Its the Happ-Happ-Happiest Season - at our house!

Earlier this year, my co-worker offered our family a free air hockey table.
I jumped at it (much to El's utter dismay). We drove over there, trying not to calculate how much this was costing us in gas, picked it up (OMG, it was HUGE - turned out to be over 7 feet long - I mean HUGE as in it needed a name on the side - AIR HOCKEY ONE).

Driving home (with El muttering something about "his wife's compulsions to say 'yes' to everything without thinking"), we (well, he) realized that the only place it could "temporarily" live was our formal living room. Fast forward to Plan A - the boys would spring clean the garage and would put the table out there when they were done. Okay, we have a plan! (El was still muttering, but at least I could come out and play now), and I made a mental note to keep the door closed on my scrapbook room.

So kerplunk it went into place in my living room - with lots of help from the football star next door and El muttering something about Brian not getting enough of a work out with his video games!

Temporarily stored in the living room.

Uh-HUH. Sure.

6 months later (and Plan A having been long forgotten) I realized this month that I was not going to get a Christmas tree in the living room unless we had a pokey little tree sitting on top of Air Hockey One. This was so NOT an option since the cat food was already on the table, 345 boxes of Boy Scout popcorn were under the table, and finally, the one thing no family should be without - an Official Authenticated Nascar Used Tire Ice Chest was also sitting on the table (don't ask)... there was just simply no room for a Christmas tree branch on there!

So in one of my more inspired moments (tada) I mentioned to everyone I knew that regretfully we had to get rid of Air Hockey One. Such a deal I had for them ... and all I heard were crickets! So I called my SIL cuz I know she has friends who have compulsions like me ... and sure enough yesterday, her neighbors showed up and drove off with Air Hockey One in their truck bed. My living room is a living room again (hey there's a fireplace in there!) and I'm dreaming of Christmas trees and lights and stuff! Course, it looks like the Christmas tree will have to stand in the Nascar Tire Ice Chest, but its an improvement right?

Finally ... a new post!

Well, hellooooo! I have no idea where the time goes, but one minute its June and the next, gulp, October!


I spent this past weekend in Vegas, well technically Henderson, but the slogan doesn't sound quite as catchy to say "what happens in Henderson, stays in Henderson" does it? LOL


Anyway, this was Ginger's big event - Inspiration Unlimited 2008! Now Ginger puts on the most awesome crops and classes I know of - she's just SO creative and fun! I remember walking into Ever After one day with Ginger and looking at the ribbon. I'm going "oh that's pretty" and just sorta, ya know, LOOKING at the ribbon. Ginger meanwhile is touching the ribbon - and then you see it - the LOOK, the gleam - and she goes "SEAWEED" and I'm going "seaweed?" and then its like watching a video game puzzle fast forward into place. Sure enough - that night she whips out a layout using this seaweed ribbon and makes Ariel's underwater home ... oh to have a creative brain like that! So she is the force that juggled all the craziness and pulled off one inspirational awesome weekend for over 125 scrappers!


ANYWAY ... going to Inspiration Unlimited was pretty much outside of my normal Scout/Nascar scrapping world. Prior to the event I was sorta worried about how I would do, but the closer it got, the more excited I got to challenge myself, to let myself go and try new things. Oh and I'm SO glad I did!


I also have to shout out to Nance & Monica - my dear island/pirate friends. Nance is a gem - I think we were sisters at some point and then someone in control of the world realized that we better not live in the same state otherwise we'd cause a LOT of trouble together! LOL Monica is such a sweetheart - I hope one day to have as much energy as she does, but I don't think it will ever happen! They decided to make a creative leap into Inspiration Unlimited too! Yay!!!!


For IU, the amazing Ginger rounded up some extraordinary talent!


First off Teresa Collins. I had heard about her for quite some time from several of the Divas, but honestly, can someone be THAT nice, THAT beautiful, THAT creative, and still be someone you want to be friends with? OH YESSSS! Teresa is just amazing! She is genuine and real ... and honestly, listening to her speak during her session had me in tears. I don't know if she realizes just how much she changed me this weekend - she made me realize how important scrapbooking is, how important it is to showcase everyday moments, how something that she creates, SHOULD be tweaked a bit so that your project reflects YOU - and how wonderfull fulfilling it can all be. She is such a positive force in the industry and I hope she continues to succeed and succeed big! I am a HUGE fan and will now be stalking, errrr, reading her blog everyday! That, and I need to set aside some $$ for her product lines! LOL!


