playing catch-up! (cont'd)

re: Around the House
On the 4th of July (actually in the few days prior), I made whoopie pies -- i even got my great-grandmother's filling recipe from my mother! They turned out well & were a big hit :) Well worth all the "trouble."
Also, I finally finished the nursery & Ducky has been happily spending his naps & nights in his new(ly completed) room.

re: Serving Others
Nothing to report here, other than -- now that Ducky has weaned -- I'll be on the lookout for opportunities to donate blood. Also, Bug was digging through my basket of his birth paraphernalia & it has lit the fire under my tush to hurry up & update the baby book information before it gets ruined by sitting in a basket for too long!

re: Other
Potty training is still coming along... I imagine Bug will be diaper- & pull-up-free (except for bedtime) by his 3rd birthday. I've also been making an effort to read my Bible more often (on my phone, with a tracking app), so I guess I could mark that one as being "in progress," too. :)

15/101

festive whoopie pie cookies

The final product :) Yum-o!

Bug enjoying a whoopie pie

Nursery Redux

playing catch-up!

Eek! I almost missed posting twice this month (this is only #1), but I have been busy -- as you'll see momentarily.

re: Crafting
I have not accomplished any of my goals in this category of the 101 in 1001 because I have been working on some test-knits & a few other personal projects for friends. The test-knit especially is taking longer than I'd thought as it requires a fair amount of attention (cables, body-shaping) and it's for me, so each row takes 30min or so...

re: Vacation/Travel
Nothing-doing here, either, though we did have a nice trip to PA to see family this past weekend & got to visit a petting zoo there.

re: Health/Fitness
I accomplished quite a bit in this category throughout June & July. I'm calling my C25K-style running program complete, even though I didn't do every single run. I ran (without walking) the 5K run with my mother in mid-June & I've run 3.1 miles at least one other time, so that -- to me -- means that I've accomplished the goal of being able to run 5K, whereas previously I couldn't, despite the fact that I didn't follow the program to the letter. In the last two weeks, I've also done a 5K mud run & a 5K Color Run (though, for full disclosure, I did not jog them entirely without taking breaks to walk). Finally, I'm still struggling with losing weight... I foresee a "real" diet in my future :(

More on the other categories tomorrow or Thursday!

15/101

Mud Run - Before & After

Color Run - Before & After

another Saturday night...

productivity today was destroyed by a cranky toddler (from the time he woke up), a teething baby (seriously. chewing on everything. my nose. my toes. the dog's tail. everything!), and the fact that they refuse to sleep at the same time (until they go to bed, by which time i'm thoroughly exhausted).

i'm working on a test-knit cardigan & i thought i'd have it done by now... i haven't even finished the first lace repeat. it's kinda, sorta depressing. i love my kids, but every time a get a "ME" moment, i feel like i have to spend it cleaning something or feeding somebody...

sooo, even though this is a 101 in 1001 check-in, there's not really anything new to report. :(

11/101

I've been busy...

... that's why it's taken me so long to update!

In the last few weeks i've completed 3 more of the items on my list: #11 (yarn-bombing), #34 (Debbie's scarf), & #61 (5k race). I've also started on a couple other items, most notably #74 (salad from garden) & #88 (potty-training Bug).

Sorry for the short post, but Ducky is waking up... here's the pictorial proof for my 101 in 1001.

11/101

behind the curve...

i realized today that, in order to stay on pace with my 101 in 1001, I should have completed 14 things by now... and i've only done 8. this is not *terribly* disheartening, since many of the things i'm working on take multiple days & may finish around the same time... but it keeps me on-task!

8/101

Slow, but steady...

I haven't posted in a while, but my "in progress" goals are coming along -- and i'm counting down the days until summer break when i can really dive into some of the others.

Yarn-bombing:
Our elementary school's knitting club is going to be making up the pieces for the installation. I will be helping join, tag, & do the actual installing of the knitted pieces. The date of the yarn-bombing is set for early June, so check back soon to hear more about it!

Debbie's Scarf:
I haven't had much time to knit lately & i've been binge-reading whenever i have a moment to myself, but i've made time for a few rows every other day (or so) & it's coming along nicely. I hope to have it finished & in her hot-little-hands before school breaks for summer.

5K Running Plan:
I started tracking my exercise with RunKeeper & i love it! I have a few family members & friends that use the same app. They have been a great encouragement to me ☺ I have missed a couple workouts, but do not intend to make them up at this time, since they are repeats of runs i have already done... if i can fit them in later, i will, but i won't be too upset if i can't. I've signed up for a mud-run with my sister-in-law & a friend from undergrad in July & i'm very much looking forward to it... though maybe not running in the heat!

Weight Loss:
I don't want to talk about it. Apparently I'm gaining weight instead of losing it. "Muscle weighs more than fat," i know, i know. i'm not bulking up on muscle either. i just need to get my eating habits in check!

More soon (+ pictures!)...

