now the baby is really busy and not doing this!
Most of all I've been really pushing to get the addition to our house done. Part of the stuff we did (besides adding square footage) is we had our family room remodeled. The other night I realized we'd been pushed back into the original 1,300 sq. foot house! Don't get me wrong- I'm so grateful to have a roof over my head, however, It's just not enough space for 4 people and 3 dogs- Let alone all of the crap we had to move out of the other part of the house to work on it! This started in Feb.-ENOUGH!!!!
With all that I do have some really great news! I will be able to attend knitting tomorrow sans child!
A really great mom at my daughter's school who has an older child offered to babysit Mac. I hope it turns out O.K. because this is a really good thing!

Hey you guys (and you know who you are) How about this?: Lace in the Woods '08
"A Knitting Retreat" June 23-27, 2008 Big Sur, CA. I know you overloaded on Stitches last year, I think this sounds perfect! If they had a golf course I could get my parents to watch the kids and everyone would be happy. Five days of knitting lace. That would be SO cool! You'd come home and really have accomplished something. Think about it!

I decided to rethink and revise the same pattern for Hunter's sock. Usually I'd just scrap the pattern and find a new one, but I loved the lace, it gives it just enough pizzazz without adding too much work. So I figured that the lace repeat was 14sts. I'd have to increase the beg st count from 56 to 70, which seems like alot for a kids sock. However, you decrease 1 stitch for every 7 on the first row of the calf after you finish the lace. Which would bring me back to 60- which is what I was going to go with anyways. I have a feeling it's going to be a touch big, but that's okay- it is for an 8 year old!
I know in blogs all over the world people are saying "I can't believe Summer is over!". And I can't! This Fall is ging to be SO busy. First, I'm teaching 2 classes. I'm teaching a beg. knitting class at Otis College of Art and Design. It's not really just beg. because now most people taking a class like this have some knowledge, so I really take what they know and try to move it a few steps ahead. If they just knit and purl- let's make a hat ( learn how to decrease and knit in the round). I'm really a conduit to increase their knowledge. Then I'm teaching a class at The Knit Cafe called Starting from Scratch. We drape what we are going to create on a dress form and use that as our template for our garment. Then I'm taking a Digital Design for Fashion class at Otis. I really need to update my skills because when Mac turns 2, I'm looking for a job. The thing is, I don't know really what is going to happen because I think I'm having back surgery this Fall. Yeah, I said back surgery. My Orthopedic doctor was going to have me on therapy and pain pills but I had just had enough. I'm tired of being stooped over in pain- making loud obscene sounds as I struggle to pick up the baby. You know it's bad when your 8 year old makes those same sounds when they're reaching for something!