Yup… there are secrets abound here at Chez Mama…. not quite ready to tell the full scoop… but I see a large body of water…. a BIG BOAT…. my spinning wheel and MY KNITTTING needles…. and you! That’s right… YOU! Patricia, Amie, and I are cookin’ up some East Coast fiber action! Say…. in Fall 2007? Could be…. sailing takes me away from…somethin’ somethin’ somethin’!
My good friend Marie and I are cookin up some goodness! Yup…. more secrets….. but really, REALLY good ones. Stay tuned for that….. should be fun….
More on my Monday “Knitting with Margaritas” soiree later! And I joined the OCTOBER Birthday Swap. Yea… go libras… go scorpio…it’s a party… yup my Birthday!
Happy Wednesday Everyone!

1. He is funny…like his daddy and his Uncle G-Tiddy , he likes to joke. Knock knock and practical jokes are his new favorites.
2. He is kind. He runs up to kids on the playground and says “Hi FRIEND!”
3. He loves music… his standing favorites are the “Smile “song (At My Most Beautiful) and the “SAND” song (Stand) by REM. “Musiful DAY” (Beautiful Day) by U2 is a close 3rd.
4. He is ENERGETIC. My baby is always in motion… even when he sleeps.
5. He is always thinking…. and is pretty witty for a 3 year-old.
6. He is one of the 2 loves of my life. It is amazing how you can instantly love someone… an intense “I will protect you no matter what” love.
7. He makes me a better human being every day.
8. He is my short accomplice. I love our “mommy days” and feel blessed that I can have 2 a week.
9. He is as adventurious as his daddy… he has his nature (whew!) and his “why not?” attitude.
10. He is my baby…… and is becoming my big boy. I love my little man and he turns 3 today!!!

Happy Birthday baby…. we love you so very, very much!

*update*

A fantastic birthday was had by all. We went to the Baltimore Streetcar Museum and rode the streetcars! Here are a few shots from the day!

Mr. Conductor

Some of the volunteer engineers…..

Happy Birthday Cowboy!

An invisible red thread connects those destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread my stretch or tangle, but never break. ~Ancient Chinese Proverb

I think sometimes about connections. And, honestly, how we all get by in this lifetime. I will be waiting on line somewhere like the MVA, or the bank, or the big box superstore, and I will take stock of what I am doing and who is around. And, then, that precise moment, I think about spending my time where and when it counts. I feel like this ride goes by so very fast, friends…. and a moment wasted is a moment lost.
You see… in the merriment of the cowboy’s upcoming birthday fiesta… there is a tinge of sadness. I wish, beyond any wish I have ever wished, that my dad could be there to see his first and only grandchild. He got to see him when he was less than 3 months old…. and sadly passed away as a result of a car accident.

He was a great guy, not without faults, but so human. So kind. He mellowed with age…. he settled into his life. He had regrets.. but tried to be the best guy that he could be. He called me almost everyday….. and wanted to know how “my boy” was. I miss those calls more than anything….
So…. I am hoping that red thread between my boy and his Grandpa Tiger never breaks…

I love you dad.

well… maybe I should say got the monkey off my back. ( I can not resist any Peter Gabriel song references. I scored some concert tickets to see him when I was VERY preggers with the cowboy and rubbed my big buddah belly to make a doorman feel sorry for me and give me two tickets!)
I FINISHED…meaning knitting, weaving in ends, and crocheting (blech! I would rather die in a ring of fire (a la soapturtle) than do that again. No offense to all you hookers out there!) the edges of D.’s 2 year long blanket!!!! My longest UFO is now an FO. Woot!

This blanket ( that is to have no photos!) was the first thing that I tried to knit for D when I first started knitting again. Umm…. there are some gauge issues… and some intarsia problems….. but overall a lot of love for my D. I hustled to finish it by the weekend (even with a nasty cold ) because… when I presented my hubby with a BIG box for his birthday on Friday (thank you very much to all of you well wishers… he was touched!) he immediatley said “Is this my blanket????” and was so excited. Uh…. had to fix that, right?
I felt kinda crappy and too self-critical about the blanket. He just wanted something that I made to wrap himself up in when he is cold… or alone… or even when I steal the covers ( for the record: I NEVER do this… right, honey?).
So, lesson learned. Stop agonizing over perfectionism and just let go for a minute. See it from another perspective. Blanket done. Whew!
In other news…

I have created a ring for PIF. Feel free to check it out and join!
Did you see the PIF map has added more markers? I am so excited! I sent 12 out and now there are 28 PIF’s on record! Whoo hoo! How killer is that? You have no idea how happy it makes me to see more markers on the map or just to know that folks are being kind to each other. For no reason at all other than to be kind. I think this world could use a little more of that, don’t you?

