Ahead of schedule

I probably won't have time to post for the next few days so I thought I'd post a photo of the porch with the furniture in it (just for Jodi!! ;-) We've ordered new cushions but they haven't come in yet. The lower area isn't done yet either. It has a couch instead of a hot tub! Patience, patience!!

Baby Notes book I made for my niece....

Things....

I decided to walk inside last night and not take a chance with the horseflies. My neighbor tells me she gets attacked also. She said they're bad through July but seem to die in Aug.

Anyway, I ended up scrapping a 2 pg. lo of the beach (love the beach!!!). I'll post the baby notes book I made for my niece above.

Tonight I have to concentrate on cleaning and maybe groceries so that I have time to shop for a dress for the wedding tomorrow and then get my nails & hair done. I don't think I'll be scrapping! So excited not to have to work!

Is it me?!!

I got home last night and got ready for the treadmill and saw that my husband was also ready to get on it. So....I decided to take a walk outside which is really better anyway. I live on the top of a big hill so I really use my leg muscles walking around my house. Well....I was having a good walk when suddenly I was attacked by a horsefly. Ugh...this happens to me all the time. I can't figure out if it's just me (maybe my hairspray?) or what. My neighbors walk EVERY day on the same roads I walk. Why don't they get attacked? It's so annoying because the same stupid horsefly followed me for a mile out and back. It's a swampy/remote area so I guess I should expect it but now I don't want to go back again. I ended up running half the time so I could get away but it didn't work. He flew faster than I ran! He just buzzed around my head over and over. I cut my walk short because of it. Oh well...tonight it's the treadmill for me!

I tried to scrap but my husband wanted to talk about his job interview. It's not something he's excited about but there's nothing else at the moment so he may have to take it. I'm not happy about the amount of $ but it's something. It's now been 8 mos.! I wish something else would come up so he didn't have to take this but I don't think that's going to happen.

Shower

Well, my niece's baby shower went well. She got tons of stuff. I had a house full of women! We had lobster & chicken salad rolls, a mandarin salad, potato salad, fruit salad, cake, lots of apps, mimosas and bloody marys. It was kind of funny because my aunt made a nice triffle w/strawberries & angel food cake but left it at home in the fridge. She lives about 40 min. away so she couldn't go back. My other aunt made choc. covered strawberries and left those at home over an hour away! So we just had cake.

I cheated on my diet for the first time in 6 weeks. Not too bad though. I ate a small scoop of potato salad (it was to DIE for!) and I had a small piece of cake. I got on the scale this a.m. and was 2 lbs. up but I can take those off this week.

I'm off and running this week. We have my cousin and her husband in on Fri. for the weekend for my other cousin's wedding. We'll pick them up on Fri. and take them out for fried clams on the way back from the airport. That's the first thing anyone from out of state in my family wants when they visit!!

So..I have tonight through Wed. night to clean my house up and find a dress for the wedding! We pretty much got the shower stuff all put away so I just have to clean their bathroom and all that. I also have to have my nails done (maybe my lunch hr. on Wed.). Thurs. night I'm getting my hair done. Whew......

Baby shower card

Here's a card I made for my niece's baby shower this weekend. I used left over papers from Sharon Ann that I used on the baby album I made for her.

Good and bad...

Well, the good news is I scrapped a lo last night. It was from the morning we woke up to 11 deer in the yard, right outside the family room! I titled it, "Oh Deer!". It's ok, not my best, but it's done! Here's one of the photos (above - since I can't seem to move the photo!!!).

 I've been watching the hawks outside my window at work. They are amazing. This huge one just was sitting on the windowsill next to mine and he was just looking in at me after he killed a little bird for breakfast. :-( He brought a piece of nest up so I was afraid he was moving in. I walked straight toward the window and he flew away. Scary! He's attacked my boss's window before because it's mirrored and he sees his own reflection. He's now perched in the tree in my view. I'm keeping an eye out for him. I'd like to get a photo with my Palm if I could!

