Outside my window... I'm enjoying a thunder and lightning show, or at least I was, I think it's dying down now.
I am thinking... About my plans for the day. I'm thinking about switching it up a bit and having some fun with the kids. Hmmm... what to do....
I am thankful for... having my husband home this week. Yay!!
I'm wearing... jeans and a purple t-shirt. The purple is the exact shade of my kid's school colors. Go school spirit! (Or something like that... I'm so not a cheerleader.)
I am remembering... learning to enjoy a good thunderstorm as a kid. I don't ever remember being afraid of them. When a storm rolled in and everyone else ran inside, my whole family would be on the (covered) front porch watching the lightning streak through the sky.
I am creating...pictures... lots of pictures. And I'm learning to edit them in photoshop, finally!!!
I am going... to start creating some definite plans for my trip across country. Until now, everything has been a little vague, but I'm ready to start planning definite dates for each of my stops.
I am reading... Actually, I'm not. I can read and read and read and devour every book out there and then I suddenly hit a dry spell. This is definitely a dry spell. Not to say that I'm not trying. I keep picking up books, reading a page and putting it away.
Song that is playing over and over in my head... How about a few variations on Singing in the Rain
The original... and my favorite.
The Glee mashup with Umbrella (which I think Gene Kelly would totally love.)
Noticing that... All this rain is bringing lots of pretty green and new flower buds. We aren't at full Spring bloom yet, but I'm loving the new growth.
A picture I would like to share...may as well add my moon shot to the mix. My facebook feed was FULL of full moon pics on Saturday. :) You know I was out there taking pictures just like everyone else!
Outside my window... It's 6:30pm and it's dark and has been dark for hours now. It's this time of year, early December, that I start to remember fondly the long days of summer. I look forward to the solstice because, although it's the shortest day of the year, I know that every day afterward will be just that slightest bit longer. It's a good time to celebrate the return of the sun... as well as the Son.
I am thinking... about lots and lots and lots of things, but the most pressing and most exciting thing to think about right now is the upcoming birth of my newest niece or nephew. My sister goes in to the hospital tomorrow for a planned c-section, so we'll know who this new family member is in just a little over 12 hours!!
I'm very excited! It's like an early Christmas present. :)
I am thankful for... again... so many things, and we can start with the new baby, but also... I'm thankful for this season, for the fun and excitement that it brings.
I am going... to be making some cookie dough soon. We're compiling the grocery list and getting the kitchen cleaned up in order to mess it up again with all the cookie prep.
I am hoping... that my husband will have a safe trip across country this week. He's taking his car and all of his favorite belongings out to Washington state this week as he checks into his new job out there. I'm hoping that he has fun and enjoys the trip as well as getting there safely without any car issues or stranded in the snow issues. (He'll be flying home for Christmas.)
I am wishing... that I could be traveling with him, but I'll be saving my cross-country trip for the summer after the kids are out of school and my oldest has graduated from high school.
I am excited about... this upcoming trip and I have to keep reminding myself to live in the moment because I tend to want to think only of this summer and the trip and the move. I can't decide whether we'll go by plane, train or automobile (really those have all been considered) and if we go by car, which route will we choose. There's always the straight line approach, but we've never been straight line kind of people.
Around the house... okay then, back to reality... the house is fully decorated for the holidays. We may add a few homemade additions as we do a few Christmas crafts.
One of my favorite things...
( dug this out from last years pics)
Sour Cream Cookie Cut-outs.
We use this recipe instead of sugar or gingerbread cut-outs for Christmas... LOVE THEM!
1 C shortening or margarine
2 C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
5 1/2 C flour
1 C sour cream
Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs. Beat well. Add dry ingredients, sour cream and vanilla. Refrigerate 1 hour. Turn onto floured surface. Roll to 1/2 in. thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 375 for 10-12 mins until just done. Do NOT brown. Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting or other favorite decorating icings etc...
A picture I would like to share...
Pictures are a little tough for me right now. I felt like I had just figured out some fun things with my camera and now with the weather, and the early darkness and all the very drab brownness around me, I feel like I have to totally switch gears. I'm still taking pictures, but I'm not particularly thrilled with many of them. This winter will give me plenty of time to work on indoor and *gasp* flash photography. Got to learn how to use a flash sooner or later, I guess.
This picture was a reflection in my sliding glass doors.
I liked how the double paned glass gave each branch a twin.
This one is a very highly edited version of a pretty boring and over exposed photo.
Outside my window... it's still dark although I can see that the sky is beginning to lighten. However, with all of this rain, it's probably going to be gray all day.
I am thinking...I am constantly thinking about moving next summer and what my summer is going to look like and how I'm going to get there and what furniture I should sell before I move and what I'm going to do once I get into the house in WA. These thoughts are always swirling through my mind and I have to keep reminding myself that that is all a long way off and I have to live in the moment. Perhaps I should spend my time thinking about things like Thanksgiving and Christmas!
I am thankful for... Hot caffeinated tea.
