Giveaway, Oh Giveaway!

I was reminded of the Primary song "Give Said the Little Stream" as I typed the title of today's entry. One of my favorites. Giving things away is another favorite thing of mine to do. Just ask my husband. I love the look on the face of the recipient. To me, it is better than receiving!

Let's get to it! You poor people have waited long enough! This is how it's going to play out. If you are indeed interested in what I have to give away, please post a comment answering this question. "What is your favorite domestic activity?" I figured since the prizes have to do with some of the domestic arts I enjoy, I would like to hear about what pleases you.

One week from today I will randomly draw three names from those who commented. Those three people will have their choice of one item from the following list:

• One embroidered burp cloth
• One pair of beaded socks
• One set of two hair bows
• One embroidered bath towel
• One dozen cakeballs (Sorry, local winners only)(I must say, these are quite good!)

Good Luck!

Finishing Up, Starting Fresh...

I have to admit that the last post was written by Eric who hijacked my blog after that incredible shopping experience. He would like me to blog more frequently and I must say that he's right. But in my defense, I will say that all of my posts are thought out carefully. (Eric would say, "Yeah, right! Thought out like a term paper!")

With that said, I have been thinking a lot about this update. Summer is now over and school is starting. Our family has had great fun over the past couple of months doing the ordinary things that we like to do best as well as other neat things like vacationing in D.C. and traveling to California to see my youngest brother get married. I've finished two pairs of socks for Eric, taught the boys to knit, and read some good books and seen some good movies.

Like I said, Summer is over and school is starting. I'm a fence-sitter when it comes to how I feel about it. I love Summer, but also glad when it's over. The first day of school is so exciting for me even though I no longer teach or attend, but school work and activities are not my idea of after-school fun. I'm excited to send my children off to another adventurous school year and yet sad to see the boys go and know another year has passed by so quickly. Some people reflect on the past year in January, setting goals and starting fresh. I, on the other hand, go through the reflection process every year at this time, thinking about the past year and what I want to accomplish and improve upon in the upcoming school year.

The boys had a great first day back at school. They have been counting down the days since the beginning of the August. Heber really likes his teacher and although he doesn't have any of his old friends in class with him, he's okay with that and has become friends with a boy in his class who also just moved in across the street. Noah is enjoying the new experience of middle school. Riding the bus, having a locker, changing classes, and more. It was the first time that Eric and I didn't accompany him on the first day of school. This is the beginning of a new chapter for all of us!

This month is my blogiversary. I am combining it with my birthday next month and will be having a giveaway. Keep your eyes peeled! Until then, I leave you with pictures of some of our Summer highlights. Enjoy!

Mt. Vernon

Swimming

Nightly ice cream ritual

A new scarf for Paw. Knitted by Heber.

Eric and me at the beach

Heber-first day of school

Noah-first day of school

Happy Birthday Noah!

Socks for Eric

Score!

90% off at Talbots Kids. Translated - 5 pairs of khakis and 1 blue shirt normally priced at $210 we get for $21!!! Fantastic!

We bought sizes 12, 14, 16, and 18 khakis which means that the boys have pants for church until their missions. You can never have too many khakis.

The 10 F's of our Fabulous D.C. Trip

• Fast - Time went by so fast on our trip! Sadly, we left without seeing everything that we wanted to, but then again, can you ever really see everything in D.C.?
• Fascinating - The Library of Congress was great as well as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The Lincoln and Vietnam Memorials are very stirring. One can't help but feel a little emotional. Especially at all the War Memorials.
• Frightening - We stayed very close to the National Mall. That means that we stayed where all the action was, including several shootings that we either heard or saw the law enforcement aftermath. We can't go on a trip without a little excitement!
• Fantastic - One of my favorite stops was Mount Vernon. George and Martha did it right! I could sit on their back porch in a rocking chair and stare at the Potomac forever!
• Friend - A friend that Eric used to work with in the Maricopa County Courts moved to D.C. and still works in the Public Sector. We met for lunch and had a great visit. The boys had a hard time saying Mary's last name without butchering it. Calling her Ms. Mary was much safer!
• Frustrating - One word. SECURITY! Everywhere we went there was stiff security. Can't go here. Can't go there. Countless times my backpack was searched and x-rayed, and we had to go through metal detectors. I was even restricted on how I could wear my backpack! After a while, it takes the fun out of things.
• Fuddruckers - Boy was it nice to find a restaurant that we knew and liked that was close to where we were. McDonald's was getting OLD!
• Flight - The Air and Space Museum was a favorite with the boys. We spent almost a full day there. So many things to see in that place! While waiting for our Flight out of Washington, we saw Barak Obama's private plane land at our terminal and saw him get off the plane and drive away with full Secret Service detail.
• Feet - Miles and miles we walked. Our feet felt it by the end of each day. Although, the boys weren't so tired that they couldn't swim whenever we could fit it in!
• Fun - All and all, it was a great, fun-filled trip. We had a wonderful time and hope we can go back again some day!

