Happy Holidays from my family to yours!

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101 Things in 1,001 Days: Update 6

I know. Holy crap...she blogged! I can't even express how much I've missed posting here. Just about every day, I sit down and think, "I should write a post" and then my mind strays and well, here I am. So, I'm jumping in with a long one. An update to my ongoing, big project.

In April 2010, I came up with a list of 101 things that I want to accomplish in 1,001 days. I feel like I’m making decent progress with this project. This post is more for me than anyone else because I've already done a couple of update posts, but I need to be able to see it all in 1 place. It's my OCD. My most recent updates are in BLUE.

Home Improvement Goals
1. Decorate my house
2. Clean desk
3. Keep desk organized for 3 months
4. Finish remodeling the kids bathroom
5. Change the living room paint colors and window treatments -Completed in June 2010 at old house
6. Get a window treatment for the kitchen window
7. Create a manageable house cleaning schedule - I accomplished this in April 2011 and had hubby laminate it for me and everything. I should have added that I need to implement the schedule on a regular basis.
8. Have fresh flowers on the kitchen table every week for a month -Completed December 2010 and plan to keep this up because I loved having flowers on the table
9. Decorate inside & out for Christmas - Completed December 2010 and loved every minute of it

Hobby Goals
10. Enter a photography contest
11. Make a quilt
12. Read 100 books - So far this year, I’ve read “The Actor & The Housewife, 4 of the Harry Potter books, “It’s Not Me, It’s You”, “If You Were Here” and “Am I There Yet?”. (2011 book count - 8; Overall book count - 16)
13. Go to a book signing - My BFF Shannon & I went to see our FAVE author, Jen Lancaster at a book signing in Atlanta in May 2011. It was AWESOME!
14. Read all of the Harry Potter books - I have finished books 1 through 4 and am starting book 5. I’m finally over the half-way hump!
15. Join a book club - I joined an online book club on Goodreads in October 2011, and I am so psyched! I’m starting my 1st book with the club this month.
16. Learn to knit or crochet
17. Knit or crochet a blanket
18. Craft with friends at least once a month - Got together with friends on several occasions to craft but not with consistency each month
19. Finish my Wreck This Journal
20. Learn how to use my sewing machine
21. Sew a dress for each of my children
22. Learn a new language
23. Finish the cross stitch piece I started for my wedding
24. Enroll in a pottery class
25. Print my blog in book form
26. Enroll in a cake decorating class
27. Take a photography class & learn how to use my camera
28. Blog twice a week
29. Cross stitch the Rainbow Bridge poem
30. Finish a heritage scrapbook for my mom
31. Finish a heritage scrapbook for my dad

Health & Exercise Goals
32. Get a massage - Completed August 2010
33. Stop biting my fingernails - Completed August 2010
34. Take a cooking class
35. Start a skincare routine - Completed August 2010 (but need to do a better job of keeping up with it regularly)
36. Exercise 5 days a week for a month
37. Run a 5k
38. Treat myself to a massage after losing 30lbs total
39. Treat myself to a massage after losing 60lbs total
40. Enjoy a new wardrobe after meeting my weight loss goal
41. Donate all of my old clothes after meeting my weight loss goal
42. Get down to 120lbs
43. Maintain my goal weight of 120lbs for at least 3 months
44. Go on a horseback ride that involves galloping
45. Take my dog to the dog park once a week
46. Take my dog on a walk twice a week
47. Play in a disc golf tournament
48. Go 7 days without eating junk food snacks - Completed September 2010
49. Eat 5 things that I've never tried before - I tried zucchini for the first time in August 2011 and it was ok.

