It’s been four weeks since we began the challenge to improve our health and change our habits by increasing water intake. I haven’t checked in here with you about it as often as I’d hoped but I’ve loved this month. I love that I’m much more mindful of how much water I drink every day. I also recognize what were regular nuisances before as what they most likely are – dehydration! Those mysterious headaches, that dry skin, the sore throat, digestion issues, and the fatigue – have all been helped when I grab my jug of water. I know there are other health issues in play for some of those symptoms but I have felt better when I’ve been “treating” them with pure water. Even sugar cravings (my late afternoon bane) have been eased when I try a glass of water first (sometimes anyways…).

The best part of all of this, though, has been knowing there are others in this with me. Some awesome people who have made a conscious decision to choose water – either by replacing a less beneficial drink or by becoming aware of our bodies’ need for pure water. From that first long glup of water to cleanse our systems in the morning to the many pee stops during the day, it’s been so nice to have company.

A huge thanks to all of you who took the challenge with me. Whether it was a smashing success or..not so much, I hope it’s given you some, er, beverage for thought.

I know I’ll be sticking with my big jug ‘o water every day!

And, as promised, I have a little gift to send to one of you.

The winner of the custom water counter is:

Melissa!

Yay, Melissa! Send me a note with your address and the number of units you’d like on your bracelet and I’ll make a bracelet to help you keep track of your daily intake.

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Have you made any discoveries about water during these four weeks? Have you changed your daily habits or did you fall back to established routines? Are you going to keep up with aiming for 3 litres of water a day? I’m always curious to hear your thoughts!

This week has held moments of joy and moments of trial. When those moments of trial have hit I’ve been struggling more to keep my head up. But as I strained to climb mole hills which had become mountains, I finally remembered to chose gratitude.

It comes as no surprise to me, I’ve practiced gratitude before, but somehow I forget – once I start looking for moments of grace I see them everywhere.

As they’ve been writing themselves in memory this week, I decided to write them down here.

Five moments which made me stop and smile with a heart of thanks. Five moments sending me into the weekend with a happy heart.

<> walking into the family room to discover five heads (one ducked for the photo) huddled together around a book while big sister read aloud

<> the discovery of a new variety of apple, a 20lb box landed in my basement, the taste so reminiscent of childhood

<> the tremendous joy and excitement on a 6yo’s face when his new hat came off the needles

<> older siblings taking it upon themselves to work on alphabets and numbers with the little ones (while I took a nap no less)

<> stolen minute from dinner prep to stand out and look at the bright pale face of the moon, perfectly timed to watch flocks of geese eclipse the moon with their dark ‘v’

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And!!!

I nearly forgot! I have a winner to announce!

Thanks to the help of everyone’s friend, random number generator, the winner is: Connie K.

Congratulations, Connie! I’ll be sending you a note to get your info and your new project bag will be in the mail!

Thanks to everyone who entered and shared. I always have so much fun with a giveaway – I think I’ll have to plan another one before my next anniversary!

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Happy Friday, dear friends! I’m wishing you the best of the best for this January weekend! But before you head off to enjoy the moments – care to share your five on Friday? xoxo

I finally feel like I’m getting my groove back.

I’ve remembered I love blogging. I’m knitting in the evenings again. I scrubbed the floors.

Perhaps it’s all the water, or the diet, or the vitamins but I’m feeling pretty good.

I think I’m gearing up to finish some of the knitting projects I’ve avoided making eye contact with lately. But not quite yet. I need some happy cast-on, cast-off projects to gain some momentum. I think I’ve found them.

I’m still working on the Downton Cowl I began last week as part of Shannon’s knit along. The lacework is coming together beautifully – simple yet elegant. I’m taking my time with it though – not ready for the pattern or tosh vintage to end.

In the meantime I needed some nice stockinette to pick up while playing boardgames or teaching long division. Using the beautiful swift I received for Christmas (!!!!), I finally wound a couple skeins I bought back in the fall for a little girl’s hat. Poor Sarah has been wearing a poorly sized hat after her own was felted. It wasn’t really suitable – not for this Alberta winter when ears need full coverage. I followed notes I made during last fall’s tornado knitting and a stripey design the kids love, and lickety-split she has a hat. Ravelry notes here.

Now all the siblings have placed their orders and argued over which hat needs to be knit next. Little brother won that one since his head has sizeably outgrown his older hats. Orange and yellow stripes are up next!

I had a whole stack of books come in at the library this past week. I’ve been picking my way through them – giving them a test ride to see what I’m in the mood for. So far I’m undecided. Nonetheless, I have a most exciting book to share with you!

