The Wheels are Turning

Shannon you managed to get the wheels turning. Your comment on my sweater is what got me thinking. This idea may stink, but it might be a clever idea too. Let me know what you think.

3 sweaters
3 knitters
3 gifts

For Christmas we (Mom, Shannon and I) all pick a sweater pattern we like, (3 different patterns) we purchase yarn for our sweater and photocopy the pattern. We all knit a different part of each sweater.

• Mom knits the front of her sweater, I knit the sleeves and Shannon knits the back.
• I knit the back of Shannon's sweater, Mom knits the sleeves and Shannon knits the front
• Shannon knits the sleeves on my sweater, I knit the front and Mom does the back

When we are done we all have a completed sweater that has been loved by each of us. None of us got bored with a pattern because we worked with three different patterns and yarns. If we all knit the correct gauge there should be no problem seaming the sweaters. And (you will love this part) 3 gifts of blood sweat and tears and it will only cost us the price of one sweater each. We all pick our own pattern and yarn so everyone gets a sweater they love.

Again blogger's spell check program makes me giggle as it wants to replace the word 'knitters' with the word 'janitor's'.

Almost there. I am trying so hard to stay on task for 2 more inches or so. I have a couple of projects I am itching to swatch for. Do you think Mom knew she would start such a knitty addiction in her daughters when she gifted us with sticks and string? I hope to someday have a yarn stash to rival hers. (I think mom bought stock in yarn and is now gifting everyone she knows knitting needles.)  

PJ was all worn out after today's picnic. She is in a terrible napping groove. You know the one? Where if she has a nap she is a much better person the rest of the day, but she doesn't fall asleep until midnight. Or she has no nap and she is bear from 4:00 until bed time, but she is asleep before her head hits the pillow. I prefer option B but today she is just tuckered from the fun at the pool. 

Last Day of School

Today was the last day of school.

Well, really yesterday was the last day of school and today was the school picnic. The nice thing is today dawned as the first day of sun in 3 weeks. It has been warm and very humid in the Loops this summer. Today has been a beautiful day, it is about 72 out right now and starting to overcast for our afternoon thunder shower. It is supposed to be nice all weekend though.

The picnic was fun, we went to Prince Charles Park (only in Canada Eh?) where they have a large wading pool and a huge playground. The kids spent the entire time either in the sand, on the swings and slides or in the water. They had a great time.

I found it much easier to take them this time than I did last summer. The pool is quite shallow up to my knees at the deepest part and PJ and Sebastian are tall enough and have enough swim lessons to handle themselves very well in it. Quentin had a great time too, he loved the water and would wade out until it was about waist high on him and that seemed to be deep enough for him.

Last summer we put the kids in private swim lessons for a week at Debbles parents pool. It was great and cheaper than the public lessons at the Canada Games Pool. Funny that it turns out to be cheaper. You pay the instructor by the hour instead of by the kid and we had Layne, PJ and Sebastian in it so that made it cheaper. This year I think Quentin will go in too.

This summer I have gotten smart. Last year the kids drove me crazy, 3 kids full time 7 days a week is enough to make a Saint go nuts, I was done in two weeks. I have hired a babysitter to watch the kids three mornings a week. Mondays so I can work, Tuesdays so I can grocery shop ALONE, and Thursdays so that I can work and Paul can have the morning to HIMSELF. They are also signed up for 2 weeks of summer school, one week in each month of their summer break.

This should be enough to keep me fresh for the kids and the summer school will give Bonnie a break too. Bonnie is the best baby sitter I have ever had the occasion to meet. She is a baby sitting goddess and the kids love her. I am not sure who has more fun when she watches the kids, her or the kids.

I am inches away from completing my sweater. I will post a photo soon I promise!

Did I show you what Paul got me for my birthday? Remember this? I used it for the first time this morning and it rocks. I need to adjust some of the settings, but I will do that as I learn how to use it. I am so excited about it. I have more birthday photos to post for you too. I am waiting for the battery to charge on the camera and then I can download the photos for your viewing pleasure.

I am going to see if I can sneak in a few rows of knitting before quiet time is over.

Birthday Blessings

35!?!

Today is a big day, a milestone. I am loving 35 already.

Saturday evening Paul and Debbles had a BBQ and small party for me. (I told Paul he had to buy the meat for the party, he said, "What party?") It was just perfect. The Linfields were here, Denise came and brought her girls, The MacKinnon sisters came to steal the show, and Kim was here from the run clinics, and of course Debbles and Paul and the kids.