Outdoors Goals
50. Go camping
51. Grow an herb garden - Bought an herb garden in May 2010 and managed not to kill it for a month which is progress. Plan to actually plant an herb garden at our new house eventually.
52. Start a compost pile in the backyard
53. Landscape my front yard - Completed in June 2010 at old house
54. Build a flower box & plant flowers in it

Personal Goals
55. Get a tattoo
56. Get a professional bra fitting
57. Get my passport
58. Volunteer at an animal shelter - I took my Daisy Girl Scout troop to a local animal shelter in October 2011 and we made food toys for the cats and dogs. It was awesome!
59. Become a published author
60. Throw a dinner party - Completed November 2010 when we hosted Thanksgiving here for some wonderful friends who are like family
61. Watch Gone with the Wind
62. See Josh Groban in concert - Completed in June 2011 and he was GREAT!
63. Start a review blog - Completed in April 2010
64. Take singing lessons
65. Move to a bigger house - Completed in July 2010
66. Finish my will
67. Inspire someone else to make their own list - Completed in April 2010
68. Learn to drive a stick shift
69. Go whale watching
70. Ride in a limo
71. Go to see 2 concerts - Went to see Kings of Leon with my BFF Shannon in November 2010 and August 2011; Went to see Bon Jovi with my friend Valerie in May 2011
72. Volunteer in my community - I have been volunteering a TON with my kids school, so I totally think this counts.
73. Stay organized for 3 months
74. Watch a movie at a drive-in theater
75. Buy a pair of boots
76. Learn to wear/walk in heels
77. Buy a watch & actually wear it - I bought a cheap watch at Target, in June 2011, and I’ve been wearing it pretty faithfully. So much so that it’s almost on it’s last leg. I think it might be time to fix my nice watch.
78. Go to Disney World with my hubby & kids
79. Get the interview with my grandparents converted to DVD
80. Book a trip to London
81. Assist in growing our Kindermusik program by 100% - I helped accomplish growing our program significantly before I left in August 2011. It was a tough decision to leave, but the best for me & my family.
82. Apply to be on the Amazing Race
83. Play my own lottery numbers - Completed in May 2010
84. But a ticket for a dream home giveaway
85. Sing karaoke at a bar/club
86. Use my bread maker
87. Send my grandma a card once a week
88. Be debt free (except for the house)
89. Apply for membership with the DAR
90. Own a minivan - I am the proud owner of a Toyota Sienna as of August 2011!!
91. Dye a blue streak in my hair
92. Go 3 days without getting online - Completed in July 2010
93. Go an entire day without watching tv - Completed in July 2010
94. Have a professional photo shoot done of just me
95. Buy myself a Dooney & Bourke purse
96. Go on a horse drawn carriage ride with my family - We took a carriage ride together in Charleston, SC in July 2011.
97. Play miniature golf - Completed in November 2010 when hubby & I played the new "Glow Golf" course in town and had a blast
98. Take dinner to a friend - Completed in May 2010
99. Give a compliment to a complete stranger - I told the drive-thru barista at Starbucks that his glasses looked nice, in November 2011.
100. Save all of my coin change for 3 months & deposit it into my kids savings accounts
101. Write a new list of 101 things in 1,001 days at the end of this project

So, I've completed 31 of 101 tasks in 19 months and made progress on another 3 tasks. This winter is going to be big in getting some stuff accomplished, especially Winter Break from school. I can’t wait for my next update!!

Happy 4th of July

Last night, my family & I attended a huge fireworks show on the river. My girls were captivated by the beautiful light display. I enjoyed being there in that moment with my loved ones. And I actually teared up when I got home and realized that I had FINALLY captured a decent fireworks picture with my camera!

Today, I am counting my blessings to be a citizen of the U.S.A.! And I'm also thankful that I finally outsmarted my camera.

Happy 4th of July!

Movie Reviews: Bad Teacher and Larry Crowne

I love movies!! This was a particularly great Saturday because not only did I get to check out 2 movies that I've been wanting to see for a while, but I got to go with 2 of my favorite people! Let's review!

Bad Teacher stars Cameron Diaz as a self-absorbed slacker who has 1 thing on her priority list and that is finding a rich guy to take care of her. In the meantime, she is biding her time as a horrible middle school teacher that is at odds with the perky teacher across the hall. Enter Justin Timberlake. Justin plays a nerdy substitute teacher who comes from a wealthy family and is the object of affection of both Cameron and the perky teacher.

