Another Day...not another dollar?

Big excitement...I tried Craigslist for the first time last week after my friend, Nancy E., recommended it. It was a successful venture. I'm going to root around for more things to see if I can't sell something else. I also had a successful week on e-bay. Not that I do it that often. I go in spurts, but I had some things I needed to sell, and so I listed them. We're trying to Dave Ramsey ourselves, and if you don't know who he is, I recommend looking him up. I'm too lazy this morning to URL! lol!

In that vein, I'm trying some new financial software that I seem to be having a good success with...which SUCCESS must be the word of the day! Mainly for budgeting, and that means expense tracking!

And as luck would have it, when doing some research on how to use this new budgeting tool, I found a great article on two headed snakes. What?!!! Not two headed snakes really. It was an article that basically said, pick your two biggest expenses that you think eat your budget...i.e. not your mortgage. Let's call them your budget eaters. Where you go off track...NOT THE LATTE. For me, right now, it is eating out. Not that we do it alot, but you get tired, and then next thing you know, you are getting a sandwhich somewhere. Try a goal of trimming this over the next month. By attacking your two weekest areas...and not eliminating them, but trying to reduce them. You free up the money you were spending there, to go to other areas. It may be a potential savings that if you keep on trying to find your two headed snakes, will help you keep your spending on track.

I think it is kind of like dieting. If you just go cold turkey and cut everything out, your mind is not happy! And you set yourself up for failure. But if you pick a habit, such as not getting fries with that meal, it's a change that when added to another change, becomes a lifestyle change and leads to weight loss on its own.


This is my last scrapbook page, which was sometime in June. I just have no mojo like I said. It doesn't have anything to do with a lack of materials, it's my brain won't cooperate. Maybe it's because life is busy right now. I miss my outlet, but it will come. I just need to give it time.


One thing really fun about my iPhone is the Hipstamatic film app. I bought it, which I don't usually buy apps. It has been worth every penny. This is my favorite combination (you Hipsters know what that means). B&W is my favorite film type. It can be so expressive in its contrast.

Anyway, that may be all I have to say for this day, aside from my glee in my coupon shopping yesterday at Bi-Lo! Save, save, save! Not my usual over 50%, but I bought alot of fresh fruit on sale so I still saved! Just could'nt get double coupons on top of the savings.

Project 365 Layouts

I'm somewhat remiss on keeping up with my Project 365 photos, but I do have some photos for every month. I have been somewhat hampered by the idiot who stole my camera leaving my with my iPhone. That is better than nothing, but the picture quality is so low! GEEZ I'm spoiled!

Here are some project 365 layouts I did recently. I am through April, which is kind of neat I have to admit.

I've had some lo's pubbed, too. I guess I need to post about that as well. Later, though. Let's focus on the Project 365. After all, it doesn't do any good to take all those pictures and not do the layouts to record them. Please excuse my laziness about crediting each and every designer to each and every lo. I merely ask that you visit those credited in my labels as those are the ultimately talented ladies whose products I used!

There's Hope In the Teen World!

Not too much to chat about today. No scrap lo's. How sad! Mojo is not here for some reason. I'm excited about some kits that I've got available to me. I'm just not in the stinkin' mood! And that never happens...well, hardly ever!

My kiddies are 16 months apart and have always been very close until probably high school. It's been a rough go as far as that because I'm so used to them being close, and it was killing me to see them fighting. Until yesterday because one of ds's friends said something to him that dd didn't like. She told him not to talk to her brother like that. The friend said, "But you talk to him like that." And she said, "Yeah. I'm his sister. You're not allowed to." She told him he could just leave if he didn't feel like apologizing to her brother. Now the friend is a good kid, and he apologized. A little while later, ds texts his sister, "I love you sister."

So it's true. The foundation is there. There may be some rough patches, but I am confident they will come out on the other side as friends and siblings and still close.

I upped my running today to 1.25 miles from 1.0. I think I could have actually gone further, but one thing at a time. I'm just very pleased with myself. And I feel so much better than when I was just walking. I sooooooo need that run!

Some of July's Layouts & Page Maps for September

I made a slideshow since it has been a while since I blogged. I don't think I'm much of a summer blogger. There's just so much more I'd rather be doing outside. I don't like winter so I blog more in winter cuz I'm inside where it is warm! LOL!

