We went swimming this afternoon--it was nice to get away from the house (the mess, the chaos, the packing...) for a little while! 

I have so much to finish, still...our real estate agent is coming tomorrow and I am contemplating calling her to see if she can come later, or perhaps Saturday while my dh is here (I have already rescheduled her once, though)...

So, I am going to end my "break" and get some things completed--get some of these monkeys off my back, LOL!!

• Living room--finish sorting and packing linens
• Living room--"stage"
• Master BR--empty and move desk to garage
• Master BR--clear/pack all surfaces, pack desk items and homeschool items
• Master bath--clean, clear/pack items under sink, "stage"

I will check in later and mark accomplishments off my list...

ETA:  I have not fully completed one thing on my list!  I did call and reschedule the REagent...I did not sleep well last night at all~anxiety over not getting everything finished in time...

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I have potpourri simmering on the stovetop and it is scenting the entire house--it smells like Fall...today I added a combination of apple slices, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and pumpkin pie spice to water.  Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer--it smells sooooo good!  I just have to check on it every hour or so to add more water...

A.  Create a special place to blog:

Well, this is going to be a challenge for me this week as I am packing to move...my new "special" place to blog will be at my brother's house (borrowing his computer, LOL!), but I am hoping to get a laptop soon--then I'll blog from the deck of the beach house!  LOL

B.  Share a picture of where you blog:

Tonight, I am finishing up my bedroom and I'll post a pic as soon as I can...

C.  Share a verse this week that is upon your heart:

Lord, you have been our refuge through all generations.  Before the mountains were born, the earth and the world brought forth, from eternity to eternity you are God. 

Psalm 90:1-2

Show and Tell Sunday (late edition!)

I have a couple of (completely unrelated!) things to show:

1)  My dh and I decided to test a different brand of diapers (Little Tikes) for our toddler and when my oldest son opened the bag, a small preying mantis flew out!  (Our insect "cup" gets a lot of action, LOL!).

The diapers were made in Canada...

2)  One of my autumn-y teacups~ "Russet Blossoms" by Lenox, a gift from my mom when she divided her collection between my sister and myself.  I am going to enjoy my last two teabags from my Secret Sister (Wissotzky's Cherry and Wild Berry Nectar--yum!!) this evening!  (BTW, SS, if you are reading~I do love this tea--it's subtle and delicious!).

My baby turned one today~I am going to miss the baby stage...he's walking everywhere now!  It is hard to be baby-proofed while packing up a house...

I almost have our little boys' room complete~I just need to get the empty boxes out, touch up a little paint, and "stage" the room.  I left a few things on the walls and the valances up...

This evening, I took the boys swimming and I am so tired.  We stayed for about two and a half hours~we usually stay an hour or an hour and a half, LOL!  They should sleep well tonight!  I know I will...

...into what I've been up to this week:

I have been decluttering, packing, and am beginning to "stage" different areas of my home.  I wish I had taken a "before" picture of my buffet--I removed the lead crystal lamps on each end, teacups, and a couple of other items.  This is a much "cleaner" look, LOL!  I will remove the picture of our boys before we start showing the house... (and that mirror looks crooked, LOL!).

And, here's my box inventory! 

I have numbered each box (using a bright, yellow sticky note that I tape over with clear packing tape)--I also have symbols or abbreviations for the type of box (* for medical boxes that my MIL brought me--the BEST packing boxes!  LQ for liquor boxes, BB for plain brown boxes...)  I am hoping to keep track of my boxes this way~at the least, if I lose a box, I will know exactly what was lost...

A.  My friend, Rebecca, set up my first blog for me in August of 2005.  I think there is only one post in August and two in September, LOL!  Then I became addicted...  Once I really got into blogging, I found xanga and switched over.  I also have a myspace account, but I do not blog there~I mostly have it to keep in contact with my cousins and family who are scattered across the states.

My goals for blogging truly are personal~I am not trying to sell anything, save anyone, get an extraordinary amount of attention, or become popular.  I enjoy writing my thoughts occasionally, sharing interesting tidbits of trivia or good ideas, and posting pictures of my children for my family and friends. 