400!

I officially hit 400 miles this morning. I've been at this since about March 1st and I'm pleased with how far I've come. I started out walking 3 miles 3 times a week and now I'm either walking or running 4-5 miles 7 days a week. I feel better and -25 pounds later, I think I'm looking better too. I'm closing in on my end of the year goal of 1000 miles. I need to come up with a really good reward for myself once I hit 1000. Any ideas?

Rituals

Anyone who knows the Ciminski family knows that we are severe creatures of habit. We find what we love and stick to it. Although after careful consideration we do try new things now and again...it helps us find new favorites.

• Now that it's Summer, one ritual that can't be missed is the weekly "Movies in the Square". Frisco has a town square and each Saturday night they show a family movie on a big blow-up screen. You bring what you want to sit on and at 9 p.m. the fun starts. If you are a local, check it out! friscosquare.com Last Saturday was "The Wizard of Oz". It made me think of my best friend Dawn who grew up in Kansas. (I forgot the Tootsie Rolls Dawn!)

• Before we go the the Square, we stop and get a snowcone from The Snowcone Lady. She has been selling snowcones in Frisco for 25 years and shows no sign of slowing down. The Johnson family introduced us to The Snowcone Lady soon after moving here and it's been downhill ever since. Ummm Cherry!

• Ahhhh the neighborhood pool. We go just about every afternoon. The trees there provide great shade when I decide to knit instead of swim. I didn't realize how much I knit at the pool until today after more than one person mentioned to me that they ALWAYS see me knitting at the pool. I must be approachable because people like to watch, ask me questions, and take a close look at my work. I take it as a very nice compliment.

• Quiet Time. Boy do I love Quiet Time. The kids do too because that was one of the first activities we decided upon again this Summer. Each day for one hour the boys spend time alone in their room doing whatever quiet activity they want. Reading, knitting, quietly playing, napping, etc. Last year it was brought to my attention by my sons that it would only be fair if I participated in Quiet Time too. So I tried it and I see why they like it so much. I'm a believer. It's a great time to read or knit. And hey! A daily siesta never hurt anyone!

• Lastly, the ritual that tickles me the most is one that we just kind of fell into. Each night after dinner I dish up some Blue Bell Ice Cream for the boys and they go ouside to eat it. Just the two of them. They sit under the arbor on some lawn chairs and visit while they eat. They have invited Eric and me to go out with them but we feel like it would be intruding. I don't know what they talk about, all I know is that they enjoy laughing and visiting together and I could watch them through the window forever. The boys are the best of friends and each night they are making memories that will be remembered for the rest of their lives.

300!

Today I walked my last 3 miles to make my monthly goal of 100. That makes 300 miles for the year so far. I am well on my way to accomplishing my goal of 1000 by the end of this year. Yippee!

On Baptism, Knitting, and Fireflies

• What a great weekend. Yesterday Heber was baptized. It was a nice day spent with family and friends. It was pretty low key and that's how we like it. Heber has been looking forward to and preparing for his baptism for quite some time. I think words are inadequate for what a mother feels during times like these. It seems like just yesterday my boys were born. It's amazing how life sneaks up on you like that. Before I know it, they will leaving on their missions, marrying delightful girls, and having families of their own.

• On to knitting. A couple of weeks ago I finished Eric's zippered cardigan. It's a perfect fit and he really likes it. I look forward to seeing him wear it. Leave it to me to finish something like that during the Summer months! Pictures are to follow once I have a photo shoot. On another knitting note, THE most wonderful thing happened today. Both of my sons asked me if I would teach them how to knit this afternoon. Of course I agreed and they are hooked! I started them on a simple scarf and they took to knitting as fish take to water. They are both naturals. We walked to the park near our home this evening to sit on the benches under the trees and they brought their knitting with them to work on. We sat and visited as they knit until it was too dark to see. I brought some socks to work on, but I was so pleased just to watch them that I didn't knit a stitch. By bedtime, they each had knit about 12 inches of their scarves. I've been waiting for the day when I could pass something creative and artistic that I love on to them. Today was that day. Oh happy, happy day.

