Purling Sprite

The P word-milestones!

Our house has reached a new milestone this last week. I had a goal of P-otty training my youngest, little Ny, right after I finished with my book work. My little one needed very little help. She was ready. Apparently, all she needed was someone to pay close attention to her and someone to be there to sing Hip Hip Hurray for her after she went pee. Today, marks 7 days straight of her using her pretty princess panties. In all 7 days, she has had only a few close calls. Even when we go out, she quickly comes and tells us when she has to go. I just feel so proud of her.

We followed a different p-o-t-t-y approach with her. With our Wonderboy, we tried so hard, we push him, and placed him on the pot for weeks on end. His body wasn't ready and we tried so hard to make him understand. At the end, we ended up all frustrated and we finally gave up and let him do it on his own time. When we found out that we were having a second child, we had made up our minds that we would not push him or her, we would just let them do it on their own terms. The second child came and we did just that and to our surprise, it has worked! Hip Hip Hurray for Ny!

We have reached a few milestones this year: she is no longer in nursery at church, which means that I have no children in the little classes nor I have any little ones going in. My children are growing! Both of them are in primary (at church) and now I don't have any of them in diapers! My oldest is in school and my youngest will be entering pre-school in the fall (had to pre-register her last week). What does all this mean? I am getting old!

Another milestone we have reached: My desire to knit has returned. We have a Chevron scarf in progress. The yarn: yummy Koigu. The pinks was given to me by Mom when we went to Rhinebeck in 2006 and the other I bought to go with the pinks. I was hoping for a more neon green but it is a bit more subdue than what I saw on the screen, but it looks good with the pink. The scarf is making nice progress right now that I am down with a nasty cold/cough.

Picture of Ny: she is wearing her Dad's snow boots and Dad's hat!

Inspiration...perspiration

Two words that have been constant in my head for the past few months. Maybe it is the fact that I have hit middle age (ha!) or maybe it is the fact that my children pointed at my belly and asked me if we were having a new baby (this is enough to send me running out the door!). The fact is that I have needed for a long time to become more active, to do something about my ever expanding waistline and cheeks. I am short and as a short person, I don't have much room to put the extra fat....if I were just 4 inches taller and had the same amount of fat on me as I do now, I would be lean. But, it is no good wishing to be taller, I am little and I am happy with being little. I visit many blogs (more than I should) each day, and there are a few that have been extremelly inspirational to me. I have a few biking/cycling blogs, swimming, and even a few about runners. Each one of them inspires me and gives me that boost that I need each day.

The other day, I visited Norma's blog. She had written about a book that she was reading. I take Norma's advice quite seriously, so I went in search of the book. The New Rules of Lifiting for Women. The cover reminds me of Scout's arms (except, I think that Scout's are a little bigger :) )...so with Norma's advice and Scout's look-alike-guns, I succumbed and bought the book. I started reading it yesterday and I am in chapter 4. So far, I have learned more about my body that I have in my entire life. I have had to re-think a few things that I am currently doing and I am planning a trip to the local sports store to pick up a set of "real dumbells". Also, I am planning a phone call to my doctor to ask a few more questions about a certain IUD and the estrogen levels that it has and how it is currently affecting and how it will be affecting me when I am 60!

This is the first book of its kind that I have ever read and I am glad that I picked it up...thanks Norma! If you have a chance, browse through it at your local bookstore.

One last thing: have you seen these cool kitchener/grafting dogtags that Scout has in her store. I am so definitely getting one. This is perfect for both knitters and loom knitters....I need one. I must have one! (Picture of Dog Tag is property of ScoutJ. )

Wordless Wednesday

My new workout companion (thank you Mommy)

Mayan Chocolate

The flavor was explosive! Rich, creamy chocolate with a hint of cinnammon. I believe that I can seriously sit down with the pint and eat it all by myself in one sitting. I was never a big ice cream fan, however, Mayan Chocolate is changing my heart. Yesterday, as a reward for exercising non-stop for 2 months, I picked up a pint of Haagen-Dazs Mayan Chocolate.  The chocolate tastes a lot like dark chocolate which I love, not too sweet, not too bitter, just right and the cinammon just sends a nice trigger to my senses, plus its soooooooo creamy. Yummmy!

   

I may add the warm ginger bananas recipe to the holiday's menu. If you need me, I'll be in the kitchen sneaking a few spoonfuls of this yummy.  (Now you see why I have to run so much, lol, if I stopped eating so much I could probably save myself from running a few hundred miles!)

Oh...before I forget, my loomy friends, hop on over to Jenny's blog and check out her cute Turtle and LadyBug patterns!

Bring it on 2008!

The days have passed fairly fast for the past two weeks. My Mum is here visiting and hubby and I are getting some personal time together that we haven't been able to get for about 5 years. The kids are pestering uncle Edi and Grandma is spoiling them rotten.

2007 was a great year, a year that I didn't imagine or planned. I am not much for setting long term goals. I go with the flow and whatever wave comes along I'll ride it. In 2007, I got a few chances that according to some people only come once in a lifetime. Although, career-wise they seemed fabulous, it stressed me so much that my family was suffering for it. I never planned a career around my hobby but it happened and now I am trying to pull out of it and it is difficult. You know the saying...when your hobby becomes your job, the hobby ends up being fun. I have reached that point. So this brings us to: lifestyle change number 1 and 2.

1. In 2008, I am going to follow the advice of a few friends. Learn to say NO.

I want to focus more on my children, on me, on my relationship with hubby. I want to be able to laugh every afternoon with my children. To go out to a soccer game and not worry about the looming deadlines. I want to get down on the floor and tickle my little ones until they pee their pants. I want to take a weekend off and simply cook, and cuddle the ones around me.

2. In 2008, spend more quality and quantity time with my family. Just the 4 of us, no work, no looming/looms.

Also, I want to focus more time on me. In 2007, I discovered how much I enjoy exercising. I find that running 3 miles makes me smile and my body tingles. The tingles are so rejuvenating that I end up going to a spinning class right afterwards. I am not thin by any means, but I am feeling so much better about myself, and my children see me go and exercise and they want to do it too. My lifestyle change is changing theirs...in a good way! My son wants to grow up and run marathons, my little girl wants to ride 100 miles on her little trike! With this, lifestyle change number 3 rolls in.

3. In 2008 and on, I want to be able to focus more on being active. I want to go mountain biking for the first time (need a mountain bike for this). I want to run a half marathon. I will do at least two triathlons and not be dead last. I will bike a century in preparation for Lotoja in 2010. I will continue putting 15+ running miles on my sneakers every week. It is not about losing weight anymore. It is about a lifestyle change (although, if I shed a few pounds, it would be quite nice).

2007 brought some wonderful new adventures my way: my road bike and thus new friendships--whom I have to say I love! Some of my new friends have become like my sisters. Another great adventure has been my driving license. I am now able to go out and be independent. I have yet to visit a yarn store though, but I have visited the sports store many a time :). And my driving has provided a way for me to get to the gym.

Knitting wise (with needles), I don't have goals for it. It is my only true hobby. I love it and I enjoy it and I want to keep it that way. Setting a goal in this arena will just stress me out and I don't want to feel stressed about it. My yarn will be in the stash for awhile and that is okay. If I see more yarn that I like, I will probably acquire it but not be pressured into knitting from it.

Looming: well, I'll ride the wave but doubt I will bring my board out onto the sea out of my own accord.

These are all the thoughts that I have in my head right now about my life and how I would like to change in this year.

May you all have a wonderful 2008. Let's focus ahead and ride the waves that come our way.