Ahoy! Pirate Talking Fun

Yo ho landlubbers! We celebrated Talk Like a Pirate Day yesterday, we did. My salty dog husband and I woke up our little bilge rats with pirate talk, threatening a walk off the plank if they didn't get moving out of bed. I'm pretty sure they just thought we'd lost our minds until we explained the special occasion.

To celebrate the day, I sent them to school with pirate-themed lunches. I found inspiration for the lunches at BentoLunch.net, along with a few other sites. Here's how my boxes turned out -- yes, go ahead and compare the one on BentoLunch.net. In my head, these things always seem like they will work out perfectly, but the reality never turns out quite as well. The good thing about my boys is that they are really just as excited about my imperfect version. Then again, they don't usually see the inspiration picture or they might be harsher critics.

I used a sandwich round for their turkey and cheese sandwiches, added a zucchini eye patch, blueberry eye, and strawberry mouth and nose. I even managed to find one of my food markers to draw the strap for the eye patch and add a mustache. The toothpick flags were left over from a pirate birthday party, and of course, there was Pirate's Booty. They loved their lunches and my little guy wanted to make sure I had taken a photo of his lunch before he took it to school. When I picked them up, they were excited to tell me how they had showed their sandwiches to their friends. I love finding little ways to make them happy during the day, even when I'm not there with them.

For bedtime, we read Pirates Don't Take Baths, by John Segal and Let the Good Times Roll with Pirate Pete and Pirate Joe, by A.E. Cannon.

What is this holiday? Check out the Talk Like a Pirate Day website to learn more about this silly celebration, and there's even a page for Junior Pirates.

I love these random celebrations as a way to add a little fun into the week -- like Dr. Seuss's birthday in March and Mickey Mouse day in November -- and I'm always on the look out for new occasions. Do you know any silly holidays? I'd love to hear how you celebrate them.

Lists of Lists: 30 Days of Lists Challenge

As of Monday, I was so smugly proud of myself for being right on schedule with my lists. That lasted all the way till Tuesday, when whatever other things I was doing, I did instead of my lists. Here's a look at what I had been working on right up to Monday:

List #11 - Remembering September 11th

On this day I chose to do my own list topic to recognize the significance of the date. Since there's really no wrong way to participate in the 30 Days of Lists Challenge, I decided to do my own thing for list #11. I'm glad I did, and I know in years to come I will appreciate this list even more.

List #13

I think this list is on my list of favorites, right up there with my list of fictional places I'd like to live.

List #15

This list was fun to think about, and what a happy realization to see that I can think of more ways in which I am still young at heart than ways I know I am getting older.

List #17

That little journaling card is from one of the Smash journaling card pads and it's not really my style. But when I starting thinking about this list, this card seemed like the perfect fit -- a big mouth filled with excuses.

Want to know more about the 30 Days of Lists Challenge?

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More Lists: 30 Days of Lists Challenge

Halfway through this month of lists, and I love flipping through my little book. It's amazing that just a little list can tell so much about the kind of person I am and what my life is like right now. This is my first time participating in the 30 Days of Lists challenge, and I am enjoying it as a way to capture little details -- from the practical "goals for this month" list to the completely frivolous "fictional places I'd like to live" list (which is probably my favorite list so far), the lists tell lots about me, but all in a way that is fun and easy to document.

Here's a look at some of my recent lists:

List #8

This list lent itself to having a photo with it, since I knew I would be waving good-bye to them out my front door as they headed off to a Boston College football game.

List #10

List #12

List #14

Are you a September lister? If you're not a lister yet, it's not too late to join the fun -- click below to learn more:

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I Am a Lister: 30 Days of Lists Challenge

I was looking forward to several things about the start of September -- the start of school, the start of my favorite season, and the start of the 30 Days of Lists challenge. I love to make lists. I make lists at work and at home, on paper and on my phone, for big things and little. I had seen the list challenge floating around on the web for a while, and when I saw a new challenge was starting in September, I decided to join the listing fun.

It's been 10 days, and I have been enjoying this little project. Here's a look at some of my first few lists:

List #1

(The list: it keeps me organized; I like checking off items done; I would forget too many things; they calm me down when I'm stressed with too many to do's)

List #2

(The list: continue cleaning/organizing the house; get yard cleared; keep up with this list book; get together with friends; go apple picking)

List #3

(The list: kind, generous, nice, a worrier, loves her kids, talkative, creative, funny, a bookworm, a nerd, bossy, controlling, a perfectionist, friendly but shy)

List #4

(The list: go for a drive by myself with the windows down and/or the radio turned loud; take a nap; escape into a book; call my mom; play Tetris, browse Facebook or otherwise procrastinate; fold laundry upstairs; get a drink at Starbucks)

List #7

(The list: a spoonful of ice cream, a cookie, Wheat Thins, cheese, a glass of milk)

This is turning out to be a fun way to capture a little bit about me right now. It's something I look forward to working on, and it doesn't take long to complete. I created the 4x6 pages in advance, and then decorate as much or as a little as I'm in the mood for that day. I usually read the prompt in the morning and think about it during the day, then make my list in the evening when the boys go to bed.

It's not too late to join -- click below to learn more:

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Simple Things Catch-Up

I have a number of projects I want to get caught up on, including my Simple Things photos. For the most part, I've continued taking the photos, but I need to collect all the weeks and write up my notes. I recently found these three Simple Things from the spring.

Simple Things 11

The early blooms of Spring. Hyacinths are among my favorite for their lovely fragrance and happy spring colors.

Simple Things 12

A bad photo, given the bedroom lighting and their constant movement in the midst of playing, but I love what this photo captures anyway -- taking it easy on a Sunday morning, with time for silly play together with their fuzzy pals. I loved watching them tumble and tackle on the bed while laughing at everything. A happy start to a Sunday morning.

Simple Things 13

 

Palm Sunday. Making simple palm crosses the way my Grandpa Joe taught me many years ago. Thinking about the story of Easter, the days of Holy Week ahead. Somehow between the palm crosses and his prediction that it always rains on Good Friday, I think about my Grandpa often during this week.

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Participating in "The Simple Things" with Rebecca Cooper at Simple as That.

Simple Things

I've fallen off track in collecting my weekly "Simple Things" photos, but I'm going to pick up and get back on track. I really like the idea of one photo telling a simple story from our week, and I think the collection of 52 photos at the end of the year will be a treasure.

So, here's my latest Simple Thing photo. Well, make that two photos. They are a before and after view, and I can't decide yet which one I want to select.

On Friday afternoon we invited a friend to our house for a play date. The boys were so excited, they had to wait outside to watch for his mom to drive up. Robby even made a welcome sign to hang on the front door.

 

I think it was a happy play date, judging by the number of toys strewn across the floor in the playroom and living room. 

Working full time, I don't often get to arrange play dates for the boys, but when we finally do plan one, it makes all of us very happy to spend some time with our friends.

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Participating in "The Simple Things" with Rebecca Cooper at Simple as That.

Take Twelve - March

Late last night I finished my third page for the "Take Twelve" challenge series presented by Ella Publishing Co.

For January and February -- one weekday and one weekend day -- I just used the 12 photos to show the progression of our day. For March, I decided to change up the plan a bit. Since my birthday is in March, I made my "Take Twelve" about me, instead of just what we did that day. I took pictures of some of my daily habits and chores, as well as details like what I wore and where I went, and along the way just snapped pictures of things I liked. At the end of the day, as I looked through my photos, I decided to make my March Take Twelve simply about things that are making me happy right now, for any reason. I like that this way still gives a glimpse of our day and our lives right now, but with a little twist from the last two months.

I used papers and elements from assorted packages from Crystal Wilkerson since her colors and patterns always fit with my idea of happy. 

I'm looking forward to April 12th. It'll be nearly spring break time, and I'm curious to see what story my 12 photos will tell then.