This year is....

Marching right over me - see what I did there? haa haa So I am hoping to post at least once a month - but it might be every other. We shall have to see. School is kicking my behind. It's hard and there is a lot of studying. I am not allowed to talk about my hands on training but I can say I've seen sad things and I am ready to move to the next semester and a new facility.  Scott and I decided to do the Whole30 and that takes some work as well. Sadly, the diet - I mean change of life - is pretty restrictive and I have tons of school work so we have not been getting out much. I am on Spring break right now so last weekend we went to the Children's Museum in Indianapolis - yeah - we are the weird ones with no kids at the Children's Museum.... what a fun place. 

water clock - very cool!!

replicas of the terra cotta warriors

under the glass sculpture (reflected off the floor)

crazy glass sculpture

outside

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We are also planning on letterboxing this week - fun!! I still have studying to do but not as intense. Before I really get going let me get some stuff out of the way - have you guys seen the ADORABLE patterns The Snowflower Diaries is putting out - they are free and cute as could be!! Then there is a fun 60th birthday celebration going on at Wisdom with Needle and Thread and last but not least  Lov'N My Stitches is having a Spring giveaway - so many fun things going on in the blogosphere!! 
I mentioned in my last blog post that I was taking Scott out for a Valentine's surprise. I took him to the movies on opening night of his favorite filmmakers - the Coen Brothers. The fact that we had to leave for Georgia the next day made it less of a surprise because I had to tell him where to meet me so we could still get home at a decent time. It was fun - there was hardly anybody in the theater and the movie was good. For Valentine's Day he bought me two pretty rings

and some German treats

he also made me pancakes (clearly BEFORE the Whole30 started!!) We went and saw Ryder

 we brought his car back to our house. It was a whirlwind trip - drove down, ate at a place off of Diners (of course!)

Folk Art

I think this is pulled pork but I can't remember

shrimp po boy

Triple D meatball burger

fried green tomatoes

beignets

We stayed the night and drove back the next day - whew!
One of my classes in in the lab and we have to learn how to do things like take vital signs and take off our gloves. One of the things I had to practice is sterile dressing change - here is my poor patient

 look at that incision! I took good care of him though. My stitching has taken a back seat . Here is where I am on all 4 of my projects

Old World Santa 2 weeks of stitching

Tiramisu by Glendon Place

2012 Prairie Schooler

Teresa Wentzler fruit bell pull

 I started a rotation and I've been sticking to it until last week. The Heaven and Earth picture is boring - not only that but the stitches are super small. I am not enjoying working on it. I knew this would happen and that is one of the reasons I started a rotation but last week I rotated it out after just a few days. I love the picture

 but couldn't it be regular sized? bah Life might be too short to do a Heaven and Earth Design. The Whole30 is no sugar, dairy, legumes, grains, alcohol and most additives for 30 days.Today is day 22. Your meals are 1-2 palm size protein the rest of the plate veggies and a small amount of good fat - like avocado or nuts. The only thing I miss is coffee that doesn't taste like crap. I am drinking English Breakfast tea in water and homemade almond/coconut milk which tastes good but sometimes it makes my throat very dry (dry enough to gag me) and I'm not sure why. I think I miss yogurt but if there was some here I wouldn't rush out to eat it - so maybe not. Whole30 makes lots of claims but so far all I've noticed is some weight loss and no bloating. I also have some intestinal distress and acne - which are NOT supposed to happen. I am pretty sure that when I get to the end of my 30 days I will just stay on it for another 30 and see what happens. One person has done it for 7 months and lost 100 pounds. The reason I moved away from Weight Watchers is I got too used to taking a day off and planning on starting the next day but then something came up and I will plan on starting tomorrow but now it's Wednesday and what's the point of doing it for two days because we never ate right on the weekend. This diet there is NO cheating - if you cheat you have to start over because there is a chemistry to it. I have been on the plan for 22 days without one cheat. The first two weeks is hard because you are getting used to what you can eat - you have to make everything even your mayo and ketchup. Plus, sugar doesn't just let you go without a fight. After the first 2 weeks it's not so hard and we have come up with great meals.
 On my last post I mentioned that when we were at the dam in Nevada, Scott was in one state and I was in another - well I had a picture but didn't post it doh!! So here it is

 Ok kids I better go - only because once a month posts make for long ones and you are probably ready for a nap haha. Thanks for sticking with me - Happy Spring!!

