I feel like I haven’t been blogging that much lately. Maybe it’s just I’ve become aware of how little I’ve been blogging over the last few months. What’s going on now?
-I hit the 2nd trimester, which means I’m cleaning my house a lot more. I’m not saying it’s clean, but I am saying I’m cleaning.
-I’m reading…probably too much. I’m into so many books right now.
-I’ve been managing the kids doing more chores and schoolwork, yes, schoolwork. They’ve been driving me crazy whining about how all they want to do is watch t.v. all day. Every other suggestion is a whine. So my newly energetic self has given them each a “chore list” for the day that they must finish before they get any free time. Things like: play fetch with Lena for 15 minutes, dishes, clean room, put away folded clothes, math worksheet, practice piano for 30 minutes, etc. Their lists are short, but their achieving their goal of getting the kids to work, and exposing their minds early in the morning to more options than the television.
This morning, David finished breakfast and asked Knut if he had any chores for him to do. Knut grinned from ear to ear that his son asked for that instead of asked to play on the computer. David has been hitting his lists hard and getting done before noon each day, leaving the afternoon open to play. Silje has been dragging her feet over it all, and I continually find her reading a book instead of finishing her list. We’re still working on that.
-Speaking of Silje, we’ve been planning her big birthday party for tomorrow. I remember her 1st birthday very well. I was very pregnant with David, and this was our 1st child’s 1st birthday and I wanted to go “all out” which in our broke state meant buying fun paper plates and napkins. In fact, I spent about $35 on party things from cups to a “One is Fun” banner. Knut nearly hit the roof that I just dropped $35 on a baby for just one party. I held my ground and said she only turns 1 once, and I really wanted all of those little disposable do dats.
The next day, Knut was grumbling at work (he was in management at UPS at the time) to one of his friends that “my wife just spent all this money on our one year old’s birthday party. It’s not like she’s even going to remember it!” His co-worker said he knew what Knut meant. He said when his wife through their child’s 1st birthday party, they hired horses, clowns, a magician…$2000 later and the whole neighborhood at their house, he often wondered what the point was.
Knut came home that night and surprisingly told me: “I’m glad you spent $35. It is a big deal.” Such a change of heart.
Well, he must have changed even further, because for Silje’s 8th birthday tomorrow, Knut is bringing Silje some horses…just for the day. The family that was given the horses that Knut grew up with has offered to drive them over for Silje and her friends to ride for their party. Silje is so excited. Excited might be a bit of an understatement. I can’t think of a bigger word right now, but think excited x 100.
-I’m knitting and loving it. I’m doing another version of my shawl, in this deep purple. I’m finishing up writing the pattern, and this one is going so much faster. I’m reading my friends blog, and keeping an eye on what my other patterns are doing online. I’ve been having several jumps in sales, and turns out several big sites are starting to feature them. I enjoy lurking around online discussions of my patterns because it seems like the best way to get genuinely honest feedback. My favorite read probably wasn’t this big forum discussion, but the first finished Serina Cardigan other than mine that I know of. I’ve sold several of these patterns, but this is the first one that has been reported as finished…and it’s GORGEOUS! I love the yarn she picked, and may need to make my next cardigan that color because of it. She finished it just as she arrived in Dublin. You can read her little blog here. I don’t know her, but I enjoyed reading it. You know, who doesn’t like hearing their ego stroked by someone they don’t know. I hope she knows those pictures made my day.
-Knut and I finally got out on a date this week. We try to get out just the 2 of us once a month, but it might have been about 3 months since we last went out. So we went all out. We ate at a restaurant, went to the theater and saw “Avengers” and then hit Cold Stone Creamery. We had to drive about 45 minutes to get to all of that, so we got to chat in the car a bunch too. I feel so refreshed.
Well, I have some party planning/shopping to do! Expect some pictures of a very happy girl riding a horse to follow in the next few days! (And pray that the 20% chance of rain during the party will not amount to anything!)
Mom says
June 22, 2012 at 4:51 pmThat is so fun, that your pattern made it all the way to Europe. I agree, I love the color she chose as well! So proud of you!
Looking forward to pictures of the birthday party.
Meadow says
June 23, 2012 at 1:59 pmThe change of heart over the 35 dollars gave me a good laught this morning!
Horses sound like tons of fun.Hope you take lots of pictures.
Ellen says
June 23, 2012 at 2:26 pmI think a lot of us are in the same boat. I know I am. Life is very busy with things that need to get done (not necessarily things I want to do), and that seems to fill up most of my time. It can be frustrating, and yet I know that God has this season planned out for us (me) right now. Learning experiences and life lessons along the way.
Glad that you’re feeling more energetic in your 2nd semester. And yay for the sweater (I just bought a copy of the pattern). And double yay for a date night!