Home again, home again, jiggity jig! (And a giveaway!)

We're traveling home today! It's been such a good trip...and I'm not sure I'm ready to get back to real life! (But I am ready to get back to our Tempur-Pedic bed!)

Check out the fourth installment of the BlogHer/Kellogg's breakfast series on my giveaway blog! This week's post is about why a quick breakfast is important to us...and it includes a cute picture of Zoodle. Once again, there's a giveaway for a $100 Visa gift card. So be sure to check it out!

Diamond Baby

It's another hat pattern!

But before I share it, let me assure my regular readers--this isn't going to become a crochet-only blog! I have the time and inclination to crochet a lot while on vacation...and to blog about it. When we get back home, my focus will re-scatter, and blog topics will reflect that!

Okay, on to the hat. This is a baby hat, and it's quick and easy to make if you are a crocheter. This would be great for a beginner! If you don't crochet, don't worry--I plan to sell these in my Etsy shop, and they'll be affordable!

Diamond Baby

Hat pattern

Design by C. Beth

You may use this pattern to make hats to sell, as long as you're not mass-producing the hats. You may not sell the pattern itself or claim the design as your own. If you redistribute the pattern, please do so by referring people to this blog post or to the Ravelry.com link, or by distributing a printout with the pattern and a URL of this blog post. Thanks!

Size: Infant (about 3-6 months)
Yarn: Worsted weight (I used Caron Simply Soft)
Hook: I (5.5 mm)

Abbreviations:
rnd=round
ch=chain
sl=slip stitch
st=stitch
sc=single crochet
dc=double crochet

Special Instructions:
I start my hats with a Magic Adjustable Ring. There's a great tutorial at Crochet Me.

I'm fairly new at crocheting, and it took me awhile to get the hang of where to do my slip stitches when joining at the end of a round. In case you're having trouble with this, here is a photo:



However, when joining Round 8, remember that you chained 4 instead of 3 at the beginning of the round. The first 3 chains count as a double crochet, and the 4th chain is considered the second stitch of the round. Here's a photo showing where your slip stitch should go, only for Round 8:



The instructions look complicated, but they really aren't. Nearly the whole hat is done with double crochet stitches. To make the diamond pattern, some double crochets are replaced with single chain stitches. As you go you may find you get into the groove and hardly even need the pattern anymore! Ready? Let's go!

Rnd 1: Create a Magic Adjustable Ring. (See Special Instructions.) ch 3 (counts as dc here and throughout), 11 dc into ring, tighten ring, sl st into ch-3 to join. (See Special Instructions if you're not sure where to do the sl st.) (12 dc)

Rnd 2: Ch 3, 1 dc into same space as ch, 2 dc into each st around, sl st into ch-3 to join. (24 dc)

Rnd 3: Ch 3, 1 dc into same space as ch, 1 dc into next st *(2 dc into next st, 1 dc into next st), repeat from * around, sl st into ch-3 to join. (36 dc)

Rnd 4: Ch 3, 1 dc into same space as ch, 1 dc into next 2 st, *(2 dc into next st, 1 dc into next 2 st), repeat from * around, sl st into ch-3 to join. (48 dc)

Rnd 5: Ch 3, 1 dc into same space as ch, 1 dc into next 2 st, *(ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next 5 st), repeat from * 6 more times, ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next 2 st, sl st into ch-3 to join. (49 st)

Rnd 6: Ch 3, 1 dc into next 2 st, *(ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next st, ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next 3 st), repeat from * 6 more times, ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next st, ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next st, sl st into ch-3 to join. (49 st)

Rnd 7: Ch 3, 1 dc into next st, *(ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next 3 st, ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next st), repeat from * 6 more times, ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next 3 st, ch 1/skip 1 st, sl st into ch-3 to join. (49 st)

Rnd 8: Ch 4 (counts as 1 dc plus 1 ch)/skip next st, *(1 dc into next 5 st, ch 1/skip 1 st), repeat from * 6 more times, 1 dc into next 5 st, sl st into 3rd ch of ch-4 to join. (See Special Instructions for a photo of where to do the sl st.) (49 st)

Rnd 9: Ch 3, 1 dc into next st, *(ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next 3 st, ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next st), repeat from * 6 more times, ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next 3 st, ch 1/skip 1 st, sl st into ch-3 to join. (49 st)

Rnd 10: Ch 3, 1 dc into next 2 st, *(ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next st, ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next 3 st), repeat from * 6 more times, ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next st, ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next st, sl st into ch-3 to join. (49 st)

Rnd 11: Ch 3, 1 dc into next 3 st, *(ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next 5 st), repeat from * 6 more times, ch 1/skip 1 st, 1 dc into next 2 st, sl st into ch-3 to join. (49 st)

Rnd 12: Ch 2 (counts as sc), 1 sc into each space around, sl-st into ch-2 to join. (49 st)

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Please email me or comment here with questions. I'm new at writing patterns so feel free to let me know if I need to correct or clarify anything!

