I taught all this morning so  the Davids spent the morning together.  They went to the playground, and then they went to Chick Fil A.  David figured out where the closest one was, and off they went.  Apparently Davey was really missing Chick Fil A.

The first thing he said to me when I walked in the door was, “MOMMY!!!  There is a Chick Fil A CLOSE to us!”  He’s been talking about Arkansas a little less each day, and today after the Chick Fil A visit, he said, “Daddy, Colorado feels like home to me now.”    I am not sure why he likes Chick Fil A  so much.  Maybe it is the combination of the great play area and the fact that the chicken and waffle fries are pretty darn good there.  So Yay for Chick Fil A!  (They should pay me for advertising!)

Continuing on news about Davey, he’s doing great on potty training today.  Maybe that’s another sign that he is starting to settle in here.  After all, we did yank him up and move him just a wee bit quickly.

Knitting.  UGH.  Not a stitch yesterday.  My poor heel-less Boyfriend Sock.  Those poor beautiful new balls of yarn ready to go for the Breakfast Sock.  Hopefully tonight.

Ok the discovery of Chick Fil A led to the discovery of Super Target, so we are going to go check it out!

Ok, all the ends are woven in on my “Boyfriend” sock.  I am proud to say that the seam is much improved over my attempt on my first sock!   Now I’ve picked up the stitches to knit the heel.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get them all picked up.  I should have 35 on one needle and 36 on the other, but I am short a couple.  This is a problem.  But I don’t see any dropped stitches either, so I am not sure what is going on.  I will try to get that figured out tonight.

I am ready to get going on my next pair of socks.  The book has titled them as “Breakfast in Bed”.  From this point forward, I will refer to them as the “Breakfast Socks.”  Here’s the yarn I will be using:

Here’s another photo, I don’t know why.

My wireless on my computer is so hinky today.  It’s making me nuts.  It works and then it doesn’t and then it does.  Meanwhile, I dragged David’s pc down the hall to plug directly into the router.  It continues to work just fine throughout.  So something is causing interference.  I moved the cell phone.  I moved the home phone.  I moved my computer around a little.  Maybe it’s Koko’s snoring?  Or Timber’s hulking self lying in the path between the router and the computer?  I don’t know.  I still can’t grasp that I walk amidst all these wireless waves.

This morning I took Davey to story hour.   To say that he enjoys it would be a huge understatement.  Last week, we went to Toddler Time on Tuesday.  First time he’d ever been to a story hour.  We sat down together on the floor.   He sat on my lap.  The kids and parents made a kind of half circle around where the librarian was going to be.  However, as soon as she arrived and got started, Davey was up like a shot.  He sat down front and center.  Right in the middle.  Practically in her lap. I had to caution him about kicking her shoes when he’d get excited.

They do all kinds of little songs between books.  They wave their arms and jump around. Davey just ate it up. He’d look around at everyone else to watch them, and he was just grinning.  He loved it.   I’d like to have taken some photos!

Ok gotta get my classes ready for this evening and tomorrow.  Davey’s got a cold and is not feeling too well.  I’ll go sit by him and work a little.  This teaching is great, but it is seriously cutting into my knitting time!

First off, Boyfriend Sock #2 is almost done!  I have loved making these socks, but I have been working on them for over a month now.  There have been a few interruptions and extenuating circumstances, but I am finally almost done.  I have to get the heel knit in and weave in all these ends.  I didn’t disclose all these ends on sock #1, but I thought there should be truth in sock making.

So I hope to finish these up today.

Yesterday, we went on a walk.  There are trails all around us.  It just takes a few minutes to get to them.  We first walked into an area that looked like this:

Once we got over to this area, we came upon large prairie dog villages.   I tried to get some pictures of them.  This little prairie dog was letting me have it because I was getting too close.  She was chirping at me, but it was more than a chirp.  Very loud and insistent.

As we walked, we saw signs that said “Coyote Country”, and they explained what you are supposed to do when you see a coyote.  Davey and I had read that sign when we’d been walking a few days prior.  I’d heard coyotes barking in groups before, but they were always pretty far away from our house.  I never considered them coming close to us humans.  Of course then I wasn’t standing in the midst of thousands of tasty prairie dogs either.   I read that we were supposed to speak in “loud and firm” voices, and we were not to run.  I kinda thought running might be a bad idea, and I can definitely be loud if I see one, but the firm voice might be hard to pull off.  A hysterical shrill screaming voice might be easier.   After Davey and I looked at the sign, he explained to me that coyotes were friendly.  Then every time the grass would blow, he’d ask if there was a coyote nearby.  The first few times, I’d about jump out of my skin, but when no friendly coyote appeared, I got over it.

