Dishrag tag

Emily is once again hosting Dishrag Tag.

Registration opens on Friday, August 1st.

If you missed out on the fun last summer....make sure you don't miss out this summer!

I'm still here.

Just wanted y'all to know I am still here....

Life has been too busy lately. (and the summer is going by too quickly)

I did go yarn shopping. I have been knitting. I hope to post pictures soon....

Stay tuned....

Weight loss and other "heavy" issues...

I have always struggled with my self-image and my weight.

When I got divorced, 9 years ago, the weight came off. I felt wonderful and for the first time in my life, felt comfortable in my own body. It was a great feeling.

I vowed to keep the weight off. Well, it has slowly crept back into my life. The last two years or so has seen me slowly gain 25 pounds.

I tried making small adjustments in my eating habits and/or exercise (or lack of it) to halt the onset of poundage...but, to no avail. I even quit drinking pop, in the past, that move alone was good for 15 pounds, not this time.

I questioned the doctor at my last visit. Seems once you hit your mid-forties, your metabolism slows down, thus making it even harder to lose those extra pounds. (Yes, he tested my thyroid)

As a result of the extra pounds (and a family history) I am now dealing with high blood pressure. Something I was really trying to avoid. I had hoped I could avoid medication by keeping my weight down. No such luck.

As you may remember, I bought Wii Fit this summer to get myself and my boys active in a fun, motivating manner. Well, it worked for about a month. But, my weight didn't go down. So, I lost interest.

I realized the other evening, as I was trying to fit my butt in a pair of jeans, that my "school" wardrobe isn't going to fit me, unless I take action. And, as you can see by my counter on top, school is fast approaching.

Long story short...(Love ya Beck!)....I was reading Megan's blog and she recommends SparkPeople.

Here is what Megan says about the site:

....There are a few things I really like about it. First, it is 100% free. Second, it's not trying to sell anything. I NEVER send a patient to a web site that is trying to sell them vitamins or miracle powdered drinks or anything else. I think all "education" on those sites is suspect at that point.

The biggest thing I think I like about it though is that the site encompasses so much. Not only can you track your weight loss, your daily calorie intake (it does most of the work for you, you just plug in what you ate), and your daily exercise but the site is big on motivation. There are tons of "SparkTeams" that you can join (much like the groups on Ravelry), there are message boards to ask questions and connect to people with your same interests or in your same area (there IS a knitter's group!), and there are SparkPoints.

You earn points for logging on, tracking your food intake, your exercise, drinking 8 glasses of water daily, basically most of what you do on/with the web site earns you points. The points go towards trophies which are displayed on your main log in page...

So, I created a profile for myself....I am "alaina.p" on SparkPeople.

I liked what I saw. The site is going to be very helpful, if I make the effort to use it. One of the things I liked...I struggle with planning healthy meals. The site gives me a weekly menu that I can adapt.

I don't know if this is the answer or not, but I think it's worth a try...

Let me know what you think and if you want to join me on this walk.

camping and such

I have been MIA for the last three days.

I decided to go camping.

I didn't go far...less than three miles.

The weather was gorgeous...yes, we do have sunny, warm days in Minnesota.

Here are a couple pictures...



We watched, admired, and listened to the loons....they are so beautiful...there is nothing like the sound of loons calling to each other early in the morning...



Chris showed off his diving expertise on the raft....such awesome form....ohh...to be young again...

The lake is spring fed and over 22 feet deep at the raft....



We sat around the campfire...we made s-mores and had a great time....

Life is good.

Wow...

I walked to the mailbox expecting just the normal pile of junk mail and bills ...and lo and behold...a package!!! For me!!! I was totally not expecting a package...and...what a great package it is!!!

Everything was "wrapped" in a little bag with a bright blue bow...So cute.

(The bright sunshine kinda wiped out the colors...)

Jessi/Bubblesknits was my spoiler for the Keepin' Cool in Summer Dishcloth Swap.

She went above and beyond the call of duty...What a thoughtful package....I absolutely loved everything in it...it felt as if I had shopped for myself...Gather round and look at all of the awesome stuff she sent my way....



This sock yarn is from Sophie's Toes the color is "Garden Party". What a great color choice for a summer swap! I can hardly wait to cast on a pair of socks with it. What a great choice! Thank you Jessi.

