Highlights of 2010

Today, since it is New Year's Eve, I started thinking back on 2010, and what the highlights were. I hope I don't miss something terribly important. This is not in order of importance.

• I started this blog (I decided to put this first since I am writing this on my blog :)
• Josiah, Katherine, and I opened our Etsy shop (We haven't sold anything yet :( )
• Katherine and I were baptized
• We own a sewing machine
• We participated (and are participating) in a co-op for school

I will probably write again and won't forgive myself that I forgot this really important thing.

I really loved the old candy cane background but Christmas is kind of over so I decided to change it to this hot chocolate one.

I bought one of the Crown Bindery binders yesterday. Here are a couple pictures of it.

Photos by Crown Bindery

The page that has the pushpins and paper clips on it was one of the particular reasons I bought this one. It's sooo cute!!!!!

I hope the package comes reeealll soon. I also bought tabs to match it. :)

31 out of 32 presents done. Only one more to go and then I can do something else. :)

Mom and Dad gave us a sewing machine for Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It still hasn't sunk in to me much, but Katherine said she was going to die, as soon as we opened it. I received many other wonderful presents, but I love the givers much more than the gifts. :-)

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!!

Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!

I started the 31st present and I have been working a little on it.

We are going to go caroling soon so I have to get off and get ready.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!

30 out of 32 presents done! Only two more and like I said before these don't have to be done before Christmas.

Now I have wrapping to do!

There is a growing number of presents under our tree and I am dying to find out what most of them are. :)

29 out of 32 presents done! The rest of the presents don't need to be done before Christmas so I have been spending time reading instead of knitting presents.

This is my 175th post and when I told Mom that she said, "And how many have I read?'
Then Josiah explained that since it was a blog she could go back and read them. I replied, "But it would take you a while."
Mom suggested she would read it when she was a lot older and in a shaky voice reprimanded, "There is this post you wrote when you were thirteen that I don't rightly agree with. I'm a little worried about it."  :)

28 out of 32 presents done! Only 4 more, and I already started the next.

10 days til Christmas!

27 out of 32 presents done. Only 5 more to go!!!!!!

Grandma B took us to Esther's Place today and we went to Wendy's afterwards. We had a LOT of fun! There was a lot of secret buying and wrapping stuff so that was just like Christmas. :-)

We are going to the dance soon so, ta-ta.

The hole in the ceiling stopped leaking soon after I wrote the last post because Dad put a bucket in the attic where it was coming in to stop it from dripping.

I have been working a little on presents.

Today I was going to go to the dentist, but either Mom got the date wrong or the dentist did, so we are going tomorrow. Also, tomorrow Grandma B is taking us to Esther's Place. Yeah!!!!!!

26 out of 32 presents done!!!!!! Only six more, yeah!

Tonight Dad is going for the PADS night shift and so he was resting on the couch so he could be awake tonight. And yes, I wrote was resting.
I was putting away Mom and Dad's laundry when I saw Katherine coming out of their bedroom with a look of shock saying, "There is a hole in their ceiling." And she tried to tell Dad but he must have not heard. And I'd have to admit that I wasn't very surprised. Until she said it was leaking. Whoa! I said to Dad, "There's a hole in the ceiling." He didn't look very surprised or ready to get up, so I tried again, "It's leaking."
I never saw Dad get up off the couch so fast! He quickly said, "Where?"
"Your room," I replied and he headed straight for it. Right now, it is not fixed and Dad is trying to decide what to do.
But I felt like I had to put this on here with, "The moral of this story is, 'If you ever want to get your dad off the couch, tell him the ceiling is leaking.' Of course, if it's not true you aren't going to be in a good situation."

Picture by TGLDdoll

I was 'window shopping' again on Etsy and I thought this pattern was too cute not to put on my blog.

I had a good day today.

Uncle Nick and Cousin Liberty came to Grandma B's house to help with the TV and the Christmas tree. So we got to see them. Every time I see Libby she is at least a little bit bigger. :)

I have knitted a lot on a present and I hope I can finish it soon so I can go on to the next.

I have worked a little more on the present I started yesterday.

Here is a picture I took of a little square Anna knitted out

of yarn she spun herself. She is becoming a great knitter
and spinner.

25 out of 32 presents done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I started a new present today.

Christmas break officially begins!!!!!!!!!!!! No school!!!!!!!!!!!

My friend Khyrstyn gave me my present today!!!!!!!!!! She gave me a blue-purple-aqua handknitted scarf and a journal. The scarf is very pretty and it matches my coat and I am glad she got me the journal because I have been writing in a plain old notebook. Booorinnng.

I am now happy to give you a post that is actually worth reading and is fairly long, too.

This morning, I came downstairs to eat breakfast. I wanted to have a bowl of Honey Crunch 'n Oats and I couldn't see the box anywhere. I asked, "Where's the Honey Crunch 'n Oats?"
So Mom announced that we were not going to have wheat today and that I couldn't have any Honey Crunch 'n Oats. I was rather chagrined and started saying why I should be able to have the cereal (I am tired of writing said cereal because it takes too long) to no avail. So I sat down and had a bowl of Rice Krispies.
Mom said we could have a glass of orange juice for breakfast.  We were all rather excited about that since we don't usually have juice for anything except medicine, but we were still rather upset about the no-wheat thing.
Josiah claimed that Mom gave us the juice to boost our morale after the whole no-wheat thing. Well you see, I was eating my Rice Krispies when he said that and it made my milk go up my nose. I proceeded to say that having your milk up your nose hurt more than water or pop and that it rather fogged up your nose. Then I sneezed and discovered that not only my milk went up my nose but also my Rice Krispies.
Now I am telling you this to warn you against listening to something funny while you are eating Rice Krispies. Because if they go up your nose, believe me it doesn't feel good.

Other things I have learned in the past few days that don't feel good are:

• Stepping on a zipper
• Jabbing your leg against the corner of the end table

Picture by Crown Bindery

I was 'window shopping' in one of my favorite Etsy shops as I do when I have time, when I found this gift set. When I find something I like I heart it, but sometimes I like something sooo much that I have to set it apart from all my other hearted things and do something special for it. Like posting it on my blog.
The reason I like this so much is because (quoted from the item listing)...

This gift set contains:
*one 9 x 11" notebook binder made from gorgeous scrapbook papers
*one 6 x 9” journal binder made from a variety of browns and pinks
*one 4 x 6" notecard binder
*one bookmark set
*from The Papered Crown (one of my three etsy shops), a clothespin set

...sooo much stuff! I know if I got this in the mail, I would be sooo happy I don't know what I'd do!!!!!!!! Jump in circles? Hug my brother (not so unusual)? Scream joyfully?






I just had to share that.

Sorry I haven't written in a while. I've read that you shouldn't spend half of a letter apologizing for it being late, but this is a blog so who cares, right?

I haven't worked much on Christmas presents the last week so I don't have a new presents done/presents to go ratio.

Happy December everyone! 

We are going to Shenendoah (Grandma and Grandpa's second house) so I don't have much time to write.

We went to the Asian Buffet last night for Stephen's birthday. It was good. They have hand-dipped-by-yourself ice cream.

I have been working on Christmas presents, but mostly going on the computer. I wouldn't call it 'playing' because I am not playing games I'm doing other more important things. (Ha, ha)

Happy Birthday Mom!!!!!!!!!!

24 and a half out of 32 presents done!!

We had a nice Thanksgiving at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

24 out of 32 presents done!!!!!!!!!!!!

We didn't have biology today so we got home from co-op early.

Only two more weeks til Christmas break!!



And plus, tomorrow is Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I Conquered the World!!!!!

OK, I guess I just beat Johnathan in RISK, but pretty close, right?

23 and a half out of 32 presents done!!!

Happy Birthday Stephen!!!!

Stephen turned 17 today. Yikes! That's kind of creepy. We had lemon cake for dessert for supper for his birthday.

23 out of 32 presents done. Right after I am done with this I am going to take pictures of my finished and in the middle projects so I can post them on my other blog.

I forgot to say that Katherine and I were baptized on Sunday.
I am so glad we did, and we had a fun party afterwards.

The glory to God!!!!

I have been following a blog that has Treasury (On Etsy) Challenges where you have certain guidelines to follow to making a Treasury and then you can vote on which Treasury you want to win. Anyway on Tuesdays they have what they call a Tempt Me Tuesday Linky Party where you can add a link to the items in your shop to promote them. I wasn't able to do it last week and I was pretty disappointed but I did it today. Click on the link above to see it and they make it more clear in case you can't understand any of my nonsense.

I am doing pretty well.
22 out of 32 presents done!!!!!

