I leave my house in about 2 hours. I'm completely ready. All of my luggage is by the door (except for my awesome new laptop backpack). I'm so friggin excited I can't even stand it. The next few hours are going to drag the hell on for ev er. And then I'll be in Anchorage probably squirting coke out my nose from laughing at Nikki. I can't even imagine the kind of fun we're going to have. I don't think I've ever taken a trip with just my parents and Nikki. Dad says he thinks we'll be annoying. What that really translates to is he's going to lose 15 pounds from laughing at us and he can't wait. We are about to make some memories to entertain us for a lifetime.

A few days ago I taught myself how to crochet beanies. Now, I'm a very talented person. I have acquired many artistic skills over the years and I'm a fairly fast learner. None of that could save me for this project. There's a reason that in 27 1/2 years I've never mastered crocheting a beanie. Trust me, I've tried many time before. But this time I had a drive. I had something to motivate me, something to prove. And I refused to give up. So after getting it almost done, I unraveled the stupid piece of crap 6 times!!! 6 TIMES!!!!! 6 Is not a big number, but 6 also plays another role in this story. I started the beanie at 6 in the morning. (Don't ask, it's this ridiculous habit Ozker and I have gotten in to). Once I got it started I couldn't put it down. So while Mom and Nikki and I went shopping around I was sitting in the back seat fighting car sickness just to keep going on this damn thing. My finger muscles ached, literally ached, every time I moved them. I didn't know fingers and hands could get stiff. So after using 36 of the next 48 hours to crochet I was finally pleased with the outcome.

Well if you know me and the women in my family at all then you know we all have a serious disease of OCD. I'm now completely obsessed with making more beanies. So my new super awesome laptop backpack is stuffed full of yarn and hooks just waiting for me to crochet away my life for the next 26 hours until Mom and Dad arrive in Anchorage to whisk us away throughout the Interior. And by then if my hands haven't fallen off or completely become paralyzed then I am praying that my brain won't give out. Hoping beyond hope that I will put the crochet down and look out a window. Pray with me now............

Anyway, I still have time to spare before I leave so I've promised Mom to help her get the house clean before we go. There's something wonderful about coming home from a trip to a clean house. I highly recommend it.