Merry Christmas!

We at the Digit household hope that your Christmas was wonderful!  We have spent a very low-key day just enjoying the warmth of our home.  Even more warm as we got a light dusting of snow in the middle of the day.  

This month has absolutely flown by.  Between traveling and welcome visits from family members, I have been very lax in my postings.  I do have lots of new pics to share:  kids, knitting, travel, and Christmas.  I'll get those up soon - along with a few new videos. 

For now, hope you all are having a relaxed evening with friends and family. 

The Flu Has Drained My Brain

Now considering that being the mother of a three- and five-year old has taken it's toll on my grey matter, this flu that I have has definitely put me down for the count.  Luckily, no one else in the house has caught this bug and I'm keeping my fingers tightly crossed that they don't.  

Aside from the flu annoyance, we've been enjoying our fall season.  We had a great outing at the Crystal Springs Rhododendren Garden

While we were there, we saw one of our favorite "residents" who I've named Punk Rock Duck.  All he needs is a Clash-London Calling t-shirt to complete the look.  He's definitely got a "been there, done that" way about him.  

On a more fiber related note (yarn, not food),  a few weeks ago I went to a PDX Knit Bloggers Knit-A-Thon that was big fun.  Knitting, snacking, and a bit of almond flavored sparkling wine.  I had a blast.  Got to see so many great projects by other members.  Two members even brought their spinning wheels and were spinning such beautiful yarns before our very eyes.  So much fun.  The icing on the cake was the yarn swap.  I brought some of my hand-dyed yarn

and I got this lovely wool in exchange. 

I think this will be the yarn that I will use to make the socks that I mentioned in a previous post for the Incredible Digit Girl.  They'll look bright and happy on her little feet.   

A Relaxing Thanksgiving

We at the Digit household are having the best day. We got up late (8:00am is late for those with kids), watched some of the parade and the Packers game (they won!), played with the kids in their (clean) rooms and then all four of us took a nap. Doesn't get much better than that.  So since I just noticed the video feature on Blogger, I'm going to try and post a few videos of the Digit children.  Let's hope this works.  The grandparents are going to love it.  Happy Thanksgiving! 

12 Car Pile-Up

That's what my knitting projects have seem to become. I have way too many on the needles (is that possible?). I usually start something new even when I'm almost completed with an existing project. So either I get bored easy or I'm trying to be competitive with.....myself.

Here's another Raglan Sleeve Easy Jacket. I got the pattern off of the Ravelry site and absolutely love the ease of the design. This is my second jacket with this pattern and I wanted to be a little more daring with the color. I usually overthink my color choices and wind up with a more conservative look. This time I challenged myself to "just do it". I'm still not completely confident with the final design but the mom of the young boy who shall wear the sweater was very happy with it so I'll deem my experiment a success. The best part about this sweater? I found the yarn (Lion Brand Boucle) at a local Dollar Tree. So I have enough yarn to finish this sweater, make a hat and a scarf - all for only $9.00 dollars.

Another second attempt project. This time the Ribbed Baby jacket by Debbie Bliss. I actually started this and then frogged it because it was coming out too big (this happened the first time I used this pattern). I am now on gauge and in the right size. So far, so good. The yarn is amazing - Dream In Color Classy Superwash in Cool Fire. It's so soft and squishy. Nice and cuddly for a little baby.

I've finished two different color charts for the Princess Crown hat and now have to make a choice. I switched to Bernat Satin yarn for this attempt. The Lion Brand Jiffy I used for the last one was just too fuzzy. Little, errant strands wound up everywhere.

Now this next project I really do have to finish. It's a Christmas present for a family member. I used super-soft and warm Debbie Bliss Cashmerino yarn in a rich dark brown. I think the gift will be a hit if I just "work up to my potential" (that's what was written on my report cards quite often) and get it done.

So the whole time I'm taking pictures of my various projects the Incredible Digit Girl is watching me. She eventually puts her feet up and says "take a picture of my feet". So I did. Looks like she could use a pair of socks. Guess I'll have to start looking for a pattern.

