Day 30 of 30 Days of ME! - Whatever tickles your fancy

This is a crazy weekend for me.  It's my family's annual golf outing weekend.  The tradition started when my siblings and I were getting married, three weddings in three years.  The day of the bridal shower, my dad hosted a golf outing for the groom so that the guys had something to do.  My dad's side of the family had such a great time, getting together and golfing and socializing that it has become an annual event.

Everyone starts arriving in the middle of the week and that's when the festivities begin.  Golfing, dinner, family.  What could be better?  This is one of the few times of year that everyone gets together.  Not everyone comes in for the holidays since the family is scattered across the country and most split the holidays with their in-laws.  The family gathers at one house, usually my parents, from the time they start arriving until Sunday when everyone starts to leave.

I love getting to see everyone in my family.

Day 29 of 30 Days of ME! - Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days

You would think that coming up with a list of one's hopes and dreams for the next year would simple simple.  And in some ways, it is.

• For my daughters to be happy and healthy.
• To be happy.
• To have my health, my family, my friends.
• To have the means to live our lives comfortably.
• For the world to find peace.

These things are easy but actually writing them out is not so easy.  Whether it's a fear of jinxing the future or an inability to articulate what I truly mean.  Are my hopes realistic or are they wishful thinking?  I'd like to think that they are realistic.  I guess it's going to take a year to tell which of these have come true and which are a work-in-progress.

Day 28 of 30 Days of ME! - This year, in great detail

I've spent the past year looking for a job and taking care of my daughter.  Hated the first part, loved the second part. 

My husband and I found out that we were expecting our second child.  We spent the next 9 months getting ready for her arrival and getting our first born used to the fact that soon she won't be the only child in the house but the big sister.

Now, our second child is here.  It is another girl and we are very happy and getting used to another person in the house. 

This summer is filled with enjoying my girls and spending time with family.

Day 27 of 30 Days of ME! - This month, in great detail

Where has the last month gone???  Well, let's see.  While I've been looking for a job to replace the one that I lost last year, I've been spending a lot of time during the day playing with my girls.  It seems like I get one down and the other one wakes up so I can have some one on one time with both of them. 

We've spent time at least one day a week at the local library in the children's section.  Syd's had a great time there.  I usually have to pull her out of the library, which from my point of view is a good thing.  I really hope that she continues to love books and that Hope grows to love them as much as Syd and I do.

We've also had a lot of family activities this summer, birthdays, holidays, etc.  This weekend is the family golf outing and people will be arriving from around the country starting tomorrow.  We are going to be spending a lot of time at my parents through the weekend so that will be good times.  Hopefully, the guys will be able to get their game in before any rain hits on Saturday.

There's also be the usual stuff of household chores that need to get done.  But those things are to be expected.

I wished a good friend and sorority sister safe travels a couple of weeks ago as she headed to Japan to join her boyfriend for the rest of the year.  It's a good thing that she and I are able to talk via email and private messages, cause otherwise, I'd really be missing her.  I'm glad that you made it safely and are settling in, Heather!  I can't wait to see more pictures and to hear more about your life there.  :)

That's about all for now.

Day 26 of 30 Days of ME! - Describe the week in great detail

The girls and I started the week with a trip to the library so that DD1 could participate in the library's reading challenge for children.  After signing in for the week and getting out new books, we headed home with a stop at McD's for a shake.  Yum yum!  We spent the week trying to stay cool since it was so hot.  Thursday we went over to my mom's and spent the afternoon by her pool and had lunch.  Friday was spent racing around running errands and seeing cousins.  The weekend was spent cleaning the basement and the office thoroughly! 

Now this week has started off the same as last week.  The girls and I went to the library so that DD1 could check in and complete the reading challenge.  We also had to pick out new books to take home to read.  We dropped off the quarterly tax payment and spent the afternoon running errands so that I could finish the laundry. 

It seems that there is always something to do.  :)

Day 25 of 30 Days of ME! - Today in great detail

There is not much to say today.  We, my husband and I, spent the day doing a major cleaning or the basement and our office.  There is now a large pile of garbage to go out this week.  I can't wait for trash day so that I can have my front hallway back again!

When I wasn't cleaning, I was walking around the first floor with the baby trying to keep her happy.  That's all folks!

