Bright Shoes

Part of the joy of school uniforms is that you don't have the hassle, pleading, head-shaking and outright confusion of the choices made by kids who should know their mother enough to know that's not gonna fly in this house.  At the very least, the though of their father's aghast look, and subsequently having to explain why he should let them wear that, should stop them, even if my own you've-got-to-be-kidding-me look does not.

Of the four kids, only one of them is currently in a uniform; the Kindergartner is not required to wear a uniform until 1st grade and the 16 and 14 y.o. are in public high school where apparently there are few rules to govern clothing choices (yes, there are days where I sit and think, "How do you drop off your daughter wearing THAT?!)  

Coming from the world of school uniforms the only "personality" that was allowed was in their shoe choices - usually sneakers.  Sneakers have been inching farther and farther way from the black and white world.  This year, the colors literally exploded into mind-boggling combinations of colors and shades.  My 14 y.o. has always preferred bright colors in his apparel, and he looks good in them.  My 12 y.o. has always just thrown on whatever works, or more like whatever he grabs.  He cares not about colors and patterns and combinations thereof (for him, this is where uniforms are a good thing.)

After looking at a couple stores at the brightest shoes available these were the boys' selections.  It's funny, in this photo, if I didn't know who got what shoes, I'd be hard pressed to tell them apart.  In the sea of uniforms leaving school in the afternoon, all I have to do is look at the feet for my 12 y.o. to track him down.  And when my 14 y.o. stepped out of the car on his first day, his shoes practically glowed - and I'm pretty sure he was happy about that.

Oh, and their choices passed dad with praises, even, on the "cool" colors.

Happy Thursday,

First Day of School 2013

The last couple of days have been a whirlwind of dropping off, picking up, dropping off some more and more picking up.

Monday was the first day of school for the three boys; my daughter's first day was Tuesday.  My morning started with wrangling people up and down and out.  First, drop the 14 y.o. boy off at High School (HIGH SCHOOL!) for his Freshman orientation at 7:25.  Back across town to drop off the 12 y.o. at 8:00 for his first half day as a 7th grader.  Squeezed in several errands until it was time to take the Kindergartner to school at 10:15.  Another couple errands and back across town to grab the 12 y.o. and the 4 y.o. from their early release at noon.  A few hours at home to get lunches and whatnot and back to the High School to get the 14 y.o.  This schedule would repeat itself for the next two days, but include the 16 y.o. on Tuesday and this morning.  Today was our first regular schedule for everyone - full days, lunches, regular class lengths.  It seems so odd, to again, have all the kids in school - all day.

At the end of these last couple school days the 16 y.o. is taking her last driving classes in prep for her licensing test tomorrow.  T.O.M.O.R.R.O.W!  I expect I'll be sending her and her brother off next Monday to navigate the roads between home and school.  Roads which are also filled with teen drivers trying to get to school.  I think I need a heart pill.

Happy Wednesday,

I Love Summer (What the...??)

Well, let's not go too far with the summer love-fest.  I don't L.O.V.E summer.  I'm just enjoying this summer.  This right now summer.  These past couple weeks summer.  To be clear, summer is still my least favorite season.  It's not climbing the ranks . . . at all.

However, these past couple weeks the monsoons have hung around much longer.  We've had, dare I say, pleasant temperatures - like the 70's and 80's kind.  Like I needed a jacket in the evening and had to wear socks a few mornings.  We've had afternoon clouds.  Afternoon showers.  Small, cool breezes.  We haven't had the a/c on.  We haven't had the whole house fan on.  I can turn around and not be drenched in sweat by that small movement.  I can even turn on my oven and feel happy to be in the kitchen.

It's also making my new container garden happy-happy.  Which in turn makes me happy.  The strawberries, which were lacking in blooms are now crazy full of them.  Carrots will likely take until fall to come in, but no worries.  Cucumbers are overflowing their barrel and I'm gonna need to figure out what to do with them outside of throwing them in a salad.  Basil, Cilantro, Parsley are huge and used almost daily.  The blueberries and blackberries aren't old enough to produce a lot of fruit, so those are just getting picked and eaten, but next year we might have enough to throw on Sunday-morning pancakes.  There are a couple barrels that I have no clue what's in them (hubby and daughter did the planting) but lots of happy new greenery are sprouting in them.  I haven't check the tomatoes, but they're growing and I catch a glimpse of blooms every now and then.