C*EYE*BER Fiber news…. I am getting ready to dye a huge run of yarn. If you have any requests you can email me here.

Thanks all… remember… keep Paying It Forward!

My D’s (ahem) 29th Birthday is today! So in keeping with my “Winn Dixie” salutes I will tell you 10 Things about my love:

1. He is the kindest man on the planet. He loves us and always puts me and the cowboy ahead of himself. Never an exception… we are always first. He is the best daddy in the world…. and his cowboy just adores his daddy.
2. He has the most beautiful brown eyes…. and his litlle man has them too. A girl could get lost in one set… now I have two sets to drown in.
3. He has a great sense of humor. Didn’t even phase him when I launched our stackable dryer off it’s platform and nearly took out the plumbing fixtures in the bathroom (uh… I didn’t even live here yet. )…or when I got into 2 car accidents in one day…..
4. He has surprised me more than any other person in my life… with good things. A whirlwhind trip to Europe for my birthday including the Eurostar to Paris… a 30th birthday party in Manhattan with family and old friends. Flowers just because…. you name it!
5. He is a doer… he is always up and doing something… He takes the cowboy out for these “daddy days” and does stuff that I have not the patience or time for (sit 3 hours at a local airport so the boy can watch planes take off…) but they love it and it is their time to be. (Be without Mama nagging at either of them! ;))
6. He is a good friend. To me… he is the best friend in the world. He has had friendships that have lasted his lifetime and he is always good at making someone feel at ease.
7. He can always make me laugh. I can start out crying… but end up laughing by the end. That is one of the best things about the both of us…. we laugh often and loud.
8. He is a big sports guy… Le Tour, Baseball, Football, Lacrosse, golf, NCAA Basketball… if you can keep score and it has rules… he is all about it. Not in an all consuming kinda “sports widow” kind of way… in a “Let’s go to see the Terps play football” kind of way. Sundays are HUGE in my house in the fall….. we love the Ravens.
9. He is an adventuresome soul. His outlook is a “why not?” outlook on life. He likes to examine all possibilities and see what the best, most adventuresome things he can come up with. “Why not climb MT Washington and stay at the Lake of the Clouds Hut?” … “Why not ride 50 miles on our bikes through all 5 boroughs of New York City?”…
10. He is the love of my life. Every day, for the last 9 years… he has made my life better and better. I love you with all my heart! Happy Birthday Honey!

Hey Everyone…leave a Happy Birthday comment for my D! He really is the greatest!!!

Anyone who has read this blog for awhile or knows me outside of the BLOG-O-SPHERE knows that I am broken when it comes to certain movies.

I have chronicled my problems with the movie RENT. That I can watch it over, and over, and over, and over again endlessly until anyone in the immediate area wants to throw the TV out of the window.

Well, um, there is another movie that I have this problem with. Ok… (deep breath…) I have this problem with the movie BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE. ( Humor me, pleeeeease?)

Well, India Opal wants to make a list of 10 things about her mama…

I am going to make a list of 10 things about my big Brother G-Tiddy:

1. He is really damn funny. I mean…. roll on the floor, crack your own-self up funny. One of the funniest people I know. Period. Hands down.
2. He has great stories to tell. He can make anything a story and entertain you like no one’s business.
3. He is very talented…. athletically… artistically…musically… plays a mean game of golf and a mean guitar. There isn’t anything he can’t do.
4. He has this music catalouge in his head. I think it runs in our family… but he has it more than me.
5. He would give you the shirt off of his back. A lot of people say they would….I have actually seen and been the recipient if this ( drove 5+ hours to pick me up at school b/c he didn’t want to see me spend a holiday break there).
6. He loves his family for who we are…. flawed and well meaning as we all are.
7. His is an inspiration to me…. always has been.
8. His family loves him very much.
9. He is an all around kind, decent person. I mean that in the best possible way. He has many friends, and for many years, because he knows how to be a good friend.
10. It is HIS BIRTHDAY today!!!

Go wish my big brother a happy day today!!!! Tell him his little sister sent you!!!

Happy Birthday G!!!! Wish we could be with you to help blow out the candles….all 29 of them!