Poster Girl

I'm so excited! I've liked the creative side of crocheting, choosing yarn colors and such. But now I'm venturing into the far more creative side of it--designing! Since I've gotten the hang of the basic stitches, and the basic hat-making process, making a pattern was not too hard. I'm really happy with the result! I'll share some photos, and the pattern is below. (By the way, I'm planning to put one or both of these hats in my Etsy shop when I get it up and running.)





The white version I made is a little longer, providing a little more coverage on the ears/back of the head for colder days.





If you don't crochet, you can skip the rest of this post.... The pattern won't make any sense to you! But if you are a beginning crocheter and you know the basics (how to do a chain stitch, single crochet, double crochet, and slip stitch), you should be able to make this hat if you're willing to spend a bit of time to learn some new techniques. I've included links to sites that have tutorials, as well as photos of some of the techniques used in this hat.

I've called this hat "Poster Girl" because it uses a lot of front post double crochet and back post double crochet stitches...so many of them that I'm kind of tired of those stitches right now!

Poster Girl hat pattern

design by C. Beth

You may use this pattern to make hats to sell, as long as you're not mass-producing the hats. You may not sell the pattern itself or claim the design as your own. If you redistribute the pattern, please do so by referring people to this blog post or to the Ravelry.com link, or by distributing a printout with the pattern and a URL of this blog post. Thanks!

I used Caron Simply Soft (worsted weight) yarn and an I hook. Hat should fit most adult women.

Abbreviations:
rnd=round
ch=chain
sl=slip stitch
st=stitch
sc=single crochet
dc=double crochet
fpdc=front post double crochet
bpdc=back post double crochet
For assistance on fpdc and bpdc stitches, see this photo tutorial at Crochet Cabana.
Special Instructions:
I start my hats with a Magic Adjustable Ring. There's a great tutorial at Crochet Me.

I'm fairly new at crocheting, and it took me awhile to get the hang of where to do my slip stitches when joining at the end of a round. In case you're having trouble with this, here is a photo:



It's easy for the seam to be really obvious when you start doing fpdc and bpdc stitches, so when you get to that point of the hat, I've called for a different method of joining and of starting the next round. I think it makes the seam more subtle. Here's a brief tutorial:

Starting at round 6 (the last round before fpdc and bpdc stitches begin), don't join by slip stitching into the chain. Instead, slip stitch into the back of the first double crochet. (On most rounds this will actually be a fpdc or bpdc.) This photo is of the back side of your stitching. (I've yarned over here; but you really shouldn't be yarning over until after you insert the hook for your slip stitch.)



To start the next round, you'll slip stitch around the whole chain (not through the chain, around it.) Here's how:

If the round starts with a fpdc, you'll slip stitch around the chain from the front. This mimics the beginning of a fpdc stitch.



If the round starts with a bpdc, you'll slip stitch around the chain from the back. This mimics the beginning a bpdc stitch.



After this, you'll chain 3 and continue as normal.

This is the first pattern I've written, so if it's unclear, just comment here or email me at cbethblog@gmail.com, and I'll try to clarify!

Updated 9/30/10: Thanks to Diana for letting me know about a mistake on the pattern! I've changed it now. If you printed this pattern be sure to print a new, accurate copy.

Now, on to the pattern!

