baby sweater! times two!

I started this first sweater about a month ago and even though the pattern is a little tricky around the placket on the neck.. I fudged it and made it up as I went and what do you know.. it worked.    Mr. Knitpho’s cousin is having twins.. boys.  GASP.     So, instead of a trip to babies r us.. why not do what I do best and give her something from the heart.     Instead of making two matchy matchy.. one is brown with blue and the other blue with brown.  TOOT CUTE.

Instead of buttons.. I put in those little sew in snaps and will send them on their merry little way.

I hope the mother to be enjoys these little sweaters as much as I enjoyed knitting them for her new baby boys.

Command and Conquer

As you know,  I am in the midst of training for my first half marathon.     This is by far the biggest thing I have ever set out to do in my lifetime.     Athletically.     Seriously.

Each week as we check off another training week and the mileage adds up .. I say to myself ..  “Self, WAY TO GO!”  and then I pat self on back.      Each Saturday we set out for a new course and a higher amount of mileage.   Each Friday night, I was about to poo just thinking about the next morning and the what ifs. What if you break the cement?   What if you trip and fall and just end up the gutter and live there forever because your so mortified it’s just better that way?   What if the chub rub is so severe that you would rather chop off your legs and live with bloody stumps than continue?   What if your hair elastic breaks and your hair is all over the place ?  What if someone screws with my iShuffle and all there is something like Jonas Bros and no metal?   What if you can’t finish?

Just so you know, only one what if happened …  My hair was a mess!

These what ifs stopped about 2 weeks ago.   2 weeks ago when I commanded all voices to the STFU and let me just run.       I conquered the 6miles.   Then a week later when I commanded once again SILENCE and I conquered 7.2miles.   Including hills.   If I can run seven .. I can run 8.   By the time I run 8..  bring on 9.

Never in my wildest dreams (and I’ve had some wild dreams!) did I ever think I could do something like this.

Without the support of my husband,kids,parents and my friends  .. well,   thank you to all of you for pushing me and telling me good job.  It’s what keeps me going.

These are the new voices in my head that fuel me each  & every run.

the voices

So when I run the voices in my head are my biggest competition.    I am trying to kill them off one by one.  But it seems as though they are able to resurrect and when morning time rolls around and I hit the pavement.. they’re  all  OH HAI!  WE’RE   BACK!

Evil Voice 1:  “What are you doing Melody?

Evil Voice 2:  “Seriously!   A runner?  PUH-LEASE!”

Good Voice 1:  “Leave her alone, she’s doing great, she’s almost at mile 2″

EV1:   “yeah. 2.  Melody, you’ve been running for 20minutes straight, you should take a break and walk”

EV2   GREAT IDEA.  We like when you walk.   You deserve the break     Your really not a runner.. so walking is ok.

GV1:  (being smothered by a pillow)   KEEEPP RUNNNNING

EV2:  punches GV in the stomach

GV1:     silence.

EV1   i think she’s going to walk..  oh oh oh here she goes.. she’s going to stop all together.  WE WIN WE WIN

EV2   YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

GV1  crawling back … fighting for me.   I bring it back to life and hear a “you dont have to stop, you just ran 5 the other

day.. keep going.   you can do it girl.    keep going.

EV1:  wait. what is that?  what what what?   OH.. shit. she was just stopped at an intersection to cross the street.  BITCH.

EV2:  lets be louder and louder .. she’ll stop soon enough.  YOUR WEAK!  WEAAAAAAAAAAAAAK!

So.. yah.  this is the constant conversation I battle with.   Now,  I know I’m doing something that I have never ever done before and this empowers me.     All I need now is the confidence in myself and I’ll be a nonstop running machine.

I think I’m a runner now.

So, the training for this half marathon is starting to really pick up momentum.    I meet with a group of about 60+ runners every Saturday morning to do our training run.    Each week, the mileage increases and each week the voices in my head start up, convincing me that this is just too much and what the HELL am I thinking.   This last week was our longest thus far.  Our little schedule said 5, our route mapped out a 5.25 miles.    This longest that I have ever ran in my life time.  EVER!  I ran in just shy of 60minutes…and finished and had to double check my watch and thought WHAT THE WHAT.  So proud.   Not overly tired.  I probably should be able to pick it up a bit and push myself a little harder, I must remember this next Saturday when we go 6.   Every week from here on out our mileage will increase and I have high hopes for this body, who is still in a wee bit of shock.

That’s the  exciting stuff going on here at Chez Knitpho..    there is a wee bit of knitting going on.  But just a wee bit.    My motivation is all about changing my body, my lifestyle and to shut the voices down in my head.

Mawwiage.

Yesterday, Mr. Knitpho & I celebrated our 14th Wedding Anniversary.   FOURTEEN!   I ask you, how can we have been married for so long – being as young as we both are.  ::wink::

It’s hard to believe that all this time as passed and in my humble opinion – we are better now than we were on the day we got hitched.  Way back in 1996.

In these years since we became Mr & Mrs, we left Tucson.  We loved life in Chicago.  LOVED CHICAGO.    What better way to start off your married life together, than to move to a city where neither of you know anyone.  You have no family.   All you have is each other and a city to explore.   Those were 2 fantastic years.   Then we embarked on yet another adventure and moved to Massachusetts.   Had our baby boy.  If that doesn’t seal the bond of marriage… I don’t know what will.     Life handed us obstacles and hurdled them the best we knew how.     In 2004 .. married not even a decade we were blessed with our princess and this was to complete our family.    She certainly adds a certain something to the crew,  we would not be the same without her.   Life handed us MORE obstacles and they only brought us closer.

