30 days of lists

What to do while you defrost your car

1. Dust off your dashboard

2. Clean out the pockets and cup holders

3. Check email

4. Try the wiper fluid only to find out it's frozen

5. Look through your glove compartment

6. Find a necklace you've been missing

7. Locate a membership card to a store you don't shop at

8. Climb out of your car and use the card to scrape and help the process along.

9. Get back in after 38 seconds and wonder where your gloves are

10. Write a blogpost

Windows clear! 

It's freezing temps at night here. Over the years I've learned a few helpful hints:

1. Put a blanket or towel on your windshield to prevent ice from forming

2. Always leave your wiper blades up so they don't freeze to you windshield or get buried in snow.

Stay warm and happy winter :)

february goals

This month I set four small goals on the sidebar of the blog. I was tempted to set more, but I knew I needed to start with something reasonable and attainable. Now that were in the last few days of February, here's an update on my progress:

Blog Twice A Week
Thanks to Scripture Sundays, this has totally worked out. I'm hoping to continue this pattern with an extra post here and there. I didn't realize how much I missed blogging until I got back into it!

Finish One Knitting Project
I finished my cowl! As long as finished means I did the bind off... I still need to block it and weave in the ends, but I'm planning to do that on Friday. The goal was to get something off the needles so I could focus on my other 4 projects. Mission Accomplished!

Drink More Water
Not sure I set a real tangible to way for myself to track this goal but I do have a better system for making sure I'm equipped to drink water. I have a variety of glass water bottles that go straight from the dishwasher into the fridge with filtered water and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Anytime I need water at home or to go, I reach for these. They are chilled and refreshing. Once I'm done, back into the dishwasher they go. A pretty good system, though I'm sure I could still use a bit more H2O to fuel me throughout the day.

Make Time for Pleasure Reading
I have discovered so many books I want to read! While that isn't really what the goal was about, I have carved out some time for reading. Here's what's currently on my nightstand:

The Bible - Matthew
I'm reading through the Gospel with Margaret Feinberg's #lentenchallenge I'm using the packet she put together which uses a variety of translations. It is really interesting to read straight through the different chapters and see all the miracles and interactions of Jesus. Next week we'll move into Mark and then work our way through Luke and John. It is a nice way to slow down and recenter each day.

Delancey - Molly Wizenberg
I tried to listen to this as an audiobook first. #fail The reader did not make me excited. By chance I had also put the hardback edition on hold at the library. When it arrived I decided to give it another go. I love reading Molly's blog and am so happy that I gave it another chance. It is fun to read about the ups and downs of their journey toward opening a pizzeria. I have even read a bit aloud to my husband. the way she writes is lyrical and makes me want to set the book down and head straight for the kitchen!





Here what I want to put on my nightstand next:

Make It Happen - Lara Casey
I've seen this one around the internet and on a few blogs lately. I love the concept of purposeful living and finding a way to view life as more than checking things off a list. I'm interested to see what she says about her path to enjoy the journey of life.

Fringe Hours - Jessica Turner
This book seems like the next step in my quest for time management. Not the kind of time management that makes me efficient at work (I've got that pretty well covered right now) but how to make time for the things that I love and am inspired by. I one time overheard a piano student tell his teacher, "I didn't have time to practice this week," and the teacher very sincerely and gently said, "We all have the same time each and every day. Only you get to choose how you spend it." I'm not sure how much the student took this to heart, but I certainly did! I have been working lately to find a balance between efficiency and enjoyment and this books seems interesting to me as I explore the way I spend my minutes each day.

list no. 7 - gratitude

today i'm thankful for...

1. leftover chestnut praline latte that can be reheated

2. multiple knitting projects

3. layers upon layers of quilts

4. blank journaling pages

5. colorful pens and writing tools

6. cold quiet mornings

7. fresh laundry

8. a cozy hooded sweatshirt

9. lists

10. creative outlets

What little things are you thankful for today?

