Wow!

It's September! How did THAT happen??? It has been forever since I've written and that's because I've had so, so much on my mind and so much to do! I've been completely obsessed with getting organized and making my bedroom functional and beautiful and...now it is! I'm so pleased and satisfied with it. I learned a few things from the experience:

1. Curtains make a huge difference. Don't skimp on them.
2. Bookcases are essential...at least for me. Go overboard on those, too...at least if you're like me.
3. You know all that stupid stuff that accumulates and you have no where to put it? My solution was to take a 16-drawer craft dresser and label it with categories like "media" for old DV tapes or weird CDs and "travel" for the gps and the camera and headphones and stuff. There really is a place for everything now!
4. Furniture doesn't have to match. Just have something that coordinates everything - black and white helps!

So my room is under control and will, hopefully stay that way. We've also worked on every other room in the house. The garage is next!

Beyond that, I've been reading the prequel to Anne of Green Gables and am almost finished with it. Sometimes you just need a pageturner! Now I want to reread all the Anne books and watch the movies again. They make me so nostalgic!

I've also been planning Jhonen's birthday party and getting Ben his birthday presents and finding a cute outfit for my ten year high school reunion. So many little projects!

The theme of Jhonen's birthday is "Jhonen's favorite things from A-Z." I'm going to go find pictures of him from his first year that represent his favorite things. Here's the list I came up with:
*Animals*Bananas*Cookie Monster*Dinosaurs*Exploring*Fireworks
*Grandparents*Hulk Hair*Ice Cream*
Jingle dog*Kota, my pet dinosaur *Leela*Mmmmmm*Nooooo*Overeating*Pigeon (from Mo Willems books)*Quality Assurance*Remote Controls*Swimming with Mr. Bubbles*Teddy Bear Blankie*Upside down!*Vacation*Water books*XOXOXO*Yo Gabba Gabba*Zippers

Then I'm going to print out the pictures and use them as decorations for his party. His Aunt Jenny is getting him an adorable cupcake tower and we're going to have bubbles and swimming and snacks and presents. It should be fun.

In my dabbling news, I started an essay today that I might submit to a contest IF I can finish it in time. I have five days. May not happen...At least I'm working on it, though. I also started a poetry twitter account. I write a little poem each day, 140 characters exactly, about something I experienced the day before. I think it will teach me a little bit about poetry over the course of the year while also serving as a poetic journal of sorts. I also got my desk cleaned off and ready for some watercolor experimentation.

So luckily my absence from writing here is due to beinbg busy and not the opposite. I love a project...or 10!