almost

Well, I'm pretty sure I am not going to make my goal of finishing my sweater by the end of the month.  Just half a sleeve left to go.  And the neckline.  
Setting a new goal:  the end of next week.  
I have been thinking about my new project and debating on making this. I bought the pattern just not the yarn, yet.  
If you have some extra time this weekend, I highly recommend making these cookies. But for my gluten free friends, these are full of gluten.  Sorry.   I have declared that they have been my favorite that I made for a long time.  (I used the Orange Cranberries from Trader Joes.)

Oh, and I've (well, we've) been busy making pallet tables.  Can't wait to tell you all about it.  

Hope you have a fun yarn filled weekend.  

Wool And The Gang

 Thank you again for all of your heartfelt words, thoughts and prayers about our sweet Trouble.   They mean the world to me.  A piece of my heart is missing.  I just can't believe there hasn't been a single sighting.  But, I will not give up hope.
We have done everything that I think is possible.  Hikes, posters, Facebook, contacting all the authorities, clothes hanging in the yard that may help her smell her way home.  But, now I think we just have to rely on someone else.  That someone will spot her and bring her back home.  The middle of the nights have been hard.  When I lay there and wonder where she is. Is the storm that is passing through scaring her?  Is she is hungry?  Is she looking for us and can't find us?  Then I think about other possibilities.  Is she stuck on something in the forest and can't get free?  Does someone have her and is trying to make her their pet?  Has she been hit by a car?  However, she has tags and is microchipped.  Those are the two things that keep my thoughts positive.
It's the not knowing that is the hardest.
Remember our trip to London?  And our family fun field trip to Wool and the Gang?
I was in awe of their inspiration wall.
That's me and the amazing Ali.  Who graciously showed us around their awesome space.  
 Wouldn't you LOVE a job like this!  Oooooh, yes!
 I just had to get my hands on some Jersey Be Good yarn.  It's made from fabric roll off-cuts from fashion factories in turkey. The local women take the unused ends of the rolls and make them into this yarn.  It could have gone into the landfill, but instead we get to have some fun.  So grateful for that.
The zig zag shopper.  A simple, super fast project, with a big, bang of fun!

an empty bed

I can't even begin to thank you for all of your kind words, thoughts and prayers.  I am completely grateful.  I truly have hung onto every word and every bit of hope for Trouble's safe return.  I also would like to apologize for not getting here sooner.  Please know, that as soon as I know anything, I'll  let you know.  I do get to instagram a lot more often than I do here.  And, I will post instantly as soon as I know something there.

Your stories about your pets safe returns have kept me hopeful this past week.  I have loved reading all of your comments.   I can't believe how this is affecting me.  I am completely distracted and consumed with thoughts of her.    It is a bit frustrating that there hasn't been a single sighting.  Hopefully, she is just having a grand time deep in the forest.  We live in a deeply wooded area.  So, finding her could be difficult.  I like to think that an angel will be hiking and at least spot her for us.  Then we can pinpoint a certain location to make the search a little easier.  But right now, she is a teensy, tiny needle in a very large haystack.

I just keep reminding myself how lucky I am to have been given the gift of a pure, unconditional love.

our sweet trouble


We had some new furniture delivered yesterday.  I can only imagine that when Trouble saw those french doors wide open, with delivery men coming in and out, how her heart started to race.  Space.  Wide, open space.  It's too bad that I wasn't home.  The guarder of all doors.   "Close the door!"  "Did you lock the gate?"  "Who left that door open?" Cause if I would have been, I would have kept her in a closed room.  However, I wasn't.  And, off she ran.  To the wide open space that she sees only in her dreams.
 I can also only imagine how fast she was running.  How the muscles in her legs stretched into spaces they never had.  And how her senses were exploding with all of the wonderful smells.  Never once looking back at the walls where she lives.
I hope she ate a mole for dinner.  And chased a bunny down it's hole.  I hope she chased the deer and when she was tired stopped.  I hope she dug the deepest hole in the earth and covered her sweet body with the forest.  But what I hope most is that she senses our hurt hearts and she comes home to us, today.

mudders day, 2015

This may have been my favorite Mother's day, yet.  
A jeep ride to the nursery with Steve and two of the kids.  (Andrew was playing in a golf tournament.)
The vegetables were purchased for the vegetable garden.  Look at all that lettuce!
 Dandelion love was spotted in the grass.
Those three blessings prepared a delicious vegetarian dinner.

And served it outside.  Thankfully, I knew just were to sit.

Now if someone would just please tell Andrew that we don't need an official "Kids Day".

getting outside

I hope you are having the same awesome weather as we are.  It practically feels like summer!  The flowers are going in, and we have big plans to get the vegetable garden planted this weekend.  I have even bigger plans to finish the first sleeve by Sunday.  And, I've given myself till the end of the month to finish the sweater.  Fingers crossed.  My toes are crossed that I don't run out of yarn.

after school spread

No one liked the dough.  I almost didn't bake them.
However, I didn't like the thought of wasting the ingredients so decided to give it a go.  
A little less sugar for my lovelies and they never knew it.  They were a hit! 
 Ever since I traveled to Greece I have been a big fan of Tzatziki.  I forgot for a while but as soon as the thought entered my mind, I had to make it.
 Served with baked pita chips, carrots, broccoli, red peppers and those gluten free cookies.
It all made for a perfect after school snack which still just happens to be one of the best parts of my day.

Happy weekend friends!
{We will be celebrating the Derby on Saturday and Andrew's confirmation on Sunday.  Yippee!}