Whew!

Well, I think the temperature was over 96 degrees today (since it was 96 at 10am). Oh, I am so glad for air conditioning!!!! Joel worked today, so the kids and I spent the morning grocery shopping and the afternoon sitting in front of the air conditioner. The kids then went out this evening and actually got cold playing in the wading pool. Water is so fun!
I have to tell you a funny story about my 4-yr-old(the Elder Son). I went in the other night to wake him up to go to the bathroom (night-time potty training). He's on the top bunk, so I stood on the lower so I could reach him; and pulled him over to me. He immediately starts talking----"I don't want................I don't want pig..............I don't want pig.............I don't want Piglet............I don't want Piglet.............I don't want Piglet....................I don't want Piglet on me!!" It was a bit sleep slurred, but I'm pretty sure that's what he said. Sometimes I wish I knew what they dream about!!!!! It was so hard not to giggle at him; I don't think I did very well. He's my most avid sleep talker. He always has been. There have been nights where he has awakened Joel and I with shouts. We run in there and ask what's wrong....if we get an answer it's slurry, mumbly, and makes no sense. Other nights, very clearly, I've heard him say (vehemently!) "NO, it's MINE!! Stop!" DD on the other hand; if you open her door, she instantly starts intelligent conversation with you no matter how far into sleep she was. Ok, so that's an exaggeration--but not as big a one as you think! ;-)

I've been knitting a lot this week. I've been trying to catch up on knitting baby shower gifts-I really like having some on hand, because it seems like I go to them fairly regularly. So I now have a boy baby gift, a girl baby gift and a gender neutral gift. Now I am working on a hat I promised to make for a friend 4 months ago. And a Christmas gift for someone special who reads this blog, so I can't say any more about it. When these things are done, I am designing some things for the Unique Sheep, so "stay tuned" and check them out!

Busy World

I know I'm later than usual in my posting. I have been busy, but when I think about it, I can't think what I was busy doing that is worth mentioning! Just doing life, you know? It was really a fairly quiet week last week. I got to see my Dad and Sister on Saturday, that was pretty cool. My sister is back East somewhere, I can never remember where (I ask her, and try to remember, but within minutes it's been driven from my mind) amazing people with her math skills for a few weeks.
The kids have been busy as always. The sun has finally come out in force the last few days, so they are loving it and begging for water in the wading pool every day.
I didn't knit a lot last week. I'm not sure it was a good idea to take time off from knitting. I thought it would help my hands/arms, but it just made me feel weaker. I'm getting into the swing of it again now, though. :-) I've made 3 baby hats. Granted 2 were preemie hats, but still....

One thing I must mention--and I encourage you to check out on a regular basis--is my husband's new blog! Joel works for Skatechurch on support-based pay, and has started a blog to keep his supporters and anyone else who is interested informed about what he is doing. You can check out his blog here. There's also a link to it on the side of my blog. It is really a very important ministry; please check it out.

Tidbits

It is finally done!! The Celtic Icon took me 3 months, but it is done! And I actually like it on me. :-) I have knit a lot of tops that did not work when I tried them on, so I am extra happy that one that took this long, looks nice. The sleeve length is absolutely perfect! This is the best-finished project I think I've ever done. I learned how to do nice seams on this one- at last. :-) So here it is:














I've decided to take a small break from knitting-as my hands are really starting to hurt lately. But I can't just sit still......so I've decided to go back to the roving I got at Thanksgiving and barely spun a wee bit--and spin it up in the meantime. Here is the start:


My spindle is hand-made and so not the best balanced, but it works, and I am having fun learning how to do this. It's very lumpy and bumpy, but I think I will get better.
I am hoping that after a few days I will be able to get back to knitting, as I have a long list of things that need to get done. I will be test knitting a pattern for a designer, as well as having her test knit a glove design I have recently completed for the Unique Sheep (more details on that in the near future).
So I will spin for a few days, and then get back into the swing of knitting again.

Yesterday was World Wide Knit in Public day. One of my friends and I went out and knit outside a nice coffee shop in SE Portland. It was very pleasant. In fact, it was actually sunny!! It hasn't been very sunny here this spring, so it was a nice change. I am obviously not used to it--I sat half in the shade and burned one arm. :-D It looks a bit odd to have one white arm and one red one. I am hoping the sun will stick around for a few more days so I can even out a bit!!


It was gorgeous for Father's Day. I think DH (Darling Husband)had a good day. He went out with the kids this afternoon so they could bike and skate on the road. Our youngest really doesn't care to bike, he much prefers the skateboard. He figured out today how to go down the driveway; this was very exciting for him! Usually he just stands on the board stationary and taps it up and down. Motion is a bit scary. But he did this (picture) for an hour. Non-stop. He is very persistent, and doesn't mind falling down. I do believe we have another skater in the family!! :-) He cares a lot about what he wears for a 2-yr-old boy as well. Note the hat: he won't go outside without it anymore. :-) It's his "work-hat" or "skate-hat" as the mood takes him.

Who needs TV when you have kids!!!?

New Traditions

We are a very young family; and don't have a whole lot of traditions. We just started a new one that we hope will take off really well- especially as the kids get older.

Have you heard that song that goes:
"Here I raise my Ebenezer,
Hither by Thyhelp I come
And I hope by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home....."

I can't remember how it starts at the moment, but I can remember it from there. Anyway, have you ever wondered what in the world it means by "Ebenezer"?? It's an untranslated Hebrew word (according to my pastor), that literally means a pile of stones. A pile of stones for/of remembrance. You know- in the OT all the time the people are stacking stones to remember something God did. Jacob- when he dreamt of the angels going up and down the ladder made a stack of stones to commemorate it. The Israelites-when they crossed the Red Sea, and the Jordan, and in lots of other places. Abraham-when he covenanted with the Lord. There's lots more.

We were in a Home Community at one point that had an "Ebenezer jar". Every time someone had a story of God's providence, or a really great praise, they would put a stone in the jar to commemorate it. It was a rad idea.

So last weekend, DH and I were talking, and we decided to have our own "Ebenezer jar". The difference is, that instead of putting a stone in, we will put in a slip of paper that has the incident of God's awesomeness written on it. Then, at Thanksgiving, when we can't remember everything we want to praise God for, we will pull out our Ebenezer jar, and praise the Lord for His Awesomeness! I like new traditions. ;-)