Becky Fleck has sent me a sketch for the September issue of Page Maps. I am so excited to be asked to contribute to her new digital section. That just completely was awesome!

I went to Hard Rock Park yesterday with 5 teenagers. I think they managed to have a good time. I do believe the highlights of their day included (1) my cussing on a ride because I had lost my ever lovin' mind from fright and (2) my screaming, "Close your eyes if you can't make it through!" several times during a vertigo experience brought on by a drug induced spinning tunnel in the Moody Blues Nights in White Satin ride. Apparently I'm quite funny when I don't realize what I am doing brought on my extreme sensory experiences! LOL!

I rode some dag gum swings. Let me tell you about that. That scared the bejesus out of me. I do not like the feeling of falling. Never have. One reason I don't like airplanes cuz turbulence feels like free falling. So I hop on these swings and off it goes, scaring the wee-wee out of me because I am suspended in mid-air on a twirly-swirly ride where I am experiencing that falling sensation and the only thing I have to hang on to is the two chains currently in a death grip. If I even move one inch, the swing starts to turn, which sends another shock of fear through me, causing a more death defying grip. I realize I can't scream, "Stop this ride! Get me off of here! NOW!" I mean all the others enjoying the ride, don't want to endure my panic attack. So I have to endure, meanwhile my vertigo is aggravated and a wave of nausea is welling up. So on top of falling, I might vomit on anyone below me on this wildly spinning ride. That was it for me for the day. I then went to the Beach Blanket Bingo show. My speed! LOL!

Fun New Lo with Cottage Arts and Senior Portraits

CottageArts Play & Grow Collection by Julie Meade

UNEDITED

Okay, I have always wanted to do one of these kind of cartoon lo's, for lack of a better description. When I saw this kit by Julie Meade over at Cottage ARts, I had to have it. It just so happens that I found these photos of my dd from about 4 years ago that were just perfect to be scrapped with it.

I can't remember if I shared this pic of ds that I took. I need to edit it, but I just love it. I believe it will be his Christmas card pic! And the one he can give his friends when they are passing out senior photos! I just love it when he cooperates with me.

His senior proofs came, but the tuxedo yearbook pics didn't come out. Photographer flubbed up so he has to redo those, but the casual looks were great. Now dh and I have to pick which one to order. TOUGH choice! LOL! I'm only going to get an 11x17 as otherwise it is way too expensive!

So Much I Had To Make A Slide Show

I have been a busy bee lately, although I do swear that my mojo is dead. I think I taxed my scrapping creativity so much with Christina Renee and Tangie Baxter, that I killed it! LOL!

Anyway, I hope that you will visit Tangie's ATC Emporium because they have so many new ATC kits, you won't believe it. She partnered with Sherrie Drummond to create all these goodies, and they made a ton of stuff!

Hope on over to Tangie's CT blog HERE for this weeks Big Picture Challenge which ends on Thursday 6/26...yeah...today! But you can knock something out real quick and win a $10 GC to her site and buy some cool ATC stuff or something else.

And while you are at it, hop on over to the Authentic Artistry blog where Christina REnee has some awesome freebies posted and two challenges.

I had a migraine today, and so I am very sleepy now. I was worried about it, but I took my lil sumpin and I feel so much better. Sleepy, but at least the headache is gone. I was supposed to go to work, but I was too afraid to be stuck over there with a major migraine cuz it's hard to drive when you are dying of pain! And I don't feel to friendly when I don't feel good!

My teens are out and about as usual. Yes, I know exactly where they are cuz I am a strict mom all up in their business. DS was supposed to go to this go-cart track today, but his friend's dad got mad cuz they were playing XBox 360 online and his friend stayed up all night long. So that was the end of that.

I did have to lay an egg the other night when they hooked up the online XBox because I kept getting woken up by ds's friend saying, "hello? Hello?"

It turns out ds's headset was malfunctioning. I got smart and kidnapped it, and left a ransom note. They are however, teen boys, and got smarter...they got their other friend's headset, and it only delayed them a few. So I threatened them with taking the whole system if they did it again. Cuz I am the smartest!