Overall, my best friend & I laughed a LOT during this flick. The writing is funny and completely irreverent. Cameron is totally believable in her character. Jason Segel provides some fantastic supporting character zingers. However, Justin Timberlake was woefully miscast in this film. I love Justin and he's proven his comedic chops on Saturday Night Live, but this film did him no favors.

My vote is 2.5 stars out of 4.

My name is Angie and I adore Tom Hanks. Hubby & I went to check out this movie because as he said, "Tom Hanks rarely lets us down". And he was so right. Larry Crowne stars Tom as a recently terminated middle-age divorcee who decides that going to college is going to give him a leg up in the job market. Julia plays his Speech Class teacher. With the help of a fantastic supporting cast of unique characters, we grow to appreciate the tangential relationships that blossom, as well as the one centered between Tom & Julia. We really enjoyed this movie!

My vote is 3.5 stars out of 4.

Have you seen any good or bad movies lately?

Friday Fragments

Hey there friends! I know it's been a while. Time just seems to move faster these days and by the time I get to end of the day, I'm so tired that I just can't muster up a blog post. But, in the spirit of getting back on track (again, I know) I'm making a big effort to blog most days in July. So, this week I'm participating for the first time in Friday Fragments, which is hosted by Mrs4444 at Half-Past Kissin' Time. I also want to give a shout out to my bloggy friend Julia, who brought this link up to my attention.

• I had a job interview this week for a position that I honestly thought I had very little chance of being offered. So, when they called me 24 hours later to offer it to me, I almost cried. VERY EXCITING!! I start it in August and couldn't be happier!
• My hubby had back surgery last week and I am so relieved that he's finally free of pain. Herniated discs are zero fun.
• In related news, we're heading to the beach next week and hubby isn't thrilled that he can't get in the pool or ocean while we're vacationing. But hey, at least he's not in excruciating pain anymore! Gotta look for that silver lining...always.
• I spent 3 hours cleaning my house yesterday and now I don't want anyone to touch anything. Am I the only one who gets that way with a clean house?
• We're going to my very first drive-in movie tonight. I'm almost as excited about this as I am about our beach trip! I love movies.
• I had a house full of girlfriends over last night for a party and it was so great! I love having parties. It gives me a good excuse to clean my house. LOL!

Happy 4th of July weekend! We're looking forward to enjoying some fabulous fireworks displays this weekend. Hope you get to do the same!

101 Things in 1,001 Days: Update 5

In April 2010, I came up with a list of 101 things that I want to accomplish in 1,001 days. I feel like I’m making decent progress with this project. This post is more for me than anyone else because I've already done a couple of update posts, but I need to be able to see it all in 1 place. It's my OCD.

Home Improvement Goals
1. Decorate my house
2. Clean desk
3. Keep desk organized for 3 months
4. Finish remodeling the kids bathroom
5. Change the living room paint colors and window treatments -Completed in June 2010 at old house
6. Get a window treatment for the kitchen window
7. Create a manageable house cleaning schedule - I accomplished this in April 2011 and had hubby laminate it for me and everything. I should have added that I need to implement the schedule on a regular basis.
8. Have fresh flowers on the kitchen table every week for a month -Completed December 2010 and plan to keep this up because I loved having flowers on the table
9. Decorate inside & out for Christmas - Completed December 2010 and loved every minute of it

