Summer!!!

Ok, so Summer is half way through. Already! Can't believe it but every. single. person. says that every. single. year.

I have to say, without a doubt, this has been one of the most fun, most eventful, best summers I can remember in a long time. Maybe it's the fact that the girls are at a great age where we can do a lot more together. Maybe it's the fact that I feel like I'm on a countdown 'til I start school full-time in August so I want to make the most of every moment I have with them without "real responsibility" or a "real schedule". Or maybe it's that they've become such cool little chicks that they have fun doing pretty much anything and are awesome to hang with. Either way, this summer has already rocked it for sure.

Already we've.....gone to camp, swam, eaten outside almost everyday, and lost track of all the parties and bbq's and get-togethers. It's been good people. Goooood.

At the first sign of warm weather, as I do every year, I made a list of the things I wanted to do with them, and everyone else, this summer. But, unlike most years, this year we're doing something different and actually crossing stuff off the list! Hollerrrrr! And so I totally meant to write that list down months ago just to keep us on track but, um, I totally didn't so I will now. Aaaand, just to make me happy, I'll even cross off the stuff we've done! Here goes...

SUMMER 2010 LIST O' FUN

• go to a baseball game
• have a picnic
• throw a 4th of July bash
• throw a baby shower for our sweet little niece-to-be
• go to Navy Pier
• go to Millenium Park
• hit the Sears Willis Tower
• eat outside. A LOT.
• have friends over
• go to the water pads
  
• teach Ana how to read
• buy a bigger pool and swim in it. A LOT.
• go to the Bolingbrook Promenade. Eat outside. Go to the hippos.
• go to the zoo
• get to the Arboretum
• see Toy Story 3
• have a camping day
• go to the beach
• head up to Lake Geneva for the day
• hit the Dells
• maybe St Louis?
• make smoothies
• make popsicles
• make ice cream
• do a movie in the park
• catch fireflies
• go to Starved Rock
• go wine tasting
• make outdoor paint
• go to camp
  
• movie night
• game night
• blow bubbles
• shopping date at an outdoor mall
• have a swim party
• make lemonade
• take swim lessons
  
• eat snow cones
  
• slumber party with cousins? (Haven't tried this quite yet so I'm not sure if they're ready)
• Chicago overnight with the girls (my big girls!)
• Plainfield pub crawl (again, with my big girls!)
• Lake Geneva overnight with the hubsy

It's long, right!? My list?? But I'm determined to make this the best summer yet! And so far it has been. But there's still a lot left on that list!

I love it. I love summer. I love that I have these two little girls to spend it with. I love that I have such great friends to spend it with. I love it all.

So here's to the rest of the summer being even better than the first half!!!

My List

I know, 3 posts in less than 12 hours. CA-RAZY!

Anyway, I've got it. After over a year of falling into a rut and not having the resources or creativity to do anything about it, it's back. The decorating itch. And it needs some scratchin'.

I'm suddenly overwhelmed with ideas! Ideas for the girls' rooms, ideas for the kitchen, even ideas for the garage. I know! So the creativity's back. But the resources? Notsomuch. So I've decided to make a list. A list of the stuff I want to do to make our house feel more like a home because, quite frankly, it's about darn time the way it looks matched the way it feels. So here it is (not the complete list but more than enough to get me started):

Kitchen

1. Build an island. I want it to have a wood top and decorative legs. Pretty simple, eh? But I can't find one. Actually, I can't find one the perfect size for the perfect price, like, almost free :).
2. Remove my wall decal. Love the words, can't stand the thing behind it. Not sure what I was thinking.
3. Get new countertops. One of the pricier to-dos so hopefully I can find a mama-worthy deal (fingers crossed!).
4. Get wood blinds for the door.
5. Add a wreath to the back door.
6. Fix the screen doorknob (ahem, if only my dear husband read this).
7. Get a new sink and faucet.

Living/Dining Room

1. (Maybe) add wainscoting to the walls. Haven't decided yet.
2. Get new, more formal dining chairs to go better with my new favorite chair but ONLY if I can manage to sell mine.
3. Get place settings for the dining table.
4. Make a plates display on the dining area wall.
5. Restain my supercute new chair.
6. Get coffee and side tables (or something that will serve their purpose).
7. Get a "dresser" that will serve as a mini buffet.

Family Room

1. Paint the fireplace wall.
2. Redo vamp the fireplace and paint/stain it.
3. Change our blinds and add curtains.
4. Put up shelves.
5. Patch up holes.
6. Freshen up pictures

Ok, I think I should stop here for now. I need a starting point and I think this is plenty. Now I just need to get started! Hmmmm....but where????