So anyway, on Sunday, we kept walking and and ended up by a small lake.   Davey got out of the stroller and took a look with Daddy.

Then we had to stop for a snack.  Davey always loves a picnic of any size.

Ok now to go work on weaving in those ends!

I finished up my Hermione hat, and I wanted to get some pictures of it.  I tried having David take some of me wearing it, but those just were not much fun.  Plus I had the hat on inside out.  I was wondering why it looked funny with the cables inside.

So then Davey came to my rescue.  He’s working the pose here.  He’s not unhappy!

Actually Daddy helped us with the hat modeling:

This is a really fun hat to make.  It would be a great first cables project.

So Davey has taken on another important role in addition to hat model.  He loves to help me walk the dogs.  Timber would still be a little much for him, so he has been walking Koko.   He talks to her all the way through it.  “Koko, come on!”   Of course he has to throw out some “Good Grief Koko!” and “For Cryin’ Out Loud!”  He also directs her:  “Koko, that is NOT the pooping area!”

I get the feeling here that Koko is rolling her eyes at me and saying, “Seriously?”

But Davey was good with her and knew to be gentle.  He was happy to be outside walking the dogs with Daddy!

Now we are headed into Coyote Country to check out the prairie dog village.  I’ll take pictures!

It’s so nice to be back online at home.  It’s nice to write on my blog at home.

It was so nice outside today and we are all settled in now, so we decided to head to the Denver Zoo.

Davey was very excited.  He loved to take the map and look over it and tell us where things were.  He did very well with the little graphic/pictures.

Davey also liked leading our little expedition.  We’d stop at an exhibit.  When he was ready to move on he’d say, “Next!”  Off we’d go.

He loved riding the train and the carousel.

I really enjoyed the tiger cubs.  There were 4 of them chasing each other and wrestling all over the place.  They were a lot of fun to watch.  Then, we were on our way out, and we started to hear this steady loud thumping.  It sounded like a bass drum.  Boom boom boom boom.  We got closer to the sound.  There we saw Mimi and Dolly the elephants.  (They’ve been at the Denver Zoo for 40 years I think!)  Well I don’t know who is Mimi and who is Dolly, but one of them was steadily (like a metronome!) thumping her trunk against the closed door to their tall house where they live.  They were ready to go in for the day!  I loved that.

Davey was in and out of his stroller all day.   I just asked him what his favorite animal was and he told me “Giraffes.”  They were very fun too.

We also enjoyed the mountain goats and big-horned sheep.  I refrained from taking too many animal shots though.  They are always so much fun to take at the zoo, but they are never all that fun to look at at home.  Much less on a blog I would imagine.  So here is Davey giving David a kiss in front of the mountain goats!

I really got some good knitting in on my sock last night.  I am almost finished with the chart of the foot.  Then I have the toe and the heel left to do.  Yay.  They will be done.

It’s been a fun day.

We are supposed to get internet, phone and cable tomorrow morning between 7 and 9.  I am so excited that I have an Eve for it!

I’ve missed blogging this week, and I still don’t have photos or much time right now.

I did finish my Hermione hat.  I really love it.  I am going to have David take a picture of it for me tomorrow.   I’ve started the hat for Davey.  He picked out red yarn.  Tonight, my boyfriend socks are coming out again!  I’ve survived my first week at school, and I am ready to finish them up!

I am at McDonald’s now.  It’s about time to head home for dinner.  Leftover chili.   We can eat chili for days.  The first day was chili and cornbread.  Yesterday was chili and penne.  Tonight chili dogs!  After that we may be “chili-ed” out!

Davey is adjusting to our new home.  Each day I think it’s easier for him.  Yesterday I asked him if he liked our apartment.  He said, “No, it’s not fancy enough.”  I was thinking what?  Fancy?  I asked him, “Davey, what do you find not fancy about it?”   He said, “There is no hose.” (as in outside hose to water the flowers, himself and me).  I told him we’d try to buy a house soon so that he can have a hose.  Funny kid!

Now it’s time for our chili dog Connectivity Eve celebration!

I finally sat down for about 30 minutes last night and worked on my Boyfriend Socks.  Yay for that.  I am on the home stretch on them, so I’ll hope to finish them soon.    I’ve been knitting on my Hermione hat a little as well.  That is the hat that never ends for me even though I do like working on it.