• Lastly, the fireflies are back for the Summer. On our way home from the park we walked through a small wooded area where the fireflies call home during this time of year. It's such a treat to watch them. I'm so glad they're back. I love fireflies.

A Few Things....

• Last Tuesday I completed my second 100 miles. It feels good to accomplish something like that and I have started on my third 100. My goal is to hit at least 1000 by the end of the year. I threw a wrench in the gear works by spraining my left foot last Sunday. After working through it for a week I finally decided to go to the Doctor. At first I thought it was a fracture, but the x-rays indicated that it was most likely a sprain. Hairline fractures wait until they have started to heal before they show up on x-rays and as of now my x-rays are clean. It feels better to run than to walk and as I have started running again I'm tempted to overdo it. Don't worry though, I'll take it easy.

• Last Friday two new Temples were announced. One in Gilbert and one in the Gila Valley. These are the first to be announced since President Monson has become the Prophet. Arizona will soon have 4 operating Temples. How exciting! The last place we lived before moving here was Gilbert and I was raised in the Gila Valley. Needless to say I am just thrilled.

• Lastly, while I was in Utah visiting my friend Dawn, she introduced me to some new spices. These are fantastic and I am addicted. They are comparable in price to regular grocery store spices, but are so much more fragrant and flavorful. Penzeys is the best! They have a store here in Dallas as well as an online store. Check them out! You won't be sorry! http://www.penzeys.com/

Salt Lake City

I am one lucky girl. On April 1st I was out and Eric called me and asked if I wanted to go and visit my very good friend Dawn in Salt Lake. It's been nearly 18 months since I've last seen her. At first I thought it was an April Fool's Day joke, but Eric was serious and in two days I was on a plane going to Utah!

It was a nice long weekend filled with fun and running into people I never thought I would! First, while waiting to board my plane I looked up and who was there but Dawnelle Hambly from my ward. I was so surprised, and even more surprised to find out that she was on the same flight to Salt Lake that I was! We had such a nice visit on the way there. It was fun to travel with a familiar face. Speaking of familiar faces, Dawn's husband picked me up from the airport and we met at the checked baggage claim. Who did I happen to see but my friend Audrey Schmidt from my old ward in Gilbert! What are the odds? Wait! It gets better! So, on a whim we decided to try to go to Conference. I was so excited to go and while we were waiting in line to get in, who came out with all of the translators but Arturo Alfaro! His twin brother is in our ward here in Frisco and Arturo and his family attend in our building as well. What made it even crazier is that the night before, Dawn and I were talking and I found out Dawn and Arturo served in the same mission in Venezuela! Talk about a small world! We got in and were seated waiting for Conference to start when we spotted the Barney's from our old ward in Gilbert! We were able to visit with them a bit and catch up a little before the session started. The session was great. I really, really enjoyed it. As we were walking out of Conference I saw and visited with Ramona Lines and her daughter Jaron. Rick and Ramona Lines have been good friends of my parents for many years and were in my ward in Safford. Jaron was a beehive when I was working with the Young Women, and she is all grown up now! It was nice to talk with them. Out of the many thousands of people that attend Conference, I felt so fortunate to be able to see the people I did. But wait, I'm not done yet! I think that this is the craziest story of my weekend! This one trumps them all. On the train ride home, an elderly lady sat in front of us and we started to visit with her. The topic came up as to where I was from and I said Dallas, Texas. She then stated she knew someone from the area and wanted to see if I knew them too. I was thinking, but NEVER would have said it aloud, "Do you know how many millions of people live in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area?" She asked me if I knew anyone by the name of Rabe. HOLY COW! I DID! I was sitting across from a good friend of Rochelle Rabe's grandmother! THE Rochelle Rabe I sit with in Sacrament Meeting each and every week. THE Rochelle Rabe I am currently teaching to knit. I had a paper and pen with me and so she jotted down a little note for me to give to Rochelle to give to her grandmother here in Dallas. It was unbelievable.

Eric asked me later if I was disheartened after seeing all these people I knew from Arizona. Especially since we live in Texas and are far away the happenings there. I right away said no, but as I thought about it later, I thought about how I never would have known all these people if I wasn't willing to move to new places and try new things in the first place. I look forward to meeting new people and possibly living in new places as my life progresses. The Lord has blessed me greatly with many acquaintances and friends. I feel truly blessed.