We had fun around here for a while and then after dinner and cake (the cake was amazing) Debbles, Mountain Goat, Kim and I went out on the town for a little while. Paul Stayed here and drank with the Linfields and Steve who stopped by to join us for a beverage.

We started with a drink or 2 at Players and then moved on to Cactus Jacks. We had a great time dancing and drinking and talking and drinking, and then we danced and drank some more. I got home at 2:30 in the morning and woke Paul up to thank him for such a nice evening and to tell him how glad I was to have him to come home to after a night out on the town.

Sunday was a rainy day of R and R around here. Paul washed the truck both inside and out, he even 'washed' the engine. A wet engine is not a happy engine and now the truck is sitting forlorn in the driveway, refusing to start. To add insult to injury it has been raining all day. How is the poor truck supposed to dry out in all this wet?

It being birthday time and all I have been thinking about my life and how blessed I am. I find myself at 35 with a husband who is an amazing man (and apparently excessively clean. Who shampoos their engine???), and wonderful father, I have three children who are always usually good and I feel better than I have ever felt in my life physically. 35 is looking pretty good from here.

I have friends that I learn from constantly. I have a loving and supportive mother and father. A job that I never have to go to enjoy. I am in a great learning curve, learning new sports and new skills. I am enjoying life to its fullest and I am very thankful for where I am in my life and I am happy with the directions I am growing in. I count myself especially blessed that I am married to man and surrounded by friends and family that are not only growing with me, but are encouraging me to blossom as person and as a spirit. I look to the future with no fear of getting older (this may change when I am turning 50) but only with excitement of what life has to bring next.

Speaking of next, I am almost done with my sweater (I will post a picture soon) and I am wondering what to put on the needles next. I have some yarn coming in the mail to knit a gift with. I am thinking of knitting some lace next as well. I am thinking of light summer project in case it ever decides to quit raining around here and gets hot. Wrongo would be a good summer project too. I have so much I would like to try, I wish there was more time for knitting!

Summer Storms

This time of year we get quite a few of these summer storms. The day will start perfectly clear and then by about 3:00 in the afternoon the sky clouds over and you can feel the energy in the air.

Then the wind starts, a fast wind that stops as quickly as it starts. After the wind there is this eerie stillness to the air that is so charged with energy the hair on your arms stands on end. Then you hear the first roll of thunder. Often I can watch the lightening show either out the front window or the sliding door out to the back yard. Sometimes it is so warm you can sit out back on the wooden swing and watch the light show.

The whole things ends with a heavy rain, often hail. 30 minutes later it has blown over and the rainbows come out to play.

It is a delight to the senses. The light show, the shiver down your spine as the thunder rolls, the smell of rain on the hot asphalt followed by the crystal clear sky's and the brightest rainbows I have ever seen. As I type this I am watching the lightening strike down the Valley. I will try for a picture for you, there is another one before I can even get the sentence typed. I think it is time to sit and knit and watch mother natures matinee.

The kids went on a field trip to the Kamloops fire station for Father's Day. Here are a few of the pictures that Paul took of all the fun. I am a little jelous that I did not get to go myself and play with fireman Freeze that fire hose. 

PJ's is having a good time ringing the bell on the old fire truck. 

I am so not ready for this kid to be driving. 

I love the intense look on Layne's face. 

Even little Quentin got a turn. 

When did Sebastian get so big!? 

PJ's turn. 

Wednesday Run Clinic

I took this picture looking out our front window about 15 minutes before our Wednesday night run. I figured the sky would open up and dump on us with some thunder and lightning as soon as we were ready to run. It was my thinking that just about the time we were done with our run this storm would have run its course.

Last night was the last night of the 8 week clinics we run through Runner's Sole. On week 8 of every clinic we all go out to eat after our run. This is the first time in 3 years we were rained out of a Wednesday night run. We opted to go to dinner first and then run afterwards if the storm passed quickly enough.

The storm eased up considerably in about 30 minutes and by the time we finished our dinner and drinks the sun was shining and Kamloops was beautiful. Only 6 of us decided to run after dinner and beer. We ended up doing a 10K trail run in Kenna Cartwright park (Did I spell that right?). It was fresh, humid, green and wonderful.

Afterwards I came home for a hot tub and some quality time with Paul. What a great day. Judging by the pictures below the only two people who had more fun than I did are Debbles and Mountain Goat.

One more thing: The Barking Cows won on Tuesday! Our fourth win of the season, this has to be a record for us. Debbles played with us too, damn that girl can smack the ball. She should not have played so well we may make a cow out her yet.

There is also the idea floating around of the girls starting a team together. How fun would that be!

Debbles fueling up before our 10K trail run last night. That girl drinks as well she runs! 