Yesterday morning we went to Golden.

What a beautiful town with a river that runs through it.   We almost lost David right there.  He was about ready to go home, get the Jeep, a fishing rod and disappear into the mountains.

This was as close as he would get to trout today though:

We walked around the town and along the river for awhile and then went looking for some lunch.  We checked several deli type places looking for the elusive peanut butter and jelly sandwich for Davey.  Finally – success, and it was at a great local deli.  David and I loved it.  Unfortunately, I should have known that a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for Davey is a lot more than bread, peanut butter and jelly.  I had a feeling we were in trouble as soon as I saw him pull out the thick italian hoagie type roll.  Then he put peanut butter on the sandwich and did not spread it out evenly and thinly.  Finally, he used strawberry jam, and he glooped a huge glop onto it.  This was not white bread with peanut butter and grape jelly evenly applied followed by cutting the sandwich into small even squares.  Here’s what Davey ate: (chips)

After lunch, we walked around some more.  Davey found a rock area which he called his playground.  He had a great time there.

It’s about time to head out.  It’s beautiful weather today so we will hopefully spend the afternoon outside.   Maybe we will take the dogs with us.  Davey loves to talk to them as we walk.  “Good Grief Guys!  For Cryin’ Out Loud!” (as they drag me around.) I don’t know where he got it, but he says “For Cryin’ Out Loud” in the most nasally voice.  If you hold your nose and say it then you will have it exactly as he says it.

Have a great Labor Day!

Thank goodness for 3 things:  Wifi.  Schools who issue laptops (my next computer = laptop) and McDonald’s.  I am not sure that I’ve ever been too thankful for McDonald’s.  But this McDonald’s has free Wifi and a huge indoor playland which Davey loved yesterday. He played for probably an hour and made just as many friends as he could.  He played with a little girl about his age.  Then two kids just a little older helped him climb everything that he’d just previously climbed on his own.  Very sweet.  It’s a huge big tall playground with tubes way up high.  It doesn’t phase him a bit.  I’m not sure I’d venture up there myself.

Davey’s also enjoying walking the dogs with me.  He laughs hysterically as they yank me around, get tangled around my legs, and try to pull me off the trail.  Two 14 year old dogs and they still walk me.  Stubborn northern breeds!  Of course, guess what he laughs at the very most?  What brings him to a state of hiccups?  Yes,  seeing them poop and pee.  He finds it hilariously fascinating.

We are going to Golden in a little while to look around and “stroll” awhile.  Davey loves to go stroll.   I need to take some pictures today.

No knitting.  UGH.  no knitting at all.  I am trying to get ready for 4 classes plus I learned that I have a lab to teach too.  I am very glad to be teaching, and I am looking forward to it, but it is seriously cutting into my knitting time.  That and trying to get moved in.  We lack just a few boxes from being finished.  Yay!

I didn’t take many pictures of our trip, but I did take a few that I want to put up.

Here, the house is almost empty and Davey is watching a dvd on his little player.  It’s kinda a sad and pitiful photo:

I loved seeing big sky again.  I’d forgotten or maybe never realized how much I love big open spaces.

So even though moving has been a little tough on Davey, he’s stayed happy and smiling most of the time.  Here he was watching some Dora before we left Hays, Kansas.

Our dogs have moved with us several times.  I have pictures like this one of when they were still puppies and we moved to Seattle.   This was in Hays also, and it was really chilly that morning.

Smiling Davey.  David and I were underdressed, but I’d at least thought to bring Davey a jacket.

Here are all almost all of our worldly possessions.  (We left a few things in Arkansas – some permanently and some we will return for when we get into a house!)

Davey got the tripod out while we were unpacking.  He was taking lots of “pictures” of us as we worked.  He gives us positive feedback as well.  “Daddy, you’re a good worker.  Mommy, great job!”  He also heard us get frustrated with all the boxes everywhere.  So today when we were walking, he said, “Mommy, we got all the Junk cleared out of there!”

Ok – time to head home to get the Davids.

Two things I have been missing a lot for the last week.  Knitting and Blogging.  At about 10pm last night, I got out my Boyfriend Sock and I knitted about 2 rounds.  There is a nice thing about not knitting for awhile.  I am kind of a knitting dork maybe, but it was just nice to feel those sock needles in my hands again, and I was kind of transfixed by watching my hands make stitches and seeing the colors change.   I am also seriously overtired still and so I may be extra amused by small things at this point.  Like the idea of sitting.

