The scarf, it was very hard to take a picture of since it was so long.  Throught the rest of the post I'll put in pictures of it in sections.  It turned out pretty well.  The pattern came with a shawl version as well and I was thinking if I did that in a worsted I could make panels to make a blanket.  It's not like I need any other projects.  I finished the cupcake but didn't get a picture of it.  I also put together the tea pot cozy but I didn't get a picture of that either. They both went to my sister so maybe I can get a picture from her.  Next on the list (outside of charity knitting) is: the eyes on the little fox.  my daughter's fingerless mitts, and a little more on the giant Totoro.

We went to my parents house for a late Christmas but on the way there we sopped at HMart.  It's basically your local Asian store but is has a lot of Korean products.  I felt rused by my husband and Mooky wasn't behaving so it wasn't as fun as it could have been.  Next time I will go with a list of ingredients for dishes I want to make.  I did pick up some hot pepper paste, some rice cakes (not the American kind) for making ddeokbokki, a different kind of ramen, some soju and my husband got some oyster kimchi. They also sold live fish and shrimp there but that is beyond my cooking level.  There is another location that I want to try and see if they have different things.  I have heard that some have a "teen" section that has kpop merchandise.  We won't be going back for a while but if we find anything interesting I'll let you know.

We went to my sister E's house to spend the night and it was a lot of fun.  She lives on one floor of a two flat that is about a hundred years old.  It was in bad shape and her (now) husband lived there while it was being fixed up as sort of a guard.  It looks great now.  It has all sorts of weird little spaces that make you wonder what the original purpose of it was.  She and her husband like to play board games and so we played some with them before bed. The next morning they fed up waffles and bacon then we went to my mom and dad's.  We saw one of my other sister's there and opened presents.  It was nice and relaxing to hang out and talk to different people.  We left around four so we could get to Mitsuwa for supper.

Mitsuwa was also a lot of fun.  A friend from college said he might meet us there and he did.  Not only that he brought some other friends, all of whom I hadn't seen in three years almost to the day.  We ate and talked a bit then shopped around the books store till it was close to closing time.  I had dolsot which is basically the same as bibimbap but it's served in a hot stone bowl.  It was very good. Amey was sad that the sushi was sold out and Mooky actually ate some vegitabels since they were the tempura kind.   We had to say good by to our friends but hopefully we can have this meet up again in a few months.  We did a little grocery shopping for snacks then headed home.

It was a great weekend but I didn't get any knitting done.  Now the trick is to get back into the regular routine.  Hopefully I won't be skipping many more days.  I'll see you next time.

Since it's Christmas eve here is a terrible picture of our tree.  We weren't planning to be here for Christmas so I didn't worry about it much but now plans have changed.  We are going to try and visit my family the first weekend of January as long as there isn't a snow storm like last year. There are two plus sides to this.  1. I don't have to rush for the presents. 2. We can visit Mitsuwa since it will be open. I would like to go to HMart too but I don't think that will happen.

I have been working on the scarf and it's almost done.  I have to do the long black borders and that is going to be a bit of a slog.  I realize I was doing something wrong.  The pattern said to slip a stitch with yarn in front and I have been doing it with the yarn in back.  I'm sure it will be fine it's just a bit of a disappointment.  I'm going to finish the scarf then go back and do the charity knitting I missed.  I got the patch for my brother-in-laws hat but I haven't put it on yet since there is no rush.  The people I bought it from seemed helpful but a little slow about returning e-mails.  I understand that since they may have other jobs.  My problem though is the patch came without instructions.  I can figure it out but I thought I'd ask. I asked what heat/time they would recommend.  The e-mail I got said, "I use high heat." That was the extent of the message and to me that seems a bit unprofessional.  They could have added a little to that.  Oh well I have the patch so that's all that matters.  I really need to do that so I can mail it right after Christmas.

For K-drama I actually finished Blade Man (It's actually Iron Man but that is weird in English).  It's wasn't a bad drama but it wasn't the best.  I could have skipped it and been just fine.  It's about a spoiled, rich guy who owns a video game company.  He has some serious anger issues.  A while back his girlfriend (who his father didn't like) went missing and he has been searching for her ever since.  He has some other issues that he blacks out and doesn't remember. Our heroin is a poor game developer who is trying her best to help every one around her. I think this is part of why the show was just "meh" for me.  She isn't a "bad" leading lady but I really like my girls with a little more spunk and back bone. She isn't wimpy but she is so nice and helpful to others I just want her to do something without waiting for others.  My favorite character is secretary Ko.  He is just so much fun and his facial expressions are so funny.  I do like that Hong Bin (the bratty rich guy) does seem to grow and mature.  There was a part where I got weepy but in general it get me emotionally as some others I have watched this year.  The show is ridiculous and it knows it, if you know what I mean. I wouldn't say it's a bad drama but it's wouldn't be one of my first recommendations.

