Tuesday, September 28, 2010

100 things update

(100) things I (want to do) did this summer:

1.  Read Unclutter Your Life in One Week!! by Erin Rooney Dolan this week.
Full of great ideas & helpful info!!
2.   Unclutter my life next week! :) Still working on it!

3. Host a yard sale. We had a yard sale after the auction and again this week-end to sell things from my parents’ estate and will be hosting several more (including my own “stuff”) as long as the weather remains mild!

4. Paint my front door a pretty shade of pink. Done! :)

5. Add flowers to the front porch that complement the door. Check! Already time to
replace them with chrysanthemums!

6. Order materials and new curriculum for school. Check!

7. Read Francine River’s newest book,
Her Mother’s Hope
 Started it during jury duty in June…Loving it so far...still haven’t finished! (Busy doing other things!?!?!!!!!!! :))

8. Write my Philosophy of Christian Education paper to finish the course! Done and turned in!


9. Find the electric sander!
    Couldn’t find it…If it was in the barn it was sold in the 
  auction! :(

 10. Sand and paint the hutch in my breakfast room, white.
                                            So far, it’s stripped and sanded.
11. Paint the inside robin’s egg blue. Will do.
12. Purchase new handles and knobs. Check.
13. Replace the old ones. As soon as it's painted!

14. Go to the beach. Check!
15. Look for shells, sea glass, and heart shaped rocks.  I could do this for hours!
16. Bring home a zip lock bag full of beach sand and display my finds.  {above}

17. Work on gardening curriculum for school.garden.  
Spent a week on curriculum development in July.
18. Catch fireflies in a jar.
19. Host a family Independence Day cook-out.   

 20. Make Mom’s potato salad (family favorite!) and strawberry/blueberry shortcake.

21. Add sparklers to the shortcake to serve.
Beth made brownies instead!

22. Go to the fireworks in the evening.

 FUN!
                               
23. Toast marshmallows. 


                                                                  24. Make s'mores.
25. Paint a Lightning McQueen mural in Dayton’s bedroom… A work in progress…
26. …and a Noah’s Ark mural in his playroom. ditto


27. Take a canning class.
Made strawberry jam!


28. Get the bike from Dad’s barn and attach my new basket.
29. Add flowers.
 
 30. Sort through all the paperwork from Mom and Dad’s estate.
             Sort .Pay bills. File. Repeat.

31. Get up really early and go for a walk. ...went a few times!
32. Pick wildflowers on the way.  Picked flowers and black raspberries! Much to the chagrin of my daughter, Crystal, AKA Jillian Michaels! :)

33. Make a lemon meringue pie for Mom to share at the nursing home.

  Made and shared!

34. Get my nails done before “the J’s” wedding. check
35. Get a pedicure too. check
36. Buy a pretty summer dress. check

  37. Paint for pleasure. 
  Sketched but didn't paint
38. Try a new Weight Watcher recipe. 
[Nothing to write home about.]

39. Make an appointment to highlight my hair!
  Thinking about going     
  even lighter next time!

40. Go on a garden tour. Toured Warren  
  Farm, N. Brookfield, MA and 
  toured online @ Notes from a
  Cottage Industry ~July 16

41. Super clean my classroom and re-vamp my desk.
embarassing,really.
happy now{*sigh*}

42. Go to a matinee on a rainy afternoon or when it’s just too hot.
   Not much rain this summer!
43. Have movie theater popcorn and Diet Coke for lunch.
   Didn’t get to the movies this summer, but
   I’m planning on going to see Coco (Chanel) &  Igor
   (Stravinsky) after school on Thursday.

44. Scour the thrift shops for the perfect living room coffee table. Found one. Not perfect,
   but good enough ( for 6 bucks!) until I find the perfect one !

45. Go for blood work prior to...
46. …my annual physical. Check. Check! Followed by a few precautionary 
  (expensive)follow-up visits.

47. Print photos with Zig Ziglar’s quote for my WW (Weight Watcher) friends.

48. Take a photography class. Didn’t happen this summer. Maybe some day...

49. Take living room curtains, linen tablecloth & napkins to the dry cleaner. Check.
   Time to put those drapes back up!
50. Get a tan. Enough to give a healthy glow!

51. Keep a food journal to track WW points daily. Off and on...must do better! Not 
  my strong suit!

52. Plant the rest of the flowers I’ve already bought. Planted most of them!

53. Send some “Bluebird Notes” (note cards, really) to Koralee. Special delivery! :)

54. Add lime slices to my seltzer water. YUM!  

55. Paint B’s room and make into a “guest room.” Asked my Brother-In- Law to help. Soon, very soon!

56. Put the pineapple bed from Mom and Dad’s in the guest room. After the room is painted!

57. Purchase new bedding and curtains. Check!

58. Paint the living room. Doesn’t feel like a priority until after the other rooms are done.

59. Paint the downstairs bathroom. My BIL will do that too! YIPPEE!

60. Touch up the paint in the upstairs bathroom. Ditto!

61. Take deep breaths. Just did, and do often!:)


62. Design Lap books for gardening classes…Started them at school this week!
63. … and American history classes. We’ve been working on them for a couple of
                                                        weeks. :)
64. Make Christmas gift list and take it when I go thrifting. Check.
65. Look for a replacement piece of glass for ballerina picture. No luck…funny size. Decided to get one cut to size at the hardware store.