And on that note of mom power, I shall say, "Ciao!"

TOOT and chat!

Postcard from garden center. Sorry it's upside down!


Okay, here is the before picture of my pots. Unplanted...finally. I guess Blogger is feeling cooperative this morning.

I had a very nice day off yesterday. I did a little bit of everything. I exercised, planted my pots, cooked, took a brief nap, cleaned. It was a productive and restful day.

My exciting news is that I am going to be up at the the high school today and next week to show my scrapbooks and talk about scrapbooking to a freshman English class. I got called yesterday by the teacher! Isn't that exciting! I think it's a TOOT and a different TOOT!

One thing I totally loved yesterday is my dd went to the grocery store for me. Yes, it's true. I HATE grocery shopping! So while she went to the store for me with her friend, I went for my 3.2 mile walk that I so enjoy!

I also finally got an EHD! I'm so exciting for that to come. A Western Digital 500GB! Wahoo! There was another one on sale, but I read the reviews, and it ran hot. It also had a rebate that several people complained never came. I'm just not in the mood for that so I went for the one I originally wanted in the first place.

I did do a lo yesterday for the August issue of Scrapstreet.com using a new kit by Katey Green that will be a freebie with the newsletter. I can't post it yet because it will be in the mag, but at least I got to scrap.

Now the big question for NSD is: paper or digital. I'm so leaning towards digital because TAngie Baxter and Cottage Arts have some great new stuff I want to play with. Plus I have some kits by Rasberry Road I haven't gotten to yet. Cast your vote. Cuz if it is paper it is doing my wedding album...which I've started...

And last, but not least, Lisa Bearnson will be on QVC on Friday. I love her. I guess cuz I met her at CKU-WDW in 2003. I'm going to DVR it and see what she is up to. I won't buy anything since I'm digi, but it will be fun anyway!

Where Have I Been...

These are the two most recent lo's I have created. Only two. Oh, that is killing me. If you are interested in more by Cottage Arts please click on my active blinkie to go right to the site. I'm too sleepy to deal with HTML code right now...hehehehehe.

OMG! 7 days straight of working retail for a supposed part time job...thanks to that girl who quit. Who at this point, I have quit feeling sorry for her and feel some animosity about her stupidity. JK! LOL!

Thanks to those of you who visited my post and left a comment over at Tangie's Creative Team Loft where I was featured.

For those of you who have been following my gardening saga, I have a pic to share of my empty pots. This is the before. I got a postcard from our local nursery and am copying their planting as best I can. So once I finish planting (TODAY), I will take a preliminary picture, and then share the postcard. Then I will take a pic once my pots fill in and look glorious, just like the postcard! Okay, blogger is being aggravating and won't let me post my before pic. But I will eventually!

I am not sure what I am doing today aside from the usual exercise, cooking, cleaning, scrapping and gardening. Maybe that is enough. I am going to watch my DVR episodes of Hell's Kitchen and AI. I LOVE NEIL DIAMOND!

It's My Birthday Today!

Today is my birthday, and my dear sweet dh started early (Major Bonus POINTS) by giving me my card last night (aha early shopping...additional bonus points). It is hilarious. On the front it says," A long, long time ago..." in a Star Wars manor...and when you open it, it plays the theme from Star Wars and says, "you were born." It is a riot. And he is so cute, he played it this morning when I was coming down the stairs like I was Miss America!

My bff, Mandy, is taking me to a brand-spankin'-new mall today. I think it opened about a week ago! Neither of us really has any extra cash, but we just want to check it out, have lunch, and goof off.

I like to take a picture of myself on my birthday. I'll do a lo about it, too. I started a lo last night but I got a whopper of a migraine which severely interrupted my night. However, I do believe that a celebratory day of scrapping is in order...perhaps tomorrow? Not sure what the fam has planned for tonight!

I'm sharing two things with you I found recently on my blogging adventures. I absolutely love this freebie created by Andrea so I have included a link for you in case you didn't see it yet. You may know her as Boyervillescraps. Check out Andrea's free kit

As a fan of Chris Daughtry from the day he opened his mouth on AI for the very first time, I have been sorely disappointed in the contestants until I saw David Cook. Holy Schnikes (a line from my favorite movie, "Tommy Boy")! He is one talented dude!


