another new year

I know that I say it every year, but I cant believe that its new year already!

We (or rather I) have had quite a lot going on in the last 12 months....

you will have to bear with me as I will be going back through the months to see what the high or low points were ;o)

In January Evie had gastro entoritis and started having swimming lessons and I was told that I would need to have a hernia repair

In February I had a dent in my thigh and then was told that it was just loss of fatty tissue ;o)

March & April werent very interesting

In May we had my birthday

In June I had my hernia repair, went to the three foot people festival, Evie got a big girl bed and I started knitting my epic scarf (which I still havent finished yet)

In July Evie got her glasses and went to the dentist for the very first time.

In August I got a photo published in a Chinese textbook, and went into a church without the spire hitting me in the neck (long story short a lady I used to work with (who was a Sunday school teacher) told me that if I went into a church the spire would fall off and hit me in the neck).

In September we had our first family holiday in Spain and Evie took her very first photo on my phone ;o).

In October Evie drew on the landing wall.

In November Evie started pre-school and our oven nearly exploded.

And in December Evie went to her first ever pantomime, turned three and had her first ever school christmas party.

And now for 12 months of Evie

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

.November

December

happy new year everyone ;o)

Springer the Grasshopper

When I bought the wool to knit my scarf I also bought some Mister Maker kits to do with Evie.

On Friday we decided to do the Grasshopper one.

the instructions

Evie holding the tube and gluestick

Evie putting glue on the grasshoppers head

the front of the grasshopper

the side of the grasshopper

Evie has since pulled the eyes off of poor Springer ;o)

Whilst trying to get my scarf ready for measuring I inadvertently pulled some of the stitches off of the needle (oh well at least it will add to the character of it ;o))

my scarf after I had inadvertently pulled some of the stitches off of the needle!

it now measures 132 centimeters ;o)

wahay

James mentioned a few weeks ago that what was an old bank was to become a Jamies Italian ;o)

We had a really nice meal in there when we went to Bath for our holiday last year ;o)

As me & Evie ended up going up to the end of the High Street on Friday I saw the huge "Jamie is coming home to Essex" sign ;o)  So it looks like it really is set to open - but dont know when yet ;o)

Jamie is coming home to Essex

Hee hee my scarf is now so long (it is 106 centimeters) that I have had to fold it in half to take a photo of it ;o)

my now "well long" scarf is 106 cm long

second colour

I have finally finished the first ball of wool on my scarf ;o).

Yesterday I showed Evie the other two colours (green and lilac) that I have for my scarf, and Evie chose the lilac one.

brown scarf with lilac wool

and here is a photo of the first row of lilac stitches

the first row of lilac stitches

over 3 foot long already

My scarf is now measuring just over 3 foot long ;o)

my scarf already measures longer than 3 foot long

As I am still on the first huge ball of wool (I bought three of them) my scarf is looking at being over 12 9 foot long ;o)

The scarf is already taller than Evie too ;o)

wrong island

I have finally booked our holiday we are off to Menorca and it will be Evies first foreign holiday and her first time on a plane ;o)

Whenever I think of Spain (or any of its Islands) it always reminds me of this Heineken advert ;o)

I remember as kids at school we were all reciting the advert ;o)

Evie has been watching loads and loads of Peppa Pig and combined with not wanting an afternoon nap yesterday or today I have done loads (well 79 centimeters in total) of my scarf ;o)

hernia & sand pit

On Friday I had my final appointment with the consultant with regards to my hernia operation.

It was just a quick appointment and was in and out in less then 5 minutes!

A couple of weeks ago we bought Evie a sand pit.

Here is a video motion picture of Evie playing with it ;o)

Evie pouring sand from one side to the other

Evie doing a seahorse in the sand

3 seahorses

My scarf is now 49 centimeters

mother & child toilets

On Wednesday we decided to go to Lakeside and went into Kiddicare just for a look around.

While we were in there I had to go to the bathroom and saw that all of the cubicles in the ladies had two toilets - one for Mum and one for the little one ;o)

Mum & child can go to the loo at the same time

I havent done very much knitting this week but this is how the scarf is currently looking

now 39 centimeters

pizza and wine without the pizza or wine

On Friday night I went out with some friends for "pizza and wine".

We had a great night ;o)

The others all had a starter but I skipped having one so I could enjoy a dessert ;o)

For my main course I had spaghetti and meatballs

yummy spaghetti & meatballs

and for dessert I went for their "specials" and had bread and butter pudding ;o)

I do love my bread & butter pudding

My scarf is coming along and now measures 35 cm (I even have to use two rulers to measure it now ;o))

my wonky scarf

my scarf so far

I have been knitting my scarf on and off (mainly when Evie is watching her programs ;o)).

Here is the scarf so far (measuring 23 centimeters)

I still have a long way to go!

here is a hole

all the best scarves have holes in them

and my scarf has a wonky edge! ;o)

a wonky edge ;o)

scarves and glasses

On Friday we had Evies eye appointment...

...we got there and the person doing the eye test first of all put eye drops in to dilate her pupils then we had to sit outside in the waiting area for 20 minutes.

We were then called back in and he was shining lights in her eyes and filled out her prescription for lenses.

Her eyes are almost as bad as mine!

We were then called in by the person who will actually fit her for some glasses...

...because of how small Evies face is there were only three pairs that she could chose between, she wanted green ones but has ended up with some purple ones (we have to wait a few days for them to be ready).

Last week we were passing The Works and saw that they had a load of "for dummies" books so I picked up the knitting one ;o)

James said it should be called knitting for Amber ;o)

As James was getting bored yesterday afternoon and Evie didnt want to sleep we decided to pop out to the Chelmer Village Retail Park and we went into Hobbycraft and I bought three balls of wool (mainly because they were 3 for 2 and were only £1 each) and some knitting needles.

I have started to knit an ultra unique scarf (any dropped stitches are supposed to be in there ;o)), I have bought three different colours (brown, lilac and green), LOL I am not going to do stripes like on a traditional scarf, but will just until I have used all of the wool and will then start on the next colour ;o)

the book together with the other balls of wool and my knitting so far

my scarf so far

a close up of my "handywork"

hee hee I may even knit a scarf for Evie (when I have finished my one and she can chose the colour).

When I was a kid and I knitted my teddybear I remember my Mum saying that you can see how good your knitting is if you need to untangle it (my first attempt yesterday untangled just fine Mum so I cant be doing too badly) ;o)