Feel Trip

Well, Sprout came home from her first field trip with half of her chin skinned off.  I asked her how her first time on a school bus was; she said, "Queasy."  So, so much for feel trips.  Too much feeling if you ask me.

Thanks to Jen, Joanie, Hausfrau (I received your latest package.  Mwaa!), and of course, EC for your comments on my 25 of 50.  I'm sure I will have more to add as we head into my favorite time of year.  Sprout's costume is complete.  If you see an waifish looking red-head wandering around your neighborhood, don't worry:  it's only that other Pip-pi.

And finally, I am starting to seriously consider starting my own freelance writing company.  I have had four or five articles published in the last year or so, and it's something I really enjoy.  It's fun to think about a name, a website and putting pen to paper on all the ideas that have been percolating in my brain for so long. 

Finally, Pip is hoping for a Nintendo DS for his 7th birthday.  I told him if he raised the money, he could be my guest.  I must say that the bed-making and vacuuming and putting shoes in order have been well worth the 50 cents to $1.00 he charges.  Sprout has been waxing on and on about an American Doll.  Somehow we received a catalog in the mail and QED.  How do you handle "wish list" items?  Ages?  Money?  Just saying "no"?

Thanks again for stopping by and for your comments.  I love to read them ~ it's like hearing from a friend, which you are.

Amy

These are a few of my favorite (50) things

Mary Beth over at saltandchocolate has come up with a few (also 50) of her favorite things.  Here is my list in progress.  What are some of your favorite things?

1)  Apple picking.  We go here to Stribling and recommend it if you're in Virginia.

2)  When my husband calls me a fool but is laughing at the same time he's calling me a fool (so who's the fool?!). : )

3)  Starbucks coffee.  There.  I said it.

4)  An organized desk, at home and at work.

5)  Coming home with a few new clothes items for work, whether they be from Target or H&M.

6)  Oogling over the make-your-own fabric at Spoonflower

7)  The sometimes incredibly beautiful jewelery from...  Forever 21.

8)  My new penpal.  (We're talkin' pen, paper, stamp, customs, post office)

9)  My daughter who says things like, "Maybe if today is sparkly we'll have recess outside." when she first wakes up.

10)  My son who says things like, "I do not stand for rudeness."

11)  Friday Night Lights

12)  New potatoes tossed in olive oil and sea salt, then roasted.

13)  Pandora radio

14)  Dreaming about living someplace else.  I love it here, but it's fun to imagine too.

15)  Tons of thin blankets in winter instead of one big thick blanket. 

16)  Flurries after dark.

17)  The sound of a snow plow at 5:00 in the morning and then tuning in for the school cancellations.

18)  Having a child come and tell me that they loved the book I recommended to them and that they finished it in two days or 1 day or 1 night under their covers with a flashlight.

19)  Etsy, especially hats from here.  Send her your head size and it's a perfect fit for fall.  And cowls from Sweden.  You won't step outside without it.
20)  Thanksgiving foods.
21)  Nature in general.
22)  My girlfriends.  They always have time for me.
23)  Decluttering.
24)  Turning 40.
25)  A full fridge and a full pantry. 

End of September

I've just sent off a letter to the dear Hausfrau - and it was so lovely to actually write a letter, in pen, fold it up, stuff it in a real, live envelope and send it off via the post! 

My September checklist includes buying mums, decorate the front stoop, ordering holiday cards, and updating my address book.  Are there any cards or cardstock you would recommend?  Should I go with Unicef this year?

You will notice that exercise and healthy eating are not on the top of the list.  I have joined Weight Watchers, and even though I only have about 10 pounds to lose, I am not succeeding.  I just keep checking in with BitchCakes for inspiration, but so far, no motivation.

I've just finished a great book for kids:  The Strange Case of Origami Yoda.  It's quite hilarious and I recommend it for students in grades four and above.  Happy reading!

Ready for Fall

I never thought I'd say it, but I am ready for a change of season.  Although work calls, it allows me to be uber-creative which is always fun.  Even Pip and Sprout are ready for school.  Sprout is entering kindergarten this year and joyfully announced to me to day, "I gonna learn EVERYTHING!"  It's so exciting to see their enthusiasm for school, which up to this point has been a very positive experience.  I'll keep my fingers crossed as Pip enters first grade.

It has been a difficult summer for outdoor activities.  The heat was just not an inconvenience; it was dangerous.  We spent brief amounts of time outside, but nothing like last summer. With September will come cooler weather, so hopefully we can make up for lost time!

Me, Reflecting on Fall

One thing I would like to accomplish is painting our living/everything room (we have one room in our house for "living" other than the kitchen).  We have dark woods, which I love, but combined with our  walls painted in Beeswax, it makes for a gloomy, shadowy room when the sun rises late and sets well before we are ready to turn in - any suggestions?

I successfully made Mary Beth's recipe for Everyday Granola - it is totally yummy mixed in with Greek yogurt.  I am looking forward to doing a lot more baking and cooking this year now that I have completed all of my classes (yippee!) and will have more time to spare.  What recipes are you looking forward to making, now that it won't be painful to have a 400 degree oven on in the house? : )

Blasted Blarmy Heatwave!

Well, I don't even know if Blarmy is a word, but that's the one I'm using to describe this continuing heatwave.

It's a Code Orange day today, meaning dangerous heat and humidity.  According to my sources, it is this year's 54th day of 90+ degree temperatures, which is very unusual for these parts (kind of like, um, this year's blizzard!)

So what do you do on excessively hot days?  The movies?  The pool?  A museum or two?