February? Seriously?

If this keeps up I'm going to be 100 before I know it! I have been so busy. I might be a once a month blogger this year. Ok let's get going here.... Scott and I went to Indy for something - can't even remember and we saw this Goodwill that was called a Goodwill Outlet - I made Scott pull over. Wow what a CRAZY place!!! I only got one picture because I was dumbfounded!!! They have these huge cubes of just stuff and they spread them into these bins and pull them into this room. There are people there - kind of like the crazy stories you see on TV for black Friday shopping - and they rush around going through these bins of stuff. They pay 99 cents a pound - yep you read that right. The bins get taken away once an hour and new bins get set out. The frenzy is overwhelming. We bought nothing and didn't participate but this one lady says she comes there with her friends every Saturday and you really have to search but you can find some great finds. The stuff goes to the dump after this stop. C R A Z Y!!

Scott had to go to Vegas for a convention. He went on Sunday and I followed on Tuesday.

Scott had to work Wednesday so I had to entertain myself. My first stop was Stitcher's Paradise

I bought this - when I packed to come home I threw the thread away accidentally - DOH!! Stitcher's Paradise is a lovely store - there were a ton of ladies in there stitching away and I felt a little jealous. My next stop was Christmas Goose

 ohhhh pretty

 I bought this cute little mug rug pattern - guess there are 12 of them - block of the month deal. I only got the one. The company is Buttermilk Basin - super cute stuff

Then I wanted a noodle bowl so I looked at Local Eats and the best noodle bowl place was Manta Ramen

It was delicious!! I hope to go back next time I'm in Vegas! I have a thing for bubble tea so I looked online to see if there were any in Vegas - lots of them!! I went to Easy Life Boba Tea and got a taro milk tea with boba in it - mmmm I could drink these all day long. Probably good there is one close to my house!!

Scott took me to Lollicup one night for a taro milk tea with boba in it before we left Vegas because he loves me!! We had Thursday and Friday together so we went to the Mobster Museum

Walked around Vegas - it is the Year of the Monkey this year and the Bellagio was decorated for it

. We also visited the Hoover Dam - WOW!

We took a self guided tour and it is very interesting. The way they built it is very impressive. They built a new bridge because of the 9/11 stuff - they don't want trucks going along the dam. The bridge is pretty impressive too. Scott and I went to the middle - he was in Nevada and I was in Arizona. Scott bought me this rabbit

made by Jose Olivera Perez it is an Oaxacan wood carving. I absolutely love it!!  We ate at two Diner Drive in and Dives places

 John Mull's Meats and Roadkill Grill

 very good BBQ

 Osaka Japanese Bistro

 sushi roll sampler
we sat in the area where you had to take your shoes off and it looked like you were sitting on the floor but there was room under the table for your legs - it was so much fun. The food was FANTASTIC!!!

 sashimi with tempura

Osaka rice (heavenly) teriyaki beef (omg!!) We came home the next day. All 4 of my flights were awesome - of course xanex is the only way to go but on all four flights the plane wasn't full so there was an empty seat between me and the other person in my row. I had coffee and snacks and stitched - oh and watched movies. It was great. It was a really nice vacation.
So let me tell you about my wash machine.... I didn't know you have to run tub clean every three weeks on these h.e. machines. So I've had mine for 3 years (I think) and it started having some foul gunk come out onto my clothes. - not nice at all. Scott had unhooked everything before he left - the great freezing pipes problem. So when we got home I ran tub clean - by the time we got home the washer smelled so horrible I couldn't believe it. I ran it 5 times - bleach, vinegar, tide and oxyclean, baking soda and more bleach. Still smelled like sewage. Scott took it apart and we cleaned all the nasty gunk out of the bottom - gross. The bottom piece is metal and plastic with a gap inside that you can not get to. Well you can but then I don't think it will go back together correctly so we ordered a new bottom piece 80 bucks with two day shipping. I dropped Scott at the laundromat (bless his heart) and did the grocery shopping for the week. bah! The piece came in and everything is great - I will be running tub clean every three weeks without fail. I bought tub cleaner and more bleach.
Then my stitching - I know once a month posts make for long ones! I finished all my Santas.

