I feel like I'm not really getting any knitting done. Mostly, I've been working on swatches for submission, and my knitting time has been so limited with our schedule these past few weeks, so my "striped" shawl has seen no progress, and the curiouser and curiouser socks only have a few rows on the first heel done. But I'm almost finished with my last part of my last submission. And I won't have any hard deadlines for at least a month after that.

Two proposals are ready to send, and after I sleep on them and take a look with fresher eyes tomorrow, I will do that. The last one is due this weekend, and I'm hustling. It is a long planned design, that is a little bit of a baby of mine. We'll see how the editors like it. Here's my weekly reminder to like Arabian Knits Designs on Facebook, if you haven't already. That's where I put updates and testing opportunities and other design news. Your liking it gets me more visibility with folks who may not know about my patterns and that helps me. Thank you!


MJ Yarns' Silken DK in Cerulean Twilight
I forgot to mention, in my rush last week, that my June yarn club shipment came. The preview was so lovely that I ordered a second skein to arrive with it. These are destined to become a short sleeved, hooded, cropped jacket for Amira to wear over her ballet clothes, and a matching pair of ankle warmers, also for ballet. The colors coordinate well with her class color for leotard and so on, and I thought she would like the set. The yarn came with a pattern and a nice pen for marking up patterns.

Again, this has been a light reading week. Between intensives and VBS and preparing someone for placement exams and the learner's permit test and children up at all hours and deadlines and sheer exhaustion, I've eliminated a few books that I just don't think are worth my limited time and read a few words in a book I won from the editor, Jessica Snell. It is part of a series of books on living the Church year, largely aimed at Protestants, definitely western Christians, with a few things in there that are on point for Catholics and Orthodox, though the suggestions for family activities/foods/crafts are appropriate for Christians of all backgrounds: Let Us Keep the Feast: Living the Church Year at Home (Pentecost and Ordinary Time). I have enjoyed the other books in the series, so was thrilled to win a copy of this one, and knew that I would like it as well.



Also posting to Keep Calm and Craft On, Yarn Fanatic Party, and One Project at a Time

Labels: Books, Design, Family, Homemaking, Yarn, Yarn Along

Thank God there were numerous quick and cheap, organic, breakfast options at the Grocery Outlet this week! We are on VBS schedule, and now I get to try to rush my kids out the door every morning like the average parent who has to take kids to school. Our other challenges this week include continuing to get Alexander prepared for his placement tests to start college (concurrently with his final two years of high school)! As much as I hate teaching to the test, these tests are his ticket in so he can do what he wants, so I've been holding my nose and doing it. My little baby is grown up and it's exciting and scary and frustrating and sad and wonderful all at once.

We had a nice Father's Day with Rich. And Rich got to spend some time in our garden and in the hives, which he loves. We're hoping to improve our husbanding of our produce, animals, and property this year. In that vein, we have some friends who have been helping us tremendously on the property part and giving us advice and product recommendations. We're thrilled, because nearly six years in, our kids' play structure and swings may actually be set up in a secure and safe way! Since we'd already taken care of Rich's Father's Day present earlier this month, Rich only asked for a big pizza from a local place that makes gut buster, heart attacks on a plate and some real sugar cola in glass bottles. We also made salad so something we ate would have nutritive value. However, we learned some time back that this pizza place puts so much on top of the pizzas that you can push off the bits that are trying to fall off anyway and use them to top THREE other pizzas! So, we made pizza dough and sauce and rolled them out, sauced and cheesed them, had the oven hot and ready, and when I brought home the big guy, arranged those toppings on our pizzas and had four pretty big pizzas for the price of one with drinks and tax and tip. Not bad, and our crust and sauce is really better. Add the salad and the ice cream pucks we grabbed for dessert and we only spent about $53 for a pretty substantial dinner for 10 people, of which we still had two and a half pizzas and half the salad left for today's lunch!

