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 #3

I am so proud of myself right now. Summer is nearing its end (for me, anyway), and I know I have accomplished so much! Writing my to-do list back in June was the one of the smartest things I've done recently, and that's saying something (not that I'm one to brag).

After reading a friend's goals for July, I realized my focus needed to be the "less-fun" items on my to-do list. Since I mentioned that on her blog, it made it much easier for me to stay motivated and follow-through on some nagging items from the list. Of course, I made sure to leave plenty of time for the fun options as well.

Here is what I have been up to since my last update:

• Went camping in northern Arizona with my son and husband (#35)
• Repaired two dry-wall holes (#6)
• Repaired holes in the pantry and my son's bedroom doors (#7)
• Designed and hung gallery wall in family room, although I can't paint the frames until it cools off (#10)
• Nearly finished Brannon's fourth Shutterfly book (#30)
• Hung bath photos of Brannon to finish his bathroom (#3)
• Bought the hardware and other supplies for my clothesline (#12)
• Wrote & posted a lengthy DIY bulletin board tutorial (a bit of #14 and #71 combined)
• Made & hung an awesome and almost-entirely-handmade wreath for my front door (#24)
• Decided not to sign Brannon up for swim classes this summer--which still counts (#26)
• Continued do kid-pins with Brannon, even while camping (#27)
• Finished reading The Bean Trees so I can complete a text-analysis on it (#34)
• Chose a date for our family photo session and procured cardboard for the "ohana" sign I plan to make for it (#37)
• Helped my husband kick-off Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet, which he definitely appreciated (#31)
• Read The Perks of Being a Wallflower (#33)
• Reviewed a few letters with Brannon--he knows more than I realized (#38)
• Completed 3-4 projects from my project drawer (#57)
• Deep-cleaned shower and tub stalls, although I still need to tackle the shower doors (#63)
• Visited my dad (#69)
• Nagged my husband to take care of our NSP residence verification (#66)
• Made a decision about my birthday gift from my dad, but I haven't taken action on it just yet (#68)
• Tried lots of new recipes, including this delicious gluten- and dairy-free coconut ice cream (#32)

Quite the list, am I right?

PS: Literally while I was typing this, my husband brought me my back-to-school letter from my boss: Monday, August 5 is my report date. I told you summer was ending!

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?!

Summer To-Do List Update #1

I am feeling a little under-motivated, so now seemed as good a time as any to review my progress on my Summer To-Do list thus far. (If you haven't read my list yet, you can check it out here.)

I am two weeks into summer vacation, and this is what I have accomplished:

• I finished and hung my fish sketch & painting (#1 & 2)
• I had a picnic with my son (#4)
• I got my hair cut and colored (#5)
• I completed Audrey's 7x7 fashion remix (#19)
• I found a good place to store our Slip N' Slide (#25)
• We completed some "kid pin" like activities (#27)
• We played a few founds of Zingo to work on Brannon's number skills (#49)

My thoughts:

It may not seem like I did a lot, but I think I was still able to keep to my "project a day" goal so far. The fish sketch was a time-consuming process, so it was essentially the only project I worked on for the first seven days or so. You'll see pics of it soon when I complete #18: "Fish Sketch Post."

Picnicking with Brannon was, simply put, a pleasure. While I was making chicken salad sandwiches for dinner last night, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to dine al fresco. I spread a blanket in the backyard, brought our food out on a tray, and dug in. Because our puppy loves to beg, we used an IKEA side table rather than eating off our laps, and sweet, adorable Brannon pulled up two chairs while I was inside getting the food ready. When dinner was over, we alternately played with Doc (our puppy) and laid on our backs, staring up at the sky. It was completely impromptu, totally relaxed, and we both really enjoyed it. Mother-son quality time at its finest!

I am so glad to have short hair again, and I am kind of loving being a brunette. I can wear so many more colors now! If you haven't seen my new do, you can check it out here.

Participating in the 7x7 fashion remix was so much fun, and I would totally do it again! If you want to see how other bloggers remixed their wardrobes, check out Audrey's link-up page.

If you have a Slip N' Slide and you don't know how to store it, considering shoving it into an old pillowcase before you throw it in a closet. That way you don't have to worry about folding it, and it is less likely to get tangled up with other items or fall on your head.

I planned to do "kid pin" activities each Friday, but I don't like to plan ahead, and my husband has decided to drive to school on the days I don't need the car for work. The audacity, right? In the end, that meant I couldn't go shopping for things like bouncing bubble and homemade goo ingredients, so I had to make due with what we have at home. As long as he is not watching TV and we're doing something together, I think I am on the right track. Last week, Brannon and I spent much of our time in the craft room playing with construction paper, scissors, paper punches, and glue. At Brannon's request, we did spend a bit of time in the backyard "writing messages" on our block wall using sidewalk chalk. 