 The one on the far right is one I made for my Gram in 1990 - it was in a little frame in her room and then in my room for all these years. I pulled it out and made it into a pillow so it could be with the others - I'm not sure if I used the called for colors because that is the year I started stitching. You can tell too because the stitches go all ways and there are knots on the back.

They look so cute in my wood bowl - but I need two more.I saw this Old World Santa when I was at the store in Vegas

but I didn't buy him - I wasn't sure I wanted to commit. A Heaven and Earth Design is like adopting an animal - it will be in your work basket for years! They are on 25 count - 2 threads over 1 and always large - this one is 18x18 I thought about it for a few days and then bought it. They are now having a sale if you think you want to do one. So I've decided to do a rotation. One week will be this Santa, second week is Tiramisu from Glendon Place, third week is assorted smalls so I don't feel like I never get anything done - for now it is the two PS santas I need but then it might be some other smaller picture from my basket. The fourth and final week will be that dratted Teresa Wenzler fruit bell pull I have been dragging around for FOURTEEN years!!! That is longer than some marriages. I hope doing a rotation will get it done. My last work on Tiramisu - I finished page one YAY

I also bought this fabulous pattern off ebay

I adore her!! She goes in the smalls rotation week!! A few random pictures to share.....
Scott plays racquet ball and hit himself in the hand

Isn't that awful? Glad it wasn't his face. I think he has bopped himself in the head before!! I know he hit another man in the head - on accident - and the guy had to get stitches. This is why he has to play alone!!   I bought the cat a running water thingy so his water doesn't get gross when I am out of town

He wasn't sure what to make of it - he has it figured out now.

 look at the size of that guy!! See the tufted titmouse staring at him - he's huge!!

Ok I have to go make dinner. Thanks for stopping by - and making it to the end of this post haha. Hope you have good plans for Valentines Day - I'm taking Scott on a date tomorrow night - a little early but that makes it more of a surprise Ü

What the.....

Geez has it ever been a week AND it's not even over yet. I went from winter break hanging out to having to jump into everything which would have been fine but the snow and freezing weather really made it a challenge. Then Alan Rickman died - I am pretty sad about that - I didn't know him or anything but I always enjoyed his performance in movies. Of course we all loved him as Snape - sad, just sad. I'll start with Ryder - we went with him to Georgia. As I have mentioned before - he is now going to SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design)

