Note to Self on Day 5 of Summer Vacation

Keep staying present.

Keep working out and doing morning routines before the kids are up.

Keep those morning lists coming for the kids.

Make sure they do their jobs before running off to play.

Eat healthy.

Don't grab cookies when they tick you off.

Take tons of pics and have the kids practice writing by journaling.

Find snippets of sanity...take a walk, read a book or magazine, call a friend, enter blogland.

The house will not be as neat as you'd like.

It's ok.

Have fun.

Remember how far you've come...

you no longer have to chase toddlers on land or in water.

And that is a good thing.

You will be exhausted at the end of the day.

Go to bed.

Get ready for another day.........

-Julie

pic at the Museum of Science and Industry....yes I'm wearing heals, and yes, Carl is that much taller than me. Time for stilts! I was the crazy mom heading downtown (Chicago) on the day of the Blackhawks parade. Missed two overcrowded trains...and drove! :)

Summer is Finally Here...

photos by my dear friend Trish at www.remembermestudio.com

Outdoor Time Capsule

Photos aren't limited to inside your house...

These make me smile everytime I walk out the back door.

Two old picture frames,

4 16 x 20 pictures developed at Sam's Club,

2 pieces of foam board for backing,

tube of caulk,

wire for hanging.

Done.

These have been left outside through 2 Winters now....

and they still look great.

...and when they are driving me crazy

(like right now...9:11, and the girls are still yacking away....)

I can look at these 4 pics,

and smile.

:)

If You're Reading This,

Thank You!

Time until the kids are out of school is running out!

I'm getting a little reflective,

and yes,

even a little sappy.

Sometimes I wish it could all just stand still.

This school year was such a big shift for me personally....

my babies in 1/2 day kindergarten.

Time alone in the mornings to figure out...

Time to create again.

Time to work out.

Time to volunteer more at school.

Time to clean (ok maybe not so much).

Time to have coffee or hang with friends for a bit.

Time to tackle some bigger projects.

Time to just be.

And it's been good.

Time to really decide how I want to use my time.

What things really matter,

and what don't.

I'm thankful to this blogging world where I've found a new outlet,

and met some kindred spirits.

In my daily world,

I often feel like the odd ball.

My creativity and home decorating and fashion sense is just all a little "out there."

It's all good,

but sometimes it's really nice to know that I'm not alone.

So,

thank you....

for your comments,

for your own blogs that stretch me further,

and for being my friend...

I just wish that many of you lived closer!

-Julie

What's Lime Green with Pink and Brown Polka Dots?

The playhouse!

Mark built this little house for Linnea when she was 2.

Nine years and two more girls, and it needed a little love.

One squirrel hibernating in it over the Winter,

and it really needed some attention.

Thanks to Papa for some major drywall repair!

I worked on this most of last weekend.

Linnea picked the color...lime green of course.

Found these awesome stick on polka dots at Kohls (free after using $10 giftcard in the mail),

Pink chair from a friend's garage sale....

A little chalkboard paint,

Some paper lanterns from Hobby Lobby,

A little pink drawer from Goodwill,

Refurbished cabinet...painted of course...

Bins from the dollar section at Target...

Hold cleaning supplies,

games,

art supplies,

and little treasures...

the perfect colors!

Sweet trio of nesting glass tables from our dear friend Eva...

a new coat of paint,

and tucked some scrapbooking paper underneath...

Refurbished an old table,

added 2 new lime green chairs in back...

perfect place for some lemonade or a sweet treat!

So...

if you knock on our door and can't find me,

I'm probably in here....

Just need to paint the exterior trim and add a new fascia board.

Woo Hoo!

-Julie

Perspective

Three baby birds,

right outside my girls' bedroom window....

My three "baby" girls share a room together,

and it's pretty cozy too.

This morning I lost it...

jobs not done,

clothes stuffed under beds,

"treasures" everywhere,

dirty laundry,

a major mess.

They went to school,

I went to spinning and spent time venting to a friend.

This afternoon we worked on getting their nest in order again.

I was helping Izzy put clean sheets on the bed

...and then I heard some noise outside their window,

and we found this in the tree.

We watched for a long time together, the girls and I.

I learned a few lessons too.

It's going to get a little cozy in the nest.

They will squawk.

Mom will be back and forth while they work it out.

Eventually they will fly.

-Julie

Hitting A Wall

I'm exhausted.

Productive, fun, busy weekend.

Was up at 4 a.m., and now I'm wiped.

Why 4?

Woke up.

Couldn't sleep.

Did 2 loads of laundry.

Ran on treadmill.

Painted the playhouse mailbox peony pink.

Made pancakes.

Cleaned up.

Took a shower.

Got everyone up and out the door.

Now I'm ready for bed.

I can't go to bed.

It would be a waste of time.

My kids have 7 days left of school.

I always have huge denial/ anxiety of all I'd like to have done before they are home for the Summer!

7 days.

7 days of a quiet house in the morning.

7 days to go at my pace.

7 days to get the place organized.

7 days to get popsicle jobs, Summer bingo and clipboards ready.

7 days to prepare for our last day of school party.

In the midst I have another art show to get ready for (yeah!),

and two gatherings to host here.

Off to get a cup of java and get some things done!!

-julie