Jessi also included two skeins of cotton yarn. One "peaches & Cream" in a color that I have not seen before and a skein of Knit Picks "Cotlin", which I have never used. I am looking forward to checking that out...(thanks for the tip Jessi of using smaller needles)



Other goodies...a set of flowery/summery notecards with a matching magnetic "to do list" (looks great on my refrigerator), a hand cream, a whole bag of Crystal Light drink mixes (see picture below) to keep me cool, a miniature body bar, and a set of "designer" handkerchiefs...they have an "A" on them....(How did you know I cry a lot? LOL)...She also included a "sock blocker" keyring, complete with yarn to knit up the little sock...(see first picture) I can't wait to make it.



and...this awesome little cuddly sheep. Isn't he absolutely adorable?? And he is as fluffy in real life as he looks...makes me smile everytime I look at him. His name is "Woolsy"



She also knit me not one...but...two beautiful dishcloths....One in a light tan



...and the other in a light green...very, very nice...





She also sent me this very, very awesome sock bag from Gypsyknits. I LOVE it!!! I can hardly wait to go "public" with my awesome bag. It is absolutely adorable...with little Knitting chickens on it...

(I know it is sideways...sorry)



And...last but not least...the chocolate...(and a picture of the Crystal light mixes that I mentioned above)...Jessi was worried that the chocolate may have melted..well, it did...but, that didn't stop me from enjoying it...

Picture this...I am in the kitchen, literally licking the chocolate out of the little containers...Nathan comes into the room, stops and exclaims, with this horrified look on his face..."Mom, you have chocolate all over your face!" Sorry...no pictures.

It was awesome!

Thank you Jessi for a great package. I know how hard it is to shop for someone else, but, you really nailed it! I love everything!

{{{BIG HUGS}}}

This and That...

We spent the first part of the week at a Wisconsin Dells water park. (A mere five hour drive with two teenagers...need I say more?)

Andy and Katie met us there...which was awesome...we don't get to see enough of them...

It was tons of fun...I do not do "dry" rides...I have this insane fear of falling and I get sick...but...I will do water rides...

However....Chris convinced me to go with him on one of the rides...we had to sit in a big tube...and go down a huge chute....all twisty-turny...then...looked like we were going to fall off of a cliff...and we went straight down...

I closed my eyes and screamed the entire way down......won't be doing that one again.

I did, however, enjoy all the other rides I went on....my favorite being the lazy river...got myself sun burnt...again....



Here is Chris in the lazy river...trying to avoid Mom taking his picture...

Happy 4th of July.....



We spent the day at Bayfront Park in Duluth...which is right on Lake Superior....Listened to our favorite band....and of course, enjoyed the fireworks....weather was nice...music was good...fireworks were awesome...and it only took us one hour to leave the parking lot afterwards...



..and one last shot of the fireworks...



Hope your holiday was as awesome as mine was....

Whiskers on Wednesday

Wherever I go...she follows...I don't even know where she is when I leave a room, but, she will show up where I am...and of course, when she shows up in whatever room I am in...she acts all nonchalant....like it's a coincidence that I am in the same room as the room she happens to be in...

I find it touching...she just wants to be in the same room as me...

Heck...my children try to avoid being in the same room as me...lol...guess that's why I have a cat.....

Knitting progress...

Well, I didn't finish it...but I did make a lot of progress on it...I am now decreasing for the top...The colors aren't showing up as nicely as they could...I'll post a better picture when its done.

I knit one of the dishcloths for my Keepin' Cool Swap Pal...I wasn't excited about how it turned out...I think it turned out too big...don't know if I will redo it or give it to her as it is...I will post pics after she gets it....

Silly dog...

At my house, all you need to do is mention the word "ride" to get Max all excited...and I mean excited...bouncing up and down...howling/crying...he is SO there...

Well, I was bringing Nathan to work yesterday...and Nathan was driving...so I guess, technically...Nathan was bringing himself to work and I was riding along...anyways, I digress...

Max is in the backseat with his snout and most of his head hanging out the window...Suddenly, the window is going up and his head is being caught...At the same time, Nathan and I yell at each other to stop rolling up the window....

Neither one of us is rolling up the window...Max is doing it to himself...power windows...he's standing on the "up" button with his paw....He got his head out in time...

Silly dog.....

Another chapter....

This summer has been different for me...

Jeremy and Andy are off at their respective "college" homes, working through the summer, stock-piling money and taking summer classes....I miss having them in my daily life. A phone call every few days just doesn't do justice...I miss hearing about the mundane details of their daily lives...

Chris and Nathan are both working this summer...

More often than not, I find myself alone in the house...it's an unfamiliar feeling that is becoming more and more familiar...and I don't think I am ready.