Brannon can count to ten or twelve fairly well (although he usually skips seven), and he is great at counting objects. However, he seems to be hit or miss on recognizing written numbers. Luckily, my mom  bought him "Zingo 1-2-3" for his birthday last month. Zingo 1-2-3 is kind of like Bingo, but it focuses on helping kids recognize, count, and add numbers. Brannon loves it! If you have a pre-schooler, I highly recommend you check it out here or shop for it here.

Lots of text, no pics. Being an English teacher is my only excuse!

Now I am off to update my original list. Hooray to crossing off completed items!

2013 Summer To-Do List

The Rationale

Summer vacation is arguably the number one perk of being a teacher. A guaranteed two-months off every year makes things like disgruntled parents, piles of grading, and disappointing paydays worth it. At the same time, I am the type of teacher person who thrives on structure and a sense of accomplishment. While I can spend summer vacation doing (pretty much) whatever I want, I know I will be happiest if I can look back those first few weeks of August and say, "Look what I did!" rather than, "Where did the time go?" How will I accomplish this, you ask? Enter my to-do list.

When I say "tackling life one to-do list at a time," I mean it...literallly. I use to-do lists at work, at home, and in my head. They bring order to chaos, bring me the satisfaction of crossing items off one by one, and release me from the anxiety of feeling like I haven't done "enough"--and trust me, that last one is a HUGE accomplishment. They also keep me from spending hours of my free time on tasks that don't really matter...like watching TV, staring at the wall, and--you guessed it--perusing Pinterest. Whenever I start feeling overwhelmed, lazy, or unmotivated--I know it's time for a to-do list.

This summer, I want to live a more project-oriented life. I want to serve my husband and my son. I want to challenge myself, reinvigorate my creativity, and learn new skills. I want to be a better mom and friend. That is what I will build my summer around, and this to-do list will help me do that.

The Plan

Today, I write my list. Tomorrow, and for the rest of the summer, I will make every effort to do or at least work on one item from the list each day. When I find myself hating the invention of Netflix and shaking my head in disbelief over the time I've already spent on shows like "30 Rock" and "Parks and Recreation," I will pull up this list and find something better to do. To help keep me honest, I will track my progress via roughly weekly posts on how I've spent my time and what I've accomplished, hopefully inspiring one or two people in the process.

The List

Nota bene: Be prepared for a very, very long list. I like to itemize projects so I can cross off items throughtout the process. Tedious, right?

BTW: If an item has been strikedout, then it moved from "to-do" and became a "to done." ; )

1. Finish my fish sketch
2. Hang my fish sketch
3. Add bath photos of Brannon or other artwork to finish out the hall bathroom
4. Have a picnic with Brannon
5. Get my haircut
6. Repair the holes in the walls
7. Patch the holes in the closet doors (all from Brannon)
8. Start Brannon's bed quilt (Pattern & fabric bought)
9. Set-up a display system for Brannon's art & worksheets (I'll add more later)
10. Do something with unused picture frames & family room walls
11. Hang Derek's guitars (although this is really a honey-do item)
12. Install a clothes line on the back porch (even if I never use it) (Bought the hardware--waiting for hubby's help)
13. Finish decorating laundry room--wall art, homemade bunting, picture frames
14. Memo board tutorial post
15. 7x7 Putting Me Together fashion link-up
16. Sew a skirt
17. Sew something from Goodwill fabric
18. Make infinity scarf for Sande
19. Make blue and white infinity scarf
20. Make a wreath or other door hanging for the front door
21. Find a good place to store the Slip N' Slide
22. Sign Brannon up for swim classes (Decided to do that next summer)
23. Do one "kid pin" with Brannon each week (ongoing)
24. Plant something with Brannon
25. Paint something with Brannon
26. Create Brannon's fourth Shutterfly book (So VERY close to finished--just waiting for hubby's letter)
27. Help my husband lose weight (ongoing, but started)
28. Try new recipes (ongoing)
29. Read The Perks of Being a Wall Flower
30. Do work stuff that shall not be named nor fully committed to (working on it)
31. Take a road trip
32. Hang hooks in the master bedroom
33. Hamel family portrait session
34. Use my Gap gift card
35. Use my Target gift card
36.  Make the necklace and earring set for my mom
37. Weed the front yard (again) and treat it with pre-emergent spray
38. Purge all closets and storage areas
39. Decide whether or not I should continue to hoard Brannon's baby clothes
40. Start taking Doc for regular walks (started & he LOVES it)
41. Deep clean carpets, hopefully erasing the pet smell from every carpeted room in our house
42. Buy yard clippers
43. Use yard clippers to clean up bushes in the front yard
44. Help Brannon learn his letters (ongoing)
45. Help Brannon learn to recognize written numbers (ongoing)
46. Spend more time with Stephanie
47. Send Pinterest code to Kim
48. Transfer features and shut down "To Blog or Not to Blog" (decided I may as well ignore it & leave it up--no shortage of space on the internet, right?)
49. Try to make gluten-free play dough...cheaply (decided to skip this project)
50. Make family-photo monogram (decided to skip this project)
51. Family-photo monogram post
52. Wash the car
53. Continue weekly gratitude and The Everyday Celiac posts (ongoing)
54. Moon Valley Ward nursery post (letting go of this one, too)
55. Identify & commit to family chores
56. Hang spice racks
57. Repair grout in dining room
58. Deep clean shower and tub stalls
59. Deep clean and whiten bed pillows
60. Father's day gifts
61. Send verification of residence to NSP
62. Get knives back...hopefully
63. Make a decision about my birthday gift from my dad and act on it
64. Spend time with my dad
65. RELAX, HAVE FUN, and ENJOY MYSELF

