A vacation...

This month is my vacation. Some of you are confused because you know very well that I am at home all day everyday anyways. How could this be a vacation? Well, if you have ever seen the movie "What About Bob" with Bill Murray, you know that his character was a very sick man who obsessed about every little thing in his life. His life was full of worry and upset. His doctor decided to write him a prescription. "Take a vacation.... A vacation from your problems"
Lately I have felt like my life has become full of this obsession, worry, and upset. I feel obsessed with things in my life that I can not control, and I found myself really turning into a person I didnt like. So I thought really long and hard about this.... and realized. Life is going by whether I like it or not. Whether I obsess or not. Whether I get what I want, or not. The question here is: Do I really want to live my life like this? SO- I decided to take the wise doctor's advice (except in the movie he was nuts) I am on a vacation from my problems. I made a little list of things that the "ME" I like would like to do. What do I need?

Heres a list of things I came up with:

I need to teach. I feel like the passion I found everyday in teaching is gone. I found myself longing for my old classroom. The little things like sitting in my rocking chair and reading a book that made kids laugh. I miss hugs from 8 year olds! I miss hearing their long and drawn out stories about "guess what happened last night", that were really not interesting, but meant something more. They meant "Mrs. Wallace, I trust you enough to share my life stories with you... and I want you to know me" .... I want this back. Now, I am working on getting my licence pretty quickly.

This is me pretending to sign the Declaration of Independence- in my classroom







I need to contribute. I feel like I spend so much time thinking and worrying about myself and my problems, that I really need to step away and help other people. I have signed up to help volunteer at "jumpstart" an early literacy program that helps at risk young children love literacy. I will get to read to them! :) I also signed up to help out at the local SPCA. I love animals, and would love to help walk dogs, wash them, or just play with them. I also send a message to a senior home who was looking for someone to teaching knitting to the senoirs, so I would love to do this.

I need to create. I suppose this is why I love knitting so much. I AM knitting! I finished a Manos Silk Wool blanket that I adore, and now I am working on a sweater... not for a baby, but for ME! Stay tuned for picts. I also would like to make some soap. I ordered a book on amazon about how to do this. I pulled out my cello and played, and am trying to learn piano. WOAH, I know, I am really up to a lot these days.

I need to be thankful. It kind of makes me sick to think that I could possibly be unhappy about anything. I have an amazing life really. My husband Adam is more of a husband than I could have ever imagined. He is amazing and he loves me all the time, and treats me with respect and patience. Who could ask for more? I have amazing friends and family who love and support me everyday- thank you. I need to remember, even when I am down in the dumps because another month has come and gone, and I am left feeling out of control and helpless, I have so much.

I know that everyone has something in their life that they can not control. Whether it be a stressful job, a horrible co worker, a lack or job, financial stress, sickness, a loved one's illness, or just a bad day...I hope that each of you can look at your life and ask yourself, "what can I do to take a vacation from my problems today?" Find something that you love doing, and do it. Let me know what you did. I would love to know!

Hello 2010

Well the year has begun and I really have been keeping myself busy! Like Adam says, "you knit all day everyday"... and there is some real truth in that. If I am NOT knitting, I am thinking about knitting, and planning knitting, and reading knitting blogs and magazines. So what I have I been knitting? you ask?

Well, I dont have any good pictures right now,except the cute sweater set above! Otherwise, I am knitting gifts, and I dont want the surprise to be ruined. SORRY. The picture above is the color I made my BFF, Sarah's baby boy sweater/hat/sock set out of. The color is MUCH more jewel toned in person, in fact, it might be the wrong color.......

I HAVE finished my Manos Silk Wool blanket, and it is WONDERFUL, so once i weave the ends in I will take some pictures. SO you will just have to wait. It has taken me a year to make it.

NOW what is next you ask? ooooh man...
My new knitting group "Berkeley Stitch and Bitch" is doing a KAL of the February Ladies sweater. If you are not a knitter, or for some reason have been living in a cave and dont know this pattern: Heres a picture.yeah, cute.

I made the baby version twice now, so need to make one for me. (Then I will have a baby/ mama set) I already have the yarn, just ready to go!


Also, Fell in LOVE with this pattern:

Its hard to really see the amzing detail, and the back pleats... ahhhh.. .MUST MAKE MUST MAKE....

SO those 2 sweaters are on deck for me. YEAH!

