Goals (cont)

One of my goals this year is to get with and be involved again with the Year Long Gift-a-Long group on Ravelry. The purpose of the group is to set goals early on for knitting/crafting gifts for Holidays, birthdays etc. . The moderators if the group make goal setting and meeting fun. There is a lot of encouragement from other members . There are quarterly Challenges in addition to making and meeting monthly goals. The Quarterly Challenge is geared toward gifts due in November/December. Generally if you complete your goals in the quarterly challenges your name is put in a drawing for a prize...the prizes are awesome (if you are a knitter).

Here is the start of my gift list for 2010
January- 5 Grandma’s Favorite Dishcloths/due December
Felted Clogs/ Jacob/due February
February- 5 Grandma’s Favorite Dishcloths/due December
March- 5 Grandma’s Favorite Dishcloths/due December
spa set mother’s day
April- start quilt for charity raffle

Dishcloths are apart of my quarterly challenge goals. i stared with this group in 2008 and completed a lot of projects for gifts for Christmas and did a lot of charity knitting that year because of the goals I set. 2009 I didn't keep up with the group or make many goals. I look forward to doing well this year.
I have the knitting goals taken care of, for personal goals here is my start:

• workout/go for brisk walk at least 30 minutes 4 times a week
• read chapter of Book of Mormon each day

I have a few friends who are running together in a team relay long distance race called a RAGNAR the run 200 miles in 24 hours. I don't expect to be able to do anything at all like this anytime soon but I would like to be in that kind of shape where I could eventually run something like that. Right now I would be happy not running out of breath after climbing two flights of stairs.

New favorite thing: The Knitted Spoon podcast it combines knitting and vegetarian cooking two of my interests.

New Years Day

We have a sort of tradition for New Years day. If we are in town the hubby likes to drive over to the other side of Phoenix to Glendale and have lunch at Cabela's. Cabela's is an store for fishing, camping, and hunting enthusiasts. They also happen to have a pretty good cafe/grill that the kids and the husband enjoy eating at. I usually just get a drink. This store has a wonderful display of taxidermy wildlife that you have to walk by to get to the cafe. I have a hard time eating lunch with all the animals "looking" at me.

While we were at Cabela's Dave got a state and urban fishing licences so he could take the kids fishing. After we returned home from our excursion to Cabela's a couple of the kids really wanted to go fishing. Dave did some research on the urban lakes in our area and chose to take the kids to the lake at Kiwanis park. It was great the kids had a great time and best of all they didn't catch anything. Can't beat that.

I'm pretty happy with the day. I got a lot of knitting done, finished the dishcloths for my MIL, worked on a scarf for next years red scarf project and didn't have to clean any fish.

Goals

This time of year many people make resolutions, or determine an action that the wish to take for the New Year in effort to improve themselves. I've never been real good at making or keeping any resolutions. Today my 9yo sat at the computer and came up with list of 9-10 "resolutions" of how she wanted to improve her behavior. They were all nice ideas a couple of therm were, "be nicer to my little sister" and "work harder at school". I told her these were great ideas but that for her to be successful she needed to focus on a couple and use measurable goals to improve the behavior....then it hit me. I sounded just like my instructors in nursing school

Every week on Wednesday we, the nursing school students, would go to the hospitals where we were doing our rotation that quarter, and pickup our patient assignment. Each assignment was generally 2 patients we would have to study their medical history, current history , disease, medications, etc. We would then have to write out a care plan for each patient identifying the potential or actual problems the physiology for the problem, include actions or nursing care that would help improve the patients situation or prevent a problem from actually occurring. Goals would actually have to be measurable; we couldn't just write "patient will be pain free" but "Patients pain level will be less than 5 on a scale 1-10".

So here I am trying to explain to my sweet 9yo that while I appreciate her wanting to be nicer to her little sister, she needs to think about, how, what actions she is going to take that will help her be nicer to her sister. She looked at me like I was a little nutty, I have that reputation with my kids. This interaction with my daughter has helped me think about what I want my goals for the year to be. When I decide on what they are going to be,I don't know if I'll post them all here it depends on how brave I'm feeling at the time.

Until then Happy 2010

Its a beautiful gray and cloudy day here in the Phoenix area The girls and I all have the sniffles. I hope and tend to think they are more allergy and weather related than viral.
John had a migraine this morning. I feel bad that this is something he has to contend with in his life, but am grateful that they aren't worse or more frequent. I took the girls out to run errands for a couple of hours so John could have the quiet he needs to get over the headache.

We came home bearing donuts and lasagna (John's favorite). Hoping it will be a good day.

Knitting wise I'm going to finish the scarf started while mom was here, then start some dishcloths for my MIL's birthday present. Her birthday is a little over a week away, Think i can make 6 dishcloths before then? I would like to, we'll see.

