RaptorMama

I love Halloween y’all! Let’s set some goals for the month, shall we? But first, how’s we do in September…

1. Plan for Trip. Done! And it was amazing. I forgot how easy it is to travel domestically by yourself.
2. Advent Calendar. Nope.
3. Beach. Also nope. But I did have a lovely day in my craft room instead. 🙂
4. Subbing. I haven’t updated my availability yet, but that hasn’t stopped them from calling me! lol
5. Project Life. First half is done! And I’m actually really happy with it.
6. Prep the Steps. This one is going to have to take a backseat for a while, but I did decide on all of the colors so I’m ready. 🙂
7. Hexies. I’m not done, but I’m getting closer. 🙂
8. Wind Bobbins. Ugh. Still haven’t done this.
9. Africa Scrapbook. I made some progress on this and I’m so happy!
10. Sensory Bin. Nope.

How about October…

1. Advent Calendar. It’s crunch time people.
2. Project Life. I’m about out of photo paper (again lol) but I’m hoping to catch up! I think I have 9 weeks to do to make that happen.
3. Hexies. I’m not setting a specific goal, but I’d like to work on these some more.
4. Africa Scrapbook. I want to make some progress on this! I need to troubleshoot my big printer so I can keep moving forward. 🙂
5. Sensory Bin. I’ve got to clean up Mia’s desk area and make her a new sensory bin.
6. Cryptozoology Quilt. I need to wind the bobbins and finish this puppy up!
7. Bind Log Cabin Quilt. Ugh. I just need to put on my big girl panties and get this bad boy done!
8. Halloween Costumes. Need to help the kids figure these out.
9. Kid Crafts. I want to find a few cute craft projects to do with the kids.
10. Wreath? I have a super cute idea for a Halloween wreath. Jury is still out on whether or not I can execute said idea. hahahahaha

And there you have it! And only 4 days late. lol

Oh my gosh, fall is officially here in New England and it is lovely! The kidlets went back to school this year and I am slowly working on putting the house back into some kind of order after the summer. :). With that said, let’s look at goals.

August Goals

1. Advent Calendar. I actually worked on this! It’s a Christmas miracle! I got 5 ornaments done this month and I only have 5 left to go. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.
2. Project Life. Well, I didn’t get anything done on August, but I did finish April and May!
3. Cryptozoology Quilt. Welp, I was almost done and then I ran out of bobbin thread.
4. Low Volume Log Cabin. I didn’t get the binding done on this, but I am going to Texas this month for a short visit and I’m hoping to ask my grandmother for advice. 🙂
5. Adventure Time. lol. Nope. But Xander and I did go on an adventure to Acadia and that was quite fun.
6. School Scrapbooks. Done! I am so stinking happy that we have managed to keep up with the tradition through the years. 🙂
7. Beach. Didn’t make it to the sandy beach, but we did take a trip out to Owl’s Head! So I guess we did 2 adventures. 🙂
8. Seasonal Decorating. We’ve officially moved onto fall decorating. lol.
9. Planner. Yes! RaptorDad and I are having a weekly meeting on Sundays to set priorities for the week, It’s helping me so much!!!
10. Meal Plans. As predicted, I did nothing. hahahaha

September Goals.

1. Plan for Trip. I’d like to have little letters or something ready for the kids each day while I’m gone.
2. Advent Calendar. I want to finish!!!
3. Beach. This is a must. I’m thinking next week.
4. Subbing. It’s only the first week of school, but I need to go in and update my subbing availability for this year.
5. Project Life. I’d love to get June done and then the entire first half of the year will be done! I’m thinking that since I’m adding so many inserts, I’m going to split the year across 2 books.
6. Prep the steps. I’m working on revamping our stairs and the next step is to prep the risers.
7. Hexies. I’ve been working on the hand quilting in the evenings and I’d really love to wrap this puppy up! I want to start on a new project. lol.
8. Wind Bobbins. I hate doing this so much which is why I haven’t sewn anything for weeks. I’m thinking I should follow my grandmother’s advice and actually wind a bunch of them up in advance.
9. Africa Scrapbook. I’d like to get 2 more days of photos culled.
10. Sensory Bin. I’d love to refresh the sonsory bin. 🙂

Figured we’re a little more than halfway through the year so I figured I’d check on my annual goals.

