Round Up Time! - May 2010

It's that time again. Another month has flown right on by. Here's the scoop:

1. What books/magazines did I read this month?

I read two fiction books: A Murderous Glaze and Hugh and Bess. It took quite some time to get through the first one, but I flew through the second book. Historical books are so much easier for me to enjoy! As far as non-fiction goes, I've read bits and pieces of Homesteading as well as numerous mexican cookbooks and craft/knitting books. The usual suspects when it comes to magazines, but I did get a new one this month: Creative Knitting. I don't know if I'm going to keep this one. It didn't seem to have too many projects I'd like to undertake.

2. What TV shows/movies/plays did I watch this month?
The usual, though most of my shows have ended and are only running sporadic reruns. I did get the discs from season one of Eureka. That was funny and I plan on watching the rest of the seasons. Movies: Independence Day, Julie and Julia, The Sum of All Fears, Avatar, Blindside, Karate Kid 2, Honey I Blew up the Kid, Sweet Home Alabama, Daybreakers, Sherlock Holmes, Up, Star Trek; the Voyage Home, A League of their Own. I guess we've watched a lot of movies lately since our TV shows are finished.

3. What fun things did I do with my family/friends this month?
Our friends from Texas came to visit for a week and we stayed in the condo with them for a few days. We had fun walking around Downtown Disney and spent lots of time together at the pool! Chad and I have gone on a date almost every Friday morning this month. During vacation week we actually got to play a round of disc golf. J went with us because it had been such a long time since we'd played.

"Monkey see, Monkey do"

4. What gifts did I give/receive this month?
J went to a birthday party this month and he gave his friend (what else?) a baseball bat/ball set... made by Nerf! The ball has this patch on it that helps you make it curve. They had so much fun. And now J wants one for himself :) J and I both received a certificate from J's baseball coach at the end of the season. J for completing his first year in Majors and me for being the scorebook keeper.

5. What special or unusual purchases did I make this month?
I bought myself a cheap pair of tennis shoes. And K immediately tried to steal them...again. She won't give back my purple shoes, so I'm guarding these new ones very carefully!

6. What illnesses/health concerns did I have this month?
None, really. I'm a little concerned with J's diet lately. He seems to be putting on some weight despite being very active. I hope that means a growth spurt is on the way.

7. What were my accomplishments this month?
I finally got the artwork for my online craft store finished. I signed up for a store on shophandmade.org and I made three sets of napkin rings. I have a few more items to finish before I'll post anything though. I want to have a few more options for potential customers to look through.


8. What were my disappointments this month?
I didn't walk much this month and I can feel the difference. I am determined to knuckle down and get back on it though. The offical training schedule starts in a couple weeks! eek!

9. How did I do on my goals this month?
It's 50/50. I didn't walk much, but I got a lot done on the crafting front. I didn't take any photo challenges, but I've been close to getting my pictures every day. I didn't blog every single day, but I did blog most days.

10. Anything else noteworthy for the month?
Chad's work has been on again off again. We're still trying to make plans to move back up north soon. The kids have made a lot of friends this last year (we have too) and that is making things difficult.

What's the Word Wednesday!

I would imagine the Roswell incident was accompanied by a foudroyant flash of crystalline light. At least the nerdy sci-fi part of my brain would like to think.

"Twelve on a Tuesday"

I was reading on this lovely blog some time ago about posting any twelve photos just for the fun of it. I thought it was a great idea, especially since I have a ton of favorite photos! So here are twelve photos that make me smile:

2005 J's toothless grin; a once-in-a-lifetime photo op

2005 SeaWorld, Orlando, Florida. Chad and the kids were spying on Santa in his workshop.

2005 New Years Eve - yes it's upside down - that's how I took it!

2006 New York road trip. My favorite mittens, chosen for me by my daughter when she was 3 - and a lost-and-found scarf that I hope "I" never lose!

2006 Playing around at the Eclipse

2006 Finally got my new camera!

2006 DD's first haircut in years. Donated to Locks of Love

2006 Epcot, Orlando, Florida. Chad is such a ham!

2007 Worlds Greatest Sandwich Ingredients

2007 "A squirrel peed on me!" LOL! No, not really. J was pulling my leg.

2007 Birthday Sushi yum!

2007 Halloween fun. I love making their costumes!

Photo-frustration

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!

In Memory: My Dad

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.



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.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Journaling Me: Hobbies

Have you ever reread books; what's the criteria for doing so?

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.

What's the Word Wednesday!

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

Project 365: Week 20

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


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!


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...


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.


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!


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!


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.

Project 365: Week 19

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!


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


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!


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


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 :)


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.


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!

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.

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! :)

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!

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!

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.

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.

What's the Word Wednesday!

MUMPSIMUS

Catalog Card Generator

Origin:

1520–30; from a story, which perh. originated with Erasmus, of an illiterate priest who said mumpsimus rather than sūmpsimus (1st pl. perfect indic. of L sūmere 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 :)

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 :)