My daughter really wanted to watch High School- Love On and I'm glad she pressured me into it because I only watched one episode and I like it more than Blade Man so far,  I'm catching up on Running Man.  I just watched the latest episode with Woo Bin in it.  He has really grown up since the last time he was on.  It was a fun episode.  I still have one more, the Christmas episode. I'll finish up k-drama today and maybe I'll play WOW tomorrow.

One of our neighbor's gave up some banana bread and it was still warm.  I wasn't expecting it so I didn't have anything for her but I want the kids and I to make some cookies today or tomorrow and then we can give her some.  I'm planing to go take our December picture now.  That's about it.  I'll write again after Christmas. Have a good one.

This is the progress on my my dad's scarf from a few days ago. I have made a bunch of progress since then and finally feel like I will finish it but I'm not sure about the other things. To top it off I skipped my charity knitting for this week so I'll have to go back and do that.  I'll take another picture tomorrow and hopefully it will be almost finished by then. I didn't like it much at first but the more I work on it I see how everything plays nicely together.  I learned something about picking up stitches.  I thought the term ment just using your needled to poke through the stitches and put them on you needle, but really you put you needle through the old stitch and pull a loop through and that is your new live stitch.  This could be part of why I hated picking up stitches on socks and those fingerless gloves I made.

I caught up on all my podcast and even made it thought Dancing Geek's four our episode. I didn't do that in all one sitting.  I was planing to play WOW today but I can't play and craft at the same time, that is something else I have to do later.  Today I'm watching k-drama. There was a scene in Pinocchio that had me crying and I was messing up my knitting.  I may finish Blade Man today.  

On Saturday we visited my husband's family and it wasn't as awkward as I was afraid it would be.  On Christmas we are going to my sister's house but her husband's family is going to be there as well and that makes me uncomfortable.  I'm sure it will turn out better than I'm afraid it will but I'm not looking forward to that part.  Tomorrow I have a ton of running around to do.  Amey broke part of her braces,  I have to finish the Christmas shopping, and there is something at the post office for us.  I'll try and blog  but I'm not sure how much I'll be home.  In the meantime have a good day.

Here is the play dough.  We didn't play with it yesterday so we'll have to see next time. 

Yesterday I spent the day siting around watching TV with different people in the family.  I worked a bit on the shawl.  I'm very frustrated with my families lack of communication.  They keep moving Christmas and then no one know what's going on.   I got a text from my mom (on Thursday I think) saying my sister that lives the farthest wasn't coming.  My husband and I debated back and forth what we should do.  We decided not to go at about 4 pm.  At about 6 pm the family that live far says "oh we well come but late." So we had to decide all over again and finally decided that we would just wait and go to my niece's birthday at the end of January.  I think the stress of that and the fact I don't drink enough water made me feel ill.  I feel better now after some sleep but everything yesterday form 4 on was stress full.

I do plan to listen to podcasts today and work on my daughter's sock.  Right now I'm nervous about Monday because it's supposed to be so cold and the kids have to wait for the bus.  When I was growing up I lived a block from my school, that would be different.  If I could drive them that would be different.  Making them stand in the cold waiting for the bus does not seem like good parenting to me.

There wasn't much to report so maybe Monday will be better.

 

This creature is a cross between a Mameshiba and Totoro.  My son requested him.  It's made from a chunky yarn held double.  If you want to know what a Mamashiba is just look it up on YouTube.

I got a view from Serbia, that is so cool.

The kids really enjoyed their Christmas.  We spent it sitting around playing video games and eating junk food.  I finished the sweater but I'll talk about that later.  Because my husband had to work from 9 p.m. till 6 a.m. I let the kids stay up till midnight, watching The Hobbit, so they would sleep in.  It's almost 11 a.m. and they are still asleep.  If they aren't up by noon I'll drag them out of bed. 

For my family The Hobbit  isn't really to violent.  My 7 year old doesn't like the loud scenes or the fighting ones but we just tell him when to cover his eyes.  He had more trouble with the movie Mouse Hunt because it was more "real."  What the kids can and can't watch and for how long is a great debate in our house just like it is in many homes. 

Ok so the sweater of doom.  :)  It's finished and the ends are (mostly) woven in. I don't know it is the yarn or what but the ends aren't weaving in well.  It turned out giant.  It would fit two regular size people in it.  I'm still going to put buttons on it because it will work as  a transition piece for when it's to cold for a regular sweater but not cold enough for a winter coat.  It's like wearing a blanket because, lets face it, it is a blanket.  I want to make another one where I just use the bigger needles and do exactly what the pattern says and if it's to small use that as motivation to get in better shape.  When I do that (it could be a wile) I'll rip this one out. I'll get a picture later.