Shouldn't be too hard. There's about a ka-jillion on Ravelry. Or I could look through my newly acquired copy of this book.

I was lucky enough to catch a stash sale held by the talented Bestitched. I'm so happy to have this book. It's a great combination of patterns and historical info. I would love to make the Evening Stockings for a Young Lady for the Incredible Digit girl. I guess I'll consider this pattern stuck in traffic behind the pile-up of existing projects.

The Digits Have Been Busy

With all of our family/friend visits recently, this blog turned into a travel log of sorts. Back to the knitting!

First, there's the Ribbed Jacket by Debbie Bliss. I used Bernat Satin yarn in Camel. Now this was supposed to be for the 12 month old size but, obviously, I did not get the correct gauge. No matter. The Increcible Digit Girl likes it just fine and it fits her perfectly. I added ribbed cuffs on the sleeves and a few rows of garter stitch at the bottom edge.


Then, for a young friend of the family, I made a Princess Crown Hat. I used Lion Brand Jiffy yarn for this one. Pink, grey and a little purple. I was a little disappointed at how high up the crown wound up. I've actually recharted and am making another for the young girl's sister. Hopefully, that will work out more as I had envisioned. Eventually, I'll post the chart for all to see and, hopefully, use.


This next project is the Raglan Sleeve Easy Baby Sweater by Linda (Linda's Lists) which I got off the Ravelry website. It's such a great pattern and it worked up fairly fast. I did get the gauge that was needed but I just made it too big for the recipient. So her older cousin was the more appropriate wearer. I used Cleckheaton Country Silk 8 ply (really nice Australian yarn) in this slightly heathered pink color. The best part about this yarn? It was in the sale bins at The Knitting Bee for only $2.99 a ball.


I was lucky enough to go to the last Yarn Tasting event at Knit/Purl and got to try so many luscious yarns. Unfortunately, I failed miserably in my attempt at mosaic knitting. So I found "Slip Stitch Knitting" by Roxana Bartlett at the library and dove in. With the help of the book, I did achieve what I would call an elementary-level understanding of the process and tried it on these two hats. The yarn is Aspen by ggh - a 50/50 merino/acrylic blend. It's a bulky weight that worked up fast. It's nice to have quick results when learning a new technique.


Next up on the slate. Finishing off another Raglan Sleeve Sweater, another (smaller) Ribbed Jacket and a Garter Stitch Rib scarf.

Costume Central

Halloween is one of my favorite days of the year. We get to dress up, eat candy and run wild around the neighborhood.....who doesn't love that. Of course, now I get to watch the Incredible Digit Girl and Boy do all of the above. Now, I will be the first to admit that I get a little crazy/obsessive when it comes to Halloween costumes. So when my kids tell me what they want to be, I dig through the fabric/craft stash and get out the sewing machine. I also wind up staying up too late and cutting the schedule too close but, what the heck, it's only once a year.









Of course, I can honestly say it was completely worth the effort. The kids looked adorable, they hauled in the candy and had a blast with their friends. Doesn't get much better than that.

A Milestone Birthday

The Incredible Digit Girl recently had a birthday. She is now five years old. FIVE!! Yes, it's a cliche to say but where did five years go? Seriously, I was just at the hospital giving birth, wasn't I ? When her Dad and I talk about the day she was born we always think about how open and curious her eyes were just minutes after being born. Then we remember how sunny and beautiful it was that day - like the sun was shining just for her.

Here she is, just a few days old

and now.

Smart as a whip and a beauty inside and out. I'm trying not to think about how quickly the next five years will go by.

ArteCarmelita

The talented ArteCarmelita, my Mom, came to visit recently, too. We had a great time just bumming around Portland but since she had never been to Seattle we decided to make a day trip up north. The weather was ideal and there are plenty of pics to share.

Of course, we had to go to the Space Needle .


She is a big Frasier fan and was definitely disappointed when I explained that the condo tower on the TV show doesn't actually exist in real life. The giant mosaic definitely compensated.