Want to see a star being born? Watch this video!

Now, did you know today is the 50th anniversary of Tab Mad Libs. Have you ever played those? My best friend in high school, Terry, and I used to play them all the time. I guess we were dorky! LOL! But the game I remember the most is when she used every form of the F-word to fill in the mad lib. We laughed and nearly peed ourselves. I guess as it was completely forbidden, it made it funnier. I'd type it, but I don't want to be completely offensive on my blog. You can use your imagination to make the noun "F" into verbs, adverbs and such.

One more garden saga:

I was attacked by Fire Ants again. Innocently leaning over to examine a stupid cigarette butt thrown by an errant passer-by, I had my hand on the ground to brace myself and felt the tell-tale burning sensation. When I looked down there were about five on my hand and WORSE, there was an army attacking my shoe and crawling up my pants leg. I felt a sting on my ankle as I was madly wiping them off my hands and feet and pants. This was a sneak attack. No mound. No warning. I drowned that bed in fire ant killer. I"m sure I killed all their aunts, uncles, grandmas, grandpas, friends and assorted remaining relatives and all future generations. I sucked down two benadryl and my regular allergy pill and tried not to notice the cottony feeling growing in my throat and the numbing of the back of my tongue. I really was not in the mood for a trip to the ER. This of course, caused me to start to hyperventilate. I'm such a dork. To calm myself down, I looked up remedies for fire ant bites, which includes washing the remaining poison off your hands (I did) and applying ice to control the swelling (I did). That appears to have worked two ways...calming me down, giving the benadryl time to work and it did keep the swelling down.

And finally, can you guess my age? If you can, I will give you a little freebie I made. It's an embellie, and it's a surprise, and no you won't hurt my feelings if you guess what you really think.

A New Lo and No Garden Tales

Digi credits:HERE

Another vintage photo! I'm on a roll here! Been busy downloading assignments for Scrapstreet.com for July and August. Only to find out that one of them is due April 1st. I think I missed the deadline, don't you. So I gotta get cracking on that.

I do not have any garden tales for you today. We had a lil ole cold front come through, and I wasn't about to go outside. It was windy and cold. Things should warm up by the end of the week so then I will be back in the yard.

Short post today as not much else is going on.

Weekend Layouts

I have two lo's to share with you. One features Beth Rimmers "Every Now and Then Add On" available at Digitals. Credits: HERE The other features Rasberry Roads "Too Cool For School Girls". Credits: HEREBoth lo's use templates by NadlM! And photos of my Mom. I'm nearly done the heritage photos I had scanned a while back so I will have to go scan some more.




I decided not to blog or blog train over the weekend...thereby freeing up the time that I normally do that! LOL! Anyway, I had to work early Saturday and then on Sunday, I spent the day pruning some tea olive bushes and pulling weeds.

Since I have shared my garden ailments before, I will share the horror of the splinter. I ran my hands through my hair and felt a sting on my ring finger. That action must have pushed on the splinter that had lodged itself between the nail and my skin. ACK! My dh had to get the tweezers because I couldn't get it out. After I yelled out, "HOLY MOTHER OF GAWD!", he said, "That was it." Whew. I'm not sure my weakened condition could have taken any more pain! LOL!

"Deadliest Catch" starts on Tuesday. Is anyone else excited? We are. I've been watching the marathon on and off over the weekend. And I discovered that Discovery is HD, too, so I have the most excellent, sharpest picture.

My ds is spending his spring break earning money by picking up extra hours at his golf grunt job. I'm so proud of him. He is excited to have extra cash and to have the car as dd is at the beach with her friend's family. No sharing! I told him he had to pay for the gas he used, and he is so happy, he doesn't even care.

My tax accountant called and didn't get our tax electronic filing form to file our taxes, but I mailed it. I expect they will get it tomorrow. If not, I am going to lay an egg.

A Simpler Time

10/15/1956
Do you realize there was a time when a simple photo of my mother's cheer squad was news? Not for doing anything wrong, but because they were simply being cheerleaders and doing what they do! My mom is top row all the way to the left, standing next to her very best friend, Sara Smith. Look at those long skirts, socks and saddle shoes. It ain't yo momma's cheerleadin' no mo'!

