I am in a whirlwind of activity, just like every other working Ya-Ya of four Grandkids and four dogs. The fourth of July has passed and now I need to figure out if I should remove all of the Americana décor and switch to beachy or just hang on until Labor Day and go straight to Fall.
A little about my goals and aspirations: to always put family first. I am the keeper of the family traditions, the record-keeper of all of the events, the decorator of the family home. For the second half of 2016, I will blog, learn calligraphy, downsize my collections and always be the one to count on to record the family events. I actually print pictures and use them. Shocking I know. But when there is a school project due tomorrow, I always have the pictures needed of that family member or place that we have visited together.
I have been advised by a "master" blogger to just start blogging and it will evolve over the life of the blog. She said to write about my passion. I have several but at the top of the list are the Grandkids and our home. I love to plan parties and go over the top with decorations, specialty cakes, cookies and favors. We just celebrated my five year old Granddaughter's Birthday with a "Doctor" party. The cake was a Doctor's coat with her name on the pocket, cookies with a red cross, pretzels with frosting to make them look like a thermometer. I will share party pictures in the future, so stay tuned.
I am a master tablescaper, home stager and party planner. I do not cook but want to learn so there may be a few cooking experiences outlined in the future.
My husband wants to downsize. The house is filled to the brim with my collections of baskets, yarn (I knit), crafting supplies, photos and on and on. I have held two hugely successful garage sales in the past two years in an attempt to get rid of stuff and start the downsizing process. The first sale netted $5000 and the second $2000. I am planning another one for late fall. We live in Scottsdale, AZ and it is just too hot to make any attempt to sit in your garage and sell stuff in this heat. I have mastered the art of having a good sale and getting traffic, so watch for this one in late fall.
What to expect in the future:
- Pictures of our home, which changes many times per year
- Party ideas and events
- Travel and traditions
- Downsizing and getting a house ready for sale (a few years down the road), including how to host a sale and actually make money
- What I am reading, crafting and where I am traveling
As an avid reader, I am always looking for a new book. I like the light, beachy reads as my favorite place to read is on the beach (Coronado, CA) or floating in the backyard pool.
What I am reading now:
Summer at Oyster Bay by Jenny Hale
The Little French Guesthouse by Helen Pollard
By the Numbers by Jen Lancaster
I just finished:
Destiny Unleashed by Sherryl Woods
Those Summer Nights by Mandy Baggott
Here's To Us by Elin Hilderbrand
What I am making: I am currently knitting a baby blanket for a baby boy. I thought it was a girl so I am almost finished with the girl blanket, just need to weave in the ends. But I checked to make sure I was doing the right gender and I was doing the wrong gender so I finished that girl blanket and just started the boy blanket. I guess I need to listen closer next time. I am not as scatterbrained as I may seem, this baby-to-be is in Denver and so I do not see the Mom-to-Be. I asked and I thought my brain registered the right gender but it did not work.
Later this month: A family birthday party, Beach décor at home, Getting ready for the beach vacation