The artwork around the Space Needle is so inspiring. Everywhere you turn there is some sort of sculpture and most are interactive and touchable. The Experience Music Project building was a highlight.


Hard and angular on one side, soft and organic on the other. Somehow the architect made it all work together. Pretty amazing.

No visit to Seattle is complete without a trip to Pike Place Market .


It is such a vibrant place to visit. There are food, flower and goods vendors all around. Including the famous Fish Market where fish are skillfully thrown from one side of the counter to the other. I approached one of the employees for a picture with my Mom and the Incredible Digit Girl and Boy thinking that he would just stand next to my family. As I got out the camera, he reached for a huge fish to pose with and gave a postcard-worthy smile.


Talk about customer service. As you can see from the photo, the Incredible Digit Boy wasn't sure this photo-op was such a good idea.

And as if the Seattle trip wasn't exciting enough, we were gifted with a clear view of the imposing Mount Ranier as we left Puget Sound.

Of Wine and Roses

We were lucky enough to have all the members of the Incredible Digit Husband's immediate family here at our house at the same time. It had been two years since we had all be together and we really enjoyed each other's company. My Mother and Father-in-law, I know, were particularly happy to have all their children in the same place even if it was for just a few days. There was also a group of long-time family friends that were in the area at the same time, as well. We took advantage of their presence to do a little sightseeing here in the Portland area. First stop was the International Rose Test Garden in the hills above downtown Portland. An amazing garden which seemingly has every known rose variety.




The Rose Test Garden is a such a pretty place to stroll and get lost in on a summer afternoon.

Next stop was Pittock Mansion .

A few miles and one hill over from the Rose Garden, this spectacular home was built in the 1800's by a local captain of industry. Now the mansion is amazing but it's the view that is really spectacular.

Not only can you see all of downtown Portland and the surrounding neighborhoods but on a clear day Mount Hood, Mount Adams, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Rainier can all be seen from this location. Now you have to pay a fee to go inside the mansion but wandering the grounds and the view is free!

After the sights and sounds of Portland, we all came back to the Digit home for a meal.


We were happy to share a few of the things we've come to love about the Pacific Northwest: Wild-caught salmon, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and a late-summer evening on our own deck. Now it is not lost on me that the last line makes me sound like the type of pretentious food and wine snob of whom I would normally make fun but.......that was a great night with great people so I'll take the "snob" hit.

Getting Caught Up

Balance to the universe has been restored.........my computer has been repaired. Ok, that was a little high-handed but, woo hoo, I can finally get caught up here in the Digit Zone. I have wanted to get more pics of the recent family visits posted and here we go.

In a previous post I mentioned a fishing outing. We had so much fun. Along with the visiting grandparents, we took the Incredible Digit Girl and Boy to a local stocked trout farm up in the hills a few miles down the highway. It's called Hornings Hideout and along with the fishing they have paddle boats, a playground, and even a large bandstand for concerts. The kids had a blast and were very excited by our catch.



Between the four adults and two children we caught five fish.

Of course, the truly fun part was the fish cleaning that had to be done before we went home. Yes, that was sarcasm. Now cleaning fish is not exactly a pleasant experience but I have to say we did enjoy the trout dinner later that night. My mother-in-law and I cooked up a very enjoyable meal and we all agreed that the flavor of a freshly caught fish was much better that store-bought. However, for day-to-day convenience I think I'll stick with the stocked (and alreaday cleaned) seafood section of my local Fred Meyer .

The Downside to Technology

How much do I love my computer? Quite a bit actually. I love that I can access all the great photos of my children and family, stay in contact with family and friends, listen to my favorite music, read about world events (okay, let's be real - celebrity gossip), find patterns/read blogs/write patterns for knitting/crocheting/beading....I could go on and on. But when said computer stops working a sizable chunk of my day-to-day life comes to a huge, messy, screeching halt. Blood on the highway, people. And, yes, the realization does come and I'm shocked by how much I have come to rely on my box of circuits for a substantial amount of information and functions. Even the Incredible Digit Girl is bemoaning her lack of time on the PBS Kids and Holly Hobby websites. Of course, the Incredible Digit Boy joins the fray in child-like solidarity.