We had our Roman feast for school today. It was fun!!!!
Most of the food was pretty good, even if it was supposed to be Roman.

Tomorrow Katherine and I are getting baptized and afterward we are going to have a party with our family so we have to get ready for it.

I decided I needed to write because I hadn't written since Monday.
I've been working on Christmas presents some.

An Etsy Shop

(Pictures by haveitconfections)

I was looking on Etsy and I found this delicious-looking shop called haveitconfections.
The marshmallows look so colorful and the caramels sound delectable. And plus, they are all natural.

We've been sick for a while and I had an earache yesterday. I feel better now, except I have some congestion problems.

I took this picture of a shelf in our mudroom that has peanuts, rice, cane juice crystals, couscous, and more on it a while ago with the intention of putting it on my blog because I thought it looked nice. (I don't care if you disagree with me.) I just decided I would do it today.

I loved watching the Phantom of the Opera. My favorite part of the play is the music and the songs. I like the song "Music of the Night", I really like "Phantom of the Opera", but my favorite is "All I Ask of You" or as I like to call it, "Say You'll Love Me"...la la la la la la la la la la. (That means I don't know the words :-)

I finished half a Christmas present, so that means twenty-one and a half out of thirty-two presents done!!

Mom, Stephen, Josiah, Katherine, and I are going to a Phantom of the Opera
play at a college. I can't wait. Mom borrowed the movie from the library so she could listen to the music before she went. She's listening to it right now, and so, of course, am I. She said she would enjoy it more if she could listen to the music.

Most of us are sick in our house so that doesn't make me too happy. Josiah has (or had) a terrible earache. I heard him say to Mom, "I feel like I am going to die!" But he feels better now.
Well, Mom wants me to wash some dishes.

I had a fun day.

We got to make cell models in biology out of a cookie and candy. It was a LOT of fun!!!! And then, of course we got to eat them. Also, I got good scores on a test and some homework so that makes me happy, too.

This is Exciting!!!!!!

I'm so excited!!!!!!!! I made an Apple Butter Day-Inspired Treasury on Etsy. (You can see it on the page on here named 'Etsy Treasuries') Well, in the Treasury I put a lady's cornucopia and she found my Treasury and put it on her blog. She also commented on how cute our shop was. Click here to see her blog post.

Happy Birthday Aunt Lydia!!!

Our church's fall festival was today. It was fun. I was in the pie eating contest, and that was a lot of fun!

I don't have much to write about.

I finished a hat, and I am going to put pictures of it on my other blog.

We went to our aunt and uncle's house (soon-not-to-be their house) to help them clean their house and help them pack to move to Colorado.

Happy Birthday Aunt Melissa!!!

This is a praying mantis that we saw on our driveway...

I finished the hat I was working on. See pictures of it on my other blog BeKKnits' Creations.

I am actually on my dad's computer at his work because he picked me up from a friend's house and had to go back to work to make sure everything was alright.

I have been working on a newsboy hat. Once I am done I will put a picture of it on my other blog so you can see it.

Anna's 8th Birthday!!!

I hate it when I start writing a post and then I remember it's someone's birthday and I need to write about it. It bothers me that I can't remember it.  Therefore...it's Anna's birthday and she turned eight!!

I have been working on schoolwork most of the day.  I've also played Monopoly Deal with some of my brothers and sisters.

Twenty-one out of thirty-two presents done!!!! (Yeah it's thirty-two not thirty-one, I have been miscounting for a while. Don't worry, it did not have any effect on the amount of supplies I needed and bought)  I almost wrote half after twenty-one because I have been doing that for almost a month. I finally took care of the half that kept tagging along. :)

Sorry I didn't write the last two days.

I have twenty and about 3/4 out of thirty-one  presents done.

Julia started really walking by herself on Thursday!!!!

I have been working a lot on a Christmas present.

I have almost all my schoolwork done, I just have to finish an experiment, that will take me about two minutes, but I have to wait til three thirty to do it. 

Nineteen and a half presents done!!!!!!!!!!

I got my schoolwork done, and almost all my housework.

A Fun Day!!!!!!

We ate at Cracker Barrel for lunch. I had cherry pancakes and raspberry lemonade.

Then we went to a pumpkin farm, and played in the playground, got lost in the corn maze, and rode on pedal cars. Grandma and Grandpa bought us some apple cider doughnuts and gave us candy bars.

Then we went to Hobby Lobby. (See my other blog, BeKKnits' Creations, to see what I got)

Seventeen and a half Christmas presents done!


Grandma and Grandpa are going with us to a pumpkin farm today, and afterward we are going to go to Hobby Lobby!!!

An Etsy Shop: ByRebekahWithLove

I was looking on Etsy, and I found a shop that was called 'ByRebekahWithLove' and I thought how cool! She has the same name as me, and she sells fiber and yarn. What could be better? The above is a picture of one of her yarns. Click here to see her shop.

Grandma and Grandpa are here!

I am almost done with a Christmas present.

Well, I have to do my history.

I've worked a little more on a Christmas present.

I can't think of much anything else to write.

Grandma and Grandpa may be coming this weekend!

I started another blog about what I am knitting and crocheting. You can find it by clicking on 'View My Complete Profile' under 'About Me'. My profile says 'My Blogs' and you click on 'BeKKnits' Creations'. Or go to http://bekknitscreations.blogspot.com.

Today went well, but Josiah wants to get on here.

I almost have all my homework done.

Julia is standing on the stool looking out the window. Sometimes she stands on her tippy-toes. It's so cute!

I worked a couple rows on a Christmas present.

I got my work done today.

I made a couple bracelets while we were at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Chimes and Choir is tonight.

We are going to leave Grandma and Grandpa's house soon.

Katherine and Josiah are trying to get Julia to stand up without her knowing it, because she's too chicken.

We are at Grandma and Grandpa's house for Apple Butter Day. We helped clear out the hay in the field and now we're taking a break.

I love how the keys feel when I type them on Grandma's laptop.

I've made a couple more bracelets. I think it's addicting.

I finished my schoolwork for today.

I made a couple more bracelets-the way Khyrstyn taught me-with yarn.

Well I had a good day, except that I have a headache now.

Khyrstyn taught me a new way to make friendship bracelets. It's a lot of fun, I made one for myself and for Katherine.

Apple Butter Day is on Saturday and I can't wait!!!!!

I have to hurry because Josiah needs to get on for schoolwork. I had a nice day, I got my work done and I have worked quite a lot on a Christmas present.

I'm kind of supposed to be working on my school work, but it's next week's work so it's not terrible if I'm not doing it.

I have sixteen and two halves (they're for two different presents) Christmas presents done.

Hopefully in about two weeks we can go to Hobby Lobby and then I will have all my Christmas present supplies accounted for.

Katherine's hoping the time will fly until Christmas, but I know it will, because I have so many things to do: housework, schoolwork, Christmas presents, and being on the computer :).

The boys (Stephen, Josiah, Johnathan, and Grandt) and Dad went to a Father Son Camp these last two days. So Mom, Kristian and the girls had a movie night and a tea party. We drank four different kinds of tea (I only had three) and ate egg-salad sandwiches and scones.

The boys are back now, and Mom and Katherine are finishing chocolate-covered brownies.

We got our Knit Picks package today!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I worked on Christmas presents while we watched the movies. Anna, Mary Ann and Kristian watched Mary Poppins and Mom, Katherine, and I watched Persuasion a movie based on the book by Jane Austen.

If you click on the links that say 'The Newspaper Article' it will go to a page that only shows the first paragraph and the picture. If you wish to read the whole article click on 'The Newspaper Article' next to 'Home' under the title of my Blog 'BeKKnits' Blog'.

I've been working on Christmas presents.

I have only one thing to do for history this week and I have been working on next weeks because of Apple Butter Day. I can't wait!!!!

I'm trying to get all my history done today so I can work on next week's because next week is Apple Butter Day!!! I can't wait!!!!. I've been working on Christmas presents.

I have a runny nose today, so I don't feel so good.

The Picture of Us in the Newspaper

Click on the title to see the newspaper article we were in!

I had a good time today. Some people in our house aren't feeling well so that's not good.

I got my work done today. I started a Christmas present. Last night, Josiah, Katherine, and I ordered some yarn and fiber off of Knit Picks. I bought the yarn for Christmas presents. I can't wait until it comes!!!!!!

We had a fairly nice time at Chimes and Choir. I hope we get the hang of chimes pretty fast. The hardest part is knowing where we are in the song.

I got my work done today, so as soon as I'm done on the computer I am going to start a Christmas present.

Tonight we might be going to choir and handchimes at church. We couldn't go unless we got our work done.

