Question of the Week #2 for SP 12

As a kid, what did you look forward to most about summer vacation/break/holiday?

For the first 14 years of my life, I spent pretty much every summer at my Abuelos house in Cali Colombia South America. I couldn't wait to go!! It was such a different life style there and such a different climate as well. I would get to see my Mother's side of the family, the ENTIRE side, all of my Aunts, uncles, cousins, distant cousins, friends, etc. Practice my Spanish, go to my favorite places and eat my favorite foods. Certain scents and pictures can quickly bring back a memory for me.

I haven't been back there in over 10 years, but just writing this out brings back happy memories of happy times.

Question of the Week for SP 12

Question of the Week: What is your favorite summertime drink??

Answer of the Week: For the Summer I love fruit flavored lemonades like fresh strawberry lemonade over ice -- YUM!!

I could always go for a frozen lemonade too :-D

Graduation!!

Okay, so it really isn't a graduation, per se, but, Miss Sunshine graduated from Pre-school yesterday!! What an amazing accomplishment, for us anyway.

It has been such a topsy turvy year for us with Miss Sunshine and to end it with such an amazing end, I was just shedding tears of joy. She actually did all of the class songs at their ceremony with a little bit of extra guidance from the teacher.

For those that don't know, Miss Sunshine was diagnosed with PDD-NOS (it is an Autism Spectrum disorder) back in November and it had been a Roller Coaster ride for us ever since. We are still on it, especially with not knowing where our school district is going to place her for kindergarten this fall. They are still attempting to test her even though her last day of school was officially today.

She is an amazing little girl who tries to hold it all together for precious moments like her graduation and to steal a few words from one of her graduation songs, she truly was a "Superstar" yesterday!

SP 12 - Yes, I signed up because I need Cheering Up

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? Believe it or not, my favorite yarn to knit with is STILL Blue Sky Cotton dyed or organic. I just LOVE it. I also love Pakucho organic. On the top of my do not like list is any animal fiber like wool, mohair, cashmere including silk since I am HIGHLY allergic. Next in line is the fun furs since I think I have overkilled on those

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? My straights are in a nice rolled hand-sewn case. My dpns and circulars are in a box, a nice box with a clasp mind you but a box nonetheless

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I have technically been knitting since I am nine and was taught by my grandmother, Great Aunt and Grandfather's first cousin. Not exactly sure what I consider myself in terms of skill level. There are some things I have tried a long tine ago but just don't like to do so I don't.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? No

5. What's your favorite scent? I like citrus scents but since I am allergic to most perfumes I am pretty picky

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I have a terrible sweet tooth and LOVE milk chocolate

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I make handmade soap and other toiletries. I also do a ton of crafts with my children. You'd never get me on a bicycle in a class. Oh you meant yarn!! No, I don't spin yarn. Tall tales maybe... ;-)

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I have a very eclectic taste in music from classical Vivaldi to Billy Joel/Elton John type to Alternative. My car stereo doesn't play MP3s but my computer does.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? My favorite color is purple, my oldest daughter loves pink (prefers hot pink to baby pink) and my youngest daughter loves lime green. Colors I can't stand? hmmm puce

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? Married, two daughters (the Princess is 7 and Miss Sunshine is 5). We have both a Russian Tortoise named Tina and one dwarf hamster named Ben. Miss Sunshine was diagnosed with an Autism spectrum disorder about 6 months ago which tends to consume a lot of our time.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I do wear hats in the winter and in the sun. I am not a huge scarf wearer but it could be because I have never made myself one for myself. Not a mitten or a poncho wearer.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Right now, projects that I can get no delay of gratification, i.e. quick and easy and done in a day or two.

13. What are you knitting right now? A baby hat

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? I LOVE handmade gifts!! Rarely get them except from my daughters

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Depends on the project but being that Miss Sunshine still has the tendency to pull out my work, circulars work a bit better at guarding against that. I so much prefer bamboo. Rosewood actually if you have it ;-)

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Technically yes but, they were confiscated by a knitting friend and now she winds all my yarn for me. (I had one too many "accidents")

17. How old is your oldest UFO? Define old ;-)

18. What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving. There is no religious aspect to it, our family gets together and is thankful for everything we have, my oldest and I collect cans and donated then to a local food bank, we also donate to a local organization that prepares meals to people living with AIDS, and some of my best holidays memories happened at Thanksgiving

19. Is there anything that you collect? Anything and everything Goofy, as in Disney (you should see our family room), as just added Tinkerbell to that because Miss Sunshine likes the little pixie. Yarn, of course!!

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I am always on the lookout for an all-in-one sweater pattern or dress pattern for my daughters. Even though I can sew seams and dare I say good at it, I don't like to do it

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I am working on my lace

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Sort of. I wear a size 8 shoe

23. When is your birthday? October 3rd

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? Yes, just Sharon ;-)