Oh the LIST!!

check check check check check check.  We've been crossing so many things off that I am having trouble keeping track.  I will list the things we've crossed off and that we have gotten pictures of.  We have done a few other things on the list but there are no pics....so I'll wait and post them when we do them again.  :) 
In the last week, we can cross off.....

#14- go to VBS (I don't have pics of this one since I am working VBS and don't have time to take them.  Maybe I can get some of the official pics from the VBS photographer) :)



#17- visit the zoo

The boys were SO well behaved at the zoo.  We saw all the animals we had hoped to see except the tigers and spent a while checking out the penguins.  Great family day!

 
#39 - watch a baseball game

Daddy and the 2 little guys watching big guy play some little league

Up to bat.  So far he hasn't gotten on base cause he gets so nervous when it's his turn at the plate....but he'll get there. 

#52 - visit a different church

The King spoke at this church near STL last weekend and we all went with him.  It was a big church.  It was a lot of fun!

#62 - have a picnic

We had a picnic at a rest area on the way to STL.  The kids thought it was great fun. 

It is so much easier (not to mention cheaper) to do this on a long(ish) drive.  When the kids are done eating we let them run around for a while before strapping them back in the car.  Thankfully, we did this since shortly after this we got stuck in traffic and it took twice as long to get to the zoo as it should have

 
#78 - sleep at a hotel

We stayed at this hotel that was booked by the church the King spoke at.  When they booked it, he was going over alone....they couldn't get us a room with 2 beds.  So the kids all slept in sleeping bags on the floor  (1 on a love seat).  We had to sneak in a side door because we had too many in the room....but our other choice was for us to sleep in the van.  LOL!  The kids thought it was great!

 

 

 

#24 - CHECK

Making homemade popsicles (or in this case fudgesicles) was a HUGE HUGE success.  I made these last weekend using a recipe I found on pinterest.  It was easy peasy. 

1/3 cup Nutella
1 cup milk

whisk it together and put it in freezer pop molds and freeze...then eat.  And try not to make yummy sounds as you do!  They were GREAT!!!  Here are some photos to document the chocolatey yumminess!  

I'm mixing up the nutella and milk....please disregard my lack of make-up and the fact that my hair is barely combed or that I didn't clean up the supper waffle iron....I was focused on more important things.  Namely, NUTELLA FUDGESICLES!  It's all about priorities folks!

The middle kid is liking his.

Big Boy is doing a good job avoiding brain freeze -  not an easy thing to do with such yummy chocolatey frozen goodness.

Can his mouth BE any bigger?  I guess he takes after his momma. 

You'd think that by opening his mouth as big as he was that there would be less on his face.  But you would be wrong.  At least he gives them a thumbs up!

Look at that smile!  He is HAPPY!

He is happy!  I also wish he would wear pants....This one apparently takes after his Grandpa on his dad's side! 

Today I also made more popsicles (no pictures though)....they were even easier.  I just poured some orange juice in the molds and stuck them in the freezer.  I can definitely see popsicles being a standard part of our summer this year! 

..........Only 99 more to go!!!

#37 - CHECK!!!

a picture of the star of the show!!!

Ready for Chipwrecked (and Bed!)

Lovin this movie!!!

So Chipwrecked was the first thing we checked off our list.  It was a huge success.  The perfect activity for a Friday night after a long and busy 2 weeks when mommy and daddy are exhausted.  And the kids didn't even know that we were punking out cause they were thrilled!  ;)  I expect some of the other activities will make for much better photos but I took some anyway....gotta get ready for a scrapbook!  :)

One thing down, 100 left to go.  :)

The Official "Summer Bucket List" List

The list on the blog is all great for those of us in blog-land.  But as my kids are 4, 6 and 8, they just don't spend a lot of time here.  And the value in creating more list makers and checker off-ers (of course that's a word) is immeasurable.  So I made a list and hung it on our craft closet door.  And we've already crossed a few things off.  We could have actually crossed more off the list this weekend but we are gonna spread it out a little bit.  Anyway, I'll post about that another day.  Today I am sharing the list itself.  And an inspiration to succeed at #68.  But first the list itself... 

Can you read the small print?  IRL, it is written on 1 inch lines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a fabric stash.  It is extensive (excessive?!?!) and most of the time when I am making something I have a specific fabric I want to use and it is not one I already have....so the stash just keeps growing.  I also suspect it is multiplying on its own under my bed....not sure how that happens but I think it does.  Sometimes I am surprised at how much is really in there when I start pulling out the tubs from under my bed.  So #68 on the bucket list is to decrease my fabric stash by half in one way or another.  I either have to use it, throw it out, or take it to be sold.  So which is it going to be.  Maybe a little of all of it.  Some of it, I have ideas for projects for the boys or myself.  And other pieces need to be gotten rid of.  But the other perfectly great fabric (I have a TON of bandana fabric that I'm not sure why I got it) needs to be put to good use....enter The Sewing for Orphans Project.  This is an easy peasy drawstring bag with a very well done tutorial.  It requires 1 yard (2 - 1/2 yard sections really) of fabric and some ribbon and cording (she will add the cording for you if you don't want to buy it.)  We are talking simple, fast....and such a gift to hurting children.  So I am going to see how many of these bad boys I can make this summer.  They would be a great project for beginning sewers (both adult and child alike).  I haven't made one yet....but I will soon.  I have 4 or 5 other sewing projects (for myself) in my head.  Maybe I'll make one of these before I make each of the projects I wanna make for myself.  That would be 4 or 5 here in a hurry cause once I get a project in my head I don't wait well.  :)

I did get started on reducing my fabric pile this afternoon.  Of course, I picked this tiny bag and used about 1/2 of a fat quarter....barely a drop in the bucket.  Anyway, I found this tutorial and decided to try it.  I need a new makeup bag.  I'm still using one I bought (or my mom bought for me) at Walmart in, like,1992. This is a vast improvement on that one, needless to say.  And the tutorial on Flossie Teacakes was easy to follow.  Great beginner zipper project.  :)

The outside of the bag with the totally cute blue and off white bubbles.

Inside is just enough space for my makeup for traveling.  

So that is my update for today.  More on the other things we checked off the list this weekend another day this week.  Keep checking up....and if you are doing a "summer bucket list" and if you blog it, please share your link so I can check it out.....

Later.