                                      66. Fill a box of books to sell to “The Book Bear.” 
Decided to sell them at our yard sale.

67. Look for cheap vintage dictionaries to shred and punch… Found one in Dad’s barn after the auction was over!
68. ..or vintage French dictionaries…ooh la la! No dictionaries at the Book Bear, but I did find a fun book of Premiere Lecons de Francais! I don’t think I can shred it though!

69. Plan a vacation getaway with my husband.  ROCKPORT, MA

Motif #1

70. Schedule a day with C, B, &; J to go through and pack up stuff at Mom and Dad’s. ongoing…

71. Look in the barn for gardening tools to donate to school. I put aside a few things…

72. Invite a few friends over for a bonfire (campfire, really) and conversation. Labor Day week-end

73. Look up at the sky and find the Big Dipper. I love stargazing!


74. Drink a Corona Light with lime.

5. Paint Olivia’s dolly high chair to match her kitchen set. Done…

 

76. Add a vintage decal. …and done…
77. Find one first. …only it’s a sticker. I couldn’t find a decal I liked any better than a sticker I already had!)

78. Read blogs about “Where Women Create.” Read several…so many!

79. Organize craft and gift storage room. Organize…reorganize…organize again!
80. Begin an inspiration bulletin board. Check.

81. Help Beth with decorating Olivia’s bedroom. Working on it for her birthday in
                                            November!

82. Talk to pastor about Sunday School curriculum ideas.
       Now I’m the Sunday School Superintendant! :)

83. Pray continually. Please, Lord,help me to make this the priority it
   should be!

84. Count my blessings.  1...2...3...4...5...6...7...

85. Look for the simple pleasures in every day.  eyes wide open!

86. Start a blog for recording inspirational quotes and scripture verses.
http://aworkinprogress-susan-inthegarden.blogspot.com/
87. Think of a name first. In the Garden

88. Organize my home office. Organize…reorganize…organize again!
89. Do something about all the wires! Done.

90. Set up bill pay system for self and estate. Still need HELP with this!

91. Sit and Relax…92. Soak up the sun. 93. Swim in the pool. Those were the days!

94. Remember these are the days we long for in the middle of winter! Duly noted…and
                                              often! :)

95. Invite a friend over for lunch. 96. Serve chicken salad on a croissant, green grapes, potato chips and something sweet and lovely for dessert. Thought my daughter Jade’s summer birthday was the perfect opportunity!
97. Set a pretty table. 98. Use Mom’s Waterford Crystal glasses.


99. Finish crafting my photo note cards for my 100th post giveaway!
      Congrats to Judy@ Just a Little Something For You
100. And lastly… Don’t fret if it everything on this list doesn’t get done!

I did many things that I had planned and many more that I hadn’t! I had a WONDERFUL summer! What do I miss most? Sleeping until eight and staying up late!!!! Oh, that (alarm) clock !!!!

Quick count says I accomplished about 83 things on my list with most of the others at least in progress!!! Woo Hoo!



Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Estate Auction

My brother and my husband worked really hard preparing for
 the Estate Auction we had last Saturday.


  We auctioned off the contents of my Dad's HUGE barn.
 

Dad had machinery and all the tools he used when he was an auto mechanic


 as well as an impressive collection of antique tools.

among other things...

 
As much as I knew we had to settle and "deal" and sell and clean out...

There were moments when all I could think was

my Dad's fingerprints are on everything ...


It makes me even more appreciative of the "treasures" I find.
Some of the things I've purchased bear the fingerprints of someone else's loved one.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

family reunion

FAMILY
FRIENDS
FOOD
FUN
FAB!


What a wonderful time we had at the Lane/Smith Family Reunion last Sunday.


I must admit there were sad moments too.
Dad would have loved every minute with these people.
I miss you Dad.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

"Where Were You ?"


Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day

Out in the yard with your wife and children

Working on some stage in LA

Did you stand there in shock at the site of

That black smoke rising against that blue sky

Did you shout out in anger

In fear for your neighbor

Or did you just sit down and cry

Did you weep for the children

Who lost their dear loved ones

And pray for the ones who don't know

Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble

And sob for the ones left below

Did you burst out in pride

For the red white and blue

The heroes who died just doing what they do

Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer

And look at yourself to what really matters

I'm just a singer of simple songs

I'm not a real political man

I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you

The difference in Iraq and Iran

But I know Jesus and I talk to God

And I remember this from when I was young

Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us

And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day

Teaching a class full of innocent children

Driving down some cold interstate

Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor

In a crowded room did you feel alone

Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her

Did you dust off that bible at home

Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened

Close your eyes and not go to sleep

Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages

Speak with some stranger on the street

Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow

Go out and buy you a gun

Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watching

And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns

Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger

Stand in line and give your own blood

Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family

Thank God you had somebody to love
{song lyrics by Alan Jackson}
Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day ?

Monday, September 6, 2010

D is for Dinosaur D is for Dayton

I made a dinosaur cake for
Dayton's 3rd birthday.




He was
SO EXCITED
to see
his favorite
dinosaur
(T-Rex)
and mine(Stegasaurus) too!

I know they look like Play-doh, but I made them from fondant so they were edible.

Dayton's expressions and emotions ran the gamut as he sang happy birthday to me,
opened gifts, kissed, hugged and thanked his gazillion friends and relatives (LUCKY DUCK!),
and ate cake, cupcakes, pizza, and whatever else his little heart desired! :)
Auntie Crystal made the party favors
(dinosaur sugar cookies and mini dinos)

What a FUN day!

Happy Birthday, sweet boy!

I love Dayton,

I love Dayton,

I love Dayton

I love him all the (time)!