Suprise!

This morning I woke up to an unexpected and not really welcome surprise. If you live in Anchorage, or the surrounding areas you already know what I'm talking about. SNOW. I know, I know, we live in Alaska, isn't that what it does here? Well, it does, and occasionally it dumps like this during spring. But I am soooooo ready for the warmth and lack of bulky clothing. Plus the cheetah 2 chariot we ordered for the boys came in yesterday. We promptly went for a lovely walk. There was still snowy patches, but overall the path was dry. The sun was shining, I had falsely believed we were done.

So last night, due to John working out in the Valley, we stayed at my parents so that we could go pick up a rental car after they were asleep (we only wanted to rent it for one day, he is working the 6am-12am shift). We had walked over with the shiny new chariot thinking it would be great for me to just walk home in the morning. At 1:45am, when we picked up the car the snow had just started, but it was barely sprinkling and really even looked like rain. The roads were still dry and I thought it was just a passing thing. But when we woke up at 7am, there was 5-6inches on the ground! Wet and sloppy, my least favorite snow!

So, out of a weird stroke up luck, I had worn my snow boots last night. So I still had no problem walking home, a little more resistance pushing the chariot, but it did great! The boys were toasty warm inside, which was a good thing since they were just in jammies (though they did have a fleece blanket).

I guess what it really showed me was that I need to not let the weather hold me back! I had already decided this mentally, but today really cemented that even 5" of sloppy nasty snow is no reason to stay inside!

*But I still can't wait for summer!*

The World is Weird

I didn't blog about it but it was freezing here for around two weeks. I had been going crazy staying inside, but with two babies (one of which is only 3mo.) I found it just too much to go outside without reason. Finally in just one night it warmed up from -15 to 20! It was wonderful, it felt like a heat wave and me and my family rejoiced! I even took my boys out for a great walk down at West Chester Lagoon, Corbin repeatedly told me that he had "fun in the snow". Unfortunately yet again in one night it warmed up to around 35 with freezing rain. Blah! It makes it such a mess around town and I would much rather have it be -15. It has been two days of this warm weather and it supposed to last for at least another day. Yet now down-states it has been crazy cold for them.

The world is weird.

January is now officially half way over and I have been doing okay on my goals so here is an update:

• Blog at least 5 times a week, with pictures twice a week - I have been blogging more regularly, though I don't think I have made it with enough pics.

• Dye 2 days a week - I have dyed once, maybe by the end of the month I will average out

• Spin at least 2 50g skeins a week - Yep! I made a great hat for my Dad's b-day!

• Develop and finalize my marketing plan for 2009 - Not finished but I have been working on it!

• Knit 1 pair of socks a month for myself - I can only do this after completing my other projects, which I am making good progress on!

• Knit 2 pairs of socks for hubby (per his request) - Not there yet

• Knit all of my Christmas Gifts for next year before November (lofty goal I know!) - I am started on this one! :)

• Lose six pounds by the end of January - I am down 5.4 lbs so I should do even better! I am already planning lots of sweaters for a skinnier me!
  

So not too bad all in all!

I would love to hear what "resolutions" or "goals" you've been working on!

Stay warm!

Oh yeah and here are some pics from my last batch of dyeing

Etsy Art

Today I would like to feature one of my favorite shops on Etsy.

Katie m. Berggren art & design

She does some of the most amazing intimate and heartfelt artwork that I have ever seen. I ordered one of her prints as a gift for our midwives after the birth of my son Noah. I really am hoping that I will get another print for myself for mothers day. Artists like Katie do such an awesome job capturing the complex and intense bonds of family. When I received her package in the mail I was inspired as to how well it was packaged and the professional nature of materials and information included. I am hoping that we will be able to bring by her print to the midwives tomorrow and I just know that it will be a beautiful addition to the birth center and I hope it is an inspiration to them and the new and growing families that will see it there.

Alaska has been in the middle of a cold snap and it is wearing very thin. Supposedly it should be over Friday or so but I think I have heard "it should be warming up in the next couple of days" at least three times now in the last 2 1/2 weeks or so! Which reminds me, I need to go plug in my car - negative 12 degrees is not kind to my engine.