Red Mango!

My Bucket List

Here is my list of 50 things to do before I turn 50. I can't believe I'm talking about turning 50, especially when I'm not yet 40 but there is so much I want to do. Plus 50 by 50 sounds catchy. (Note that I've accomplished a few things already.)

1.       Sell a quilt

2.       Make my own applesauce

3.       Knit or crochet something

4.       Continue my education

5.       Grow a garden

6.       Join a board of directors

7.       Take a cruise

8.       Make my own salsa

9.       Visit Italy - again

10.   Take my family white water rafting

11.   Make my own jam

12.   Invest in the stock market

13.   Go camping - again

14.   Make an article of clothing

15.   Make a cook book of my grandmother’s recipes

16.   Buy a motorcycle for the Polack

17.   Build something out of wood

18.   See Niagara Falls

19.   Cross to the Canadian border

20.   Sit in seats on the floor of Assembly Hall for an IU basketball game

21.   Finish the basement

22.   Become a CASA

23.   Apply my own gel nails

24.   Live in Europe

25.   Learn how to jar/can something

26.   Present at a national conference

27.   Bike to work and back

28.   Bungee jump or sky dive

29.   Stay at the Bellagio

30.   Go deep sea fishing

31.   Ride in a hot air balloon

32.   Go the top of the Eiffel Tower

33.   Volunteer with my family

34.   Fly in a helicopter

35.   Meet a movie star

36.   Become a foster parent

37.   Join a book club

38.   Visit Bali

39.   Attend the Kentucky Oaks

40.   Ride a horse on the beach

41.   Travel to Ireland

42.   Get Lasik

43.   Sink four perfect corn holes

44.   Visit San Francisco

45.   Win a poker tournament

46.   Become Director of Donor Relations for university

47.   Hand piece an entire quilt

48.   Chop all my hair off – super short!

49.   Buy a pair of black high heeled peep toe shoes

50.   Go with IU to the Rose Bowl

Random Thought Thursday

Well look-ie here... I'm actually posting RTT on a Thursday. How novel.

Just walking to my car, driving 10 minutes down the road, and walking in to a meeting left me dripping in sweat. I wore a sleeveless dress today but the lining is STICKING to me.

The cousins came to stay with us for a few days and we had so much fun with them. There were lots of laughter and antics (and some farting too – I’m not used to so much farting) and jokes.

With two upcoming weddings, we bought suits for the boys yesterday. It wasn’t cheap and we still have to get shoes and shirts and ties. But it will be worth it once I see them all dressed up. They sure are two cuties.

Project Runway starts tonight!

That just made me think of America’s Next Top Model. It usually premiers around the same time. Okay, I just checked and ANTM doesn’t start until the end of August.

Seeger will be away at summer camp next week and Nicklas is staying with his grandparents. I will miss them but I know I’ll have lots of alone time fun with the Polack.

Our favorite radio station hosts the Third Degree contest every day. They play three songs and you have to use their connection to each other. The first caller to guess the connection wins. We always know the connection but we call and call and call and never get through. Yesterday, the Polack had me calling as soon as the third song started. We didn’t even know the connection yet. The line kept ringing and ringing and then my idol, Laura Duncan, answered. We got through! Luckily the Polack figured out the second connection just in time. We won two tickets to Lyle Lovett and the boys got a kick out of hearing me on the radio.

Lafayette or Bloomington this weekend? I can’t decide.

I have been reading so much lately and my pile of library books keeps getting bigger and bigger. I’m going to have to stop making requests so that I can catch up. I just started Birthmarked and so far it’s really, really good.

I used Marcia Brady’s line “something suddenly came up” the other day and it let me to check out some other famous Brady quotes that I love:

“Baby talk, baby talk, it’s a wonder you can walk!”

“I’m not a snitcher; I just tell it like it is.”

“Pork chops and applesauce.”

“Well, all day long at school I hear how great Marcia is at this or how wonderful Marcia did that! Marcia Marcia Marcia!”

Did you know that you can see the exterior of the Brady Bunch home on Google maps? Type in 11222 Dilling St., Studio City, California and click on the photo on the left. That’s the actual home that was featured in exterior shots. It’s so mid-century modern looking. I love it!

Vacation Recap

After being out of the office for 10 days, I've been playing catch up all week. I finally felt better about my progress on projects after yesterday which means I have some time to breath. And blog!

We had decided a while back that vacation this summer was going to be low key. We did the cruise last year and Florida for spring break so summer vacation this year was a 10 days at Lake George. We started vacation by attending the Indianapolis Indiana vs. Toledo Mudhens game. It was HOT. The whole vacation was HOT. But despite the heat, we had fun with our friends.

The next day, we headed to the Lake. Dinner with the Ranshaw's was at a Mexican restaurant in Coldwater that is located in a converted railroad car.

Our first evening at the Lake. Gorgeous sky!

Most of the family came the weekend before the Fourth to celebrate the couples wedding shower for Emily and Graham and Jake and Kathryn.

We also spent time with baby Quinn!

One day, the Polack and I took the boys to the Auburn-Garrett Drive-In to see Brave and the Avengers.

There were several boat rides and lots of relaxing.

The Polack and I did some shopping at the Outlet Mall. We also had lunch a Bubba's where we saw Cody Zeller's name on the call.

One day, my friends Amy and Heather visited with their families.

 
Seeger enjoying hanging out with Noah. They're just a few months apart in age.

Amy and Heather and Heather's daughter, Emma. Emma was the only girl but she didn't seem to mind too much.

Amy's husband, Nick, and their oldest, Gage. I can't believe Gage will be in 8th grade!!

I met Amy in Mr. Hummer's fourth grade class. Heather and Amy became friends in fifth grade and we all started hanging out. We were the Pointer Sisters for Mrs. Bratton's lip syncing contest.

The boys also got to do some tubing while on at the Lake.

Gotta love those sunsets. 

One night, the Polack and Nicklas and Papa went to the Detroit Tigers game while the rest of us took a boat ride. We say this crazy boat. It's the front of an airplane.

There was also a morning where the Polack and Nicklas decided to swim across the Lake. Here is the view from the dock, just before we left to take the pontoon to the other side.

 Nicklas and the Polack jumped in to swim and I followed them in the pontoon in case either became too tired.

The both make the trek successfully. I was also successful - in parking the pontoon which is something I've never attempted.

The fireworks and boat parade took place on July 7. We didn't participate in the parade but I volunteered to be a judge. The theme was comics and cartoons.

After the boat parade, we took a ride around the Lake with my dad and his wife and the Polack's parents who were visiting.

Then it was fireworks time. I love the fireworks at the Lake because everyone gets in their boats and head out to the middle of the Lake to anchor and watch the show.

The fireworks signaled an end to vacation. The next day we packed up and headed home. We stopped by Fort Wayne to have dinner with my mom at Casa's, our favorite restaurant.

We had a wonderful time at the Lake. I was worried I might get bored and I even brought my sewing stuff  just in case. But I never plugged in my machine. We were too busy taking boat rides, spending time with family and swimming. It was such a hot week that swimming was the one activity we could do to cool off. For the most part anyway because the Lake temp reached 88 degrees at one point. I hope it's a bit cooler the next time we visit.