Play

The kids use the basement as their playroom.  About a month ago we went through a bit of a remodel down there.  The toys were constantly dumped out, even though we had a great organizing system.  It wasn’t like it was a large toy box.  We had baskets for blocks, a basket for the train set, a basket for the play kitchen items.  Anyway, I was getting annoyed with the constant battle…and so were they.  So we redesigned it.  Mostly I took out the majority of the toys and left only the ones they actually play with.

We removed the t.v. down there.  That was the big thing.  The older kids continually snuck down during school time.  The younger kids wanted to do nothing but watch t.v.  We tried restricting it to weekends, but the sneaking continued.  So we took it away.  Knut and I still have a little t.v. on the main floor of the house that we pull out every once in awhile.  It’s in a cabinet, though, and right next to where we study.

In the place of the old t.v. I got a big, wall-sized world map.  The kids love it.  They sometimes just stand and stare at it.  They were really, really excited about that.

We got rid of a few toddler items like a tool bench, and table and chairs that I loved.  Simply put, they didn’t play with them anymore.  I took a Pinterest idea and brought down our old Pack ‘n’ Play that had holes poked in the netting.  We cut out the side with the most holes, and put a crib sheet on top, and it’s the kids’ new reading nook.  That has been a huge hit.  Even Solveig and Ingrid will crawl in there with a book and turn the pages.  Solveig is now at the age where she has books memorized and “reads” (recites) them to Ingrid.  It’s a wonderful snuggle spot.  Eventually I’d love to add one of those nice floor lamps from Kichler Lighting in that area of the basement.

A neighbor was getting rid of their foosball table, and asked if we wanted it.  It’s nothing super special, but the boys play on it constantly, and that’s still the first thing they want to play with Daddy when he gets home.

I cast on for a new project.  I was intending this one to be a part of my collection, but I think I’ll release it this spring instead.  I have already made a sample of this pattern in bright pink, and now I’m making a second in light green.  I’ve never made 2 samples like this before, but I’ll make an exception this time.  Quince and Co. chickadee in leek is this yarn.  I’m making some modifications to the pattern for this second one.  The gauge is a bit bigger, but mostly I needed to clean up a disjointed part of the collar.  I love the pink one that’s finished, but the green one will have all the things I wish I could change about the first one.

I haven’t been this excited about a pattern release since my “Clarity Cardigan.”  It’s going to be another big one.  I can feel it.  This design was started months and months ago, and I put it on the back burner after our car accident.  I’m so excited to finally be getting this one done.  It’s kind of fun working from a pattern I wrote out months ago.  I don’t have a ton of thinking to do, and that’s fine by me.

Seriously, though.  When is the snow going away?  This pattern I’m working on is called “Rhubarb Cardigan” and I might need my rhubarb to sprout up for the pictures.  🙂