Second - Janna Wilson, incredible designer and Fiskars representative. First off, Fiskars needs to build an entire line around this woman! She is Southern Chic personafied ... her project was so unlike anything I had ever thought of trying ... and I found it so creatively challenging (in my head), but yet the way she broke it down step-by-step, even dorky me, artiste o' the paint-by-numbers set, managed to make something beautiful! And then she gave us the supplies for the other project we never got to - generosity definitely was the trademark of this event, and Janna was no exception.


Third - Layle Koncar representing Scenic Route. She's a hoot! Its always great to start a class near the end of the day with the instructor saying "I'm a little punchy" ... booyah, this was gonna be fun! And it was - yet again, another project that I would never even think of tackling, but ended up loving and can't wait to finish.


I shared a table with Monica and Nance, and a lovely woman from Pennsylvania named Mindy. We all just laughed and enjoyed our day. Its so nice to have fun and then make a new friend on top of it. Monica, Nance and I didn't have enough hours because by the end of the day I was basically so far on empty it wasn't even funny! I swear our hotel room had to be the furthest point from anything and technically still be on hotel property - barely!


The Divas - Star, Susan and Dani were at the other end of the classroom (talk about feeling nervous - I really had to take a deep breath once I realized it and remind myself that I could "do this" without looking like a deer in headlights); Diva Kathy and her family were at the next table over from us - my security blanket! They were over-achievers in Layle's class - we were ummm slower! LOL. Diva Mo was one of Ginger's assistants the entire weekend so the Divas were very well represented. It was nice to have us together again ... I love them dearly and I hope they realize how important they are in my life - we cheer and support each other, share laughs and hugs, they are just awesome, powerful, strong women and I am just so blessed to know and love them (see, more tears!)


More later ...

Music Music... the blog has music

Well, I finally figured out how to add music to my blog - yippee!!
Its still a work in progress but its just fun to hear tunes. Heck, maybe this will make me update more often! LOL!

Our Miss Molly Brat

So this is Miss Molly after she broke her toe. Yup, her TOE. Everyone loved her bright pink collar and leash (so cute) so she got a bright pink bandage at her favorite vet's office and we toddled home. She was so grateful that she pooped in my recently detailed SUV. Sigh. Sometimes it just doesn't pay to get up in the morning!

Anyway, since cuteness works with this girl, we got over the poop episode (okay so it took a few days), but have to admit she did make a pretty darn adorable peg-legged pink ballerina.

The photo on the left is the 2nd pink bandaging. Molly tore off the first one. Actually, she shredded it. Harumph. That's when she got the lovely plastic "cone of silence" collar. Molly immediately got a hole in the bottom of the bandage on the left so El put a sock over it and then wrapped that with an Ace bandage. Aha, success! (We thought)

Yesterday, Molly, free for a few moments from the confines of the collar, managed to take the entire bandage and brace off (she brought it to me in her mouth) so once again she and I went driving back to the vet's office.

You know you've been there too many times when everyone grins when you walk in the door (and a faint cha-ching is heard from the cash register). "Hi Molly, oh Molly" ... yeah, Oh Molly is right.

She also decided that she had a new trick to debut at the vet's office - she flopped on her side and didn't/wouldn't get up. I have a petulant 7 month old toddler puppy ... and she is convinced that she is charge. After telling her, in my most "I'm the Mom" voice that she had to get up (she didn't), I dragged her across the floor by the leash - and yes, she let me drag her! All of the other owners with perfectly behaving pets thought Molly was a hoot ... brat yes. Hoot? Not so much!

So today we have a small bandage on her paw, she's LIVING in the collar thank you very much, and we wonder how on earth we're going to survive 5 more weeks of this adventure. And meanwhile the vet's office is now calling - heck, they probably missed my credit card being swiped thru their machine today!

Tim Russert, 1950-2008

Tim Russert was one of those journalists who I totally adored.

You know how we become attached to the faces and voices we allow into our living room each night - the ones we trust to deliver good news and bad, the ones who comfort, make us smile, and make us THINK. They are people we'd love to have over for a BBQ or coffee because we feel as if we know them as if they are family because, after all, they're in our homes all the time and always by invitation. Tim Russert had that kind of impact on me.

