Sunday Post

I believe this delightful format for a Sunday post originated with ibeeeg of Polishing Mud Balls, and I have also enjoyed reading similar updates from Suey of It's All About Books and Jenny of Alternate Readality.  So, yes, I'm being a shameless copycat.

It's one of those things you, dear reader, can choose to ignore, but something I would love to do for personal reasons.  I've never been good at keeping a journal, and I don't have a good track record for things that are done on a regular basis, but I'm going to try:

Outside my window: I actually can't see outside the window right now.  We tried to black everything out for our Harry Potter movie marathon to make it more like a movie theatre.  It's probably just as well, because our backyard is in miserable shape.

I am listening to:   This week I've been listening to Christina Perri's album, Lovestrong, which my daughter bought.  Score!  So awesome to acquire good music that I didn't have to pay for myself.  I didn't realize I would like it so much.  This one is my favorite:




I am watching:  We're still in the midst of the HP marathon.  Truth be told, I haven't done much watching.  I've done a lot of cooking, some reading, some blogging, some cleaning, and have decided I'd rather listen to all of the audio books before I really sit down and watch the movies.  So I may not see HP7 Part 2 for another month.

I am thinking:  Wow, my brain is always a chaotic mess of thoughts, but if you ask me what I'm thinking, I couldn't tell you.

I am grateful for:  LASIK eye surgery.  I just had it done this past Tuesday, and although things aren't perfect yet, I am walking around each day with out the help of contacts or glasses.  It's pretty amazing.

I am reading:
1.  Dune by Frank Herbert.  Part of a fantastic group read.
2.  The Once and Future King by T.H. White.  This was originally four separate books, so I've been taking long breaks between each section.  I'm not loving it, but it's getting better as it goes.
3.  Pastures of Heaven by John Steinbeck.  I just finished this collection of short stories last night.  Quite entertaining.  I love Steinbeck.
4.  A guide to Seattle for an upcoming trip there.  I'm probably learning more than I need to about Seattle, since we'll actually be spending more time at Olympic National Park.  But it's very readable and has great pictures. 
5.  A photography book.  I have a great camera that I need to learn how to use better.

I am photographing:  This is actually from a few weeks ago but it's one of my favorite recent pictures because of the looks on my kids faces.  My daughter is yelling at my son for letting go of the handle on this Pacific Spin ride (he should be holding on to that open blue handle) and he is obviously finding it pretty funny.   So typical.

 
I am listing:  Cleaning projects.  

I am creating:  Well, I have an Independence Day project that I have the materials for but haven't made.  But it's still July.  I think I can do it.  It involves cutting and sanding wood and first it was just too dang hot, and then I had the eye surgery.  Maybe this week...


To live my faith:  This may be the same every week--love and respect those around me.

I am hoping and praying:  I don't know about praying, but I'm hoping that I can find some way to get decent seats to a Death Cab for Cutie concert.  I didn't get tickets when they first went on sale because I had just bought my husband tickets to see Les Miserables, and didn't want to spend any more money.  Now there are only horrible seats left.  Maybe I can win a contest.  I haven't gone to concerts for years, and I think this is part of my mid-life crisis.  Just went to U2, have Pat Benatar coming up, and I just want more, more, more!
As far as praying, these days I mostly just say what I'm thankful for.  I'm pretty blessed already.  I usually do pray that I can be a better person, but the specifics of that request could go on for hours, so I just keep it brief.  I think as you get older you realize you have character flaws that are just a permanent fixture of your personality, and you just have to accept it and do your best to compensate in other areas, and also be understanding of those flaws in others.


Around the house:  Well, to pick one thing, our refrigerator is resembling a Rube-Goldberg device and I need to do something about it before someone gets hurt.

From the kitchen:  Right now I've got a "potion" in the works--a green punch to go with HP6 which is on right now.  Other HP foods we've enjoyed this weekend (healthiness was not a goal):
HP1:  Waffles (like chess boards) with strawberries and whipped cream, donut holes (kind of like the snitch)
HP2:  Gummy worms (like snakes/ basilisk)
HP3:  Pizza (just easy) and rootbeer (close enough to butterbeer for me)
HP4:  Tri-Chip Feast in goblets (like the Tri-Wizard Tournament and Goblet of Fire)
HP5:  Taco Soup (in the crockpot-our cauldron)
HP 6:  Green punch
HP7:  Pretzels (the Elder wand)

One of my favorite things: National Parks (and hiking in National Parks).   And I'm going to be visiting a new one in a couple of weeks.  Yay!

The children this week:  Fratricide prevention. And whatever you call it when it involves a sister.  Summer break is almost over...


Plans for the week:  Lots of cleaning that hasn't gotten done in the craziness of the last few months, school shopping, appointments, birthdays, laundry.   I feel very boring.  Maybe I'm forgetting something.  I'll read of course.

On (or around) this date:  I reviewed one of my favorite books ever, All the King's Men.  It knocked my socks off.