Resolutions...Ok I know they're a little late!

As so many Alaskans and probably most of the US (though it has reached many of them already) I can't wait to get my rear out into the warmth and sunshine! Today I totally stepped outside my comfort zone and took the boys for a walk....the walk wasn't out of my comfort zone but the puddle jumping was!! I am such a baby when it comes to getting dirty, but I took a note from my sisters who both love puddle jumping and let the boys have at it (yes they are in their PJ's, I figured if they got super dirty or stained most people would never see them)! Though I was still too paranoid to enjoy it myself! (Old habits die hard, what can I say)

Speaking of habits, I plan on breaking a few as well as forming some new ones. I have goals for the coming year (which I do find a little interesting that this is hitting me now, as I had no inspiration whatsoever over new years)

1. I will get outdoors everyday. I just used Fiber Festival moolah (THANK YOU to whomever shopped from me!!) and some money from selling our single chariot to purchase a new bike and double chariot for me and the boys. I have weight I want to lose, but more importantly I want to lead an active and fit lifestyle, and give my kiddos the tools and example to do the same! Plus all of my family members (as in my hubby, parents, and sisters) love to bike so I think it will be great fun!

2. I want to participate in more local events. I am already planning on doing the Walk/Roll for Hope and look forward to participating in some races this summer and fall as well! I also discovered that there is TONS of stuff to take the boys to that cost either nothing or little around town and I need to be taking advantage of them!! Plus hopefully I will be riding my bike instead of taking the car so I will be saving on gas as well!

3. Make time to enjoy the moment and stress less. This pretty much applies to all areas of my life and I think I need to stop being so centered on getting things done (well not lose that completely but balance it a little) and focus more on enjoying the moments I'm having, regardless of whether they are going exactly to plan. I am sort of a planner, so this is a big stretch for me. hmm...I feel like I need to explain how I am a planner...I am not a long term planner as much as I am a daily planner. In the morning I have expectations for my day and if things don't go accordingly I am known to get cranky....proof?...ask the hubby!

So there they are! There's not ever going to be a better time than now :)

Peace

Sometimes I let myself get very frustrated. Today as I took muffins out of the oven my kids were going crazy. Corbin was just being a goofy three year old and was just making extremely annoying noises, normally I handle it. Noah was doing his whiney cry as food was not arriving as quickly as he thought it should to his mouth, normally I kind of handle it. However both of these together put me over the edge. I yelled at both of them, which resulted in them both crying, not an improvement. I hate looking back on those moments.

Peace. Now I am peaceful, all three boys are in bed and I love the joy that comes with knowing that they are in their respective beds, sleeping, hopefully dreaming. These are some of my favorite moments.

Now I am going to spin and enjoy my peaceful house (while it lasts! lol!)

Pictures!

Thankful

Sometimes I let my own frustrations build and I forget how blessed I am. I have a wonderful husband who loves me and bends over backwards to care for me and his boys. Not only that but he listens, responds, and always squishes my yarn when I ask him too (I am trying very hard to reciprocate in the area of snowboarding....).

My toddler is two, and I think I am having my lack of patience constantly thrown in my face. I have been reading the book "Making children mind...without losing yours", (don't laugh) seriously seems as though the author wrote it personally for me. I had been doing really well, but being sick was seriously bringing me to my limits. I also felt like I was in a downward spiral of feeling too sick to do anything, but then feeling even worse because I was doing nothing. So I used the excuse of running out of milk to head out to the store. I was amazed at how much better I felt at just getting some fresh air. My head instantly cleared and I felt so much more like my normal self. I think it did the same for Corbin as he cheerfully (and loudly) sang his version of the alphabet down the aisles of Carrs Safeway. After groceries, dinner, and hot chocolate, we made our way home and things ended on a sweet note with me reading to both my boys before tucking them into bed. As things are tight right now I have no "professional" pics, but here are a couple pics I've taken this past month of my boys. I thank God for their health and the light they bring into my life.