Let's see, I have a fire ant bite on the bend in my index finger so as I type, it is sending out a minute bit of pain because, for those of you who don't know, fire ant bites HURT AND ITCH. And I'm sacrificing my comfort to blog today! LOL!

Actually, my garden wounds include the infamous fire ant bites from my recent attack, a splinter in my palm, a gash from being stabbed by a tree branch and many thorn stabbings from reaching in to weeds. Ah, the glories of gardening. I normally wouldn't mind, but here I am at work showing people jewelry accented by the beauty of my wounded hands and fingers! LOLOLOLOLOLOL!

Please go check out my challenge at The TBD Loft because you can win a $10 GC for Tangie's store. I know all y'all can do it and you don't even have to use her stuff. And if you do pop on my to have a look-see, leave a comment and say HI!!! Why? Cuz it will make me feel good! LOL!

I am off to pick up my taxes. I'd go on and on about this but who really cares? We all got something to say about it....hehehehehe

And then to get a few maintenance items for my pool filtration system. Although, why? It is going to be in the eighties today probably and then on Sunday night down to 37 deg. BRRRRRRR! But that is April here...lots o teasing for the great weather to come.

I am working on a lo that I started yesterday that I will probably post tomorrow. Anyhow, I need to get my butt in gear and this show on the road and all that!

Alot O' Nuttin' Today!

These are some before photos of my painting adventure in the master bathroom. I will have after photos this weekend, although I just painted the trim and cabinets and doors. These will be scrapped soon, too!

I was looking out my kitchen window at this fat black bird of some type standing on the edge of my pool at the ladder. I was wondering what the fat black bird was doing as he kept looking at the pool. And then he jumped on the top rung of the ladder, shook around, and hopped back out. He looked around some more, jumped back in, shook his fat birdy body, and jumped back out. He then hopped over to the side of the ladder, looked in the pool, and decided it was too deep. He popped back over to the ladder. Looked around a bit and jumped back in on the top run for another shake. My pool as a bird bath! I wanted to get my camera, but I knew if I opened the door and the screen door, that fat black bird would be gone.

I am disgusted by the group of girls that they keep showing on the morning show. They lured that one girl over and beat the crap out of her while two boys acted as look outs. What kind of young women beat a girl to the point they knock her unconcious and then when she comes back around, beat the tar out of her again. And then the one girl's mother comes on to say it wasn't her daughter's fault she beat the *%$)(#* out of that girl because that girl was talking trash about her daughter on Facebook or My Space. WTF? Unfortunately, putting these girls in juvi will only teach them to be better criminals. It is a sad tale, and sadder that a parent tries to blame the victim for her daughter's bad choices.

I have to have a chuckle about these lawn commercials they keep showing...families rolling around in their lawn, actually lying on the grass...these are obviously commercials filmed by northerners. No southerner lies in the grass because we know we will be carted off by fire ants!

Speaking of fire ants. I was attacked while gardening yesterday. I have a nasty bite on my hand. I usually will go barefoot until I get the first ant bite on my toesies, but this year, I will not. Although I love being barefooted, there seems to be an inordinate amount of fire ants this year springing up. Too risky!

And lastly, I am sharing this bread recipe my friend sent me over the weekend because it is soooooo freakin' good. It tastes like bread from Carrabbas she says. We don't have a Carrabbas here, but it is chewey on the outside and light on the inside. Best served straight from the over with lots o butter!

Recipe: Basic Free Form Loaf
FLORIDA TODAY • April 3, 2008

Yields 4 loaves3 cups lukewarm water

11/2 tablespoons yeast (two packets)

11/2 tablespoons kosher salt

61/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, more for dusting dough

Cornmeal for the pizza peel



In a large bowl or plastic container, mix yeast and salt into water. Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. Dough will be quite loose. Cover, but not with an airtight lid. Let dough rise at room temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).

Bake at this point or refrigerate, covered in a bowl with air holes, for as long as two weeks. When ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on dough and cut off a grapefruit-size piece with serrated knife. Turn dough in hands to lightly stretch surface, creating a rounded top and a lumpy bottom. Put dough on pizza peel that is generously sprinkled with cornmeal; let rest 40 minutes if the dough hasn't been refrigerated. (Let rest for an hour and 40 minutes if it has been refrigerated.) Refrigerate any unused dough.

Place broiler pan on bottom of oven. Place baking stone on middle rack and turn oven to 450 degrees; heat stone at that temperature for 20 minutes.

Dust dough with flour, slash top with serrated or very sharp knife three times. Slide onto stone. Pour 1 cup hot water into broiler pan and shut oven quickly to trap steam. Bake until well-browned, about 30 minutes. Cool completely on baking rack.

Variation: If not using stone, stretch rounded dough into oval and place in a greased, nonstick loaf pan. Let rest 40 minutes if fresh, an extra hour if refrigerated. Heat oven to 450 degrees for 5 minutes. Place pan on middle rack.

Awesome Tree & Crazy Cat

Old tree and old dog! This tree is at my friend's house. She actually built her house where her granparent's house used to be. This tree and her camellia bushes have been around for a while. I just love the way it's branches are! I haven't edited this photo at all so it it what it is! But isn't it a fabulous tree!


My cat is completely nuts. He was so crazy about this plastic bag. He wouldn't stop licking it. I don't know if it smelled like the cat my mom had when she was growing up or what particularly attracted him to this. It was in the vintage suitcase I found with memorabilia from my mom growing up and some old photos, which I've shared on my blog. I had to get out my camera and capture this insanity. Just wish he would have been able to tell us exactly what he was thinking.

Well, I have a bit of exciting news to share as well! I will have a lo pubbed in Ready, Set, Create April/May 2008 issue! I"m so excited. It is a paper lo that I made over the weekend at my recent crop. I have a few others I want to submit to another online e-zine so keep your fingers crossed. And if you get RSC, look for me!!!

Driving home from work tonight was so scary. I'm not normally scared behind the wheel, but when you are on pitch black country roads with no shoulder, and it is raining so hard you can't even see the end of the hood of your car, you don't have any room to make a mistake. I was going 25 on a 45mph road and the wind gusts were causing sheets to come across my windshield that would completely block my view of the road. I couldn't pull over as there was nowhere to pull over, and I couldn't stop of course. And once when a car was passing me in the other direction, I couldn't even see out the windshield so I just did my best to avoid them and hope I wasn't going to drive off the road. Of course, with crazy Southern storms, I get 1/2 way home, and suddenly it is not raining a drop any more!

I didn't get to scrapbook today, but I'm hoping to play with a new kit by Beth Rimmer at Digitals.

Funny Photos and Addicted to Blogging!

While my photos load, I'll just chat away! These are "self portraits" each of us took. We had to hold the camera the way our dd's do and after my friend, Mandy, took just her eyes, we thought we would copy that look. I can't wait to scrap this page! LOL!

I went to a weekend crop and my friend calculated that we spent 48 hours there. She said we slept for 10, so basically we scrapped our brains out for 38 hours...I confess, I must subtract the 1 hour nap I took on Saturday, which I have NEVER done at a crop before. So I guess I secretly had 11 hours of sleep over the whole weekend! LOL!

I created 21 paper layouts. No digi. Wah! Actually, digi has improved my design and detail skills in the paper realm. I'm hoping to put together a slide show of the ones I created!

The absolute funniest thing is: I left 1/2 my stuff at home! OMG! I didn't realize it until I got to the crop and was unloading my stuff! I carry a Navigator and a crate and an embellie case. My crate was in my kitchen.

Do you remember momma asking, "Do you have everything with you?" or "Have you forgotten anything?" or "Just do a double check." You know why she said these things? Because they are important!
So when a disorganized person tries to pass as organized...I had all my stuff by the front door, ran to the gas station to get dd gas in her car and get myself $$. Came home and dh had loaded my van with my stuff. Oh so sweet. I didn't even have to go in. I just pulled out and off I went a'croppin....
Pick up my bff. "R U sure you have everything with you?"
"Oh yes, dh packed my car before I left."
Arrive at crop. Unload car. Notice two girlfriends have their crates. Where is my crate?
*LIGHTBULB over head*
WTF?
)(#$*_)#(*#$^&_#@)#(*$*#@)(#*$&#)(*#)((@#**#)@)(*#&$((@#*&$(*@(*#&(*$&(@*#_()#
Dh never packed the crate by his chair in the kitchen. The crate which had the other half of my stuff. The crate with my light, my embellies, my ink, my rubons, two of my ribbon containers, my PICTURES...
I had my paper, my trimmer, some embellies, and luckily a bunch of pictures that I had grabbed at the last minute. I had some alphie stickers, some regular stickers, and my tools such as scissors, my paper piecer...
OH BUT I WAS FREAKING OUT>>>>> half my stuff was at home...and I was 3 hours away...to far to go back...to far to have it brought to me...
but my dear girlfriends came to my rescue and let me use their stuff. So I managed to survive and have a blast and just remember...when momma asks those questions like, "Do you have everything you need?"...there is a reason!

