Vacation: Day 6

Christmas already? HECK YES! I painted Santa Ornaments like these over 17 years ago and family members and friends have been asking me to make some for them for many years. Problem! It is harder to find the necessary bark needed to make these one of kind jolly old men. Even though there are pine trees a plenty if I follow the 18 up to Pine Land I am not willing to strip a living tree of its natural warm sweater just to decorate a fake tree for one month. But I lucked out this week. There are huge Eucalyptus trees outside my daughters dance studio and there was TONS of bark on the ground. It was a bark free for all. I did learn one thing using a new type of bark, Eucalyptus bark curls when it gets wet. So now I have curly little chubby Santa personalities. I will make more as time goes on but for now I just finished the little guys above. I think I will proclaim this Christmas as a Folk Art Christmas!!!

Vacation: Day 5

Nothing to share regarding Vacation Day #5. Hung out at home and then took Steph to Ballet class. Restful day!

Picture is of my herb garden gone wild. I have more basil then I know what to do with. Guess I have to cook more.

Vacation: Day 4

I LEFT THE HOUSE TODAY!!! Yes, my highlight consisted of getting to walk through Wal-Mart and grocery shop. But, I did get a little creative today. I had an idea to make magnates based on the love of my friends and so I did a trial and error and made a few (please see photo). I just wanted to stay busy and not idol. Today I want to be witty regarding the freakishly interesting characters that hang out in Wal-Mart and joke about the skittish tendencies of my daughter and I regarding the wasps making their home above our front door but I'll just stick to the flying deamons today.

Star Wars and the Demon Wasps

It is comedy to watch Stephanie and I go out the back door and all the way around the house just to get to the car so we can avoid the dive bombing wasps that are infiltrating through the crack under our front door. Wal-Mart provided me with the killing wasp spray but believe me, I'm to lazy to go through the back door, find my way around the house and become the Darth Vader of Wasps. Funny thought: Star Wars Wasps - Luke Hornetwalker, Han Stinger Solo, Chewbacca Hairy Hornet and Princess Leia of the Lair and me as the blond Darth Vader shooting a death ray purchased at a freakish Wal-Mart which closely compares to the Mos Eisley Cantina . Maybe tomorrow I can find my way through the galaxy of the wasp and find refuge 15 feet way in my car.

This vacation is making me loose my senses.

Vacation: Day 3

I'M BORED, this vacation took a wrong turn somewhere between the 10th episode of NCIS and Saturday's lasagna. Sounds like the typical American vacation, food and television. The only way I've been keeping myself busy is by finding multiple reasons to cook, bake and eat. This is not a good way to occupy time nor fulfill my longing for dinner on a tropical island over looking sandy beaches. NOW THAT WOULD BE A VACATION. Compromise and reason, I need to understand this time off was not scheduled for fun but to merely deflect daycare costs. I have cookies in the oven, big, huge, chewy molasses cookies in the oven and another episode of NCIS is starting. I'm coming Gibbs, don't start without me.

I hope I can find something to do tomorrow.

Vacation: Day 2

Please Universe give me strength to get motivated. I've been sitting in front of the computer for about 3 hours doing various tasks. I swear I have grown Plastic Man fingers and they are connected to the keyboard. I am ADDICTED!!! First, I decided that I will make grocery shopping an adventure this week. The challenge, to come up with 14 different recipes while testing my budgeting skills. I took it over the top. WAY OVER THE TOP. I spent a whole 2 hours developing a menu and shopping list. I never knew that developing my own recipe for Shepard's Pie was going to keep me as occupied as 7 year old boys in mud. Browsing the Internet for recipes should be an Olympic sport. I could medal in gold cheese rounds. Second, I've decided to start crafting earlier than normal. We do have a little less than 6 months before Christmas so I thought this year I would make sets of vintage magnets and finally make more of my wooden Santa ornaments due to the overwhelming want by others. This vacation is the best time to start. So I spent another hour cruising for some vintage photographs to provide me with inspiration. If I can find my spunk and motivation then I will have pictures closer to the end of the week but don't hold your breath.

Lasagna last night and homemade chicken pot pie tonight................I win the gold cheese wheel of victory.

Vacation: Day 1

In hopes in making this vacation relevant I've decide to discuss the craziness of the week in the Smith family. Think of it as preserving moments that we (I) take for granted during the hustle and bustle of normality.

Day Numero Uno: Saturday

I hit the pillow last night excited that I had the opportunity to view the back of my eyelids later than usual the next morning. Time passes and the earth turns and with one eye open I see the searing glare of the alarm clock with a devilish hue of red laughing 5:30 at me. Really? I got up even earlier than I usually do on a work day. I laid there in bed thinking that maybe I was just excited to start my day completely owned by me. So off I went to start my morning, breakfast, the news, coffee, cleanliness and off to Stephanie's vocal lessons. Five hours into my Saturday and I had accomplished more luxury than I have allowed myself in the past month. Perfection.

Smells Good, What's in the Oven?

Yes, I even BAKED after Steph's class. Banana bread anyone? I am also 97% sure that I making lasagna for dinner. That is if I have the energy because at the moment, 1:36 pm, my pillow is beckoning for me to take a nap. NAP, what is a nap? Well, I for sure plan on finding out at soon as I leave this addictive keyboard.

I hear Wii Resort in the other room and cheering which means people are happy and that means I can sneak off and catch a couple of winks.

Possible lasagna pictures to follow.................... VACATION, it's just so simple.

The Final Count Down

Vacation! The count down begins. I officially begin vacation on Friday night at 4:01 pm. Swimming, sleeping in LATE, staying up LATE, and doing whatever my little one and I want to do. So I will watch the clock tick by hopefully quickly as I clean up my desk as much as I can and sprint home to spend an evening with a good friend, a chicken and 2 pairs of walking shoes.

Anyone have any ideas on what we can do during the next week?