*the idea for this post came from here and is part of the 30 Days Of Lists Project

snow day

a great way to start christmas break!

last bit of summer

to celebrate the end of summer-freedom and the beginning of dressing professionally the school year, i dove headfirst into a sewing project.

inspired by this post, i picked up a fuzzy, medium-weight plaid and began creating.

step 1 - admit that in order for this to work best i MUST MATCH THE PLAID
i am usually in too much of a hurry to wear the garment to spend time on a step like this but i am SUPER glad I took the extra time. I cut the two pieces out to ensure that the lines would be parallel to the waistband and seam to be sure that they lined up on the side seams.

step 2 - figure out how to add pockets
pockets are fun, functional and a necessary part of a teacher's wardrobe. whether it's keys, markers, paperclips or special (extra small) gift from students, pockets are NOT optional. so i winged it. when deciding on placement i became extra glad for step 1 because i was able to easily able to align the pockets without any trouble. yay for doing things right!

step 3 - sew!!
okay, this isn't a tutorial. Anneliese did that for us in the above link. the only change is that i cut pockets using a basic pocket shape and stitched it to the side of each panel before sewing up the side seams. this is a great tutorial and even shows you how to add them to an existing garment! yay for pocket love!

step 4 - cut loose threads
remember step 1, where i mentioned it pays to do things properly? apparently i was still following that rule and i'm glad i did. now i don't have to worry about random threads hanging loose, catching on things or tempting small children to pull (which makes me think of this song).

step 5 - promptly put skirt ON and show your husband
okay, you might not have to do this step, but i always like to dig through my closet and show off how my new garment goes with things i own. so despite the 80* weather, i put on black leggings, tall boots and rotated through a few sweaters and tops to show off my new fall/winter skirt with pockets. did i mention the pockets? be sure to highlight these a lot. it helps to put something in there before appearing in front of your audience and then dramatically pulling the item out. surprise ending!

step 6 - realize you forgot to take pictures of the steps and attempt to get some "finished product" shots
as i said above, the tutorial has been written, this is basically me making my dramatic entrance back into the world of blogging and showing off the new skirt, which i will be unable to wear for another month or so. that's the downside to sewing a warm, fuzzy wintery skirt in the summer. oh well :)

july 21

cut into my plum
found a bug.

(aren't you glad there isn't a photo!)

2012 challenge - running

snowy, icy roads ahead!

I haven't made too many running goals. i was afraid it would jinx me and lead me astray. Sure, I did my fair share of 50 miles in a month challenges, but by the time I signed up for the challenges, I'd already accomplished the goal, so it was more about maintenance than achieving.

Yesterday was my first chance to run after a week of wild winter weather. I still can't figure out how I mustered up the motivation to put on my running gear and head out, but it likely had to do with the clear blue sky and sun streaming through the windows. As I stepped into the sun, I decided to aim high, figuring that once I got started, I wouldn't want to stop. I was right. I ran 6 miles.

We ofter run about 5 miles, but to me that extra mile feels like so much more. Only one other time have I run 6 miles and that was last Summer. I was really excited to see that despite a week off of running and necessary stops to trudge through a shaded snowy patch of trail, I was only 14 seconds slower than last summer.

That inspired me to set a goal: by the end of 2012, I want to run 6 miles in under an hour. I'm already close, my PR is 1:03.04, but 4 minutes is a lot to shave off; almost a minute a mile. Maybe I'll achieve my goal next week, maybe next month or perhaps a few months down the road. Regardless, I hope this goal will help me make an effort to attempt longer distances and to become more confident in my ability.

Plus, it's emotionally, physically and spiritually good for the heart :)

a slice of winter

the snow was mostly gone, due to overnight rain. i could hear it melting away and turning to slush as the cars drove by early this morning.

i checked, double checked and re-checked the weather report, finally deciding to pack my things and head to work. i had already declared that, "no matter what, if when flakes begin to fall i will head home."

a few hours later, they began to fall. and  they were many and they were large and each one stuck to the road, adding a white layer to the world. and for a moment i thought about waiting it out but i remembered my declaration of earlier.

i have a deeply engrained urge to be a hero and to tough out most situations, but today i chose to listen to my heart, so i headed home.

my drive was unadventurous but along the way i prayed quick prayers for those i saw struggling & said encouraging words to the slow car ahead of me

you've got this!
          don't slow down too much... just a little bit farther...
                    nice job!

and when my brain started over-analyzing and thinking too hard, i quietly sang any song that came to mind, notes  filling the silence of an empty car and falling snow.

upon arriving home i found myself yelling 'hooray!' & yet i'm still not sure if i was excited to have safely made it through the blizzard of snow, or if i was excited to have listened to my heart.

either way, it was good.