Mountain Goat opted not to go running with us after drinking these...she said she was going to the gym instead. We missed her. 

I have not shown you all these goodies yet have I? Mom and Darryl sent me these for my birthday. The book is one of the best knitting books I have ever read, it has really great instructions and wonderful pictures. The tool you see on the left with green beads on it is used to count your rows, I can't wait to use it. The tool on the right is a cable needle, you put the ring on your hand and it holds the cable needle when you are not using it. I am going to have to start a new project soon to put these tools to work.

I have been working on my sweater lately. I have to knit about 6 mor inches on the botton and then it is all done. It is souble seed stitch so the going is a little slow, but it very pretty to knit and I am not bored with the stitch yet. I am hoping to finish it before the weather gets to hot again, I just cook if I try to work on it when it is warm out. I knitted up the two scarves you see below when we had a bit of a hot spell. The smaller projects are just more comfortable to work with when it is hot out. That is part of why I am considering trying out a lace project next.

There is knitting happening around here. I love these scarves. They are the Windy City Scarf from the first Stitch n Bitch book. This yarn was so great to work with I would buy more in a minute. It is Noro Silk Garden 45% Silk 45% KidMohair and 10% Lamb's Wool. It is really easy to work with and you could make 2 of these out 3 balls yarn, so they will only cost you about $15 each to make.

These colors are so great on Debbles!  

Here I am modeling my scarf. Not a great picture, but I think you get the idea. 

Sisters

There is a dear girl, who I love, but I am feeling like she is avoiding me. Let me see if I can make a long story short.

The dear girl, lets call her MG for now, has a sister who I also love. They are amazing, both together and apart. Let's call the sister MM.

MG and I were plugging along quite nicely, running together, having coffee on occasion and enjoying our friendship. MG begin inviting her sister, MM to hang out with us. Debbles came to play too. Everyone was happy.

Well it seems that for a long time there has been a little competitiveness in MG and she began to feel like Debbles and I and liked MM better than her. This of course is a pile of crap. We love them both, as my sister so eloquently put in a recent post: warts and all.

I have invited MG out 3 times in the past week and she has been to 'busy' to make it. She has told me she would like to 'talk' to me but there has been no talking as of yet. I am torn about how I feel about all this.

I feel sad that MG has sold Debbles and I short. That MG would think we would want to choose between her and her sister is a bit childish to me. I am almost 35 years old and capable of handling many friendships and loving more than one person. In fact I think I am very blessed to have the wonderful friends in my life that I do.

I am trying to understand where MG is coming from by looking at my relationship with my sister. I don't remember feeling much competitiveness between the two of us in the past 10 year or so at least.

Shannon and I hung out with the same people in high school and I remember us getting along fairly well as far as friends went. We did argue over a friend or two but I think mostly we all hung out together.

I remember feeling the most competitive with my sister when she was on the track team and I wanted to join as well. I know that I did not want to compete in the same events as she did because I knew she was a stronger runner and I did not want to get beat by her at every track meet. We argued about that one for a while, but I think in the long run when I was racing Shannon was cheering for me at the sidelines and when she was racing I was cheering for her at the sidelines.

Now I look at my sister and see that she has some wonderful strengths that I wish I had, but I do not feel competitive with her at all. I am sure that I have strengths she appreciates too. I feel that she is blessed to have so many great things going for her. I look at her and see all the good that she is and I would never want to do anything to take away from that.

Shannon is very talented. She will shake this off and think anyone can do it but that is just not true. She can sew better than Betsy Ross. She has a wonderful eye for color and texture. Her house is lovely and it is her talent that makes it such. She is a phenomenal mom, with a full time job, and a student. She makes a great Margarita and can dance the night away with wonderful rhythm. She is one of the most organized people I have ever met. Shannon is a woman of her word. This is high praise in my book, if she says she is going to do something it is done. No question. All this good stuff is just the tip of the iceberg, their is so much more, but remember I am trying to keep a long story short.

Most of all my sister is my friend. I would call her in a minute if I needed someone to talk to, she has always been there for me and this won't ever change. I often wish we lived closer together so we could share friends and spend more time together. I can't see myself being jealous of her at this point in my life. I am happy with myself and she seems to be happy with herself.

I wish that MG could see could see herself for all she is. I wish that MG would measure herself against her own goals and her own beliefs and not measure herself against her sister. I feel it is a shame that MG has pulled herself out of our friendship because of some competition that she has created a competition that no one else sees. I can honestly say I have never compared MG to MM, why would I? Sisters or not, they are different people.