Hobby Goals
10. Enter a photography contest
11. Make a quilt
12. Read 100 books - Since last update, read "One Day", "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell" and a Dave Barry compilation of his Year in Review lists (Read 8 books in 2010) So far this year, I’ve read “The Actor & The Housewife, 2 of the Harry Potter books, “It’s Not Me, It’s You” and “If You Were Here”. (2011 book count - 5; Overall book count - 13)
13. Go to a book signing - My BFF Shannon & I went to see our FAVE author, Jen Lancaster at a book signing in Atlanta in May 2011. It was AWESOME!
14. Read all of the Harry Potter books - I have finished books 1 & 2 and am currently reading book 3. Yay, me!
15. Join a book club
16. Learn to knit or crochet
17. Knit or crochet a blanket
18. Craft with friends at least once a month - Got together with friends on several occasions to craft but not with consistency each month
19. Finish my Wreck This Journal
20. Learn how to use my sewing machine
21. Sew a dress for each of my children
22. Learn a new language
23. Finish the cross stitch piece I started for my wedding
24. Enroll in a pottery class
25. Print my blog in book form
26. Enroll in a cake decorating class
27. Take a photography class & learn how to use my camera
28. Blog twice a week
29. Cross stitch the Rainbow Bridge poem
30. Finish a heritage scrapbook for my mom
31. Finish a heritage scrapbook for my dad

Health & Exercise Goals
32. Get a massage - Completed August 2010
33. Stop biting my fingernails - Completed August 2010
34. Take a cooking class
35. Start a skincare routine - Completed August 2010 (but need to do a better job of keeping up with it regularly)
36. Exercise 5 days a week for a month
37. Run a 5k
38. Treat myself to a massage after losing 30lbs total
39. Treat myself to a massage after losing 60lbs total
40. Enjoy a new wardrobe after meeting my weight loss goal
41. Donate all of my old clothes after meeting my weight loss goal
42. Get down to 120lbs
43. Maintain my goal weight of 120lbs for at least 3 months
44. Go on a horseback ride that involves galloping
45. Take my dog to the dog park once a week
46. Take my dog on a walk twice a week
47. Play in a disc golf tournament
48. Go 7 days without eating junk food snacks - Completed September 2010
49. Eat 5 things that I've never tried before

Outdoors Goals
50. Go camping
51. Grow an herb garden - Bought an herb garden and managed not to kill it for a month which is progress. Plan to actually plant an herb garden this year at the new house.
52. Start a compost pile in the backyard
53. Landscape my front yard - Completed in June 2010 at old house
54. Build a flower box & plant flowers in it

Personal Goals
55. Get a tattoo
56. Get a professional bra fitting
57. Get my passport
58. Volunteer at an animal shelter
59. Become a published author
60. Throw a dinner party - Completed November 2010 when we hosted Thanksgiving here for some wonderful friends who are like family
61. Watch Gone with the Wind
62. See Josh Groban in concert - Completed in June 2011 and he was GREAT!
63. Start a review blog - Completed in April 2010
64. Take singing lessons
65. Move to a bigger house - Completed in July 2010
66. Finish my will
67. Inspire someone else to make their own list - Completed in April 2010
68. Learn to drive a stick shift
69. Go whale watching
70. Ride in a limo
71. Go to see 2 concerts - Went to see Kings of Leon (again) with my BFF Shannon in November 2010; Went to see Bon Jovi with my friend Valerie in May 2011
72. Volunteer in my community - I have been volunteering a TON with my kids school this year, so I totally think this counts. We’re building an outdoor classroom this summer that I’m super excited about!
73. Stay organized for 3 months
74. Watch a movie at a drive-in theater
75. Buy a pair of boots
76. Learn to wear/walk in heels
77. But a watch & actually wear it
78. Go to Disney World with my hubby & kids
79. Get the interview with my grandparents converted to DVD
80. Book a trip to London
81. Assist in growing our Kindermusik program by 100%
82. Apply to be on the Amazing Race
83. Play my own lottery numbers - Completed in May 2010
84. But a ticket for a dream home giveaway
85. Sing karaoke at a bar/club
86. Use my bread maker
87. Send my grandma a card once a week
88. Be debt free (except for the house)
89. Apply for membership with the DAR
90. Own a minivan
91. Dye a blue streak in my hair
92. Go 3 days without getting online - Completed in July 2010
93. Go an entire day without watching tv - Completed in July 2010
94. Have a professional photo shoot done of just me
95. Buy myself a Dooney & Bourke purse
96. Go on a horse drawn carriage ride with my family
97. Play miniature golf - Completed in November 2010 when hubby & I played the new "Glow Golf" course in town and had a blast
98. Take dinner to a friend - Completed in May 2010
99. Give a compliment to a complete stranger
100. Save all of my coin change for 3 months & deposit it into my kids savings accounts
101. Write a new list of 101 things in 1,001 days at the end of this project

So, I've completed 24 of 101 tasks in 14 months and made progress on another 2 tasks. This summer is going to be big in getting some stuff accomplished. I can’t wait for my next update!!

