August Goal Update

August was a bit of a bust on the goals. But I will update anyway, because I do these monthly updates for my accountability. I like to say, yay I was awesome. But I must say, when it is true, I really fell short this month. The nice thing about yearly goals is when the first of the month comes around, you get another chance. Other than the running goal these are all still doable. 

Read 20 Books: 13/20  

I did finish one book this month and I am halfway through a super long book. So I am reading, I just picked a book that is going to take me more than one month, and that's ok! The fun part of the reading goal is I gave one to Daryl and Alex too. I don't know what happened to Mr. Alex in August but he read five books and is only one away from his yearly goal! Daryl finished one book this month and has six to go for the year. Super proud of him too! 

Dad is Fat by Gaffigan. I like Jim Gaffigan as a stand up comedian so I was happy to pick up his book about parenting. The chapters are short and if you read them in his voice they are even better. The book does read like one stand up bit after another,  a fun read. 

Run 800 miles: 490/800

Ok, I tried a few runs at the beginning of the month and my hip was killing me from start to finish. Finally, consulted my doctor and he said there is no magic treatment, I just needed to rest for awhile. So, I took almost the whole month off. I ran 12 whole miles this month. Two of those were this morning and my first pain free miles since June. Hallelujah! I'm going to ease back in so I don't know if I'll hit this goal but I'll keep logging runs. 

Money Goals: I hit may savings goal this month and it's not on the list but I replaced some blinds that needed it in the living room. I was really happy to add to savings this month because August is a costly month for The Manor. It is Daryl's birthday month, the car tags are due and back to school. Most Augusts I'm taking money out of savings to cover us, but this year I still had money to put in. Yay! 

• Pay Off my Car - Done March
• Replace my Car's Windshield-Done Jan. 
• New Fridge
• Fix Stairs
• Install a shower in hall bathroom and fix the sink in my bathroom Done July 
• Add $2,000 to savings  Done August 
• Replace some windows

Knit four new things: 1/4

Still just one more sleeve for knitting project number 2......

Alex is rocking his reading goal!

Daryl ruining an amazing family picture!

We checked out the Rossville park on Sunday 

If you are close, check it out!

Again, Daryl messing up the picture! 
He must be related to Asa Stiles!

Small Wins!

Running this month has been non existent. The up side is my hip feels so much better! I'm going to ease back into running this week. Might be a mile, might be two, it won't be much. I was getting down on myself so I needed some small wins to get my spirits back up. I looked around the house and a few jumped out at me. 

My mom bought me a ceramic pumpkin, and left it for me when she came back for Daryl's birthday dinner. It seemed very out of place with my yellow flower placemats. I decided to make some fall placemats, maybe that would call the cooler weather to us. I had a couple of free evenings this week and on Friday night I finished them. I never know exactly how I'm going to sew them together, but piecing always feels better than one fabric on the front and one on the back. I love how they turned out! A table runner is also in the works, again no pattern. 

Sitting in my living room last weekend my old vinyl blinds were really bothering me. They are so old when I try to clean them they break. It was time for some new blinds. So that was the other project I had done this weekend. Unfortunately, Menards only had three of the size I needed. I wanted four. So, this project is 75% complete, and still so much better! 

Good thing the boys will be back tonight, I get too many ideas when they aren't around! 

Found the perfect pumpkin fabric at Joann's last Sunday. 

My finished placemats, with some odd and end fabric I had on hand. And the before picture of my terrible blinds and the wonderful after picture! Can't wait to get the last one so all four of the windows on that wall are the same. 

Mom of a Teenager?

I'm not ready. I wasn't ready when he went to pre school, I wasn't ready when he went to kindergarten and I'm not ready for him to be a teenager. Alas, time marches on and Daryl turned 13 a couple of days ago. 

Sometimes growing up is two steps forward, one step back, but he is doing the work. He started 7th grade two weeks ago and football last week. He is stretching himself and it is improving his attitude about school. He is confident this year going into the school building and last year it intimidated him a little. My Jr./Sr. high school may have had 80 kids in it 7-12th. Daryl's middle school is over 400 students 6th-8th. With all those students he is still making a positive impression on his teachers. 

As any mom could I would gush for paragraphs. But since this is his birthday post I wanted him to share 13 things about himself on th day he turned 13. So this information is from the source! (And he didn't give me 13 so I added some.....)

From Daryl: 

1.) His Favorite food is Crawfish 2.) His favorite team is the Kansas City Chiefs 3.) His favorite school subject is PE 4.) His favorite color is red 5.) He wants to be in the NBA when he grows up 6.) The one thing he is really into right now is sports 

That's all I go from the source These are from mom! 

7.) Usually complains about our nightly reading time, but often reads past his 20 minutes because he likes his book 

8.) Got Instagram this summer and he loves to follow fishing accounts and different NBA players 

9.) He caught a 23" Walleye this summer 

10.) He also caught himself this summer and had to have a fishing hook removed from under his thumbnail (They couldn't pull it out, so they pushed it through!) 

11.) He has a dresser full of clothes but only wears three shirts and a couple of pairs of gym shorts....

12.) He is already dreaming of a pick-up for his first vehicle

13.) He has now been to two country concerts and he loves them! 

Birthday dinner at Paisanos with LOTS of pasta!

Daryl wanted to try all of the desserts, so we ordered a variety to share!