Rnd 1: Create a Magic Adjustable Ring. (See Special Instructions.) ch 3 (counts as dc here and throughout), 11 dc into ring, tighten ring, sl st into ch-3 to join. (See Special Instructions if you're not sure where to do the sl st.) (12 dc)

Rnd 2: Ch 3, 1 dc into same space as ch, 2 dc into each st around, sl st into ch-3 to join. (24 dc)

Rnd 3: Ch 3, 1 dc into same space as ch, 1 dc into next st *2 dc into next st, 1 dc into next st, repeat from * around, sl st into ch-3 to join. (36 dc)

Rnd 4: Ch 3, 1 dc into same space as ch, 1 dc into next 2 st, *2 dc into next st, 1 dc into next 2 st, repeat from * around, sl st into ch-3 to join. (48 dc)

Rnd 5: Ch 3, 1 dc into same space as ch, 1 dc into next 3 st, *2 dc into next st, 1 dc into next 3 st, repeat from * around, sl st into ch-3 to join. (60 dc)

Rnd 6: Ch 3, 1 dc into same space as ch, 1 dc into next 4 st, *2 dc into next st, 1 dc into next 4 st, repeat from * around, sl st into back of first dc to join. (See Special Instructions.) (72 dc)

Rnd 7: Sl st around Ch-3 from the front (see Special Instructions), Ch-3 (counts as fpdc), fpdc into next 3 st, bpdc into next 4 st, *fpdc into next 4 st, bpdc into next 4 st, repeat from * around, sl st into back of first dc to join. (72 dc)

Rnd 8: Repeat rnd 7. (72 dc)

Rnd 9: Sl st around Ch-3 from the back (see Special Instructions), Ch-3 (counts as bpdc), bpdc into next 3 st, fpdc into next 4 st, *bpdc into next 4 st, fpdc into next 4 st, repeat from * around, sl st into back of first dc to join. (72 dc)

Rnd 10: Repeat rnd 9 (72 dc)

Rnds 11-14: Repeat rnds 7-10 (72 dc each rnd)

Rnds 15-18: Repeat rnds 7-10 (72 dc each rnd). Rnds 17 & 18 are optional. In the photos above, the green hat excludes rnds 17 & 18. The white hat includes those rounds; it just offers fuller coverage of the ears and back of the head.

Rnd 19 (or rnd 17 if rnds 17 & 18 were excluded above): Ch 2 (counts as sc), sc in each st around, sl st into ch-2 to join (72 sc)

Rnd 20 (or rnd 18): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next st, ch 2, skip next 2 st, *dc in next 2 st, ch 2, skip next 2 st, repeat from * around, sl st into ch-3.

Rnd 21 (or rnd 19): ch 2 (counts as sc), sc in each st around, sl st into ch-2 to join. (72 st)

Fasten off and weave in ends.

$100 giveway time again!

It's time for post #3 in my Kellogg's/BlogHer sponsored breakfast series! This week I wrote about my favorite Kellogg's cereals, and there's another $100 giveaway.

Click here to read and enter!

Monday Micro: On the road again

Today we head from Yuma, AZ to Phoenix, AZ (almost 3 hours in the car) to catch a flight to Reno, NV (less than 2 hours in the air), then back on the road to Susanville, CA (an hour and a half in the car.) I guess the blog title should have been "On the road again, then on a plane again, then on the road again...again." We may be a little tired by the time we get to Susanville! But we'll get there, and we'll settle in for a nice, relaxing week with The Engineer's parents.

It's nice that we got the oven-esque weather out of the way first. Yuma's heat should help us appreciate Susanville's cool mountain air even more!

I won't be on the computer as much at their house, so please be patient if it takes some time for your comments to be published. Thanks!

Summer stitching

So, how have I stayed busy this week? You already know about the cake. I've also been busy at my parents' house doing a lot of crocheting!

Two pieces were made for specific kids. This one (most of which I stitched before our trip) is for Sasha's daughter, Wild Child. Sasha won the crochet giveaway I did recently, and wanted something girly for her 4-year-old. (Sasha, I'll be sending this soon!)


I used this pattern for the hat, and this pattern for the leaf and flowers, though I modified the flowers.

I also made a hat for the baby my mom threw the shower for. It ended up big enough to fit Zoodle, which probably means that baby won't wear it for two more years.


I used this pattern.

The last two hats I've made are for a project I have coming up. I thought about keeping it a secret, but I'm excited so I guess I'll whisper it to you.

I'm going to start an Etsy store for crocheted stuff! I'm trying to build up a stock first, before I open the store.

Okay, now that I've given up my secret (just between us), here are the hats:


Sick toddler not included.
I used this pattern.

Button detail:


And for a lucky little girl, this butterfly hat:

I used this pattern.

Butterfly detail:


I love this pattern; it's so easy to make. I have a lavender one at home that I also plan to sell.