We might be in the newspaper tomorrow but our paper doesn't come on Monday or Sunday.

Breaking News Flash! Interviewed by the Paper!!!!!!

It's Corn Fest, and we've been having a fun time. For the third year Josiah and I have entered knitted and crocheted items in the Hobby and Handicraft Show for Corn Fest. Katherine has entered for two years now, and Anna and Mary Ann entered some jewelry this time.

On Friday when we entered, Josiah was telling the people who organize the show about how he spun and even dyed some of the yarn he used to make the items. A man who was organizing it went crazy! He couldn't believe it...He went on and on and on for five minutes!

We went back today to see if our stuff won any blue ribbons and the man asked Josiah if the newspaper had called him yet. We went back home and soon after wards the paper called!! The reporter interviewed Mom, Josiah, Katherine, and I, and she came to our house to take our picture!!!!!!!!

Now I can't wait until the paper is published so we can see it. This just doesn't happen every day!

Well nothing exciting (as in the other posts) happened since Tuesday.

We went to our friends house yesterday, and we had a lot of fun!!!!

On Tuesday Grandma B bought me some jeans, and a shirt, and a pink-and-grey plaid jacket.

Tonight, I made a headband for myself. I am going to crochet flowers in different colors to match my clothes, and I have a button on my headband so I can button them on, and switch them to match my clothes!!!!!

Very closely after I wrote today's other post, something exciting happened again.

Stephen and Mom were grilling, and then Mom comes in and says to Dad, "It's okay if there is fire under the grill isn't it?"

And then they were afraid that the fire would get close to the gas tank, and the gas tank might explode and burn our house down, so Josiah got the fire extinguisher for Dad and we all went outside. Dad said he didn't have to use the extinguisher, he just waited for it to die down.

Thank you God that the fire went out and that our house didn't burn down!!!!!!!!!!

I've gotten all my homework done for this week.

Tomorrow after co-op we are going to a friend's house for dinner. I can barely wait!

We had a exciting thing happen yesterday:

I was on my bed, about to read a book when I decided to wash off my glasses because they were foggy. So I walked to the bathroom, and I heard the water running, and running and running. Oh great, I thought, One of the little kids is playing in the sink again. I walked in, and there was Kristian standing in the sink. The water was still running, and the sink was overflowing; Water ran down the cabinets and the wall next to them, and the floor was covered with a puddle of water. I turned off the faucet and yelled, "Somebody come up here quick and help!!!" About five people came into the bathroom, and we just stared. All of a sudden Stephen said, "Thank You, it's not the toilet."
Josiah had the presence of mind to throw all the towels in the bathroom on the water, and we got it pretty well cleaned up.

How's that for an exciting day? (And we were supposed to be getting ready for Fellowship Group.)

I have quite a lot of homework done.

I haven't worked on Christmas presents.

On Blogger, there is a feature where you can have extra pages. I want to have some, but I don't know what I would put on them.

Tomorrow, Grandma B is having a party. It's kind of like a 'moving party' for Uncle Chris, Aunt Tonya, Cameron, Kaitlyn, and Jacob because they're moving to Colorado soon. :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( I'm happy about the party, but not them moving.

I haven't worked on Christmas presents for a while.

I had a good day.

Did you notice the poll on the right side of the screen? Vote, Please!!!!!!!!

Co-op went well today, it was Caleb's birthday so we had cupcakes.

A missionary came for supper tonight. We had a lot of fun!!!!!!!

I don't have much to write about.

Sixteen and a half Christmas presents done. (It is nice when you make socks, mittens, hand warmers, or anything that comes in pairs, because then you know when you are halfway done)

I don't have much to write about. Oh, I forgot! We went to the zoo on Saturday, and, of course, I took my camera with.

So...Pictures!!!!!

Today is Mary Ann's birthday. She turned six. I just thought about how she was born on a Monday, and today is Monday.

I have almost 16 and a half Christmas presents done.

I'm almost done with homework for the week.

I got all my work done today!!!!

I made some cookie dough for her birthday.

Stephen and Josiah are riding on their bikes along the I&M canal with other high-school students from our church. They're riding to Channahon.

I've been working on Christmas presents.

I have a lot of homework done except history. But I do have a fair amount of history done.

I did my work today, for the first time since, oh I don't know. I had to make supper too.

I have 16 out of 31 presents done!!!!!!!

Treasuries on Etsy

This is the fourth week of co-op. It's going well so far, and it's LOTS of F-U-N!!!!!!!

I'm almost done with the Christmas present I'm making.

I've been making Treasuries on Etsy. Click the title to see them, and ones Josiah and Katherine made.

My 100th Post!!

This is my 100th post!!

I have been working on presents.

Mom, Dad, Stephen, Katherine, Johnathan, and Grandt went to the Cubs game.

I have been knitting Christmas when I read books for school. I use a handy cookbook holder to keep the book open without my hands.

I've just been making cookies for the cookout.

The Treasury Heather Was In

I didn't write yesterday because there were storms and we had to turn the computer off.

I have fifteen and a half presents done.

Tomorrow we are having a cookout and we invited some neighbors. Not very many are coming. :(

Today on Etsy, Heather (a kitten I crocheted) was featured in a Treasury!!! Click on the title to see the Treasury.

I got sick early, early this morning, and I haven't done much but sleep today. The last most impressive thing I did was take a shower.

I got three books at the library yesterday: two books about knitting (one is especially on socks, I can't wait to start one!), and one that was about the life of a dog named Genevieve who wrote it herself. It's pretty funny.

Fifteen out of thirty-one presents done!!!!!

We went to Chili's for lunch on Saturday. I had chicken fajitas. They were delicious!!!!!

I don't know what else to say...oh yeah, the Baffas stayed at our house yesterday from lunch to right before supper. It was a lot of fun. We played in the field by our house, and pretended we were orphans.

Katherine and I both finished our aprons today. It was a lot of fun to make them.

Katherine and I stayed over at the hotel with Grandma and Grandpa last night. For breakfast this morning, I had a waffle, Fruit Loops, and a blueberry muffin.

Stephen just made some peach ice cream, and I want it so, goodbye.

Schoolwork is going well.

Grandma and Grandpa are here.

I can't think of much to write.

I knit a row or to today on the present I'm working on.

Today, in the mail, I got a postcard from Locks of Love, thanking me for giving my hair to them.

This was the second week of co-op, and it went well again.

We all have our own wax tablets that Mr. Short made for us for history; I think they are pretty cool. Mrs. Short was telling us to NOT leave it in the car, because we would have melted-purple-crayon-wax all over our car and our parents would kill us. :)

I had a headache after biology, but it's better now.

Grandma and Grandpa are coming tomorrow!!!!!!!! I have to make sure I do my homework before they come.

I haven't knit today, but there is still several hours left.

Josiah has a really cool game on his iPod. It's a piano-playing app and it's a lot of fun. I told Josiah I played it with three thumbs (instead of what I meant, two thumbs) :), and he said, "No wonder you're so bad at it."

I've still been looking at the Crown Bindery shop on Etsy. I'm crazy about it. I look at the feedback, read all the blog, and check every single time I go on Etsy, to see if someone's bought something from then recently or if the lady listed anything new. I also 'heart' a lot of things from there. If you look at her blog, it seems very likely (by what she writes) that she's a Christian, which makes me want to buy from her more. But I don't have any money. :(

We watched the final episode of Design Star last night. We all shouted when Emily won.
I can't (and nobody else in our family) wait til her newest show comes out.

I've gotten fairly far along on the Christmas present, maybe halfway?

I made MORE cookie dough today. This time we didn't have brown sugar, so I had to use all white sugar.

Josiah and I made more cookie dough and meringue today.

We are babysitting Cameron, Kaitlyn, and Jacob (our cousins) because Uncle Chris and Aunt Tonya (and Grandma B) are going to the Cubs game for Uncle Chris' birthday.

I've knitted fairly far on a Christmas present.

I've gotten all my homework done for the week (including Monday's and Tuesday's) except for the work I have questions about, and that's only two or three things. I am going to do some of next week's work on Monday and Tuesday so I won't have to do as much homework when Grandma and Grandpa are here next week.

I finished casting on a present and knit one row, yesterday, right before I went to bed. Today I knit two more rows.

I got my work done today, again.

Josiah made meringue last night. It was delicious and it tasted even more delicious with my cookie dough ;).

Crown Bindery Etsy Shop

Today went well with schoolwork; I got all my work done.

I made some cookie dough today. I haven't been eating it as much as I usually do because I've been looking at this awesome Etsy shop, click title.

I haven't knitted or crocheted today, either.

