A Few Random Hump Day Thoughts

I haven't done a list of random thoughts going through my brain lately, so you're welcome for bringing this back.  Ha!

1.  Thank you for all of the likes, comments, well wishes, etc. that were sent to me from yesterday's post.  I'm excited to have some of my knit stuff out there.  When someone buys something, it's like the biggest compliment you could ever get.  :)   We will see where this goes...

2.  Thank you also for all of the feedback from my exercise post!  It's getting very cold out so I need to ramp up the inside exercise very quickly.  I'm still having a hard time getting motivated to get something started, but I'll get there.

3.  I sometimes think about what life would have been like if we had decided to have a third child.  Yep, sometimes I regret the decision to stop after two.  And then the second child gets assigned the Edible Cell Diagram project in Science.  I remember how much I hated it when the first child had to do it, and then I am grateful that I won't ever have to try and figure out again what piece of candy, pasta, or vegetable can best represent mitochondria, how to get it to stay in place in a bowl of jello, how to label it, and how to make it stay there until 5th period.

4.  This weekend, I'll be working my last EVER shifts in the concession stand at the hockey rink.  Those of you who have ever had to put in time at a concession stand to support your child knows exactly how noteworthy this really is.  Actually, maybe I should move it up to #1 on the list.  Of course there is a little bit of "I can't believe this is our last year of youth hockey." and "Where does the time go?" but working the concession stand is one part of the whole experience of the last 9-10 years that I will not miss one bit.  Red or blue slushie anyone?

5.  I do not have to deal with the drop off/pick up line at school, but I do have to deal with the drop off line at the bus stop.  Since we live outside of the district that we chose to have the children attend school in, the bus won't come to our house, and I have to drive them 0.5 miles to a church where they get on the bus.  I think this year there are anywhere from 7 to 10 cars that sit at the church and wait for the bus to arrive so their young'ins can get on it.  All I'm going to say about it is that some of these people have NO common sense when it comes to parking in a row where the cars are all lined up in parking spaces that are front to back along the side of the road.  Seriously people.  If you are first to arrive, please pull to the front spot so the later people do not have to parallel park.  And when it's time to leave, please pull forward and go to the parking lot loop instead of feeling you will save time by doing an illegal U-turn.  I just don't understand the thought process of some people. I have been tempted on many occasions to take a picture of the crazy parking jobs I see on some of the days I arrive.

So there you have it. 5 random thoughts from my brain that you were dying to know.  

Happy hump day!!

XOXOX

NH

Mon Marche'

Soooo, 'member in my last post when I mentioned that I was making some stuff and there would be more info to come on it?  It's here!!!

I am so excited to announce that I am officially selling some of my hand-knit goodies at the cutest little shop that there ever was.

Mon Marche' (meaning My Marketplace) is located in Princeton, MN, and features several artists/dealers with such unique items for sale, there is something for everyone!

They are in a cool old building on a street running right through the middle of town just oozing with history and character.  They carry upcycled furniture, hand made jewelry, home decor, and much much more.  Including some of my hand-knits!



Plenty of wonderful Christmas gifts inside, that you won't be finding at the mall or on Amazon, that's fo sho.

In addition to the things I posted last time, here are a few others:

Scarf made by the fabulous Morgie Pie!

Newborn baby booties, also made by the Fab Miss M.

Newborn baby hats...

More booties, but these are already sold!  Ka-ching! 

And a Santa hat ornament!

There are also several infinity scarves and headband/earwarmers, that are very hard to photograph on the living room floor without a model.  Ha!

Please go check out more pictures on their Facebook page found right here.  Be sure to "like" them and share my album that they added yesterday.

If you are in the Princeton area and have a free minute or two, stop by, tell them I sent you, and I'm sure you will find something you love!

Now that I can take a break from knitting stuff for the shop, I better get cruising on my Christmas knitting.  Only 57 days left!  ACCCCCK!

XOXOX

NH

The Struggle is Real.

The weight loss has been slooooooooooow lately.

I'm blaming it on the change in the season.  It's getting colder outside, darker outside, and all the good shows are showing new episodes again.  Plus it's prime knitting season.  Right now I feel like I want to knit lots and lots and lots of warm things instead of going for my walk/runs.  If only I could knit on the treadmill.  I'm afraid I'd faceplant and skin my knees, elbows, and face if I tried.  The treadmill is SO boring to me.  Even if I am watching TV or listening to my books on my phone (I love doing that while I'm outside walking, by the way!).  I also like to walk outside better because when I do a big loop, there really is no option to quit when you are halfway through your walk.  You kinda have to keep going if you want to get home.  On the treadmill, it's very easy to decide to hit the stop button whenever you feel like it.  I'd rather not even have that option.