Our sweet neighbors have taken pity on us for our poor fishing skills and have, essentially, taken us on as a project. They bring us fish almost whenever they go fishing now, and they also are trying to teach us so we can do it ourselves. So, we have freshly caught bass again this week. They are trying to get us some walleye, too, because we really want to try it. Dominic's birthday party is set for this weekend, we had to delay it because of our schedule and Father's Day. The reason this matters to our menu plan and the good news is that it means that dinner is party leftovers and I can just collapse after having 12 other boys aged 11-16 over in addition to our kids.

I finally, after having it on the menu several times, made the red lentil kofta. The flavor was great, but it didn't hold its shape the way we thought it should, so it ended up more like an Indian dal over our rice. Next time, I am going to put a little more of the burghul in it, and probably fry them.

Remember that the Psalms are according to eastern numbering in our daily Bible reading, also I Kings is the original designation, it is I Samuel in western Bibles (II Kings is II Samuel in the west, III Kings is I Kings, and IV Kings is II Kings).

• Sunday I Chronicles 6:34-8:40, Psalms 114, Proverbs 24:35-39, John 6:51-71
  Breakfast: Oatmeal with Brown Sugar, Bananas, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Pizza, Salad, York Peppermint Ice Cream Patties
• Monday I Chronicles 9:1-11:9, Psalms 115-116, Proverbs 25:1-5, John 7:1-36
  Breakfast: Cereal and Bananas, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Fried Bass, Ham and Kale, Grilled Corn
• Tuesday I Chronicles 11:10-13:14, Psalms 117:1-16, Proverbs 25:6-11, John 7:37-8:2
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Claudia's Chicken and Rice, Steam Sautéed Green Beans
• Wednesday - Feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Forerunner I Chronicles 14:1-16:35, Psalms 117:17-29, Proverbs 25:12-16, John 8:3-30
  Breakfast: Granola and Yogurt, Fruit Cup, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Salad with Hard Boiled Eggs, Garbanzo Beans, and Cheese, Fruit Plate
• Thursday I Chronicles16:36-19:19, Psalms 118:1-16, Proverbs 25:17-21, John 8:31-59
  Breakfast: Cereal and Bananas, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Slow Cooked Beef Heart, Roasted Broccoli, Scalloped Potatoes
• Friday I Chronicles 20-22, Psalms 119:17-32, Proverbs 25:22-26, John 9:1-12
  Breakfast: Yogurt and Jam, Buttered Toast, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Black Beans, Green Chile Rice, Sliced Avocados, Fruit Plate
• Saturday I Chronicles 23-25, Psalms 118:33-48, Proverbs 25:27-31, John 9:13-41
  Breakfast: Waffles with Raspberry Syrup, Bacon, Fried Eggs, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Party Leftovers

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up.

Labels: Birthday, Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Homesteading, House, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen

I have to tell you a secret: I had forgotten to get photos, and had already eaten about a third of this, so Rich filled the cup with more whipped cream and we turned it around so you couldn't see all the eaten away part.
This isn't the real way to make pots de crème. It is a quick and easy way to do it. This is a simple, simple, simple dessert to make, but it is delicious and rich and impressive. All you need for tools are a blender and a fridge.

12 ounces chocolate chips or chunks
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon Chambord or framboise or whatever liqueur or flavoring you like
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces) HOT coffee

Whipped Cream to serve (we use Chantilly cream, or chocolate whipped cream, this last time we flavored the cream with more Chambord)

Put the chocolate, the eggs, the Chambord, and the salt in the blender. Grind it all up well. Do not try to save time by pre-grinding it - it will turn into solid sludge that will not budge. Ask me how I know. While it is grinding, take out the top section of the lid and pour the screaming, scalding, burn the roof of your mouth off hot coffee in a slow, steady stream. It will foam up a little and rise in the blender. Fear not. Put the lid back together and blend until it is completely mixed and all the chocolate is melted and egg is cooked. Pour into pretty cups and glasses and refrigerate for at least a few hours. Serve with the cream on top, and maybe a dusting of cocoa, or a chocolate covered espresso bean, or chocolate shavings. Enjoy!