I also got spooked, too. So silly! Yes, an actual spooky incident...during the crop weekend.
The back staircase was pitch black until we finally found the light switch...at the top..which doesn't help if you were at the bottom to start with! At the bottom of the back staircase was a door to the outside...which made me make a crack that I hope Ted Bundy didn't drop by over the weekend (sick joke, I know). Do you think they lock this door???
Now, I have put Ted Bundy the serial killer on my brain. Spooky...
So it's dark, and I have to go to the bathroom in a strange place...I get up and go to what I think is the door to the back stairs...as I open it, I look up into something big and round and Ted Bundy is on my brain...oh my gawd, I was spooked! Until I realized I was looking into a closet where they had stored the Christmas tree that happened to have giant Christmas balls on it.
bwahhahahhahahhahah
wrong door...wrong room...hysterical laughter...and I really gotta pee...good thing I have bladder control!

And how much to I love blogs and blogging? I kept mentioning, "Oh I saw this on a blog," or "I had this on my blog," over the weekend. Apparently, I have blogging issues. My friends don't really blog as much as me, but I do love blogging, and I love reading other peoples' blogs. I can't help it! And I figured out how much I liked it when I kept talking about it over the weekend!

More Birthday Photos

Here are some more photos from dh turning 50! Aren't they cute! Soon to be scrapped!

I had a woman come up to my counter and say, "I'm looking for something you had in your ad. Can you tell me where it is?" Now, honestly people, don't you think I could get a little more of a description! She started getting mad when I asked her to describe it more so I could assist her in locating it. Like I was the dummy. Excuse me. HOw hard is it to tell me what it looks like...silver...gold...diamonds...gemstones...earrings...necklace...WHAT?!!!! GEEEEEEZ! The holidays really bring out the lulu's!!!

Then a lady came up all pissed off because "we sold her a 10K gold ring and it is turning her daughters finger blue." I had to tell her I really couldn't comment on anything until I saw the ring, but she should check for the 10K stamp on the ring, although it is possible her daughter is having a chemical reaction. It happens. So she said to me, "Well, that would make her finger turn red." I didn't say this, but I thought it, "NO, an irritation would make her finger red...like getting soap caught under it and it starts growing stuff..." bleh! Ok...enough of that. I just told her to bring the ring back and let us have a look at it. I'll definitely be calling a manager if I'm on because she was really mad about it. But like I said, I can't do a thing or comment without the ring...duh!

My convection oven is finally on sale. It's a counter top one that holds 2 12" pizzas. How cool is that! Our toaster oven is in sad shape so I've been waiting for this to go on sale! Wahooooooooooooooo!!!! Plus I have a coupon and my employee discount!

The Black Cake, New Glasses, and My Handsome Son

Okay, here is the cake I keep talking about on my blog. Like I said, I needed to buy the bigger size of black food colorant so the cake and icing aren't as dark as I would have liked.

Also, check out my new glasses. Burberry. Not that I really care about the name brand. I just picked out the pair I liked. What do you do? If you have to wear glasses, you might as well get the pair you like the best.

I'm always trying to get ds to let me take his picture, but he is not interested. So I finally caught him on dh's birthday and made him take his picture with me! YAY!

Do we ever really know what they are up to???

Climbing trees, jumping on the bed, hiding in cabinets, or climbing on the roof? Evidence they got on themselves as these are all pics they took when we were at our beach house a few weeks ago!

Do they ever grow up? It's good to see the kid in them still, especially during these teen years.