Number 9 (LIVE MUSIC)...checked off in August!

When I lived in Baltimore, I had a favorite local band...Love Riot. My weekend was perfect if I found that they were playing somewhere local! The members were cool, the music was rich, and the whole experience was heady. Ahh...great memories!!

So, it is no surprise that number nine on my list of 22 things was to go see live music. Well, I actually thought I'd go to a bar in Indy to hear a new band, but I did something even better!! I went to Lillith Fair in Chicago!

There were many performers, but here is Mary J. Blige...so eloquently smooth!!!

Sarah Mclaughlin singing..."I will remember you...." sing along..."in the arms of the angel..." Such a hauntingly beautiful voice...

The very cool thing was that I bought lawn tickets...(yes, I cheaped out)...and some guy came up to me and my bff and told us that we could have tickets that were right up front...like about the 12th row!!! We took them...and that, my friends, is how we have such great pictures of Sarah and the finale!

A great band experience (peformances by Heart, Courtyard Hounds --The old Dixie Chicks, and several others!!)...I'm going to put that on my list for next year too! :)

Incidentally, Love Riot is no longer a band...well, some of the members are a new band...called Milkshake. :) They are good too, but it just isn't the same.

NUMBER 22--CHECK!!

Number 22 on the list...Keep the house clean all week!
Well, no one thought it could be done....and I'll admit, I had my doubts too!

I did it.

I kept the house relatively clean ALL week!!

Here's proof...Sunday night at midnightish!

Okay, now...I've had my share of things to deal with this week...someone gave Sophie a popcorn popper for free at a yard sale...I heard popping, but found that Sophie was nowhere to be found...she was in the bathroom...when you have to go...you have to go...meanwhile, popcorn was popping out all over everywhere!!! :) A fun memory is better than a clean house, right?
Lesson from this week: A clean house is overrated...and kind of hard to do...memories are more fun to make and sustain! Anyway...we all made it and we lived to tell about it. I'm not sure it is good for the family when I'm serious about keeping things clean, that's all I'm saying.

Number 19!!! Check!

# 19...Cut fabric squares for "memory quilts" for the girls!!!

I did it! Oh my...I dreaded it too! I actually had no idea how long it would take, how many t-shirts they had for me to cut, and what the whole process might look like...but I just went for it. It was soooooo hot outside, so I just decided that I'd stay in. I had girls sleeping and hanging out in the living room. "Now is as good of a time as ever," I told myself. "Maybe I should just pick up the craft room instead," I decided. Well, one thing led to another and here I am with all of the quilt squares caught up!!! I'm not going to actually sew the quilt right now because there will be plenty of other things to cut and put into it, but WHEW!!! what a reliefI actually stopped dreading the cleaning, cutting, and organizing and started LIVING IN THE MOMENT and ENJOYING the 'RIGHT NOW'!!! Yahooo!
Luh-huh-hove when that happens!!

#16--Try a New restaurant

So, a new restaurant that I've driven by in West Lafayette, IN a bunch of times...(actually it has been when I'm leaving Chipotle!)...I thought this was going to be a big salad bar type of restaurant. It was, but it was SUSHI SALAD instead of lettuce, etc. I am hooked...of course, my first thought was how can I make this at home so that I can have it every night for dinner?! Then, I decided to just sit back and enjoy all of the yummy tastes...there were three sauces that they served with the sushi salad...a sweet and sour, wasabi, and a spicy something. I highly recommend Greensprout to everyone...but Pahleeese take me with you! Number 16 on my 22 before 44 list...done!

THE SEGWAY...number seven on my list...check!

The segway ride was excellent! I LOVE, love, loved it and was so sad that our short affair ended after only a few hours! First of all, check out the coolio helmet that I got to wear! It was all funky with flowers all over it...just totally set the tone for the great tour!

Our tour guide, Brian (sitting here chatting with us), said that segway withdrawal might occur for the remainder of the weekend...it did...he was right. But now, I look back on our relationship with only fond memories.














We had a brilliant tour of Chicago's lakeshore...got to see numerous wedding pictures being taken and qincenierra (I know I probably spelled that all wrong--sorry) pictures too!!

Here is SUE, the field museum's dino (by the way, did you know that the field museum is where Night at the museum was filmed???) I didn't...until the SEGWAY tour!

Finally, here is a picture from, hmmm...what was that island called...oh, I'm so bad with details...ummm...it was some cool island that isn't really an island...oh well, the views were pretty there...by the way, can you see the heat in the picture??? I can still feel it when I look at the photo!

So, for the record...number seven on my list of 22 before 44...check!!

22 Before 44!

You might be wondering why I'm not ambitious enough to do 44 things before I'm 44, right? The answer is simple...(say it with a whine) "I started late...!" So, without further explanation, I made a list of 22 things to accomplish before I'm 44. Here they are!

1. Organize and set up the garage as a studio space


2. Sew a book cover (I haven't attempted one...but I think they make a book so darned cute!)


3. Paint the laundry area of the basement (it is the most used and cruddiest part)


4. Redo my craft room (ORGANIZE is the key word here!)


5. Plant something


6. Try something new


7. Ride a segway


8. Lose 37 pounds


9. Go see live music


10. Start painting the chairs and stools that I have collected


11. Make the magnets that I've had brewing in my mind for years


12. Exercise


13. Do yoga


14. Take a picture each week (or many!)


15. Find a good skin/face lotion


16. Try a new restaurant


17. Try three new recipes with the girlie-poos (those are my daughters, Izzy and Sophie)


18. Have a party


19. Cut fabric for "memory quilts" for the girls


20. Take a class (finished with my masters...looking to take a personal interest class!)


21. Keep a journal with me at all times AND write in it!


22. Keep house clean for one week straight (I'm most worried about this one...my definition of clean is wavering--is that a bad sign?)

So, you can see that it is ambitious, but manageable. I will be 44 in October.

I want to document the process with photos, so I will post the pictures as I check things off. I'm going to make a book of the 22 things too...uh-oh...does that mean that it is actually 23 things?

On my list tonight...get a good night's sleep!

Love ya!