I've decided I'm going to write at night on most days :) to make sure I have enough time early in the day to do my school and housework.

Co-op went really well!!! All the assignments for this week are pretty easy, I think. (Ok, I didn't look at exactly what I have to do for biology, but what I heard in class that I was supposed to do seemed pretty easy.)

I had a lot of fun, and I can't wait til next Wednesday. I think the days will go fast, though, with the work to do.

Co-op starts today!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Shorts are picking us up at 7:30. Very soon!!!!

It's been a LOT of fun to pack our book bags and backpacks, and to get a bunch of new stuff!!!

I haven't knitted or crocheted since Monday, I've been too busy.


See you later.

Kristian's Birthday!!!

Kristian turns 3 today. He's really cute and smart.

Co-op starts tomorrow. I think it's a lot of fun to get school supplies, we have colored pencils, different colored sharpies, index cards, index cards, and index cards, rings for some of our index cards. We're learning Bible, biology, history, and writing.

Last night (and this morning) Mom, Katherine, and I were painting the schoolroom. It was a lot of fun. There was once when I got off the stool I was on, and stepped right in the roller pan. I got paint, ALL OVER my foot; but it was still funny.

Fourteen out of thirty-one presents done.

Co-op starts in two days, and I can't wait. Last week, when I thought about it being in a week I said "Augh!!!!!!!!". But now that it's two days away the hours don't go by fast enough. :)

I do want to have a poll or quiz on here, but I haven't thought of anything yet. Any of your ideas (Comments!!! :) would be welcome.

We had a nice time at the zoo yesterday. We all liked the dolphin show.

We went to a wedding yesterday. I heard there was a tornado warning for the area during the wedding, and right before the wedding, a huge tree branch fell down outside the church. The wind roared and you could hear the church creak...for about a minute, then it stopped.

Here are pictures of the dolphins jumping.

Today we are going to the zoo for Kristian's birthday. We are going to see the dolphin show.

I have thirteen out of thirty-one presents done.

We are going to go soon, so I better stop.

I'm sitting on the computer typing away while everyone is running around the house getting ready...

Here is a picture of the Volkswagen van I talked about on Monday.

We had a fun time at Esther's Place yesterday. I made three tomatoes, and they are very
unique. :) They all have pink stripes. Here are pictures of them.

Well, I am going to Esther's Place for a needle-felting tomato class. (What do tomatoes have to do with needle-felting?; I am going to needle-felt pretend tomatoes)

In exactly a week is the first day of co-op (School for Stephen, Josiah, and I).

I'm excited but also a little bit nervous.

Josiah's afraid he won't have time to do anything once it starts.

Someday I am going to have a quiz or poll or something on here, so maybe I'll have more comments :)

Yesterday was the championship game for the softball team. We lost. :(:(:(:(
The same two teams in the championship game as last year. And last year it was really close, too. I was pretty upset, but I'm getting over it.

I didn't work on Christmas presents yesterday, and I didn't finish any presents while we were on vacation, even though we drove a lot, and I had some time to do it while we were just camping.

We went to The Fold-a yarn and fiber store-I bought eleven skeins of natural yarn for only $20 ($1 and $2 skeins, on sale at an e-x-t-r-e-m-e-l-y good price).

Josiah bought a lot of fiber for a pretty good price there, too.

Tomorrow I am going to Esther's Place-another yarn and fiber store-for a needle-felting class for my birthday. Some of our friends are going to be there also.

We went on vacation last week, that's why I didn't write.

We left on Wednesday and got back on Saturday.

It was a lot of fun!! There was only one problem; the cause was small, the effect big; Can you guess? Mosquitoes. MOSQUITOES!!! I HATE them!!! I probably have 100 bites, and that's only a slight exaggeration.

We ate at The Machine Shed in Rockford (I think) for breakfast on Thursday. It was really delicious!! I had two pancakes, two scrambled eggs, and a piece of ham. Dad got a cinnamon roll for all of us. It was ginormous!!!!!! And delicious!!!!!

We did a lot of things. Too many to write about.

We saw a Volkswagen van at one of the campsites. It was cream and green. I took a picture of it.

On the way back home we ate some ice cream at a place called Alice's Place. I had a twist (chocolate-and-vanilla) cone.

We went to Milwaukee on Friday. We organized the food pantry at City on a Hill in the morning, and in the afternoon we met a friend of Mom's who lives in Milwaukee. We saw the lake, and skipped rocks into it.

Julia liked to sit on a big rock, really close to the water, and throw pebbles in the lake. She was upset when we took her off.

We climbed the big rocks (I think they're called breakwater rocks) next to the lake. It was extremely thrilling. Katherine was really freaked out that someone was going to fall in the lake or break the leg or hurt themselves on a rock. Nobody did. :)

Well, I am supposed to do some work so I better stop.

Twelve out of thirty-one presents done.

Cupcakes!!!

Eleven out of thirty-one presents done.

If you click on the title, it will go to a Treasury on Etsy that I made about cupcakes.
I think it's cute.

Well, goodbye.

I only have to 'sew a fine seam' to finish the eleventh out of thirty-one presents.

Today is Josiah's birthday!! He is 15!

We had a sleepover with our friend on Sunday:

We got to their house at about 3 o'clock, I think.

We put our swimsuits on and jumped on the trampoline with the hose spraying on us. It was a lot of fun!!!!!!

We also filled up water balloons. Right before we were supposed to stop we decided to intentionally pop them. We sat on them, laid on top of them, threw them against the trampoline, everything, they wouldn't pop!!! I, finally, laid on top of mine, and dug my fingernails in it, and POP!!

Our friend and Katherine stepped on theirs to get them to pop.

After that we made no-bake cookies and watched some Anne of Green Gables.

Then we made supper, and continued watching it while we ate.

We watched for a while, and then had cookies and ice cream for dessert. Yummy!!

We finished Anne of Green Gables, and wanted to watch Anne of Avonlea, but they didn't have it. Our friends' mom called some places to see if they had it. Nobody had it but the library, and they were closed.

So we went to bed.

The next day we ate German pancake for breakfast with real syrup.

After a while we started watching Anne of Avonlea, but we couldn't finish it before we had to leave.

Last night we went to Culver's for dessert. We all had pints; I had black forest: chocolate ice cream with brownie pieces and cherries. It was good!!

We watched Sense & Sensibility last night. I think I like Pride & Prejudice better.

Julia cried a lot last night before she went to sleep; I hope she gets used to sleeping in our room fast.

Ten out of thirty-one Christmas presents done.

Oh, I think Katherine and I are sleeping over at our friends' house tomorrow!!!

We got Julia's crib in our room yesterday, and last night she slept in there for the first time.

I went next door yesterday to watch TV, and Grandma B started showing me some things that Great Grandma had kept.

One thing that fascinated me was a locket and a baby ring that was Great Grandma's.
Grandma B hadn't opened the locket to see if anything was inside, so I fiddled around with it for a half a minute, and got it to open up. Inside, there was a picture of Great Grandma. (That's what Grandma B told me; I wouldn't have known) There is something about lockets that I love. Whether it's the mystery, secrets, or story it holds inside; I don't know, but I like lockets a lot!!!!!!

I started working on a present last night, so I wouldn't have to say that I didn't work on them at all. :)

We haven't gotten Julia's crib in our room yet. :( We have to take it apart to take it out of the boys' bedroom and then put it back together in the girls' room.

Nothing very interesting happened yesterday. Mom and Dad went out for supper for Dad's birthday and Grandma B watched us.

Yesterday after supper Katherine, Josiah, Mom, and I went to line-dancing. Sharyssa was there so we got to tell her 'Happy Birthday!'.

After line dancing we went to Culver's with Sharyssa and her mom, since it was her birthday. I had a concrete mixer with peanut butter cups and M&M's.

Then we went to Old Time Dance and Sharyssa and her mom went too. It was a lot of fun to have her there, and she enjoyed it.

I didn't work on any Christmas presents yesterday. :( Of course it's my fault)

I made blueberry muffins for breakfast, and Julia's having one. She likes it!!!

I didn't write earlier because I didn't get my work done yesterday, and I couldn't go online until I got it done today. (We can't go online unless we got our work done that day or the day before.)

We've been cleaning up more in our room so we can get Julia's crib in there. It's fun to have the babies sleep in your room, but then you can't get something out of there while they're taking a nap. :(

This is the first time we will have a baby in our room when our room is upstairs. I won't say it's going to be the last.


I picked more blueberries than everyone but Stephen-he eats hardly any while we're there plus being an efficient picker-which was surprising to me because people are always teasing me that I don't pick hardly any and am always eating them all. Altogether our family picked 25 lbs.!!!!!!!