Labels: Homemaking, Recipes, Tales from the Kitchen

My "striped" shawl really only saw a few more rows done on it this week. Mostly, I've been working on swatches and my socks. It has been a crazy week, so I'm just smashing my menu plan and my yarn along into one post, and I don't even know if I'll get another post written this week. We've had ballet intensives the last two weeks, Alexander is getting ready for placements tests for Running Start, which is a program our state has for high school juniors and seniors to work concurrently on their Associate's Degree at a community college, he's also working on getting his learner's permit to drive, and we have a lot happening with our family as well: Two birthdays, trying to get some evaluations set up for one of the kids, CFI renewals, proposal deadlines, yard work, getting the late garden in the ground, and tons at Rich's work.

I did finish one more proposal and sent it in, so that is two proposals completed, one sent in, one almost finished, and another just started. Ventus still isn't ready to publish, I need better photos. Here's my weekly reminder to like Arabian Knits Designs on Facebook, if you haven't already. That's where I put updates and testing opportunities and other design news. Your liking it gets me more visibility with folks who may not know about my patterns and that helps me. Thank you!

Not much in the way of reading this week. A little in Emma with the kids was really all.



Also posting to Keep Calm and Craft On, Yarn Fanatic Party, and One Project at a Time

The heat has let up a little, so we're not sweltering each moment of the day. We do have two birthdays this week, Rich and Dominic, and that is pretty exciting. That makes half the birthdays in our family for the year, too. Not a lot in the way of repeats, I don't think, this week. I am really looking forward to the weekend, and to next week, because even though I do have to take everyone places next week, I will be able to come home with Nejat, play a little, and get her ready for nap and either nap myself or get other things done (like grading!! and finishing two more proposals!!!!). Maybe. Just maybe. Sort through some of the clutter in our house. Or just nap.

Remember that the Psalms are according to eastern numbering in our daily Bible reading, also I Kings is the original designation, it is I Samuel in western Bibles (II Kings is II Samuel in the west, III Kings is I Kings, and IV Kings is II Kings).

• Sunday IV Kings 15:1-17:23, Psalms 107, Proverbs 23:33–36, John 3:22–36
  Breakfast: Pancakes with Maple Syrup, Bacon, Fried Eggs, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftovers from our Neighborhood Barbecue and Picnic
• Monday IV Kings 17:24-18:37, Psalms 108:1–20, Proverbs 24:1–6, John 4:1–26
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Bananas, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Fried Bass, Roasted Corn on the Cob, Watermelon
• Tuesday IV Kings 19-20, Psalms 108:21–31, Proverbs 24:7–12, John 4:27–54
  Breakfast: Oatmeal with Raisins and Brown Sugar, Bananas, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Hash of Bacon, Potatoes, Corn, Onions, Asparagus, Watermelon
• Wednesday IV Kings 21:1-23:20, Psalms 109-110, Proverbs 24:13–18, John 5:1–15
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Sliced Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Potage Parmentier (Potato Leek Soup), French Bread
• Thursday IV Kings 23:21-25:30, Psalms 111-112, Proverbs 24:19–23, John 5:16–47
  Breakfast: Slow Cooker Rice Pudding with Craisins and Coconut, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Macaroni & Cheese, Fried Ham Slices, Cold Roasted Asparagus, Steam Sautéed Carrots with Parsley and Garlic, Pots de Crème* with Chocolate Whipped Cream (which I thought I had posted the recipe for, but cannot find)
• Friday I Chronicles 1-3, Psalms 113:1–11, Proverbs 24:24–27, John 6:1–21
  Breakfast: Yogurt and Jam, Buttered Toast, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Red Lentil Kofta, Brown Rice, Salad, Slow Sautéed Green Beans
• Saturday I Chronicles 4:1-6:33, Psalms 113:12–26, Proverbs 24:29–34, John 6:22–50
  Breakfast: Waffles with Raspberry Syrup, Bacon, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Chorizo and Cornbread Bake, Fruit Salad

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up.

Labels: Birthday, Books, Design, Family, Homemaking, Knitting, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen, Yarn Along

My "striped" shawl, in the low, sunset light and the morning light. That's the same piece of knitting, with exactly the same amount of knitting, and the same ball of yarn in both photos. You can see the purple better in the ball next to to the book than in the shawl in the second picture. The purple takes longer to show up and isn't quite as intense as the pink. It goes away sooner, when out of UV light, too. I'm curious about why, because I know they must be dying to make other colors, but purple and pink is all they have been able to do so far, and the pink is the more successful one.