Alex wanted to Daryl donuts for his birthday breakfast, so we did!

   

Fishing and Reading

 With a couple of days of school under our belt, last weekend was much anticipated for a couple of days off! I was ready to bum around the house but Daryl had other plans. At 4-H fishing club he got an invite to try fishing from a kayak. He was super excited since most of our weekend fishing is done from the bank and kayak is probably the only way he will get to fish from the middle of the water. We don't have any place to put a boat, or way to haul a boat...or any intention of buying a boat! 

Saturday morning we headed to Carbondale lake and tried kayak fishing. I was the driver and he was the fisher. This sounds good in theory but I haven't paddled in years and was a little clumsy taking Daryl where he wanted to go. He didn't catch anything on this outing but we both agreed kayak fishing has potential! I just liked being out on the water and even read my book a few times. Stay tuned! 

Alex had a much chiller weekend that involved playing tennis, playing cards and reading TWO books. He is anxiously awaiting the last installment of the Mo Ohara series he has been reading through this summer. Since he was sans book, he looked in Daryl's library and found the Stink book series by Megan McDonald. He made an executive decision since these books are shorter than the books he had been reading, he would only count it as one after reading four of them! It was probably a good call, because he finished book 1 and 2 this weekend. He finished book three today. So school cuts into his reading time, a little. 

Now I'm just counting down the days to having a teenager. Three and counting.....

First Day of School!

 Today was Daryl's first day of 7th grade and Alex's second day of 4th grade. I'm pretty proud of us for getting everyone where they needed to be on time, including myself to work! Alex had a great first day yesterday, his best friend is sitting by him (not sure that will last long) and he really likes his new teacher. He is in the same pod as he was in for 3rd grade and he thinks that is pretty cool. He told his teacher he had already read two books this month (and he has!) and he said she was very impressed. He took his newest book with him today because he said they have some free reading time. 

Daryl isn't as much of a sharer as Alex is, I hope I get some details after today. I might not. To prepare for today Daryl wanted to get some new shoes (check), asked to shower last night so he could sleep in (check) and most important will you PLEASE not walk me to the bus stop (check). I did everything on my end to make sure he has a good day! Because it was the first day the bus was about 12 minutes late, he was texting with me to make sure he should still stand there. Looks like he needed me at the bus stop after all! PS-I didn't walk down there and I assured him the bus was moving on the app on my phone. Alex and I both watched as it went by the house, and Alex was very relieved that Daryl was getting picked up. He worries more than Daryl does! 

Yesterday, mom headed west to my sister's house. So that was a little sad for me and a lot sad for Purl. Purl is back in the kennel while I'm at work, because she likes to eat trash. I know my sister and niece and nephew have been waiting patiently for Grandma, but I hung onto her for an extra week anyway! Love you mom, we will see you soon! 

Alex was so excited yesterday he wouldn't
sit to eat his french toast. I only make hot
breakfast on special days!

Here he comes 4th grade! 

This morning both boys were happy to sport
new shoes! So clean!!

First day of seventh grade! Have a 
great year Daryl! 

July Goal Update

July was a big work month and a big goals month! I worked on every single one of my goals in July. I'm a little disappointed with my monthly runs but I can still achieve my yearly goal, so I'm trying to look on the bright side. Alex and Daryl both finished a book in July too! Daryl has read 5 books so far and Alex has read 6! Their yearly goal is 12 and I believe in them. 

Read 20 Books: 12/20  

Two books down this month! 

Water for Elephants by Gruen. At the end of June mom and I went to the Round Table Bookstore in NOTO and I had fun going through their used books section. I know that this book had been made a movie but I hadn't seen it. The back cover sounded interesting and the book grabbed me from chapter one and didn't let go. A love story, family pain, feeling forgotten and a circus. What more could you ask from a book. If you haven't read this one I recommend highly. I have three more books to get through from that shopping trip ;-) 

My Own Words by Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Since the passing of RBG I have had this book on my library waiting list. My turn finally came and it took me TWO Months to get through this book. I thought it would be an autobiography (the book was written while she was still on the Supreme Court) but it was a collection of her speeches, bench readings, lectures and famous dissents. It even had some high school newspaper articles that she had written. No doubt RBG is amazing and a hero for women's rights, but this book was full of legal jargon and talked about a lot of court cases I was not familiar with. I didn't give up but I do need to find a book written about her, not by her. ;-)  

Run 800 miles: 478/800

My new PW (Personal Worst) for monthly miles was July. I did something to my right hip and I didn't have one run without pain this month. I only added 41 miles this month. I have a half at the end of August. I don't really know how that is going to work out. Stay tuned.... 

Money Goals: We have been enjoying our new shower all month! It was an excellent upgrade to our home. I'm also loving my new faucet in my bathroom. I have hot water again! 

• Pay Off my Car - Done March
• Replace my Car's Windshield-Done Jan. 
• New Fridge
• Fix Stairs
• Install a shower in hall bathroom and fix the sink in my bathroom Done July! 
• Add $2,000 to savings 
• Replace some windows

Knit four new things: 1/4

Almost finished my second project this month. Only have one sleeve to go! 

This month was even more special because our South Dakota
cousins came for a visit! 

Alex tackling that reading goal!

This one took me some time. But I did learn a lot about RBG.

Only one sleeve and blocking to go!