One PRODUCTIVE Weekend!

I started my Saturday at 5:30 a.m. in my scrapbook room. I got so much done. I feel good.

Here's the rundown:
I finished my layout for AYear of Memories
vacuumed out the closet and moved everything back in
organized my room
designed 2 titles on my Gypsy
sorted a bunch of pictures
went for hair cut, perm and color
put together kits for Feb. AYM/Guys
put together kits for Feb. AYM/Beginners
typed up the instruction sheets for both kits
tacked up dust ruffle in the guest room with some awesome new dust ruffle tacks (it takes so little to make me happy)
wrote a letter to an old friend of my mother's
cooked a meal
scrubbed the stove where the potatoes ran over
stitched on my new project (sorry Connie, I'm ahead already)
refilled my travel toiletry kit from St. Louis (the only thing I didn't put away last week)
put away a huge stack of clothes from the laundry room piled up since before Christmas
read over 100 pages in my book
made my "one little word" journal and brought it up to date
went to church
sewed on two "flowers" that had fallen off my scarf

Gosh, now that I have it all down, it doesn't seem like much. Now I don't feel so good after all.

"What I APPRECIATED Today!"

I promise that I am not going to do this everyday---well, actually, yes I am, but just not here. Today, I appreciated my Earl Grey Supreme tea by Harney and Sons http://www.harney.com//Earl-Grey-Supreme/products/56/. It's a treat to start my day---no bags for me---I like it brewed from leaves. I also appreciated the fact that Butch made breakfast for all of us (including Mindy) since I was in my scrapbook room since 5:30 a.m. Mornings are my prime working time. I can get so much done without interruptions.

I appreciate that he went to the grocery store, picked up a box of wine for me, picked the girls up from school, brought his shop vac upstairs for me so I can vacuum out the attic (which I'm sure he would have done if I'd asked him---but sometimes I feel like I might be taking advantage of him) and carried in a load of wood so I can have my nightly fire. Basically, I appreciate my retriever! Then he quizzed me about the charges to our debit account---retrieving the mail has got to stop. That's when I had to revert to my New Year's resolution---thank God he's here to aggravate me!

Lastly, I appreciate the fact that my cousin, Judy, is joining me on this "one little word" journey. I kinda wish I woulda thought of her word. It states more clearly what I'm trying to accomplish with mine.

Judy, a tip for you----I've started a small notebook that I can list the things I appreciate each day. I do plan to make a scrapbook layout about my word---maybe several pages or even a whole book to encompass the little things I appreciate in my life complete with pictures.
Here's what Judy had to say:

My word for 2011 is GRATITUDE.

I am so grateful for so many things that it will be interesting to see how many I really will have at the end of the year. My first one is my gratitude to you for getting me started in scrapbooking because it truly is a great passtime to have in retirement and all the things I have done before this year means so much to me.

I going to look into the website and maybe join up.

Thanks Judy

There's still time for you to pick your own word!

"I Gave My Tooth to Science!"

If you did too, then you might be interested in the excerpts from this article published in the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Some of us were just talking recently about how many people were developing cancer without any family history. Maybe this helps to explain it.

By the mid-1950s, the U.S. and Soviet Union had detonated some 420 nuclear explosions in the atmosphere. From Nevada, prevailing winds blew radioactive clouds to St. Louis and on to the eastern seaboard.

A group of prominent scientists at Washington University, including Louise and Eric Reiss and Barry Commoner, founded the Greater St. Louis Citizen's Committee for Nuclear Information.

They decided to conduct a neutral study and let the facts speak for themselves. They hit on the idea of testing children's baby teeth for strontium 90, a radioactive byproduct of atomic bombs.

Louise Reiss was named project director.

The group faced an immediate problem: many children put their baby teeth under their pillows knowing they'd awaken to find a quarter.

Dr. Reiss and her co-workers visited hundreds of schools, churches, Scout groups, YMCAs and YWCAs.

They taught children and parents how to mail their newly fallen baby teeth to the scientific committee along with a form.

In return, each child received a button that said, "I gave my tooth to science."

Dr. Reiss published her findings in Science Magazine in 1961. She found an enormous buildup of radioactive fallout in the treated baby teeth.

Soon after, young Eric Reiss recalls answering the phone at home:

"This is John Kennedy, can I talk to your mom?"

President Kennedy had been closely following the study. He used the results to stop above-ground nuclear testing in the U.S. and to persuade the Soviet Union to do likewise.

Joe Mangano, executive director of the Radiation and Public Health Project, has continued testing some of the teeth from the St. Louis study.

The results may help explain why 40 percent of Americans will develop cancer some time in their lives, although many have no known risk factors, he says.

Pretty scary if you ask me.

