And... SUCCESS!

 Last night's "CREEPY CAL'S CRYPT" Party was, in my humble opinion, a HUGE success!  I'm happy today, albeit, I've got a mess to clean up...  7 little boys running a-muck while moms & dads (and a few sisters + 2 older brothers) hung out w/the game on (some football game, I have no clue which teams they were) and tried out some creepy cocktail concoctions I made up:  too fun!  I really think I had a better time than the kids...  Well, maybe not.

A few mishaps along the way (couldn't get the sound to work w/the DVD player, kinda a bummer when the idea is for the kids to watch a SCARY movie!; then there was the "surprise" factor of my husband not quite understanding the part about a sleepover...; last, but not least and certainly NOT unexpected, by me anyway: the kids snuck out in the middle of the night to be cool & wreak havoc about the 'hood... AND then stayed up until about 5:30a, or somewhere along that time line).  I survived, the kids survived and most importantly, the husband survived - survived enough to hit the links bright eyed & bushy-tailed in his new golfin' digs at about 9a, so I ain't feeling too guilty at the moment.  However, when the credit card bill arrives, I will be lying low, batting my eyelashes and exuding sweetness for, probably, the remainder of the year.  Just sayin'.

So how did things pan out in the end?  See below for a quick update:

• grocery shop, check
• dust, check
• vacuum, er... update:  wonderful husband took care of this when he got home from his week long business trip
• clean up my closet!  update:  check, but not without alot of cussin'
• scrub the bathroom  update: somewhat check - I didn't get around to scrubbing the shower or floor and both could really, really use the elbow grease - ugh!
• fix the front porch decorations (storms for past 2 days)  update:  um, kinda sorta took care of that this morning so it does not count, wah!
• color my hair red (excited about this one!!!)
• wash drink glasses, check
• go to the liquor store  update:  hello, Raspberry Rum, glad to meet ya!!!
• decorate the pumpkins  update:  check & HUGE success!  Up until 2a but totally worth it - came out great!!!
• put goody bags together  update: totally forgot about this one until I just now came upon it; oops.
• pull out the last tidbits of Halloween decor (where is my witch's hat???)  update: partial check - got out the witch's hat, but left the rest.  Gggrrr!  The spooky tree is my favorite.
• come up with fun menu item names (Werewolf Stew anyone?)  update:  HUGE success here.  Have to admire my own creativity
• creative food name labels  update:  arrgggh!  missed this one
• go VOTE!  update:  yep!
• Buy a hostess gift & a birthday present for Saturday night's dinner  update: partial check - hostess gift, check; Christian's b-day present remains to be seen...
• clean the upstairs (oh my...)  update:  kinda sorta check
• put up caution tape if I don't get around to cleaning up the upstairs  update:  haha, this just makes me laugh
• buy plastic ware (how did I forget that?)  update:  check!
• buy 3 more pumpkins AND decorate them  update:  check!
• carpet fresh the master bedroom, clean & dust (ggrrrr!!!!)  update:  partial check; let's just leave it at that
• prepare mac-n-cheese, check
• get the BBQ going in the crock pot, check
• make ice cubes, in progress  update: this did NOT go so well.  Forfeit.
• give myself a mani & a pedi  update:  absolutely no way did I work this one in.
• pretend the this-didn't-go-so-well-red hair (what was I thinking?) is part of my costume & worry about fixing it later... maybe it will wash out???  update:  ok, it's not so bad.  I'm kinda diggin' it. 

