Things I've Done --- or Not *Updated*

I saw this at Jenna's blog and thought it was fun. We are still partying away down here in Alabama! Hope your holiday week is lots of fun too!

**I failed to mention that the things I've done are in bold.***

· 1. Started my own blog

· 2. Slept under the stars

· 3. Played in a band.

· 4. Visited Hawaii.

· 5. Watched a meteor shower

· 6. Given more than I can afford to charity

· 7. Been to Disneyworld

· 8. Climbed a mountain

· 9. Held a praying mantis

· 10. Sung a solo

· 11. Bungee jumped

· 12. Visited Paris

· 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

· 14. Taught myself an art from scratch

· 15. Adopted a child

· 16. Had food poisoning

· 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (They weren't letting people climb the day I went.)

· 18. Grown my own vegetables

· 19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

· 20. Slept on an overnight train

· 21. Had a pillow fight

· 22. Hitchhiked

· 23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

· 24. Built a snow fort

· 25. Held a lamb (does a goat count?)

· 26. Gone skinny dipping

· 27. Run a Marathon

· 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

· 29. Seen a total eclipse

· 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

· 31. Hit a home run

· 32. Been on a cruise

· 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

· 34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors

· 35. Seen an Amish community

· 36. Taught myself a new language

· 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

· 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

· 39. Gone rock climbing

· 40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

· 41. Sung karaoke

· 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

· 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

· 44. Visited Africa

· 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

· 46. Been transported in an ambulance

· 47. Had my portrait painted

· 48. Gone deep sea fishing

· 49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

· 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

· 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

· 52. Kissed in the rain

· 53. Played in the mud

· 54. Gone to a drive-in theater

· 55. Been in a movie

· 56. Visited the Great Wall of China

· 57. Started a business

· 58. Taken a martial arts class

· 59. Visited Russia

· 60. Served at a soup kitchen

· 61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

· 62. Gone whale watching

· 63. Got flowers for no reason

· 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

· 65. Gone sky diving

· 66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

· 67. Bounced a check

· 68. Flown in a helicopter

· 69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

· 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

· 71. Eaten Caviar

· 72. Pieced a quilt

· 73. Stood in Times Square

· 74. Toured the Everglades

· 75. Been fired from a job

· 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

· 77. Broken a bone

· 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

· 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

· 80. Published a book

· 81. Visited the Vatican

· 82. Bought a brand new car

· 83. Walked in Jerusalem

· 84. Had my picture in the newspaper

· 85. Read the entire Bible

· 86. Visited the White House

· 87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

· 88. Had chickenpox

· 89. Saved someone’s life

· 90. Sat on a jury

· 91. Met someone famous

· 92. Joined a book club

· 93. Lost a loved one

· 94. Had a baby

· 95. Seen the Alamo in person

· 96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

· 97. Been involved in a law suit

· 98. Owned a cell phone

· 99. Been stung by a bee

· 100. Visited to Mt. Rushmore

· 101. Learned to play a musical instrument

It's Happening Again!

It happened last year about this time. You may have read about it here.

It was so much fun, we're doing it again!

We have friends from North Carolina visiting us. They are staying ALL week.

We've already laughed until it hurts...and this is just day one! It's going to be a great week! If you don't see me on here this week, it's because we're laughing too hard to post. If you do see me here, it's because we are all addicted to our laptops and can't stay away!

Family Holiday Traditions: Operation Christmas Child

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and Christmas, I plan to post over the next several weeks about some of our traditions. We are a relatively young family (our oldest just turned 7), so our traditions are still developing. I treasure the traditions we have for the family time they encourage and for the memories they stir of past holidays.

The first tradition I'd like to share this year is Operation Christmas Child. This tradition began for our family early in our marriage. I was first introduced to the project through the school where I was teaching. We have been involved in not only the filling of shoe boxes for children around the world, but we have volunteered for several years at processing centers in Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA.