Aunt Tonya and our cousins got lost going to the blueberry farm so that caused some excitement.

Aunt Tonya and the kids stayed at our house for lunch so that was fun!

Nine out of thirty-one presents done.

Happy Birthday to My Friend Sharyssa!

Today we are going to pick blueberries with Aunt Tonya and our cousins.

We had a fun time at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

I worked on my apron while I was down there. I gathered all the stitches for the waist, and pinned it so it was ready to sew.

Almost nine out of thirty-one presents done.

Here am I at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

We were driving here with the our friend's camper, so we could test it out before we went on vacation the first week of August. I thought at the beginning that I was going to have a heart attack before we got to Grandma and Grandpa's house because of having the camper behind us.

All of us slept in the camper except Josiah (and, of course, Grandma and Grandpa).

Yesterday for supper, we went to the Wesley Diner inside Wesley Village (where Great Grandma White lives). It's a fun place. I ate chicken strips and banana cream pie.
Yummy!

Eight and a half presents done.

We had a fun time in Normal. We played on the Wii, and Aunt Tonya made yummy banana bread!!

We are leaving to go to Grandma and Grandpa's house soon so I don't have much time to write.

I was working on Christmas presents in the van on the way to Normal.

Sorry, yesterday's post was really boring. Yawn!!
Today might not be any better...

We had a fun time with the Baffas yesterday!

Today we are going down to Normal to visit Aunt Tonya, Cameron, Kaitlyn, and Jacob!!!
After that, we are going to pick up our meat from the Chenoa Locker.

And Tomorrow, we are going to Grandma and Grandpa's house!!!!!!!

Right now, Mom and some of the other kids are going to a free 'garage sale'. I have to stay home and watch Julia. Oh, and Kristian. I put on Magic School Bus for him.

Eight out of thirty-one presents done.

We are babysitting the Baffa kids today; they just walked in the door.

My Interweave Knits Fall magazine came yesterday, so I have been looking at it.

Our softball team won yesterday by one run. I think we (our softball team) have the best record of everybody in the league. We've only lost once. That was when I stayed home with Grandma to sew my apron.

Katherine and I have finished all the days we needed to do our work to be able to have a sleepover with our friend. Yea!!!!!!!

Seven and maybe 3/4 Christmas presents done.

I didn't write on Saturday, because we slept at the Baffa's house.

We went to Khyrstyn's birthday party on Friday. It was at Feed My Starving Children, where we got to pack food for starving children. Our whole group-plus a couple other groups who did packing at the same time-packed enough food for a whole orphanage in Haiti for a year. (That's one meal a day). All the food we packed cost about $4,000.

Then we went to the Baffa's house where we all slept over.

Yesterday we went to see our new cousin Liberty Joy Kuhr. She is so tiny and cute!!!!!!

Seven and a half out of thirty-one presents done.

Sorry I didn't write yesterday. We had to go to swimming lessons before I could write a post.

Josiah, Katherine, and I all passed Level 3. Yeah!!!!!!!!

Today is the last day of swimming lessons. Today is when we usually find out if we passed, but we asked our teacher yesterday after swimming the 'test'.

I didn't think I could pass because here's what we had to do: Dive (Not a standing-up dive, but half-kneeling) into the six feet; swim maybe ten feet? Then float or tread water for 30 seconds and swim the elementary backstroke to where we dove in.

Seven out of thirty-one presents done!!

Yesterday Katherine and I went to Joliet for my birthday shopping trip.

First, we ate lunch at Steak 'N Shake. I had a cheeseburger and a strawberry-banana shake.

Next, we went to Hobby Lobby and I bought some yarn for Christmas presents.

Then we went to TJMaxx to look for dresses, but we didn't find any.

After that, we went to Target. Katherine and I both got a dress. They're both the same dress just a different color. Katherine's is dark brown, and mine is purple.
I also got a book bag for co-op at Target!!!!! I need to take a picture of it so you can see what it looks like.

After that we went home. Katherine and I had a really fun time!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did get to practice diving, and our teacher says we have to dive twice every day until Friday when lessons end.

I finished a Christmas present yesterday. Six out of thirty-one Christmas presents done.

Yesterday we had a 'bye' for softball, but instead, we had the 'old' (or wise) guys play against the younger guys.

The younger guys won. It was really, really close. It was the last inning and the 'wise' guys were winning by one, with one out left. One of the younger guys hit the ball, and two runs were scored by the younger guys, and they won.

Who did I cheer for? Well, Dad was on the 'wise' guys team and Stephen was on the younger guys team. I went for the younger guys, and for Dad. At one point Dad was up to bat and I said "Go Dad, hit the ball!" and when he got out, I cheered. Aren't I so mean?

I've gotten my work done every day (including today) since last Tuesday. Go sleepover!!

I didn't write on Saturday because we went to a funeral.

Today is swimming lessons; I want to go early so I can practice diving.

I have been working on Christmas presents and playing "'Tis So Sweet...", and doing my work.

I have five days done on my work not including today.

Tomorrow I might go shopping with Grandma B for my birthday.

Yesterday was the 2nd month anniversary of my blog!!

We had a really fun time at Uncle Nick and Aunt Lydia's house.

Yesterday was deep-end-day (safety day, really) for swimming lessons. I like deep-end-day because we can go down the slide. I only went down once.

I've been working some more on Christmas presents. We were gone from our house almost all day yesterday, but I still managed to get my work done.

Katherine and I can have a sleepover with our friend if we get our work done for two weeks in a row. If we complain or don't do our work, three days get added to the end. :(

But so far Katherine has 4 days done, and I have 3 days done. (That's not including today because I don't have my work done yet.

Today after swimming lessons, we are going to go see Uncle Nick and Aunt Lydia!!!!!!!

Outside it looks cloudy and dreary and I hope it doesn't rain for swimming lessons.

I've been playing "'Tis So Sweet..." and working on Christmas presents.

Five out of thirty-two (I think) presents done.

The pictures below of are some of our Favorites on Etsy.

I've been playing "'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus" and working on Christmas presents.

Last night I was explaining something to Johnathan when Josiah corrected me.

"I can't say anything in this house without being corrected!" I exclaimed.

Johnathan spoke up, "That's not true!"

I thought that was pretty funny.

The pictures below are of some of our Favorites on Etsy.

Yesterday was the first day of swimming lessons.

Today's lesson and yesterday's went well. It's been fun!!!!!

Josiah, Katherine, and I are in the same class in Level 3; Johnathan's in his own class in Level 2, and Anna and Mary Ann are in Level 1 in the same class.

I've been playing a song on the piano: "'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus".

My friend played it for her recital and I asked her for the music. She gave it to me on Sunday.

Our softball team won last night.

On Saturday some of us went to the fair, and we saw horses, sheep, goats, bunnies, chickens, and cattle.

We also went up in the grandstands and watched some car races. They probably were just practices because hardly anyone was watching.

We had supper with Grandma B and Great Grandma Witt, and then everyone except Great Grandma, Dad, Kristian, and Julia went to see the fireworks. I took some pictures of them on my 'Fireworks' setting on my camera.

I have 4 out of almost 40 Christmas presents done.

The pictures below are of some of our Favorites on Etsy.

Yesterday was a GREAT day.

We went to Bishop Hill, and ate at The Red Oak for Julia's and my birthday. I had a brownie sundae for dessert; It was yummy!!!

Grandma and Grandpa gave me a digital camera for my birthday. I love it!!!!!!!!

It has a navy blue front, and I like it a lot better than Josiah's camera which I usually use. (Josiah likes mine better than his, too :) It is a lot thinner than Josiah's and has a bigger monitor (where you look to see what you're taking a picture of).

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Grandma also gave me a little box of four chocolates. Great Grandma gave me a cute bunny jar with saltwater taffy.

We are going to the fair, so goodbye!!

This morning we are going to meet up with Grandma and Grandpa at Bishop Hill. We are going to eat at The Red Oak for Julia's and my birthday.

I have been working on Christmas presents; I have two of almost forty done.

We are going VERY soon, so I better finish up.

The pictures below are of some of our Favorites on Etsy.

We finished Pride and Prejudice yesterday.

I finished Mom's sock yesterday, and I knit up past the waist on Julie's dress.

We are going to do devotion time, so I better finish up.

Yesterday we went to the library, and we watched Pride and Prejudice.

We went to Culver's, and I had a sundae with cherries and chocolate syrup. Mom's signed up for something on Culver's where we get a coupon for a free sundae on our birthday.

I finished Mom's first sock and I'm in the beginning of the foot of the second sock. I knit almost a whole sock in one day!!!

Today's My Birthday!!!!!!!!!!