In the past, our summers were so very active...filled to the brim with Little League games, riding bikes to the bookmobile, visits to the local library, miniature golf, camping, swimming lessons, golf practice, and later golf itself...

We spent our days together...eating lunch (hot dogs wrapped with biscuit dough)...having "siesta" time...everybody in their rooms to either read or nap...great opportunity for reading for the older ones and quiet time for the younger ones...during the very hottest part of the day...

I miss my boys.

News from up North

It has been a really busy week...

I've been doctoring most of the week...nasty migraines...don't know if we have "solved" the problem or not...time will tell...no migraine today (knock on wood) Lately I have been going to bed and waking up with one...sucks.

Was down to school yesterday...gave blood for the blood drive...it was my 16th donation...got the "two gallon" pin...yeah!!! The young lady did a nice job with the needle...I have no bruising today...

I then met with the representative with the new curriculum we are ordering (pending board approval, of course)...My intention was to work in my room on lesson plans, as long as I was down there...well, my room looks like a disaster zone...they are painting it...

On knitting news...since I was in Duluth doctoring, I stopped at the LYS looking for yarn to send to my Swap partner...well, found her yarn...but HAD to buy something for myself...I've said this before...if there is a sample AND a free pattern attached (with yarn purchase) they suck me in every time!!!

I left the store with a hat pattern and yarn to match. Now, I had absolutely no intention of knitting a hat this week or this summer...and of course, I immediately had to cast on....can you say ADD???? Oh look at that pretty thing over there.....

I think I have a new "favorite" dishcloth pattern. I am really liking this...



Isn't it pretty? It is a Waffle Knit Dishcloth. I found it here. I am not sure how I got to Deb's blog...but...I found it and I like it...it's easy and quick and I like the texture.

One last thing before I go...



This was on my window the other night....It is the largest moth I have ever seen...the wing span was a good 4 inches across....I have no idea what kind of moth it is...the markings were really cool.

No big plans for the weekend...probably go listen to music and do some dancing tonight and tomorrow...I think we have one last graduation party to attend on Sunday. Hope your weekend is a good one...

Hopefully, I will have pics of my finished hat on Monday to share...

Keepin' Cool in Summer - Topic #3

Well now that Summer has OFFICIALLY begun.. what do you do to beat the heat? A nice tall glass of lemonade? Frozen Coffee? A dip in the pool? What's your favorite way to keep cool this summer as things heat up?

My favorite way to stay cool is to go to the lake. Pack up the boys, the knitting, and some snacks, along with a bottle of water...and head to the lake. If the local lake isn't an option...I head for Duluth...it's always cooler by the big lake (Lake Superior)

I don't have a favorite summer beverage. I am trying to stay away from pop/soda. I tend to drink a lot of flavored water...and seem to be on a "Crystal Light" kick....I must have about 6 different "flavors" currently open in the cupboard....

Just another Monday...

Here is a the only picture Nathan would allow me to post of our day at the water park.



Here is a picture of what a Minnesota water park looks like. This is a beautiful park...lots of picnic area...water slides and go carts... and an alpine slide...good times...

As you know, we live in Minnesota...in the country...we have wood ticks...more specifically...we have deer ticks...deer ticks carry Lyme disease.

Nathan had a deer tick on him last Thursday...I tried to remove it as I remove all wood ticks...with a tweezer....( do not touch wood ticks!!!)...Well, deer ticks are very small...the tweezer pinched the tick right in half, leaving the head of the tick embedded in my son...he was not happy (the son, not the tick, although the tick probably wasn't happy either)

We went to the doctor's office today to have the head of the tick removed.

Doctor put him on antibiotics and now we have to wait and see if Lyme disease develops....

Incidentally, the preferred method of removing a deer tick (according to doctor) is to rub gently over the tick with a cotton ball soaked in dish soap. After about 15 minutes, the tick should back out...

Wouldn't work for me...I would be hysterical by that time...can not stand wood ticks!!!

That was my day...how was yours?

Keepin' Cool in Summer Topic #2

Share with us how you know that summer has truly 'arrived', or something that signifies the start of Summer in your world.

In my world...summer arrives at 3:10 on the last day of school....Ahhh...the joys of being a teacher.....

Seriously though, summer truly arrives with the smell of the first freshly cut lawn....the buzz of the mosquitoes...the smell of burgers on the grill....the lilacs are blooming....the lake is warm enough to swim in.....

It's a contest....

...Come check out Whiskers on Wednesday....You don't have to be a cat lover...(although it helps)...spread the word...registration is still open....