So now, I am sitting here in the library at our new school, and I am going to blog a little.  No internet at home until next Thursday.  I don’t know how to learn about a new city without Google readily available.

Anyway, we are here.  I have some pictures that I’d like to put up, but they will have to wait.  Davey’s adjusting to our new apartment. Toward the end of the day, he gets pretty tired and he will say, “I want to go to Arkadelphia-town (that’s what he calls it).  I want to throw our apartment in the TRASH.”  The trash is his new fixation, although it still takes a second compared to POOP!

A few things about our trip:  We had planned to leave Monday at Noon.  We left Monday at 7:30pm.  By the time we got to Little Rock, Koko was trying to climb out of the back of the car, over the backseat.  Davey was not enjoying this at all.  We gave her some more doggy valium, and she settled down.  We got to David’s brother’s house at 3am.  Probably not one of our more brilliant driving decisions.  Trying to stop at a hotel with 3 dogs didn’t appeal to us too much either though.  We made it though.

Part of the purpose of the stop in Oklahoma was to leave Daisy in “foster care.” She’s our 3rd little dog,  and she is now very happily settled in at David’s brother’s house.  She has acres to check out, an awesome porch to sit on, and I think she is happy to be away from Koko our chow.  They never liked each other much.  We may never convince her to come back to us.

Tuesday, we left at about 1pm or so headed for Hays Kansas.  By the time we started to head west on I-70, it was dark.  Once we started heading west though, we got to watch a great lightning storm for almost an hour.  It was well ahead of us, and we didn’t get any rain from it.  And what I saw here, I don’t think I will ever forget.  As we were driving, I started to see these flashing red lights ahead.  I asked David what they were.  (Since I lost my cellphone, we borrowed walkie talkies from his brother – they worked great).   He didn’t know.  So we are driving along.  Suddenly, there is an enormous flash of lightning.  The whole field next to me lights up, and there are these huge wind turbines all lined up out in the field.  If I had not been strapped to my seat, I think I might have done a backflip right out of it.  It was all very eerie War of the Worlds looking.  These huge alien creatures making their way across the fields.  Scared the crud out of me.  But it was so cool looking too.  I will never forget that image of those turbines.  I wish I could have gotten a picture of that exact moment.

The rest of the drive was tiring and pretty uneventful thankfully.  Davey and I were about at the end of our driving ropes as we approached Denver.  We started playing a game:

Me:  “Davey, let’s just stop at that house and see if those people will let us move in.”

Davey: “Mommy, we have a problem.  We don’t have a road to get to that house.”

Me:  “Davey, how about we just stop and sleep in that barn.”

Davey: “No Mommy!  That’s for horses!”

And so on.  That kept us going for the last hour or so.

And so we are here.  Unpacking, getting settled in, while also trying to figure out what the heck we are teaching next week.

I don’t think it got out of the 60s yesterday which was a nice welcome.  The dogs loved it.  Koko’s head tilt (from her vestibular disease) is suddenly completely gone.  She still walks like she is kind of drunk, but she’s moving around better.  I think the altitude may agree with her.

And now it is time to stop sitting.

Almost done.  It was another busy day, but I think we are just about ready to load the truck.  We wanted to have most loose ends tied up tonight so that when the house is empty, we will be close to ready to head out.

Davey helped Daddy put the finishing touches on the front of the house today.  They mulched, did some painting, and concrete repair.

Davey played in the water in the front, and then it started raining.  He found it pretty funny to be doubly wet as a result.

I asked Davey to do a little fancy footwork dancing for me.  Surprisingly, he did!

And then a bashful look!

Tonight, Davey wanted his crib back.  “I want my black crib.”  David told him that if he had his crib, then he couldn’t come jump into bed with us in the middle of the night as he now sometimes likes to do.  (He did it twice last night.)

“Well Daddy, you can put a hole in the crib board so I can crawl out.”

And then Davey told him, “Daddy your bed is too thick (it’s kinda tall so it is a little tough for him to climb up, but he always manages.)  You need to throw it in the trash.”

Then he started laughing and said, “Oh yeah, you can’t throw it in the trash.  Your bed is too big for the trash!”

Just part of our pre-bedtime conversation.  Then he turned away from David to face me.  He wrapped both of his arms around my neck and fell asleep almost immediately.   Sweet boy.  I am glad I can blog about these times.

Ok so I won’t have computer access (I don’t think) until Wednesday or so.  I might have to figure out something, although I don’t know if it will work out.  I have gotten hooked on blogging every day!