Jensconsin

January 5, 2010

I'm a winner. And gosh darnit, people like me.

Upon the suggestion of my mom, in December, I submitted a photo (see upper right of this blog) to a local TV station's holiday photo contest. And wouldn't you know it, I won the whole damn contest. And that would mean I get a 22" LCD HD TV.

I took a photo of my husband kissing me AND I got a TV. Now that's a good thing.

Hope

"The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for" Allan Chalmers

Once upon a time, a good friend told me that you always need something to look forward to in order to keep you heading toward what you really want. It's advice I've taken to heart, as it's gotten me through good times and bad. And years later I find myself still asking that same question - What am I looking forward to? This year? This month? This week? This today? Right now?

What are you looking forward to?

January 4, 2010

Come on, get hap-peeee

It is with excitement and trepidation that I bring you the Monday Happiness Project. Excitement, because every Monday, I'm going to bring you something that makes me really happy. And I think that's fun. Trepidation because, well, that's a lot to expect out of a Monday. But I guess that's part of the point.

So go on, get happy. After all, it's Monday.

January 3, 2010

What a difference a few months can make

Mailbag

I've gotten a few questions lately via comments or emails. So I'm taking today to answer them.

1. The pickle

The pickle is an old German Christmas tradition. It's an ornament, not a real pickle (Once upon a time, I believe it was a real pickle) that someone hides on the tree. It's the last ornament to go up. The person who finds it gets an extra present or year-long good luck. I did not have the tradition as a kid, but we've adopted it in our house to help the youngest family member with the long, difficult wait for Christmas morning. That's because we do the search after Christmas Eve dinner.

2. Entrelac

My apologies to the French, but knitters pronounce it ahn-tray-lock. It's a knitting pattern that makes the yarn look like the it is lattice-weaved. Or as a co-worker called it - pie crust knitting. It involves picking up stitches and knitting together. Not all that tricky as long as you're paying attention. It has been my nemesis because I couldn't figure out how to get it started. And I'm not that great at paying attention while knitting. So for months I'd try it in between projects, and it just kept ending up looking like a giant mess. And then I got scared when I went to the knitting store for help, and the owner looked at me with wide eyes and said, "I don't entrelac!" But I've powered through it, and am happy to report that with some help of the world wide webs, I'm about 8 inches in to the front of a sweater doing the entrelac pattern.

3. My sweater

It's being knitted out of Berroco Ultra Alpaca color 6292. The pattern is the P0347 Rapunzel in Limerick. And the lady at the yarn store told me it'd be no problem to knit. She was not the owner, and not there when I went back for help.

4. My stash

I've resolved to use up my stash of yarn this year. I've also resolved to be better organized so that I use up what I have in life instead of buying more. So this weekend I went to buy a box to hold the stash. Clearly, I need a bigger box. Or to knit a lot faster.

5. My camera

I take a few hundred shots a week with a Nikon D90. Obviously, many get deleted. I've never taken a class (going to try to change that this year) so hopefully in the future I won't have to take so many shots or just hope to get lucky with a few.

There, now wasn't that fun?

January 2, 2010

Knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, slip, turn...

The repetition of the rows is calming. And seeing actual progress as the sweater gets longer, row by row, is so gratifying.

I will finish this sweater. I will finish this sweater. I swear it!

*******

PS - Yes, I'm aware I'm in dire need of a manicure.

*******

PPS - Today is 01022010 - it's a palindrome!

January 1, 2010

I resolve to...

Take part in the one-word project. I really get lost in my camera, so have decided I should get a little focus around how I use it to better focus my photos. And hopefully it'll improve my skills a bit. This month's word is "Create". I'm very excited.
Volunteer. C-man is *gulp* almost 5. It's time for us to start showing him how to give to others in ways that mean something. Now the trick is to find a place we can volunteer with a 5 year old! I have a few ideas that might work out though.
Focus on my health. This isn't a weight-loss resolution. This is a resolution to make some real decisions about this body that I've been putting off.
Make a conscious effort to use less. In doing so, I'm making a real effort to declutter my life. I have so much swirling around all the time, I don't feel like I get to focus on what matters. So I'm getting rid of the negative people, and technology that disconnects me more than it connects me (blog and camera not included, of course), and just all that crap I don't need.
In a nod to #4, Use up my yarn stash. I have a ridiculous amount of leftover yarn, or projects I intended to do, but then didn't groove on them once I started. And this includes the sweater that feels like I've been working on for AGES, because, well, I have been. But damnit, entrelac, I've got you figured out. You can't beat me down now! Only a sleeve and the whole front of entrelac to go. I might be done around June.

December 31, 2009

Year in Review

We started this year on such a sad note, when we lost our sweet, sweet dog Riley to bone cancer in January. I miss him every single day.

In February, we found a love for soccer.

In March, I got a 4 year old.

And started Boot Camp in my quest to get lean and fit, and thought I was going to die in the process. April brought the return of baseball to our lives.

While May was packed to the gills, as it always is, with family get-togethers

my 33rd birthday (which I never thought I'd see) which brought me a present of the best camera I've ever owned

a great Mothers' Day of geocaching

and a lovely 8th anniversary with friends in wine country.

The entrance of June meant the official start of t-ball cheering

and teaching a 4-year old how to wear glasses.

July brought, of course, fireworks that "sounded like bubble wrap"

A new job. Gorgeous summer afternoons fighting the "whales" at the beach

And a celebration of losing 20 pounds after months of getting up at 4:30 a.m. each day.

August was, of course, filled with the fair

and family reunions

and zoo trips

a miraculous end to the never-ending roof project!

and a start to football season.

While September brought us a school-aged kid.

It also meant I got to experience my very first trip to Europe to party through Oktoberfest

fall IRREVOCABLY in love with all the sweetness that is Switzerland

and check HIM off my list.

In October I said goodbye to an old, trusted, red friend

Carved pumpkins

and got some candy.

While November meant once again walking in the Jingle Bell Run/Walk

and our first parent-teacher conference.

December brought beautiful wintry days, as Decembers tend to do

which meant nice walks in Doctors Park

But December also meant family Christmases

complete with sleigh rides

a of course Santa.

The passing of each year is always bittersweet to me. I'm always so glad to leave the past behind and forge into the future. But 2009 has left me with a few things still uncrossed off my list that I now have left to do in 2010. In the end, I think that's okay. Because overwhelmingly, "growth" was my word for 2009. And that's a pretty good thing.

May you and your family get much health and happiness in 2010. And I say, bring it on.

*****************

PS - Happy 10 years together, sweetheart!

December 30, 2009

The Best of...

Now that Oprah's putting herself out of business, I'm taking over the Best of series. Well for today, anyway. Best new drink: Hot chocolate from Cafe Sprungli