I am reading...just finished Jodi Picoults House Rules and Debbie Macomber's Hannah's List. I'm also listening to Lord John and the Private Matter in the car. Oh... and I've been reading parts of Paradise Lost out loud to my 10th grader to help her with her English homework. It's not a bad read once you get past the archaic language. Sometimes, though, my tongue is practically tripping over the seemingly random words put together that are somehow supposed to create a sentence.
I am creating... a to-do list! Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and Christmas is just around the corner. I've got to get myself organized and the only way to do that is to start making a to-do list. I must have a list or I'll sit around and stare at the wall wondering what I should be doing. Write it down and I'm on it!
Song that is playing over and over in my head...
Ummm... oddly... the Beaver Song by Robin Sparkles on How I met your mother. (sheepish shrug) If you watched the show last night, you'll know what I mean.
But the song that I'm really obsessing over and telling everybody about is this cover of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Santana and India Arie (and YoYo Ma!). Kind of love it.
I am looking forward to... meeting my new little niece or nephew in just a few weeks (or whenever the child decides to make an appearance.) I'm also looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with my family. :)
Around the house... it's time to get some serious cleaning down. (Got to add that to the list!) I'm planning to decorate for Christmas this weekend, but I want to get all the dust and dirt cleared away beforehand.
I'm really excited about getting the decorations out and a little stunned because I'm amazed at how quickly this fall is passing by.
One of my favorite things...Did I already mention caffeine?
A few plans for the rest of the week...playing taxi for my kids, piano lessons, drivers ed class, riding lessons, etc... And decorating!!
A picture I would like to share... I took these a couple of weeks ago. They are supposed to be his senior portraits since I wasn't willing to pay $939!!!! for the packet offered by the school. Seriously?! Do people actually pay that?!
I intend to take a few in civilian clothes in the spring and some more in the gown on graduation day. Hopefully, he'll be more willing to take instruction then. Every time I told him to look at me or to turn his head, he'd do the opposite! Pain in the neck! ;) But he finally saw reason when I said the sooner he cooperated, the sooner we could go home. That's when I was able to get these and a few others.
Outside my window... The sky is a pale gray. On Sunday afternoon, the weather finally decided that it was truly Fall. We've been toying with it for a few weeks, but hadn't completely given up the summer heat until this past Sunday. (Less than two weeks ago, we had a 98 degree day!) So it's been quite rainy and gray this week. I'm looking forward to the clear and crisp days the weatherman is promising.
I am thinking... that I should fill you in on how I did with my pictures at the State Fair. And that would be.... total loss! :) Nothing that the girls and I entered won or placed. I was worried that they would be really upset and I even wondered if I would get all put out about it, but no... it was okay. Looking at the photos that were entered along with the ones that won, my first reaction was to sympathize with the judges. I don't know how they managed to pick! As I'm sure is usual with any competition, there were a few winners that made you scratch your head and wonder what criteria the judges were using to pick those and then there were others that truly deserved the win.
I am thankful for... finally taking the world's most annoying bell out of our bird's cage! It's been much quieter around here since then! (There's so much more to that story, but maybe it's for another post.)
I am going...to have to get started on Julia's Halloween costume. She wants to be Mary Poppins. Got any ideas?
I am reading... Outlander... again.
Song that is playing over and over in my head... the real music we have playing is loud and is drowning out anything that could be going on in my head. We're playing the Disney Princess cd that was included in our new copy of Beauty and the Beast. Generally, I would say that we're not big Disney princess types, but I've always had a soft spot for Cinderella's "So This is Love."
I am hoping... that Disney doesn't come after me for posting that clip. How is it that I couldn't find a Charlotte's Web clip to save my life, but had no problem getting this Disney one?
Around the house... I've been gradually cleaning out closets and drawers. Now I just have to get my act together and get all this stuff to the goodwill. It's no good to clean out the closets just to have everything sitting in the entryway for people to trip over.
One of my favorite things... Reese's pumpkins. It's that time of year. :D
A picture I would like to share... Just cuz he's cute.
Outside my window.. everything is still quite damp from three days worth of rain. The sky is gray, but I have hope that the sun will be out soon enough. It's October 1st and it's finally looking like fall, the leaves are just beginning to get tinged with yellow and orange.
I am thinking... about thinking about Christmas. It feels a bit early for this, but if I want to do or give anything handmade this year, I'm going to have to get a move on. I don't know... maybe this can wait until after Halloween.
I am thankful for... this quiet time that I get in the morning. It's almost time for the kids to get up and for life to start (breakfast, chores, school), but for now, it's quiet and that's nice.
I am going...to the fair tomorrow! Even though it's rather late in the season for a fair, it feels a bit like summer's last hurrah. I'm looking forward to seeing how the girls and I did with our fair entries. I'm not really expecting much, but it will be nice to know.
