Let the Wild Rumpus Start

Prepare for a long-ish post, as I have some super photos and it may be my last post for a week or two ....

Dear and I are freshly back from Chicago, where my Big Brother got married. It was a fun weekend filled with family and good times, and I wish them both nothing but happiness in their new life (lives?) together.

We saw Dear's sister and two of his nieces in Millenium Park when we arrived. We saw some awesome faces:

Crown Fountain, Chicago

And some shiny distractions:

The Bean

I saw one of my very near and dear friends, Tim:

If you're in Chicago, visit Hazel.

The obligatory prom photo taken post-wedding:

If one more person asks when we're getting married ....

The happy couple:

Rx: Roburt and Xelina

This is pretty much the entirety of my mom's side, minus a cousin and his family (who lives in Korea -- we'll let him off the hook this time):

From L to R: Dear, me, my Mom, Julie, baby Gracie, CJ, Calen, Sally, Jade, Jake, the Funny Grandma, Nan, Barb, Janet, Josie, Dan)

My mom's mother (called the Funny Grandma since we were wee little ones. Can you guess why?):

My Dearest Nana:

She didn't teach me to knit, but she's a wonderful knitter and cross-stitcher herself. There should be a statue in a park somewhere of my Nana - she is a National Treasure. Forgive my shiny face, it was approximately 834 degrees centigrade at the reception.

And I can finally officially announce my super top secret secret. I've given notice at my job (effective July 29), and as of August 6, Dear and I will be moving to Denver, CO. Dear works for a small oil and gas company that has corporate offices both in Houston and Denver. He's been in Houston for a year and a half and has been itching to return to the mountains and drier climates. It was never my plan to stay in Houston forever and he is my Sweet Baboo, so I'm going with him. It just felt kind of funny to post something on-line before letting my employer know I would be leaving (who knows who's Googling my name nowadays anyway).

Part II of the super top secret secret is that when we move, I'm going to attempt a start at my own business. I'll continue posting blogs to spread word about what I do, but my Etsy store (currently filled with nothing) will have a more steady stream of items for sale -- mostly hand-dyed yarns and rovings, but some hand-spuns as well. I plan to have my store in full effect (watch for my ads on Ravelry and the Fiber Cooperative, and for me to participate in the Phat Fiber Sample Box). In addition to the store, I will be making hats and ski masks to sell at shee-shee boutiques in the various ski resort towns around the Denver/ Ft. Collins/ Colorado Springs areas (this part is a little less fully formed in my business plan ... one step at a time). I'll be working part time simultaneously, but my hope is to not have to return to an office day job again, if I can help it. (Send me happy mental thoughts that the Fancy Tiger will choose me as their new sales associate!)

SO in the meantime ... please be patient with the less-than-frequent blog posts. I'll try to squeeze one in here and there, but with two and a half weeks before move date and all the little details that come along with moving out-of-state, I'm just not sure how often I'll be able to post. I'll still be knitting (it does keep me sane) and spinning when I can sit still for any length of time. I'm still honing my skills at dyeing but Ravelry has been (as always) helpful in showing me where I go astray and so trial and error? Here I come.

The over-dyed Cherries and Cream ... now more of a tie-dye that still needs a name. Thoughts?

Wish me luck, blogosphere, and I'll see you a Mile High in the air!