Congradulations are due!!!

I know that I have been behind in my blogging, and I have one in the wings. However, I had to jump in quick to tell the world my brother, Adam, passed his Paramedic test!!!!!!!! I am so freaking proud of him. I won't share the details, but it was a long road for him. I cried when he told me. Good going, little brother. You are well on your way to changing the world!

What's Up, Buttercup?

Some pretty exciting times here at the ol' homestead.
First up, I got my hair cut. I had 12 inches cut off. Here is the end result:
I LOVE IT! I was using my old hair as a "security blanket". I more or less hid behind it. It was hot, heavy, and too much, and I was DONE!!!!! I went with my friend Paula from work, and cut it off. It feels so nice, light. The hairstylist straitened it for me, but it is naturally wavy. Now, the waves come out, and it looks cool. I actually look semi grown up now.
As I promised last time, here is the knitting content. I am working on my next pair of socks.
The yarn is Opal sock yarn. I don't remember the exact color number, but it is from the Dream catcher line. The pattern is "Classy Slip-Up" from Knit Socks! by Betsy Lee McCarthy. It has been really easy to follow. I have knit other socks from this book before, and it has been user friendly. I recommend it.
I was going to take more pics of the gardens, but it is raining. Those will have to wait until next time. I did plant a couple rows of corn today. I have never grown corn, so I am excited to see how it turns out. My tomatillo plant has blossoms on it already. Cool.
I have come to a place in my life. I am in a rut that I don't know how to get out of. I need something different, new, challenging. I don't know. I am looking, but I don't know for what. We will see. Stay tuned for updates.
And of course, the gratuitous cat shots.

Happy Birthday Little Brother!

To start this post off, my brother Adam's birthday is on Tuesday! He is going to be 25. I cannot believe that my brother is 25! Crazy. We got together as a family this afternoon to celebrate. Here are some pics to share the joy.
On a side note: He is a fireman, and I am so freakin' proud of him.

Next, and update on the garden. My climbing rose bush is beautiful.

My awesome friends Paula and Jacob, and their boys L. and B. showed up Saturday morning with a load of dirt for the raised boxes. Not only did they transport it over an hour, they helped set up the boxes and unload the dirt. What did they charge, you ask? Lunch. These are truly awesome people. When friends like this come around, you don't let them go. Thanks guys!
That is about the most excited things that have happened to me the past week or so. Work is going well. We are working on setting up a garden on the Alzheimer's unit where I work. The local Wal-mart was kind enough to donate mulch and plants to the cause. Not only did we get some flowers and vegetable plants, we also got some herbs to set up a small, fragrant herb garden. I hope the residents enjoy it. The next step in the process is to get the beds set up to plant. I promise more knitting in the next post. This time of year, I spend a lot of time in the yard and garden, so the knitting front is very slow.
To end, here are some gratuitous cat shots: