Confession Time

My re-entry back into routine life has been a little rough - Scott and I took a wonderful vacation to Italy (hence some of the "foreshadowing" type posts a little while back) without -can you believe it- the kids.

In actuality, the kids didn't miss us - Erica was in Wisconsin with a friend, and Brian stayed home with one of our neighbor's son looking after him.

The days leading up to our trip were filled with hectic preparations, and I missed a day or two on Project 365. So that's one of the Confessions. And since coming home, I've been a little less enthusiastic about taking pictures - that's because I snapped over 600 exposures while in Italy, in places slightly more picturesque than the flat, sun baked prairie lands here. That's Confession Two. Confession Three - I'm really tired of the hot, humid weather here. And I don't feel too much like doing much of anything.

So, I've decided to take my time getting caught up on this blog. It will eventually become "up to date" and "real time", but it may take a couple of weeks. I'm hoping to incorporate some of Erica's pictures during her visit up north with our Italy pictures. In the meantime, I'll be adding pictures to my flickr stream and adding pictures to my Photography Blog.

And just a little sneak peak from our trip to Italy - the four of us tourists, hanging out after a big family meal - Dawn, Dave, Scott and Shirley

Riomaggiore, the furthest South Village of the Cinque Terre

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200/365 - Sammy and Erica

We let Sammy out tonight, under strict observation and control of Erica. He would like to spend more time wandering about, but since he doesn't have any claws, we get nervous about it.



As I am writing this well after July 21, and since the picture was snapped, Sammy has slipped outside on several occasions. He got out Friday morning (July 23) and managed to terrorize Ralphie, our neighbor's cat. High diligence is required at all doorways, since he quickly maneuvers around our legs.

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199/365 - Research

The time is quickly approaching, so I checked out some travel books at the library. I only plan to browse through the books and print some highlights off the Internet (ie - not taking the books with us on the trip - too bulky).



Next on the agenda - some packing and last minute details.

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198/365 - Zucchini Pizza

Or courgette, as they say in the UK.

Erica requested tonight's dinner, but I'm hoping it will be just a small glimpse of near-future culinary adventures.

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197/365 - New Pillows

As I stated yesterday, Erica is on a room redecorating kick. She wanted new throw pillows and found these cute, brown polka dotted ones on the internet, only to find out they weren't available for purchase.

So, plan two - find something locally in a store. Visits to the various stores yesterday didn't yield anything she liked. But I suggested she could pick out some fabric and I would make her the pillows.

We found the same brown polka dotted fabric at Hancock Fabrics, and I spent several house cutting, piecing, ironing, pinning, then sewing the pillows.



The finished pillows in her room:

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196/365 - Sun Through the Clouds

I spent most of today running the kids around in the hot, humid weather - to Hobby Lobby, then to the Bed Bath and Beyond, then to the Hancock Fabrics, and Target.
Erica is on a room redecorating kick, spurned on by my request for her to clean out her closets. Out came all the kids' books, her American Girl Dolls and several big boxes of stuff I forgot existed. I still don't know how it all fit in her room, either.

After all this shopping, Erica had to do more at the mall with one of her friends. It was after I picked her up that we caught this spectacular view of the sun through the clouds.



Maybe this spell of hot, humid weather is on it's way out....

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195/365 - Book Club Night

Our monthly book club night, held at Lisa's beautiful home. This month's book - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, a book I read on my iPhone, a first for me. I had downloaded the Barnes and Noble eReader a long time ago, but never actually read anything on it. I enjoyed having the book available at all times and read it while we were on vacation.



I now have the sequel, The Girl Who Played With Fire on my phone, too. I'll read it over the next several weeks.

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