I'm a Grown-Up Now: Getting things done like it's my job, yo.

Hey, remember when I listed out a simple, easy-to-cross-off-like-five-a-day, bulleted-for-your-convenience list of Things to Do This Summer? Remember all my good intentioned good intentions about completing them? Well, Jennie over at She Likes Purple (one of the first blogs I got emotionally attached to, so thanks!) posted about her summer-do list which reminded me about mine. I was all, "Shucks, I haven't exactly had this thing pasted up on fridge. Sheesh. Man oh man. Holy tap dancing Jesus I need to check on that!" See, what a shame would it be to blog at the end of the summer about how I didn't cross anything- not one teeny, tiny bullet- off of my list. I'd sink into an I-Can't-Be-Productive-Not-Even-In-An-Entire-Summer slump. SO. We're going to prevent that. Here's an update on The Summer Bucket List:

Things I Want to Do During the Time that I am Forced to Leave Tuscaloosa and Take up Residence Elsewhere*

Read Lord of the Flies and A Farewell to Arms and The Joy Luck Club

I am a third of the way through Lord of the Flies and just started The Joy Luck Club today. I'm also halfway through The Hobbit with big plans to read the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I realize I seem a little crazy (well, ADD at best) for juggling shipwrecked children, Chinese women and adventurous hobbits at the same time, but it seems to be working, except when I mix up story lines and wonder why Bilbo Baggins is playing mah jong on a deserted island. Eh. Better planning next time.

Lose 10 pounds

My most anticipated goal: I have lost 7 pounds so far, and I think I am going to bump up the goal to 15 pounds. In which case, I'm almost halfway there! It's been hard-fought- no brownies ALL SUMMER. Luckily, I have not died yet. Check back with me in July for an update- I may or may not have died from Most Wonderful Food in The History of Eating withdrawals.

Learn how to do something new (maybe ride a bike! or bake something awesome from scratch! or how to make a yo-yo walk a dog! Sheesh. So many possiblities.)

Luckily, this one was kind of open to (my own) interpretation. I baked an apple spice cake from scratch. Does that count for this bullet?

Build a better relationship with my grandparents, and

I feel like this has been going well. There have been- while not a lot- more visits and phone calls than in the past. There has been bonding. There have been two-hour conversations.

my nieces and nephew. I want to carve out time for each of them specifically. (A really cool fact is that I'm getting a brand-new niece in August. I'm very, very excited for Gracie Laine.)

I've been scoring pretty well with Taylor, but that's kind of easy because I live with him.

Find out more about my mom's childhood and young adult life from her brother, my Uncle Darrell

When my mother was 16, she got drunk in the back bedroom of my grandmother's house with her best friend Lucy. That's what I'm talking about, Mom. Way to be a rebel.

Get a great tan

Well, I've been spending lots of time at the pool. And on account of the fact that I have to watch do my best to keep kids coated in sunscreen and also floating rather than sinking, I haven't exactly been flipping and/or concerned about my tan, and as a result, my back is two shades lighter than my front. I'm not sure who, if anyone, would call that great. But a tan it is.

Write several times a week, and

Blogging counts. I'm sure it does.

continue writing poetry.

Eh...uh... poetry in July!

*This list is subject to changes and editorial review.

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Alright, I guess this is pretty good- for a mid-summer check up anyway. And speaking of it being mid-summer, we're are about to hit July! It seems impossible that it's already here and, at the same time, like it has been June since 1984, which is quite impossible in itself as well, since I have been alive all of June but only since 1991. I have a pretty incredible July lined up, if I do say so myself- I'm going to Six Flags AND the beach with Gracie, and (this just in!) to Tampa with my fam. Moreover, I get a kidless week (I love you children!) to hang out at home- the first time I'll have been home more than 4 days all summer. There's also sure to be lots of watermelon and I get to really start thinking about buying cool things like shower curtains for my new digs.

Three cheers for July!

And also for these photos: