Julie Gumm - Author

Risky Moves

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Noah loves games and, like his dad, tends toward games that involve strategy – chess, checkers, Stratego, etc. He is the only kid who hangs in til the end in monopoly (usually because he’s winning).

This week he discovered the Risk game we had and begged Mark to play with him. They started yesterday and today after we got home he gave up snack time to get right back to the game.

Love the look of pure concentration. Like he can WILL the dice to roll a certain number.

Like a typical Gumm male he tends to try to bend the rules, or just downright invent new ones. (Notice dad’s got the rule book in his hands.)

Gotta think hard before that next move.

That’s just me being artsy with the camera.

I have to admit that it’s fun to have the kids at an age where they can play something other than Chutes & Ladders and Candyland!

Clothing Challenge Update

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So it’s been 4.5 months of the 12 month “no new clothing” challenge and I figured you guys were due for a little update.

Interestingly in the last month I’ve read a couple of news articles about similar challenges.

The “6 items or less challenge” had about 100 people going 30 days wearing the same basic 6 clothing items (not including socks and underwear). I love this slideshow that illustrates the different looks you can get with the same clothing items.

It’s even catching on in Europe.

Our gypsy lifestyle this summer had me living in the same 7 outfits (re-arranged some) for about 4 weeks. Boring? Yes. Easy? Yes. Didn’t have to think too much about what to wear.

The one potential hitch in our brilliant plan is that in the last several months I’ve lost 11 lbs. Great for me. Not so great for the fit of my pants. Although now there are some pants that I WASN’T wearing before that I am back in. It’s the summer shorts that took the biggest hit and I was only left with about 2 pairs that did not require me to hitch them up every 30 seconds.  (Sorry, I hate belts with shorts.)

I probably could have talked hubby into letting me purchase some new shorts but I’m determined to not take the easy road out.

So this weekend I took out my trusty sewing machine (hubby purchased 17 years ago at a pawn shop for $20) and altered 2 pairs of pants and about 6 pairs of shorts. None of them would pass muster with the Project Runway judges but my t-shirts always cover the waistband anyways.

It has helped that I was given some hand me downs (totally allowed in the rules) from a friend so I have some new tops to mix in my wardrobe.

Plus in about 3 more months I can break into my “winter” (read long sleeves and jeans cuz that’s all a Phoenix winter needs) wardrobe. It’s kind of like having all new clothes again.

Of course the problem with this challenge is that come next April I’m going to be so sick of my entire wardrobe that I want to burn the whole thing and start fresh.

Which would kind of defeat the point.

Right?

Miscellaneous Monday

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I know Monday is almost over but I’ve been gathering little tidbits here and there and thought I would share some recent great blog posts I’ve read.