Blink of an Eye

And there goes August. I've tried to soak up as much summer relaxation as I can these last few weeks. How about you?

Of course, part of that sunshine is hanging out with Miss Magpie! Can you believe she'll be 2 in October and her baby sister will be here by then too!



I've also been working out and eating healthy too! I posted this picture on Instagram (irishgirlieknits there) and my Facebook (are we friends there?) page earlier this month from a friend's wedding I attended- I felt so healthy and confident in so many ways!



The turkey meatballs and grandma's marinara sauce was a hit with everyone in the family this past week! It has already been requested again.



Let's just hope these stupid crutches don't keep me down for too long (ugh! I know, right?! I find out Monday morning the results of my MRI...unfortunately my good knee is hurt now! Dr thinks just general wear and tear....was pretty proud of my CIZEing considering I have basically no cartilage in either knee).

There has been some knitting this month. I finished my Kenmare Lace Hat in Plucky Bello Worsted. This one is for me...so drapey and in a color just for me (Holloway!).



I'll try to get a picture of me wearing it but it has been too hot lately (and taking a selfie while on crutches is more than I can handle!).



This wee baby sweater is almost done. So is my Friday Night Lights Marathon. I love you Tim Riggins. I'm SOOOOO ready for some college football!! Anyone else?!?

Plucktober is just around the corner, so of course it is time for a sale!



Oh, and Summer Wind is 50% off today (Aug. 31) today only, no coupon needed!! Then it'll be part of the Plucky sale!!

How has your August been? I've missed you guys. I promise to be back a bit more consistently in September!

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

I DID IT!!

We have so much to catch up on, but I just posted this to my Facebook page and I couldn't share it there without sharing it here with you guys. Because you all are so much a part of this journey for me. You know that. I know that and I wouldn't be here without all the love and support you guys give me...the emails, texts, hearts on instagram, comments here and on ravelry. I appreciate them all.
xoxo Carrie

I'm still on a high from how PROUD of MYSELF I am! I had such an awesome morning, I just can't put it into words, but I'm going to try. I held back tears through most of my 45-minute workout this morning. Not because I was exhausted or tired, but because I couldn't believe I was there, in a group of 80 or so fit, fabulous coaches working out.

I hadn't had a second thought about joining my awesome team of coaches when they invited me to join them for Super Saturday! These women remind me so much of my circle of knitting friends- fearless, fun, passionate (heck, they even have crazy conventions and retreats for their fabulous passion). Their passion just happens to be fitness and health instead of knitting. Anyways, as the 80 or so of us got ready to #CIZE with Shaun T on a big screen I realized I hadn't done a group exercise class since probably right after college, so maybe 18 or 19 years ago. And I looked around and realized I was probably one of the heavier people in the room, if not the heaviest, about to do this. But I wasn't nervous or worried. I knew that I could do it because I'd been doing the workouts at home for the past two weeks, cheered on by my challenge group and other coaches, and I had my friends there supporting me. But a few minutes in, I could feel the tears coming on as I was really doing it. 15-minutes in as Nikki Boyle​ gave me a high-five I almost lost it, but just kept going.

Last spring, after having dealt with being diagnosed with cancer twice and radiation leaving me so tired and exhausted, I felt like my body betrayed me even more when my doctors told me that the pain I was experiencing was chronic pain that wasn’t going to go away.  First, the surgery in 2012 to remove the tumor, then a year later radiation, that all seemed to set the nerves in the temple area of my head on fire. They were already a bit messed up since I’ve had headaches and migraines since college. But this pain just wasn’t going away my doctors told me. Awesome. Oh, and yes, this particular cancer has a 50% chance of reoccurring, which is why my doctors say I’ll have this diagnosis forever. Most of last year was spent figuring out how I was going to be able to work full-time again when I was exhausted and in so much pain. How was I going to get my strength back?

I’m so grateful that a few months ago just some small changes in my diet and drinking Shakeology helped with my pain levels immensely. I’m blessed that when my friend and coach Kristina and I talked about what my health goals were she mentioned the discount coach opportunity to me because she knew I was dedicated to doing this no matter how long it took me to get healthy. Because the coaching opportunity exposed me to this bigger support group of women right away who are so much like my Irish Girlie community of friends. I am so grateful for all of their motivation and inspiration. Their honesty in sharing their successes and failures. Their neverending support.