I'm 13!!!!!

I am almost finished with Mom's first sock.

For breakfast I had raspberry danish, coffee, and butter toffee peanuts. Yummy!!!

Pretty soon, we are going to the library, and for supper we are going to Culver's.

The pictures below are of some of our Favorites on Etsy.

A Fun Day!!!!!!

On Saturday we went on a covered wagon ride downtown, Kaitlyn went with us but Cameron stayed at Grandma B's house. They were having them because it was Nostalgia Days.

Then we went swimming at the Morris pool. Cameron, Kaitlyn and Josiah down to Grandt went swimming. (So did Mom and Grandma B)

We had a lot of fun swimming, at least I did.

Yesterday was the Church Picnic, but we had to have it inside because of the weather so it wasn't really a picnic. :(

I am past the heel on Mom's first sock! I haven't knit anymore on Julie's dress.

Yesterday we watched UP.
I think it's really cute. I like it a lot!!!!!!

I started a sock for Mom while we were watching the movie, but I only cast-on during the movie, I was so enthralled.

We just watched the short film that goes with the movie, Dug's Special Mission.

I knitted a couple more rows on Julie's dress.

I had to rip out Julie's dress, but I've knitted a couple rows past where it was before I ripped it out so there is progress.

Today we're going to go to the Ice Cream Social in the afternoon, and we might watch a movie tonight.

I need to get some work done, so I better get offline.

I've knitted a couple rows on the doll's dress. (I named her Julie).

I took pictures of the pocket doll twins and the lime green pocket doll, so I can post them on Etsy.

You may have noticed the pictures of the dolls on my last post (I also put them on this post as well), those are the dolls and 'baccavores' that Josiah and I made that are on Etsy. If you click 'bekknitsandco' you can see our shop.

I sewed the eyes and mouth on the doll, and sewed the arms and legs on. I also knotted the hair on, so it won't fall off as easily. Now I just have to knit the dress. Yeah!!

A couple weeks ago, Kristian and I had a conversation about penguins not flying even though they were birds. I said that ostriches, flamingos, and emus were birds and they didn't fly either.

Well, on Saturday Kristian resumed the conversation...
"Penguins don't fly?"
"No, neither do flamingos and ostriches," I replied.
"Emus?"
I was shocked!
"You remembered emus??!?!?!?!?!"
I thought that was pretty smart for a 2-year-and-ten-month-old kid to remember an animal that's not very familiar and that you heard their name two weeks ago.

We went to Kylee's party, and we had a really fun time. We had a little bible study, we swam, and ate snacks.

After the party Khyrstyn and Sharyssa (our friends) came to our house for a little while, and then we went to the softball game, and then Khyrstyn's dad picked them up. Our team won the softball game 7-1!!

I forgot to say yesterday that Khyrstyn gave me an early birthday gift: a $15 Hobby Lobby gift card!!!!!!!!!

My birthday is a week from today!!

Today we were supposed to go to Kylee's party, but it's raining. Mom's talking to her mom right now. I think we probably going by the conversation I hear.

Salome's party was fun except I got sunburn. :( Grandma B bought Sugar the Bunny for her, and she liked it. It was about the right size for her to hold and hug. :)


Mom is reading for school, so see you later.

Today is Salome's party, and some of us are going with Grandma B in about an hour and fifteen minutes.

I finished The Handmade Marketplace yesterday: the book that talks about selling handmade items. I like it a lot, I would recommend it to anyone who wants to sell their handmade items. I wish I owned it!!

On Monday my friend Kylee is having a party, and if I want to go I have to get my work done today and most of my work on Monday before the party, so I want to get some of my work done before I go to Salome's party.

Well, I went to the dentist, and I didn't have any cavities. (I've never had a cavity in my life though.)

Pretty soon, we are going to the chiropractor.

I haven't worked anymore on the doll, and I'm not going to say anymore about it 'til I do.

I got a couple books from the library yesterday, and one of them is about selling handmade items 'locally, globally, and online'. So far it's been helpful to me.

Tomorrow is Salome's birthday (and) party!!!!

Well, I better get going.

Exciting!

Well, yesterday the internet cord snapped before my post was posted (or so I thought, it actually was posted).

Dad got the 'new' modem to work, and now our internet is faster!!!!!

Tonight Josiah, Katherine, Johnathan and I are having a piano recital.

Tomorrow some of us are going to the dentist (very exciting isn't it?), and on Saturday we're planning on going to Salome's first birthday party. I can't wait!!!

I forgot to say when my blog was a whole month old; it was on Julia's birthday.

Well, mom wants to go online, so I better stop.

Wednesday

On Monday Josiah, Katherine, and I went to help Jill do some things. We did some paper mache, and I did some sewing, also.
Well, when I was paper mache-ing I had to squat to do it, because I didn't want to sit on the liquid-starch-covered garage floor. Now my legs are really sore, and it hurts to go up or down stairs, and to sit down or get up from sitting down. It's better than it was yesterday!

We are almost done with English. Woo-hoo!!!!!! I got my metric measurement math test perfect today!

I've been on Etsy a lot looking at different things and 'hearting' them. Josiah and I 'heart' a lot more 'shops' than 'shops' heart us. I just hope we sell something before a whole year has passed.

Click on the title to see something I like on Etsy.

I haven't worked anymore on the doll. :(

I don't feel like I have much to write about. Our softball team won yesterday by ten. I don't know exactly what score, but Stephen's for sure we won by ten.

Well, I have some work I need to do.

Well, I was looking at one of Mom's blogs, (she has two: http://kimberlysmusings69.blogspot.com and http://dianesthings.blogspot.com-both have no more posts than two at the moment :) and I noticed you don't have to have a title. Well, I'm going to see what happens.

I still haven't worked very much on the doll. (What's wrong with me?)
I need to list some things on Etsy, but I bet Josiah's camera isn't charged. :) Oh, glorious day, when I have my own camera. :)
(Of course if I have a camera it won't always be charged up either :) Have you noticed I like smiley faces?

The past couple days we've been playing with Cameron and Kaitlyn. We've played some soccer and last night we played a rather long game of Apples to Apples (a card game).

What Happened at the Zoo

We left our house after eleven yesterday to go to the zoo.

We picked up Uncle Nick at his house and ate some popsicles and lemonade and ate our lunch.

We drove to the zoo, and we saw the baboons while we were waiting for Grandma B, Aunt Tonya, Cameron, Kaitlyn, and Jacob to come to us. (They left before we did and we had to pick up Uncle Nick, so they were at the zoo a while before we were.)

Then we went and saw the bears a little, and the wolves.

After that we walked to the carousel, and everyone rode on it. I rode on a lion with a purple saddle. I like riding on the carousel a lot!!!!

Then Grandma B, Uncle Nick, Stephen, Josiah, Cameron, and Johnathan went to Stingray Bay and got to pet and feed the stingrays, while the rest of us saw the dolphins.

We (the people who saw the dolphins) walked to the fountain, and then Uncle Nick, Stephen, Josiah, and Johnathan went with us home. (We took Uncle Nick to his house first.)

Well, I think Julia had a nice birthday, and I know I had a nice day. :)

Cameron and Kaitlyn are staying at Grandma B's house for a couple days, so we have been seeing them some.

Julia's Birthday!!!

Today Julia turns 1!
We are going to the zoo with Grandma B, Aunt Tonya, Cameron, Kaitlyn, Jacob and Uncle Nick. I can't wait!!!!!!
I hope we can go on the carousel.
We went swimming yesterday at the Davidson's before supper. We had hamburgers and hot dogs, and chips, salsa, guacamole, fruit salad, apples and dip, jello, more jello, and brownies. Of course, I didn't eat all of those things...
Well, I need to get off the computer so I can help get ready to go to the zoo.

No Title

I can never think of interesting titles on ordinary days.

I haven't worked on the doll since I was coming home from Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Today Jimmy John's has Customer Appreciation Day with $1 sandwhiches. I think we are going to do that for lunch. Yea!!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow is Julia's birthday. She is turning 1 and is still only 13 pounds. She's really tiny. :)

We are going to the zoo for her birthday.

Tonight is Fellowship Group. I think it's at the Davidson's, but I'm not sure.

Well I need to get off this computer and get some work done. :)

Have You Noticed?!?!?!

You may have noticed that I changed my background. I decided I wanted something fresh and cheery and bright for a change! Of course I have nothing against the old background. :) Sometimes it's nice to change things every once in a while. Besides it's so easy on here!

Today I haven't been doing much. I feel kind of lousy, because I'm sick. I haven't done all my work since Thursday. Yikes!!
I have done my schoolwork, I feel like I can do that. I would usually rather do my schoolwork than housework.