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.

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

Spring Break Projects 4-6

#4: Revamping the church nursery

Don't you just love how cute all of those old-fashioned blocks look stacked up together?

My friend Nicole and I teach the nursery class for our ward (a.k.a. church congregation), which is made up of children ages 18 months to roughly three years old. Diverse, right? The kids are great, but we decided the decor and organization in our classroom was somewhat lacking--so we decided to revamp it.

Without going into too much detail, here are some of the things we've accomplished:

-sort, purge, and organize the toys

-label cabinets with bilingual names of toys (we share our building with a Spanish-speaking branch)

-snap pictures of various toys to use as picture labels on shelves and bins (see adorable pic above)

- decorate the bulletin board for spring

- plan the content for the bulletin board

- create 100% homemade paper bunting (pictures and tutorial to come)

We have a long ways to go and a lot of ideas on our drawing board, so stay tuned for the Moon Valley Ward nursery reveal. I can't wait to share!

#5: My 1st Pinterest Project

On Wednesday night of my spring break, my husband spent the night at his mom's house in order to attend a late-night study session. Faced with a long night without adult company, I decided to be spontaneous and invite my friend Stephanie over for some Pinterest-inspired crafting.

My project is on the left, and follows this super easy tutorial to make an infinity scarf from an old, x-large t-shirt.

Stephanie's project is on the right, and hers was a more spontaneous design. She decided to get creative after realizing a women's medium fitted t-shirt resulted in more of a necklace than a scarf.

Don't you love the way her braided and knotted scarf turned out?

I think I may have to make one for myself--and maybe even post a tutorial!

#6: Organizing the Garden Shed

 Since our house doesn't have a garage, we needed a secure place to store our lawn mower and other lawn equipment from my son's curious and often mechanically-minded explorations, my husband purchased and painstakingly built this shed. Five months later, I finally brought some order to his chaos.

The picture above is a before shot, since the shed, like the Moon Valley Ward nursery, still has a long way to go. I will post some after pictures when I have some worth taking.

So, are you wishing you were a teacher yet? 

After all, school vacations are the best time to attack those mounting to-do lists!

Spring Break Projects 1-3

#1: Brannon's Surgery

Brannon had surgery yesterday to correct a small birth defect. The procedure was delayed a few hours, but we are glad to finally have it done. He's been such a trooper!

#2: Shailyn's Mission Call Opening

While we were waiting for Brannon to come out of surgery, Derek got a call from Shailyn. She had her mission call! We had previously volunteered our house for the family opening, so we had just a few hours to throw a party together. We got home from the hospital at 6:30, guests started arriving at 7:30, and Shailyn opened the call at 8:00. She's going to Adelaide, Australia!

Here is what I managed to throw together in about the 30 seconds I had for party planning:

Drinks: Delegate to my awesome father-in-law, Bret

Food: Send husband to store for snacks (potato chips, cottage cheese for dipping, & fruit tray); Raid Brannon's snacks from the pantry (Nilla wafers & Teddy Grahams)

Decor: Throw a large scrap of fabric on the counter, scrunch it up, and use pretty bowls

Party Game: Give everyone a Post-it and pen to write down where they think Shailyn will be called & stick them to the wall

Photo Op: Steal Brannon's chalkboard, find a piece of chalk (in the dirt area in our backyard), & scrawl a quick message

#3: A Mission-Call Memento

I am so proud of Shailyn, and I decided to make something to help her remember one amazing moment. I had a basic idea of what I wanted to do, and with some playing around on PicMonkey.com, this is what I came up with. Pretty neat, huh?

What spring projects have you been up to?