OK, what else... I have been cooking like a crazy person. I will please you with these pictures and show you that gluten and dairy free hasnt been half bad lately!
Pork potstickers.


Chicken Ravioli with pesto cream sauce
Scallops and Shrimp with garlic lemon sauce, brown rice, and green beans.

Grilled halibit and creamy shrimp with avacado sauce, black bean salsa.

Goodbye 2009

Well another year has come and gone. Adam and I were unpacking the office the other day (YES, we are STILL unpacking!) and I came across my old diary's. For the next hour or so I had a good time reading through certain key periods of my life. I think Adam was entertained by listening to me read entries from the beginning of our relationship. It was fun reading about our first kiss and the first time he told me he loved me. (aww) It was fun rewinding my life even further to junior high where every other entry I was "in love" with a new guy that was "awesome" and "really cute".

As I get older I see that time speeds up and that sometimes I am so preoccupied with getting to the "next stage" in my life, that I forget to really appreciate the place that I am in right now.

And I really am in a good place.

This year, as most years, was FULL of many ups and downs. I finished my second year of teaching 3rd grade, which was a miracle... hard year. Adam got a job here back in Ca, and we picked up our life, sold our house, quit my job, and moved 3000 miles away in a Honda packed with pugs and pillows. The move was exhilarating and exhausting. We love it here, but I still miss my little town of Blacksburg. My knitting shop, my friends.

I have discovered a food allergy, which will effect my life forever. I have discovered a thyroid condition. I have learned a lot about my body. I am learning about new foods, and news ways to eat.

In the year to come I want to continue to learn about my body, and live even healthier than before. I want to learn new recipes and explore new grains that my body actually loves. I want to continue not eating fast food, and cutting WAY down on sugar and processed foods.

Who knows what this year has to bring. I have optimism that with the new year comes a new hope and renewed since of appreciation.Who knows what journeys are to come, but Im sure I will continue to write in my little blog "diary" and try to appreciate and enjoy the life I live now... just a little more.

I hope the new year finds you, my friends, with a renewed sense of optimism for a good year!

Obsessed and Thankful

Ok, so now that we are here and getting "settled in" (that's debatable) I have reunited with an old friend- her name is "Knitting". Her and I used to be so close when I was working at the knitting shop in Blacksburg, but grad school came and work came and we just grew farther and farther apart.

Now that I am not working, not going to school, and not surrounded by a lot of distraction, her and I have spend everyday together. Knitting, finding projects, blocking, setting up my knitting space, and actually FINISHING projects. Amazing. As you can probably notice I am knitting nothing but baby stuff and that is for a couple of very good reasons. 1. Baby stuff is so cute, so easy, and so fast. 2. Everyone I know is either pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or just had a baby. So I am knitting all this fabulous knitware that I just LOVE!

My mom is coming to visit for Thanksgiving! I wish my Dad and brothers could come too, but I must be thankful for what I have!!! Bekka and family are coming too, so it should be a nice family day! I will be cooking my very first gluten free Thanksgiving. Thanks to this website I have found some recipes that shouldn't make me feel like I have "special problems" with gluten.
I still need to go to the doctor and take further tests to see if this is an allergy or if it is celiacs disease. We shall see. They reactions I get when I eat it are horrible, and hit fast. It took me a few days stop itching last time. Also, since I started DAIRY I have been congested and had headaches so that makes me worry. (GEEE!!!)

This really makes me wonder how many people have food allergies and don't know it. Amazing.


Thanksgiving kinda forces us to look at our life and find a deep gratitude for things. I was laying in bed last night looking out the window at the bay looking at the most incredible moon I have ever seen. It was a waxing crescent (3rd grade curriculum) that was a very dark deep orange color. It was hanging so low in the sky it looked like it was about to land right down into the bay. As I was watching it I actually saw it move. Like it knew it had been seen and needed to hide behind the earth. That was such a special moment that made me think about how lucky we all are to have this amazing beautiful Earth as our home. Just a nice story for you today.

Well, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!!

Back in Cali

Well- I dont know if anyone ever even reads this anymore, so if you DO read this, please comment so I know I am not doing this in vain.

We made it~ In the past 4 months we have packed up the house, sold the house, quit my job, packed up my classroom, drove across the country, moved into a house, remodelled ("we" didnt do it, but we lived through it).... So I guess you can say we have been a LITTLE busy.

