according.to.kim: Roundups

Quotes I Like

Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice. - Anton Chekhov
You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. - Wayne Gretzky
You are getting your wants confused with your needs. - Stacy Julian's dad
We are weaving character every day, and the way to weave the best character is to be kind and to be useful. Think right, act right; it is what we think and do that makes us who we are. - Elbert Hubbard
I have made this letter longer than usual, only because I have not had the time to make it shorter. - Blaise Pascal
Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self. - Cyril Connolly
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

February 07, 2012

Rounding up January 2012

January is always a busy month for us, and this one was no exception. Looking forward to quieter months ahead...

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1. READ

365 Bedtime Stories (started reading this to Madeline and Georgia, and we'll read it all year)
Pippi Longstocking (read to Madeline and Georgia)
The Sorcerer's Companion: A Guide to the Magical World of Harry Potter (Sophia)
Dear Canada: Prisoners in the Promised Land: The Ukrainian Internment Diary of Anya Solonjuk, Spirit Lake, Quebec, 1914 (Sophia)

2. WATCHED & LISTENED

TV
- Top Chef Texas (Neil & Kim)
- You Gotta Eat Here! (Neil & Kim) (new Canadian show, similar to Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; we love it!)
- Hell on Wheels (Neil & Kim)
- American Pickers (Neil & Kim)
- Bones (Neil & Kim)
Movies
- Chipwrecked (Neil took our girls plus Bronwyn and her friend Cameron to the theatre at Southland Mall)
- Rio (Madeline and Mattea)
Podcasts (Kim - to and from work, every day)
- The Digi Show
- Paperclipping Roundtable

3. EVENTS & OUTINGS

ringette games – played by Madeline and Sophia
Sophia participated in a ringette skills practice with the Saskatoon Wild national ringette team
Neil took the girls toboganning near Chapter's
Georgia's birthday dinner with her parents at The Mercury Café & Grill
birthday cake for Georgia at Laurel and Bronwyn's
Madeline's birthday dinner with her parents and friend, Mattea, at Earl's on the east side; Mattea also stayed overnight at our house, while Sophia, Georgia, and Dash stayed at L&B's
birthday cake for Madeline at our house
steak night fundraiser for Sophia's ringette team, Ice Angelz, at The Hub
Madeline attended two birthday parties
I went to an Irish set dancing workshop taught by a couple who moved here from Ireland recently (they'll be teaching an 8-week class starting Feb 11; I'm going to take this, too)
as an extra little treat for the girls' birthdays, we went to the Vintage Tea Room on Broad Street one Saturday afternoon. Laurel and Bronwyn joined us. Our tea, scones, and desserts were delicious! Highly recommended. We all want to go back sometime!
Irish Club potluck – always delish! Neil made potato salad (see recipes). After dinner, I performed (very informally, with 7 others) the Connemara set dance which I had learned the day before
for Sophia's birthday dinner, we ate at The Mercury Café & Grill. She invited Georgia, Laurel, and Bronwyn to join us (Madeline was at a friend's birthday party)
birthday cake for Sophia at our house
Madeline went to a team-building pizza and craft party at her ringette coach's house. The girls made posters for their two tournaments, decorated t-shirts, and made thank-you cards for their parents (sweet!)
I attended a one-day class on Social Media Marketing (for work)
12 Activities with Mom in 2012 (see gifts):
- Georgia chose baking for our activity (Jiffy Cinnamon Rolls)
- Madeline chose to go out. We went to DQ for a milkshake (sundae for me), and then looked around Urban Barn for the first time
- Sophia chose to begin the digital scrapbooking class we bought for her. We did the first couple lessons and then she created an original artwork in PSE (with a little help from her mom)!

4. RECIPES TO REMEMBER

Jiffy Cinnamon Rolls (Company's Coming)
Quick Fluffy Frosting – our "traditional" birthday cake frosting
Cranberry Orange Muffins (Company's Coming)
Bacon-Ranch Potato Salad (Food Network)

5. GIFTS

for their birthdays, the girls each received "12 Activities with Mom in 2012" (which involves Dad keeping the other two busy), plus:
- for Georgia, scrapbooking paper pad, die-cut pad, and cardstock;
- for Madeline, Company's Coming Kids Cook! 3-in-1 Cookbook Collection; and
- for Sophia, My Awesome Life Tween Album digital scrapbooking class at JessicaSprague.com
all other birthday gifts are recorded elsewhere

6. SPECIAL PURCHASES

Kenmore canister vacuum cleaner – after almost 15 years of use (and abuse), our old one broke beyond repair. We bought last year's version of the same one we had, on clearance at the Sears Outlet store.
3 8GB iPod Touches - the girls used their own Christmas and birthday money, plus a little more from their bank accounts, to buy these for themselves

7. HEALTH

we were all healthy all month long. Hooray!
Georgia had her annual checkup with her pediatric cardiologist, Dr. Kakadakar. She had an ECHO and ECG this time. All is well. The doctor mentioned that her aortic valve has a slight leak, but there's no defect of the valve. She was a perfect patient, as always. Weight: average (46 lbs); Height: taller than average (46.25").

8. ACCOMPLISHMENTS

completed the photo prompts for Picture the Holidays, and created my PTH book from Paper Coterie - love it!
donated about 1/3 of all my clothing
set up Google Calendar and filled it in with *everything* (I'm keeping our paper calendar up to date until the end of this school year, but after that, I will only use GC)
collected and submitted bison meat cutting instructions for five customers (and ourselves)
created and promoted BSS Bundle #2, which concludes the bulk of my work for Bite-sized Scrapbooking. :) BSS Bundles will continue to be available
got rid of the mice. Well, maybe. (Neil did trap one for sure, and then we didn't hear anything for the last 10 days of January, but I heard something strange this past weekend (in Feb). Neil asked me if it was a ghost; I think I'd prefer that!

9. DISAPPOINTMENTS

didn't tackle even one stack, shelf, or box in our basement; must turn this around!

10. GOALS

processed November and December photos
backed up my computer
cleared my collection basket 3/5 weeks
worked on my email inbox and computer 3/5 weeks
made one scrapbook layout (my goal for January was 3)
took a family photo before the month ended (5:00 pm on January 31!)

11. NOTEWORTHY

Georgia's 6th birthday
Madeline's 9th birthday
Sophia's 11th birthday
taking online classes, Twelve, Roundup Your Memories, and Picture Inspiration, at BPC
being able to read online-class materials and message boards on my 3G iPad while en route to ringette games, etc. (when Neil is driving, of course) - awesome!
gorgeous weather! we had one short cold snap (3 or 4 days, I think) when the temp dipped as low as -45 C one night (Madeline's birthday); otherwise, it must have been our warmest January ever
Sophia joined the improv team at school - they compete in French!
Sophia decorated her own birthday cake :)

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January 13, 2012

This will be my first of an ongoing series of mounthly "roundups" based on Katie Nelson's roundup concept. I'm taking her class, Roundup Your Memories, at BPC right now. I love this idea and look forward to recording bits and pieces of our family life in a simple, consistent format. Since I'm pretty good at keeping my calendar and photos up to date, and I faithfully write to OhLife.com, it's pretty easy for me to round up my memories. Note: This one is especially long because December was ridiculously full. I really hope future roundups are shorter!

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