Bad blogger...no cookie!

I'm a bad blogger. I've hit a major blogging slump. The history of my blogging has been all over the place.

• family and friends
• knitting
• healthy living
• cooking
• crafts
• my faith and beliefs
• gardening

Those are pretty much my main interests. I craft all over the place too. I have a bad case a ADDOS (Attention Deficit Ooh Shiny) and frequently will put down a project to start something new. I was hoping after a year that I would get the hang of it and by now I would have and informative inspirational and witty blog that I would be proud of.

When I told my husband 9 months ago that I had a blog he asked me what was the purpose would the blog serve. For me it is a way to connect with other people and an opportunity to be able to express myself and maybe get a little feedback.

I will continue to blog about activities with family and friends, knitting and crafts, my quest live a healthy lifestyle, stuff I do around the house, and a little of my faith. My faith and beliefs are precious and personal to me and won't be a huge part of my public blog.

I want to be more organized this coming year, take care things that need to get done, and actually finish some projects. Finishing projects that would be a nice change. This week while the kids are home I'm going to examine ways to help accomplish these goals.

A belated Merry Christmas have a safe and happy New Year.

Woo Hoo, Summer!

When I started this blog it was with the intent to have a place to talk about my favorite hobbies, family and whatnot. I feel like I haven't had much time to work at the hobbies or even think about the whatnot. I guess that is why I renamed my blog. My mind wanders and wonders quite a bit these days

The last month has been kind of hectic. The oldest child graduated from High School, and the other kids had the usual end of the year concerts and awards stuff.

I've crocheted some super soft baby washcloths for baby gifts. The pattern is by Teresa Grant and super quick to crochet , and well received by the mommies -to be.

My first Ball band dishcloth from Mason Dixon knitting

I test knit a blanket for Coggietm 's Operation Cuddle project

and some booties for and expecting fellow Raveler

and am slogging my way through the UFO's so I can knit along with the She-knits Mystery Bag KAL

I'm glad its summer. i was looking forward to getting lots of projects done with my kids. So far I have spent most of my time shuttling them around in the car to classes, camps, and conferences. What happened to carefree days of a child's Summer? I know it my fault I'm the one who logged on the computer and signed them up for classes. Individually they are not super busy but by the time you take three children and three summer school classes/science camps along with swimming lessons it gets chaotic. Just a couple weeks of this. It will be fine. I hope friends and family are enjoying their summer as well.

Like music to my ears.

Happy Thursday! Today has been busy. Number 4 child had an end of session program for pre-school. (I refuse to call it graduation because they're only 5-years old .) There were tropical themed decorations. The kids all had on grass skirts and they "yell-sang" really The basic pre-school songs with such style. Face it 3-5 year olds are just hilariously cute.

My birthday will be in a few days. I don't mind getting older, its fun. To a point. My hormone levels feel like they are all over the place and I find myself crying over silly things, like my "baby" losing her first tooth, and my oldest getting ready to graduate HS.

I was checking out a swap partners blog, she follows Crazy Aunt Purl. It had been so long since I had read that blog. I went and had a peek. Crazy Aunt Purl's blog lead me to this video. It made me laugh and cry at the same time. Some days i wish life could really be like a musical. With people breaking out in song and dance, sharing the joy of music and life. I hope you enjoy it too.



Id forgotten how much I love reading that blog. She seems to find joy in everyday.

My swap partner in the Manic Purl kit swap has not received her package from me. I am going to give it until tomorrow. Then start putting together another package to send out. I feel bad and should have mailed things out earlier in April. I had no idea that it would take a month to get to Argentina. I feel bad . Hopefully the second package will get to her.

Happy day after Cinco de Mayo!

Always a day late and a couple dollars short.  Yesterday was Cinco de Mayo , the 5th of May. This holiday commemorates the Mexican Army's victory over French forces  at the Battle of Puebla.  It is not a state recognized holiday in Arizona, most fair and celebrations occur the weekend before. In my dd's grade school they taught the kids about the significance of the day.  they even taught the kids how to may the tissue paper flowers....guess what my craft -driven creative daughter wanted to do last night? Now  my kitchen has all different sizes of colorful tissue flowers all over.  I usually go all out and make an American style Mexican dinner, I wasn't organized this year and kind of bailed out on the idea.  

I was listening to the Doubleknit podcast today , and Jessica mentioned a funny Twilight parody called Twilight Cheeseburgers. 

I showed this to my 18yo son.  After dealing with Twilight crazed girls at school all day, this provided some good comic relief.