8/101

A Visit to the Zoo

Yesterday, The♥Hubster, Bug, Ducky, & I went to the (most) local zoo. "Uncle Lion" & his fiancée also came along. We had a great time -- even Ducky, who was too little to really enjoy seeing the animals, liked riding in the stroller. The unfortunate part was that many of the exhibits were closed due to it being so early in the season (chilly). We got a coupon for 50% off if we come back again before June, so we'll likely take advantage of that since it's an easy drive & 3+ hours of entertainment for less than $40 :D

Soon-to-be-SIL & Bug feed the Eurasian Deer 

 Pretty as a Peacock... oh, wait...

 *~ Le Yawn~* It is soooo tough being a zoo-lebrity, no?

 Great Horned Owl (there were also Barred Owls)

 Amur Leopard

 American Alligators soaking up every ray of sun they can in this chilly weather!

 Path through the "Wetlands" exhibit

 Cassowary -- one of my favorite critters!

Just before Baby Monkey started nursing... so sweet! I could've watched him all day!

8/101

Number 7

Well, Lent is not quite over yet (as of tomorrow, there's 2 weeks left), but I'm counting my 30 days without caffeine as complete.  Of course, since I gave it up for Lent, I still won't be partaking, but I've been falling behind on my 101 in 1001 challenge, so I'm eager to mark another item off!

In other news, i've been running on the treadmill every Thursday at the gym -- while i know it's not anywhere near the same as running outside, it's a start! I look forward to this summer break when i can start running more frequently :)

I've committed myself to another few knitting projects, ones that aren't on my 101 in 1001 list, so i'm going to try to knock those out quickly & get back on track... I'm hoping my monthly updates here will keep that goal fresh in mind!

7/101

101 update

We had snow today & I (re)finished Bug's aran sweater just in time -- except he wasn't too thrilled to wear it (because it covered his St. Patty's shirt) & I think this may be the last cold snap of the year, so it's looking like "Bug's aran" (#17) is going to become "Ducky's aran" (#18).

Here's a quick picture of the before & after, followed by a photo of Bug modeling it...

The only thing I'm currently making progress on right now is my 30 days without caffeine -- I decided to give it up for Lent, because it's kind of a weird thing to have to explain to people otherwise... I'm still dragging a bit, but my headaches stopped within a few days. Yesterday morning I looked at the calendar & realized, sadly, that I still have 5 whole weeks left without coffee or chocolate (or Diet Dr. Pepper, &c.)... it's going to be a long 35 days...

6/101

lost momentum...

As the title of this post suggests, things have slowed with my 101 in 1001... life has gotten busy, both at home & at work. My knitting projects have stagnated as I prepare to fix H's accidental crop-top sweater -- i've reknit the bottom & just need to graft the pieces together... but i've never done such a large graft, much less one in-pattern (of celtic cables, no less!!)... the thought is daunting.

5/101

Sweater for Bug

Well, i've finished it. Sort of. That is, i thought i'd finished it. But when i tried it on Bug, his little belly stuck out from under the ribbing... so i took another look at the pattern & realized that i'd inadvertently left off 20 rows of the body by counting the repetitions of the wrong cable! Sooooooooooooo... here is the finished project, until i get up the guts to try to add an extension onto the bottom.

4/101

February Goals

Well, my goals for January didn't go as expected... but even so, I'm on-track for the 101 in 1001, with 4 projects completed & 9 projects in progress over the last 35 days...

Here's what i'm currently working on:

• Online brioche knitting class
•  Hubster's Socks
• Aran sweater for Bug
• Weight loss
• Cleaning/Organizing the nursery, laundry room, & basement closet
• Blogging regularly
• Reading Agatha Christie's The Thirteen Problems (#96)

AND here are the other things i hope to accomplish this month:

• Write up pattern for Braille Baby Blanket squares
• Aran sweater for Ducky
• Owl for Baby Mastropietro
• Present for Baby Lee
• Organize files in filing cabinet

It does seem like a lot, especially for a short month, but i like setting a high bar for myself... more than likely i'll finish one or two of the first list & one or two of the second list, & then something (or a few somethings) not on the list ;)

4/101

January 101 in 1001 Review

Things have been going well on the crafting front, thanks to the crazy number of snow days we've had...
below is the annotated list of goals i'd set for myself for January:

from the "Crafting" section:

- Afghan square -- COMPLETED

- Braille blanket chart -- NEXT ON MY LIST

- Flower hair pins for Margo -- COMPLETED

from the "Health/Fitness" section:

- Go to bed before 11pm for 7 consecutive days -- NOPE (whoops!)

from the "Around the House" section:

- Finish nursery -- IN PROGRESS

- Organize filing cabinet -- NOPE (whoops!)

from the "Other" section:

- blog my progress (at least twice) -- IN PROGRESS (going well!)

I've also worked on The♥Hubster's socks, completed the 10-stitch project (it turned into a lapghan/"hug-from-afar" for one of my long-time friends) & completed the Socktopus for my coworker's daughter (see below): 

4/101

Fastest 3 months. Ever.

Happy 3mo to our littlest guy!

first in a series of quarterly laundry basket photos (like we did for big brother)

#4: done & done.

Spent a couple hours yesterday & today knocking out some flowers to make into hair clips for the woman who runs my sons' daycare. I really love the pattern i used for the teal flower -- i will definitely be making that one again in the future -- even though it involves seaming 6 different pieces... i wonder if there's a way to do all of the petals at once...

