Thursday, June 30, 2005

lost hours

Thanks to Liz who left me wonderful websites to visit (see yesterdays comments)... I have now lost 3 hours of my life that I will never get back... I am so easily sucked into the WWW..... but I do see some wonderful word art coming my way.... I wonder how much is too much?
Me-

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

I am working really

Ok I spent too much computer time today instead of working on my layout challenge... but look what I found WALL LETTERS might be just what I need!!

lessons

So very glad I am not the one staying up all night with Madison.... puppies are cute until about 2am when they are lonely..... Amanda and Corey are learning some valuable life lessons thanks to Madison....
And I am trying to learn restraint and not buy all the cute puppy accessories...

Monday, June 27, 2005


Madison Posted by Hello

Just call me grandma!

I believe a picture can speak a thousand words!

sofas, puppies and creative challenges

Its almost scary when life is going so well.. the weekend was kinda a whirlwind...
Saturday--- Anniversary surprises... cleaning house...Mike having to drive all the way to Alexandria twice to pick up all the goodies Amanda and I bought... Dinner at ... Paninos
Romantic and good food....

Sunday--- Sunshine on the deck... last NYOB meeting... the prospect of new artistic challenges... Amanda bringing home a new Puppy....

Rambling I am.... I know... but as I sit here I am noticing a theme of newness... new sofa, new puppy, new scrapping club.... NEW IS GOOD

Saturday, June 25, 2005


Birthday Flowers Posted by Hello

A perfect day

Exactly how do you describe a perfect day? I think it starts out by surrounding yourself with wonderful people.... I woke up to a "pink" bag by the bed... and only a perfect husband could fill the bag with wonderful goodies from victoria secret... I would have never bought a red and white polka dot bra for myself but let me tell you it does put a smile on a girls face!!! and it screams SUMMER!!
Reality sunk in and it was time to go to work... as I climbed in my car there was yet another surprise... the cutest birthday ballon!! couldn't help but giggle over that... Yes that man is mine and I am not sharing!
My "space" at work was decorated with birthday ribbons and card that made silly firetruck noises and a homemade cake from Cindy... the flower store across the street brought a wonderful arrangement of plants and purple roses... but it does get better... As Cindy kept pushing me to work alittle faster (yes that was unusual and a bit annoying) ... another delivery was made from my bosses... more flowers!!! and a message to go home as soon as I finished up.... WOW!!! (thank you Cindy for making sure I was "done") You don't have to tell me to leave twice... out the door!!

Did I mention I had the most wonderful husband??? Well as I was driving to work he had stayed home long enough to bake a cake... so As I walked into my kitchen I found lots of pots and pans and two cake pans with chocolate cakes waiting to be frosted... (smile)
I know your thinking that was a perfect day... but its not over ... heck its only 2:00 in the afternoon... I opened the mail to find a card... the best kind of card-- one made by hand from my scrappin buddy Heidi... (insert another smile here!) I read emails from old co-workers who I miss so much... and I spent a glorious afternoon in the garden....
After an evening of long island Iceteas... steaks grilled to perfection and chocolate chocolate cake that Amanda and Corey showed up with boxes and boxes of summer clothes from her and Christopher (that just happen to fit both Amanda and I!) and a bird house that Amanda announced matches one she JUST bought for her house too! AHHH it was a perfect day!!!
I am blessed and who ever said "older is better" certainly knew what they were talking about!!!
The happiest me!

Thursday, June 23, 2005

well then...

I have just one thing to say... John Deere.....
I guess you have to be a guy to be excited...
It arrived... its green... it cuts the grass....

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

to do

As my to do list grows for this weekend I realize that there is no way I can actually accomplish everything and still be sane by monday.... The good news is I was able to finish my bookclub homework last night... hopefully we weren't challenged with anything other than our kit... and I got some of Amandas growing piles of "her life" out of the guestroom... Does this stuff multiply overnight?

Vicki

Monday, June 20, 2005

frustration

Do we choose the life we live or is it thrust upon us? Today I realized my life is not the one I choose. Somewhere between January and June life took a twist and I don't always recognize who I am. Its frustrating to look forward to coming home and then once I set foot in the door to realize what I want to do is at odds with who I have always been. My home has always been my castle.. For years I have always said I could be a hermit.. Everything I ever wanted or needed is here-- but today I realized that I am torn between who I was or was it who I wanted to be and the me that walks through that door?
I used to spend hours outside gazing at the koi, rearranging the plants or just reading and now I end up inside doing what??? typing on the computer, playing with scrapbook pages, doing dishes... where does the time go? did I take it away from myself? have I found a new me that I should embrace? where did this life come from and can I get my old life back? should I want it back?

Sunday, June 19, 2005


Mikes mimosa Posted by Hello

ahhh.. gotta love the weekends

Perfection- Thats what this weekend was... the sun was HOT HOT HOT and there was a great breeze at the right time... I actually got the sunscreen applied properly so as I sit here there is no tell tale sign that I sat on the dock all weekend.
We took a few dream crusies and actully found some properties that Karen, Toni and I could agree on...and planned our retirement sharing mowers and boathouses... We are so ready!
A moment from our perfect weekend. Posted by Hello


I didn't take many pictures but did manage to catch the mimosa tree that mike pulled up from the shore a few years ago in bloom.... I have missed it the past few years (or maybe it just didn't bloom?) I got an amazing surprise... they actully smell wonderful! Now if I could get one to grow here at home...