I LOVED watching and listening to Tim on the Today Show while getting ready for work. He would be on and I would be late - simple as that! And with the primary, he's was on a LOT (and I was late a LOT!) His delight in the political process, his infamous white board (Florida, Florida, Florida!), his exhuberance, his joy, his unmitigated excitement with the way this country functioned (sometimes in a wonky fashion) - it all would come into my (our) living room in a big rush wrapped up with a smile and his "can you believe it?" How on earth does the election coverage get done the way it should without him being here? How do the important interviews that held nothing back - to either side - get done. Who will fill those huge shoes?

He died without warning and perhaps that is also why its hit me so personally. I lost my Dad without warning too also of a heart attack. I want time - time back instead of these sudden "he's gone" announcements. I hate it.

So here we sit at Father's Day weekend and the persistent "why why why" keeps going thru my head; the feeling that "this isn't happening, it isn't real". Of course there are no answers to the questions ... no great understanding of the "big picture" and all of it is painfully too real. One of the good guys is gone, and our lives are changed again.

You are missed by people you never met Mr. Russert; but you touched all of us. You made us care a little more, you made us pay attention, you made us question and listen. Thank you and Bless You.

THIRTY!!!! 30!!!! THIRRRRRTY!!!

Pounds that is ... yup, its official, according to the all knowing scale I finally hit the THIRTY lbs gone mark today!

(We pause this blog for a moment of happy, happy, joy, joy happy dancing!)!!

Its been just over 4 months since my lapband surgery and can I just say I love it and the results! I had my second adjustment (fill) on Apr. 12th and since then I've been getting my head into the same game as my stomach - thankfully, most times they play nice in the sandbox! I can eat most things just fine. In fact, this Sunday we took Brian and his friend to Red Robin's ... its been ages since we've eaten out at home and I was just all set and drooly for their fish and chips. Well a few bites later, the band reminded me it was there and was firmly in charge. But I had leftovers! LOL!

THIRTY ... oh my gosh... I keep visualizing 30 lbs of potatoes and lugging them around Vons smiling that lunatic type smile saying "look at ME, look at THESE - 30 lbs of these are gone from me-woohoo" (course, then the store manager comes up and quietly asks me to put all his potatoes back where the belong thank you very much).

HAPPY HAPPY DAY!!! (everybody dance!)

Happy April!

I know, I know, April is more than half over and I'm just getting here - I gotta work on improving my timing!


So Molly is enjoying her life in our home ... and she now has several nicknames as well. My friend Nance calls her Doll Face, we refer to her as Little Miss Pee Piddles, but this morning, I've pretty much decided that I like the name DESTRUCTOR because it just fits her only too well. Allow me to explain.


Last weekend we picked up 30 bags of mulch for our back hill along with some plants that we hope will grow and fill in the spaces (and hey its fun to pick out plants named chocolate!)

Anyway, we then put our smarty hats on and put up a fence we innocently (naively?) thought would keep her off the hill ... alas, not so much. She not only gets up on the hill, she runs back and forth gleefully enjoying puppyhood. Only when hearing MOLLY MOLLY yelled from the house does her little Doll Face head turn, the bell goes off and she remembers she's not supposed to be up there! Then, since she can't jump over the fence to get down (its scarey!), she merely runs thru it. So the cute little fence is a crumpled heap while Destructor is doing just fine!


Anyway, here's our gal, Molly, and the path of her destruction ...





This is Molly - and Mr. Hedgehog, one of many of Zeke's toys that she stole from him! Most pictures of Molly have her face hidden ... we think she does this on purpose so she can't be identified in a line-up!


Molly's mulching efforts on the patio ... notice the culprit isn't around!


This used to be a bed of 3-4 foot tall double-bearded irises ... now its Molly's playplen! The fence (the thing that bent and flat in places) apparently doesn't work! (BTW, if you click on the photo, you can see the damage up close like we do - sorta that IMAX experience!)



This is part of our vastly improved retaining wall hill in the back ... it would look much better if certain puppy paws would keep off (and again, no sign of the little vixen anywhere to be seen!)

Today we hope to get the victimized mulch bags off our patio and distributed into the front planters! And we think a trip to Petsmart may be in order so we can find a new Mr. Hedgehog!