It was very painful leaving Blacksburg. I really have some amazing friends there, and left an amazing job. I wish I could have moved Blacksburg with me. Although it was difficult moving, Im just so happy that I have such a strong and supportive spouse, who loves me- even when I cry all the time~!

The puggies did ok on the cross country trip. Lucys limp got REALLY bad, and we were very worried that she was never going to be the same, but with a lot of rest, and some supplements, she is walking normal. Mango was stressed out to the max ... but is finally settling in. I think her favorite was either... driving in the rain... or... waking up to construction workers pounding on the house.

You might be asking- Have you been busy knitting with all your new found time, and the answer is YES. I wish i could knit ALLLLL day long, but I do other things all day. .... like nap....

I've finally found a local knitting group full of really nice girls, so I am excited to make some new friends!

OK, well. If i see that people actually read this still, i may post again!

Loves from Ca.- Mimi

Here We Go Again

I know its been so long that everyone who USED to read my blog has probably forgotten about it, BUT the mood struck me right today, so here it goes.
For those of you that DON'T know, Adam got a job in Berkeley California! It is a very bitter sweet feeling to know we have to leave the place we have called home for the past 6 years and go home. I know Berkeley we have never lived in, but we are Californians that have been living in Virginia for 6 years. We are so excited to live close to family again! There are lots of pros and cons of living here, as opposed to Ca... oooooh, that sounds like a LIST!!

Pros of living in Va:
1. Its CHEEP
2. Its safe.
3. People are nice. We have made SO many friends here that I know will be life long.
4. We have seasons. I never realized how GLORIOUS Spring is till we moved here, or how beautiful Fall is.
5. I have a wonderful job. I love what I do- most of the time
6. no traffic

CONS of living in Va
1. There is VERY little to do...
2. Restaurants SUCK.
3. Winter.
4. crazy hillbilly people... even though entertaining....sometimes.
5. Fresh produce, or lack of.... seafood...
6. no beach here or sunsets over the ocean.
7. No FAMILY!

Overall, I have grown to love it here, and I WILL miss it, but I am ready. California, Mimi's coming home!! :)
I am excited because we get to live in Adam's g-pas house, and the town has a few yarn shops. One of them has a shop next door called "pugnatious" ... dog store. Yarn shop next to pug shop? Heaven?? Made for ME??!

What am I knitting?? (maybe the list of what I am NOT knitting would be shorter)
Heres what has seen any action lately:
1. baby surprises
2. Adam's Claudia Handpaints pullover hybrid
3. PUG Muscle Tee- see pict (my own pattern)
4. cable beret hat
5. boring socks
6. I made another "fetching" for Erin for xmas- she loved. I made it with Artyarns Cashmere.

What I plan on knitting?
1. more baby stuff (have you figured out whats on my mind these days??)
2. Feb. Ladies- Modified.
3. even more baby stuff..

Feast Your Eyes

I love summer. I see now why teaching might be appealling to people that dont even like kids. I see now why those horrible teachers might continue in this profession. SUMMER. So far this summer I have stayed up late knitting, watching TV, and playing video games. I sleep in till AT LEAST 10, and pretty much do nothing exept what I WANT to do. The best part is I am STILL GETTING PAID.



Besides loving my job, and loving kids, educating the future of our country, being a positive role model.... I see why teaching is such a great thing. Summer.

I thought I would show off some of my new stuff... I have been knitting like mad. I am ALMOST finished with my Drops Design Eskimo Jacket, and I think you all will really be jealous when you see it. I am thrilled. Stay tuned for Picts. The yarn above is Schaefer Yarn's Andrea, which is 1,093 yards of 100% cultivated handpainted silk. The color is called "Empress Wu Zhao. What am I doing with this you ask? I dont know but I couldnt help myself. You understand yeah?

Since I am "Pugs and Knits" I thought these stitch markers were highly appropriate and necessary. I bought these 4 cute suckers on Etsy. Check out this site. :) I also got 10 skeins of Claudia's Hand painted Worsted weight yarn. I think I might make a delicious sweater. I am thinking the hybrid yoke Sweater by Elizabeth Zimmerman. Here is Jared's example. What do you guys think, not of his (which I know is FABULOUS... ) What do you think of me doing that sweater out of this new yarn?? Stay tuned for pictures of my finished sweater.