What I APPRECIATED Today!

Today I paid attention and really appreciated the following things:

Mindy stopping by for breakfast and made her lunch, but DIDN'T get ready here. (Just joking---sort of).

Butch letting  me use his new car with the heated seats and auto door unlock when you approach the car. My car is still in the shop---it's not looking good for a new jeep.

Coming in first at the bridge table (nice follow up to coming in first at our big Christmas game in December which won us first prize). Great way to start the new year.

Changing into my jammies, reading and napping on the couch.

My nightly glass of red wine in front of a warm fire with lit candles.

What I will appreciate later:

When Butch goes to bed and I get the t.v.

"One Little Word 2011"

I'm taking an online scrapbook workshop this year called "One Little Word 2011." Check it out here: http://www.bigpictureclasses.com/onelittleword.php

I've taken classes from Ali before and even had the opportunity to take one "live" in Pennsylvania a few years ago. I always get something out of her classes. In fact, I have to say that she's the one that made me really change my way of thinking about my scrapbooking. Because of her, I'm totally into "storytelling" with the pictures being the supporting material instead of the other way around. It's about feeling and appreciating and thinking about what's most important to me. It's about being aware of the everyday. Everyday moments are what make up our lives. Sure, the big things are important too, but it's the little stuff that seems most interesting to me. As a matter of fact, my blog is just an extension of my scrapbooking. Each year, I have my blog made into a hardback book (well, this is my 2nd one). I love that. For my blogger family and friends, check it out here:
http://blog2print.sharedbook.com/blogworld/printmyblog/index.html

The cost is based on the number of pages and pictures. It's pretty cheap.

Back to my "one little word" for 2011. The word I've picked is APPRECIATE. Actually, it's "one BIG word." I'm going to try to really focus on that this year. I want to appreciate everyone in my life. I want to appreciate all the little things that make up my life. I want to appreciate it ALL. I'd say that's pretty much what my New Year's resolution is all about. Just appreciating it all. By the end of the year, I will have completed an album based on what I took the time to appreciate in 2011.

Even if you don't want to sign up for the workshop, why don't you pick a word and join me? We can share what our words mean to us as the year goes along. How about it? "Anyone, anyone" (Ferris Bueller's Day Off).

Random Photos from the Christmas Holidays

So who in the world would use my pool glasses at Christmas? There's something just not right about that. Seems like when the whole family is here, all glasses are fair game!

 The younger part of the winning "Team Eads"---all in our red at the 5th annual Family Trivia Party.

 This is the title page for "A Year of Memories" that we completed in December.

 This is the finished project---Jackie and Greg's newly remodeled kitchen. My brother, Ronnie did just about all of the work---with Greg, of course. I asked Greg how that went. He said that they "chatted" (if that's what men do) for about 10 minutes. Then the rest of the job was complete silence. This job required moving walls, floors, plumbing---just about everything was re-done. I love the glass tiles. The room is so much more open and functional than it was before.

 The refrigerator was our wedding gift to them.

 Mindy came in town to spend New Year's Eve with Jackie. Little did they know that they would be without power due to the tornado. They ended up going to Ronnie and Janet's to get ready.

 Aunt Marie was hosting a dinner party for friends on New Year's Eve. Butch and I stopped by to have a drink with all of them before going to Jeanne's for our party.

 Fancy napkin fold with a poinsetta bloom tucked inside---very pretty.

 Christmas bulbs look good in just about any container. Makes everything more festive.

 I love these chair bookends that Sandy gave me for Christmas. I really made a haul this year. I only snapped a few photos as I had already put everything away before I thought about it.

 This is a "sit-upon" to use while stitching. It's supposed to relieve back ache and tension. The jury's still out on this one.

 Chris gave me this gorgeous doily---handmade---direct from Germany from their recent trip. It is so intricate and beautiful. The picture doesn't do it justice.

 The accompanying brochure is just as beautiful---but sadly, all in German so I can't read it. Hey maybe Mindy can read it---after all, she had 7 years of German!

Darn, I thought I had rotated this photo. This is the care label for the doily. I don't know what 30 degrees equals in fahrenheit but I think I can figure out what ironing on the left side means---most likely it means to iron on the "wrong" side.

Our trip to St. Louis was a lot of fun. We arrived on Wednesday and had dinner with Walter and Chris at the new Italian restaurant, Charlie Guido's. Afterwards, I went to Jeanne's and had a really fun visit with Janet, Judy and Chrissy. I loved seeing Jeanne's house decorated for Christmas. I should have taken some pictures.

On Thursday, Jeanne and I spent the day together, antiquing and having lunch. Thursday night, Chris and I went to see Tran Siberian Orchestra. It was fabulous. I hadn't seen them in about 5 or 6 years. I was just sorry that Ranya didn't play with them this year. She plays the cello and has performed with them for the past 5 years. The concert was 3 hours long. It is a rock concert of mammoth proportions!