I learned a lot.  I made a list.  1. Chunky yarn on big needles may be fast but it is heavy and can be painful.  2. I actually dropped down and fixed stitches.  3.  I'm not good at math since it came out so huge.  4.  I did wrap and turn short rows.  I have never done those before.  5.  I may not mind knots in my knitting as I thought. 6. This sweater in it's original form is not so hard and I'm not as bad a knitter as I thought. Finally I still have a lot to learn.  I probably shouldn't have made it once first before I tried to alter it, just like a cooking recipe.

I used some Christmas money to order real project bags.  She seems really nice to work with and I assume I'll order from her again.  I'll show them when I get them.

Since I want to give my husband some quiet time I'm taking the kids to a yarn store (for buttons), McDonald's (play land) and Hobby Lobby (thank you note supplies).  If I do this right the TV may not go on today at all and that would be a victory.

See you tomorrow.

More orange(ish) socks for my son.  These don't really have a pattern just knit till it seemed time for the heel. 

Ok so I haven't written in a bit.  On Saturday we went to my husband's family for Christmas.  It wasn't so bad.  My son was a bit bored and there was some problem with waiting for people.  My daughter got an Easy Bake oven and she is really excited about it.  We need to go to the craft store so we can make some "thank you" notes.  The sad part was that my husband's grandma doesn't seem to be doing well.  I'm going to as my husband's mom if there is something I can make for grandma like a lapgan or something.  It's really the only thing I know how to do. 

I really wanted to go to church on Sunday but the weather was really bad. My husband was going to come home on his break from work and switch the car with me so we could go but he said he had trouble driving.  If he is having trouble driving the less (fewer?) than two miles to work I don't want to go farther with just me and the kids.  Hopefully the weather will be better next week. 

Yesterday was the first day of winter break (if you don't count the weekend) and having the kids home threw me off.  We also spent 4 hours in Walmart.  That wasn't out intent.  The plan was to go and get snow pants and a couple of other thing then go and get blank cards to make "thank you" cards and maybe some other shopping.  There were some problems.  Firstly the car door didn't want to shut.  I didn't want to try to drive holding the door shut.  Secondly we had lunch there. Thirdly the kids slow me down.  Also even though I had a list I was kind of scatter brained and ended up wandering back and forth a lot.  And finally my daughter decided to spend some of her Christmas money to get her ears pierced.  So by the time we did all that and got through the line it was time for my husband to get off work.  It was not what I had planned for yesterday.  Today I think we can get back on track. 

I did knit a little but haven't gotten much done, it wasn't even on my sweater.  Today I plan to listen to podcasts and try to finish the sweater (besides chasing the kids around to get some cleaning done).  Once I have the sweater done I need to go to the yarn store and look for buttons and I have a couple questions for them.  I have so many projects to do I really need to knit faster (they are almost all knit, that's weird). 

I don't know if I will post tomorrow so Merry Christmas everyone.

My first experiment in felting on purpose.  It' ok but the handles are too floppy for my taste.  I'll take it to my sisters and see if any of them want it.

It's been crazy.  I don't know if it's Christmas or I just don't feel like blogging.  Mostly the day just slips away from me so I don't have time. 

Tomorrow we are going to my in-laws for Christmas.  The difference between his family and mine is so strange for me sometimes.  In my family there are a lot of kids and some grandkids now too.  There are spouses and sometimes even some friends, like this year one of my sisters is bringing some international students that can't make it home for Christmas.  So lots of chaos and noise and fun.  At my husband's side it's quiet and kind of boring.  My husband's brother will be 38 in January and there are no children between him and my 10 year old daughter.  It's a much smaller family and his Aunt, who is a nice person, keeps trying to get people to debate subjects.  I wouldn't mind having a lively discussion with her at other times but at Christmas dinner I'd rather talk about happy things.  I find that Christmas more stressful than my family and my husband probably feels the opposite. 

I finished the test crochet!  I like it mostly.  It is a little boring doing the same thing for 42" and because I'm big I don't think it fits me as well as it would someone smaller.  When I write my notes to the designer I will mention this.  It's time to finish my sweater.  I have to find where I put the instructions.  I know I put them somewhere safe but I'm not sure where that safe place is.  I kind of tried it on and it looks like it will fit at least a little.  I may not be able to button it but that's o.k. since I wear my sweaters open most of time. 

I've been watching  tons of Running Man.  I loved the Big Bang episodes.  It was so sweet to see G-Dragon smile, he doesn't much in his videos.  I even watched them with my daughter and she enjoyed them as well. BoA was on two episodes and she is so pretty.  Since I have watched the older episodes, it's fun to see them making references to the those episodes and feeling like I'm getting an in joke.  When Jae-suk and Haha are in the Alice in Wonderland episode making fun of the super power episode saying "The one who snores all night" just cracked me up.  It was also funny when they were in the "escape from jail" episode and they got handed dumplings to eat, almost all of them said "what is this, Old Boy?"  A lot of the time I feel like the humor has a "you had to be there feel," so it's hard to explain to other people.  

Hopefully the roads will be clear tomorrow and the kids behave at great grandma's.