Purling Sprite

Free new patterns added

Check out the Free Patterns page and get your copy of the following patterns (all of them are for knitting looms):

• Candy Corn Treats Bag
• Bangles
• Knick Knack Boxes
• Pinwheel Dishcloth

I would like to ask that if you take a copy of one of the patterns, to please make a donation to my Multiple Sclerosis page...any amount will do. Thanks!

MS150 Ride

Although I am in no condition to ride right now due to an unfortunate encounter with the Flu bug, I have registered for the upcoming MS150 ride in June. Like last year, I will be riding 100 miles in my sweet little bike and my slow legs will carry me through the back roads of Cache Valley. Last year's ride was absolutely phenomenal and having hubby by my side made it the perfect event. I thank you all for helping me last year to achieve a fund raising goal of $500. I am going this year for the same goal. Help me raise $500 (or more) by June. I have added a button to the right sidebar that will take you directly to my MS page where you can donate. Any little bit helps--even $1 helps, please consider helping the Multiple Sclerosis cause. I'll ride and you donate and together we can help MS.

Support Me in the Ride

Picture: At the end of the 100 miles in last year's MS event--hubby and I :)

Happy Birthday Boyo!

My first born turns 7 today! We are all sick with the flu so his birthday celebration will have to wait a day or two but I couldn't go without telling you all about him and how wonderful he is. He is my big little boy. I love you my Boyo. Happy Birthday!!!

My Boyo is one of the most thoughtful little men out in the world. When I am sad, he writes me little notes. He brings me little presents for no reason (they are usually his toys wrapped up ;) ). He tells me he loves me all the time. When I am busy with work, he makes me lunch, PB&J is his specialty. He is a go getter and loves sports--a great combo in my eyes. He is a hard worker too--working on the garden with Grandpa and Dad is one of his favorite activities. He is my little love. I love you Boyo. Happy Birthday! Thank you for choosing me as your Mom. I love you.

C.A.A.D.D

Because it is Wednesday and rather than give you a Wordless Wednesday I give you the following funny of the day :). Today's funny was provided by my SIL from NY, she has 3 little boys and she is due any day with her first little girl.

The story resembles my every day life in so many levels it is unnerving! Enjoy :)

Recently, I was diagnosed with C. A. A. D. D. - Child Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.

This is how it manifests:
I decide to do the laundry. As I start toward the laundry room, I notice that there are cheerios all over the floor and my car keys are in the cereal bowl. I decide to pick up the cheerios before I do the laundry. I lay my car keys down on the counter, put the cheerios in the trash can under the counter, and notice that the trash can is full. So, I decide to take out the trash. But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the trash I may as well pay the bills first. I take my checkbook off the table, and see that there is only one check left, my extra checks are in my desk in the office/playroom, so I go to my desk where I find a sippy cup full of juice.

I'm going to look for my checks, but first I decide I should put sippy cup in the refrigerator to keep it cold. As I head toward the kitchen with the sippy cup, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye--they need to be watered. I set the sippy cup on the counter, and I discover baby wipes that I've been searching for all morning. I decide I better put them back in the bathroom, but first I'm going to water the flowers.  I set the wipes back down, fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote, one of the kids left it on the kitchen table. I realize that when they go to watch TV, I will be looking for the remote as they fight over who lost it, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.

I splash some water on the flowers, but most of it spills on the floor. So, I set the remote back down, get some paper towels and wipe up the spill. Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.  At the end of the day: the laundry isn't washed, the bills aren't paid, there is a warm cup of juice sitting on the counter, the flowers aren't watered, there is still only one check in my checkbook, I can't find the remote, I can't find the wipes, and I don' t remember what I did with the car keys.  Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I'm really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail.  Do me a favor, will you? Forward this message, because I don't remember to whom it has been sent. Don't laugh -- if this isn't you yet, your day is coming.

Swimming Talk

I have decided that swimming is not as fun as I thought it was. It was fun when I didn't have to think of technique. As of this morning, it became my living hell! I began my first day in a Master's Swim class. Seriously, as I kept trying the different drills--"hands in pockets" face up, tummy up, I believed a 1/4 of a gallon of water ended up in my belly. On the side, one hand on the pocket, the other extended, head resting on the shoulder of the arm extended, tilt the head down to the shoulder but keep your chin above water, another 1/4 of a gallon went in. On the side again, this time try it while bringing one hand to touch your nose and then back down again, another 1/4 of a gallon when down my throat. In total, I bet I swallowed at least a gallon. Yuck!

The worst part of it all is that I feel slower, clumsier and my self-confidence level hit bottom. 

