Finally a picture!

I framed the baby sampler yesterday - the baby's first birthday just passed so I thought this would be a good gift for her. I decorated the matte a bit because it just looked so plain when it was just white.


in other news we just finished up our vacation last week to celebrate our 1 year anniversary! I can't believe it's been a year already! This time last year I was in Hawaii! Man how things change. This year we spent most of our vacation working on the house.. details with pictures to come of course! We also went down to NYC for 3 days (well really 1 day with travel on the other 2 days). And this week it's back to work and craziness but I'm just holding out for Labor Day weekend when we go camping with the whole family!

A wonderful weekend!

We worked on the house all weekend again, it was great. My husband installed the new bathroom window Saturday while I stripped paint off of the siding we removed. I also vacuumed the basement and sprayed it with a spider deterrent which will *crossing fingers* hopefully work!

Sunday the stripping paint work continued - as well as some sanding of the siding so it's ready for primer. I think I want to run over to buy some Benjamin Moore primer instead of the Behr we bought if I have time tomorrow when I'm working from home. Then we can prime the boards we have stripped so they're ready to go back up.

This week - the main goal is to get the house clean for company, just hitting every room with the vacuum and cleaning the bathroom, nothing fancy but just finding time for that alone will be tough with everything we have going on.

Running...

I haven't seriously worked out in over a year now. After the wedding craziness and the weight I lost on the honeymoon I wasn't in bad shape weight wise but this spring when I started trying to run outside I realized how out of shape I was - from the itching!

It turns out there's some condition that occurs in some people when they are out of shape - I'm susceptible because of my allergies and such anyway. So when I run or exercise hard and the blood is released into my muscles - it makes me itch -uncontrollably! I was allergic to exercise essentially!!!

So i did some research and the recommendation I found was to work up to running by walking. I've never been a big walker, it just wasn't much exercise for me - but I did it - 40 min a day for a couple days a week. Sometimes getting two walks in a day. I gave myself a goal that if I worked out 4 days a week for 4 weeks in a row I could get a massage. Now it's been since May that I made that goal and next week I'll finally hit 4 weeks in a row! But that doesn't mean I haven't been working out, just not as consistently as I wanted.

AND - as of yesterday - I can finally run! with no itching! I went for my walk and instantly just "wanted" to run, my body wanted it - so I did! My legs are a little sore today but I'm hoping to run again today! This will be a record week if I keep it up - since I hit 4 days yesterday (and I've been doing 2 walks a day a lot in the last few weeks).

So I'm back in physical shape enough to start really getting in shape and I'm very excited I just had to document it somewhere. There is hope and if I keep up the exercise I hope to get in good shape before winter laziness sets in :)

A weekend at my sister's house in the sweltering heat! Well the attic was definitely sweltering at least and that's where we were.

Projects included installing lights in a bedroom, closet and hallway. Installing outlets in 3 bedrooms. Installing a new light fixture in the hallway. - these projects were completed by my dad, my brother-in-law, my husband and I.

My husband also found time to cut down a small pine tree for them and my sister and mom worked in the gardens all weekend.

The weekend was rounded out by some good food and good conversation. We got home for dinner sunday night and have since been working on stripping paint from the siding we removed from the house and filling the nail holes.

This coming weekend will find us still stripping paint, also probably hitting the stripped siding with a sander and a coat of primer. My husband wants to try installing the bathroom window if we have time.

July Goals:
1) Finish baby sampler for coworker (frame) [nope - still need to buy a frame!]
2) Finish Leanne's Quilt block 9 [nope - no embroidery this month]
3) Start Leanne's Quilt block 10 [nope - no embroidery this month]
4) Work on Celtic Banner (Maine trip coming up!!!) [YES - more than expected!]
5) Wire bathroom and tv room [nope not yet]
6) Finish (stain/poly) new door for tv room [Yes]
7) Install new door in tv room [Yes]
8) Install fan/vent in bathroom [nope]
Other projects included removing the siding on the house and starting to strip that siding down so it can be reinstalled after the windows.


August Goals
1) Finish baby sampler for coworker (frame) - must get done now!
2) Install fan/vent in bathroom
3) Finish stripping paint off of siding
4) Prime siding
5) Install new windows
6) Replace siding around windows
7) Install electrical in tv room (exterior walls) and bathroom

This month it's all about the house - no real crafts going on, must focus!