Before getting my butt off the couch today I did make lots of knitting progress while watching P.S. I love you (A great movie) and Blues Clues - Blue's has a Baby Brother (yes, I could probably recite this movie to you). First, I finished the february baby sweater that I had started in January and I am very satisfied with how it turned out! I wish I had taken pictures when there was natural light as there is no "shine" to this yarn at all, nor is the purple so bright, but you get the idea. Secondly I finished one mitten out of my handspun, the yarn was a little hairier than I expected, but I think it will wear great and feels very squishy on my hand.




I dyed up quite a bit of my new yarn bases and can't wait until they are set and dried and I can share pics! They look very promising!!!

Progress and more progress!

I had written half this blog before I unthinkingly restarted firefox. So I will just jump in with my project progress first.

Spinning: My latest is skein of bulky weight wool that I intend for some super cuddly mitts. I purchased the batts from Knitting Grounds, but they are from one of my fave local fiber artists, Denise of Fiber n Ice. I love how the batts blended to form a beautiful heathered yarn. I will defninitely be buying more of these batts!


Knitting:

I have some baby shower knitting on the agenda and I have completed:

• a pair of suede booties (sans the fluffy yarn called for),

• A super cute - will definitely be making for my boys - hat pattern by Sweet Mama, Small Sugar. Who, by the way, I think has one of the greatest eyes out there for putting together some of the cutest children handmade outfits I have ever seen. I am just in love with her style. The hat is small on Noah, but I think you get the idea. Her patterns have great size range and I plan on knitting the next size up for him. It was a fast knit, and I some handspun leftover from my Dad's Turn a Square hat and (what I'm thinking is malabrigo worsted) yarn from my grab bag purchase. I had plenty leftover from each and am making a pair of thumbless baby mitts to go with the hat.
  

Sewing:

• So this is embarrasing to admit but our Christmas package just went out to my inlaws yesterday, the package was all finished except that it had been waiting on this table runner. I had just been indecisive on how I should quilt it (went the easy route and just ended up doing stitch in the ditch). I finally just sat down to do it. The (machine) quilting took maybe half an hour, but the hand stitching of the binding to the back took around 4 hours. I am glad I did it that way though, and I am just happy that it is finished in general.

• The other sewing project was a block for my sister's wedding quilt that her MIL is putting together. Again I was two months behind getting this in! Ack. I enjoy sewing, but I am (obviously) much more easily motivated by knitting or spinning. The instruction given to me were that the theme was "Love and Romance" and that the border would be done in a leafy green. My sister loves purple and green and I thought I had some fabrics in my stash that would work together. I ended up doing the design I did because Whitney and her hubby own property in Homer and are currently building their "love nest" cabin there. It took me two hours from pulling out the fabric to putting in the envelope to mail. Again a good reminder to myself that I need to just sit down and do it! "It" being whatever item on my agenda that I am putting off for whatever reason. I am really happy with how it turned out and think Whitney will love it!

Shop Progress:

My base yarns that I ordered more than 2 weeks ago finally got here! (Next time I will upgrade shipping!) I am so excited! I wound over 40 skeins today and still have more to do. I am adding three new yarns to my line - Terino Luxury (50/50 Tencel/Merino Sport weight), Borealis Lite (Superwash Merino Fingering Weight), and Australis (Merino worsted weight). I have a great deal planned in the upcoming months regarding my "yarn lines" and can't wait to share more as it get solidified into reality.

So all in all while I haven't quite been on top of blogging a lot has been going on!

*Waves Hand*

I so had grand plans for tonights blog. I finished spinning some yarn for mittens, finished a pair of booties, and starting knitting and almost finished a hat. Today. It started off so well, but then I was thwarted by Mommy Duty. My toddler is sick, but what I had thought was just a cold moved into puking mode. In the car. Really, really not fun. Especially when the water in your home is turned off. Without notice. Thank goodness for family in town! So more later on my project progress.

Good Day

Some days just turn out right. Today was one of those. I focused on God and his wisdom. I got to see my husband. I got to snuggle my babies. I got to knit.How does it get better than that? I am blessed.