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I finally got around to reading one issue out of my magazine pile (I only subscribe to 2 magazines) and here are the interesting points I found:

• Wear sunscreen, everyday, even on your lips, eyelids, and ears. I have sunscreen in my moisturizer and lipstick, but I don’t ever catch may ears…and it would be a shame have to remove an ear from skin cancer.
• I can make artisan bread cheaper than buying it. Make a big batch on Saturday and use all week. Recipe: Mix 1 1/2 tablespoons yeast and 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt in 3 cups warm water. Stir in 6 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour. Cover and let rise 2-5 hours. Use or refrigerate up to 2 weeks. To use, cut off amount you want to use and let rise 40 minutes. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450. Dust dough with flour and slash top. Slide onto stone and put 1 cup hot water into pan on bottom of oven to steam the bread. Bake about 30 minutes.
• Not magazine related, but bread related: I’m super good at making homemade bagels, but then the family will eat more bagels at one sitting than when I buy them.
• Aly’s bubble themed birthday party menu (tablescape inspiration on left) is slightly modified to be healthier: cold whole-wheat pasta salad with veggies, warm weather potato salad (potato balls), hummus and pita chips, fruit salad (melon balls), baked brie or a cheese ball, and carbonated juices in pretty glass containers. Plus, whatever my friends bring.
• I have a crap ton of stuff to do in the next three days, and work is going to take a backseat. I have to weed the area of my garden, get dirt and plants, and plant the veggies. I have to buy and make food. I have to buy more dish soap to make bubbles and flyswatters to make bubbles. I need to have everything done by 11 am Saturday morning while not getting too dirty so I don’t have to shower and I can enjoy my family and friends celebrating 3 years of Aly’s life. 
• Oh, and I have a fashion show to debut my apron line Friday night….which means I need to do all the alterations, decide which one is going to be worn by whom, and decide which one to leave at home and give as a wedding present the next night.
• I love to wear sundresses but it’s a beast trying to find some that fit the big bust line well. Maybe I’ll make some when I’m done with the 3 quilts (one is so close to being done).
• Photograph life more!
• Curious to see what YOU might look like if you lost 20, 30 or 50+ lbs? Go to weightview.com and sign up for a free account. They’ll email you a picture of you at your ideal weight within 72 hours.
• Seller financing might be a good option for us to look into right now. Buyers are looking to get rid of a high-priced property, so they’re more likely to go with unconventional options. And the interest rate is usually more favorable….plus, I want to take on a boarder.
• I’ve washed the dishes, but I still have 5 reviews to write, a room full of laundry to fold, shopping for the party to do, the aforementioned fashion show stuff, get to a fabric store to buy backing for the quilts and fabric for cheryl’s romper and just general cleaning. And I need to head up to Providence to give VIP bag stuff to Machete…all the errands can be done in one shot, I’m more worried about the gardening and the cleaning. I think I’ll do the latter now, and wait til Alex can stay with the kids for the running errands portion of the mania.