I recently started a couple of new projects, some baby items for friends and this

The Featherweight Wrap from Crochet Today Spring 2008 

I got this far on my first attempt at crocheting this a couple months ago.  This time the yarn is softer and the hook is bigger.  I feel good about it.

Saying good-bye to Winter

Okay full disclosure I haven't really had to experience "real" winter weather for an extended period of time since we moved the family to Arizona 16 years ago. If we are lucky it might rain alot during February but this winter I didn't have to put on anything heavier than my well worn acrylic sweater from Target...until the Chirstmas trip to Utah but that was only a weeks worth of coat wearing.

I joined the "Say Goodbye to Winter Swap" hosted by the High Fiber Diet Podcast. I had drawn Lorrieu for my partner and had a great time picking out some fibery treats for her.

My upstream partner was Kim from GA. She spoiled me greatly :

Thank You notes
seasonal pens One with a cute bunny on top
Sticky notes!!!!
Project bag with springy flowers all over it from MessieCraftie
yummy salty snacks my favorite, along with a well sealed bag of Hershey Kisses…yeah!!! they didn’t melt.
mmmmmMalabrigo Sock yarn in the Caribeno colorway
Newton’s Yarn Country Happy Feet Print

it was a lovely treat and wonderful way to celebrate the first day of Spring. BammerKT mentioned on the podcast how suprised she was that the swap had brought members of the Ravelry group together. I think its great it gave us a chance to get to know each other, do some cyber sluething, and help each other with clues, It was fun to joke and tease each other too. I believe when you try to do something kind for another person , without expecting anything back from that person friendships even cyber-friendships , can be built.

I'm sure I'll think of something better to say later.

Happy Spring!

Green Tuesday

Mom is a big fan of podcasts. She loves listening to Meghan over on the Stitch it Podcast. Meghan talks alot about " SPINNING! , knitting, and a few of her"favorite things" . In an effort to live a "greener" life she "dryer balls". A non-toxic way to make your clothes fluffy and static free in the dryer, and alternative to dryer/fabric softener sheets. Mom expressed an interest intyring some, but was not interester in buying the PVC ones available in the retail stores, and she really didn't feel like poutting forth the effort to make the wool ones. Enter on loving daughter who needs a good Valentines present to send to her mom. A daughter with a lot of wool who livesw in a climate that doesn't require a lot of wool.

Today I made wool dryer balls, using this tutorial It is a learning process. I am going to send the better felted ones to my mom and keep four for me, and see if they really work.

First FO's of 2009

Yeah! I finished a pair of socks in two weeks or less. I'm not talking about worsted weight anklet socks . No these are fingering weight, heel flap, gusseted, cabled socks. Unfortunatly I can't get them over my man sized feet...but thay are done. As part of the 2009 Sock Knit Along Group on Ravlery. The first socks of the year had to be pink or red. The specs are

Pattern: Be Mine by Melissa Morgan-Oakes
Yarn: Crash into Ewe Jewel Collection with Silver
Colorway: Pink Tourmaline
Size needles us 1.5
They are drying right now and I will take better picture later.

My 5yo dd stsrts up pre-school again today. Though not until this afternoon. I've tried explaining that it doesn't matter how early we eat luch. School still won't start until 12pm. She is dressed and is wearing her backpack already to go, with 3 more hours until it starts. sigh

A father's love...

My husband is a pretty tolerant, accepting, loving man. Especially when it comes to our daughters. Let me tell you why.....

We went back home to Utah for Christmas, I call this home because it is where both my husband and I were raised and we have lots of family there. A much loved teacher overheard that we were going to visit the SLC area and she told my daughters..."Make sure you go see the school where High School Musical was filmed". The day before we left UT for AZ my dear patient husband took the younger kids to East High and took their pictures. Then he and Grandpa took them to the planetarium in SLC.

While they did this, Mom and I visted 4 of the LYSs in the SLC area. It was a lot of fun. We shopped at:
The Wool Cabin
Kamilles
Three Wishes
Unraveled Sheep
All wonderful very nice shops. They had at least some things that I can't get at my LYSs here in AZ. When I get around to taking pictures of my purchases I will share them

My mom also gave me some fiber. a few ounces of Targhee roving and a handpainted silk cap. Its lovely but I don't know how to spin silk. Time to learn something new.

Last post of 2008

This is going to be a quick post with no exciting links or pics. Yesterday we returned from our trip to visit family for Christmas. I got to see my beautiful niece, I ran into a cousin I hadn't seen fro 5 years, and my kids got to play in the snow. It was magical experience for them. Actually the 18yo was plenty tired of the white stuff after he spent the good part of the day shoveling driveways abd walks for my parents and then some neighbors.

As the year winds up and I look at what things we have done as a family and me personally.