It has been so hot the past several days. Not really hotter than it gets here in the summer, but a whole lot earlier than normal. I'm holding out hope that it means it will burn out sooner, and we'll have just a hot enough, but not too hot summer the rest of the time. Knitting in this heat is not too bad, because there is usually a breeze outside, and our car and activities have air conditioning. Our house doesn't, though, so that's the hardest place to knit right now. The socks are my most appealing project because of that, though they don't have as much progress to show as you might think, but I'm almost finished with a proposal swatch and have one more to complete, so those are taking up more of my knitting time. Crocheting on Nejat's blanket is also not really a priority. It's looking like it will either be a half birthday present or a Christmas present at this rate. Actually, I do think I can finish it before the end of the summer. And at least it is cotton and acrylic. It's the acrylic that makes it hard to work, really.

One of my two unfinished proposals is quite a bit closer. I'm hoping to get one more swatch finished and this proposal ready to send. I'm getting excited about Ventus! Hoping to have it published in the next week or so. Here's my weekly reminder to like Arabian Knits Designs on Facebook, if you haven't already. That's where I put updates and testing opportunities and other design news. Your liking it gets me more visibility with folks who may not know about my patterns and that helps me. Thank you!

This week's reading has been largely skimming through books I've found at the library or had recommended to me and deciding whether or not I want to read them. Largely, the answer has been no. I did start The Rhythm of Family: Discovering a Sense of Wonder through the Seasons, which I am enjoying for the sense of living seasonally and, yes, rhythmically. I do find, after so many years of living the Church year, even when we don't put as much effort into it as we could, that marking time only by the seasons and solstices and such really does seem hollow and superficial to me. There is so much deep beauty and majesty in marking time with the life of the Church, with the life and Incarnation of Christ. It surprised me how much that hit me when looking through this book. I am really enjoying their ideas for projects and food and activities with children, however, and applaud their way of looking at family life in the world.



Also posting to Keep Calm and Craft On, Yarn Fanatic Party, and One Project at a Time

Labels: Books, Crochet, Design, Homemaking, Knitting, Yarn Along

It is Corpus Christi, the celebration of the Real Presence of the Body of Christ. We did our church processional again this year, which is a beautiful public witness to this truth. I love how this feast has both the people, who are symbolically the Body of Christ on earth, proclaiming and celebrating the Eucharist, which is actually the Body of Christ on earth.

This week holds a choir concert of mine, the kids' final Lego club at the library, a garden and art tour that we've had to miss in previous years, and four days of ballet intensives. Plus our oldest boys will be doing more farm work for our neighbor. We are caving at eating out for some of that. Also it has been as hot as Dante's Inferno lately (we were over 100 at least once this weekend, which is normal for late July here). So, we're trying to do quick cooking, slow cooker cooking, and grilling. And cold foods.

Remember that the Psalms are according to eastern numbering in our daily Bible reading, also I Kings is the original designation, it is I Samuel in western Bibles (II Kings is II Samuel in the west, III Kings is I Kings, and IV Kings is II Kings).

