Saturday Evening Post

Joe and I spent most of the day on Wednesday working on this puzzle. It was great fun but a huge challenge to do that middle part with all of the letters. Joe did most of the fun edges. I am loving this Suzy Toronto and her sayings. Here are the ones in the puzzle--

• Pretending to be a normal person day after day is exhausting.
• Always color outside the lines!
• I may do foolish things...but I do them with enthusiasm!
• Never underestimate the power of a Hissie Fit.
• Don't play it safe...Make Waves!
• Behind every successful woman is a substantial amount of Chocolate.
• Wish Hope Dream ...then make it happen
• If you keep reaching outside your comfort zone...One of these days you'll make it!
• When life becomes a rollercoaster, sit in the front seat, throw your arms in the air and enjoy the ride.
• Life is too short to wear pantyhose.
  
• Why be a queen when you can be a Goddess?
• If you want Rainbows you gotta have Rain
• Age is nothing but a state of mind
• A Wild Wacky Wonderful Woman lives here!
• Flip flops make your toes feel like they're on vacation.
• Anyone who says they don't need a Girlfriend...just hasn't found a good one yet!
• Art does not have to match your sofa

Grace has a photo editing app on her new iPod and made these fun collages.


If you are my friend on FB (I think most of my readers are) then my date with Justin Bieber is old news to you. I just had to put these pics on my blog anyway though because you know--I record my life on this blog and this was a big day. It's not every girl that gets to spend the afternoon with Justin. First we just hung around the house chatting and then we jumped on the trampoline, had a picnic, went for a bike ride, then played at the park, went for coffee, and then some froyo. It was a good day!

I watched the Justin Bieber movie on Wednesday and I have to say I'm quite taken with ol' Justin. He's a cutie and got a good heart and even prays before all his concerts. He's crazy talented but still just 16. I think he had fun on our date just getting to do normal stuff.
So, let's continue this post bullet point style--

• We are participating in a co-op next year for History and Literature and I needed to get about 30 paperback novels between Grace and Joe's class and Hannah's class. So, I've been hitting up used bookstores and thrift stores and friends. I scored with StephK and got every book I needed for G and J. Thank you Stephanie!!!! I haven't had much luck with finding books for Hannah's class in the bookstores but inevitably I still come out with no less than 3 books and usually more than that. I've found 2 Family Circus comic books (my fave as a kid and now Hannah's fave), a Puppy Place book for Grace, a few paperbacks for our trip for me, and some other random books that I thought the kids would like. I think it's time to do the rest of my shopping online, our bookshelves are overflowing as it is and I need to stay out of the used bookshops!
  
• Speaking of shopping online--I've just discovered half.com and I love it almost as much as I love Justin Bieber. You have to work at piecing together your books so as to buy from the least amount of sellers and save on shipping but that's actually kind of fun. The books are cheap and they have almost everything you could want. I'm hoping to get all of our curriculum for next year bought in the next day or two. I'm excited about what we are doing next year and can't wait for all the boxes to start arriving.
  
• It's that time of year again when I get to explain to people about why we have chosen not to use our A/C. I really don't like these conversations and avoid them at all costs but sometimes it comes up. Just for the record--I don't like living in FL without the air but I do like living debt free and summers are our lean months financially and utilities are pretty high in our town. And...I'd rather spend what little bit of money we have on things like the big road trip we are going on in a couple of weeks. So, yes, it's hot. Yes, I sweat. No, I don't like it. But--it is what it is so can we change the subject. :0)
• We are busy preparing for our big road trip coming up. We are tent camping our way up the east coast and across part of Canada before arriving in Wisconsin for Ollie's brother's wedding. We even bought a new tent (financed by not paying a huge electric bill)--this one folds up into a smaller bag which we needed since we have a smaller car. It's a great tent. Ollie and the kids camped out in the yard last weekend to test it out. I love the front door--it's hinged so it swings open and shut. Much easier for getting in and out.
  
• I'm reading Jodi Picoult's new book--Sing You Home. It's interesting--there is a lesbian couple in it along with an evangelical activist that is the kind that makes all christians look bad. I am sure this book will be sparking all sorts of conversation.
  
• I think that's about it... peace out my friends!