Shhh! Don't Tell the Kids

After a lively family discussion over dinner last night, I have finalized this summer's list of 101 Things to Do.

As a family we chose the democratic way to decide which items we'd like to do again and which ones we didn't. For an item to stay on the list 3 or more people needed to vote for it. Since I made last year's list it was no surprise that there where few things I didn't want to do again. Becca decided to form a female alliance with me and voted for everything I did. (I just love her!) John was easy to persuade to join the female alliance with a quick kick to the shins when he didn't raise his hand fast enough. Surprising to me was that they boys didn't want to redo a lot of the same items. Like RUN THROUGH A SPRINKLER. How can you NOT run through a sprinkler at least once during the summer??? Dan did say he was saving his energy for a good item. (I didn't realize raising our hands would expend as much energy as Dan felt it did.) A lot are the same things from last year but with them being generalized it'll be easy to make them new and exciting this year. For example, VISIT A ZOO. Last year we went to Buttonwood Zoo. In our discussion last night, the family decided we'd like to go to Franklin Park Zoo. Another example, GO TO AN OLD BEACH could be last year's new beach item.

After clearing out items we didn't want to do again, it was time to add some new ones to the list. The gang tossed out a few good ideas. We added PADDLE A WATER CRAFT, CREATE A SECRET CODE GAME and BUILD A FORT. We also had some crazy ideas tossed out : VISIT LOUISIANA, GO TO DISNEY WORLD and BUILD A POOL IN THE BACKYARD. Thank goodness as Executive List Creator I have veto rights because these ones didn't make the list.
I finished up the list with some of my own ideas. I need to keep some of the summer fun a surprise! Some are specific to trips I have planned, like EXPLORE A CAVE (we're going to Lincoln, NH so I hope to visit Lost River), PHOTOGRAPH A TALL SHIP (heading to Boston for Harbor fest when the tall ships are in town) and HAVE YOUR NAME ANNOUNCED AT A PAWSOX GAME (have tickets for Becca's birthday).

Check the link to the right to see the full list. (Just don't tell the kids yet.)

I can't wait for the summer to start. 18 days to go!

Spring Cleaning Means Less Scrapping

Whew! I'm exhausted and it's not because I've been up late scrapping either. Nope, it's from spring cleaning. John's on vacation this week, we're cleaning out the house and we're having a yard sale on Saturday.

It's amazing how quickly stuff accumulates. I feel like junk just multiples in my house like bunny rabbits. We live in a house with only 900 sq feet of living space. I think 750 feet of it is filled with non-essential stuff. I was daydreaming yesterday that it would be nice to get a fire hose and just wash everything out and start over fresh with so much less.

After this week I have to concentrate on organizing what I want to bring with me to my Maine scrapbooking weekend retreat. I can't wait! Three whole days of non-stop scrapping with my sister. I haven't been to a weekend crop in over a year. Things have been so crazy and hectic here that I really need it.

I've been trying to figure out what I want to work on. My Europe album WILL be done by then. (Positive thinking and fingers crossed.) I really would like to get my album from last summer's 101 Summer Things to Do done. I wanted to make it a quick album so I made it in an album that has all 4x6 photo pockets. All I had to do was print the photos, organize them, slide them into the pockets, journal, and add some embellishments. I had the photos printed, organized and into the album by last October but just need the time to do the journaling. I have 101 different things to talk about so every page is going to have journaling. I love to journal so that's not the problem. The problem is I just need some uninterrupted time to get it done. If I can get Printshop downloaded onto my laptop I'm going to plan on bringing this and my printer so I can get it done. I only have two months left before 2012's list of 101 Summer Things to Do and I can't still be working on last year's or else my stories will get all mushed together.