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

LOST

Its gone and I can't find it anywhere... sure to you it might be just alittle brown pin with pink polka dots but to me.... it was going to be my muse... and now its just gone...

I emptied my CKU stash suitcase in record time 45 minutes! and I would say that my scraproom probably looked better with the darn suitcase sitting in the middle of the room then it does right now...

I do have a few questions .... when did I get the senic route paper... and someone please tell me I didn't buy it on my little shopping foray... and what on gods green earth did they think I needed with 7 boxes of glue dots???? I still have my stash from last year... I think this weeks challenge shall be to see if an entire layout can be created with those sticky creatures...

Last year it was bo-bunny this year it has to be autumn leaves tabloid
GIRL

.... WHAT WERE THEY THINKING???? Is it a cruel joke to see who the first shelp is to turn in a layout with those stickers???

Monday, June 13, 2005


My Hero Heidi Swapp Posted by Hello

Metalmania, trolls and the letter E

After my bags finally came down the belt at the airport I realized it was over. Its been over a year that I have been planning this trip to CKU- Masters and it lived up to my expectations fully!! To say I had a great time would be a understatement. I was lucky that once again I chose classes that I totally enjoyed. But to be honest even if the classes hadn't been wonderful I think I would still be saying I had a great time because I feel totally blessed to have traveled with two awesome ladies who kept me laughing the entire trip and put up with my idosynchrocies that seemed to be magnified with each day I went without enough sleep! Can you even imagine how scatterbrained I was after 4 days and 16 hours of sleep?(which I think is a very accurate number)
The hightlights in random order:
Make and takes.... Tim Holtz (I didn't get a class) little necklace using his inks and stamping..WOW! Heidi Swapp's soo cute 9x9 canvas album which we painted (and even mine looked good) The gratitude album which I will finish --The vagabond valise class which I truely had a duh moment about adhering paper to covers...(almost makes me want to do another circle journal... hahaha not really) sitting behind the masters of the universe at the tailgate party.... hmmm odiferous metalmania.... winning a flower and getting a "secret" class with Heidi Swapp--which I was really too tired to realize was sooo cool...Sitting next to a hall of famer in my perfect pocket book class... learning that Heidi will be published and knowing I saw the layout before it was sent in..... Finding my letter E that was missing for months stuck to the back of my paper trimmer (who would have thought to look for it there?) dancing on the table with my fav bookclub mates.... giggling with leah as we realized we got a table all to ourselves... scrapping on the floor with Tracy White....

I know I must have looked as tired as I felt when I got home because Mike actually suggested I take a nap... I couldn't love him anymore than that moment... ohhh it was good to be home!

Did I mention I saw a real live troll.....

Tuesday, June 07, 2005

BE PREPARED

I was Girl Scout... heck I was even a cub scout (something only brave mothers will do) so the term Be prepared should really be ingrained in me... but geez the last few days have really tested me... frank family discussions... overload of projects at work... and then last night I came home to Mike being sick and NO INTERNET.. probably shouldn't have been a big deal but I am feverishly trying to get ready to go to CKU and of course yesterday another teacher sent out an email with items to bring... I have come to realize I NEED INTERNET... its not just a niceity or a luxery its a utility that makes my house run....

So am I packed? NO--I have gathered most of what I need but the pile is small and that makes me nervous... What am I forgeting?

Sunday, June 05, 2005


Summer time and the living is easy Posted by Hello

vacuums and vettes

Seriously if god wanted me to have animals he would have provided me with a better vacuum.. After spending yesterday cleaning house and finally putting my new scrap room together I once again had to vacuum today.... cat hair dog hair..... oh and I tried the new pond vacuum out too... talk about poor design.. Who knew having fish just meant I got the opportunity to vacuum outside too??....

Today was a glorious day though-- we took a quick drive down to Fredericksburg to see a Koi show... alittle disappointing as the were packing up as we got there... but we did see some very nice specimens.

Nothing better then a sunny day with the t-tops off the vette... except maybe wearing my pink hat while driving with the top off!

Enough fun for one day now I get to start packing for CKU!!

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Memorial Day weekend

Wow its Wednesday already-- I know I know.. I haven't been keeping up here... oh well -- at least I am trying.. The excuse of the day actually could be that I was away for part of the weekend. Went to the lake Friday night.. traffic wasn't as bad as most holiday weekends... stopped at the Hardees in town before we actually made it to River Road.. had to laugh must have been Mayberry RFD night because after ordering in the drive thru they told us to pull ahead and they would bring our food out to us.... well we waited and waited and peered in the window to see about 4 cops milling around... finally our food was brought out to us by one of those fine police officers-- complete with southern Drawl he politely thanked us for our patience and explained that the hold up was because there was alittle flood in the store!!! HAHA!! only in NC can a flood in "the" fast food restaurant bring out the police!!
The weekend was actually very relaxing.. Lots of sun--alittle yard work... and I convinced Becky and Corky of the Marina to put my boat in the water...(yes I always wait til a holiday weekend to make my last minute requests)--- we were soo relaxed in fact that we decided to go home early Sunday night so we could wake up Monday at home and get some chores done... All and All it was a good weekend... did I mention I got my stereo put in my car? I be jammin' now! and yes for those wondering Mike did get a "5--pounder".
V-