It's fun to have so much time to work on this sort of thing while we're here! Tomorrow we head to northern California to see The Engineer's parents, and I'll probably do a lot of crocheting there too.

Six Word Saturday!

It's that time again...Six Word Saturday! To find out more about 6WS and to participate, check out Call Me Cate's witty blog by clicking the button below.

My words:

I'm enjoying chatting with old friends.

In the last two days I've gotten to see two childhood friends to catch up with them. It's been so nice. I appreciate these reconnections more now than I did when I was younger.

Did Noah have a sweet tooth?

I hope so, and I hope he would have liked the cake I made this week. My mom called me a few weeks ago to let me know she was hosting a baby shower during our visit and to ask if I'd like to make the cake. It ended up being a great vacation project (especially since my mom could watch the kids while I worked on it!)

I made a two-layer, 9" x 13" cake with boxed yellow cake mix. I frosted it with homemade blue buttercream frosting.



I also made marshmallow fondant. I'd never made my own fondant before, but it was easy, and it tasted better than store-bought fondant! (See below for recipe.) I started rolling the fondant and cutting/molding shapes to put on the cake.



Then I got busy with the decorating and didn't pick up the camera again until the cake was done.



This is the most detailed cake decoration I've done, and it was so rewarding to see the results!

Lions...



...and elephants...



...and polar bears. (Oh my!)



To give the wood a "grain" and make the waves more "watery," I under-mixed the coloring. As I kneaded in the coloring, I repeatedly folded the fondant so that little lines of coloring would change direction and be nice and wavy.



The mother-to-be, S, loved the cake!

At the shower on Monday, S told my mom that her sister had just had a baby that day. Her sister was due four days before S, so S was convinced she'd go into labor on Friday, even though her due date isn't until the beginning of September. My mom later told me this, and I sighed with my wisdom-of-a-mother-of-two. "I hate to see people get their hopes up like that," I said. "Especially sine her first baby was late."

Well, as I wrote this blog post...on Friday...we found out that S is in labor at the hospital! I guess she wished hard enough to make it happen (though that wishing didn't work for me when I was pregnant!)

To make the fondant I used this recipe from All Recipes, but I modified it based on user reviews and my own preference. The result was easy to make and yummy. Here is my version:

Marshmallow Fondant

Ingredients:
14 ounces marshmallow creme (2-7 ounce containers)
1 tsp. clear vanilla extract (look for it with the regular vanilla or with the Wilton cake decorating supplies)
7 cups confectioner's sugar (almost 2 pounds), divided
Vegetable shortening
Non-stick cooking spray

Instructions:
1. Spray mixing bowl and beaters/paddle or dough hook(s) with cooking spray. (I used my mom's Sunbeam Mixmaster stand mixer and her dough hooks worked better than her beaters. I'm not sure whether a paddle or dough hook would work better with a heavy-duty stand mixer. When I make it at home I'll have to update the recipe!) Update: The dough hook works much better than the paddle with my heavy-duty stand mixer.

2. Put marshmallow creme in mixing bowl. If the fondant will all be one color, you can add coloring now. Add vanilla.

3. Gradually add about 7 cups of confectioner's sugar, mixing well into a stiff dough.

4. Rub hands with shortening, and form dough into a big ball.

5. Sprinkle a clean surface (a silicon baking mat or rolling mat works great) with powdered sugar, and knead well, using extra powdered sugar as necessary, until fondant is smooth and not sticky.

6. Fondant can be used immediately, or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and used later. Store either at room temperature, or store in refrigerator and let come to room temperature before using. To make different colors, knead in icing coloring (I use the little Wilton tubs). When rolling out the fondant and molding it, you can either use shortening (very easy to work with, gives the fondant a shiny appearance, good for darker colors) or use powdered sugar (gives fondant a matte finish, but can leave white spots on darker colors.)



Leftover fondant makes a yummy play dough for kids! (Yes, that is fondant on Zoodle's forehead.)

Another giveaway!

Today, the Mom's Breakfast Club series (sponsored by Kellogg's and BlogHer) continues! Today's post is about summer fun, and it includes another $100 Visa Gift Card giveaway...and an announcement of who won last week's gift card!

Check it out at my giveaway blog!

