Happy 50th Birthday Big Brother!

We wish we could be there to celebrate this BIG day with you!!

52 Things this year.

For this year (March 2010 to March 2011) I decided to force myself to get more done.  I'm always saying "I can make that" or "I'll make that for you (or me)" or "I'll do that as soon as I'm done with . . ." but not many of those things are ever completed.  Some are new things, some are things that NEED to get done, but most are things I just keep putting off even though they're fun, crafty things.  I've seen other bloggers do this list and they all have a different number of tasks.  Karenika currently has a list of 52 things on her list (one for each week) so I decided to go with that.  One a week sounds do-able and these are in no particular order.

1. send only handmade cards this year
2. make a quilt (for Jordan's bed)
3. switch to *and make* cloth napkins (dinner and kids' lunches)
4. decorate walls - hang artwork, patch holes, touch up paint
5. tile kitchen backsplash
6. finish 25 Days 2009 mini album
7. take photos in a photo booth
8. bake bread from scratch
9. do a "week in the life" project
10. finish digi scrapping classes
11. knit something - shawl, socks, hat?
12. make shutterfly book of Ireland/Scotland trip
13. scrap Disney 2009 trip
14. make light box for photography
15. sew every day for a week
16. crochet doilies
17. make regular exercise a habit
18. finish 100 Things I Love About Summer book
19. make birthday book
20. scrap D.C. trip
21. sew a handbag
22. take a photography class
23. do 52Q
24. sew Jordan's curtains (bought them instead)
25. declutter craft room
26. donate excess craft supplies
27. work in art journal
28. make a wreath
29. complete 39 Squares project
30. embroider doily
31. finish decorating/painting Maddie's room & bath
32. draw everyday for a week (with girls)
33. scrap Australia 2010 trip
34. finish butterfly mini album
35. make cupcake gift box
36. crochet granny squares afghan
37. put home movies on DVD
38. scrap Virginia Beach trip
39. finish Why I Scrapbook mini
40. enroll in college course(s)
41. make holiday decorations (as planned for 2009)
42. sew clothes for Hippey & Monk
43. spend a whole day crafting
44. sew master bedroom curtains
45. crochet flowers
46. load my iPod (Jordan did this for me)
47. make a magical thinking jar
48. sew last two Christmas stockings
49. declutter and organize attic
50. sew Amy Butler Tunic for myself
51. teach Maddie proper typing technique
52. teach girls how to cross-stitch

Another March Birthday.

While Jordan did this:

Maddie and I did this:

Then we resumed this:

This time it's my birthday - it was yesterday. I'm so close to the mid-40s I can see it! But just barely though because my sight isn't what it used to be. It was a good day. I had Maddie home from school with a bad cold. Her non-stop coughing would make it impossible for her or any of her classmates to get anything accomplished. She made me a few nice things for my birthday while she was "resting". Jordan decided to crash the Ecology Club meeting after school since she's had no luck with the teacher/sponsor in getting information to her about whether she could join or who was the person she needed to talk to get the information. We took the group photos above in the parking lot after Jordan got in the car. After school Jordan had "a mountain" of homework so we left her to it and I took Maddie to Kumon. Maddie quit Kumon exactly a year ago, but SHE realized it helped with her grades so she recently asked to rejoin. At Maddie's request, we had dinner of taco salad and Pete picked up the makings for strawberry shortcake. The family knows all about my quest for healthy eating. We ended the night watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. I noticed my girls soaking up the information about what eating processed and junk food will do to your body. Maddie was spouting back statistics this morning about drinking soda - yay (she's loves Coke). It was a great day!

Happy Birthday, Rusty!

A very happy birthday to one of the nicest people on the planet!! Rusty, we hope you have a wonderful day.

Happy Birthday, Pam!

I love this photo. It's dated December 1972. Pam is in the middle, just nine months old. Why would I have my hand in my pocket? and I'm lovin' Rachel's brown suede shoes.
This next one is undated and Pam is on the far right. It looks like Pam would be in first or second grade, maybe? Since our mother divided all photos she had between the four of us and primarily gave each of us pictures of ourselves, I don't have any of just Pam.

Pam - I hope you're having a terrific day! Happy 38th Birthday!!

Happy Birthday, Jake!

Hope you had a great day. We miss you!

Happy 21st Birthday, Katie!

Katie, I know you're having a great day - I wish we could be there to share some cake!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Hope you have a great day surrounded by many of these monkeys!

Sydney.

The opera house from the beautiful harbor cruise:

Luna Park by day:

and by night:

A once-in-a-lifetime chance to feed kangaroos:

and pet koalas:

This was our second time in Sydney and we still didn't get to do and see all that we wanted to. I guess we'll just have to take the girls for yet another visit.