I am reading... or actually, re-reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I saw her at the book festival this past weekend (you know, the same one where I saw Ree Drummond). It was hot, the lines were long, but I had the best time. I had gone on my own and stood on line to get my book signed by Ms. Gabaldon. While on line (which was thankfully well-shaded), I got to talking to four other ladies around me. I have never geeked out about a book with a group of like-minded people before. It was such fun to discuss all the many characters and what we loved/didn't love about the stories. Total book geeks!
I am hoping... well, I could go back to the whole fair thing and hope that I won at least some sort of mention on one of my photos. I'm also hoping that the fall will be as wonderful as I want/hope/expect it will be.
Around the house... I'm working on cleaning out and organizing cupboards, junk drawers and closets. That could potentially take all year, but I'll do what I can today.
A picture I would like to share... here are a few from the past week that I never got around to posting.
From my spot that was quite literally at her feet.
A shot of the book festival taken as an afterthought as I was on my way to the metro station.
Outside my window.. looks like a beautiful day today. The sky is blue and the light is just right. I really should be outside taking pictures... maybe I will. (and I did... see pic below)
I am thinking... well, I woke up thinking about how old Julia is and had to ask my husband what grade she is currently in. That shouldn't be something that I need to question. I homeschool her after all! I should know, but I found myself lying in bed trying to picture her math books, wondering if it said 4th grade or 5th grade on it. Honestly, I just think it was hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that my BABY could possibly be that old!
Looking forward to.... next year. Next school year to be exact. That's what brought on this sudden confusion about Julia. I'm trying to decide what classes to put her in when we move and I'm realizing that she will no longer be young enough for the co-op classes that are listed for grades 3-5.
I am thankful for... cooler nights and bearable days. I love fall although summer does seem to be hanging on here in VA. There are still days that they are forecasting to be 90 degrees this week. That just seems wrong! But at this moment I am thankful that it's cool enough to want to wear....
I'm wearing... jeans, a black t-shirt, and a light fleece with the sleeves pushed up to my elbows.
I am remembering... the tons of apples we picked last week that are begging to be mashed and turned into apple butter before they get old and yucky.
I am creating... currently it's still in the idea stage, but Julia wants to be Mary Poppins for Halloween, so we are coming up with some plans for the costume which involves some thrift store shopping and dragging out the sewing machine for it's annual usage.
I am going...to have a deck full of teenagers wielding paintbrushes this afternoon as they create a Key Club banner for the Homecoming parade. Which means that I am going to have to go buy some snacks, because we all know that teenagers don't work well on an empty stomach.
I am reading... 1022 Evergreen Place by Debbie Macomber, but either it's starting off by rehashing some stuff from the last book or I've already read it... I'm not sure.
I am hoping... to do well with the pictures that I entered into the state fair this week. That was a trip. I cannot begin to tell you how much I struggled trying to decide which pictures to enter. What a pain! I was totally second guessing my choices, my talent, my everything, but now that I've made the decision and have sent them off to be judged, I'm feeling relieved.
From the kitchen...Apples, anyone? Apple sauce, apple butter, apple bread, apple pie, apple crisp. I'm probably not making all of them today, maybe just the apple crisp for now. Yummmmmmm.
Around the house...Even though I am sure that the kids won't care, having a group of unknown teens descend upon my house makes me want to get the house generally straightened, so that's what I'll be doing in a bit.
One of my favorite things... Fall! And why isn't it the first day of Fall today? I could have sworn that it was always on the 21st, but my calendar says that the first day is September 23rd. ????
A few plans for the rest of the week... A trip to IKEA with friends, homecoming parade and dance (not that I'm dancing, just chauffering), a possible photo shoot with the teens all dressed in their homecoming best.
I'm thinking of taking them down to the Metro station and taking pics there.
A picture I would like to share... I really have no clue what I did "wrong" with the focus, but I'm kind of liking it and wish I could do it again. (okay... I know it's shallow depth of field, but what I really think is that I was going for shallow DOF and got that but didn't really get anything in focus, but I like what it did to the leaves in the bottom left corner.)
Outside my window.. the sky is a beautiful blue with wispy white clouds. Earlier, the clouds were pink with the sunrise. Looks like a beautiful day.
I am thinking... that I should be waking up the kids, but I'll give them a few...nope... they need to get up now... be right back. Okay, so I am thinking that they need to go to bed earlier. AND... I am wondering why Julia was always up at 7am in the summer, but now that school has started I have to go drag her butt out of bed at 7:45. Why?
I am thankful for... Cooler weather. I love it! Everyday that it is like this, I try to come up with something to do outside. I don't always get there, but I try.
I'm wearing... no more capris for me! It's time for long pants. So I have on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Still no socks or sweatshirt. It's not that cold yet.
I am remembering... that I need to get some new jeans and long sleeved shirts. My old ones were wearing out just as the warm weather kicked in so I didn't replace them, but now it's time.
I am creating... in a sense, I've already created the pictures that I am planning to enter into the state fair, but now I'm trying to decide which ones would be the best to enter. This is so much harder than I thought it would be.