After all of this rambling, my weekend was great. Dawn and her family are always a treat to visit. Dawn and I had a ball.

Not bad for a self protrait at arms length, eh?

A princess tea party!

I'm so glad I went!

Ah, Home Ownership!

We've been wanting to have an arbor built to cover our back patio ever since we moved in almost 2 years ago. Cedar arbors are the thing here in Texas and there are many beautiful styles to choose from. After interviewing about half a dozen different companies, we decided to go with Upgrades Construction. They did excellent work and what is considered a costly upgrade to most companies came standard with them. It's nice to have a covered patio again!

Knock, Knock! Open Up! It's Gladys!

On Sunday March 30th, we had the opportunity to take our neighbors into Dallas to see Gladys Knight and her choir perform in a special fireside. It was great and geared toward those want to know more about the Gospel. Along with the great music, Gladys Knight and her husband shared their conversion stories. Both were very powerful and bold in their comments. One story that has stuck with me is one that Sister Knight told about how she felt once she accepted the Gospel. She said that she felt like going door to door as the missionaries do and knocking on their door and saying, "Open up, it's Gladys! I want to share with you the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ! It's true! It's true!" She went as far as to say that she wanted to get a bike and go out like the missionaries! She is truly sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in her own way and doing so much good. If you ever get a chance to see her and her choir perform, don't pass it up!

Start Your Engines!!!

Last Saturday was our ward's annual Pinewood Derby. Eric volunteered to run it and so we have been steeped in it for weeks. The trophies have been at our house for the last month and Noah has been eyeing them in hopes of bringing one home to keep. This was his last Pinewood Derby and I must say we were all hoping the best right along with him. Pinewood Derby is a huge family affair in the Ciminski house. We start about 6 weeks before the event discussing what the car will look like. Noah has always designed the cars himself so they tend to look a little different than the usual derby car does. Once Noah designs it, Eric cuts it while Noah supervises. Noah then sands and sands and sands. Then on to the paint job. This for Noah is just as big a deal as the design and again, a lot of thought goes into it. Once I get my marching orders, I pick up the paint and he tells me how to paint it every step of the way. Noah is a decal and sticker guy so we can't forget those. Noah said that he liked this year's car the best. It's a stretched Mini Cooper.

After it was all said and done, Noah won 2nd place overall. The whole family was excited. Noah has been carrying around his trophy and placing it where he can always see it. I believe that right now it's in his window sill with the window open so he can see it from the street when he walks home from school today.

Here's Noah with our Cubmaster Bro. Bianez who dressed up as Evel Knievel for the occasion. Bro Bianez is a great Cubmaster. I wish every ward could have one as great.

100!

6 weeks ago in an effort to be more active, I set a goal to walk 100 miles by April 1st. I mapped out a 3 mile walking route in my neighborhood and got to work. This morning I am happy to report that not only did I meet my goal, but I have time to spare. My goal now is to get in another 100 miles by May 1st. I challenge all of my readers to get out and start walking as well! No matter where you live, if you accept my challenge, drop me a line and let me know. I will keep a list and then we will see how we all did come May 1st. A great program for mapping your own personal route can be found online at http://www.mapmyrun.com/. Keep me posted on your progress!

Snow!

Tuesday and today we have received a fair amount of snow. It is still snowing and coming from Arizona, it's still very novel for us and the kids. Today was reminiscent of living in Flagstaff about 15 years ago. Big, soft, pillowy flakes and everything is quiet. After school I went out with the kids and we had a snowball fight. We even built a snowman that Heber named Joe Bob. Here is a picture of our handiwork. I'm pleased with him. I think others were too because more than a few people have stopped to show their kids or take a picture.

The Knitting Chair

In the past 3 houses we have lived in, I've had a workroom. Each one has been a great place for me to be creative. Eric has always been SO VERY gracious to me in this respect. One of the first things he would look at when purchasing a new home after the basic bedroom needs were met was a workroom for me. Am I lucky or what? In our present house over the garage is my workroom. It's a room that's a little out of the way and right outside the door is a work desk that has built-in filing cabinets, a bookcase, and a place for the family computer. This is where I keep a lot of my books and files of projects and ideas I have. Up to this point I have always been in the business of making things to sell. Scripture totes, personalized baby things, and custom purses to name a few. Until now. For the past few months I haven't really spent time in my room because I stopped those business ventures for now and the room wasn't inviting. I would walk in there and the way it was set up was so utilitarian that without 50 of something to make I felt weird. Eric told me I should make my workroom into a retreat. Clean out, redecorate, and make it a real place to relax as well as a place to create. Boy, he was right and I was off and running! I cleaned everything out and reorganized. This alone took a couple of weeks. (surprising how much stuff I have) Then I saved up my hinge money and bought this...

