It's official. Fourteen balloons means we now have a fourteen year old in the house.
Charlie turned fourteen yesterday. Hard to believe. So, so hard to believe.

This weeks cookie of the week. Big. Big peanut butter cookie of the week.
Honestly. Check out the size. A true treat to find one of these after school or in your lunch box. All three kids said they were the best peanut butter cookie they ever had. I'm thinking they were really loving the size. Out of this same cookbook. I couldn't find the recipe but it is basically this except with creamy peanut butter and made into cookies.... not cookie sandwiches.

Some time ago, I made this:
Unfortunately, I didn't like the way it fit, so I gifted it to my sister. I had every intention of making it again in order to fit me. However, two years later have never done so. Well, this past weekend while in my cleaning frenzy, I came across the yarn. And thought since I probably will never get around to making another one, maybe one of you would like to make it. I have enough yarn for a medium. Of course, you will need the book, so I will include that also.
If you would like a chance to win this, please comment here by midnight, Friday the 18th.

So, again, I was going to try to get over here all weekend. But I got a little preoccupied. Not with any mice (haven't spotted anymore, yet) but with an empty house. Did you hear me? An empty house! My husband took the children to an LSU game (were you there beki?) and I had the house to myself. I must say, it was wonderful. It is amazing how much more you can accomplish while alone....for an extended amount of time. There was organizing, closet purging, music listening, sewing, movie watching and of course, knitting.
I spent a lot of time thinking about parts of this sweater. The pattern is written so that the top back half of this sweater is done in the reverse stockinette. As are the sleeves. And when I saw this piece finished, at the show, I liked that. It added a bit of interest and texture. However, this weekend, I decided to rip it back to the rib and do the top half in stockinette. As well as the sleeves.
A friend of mine recently gave me the Foster's Market cookbook. There are some amazing recipes in there. Of course, I flipped straight to the desserts to look for some new cookie recipes. First up were the blondies. The batter makes so much (hello 4 cups of brown sugar) that I ended up dividing it and using half of the dough one week (with heath toffee bits) freezing the other half and using it the following week (last week) with chocolate chips.
The kids liked the heath toffee bits so much better then the chocolate chips. The chocolate chips ended up being more like a chocolate chip cookie.... pie. Which has me thinking. I would really love to make an apple pie.

I tried to get over here all day yesterday. To share some knitting. And the last couple of "cookie of the weeks". However, instead I found myself keeping watch on this:
You see, in my eyes, there was a ferocious beast under the towel, under the laundry basket. A heavy (needlepoint) brick made sure that he couldn't escape. But, I didn't trust that and spent the next few hours checking in on it to make sure there was no way he could get out.

So, school has been back in session for a week. And I think I am finally feeling good about the new routine. I'm not sure why, but I felt a little lost when they went back this year. Even though I was able to jam my music, it still seemed quiet. A little too quiet. Suddenly it seemed as if all that "stuff" I really wanted to do didn't seem nearly as important. In fact, I couldn't even remember what it was I wanted to do. I know, sounds crazy. Trust me, it didn't last long. Kim reminded me that I loved to bake. And knit!
This is the other side of the long coat. The side with the circular design. I know, it looks a little strange to me, also. I am trusting it will block correctly.
As I brought in these tomatoes on Sunday afternoon, Charlie gasped and said "please, no more tomato pie". I will make it again (for the third time) but I promised not to make him eat it. You should try it, though. It is really fabulous.

9:52 a.m.
9:58 a.m.
10:12 a.m.
Darn. Life speeds by.

I sort of hesitate to show you what is on my needles. Back in June, I tried on a sweater, fell in love, and ordered yarn to make it. Then I waited. And waited. And waited. Finally my VOGUEKnitting arrived and I could cast on for my new project. But wait. When I flipped to the pattern, I wondered if I still liked it. You see, I don't think that I would have ever made this sweater from this photo.

The boys and I went to "Bach and breakfast" in the park on Sunday morning. As Charlie and I hung out listening, Andrew played with my camera.
Life through Andrew's eyes:

I love this one.

I giggled when I downloaded these. It's pretty clear this boy has one thought on his mind these days.

I take a lot of photos. Mostly for this life of mine. Therefore, I have a bunch of out-takes. I could fill an album with just out-takes and maybe one day I will.  A few out-takes from last week:
A jar of daisies left on the patio.  We came back from our trip to find them in this state.  I thought they were spectacular.  Yes, I did.
A new skirt for Libby, handmade (by someone else) from vintage fabrics.  Layered and embellished in just the right way.
A handmade cupcake to celebrate a little life.  I wanted to celebrate the maker.  She made thirty of these.  Just because.  

Hello, there. Happy August!
I would love to tell you all about our trip to tahoe. And how envious I am of all that get to experience that on a daily basis. And share some photos, considering I took 991 of them. 
However, I am more excited to share the empire waist cardigan which includes a little of this magical spot.
I can't even begin to tell you how much I love this sweater.  Do I say that a lot?  I think I might. But seriously, this one!  This one has moved up to my number one spot.  It was a piece of cake to knit, the construction was totally fun,  and talk about wearable.  Heck, you can throw this on at anytime with anything.  
I seriously am going to make this in another color.  I would love to make it out of a wool for the fall. 
Pattern:  empire waist cardigan

I've been meaning to remind you about nest.  I love this.  I really, really do.  Knitting for others that are in need is such a great thing.  I knit a bunch of fingerless mitts last year.  I had declared last July my "knitting for others" month.  This July I was pretty much a selfish knitter, knitting only for myself.  But I plan on changing that.  Really, I do.  I want to make hats soon... and into August.  Hats for nest.  

This is my new project.  I became completely obsessed over it after seeing the one spiralstitch made.  And it just happened to be Classic Elite design by Pam Allen.  Bonus.  You know how much I love their pattern/yarn combination.
The construction is really interesting and I am loving it.  Starting on the right sleeve, working around the back and to the left sleeve.
After you finish the top, you pick up and work the body of the sweater.  Very little finishing. Another bonus!  Knit in all stockinette out of 100% cotton, this makes for an easy knit while clocking the hours at the pool.  If it is as cute as it is as fun, I can see this in another color in my wardrobe.  I'm thinking grey.  Or black.  Or olive.  Or brown.  Or........

My girl and I spent one simple evening. 

Alright. Back to the rickrack rib pullover. 
I guess some of you didn't think it looked terrible before.  And, I thank you for that.  However,  I didn't give you the full view. It really was way too big after I blocked it. Too loose and boxy and baggy.   And it was entirely my fault because I initially thought it was too tight.  However, after re-blocking I got it exactly how I like it.  

I received this book last fall and immediately earmarked several projects.  The book then got placed alongside my knitting books and was sort of forgotten until Libby started reading a book she thought she couldn't read around her brothers.  The back cover had some "girl content" and she knew they would see it.
I remembered the book cover project which was perfect for concealing what she wanted to hide.
We picked out some fabric and used a contrasting brown linen scrap for the lining.  A ribbon saved from a gift from my sisters travels to Italy.  Gusto: Vigorous enjoyment.  Perfect.
There are several other projects in the book I would love to make.
A new apron may be in order.  I'm thinking brown linen would be nice.
And maybe a new set of summertime coasters.