I am going...to get my haircut today. It's long overdue. I'm taking Quincy with me and getting her a "real" haircut, you know... one where I spend more than 20 dollars. She's 16 now and probably deserves a decent cut.
I am reading... a lot of YA fiction. Have you heard of the Mockingjay series? Loved it!
I am hoping... that all the wonderful people that I left behind in WA haven't forgotten me and will still love me when I get back there next summer. I miss them.
Around the house... every surface seems to be piled with school books and supplies. School has officially begun!
One of my favorite things...A happy girl who loves her science lessons! Makes that part of my day far easier.
A few plans for the rest of the week... We're taking all of our entries into the fair to be judged (my pictures and the kids art work) on Saturday. We'll also be spending Saturday with some great friends. Until then, I plan to get the art pieces finished and the pictures printed and mounted. Also, lots of schoolwork, piano lessons, and maybe some shopping.
A picture I would like to share... round and round and round we go.....
Outside my window.. the sky is whitish gray. The very outer bands of Earl has created cloud cover over here, but no rain or wind. Today is still quite warm, but this weekend things cool down and when the world cools down, I can finally think!
So...I am thinking... that I have about a million trillion things to do, all the many, many things I let go because it was hot and I was a miserable lump with a foggy brain not doing or thinking about anything.
I am thankful for... September! Even if there were no calendar and even though it's still a tad warmer than I'd like it to be, I think I would know that it was September just by the energy that is flowing through me. I'm so excited and can hardly sit still long enough to finish this post.
I'm wearing... capris and a t-shirt, but I look forward to being able to wear a sweater and socks!
I am remembering... the three feet of snow and then some that we got last year. I'm not quite ready for that yet! Just a little cool down would be good. You know somewhere in the 70's would be nice.
I am creating... IDEAS! Lots of them. I just bought 8 pounds of peaches to turn into something. I just don't know what they'll be yet. I'm hoping for some peach jam and maybe some pie. Yum! I'm also trying to pull together some photos to enter into the VA state fair. So, while I may not be creating anything right at this very moment, I will be soon.
I am going...clean! And this time I'm looking forward to it. Now I can't guarantee that I'll get as much done as I'd like to since I seem to have cleaning ADD, but I'd better get something done while I'm still in the mood!
I am reading... I'm just starting Lumby on the Air by Gail Fraser. This is the fifth book in the series about the town of Lumby. They have a distinct Mitford feeling, you know... quirky small town and characters. Fun read.
Song that is playing over and over in my head...Great Green Gobs of Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts Seriously... I have no explanation for that. I tried to look up a video on Youtube, but I think you should be glad I spared you. What I did learn is that there are many different variations of the lyrics. Who knew?!
I am hoping... to get that dang song out of my head!
Pondering these words....
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited."
- Albert Einstein
From the kitchen...Good Ol' American Beans! (That's what they're called in the cookbook.) It's kind of a sloppy joe/chili type thing with ground beef and lots of beans. And it's good... really, really good! And I think it must be very American since one of the main ingredients is ketchup. Does any other country use ketchup they way we do?
Around the house...Time to clean and organize. I'm already feeling next year's move coming and I know that I'm going to have to downsize and get rid of some things. May as well start now.
One of my favorite things...A clear head and lots of energy. And happiness!
A few plans for the rest of the week... The week is nearly over, but this Sunday is Quincy's 16th birthday! So we'll be doing fun birthday things. :)
A picture I would like to share... a sure sign that fall is on it's way.
Outside my window.. the sky is a little gray and dreary. I think we got some rain last night, but I'm not sure what the rest of the day is supposed to be like.
I am thinking... that I need to get off the computer and get this day started, but not before I finish this post. I'm looking forward to the start of school in a couple of weeks and having some sort of a routine. Lazy summer days are nice, but there is something to be said for getting back into a schedule
I am thankful for... finally getting back to normal. Combine a little post-vacation let down with a bad case of PMS and you get one insanely miserable Colleen. Seriously, this past week was pretty much a blur of crankiness, cloudy thoughts and couch potato-ness. I was kind of a mess, but now I'm feeling normal and cheery again! Yay!
I'm wearing... a black tank top and gray yoga pants. Not that I plan to do any yoga...
or maybe I will...
I am remembering... with a smile, my Aunt Deb. She just called me and it was wonderful to talk to her. She summers in Maine, so we spent a good portion of our vacation going on "adventures" with her. (More on those later!)
I am creating... nothing in particular right now, but I'm ready for a project. Maybe we'll go out and do some peach/ apple/ blackberry picking and then I'll be able to create all sorts of yummy goodies. It's a thought!
I am going...to do some housework today. After that, Julia and I are planning to do some projects from her Mythbusters science kits.
I am reading...hmmmm... some book by Fern Michaels that I borrowed from my mother. I can't remember what it's called and I only just started it so I'll have to let you know if it's any good.
