For God so loV ed the world,

That He gAve

His onLy

BegottEn

SoN

That whosoever

Believeth In Him

Should Not perish,

But have Everlasting life

John 3:16

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

An oldie but a goodie!

I have had this sweater half finished and in a bag for the last two years! I finally was motivated to finish it and had the neck, sleeves and rest of body to do. Unfortunately my son had grown in the last two years and I ran out of yarn (which of course had been discontinued and I could not find anymore). So I added the green color when I ran out of the other (his pick). I hope it looks "European" and not "my son's arms are too long and I had to add on some of this yarn". The pattern is a favorite of mine from Pure and Simple - a neck down raglan sweater. It is fun to make and a cinch to finish since it is done top down in one piece.

New projects

Just finished a fun layout challenge from Stephanie's blog. The challenge was to scrap something essential in your daily routine. Here's mine:

I also started a Knit a long (what's a knit a long? - Well, it is when a couple of people decide to knit the same project and then they can ask each other questions about it or check out each other's progress etc.) It is an Anthropologic knock off shrug. It is coming along. Here is what it looks like now:

My son Tyler helped me pick the color!

TAG!! I'm it!!

Ok - let's lighten up the blog a bit! Sylvia tagged me again! I feel so obligated when I get called out on a blog! "-)

So here goes!

Four Jobs You Have Had In Your Life:
1. Program Assistant - Harman Management (KFC Franchise) - I've had this job the last 10 years almost. It entails event planning, publishing/editing, award ordering, and anything else that may fall into our department and it usually does!
2. Nurse Recruiter - This was while we lived in Texas (for 6 months). I liked the job and working with people and doing background checks. Kind of scary though that ultimately who I pushed along the hiring process would be caring for people's health and would they do a good job or not and the not could be the patient dying.
3. Budget rent a car - this was also in Texas and it was the job from Hell!! We couldn't find any work out there so I was desperate. To sum it up - just know that there are still chauvinistic men out there who only think women are good for their looks.
4. San Jose Parks and Rec - did this while I was in college and actually got my degree in Rec and leisure studies to do it as a career. Too bad that the city is so bureaucratic that I couldn't get my foot in the door for a more permanent position.

Four Movies You Would Watch Over and Over:
1. Point Blank (I think that is what it is called with John Cussac)
2. Elf
3. Hmm can't think of any but I now there are more!
4. Family Man

Four Places You Have Lived:
1. San Jose, CA
2. Harlingen, Texas
3. Bethesda, MD
4. Lauringburg, NC

Four TV Shows You Like To Watch: - just 4??
1. Lost
2. Invasion
3. Dirty Jobs
4. Survivor

Four Places You Have Been On Vacation:
1. Maui
2. Charleston, SC
3. Hmm?
4. Need to go on more vacations!

Four Websites You Visit Daily:
1. Two Peas
2. my friend's blogs (at least once a week)
3. Lion Brand website (knitting)
4. other people's blogs

Four Favorite Foods:
1. Japanese Food
2. Thai food - yummy!!
3. Cheese steak sandwich
4. Chocolate dessert from friend's restaurant

Four Places I Would Rather Be Right Now:
1. Disneyland
2. On the tennis courts
3. Hawaii - watching the sunset
4. At my grandmother's house

Four blockers I am tagging: - but they are so popular they probably have already been tagged! :-)
1. Shannon
2. Hillary
3. Stephanie
4. Michel

Just letting you know that we made it back from the funeral safe and sound. Wow - what a touching service. It really made an impact on me and I wish they would have recorded it. Matt's grandparents had very little and yet they made a HUGE impact on their 6 children and the rest of the family. They both loved God and it showed. Matt's grandma, Effie was more outspoken and with attitude (which you couldn't help but love) but with his Grandpa he was more quiet and gentle which earned your respect and admiration. I have never known a family that got a long so well as my MIL and her 5 siblings. They each took turns caring for him the last years of his life. A cousin who is a pastor preached about the sacrifice they made to care for their Dad the way they wanted and I was so glad he said that. All of his kids spoke so well about their Dad and the example he was to them. What got you most choked up was when each of his 4 big, tall sons got choked up and some flat out cried over their Dad.

Matt and I talked after about how amazing the service was and how his Grandpa ended life here on earth as you should. You really got the feeling that he left a legacy and to be a part of the Routon family is a blessing and also a responsibility to carry on the faith in God and unconditional love of others. Seeing the 7 grandsons dressed in their best lined up in the pews as pallbearers (my husband one of them) will forever be etched in my mind. It had such a formalness to it that I haven't seen before and they did this at both their grandparent's funerals. I was really proud of Matt.

I remember one of the last stories Grandpa Eddie shared with my family when we visited him. He was a young man in Oklahoma and the dustbowl hit during the depression so he packed up his pregnant wife and made the pilgrimage to California (a true Grapes of Wrath story) not knowing what he would do or how they would survive. He was a farmer, had very little and his kids worked in the fields or took care of the other siblings. Can you imagine those hardships? Yet he ended his life a wealthy man with riches that no one can take away from him and everyone can have a share of it and that is how it should be. It was fun to hang out with my all my husband's family (lots of Aunts and Uncles and cousins). It was said it was more like a reunion than a funeral and I think his grandparents would want it that way and they were smiling down on us.

I really shouldn't be blogging.....
I have so much to do. Last weekend we went to LA for our 12th anniversary and it went well except for the massage from hell that left Matt and I both so bruised the next day he couldn't even touch my back. Anyway on the way home we found out that my inlaws had been trying to reach us (we missed their message on our cell phone). They had been wanting us to come back Saturday night instead of Sunday because my husband's grandpa passed away. So we felt so bad about delaying them and sad that we didn't know right away he passed away. But he was a good man, loved God, had a great family around him that get along better than any family I have seen so life was good for him and I know he is in heaven now with his love enjoying an eternity of no more pain or sadness. Keep our seat warm up their Grandpa Routon! (sorry for the tangent) anyway, I have so much to do and we are heading out of town in a couple of hours. Ask me if me, my husband or my two kids are packed? No - ask me if I am stressing out - yes! So I thought I would treat myself and check my emails and an hours later I am further behind than normal. I really gotta go but just wanted to leave a message for you all so you know I haven't dropped off the face of the earth!!

Since it is my anniversary week (12 years) I have to have at least one blog dedicated to my man! I did this one just before all our "technology went out". That is what our 5 year old said when our power went out on New Year's day due to freaky CA weather (he is just too cute for his own good).

I had taken this pic a while ago of Matt's lucky shirt that says - Don't hate the Player, hate the Game. The story behind the shirt is that I bought it for him. It may be confusing but "player" is not the "player" you are probably thinking of and what the shirt's initial meaning is. When my husband plays poker his normally mild mannered personality is taken over by his alter ego that likes to egg people on and be a bully, trash talker at the table so I thought this shirt was perfect for him. So that is the meaning behind the shirt. Get it??

Anyway I like the picture and I like how the layout came together.

*Disclaimer - to my friends that may find this blog offensive due to the gambling aspect of it (and you know who you are :-)). I just have to say don't take this too seriously - we don't need an intervention or anything.