Monday Micro: Stretch and tone

I love not going to the gym! So almost all my non-running workouts are at home. My strength training is done with hand weights in front of the TV. At my running blog, I've written in detail about what strengthening and stretching exercises I do, with how-to links for all of them.

So if you're interested...check it out. Strengthening and stretching exercises at C. Beth Run.

Our vacation is going great!

Six Word Saturday!

It's that time again...Six Word Saturday! To find out more about 6WS and to participate, check out Call Me Cate's witty blog by clicking the button below.

My words:

Bags packed; it's time to travel!

We're catching an early flight to Arizona to see my parents. After a little over a week there, we'll head out to California to see The Engineer's parents. We'll be back home on August 31. My blogging may be sporadic during this time!

Apparently I like to talk about myself..

...because I have another interview to share with you! the eternal worrier is a blogger who is actively involved in one of my other blogs, The One-Minute Writer. He asked me if he could do an email interview with me, and we both had fun with it!

So hop on over to the eternal worrier if you'd like to read the interview. Enjoy!

How to make C. Beth angry

It's pretty easy. All you have to do is waste my time by writing spam comments and posting them on my blogs. Whether the spam contains links to pornographic websites, has to do with enlarging one's *ahem* manhood, or is of the less offensive variety (fake Tiffany jewelry), you can rest assured knowing that if you've posted it, I'm getting riled up, spending my time deleting every single spam comment.

Of course, you're not the ones leaving those comments! The actual readers of this blog are awesome. Unfortunately, you're affected by the spammers. I've gotten so tired of increased spam comments recently, that I've had to turn on comment moderation. So your comments won't show up immediately; I'll have to approve them first.

But here's the good news (and it's really good news!) Blogger is starting to filter spam comments! Hip hip hooray! Overall I've been happy with Blogger, but I've learned that WordPress has some fantastic ways to prevent spam, and I've been disappointed that Blogger has been so lacking in that area. It's made me jealous of my blogger friends who use WordPress (but not jealous enough to make the switch.) I'm thrilled that Blogger is changing their ways!

The spam filtering is being rolled out gradually, and my blogs haven't received that capability yet. But when they do, I bet I'll be able to remove comment moderation. Easy commenting without spam? That's a way to make C. Beth happy!

$100 Visa Debit gift card giveaway!

I'm excited! I'm partnering with BlogHer and Kellogg's to do a series of ten blog posts, and each post will include a $100 Visa Debit gift card giveaway! Today's post is about our breakfast routine. I'd love for you to read it and enter the giveaway. Just hop on over to my giveaway/review blog by clicking here!

Preparing for vacation

Saturday morning before the sun comes up, we'll be headed to the airport for our big summer trip. We'll fly first to see my parents, then to see The Engineer's parents.

I have a big list of things to do this week, much of it having to do with packing or preparing the house for our housesitter/dogsitter.



And of course I didn't clutter up the list with all those other tasks...you know, feeding a family, breaking up toddler/preschooler arguments, praying for Chickie's boo boos, taking Zoodle potty, etc., etc., etc....

So with such a busy week, what did I do last night? I went to coffee with a friend. We sat and talked for almost 2 1/2 hours! It wasn't on my to-do list...but it fed my soul. I'm glad that during a week that's full of preparation, I took the time to enjoy myself. Because as good as it feels to cross tasks off a list, it feels even better to bond with a friend. (Thanks, Ann!)

Monday Micro: I'm famous!

Okay, I'm not famous, but I am excited about being interviewed on Skip Orem's Get Fit Pod podcast! I've enjoyed running with some of Skip's High Intensity Interval Training podcasts, and the informational podcasts that he does are great too!

This interview was done less than a week before I looked into barefoot running and decided to become a barefoot runner. So I don't talk about barefoot running at all in this interview; the concept of "ditching the shoes" wasn't even on my radar at the time!

You can listen to the whole podcast by clicking the link below, or by searching for "Get Fit Pod" on iTunes. It's Episode 150. Part 1 of my interview starts about 9 minutes into the episode, and part 2 starts about 22 minutes into the episode.

Get Fit Pod Episode 150 (Just click the link, then click the Play arrow.)

And the winner of the crocheted hat is...

...commenter #30, Sasha! Sasha won by Tweeting the giveaway. See, it pays to Twitter! (Follow me on Twitter here and follow Sasha here!)

