Not only do I have four kids, I have five chickens, too.

When I let the chickens out of their coop and start walking, they follow me. I am their mother hen. I noticed a strange thing in the coop the other day (you'll see in a minute) and when I came back outside with the camera, the chickens gathered at my feet.



Here's our chicken coop. This design is also called a chicken tractor, because you can drag it around from place to place and the chickens turn up the soil.



The strange thing I saw? Check out where this egg ended up.

What will she get into next? or, Do you want some spice with that?

Some other things she has done during the last 3 days...

-climbed up onto my bed and squirted lotion all over my duvet
-found her sister's leftover hot chocolate and dumped it all over herself and the floor
-snuck out the back door multiple times to try and jump on the trampoline

I'm not quite sure how the next 17 years are going to turn out, just cross your fingers for me!

Pictures of the baby hat

Don't you love how most of my knitting pictures have my nice 1975 formica countertop as a background? Let me tell you, I loooooove this kitchen!



The whole gift. What new mom wouldn't appreciate handmade goodness?

Baby hat pattern

I made a hat for my sister's baby (the one who is also getting these shoes) and it knit up so quick, it may be my new "new baby" gift. I made up the pattern because I didn't feel like I had time to search the internet for exactly what I wanted. I had one pattern from a book so I cast on the same number of stitches and that's where it ended. I am sorry I haven't got a picture taken yet, but I'll get one soon.

Baby Hat

1 ball Laines du Nord Dolly Maxi yarn 100% superwash wool, 50g/95 yards (I used color 908, a denim blue color)
US 7 double point needles

Stitch note: 1x1 twisted rib is k1p1 ribbing, but knit each knit through the back loop and do the purls in the regular way

Cast on 64 stitches.

Work in 1x1 twisted rib for about an inch.

Work in St st until hat measures 5 inches from CO edge.

Work decreases as follows:
Round 1: (k6 k2tog) to end of round. 56 stitches
Round 2: k6 k2tog, (k5 k2tog) to end of round. The last stitch will use the first stitch from the beginning of the round. This is ok. 48 stitches
Round 3: k5 k2tog, (k4 k2tog) to end. 40 stitches
Round 4: k4 k2tog, (k3 k2tog) to end. 32 stitches
Round 5: k3 k2tog, (k2 k2tog) to end. 24 stitches
Round 6: k2 k2tog, (k1 k2 tog) to end. 16 stitches
Round 7: k1 k2tog, k2tog to end. 8 stitches
Round 8: k2tog all around, put all stitches on one dpn. 4 stitches

Work a 4-stitch i-cord for 2-3 inches. Break yarn and thread through all 4 stitches twice, pull tight, and thread tail down through the i-cord. Tie the i-cord in a little knot. Weave in any ends remaining.

Men's Hat Pattern

Frugaldad does not have a small head, and he has a lot of hair, so if your man has a small noggin, this will be loose or else you should cast on fewer stitches.


Men's Hat Pattern

Almost 100 g worsted weight yarn (I used Paton's Classic Merino 223 yards/100g skein in Deep Olive)
size 7 16" circular needle and double points or size to make gauge
8 stitch markers

gauge: nearly 6 st/inch knit in St st in the round


Cast on 120 stitches. Join round and place marker to mark start of round. Work in k2p2 ribbing for 4 inches.

Work in St st until work measures 8 inches from CO edge. (K13 k2tog Place Marker) until end of round.

Knit one round.

Repeat decrease round by knitting each stitch until 2 stitches remain before marker, then k2tog.

Knit one round between each decrease round. Switch to dpns when too few stitches remain for circular.

When 8 stitches remain, break yarn, remove markers and thread tail through last 8 stitches. Pull tight and weave in ends.

Contrary to popular belief

I have not been buried in a snowdrift or fallen in a deep well. I am, however, finally recovered from the virus that would not die.

Tonight I took some pictures but they are not uploaded yet, so stay tuned. I finished the hat I was working on and since I made up the pattern, I'll post it and pictures soon too.

Spreading germs at an exponential rate...

The day after I posted last was Valentine's Day. That morning, as I was making lunches for the masses, I suggested to Frugaldad that I pick him up after I picked up Frugalgirl2 at preschool and we could go out to lunch. I even shaved my legs and painted my toenails red in honor of the day of love. We went to lunch, stopped at a couple stores, and I was home by 2:30. Not too much later, I came down with fever and chills and body aches.

A week later, I still get light-headed if I stand up for too long. It seemed to be a gender-biased virus at first, because over the weekend the three girls and I laid around in a fever-induced stupor. Then Tuesday morning, both the male residents of the household were on their backs.

I'll spare you the gory details. Just know that it involved dozens of loads of laundry, a Steam-vac, Bac-out, and Febreze. As I type, two of my children are asleep in their beds. During the day. The girls are getting well enough to be crabby instead of just lethargic, but I imagine Frugalboy will miss the whole week of school.

I can't wait for the day when I don't feel sick anymore. I haven't even been able to knit.