I am hoping... that we find lots of fun things to doduring these last couple of weeks of summer. We've had a great summer so far.
Pondering these words.... "Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting."
— J.M. Barrie (Peter Pan)
Isn't that sad? I hate goodbyes.
From the kitchen...sausage and egg sandwiches... probably for lunch. They're a total blast from the past for me. We used to order these from the local pizza place when I was seven years old. So far, my eggs haven't been recalled, so hopefully it won't be a sausage, egg and salmonella sandwich. :)
Around the house...the floors need a good vacuuming and there are still a few things left from our trip that need to find homes.
One of my favorite things...Rocks! I love rocks. We have tons and tons of rocks around the house. I always wonder what the movers think when they have to pack up all of our rocks. But we love them and they are beautiful (and cheap) souvenirs of our trips. If only Charlie Brown felt the same way... his Halloween would have been much better!
A few plans for the rest of the week... I don't know if I have any definite plans yet. I've been hoping to go to the local pick your own farm this week. I'll have to check their schedule to see whats available. I think there is a dentist appointment or two scheduled for this week.
A picture I would like to share... How about a couple? From one of the silliest little gift shops in Maine.
Outside my window.. It's 6:30am. The sunrise has already lost it's pink glow (that was here around an hour ago) and is shining bright. The sun is up early in Maine and so are the lobstermen. I can hear the boats just outside, circling their buoys and pulling up traps. Other than that and a few seagull calls, it's pretty quite around here.
I am thinking... that it has been a wonderful vacation and I'm sad to see it so close to the end, but at the same time, I think it will be nice to sleep in my own bed.
I am thankful for... well, of course... vacation! I'm thankful for the many fun things we've been able to do. (Hiking, swimming, shopping, relaxing!) I'm also thankful for all of the time that we've been able to spend together as a family and also with my extended family. (Parents, sister and her family, aunt.)
I'm wearing... I'm still in my PJ's with a light hoodie over top because the windows were left open last night and it's kind of cold in here.
I am remembering...all week I've been remembering my past vacations here in Maine. I've been vacationing in Maine on and off since I was 13 or 14 years old. (We're still trying to remember the exact year.) That's a freakin' 25 years!! Which seems impossible. (Now, I haven't been here every year, but I get here as often as possible.)
I am creating...Nothing whatsoever!
I am going...to look up a recipe for blueberry muffins. That doesn't necessarily mean that I'll be making them, but I'm considering it. I have a ton of blueberries left from our blueberry picking last week. It would be a shame to waste them!
I am reading...Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri. It's a compilation of short stories based around Indian families in America and England. She also wrote The Namesake which was a movie that I really liked. Put it in your Netflix queue.
I also read Stern Men by Elizabeth Gilbert, you know, the person who wrote Eat, Pray, Love. I kind of hated Eat Pray Love, but really liked Stern Men. It didn't hurt that it was based in Maine and was marginally about lobstering. It was a good Maine read.
Song that is playing over and over in my head... No songs right now, unless you count the hoo-ooh-oh-oh-oh that an owl? is singing outside.
I am hoping...that the weather in Virginia will have cooled down just a tad by the time we get home. I've been enjoying this weather far too much and don't want to go back to 90+ and humidity.
Pondering these words.... "Human nature will not flourish, any more than a potato, if it be planted and replanted, for too long a series of generations, in the same worn-out soil. My children have had other birthplaces, and, so far as their fortunes may be within my control, shall strike their roots into unaccustomed earth."
Nathaniel Hawthorne
From the kitchen...possibly those blueberry muffins and, later, I'm thinking spaghetti.
Around the house...It's a tiny little cabin and we're all squished in rather close to each other, but I don't mind. The cabin is a bit cluttered with all of our stuff, but again... it's vacation and I don't mind. I try to keep it cleaned up and vacuum occasionally, but that doesn't take long at all. It's nice.
One of my favorite things...warm days and cool breezes. Brave children swimming in the cold, COLD water. Reading in hammocks. Silly red squirrels that chatter and yell at you.
A few plans for the rest of the week...Dan and the kids are going kayaking today. We're heading to my parents cabin for a good view of the meteor shower tonight. ( There are too many big pine trees in the way here.) Hunting for sea glass first thing tomorrow morning. Attending the Lobster Festival on Saturday. Heading back home with a pit stop in Boston to walk the Freedom Trail, visit the USS Constitution and do lunch at Quincy Market.
A picture I would like to share... Maine is all about lobster, ice cream and moose. If only this were on a rocky beach, this picture would be practically everything Maine!
Outside my window...The sun is going down, but it's still in the mid 90's outside. The heat is killing me and killing any motivation that I might normally have to go out and play/exercise/take pictures. I'm just hiding in my house and waiting for my vacation to Maine where I hope the temps will be much more pleasant.
I am thinking... about a million different random things, but nothing seems to stick for very long. I'm feeling very hormonal... or at least I hope that's what's wrong with me, otherwise, what's my excuse?
