19.

19 is the number of projects in pictures below..... that I have started and not yet completed.

5 is the number of 'projects' I have started and not completed and are not pictured.

And 359 is the number of ideas swimming around in my head at any given time.  Blogs have done this to me.  Pinterest has done this to me.  Too many neat ideas out there and not enough time to do them!

So this is what I have documented.......

These rocks that I need to finish painting the solid color.....then add a letter to each rock for the alphabet.....then spray paint with a clear finish to keep from chipping.  (Idea from here.)

I had completely forgotten about this!  I bought this fabric....and actually cut it for a quilt along.  I really hope to finish it sometime......





I got these foam boards last week in hopes of getting a few displays organized for teaching Parker a few things.  We aren't putting her in a real preschool this year, and so I wanted to do a few more structured things.  Trying not to rush it and get my thoughts sorted.....but still.  There are a few 'projects' just in this shot alone!

{this is embarrassing}.  My friend, Erin, had a baby boy back in February and my mom embroidered his name on this snuggly fabric.  I was just supposed to finish it off by sewing the blanket together.  Well....I had some issues sewing that type of fabric....and still haven't really figured it out (tips are welcome!).  Sorry Erin!  One day.....one day.  ;)  {eventhough she is now in the Dominican Republic!!!}

My 'painting'/art project.  Not really sure what to call it.  I am almost done with it.  Just need to finish a few spots.....then clean it up a bit where I smeared/got outside of the lines.  It might be an hour's worth of work.  Not sure why I am dragging my feet.  I think, partly, it's because the place I thought I was going to put it, is not the place now.  And so- I don't really know where I'm going to put it. So I walk by it daily trying to decide.

I drug the girls in this 100+ degree heat last week to Joann's to pick up these fabrics for these special bean bags I want to make.  I had totally planned to do it that night.  But alas.  These fabrics are still sitting in this exact same spot.  ;)

Oh my goodness!!!  I really want to finish this!  This is essentially the first thing I ever sewed.  Grace's quilt.  It still needs to be quilted and I wanted to quilt it myself.  I'm just going to have to schedule a time and just let everything else go and complete it!





I got these fabrics a few weeks ago.  Was really excited about them, too.  Going to add in some zebra print with one of the pairs and some black and white hounds tooth with the other.  Was going to come home that night and sew the girls a new dress for church.  Again.....nothing doing.

I also ordered this ruffled fabric.....I think maybe almost 2 months ago.  I had planned/may still do.....to make a ruffled pettiromper for Grace to take her 18 month pictures in.  She is now 19 months and 4 days old.  This fabric has been unscathed.

I recently got this fabric for some Christmas outfits for the girls.  You know....this fabric just goes so fast and then they run out of it in August and don't get anymore in (for some of the patterns, at least).  Good thing is....I have enough for both girls' dresses!  So this next picture holds 2 'projects'....an outfit for each girl.

I have at least cut the following fabrics for a twirl skirt I plan to make for Parker's Halloween outfit.  Just need to do a more figuring on some of my measurements and then sew.

I made this outfit (actually- Kristin may have done this for me).....and wanted it to be ready for Parker to wear last fall.  Still need to finish the elastic thread gathering on one of the arms and sew the casing for the elastic in the pants.  I hope this still fits her so she can wear it this year!

I was really excited about this reversible A-line dress.  My mom embroidered Grace's initials on the front.  Initially- I had cut the dress out wrong.......cutting out 2 back pieces as opposed to one back piece and one front piece.  That was frustrating.  Then- I sewed on the jumbo ric-rac.  On the wrong side.  Sometimes when I work on things and just keep messing them up, I just have to put them aside.  Well I have.  This dress is a 12 month size and Grace is now 18-24 months!  I do want to finish it (soon) and think that it might fit her because sometimes these patterns are really forgiving and allow for quite a bit of growth.  We'll see.....

I also picked up this Christmas fabric last week.  I think I know what I want to do with it.....

