Quirky Quote

I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.
—Ashley Brilliant

Food for Thought

The main object in every school should be not to provide the children with means of earning a livelihood but to show them how to live a happy and worthy life inspired by ideas which exalt and dignify both labor and pleasure.
--Norton

7 Quick Takes Friday

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Wow. What a week. Crazy stuff has been happening around here. I thought summer was supposed to be a more laid-back season. Uh, yeah. Not so I've noticed. We have been going non-stop with no end in sight.

---2---

Bookaddict has graduated high school. Four down, six to go. She's planning to take a year off to pursue her writing. She's one of the most disciplined people I know when it comes to her writing. Almost every day, she's up before anyone else, working on it. My novel would be finished by now if I was that disciplined. Hmm. Something else to work on.

---3---

Bookaddict and Guitarzan are serving as interns at our church's summer camp. They are leaving Sunday and will essentially be gone until the end of July. We've been running hither and thither to make sure they have everything they need to that time. It's a wonderful program that provides leadership training and the opportunity to utilize what they've learned.

---4---

I have so many things I want to accomplish this summer. I have major house shoveling out, er, I mean, decluttering,  projects to do.The first one on the schedule is redoing the front room to make it a highly functional office/workspace. I have boxes to go through, bookshelves to assemble, craft and sewing stuff to organize, schoolbooks to shelve and supplies to organize. Oh, and I also have several boxes of papers to sort and file or shred. Ugh. It's going to be glorious when it's finished, but right now it just looks like a lot of hard work.

---5---

I have piles of reading to do. I already had a lot with the various reading challenges I entered and then I got into book reviewing. Now I have books arriving in the mail that are starting to pile up. I definitely need to carve out some time this summer to get some reading done. Perhaps I should declare the hottest part of the afternoon to be rest and reading time.

---6---

Spitfire is still here visiting and we are having adventures. We've done some fun shopping and she's been a tremendous help with getting the interns ready to go.  She's also keeping me well supplied with makeup, skincare and cologne. She sells Avon and is constantly running across something for Bookaddict and I to try. She's helping with the War on Frumpiness. Now, if I can just remember to use all of it.

The other day we had car trouble and it took us almost two hours to get home (normally a twenty minute trip). At one point we were stranded on an overpass with big trucks zooming around us. Not fun. Fortunately, after the car sat a bit, we were able to get off the overpass and out on a less-traveled road.

---7---

Speaking of the War on Frumpiness, it's been a slow painful battle with many casualties. Some of these include my collection of baggy t-shirts and some lazy habits. Both keep trying to resurrect and creep back in. Old habits die hard. Let's face it, the reason it's such a battle, is it's easier to throw on some mom jeans or sweats and a baggy shirt, run a comb or brush through your hair and stick it in a ponytail and go along your merry way. Skincare and makeup and fixing hair take time and effort. Looking for cute , stylish tops that fit in your budget takes time and effort.  When those things become habit, it's gets easier. The time has been carved out and you just do it. It doesn't take any more time to put on a cute top than to pull on a baggy T.

A small victory was scored yesterday when I found two tops, in the exact colors I needed for choir performances next week, hanging on a clearance rack. They are both a flattering style and a nice, inexpensive addition to my wardrobe. This is great timing. We have a major skirmish coming up next week, when our church is doing a week-long conference flanked by weekend church days and I have to look put together every day for nine days straight. Help! Send reinforcements!

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I hope you have had a wonderful week. A special shout-out goes all the Home Sanctuary Coffee Girls stopping by. For more of 7 Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary. Have an awesome week!

The War on Frumpiness: Weight Issues and Self Confidence

One of the things that frequently contributes to feelings of frumpiness for me is knowing I'm a few (OK, quite a few) pounds over optimal for my body. It makes clothes shopping a hassle and getting dressed to go somewhere a chore. When I'm conscious of every bump and bulge, it's hard to walk tall and be confident. One thing leads to another, and pretty soon I'm wearing baggy clothes to cover up and blowing off putting on makeup or jewelry. I develop a "why bother" attitude and let myself go. This is a sure path to frumpdom.

The good news is that summer is the ideal time to deal with your body. Some of the best things about summer work on your behalf. How hard is it to eat a piece of grilled meat and a big salad, have a nice glass of iced tea with lemon, and finish off with a big slice of ice cold watermelon? Congratulations. You just had an awesome diet meal. Fresh fruits and vegetables are low in fat and calories and loaded with antioxidants. Lean grilled meats provide protein to build muscle and are great for your hair and skin. Wanting something sweet besides fruit? Ice pops are low cal and low fat too. Juice bars are a little higher but have more going for them nutritionally. Italian ice is easy on the hips as well.

It's also an easy time to get active. Go swimming, walking or play with the kids in the yard. It's a great time to be outdoors and moving around. Just make sure you don't overdo the sun and heat and that you stay hydrated.

While we're making positive strides on the bumps and bulges, let's talk about attitude. One of my favorite movies is The Last Holiday. In that movie, Georgia Byrd, played by Queen Latifah,  goes from a quiet, plain, frumpy woman slogging through life to a vibrant, exciting woman who had decided to embrace life and milk it for all it's worth. The transformation is startling. I love the part when she goes shopping and is trying on a ton of different looks. When she finishes, she is stunning and is turning heads when she walks into the room. She carries herself with grace and style and confidence despite the fact that she's not a size 2.

We can do the same thing. We may not be able to walk in an expensive shop and tell them to make us over, but we can find attractive clothing within our own budget and wear it with confidence. What changes are you making in your war on frumpiness?

Top Ten {Tuesday}: Ten Terrific Things About Summer

1. School's Out!
In the past we've done school pretty much year-round, but the last few years we had to stop because I have kids going to camp at different times and one or two interning for the summer. Now I have a two month break to plan and dream and purchase curriculum.

2. Lemonade
Not that nasty powdered stuff or even the artificially sweetened, artificially colored stuff in a bottle. I'm talking the real-deal, perfect combination of tart and sweet that quenches thirst like nothing else.

3. Popsicles
Be a kid again. Eat them fast to prevent drips. Cherry, lime, grape, orange, banana...What's your favorite?

4. Long Days
Hopefully, the longer period of sunshine is being used for fun, but even work is nicer when the sun is shining.

5. Eating outdoors
Summer is the time of picnics and cookouts. What is it about eating in the great outdoors? I don't know, but it's special enough that my kids will ask if they can take a peanut butter sandwich and go sit out on the porch to eat it. And almost nothing tops the smell of food cooking on a grill.

6. Fireworks on the 4th of July
Whether a huge commercial display or occasional flashes of light appearing over rooftops, I love fireworks. I never really cared for shooting them off myself though. The ultimate for me is fireworks combined with music displayed over water like in Austin and Boston.

7.Playing in the water
Beaches, lakes, pools, sprinklers...take your pick. Whether you're surfing, swimming, sailing, tubing, wading in a creek, or running through a sprinkler, a great way to escape the heat of summer is to get wet.

8. Summer nights
Fireflies and stargazing. "Nough said.

9. Ice cream
You can pick up a carton or cone just about anywhere and cool off in a hurry. Anyone else remember homemade ice cream on the porch with a little kid sitting on the freezer while everyone took turns cranking until only the strongest men could turn it? That's still the best.

10. Vacation
Whether you're going on vacation to some exotic locale or major sightseeing spot, or doing a staycation and exploring your local area, this is a time for fun and hopefully relaxation. The number one vacation mistake is scheduling so much in that you need a rest when you get back.

To see other fun top 10 lists, be sure to visit oh Amanda.