So as we hit the arctic freeze here in Northern MN, I'll be glad to listen to any of your suggestions on exercise I can do at my home.  I just gotta find something that will work into my schedule and something that doesn't bore me to tears.

I'm trying hard to keep my eating on track, and I'm doing pretty well with that.

I won't give up!  Because it feels SO freaking good to put on jeans that are too big for me.  :)

And now for your viewing pleasure, a few things I've been knitting, while not exercising:

Christmas ornament mittens!

Full sized Christmas stockings!

Just had to share this one - I call it "Life of a Dog of a Knitter".  This was how she and I spent last Sunday.  It's not my fault she wanted to lay there.  I only got a few ear twitches when it tickled her just right, but it didn't bother her enough to make her move. :)

And this pic was texted to me by my lovely daughter this morning who is home today for the long MEA weekend. It is a Christmas ornament also.  I can't explain the awesomeness of this to you.  She's home from school, and is knitting.  Also, I'm very jealous that she's knitting and I'm not at this moment.  Heheheh.  

There will be more info to come on why I'm we are making Christmas items, and what we'll be doing with them.  It's very exciting, so stay tuned!!

XOXOX

NH

Lutsen 2014

This is probably my favorite post to write each year.  Or one of my favorite, anyway.  Probably because I'm fresh off of a relaxing weekend away with my besties.

Breakfast selfie!

This year was no different.  The annual "Lutsen" trip certainly didn't disappoint.

We traveled southeast this time instead of northeast, to check out a little different area than we usually go.  Yes, we still call it our Lutsen trip, even though it seems we don't actually go to Lutsen very often anymore.

A stop for a quick round of 18 was on the agenda on our way to our destination since the weather was going to be absolutely picture perfect.

Picture perfect it certainly was.

Dave organized a little scramble for us, with different games on each hole.

A few very serious strategy conversations were held.

In the end, it didn't really matter.  Hit the ball if you can.  That was my strategy.

Some shots were beautiful, and others...  weren't.

ALL of the company was beautiful though.

Have you ever tried putting with a baseball bat?  It's not easy.

Have you ever tried teeing up a water balloon?  It doesn't go very far, but it sure is fun.

Water balloon golf!  It's the next big thing.  So is finding a level spot to take a timed picture from your phone.  Clearly I didn't do so well on that level spot thing.

When golf was over, we pulled into our driveway lined with these trees,

and found this waiting for us to be our home away from home for the next three days.

The view of the house from the lake side was just as magnificent!

The leaves were absolutely in their prime, and the forecast was in the upper 70s for the next two days.  We couldn't have ordered this up more perfectly if we had tried.

Nature was all around me, which was ideal for snapping some fun pictures.  I know this is a very picture-heavy post, but trust me when I say I'm only sharing a tiny fraction of what I actually took.

I do think my photo skills are improving, but it's easy when you have this as your subject!

We decided that the weather was too perfect, so the next day we found a pontoon rental, and couldn't stop singing Little Big Town songs.

The obligatory knitting picture.  Knitting, beer, pontoon, sunshine, friends.  Nothin' better.  Enjoying life right here, right now.

Safety first, peeps!

This was our FIFTEENTH annual trip.  May we NEVER stop.

I may or may not have been shaking a little when I actually saw this magnificent bird, and actually had my camera with me.  How cool that I was brought to that exact moment and I could record it.

The lake was beautiful, lined with some cute doll-house houses, and some much larger "cabins".

I got to capture this dad and his two boys reeling in a catch of the day.  They let the littlest one man the net.  He did a perfect job!  I hope they made some great memories that day.

Seriously.  Magnificent.

I might have been shaking a little when I took these two pictures also.  Um yes. 

What an opportunity!

The original!  Right on our lake!  Of course we had to stop in...

and make a toast!

To friendship and 15 years!

The ladies had to get new Saucy and Zesty shirts!

A little photo walk around the house led me to some mushrooms,

and more vibrant colors than I've seen in nature in a very long time.

I even went for a walk two out of the three mornings, which was very necessary when you have pizza rolls, tater tots, chicken wings, and cheese and crackers for dinner while on Weight Watchers.  Oops.  Walking through this forest was enough motivation to get me out of bed and moving though!

A little fun with aperture and perspective!

Perfect.

This one landed right on my lap while I was sitting on the deck.  I think that means you are supposed to make a wish, right?  

The fishing wasn't great, but we didn't care.

Time for a sunset wine cruise!

I couldn't stop taking pictures of these colors.  How lucky am I to have experienced this day?!

I am thankful for every piece of it.

Our handsome men.

And their lovely wives.

Another fantastic year, my friends.  Thank you for continuing our tradition.  It's these times together that keep me going!  Love you all!

XOXOX

NH