I roll my eyes at myself for this next one.  This is the fabric for Parker's curtains that I want to make.  I just had to go that day to get it.  Well.....still on the roll and in the wrapper.  Almost makes me mad at myself.  I think my thinking is (very little.  ha!)....seriously though.....I think I go ahead and go get all of this stuff so that on the off chance I have the time or motivation to do that project, I'll have everything that I need.

More fabric for another dress idea I have.....

Another dress....already cut out.....and ready to be sewn.  It would maybe take me an hour?   But it's just sitting there.

Another little outfit 'half' completed....

I got these canvases about a month ago.  I want to use a few of them to transfer a few images onto them using.....

.....this stuff....  Just needed to decide on the images and then move forward.

And lastly- but certainly not least, (and is not even included in the 19 aforementioned).....the office.  It is out of control.  Embarrassing.  (yet I still choose to share it on the internet?).  I have started working on organizing it.  Again.  I got quite a bit done in an hour this morning when Geoff ran to the store with the girls.  It was good to make a little head way.  Hope I can get a litle more done tomorrow.

So the point in all of this?  One day last week I was just getting really frustrated on all of the stuff that I want to do and get done....and how little time I have to do it.  Then I had to laugh.  And I started taking pictures of all of my unfinished projects.  It's not really funny.  I'm partially mad at myself for not just finishing some of the ones that really wouldn't take me that long or before starting something else.  On the other hand.....I hope this serves as motivation to knocking a few things out soon.  Maybe this will give me a little accountability.  I know no one cares, but myself.  But still.


And yet- among this all....I still want to do more!


Does anyone else have these issues???  Ha!  ;)

Granite Shoals Family Vacation 2011

I'm going to try to fit this all into 1 post to get it out of the way!  So warning:  LOTS of pictures.


I had worked the night before.....so we worked it out that the girls would ride with Gramma and Poppa so that Geoff could drive our car and I would be able to sleep in the back seat.  We only stopped twice.....once for a restroom break, and once to eat.  I was able to sleep pretty well and the trip seemed to go fast (because I was asleep for the most of it!).  We made pretty good time though....5 hours....and I think if we would have driven straight through it might have taken 3.5 hours.

So.....we got there right around 3 in the afternoon on Friday.

Brian pulled up in his new Harley about 5 minutes after we pulled in.....

Arriving at the lake.  Just checking things out.  It was a bit cloudy and there was thundering and lightening right around where we were.  It didn't last long and passed right by us.

This is a really neat cabana area for grilling.  It also had a sink, utensils, bar stools.  Only problem.....the grill didn't really work properly.  So by the last night....Geoff was grilling with charcoal.

Grace had just woken up from a short nap....and I think when she saw me she started to whine a bit.

Then she saw the lake and enthusiastically said, "Wah-wuh!!!!"

A few views from the balcony....

Getting geared up for our first swim.....

Grace loved the water.  Parker did not.  Hence- no pictures of Parker in the water.  ;)

Terry grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for everyone that first night.  Everything, of course, was delicious.

So glad that my great Aunt Pauline and Granny were able to come with us.  So good to visit with them.

S'mores for dessert!  (made in the microwave, though.  much too hot for fire!  ;)

They had a neat little game room in the downstairs part.  The guys played ping pong that first evening.  I think they had a good time.

Playing hide and seek with the pole.

Grace thought she'd play some ping pong, too!

Parker did play with Geoff for a bit....and she did a pretty good job, in my opinion!  You could tell she felt so special and proud.

Grace found entertainment under a table and chair.  ;)

When I peaked out the window and saw that the sun was near setting, I snuck out by myself to hopefully catch a few shots.  The crew shortly followed suit.....and for some reason- Parker was so scared to be near the water.  She was crying here because she did not like how close Grace was getting to the water!  We had a close eye on Grace, though,.....at times she is fearless and we would not have put it past her to just walk right in.  She loves the water (but doesn't really like her face wet).

The next morning.....we had scheduled for a pontoon boat to be brought to our house to rent for the day.

Watching the boat get pulled in....

