Graduations, zoo visit, and a free pattern

I'm bustin' my buttons with pride this week. Our family celebrated two graduations this past week. My daughter is a certified Zumba instructor now and this is a week and a half after running and finishing a 5K race around the Philadelphia Art Museum. I don't know where she finds the time and energy when she's also raising my beautiful grandsons.

And we're so very proud of my son-in-law who graduated and is now an LPN. He is a very hard working man and a good example to his boys. Can you tell Moose is excited for his Daddy?!

Last Friday we took Moose and Leo to the Philadelphia Zoo, the oldest zoo in the U.S.

Our first stop was to see the monkeys. The kids were more interesting to watch than the lazy monkeys.

I can't believe Moose willingly posed for a photo. He hasn't been too cooperative in that department lately.

The boys were headed for fun.

Leo took some time to play the "conga drums" just like his Daddy while Moose...

pretended to be a worker ant bringing food into the ant colony.

He investigated a HUGE cockroach to count its legs.

After lunch Moose asked if I would help him drive the swan boat. Unfortunately, his legs weren't long enough to reach the pedals and he didn't get the hang of steering so it wasn't a very long trip. But we had fun anyway.

Leo loves trains.

And loved riding it too.

When it was time to feed the lorikeets he wasn't as enthusiastic.

But neither was Moose at that age. Now he knows how to hold the cup of nectar so the birds can have a snack.

Time for a quick pony ride.

I know there are polar bears somewhere in here.

Ahah! There he is.

Is Mom really going to let me play in this fountain?

YES! She let me get wet!

Another great day at the zoo with my favorite boys must come to an end. We had a very good time and I can't wait to go with them again soon.

Now for some Chicks news. Liz is back from Florida and catching up on all the things we knitted while she was away.

She arrived today with a collection of cowls and scarves and finished up two animals to add to the inventory.

Kathleen finished a hat that can be for either boy or girl.

And added a handsome man's vest for our future donation inventory.

Barbara is working on mittens that will match a hat she finished already.

Liz is working on a blanket too.

Kathleen is working on a reversible striped scarf.

Carole's hedgehog has his face and ears now. He will fit nicely into chubby little hands.

Maureen's scarf is longer.

And Carole's headband is growing too.

I needed a chair to take with me when I knit away from home so I picked up a plain old vanilla folding chair at Lowe's on Saturday. Well, I'm not one to leave vanilla plain so I just had to do a little yarn bombing! Someday I might even cover the legs. But this was enough for now.

One of my knitting newsletters had a free pattern for this ripple stitch so I decided to dig through the stash and make a scarf. I didn't have any labels so I don't know what yarn this is but I like the way it's coming along.

Here is the pattern:

Simple Chevron Ripple

Cast on a multiple of 9 stitches using a needle size appropriate for the weight yarn you are using.

Row 1:  (RS) *K2tog, K1, [K1fb] 2 times, K2, SSK; repeat from * to end

Row 2:  Purl

Repeat rows 1 and 2 for pattern to desired length.

I added four stitches to either end to make sure the fabric lays flat. This scarf will need a thorough blocking to prevent curling. I'll show you again when it's finished.