• Sunday - Corpus Christi III Kings 21:23-22:50, Psalms 104:28–45, Proverbs 22:27–31, Luke 23:26–56
  Breakfast: Fried Eggs, Mashed Potato Patties, Fried Asparagus and Tomatoes, Bacon, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Grilled Hot Dogs, Corn on the Cob, Watermelon
• Monday IV Kings 1-3, Psalms 105:1–15, Proverbs 23:1–5, Luke 24:1–35
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Sliced Watermelon, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Pizza, Fruit
• Tuesday IV Kings 4-5, Psalms 105:16–31, Proverbs 23:6–12, Luke 24:36–53
  Breakfast: Oatmeal with Raisins and Brown Sugar, Bananas, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Tuna Sandwiches, Cold Roasted Asparagus, Grilled Corn
• Wednesday IV Kings 6:1-8:6, Psalms 105:32–48, Proverbs 23:13–18, John 1:1–28
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Cantaloupe, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Vegetable Paella with Broccolini, Asparagus, and Grape Tomatoes, Salad, Pineapple
• Thursday IV Kings 8:7-9:37, Psalms 106:1–14, Proverbs 23:19–23, John 1:29–51
  Breakfast: French Toast, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Papas con Chorizo, Roasted Corn, Salad
• Friday IV Kings 10-11, Psalms 106:15–30, Proverbs 23:24–27, John 2
  Breakfast: Yogurt and Jam, Bananas, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Lemon Asparagus Pasta with Herbs and Goat Cheese, Garlic Bread, Salad, Watermelon
• Saturday IV Kings 12-14, Psalms 106:31–43, Proverbs 23:28–32, John 3:1–21
  Breakfast: Pepper & Sausage Brunch Strata, Sliced Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Slow Cooked Beef Heart, Grilled Corn and Asparagus

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up.

Labels: Church Year, Corpus Christi, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen

This was so late, I almost didn't post it. But, that's three different colors up there! I did take my "striped" shawl to knit on at our church picnic and had a great time showing everyone my magic yarn. Having the picnic at the end of May in 88 degree weather rather than the middle or end of July and 98 degree weather was so much better! I should have gotten my photos then, but I wasn't thinking about it. Mostly, I was still exhausted from the girls' recital and resting in the shade and eating good food. I do not know how our girls do it, I'm worn out and usually sick (glory to God that I didn't get sick this year!) by the time we're finished with the recital, and I don't even dance!


Since it was recital week, I also started this pair of socks so I'd have something small to work on that didn't require my looking at it while I was at dress rehearsals, backstage, or in the audience during the shows. I really hope to have them finished by the end of this month so I can get my full credit with the yarn club. Nejat's blanket has been put on the back burner for a little while. It was too big and bulky to bring to the recital, and I really enjoy working on the shawl in the sunshine, and the sock is a little easier to carry for car knitting, and all of my other knitting time is taken up with proposal writing, sketching, graphing, swatching, and pattern writing.

I'm still plugging away at three proposals, I have one complete, one almost complete, and another that is about half finished. Ventus is also very nearly ready to publish, so keep your eyes open! Here's my weekly reminder to like Arabian Knits Designs on Facebook, if you haven't already. That's where I put updates and testing opportunities and other design news. Your liking it gets me more visibility with folks who may not know about my patterns and that helps me. Thank you!

No real reading except for brain candy. I finished The Terror of the Southlands (Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates). It was fun, a little predictable for an adult, but still interesting enough to hold my attention.



Also posting to Keep Calm and Craft On, Yarn Fanatic Party, and One Project at a Time

Labels: Books, Design, Family, Homemaking, Knitting, Yarn Along

I have now done three fixes. Technically, I've kept four items from one and three from the other two, but the first was because I wanted the 25% discount, and they made an exception since it was my first box and I would have kept them all had it not been for a size issue with one blouse. I gave away the sweater from that box. So, the number of items I kept in my home from each fix has been three.

These are the absolute successes. Each item has inspired compliments when I wear it, each one makes me feel good with it on, and each has replaced something in my closet or dresser that didn't fit right or I didn't love. My rule when buying something new is that it needs to replace something that is too worn, or the wrong size, or that I hardly wear, or that I don't love. If that item is good enough, then I will give it away, otherwise, it goes to our rag bag for cleaning.
So, here they are.

Yumi Marina Polka Dot Belted Dress





Gilli Genna 3/4 Sleeve Faux Wrap Dress





Octavia Harlow Heart Print Infinity Scarf





41Hawthorn Dianne A-Line Skirt





Pixley Kathy Striped Fit and Flare Dress





Pixley Lucille Cascading Pearl Collar Necklace





Market & Spruce Julia Utility Jacket





Market & Spruce Adler Embroidered Shoulder Knit Top





Gilli Astra Sleeveless Maxi Dress




If you'd like to try Stitch Fix, this link gives me a credit which I use toward getting another box in the future.

Labels: Fashionista, Stitch Fix