Little sister could get up....but couldn't see over the rail.  ;)

Eating Daddy's breakfast.....

Getting ready for out boating adventure....

Everything was going ok until Terry started to slow down and bring the boat to a halt.....the front end of the boat dipped down about 4 feet.....the water was pouring over the top rail.  Luckily- he pulled back quickly and the boat when back up.  We were all fine (just kind of scared everyone and resulted in startling the kids a little, too).....but decided to take the boat back and get a different one.  They didn't have anything else available that day, but we set up for them to bring us a speed boat the next morning.

So we came back....let the kids play....had lunch....attempted naps.....and lots of entertaining.  The guys went ahead and played a round of golf that afternoon because they had originally planned on playing Sunday.....but now that the boat was coming Sunday.....we just did some switching.

We brought this blow up pool thinking the kids would love it.  But, of course, they spent maybe a combined total of 5 minutes in it!

We made snow cones....

Let them have candy we probably shouldn't have....

Don't know why she was upset here, but included this because it really is a good picture of how she is duringt his season of life.  Don't get me wrong.....I think she is a happy kid.....but at the drop of a dime she goes 90 to nothing and is so dramatically upset!  I'm not sure where she gets this???  ;)

Kristin brought squirt bottles for the girls to play with...

Off the subject....but sometimes.....Grace seems to have some pretty tight curls, but then at other times, she doesn't.  I need to give her a trim.

"Miracle Bubbles!"  They really don't spill out.  And no- Payton didn't drink the bubbles.  But they had a good time playing.

Parker was very interested the goldfish the guys brought back after golfing to fish with.

I took several picture to get this shot.  Grace will make a fish face when we ask her what a fish 'says'.  It's so sweet.

I think Geoff was the only one that ended up catching a fish (correct me if I'm wrong, it was hard to keep up with everyone!).  He didn't keep it though (I don't think he did?).

The next morning......our new boat!

The girls didn't last long on the boat.  We ended up taking them back fairly quickly.  Then Terry, Phil, Kristin, Geoff and I went back out to do some tubing.

I didn't realize this, but this was Geoff's first time to do something like this.  I got (or potentially could have gotten) a really good video that I was going to post.....but the part where he flew off the tube and flipped around (that he said he would never forget that feeling because he felt like he felt his insides move)......the boat was bouncing around so much and I wasn't watching him through the flip that I didn't get that part on video!  Bummer.  I can still play it over perfectly in my head.  I'm glad he was all right!

The girls were very happy to see us once we returned.  They were all crying when we left!  ;)

Later that afternoon....after lunch and nap....we went back out for a bit.

As I had mentioned earlier....Geoff grilled steak and chicken for everyone (Phil grilled beef and chicken fajitas for everyone Saturday night, but I guess I didn't get a picture of that) on the charcoal grill once we finally established that the grill did not work.

Monday morning....our final morning.....Parker was the first one up (typical).  She and Poppa did a little fishing.  She had so much fun on this morning doing that because Poppa had put the plastic fish on the end and she'd just drop it in the lake all by herself, then reel it in, then repeat.  She was so proud of herself.  And I think these pictures are sweet, too.  She's getting to be such a big girl.

Moving forward a few hours later....we were all packed and ready to head out.  I realized we had not gotten one single picture of our family of 4.....and although I was looking really nice....I was adamant on getting the shot.  Parker was not giving in without a fight.

And even still....Grace started to get upset because she wanted me to hold her, too.  So here's the series of shots that we went through to get the 'winner'.  Haha!

The 'winner'....

I snapped this shot of almost everyone else that went (minus Brian [who had left the day before] Kristin, and Phil].  Next year....for sure.....we are just going to have to suck it up and set up the tripod and get the whole group shot on the first day.  Otherwise....we get too busy and de-motivated!

And this last shot.....taken by Parker.

We had a wonderful time.  Thank you Mom and Terry for treating us to this wonderful lake house and all of your help with the girls.  Thank you, thank you Kristin for getting all of the food and the meal planning......food is the most important thing of vacation, after all.  Ha!