Here's the final menu:
guacomole:  smashed bugs
sausage Rotel dip:  creepy caudron dip
pretzel sticks:  skeleton bones
salsa:  crow's blood
olives:  demon eyes
dark grapes:  raven eyes
strawberries:  raven hearts
tortilla chips:  crispy bat wings
cheese & crackers:  sneeze & coffins (however, after the fact, I thought of "sneeze attackers" - savin' that one for next year)
crescent wrapped hotdogs:  zombie fingers (note for next year:  "mummy fingers")
ketchup & mustard:  blood & guts
BBQ:  werewolf stew
mac & cheese:  shackeled & chained casserole
dirt cake:  graveyard surprise
cupcakes:  mummy cakes (note for next year:  "zombie cakes")
pistachio pie (could NOT resist!!!):  goblin goo pudding
3 flavored popcorn mix:  jekyl & hyde popcorn (I misspelled "Jekyll", darnit)
hot cocoa:  death by chocolate
margaritas:  marga-freak-as
cranberry, sprite & raspberry rum w/a splash of grenadine:  cranbloodies
coconut rum, orange & mango juice:  jack-o-juice
Strawberry Fanta:  Fang-a
Cranberry Lemon Lime Soda:  Bloody Good Sprite

Pictures later...  well, soon.  Sometime anyway.

 

 

 

Desk Shot: Halloweenin'

Today's desk shot is my kitchen counter in preparation of tomorrow's Halloween party...  I should go as Martha Stewart!!!!!! I am either going all out or in over my head... not sure, just yet, which (witch? haha).  

7 little boys, including my own will be here to eat, drink & be scary.  Parents are invited, too, which means alcohol... and extra food... and more space to provide... and entertaining conversation... 

Hmmm... 

The best I've got is 7 haunting movies to choose from.  Kids are spending the night so at some point I've got to move the coffee table out of the center of the room so they can bed down on the floor in front of the TV.  Wondering HOW I'm going to stop them from sneaking out after we go to bed.  Ugh.  Just thought of that potential dilemma.  My husband has threatened to go to a Holiday Inn for the night (when he sees the receipt from Wal-mart alone he's realized we can't afford that right now).  I've been in high gear since 7a with all this cuz today is my only day off from work to get it all togethe. 

And, as usual, the to-do-list is llllooonnnggg...

• grocery shop, check
• dust, check
• vacuum, er...
• clean up my closet!
• scrub the bathroom
• fix the front porch decorations (storms for past 2 days)
• color my hair red (excited about this one!!!)
• wash drink glasses, check
• go to the liquor store
• decorate the pumpkins
• put goody bags together
• pull out the last tidbits of Halloween decor (where is my witch's hat???)
• come up with fun menu item names (Werewolf Stew anyone?)
• creative food name labels
• go VOTE!
• Buy a hostess gift & a birthday present for Saturday night's dinner
• clean the upstairs (oh my...)
• put up caution tape if I don't get around to cleaning up the upstairs
• buy plastic ware (how did I forget that?)
• buy 3 more pumpkins AND decorate them
• carpet fresh the master bedroom, clean & dust (ggrrrr!!!!)
• prepare mac-n-cheese, check
• get the BBQ going in the crock pot, check
• make ice cubes, in progress
• give myself a mani & a pedi
• pretend the this-didn't-go-so-well-red hair (what was I thinking?) is part of my costume & worry about fixing it later... maybe it will wash out???

Desk Shot!: before-during-after

"My Wrap Station" is one of my pride & joys in this house - I absolutely LOVE it!  I love having a place to go, with access to all my rolls of papers, tissue, bags, boxes, tape, ribbon, scissors... 

I don't love it's location (the basement).  I don't love that it often becomes a "dumping ground" area, because of said location.  I don't like that it's 2 floors below my other craft supplies, like my card kits.  I don't like that there are no windows, no television, no artwork, inspiring or otherwise.  It does need some work, but despite all that I don't love about it, I love it just the same!!! 

So this week, totally unplanned & ill-prepared, I stumbled upon my "wrap station" amidst it's chaotic piles of debris...  typical of this time of year, FYI, since it is nestled in the corner of my seasonal decor storage...  I was in search of some missing Halloween decor (which I never did find, darnit!) and thought, maybe, possibly, the missing stuff could potentially be buried beneath the mass of debris piled in this particular area???  Maybe??? 

Alas, no... but the exercise of clearing away all the debris and being able to see the floor again, set aside several bags worth of giveaways and start to envision some potential, some real design potential, for the space was quite rejuvenating. My mind is still reeling with ideas...