Anyways, I am heading to Hell tomorrow morning again, hopefully, I can learn the correct technique and not be all arms. I am supposed to bring my stroke down from 23 strokes for a length down to 12--a huge change. Apparently, I don't glide very well so I have to learn to glide in the water....coach says that it can save me energy in the long run...at this point, I am skeptical and I think her goal is to see me at the bottom of the pool. Wish me luck!

Double Wrap Short-Row Heel on a Loom: Part II

The conclusion of creating a short-row heel (double wrap method). Enjoy! As always, comments are welcomed and appreciated.  How do you like this video compared to the other one? I am trying out a new provider and you can make comments during the video and you can even click on the square on the bottom right and make the screen big. Let me know your thoughts about it all...we are looking for input.

Double Wrap Short-Row Heel on a Loom: Part I

A long overdue video: Short-row Heel on a Loom: Part I. There is a second part to this video that I am still putting together, I am hoping to have it finished by tomorrow evening or the latest Sunday.

Questions/comments/concerns/hate mail* put in the comments please :)

Note: This video demonstrates one method of doing short-row heels, there are others but we won't get to them today...nor tomorrow, lol.

Need your help: I am currently shopping for a different video hosting service. If you know of a good one that provides good quality video broadcast inexpensively, drop me a comment with the name of the company.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

*(I have had a couple of people complain about my voice and my accent(s)...silly!)

EDIT: Here is the video again with the new video provider...let me know which one you like better.

Fitness Friday

Since I am a complete slacker on both of my blogs, I have decided to integrate both into one. I tried for half a year to keep my fitness craze separated from the knitty stuff but the truth is that I can't. They are both in my life and I enjoy both very much so from this day forth, I will take advantage of every Friday and have a Fitness Friday post.

The Fitness Friday post will have my entire report for the week, starting on Saturday and ending on that Friday. It will keep me on track posting what I have done and it will keep me accountable. Also, it will provide me with some fodder for this bloggy here.

The weekly report: this week totally sucked!

I was sick from Monday til Thursday which meant, 3 days out of the gym. That is 3 miles off the pool, 2 spin classes, and 3 strength workout sessions that I missed. I could have gone in on Tuesday but the truth is that I have learned to listen to my body and it was telling me it was catching something so it was best to stay put and let my body heal. I got better quite fast while everyone else in the family had a cough for about 2 weeks and mine never progressed from a sore throat. Moral of the story: listen to the body.

I managed to go today after work and put in a mile at the pool but I had to get home and work on my other project.

Week Stats:

Monday: Swim 1mile, Spin 45 min, Strength training--none, had to go food shopping instead (note to self, go food shopping on Saturday evening).

Tuesday: --

Wed: --

Thur:--

Fri: Swim 1 mile

May next week be better--for that I have to bust my butt this weekend doing some work at home.

Fitness Tip of the week: Do 3 sets of planks for 30 seconds each. Take a 30 second break in between each. It works your back and your abs! As you progress, increase in 10 second increments on the planks until you are up to a 1 full minute.

If you exercise too and would like to post your weekly progress on Friday, leave me a comment and your link and I'll be sure to hop on over to your blog. If you put a tip, I'll be sure grateful too as I need as many as I can get. Copy the image and put it on your post too if you want it.

Braces Update

So it has been about 4 months since I got my braces and I couldn't be happier with the improvement. The pain has all been worth it! I have learned to learn that things that are hard to eat: apples, chips, sandwiches. I have to cut everything up to bite size pieces and then eat them. The flossing is more difficult and I have told hubby that I will never, ever complain about flossing once my braces are gone. So...you wanna see? Click the pic to enlarge.

The biggest improvement has been made on my lower teeth. There was a tooth that was all the way behind the others and no space for it. A couple of months with a spacer created the space needed, then some magic rubber bands and the tooth was pulled forward and the gap is closing. I am so thrilled and I am looking forward to the end result in 12 months or so. This month, I get some rubber bands to line up my top teeth with my bottom...it should be fun.

BTW: I had a haircut last month and the photo shows the new do. I cut about 7 inches off...I know the thing grows like weeds!

Felt Good

I got one of the best compliments today. I was leaving the spin class and a gal approached me and said to me "I hear that you are a triathlete, I want to try it out." Her comment made me feel so great!

We proceeded to talk about running and our goals for this year. She did a marathon last year and apparently we did two halves together but we didn't know it. We are going to get together and train for my first marathon. She finished hers last year in about 5 hours and this year she is hoping for a faster pace.

Anyways, I have now a training marathon partner!