Katherine and I have been wearing our skirts. We just love them!

While I was at Grandma and Grandpa's house I finished all the arms and legs for the doll. I have to sew on the face, and sew the bodies together, and sew the arms and legs on, and sew the hair on. Then I knit the dress.

Skirts and Aprons

I usually write in the morning, but I didn't have time today.
Katherine and I made our skirts today!!!!!!!!!!!! We like them a lot, and we had a fun time making them.
Yesterday, Grandma and I worked on my apron. She sewed on the pockets; I sewed the back pieces to the front, hemmed the sides and bottom, and sewed the stitches for the gathering, but I didn't gather it yet.
I probably won't work anymore on it until I see Grandma and Grandpa again. :(

Today

Today we're leaving Grandma and Grandpa's house. I am glad we are going home, but I wish we could have finished the aprons. I cut out all my pieces and sewed a little on the pockets. Katherine only has half of her pieces cut out and hasn't sewn at all.
We finished Anne of Green Gables, and watched some Muppet Shows and Cars.
Well, if we are going to eat lunch at Culver's we have to leave at ten, so I better get going.
We aren't getting the sewing machine because it doesn't work well. :(

At Grandma and Grandpa's House!!!!!!!

Yesterday we left our house at 10:30.
We drove to Geneseo, and ate lunch at Culver's. I had a mint Oreo concrete mixer for dessert.
Then we drove to Galesburg, and bought some fabric at Jo-ann's for Katherine and I.
We are going to make aprons on our 'new' sewing machine. My fabric has strawberries on it, and Katherine's has BIG flowers on hers. Maybe when we get home I will take pictures, because you would have to see them, to be able to understand what they look like.
It was at Jo-ann's that I started having chills like I had a fever. I had the chills and a fever until I woke up at 3:17 this morning. I feel a LOT better now.
We drove to Macomb, and Josiah and Grandpa bought some groceries.
Then we went and saw Great Grandma White.
After that, we went to Aurelio's for supper and I ate a chef salad and a breadstick.
Then we went home (to Grandma and Grandpa's house), and watched Anne of Green Gables.

Lockets and Baseball Gloves (Part 2)

When we last left our heroine her brother John was asking if she knew about the glove.


"Do you know why it was outside in the rain?" John asked.

Elizabeth turned red, "Wh-Why, do you think I did it?" She hid her face in her book.

"Well, I was just asking," he replied. "I didn't think you would leave it out."

He turned to his younger brother, "Harry, do you know?"

"No, but I'm terribly sorry it's ruined."

"I don't know," called Susan from the kitchen, "Maybe you should ask Helen."

"Helen didn't do it," replied Harry, her twin.

"Well," John sighed, "maybe it was just an accident."

You need to tell him, the quiet voice commanded, You've felt miserable all day.

If you tell him, whispered the tempter, He'll be really mad at you, and you'll have to pay for it.

You'll feel much better if you do, replied her conscience.

Thus the battle went inside of Elizabeth. She knew her conscience was right; she felt miserable.

That night, Elizabeth was in her room reading-or trying to read-a book. All of a sudden she thought, Where's my locket? It's always around my neck. Maybe the clasp broke on the chain, and it fell off.

She ran out of the room, "Has anyone seen my locket?" she called.

She asked Harry and Helen, Susan, and Mother and Dad.

Then she went into John's room. He was looking at his glove when something fell out of it.

John picked it up.

"My locket!" Elizabeth gasped. "It must've fallen in the glove when..." she stopped short.

"Here," said John, handing it to her, "I wonder how it got there?"

Elizabeth burst into tears, "It-It's my fault. I was upset that you ripped my special apron, so I-I-I tore your new glove and left it out in the rain. My locket must've fallen off my neck when I was messing with it," Elizabeth sobbed, "I-I'm sorry, do you forgive me?"

"Yes," replied John, "I'm sorry I ripped your apron, I didn't mean to."

Elizabeth felt like an enormous load was lifted off her shoulders. She felt free!!!!!
"I forgive you," she replied.



This morning we're going to Grandma and Grandpa's house after we pick up Stephen from driver's ed. I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!

Lockets and Baseball Gloves (Part 1)

Well, I had to write a story for English, and I liked it so much I thought I would put it on here. Here it is:



Lockets and Baseball Gloves (Part 1)


Elizabeth pulled the dishes out of the cupboard. It was her turn to set the table for supper. She usually didn't mind; it gave her time to think about different things.

But today she wanted anything but time to think. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the baseball glove out in the rain with the beautiful leather all torn up.

John started it, Elizabeth thought. No, you know he didn't rip your special apron on purpose, said her conscience.

Sure he did, whispered the tempter, John deserves to have a ruined baseball glove.

You need to tell him, the quiet little voice encouraged.

"Elizabeth! Why are you standing there?" Mother asked, "It's almost time for supper. Set the table!"

Just then, John walked in the door.

"Dad," he said, "that baseball glove I got for my birthday is great! It fits almost perfectly!"

Elizabeth almost dropped the cups she was holding. If he knew...she thought.

"Well, son," replied Dad, "I'm glad you like it. Make sure you take good care of it."

This is too much, thought Elizabeth. Suddenly, she heard a clatter. She looked down; she had dropped all the forks she was carrying.

"Rinse them off with hot water," Mother commanded, "And please," in a kind tone, "watch what you're doing."

"Yes, Mother," she replied, sullenly.

"And the leather is so nice and soft," continued John. "All the boys at church say it's the nicest glove they've seen."

"Yes," Dad agreed, "it should last a long time."

Elizabeth knew that if she had been holding anything that time, it, too, would have gone clattering on the floor. She knew her stomach had almost hit the floor.

When they all sat down for supper, Elizabeth asked, "May I be excused? I feel sick. Can I lay down?"

Mother looked with concern at Elizabeth, "This is your favorite meal. Are you sure?"

"Oh, yes," Elizabeth nodded, "If I didn't feel so bad, I'd gladly eat my favorite meal."

"I guess so," replied Mother, "I hope you feel better."

Elizabeth turned and ran upstairs.

The next afternoon, Elizabeth didn't feel much better. She sat on the couch reading when John came running in from outside.

"I finally found it," he said a little tremulously.

"Found what?" asked Elizabeth.

"My glove, but it-it's ruined."

"I-I'm sorry," stammered Elizabeth.

"Do you know why it was out in the rain?"

To be continued...



I will write the rest of the story tomorrow, as it is too long for one post.
Today Grandma and Grandpa are coming!!!!!!!!! I can't wait.
Yesterday, I got to part of the shoulders on the doll, after I posted on here.

Wednesday

Sometimes it is so hard to think of a title, I haven't had very nice ones for a while.

Yesterday, I went to the softball game and we won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I finished the first body of the doll I was making. (There are two pieces called the 'body'.)

Today I knitted 37 rows of the second body. (Only one more row, and then I decrease for the shoulders.)

I can't wait until tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!

June 1

Well, today my birthday is 29 days away. Tomorrow, it will be 28 days away. I'm going to be 13. I'm not sure if I want to put an exclamation mark after the '13'. (Wow, it's a lot harder to write 'exclamation mark' than to just type one :)

Today is the softball game. They usually have it on Mondays, but because yesterday was Memorial Day they're having it today. I want to go because I didn't go last week. Last week we beat the other team 20-5, approximately. (Whew! That word is hard too)

I started a knitted doll yesterday, and I knitted a couple rows. I wanted to start over a week ago, but I didn't get to it.

I can't wait 'til Thursday when Grandma and Grandpa are coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Just think if I had to write 'exclamation mark' for every one of those :)

This Post Has No Title

Well, the Cubs won the game Mom went to, but I just heard they lost 1-9 yesterday. :(

We have all been sick; I have been coughing.

Yesterday I went to church only part of the time, and I missed Johnathan playing Offertory and the children's choir singing. I heard that they all did a good job.

At the end of this week, Josiah down to Kristian are going to Grandma and Grandpa's house for a couple days. I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today

Sometimes it is very hard to think of a title, and I have probably used this title at least twice. :)

Today Mom is going to the Cubs game; she is on her way right now. She is going with Julia and her brothers.

Yesterday was fellowship group and the Greenes and the Baffas came. We saw the Baffas a lot this week.

I have a cold or allergies so, I don't feel that great.

Sleepover!!!!

Right now, I am at the Baffa's house. I woke up two hours ago.

Last night, we watched some little videos and ate some cookie dough.

We talked some, and then we went to bed. I slept in a bed by myself in a room with Julia. She cried for a while, but after a fell asleep the first time, I didn't hear a peep out of her.