I am thankful for..my husband coming home TOMORROW!!!! That may be another reason why I'm all whacked out and emotional today.
I'm wearing...denim capris and an oversized green t-shirt. I just got my haircut yesterday, but they straightened the crud out of it, so it's up in barrettes until I get a chance to fix it. My hair isn't straight people!!! Why can't hairdressers just let it be all wavy like it wants to be? Straight hair looks weird on me.
I am remembering... the day that the washer repair guy came and "fixed" my washer two, maybe three weeks ago. Yeah, those were a good few weeks of happy cleanliness until NOW when my washer decided to die AGAIN! Erghhhhhh!
I am creating...a Blurb book. I'm sure I'll love it when I'm done, but it's kind of being a pain right now. Remember the Blurb gift certificate that I won through the I heart faces photo walk? Well... it has a deadline of August 1st, so I am frantically trying to pull this thing together by then. I have used many different digital photo album programs and this is my absolute least favorite. It's very time consuming which means that all of my computer time is being spent on that rather than things like reading your blog posts or creating my own.
(except now, of course... 'cause I needed a break.)
I am going...to work on that Blurb book till the wee hours of the morning today or until I just can't stand it anymore. I'm also going to do some last minute housework before I pick up my husband at the airport tomorrow!
I am reading... nothing in particular right now. I just finished three books by Sheryl Woods and now I'm taking a book break until we hit the road for our vacation. I intend to read plenty while we are on the road and during my down time laying in the hammock at the cabin. Oh, Yeah!!
Song that is playing over and over in my head...it's kind of a toss up between "Happy Birthday to You" and "Oh, yeah! Crash a bang a boom a bang" from the old Kool Aid commercials.
(shrugging shoulders)
There hasn't been a birthday around here since the end of May, but we still had Julia's singing balloon in the closet. Grant finally got tired of it and took some scissors to it. Out in my garbage can is a deflated balloon singing a jaunty little tune despite it's sad state.
Since finding a you tube video of Happy Birthday just seems lame, I'll leave you with this video...
Much more fun!
And when was this commercial made? Because it looks ancient and it's making me feel REALLY old!
I am still hoping...(this is word for word from the last "on my mind post", but my hopes haven't changed that much) that we find good tenants to fill our house in Washington State for the next year. I'm also hoping that the heat and humidity give us a little break. Is that too much to ask in July, in DC?
Yeah... I thought maybe.
Noticing that... the house is awfully quiet tonight. Maybe I should see what everyone is doing.
From the kitchen...I made three loaves of banana bread today and not much else. Sandwiches for dinner! Have you ever had peanut butter and jelly on banana bread? Heaven!
Around the house... just trying to keep things picked up and hoping that when I plug the washer back in, it will be miraculously fixed. (That was the advice that the service tech gave me over the phone... unplug it and wait five minutes, cross your fingers and knock on wood.) :P
One of my favorite things...Ranier Cherries! Yum!! They are more expensive than the regular ones, but totally worth every penny!
A few plans for the rest of the week... oh, busy, busy, fun week! Picking up the husband! Spending time together as a whole family again! Packing and getting ready for vacation!!
Oh, Yeah!!! Crash-a-bang-a-boom-a-bang!
A picture I would like to share...
This is a photo that was taken on our last vacation in Maine in 2005.
I messed with it and created a postcard look.
I can't wait to get back there and watch those waves crashing on the rocks!
Outside my window...It's not quite 8am and it's already 80 degrees. Supposedly, yesterday was the hottest day of the year and today it's supposed to cool down by five whopping degrees to a high of 95, but it's also supposed to be more humid than it was yesterday, so what's the point?!
I've promised the kids (Julia and my niece and nephew) that I would take them out for a morning swim in the little pool that we've put up in the backyard. They wanted to swim last night, but the water was literally hotter than the air. It would NOT have been pleasant.
I am thinking... that I only have 10 minutes tops to finish this post before I have to make good on this promise. I can hear the girls milling around in their bedroom, putting on their bathing suits first thing. :)
I am thankful for..all of this time that we have spent with my sister and her kids. It's been a fun couple of weeks and I'm sad that they are leaving on Sunday. But we'll spend another couple of weeks together in August when we go do our family vacation in Maine! Yay!!! Can't wait.
I'm wearing...yeah, yeah... I know that in my last "on my mind" post I said something about getting all dressed up just so I would have something new to put here, but it's 8am and I'm still in my PJ's. If you want to know details... I'm wearing a light turquoise blue yoga pant and a fuschia tank top, bare feet and messy hair. And I'm going outside with the kids looking like this too!
I am remembering...what it is to have another adult in the house. It's nice to have someone to talk to and to bounce ideas off of. My sister is filling that role right now, but I only have a couple of weeks to wait until I get my husband back and he can be my sounding board. (Among many other things.)
I am creating...well... I'm working on a series of photos for "Picture Summer." They send me photo prompts via e-mail for me to work on each day. I'm not posting them right now, but plan to do some sort of mosaic and post it all at the end of July.
I am going...to have to finish this post later... the kids just ran through with their bathing suits on and they are in the pool!
Well... that didn't last long. The pool felt weird, the water tasted weird and the air smelled weird, according to the girls. "So go in the house." I said.
I am reading...Home in Carolina by Sherryl Woods. I'm only 30 pages into it, but so far it's good. I just finished Chill Factor by Sandra Brown. That book turned out much better than I thought it would. I'm just glad that I've finally got my reading groove back and am enjoying some summer reading.
Song that is playing over and over in my head...Night Swimming by REM. That song has been stuck in my head since we let the kids swim with glow sticks on the 4th of July. Good thing I like that song, or I might have gone crazy by now, singing the same song for five days!
I am still hoping...that we find good tenants to fill our house in Washington State for the next year. I'm also hoping that the heat and humidity give us a little break. Is that too much to ask in July, in DC?
Yeah... I thought maybe.
Noticing that... I really like REM.
From the kitchen...at some point today, I will be making french toast. Probably for lunch since everyone is working on a breakfast of cereal and toast. French toast is a big deal around here. The kids LOVE it. I'm pretty good at it, if I say so myself.
Funny story... When I was 12ish, I made french toast for my aunt. I was so pleased with myself, making breakfast for my aunt and uncle. My aunt watched as I picked out the spices and gently questioned my choice of paprika, but I cheerily claimed that "my mother always uses this in her french toast." Wonderful aunt that she is, she just nodded and let me proceed. Fortunately, the paprika didn't have much flavor and I didn't use enough to make a difference, so the toast turned out okay after all. Now that I know better, I'm amazed that she let me go through with it.
Around the house...things are good. The air conditioner has been on overtime this week. The "formal" living room has been turned into a club room (the girls on one side, the boys on the other) complete with decorations.
To catch up on old news around the house... the mice still haven't returned and the washer has been fixed free of charge by Whirlpool. Thank you very much!
One of my favorite things...oh, I have so many favorites this week. BBQ food, teens that cook, cute nieces and nephews, fireworks, good books, and shopping with my sister.
A few plans for the rest of the week... fabric shopping with Leslie, buying a new battery charger for my camera (I can't find the other one and my batteries are dead and I NEED to take pictures!), keeping little ones entertained, then, sadly, saying goodbye to my sister on Sunday.
A picture I would like to share...
The dogbane beetle that my nephew carried around for a good portion of yesterday morning.
Outside my window... it's pitch black. I'm blogging a little on the late side today.
I am thinking... that that was the absolute worst episode of Glee that I have ever watched. Yuck! I've pretty much loved it since day one, but that was awful, just awful.
I am thankful for...really super nice bloggers like Bec and Julie, who saw fit to bestow this award on me recently.
(Well not that recently, but I'm a bit of a procrastinator, so there it is.)
I never know how to approach one of these bloggy awards and I never play the game right.
Sorry.
But I do want to say that I am always amazed and thankful for the wonderful people that I've met through blogging. Thank you for following and for your comments. It makes all the difference in the world.
I'm wearing... a green tank top and denim capris that just happen to be a size smaller than the ones I was wearing last time I wrote one of these "on my mind" posts. I'd like them to be lots of sizes smaller, but you know... baby steps. :)
I am remembering...my friend Sonya from high school, whose face just showed up on my followers list.
Hi, Sonya! I want to thank you for selling me your Atari and for letting me watch Friday night videos at your house. Fun!
I am creating...more lists. I wasn't always a list person, but now I find that if I don't make lists, nothing gets done!
I am going...to have to get up far too early in the morning to get the kids to school. I am so ready for summer vacation! I want to wake up on my own schedule and not theirs.
I am reading...nothing right now, but I read Danielle Steel's Matters of the Heart on Saturday. Read the whole thing in one day. Not because it was exceptionally good, but because I needed some brain candy and that filled the bill. It truly was not good, but I wanted to follow through and see if the girl ever came to her senses and dumped the idiot in the end.
Song that is playing over and over in my head...I Want You by the Beetles....it's driving me mad, it's driving me mad...
I am hoping...that tomorrow is a productive day. It looks like a busy one, but that's a good thing. The busier the better.
Noticing that... I didn't do much blogging this weekend. I guess I needed a bloggy break. We were pretty busy celebrating Julia's birthday, so I guess that explains it for the most part.
From the kitchen...well... the nice thing about 11pm is that I don't really have to worry about that too much. And now that I think of it, I don't think I'll be doing much cooking tomorrow either. We'll be out of the house for most of the day.
Around the house...the washing machine needs to be coerced into running a full cycle (but I can still make it work) and now my dryer is broken. I'm going to have to get a repairman out here soon, but in the meantime, I'm drying my clothes outside, which I'd like better if it didn't take so long. I don't mind the extra time outside, though. :)
One of my favorite things... summer thunderstorms. (Except, of course, when I'm trying to dry my clothes.)
A few plans for the rest of the week... the girls have riding lessons tomorrow and Grant has a recital on Friday. Kevin takes his SAT's on Saturday and I'm going to DC for the "I heart faces" photo walk! Can't wait!!
A picture I would like to share... Julia enjoying the brief summer shower
Outside my window... it's a gray day with a steady rain that lasted all day yesterday and all morning so far. It makes me feel sleepy.
I am thinking... that I don't mind the rain too much. It gives me an excuse to just hang out in the house, read books, eat comfort food and watch Toy Story 2 with Julia.
I am thankful for...the time I got to spend with my husband while he was on leave. Now I'm pretty bummed that he's gone, but I suppose it won't be too much longer before he gets to come home again. (Is two months really long, or not that long? It's feeling kind of long right now.)
I'm wearing... purple t-shirt, denim capris and warm socks... scary thing is, that's exactly what I was wearing two weeks ago when I last did an "on my mind" post. Well... except for the socks, those are a rainy day addition.
I am remembering...how much I really liked Kevin's Buzz Lightyear toy and wondering why we ever got rid of it. I want a new Buzz.
I am creating... a lot of lists... plans for the summer.... concerts, vacations, etc...
I am going...to spend this day all cozy and warm in the house. If I had a working fireplace, I'd fire that up too. I'm also going to try to come up with some photos for the various bloggy photo challenges that I want to link up to. I'm struggling with my photography right now, nothing seems to be coming out the way I'd like it to.
I am reading...Visual Poetry by Chris Orwig. The best photography how-to book I've ever read. Very inspiring. I never write in books, but I'm marking this one up with notes and highlites. Perhaps this will help me through my little photography slump.
Song that is playing over and over in my head..."When I grow up, I want to be an old woman." I don't even know if it's a real song. I heard it on a commercial earlier and the same line keeps repeating in my head.
I am hoping...That I wake up enough to get some work done today.
Noticing that... my house could use a good dusting... still trying to find something long enough to reach the cobwebs in the skylights.
From the kitchen...I don't know... I guess I should get thinking about that. I'd like something fairly easy with minimal meat in it.
You know what else I want? Oatmeal raisin cookies. Yum.
Around the house...yuck... I don't want to think about it. The kitchen's a mess, the washing machine is on the blink, and like I said, it's dusty. The yard could use some weeding too.
One of my favorite things... friends and neighbors. I miss my Washington neighbors lots and lots!
A few plans for the rest of the week...let's see...Thursday I'm taking the older two to a Mumford and Sons concert in DC, Saturday we're doing a service project at a local park and Sunday we're hoping to meet up with some friends in Jamestown while checking out the historical site.
Hey! that's a lot of fun stuff to look forward to. Cool.
I stole this theme from Alita. She does it every week. I'm not sure I'll make it a weekly thing, but I thought it might be fun to try.
For Today...
April 27, 2010
Outside my window... The sky is blue, the birds are singing. A vast difference from yesterday's gray and stormy weather.
I am thinking... About my upcoming mini-vacation
I am thankful for... health and my kids and those two combined. I'm glad they are all well and healthy.
I'm wearing... a lot of turquoise. When did that become my color?
I am remembering... the time (several years ago) when Julia "lost" me at the check out stand in Walmart. I hadn't gone anywhere, but she turned her back on me to look at something and when she turned around, she couldn't find me. I could see the confusion and panic set in, so I called to her and asked what was wrong.
She said, "I couldn't see you."
"But I was right here."
"But you weren't wearing pink, so I didn't know it was you."
That's when I knew for sure that I was in a color rut.
I am creating...You mean other than blog posts? Not much, but I do have an idea rolling around in the back of my head that involves *gasp* sewing.
I am going... to see my husband in just four more days!
I am reading... You mean other than blog posts? Again... not much. Which is kind of unusual for me, since I can pretty much devour books. For a while there my library hold list wasn't keeping up with me, but now I can't keep up with it.
Song that is playing over and over in my head... Wow... my brain is rather silent on that one, but it's still early in the a.m. I hear the birds singing, but it's a tune that I don't know. I'm also remembering that last night I had "Forever Young" stuck in my head, which means I'll probably be singing it again today.
I am hoping... that I find a half-way decent bathing suit that doesn't look totally ridiculous at a very cheap price. Is that too much to ask?
Noticing that... fish actually make noises that I can hear when everything else in the house is silent. I had to get up to see what it was. They were moving the rocks around.
From the kitchen...Grant has big plans that involve Italian sausages on the grill.
Around the house...What a mess. This desk is looking ridiculous. Guess I'll add "clean off the desk" to my list today
One of my favorite things... Quiet
A few plans for the rest of the week... bathing suit shopping (yuck), packing, cleaning, and heading to the Caribbean (yes, that's what I'll call it, I mean it IS in the Caribbean) to visit my husband (YAY!)
A picture I would like to share... the flowers that Julia picked for me and artfully arranged.