What a wonderful and amazing school. Scott and I are so excited for Ryder - and jealous. The school really is amazing. The student dorms suck - I mean really bad. They took an old hotel and converted it into dorms - no carpet - three beds to a tiny room with the smallest bathroom I have ever seen. They are supposed to renovate them but not soon enough. Atlanta is beautiful and has great things to see and do but driving there is AWFUL!! They have packed 4 lanes into a 3 lane spot and the amount of cars.....I need a Valium just thinking about it. Luckily the craptastic dorms are across the street from the school so he doesn't have to drive - and the school proves transportation to all the other buildings until something like 2 am. It was sad to leave him there  but we have grand dreams for his future!! We did manage to hit some Diners Drive Ins and Dives, so that was fun. We got home Thursday night and I had orientation Friday. Of course it started with the snowing and got colder than a pocket full of penguins. So I'm trying to get used to my new schedule and getting back into going to the gym - not going well. Gym door was frozen shut one morning - shoveling one morning - got there late so only worked out 20 minutes - honestly. Garage door stopped working correctly - ugh School is going well - already got checked off on two skills (don't be too impressed it's hand washing and taking off protective gear)  I found out that my summer is going to be hard - 6 classes to do in 10 weeks. Tomorrow I have CPR class. I can do this.... I. CAN. DO. THIS.  The car I drive was a lease - we thought that was a great idea and then we went way over on the mileage. So we have to do the whole end of lease thing. I have to say that I hate hate hate dealerships. You could stop in to drop off cookies and still walk out feeling like you've been screwed. They have such shady ways of dealing with you. We have bought two vehicles from Enterprise car rental - and my mom bought one there too. I think we will just buy from them from now on - the cars are in good shape - low mileage - the cost is printed there and they don't try to haggle or try any shady tactics. This place had us sitting there for 2 hours - they wanted me to buy a new car, I said fine but it has to be the same as what we are paying because I'm in school and can't afford higher payments. Two hours later Tweedledum (and he really looked like Tweedledum - even tha the bow tie) came up with much higher figures. So I am keeping the one I have - which is fine - I just don't like the jerking you around aspect. We have to go back because Tweedledum was soooooo busy he was having a hard time getting our paperwork done - hard to believe since we were the ONLY ones in the place. While typing this it is taking a TON of self-control not to pepper that whole explanation with terrible language - bastards. So I have a finish - I  mentioned that I started Merry Two but needed to order three skeins - when they got here I realized I missed on AHHHH. So I had to substitute Barn Grey - geez.

I started Tiramisu by Glendon Place while I waited for the thread - usually stitching large blocks of color is annoying but I am enjoying this one. The thread is soo silky oooooohhh

I have a few pictures for you and I am outta here - I hope you are all having a better January than I am - 2016 better shape up or I am going to have to write a sternly worded letter to it.

give me all your yogurt and nobody gets hurt

Happy 2016

Hope it is going great so far.... on New Year's Eve I finished another picture - that makes 33 for 2015. Not bad.

2005 Prairie Schooler

Merry One by Plum Street Sampler

I changed Merry One a little I took of the date and the word Merry. I used Gentle Arts Mulberry for Santa's coat and Weeks Dye Works Mocha for the reindeer. As usual it wasn't because I didn't like her colors but I didn't have the suggested colors so I used what I had. I am in love with this fabric - 36 ct Vintage Country Mocha Edinburgh. On New Year's Day I started Merry Two - same fabric. This time I was missing three skeins but I didn't feel up to choosing new so I just ordered them. I am stitching the two colors I have and then will start One Starry Christmas Eve by With Thy Needle and Thread while I wait for my threads to come in the mail. I really want to start Tiramisu from Glendon Place but I am waiting for the floss pack. Ebay had it for $41.56  with $3.13 shipping which is cheaper than the stores!! I found it on etsy for $31 but she wanted $16 for shipping - NOPE. I still need to pick a fabric for Tiramisu but I want to see the threads first - I might like the Vintage Country Mocha - but we shall see.
I have started using Instagram and I really like it. I used my first hashtag - #stitchersofinstagram it adds my picture to that group - I like to look at all the stuff other stitchers put on that group too. I am following a few stitchers. It's fun - if you are on Instagram I am Cricketbug33.
Yesterday we took down all the Christmas stuff - feels like we just got it up. It's funny how you can spot any ornament on the tree when you are gazing at it but when you are holding the box it goes in - you can't find it ANYWHERE!! I even told Scott at one point that Ryder must have hung his on a tree at another house because I couldn't find any!! I managed to find them all. We moved some furniture around - I was using this one chair and ottoman as my stitching chair. It was pretty uncomfortable but I liked the big ottoman for the cat and I could set my stitching there when I had to get up. Usually I don't have much time for stitching but on this break from school I got a few days in and that chair was making me so sore. Scott brought my old stitching chair back into the living room - wow it is so comfortable!! . It's smaller so the cat and I are kinda crammed on it but it is so comfy.

bum buster

smaller comfy chair!

  Ryder leaves Monday for Georgia. I start school on Friday - it's a nursing boot camp - real classes start Monday. I hope to get some more stitching in before then. I hope you are all getting some quality stitching in already this year. Thanks for stopping by!!