Sasha has been one of my online friends since Chickie was little; she has a daughter Chickie's age, and we met on a parenting message board. We're hoping to meet in person in December, when we both are planning to run a half marathon in the same city (my first "half mary!") I told Sasha I should make her one of the hats like I made for Chickie, with the two pom poms, but in an adult size, and she could wear it for the marathon. Isn't that a great idea?

Congrats, Sasha! (By the way, I love Sasha's blog, and you should check it out: Sasha Says.)

My new headpack!

Tuesday I ordered a waist pack from Amazon. It's basically a very small pouch that buckles around my waist. I'll use it while I'm running. It arrived yesterday, and it's pretty cool. In this photo it's holding my phone, a couple of keys, a Starbucks card (for my weekend Starbucks runs!), and a package of Clif Shot Bloks, my energy food of choice for longer runs. On the strap is a little tag where I can write all my identifying information in case a mob of angry running shoe salesmen attack me and leave me laying in the street.



I was pretty excited to order it, and I ended up having this conversation on Twitter:

cbethblog: I ordered a little waistpack for running...for my phone, keys, ID, etc. Excited! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002PDESD0/ref=oss_product

shankrabbit: "Either" "Eyether" "Waist Pack" "Fanny Pack" - let's call the whole thing off.

cbethblog: NOT a fanny pack! #okayitsaSMALLfannypack

showmyface: It depends on how @cbethblog wears it. Back = fanny pack. Front = waist pack.

cbethblog: I'm actually planning to wear it on my forehead. Sweat band & ID/phone carrier all in one. Plus it'll look AWESOME.

shankrabbit: Pics or it didn't happen. :)

Well, shankrabbit...you asked for it!




(Despite all the America's Next Top Model I've watched, my "sexy face" is SO un-sexy.)

Pretty awesome, huh? I bet my bare feet will get fewer stares with this bad boy strapped to my forehead! I may set a new trend!

And, uh, if I decide that the "head pack" is a little too heavy, too hot, or too fantastically dorky, well then, I suppose it still works well as a waist pack too. (Imagine I'm in running clothes for this photo.)



I'm all set with my waist/fanny/headpack! Rabid shoe salesmen, catch me if you can!

Paper, paper, paper

A lot of our bills and other paperwork are now digital only, but we still get a lot of mail that needs to be filed away. Thankfully I have an organized filing system...



...which doesn't do me a whole lot of good when I let paperwork pile up for a year.



Finally today, I strapped on my iPod and settled down to file away that big ol' stack of papers. I thought, "Well, I don't have anything to blog about. Maybe something in this pile will inspire me."

Nope. You know what that pile was? A big, tall pile of boring.

And that is why I put off my filing. Insurance information, bank statements, and gas bills are so eminently dull. There are approximately 16 million uses for my time that are more interesting than filing papers. So I usually wait until the pile gets so big that it's really a big pain to try to find things in it. Then I wait a few more months and finally get around to the big task.

Once it's done, though, it really does feel great. So maybe I should do it more often, to capture that nice, organized calm every week instead of every year.

(Ha, ha.... Like that's going to happen.)

Have you entered my hat giveaway yet?

I'm sitting here on Wednesday afternoon, needing to blog something for Thursday...and I got nothin'. I didn't get enough sleep last night, and we had a swim playdate this morning. That combination means I'm going to take advantage of Zoodle's nap time/Chickie's quiet time by taking a nap of my own.

So instead of a real blog post, I'll ask you--have you entered my crocheted hat giveaway yet? Be sure to enter if you haven't; I'll be closing the contest on Saturday.

And while I'm promoting myself, a couple of other quick reminders...

• You can "Like" C. Beth Blog on Facebook by clicking here.
• You can follow me on Twitter by clicking here.

Now it's time for me to set up one more quick blog post at The One-Minute Writer, and then I'll be off to bed for a power nap!

Running frustrations

Today is the first "monthiversary" of the day I started barefoot running! That's right, I declared my independence from running shoes on the fourth of July. In the last month, I've logged 26 barefoot miles outside. That's a barefoot marathon...spread out over 31 days!



The bottoms of my feet are doing quite well. They are getting less sensitive, and I have yet to step on anything that has actually cut my foot. I keep my eyes open! I've got a couple little places with callouses that hurt if I run wrong, but overall, my soles are pretty happy.

I can feel that my feet, ankles, calves, and Achilles tendons are getting the strength and flexibility they need for barefoot running. I know they still need to develop further, but I can tell the difference between now and a month ago.