We are having a fun time, so far!!!!!!

Yesterday!!!

Yesterday, after we had gotten our work done, Katherine and I went to the diner with Grandma B and Great Grandma Witt. I had chocolate chip pancakes, and peppermint ice cream. Yum!!!

When we got home the Baffas were there. We played a little soccer, and then went inside, and cleared off the table. Katherine, Susannah, and I went upstairs, and played doctor.

Then they ate supper, and I had some watermelon.

After supper, we went outside, and played some more soccer. I scored two goals! (Josiah said that was because I stayed at the opposing teams goal, and I sometimes looked like I was the goalie.) But oftentimes the goalie was down at the other side of the field, and I think at least one of the times I kicked it in, the goalie wasn't there.

Josiah, Susannah, Katherine, Johnathan, and I were on a team against Stephen, Elijah, Anna, Elizabeth, Emily, and Grandt and Levi.

Dad joined my team later in the game when we were winning 2-1, but that was because he didn't know which team was winning. Towards the end of the game he realized and said, "Wait, I joined the team that was winning?"

So if Dad hadn't joined our team, we might not have won. The game ended 5-3, with my team winning, but some of the girls on the other side were pretty upset, so I said, "Let's just say that everybody played their best, and it was a very good game."
Elijah agreed with me.

We played some more doctor, and after a while they went home.

Today, we are going to the Baffa's house after we get our work done!!!!

Today

Today is Stephen's first drivers ed class. Mom is going to pick him up right now. I am excited for him, but it's kind of scary, too.

Today the Baffa kids are staying at our house for a couple hours; I can't wait!

I just got an e-mail from Grandma White that says that Katherine and I can have/borrow the sewing machine she told us about on Saturday. Katherine and I are very excited!!!!!!

Exciting Things

I know I said that I would write every day, so I am going to try to, even if I don't have much to say.

Our first church softball game this year was yesterday. We won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wasn't there but Josiah, Katherine, and Johnathan were, in addition to Dad and Stephen who actually play. I wish I could have gone, but I didn't have my work done.

This week we are doing something exciting almost every day. Yesterday was softball, today is the Old Time Dance, tomorrow we are watching the Baffa kids; on Thursday we are going to the Baffa's house, and we (the girls) are going to sleep over at their house!!!!!!!!!

Now, I can't remember if anything is happening on Friday. Oh yeah, we are doing fellowship group on Friday, and on Saturday, Mom is going to the Cubs game.

Saturday

Well, as I said in my last post on Saturday some of us went to a recital for our friends, and then we drove to Bishop Hill, to eat at The Red Oak for Grandpa's birthday.

I had a ham sandwich with all the yummy vegetables.
For dessert, I had a fudge sauce sundae. I wanted to have a brownie sundae, but they had run out of brownies. I also tried some of Katherine and Johnathan's pie. Katherine had quadberry and Johnathan had dutch apple.

Grandma said that she might have a sewing machine that we could have!!!!! Katherine and I were (and are) so excited!!!!!!!!!

Then we walked and played some in the park that's only a very short walk away from the restaurant.

Also on Friday, we went on a canal boat on the I & M canal. It was really nice. The boat was controlled by a 1,000 lb. mule pulling the boat with a rope.

Today!!!!!!!

Yesterday, we sold a couple of things, at our garage sale. I got $2.
Today we sold one thing as far as I know, and I got $1. But I bought some lemonade from Johnathan, so I only have $2.50.
Today some of us are going to a piano recital for our friends, and then we are going to Bishop Hill, and eat at a restaurant down there with Grandma and Grandpa for Grandpa's birthday. Yea!!!!!!!!!
Well, I want to get back to the garage sale so goodbye!

The Garage Sale!!!!

Today is the garage sale, and pretty soon I am going to work on some labels for my dolls and animals.

We labeled some things last night: stuffed animals, clothes, kitchen stuff.

Yesterday, I finished the lime green pocket doll, and her dress.

I Can't Wait Until Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the garage sale. Last night Josiah, Katherine, and I made a flyer/business card to put out at the garage sale. It has a cute little picture of knitting and a ball of yarn.

I started the lime green doll yesterday, and I don't think I will have it done in time, but I could just crochet it while we are out for the garage sale, and I can just put it out for sale when I am done with it.

Happy Belated Birthday Grandpa!!!!

What Now?

Well, I finished Tessa's dress and a hat. (I am not sure if I should sell the hat as it will just probably get lost.)

Now the question is, What do I make next? I have things I want to make, but I wouldn't get them done before the garage sale. I think I will make a pocket doll with a lime green dress.

After the garage sale I want to make two knitted dolls: One with brown hair and brown eyes, that is wearing a navy blue and white striped dress with a red hat; And one with blond hair and blue eyes, that is wearing a red and white striped dress with a navy blue hat.

I also want to make a natural doll with blond hair and blue eyes, and a pink dress; and a natural pocket doll with blond hair and a purple dress.

Sometime I want to make a baby doll, and I want to make a mouse, monkey, dog, and elephant like the bunny.

Tessa, The Pocket Doll, Is Born!

I finished Tessa, the pocket doll, yesterday (hence the title), and crocheted several rows of her dress, while I was listening to the Cubs game last night, in extra innings.
They won!!!!!!!!!!!!

We also sorted through our stuff, to see what we would sell at the Garage Sale on Friday.

Saturday and Sunday

On Saturday, I worked a little on Tessa, the pocket doll, and nothing else very interesting happened.

Yesterday, I played Offertory, and I only made one mistake, but nobody would ever know unless I told them, like I am saying right now!!!

I worked a little on Tessa, yesterday, too.

There is going to be a Garage Sale this weekend, and I am making some things to sell then.

What Happened Yesterday

I know the title sounds really interesting, but nothing too exciting happened yesterday.

I started a little pocket doll (Her name is going to be Tessa) to go with a boy pocket doll (His name is Timmy) I made back in March. They are going to be twins, but Tessa is extremely late, isn't she?

Yesterday, we watched the movie Hoodwinked. I think it is sooo funny! This is the second time I have watched it, and it is still as funny as ever!

Tomorrow I am going to play Offertory at church, and I am pretty nervous (as usual).
I am going to play Sweet Hour of Prayer, and I can't wait until it is over with.
I just started practicing it on Thursday, after not practicing it for a couple months, but I am pretty comfortable with it. I have been practicing it a LOT!!!!

A Bunny Named Sugar

Yesterday, I finished Sugar's dress, with a belt for it, and a headband with a flower on it.

It turns out we are not going to make skirts today because some people are sick. Katherine and I are VERY disappointed. We won't be able to make the skirts until early June, at the earliest, which seems very far away.

We Went To the Zoo!!

Well, yesterday we were going to go to the Cubs game, but we couldn't get tickets (hm, maybe that's a problem), and it was going to be 50 degrees and it is really cold in the upper deck (where we always sit). So, we didn't go, (Surprise, surprise).

Instead we went to Brookfield Zoo. Everyone wanted to see the new bear exhibit, of course, so that's where we went first. We saw some wolves fighting, and one of them came up real close to the glass, I videotaped that one. We also saw some birds that were walking along the concrete strip right next to the window. Josiah explained that they couldn't see us the way the glass was tinted.

After that, we saw the Polar bear and the Grizzly bear in their new habitats, and they both have windows where they can come and see you close-up (or you see them). They both had muddy claw-prints on them. :)

We went in the Buffalo Grill, and Mom bought a bison burger, and we all got to try some.

Then we saw the bison, and I told them that they tasted pretty good. They were shedding their winter coats, so we could see all the fur hanging off of them.
Buffalo fur costs a lot of money, to buy for spinning yarn, and Josiah was lamenting that he was almost close enough to grab a handful of fiber, and he couldn't get it.
"It would spin wonderfully," he moaned.

We went into The Living Coast, after that, and saw lots of fish and penguins. We watched the penguins for a while. They are so cute, especially when they walk around.

We saw three peacocks and four peahens while we were walking around. One peacock squawked at us rather loudly! I learned that peafowl can fly, but I didn't witness it, Josiah just told me.

We went to see the dolphins, but they're on vacation, while their 'house' gets remodeled.

Then we saw the lions. Josiah, Kristian, and I saw a male lion, about a foot away from us (with a glass window in between)! It looked so majestic!!! I could look into its eyes, and it seemed to be staring straight at me. It was amazing, awesome!

After we saw the lions, we went back to the van, and drove home. We made one stop at Kmart.

While we were driving to and from the zoo, I worked on the bunny and finished the head, and started and finished the legs, arms, and ears. The pictures are above, I am also going to make a dress and jump rope for it.