B.  My dream place to blog is kind of boring, actually...as we are looking for a new house, I am visualizing a desk in a kitchen or some kind of nook between the kitchen and living area where I can blog at my leisure, but where I am also accessible to my children.  Our computer has always been in a bedroom and it is difficult to keep tabs on the rest of the house while checking e-mail or blogging throughout the day--my dream is to be able to conveniently pause between activities and write, without disappearing from all of the "action" in the house!

C.  1.  What time do you usually blog?  Because of my dh's shift schedule, my blogging times vary.

      2.  What is your favorite drink?  Sweet iced tea.

      3.  What is your favorite book?  I have many favorites...I couldn't name just one!!

      4.  What is your favorite dessert?  Creme brulee.

      5.  Share a scripture that has been an inspiration in your growth with Christ.

           My tagline on xanga~If you listen to advice and are willing to learn, one day you will be wise.

           Proverbs 19:20

...discovered Hat?  Tell him I sent ya!

I am disappointed in the blogosphere right now...as I was catching up on my favorite blogs, one was being harassed by a fanatic and two had been hurt by judgemental bloggers (for unrelated reasons).  I strive to keep the right tone in my posts, as it is so easy to misunderstand thoughts and feelings expressed in typewritten letters through the internet...but there are occasions when it's quite obvious that the author of a post or comment is lacking in manners and grace.

I have no segue into my next subject~I'm in the midst of one of life's transitions and I am hoping to get through it quickly and as painlessly as possible, LOL!  I have been packing...and wrapping (oh, that takes the most time!)...and boxing up the different areas of our house, hoping to get everything completed by next Thursday when the real estate agent comes to list our house.  Try to imagine a t-tiny patio home (1246 square feet) that houses a collector of crystal, china, teacups, teapots, antiques, boys and all things that boys need...it's overwhelming!  I'm trying to weed out and de-clutter six years of our lives--and my sweet husband has had to work through almost all of this and cannot help me until Tuesday.

Yesterday, I could only concentrate on the kitchen--I couldn't ignore it any longer!  Everything else is neglected while wrapping and packing--and I am frustrated that I can only do one thing at a time, LOL!  I cleaned, scrubbed the tile floor (this took an embarrassing amount of time--can't let it get that bad again!) and packed cookbooks.  Today, I packed three boxes, made lunch, then took the boys swimming.  Doesn't sound like much, right?  The three boxes took around 3 hours because they were all breakables and had to be wrapped in paper, then bubblewrap, then carefully packed...*deep sigh*  (really--I took a deep breath just then, LOL!!)

I won't be able to have many (or any?) Tablecloth Tuesdays and Teacup Thursdays like I enjoy~my computer time is limited now, too!  So, I've decided to have Show and Tell Sunday, because I know that I'll have computer access every Sunday and this is something I can look forward to during the week!  My first Show and Tell Sunday will be protected (please let me know if you're not on my list!)~look for it below! 

It rained most of the day and I think a tiny front moved in~it was cool outside this evening and I thought I smelled Fall! 

Yesterday, my dh discovered that a few boxes of my teaching supplies and books that we had in storage behind our home had been destroyed by termites.  He burned most of what was left, but I was able to go through and salvage some items (a pewter sunflower plate, crystal wine goblets [I'm so grateful that he didn't break these when he put them in the trash--he didn't realize that they were Princess House, crystal that I used to sell and now collect!]).  As sweat was dripping from my forehead into my eyes, I wished that I had organized all of that stuff a long time ago!  I wouldn't have lost so much...I don't even know what was lost because he burned it before I could get back there...

I am glad, however, that those papers and books were so easily accessible to the termites to eat.  They chose them over my American antique dining room table (it has four leaves and stretches out to be 8 feet long!  It never fit in my tiny breakfast nook here--no "formal" dining room in this patio home!). 

Yay, September!!  I am so excited about the approach of Fall...