windthefrog

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40 by 40 update

So, I turned 40. Apparently that means a crown, a medal, a Snuggie, and ice cream cake. Now we know. : )

But what it really means is that time has run out for my 40 by 40 list.

Some things were accomplished, some were not. Some no longer interested me, and some were no longer possible. What was most important was the journey, and it was a good one. 

Here is how the list ended up:

1. launch my photography business. For real. - i have business cards; does that count?
2. visit the ocean.
3. stand in a field of sunflowers.
4. get a family photo taken by a real photographer.
5. learn to make Mom's famous spaghetti sauce. - now that Mom lives here, it seems a little unnecessary. : )
6. complete the kids' school scrapbooks.
7. ride a zip line. - i tried; who knew you needed reservations far in advance?
8. learn to shoot and process my photos in RAW. - i changed my mind on this one.
9. get a bike.
10. go camping.
11. take a photo every day. - i faithfully did this project until around october, then it got a little spotty. I still count this as a good success and a fun record of daily life.
12. plant an amazing garden.
13. take up tennis.
14. make a hallway gallery.
15. try a yoga class.
16. explore a new city.
17. take each kid on their own day trip, just them and me. - while we didn't go anywhere cool, watching their little faces light up when I ask just one of them to come with me to target, or to pick up take 'n bake pizza is so sweet. I am definitely following through with this one on my 41 by 41 list...
18. buy my dream camera. I am crossing this off the list, even though I am not convinced this is the camera of my dreams.
19. hike to the top of Half Dome with Isis.
20. lean to play a song on the guitar.
21. do something creative every week.
22. go on a photo safari.
23. try Thai food.
24. take the kids to the snow.
25. go on an adventure with i.
26. take a photography class.
27. have an organized closet.
28. purge the house of the unnecessary and have a giant garage sale.
29. read 5 great books.
30. splurge on a good pair of sunglasses.
31. organize all my photos.
32. create a scrapbook of the Panama trip.
33. print canvases for our family room.
34. understand exposure.
35. paddle a kayak.
36. see the leaves in New England.
37. run a half marathon. - I hadn't anticipated having another knee surgery. I am training to run one now though.
38. sew a quilt for Brynne. - When I wrote this list, we were re-doing her new room. Then Mom moved into her room, and the new quilt wouldn't match Garrett's room.
39. master Photoshop.
40. orchestrate something awesome.

spring has sprung

At this point in the year, little signs of spring are popping up everywhere: it's staying lighter a little longer, daffodils are blooming, and little baby lambs are out in the newly green fields.

And then there's this:

do you see it?

Due to a design flaw in my car, leaves and dirt collect in this little well that you can't really see when the trunk is closed. Apparently it's the perfect environment to grow little sprouts! I am both horrified and intrigued by my little mobile garden... I'm curious to see if they keep growing, and what they are, exactly...

#27

#27 has been on my list since before I had a list. My closet is big, but was claustrophobic - filled to the brim with who knows what.

The first order of business was to take everything out of it and see what we were dealing with. I should have taken a photo of that, because it was a sight to behold. For extra credit points, I took everything out of my dresser, too. Piles and piles were on the bed... the floor... every spare spot of carpet was covered in some sort of junk. This is the discovery phase. "How do I have 27 black tank tops??"

Funny when you move somewhere and you stash something in a spot "just for now" and you realize, years later, that it's still there. Like my wedding dress. Really? Does that need to be at the ready? Strangely, in 13 years I haven't had the occasion to wear it again so into the garage it goes. And even that is temporary - I mean, why do I need it at all? I certainly don't expect Brynne to want to wear it (or Garrett, for that matter...) : )

This project took the better part of a weekend and many many home shows were watched on HGTV and DIY while I worked. It was so satisfying when it was all put back to my liking, and with only stuff that belonged in this closet in here:

aaaaahhhhhh. I can breathe again.

I have rules to a closet - even before, when it was crammed: clothes have to be grouped by kind and color. It's just so much prettier to see a little rainbow when I open the door.

Seriously, can't you just hear the angels singing??

Here is my other quirk when it comes to closets - no wire hangers! (Can you hear Faye Dunaway's voice in your head?) And no random multicolored plastic hangers for that matter, either. They all have to be the same - and wood. These are from my favorite place - IKEA - and are really inexpensive. And when there are no more hangers, there are no more clothes. To bring something new in, something else has gotta go. : )

The last improvment I made to the closet was a stepstool, so I can get the sweaters up on that top shelf. In the past my technique of a sort of basketball throw resulted in less than stellar results and a bunch of balled up sweaters up there. So I am hopeful that this new closet will be able to stay this way now...

#12

Looking out my window on our dreary backyard, I am remembering fondly the riot of color and butterflies and birds we had this summer and all the way up through fall. I can definitely cross #12 off the list.

Growing up I would always listen to my Grampy tell me about his garden. I hope this one makes him proud. : )

double take

Last night when Garrett went to get ready for bed and came out dressed like this:

I had to go to YouTube to show him Tom Cruise singing in Risky Business.

i think i maybe be addicted

...to spray paint. Talk about instant gratification! Today I took this old kind of rusty brass lamp that was in the garage:

and turned it into this!

I can't wait to find it a home - maybe on my desk?

just wondering...

...what is the age limit on holey jeans and converse? Please don't say 40.

 

show and tell

One of the projects I made today, inspired by a similar picture Ali made years ago and also her one word challenge. I used a small shadowbox from Dollar Tree and finally the awkward little spot on my wall above my desk will be filled. Woohoo!

 

i swear...

I will post a real update this weekend. Not everyone can be as good at this as jaymee, jenny and elizabeth, you know...

: )