Friday, I picked Mindy up from the airport. We dodged a tornado (barely) and had lunch on "the hill" with Jackie, Greg, Ron and Janet. We spent New Year's Eve with Jeanne, Jim, Ron, Janet, Matt, Sharon, Jess, Mike and Max. We played poker all night and had a great time---even though I lost $10.00. Butch said he lost about the same amount. Mom's red poker purse didn't bring me luck. Maybe next time---I'm not giving up on her yet.

The holidays are over. I did purchase a new Christmas tree for next year. The one I've had for the past 15 years is just plain tired and looked it---and was shedding badly. Ditto the garland in the entry. The new tree is another 9 footer and is flocked. I was pretty excited about it, but Butch moaned, Mindy made a face, the little girls didn't react, but when pressed, said they didn't like those. The only one that seems excited is Stephanie. Maybe she'll be the only one I let sit in the living room next year. I have visions of how beautiful it's going to be.

After all the partying, it's hard to believe that it's time for the next party---my birthday. Usually it creeps up on me. But this year, all the gifts have started to roll in---and it's only January 4th!!! So far, I've gotten  a gift card from Talbots for 15% off my purchase (not good enough---so I won't use this one), $10 gift card from Macy's, $20 gift card from Coldwater Creek, a free calculator and pen set plus 20% off my entire purchase at Katy's Hallmark, a gift card for a free order of Bang Bang Shrimp from the Bonefish Grill and an email letting me know that my gift card for a free drink from Starbucks is on the way. No telling how much more free stuff I'll be getting. I'll let you know.

That Didn't Take Long!

It's only January 2, 2011 and I've already broken my New Year's resolution. I learned several years ago, that I don't need to set myself up for failure each year. It's kind of depressing. So, instead, I make resolutions that I know I can really keep---like---keeping my closet organized---that was a cinch---visiting my mom at least 4 times a year---another easy one---not giving in to my urge to get a dog---easy peasy---and keeping my drinking under control---really, really, really easy.

This year, I actually made my resolution last Wednesday when we were getting ready to go to St. Louis. The morning started out something like this: Butch woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Before even a "good morning", the complaining started---"don't light that candle, it's nauseating me!"---"don't throw that turkey away, I'm making a sandwich for the trip. We're not stopping for burgers!" Mindy had just arrived after working out to get ready for work and have breakfast. She looked at me and said, "gosh mom, looks like it's going to be a fun trip." Normally, Butch is pretty even tempered. I attributed this abnormal morning crabbiness to his late night watching of the Missouri football game---which they lost---badly. (Jeanne, just goes to show, that we Zimmermann's don't have the market cornered on "crabbiness!").

After nearly 40 years of marriage, I know just how to handle him. Ignore him. Especially if I want him to "get over it." If I react---which I am prone to do---and argue with him, it just gets both of us worked up. That's when I decided what my New Year's resolution would be. Every time I get aggravated with him for anything---big or small, I'm going to say to myself, "thank God he's here to aggravate me." Sounded like a pretty good plan to me.

On the way home from St. Louis today, we were sharing our resolutions. Butch has set himself up for failure. Mindy is going to run in 3 marathons this year---she'll do it. She's been training for nearly 2 months now and is signed up for the New Orleans marathon in February. As for me, I told them what I was doing. Little did I know that I was going to be put to the test so soon.

When we got home, I unloaded my suitcase and decided to start the laundry. When I went into the laundry room, I saw a pile of clothes on top of the dryer and a pile of clothes in a laundry basket. I asked Butch if they were clean or dirty. He said they were clean. OMG! That is probably my biggest pet peeve. Taking clothes out of the dryer----but not folding them leaves them a huge wrinkled mess. I started to lose it---"why would you put clean clothes in a basket?" He said, "well, SOMEONE left clothes in the washer that needed to be put in the dryer!" Notice he completely dodged the question? Instead of ranting and asking in a smart alecky way, which I would have done if it weren't for my New Year's resolution, "why wouldn't you just go ahead and fold the clothes? It doesn't help me in any way to cram clean clothes in a basket!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" (insert quadruple expletives here----even if I would never say anything like that out loud)---I choked back the words and prayed silently, "thank God he's here to aggravate me, thank God he's here to aggravate me, thank God he's here to aggravate me." Soon that morphed to "thank you God for keeping me from wringing his neck, thank you God for keeping me from wringing his neck." I guess if it's just in my mind, I haven't technically broken my resolution---yet. I'm starting to feel like I've set myself up for failure after all!

Pictures coming tomorrow!