I hope that friends (cyber and IRL) and family have a happy healthy new year.

Saturday Swim

I spent a good part of Friday and Saturday selling Gatorade, Sodas, snacks healthy and not so healthy, to Coaches, swimmers, divers and spectators. Our HS hosted the mother of all swim meets this weekend. It was fun. I didn't get to see much swimming, but I enjoyed with the other parents from the "swim and dive boosters", and meet some of the other coaches from around AZ and the country.

There were over 800 swimmers and 97 divers from 30 schools. One school came from Mercer Island, Washington.

I did get to see my son swim in his one event the 100m breast stoke. Here is is taking off in his heat. He is the one in the middle with the longer jammers, the suit that looks like bicycling pants. He did pretty well knocked a second off his best time.

No knitting was done of course. I had a hat on needles waiting in my backpack for a quiet moment. But quiet moment never lasted long enough to take it out.

Tomorrow Peach jam.

Monday thoughts

On Ravelry one of my most favorite forums is the She-Knits Podcast Group. For each day there generally is a thread titled "Small Talk". On this thread people post about what they are doing that day, knitting, jobs. We share good news and bad, We offer support and cheer each other on. Its my virtual knitting circle. I have even met other knitters from this group in real life. It's a pretty neat group of knitters/crocheters/ tatters

Most days Sharon (aka She-Knits) starts the thread with a thought, quote or question. For Monday Sept 8th these are the questions she posted

Is there something you’ve dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you
done it?
Or you can take the lightweight question,
If you could keep your
own brain but experience what it is like to be someone else for a day who would
it be?

It was easy to answer the first question. The second on was a little more difficult. I tend to empathize with other, my friends and family , a little to easily. When they are having problems and trials , my heart aches for them. I know I don't have the strength to be any of them for a day. The quick answer to this question is my 4yo dd. She is full of joy, wonderment and unconditional love. She is a fun kid, and makes me laugh all day. I would like to be her and see how she does it. I need a little more joy , wonderment and ability to love uncondtionally. This question is one I need to think about a little more today

I had hopes of posting projects today but got a little behind in my schedule. Maybe later.

What I love about the blog...

1. I can share my thoughts with the blog. It will not look at me with a glazed-over look in its eyes, tell me I'm wrong, or eat all the food in the refrigerator

2. I can show pictures to the blog. It does not ask me for 10 replicas of the project for all of its little friends.

3. I am learning new things about the blog. Ways to make it pretty. How to organize it and how to share.

4. I feel accountable for what I say or type on the blog. Prjects started and shared on the blog must be finished eventually.

I really like the blog. I have kind of learned to post links correctly, add buttons, and gadgets. For now though I will keep the blog simple.

On the needles today: I am obsessing about making a throw for my brother's mother-in-law. The obsession comes from buying the yarn several months ago.....and now not being able to find it. I hate it whan that happens. I was going to make her a Hemlock Ring Blanket by Jared Flood, from some lovely alpaca blend yarn. I really want to find that yarn..arrrgh!

I am going to look a little more and if I can't find it I will settle down with my Monkey socks

20th anniversary = cast aluminum?

Twenty years ago today I became Mrs. dnaprice. To this day my DH is one of my best friends and still pakes my heart skip a beat when he smiles at me. Because money is tight and needed for neccessitites we decided not to sspend alot of oney on a big celebration. I looked on the internet and the 20th wedding anniversary is the platinum or emerald. platinum is definitely not in the budget. My husband loves his cast iron cookware, he has several Dutch ovens and skillets. I also know he likes scones. My anniversary present to him was a cast aluminum scone pan and some yummy scones.

Here are some pictures of FO's and entered into the Yarn Thing and SheKnits Summer KAL/CAL.

Here is my first Dumpling bag, a kit purchased from Sharon, and socks.

Socks to be posted later

Starting as I mean to go on.

Yes.... its another hobby blog by a mom/knitter/quilter

I have been wanting to start a blog. Shirrell, from Belle of the Ball podcast fame, started something that has encouraged me to do so. A contest. I can't resist a contest, especially fun ones.

On a recent podcast Shirrell had mentioned the New Year podcast by Brenda Dayne for which the theme was "Start as you mean to go on." I think of this saying on those days when things don't start out right. You know what I mean. Those days when everyone gets up late, they're crabby,and moving s-o-o-o s-l-o-o-w , I usually end up these mornings in psycho-mom mode. After I get the kids off to school and have a few moments to breathe, I know that I should have approached this day better. "starting as I mean to go" is becoming my daily mantra

I may not post frequently and participles might possibly be dangling all over the place. Knitters are forgiving people.

next post: If I can figure my way around the program pictures will be posted and more info on life in the Valley of the Sun