4/101

A Socktopus for Miss Eliza :)

Yesterday i put the finishing touches on a plush toy for a coworker's daughter. I'm really pleased with how it turned out (& especially excited that i remembered to take a couple pictures of this one before i sent it away!!)

3/101

101 in 1001 update

Sunday night I completed another craft project from my 101 in 1001 list. It is a lapghan for my long-time friend Emily, who gets chilly at work. The squares, which i think have a log-cabin-quilt feel to them, are made from the 10-Stitch Blanket pattern, but rather than knit one large piece, i chose to do a modular version, for ease of transportation.

Pardon the picture, this thing needs to be blocked badly!

2/101

6 to one, half-a-dozen to another...

Today i reorganized my list by length of time needed to complete each item:

LESS than a week:

- Learn to steek

- Sew bolster pillow for papasan chair/reading nook

- Embroider kids' handprints, birth-to-current (0/2)

- Yarn-bomb something

- Socks for Ducky

- Blue-striped socks

- Hat for Donna

- Brigid Larkin hat

- Ten-stitch project

- Sew calico cat for Mom
- Sew curtains for pantry

- Dalek for Gavin

- Socktopus for Eliza (in progress)

- Flower hair pins for Margo
- Darn holes in Jen's blanket

- B&B/Brewery Tour (10th anniv?)
- Travel outside the USA
- Visit family "out west"

- Go skiing
- Hike a trail in a National Park
- Watch a professional Hockey game
- Borrow a book from a "Little Free Library"
- Take Bug & Ducky to a zoo
- Take Bug & Ducky to an aquarium
- Take Bug & Ducky on a cave tour (likely in VA)
- Take Bug & Ducky "camping" at Sleepy Creek
- Take Bug & Ducky on a tour of the Crayola factory
- Ride on a train
- Go horseback riding

- Run a 5k road race
- Run a 5-mile road race
- Do the Color Run

- Have an "unplugged" weekend (no phones, internet, etc.)

- Bake a checkerboard cake
- Bake whoopie pies
- Learn to make FIL's gumbo

- Paint our bedroom
- Make a weekly meal chart (Pinterest)
- Make a "launch station" (Pinterest)
- Finish nursery (in progress)
- Organize the filing cabinet
- Back-up the photos on our computer

- Donate blood
- Community service (hands-on)
- RAOK: Buy someone lunch
- Update the boys' baby books (0/2)
- Donate $100 to a charitable cause

- Take Bug & Ducky Christmas caroling
- See a movie at a drive-in
- Go bowling
- Fly a kite
- Build a proper Gingerbread House
- Have lunch at a "tea room" (invite SILs & nieces?)
- Go to a wine-tasting
- Learn the "50 Nifty United States" song

MORE than a week:

- Refinish elephant toy from Mary

- Draw a self-portrait

- Socks for The♥Husbster (in progress: 2/4 socks)

- Aran sweater for Bug
- Aran sweater for Ducky

- Raindance sweater
- Vernal Verde vest

- Windrows Shawl

- Write on/sew Sei Shonagon pillow

- New baby item #1
- New baby item #2

- Fingerless mitts for Sara

- Scarf for Debbie
- Chester cat for Ann

- Frame "The Duel" for Mom

- Braille blanket
- Cheshire cat scarf
- Paisley chart

- Complete 24-day Abs Challenge

- Go to bed before 11pm for 7 consecutive days (0/7)

- Finish laundry room

- Organize/finish the basement closet

- Compile lyrics to all the Sunday School songs of my youth

More than a month:

- Compile family recipes into a bound book

- Sketch-a-Day for a month

- 30 Beekeeper Quilt puffs (0/30)

- Christmas stockings
- Secret project #2 for Mom

- Complete Couch-to-5k (0/33)

- Zumba 10 hrs in a single month (0/10)

- 30 days without caffeine
- 30 days without processed foods
- 30 days without meat

- Potty-train Bug

More than 3 months:

- Complete online class on brioche knitting

- Secret project #1 for Mom

- Take a painting class

- Dragon shawl

- Make a proper salad out of things grown in our garden

- Write a kids' book

- Finish reading the Bible cover-to-cover

More than 6 months:

- Visit 5 museums I've never visited (0/5)

- Lose 25 lbs (0/25)
- Blog "101 in 1001" progress at least 2x month (in progress: 2/66)
- Read 12 books I already own, but haven't yet read (0/12)

1/101

Movin' right along...

Things are going well with the 101 in 1001 ☺
It's Day 3 & i've already completed 1 item from my list, with 4 more in progress.  I'm hoping to finish another one of the craft projects by the end of the week (at the latest) & then i might "read a book i own" to get started on that item.

... i really hope that this list doesn't just help me *start* 101 projects LOL

Not a Bad Start

Today I kicked-off my 101 in 1001 by trying my hand at a new afghan square i'd been admiring... i am pleased with the results & foresee making some more of these in the near future!

I'm also happy to say that this morning i finished the first of 2 pairs of socks for The♥Hubster, which means that i've completed 50% of that goal as well!

1/101