Typical of any type of organizing project, things got worse before they got better - altho, how they could have gotten worse than what I started with, I could not say...  the first picture was actually taken after I started, because it occured to me, after I was up to my elbows in it, that THIS would make a GREAT Desk Shot! this week.  The second picture was when I went from elbows to eyeballs in the process...

And now, we have not-quite-serene-success-but-I'll-take-it-cuz-it's-better-than-what-it-was:

And I'm soooo happy!!!  Let the re-visioning process begin!

therapy

This blog has become my accountability blog which was NOT my intention when I first got started.  I wanted it to be a resource of ideas and creativity to establish goals, develop plans to achieve them, maintain our lives and filter thru it examples of how people work, put things together, get things done.  But I've realized as I try to do this, that I need to put some elbow grease into my own life before I can possibly expect to share my work meaningfully with anyone else.

Just this morning I caught a blurb on the "Today" show about eating disorders.  The main idea behind it was getting to the root of the problem: why were these people destroying themselves, endangering their lives, over food? As with any information we come across, I internalized it and decided today would be a day I investigated the emotional connections I have with my own destructive behaviors.

motivated by impressing others
spending money
ignoring our finances
resisting my faith
unhealthy eating habits
lack of exercise
negligent homekeeping
laziness
selfishness
constant daydreaming
stifling my professional credibility
over extending myself with projects
no follow-thru
shunning my appearance
...

Ugh.  The list goes on...  As I start to ponder these things, all kinds of reasons & explanations pop into my head.  Do I need therapy?  I really don't think so, but I do need to start addressing them.  I don't like putting "me" out there, out here, but maybe I should...  I can always hit the "delete" button, right?

this week's DESK shot!

It's HALLOWEENin' time!!!

My favorite time of the year - yes, Halloween ranks up there just a tad above Christmas.  I have soooo much Halloween decor (and I like the rough stuff, not the cute stuff - witches, ghosts & skulls, oh my!), and despite my best intentions, somehow add to my collection every year!  I cannot seem to resist...

I'd prefer to have my stuff up by October 1st, but this year, well, I got behind...  work is busy-busy-busy now, and it's unpredictable, so my first opportunity was this weekend.  And only yesterday (Saturday).  I hauled it all out (well, all I could find - apparently, at least one box is missing!  WTH?) and was up until 11:30p putting something here, then there, then here again.  Still not done.  The tweaking will commence throughout the week...

A quick check of last week's to-do-list to see how I did:

• organize pictures on computer - in progress... (halfway there!!!)
• get car work scheduled - in progress...
• pull out Halloween decor (what fun!) - check!
• clear out my office - fail
• schedule the contract to quote out the upstairs remodel - check!
• turn in receipts from the scavenger hunt - fail
• design photo/scrapbooking log - fail
• print out craft project pictures - fail
• 5-days worth of posts for the DBC blog - fail
• package to B&V - fail

 This week's to-do-list:  .... never mind... the Braves just lost their lead in game 3 and I'm now too bummed to think about anything else.

this week's DESK SHOT

All the effort I put into organizing my "project schedule" is already being challenged...  Today is my "business" day, but I've decided something else more pressing needs my attention (the whole point in MY to-do-list is to not forget anything, and simply by having it recorded, in an accessible place, "unclutters" my mind, so I'm free to do exactly what I'm doing now: deviate and prioritize as needed!). 

So!  What needs my attention so desperately this week?  It's my photos.  Yep, they're out of control.  Friday is "photo organization day," but last Friday was my "project schedule organization/download day" (with this Monday, today, the intended "get on project schedule schedule" kick off day), so I didn't work on my pictures... ~sigh~

All's well, tho - truly!  I'm in a good place.  I'm getting my brain uncluttered and I've got a project management plan in place - and a blog - to help me keep this all in control.  I can't think about the fact that this blog was supposed to be TOTALLY different than what it has become (and that relates to my "business" day, but let's not mentally go there right now...).  I'm 50% thru the picture organization process - will LOVE checking that off my list.  In all honesty, it's holding up some other to-do's from getting done.  Ugh!