I am so blessed to have the family, friends, and community that I have and I wanted to thank you for hanging in there with me. I have felt all the love, prayers and support the past few years. And today, I cried happy tears after my workout. I know I’ll be stronger and healthier for the next challenge that comes my way. I’m doing it!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Good things. The quick version.

There have been so many good things I've wanted to share the past few weeks that the list keeps getting bigger and bigger and then this post becomes daunting and doesn't happen. So I'm going to just jump in and write as many as I can remember, and yes, it will include pictures of the Easter bunny (I know! I'm sorry it has been forever!), but it will also include pictures of yarn! Prepping for Nashville took a lot out of me, but was so worth it, so thanks for bearing with the quiet around here for a bit. It's nice to be back!

Good things.

1. Let's start with that Easter Bunny!

2. And someone turned 8! 8?!?!? You guys remember when he was this little, right?! Just crazy. 

3. I finished my Gradient version of the Nashville shawl just in time for Stitches South! I was so glad I was able to show it to Sarah in person.

4. I loved seeing Nashville in the Plucky Knitter booth at Stitches South. The Plucky Knitter is having a Stitches South After Party Instant Gratification Update this Friday if you want to grab some yarn to cast on!

5. Speaking of Plucky, check out the new Plucky Knitter Collection, Spring Forward. Love, love, love!

6. Fresh flowers my honey sent to me at work this week. I haven't mentioned him on here, but guys, he sure is a keeper :)

7. The baby sweater I started on the way home from Nashville is almost done.

8. Sunny days and spending time with Magpie!

9. Neuroknitter and Cotty socks are like a match made in heaven. Warms my heart. Love them Gail!

10. If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you've seen that I've been drinking Shakeology and participating in a Challenge Group for fitness and healthy eating following the 21 Day Fix plan! I even took it with me on my trip to Nashville (love my mini travel blender my coach sent me! I just sent it to my friend who signed up for Shakeology too because I love it that much!)

I love it...the Challenge Group is a private group on Facebook and it is like a Knit-along but for health and fitness! It is exactly the accountability and cheerleading that has been missing for me the past few years and with all of my health problems, especially with the chronic headache pain issues resulting from radiation the past year, I wanted to try something different. It has been a month and all I can say is I'm so glad I made this choice!! I've lost 9 pounds (that includes all the biscuits and fried chicken in Nashville....Tricia will post those pictures later this week!) and I've had more energy, I'm feeling better, and I've had less sugar cravings. 

But more important than the 9 pounds, I have had multiple days in a row of not needing my "breakthrough pain" medications for chronic migraine/head pain related to my radiation treatments last year. I messaged my coach 4 days into my second week when I hadn't needed to use the meds for 4 days straight saying I didn't want to jinx it but WOW! I felt amazing. I knew it was the shakeology and probably my change in eating habits because nothing else had changed. For the past three weeks, I've only had 6 days of needing to use my pain meds during the day and that is UNHEARD of for me since October of 2013. Seriously, my sister and I couldn't recall a 2 days in a row of not needing the breakthrough pain meds (my cancer team and pain specialists at Stanford are amazing and I am still on a lot of other meds that are more preventative for the head pain, but the breakthrough pain was that bad). So for that reason alone, the last three weeks were wins for me!

You guys have been on this health journey with me the past few years, and I wanted to share how well I've been feeling! And thank you for those of you cheering me on and sharing your tips on IG and twitter. Here's my before picture on the left and my picture 19-days into my challenge in Nashville!

We started another challenge group this week, so if you'd like to join this one (or the next!) or, feel free to email me irishgirlieknits AT gmail DOT com if you're interested.

11. Our challenge group posts pictures of their healthy food (see, totally like a KAL....posting WIPs, etc.!), motivational posts, and "sweaty" pics after their workouts! These women are rockstars. Well, with all my pain issues the past year, just building up my endurance to going to work has been a goal. After the first challenge group and starting to feel better, I decided this week was to tackle fitness. 15 minutes last night...baby steps.... just for you guys...because I'm a dork and knew you'd love it! Here's me after my first workout in months!! 

Quick. What good things are going on in your lives? I want to hear!! And to keep the good juju going, leave a comment with your good thing and we'll pick a few free pattern winners from the comments.

Happy Knitting!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits