Monday, May 31, 2010

Photo-frustration

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graphic found on The Graphics Fairy

I am having a really difficult time remembering to take (or even wanting to take) pictures every day. The Week in the Life project really threw me under the bus. I just don't feel like picking up my camera most days. My pictures are starting to feel forced, rather than fun, spontaneous moments of everyday life captured for all time for the enjoyment of future generations. :p

I think some photo play is in order. Time for another photo challenge!

Sunday, May 30, 2010

In Memory: My Dad

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My Dad - circa 1959

Today in church the Pastor briefly asked those of us with ties to loved ones and friends who have served or are serving in the military to please stand in recognition of their commitments and sacrifices. While I chose not to stand, I did reflect on my Dad and his brief tour of duty in Germany. I don't know much about it really, only that he was stationed there.

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The date along the side of the print says June 1959. I know he went to Germany, but I don't know if that's where these were taken. So many things I don't know that I wish I did. I never really listened when he talked about it when I was younger, and now that he's gone, I can't ask.

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Saturday, May 29, 2010

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Journaling Me: Hobbies

Have you ever reread books; what's the criteria for doing so?
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Yes! A most emphatic Yes! I do reread books. It has been years since I've done so, as all of my favorites are in storage in MI while we are here in FL. But someday I will have all my books about me again!

The biggest criteria for rereading a book is its entertainment value. A book that is highly engaging and makes me smile, or even chuckle out loud is a shoe-in for the "read it again" list. Which means that most books I reread are very much fictional, and most usually historical in nature. One exception (to the historical category) is the Harry Potter series. I've not reread any of them yet, but I most certainly intend to do so! I'm even planning on knitting a scarf in the Gryffindor colors! Cheeky...

I do read a lot of non-fiction books, though few would be read again. One book I enjoy every time I pick it up is Ali Edwards book "A Designers Eye for Scrapbooking". I also tend to borrow craft and decorating books multiple times a year from the local libraries.

I love books! At any one time I could have as many as 60 library books out! Mostly books for me, with a few school books sprinkled in for good measure. Our current library system here in Orange County allows patrons to borrow up to 100 books/movies/etc at any one time. I've never hit 100, but have gotten very close in the mid-90s :) I checked out so many books, that they started providing laundry baskets to haul them out! ha! I always used my library bags, but I noticed other homeschooling moms using the baskets. Very nice of them to think of us. Not many libraries would be so accomodating.

It has always been my dream that when I have a house I will have one room designated as the Library. I certainly own plenty of books to get one started! I also like to collect the turn of the century primers that libraries try desperately to get rid of in their book sales. I have a nice collection, some with the owners lovely signatures enscribed in the flyleafs. They are getting harder to find now that mixed media artists are using them as part of their art.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

What's the Word Wednesday!

Salubrious

Wishful thinking is not at all salubrious to one's mental health.

Project 365: Week 20

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Sunday, May 9, 2010 All the things I use to get ready in the morning.

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Monday, May 10, 2010 After the ball game, J relaxed with a bit of play-dough time...and what does he make? A baseball player!

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Tuesday, May 11, 2010 Napkin rings are finished. I need to make 2 more for the Independence set. I think I may make one more set before posting these...

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Wednesday, May 12, 2010 My eye keeps landing on this frame next to the door. We've lived in our new trailer for over a year and I still haven't done anything with this picture frame. Sad...sad, I tell ya.

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Thursday, May 13, 2010 Week in the Life taught me that I need to take more pictures of me. So here is one of me enjoying a rare treat: Dr. Pepper!

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Friday, May 14, 2010 Normally I'd post a pic of J during the game, but the sunset over the ballfield was too gorgeous not to share!

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Saturday, May 15, 2010 The season is over. But we still see J's baseball stuff everywhere! Now we wait to see if he made the All-Star team.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Project 365: Week 19

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Sunday, May 2, 2010 I spent the day looking through my magazines. I also sorted and stored a few since I'd read them several times and had received the newest issues. I love art/craft/scrap magazines!

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Monday, May 3, 2010 Look at my cactus grow!

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Tuesday, May 4, 2010 When the hot weather rolls around we start making a lot of these. I'm thinking about hopping into Target for another set!

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Wednesday, May 5, 2010 Crafting day! Making some napkin rings for the new webstore!

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Thursday, May 6, 2010 It's not often I get bored. I was sitting at the table among my crafting/sewing things and found J's little R2D2 toy. I started fiddling around with it and ended up having some fun :)

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Friday, May 7, 2010 The kids don't have school today. And J decided to stay in his PJs for a while and watch some cartoons.

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Saturday, May 8, 2010 Is it too early to be thinking about Halloween?! Not for me! It's time to start crafting/sewing the costumes!

Sunday, May 23, 2010

What's up with Blogger?

Well, I was going to post my P365 pictures for the last couple weeks. But Blogger is a mess! For some reason, Blogger has gone old school. :(
What's up with that?! I'd like to have the new version back, please.

Friday, May 21, 2010

All Good Things...

Vacation has come to a close. Our friends headed home to Texas this morning. Safe travels, friends!
We had a lot of fun hanging out together. It was a very relaxing vacation. Only one deviation for baseball practice and then the last 2 games last night and tonight.

We spent plenty of time water logged

Did some monkeying around

Had some Lego fun!