The knitting chair. I love it! This is the first step in many. I'm still saving for other things I want to add, but this is the first installment and I am thrilled with it. Needless to say I spend MORE and MORE time in my room now. It's a great place to knit, read and just think.

Ollie

Today we had to put Ollie down. It was one of the hardest things we've had to do. We had that dog before we had the kids. 12 years is a long time. We will miss him. He was so great with our boys as well as the neighborhood kids. He even helped some of those neighborhood kids overcome their fear of dogs. Gentle and protective and true to his breed, the backyard sure is empty without him.

Just in time for Valentine's Day...

I have been working on Eric's socks for quite some time now. A little too long if you ask me. I made these socks using a different technique than I normally do and I guess I was a little intimidated. The second sock only took me about 10 days, which all things considered, is good for me. I really like the way they turned out. Especially the stripes on each sock matching perfectly down to the last row! I know, I know, I'm sick in the head. But like I tell my boys, "Anything worth doing, is worth doing WELL!". If I'm going to knit 15,000 stitches per sock, I'm doing it right. Eric loves them and plans on wearing them on Sunday to church. They fit him just perfect. I cast on his zippered sweater this afternoon and I'm presently working on the cabled hem. Wish me luck!

One of the great things about living in Texas....

I came across this article from Forbes Magazine indicating that Collin County rates second in the nation in getting the most bang for the buck as far as spending per student in relation to graduation rates and SAT test scores go. I am very pleased with the schools here. Out of the 5 elementary schools they opened in our district last year, ours was the only one that scored an exemplary rating. This is rare for the first year of operation. When we moved here we definitely looked at the school factor but it didn't drive us to our present locale. I guess this was just an added perk! http://www.friscoisd.org/documents/schools-taxes-education-biz-be.pdf

Dinner Conversations

The set-up. It's last Wednesday night. Wednesday night is leftover night and whatever is in the fridge is fair game to whomever calls it first.

Mom: Heber, what do you want for dinner? Potato Soup, Beef Stew, Cheese Crisp, or Mac & Cheese.

Heber: None of those.

Mom: Well, what do you want?

Heber: Do we still have spinach?

Mom: Spinach?

Heber: Yeah. I want that Spinach Salad we had the other night with the pieces of bacon and parmesan cheese.

Mom: Salad?

Heber: Yeah.

Mom: You want Spinach Salad.

Heber: Yeah.

Mom: Okay. What dressing would you like with that? Ranch or Italian.

Heber: None. I just want the Spinach all by itself. No dressing.

Mom: Are you sure?

Heber: Yep.

Mom: Okay.

Clearly shocked, (but with a BIG smile on my face) I quietly make the salad for my son who has always had difficulty enjoying his vegetables. He ate it and he enjoyed it. The whole time I'm wondering....."Who are you and what have you done with my child!"

Computerjacked!

So! I had lots of great ideas about how I was going to get my blogging posted in a timely manner. I was going to tell you all about Christmas and about my youngest brother Jorisen coming to visit without missing a beat. Well...this is what ended up happening.

Everyday all day without missing a beat. Christmas vacation was a great big computerfest for the boys. If I managed to get on the computer, they would hover until I got off. Now that I have my computer back and I can blog, here's the reader's digest.

Christmas was fantastic. I was done early with no presents to wrap on Christmas Eve so I was really able to enjoy it this year. The boys loved what they received. Mainly a new MP3 player for Noah and a new bike for Heber. I got the Kitchenaid mixer I've wanted for a while now. Eric got some UnderArmor thermals for those chilly days of riding and he was so long overdue for some new cologne that something had to be done. It was a quiet, low-key day. Those can be the best. Boxing day brought another Christmas present for me. My brother came to visit. It has been about three years since I've seen him. He and his girlfriend had never been to Texas before so we just had to show them the sights. We had such a good time. On a knitting note, I am almost finished with Eric's first sock. He is enjoying this more than I thought he would. He has a lot better taste that you would think and enjoys trying on the socks in progress for that perfect fit. He likes the way the socks feel and can really tell the difference between handmade and store-bought. He's thinking of becoming a "sock snob". I also found a perfect sweater pattern for him with a yarn that goes wonderfully with his complexion. I can't wait to get started on it.