Other items on this week's to-do-list:

• get car work scheduled
• pull out Halloween decor (what fun!)
• clear out my office
• schedule the contract to quote out the upstairs remodel
• turn in receipts from the scavenger hunt
• design photo/scrapbooking log
• print out craft project pictures
• 5-days worth of posts for the DBC blog
• package to B&V

Ok, ok, that is PLENTY!  But, oh, there is soooo much more I could add!  Pacing myself... baby steps...

report card time

An incredible week...  the yard sale went fine.  Not great, but fine.  We made $500, which is the amount I had in my head so why am I not more joyous???  Maybe because my prices were more than fair, but folks still talked me down?  Maybe because at the end of the day, after $1 here, $5 there, a pile o' stuff was still  left?  Maybe because after it was time to close up shop, and I drug the boxes for charitable donations down to the curb, scavengers - no, vultures - came and picked thru it???

Ugh.  I really hope to NEVER do that again.  Even at $125/day (4 days total, 3 prepping and 1 day selling), I was just defeated in the end.  Just defeated.

But, despite that:  an incredible week!  Iworked hard on the yard sale, then have spent this week gearing up for a MAJOR event this weekend at work.  I have been non-stop and it's been awesome!  My son was on an overnight school trip, the Braves swept the Marlins (but aren't doing so well against the Phillies right now... ~sigh~), and everything I set my mind to check off my ever growing task list has managed to get done.  Love it when that happens.

Speaking of a "to-do-list," since it is officially October (how'd that happen?), I think it's time to review my 30-day Challenge list & see how I did (or didn't do...)...  ~sigh~ I already know it's not what it should be, but here I go anyway:

• walk the dog - uh, maybe once or twice, and at the beginning of the month; pretty much the answer is "no"
• do arm exercises - well, yep, that would be a nope
• clean the kitchen - yes!
• clean the bathroom - hmmm, define "clean"...
• clean the closet (!) - yep! (altho it is officially messy again)
• no spending (!) - boy, I really blew this one!
• check off one to-do-list item a day - yeah, we have a winner!!!
• schedule my project work & stick to it (ugh) - 50/50 on this one; I actually DID come up with a project schedule (herein under the tab "Schedule"), but I kinda-sorta just did this today so, no, I haven't "stuck" with the it yet.  Yet.  But I will.  This one is, my executive decision, a YES!
• if I eat after 7p, it can only be in raw form - yeah, no.
• no alcohol, no sweet tea, no soda (aarrggghhh!) - crap!  Blew this one, too.  Put it right up there with the "no spending" and add a "yeah, right."
• at work: daily rounds EVERY day - another one that started out strong but fell off the radar; HOWEVER, I did it more than once and I did it throughout the month so I'm taking credit for just "being aware"
• no personal stuff @ work except on my lunch hour - yeah, right
• Facebook once a day ONLY - yeah, right
• come up with a daily tweet - haha, am soooo not a Twitter-er!
• wear diamonds - too easy.  Both my wedding bands are diamonds & I never don't wear one of them.
• look & dress my best - uh, er, um...
• catch up my personal blog - ha!  complete & total fail.
• read the Bible - ugh, another complete & total fail.
• pray - oh, this one I did!  And I love it!
• start a gratitude journal - I totally forgot about this one.
• read Dave Ramsey - I totally ignored this one.
• read work clippings - ditto
• check my son's schoolwork, bookbag & website - tritto (yes, I just made that up)
• clean out my car - um, yeah, kinda-sorta-maybe-sometimes

OK, so the appearance is "failure" but I disagree!  I actually am energized and enthused and ready for round 2 in October.  On paper, I realize I failed and faltered more than I succeeded, but I'm proud of me anyway. I really needed a kick in the pants to be more aware of how I was spending my time, to be conscious of the activities I was engaging in & letting them control me v. me controlling them, and for that - for the awareness - I've succeeded. And I'm not giving up. October is another month long challenge for me. This time a 31-day Challenge.

List to follow.

Whoo-Hoo.