When his birthday party came & went I decided to take the easy route and buy some Cars 2 pre-made ones.

When Christmas came & went I finally stopped to look in the store. It just so happens a pack of 24 Cars 2 stickers is WAY cheaper than 3 packs of thank yous in any style. Plus, I have all that card stock and all those envelopes, not to mention a really cool thank you stamp.

I saw a blog post by Shimelle and got the perfect inspiration for my design. And I FINALLY started making the cards. They came out super cute, if I do say so myself. The last one is definitely my favorite!

My criteria for a place for my books is that it would be easy to get to, so we could read them, but not so easy that Colin might pull them down on his head and knock himself out. Or possibly wreck the books. But mostly I worry about his noggin.

I didn’t want the books in the basement because I want to keep them away from potential leaks and loads of dust. I thought about the living room bookshelves, but they a not deep enough. So, I decided to try moving the cabinet into the living room.

Corey graciously moved the big cabinet for me. As I suspected, the last of Colin’s missing soothies was under there! I knew it had. To be there, but could never locate it. I trashed it before the boy noticed.

Anyway, as soon as the cabinet landed in the living room I knew it wouldn’t work. The current set upon bookshelves and fireplace is nicely balanced, and this cabinet would throw it off. So poor Corey had to drag it back.

In the end, I made peace with having the books in the playroom. I did some rearranging and put all of them into the cabinet. Colin doesn’t mess with the cabinet, the books are safe and accessible, and all in one place.

With that, thing #18 is complete!

10 reasons I love my iPad

1. Instagram. I don’t have an iPhone, so this is my chance to play.
2. It’s so portable, but the screen isn’t too small to see.
3. I can download books from the library, without hooking up to a computer.
4. I can easily take self portraits if so inclined.
5. I can watch all those blog videos I can’t watch on my phone, anytime, almost anywhere.
6. My boys bought it for me.
7. I can blog from it, apparently.
8. Colin LOVES making videos of himself on it.
9. Angry birds and Netflix and Kindle
10. It’s just cool.

I figured finger painting would be just messy enough to keep him interested. I wanted to do this messy activity outside, but decided not to wait for warm weather. I have no idea why I though covering the floor with newspaper would cut down on the mess. It did not. Newsprint is a disaster! Subsequent painting sessions took place at the table. Maybe I should try the easel next time?

Anyway, we had a good old messy time. His first painting is still up on the fridge.

A week later when Ali herself was cleaning her office she shared her solution. Perfection! I let the idea stew for a few days, since I don’t think I have a container the right size. After the little boy needed new shoes, I had my answer. His shoe box would be a perfect fit. However, my great plans for altering boxes tend to not carry through. But, since this one didn’t have to be perfect, I took the plunge.

I had some ScrapInStyle tv paper and gaffer tape I had been hoarding. Since they inspired my original vision for the craft room I used them. I love how it turned out!

I love, love, love to read, and I am so glad I have been making time for it again. My mom got me an eReader for Christmas and that was really fun. I never thought I would want to read a digital book, but a story is a story in any format. And an eReader weighs WAY less than a pile of books. I have since gotten an iPad, and I have tons of eReader apps on it, so I have been exploring them all. I love getting eBooks from the library, and have learned that if I search both local library systems I have a good chance of finding what I want in stock. I do love the ease of purchasing from Amazon’s Kindle store or from kobobooks.com – no long drives, no waiting for a book to ship, no waiting for the store to open, no need to actually get out of bed. Awesome!

I am still mostly reading mysteries. I have branched out a bit, but I can’t get enough of an entertaining mystery.

And, since every blog post should have a picture, here is where Colin and I normally read stories together:

Back then, in keeping with my “One Little Word” DO, I made a list of things to do in 2011. And since I would be turning 38, there are 38 things on the list. I wrote it in my art journal, since I planned to Art Journal Ever Day. And, I meant to blog the list too.

Since then I have only looked at the list once, although I have kept it in mind as I plan my days. As a matter of fact, it has been a month or 2 since I read it, even as I write this post.

Today I am going to share all 38 things on the list. Over the next few days I will post my “status updates.” And just maybe I will make a mini album to go along with.

