My never-ending To-Do list

It's 11:22 am, and it is raining cats and dogs here. Literally POURING down rain. THIS is one of my favorite kind of days. I can catch up on chores inside without feeling guilty about doing chores outside. I can also catch up on my to-do list.

Oh, and my son, who is apparently still on school time, just informed me, "It's lunch time MOM!" (capital MOM because he really means it. His stomach doesn't lie when it's time to eat. Today is one of his favorites....grilled cheese, pretzels, and grapes. Grace and Ev are watching the Bee Movie and enjoying the rainy day.)

So, anyway, back to my to-do list. My husband makes fun of me and believes that I couldn't function without one. He's probably right. However, he also does one thing when my to-do list is laying out on the counter, that DRIVES me NUTS. He'll add some things on my list like: LOVE BRENT MORE, or MAKE BRENT SUPPER (like I don't do this every night for him....PLEASE!)

So, in lieu of pictures today, I thought I would share my quirky to-do list, in two parts: To do (RIGHT NOW) and To-do (LONG TERM)

1. Weed the garden (this is totally an ongoing thing)
2. Get things ready for the resale shop
3. Label bins in Grace's closet (do this so she stops pulling them down from the shelf to see
what's inside)
4. Make a cushion for Grace's doll bench
5. Rearrange office
6. Get Serena's (my niece) birthday gift
7. Get groceries (weekly occurrence.....DUH)
8. Call about our hotel reservations
9. Finalize our Chicago plans
10. Mow
11. Get snacks around for Ev's game Monday
12. Pick strawberries/freeze/make jam


LONG TERM:

1. Make stuff for an etsy shop (I would like this to possibly be my summer income)
2. Rearrange/organize pantry & cupboards
3. Catch up on school/Disney scrapbooks
4. Put up hooks in Ev's room to hang light saber/baseball bat
5. Organize photos and separate CD's from photos
6. Make monthly meal plan

Whew!!! Some of these things are obviously things I do weekly, but I guess I just like to cross things off. I feel much more accomplished.

So, as much as I like tossing my thoughts around so you can read them....I guess I better get busy!

Strawberry season is in full swing

I have my own strawberry patch that I started from just 6 plants 2 years ago. Last year was the first year I picked them, and I picked 9 times off of three rows.

So, I've already picked 3 times since the end of May. The first was a good sized 3 c bowl, and I filled it. Over Memorial Day weekend, our friends came over and she picked a LARGE bowlful.

Yesterday I picked another large bowl full, so today the whole process started....

Just look how yummy! They smell good too.

Yesterday I also bought a flat from a local farmer I buy from every year. So this is how many I had this morning.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. I usually buy a couple more flats, and use my own patch for all the jam I make and freeze. This REALLY is just the beginning for me, and the strawberries are EARLY this year, but I was ready and waiting for fresh ones.

I got out all my supplies for the sauce I make to preserve them in.

6 cups water, 3-4 cups sugar, and 2-6oz. boxes of strawberry jello. Sugar-free can be used too. Boil all together until everything is dissolved, then cool.

This ain't no Pioneer Woman spread, but you get the idea.

When the sauce is totally cooled, spoon it over your strawberries until it is about 1/2" from the top. Close and freeze.

I only had 13 containers filled today, but I'll make more. My family LOVES strawberries all year round. This sauce makes them taste fresh, not all syrupy and fake tasting.

Just plain 'ol good! Time to pick more tomorrow.

How to make God laugh.

I once heard someone say, (or maybe it was in a country song...) "If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans."

There is probably not a more true statement than that.

After my chores this morning, I planned to sit down after lunch and sew a purse. Sew a purse you say!? Why would you do that? Well, being the cheapskate that I am, I saw a picture of a cute purse online, and thought, "I can make that!"

So, I set out to do just that.

I got all my supplies out and ready.

I got my 60 year old machine out...

THIS is where I should've stopped for the day. Just called it quits. After all, I had a plan, so I just kept on goin'.

After a couple hours of frustration at my 60 year old machine, (which up until this point has been running fine...) for constantly breaking thread, and the inability to get through some tougher fabric, I had the purse done. Only to realize, I really didn't like it. It was a good design, sure, it had cute fabric, but it was WAY too floppy.

So, after some harsh thoughts in my head (ONLY in my head I assure you,) I decided to make something I knew how to make, something I had been promising Grace I would make for awhile.

So, I got out some more supplies...

and made these. I remember having some as a kid. I'm sure my mom made them, she was/is a good seamstress.

I still had some broken thread (I gotta read the manual, and see what's wrong with my settings again), but this was a much easier project.

I promise next time, I won't plan ahead. At least, not PLAN out my entire afternoon for something I might not really know how to do. I'm sure God had a good 'ol chuckle today watching me.

At least Barbie got the good end of the deal!