My sister, brilliant gift-giver that she is, found an amazing book for the kids for Christmas: How to be a World Explorer. I’d heard tidbits from it such as how to reinsert your eyeball if it falls out (!?!?) but I hadn’t sat down with it until three-year-old Simon showed me the proper defence in the event of a bear attack. It is incredible! Younger siblings keep reminding me that, as the cover states, it is NOT-FOR-PARENTS. The older kids, though, are just too excited to show me how to remove a leach (use your fingernail to loosen it, then flick it away) or instruct me on desert island survival (be warned: sea urchin meat looks like baby poo). I am going to tuck in with this book and a pile of kids tomorrow to see what other gross, disturbing, and slightly frightening things we can learn from it. So much fun!

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One last thing – I realized yesterday that today is my 2nd blogiversary! I’ve been rather erratic in my posting lately but this space means so much to me because of the wonderful friends I’ve “met” through it. I’ve been incredibly blessed by you – first time visitors and old friends, commenters and wallflowers alike. Since I love you all so much and you’ve been so good to me, I wanted to host a little giveaway to celebrate. I made a few box bags (based on Truly Myrtle’s brilliant tutorial) to send out in the pay-it-forward swap I joined in last year. I ended up with one extra – just the thing to send one of you lovely people. It’s the perfect size for a portable knitting project, toiletries bag, or whatever you can dream up for it.

Leave a comment on this post for your first entry, follow house full of jays on facebook or share this giveaway however you’d like (on your blog, facebook, instagram, tell a friend) for your second! Just be sure to leave a comment for both possible entries!

And don’t forget to tell me what you have on needles and in the reading pile!

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joining Ginny for yarn along

Hey friendly people!

I wanted to check in on those of you who opted to take part in the water challenge. I’ve been so pumped to see how many of you have said you’ll join me in this endeavour. Even Dan, who balked at my suggestion that he partake, has been carrying around a mason jar of water. He won’t commit but he’s been more mindful of it – while muttering about all the additional bathroom breaks.

I’ve been getting my 3L but I’ve been less careful about spreading them out. I just love a good, refreshing chug of water. Too much guzzling though and it will flush through too quickly so I’m trying to remember to sip more regularly.

My morning flush of 750ml is still my favourite part of this whole thing. I’ve learned quickly, though, that if I don’t do it truly first thing I will forget. As soon as I carry that jar of water downstairs, I’m sunk (it is so hard to resist all these deliciously cheesy puns).

While I’ve been keeping track, I came up with what I’m hoping may be a helpful way to keep track of my daily water intake. Based on the idea of a row counter bracelet used for knitting (I’ve always got knitting on the brain), I made a bracelet to count units of water. Because I drink out of a 750ml jar, I need four units a day to meet my daily three litres. My bracelet has four larger beads – when I finish a jar I pass the elastic ring of small beads over the large bead. Pass all four beads and I know I’ve met my daily goal.

I’ve been wildly curious how you are all finding the challenge, and all the while thinking up a little giveaway for you dear teammates (it’s not too late to join us). I thought it would be fun to send a water counter to one of you lovely ladies!

I’ll chose a random name from the comments on this post and I’ll make the winner a custom bracelet. I’ll leave the giveaway open until the end of our challenge, February 4th, so any latecomers can jump in, too.

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And now, what I really want to know – how are you doing? What changes have you made? Is it harder than you expected? Easier? Are you surviving the bathroom breaks? 

If you’re hesitating about joining us, please don’t! This is a fun challenge to improve our health with this simple step of getting our daily water. Latecomers are welcome! No sticklers allowed, though, this isn’t about feeling badly about ourselves but changing our habits.  We’re all in this together!

If you’re wondering what this is all about check out my original post here. 

P.S. Another exciting something – Corrie and I have cooked up a little game we’re going to play every week. We’re hoping you’ll join us! The details are here and our first round begins on Thursday!

Hello! It’s the weekend. Weekends are good. And this weekend got a little sweeter for the knitters in this bunch…

The talented knit designer, Laura Aylor, is giving knitters a gift for her birthday. With a coupon code found on her blog, she’s offering a choice of any of her knitting patterns through the weekend and Monday. Goodness!

I’ve been eyeing her patterns (did you notice she has the top 20 patterns right now?) and have not yet decided which to choose. Devonshire Cream is so dreamy, Derecho so striking, Serra so cozy.

Send a little love to her blog and check out her beautiful patterns!

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Which pattern will you choose?

thanks to the lovely Rebecca of nook for the tip on the giveaway