1. Read 38 books
2. Sew something
3. Take a class (I’m pretty sure I meant take one and participate in it!)
4. Cook 12 meals (uh-oh)
5. Go somewhere I’ve never been
6. Get a massage
7. Go on a picnic – complete with basket & blanket
8. Eat a fig
9. Plant flowers
10. Take Colin to an indoor water park
11. Get a canvas made from a photo
12. Get new windows
13. Fingerpaint with Colin
14. Scrap or craft with friends 6 times
15. Write a haiku
16. Finish up a mini book
17. Make some artwork for Colin’s room
18. Find a new spot for my scrapbooks
19. Paint something
20. Crochet a toy
21. Fly a kite
22. Get my photos organized
23. Move more
24. Get rid of old printers
25. Put up light switch covers
26. Visit Cincinatti Zoo
27. Visit Pittsburgh Children’s Museum
28. Get a hibisbus plant
29. Donate scrapbook supplies
30. Locate items gone missing in the garage
31. Find beach glass
32. Go letterboxing at least once
33. Find a waterfall
34. Get passports
35. Take obligatory “child in a sunny meadow” pics
36. Spend time with Jessica
37. Go out with Corey once a month
38. Camp somewhere – even the back yard

I thought I had “shop at a Farmer’s Market” on here. That may replace item 12. And I had “go for a bike ride once a week when the weather improves” at one point, but removed it. I may have to add that one back in.

What’s on your list?

Our library does a summer reading game every year. When I  looked into it myself this summe I found that the kids’ version is open to little ones from birth. All I have to do is track Colin’s reading time with me in half hour increments. For every 2 hours we read together, he gets one entry. He also got a cute little dolphin toy just for signing up.

Colin has figured out that as long as we are reading stories I keep letting him stay up a little later. Yesterda he managed to keep me reading to him for a whole hour. It is just hard to resist the request for “more stories.” especially becuase he still signs “more.”

His favorite stories right now are the Max and Ruby books, as well as any of his Sandra Boynton books He is very much into silliness. I love hearing him giggle at a story.

I entered the reading contest too. I am up to 3 books since June 4.  I read “By Hook or By Crook” by Betty Hechtman. This is one in a series of cozy mysteries with a crochet theme. Like most of the cozies I read, it also includes a few recipes, and of course, a couple of crochet patterns. The series is fun to read, and I found myself buying yarn to do a few of the projects too. We’ll see if I get any of them done. I did start one with some leftover yarn I had, but decided to switch to summertime colors instead.

Next I read “Crunch Time” by Diane Mott Davidson. She is still one of my favorite author’s of all time, and I buy each of her books. This time I bought a digital version from Kobo. I loved being able to read a few pages whenever I had a minute, either on my iPad, my phone, or my eReader.

Last night I finished up “You Better Knot Die,” also by betty Hechtman. The onlything I like better than a cozy is one set during a holiday. This one was super quick to read, once I finished up all my travelling this weekend. Now I am going to have to wait for the next bookt o be released.

What are you reading this summer?

At Christmastime this year I was really focused on enjoying family time, and doing the little things to help make the season fun, cozy, and enjoyable. When that silly game started including too much stuff, I stopped playing very much. It was too much trouble, and I wanted to try and do a December Daily scrapbook.

Now that the holidays are past and Farmville is once and for all blocked I find I am still not scrapbooking much. I am working with my photos, dabbling in art journalling, and trying to make way for when I am ready and able to scrap.  But most of the time I read. I have been reading nonstop, it seems. I finshed The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played With Fire. I downloaded and read Dead Ringer and am now about halfway through Winter Bloom. A few days ago I was trying to figure out how I all of a sudden had more time to read than I ever had since Colin was born. I probably read only 5 books in the first year and a half of his life (but I did listen to books on my iPod alot.) What the heck? Oh. That game. Just after he started sleeping through the night and I started getting rest, I started playing that silly game. Instead of reading actual books. Wow. I didn’t even realize it.

Thanks goodness for the block button!

I love you. Just a few days after we shook hands and decided to be best friends I am already reaping the rewards. I am more mindful of how I spend my time. I look around my house with satisfaction, not unease. At the end of each day I am not weighed down with thoughts of what is undone. I am lifted by a sense of pride in what I did DO. I have smiled more and worried less. I have enjoyed the moments instead of focusing on what might be next. I have made more phone calls to people I don’t often talk to. I DO still have to call Tracey, lol. I have laughed more with Corey.

I might just be making my family a little nuts, but I think it’s paying off.