Getting Some of the List Done and Celebrationing the 4th

This is my list that I started.

1.  Clean the kitchen closet.
2.  Place chalkboard in kitchen
3.  Wipe board in kitchen closet
4. Shelf in hall bath
5.  Headboard for Master bedroom
6. Clean inside of van.
7.  Craft cans for holding kids commissions
8.  Finish trunk as seen here
9.  Finish cleaning the storage area in basement.
10. Place hooks in Jared's room
11. Do gallery wall by desk
12. Poly the picnic table
13. finish sanding/painting the dresser (see link in #8)
14. Sand/Paint the $5 garage sale dresser I got the other day
15.  Paint desk chair
16.  Make skirt/pad for desk chair
17. Curtains for Living Room
18. Paint desk - ugly laminate monstrosity
19.  Make skirt for the ugly laminate monstrosity
20.  Hang flag outside.

Oh, my goodness!  I am so far behind!  YIKES!

Here is a little of what we I have gotten done.

Here is the chalkboard in the kitchen.  

It is right in plain view from our island and stools where we eat many of our meals.  I saw somewhere in bloggy world using a chalkboard in the kitchen to memorize Bible verses as a family.  I loved the idea and started looking for a chalkboard or at least something that I could transform into a chalkboard.  I found this one at a garage sale for $2.  I think that I need to spray it with chalkboard paint as the chalk is really hard to see.  Believe it or not - I took the pic at JUST THE RIGHT ANGLE see the chalk well.  This is our first verse to memorize.  I taught the kids the song (anyone remember that???) to help them remember the verse.  Jared got it really fast and Maggie is getting it.  This will be a great family time activity to work on during meal time. :)

Here is the wipe board in the kitchen closet.  I had this wipe board down in the basement - not being used - and finally thought of a great use for it.  We started doing chores etc for the kids using Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace Jr. .  Rod made a sheet using EXCEL which was great but we were having to make a new one each time.  (For the record, the FP Jr. Kit comes with a wipe board but it is just for one kid).  So we put up the wipeboard to keep track of chores that they have completed and fines that they have received - they only get paid for each chore that they do.  If you look REALLLY, REALLLLLYYY, closely you can see the green and orange checks for the kids for the chores that they have done.

This is the bottom of that closet.  I didn't take a before pic but it was a mess.  The green bag holds old rags that we use for cleaning or mopping up ugly messes or staining things.  I used to have a dish pan filled with cleaning supplies that I wanted access to but didn't use that often.  So I moved things around and put the ones that I use most often in here (easier access) and put them in the little cleaning supply thingy.  So, now I am using it for what it was intended for. (SHOCK).  In the crate I have the rolls of empty garbage bags.  Behind that I have our stash of bags - paper and plastic.   Much more clean and orderly.  Smile.

As part of Financial Peace Jr., it teaches the kids to save and give their money and we needed 3 separate containers for each kid.  So I saved some Crystal Light containers and the kids chose their own scrapbook paper and we decorated their containers.  They love to see their money grow and grow.

Ok, so that is some of what was accomplished.

Did you have a fun holiday weekend?  Ours was fun and crazy and busy but not in the way most would think.  Sunday July 3rd was a BIG  service at our church.  Normally we have 5 services and this past Sunday we had One Big Outdoor service for everyone.  The church built an amphitheater a couple of years ago and it was an exciting service of seeing how God works and moves in each of us.  My husband is in charge of all the audio/video at the church so this meant a crazier day than normal.  He got to the "Hill" (amphitheatre) at 5am and the service was officially from 10-11am and then he had to tear it all down.  Have I mentioned on here that he rolled his ankle a couple of weeks ago? Yep.  About the 3rd time since we've been together.  So he has been a "Crip" - it has gotten much better - the purple coloring is slowing going away.  But spending that much time on a hill was hard on his ankle and being outdoors in the heat running around, lifting, fixing things.  When he got home about 1:30pm he was zapped.  We had a lazy afternoon (naps) on Sunday and then went to see the fireworks here in town.  It was a quaint night.  It felt like maybe Norman Rockwell might walk by with his drawing pad.  We all stayed and watched the big boom at the end of the night and then drove the 2 mile drive home - wiped out.  Yesterday (the fourth) was just hanging out at home and recuperating.  The kids played in the sprinkler and lots of fun was had by all.  Especially Rod when he got another nap.  grin.

I love the Fourth of July and told the kids on the way home why we celebrate it.  Told them that it is the birthday of our country and we are celebrating our freedoms that we get to enjoy in this wonderful country.

Thanks to all of our soldiers - past and present - who fought/fight bravely for our freedoms.  Thanks to all of the people who help me keep into perspective of what our freedoms truly are.  The people who say with full knowledge of WHAT they are saying when they say "Only in America can "this" happen...."

Have a great Tuesday and Live BIG! :)