Springs in the Clocks?

You know what today is? It is the eve of Daylight-Savings-I-Hate-My-Life Sunday. Now, don't get me wrong...I love the extra hour of daylight as much as anyone, but "springing forward" and losing that hour of sleep is still pretty painful. 

So how do you fill a day that you know will bring you one hour less of everything (because tomorrow will start on time, whether I get enough sleep or not)? Well, if you moved into a new-construction home about a year ago, you grab some blue tape, a notebook, flashlight and hubby, and you go through all the drywall issues to be addressed by the builder before that year-long warranty is up!

Nail pop and drywall tape exposed...

Yeah, it was a super-fun morning! Lolz...but at least there was knitting at the end, and we will see the grandsons tomorrow.

Bright Axis Sweater, so fun!
Loving the stripes!

Not sure what else we will do with the day, but we have already set the clocks forward, so perhaps we will not stay up too late. We will probably also nap when the boys nap tomorrow, so nobody call me between 1-3pm! I will be snoozing! When I wake up, maybe I'll do some more knitting. Perhaps there will even be pictures like this one!

This is the face of a boy holding a milkshake
AND an orange pop!

What will you do today, as you anticipate the coming of springtime and summer? Whatever it is, as my friend Jim often says, "Keep the shiny side up!," and a spring in your step!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Recalibrating...

Recalibrating.

Even as I type the word, I hear the voice of my GPS scolding me for not taking that turn and muttering (only slightly under her breath), "Recalculating," as though I am the world's champion idiot for failing to follow her simple guidance. "Recalculating" is often followed shortly by, "at the next intersection, make a U-turn." Good advice when a body has clearly made a wrong turn, though I could do with a little less shaming from my GPS. And, while the words sound similar in my head, recalibrating is less about turning around than it is about finding a new way to keep going forward.

When the baby starts learning to crawl and walk, for instance, parents and grandparents don't stop taking him outside to play or stop encouraging his progress, but they recalibrate where he plays. The grass is a much softer place than the driveway for a crawler with bare knees who might fall over. 

If you can have a big brother handy to lean on, all the better! We recalibrate and celebrate the change.

When he starts feeding himself a little more efficiently, we don't immediately stop giving him a bottle. We recalibrate how much nourishment comes from the bottle, adding in finger foods (and fork foods eaten with fingers) to balance his tiny diet.

This week, Sweetie and I discovered that the configuration of our furniture wasn't working in some ways. Rather than moving out, we recalibrated the room, and moved the furniture. The cat was confused, but our favorite people were not, and I think the cat is starting to get used to it.

As a bonus, the recalibrated furniture made "Movie Night" extra cute with our big boy yesterday, as he cuddled up with Pop Pop in the big chair. 

Recalibrating is good, and even necessary at times. As I really lean into it, I am even recalibrating in my knitting this weekend, casting on a new top designed by a friend! This is something I have been excited to start since I returned from the ZK retreat in June with yarn for it, and since I have finished the Advent mittens for the boys,

Just need to add buttons to the hanging cords!

it's time to knit this Recalibrate top! There isn't much knit up yet, but all the yarn is wound from skeins into cakes,

Yarn from Suburban Stitcher: Sock yarn in Oslo
and Smoke, Slub Sock yarn in Melancholy.

and I have about 92 rows (of 128) done on the first bit (though this photo only shows the first 48).

There are plenty of other things in my life that could use a little recalibration...my attitude, my work ethic, my expectations, my eating habits (I found a new-to-me bakery...drool!)...

Cakes of yarn and cakes of cake in one post?
Count me in!

but for now, I am going to concentrate on the kids and the knitting. I am going to celebrate the changes growth brings, and I'm going to keep taking the next right step forward. I hope you will continue to join me on the journey. :)

Thanks for stopping by today, and Knit in Good Health!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Busy, busy Saturday! Cleaned, cleaned, and cleaned some more...lol! Now we're off to snuggle a couple grandsons, and I almost forgot about the blog! So, my apologies for this short, disheveled post from my phone, but here are a couple highlights from the week:

Craft room decorated? Check! 

Rainbow Sweater started for grandson number one? Check!

Driveway poured by builder? Check!

I suppose it's been a busy, busy week! And now the cat is ready to relax and worry about whether the corner of this rug will ever lay flat...hahaha!

I hope your week has been productive, and that your Saturday has brought you some joy! I'll be back next week, probably with more words (and pictures)! 

Until then, thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Seven Happy Pictures

Today's post is all about the happy! I have been struggling with the happy in this transition to the new place, so I am reminding myself of some happy moments, and keeping them close at hand. 

I mean, you've seen the pictures of the condo, and it is fantastic! But it has taken me nearly a month to start to figure out new routines that don't leave me constantly feeling like I have hours and hours of cleaning to do every weekend. In the other house, this was easy...it was dark, everything was in some kind of shadow and we had an acceptable (perhaps?) level of "base dirt" that was just there. I didn't notice it. 