1. Books. Well, I’m still reading a ton of trash, but I have managed a few real books. So I have Words of Radiance and Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson. Myka and I are listening to them in the evenings while we craft. I also read the entire Court of Thorns and Roses series. So freaking good! I think I will attempt to craft the box set for the dollhouse. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was also fantastic. Looks like I need to search for some new genres! I want to read Spare so I think I’m going to see if I can find it at the library. Any other suggestions?
2. Project Life. I’m doing better than expected on this one! I have the first 17 weeks done and that includes any additional inserts so I’m considering these pics scrapped as well. Really need to do some quick catch up!
3. Scrapbooks. Honestly haven’t even looked at these and I’m ok with that.
4. Home Projects. Well, we did manage to build some cubbies for shoe storage. It’s not quite what I was hoping for, but they are working!
5. Monthly Theme. I did pretty good for the first 4 months, but then my long term sub job started and this project got set aside. Hoping to bring it back this fall!
6. Hexagons. The quilt is stabilized and bound! I repeat, the quilt is stabilized and bound! Still loads of quilting to go, but I’m making some progress at least.
7. Quilts. I did make some progress on the Log Cabin quilt. 🙂
8. Game Night. So we’re not doing anything regular, but we have been having a fun time with some new board games.
9. New Friends. Subbing definitely helped!
10. Explore Maine. Hmm… New places include: Rockland/ Owl’s Head, Acadia, West Quoddy Lighthouse, Portland Children’s Museum, Moosehead Lake (Eclipse Trip!)… That’s actually not bad! I’m pretty impressed with myself.

Oh my gosh, I cannot believe that it is already August! We are now in the homestretch of summer where we have absolutely nothing planned. And I am thrilled! We had an amazing June and July seeing friends and family and now we’re ready for some relaxing. 🙂

July Goals

1. Finish April 2024. Well, I did get the pics printed so that’s something? Might try and catch up this month.
2. Strawberry Quilt. I actually did finish a chocolate strawberry block, but I hate it and I’m planning to redo it, so partial credit?
3. Cryptozoology Quilt. So fun! I finished the blocks and I’m starting to sew them together.
4. Quilt Show. OMG! So much fun. SO many beautiful quilts!
5. Low Volume Log Cabin. I finished quilting it! Now I just need to figure out how to bind it…

August Goals.

1. Advent Calendar. It’s that time of year when I pull out all of the Bucilla projects. First up, advent calendar! I have 10 ornaments to go and then a bit of trim needs to be added. So close I can taste it! Of course, then I have 3 stocking kits ready to go. So a reasonable goal for August? How about 1 ornament a week.
2. Project Life. I was doing so good… I think I’d like to try and do August in real time while finishing up August and working on May.
3. Cryptozoology Quilt. I’d like to get the top finished so that I can take it down off of the design wall and put my strawberries back up. 🙂
4. Low Volume Log Cabin. I think the goal for this month will be to make the binding.
5. Adventure Time! I’m thinking maybe 1 field trip a week? IDK.
6. School Scrapbooks. Need to remember to do our interviews on the eve of the first day of school. 🙂 I want to try to get some of the pictures printed too.
7. Beach. I need to get back to the beach! Maybe I’ll give the sand heart photo thing another go…
8. Seasonal Decorating? I gave up back in April, but I’d love to get back to this.
9. Planner. I’d love to be more intentional about utilizing my planner.
10. Meal plans? Speaking of, I always say I want to do this and then never do. lol.

