Birthday Post 2010 Andrea Adams, photographer, Stafford, VA

Forty Four things on my Forty Fourth Birthday


1. I want to write a book.
2. I wish I could clean my house by blinking like Jeannie on I Dream of Jeannie. It would free up a lot of time.
3. I have so many projects in my head, and there are many lists in many locations with multiple projects written on them.
4. I am trying to learn to meditate. It is much more difficult to sit and be still than one might think. My brain goes into overdrive.
5. I wrote down all of the things I would like to spend some time each day on (Bible Study, piano, photography, reading, cleaning, laundry, business, etc.) It added up to more hours than I had available. That has frustrated me.
6. I am trying to decide if I want to take a steady part time job in the fall or stick with subbing.
7. I really love the Body Combat class at the gym.
8. I cannot wait to go to the beach- partly for the relaxation, and partly for the photos I get to take.
9. I am looking for a parking lot carnival so I can take photos of a ferris wheel, and I can’t find one. Where are they? How do you find one?
10. I love summer dresses and skirts. I would wear them everyday if I had enough.
11. I want to visit some colleges this summer with Alex.
12. Organization is my biggest issue in getting things done. I keep trying to organize and I set up systems, but follow through is my downfall.
13. Homemade chocolate chip cookies are one of my favorite things in the world.
14. My favorite TV show this year is Chuck.
15. I can’t survive without paper towels in the kitchen. I read about paperless kitchens, and it just seems unimaginable to me.
16. My craft room is a disaster right now, and it makes me sad because it is hard to be creative in there. See numbers 2 and 3.
17. Sometimes I need a Diet Dr. Pepper.
18. I spend too much money. On everything.
19. I could read for several hours every day. I wish I had a kindle and an unlimited amazon card. There are also many lists of books I want to read lying around. I should get all of that onto goodreads.
20. I have everything to paint my bedroom- now I just need to do it.
21. I love Target.
22. For someone who spends 95% of her time on this one exit, I have to put gas in my car a lot.
23. We are currently trying to buy Tony a used truck.
24. I do not think I am old enough for both of my parents to be gone.
25. The beach calms me down instantly. Just stepping onto it, I feel my heart rate slow down and my breathing deepen.
26. I wish I were really excellent at SOMETHING- not just kind of good at many things.
27. I would love to get a fine arts degree in photography, design, or even painting.
28. I wish I could hunt for furniture to repaint/refinish and have a place to refinish it easily.
29. I want to live in the Pottery Barn catalog or the Ballard Design catalog.
30. My kids are awesome- smart, nice, good to each other- sometimes I am amazed at how well they are turning out.
31. I am really going to try and assimilate the ideas behind the Women, Food and God book- which is the same thing in Weigh Down, and the same in Martha Beck’s book. I know this is the answer- I just need to implement it.
32. I don’t think I am allowed to really fall apart, and I don’t know what would happen if I really let myself go.
33. I love reading blogs on line, particularly those of creative women who post photos of everything they are doing. I really envy everything they are getting done.
34. My age doesn’t bother me.
35. White chocolate is not chocolate.
36. I went to the midnight showing of Eclipse in a hand painted t-shirt that matched my girls’. It was fun.
37. The Harry Potter trailer made me really excited for the movie.
38. I want to make plans to go to DC to take some pictures and for other trips to museums.
39. I want to make my house the house I really want to live in. Hence the lists.
40. I wear spf 70 on my face every single day and I still have dark patches.
41. I am making an effort to go to the pool more this summer and read. Hoping to help with the relaxing efforts. My stress levels are a bit high.
42. I wish I had a really cute haircut that didn’t require a lot of work.
43. I like walking the dog every day.
44. My life is pretty good- I need to appreciate it more often.

Ten on Tuesday (kind of) Andrea Adams, photographer

Ten on Tuesday (I know its Wednesday, but Monday was a holiday, so this still counts, right?)

1. Finished with LOAD for May 2010. Actually completed all 31 layouts and got them uploaded on time.





2. Ordered a computer battery for my laptop. I have been plugged in to my laptop turned desktop for several months now. Finally splurged the $45 to get a new battery. Who knew they were so cheap? I love amazon.com.



3. Have postponed my NaNoWriMo until July. Hoping to have Alex and maybe Alyssa join me. Am waiting for successful tales from DeAun and her girls with their June editions. (I totally just typed tails- is that Freudian? Or just bad typing?)

4. Still trying to find a balance of home/work/home- improvement time. SOOO many things I want to do. So many things I actually already have the supplies for. JUST DO IT should be my mantra. Bought paint for the bedroom- it hasn’t been tinted yet, but I bought the paint.

5. Alex takes the SAT this week. Lots of stress this week as well. Can’t wait for Saturday evening.

6. Going strong on the exercise plan- now attempting to put a better eating plan in place. No refined sugar for a month. (except for one graduation party where I know there will be a cake made by pretty Amy!) I will be having some kind of birthday cake on my birthday, though. Hopefully, moderation in July. I may not be very nice in June.

7. Bible Study covered the story of Abraham taking Isaac up the mountain to sacrifice him last night. I think Beth Moore had a good point when she said to notice that God didn’t ask Sarah to do it. Made me feel a little better about my emotions concerning that story. (Genesis 22 if you want to read it.)

8. Need to work on Abbey’s scrapbook for Michele. Plan to use one or two full days to get it done. If not called in to sub tomorrow, I think tomorrow will be day one.

9. Was reading about Ali Edwards’ one little word for 2010 again today on her blog, and I CANNOT REMEMBER MY WORD. Obviously, it is not having much of an impact on me this year. She did say it wasn’t too late to change it. If anyone reading this remembers my word, would you leave it in the comments, please? I can remember my word for 2008- less, and my word for 2009- better, but 2010? A total blank. If I can’t remember it, I may come up with a new one.

10. Got my hair cut yesterday. Finally. It is just to my shoulders now. Pretty cute, I think. I didn’t use a curling iron on it today, and it looked o.k. Was hoping for a photo, but that will have to wait a day or two.