For example, these checkbook covers are adorable. I want to make a metric ton of them. And also, adapt them to passport covers. They wouldn’t really take that much time, but I’d also like to finish that lace scarf I posted last time. And the socks. And maybe turn out another quilt. And let’s not even get into the inspiration that Flickr is providing these days – I have to restrain myself some days from running straight out and buying fabric for the tons of quilts that I see and love.

And oh, the cooking I could be doing. Recipes everywhere, but not enough time to dig into the really juicy ones. THANKS, JULIA CHILD. That cookbook is the devil.

But I’ve got these responsibilities – kids, work, school, keeping the house in somewhat of a decent state, showering…things that stand in the way of my so-called hobbies (but let’s be honest, I’ve gone beyond the “hobby” stage with this stuff. Just don’t tell my husband). Although, I’d say that if they want to keep me from snapping people’s heads off, they’d give me mandatory knitting or sewing time every day. It’s really a public service that I’m doing, sneaking in a few minutes here and there between chapters of Economics, bath times, conference calls and the like.

For the crafty out there – please stop being so awesome, at least just for a while. You’re really distracting me from the things that I need to be doing to keep up appearances as a responsible adult.

With all of that comes the urge to…quilt? Wait. That can’t be right! I should be outside, soaking up the sun! I most definitely should NOT be putting together a quilt backing for a very large twin sized quilt.

I also should not be trying my hand at free motion quilting on that baby blanket I whipped together from scraps.

And DEAR LORD, WHY AM I NOT OUTSIDE? (That’s the Half Squares Quilt that I pieced a long time ago, and finally quilted and bound. I luff it.)

To be honest, I have managed quite a few hours of hanging around out with the kids. The weather is gorgeous, and luckily none of us suffers too badly from the allergies that seem to affect the rest of Austin so horribly. We’ve made it through our first soccer game

and what felt like a million Easter egg hunts, but was in reality only four.

It’s a busy time for us, but it’s been good busy.

ANYWAY, I have put my time to good use – setting up the house, hosting parties, and trying to figure out exactly why my two-year-old is attempting to wear me down with the shrill sound of her scream. Whatever the situation, it’s apparently appropriate to scream your little, tiny, red-faced head off, making it difficult to determine if you are in actual pain or just being a pain in the ass.

(Hint: most times? PAIN IN THE ASS. Trust me on this.)

Regardless of how insane she’s been acting, I still found the courage to dress them both up and hit the new neighborhood for Trick or Treating this year. I was accompanied by Optimus Prime and a ladybug fairy. And no, I’m not really sure what a ladybug fairy is, either, but when you’re two it’s really about getting to put on a fancy dress.

They made a pretty decent haul on the candy, half of which was confiscated because it isn’t age appropriate – like, she can’t have small, hard candy because she’ll choke on it. The Snickers bars we took are what we like to call the “Parent Tax”. It’s totally legal, I assure you.

There has also been some sewing and quilting being done. This:

Became this:

And I’m now plowing my way through a giant effing quilt for my husband; there is nothing I’d rather NOT be doing than dragging a full size quilt through my machine, but in the name of marital harmony, I’m totally doing it. Do you REALIZE how much hand sewing is required to turn the binding on something that large? I have a strained wrist, no joke, because of it.  I will totally be sticking to baby quilts in the future.