Final Summer To-Do List Update

Sigh...now that I have been teaching for four weeks, I think I finally need to admit that summer is over. Honestly, though, this is the first time I really have had time to think about summer being over. My school year is off to a great start (my students are better behaved and working harder than ever before--thank you, Common Core), but it has been BUSY.

Here are the last few things I got done this summer (more or less):

• Finish decorating the laundry room, thanks in part to these lovely printables from View Along The Way (#13)
• Created a cool "ohana" sign for the Hamel family portrait session and spent about 45 minutes changing me and my son in and out of our street clothes, family t-shirt one, and family t-shirt two (#37)
• Made good use of the well-loved yard clippers, lopers, and garden shears my dad gifted to me--and goodness knows I love (almost) anything secondhand! (#46 & 47)
• Decided to go a different direction in our tiny entryway and nixed the family photo monogram project (#54 & 55)
• Finally surrendered the keys to the church building's nursery cabinets (nearly four months after I received a new calling), simultaneously releasing myself from ever doing a full reveal of the very cute Moon Valley Ward nursery--sometimes you just need to let it go (#59)
• Finally pulled the trigger and ordered a tripod, remote, and extra battery for my camera as my birthday gifts from my dad (FYI: I turned thirty in April) (#68)
• Relaxed, had fun, and enjoyed myself all summer long (#71)

What I learned this summer:

Honestly, I couldn't be happier with the choices I made this summer. When school started again, I was actually happy to start teaching. Although I worked hard all summer, I felt well-rested, centered, and relaxed. For me, keeping a project-centered life still makes the most sense, and this to-do list and these periodic updates were the best possible way to keep my summer on track.

Now what am I going to do for the other four seasons?

Summer To-Do List Update #2

Hooray! I am finally done with summer workshops, which means I have more time to myself and my to-do list. Of course, I do still have a munchkin running around, and we have to pick up my husband at 2pm each day, so it's not like my time is totally unlimited.

I am enjoying the extra time around the house, and Brannon and I have spent a lot of quality time together. It is true that he slows me down, but I think it is easier to enjoy the moment at a slower pace. I love that he is participating in my summer to-list items--sometimes as a spectator, and sometimes as a helper. I think my favorite part is the interest he has taken in crafting and cooking. Well, I call it "crafting," but really it amounts to cutting up construction paper and gluing it in random ways.

Here is what I have accomplished since my last update:

• Bought the fabric for Brannon's new bed quilt (#8)
• Made a DIY bulletin board out of an old IKEA frame & hung it in the kitchen for displaying Brannon's artwork (#9)
• Ran into Stephanie twice at her summer jobs, but I don't think this counts as "hanging out" (#50)
• Used my Gap gift card--with 80 cents to spare (#38)
• Made Father's Day gifts (#65)
• Finally made my mom's jewelry set, and I can't wait to give it to her (#40)
• Got back on the weekly-gratitude-and-Everyday-Celiac-posts wagon, and I plan to continue (#58) (see here and here)
• Sent the HTML Pinterest code to Kim of Work Your Wardrobe (#51)
• Deep cleaned my son's carpet (twice) and the recliner in his room--it smells much better (#45)
• Tried to hang spice racks, but we need different hardware (#61)
• Visited my dad briefly, but I need to see him more (#69)
• Bought Brannon and his cousin matching outfits for the family photo session (#37)
• Tried new recipes and dishes, and already planning to try more (#32)
• Looked into swim classes for Brannon, but I may put it off until next summer (#26)
• Relaxed, had fun, and enjoyed myself in a variety of ways! (#71)

Wow, I accomplished a lot more than I thought. That's what I love about to-do lists--they keep you on task AND show you how much you have done. For me, it's almost always more than I thought!

Who doesn't love a sense of accomplishment?!

Sick Day #2 To-Do List

I am feeling much better today, yet I am spending even more time in front of the computer than I did yesterday. Unacceptable! Here is another to-do list to give me some direction.

1. Clean toilets & sinks
2. Do laundry...again
3. Sweep floors
4. Mop floors?
5. Change pillowcases
6. Disinfect and make Brannon's bed
7. Disinfect kitchen...again
8. Work on my fish sketch
9. Read

Three things to note:

• Some of these items were carried over from my last to-do list. I'm okay with that.
• Occasionally, my to-do lists function more as a "have you thought about doing" list than anything else--inspiration rather than obligation. This is definitely that type of to-do list.
• I love this picture of Brannon, even if it is 2-3 years old. It always reminds me of our great times in the old neighborhood park.

Finding a brighter perspective

My Current Dark Cloud

1. Laryngitis
2. Bronchitis
3. Sinusitis
4. Conjunctivitis
5. Senioritis

The Silver Lining

• Two days of fluids and rest instead of work
• Direct orders to take care of myself and the time to actually obey that command
• Quiet solitude while hubby and Brannon are at school
• A requisite to whisper instead of yell--and enough practice to get good at it
• Enough leisure and motivation to make dinner for the first time in weeks
• The right to skip alarm clocks for a few days
• Leisure for a few extra blog posts

P.S.

I love this picture of me at the beach. The scenery is beautiful, and it reminds me of the awesome time my husband and I had in La Jolla back when we were newlyweds.

My Saturday To-Do List

This is supposed to be a "cleaning frenzy" weekend, but I am having a little trouble getting started (it is nearly 1pm on Saturday, after all). I thought I would give myself a kick-start by publishing my to-do list:

1. Fold & put away laundry
2. Change sheets & make beds
3. Empty & reload dishwasher
4. Wipe tabletops & counters
5. Sweep and mop floors
6. Clean toilets & sinks
7. Vacuum rug
8. Blog post for GF2: The Everyday Celiac
9. Update "20 Things" blog posts pictures

When life makes you LOL

Happy April Fools Day!

To celebrate this funniest of days, I thought it would be appropriate to share a slide show of how my photo shoots generally go around here. Enjoy!

Hmm. I thought I had a left eye and forehead (guess I was mistaken)

Camera hog, you say? Quite--he is his mother's son.

PS: 

Doesn't it just figure that I inadvertently deleted the one picture that captured my entire face head and didn't have a little helper leaning into the background? Yep--that poor snapshot didn't even make it onto to my laptop.

Check out more of my photographic silliness on this style blog, Work Your Wardrobe (A young woman's guide to affordable fashion):

Work it!