To-Do List Check-In

I haven't checked in for a while, but when I pulled up the blog this morning and re-read our To-Do list, I felt really good.


Babyproof - August is thisclose to crawling and is testing his pulling up abilities

Secured bookshelves to the wall in his room, moved around some toys and books, lowered his crib mattress, and drank the wine on the lower family room shelf! We're keeping a close eye on things and making changes where necessary as we go.

Change over the bed linens for spring and summer

Check! I love putting small task on a To-Do list, just so I can feel accomplished as I knock them off the list!

Wash the windows - HATE this job!

Haven't started, but I bought a pressurized sprayer that I'm hoping will make the job easier, and ::gasp:: more fun?!

Patio maintenance - sunken pavers need repaired

This is big... and it's done! (Writing "done" makes me think of my swim coach, who always said, "Cakes and cookies are done, people are always finished." It took me YEARS (mind you I was little when I first heard that phrase) to figure out what the heck he meant!

Spread all that mulch!

FINISHED!

Touch up the patio furniture with another coat of stain

This weekend... please no rain!

Maybe sew some new outdoor furniture covers?

Time consuming!

Maybe do new porch flooring and ceiling?

Expensive!

Go hiking at a Metro Park or State Park

Two parks in two weekends - Darby and Blacklick!

Get the bikes tuned up

Soon!

Looking back at before and after pictures is always a great reminder of how far we've come, even when there seems like there is so much left to do...

Our Patio...

Before:

After:

Bright Whites

Any guesses to what these are?



IKEA would have you believe they're oil and vinegar cruets. Yup, I have oil and vinegar cruets on my bathroom shelf - right next to the neti pot that looks like a creamer, and a sugar bowl that holds the neti pot salt.



Our oil and vinegar set holds his-and-her mouthwash. Whitening mouthwash on the left for the Handy Hunk, Act on the right for me. You can chalk this up to one of those small purchases that makes me endlessly happy! See, with open shelves in the bathroom, we keep only the bare essentials, and they have to look pretty. And, well, the giant mouthwash bottles of bright blue and green weren't so pretty. I much prefer the cohesive bright white and sleek accessories next to warm wood tones.



So after a couple of months of searching, I stumbled upon these in the most unlikely of places. Except was it really all that unlikely? I mean, IKEA never lets you down - they have a solution for everything - it's just that sometimes you have to think outside the box a little. Never fails, I go there with a list, a very specific list... and I come home with some of the things that were on the list, a bunch of things that weren't on the list, and a longer list!

Speaking of bright whites... look who has sprouted a couple of his own. The top ones are starting to come in... poor, poor guy is so ouchy!



And did you know that good dental health and oral hygeine are important heart disease prevention measures? Regular brushing and flossing and regular trips to the dentist reduce the amount of inflammatory bacteria in the mouth, which can enter the bloodstream, cause arterial plaques and swelling, and lead to the blockages that cause heart attacks and strokes.

Now if you'll excuse me... I'm off to make a dentist appointment!