I'm enjoying running barefoot, but I'm going to be honest with you--it's also frustrating. I've cut my mileage back by a lot. To do otherwise would be to invite injury, and I sure don't want a stress fracture or tendonitis waylaying me! I have a detailed plan to help me hopefully run my first half marathon on December 5, four months from now. But the mileage increases are gradual. For now, my runs are shorter than two miles each, and I miss my long runs. It'll be several more weeks before my longest weekly run hits five miles. And I'll have to be flexible enough to reduce my training if my body tells me it's too much.

It's also hard, suddenly having lots of little aches and pains as my body adjusts to a new style of running. The good part is, they all go away quickly, so I think they're all just part of getting stronger and learning how to have a proper, relaxed running form. These aren't injuries; I'm just experiencing what athletes experience when they learn a new sport.

"A new sport"--I guess that's the frustration of it. After eight months of running with shoes on, I felt like I was really getting the hang of it. Sure, I was having some issues with IT band tightness, and my knees sometimes bothered me...but I was doing long runs and loving it, overall handling it well. Suddenly I'm a beginner again. I took my shoes off, and all the rules changed!

Are you asking by now, "Beth, why don't you just put your shoes back on?!"?

Well, the fact is, I really think barefoot running makes sense. Even as I have aches here and there, I can tell that my knees and upper legs--the parts that gave me the most trouble with shoes on--are so much happier with this lower-impact style of running. The "growing pains" I'm having now are things I'm pretty sure will subside before long, leaving me feeling better overall than I did when I wore running shoes.

To be honest, I also love the novelty of running barefoot. I don't want to do it just because it's different, but if something unique also makes sense to me, I want to embrace it! And the freedom of it is so appealing to me. Not having to put on shoes and socks is awesome. Depending on the feet God gave me to support me, instead of cushioned shoes--that's such an appealing concept to me!

It comes down to this--I think in the long run, this is going to be a good thing for me as a runner. It's worth the frustration of relearning my sport. But it is sometimes a difficult transition. I hope that, like so many things in life, the difficult climb up the mountain will be worth the view from the top!

****

P.S. I wrote the post above yesterday afternoon. Then in the evening I had a cool (though scary) barefoot running experience. For National Night Out we went to a picnic at the neighborhood park. I was trying to keep an eagle eye on my kids, especially Zoodle, who is in that "explorer" phase. Sure enough, I got distracted, and suddenly realized he wasn't on the playground. The Engineer ran one direction, and I ran the other, to try to find him. I had worn flip flops, and clearly they aren't the best for fast, urgent running, so I kicked them off and ran across grass, mulch, and sidewalks to find my boy. Thankfully I found him quickly...and I thought it was pretty cool that my barefoot running had prepared me to easily run after him even though I hadn't come to the park in running shoes!

Crocheted hat giveaway!

Contest is now closed. Thanks!

Want a crocheted hat? You know, to fool yourself into thinking it's not hot outside? I'm doing a giveaway!

You can choose one of these styles, or we can work together to find a different pattern you like. The winner can choose up to two colors for the hat.


(Pattern at Simple Beans blog)


(Pattern at Vallieskids blog)

The rules are simple! You can earn up to five entries, but you must leave a separate comment for EACH entry!! Here are the ways you can enter:

1. Leave a comment, any comment (making sure I have a way to contact you if you win!)
2. Post about this on your own blog. Leave a comment with a link to the post.
3. Post about this on Twitter, and leave a comment letting me know you did so. Please also tag me (@cbethblog) in your Tweet!
4. Post about this on Facebook, and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
5. Subscribe to this blog either using its feed (click here) or by following it (click here). Leave a comment letting me know that you subscribed or that you're already a subscriber.

The contest will be closed at some point on Saturday August 8, and I'll announce the winner here on Sunday August 9. Good luck!

Open to anyone in the U.S., Canada, or anywhere else with reasonable shipping rates. ("Reasonable" to be determined by me--if you're not sure, go ahead and enter, and I'll check the rates if you are selected!)

Monday Micro: Parental Piñata

Yesterday we went to a birthday party for a 2-year-old and his father. The kids got to hit their very first piñata, and they enjoyed it!





The family got a piñata for the adults too! Swinging a stick at something, trying to break it...and being rewarded with candy.... This is something adults should do far more often!