It's ON!!!

Guess where I'm going for 10 days, beginning in late August?

Oh...yeah.

Let the countdown begin!

And speaking of countdowns, Shannon & I have started a new blog focused entirely on our goals of losing weight before we leave on our Disney trips. Check us out at Dieting 4 Disney!

Piano Man

Because it's Thursday.

Because I haven't had a Robert Pattinson post here in a while.

Because a guy that can play the piano is incredibly sexy.

Closet Dejavu

I'm not big on clothes shopping. Never have been. Even when I had the ability to walk into pretty much any store and choose adorable things off the rack and not have to worry about whether they would fit or not.

So, these days, I usually end up picking up an item or 2 for myself when I'm shopping for clothes for my girls. Which means that most of my clothes come from Old Navy. And I love Old Navy with a serious passion. But, I've noticed an alarming trend in my closet that needs addressing.

Allow me to present a random assortment of my favorite shirts.

Umm, does anyone notice a pattern here? I mean, aside from the fact that I need to put "color safe detergent" on my shopping list.

Yes, believe it or not, all 4 of these shirts are indeed the color black. And I'm sad to say that there are at least 4 others in differing styles that I didn't even pull out of the closet. Clearly I have an issue here.

I guess I gravitate towards black because it matches everything and it's supposed to be slimming. Sorry but there's no black shirt that can work aesthetic magic like some mad photoshop skills. Note to self: Invest in photoshop ASAP.

And so, with Spring temperatures finally arriving and warm summer days not far behind, at least I can look forward to pulling out my favorite summer dress to punch up my wardrobe.

Ahem.

If you need me, I'll be at Old Navy. Just look for the aisle with the black clothing.

Random Tuesday Thoughts: Cupcakes and Flowers and Travel, Oh My!

Let's get ready to RAAAAANNNNDOOOOOMMMMMM!

I love Stargazer Lilies. And white roses.

This is the simple arrangement that's on my kitchen table now. I'm forced to buy flowers for myself since hubby refuses. He used to bring me flowers all the time when we were dating. And then it stopped. He says it's because I expect them. Whatever.

It seems like everyone I know is either at Disney World or going there sometime this year. I'm insanely jealous. I'm officially in high gear, figuring out which organ to sell, so we can go too. If only I could've gotten some change for that bum gallbladder I got rid of a couple of years ago.

I must have been bitten by some kind of travel bug last week because, while at the post office, I picked up a passport application. And actually filled it out. Were it not going to cost me $135, I might actually turn the form in. I just can't justify getting a passport when I have no foreign plans booked. Only serious dreaming.

This week is Spring Break for my kids. So far, I'm really enjoying having them home. I suspect that tide to turn tomorrow when I introduce them to the fun game of "let's clean up your filthy rooms". I'm actually more than a little afraid of what I might find in there. And somewhere, my mother is laughing because I got not 1 but 2 kids who are "just like me".

Speaking of kids, I've had baby fever here lately for some obscure reason. Hurry, someone pass me a newborn quick, so I can get this out of my system already!

Since I'm obsessed with cupcakes, I've been watching that show DC Cupcakes on TLC. I'm seriously stunned to see the line down the block when they show the occasional exterior shot of the store in Georgetown. My brother assures me that it's no joke. He's driven by the store and people literally line up to get these cupcakes. Those cupcakes would have to be AMAZING for me to stand in line. I think I'll go get a delicious cupcake tomorrow at my local bakery, where I don't have to stand in line.