 

All that upcoming freshness makes me wish I could harvest a few items for tonight's dinner, but will just have to wait until next year.  On the menu, Pioneer Woman's Gazpacho with Shrimp, unless I find a screamin' deal on crab (not likely here in no-ocean-in-sight Colorado) and a nice loaf of crusty bread, which I should probably get started.  Dessert hasn't been decided yet. . .maybe just a nice chocolate sheet cake.  Simple.  Good.  And something to celebrate the enjoyment of fresh summer produce.

 

 

Now what's not to like about that?

Happy Friday.

Soccer Freedom

This is the first time in more than a decade we don't have anyone playing soccer.  We enjoyed a full July where we didn't have to wet down practice jerseys in cold water to combat the heat.  Or freeze water bottles for practices.  Or slather ourselves in sun screen to stand in the sweltering sun during pre-season tournaments.  Or have laundry room filled with crusty, dirty, smelly soccer gear.

It's the first time in over a decade we aren't juggling practice times, or planning routes and schedules to make overlapping game times (sometimes I think the military could learn a thing or two from families with kids in sports!)  Or tripping over bags and cleats dropped in the hallway...again.  Or discussing new strategies or tweaking footwork over family meals.  Or calling the weekend tournament out of town a "family vacation."

It's the first time in over a decade I won't get to see my kids become different people when their cleats hit the field.  I won't see them transform into these athletes who rarely show fear when taking on the opponent.  Who face down an oncoming player with determination on their faces.  Who can go after a ball with such intent.  Who show such elation at a big pass, assist or their own shot on goal, let alone the pure joy when that ball slides down the inside of the net.  Who can identify their own hard work and improved skills.

It's the first time in over a decade where soccer isn't coming first and we're able to enjoy other things as a family.

Happy Thursday,

My Thoughts on Project Life

We're more than halfway through the year and, 1) I wonder how that happened and, 2) find that I'm plenty behind Project Life-wise.  Surprised?  Not one bit, I expect.

I knew I wanted to do Project Life for 2013 and I had a good routine going at the first of the year, along with my plan - phone photos and stash usage.  Then I fell off the wagon, just momentarily, but it was enough to throw me completely off.  Always does.  Always has.  I know this and I'm not letting it mess with me.  I've given myself PERMISSION (my 2013 One Little Word) to be behind and be okay.  I'm still taking photos, have a good stash printed, and I've had the chance here and there to create my pages.

Given the formula above here are my mid-year thoughts about the project.  

• One of my favorite things about Project Life is that it holds all those random photos I want, and do, take that may not necessarily make sense in my traditional albums.  I don't have to have this stack of seemingly unrelated photos that I have to somehow tie together to create a traditional layout.  Done is better than perfect.  Not being a one-photo scrapper, PL makes sense for me.  It allows me to document our lives' tiny details.   
• I still love that I'm using my stash.  I've dug into my supplies and found very old kits that have inspired me either to use in PL or on regular layouts.  
• I think I put too much pressure on myself to make my layouts unique. Done is better than perfect. It takes longer than it should, given the photos are all the same size, already edited and cropped.  I should have, and will now, adapt a standardized layout when I choose to scrap a 12 x 12 layout.  I'm thinking a grid-format should do nicely - which is what sort of evolved on its own anyway.  This is where it would be helpful to pay attention to what your own work is telling you.
• I knew I would incorporate pocket pages and I think I waited too long to do so.  I told myself I wanted to use up the page protectors that came with the album while I figured what layout of pocket pages would work best, but I knew.  I think I secretly thought I could keep up on regular pages, and I might have if I had adopted a standard layout for the entire album.  I fought wanting to use full kits vs. chopping them up for the ease of pocket pages and getting it done.  Done is better than perfect.  I have a nice supply of pocket pages now - 4" grids - and I'm hoping this weekend, the last before school starts, that I can whip some pages up. 
• I love that PL is immediate.   Done is better than perfect.  It's quick, when you have a plan and stick to it.  It's something that's out, NOW, for people to flip through.  The album sits on the coffee table and I love that.
•  Done is better than perfect.  It's a quick feed to my creative side.

Will I do this again for 2014?  I think I might - it'll be my daughter's Senior year (sob), my 14 y.o. will be driving (sob) and my 12 y.o.'s final year at his current school (sob).  There are tiny details to capture.  With the three older kids having phones I may incorporate their photos into the book as well.  I already get random odd photos of the 4 y.o. on my phone and they are in my current PL.

