Yarn Along

Joining in with Ginny at Small Things for this week's Yarn Along.
OK, so I am STILL working on Phoebe's baby shorts. I thought for sure that they would be done for this week's yarn along, but alas, I need a few more days. This past weekend was so busy that I have been too exhausted to knit much the past couple of nights. I promise, next week it will be done!!
I started reading The Help for my mama's book club and so far I am really enjoying it. I also started reading The Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr and it is awesome!! The author has cancer but has basically stopped its progression by changing the way she eats. She explains why the typical American diet is so horrible (in terms of chemistry), which has really made an impact on me, and although I don't foresee switching completely to her alkaline based diet, I do plan on leaning my eating habits that way. . and I can't wait to do the cleanse she includes. Plus, she is hilarious. Her writing is full of swears and crudeness, which just makes reading about digestion that much more fun. I will definitely write up a review on this one when I am finished.

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Reducing My Driving: An Update

For my year-long adventure, I have been decreasing my driving during the month of August. Or at least I was supposed to be, and have failed miserably. I already knew going into this month that it would be a challenge, as we were embarking on a road trip to California to start the month off. Hard to not drive when you are on a road trip. Then, as we returned to Portland, summer had finally arrived. Pre-August was cool and rainy, and frankly, I had little to no motivation to go explore when the weather was no cooperating. However, once we came back and the weather has finally been sunny, and playing in the river sounds fun instead of torturous, we have been exploring natural areas frequently. And this means driving to get there. Which also means that since I am taking up huge chunks of days going on adventures, I don't have a lot of time to get my errands done, and don't have time to take the bus or walk for hours to do them, and I therefore need to drive even more. It has been a vicious cycle, really. But, I am being a realist. Summer here has been short this year and we didnt do a whole lot of driving in June or July since we didn't do much adventuring. I also have 2 kids and 2 dogs, and sometimes it just isn't possible to take the bus or walk if I want to go to the same places. I can no longer ride my bike for longer trips (at least until Phoebe is a bit older), and so our options are a bit more limited. I know this is no excuse, as I chose to have a second child, but it is what it is. Once fall brings cooler weather and a return to rain, we will still explore, but closer to home and with less frequency. Until then, I am actually relishing the days where we want to go explore and enjoy the outdoors.
I did manage to take the bus home form the dentist this month, and took it to pub knitting last week. I have also been better about trying to group errands into clumps so that I can get a bunch done in one car-ride. Not always the most pleasant with a 3 year old who gets bored after the first errand or two, but it does cut back on driving miles.
All in all, I have learned that August is not a good month to try and decrease my driving. I do plan to continue to try and reduce my driving throughout the year, and I hope that when fall rolls around and we are on more of a schedule, I will be able to do just that. And until then, I will try and not feel too guilty about the miles I have driven this month! Pin It Now!

Birthday at the Beach

To celebrate my birthday this year, we spent Friday night and Saturday at the coast. It was cool and windy, but the sun was out and it was beautiful. We met up with some friends and their kids on Saturday, so Finn was entertained.
I always feel re-set after returning from the ocean. Here are a few pictures from our trip:

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35 Things to do Before I Turn 35

I am turning 34 today. Wow. Where did all of that time go? I remember being a child, and thinking how 34 sounded so old. I remember my parents "over-the-hill" birthday parties when they turned 40. Are you kidding? Over the hill? That is right around the corner. I think that having children makes time go by even faster. Days are full, and there is always something to be done. And watching a child go from completely helpless to walking and talking in 18 months is nothing short of amazing.... while at the same time becoming the mere blink of an eye.
Next year I will be 35. Sort of a big milestone, I think. So in honor, I am creating a list of 35 things I would like to do before my birthday next year. I tend to be overly ambitious though, so we'll see how it goes.

1. Knit a sweater for Phoebe
2. Knit something for myself
3. Watch the sunrise with someone special
4. Take a sewing class
5. Go camping somewhere that I have never been
6. Pick up my instruments again and start creating music
7. Do a food cleanse
8. Take a vacation
9. Read War and Peace
10. Go snowboarding at least once (I used to go regularly but ever since having kids....)
11. Paint the inside of my house
12. Put baseboard trim in my house (a project I was supposed to undertake 4 years ago)
13. Tell the people that I love that I love them more often
14. Learn to make my own earrings
15. Be a better mama, especially working on being more patient with Finn....
16. Purge unneeded stuff and learn to live more simply
17. Teach Finn to swim
18. Get better at Spanish
19. Learn about a new classical composer each month and immerse myself in their music
20. Learn how to identify 10 new plants
21. Have Moshi (our puppy) very well trained (right now her training is quite mediocre)
22. Make yoga and meditation a daily happening, even if for only 3 minutes each day
23. Learn 5 new constellations
24. Learn to find joy in the mundane
25. Finish Phoebe's baby book from birth to age 1
26. Eat more greens
27. Enter a photo contest
28. Make a new friend
29. Volunteer
30. Go on at least one date each month with my hubby
31. Re-learn baby sign language
32. Re-organize the back yard/side yard storage
33. Get some new house plants
34. Live for the moment
35. Don't act my age!

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This Moment...

{this moment} - A Friday ritual.  A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Inspired by Soulemama 

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Kimono PJ's

I finally finished P a pair of kimono pajamas that have been on my to-sew list for months and months. It was my first time making a shirt of any kind, and it was easier than I thought (and it came out really cute, if I do say so myself..).
For the top, I modified a pattern that can be found here. Actually, click on the link to check out her super cute tops and then you have to email her and she will email you a pdf of the pattern. Sweet, huh? For the pants, I just made them by tracing a pair that fit Phoebe well. I talk more about that here.
I asked Finn if he wanted a pair and he politely said "no, mom" (with a slight roll of the eyes).  Maybe I will just have to make P a second set. Too cute to not, right?

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Yarn Along

Joining in over at Small Things for this week's Yarn Along. Can you find my book and project amongst the sea of stuffed animals? Finn's room was a bit messy this morning!!
On a good note, I have finally finished reading Freedom by Jonathon Franzen. Good thing, as my book club is meeting to discuss it tonight! I started reading the Yarn Harlot: Secret Life of  Knitter Monday night and I am already about 2/3 through. It is a fast and funny read.
And, I am still knitting the same baby shorts for Miss Phoebe from Debbie Bliss' Essential Baby. I am about 3/4 through now, but since cool weather is approaching, I had better get a move on. I am hoping next week's yarn along will bring pictures of finished shorts! (fingers crossed) Pin It Now!