And look at that! I actually managed to come up with 10 goals. It’s a Christmas miracle!

Um, it’s July 19th July 20th as I’m writing this. Not sure there’s much of a point to making goals this late in the game, but I’m a creature of habit so here goes…

June Goals.

1. April 2024 Project Life. Well, I did a layout yesterday, does that count?
2. May 2024 Project Life. lol
3. Organize Library. Still loads of work to be done in here, but we were able to use it as a passable guest room!
4. Africa Scrapbook. Soon!!!
5. Strawberry Quilt. I don’t know how many blocks I started the month with, but I’m up to 12!
6. Clean all the things. Done (ish)
7. Watercolor. I’ve been having a blast with this!
8. Summer Plans. hahahahahahahaha
9. School Scrapbooks. Done!
10. Survive. Debatable.

July Goals.

1. Finish April 2024 Project Life. I only have one layout to go so this feels doable.
2. Strawberry Quilt. I got a bunch of brown scraps from my grandmother when we went to Texas and I’m hoping to get the chocolate strawberry done!
3. Cryptozoology Quilt. OMG. This one is so fun and so quick! I’d love to finish piecing the blocks this month.
4. Quilt Show. I’m going to the quilt show with one of my friends and I’m so excited!
5. Low Volume Log Cabin. I’d like to pull this bad boy out and spend at least an hour on the machine quilting. Now that we basically live in Canada, we actually need more blankets! And I’ve got to get better at machine quilting.
6. Survive.
7. Survive.
8. Survive.
9. Survive.
10. Survive.

Figuratively speaking of course. There’s no swimming here yet. lol But after today, we only have 8 more days of school. So close! Not gonna lie, it’s been hard watching all of our Texas friends swimming and in full on summer mode, but it will be our turn soon. :). Let’s see how we did in May.

1. April 2024. Nope. But I am printing out week 16 now so progress? More importantly, I continue to LOVE only doing Project Life plus inserts.
2. May 2024. hahahahahaha
3. Africa Scrapbook. I’ve gotten 2 out of 11 days worth of photos culled. Only 9 to go!
4. Strawberry Quilt. In a surprise burst of motivation, I’ve actually completed 8 strawberry blocks! I need either 25 or 30 depending on how I do the backing fabric. We’ll see how long my sojo lasts.
5. Quilt Guild. Another bust. I’m starting to think I should just join the statewide Modern Quilt Guild?
6. RaptorDad’s birthday. Success!
7. Survive.
8. Survive.
9. Survive.
10. Survive. Well, I’m still here and all of my lessons are ready to go for the rest of the week. So close!

June Goals:

1. April 2024 Project Life. So many fun things happened in April and I want to scrap them while the memories are fresh!
2. May 2024 Project Life.
3. Organize library. This is our family crafting space and it looks like a tornado went through the craft store and then dumped it all here. My goal for this summer is for this to be a usable craft space PLUS guest room for Casa Blanca this summer.
4. Africa Scrapbook. Maybe I can cull 2 more days worth of photos?
5. Strawberry Quilt. I’d love to get another 5 or 6 blocks done.
6. Clean all the things. OMG, we have guests coming soon. YIKES!!! Commence panic cleaning. Just kidding, I’m going to finish this blog post and then go play with the pictures I just printed.
7. Watercolor. I’ve been playing with making my own watercolored project life cards and I am loving it!!! I want to make some time to play this month.
8. Summer plans. ok. I don’t think I’m going to buy them summer workbooks this year, but I do think I’m going to start a summer schedule. As in, Monday is library day. Tuesday is baking day. IDK. Something like that.
9. School Scrapbooks. Must remember to do last day of school pictures and interviews!
10. Survive.

What can I say, I’m a little behind on, oh, everything. lol. But let’s see how we did in April, shall we?

1. March 2024. Nope. Although I do have the pictures printed.
2. April 2024. Hahahahahahahaha.
3. Birthday Party. Well, I almost had a heart attack when I woke up and it was RAINING, but it stopped just in time for their party and everyone had a lovely time!
4. Summer Plans. Um, I signed Xander up for a week of day camp?
5. Quilting. So much fun! And a goal I actually met! I have a block and a half done and I’m having a blast.
6. Eclipse. AMAZING!!! I was worried about everything (naturally) but the sky was clear and it was amazing!
7. Africa Scrapbook. I’ve started! I didn’t make a ton of progress, but I’ve started!
8. Quilt Guild. Somehow I missed that there wasn’t a meeting in April either. ::sob:: I’m going to give it one more try in May.
9. April Break Plans. A success!!! Mostly because other people made plans and invited us along. lol.
10. Survive. Debatable.

May Goals

1. April 2024. I want to get the pics for these weeks printed.
2. May 2024. I want to get these pics printed as well.
3. Africa Scrapbook. First goal is to cull the (thousands of) photos and print the best one for each day as a 10×8.
4. Strawberry Quilt. I’d love to finish the block I’m working on and start a 3rd!
5. Quilt Guild. Fingers crossed.
6. RaptorDad’s birthday is the 12th! I need to plan all the things!
7. Survive until the end of the school year.
8. Survive until the end of the school year.
9. Survive until the end of the school year.
10. Survive until the end of the school year.

You guys! It’s April! And I took a long term sub job that started last week and will go through the end of the school year. It’s crazy, but also exciting. :). That does mean that I don’t have quite as much time to craft, but the kids are sweet and I love being up at their school. That said, I was not at all sad when we had a snow day today! Let’s see how March went.

1. March 2024. Well, I was doing great until I took the long term sub job, but that’s ok. I just finished up week 11 this morning and I’m still loving this new system.
2. September 2023. Nope. Didn’t even look at this.
3. Africa Scrapbook. I didn’t get much photo editing done, but I did decide that I wanted to watercolor my cards for it. I’ve been practicing and it’s so much fun!
4. School Scrapbooks. Nope.
5. Prep for Visitors. Yes! We had the best time!
6. Easter. We made it! It didn’t feel like Easter, but the kids were good at Mass and we had a fun tea party for my birthday so I’m counting it as a win!
7. Hexies. I got them bound! Now I just need to finish quilting them. One day…
8. 2019 Scrapbook. Nope.
9. Eclipse. Well, I made sure I had the day off of work before I took the sub job, but that’s about as far as I’ve gotten. lol.
10. Beach. It’s actually been pretty chilly! But I did run over to the beach after I took my bestie back to the airport and it was perfection.

April?

1. March 2024. I want to finish this and I think I can do it as I only have 2 weeks left.
2. April 2024. I do not think I’ll be able to get these pages done, but I do want to keep up with the photo editing/ printing. I can do the editing during my downtime during the day so I think this is possible. Then next fall when the kids are back at school, all of the pictures will be ready for me to scrap!
3. Birthday Party. omg. The twinsies are turning 9! In like a week and a half! We did manage to get invitations out so that’s something. I need to plan some stuff for the actual party though.
4. Summer Plans. I’m not doing a theme for the whole summer, but I do think I want to do weekly themes? Also trying to think of a lose daily/ weekly structure so that we are not sitting around the house all summer irritating each other.
5. Quilting. I decided to start a new quilt that’s been on my list for a while- a scrappy strawberry quilt! I’m hoping I can get one block done this month. 🙂
6. Eclipse! The eclipse y’all!!! I’m so freaking excited!
7. Africa Scrapbook. I want to set aside some time to work on this. 🙂
8. Quilt Guild. I tried to go to the meeting this month, but I think I must have gotten the date wrong as no one was there. ::sigh:: I need to try again next month!
9. April Break Plans. The kids and I have a week off in April. I want to plan some fun day trips I think!
10. Survive? I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…