And generally goofed off

It's been a great week. And now it's the weekend! :)

Sunday, May 16, 2010

A little down time...

We have friends in town visiting from Texas. So we are hanging out with them!
Doing this:

We'll be spending plenty of time in the pool area, and maybe go to a park? I'll share the fun later!

Saturday, May 15, 2010

In the Good Ole Summertime!

When the hot weather rolls around, we start making a lot of freezer pops. So many in fact, that I think it's time I popped into Target and bought a couple more of these. For now we just make kool-aid pops, but I want to start making some yogurt and fruit pops as well. The heat lasts quite a while around these parts so I have plenty of time to experiment with my freezer pops!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Last Lift-Off for Space Shuttle Atlantis

The last lift off for Space Shuttle Atlantis, as viewed from the baseball fields at 2:20 pm today.



Our first viewing of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, waaaay back in Sept. 2006. We drove to Titusville and watched the lift off from an old pier out in the water.

Watching the shuttles and rockets lift off has been incredible. It's one of the things I actually like about living in Orlando.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Web Store in the works!

I am finally getting somewhere with my webstore. I've been wanting to do this for quite some time and it's one of the goals on my 2010 Goal List. I'm almost there!


I spent most of my free time yesterday working on the designs for my store name and logos. I thought I'd had finally settled on the name Thimblina. When I started putting it all together the name just wasn't working for me. So I started playing with my grandma's name, then my name, my initials, which led to a cute name : DIBS Designs. I thought that would work, but then I typed in Dibble Street, which is where my piano teacher lived when I took lessons all those years ago. Which then led to Thimble Street. And that is where I am! I really wanted to keep the thimble theme, especially since I use thimbles all the time. So there it is: the name and logo for my new webstore! I'll let you all know when it's online and stocked with goodies! For now, here's the new Thimble Street blog.


Wednesday, May 12, 2010

What's the Word Wednesday!


MUMPSIMUS

Origin:


1520–30; from a story, which perh. originated with Erasmus, of an illiterate priest who said mumpsimus rather than sÅ«mpsimus (1st pl. perfect indic. of L sÅ«mere to pick up; see consume) while reciting the liturgy, and refused to change the word when corrected.
 
I can think of a few people who suffer from this particular malady :)

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Project 365: Week 18

Sunday, April 25, 2010  Yummy Gingerbread Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins!

Monday, April 26, 2010 Game time!


Tuesday, April 27, 2010  K now likes to take pics of her shoes, too!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010  J taking a little break after school.
Thursday, April 29, 2010  Working on editing photos and making collages for Week in the Life

Friday, April 30, 2010  Game time!

Saturday, May 1, 2010  I read this book cover to cover and typed up every recipe! I love it! I love it so much I even blogged about it :)

Monday, May 10, 2010

Inspiration Station: The Kitchen Plates

Look at these pretties! I found this on DesignSponge. Which was inpired by

Lisa Congdon's clever kitchen post on Design Sponge. I like this idea and fully intend to copy it when I finally have a house again :)  Especially since I loooooove collecting interesting old plates and things. What a fun collection!

Sunday, May 09, 2010

Happy Mother's Day!

I'm taking the day off...sorta...

Saturday, May 08, 2010

Busy Busy Day

Every Saturday is a baseball day. It starts with watching a game or two in the morning, followed by practice in the afternoon and doing the concession stand inventory into the evening. It really does make for a very long day. Add to that the excessive heat and humidity we're already feeling here in sunny FL and it makes it pretty miserable too.

Only a couple weeks of the regular season remain. If J's team can hold onto the number one spot they'll go on to the district tournaments. J also has a chance of making All-Stars this year. So baseball may not be coming to an end just yet. And it's only going to get hotter...

Friday, May 07, 2010

Look at 'em grow!

My aloe plant has teeth!
The paddle cactus has sprouted 5 new paddles - look at those spikes!
Even my poor little Jade plant has survived being mauled by rampant squirrels and is taking new root and sprouting new growth!

The best part? - I didn't do a thing! When the temps climbed to 90 that's when things got moving. The hotter and more humid it got, the more the little buggars sprouted. Amazing. Before too much longer I'll need to separate some of them before someone gets hurt...

Thursday, May 06, 2010

The Knitwit Files vol. 3: Knotty Wrap - Complete!

Finally! It's finished!
I finally finished assembling my wrap. It only took 4 tries to get it to work. It needs a bit of shaping. It doesn't stay on my shoulders correctly and doesn't hang quite as low as I thought it would. But it still turned out pretty nice. On to the next project!

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Library Day

It's time to return some books. I love books. I check out more books than I have room for here in the RV. I stack them everywhere. The bookcase holds all the school stuff, so the library books are stacked on chairs, the floor, next to the couch, next to the filing cabinet, even on the table sometimes. It's rare for me to go to the library and not check out at least a handful of books. Right now I have 68 books checked out and I have a request in for 2 more. Today I will return 23 books, and probably bring home a dozen more :)

The one book I absolutely have to return because I renewed it to the limit:
Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. (click the link to go to Amazon) This book is genius! The recipes are simple, and most of them are everyday kid foods, but made healthier. I can't wait to make some of these recipes. I typed up a lot of recipes out of this book. It's a winner.