Milestones

Today we started school. I know it is Saturday, but with Mike's work schedule being the weekend it just makes more sense to do our school work when he is working. Leaving us free to enjoy family time when he is off. Thinking about this I realize that if we weren't home schooling Mike would see the kids a very limited amount. Just another reason that home schooling is the perfect fit for our family.

Each of the kids hit a milestone today, which will most likely never happen again. Jacob started high school, Haley middle school and Faith kindergarten. Kind of brings a tear to my eye!

Here is Jacob and Faith working hard. Haley was outside walking the dog for her Physical Education portion of the day.

The Dream

Ahhh the dream.... Some day I'll have my own yarn shop.

It is most likely the dream of all fiber addicts. Spend your day among people who are just as fanatical as you are about fiber. Not to mention that you HAVE to knit all day, it's your job!

For now it will remain the dream. My kids being home schooled, caring for them, Mike and our home are the priority for now.

It is still fun to dream, and maybe some day...

Prayer and Guilt

Since the twelfth century Catholics have been saying the rosary. Since then Mother Mary has appeared, as recently as 1917, to ask all people to pray the rosary daily for sinful souls. She said, "Some I shall grant, and others I must deny. People must amend their lives and ask pardon for their sins. They must not offend our Lord any more, for He is already too much offended! " This is just one of the reasons as Catholics we are taught to pray the rosary.

In 1931 a simple nun, Sr. M. Faustina Kowalska, began to have visions of Jesus. In these apparitions he asked her to paint a picture of what she saw. Her vision was Jesus with one hand raised in blessing, from his heart was a white and red ray of light. These lights were to represent the blood and water which poured forth at his passion. She was also given a prayer to teach people. These prayers are known as the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. His message was, "Before I come as a just Judge, I first open wide the doors of My mercy. He who refuses to pass through the doors of My mercy must pass through the doors of My justice."

More so during the school year than in the summer, the kids and I get into a really good routine of saying either the rosary or the chaplet around 3:00 pm. However, let it be known that out of these two prayers the easiest for the kids (at least the 5 year old) and quickest is the Chaplet. So, that is usually the one they choose to say. Leaving me in a bit of a turmoil because it isn't easy to find time in a hectic school day to say both. Guilt!! Good old Catholic guilt!

I pray that I may find some balance and peace. Guilt over prayer isn't' what God would want for me.

The Natives Were Restless

Our family chiropractor, whom I've mentioned before, is also a musician. He plays the drums, mandolin, and the didgeridoo. Every 3rd Tuesday of the month he hosts a little gathering he has dubbed "Drum Circle", bring whatever instrument you play and come enjoy the rhythm and let it sooth your soul. Mike and I had been wanting to take the kids and finally last night we made it. Jacob of course brought his guitar.

We began the night with Dr. Katz handing out colored glasses to each of us. He is really in tune to every one's aura and decided on what color you needed by reading your aura. The really cool part we noticed is that when he first handed Haley her orange glasses, she didn't put them on right away. When he came back around to her he didn't think she had any yet and handed her orange again.

Here are some photos of us having a good time all in the rhythmic zone.

The ride home provided us with all kinds of chatter about our night. The consensus was we should do that again.

Start School? and a Knitting update

The scent of sharpened pencils. The smell of a new, unused notebook. The feel of a new workbook freshly printed and never been opened. These are the things that remind all of us of a new school year about to begin.

We received our new school year curriculum last week. All three kids have what they need to start the new school year. So what seems to be the delay? Me! I just am not ready.

Is it because it will be Faith's first year in school? The dreaded first day of kindergarten. Even though we home school, the feeling is still there, my youngest is actually old enough to be starting school. {tears}

Haley starts 6th grade, technically middle school in the "real world". Each of our kids is so different, I'm not sure what to expect with Haley and these uncharted waters for my 11 year old daughter. She is now old enough to begin attending youth group at church too this September. Scary!