The funny part...it's not cold outside, they just wanted to wear mits and toques. They wear 'toques' all year around but I still have them saying 'tennis shoes' Canadians call them 'runners' my children are bilingual. 

A very Canadian summer.  

Soft taco lunch at the kids table.  

Learning New Tricks From an Old Dog

I may be going out on a limb with this post but I have been thinking about this for a while and well...Here goes nothing.

I am learning to come to terms with the fact that I am a healer. Sounds funny, doesn't it? Yes, we all know that I am a chiropractor and I adjust people and that in turn optimizes their own bodies ability to heal itself. I am talking a little bit beyond that.

I believe that when we lay our hands on people with the intent to heal that there is an exchange of energy. I feel that exchange of energy very strongly through my body at certain times and I have noticed I am feeling that energy more often and with greater strength.

I would say this happened to me for my last 5 patients or so on Saturday for example. When I adjust a segment of the spine that my gut and my hands tell me is the source of this persons pain or dysfunction I get very warm, my hands turn bright red and often the patient will notice this exchange of energy and will recognize it only as heat. They will typically comment about how warm they have gotten following the adjustment.

I have wondered if the heat they feel is just a physiological response to the adjustment. You know stimulating the nervous system, firing a parasympathetic response and all that goes with that response. Okay if that is the case then why does my body respond as well?

Now it gets a little strange. I adjust animals in my office as well as people. A few weeks ago I adjusted a dog named Carly. I talk the dogs while I adjust them, I tell them they are being good and I tell them what I am doing as I touch them. As I adjusted Carly's low back I told her don't worry your stomach will fell better after this. Carly's mom (owner) asked how I knew her stomach was upset. I was just about to say, "Because she told me." I bit back the words before they came out of my mouth and I said, "I don't know." Carly's mom proceeded to tell me that Carly had not been eating and had not been digesting her food well for the past few days.

I adjusted a very sick horse about a year ago. When I put my hands on the horse tears came to my eyes, I immediately knew how sick she was and I had a feeling that the horse would not survive the illness. I proceeded to adjust the horse and when I was done. The horse put her head down and pressed her forehead to my chest and said thank you. Her owner looked at me in surprise and said, "She just said thank you to you." I was not the only one who 'heard' Sierra. Sierra passed away that night.

I would like to learn more about myself, my strengths and my weaknesses. I would like to learn more about the healing energy I feel within me and how to share it with more patients both 2 and 4 legged. I think I know how to start on this road, I will share more with you about this journey as I learn.

Neat Freak

When did this happen??!?! My mom will gladly testify to this; when I was growing up I was a slob, a P..I..G even. I remember saving everything, every scrap of paper, every broken toy, you name it I saved it. I was a pack rat of the highest order. I am sure there were times that you could not open the door to my bedroom because it was so full of stuff.

I can remember my mom saying to me, "Kelly clean your room or I will come in there and do it for you!" She would come in and clean it (because I could not part with any of my garbage myself) and I would cry my eyes out. My idea of cleaning was shoving everything in the closet and hoping mom would not notice.

She noticed. She would go in and clean it herself. Garbage bags of stuff would come out of my room. The crazy thing was, I always liked it after she cleaned it. My room always felt better after mom cleaned it. Today I shudder at the thought of all that mess. When did this change?

I have no idea. I do know that now clutter seems to drive me a bit a batty. I hate to open a drawer and not find what I am looking for because their is too much crap in the way. My closet is so organized that my clothes are hung up by color and my shirts are folded and stacked from tank tops to short sleeves to long sleeve all in their own nice little piles. The kids have plastic bins in their drawers to keep the underwear from getting to friendly with the socks.

If I come home from work and my bed is not made, I put everything down and go make the bed, this is partly because I am a freak and partly because the bed makes a great work surface to fold laundry on. The pendulum has swung all the way over to the other extreme. I feel a bit agitated when the kids toys are spread all over the house. I have crazy rules for the kids like the "three toy rule" each kid is allowed three toys out at a time and then something needs to be put away (where it belongs!) before another toy can come out to play.

I spent the afternoon yesterday cleaning out kitchen cupboards and rearranging canned goods instead of blogging. (By the way I have 6 cans of chick peas! Weird) I am on a summer mission to clean out my house and get rid of everything we don't use. No pack rats here.

How is it that I went from one extreme to another in a matter of five years?

I don't think I have gone off the deep end yet. I don't clean other people's houses when I go to visit. I don't mind if I go to a friends home and it is cluttered or messy. I don't run around at cocktail parties and put coasters under everyone's drinks. I don't own any white gloves. I am just a lover of bins and organization. Give it time and I will be a nice small white padded bin of my own and it will be clean!

I am posting this picture just because I like it.  

It is nice to play a sport the whole family can get involved in. Barking Cows in training. 

All this talk about about softball, I thought you might want to see a picture of some of the action. We were in a tounament last weekend so we played 6 games in 8 days.

Here is a picture of Filet with the play of the game. I had a great play on Tuesday night too, I was not paying attention because I was dealing with the kids and took a bat out to play on second base when we were in the feild. If you can't catch the balls you can just hit them back at the batter.

Have you seen my monkey? And here is a picture of Wrongo too. 

It's Not All About Poop and Vomit

First let me clear up my mistake in yesterday's post. I am sure mom and Shannon will have noticed my error: which witch is which? The star of Bewitched was Samantha, Tabitha was the daughter of the witch. I think I have this right now, but I live in a perpetual state of confusion. Apparently my timing is excellent and today there is an unveiling of the Bewitched statue in Salem Mass here is an article on it for you. Apparently there has been some controversy over the topic.

On to today's post

I have been thinking about much kids make me laugh and I thought I would share a few of this weeks stories so you understand my kids are really more about making me laugh than making me clean up after their bodily functions.

Me: "I need you all to use the washroom before we go to the office!!"
Sebastian: "Okay!" races to washroom to beat PJ there.
PJ gets to the washroom after Sebastain has finished and drops to the floor in instant tears.
Me: "PJ, what's the matter, what happened?"
PJ crying so hard she can hardly speak, tears streaming down her face "Sebastain left the thing up! He is not being a gentleman." The child is 2, where does she get this stuff.

Friday Layne, PJ, Sebastian, Quentin and I played a rousing game of Simon Says on the trampoline. This began as my idea and the kids quickly ran with it. Layne has us all walking around in circles walking like a penguin, Sebastain has us hoping on on foot and tapping our hands on our head. I am guessing the neighbors were laughing as much as I was.

Teacher Tina is one of the kids pre-school teachers. She is expecting and is due in late August.
Me: "Sebastain, don't eat watermelon seeds or you will grow a watermelon in your tummy like Teacher Tina."
Sebastain: "Mom, I have something to tell you."
Me: "What's that Sebastain?"
S: very solemn, "It's a baby inside Teacher Tina, it's not a watermelon."
Me: "Really? Well, how did it get there?"
S: "Teacher Tina put something on her finger and now she has a baby growing inside of her."

This is just the tip of the iceberg. I don't even know how many times a day these kids make me laugh. They make me see the world from a different perspective. It's not all about poop and vomit.

Meme'd!

This one is from Keeefer who has asked some good questions. Check out the comments on his blog for some great answers too.

1. If you could have one superpower what would it be and why?

I am not sure if this one counts but I would go for Tabitha's powers as a witch. That girl can do anything, pause time while she ponders a problem, make any mess disappear, turn her mother-in-law into an elephant. She could save her husbands ass at work, twitch up a pot roast with all the fixin's and look good doing it. I bet she could just twitch 5 pounds off her bum anytime her dress felt a little tight. Now that's power.

2. Which, if any, 'existing' superhero do you fancy and why?

Hmmm, define 'fancy'. I fantasize about fancy Batman, he is well built, he is the kind of guy you could take to the governors ball or to the roughest bar around, he has lots of money, all the right toys: boats, motorcycles, fast cars, his own jet, and the whole mask and cave thing is VERY sexy.

3. Which, if any, 'existing' superhero do you hate?

I am sorry, but I am going to have to go with the nerds of the superhero world, The Wonder Twins. Form of a bucket? Bless their hearts.

4. What would your superhero name be?

I already have one: Mommy. I have to enjoy this while I can for they will soon figure out that I don't actually have eyes in the back of my head and I can not really "take them out of this world the same way I brought them in!" (Ouch!!)

5. Is there an 'existing' superhero with whom you can identify/whom you would like to be?

Nope. To much responsibility for me. I am just content to just do my my part for my little corner of the world, raise good kids that turn into responsible adults, save the world one spine at a time, vote against Bush, and recycle.

Anyone willing to do some soul searching and take on this meme, just leave a link in the comments and consider yourself meme'd.

Here is the trail we ran on Wednesday night. We had a great 10K run it was sunny for the first 50 minutes and then rained on us or the last 10. We were glad for the cold shower. I am not sure if you will be able to see the rain coming down between the trees in the photo, but I am here to tell you how gorgeous it was.  

We had a bit of shower the last 10 minutes of our run look at the beautiful treat it brought us.