Over the years we have set goals individually and supported each other to reach them.  We have made (i hope) lifelong friendships and without friends, you’ve got nothin’.

Yes, not every day is sunshine & lollipops.  We laugh, a lot.  We try to find humor every day, otherwise – we’ll go crazy.

Thank you Mr Knitpho for asking me to marry you.

It’s been fun.

in a slump.

Ever since I decided to jump off the hooking bridge, it has consumed me.   Let me tell you something.. it is A LOT harder than knitting.   My right is constantly looking for the something in my left hand to work with, and it’s not the yarn!!!   I don’t know what stitches are what and it’s all very frustrating not being able to whip copious amount of potholders overnight is just killing me dead.
All that has been put aside for the moment.  Since princess M has decided to get super sick, first with strep and then I guess she figured that wasn’t good enough and upped it to walking pneumonia.    The kicker is ..she seems fine.  But, the minute she gets up and starts moving around – she’s down for the count.   She has missed 7 days of school and God willing and with the help of albuterol and zithromax we’ll send her back tomorrow.     The upside of this is that the albuterol dose gives her a little buzz and Mr Knitpho and I find this hysterical.

Half Marathon training has “officially begun.  I met up with others who are training to run their first half and I still can’t get the voices out of my head telling me I’m crazy and to give up.    But, it looks like I’m down with the chest wheezing and throat issues that my little one has, so running right now today.. just is not in my plan.   Perhaps a trip to the doctor and some tea though.

My yarn and hook are staring at me.   I guess I will give it a whirl and see what I can come up with that resembles crochet.

Hookin' is hard….

I’m learning to be a hooker.

Most of my friends are.

They have me convinced I’d be really good at it.

They say just getting past that first time, then I’d get comfortable.

They tell me to relax and enjoy it.   I’ll learn.  I’ll get it.

I’ll watch tutorials.   I’ll read the books.   I’ll watch my friends hook.

I’m determined.

I’m so nervous.   I hate not knowing how to do something right the first time.

The tool just feels so wrong in my hand.

They say I’ll get to used to it.

I’ll keep you posted on my new adventure…. should be pretty exciting stuff.

(hooker is a really funny word by the way, say it out loud.  HOOK- UHR)   is it just me?

also .. in case your getting ready to report to DCFS and have my kids taken away.

This is all about learning to crochet.

blurry.

Time is going by at breakneck speed.   Before  I know it, the sun has set .. the lights are coming on and it’s jammie time.    Dishes. Laundry. Vacuum.  Chauffeur.  Breakfast.  Lunch. Dinner. Repeat.

We had a great winter break with the M’s while they were off school.  We had time with friends … and adventures to IKEA.      The Olympics have kept our family glued to the TV even more than usual.    These athletes are amazing and inspiring.      I like to watch the M’s watch the events and the backstories of the athletes.  They see where hard work can take a person and how it pays off.    You can tell them that is does over and over, but seeing it.. seeing it, is believing it.

Along with watching the Olympics, I’ve been (somewhat) knitting away on my mitten mogul event that I hoped to medal 4x’s.   So far, only one medal and I haven’t complete two full sets of knucks.      They are *so* easy,   but the motivation just isn’t there.   My friend asked me…   “it’s hard to keep you attention on one thing isn’t it… “   I never really gave it much thought, but when she pointed out specifics.. holy crap was it an eye opener.    So, I will power through and hopefully will have a family of knucks by Sunday.

In the meantime this knitter is off to the gym to get the mileage in that I missed out on last week.

Happy Monday!!

A letter to my jeans …

Dear Fat Jeans,

I am writing to tell you that our relationship has gone on long enough.   You & I can no longer carry on this torrid love affair that we have for each other.       You have been in my life long enough making things all too comfortable and oh so easy.     But, I have had enough with your stretchy goodness.  Quit wooing me with your comfort when I slide you on.. and that button fastens so easily.  You know what I’m talking about, don’t pretend that you don’t.     Don’t make this harder on me.  It’s time.

To make it easy on us both,  I will continue seeing you until it just isn’t possible anymore.    Until you just hang around and make us both look bad.    I will say goodbye to you for good.   Prepare yourself, it’ll make it easier.      I know what your thinking, that you think I’ll take you back… right away.   That I won’t be able to live without you.      I’m here to tell you… not this time baby.   Not this time.        This lady is doing it up bigtime.   13.1 miles big.   You read right.  I am going to run myself my very first half marathon.    June 13, 2010.    I won’t have any use for you,  ever again.    My training has officially started, and you’ll be curbside in no time.

Thanks for memories.  We had goooooooooood times.

All my love,

Melody

4th Month of 365.

4th Month of 365., originally uploaded by MrsKnitpho.

I can’t believe how time is flying by. We haven’t missed a day yet. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again .. it is HARD to take a photo every day. Some are WAYYYYYYY better than others, but such is life.

I am still totally in love with this project and can’t wait for the temps to warm up and go on adventures with my camera to places undiscovered.