Day 24 of 30 Days of ME! - Whatever tickles your fancy

OK, I'm back.  The last two weeks have been busy with family events.  The Fourth of July weekend was spent bouncing between my parents house and my husband's parents (one in Cleveland and one in Pittsburgh).  Lots of driving that I really didn't want to do but that's another story altogether.  The week of July 5th was spent cleaning our house in preparation for our daughter's baptism on July 11.  There was so much to do, but somehow, as usual, it all got done in time.  Sunday was great with all the family here to celebrate with us.  I loved watching my oldest play with her cousins.  They had a great time together even though they don't all live near by.  It was sad when everyone had to go, but we'll be seeing my side of the family next weekend for the family golf outing. 

Now, I'm off to get ready for the day and to plan out the coming week.

Day 23 of 30 Days of ME! - A YouTube video

I was looking for something for my 2 year old and found this.  What happy memories!

Day 22 of 30 days of ME! - A website

I live on a couple of websites every day.  I am constantly checking my Gmail account since my husband and I email each other throughout the day.  I'm on Facebook several times a day.  I also check in with my sorority's online alumnae chapter, the Surfing Sisters of Delta Zeta.  I also try to keep up with what my friends are saying on Twitter. 

Day 21 of 30 Days of ME! - A recipe

I usually post any recipes on my cooking blog so I need to think about this...in honor of Delta Zeta's National Convention going on this week, here is my recipe for Raspberry Sherbet Punch.  I've used this recipe for recruitment parties.

Ingredients:

• 2 2-liter bottles of Sprite or Ginger Ale
• 1 c. Concentrated Fruit Punch
• 1 container of Raspberry Sherbet (lime sherbet may be substituted)

Directions:

• Pour one bottle of Sprite into a punch bowl.
• Add the concentrated fruit punch.
• Pour the second bottle of Sprite into the bowl slowly.  You might want to add it one cup at a time to avoid splashing.
• Add the sherbet.
• Serves 20 - 30.

Note:  To add an extra touch, allow the sherbet to start to melt.  Once this happens, add fresh raspberries to the sherbet and refreeze before adding the sherbet to the punch.

Day 19 of 30 Days of ME! - A Talent of Mine

I love singing.

Day 20 of 30 Days of ME! - A hobby of mine

I love crafts and hand made items.  Two crafts that I do a lot are cross-stitching and crocheting.

For Christmas this year, I cross-stitched these ornaments for each family in my immediate family, i.e. parents, sister, etc.

Last year, for Christmas, I made Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls for my daughter, niece and nephew.

Day 18 of 30 Days of ME! - Whatever tickles your fancy

As I started to type this post, my 2 year old walked in from her nap.  As she curled up in her PBK chair, she asked me to turn on Disney.  I just turned to ask her a question and she's sound asleep.  I guess she was more tired than she thought.

Day 17 of 30 Days of ME! - An art piece

Day 16 of 30 Days of ME! - A song that makes you cry (or nearly)

Day 15 of 30 Days of ME! - A fanfic

I never read fanfic but since I love Harry Potter and this was one of the first hits when I Googled the term fanfic I'll use this one.

Harry Potter fanfic:  http://www.harrypotterfanfiction.com

Day 14 of 30 Days of ME! - A non-fictional book

From Goodreads.com:
In a landmark work of history, the National Book Award—winning author of American Sphinx explores how a group of greatly gifted but deeply flawed men–Hamilton, Burr, Jefferson, Franklin, Washington, Adams, and Madison–set the course for our nation.

Joseph Ellis illuminates the profoundly deep bonds and the often fractious, sometimes blind, efforts of the Founding Fathers–re-examined here as Founding Brothers–to realize strikingly different visions of America. During their own time, and even more so in ours, the Founding Fathers were perceived as demigods no more tainted than marble statues by the stain of imperfect humanity. Ellis’s penetrating analysis of six fascinating historical episodes, including Hamilton and Burr’s deadly duel, Washington’s Farewell Address, and the correspondence between Jefferson and Adams, brings these statues to life and their visions into focus.

Day 13 of 30 Days of ME! - A fictional book

From Goodreads.com:
Don't leave earth without this story of the end of the world and the happy-go-lucky days that follow. The writing of New York Times Best-selling author, Douglas Adams, has been brilliantly successful on both sides of the Atlantic in radio, television, theatre and spoken word audio.

Day 12 of 30 Days of ME! - Whatever tickles my fancy

Just some random thoughts here.  Nothing that is going to be very coherent.

Some of my favorite summer things to do...eat ice cream on a hot afternoon...listen to the rain falling while relaxing on the deck...playing with my daughter in the pool...

It's the simple pleasures in life that make it worthwhile.

Day 11 of 30 Days of ME! - A photo of me taken recently