Happy Easter Monday! Alleluia!

(I tried to fix Tommy's red eye, but I think I gave him eye shadow!)

We had such a great day, despite the fact that I burned the Derby Pie (don't try starting a pie at 11:00 PM after the Saturday Easter vigil), I didn't finish dusting and it snowed during the egg hunt.

Saturday night's fire wasn't quite up to Father's standards (last year's fire is legendary -- "The Biggest Fire in the Archdiocese".) I don't know if it was the wind, or not enough lighter fluid. It was a nice fire, but I was hoping for a YouTube-worthy spectacle. Clay (who would rather not sit through the vigil Mass unless some member of the family is joining the church) did fireman duty and made sure the fire was out.

Maybe next year we should bring in a Christmas tree.

The Easter bunny brought Will a new leather Indiana Jones whip and the John Adams book by David McCullough. And a Dove solid chocolate bunny which he polished off on the way to school this morning. At our house, the boys got watches, bubbles and little boxes of cereal -- the Easter bunny loves to shop at the dollar store.

We had ham, au gratin potatoes, sweet potatoes, asparagus, green salad, that crazy way-too-much-work-but-so-pretty jell-o rainbow salad, sugar cream pie, rhubarb custard pie and a chocolate truffle pie I made early Sunday morning to replace the Derby pie disaster. (chocolate truffle pie = not a keeper).

After everyone headed home, Clay and I napped on the couch, waking up in time to watch the next episode of the John Adams mini series on HBO. (I constantly lobby to get rid of the movie channels, but then something great like this comes up.) It is so good -- I can see that being a DVD gift in Will's Easter basket next year.

Some knitting, as promised:

Dad's sock, knit with two #2 circs, using Knitpicks Essential and the basic pattern from Cat Borhdi's book: The problem with these conversational knitting books (The Sweater Workshop and the EZ books included) is that if I read too fast, I miss crucial instructions, like "move half the stitches to the other needle". I had quite a mess, and ended up ripping back to the beginning of the heel flap. And it feels way too big, even though I checked the gauge carefully. I need to finish this one and start the second, but I haven't touched this for about 2 weeks. I just don't think I am a sock knitter, although, when things were going quite well, on the leg of the sock, I was making all kinds of grandiose plans in my head about who I would knit socks for next!

The EZ BSJ, almost done, with Bernat Cottontots and size 7 circs: Almost doner:

I really enjoyed knitting this, but again, I would have been lost in EZ's pattern if it weren't for help I found on the Internet. And surprise! This would have to be for one really big baby. I was planning it for Josh and Marissa's baby, (who you can see here) but it fits Griffin (who is still our baby, but 18 months old this week.)

I think I will add a collar and an inch or two at the wrists. Five pretty green antique buttons from my mom's button collection. Thanks, mom.

Here is my new plan for baby Gwyn -- the Heartbreaking Cute Baby Kimono from Mason-Dixon Knitting, in Cottontots, too: Last week, I also cast on for a shawl, using Knitpicks Gossamer in the Sweet Peas colorway that I found in the basement. I really have no idea what I purchased that for -- usually, I'm not one just to buy yarn -- I almost always have a plan. I love the knitty Branching Out (I've knit it 3 times now) so I worked it out to repeat the pattern 3 times for a wider shawl, and I'm knitting on #6 needles. I hope it is as pretty as I dream it will be.

Peace.