More than ten years after our first shoe box, we are still participating in this project and are enjoying sharing it with our kiddos.

It's always so much fun to watch the kiddos as they work, listening to them talk about the children who will receive the boxes, and seeing the joy in their faces.

This year I separated the items we had purchased into two groups and let the kiddos pack their own boxes. I giggled when I saw their different personalities displayed in the way they worked.

Our daughter was slow and methodical, making sure to neatly organize as she packed.

Our son just threw it in the box any old way and tried to cram the lid shut. He did all of this as quickly as possible so he could get back to playing with his toys.

Guess which one I had to repack before taking it to the church?


If you've never heard of Operation Christmas Child, I encourage you to follow the links I've provided and learn more. I hope perhaps your family will get involved in sending material joy and spiritual news to children in desperate situations around the world.

What holiday (Thanksgiving or Christmas) traditions does your family have that involves helping others?

How To Make a Bandanna Top (in five easy steps)

I mentioned in an earlier post, that I had made our daughter a top using two bandannas. It was amazingly easy, and I am excited to share the instructions with you.

Materials needed:

2 bandannas
1 1/2 yard of 7/8" grosgrain ribbon

(There are many color options with this project, because there are bandannas in lots of colors. So pick your favorite one and then find a coordinating ribbon color)

Step One:

Determine which side of the bandanna you will use for the top of the garment. I like to use the side that has the stamped writing, because once the top is finished, the writing will be hidden.



Fold the top down 1/4th inch away from the "right" side of the bandanna and crease using an iron.


Fold again in the same direction 1 1/2 inch and crease using an iron. (This is creating the casing for the ribbon.)

In the photo below, you can see both folds.


Step Two:

Sew along the edge of the second fold, creating a place for the ribbon.


Step Three:

Place the two bandannas "right" sides together and pin together the side seams. Place a pin 5 1/2 inches from the top of the garment to indicate where to stop sewing.

See the casing you created for the ribbon on the left side of the photo? Thats the top of the garment. By not sewing from the pin to the top, you are creating an armhole.

Now sew a seam along the sides of the garment, stopping when you reach the armhole.

Step Four:

Use a large safety pin at the end of about 28" of ribbon to thread the ribbon through each casing.


Step Five:

Turn the garment "right" side out and place the bandanna top on your daughter, tying the ribbons together at the shoulder.


This garment is great as a top for girls ages 5 and up. It is a cute dress for younger girls.




Disclaimer: I am NOT a seamstress and really know very little about sewing. Therefore, my directions are probably not as clear as I would like. I probably used words and descriptions that aren't part of the sewing jargon. If you can't understand my directions, please leave your questions in the comment section. I will be glad to describe it in a different way. If you are a seamstress and can help me write these instructions better, I welcome your input.

My Morning Workout!

I exercised my right to vote! Hope you did too!

How to Make Clay Pot Jack-o-Lanterns

During a recent trip to the Pediatricians office, I was intrigued by the jack-o-lanterns they had decorating their office waiting room. The jack-o-lanterns were actually large clay pots, turned upside down and painted to resemble carved pumpkins. They had painted faces and a stick stuck through the drain hole to look like the stem of the pumpkin.

I decided that it would be fun to try and imitate the pots myself. After all, the jack-o-lanterns we make with our real pumpkins end up rotting on our porch within a couple of days of carving them.

The first step was finding the clay pots. Since this is not gardening season, our Wal Mart did not have any in stock. But after some searching in other stores, I did find some.

Next, I primed all the pots and spray painted them orange.


Then, I used stencils to create the different faces of jack-o-lanterns. I used a Sharpie marker to outline the features...

...then used black and white craft paint to fill in the outlining.

I found it best to let the craft paint dry and apply a second coat. After all the features were like I wanted them, I sprayed the entire pot with a clear, protective coat.

Here they are, ready to decorate the front porch without fear of rot!