Backyard Project

Behold the door to nowhere!  These french doors were added before there was any place to enjoy

The door used to be a window, so it had to go

Here's the lovely paradise that awaits outside the doors

Everyone loves walking out and enjoying the majesty of  the washing machine water line

Well, at least there is a fence up now, and thank heavens Carson can supervise

and Cookie is dog-tired after a busy day of helping

Master Bathroom

We decided to replace the countertop in the master bathroom, plus the tiles in the shower

Gotta admit, it looks incredibly better, especially with new lighting and faucets

The shower is new and shiny too, plus we added a tube light above the tub, so in the summer, I don't even need to turn on the light

Simple Steps: 10 Weeks to Getting Control of Your Life

Simple Steps -- Weeks 4&5

WEEK FOUR:
13.  Good fats - natural foods, not processed
eat fish at least once a week

14.  Kitchen dancing - listen to upbeat music & dance along

15.  Clean fridge and pantry - empty out, dump expired food, then wipe down everything before putting food back in

16.  Brush & floss daily

WEEK FIVE:
17.  Reduce caffeine intake - be aware of caffeine in drinks

18.  Yoga - 15 minutes a day to balance mind and body, reduce pain, and increase metabolism

19.  Mail Pile - organize immediately instead of throwing it down & letting it pile up

20.  Daily Serenity Time - for 10 minutes a day, meditate and think happy thoughts

Kitchen & Dining Room

We've been busy over the past year... let's start with last summer, when we replaced the flooring in the ditchen & dining room.  The kitchen sink leaked and destroyed part of the flooring, so we decided to replace the laminate with hard wood...

The place was pretty nasty for a while...

We had to prop up the granite countertop since it was too hard to move, and everything else was shoved around.  It got me out of real cooking for a while; I was a bbq cookin' fool.

After ripping everything out, we replaced the sub-floor and levelled out the kitchen & dining room.  Chase is lying down where the worst of the damage was... the old floor literally crumbled away... Blech!  You couldn't pay me to pose there even after the redo.

Lanea & I repainted the walls in Muted Gold and North Sea.  Afterwards we were afraid that it was going to look a little too "Halloween", but I like it.  (But check out that nasty floor!)

Lookin' a lot cleaner...

Hmm... the colors hopefully match better in real life than in this photo... the backsplash tile looks a little funky here.

Here's Carson's contribution to the project... posing in the finished dining room.

Simple Steps: 10 Weeks to Getting Control of Your Life

Simple Steps: Week 3
9.  Vitamins - especially Calcium & Iron
despite eating well, daily multivitamins are important

10.  Posture and Breathing
Awareness is the key to good posture... remember the old "string coming out of your head" to hold you up ?
Good posture can prevent digestion and back problems -- even breathing can also promote mental clarity
Yoga helps develop both

11.  Desktop
A clean desktop increases productivity, decreases stress
Divide piles into: Dump -- Do -- Delegate -- Decide
Remaining "Do" pile divided into: Mail/Correspondence, Projects/Misc., & Reading

12.  Daily Cleansing Routine & Sunscreen
Wash & moisturize your face every day

High Adventure

The boys once again went to the coast for some crabbin'... last year EVERYONE got seasick! And from the looks of this picture, Michael was reliving it :)

Thankfully, a good time was had by all, and they got rid of the undersize crabs...

Spent some time at the beach as well.  I guess Jordan got a little cold, so the boys decided to make a sand blanket for him, while his "friend" looked the other way...

Time flew for the boys at Evergreen Space Museum

Donovan can be intense, but no one knew how much until he started the interactive games... They realized that he's someone you want on your side when weapons are involved

The big boys got a chance to show off their shootin' skills too.  I think they would have been pouty if they were forced to watch from the sidelines

Nothin' like shootin' stuff to bring families together

Simple Steps: 10 Weeks to Getting Control of Your Life

Simple Steps (continued)

Food Journaling
People tend to underestimate what they're eating by over 1000 calories
Gauge food allergies by looking at what is eaten when getting headaches, etc.
Record what you are eating AND what mood you are in when you are eating (right after you eat, not at the end of the day)

Isometrics - muscle contraction exercises
Do isometric exercises every day --- can help shape and tone
Concentrate on one muscle group at a time, and a different muscle group every day
Post a note that says "squeeze" somewhere that will remind yourself

Laundry System
Organize and maintain a routine to reduce stress

Daily Planning
Plan a to-do list for every day --- can prioritize and see what we've accomplished each day
Order according to priority, so that what needs to be done is accomplished first
Have a deadline for each item --- don't make your list too long
Include exercise, water, and daily consistent goals, while also having one free day

Guess Who's A Silver Beaver? (No, not me!)

Saturday afternoon in Pasco, WA, Ariel received his Silver Beaver award.  I tried to convince him that this one was too big, but he was soooo excited...

Okay, this medal is a more reasonable size...

And here's a picture with the happy mama and papa beaver :)

NutureShock

NutureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman

The authors take common parenting beliefs & study the scientific research to see if these theories are helpful to children.

I'm listening to this audio book right now.  So far, I am fascinated.  The first chapter is about children being told they are smart versus being told they are hard workers.  The research shows that those who are told they are smart give up easier and don't put in as much effort.  Children who are complimented on their effort are more likely to tackle harder problems and not give up.  My favorite part is reminding children that their brains are muscles... the more you use your brain, the stronger it becomes. (I think my brain is getting flabby)

The second chapter is about getting enough sleep.  Under 8 hours of sleep causes problems with focusing and feeling overwhelmed, as well as obesity.   Dropping under eight hours of sleep for high school students doubled the rate of clinical depression.  Some schools have actually seen fewer car accidents and higher grades when school begins after 8am.  Also, even changing sleep patterns on the weekends cause children's I.Q.s to drop.  Sleep helps brain cells to regenerate & process.  Even SAT scores rise dramatically in children who get enough sleep.  (Someone in this house sleeps enough to be a genius... I'm not naming names)

Simple Steps: 10 Weeks to Getting Control of Your Life

Week One:

1. Drink 8 cups of water each day
          Drink water throughout the day so that your body absorbs some of the water, instead of flushing water out of your system
          Drink 12 cups if trying to lose weight

2. Walk for 20 minutes each day
          Add to already existing exercise routine, not in place of current exercise
          Wear walking, not jogging shoes

3.Clean out a drawer, cabinet, or closet each week
          See the connection between disorganization & stress, and imagine your house clean & neat, with everything having a logical place
          Clean for a half an hour at a time, empty contents completely and clean inside before returning wanted objects, and take away items not used in over a year
          Plan organizing around trash pickup day, & schedule cleanup to keep focus away from food (instead of snacking)
          Recycle -- Relocate -- Discard
4. Money --- Start saving at least $2 each week
          Say no to one impulse purchase every day, learn the difference between wanting and needing
          Instead of eating out once a week, eat out once a month
          Make a plan for how to spend rainy day bank at end of the year (invest or spend)

June Gratitude Haiku

No snow on the mount

Gardening can truly start

The weeds are worth it

Three days left of school

I will not miss some students

Five days more alone

Wood flooring is done

Yes I mean done not finished

Please no more rehab