For Today; July 21, 2008

Outside my window...sunshine, heat, humidity & birds splashing in the bird bath

I am thinking…I need to get back into my daily routine. I spent most of yesterday making the Start Here/Start Again cup & beginning to organize approximately 6000 photos! Yikes!

I am thankful for…my dear husband who let me have a real day of rest yesterday!

From the kitchen…not too much. Murray is gone to work already & I'm drinking reheated coffee from yesterday. I know a lot of people can't fathom doing such a thing, but I truly am my grandpa's grand daughter!

Grandpa would make strong coffee in an aluminum coffee pot. Whatever was leftover, he put into the old Philco refrigerator - still in the aluminum pot! The back of the refrigerator was really cold & the coffee would freeze! The next morning, he'd put the pot on the stove, bring the coffee to a boil & enjoy it all over again! You gotta' admit it - I'm not that bad!

I am creating…a life I love!

I am going…to do laundry, clean house, water plants, play w/Shiloh,

I am wearing...nightshirt

I am reading…"Photo Freedom" by Stacy Julian for the 4th time and just finished reading "The Big Picture", also by Stacy Julian.

I am hoping…to get a lot done today.

I am hearing…A/C & ceiling fan humming (hey it's summer in TX & we ALL hear it); clock ticking.

Around the house…cleaning & unpacking & playing w/Shiloh

One of my favorite things…an unscheduled day!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week…Rearranging some of the house. Sorting through my current ginormous crop of photos; WW preps & meetings; wedding gift shopping for Cayla & Bobby.

For Today; July 20, 2008

Outside my window...sunshine, heat, humidity & birds

I am thinking…that my mom may have the makings of a "modern" woman. We came across a quilt top she made. I didn't know she ever pieced a quilt top. I knew her two sisters & my paternal grandmother as the family's quilters, but here was a quilt top made by her, stashed away in the cedar chest. It's done in the Tumbling Block pattern, but the fabric choices are such that you really can't tell they're "tumbling". It's very bold, bright, modern & abstract looking. I can't wait to see it quilted!

It makes me wonder about her. Dining furniture is very modern. Put that w/the quilt top & the fact she worked in a munition plant during The War...and other little tidbits we're unearthing... & it makes me wonder if there's always been a "modern" woman beneath the "June Cleaver" exterior? Don't get me wrong - I'm SURE she loved being a wife, mom & homemaker. But I'm thinking of asking her what her second choice might have been!

I am thankful for…my dear husband who fixed supper for me last night AFTER he unloaded the van!

From the kitchen…the dishwasher humming

I am creating…a "Start Here/Start Again" cup. I will write the following phrases on the end of Popsicle sticks: "All About Us"; "People We Love"; "Places We Go"; "Things We Do"; "Storage Albums"; "Theme Albums/Materials File"; "Photos I Love"; "Family Words File"; "Cultural Memorabilia Box:; "Digital Triage". When I have 15 minutes to spend scrapbooking & I have no idea where to start, I'll just turn to my "Start Here/Start Again" cup for some creative direction.

I am going…to stay home today

I am wearing...peach colored jammies.

I am reading…No, I'm not through with the "Taming Stress" & "Boundaries"books, but I'm not exactly reading them either! I'm going through "Photo Freedom" by Stacy Julian for the 4th time and am almost through reading "The Big Picture" by Stacy. I am getting so inspired to scrapbook my life and a whole lot more!

I am hoping…to spend most of the day piddling.

I am hearing…A/C & ceiling fan humming (hey it's summer in TX & we ALL hear it); clock ticking.

Around the house…cleaning & unpacking & playing w/Shiloh

One of my favorite things…good memories

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week…Rearranging some of the house. Sorting through my current ginormous crop of photos; WW preps & meetings.

For Today; June 30, 2008

Outside my window...for the 4th day in a row, overcast skies . We had 3/10" rain yesterday.

I am thinking…I should never, ever drink caffeine after noon...I did yesterday and didn't fall asleep until after 1 AM and woke at 6:15 ...

I am thankful for…Barkbusters coming today at 6 PM to teach us how to teach Shiloh how to be a gentleman. Also so very grateful for finishing Debby's album.

From the kitchen…hazelnut coffee & toast

I am creating…the celebration of the everyday. Don't get me wrong - I love celebrating milestones, anniversaries and traditional holidays, but that leaves a bunch of days uncelebrated - so I really like to celebrate the "everyday" simple pleasures.

For instance - Hubby cleaning out his Bible. This is a "mark the calendar" event as he squirrels away bulletins and prayer requests in his Bible. Yesterday was one of those days - he took out 12 bulletins and a couple other full-size sheets of paper! I'll snap a picture of them all and have to scrapbook it in "Things We Do" 'cause he's been like as long as I've known him!

I am going…to vacuum. Update - Shiloh is not shedding nearly as badly as before . . . a pair of scissors & a good brushing took care of that. This is average an ordinary vacuuming - not because of Shiloh.

I am wearing...off-white linen pants & brown shirt w/turquoise medallion

I am reading…30 Days to Taming Your Stress; "Boundaries: When to Say YES, When to Say NO, To Take Control of Your Life", by Henry Cloud & John Townsend; & Photo Freedom by Stacy Julian

I am hoping…to write a quick note to Debby & put the album in the mail. I found a new, unused pizza box and it's perfect! I have no idea how much it will cost to ship such an unusual size package. Since I never went blueberry picking last week, I'll just go to Gourmet Gardens and buy by the gallon. $8/gallon seems fair enough to me, since they do all the labor!

I am hearing…clock ticking, birds chirping outside & train whistle

Around the house…is anticipation of a busy week: Shiloh's schooling, working 3 days, July 4th festivities at Love's Lookout, & Nathaniel's wedding on Saturday.

One of my favorite things…is looking through photos & remembering the stories behind the pictures - then scrapping the stories. I'm not so great at scrapping chronologically as I'd much rather scrap memories, and emotions that come over me as I scrap. Therefore, I will quit using strap-hinged albums and go to d-ring albums, so I can move pages around, etc.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week… include mailing Debby's album, working with Shiloh, "maybe" moving rosewood bookcase from one side of sew.com to the other side in order to make room for Shiloh's crate. It currently resides in the dining room, which I do NOT like. He's in this room with me so much of the time, we might as well move the crate in here. It will be crowded . . . but seldom is there more than one person in here and that's me - either on the computer or sewing or scrapping or working on Good Samaritan books/paperwork so it ought to be okay.