Here, everything is white. If it isn't white, it is some version of white: white with gray speckles, gray-white; light grey or tan; a pattern with a lot of white in it...even some of the things I've brought with me or purchased new are white. That means that NO dirt goes unnoticed! And my OCD feels/sees a crumb or speck and HAS TO CLEAN IT RIGHT NOW! That leaves me often overwhelmed and feeling inadequate. 

However, there is much happy here, and I have seven pictures to prove it:

Check out that sunshine, streaming through the windows, filling this place with happy light! And look at that old cat, trying to figure out how to catch the reflection of Pop Pop's iPad on the 10-ft-high ceiling! lol!

I am finally at a place where I can start some new, yarny projects, even if there is a bit of dust over there in the corner! While I am at the craft store, I am always finding new pieces for the décor, and this also makes me happy! (Bonus, I was using a gift card I received as a housewarming gift, so everything in these two bags was free!)

I have been using my crafty mugs, which are so much easier to get to in these new, spacious cupboards! I no longer have to empty a whole shelf of stacked mugs to reach one I'd like to use. I may have to move a mug, from time to time, but EVERYTHING in my kitchen is WAY more accessible! This is a supremely happy occasion nearly every morning!

Have I mentioned the windows here? And all the light? Yeah, I thought I did...and even though a large-for-a-bathroom window may leave me feeling exposed if I let the light shine in, I know how to take care of even that. These window clings let me enjoy all the color of a lovely sunrise without risking too much exposure of myself to me neighbors! So happy!

Sleeping, or recharging? Either way, as a Gramma, this makes me happy! I have a bed for my grandson to nap in on his visits! I can actually have my grandchildren in this house without tripping over them, and I am not sure I have words to adequately express the joy that realization brings!

I mean, just look at this! Four (mostly) happy faces, all sitting together, with adults gathered all around, too! And, just in case you're wondering if it is easier to photograph 3 kids than 4, with all of them smiling and looking at the camera with their eyes open...

...the answer is a solid NO...hahahahaha! But even that makes my happy-Gramma-heart just leap with joy! Oh, man! What fun we have had already here, even though my anxiety has given me a run for the money in this move.

Bottom line: it's been a good month, and I am looking forward to many more months and years of "happily ever after" here. I hope that you are also finding joy in your life, and I encourage you to remind yourself of at least one happy thing every day!

Today, I am happy that you have popped in, and I am also happy that I am starting on a new, secret, yarny endeavor! So, thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

I'm Late, I'm Late, I'm Late!

It's been a very busy day, our first visit from the girls! There have been games, electronics, cookie and bread baking, and fort building...but not much sitting for Gramma. Lol!

Fun day, and I'll sleep good tonight!

I hope your weekend has been good so far, and Happy Mother's Day to all my Mom-type friends!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

All the Unpacking...

Still living out of boxes, so not much time to write. But the cats seem content, and I'm calling it all good! 

More details, and (hopefully) moved-in-and-out-of-boxes next week, friends!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

We Are There...YAY!

Guess what? (Hint: The answer is not "Chicken butt!," FYI!)

Last week I told you we had keys, right? Well...today WE  MOVE IN!!! 

*And the crowd goes wild!!!*

So I don't have time to give you lots of words...but, just for fun, here are some progress photos:

On our first visit, it didn't seem real.

As time passed, and we shared our excitement with family, we could see our dream becoming reality...

We watched drywall and cabinets go in...

Flooring, siding and the back deck were completed...

...and finally, COUNTERTOPS to decorate!

I've already started...it's a work in progress. :)

The welcome mat is out...

Gifts have been received...

Curtains and artwork have been hung...

Yesterday, furniture even arrived!

We are just about ready to spend our first night in our new home, and we will be ready for a good night's sleep after the final push in our move today! Thank you to our kids and friends who have helped us lug things around, and to those who have been so graceful and patient while we have been losing our minds in anticipation! So much happy this evening!

Thanks for stopping in online to share the joy with us. If you know me IRL, and you live in my neck of the woods, I hope you'll be able to stop by in person soon. I can't wait until I can sit at my table with friends and enjoy a cup of tea (or coffee, or...something else)!

After a good night's rest, I hope to start back into knitting like a fiend! I hope to see you again next Saturday!

Until then, Knit in Good Health!

Keys

Keys. We have keys. Not car keys, or train keys...

Not the keys to this little guys heart (though we have those, too...)

But the keys to our new place! We have the keys!

So the next couple weeks are going to be full of moving all the things! We have a good start, with some very nice gifts from our Realtor (thank you, Chad!)...

...and as you read this, I am either hanging curtains or putting things away in one of my many new cupboards or bathrooms, so I'm not going to write too long today. More pictures will be coming soon! 

Even though my time is limited this weekend, I did want to stop in to say hello and Happy Saturday to all of you! I hope that you have something to celebrate. Springtime. Sunshine. Kittens and puppies, or new yarn, perhaps!  

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!