Will I use a kit?  Probably not.  I have enough stash to continue to use it and just trim it down - though the appeal of pre-cut material is nice.  I will, however, embrace from the beginning the pocket-page.

Will I continue to scrapbook in traditional 12 x 12 layouts?  Yep.  The larger events and themes will continue to be scrapped in the traditional manner.  

If you're interested in Project Life and all the different takes on it, do a quick search on Pinterest or Instagram to see how people adopt the process to fit their lives.  I'm loving it.  Behind and all.

Happy Wednesday,

And we're back...

Remember that whole Love/Hate Technology post I had a couple weeks ago. . .yeah, leaning a bit more heavily on the "hate" side.  We've "enjoyed" severe Internet connectivity issues in my house over the last couple weeks, which isn't good when hubby has a home-based office and momma runs an Internet business.  We think...think...it has been resolved.

I won't attempt to catch-up on all the activities, food cooked and whatever else we've done in the past couple weeks in any detail, even if I could remember it.  I will, however, provide you with a photo trip of some of the highlights.

Wrapped up a few more Phone Photography shots:  Day 30 - Summer Reading

Day 32 - Quintessential Summer Shot

Pinterest recipes continue.  Cherry Rhubarb pie.  I made a traditional 9" pie, the recipe called for a 7", so my filling didn't quite pile up like the photo - but it was awesome nonetheless!

Checking out a Broncos scrimmage from our seats at the 50 yard line, five rows up!  And then severe weather totally rolled on in.  Totally uninvited. :(

New Sunday morning tradition? 

Sunday Farmer's Market (photos and collage courtesy my 16 y.o. daughter)

Jammin' at the free concert in the park - The Country Music Project

Dinner and a drink from Fuzzy's - Chocolate Covered Cherry-rita.  Oh my!

Second Saturday street fair in Olde Town.  Food, vendors, music by The Indulgers - Irish Rock/Folk.  Awesome!

Olde Town Square after the street fair.

School supply shopping.  Much less painful when the kids can read their own lists!

Will miss this goof-ball during the day, as he's heading for all-day Kindergarten.

We are on the countdown to school starting next Monday for three of the four.  My daughter, with no holding back on the gloating, is happy to inform her brothers she doesn't start until Tuesday.  With luck by Friday she will also be driving herself and her brother to school on a regular basis.  Part of me is relishing the freedom in not dragging her butt around town and part of me is terrified that she is now in control of a 2,000 pound moving missile.  I've been in the passenger seat.  I've seen what she misses or misjudges.  My prayers now take on a new focus.

I'll work on salvaging some challenges for August - we are, after all, only half way through. :)

Happy Tuesday,



P.S.  If you're interested in following me on Instagram you can find me HERE.

Pest or Snack (though not for me)?

Yesterday's Phone Photography assignment was "Green."  In the summer it's something we have a lot of - or should in non-drought years.  Green grass underfoot.  Green-leafed trees above.  Green vistas.  Green, green, green.  I went through my day with my assignment in my head, as I do when I'm lucky enough to get to read the assignment in the morning.

Flash forward and I was out pinching the blooms off my Cilantro and Basil and headed over to check out my Parsley and noticed this very hungry caterpillar, aka Parsley Worm, which will cocoon and come out a beautiful Swallow Tail Butterfly - if they aren't snapped up by birds first (apparently becoming a snack is more common for these guys than becoming said butterfly.)  This fellow, and two of his fat friends, were happily munching the leaves of my Parsley.  And making quick work of it, I might add.  I wanted them relocated to the park.  My daughter wanted to keep one to see if it would cocoon in captivity.  In the end I left them on the plant overnight.  I checked this morning and could only see one fat caterpillar.  :(  I'm not sure if the other two had moved down and empty stalk and were hidden from view or if, they too, had became a statistic.  I captured one of them for my assignment yesterday.

I'm so sad this Photo class is over.  I've had a really fun time getting the assignments every morning, looking for and snapping photos and picking up more apps than I will know what to do with.  I'll have to go through them and see what I am using and un-install the rest since they do take up a fair amount of space on my phone.  I have today's assignment and then a look back to see what I need to finish up.

It'll be fun to have these views in my Project Life album.  I'm hoping to be able to re-use the prompts in the fall and see what difference a season makes.  This is where having a blog schedule might come in handy. . .

Happy Thursday,