What kind of random do you want to throw in this week? And check out more randomness at The Un Mom.

Let's go to the movies...yet again

It's been a while since I've done a movie post and since I've had lots of tv reruns to contend with, I've seen a lot of films in their place. Here's what I've seen lately.

Julie & Julia - This is a precious movie! I can't believe it took me this long to watch it. Amy Adams is darling and Meryl Streep proves yet again why she is a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood.

Love Happens - I really like Jennifer Aniston. And I think Aaron Eckhart is very dashing. I really wanted this movie to work, but despite it's sad theme and decent performances, it just seemed to drag on and on. Such a bummer.

My Sister's Keeper - I've been avoiding this one for a while because I really wanted to read the book first. But, it was on HBO recently and I figured, why not. I really liked this movie. I mean really. The subject matter is depressing, but the acting is great. And wow, Jason Patric is still HOT. Check this one out.

The Town - I was less than enthused about seeing this movie for a couple of reasons. First, I'm not a fan of Ben Affleck. Second, I'm not a fan of major violence in movies. However, I'm really glad that I put those hesitations aside and saw this movie because it was FANTASTIC. See it. The writing was great. The acting was great. Everything about this was just great. Oh, and Jon Hamm is in this. Mmmm, mmmm, good.

Get Him to the Greek - I have 2 words for you...Judd Apatow. The man is comic genius. Add to that the hilarity that is Russell Brand, the dry comedic timing of Jonah Hill and a performance from Puff Daddy that almost made me pee my pants. Loved this one.

Never Let Me Go - This is not the movie to rent if you're in the mood for a British romance. It's also not the movie to rent if you're feeling the least bit down...about anything. It's well written and the scenery is beautiful, but the story is heartbreaking and the actors do an amazing job of bringing you into their world.

The King's Speech - Shannon & I have been chomping at the bit to see this one since it came out. And I'm here to tell you that all the hype and accolades were 100% deserved. This movie was FABULOUS. Colin Firth is AWESOME. Geoffrey Rush is AMAZING. Now what are you waiting for? Go see this movie.

Easy A - The writing was awesome. Emma Stone is a great actress and she has some great supporting roles in Stanley Tucci & Thomas Haden Church. Anyone who lived through the high school experience is going to find humor in this movie, especially if you loved any John Hughes flicks. I enjoyed it! (the movie...not high school) And for the record, "Can't Buy Me Love" is my fave teen angst flick of all time. Patrick Dempsey, SIGH.

Have you seen any movies lately?

Attention to Detail

Little A is in a fabulous Pre-K program at one of our local magnet schools. Every Monday, they have a homework sheet that's based on their letter of the week. It includes working on letter formation and coloring pictures of items that begin with that letter.

In an unusual turn of events, Little A finished her homework with grandma Monday night while hubby & I were at the E.R. with my ankle issue. So, we didn't look closely at it before she turned it in. However, we had a good laugh when her homework was returned in her folder.

The picture is crappy, so let me translate.

Both of my girls pay a lot of attention to details in their drawings. Striving for authenticity, Little A looked at our oven at home and wrote "FRIGIDAIRE" on the picture. Her teacher loved it and so do we!

The Magical Healing Properties of Chocolate

It's been a tough few weeks around the old homestead. Mondays in particular have been especially crappy. Every Monday has brought more bad news and we're pretty over it at this point.

For those who follow me on Facebook, you've already heard about my new fashion accessory.

I love blue, but this is a little ridiculous.

I rolled my ankle pretty badly on Monday evening, so I've spent the last couple of days on bedrest. Not fun. It's swollen and hurts and today started turning a lovely shade of purple.

So, today, my BFF showed up at my house unexpectedly with a "cheer up" gift. A Death by Chocolate cupcake. My FAVORITE.

I am so appreciative of friends who go out of their way to make someone else's day brighter with just a simple gesture.

Shannon, you made my day! I'm so thankful that you're my friend.

And my sweet tooth thanks you too.