Dad, I think it's time for a Jeep please

Back in Colorado we enjoyed doing a bit of off-roading on the weekends. Since we've left Colorado we've had a Ford Focus, a Toyota Camry, and now a Holden Commodore (think a large GM sedan). Not much off-roading for us these days. FFM, however, has started his own extreme off-roading right here in our very own playroom. His preference is what is known as rock crawling, not at all what we used to do. More like this...His looks like this...

ANY obstacle that's on the floor is fair game. And if there isn't one on the floor, he'll get off the tractor and will pull some down so he's got something to drive over. Then he very carefully pulls up to the obstacle and with intense focus nudges over it. Then he very carefully backs over it.

Any wheeled vehicle can become a 4x4 off-road monster... And even soft pillows make great obstacles...

The beach ball was a bit of a challenge, it kept rolling away. FFM really really tried to drive over it, though. As soon as we get back to CO we'll send him to Justin P for an apprenticeship in building super off-road machines.

Onto other funny things, he's been doing this since about the time he could walk, but now that he's getting really tall he's almost ready to make it all the way in without any help. So far, he hasn't figured out that he can climb OUT, only that it's cool to climb IN. This kid likes his nap.

FFM and friend D playing at the park. They were cracking up and Katie and I peeked around the corner to find this.

And today, fresh out of the dress up trunk, off roading again in a very manly cowboy hat.

Easter basket and Scarlet's sweater

Now that Miss S has finally gotten her package, I can reveal the finished project online! Just in case her mom was checking, I didn't want to ruin the surprise...

Here's hoping it gets cool enough in Brisbane for her to wear it this 'winter.'

A felted entrelac Easter basket for FFM. All the ones here were so very very pink and fluffy that I thought I could whip one up in slightly better colors. Not wanting to spend much on yarn I ended up with stuff that felted moderately well, but he's quite happy with it. After I finally got the handle sewn on today he promptly filled it with tiny cars and hauled them around the house.

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2009

Take one toddler who loves to dress up, add some green, and voila, it's a festive holiday.

FFM has learned to 'smile' at the camera...that's the funny scrunched up face.

So go out and sing some songs, have a pint of Guinness or a glass of Irish whiskey, and I'll hang tight to the little leprechaun tearing up the playroom here.

HELLO YOU SHOULD COME VISIT

Qantas is running a fare sale from the US to here (it's not quite as good the other way around).

Certain dates, $299 one way from LA to Sydney, Brisbane, or Melbourne. It's a little further to get to Perth, but if you sweet talk me I might just meet you part way. This price makes me a little ill, since normally we buy tickets that are considerably more expensive than $299 (even considering that's only for the middle leg of the trip).

Hurry, sale ends on Friday.

http://www.qantas.com/ (make sure you are on the Americas site).

Knit 1....

Last night I hosted a girls night in with a crafty theme. Some ladies scrapbooked, some worked on kids crafts for an upcoming party, and several learned how to knit. Kelly, the scrapbooker, snuck in with her camera and captured some really intense looks of concentration from the neophyte knitters.

A front door/back door analogy for front/back of stitches worked for Katie who then got knitting away.

Kirsty had a dish towel knitted by the end of the evening! She's a natural and even moved on to purling and decreasing. And check out that posture, if only I could sit up that straight.

Jen started on pink yarn and the fuzzies kept getting all tangled. We switched to less fuzzy teal yarn and she took off! Judit told us stories of all the jumpers (aka sweaters) she knit when she was 14.

It was heaps of fun, next time we'll start on pattern reading and start a project. And maybe I'll get some K1, P2 in, too ;)