Sunshine in my Heart
This cold snap has only been around for a couple of days and already I am weary. Read more…
Treasures
From the smaller smallish bear
On December 31st, I decided I was tired of tripping over my desk drawers and put the reading room back together.
2015 Books: One
I’d read several positive reviews of Holly Black’s Doll Bones before picking it up at Lady Bug’s school book fair. The librarian tried not to make a face, but I noticed it anyway.
2015 Resolutions
JOY!
I love resolutions. I love starting things. I love finishing things too, I’m just not as experienced with that.
Last year’s resolutions were almost all completed. A couple are long term goals that have carried over into this year. I am pleased with the progress I made.
2014
- Make More – I hoped to finish twelve pairs of socks. At the end of the year, I’d managed six pairs of adult sized socks, one pair of child sized socks, and four pairs of baby booties. I’ll take it! I finished one large quilt, one smaller quilt, and one pair of curtains.
- Write More – This was a vague goal that I think I achieved, but not in the ways I expected to. There was a lot of writing at work while revising policies and procedures. Some letters, but not enough. Some serious writing, but not enough.
- Read More – After graduating and wandering in the desert for a while, I was out of the habit of reading for fun. My goal was to finish twelve books in 2014. I finished 38. Possibly a couple more than that, but 38 that I wrote down.
2014 Resolutions that are becoming 2015 Resolutions
- Continue to cultivate financial responsibility – Paying off one of the student loans, not adding new debt (unless it’s a HOUSE), and building up the savings account. I like the 52 week plan I’ve seen floating around where you start with a dollar the first week of the year, then two, three, and so on. I also know myself fairly well so I’ve started with the 52 dollar week and will work backwards to $20.00 and then stay there for the rest of the year. That should add $1568.00 to the savings account. Hooray!
- Continue to take care of my home and myself – I did well here at home last year, but not as well with myself. The wellness program at work is offering a yoga class beginning this month and I’ve already signed up for that. Moving more. This is important. By the end of the year, I want moving to be integrated into my daily routine.
- Write more – I’ve not written many letters lately and I’m missing that part of my week. This year, I hope to send off 52 letters to loved ones far and near. There will be more writing here and more quiet writing too.
2015 Resolutions
- Finish two big quilts – The Hello Fall quilt top is only a few seams away from done. I’ll finish that one and one other.
- Finish six pairs of socks – Easy, right? We’ll see if I can fit them in between the other knitting projects.
- Finish the Ocracoke Cardigan – This is a huge lace knitting extravaganza. It will be beautiful!
- Read 20 books – My plan is to try and get at least ten non-U.S. authors in that list.
I love the beginning of the year when everything feels possible. I want to carry that feeling all the way through 2015.
The words I am choosing to focus on this year are these:
JOY PRESENCE LEARNING BALANCE GROWTH LOVE PROSPERITY
May you have all of these and more in your new year!
Warmth
The first project of 2015. Half-done.
The main section is from Veronik Avery’s pattern, Arrowhead Arm Warmers (Interweave Knits Holiday 2008 or available on Ravelry). The thumb gusset and hand is from Susie Rogers’ Reading Mitts (available on Ravelry). The garter stitch edging isn’t in either pattern.
I started this one by knitting the bottom edge flat and only joining in the round when I reached the stockinette section. This left a little V and provided extra ease at the elbow end of the warmer. Bonus – it’s much easier to be sure your stitches aren’t twisted when you join for knitting in the round.
I think I’ll move the thumb a little further from the pattern section when I do the right arm warmer. The way I did the left pulls the pattern a little askew, but not so much that I need to redo the whole thing.
Overall, I’m happy with the pattern modifications and I can’t wait to finish the second one!
Advent 2014: Day Seven
Making the crooked straight.
Advent 2014: Day Six
The last few days have been a dim fog. Antibiotics are truly miraculous. Tomorrow promises to be a brighter day.
Advent 2014: Day Four
30 day photo challenge – Day Six: Tell a Story
Advent is as much about undoing, about not-doing, as it is about doing.
Advent 2014: Day Three
Advent 2014: Day Two
Candy in the calendar!
The slip of paper in the Advent Calendar today asked, “What Advent/Christmas traditions do you like best?”
To my delight, the Advent Calendar made the list (and the candy inside it). Lima Bean loves putting the nativity scene up. Lady Bug enjoys decorating the tree. Both bears are looking forward to seeing the lights downtown and to making cookies. I’ll slip these activities into the little boxes beside the candies and I’ll add some activities they haven’t thought of or remembered yet.
Before we decorate, there will be days of making space. Before we make our want lists, we will make our give lists. We will take extra time to be together on the cold dark nights. Board games and hot chocolate. Maybe even a gingerbread house.
I asked if there were any traditions they didn’t like. Lady Bug yelled, “Soup! Oh wait, that’s not Christmas.”
Those are the best things. The ones that belong to our family, arising out of bad jokes, favorite presents, the foods we love (or not). The Christmas Charades game that gave us Blisten the reindeer and the Kettle Slayer’s own unmistakable dance. Aunt Vicki’s molasses cookies. Finding an Advent hymn we haven’t heard before. A walk through a snowy park. What we keep and what we forgo.
Advent is a season to make your own. To go deeper into the traditions by way of new eyes and new experiences. To connect to those before us in words, foods, and songs.
Gingerbread
This is where we make our family and our faith truly ours.
Naming Mountains 