Don't call it a comeback...

Or maybe you should, I haven't blogged in what seems like forever. So, here's a random assortment of what I've been up to.

Went to Minneapolis via Chicago on the 14th. La and I stayed the night with my cousin Simone on Friday night. We ate a the Grande Luxe cafe which was awesome in downtown Chi. Our flight left Chicago before the break of dawn, and we arrived in Minneapolis by 8:30. We ate breakfast, went back to Michael's, got some rest, ate again, and then went out. We did a lot of eating, playing Wii, and resting. Overall was a good trip. Real laid back, and those are my favorite kind. Between the 4 of us, we know quotes from all the movies of all times. The most often quoted movie was by far Jackie Brown. We watched No Country For Old Men which was much crazier than I was ever expecting, and, I didn't like the ending, but the movie is still worth seeing.

I'm still dating Ike Nick. Things are going well.

I've been a knitting machine. For me anyway. Mostly hats, which I'm getting tired of knitting, so I think I'm going to try to work a lot on scarves, dishclothes, and baby booties. A friend and my cousin are both pregnant. So, I'm going to try my hands a some new things, I'll post some pictures! I joined this knitting community website called Ravelry, one of the most addicting websites I have ever been too. If you simply like knitting, Ravelry will turn you into a fanatic, trust me. Before I started frequenting that website, I would knit things, but I wasn't always thinking about it, coming up with ideas of what to make for people, going to the yarn store to find more yarn, and it just goes on and on. I'm officially addicted to the craft that I once thought would be a cheap hobby, silly me.

My weight loss isn't going so well, I've actually gained weight, because I haven't been working out, and I've been eating like a linebacker. I'm trying to get it together though.

Can't wait for the trip to Punta Cana this summer, I definitely need a vacation. I thought I would have a hard time getting my passport, but it arrived about 3 weeks after I applied for it, so I'm all good! Now I just need to pay the rest of my money.

I'm considering becoming a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate for children in foster care. I've always wanted to give back in some way, and kids are my weekness. I've received some information, and I'm going to look through it and see how I feel about it. I want to be sure, cause I would hate to do it and quit.

I haven't really done anything new to the house, which surprises me, cause I thought I would be trying to do it all. Maybe I'll get the itch soon. I want to go ahead and paint the kitchen that I've been talking about painting since Christmas. Maybe it will actually happen soon!

I've been playing Guitar Hero like a big kid, I love it.

I guess that's all I can think of for now!

Double Parallelogram Hat

Double Parallelogram Hat
Originally uploaded by Dani_C

My first hat design, sort of. I was making my cousin a hat and scarf set, and my bff suggested that I do the parallelogram pattern for the scarf, and I could not find the pattern for a hat, so I adlibbed, and this is what I came up with. Feel free to use this pattern. I will request that you link to this post and do not use it for profit! So here it is, please email dclaxton@gmail.com for any errata.

Materials:
Size 8 circular needles
Stitch markers
Yarn of your choice

Techniques:
Knitting, Purling

Cast On 90 stitches (be sure not to twist the stitches when joining in the round)

*k1, p1
Repeat round for about 1.5 inches (I did 7 rounds)

Row 1: *p5, k5
Row 2: p4, *k5, p5 to last 6 k5, p1
Row 3: p3, *k5, p5 to last 7 k5, p2
Row 4: p2, *k5, p5 to last 8 k5, p3
Row 5: p1, *k5, p5 to last 9 k5, p4
Row 6: k1, *p5, k5 to last 9 p5, k4
Row 7: k2, *p5, k5 to last 8 p5, k3
Row 8: k3, "p5, k5 to last 7 p5, k2
Row 9: k4, *p5, k5 to last 6 p5, k1
Row 10: *k5, p5

Rep rows 1 - 10 until desired length (I did 4 repeats for a total of 40 rows of the pattern, or until entire hat measures approximately 7 inches)

Decrease:
1: *k8, k2tog
2: *k7, k2tog
3: *k6, k2tog
4: *k5, k2tog
5: *k4, k2tog
6: *k3, k2tog
7: *k2, k2tog
8: *k1, k2tog
9:*k2tog

Me and Dani

Me and Dani
Originally uploaded by lovelifelive4evr

We are getting old. This was probably the highlight of the night out, except talking about people, which we do on the regular! Went to have a drink, which we haven't done in forever, and was back home and in the bed by 1.

What's been going on with me you ask???

I've been knitting, not fast, but consistently. When I'm at home watching TV, I knit, very good for me, as I tend to let projects go on forever. I love ravelry.com too. All social networking sites should take some tips from them. And, it's still in beta, so when it's officially released, I'm sure it will be amazing.

I've been dating, a nice guy, probably won't talk too much about him, as I'm tired of disappointments. We did have a really nice Valentine's Day. He bought me the best gifts that I've ever gotten from a guy on any day, so things are going very well.

I'm a little upset at A.irtran Airways website. A few of us are going to Minneapolis and we were trying to buy tickets online, and they were $39 each way at the time, but the website was messed up, so we ended up having to pay$66 each way. Some BS. They still ended up being cheaper than any other airline. I still don't think we should have had to pay extra because their website was messed up.

I'm looking forward to the trips that I have planned this year. Especially since I didn't go anywhere really last year. I'm mostly excited about the Dominican Republic in July, but the small trips are exciting too. They give me something to look forward to in the meantime.

I applied for my passport this past weekend. It should get here in time. I'm hoping 5 months is plenty of time. If I don't get it in 2 months, I will be harassing the Departm.ent of Transportation until I do!

I've watched the entire first season of The B.oondocks, that ish is hilarious. And oh so true even though it's on the extreme side.

I want...

• Some size 6 circular knitting needles, just because!
  
• Some harmony knitting needles, they look so cool, and they aren't very expensive at all
  
• To knit a sweater sometime soon, I kind of shy away from trying new things when it comes to knitting, but I need to take a step out there
  
• A plasma TV, I'll eventually get one when my sister moves out, but I'm in no rush for her to go
  
• A Marc Jacobs bag, but I can't afford one at this point in my life
• To make money without having to go to work
• Some more boots, heels, tennis shoes, ballerina flats, flip flops... I love shoes, can't you tell?
• Every weekend to be 3 days instead of 2...

Randomness

• It is too cold outside, it's really ridiculous...
• I just can't seem to shake this cold that I have...
• I'm dating someone, that is actually looking for a relationship, I don't talk about him much, I guess I just don't want to bare all of the details of something that may not last...
• I finished the scarf that I was making for my cousin, now I need to start the hat!
• I want to make some socks...
• ravelry.com is awesome...
• I still haven't painted my kitchen, I swear it's going to be done before March...
• I bought my niece a MP3 player off of www.woot.com today, for 10 dollars, great birthday present for both of us, lol...
• LLC is so awesome for quitting smoking, and going back to school...
• Trips planned: Minneapolis in March, Dallas in May (maybe), Dominican Republic in July, I can't wait...
• I need a new microwave, and vacuum cleaner...

DTAIBAI

Don't talk about it, be about it. That's my motto for losing weight. Starting Monday, I'm working out, at least 4 days a week. And, no more Mountain Dew, or Snickers. It's time, to get my mind right, so that when I go to Punta Cana this summer, I don't have to feel insecure about how I'm looking, and I can take as many pictures as I want to, I take that back, so I can post as many pictures as I want to. There is probably nothing that will stop me from taking pictures, lol. I don't want to be skinny, just in shape, and looking good, in whatever I decide to put on. So YM.CA, get ready for ya girl, the time has come, for me to quite talking about losing weight, and get it done...