Jacob is starting high school. He won't have to deal with the unknown of being a freshman in a "real" high school setting, that brings us all some peace of mind, but he does have a new work load and course credits to earn. Pressure!

Not sure when our first day of school will be. Maybe I can spend September just planning field trips and we can put it off for another month? (Yeah right like the principal, a.k.a. dad, will let that happen.)

On the knitting front:

Still knitting away on Arwen. Not crazy about this pattern however, but I will continue as it is written and see what I get when it is all done. Here is a picture of the progress, I'm pleased with my first sweater that has cable all the way through it.

Such a Crick in the Neck!

Who would have thought that my addiction to knitting could actually lead to physical impairment? Well maybe not a complete impairment, but some serious spine, neck and shoulder damage.

Maybe it isn't all from knitting. Several years ago I did have some shoulder pain and discomfort before getting heavily involved in knitting, that I was able to find some relief from with a few visits to the chiropractor. However, the chiropractor we were going to in Connecticut wasn't all that great and the relief was really short lived.

Back in April when Mike began having some serious neck pain himself, he found a chiropractor here who did some extensive rehabilitation, gave him vitamin supplements and an exercise regimen. Now he is feeling really great and he was most likely saved from needing surgery.

After months of being in discomfort myself, but with everything going on with my father I hadn't done anything about it, I too started seeing the "witch doctor"/chiropractor a few weeks ago. The tests and x-rays he did didn't show a very good prognosis, but with his therapy and adjustments I believe I too am on the way to a healthier body.

Now the rule for sitting and knitting are:

• only 30-45 minutes at a time,
• then I have to get up walk around and
• stretch for 10 minutes before returning to it.

Also remembering to drink lots of water when I'm knitting, hydration helps keep joints healthy.

Coffee, Tea or Me?

What do you do while your kids are in the pool, it's too hot to work in the yard, and you want to be productive? You sit on the porch at the picnic table and write in your blog. (Does that really classify as productive or am I fooling myself?)


Several years ago, can't recall what initiated the change, Mike and I gave up drinking coffee completely we even through away our coffee pot. Then just as abruptly, again can't recall what caused it, months later we bought a new coffee pot and began drinking coffee again.


Some time back in January or February, Mike sporadically started having trouble with heartburn. In an effort to resolve his struggle with heartburn, Mike once again gave up the coffee drinking and began drinking tea. Then he started drinking it with honey instead of sugar. Which studies have shown, if you drink local honey it can decrease your seasonal allergies. Mike actually hasn't had any problems with seasonal allergies since moving to Virginia.


Myself, however, that's another story!! My allergies here in Virginia have been the worst ever in my life. I have even started using an inhaler for asthma since moving to Virginia.

My dear sweet husband is convinced I need to drink tea with honey, instead of the usual coffee and my allergies will improve. Although I still really enjoy having a coffee here and there I've really have been making an effort to drink more tea with honey.


Even brewed some this afternoon and turned into an iced tea.


Now I'm sitting here watching the kids in the pool "sipping my sweet tea"! (Hear the southern twang?)

Normalcy and Knitting

Our home has returned to some sense of normalcy. Although with normalcy we have a bit of loneliness, without mom here and dad gone, and no family visiting.

Mom being back in Florida, and on her own, has also brought a feeling of worry that I've never experienced. Is this what it is like to have a child off on their own, away from home? Trying not to call her too often to check up on her, slowly finding a happy medium of calls and trust in God (and dad) watching over her. She is doing well over all and I'm really proud of her. I'll bet dad would be too.

On the knitting front.

Made a pair of socks for sister Laura to give to her mother-in-law for Christmas. Laura has worn the ones I made for her all summer as a pair of slippers and the MIL admired them. So, she will be lucky enough to get a pair. I don't give things away that I've made very easily, but I know she will appreciate them, and Laura appreciates it also. Here they are:

Have started the Cardigan for Arwen for myself. My friends back in CT gave me all the yarn I needed to make this cardigan I've admired for some time. Considering that was a year ago, figured now was as good a time as any to get it going. Here it is in its' infancy: