Top Ten Tuesday - an update

I know, I know...

I haven't been very good at keeping up with the Top Ten Tuesday posts. But, in my defense, I told you that I wouldn't be. Remember??

Speaking of remembering...do you remember this list from about a month ago? Well, I thought that I'd give you an update on how my list of things to accomplish this summer is going. And, I'm a little sad to report that it's not going so well...

But, let's start on a positive note, shall we??

So far this summer, I have managed successfully fulfill #4, #6, and am well on my way to #8! That is, my flowers are still living (well, most of them and the majority rules, right?), I visited Pam and Jeremy in North Dakota (SO fun), and have consumed a very large quantity of watermelon. I won't say that I've eaten my weight exactly, but we'll say that I have successfully enjoyed the watermelon-eating season. In fact, I have some in the fridge right now! And yesterday, I made watermelon lemonade with a hint of mint, and it was quite yummy!




So, I guess that leaves seven things on the list that are not going so well...

We'll start with #3, since there is no hope for that one. I killed my tomato plant. Sad day. There will be no home-grown tomatoes to enjoy. But, that is not all that tragic since I don't actually really like tomatoes anyway :-)

Pathetic, I know.

I am still holding out hope for the other six! I have a couple of book options in mind (#1 on the list), though I haven't started anything yet. I was thinking of busting out a classic. Maybe even something that I was forced to read in high school and for such reasons automatically hated. Who knows? I might actually like them. I am definitely still in the mood for a little hiking escapade (#2) and a Braves game (#5). Anybody want to join me?? I need a little motivation to get moving in order to fulfill #10! It's so hot outside! That fact alone often stomps on my motivation to go outside and exercise. I am working on some plans for a visit to Florida to fulfill #9 - maybe in August? I am anxious to meet sweet baby Anna! As for #7, I'm just waiting for the Lord to send someone my way who will fall in love with my house and want to buy it! Feel free to pray along with me for that one!

And Monica - as for your addition to the list, I would definitely love to make a Lima visit soon! I miss you friends! I looked at plane ticket prices today, and they were not so pretty. So, we'll have to see. But, I am working on a certain little something due at the end of July :-)

What about you, friends? Have any summer To-Dos that you are working on? How's it going? And if you have any requests for Top Ten Tuesday topics, send them my way. Maybe I'll just have to oblige.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Things I'd Like to do this Summer:

in no particular order, of course...

1. Read a good book

Feel free to send me your suggestions! I don't take time to read for pleasure much, but I always enjoy it when I do. I started this year with the goal to read more, and even started keeping a list on the blog of what I had read. I took it down, though, when I began to feel embarrassed about how short the list was compared to how much of the year had passed! My favorite that I read so far was probably Three Cups of Tea. I also liked The Shack, which I just read recently. So, it hasn't been too long since I've engaged the literary side of me...

2. Go camping and/or hiking

Anybody want to come with?? I miss these days from last summer:




3. Grow a tomato

You might think that this is random ('cause it is), but here's the story... I was at a grower's outlet the other day buying some things to plant (see below), and they had tomato plants for $1. So, I decided to buy one and try to actually grow something that is edible! Now, if you know me, you know I don't actually care much for tomatoes, but that's not the point...

4. Keep my flowers alive

I have a black thumb. Seriously, I am terrible at keeping plants alive. But, I continue to try. I guess because I love flowers. I just stink at growing them. This past week I planted some new flowers in my flower bed. I would post a photo here, but I forgot to take one today. Oh well. Here's hoping that things stay alive through the summer!

5. Go to a Braves game

I grew up watching Braves baseball and can't remember a season that we didn't go to a game. Being at the stadium is so fun! Ever since I moved to Atlanta, I have always gone to a game around the time of my birthday, and then usually several more times later in the season. This year, I have made several attempts to go, but the plans keep getting thwarted. It will happen, though! I would love to go see both the Atlanta Braves and the new minor league Gwinnett Braves. Anybody in??

Pam and I at a game last season

What's a baseball game without the stadium food? I avoid the hotdogs, though...

6. Visit my sister and bro-in-law in Fargo

That's right - Fargo, ND. Pam and J-rob moved there a couple of weeks ago. And since I am not sure that I am brave enough to visit in the winter (it would be hard to pull off the flip-flops in that much snow), I am hoping to visit this summer when it's still warm. The pictures I have seen of the city look just delightful. She even took a picture of this tree just for me:


7. Sell my house!

I have been either thinking about selling my house or actively trying to sell it for some time now. But, as we all know, it's a tough market. Unfortunately for me, I can't afford to list my house as low as some of the ones around me, so I am just trying to be patient and hope that someone will come along who loves it here. It's a happy little house. Here it is after the snow we had in March this year and some random shots of the inside:

Seriously...snow in March??

My bedroom

Master bath

Living room (with my friend Erin on the couch)

Kitchen

Upstairs bonus room

8. Eat my weight in watermelon

I am well on my way to this one. I LOVE watermelon. If you follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed that this subject keeps popping up. What can I say? I just can't seem to get enough!

9. Meet Caroline's new baby, Anna

Caroline is my best friend from way-back-when. We met in middle school at colorguard try-outs, and we were fairly inseparable throughout high school. I do recall people saying that we were joined at the hip. Care and I have managed to stay in touch throughout the years, even though we went off to colleges in different states and have not lived in the same city since high school. I still consider her one of my most precious friends, and I love it when we get to see one another. Caroline and her husband Mark have two children - an almost 3 year old little boy and a newborn baby girl. I haven't met baby Anna yet, but I am hoping that I will get to soon!

Care and I several years ago - we are definitely standing in a random parking lot, and I believe that's a gas station in the background...

Momma and precious baby girl wearing a dress I sent her :-)
(This picture totally stolen from Caroline's blog and copyright of Caroline Nicole photography.)

10. Get more exercise

I started to try to think of something more fun to end with, but decided that I should probably leave this one on the list. I am happy to report that I have been doing a better job in this area over the past week-and-a-half or so. We have had great weather lately, and I love to be outside, so I have been taking opportunities to get out and walk. A friend asked me tonight if I was interested in doing the Thanksgiving half marathon with her this year. I laughed. Hard. I don't run. And even if I did, that would still be way out of my league. I have, though, entertained the goal of being able to run a 10K. Maybe. Did I mention I hate running?

What's on your To-Do list this summer??