So now, we await the call from the kind people at the Apple store the way family members await news from a doctor about a loved ones surgery. Did it go well? Will there be any lasting side effects? Will I be able to find out which young Hollywood starlet will be going to rehab next? I suppose while I'm waiting I could do something productive like read a book, finish dyeing my next batch of yarn, organize my beading work area for the holiday inventory I need to finish. Or....maybe I'll just spend some time with my husband and play with my kids.

Bad Blogger, Bad Blogger

Ok, that was me chastising myself for taking so long to write a new post. My head is bowed low in forgiveness to the blogging gods on high. In all seriousness, I have taken far too long to write here at the Digit zone. We've had family and friends here to visit and have been having the best time seeing the sights of no less than three different counties here in Oregon. Have a seat.....it's going to be a long post.

First on the agenda, taking the Digit Kid's paternal grandparents to the A.C. Gilbert Discovery Museum in Salem. Three converted victorian houses which contain (but are not limited to) an educational and fun "China" room,

a bubble room with every variety of "wands",

and a child-size performance stage.

(Juliet or Rapunzel? Take your pick.)

Did I mention the 20,000 square feet of outdoor play areas? Now, there were a lot of great play zones outside but judging from these pictures the Incredible Digit Girl and Boy liked the swings the best.


A must see destination for those with kids. To learn more visit www.acgilbert.org.

All this fun and only in one day. The next adventure involved a stocked trout lake and some worried worms. More on that soon.

I must also add a shout-out to the Incredible Digit Boy's godfather in Brooklyn. Said godfather sent his godson a treasured gift of his own artwork. The greatest part of the artwork? It's wearable (and proudly worn by Digit Boy the entire day on his birthday).

To see more great artwork, visit http://tezukurizhizn.blogspot.com/

Labor Day

This holiday holds a few different meanings for me.

The obvious: A three-day weekend that gives our family one more day to spend together.

The intended: The people who work all those jobs that we may take for granted. Which leads me to think about my father who passed away two years ago. He was a truck driver. I know that many people don't like being close to big rigs on the highway but we all like that there is laundry detergent, toilet paper, etc., at the local supermarket. Without those big rigs and the people who drive them those convenient items wouldn't be on the store shelves. So let's give those truck drivers on the highway a break and some space on the road. They're just trying to get home to their families, too.

The special: Once I became a pregnant woman, Labor Day took on a whole new meaning. Especially on Labor Day three years ago. Sure, we had a nice three-day weekend enjoying the warm and sunny weather. A mere 24 hours later we were experiencing the endurance challenge that is child birth. A short challenge, luckily. I was sent to the hospital around noon for observation on one of their monitors and a little after 4:30pm The Incredible Digit Boy was born. He was definitely in a hurry to get out into the world. That attitude hasn't changed. He still is in hurry to go everywhere and we, his parents, wish the time would go slower.

Waning Days of Summer

Still busy around the Digit household but found time to enjoy a little summer fun. Filled up the pool for The Incredible Digit Girl and Boy. They loved it and I loved taking pictures of them.



And summer is not complete without a game of "baseball".



I have found time to work on a few knitting projects. I've got a sweater I'm working on using Manos del Uruguay Cotton Stria (pics to follow soon). I got the yarn in the 50% off sale bin at The Knitting Bee (a great yarn shop that is less than three miles from my home - see link below). Also, I saw a good friend yesterday and remembered that she will become an aunt for the first time in September. So I went back to The Knitting Bee and got this:


A hank of Lorna's Laces Shepherds Sock yarn in the Sherbet colorway. Perfect for a newborn baby girl. I also got a free pattern with my purchase for a cute baby hat. Yeah for me! I don't have to hunt around looking for a project. Gotta love a full service yarn store.

The Knitting Bee