Another quick card for my mom

Back in the office....

I was out of the office yesterday fromm 10-1:00 for training on the legal ramifications of supervisors/managers. It was interesting but I'll never use it with the staff here. Perhaps some day in the future?!

Then I had an appt. to have some moles removed. Not too bad. I almost ran to the lss but contained myself!! I first have to figure out what to get at Lifetimemoments with my g.c. (thanks again, Kathy!!). Everything I want is on backorder or out of stock so I may just wait a bit. I started to look at the ribbon and realized how ridiculous that was. I have way too much to use in my lifetime! Maybe some brown or white rub-ons....

I was very excited to get my CTMH order in from Kristen when I got home! I bought some paper, 3 ink pads, a marker and the Simply Stitches stamp set. I love it!!! I made two cards for my pal in Alisha's swap and quit for the night. I guess I'm not doing too well in Kathy's challenge of scrapping every night this week. I'm at a big fat ZERO so far! Maybe tonight....

I'm just loving KT Tunstall's cd!!

All is well....

The weekend was good if you ignore the constant rain we had. My aunt's huge cookout was inside. It worked out well because she has lot of room to spread. My oldest was able to introduce his new gf to most of the family. She managed to survive us! She's very outgoing and bubbly.
I managed to put 2 lbs. back on. Could it be the beer I drank or tons of pistachios I ate? ! I'm back to Phase I today. I'm not going there!
The English couple left midday on Sun. We had fun with them. They love to laugh (and drink, of course.). I'm glad to have my house back though.
I was finally able to scrap last night. It was a fun lo because it brought me back to my friend, Nancy's visit from MI. We went to Lost River in NH so we were climbing through the caves/rocks.
Well, I'm procrastinating. I need to do an employee review (hate them!!!!). Luckily she's a model employee so there are no negative comments to put down.

The sun is finally shining here! Yeah!

p.s. Thanks for the comments, SBA ladies!!

My mom's "nana" birthday card

It's hard to see the shimmering chalks in this photo. Just a quick card from the boys for my mom's birthday. I made this with Hero Arts stamps, Versamark ink & Pebbles Chalk. The card is a Joann Essentials.

New porch paint....

It's hard to tell the real color since this was taken at night but I'm loving the second paint color I picked! It's more of a greenish blue, rather than the blueish green.

TGIF!!

Well, last night worked out ok. I got my hair cut but didn't feel I had time for a highlight since I bought the ice cream cake before I went! I don't know what I was thinking. I was trying to save time. Anyway, my dark hair is ok. I'm never happy with it for a few days.

I beat the Britts to my house. We ended up going to Outback. I stuck with my diet & skipped bread, Bloomin Onion, etc. I did have two beers though. We went home and had ice cream cake (they did, I skipped) and more drinks. I told them I had to get to bed after 11:00 because I had to get up at 6.

They're off to Boston today and we'll just hang out at our place tonight. I have to make broccoli salad and lemon dessert tonight for tomorrow's family cookout. I hope the weather improves!

So, I rushed in this a.m., read my emails & saw that I was the challenge winner! Yippeee! I never win anything (guess I can't say that any more). I'm very excited. So I thought I had a 9 a.m. meeting. I shoveled down some yogurt and my coffee so I wouldn't be hungry. I got downstairs to the meeting and there wasn't anyone there. Come to find out, the 9 a.m. meeting was on the other campus and my meeting will be at 2 p.m. Just what I want to do on a Fri. afternoon!!! Oh well......

Ready or not, here they come!!

Got the gifts for my mom and ended up putting lots of miles on the car with youngest and his friends! I got most of the cleaning done and my hubby vacuumed last night. We didn't get the porch furniture on the porch yet. I wasn't pushing since J wasn't in a good mood and sore from sealing the tile out there on Tues. Oh well....

I did manage to sb two pages on Tues. night and put together another 2 pg lo but still have to pick out embellishments, etc. That'll be Sun. night after the Britts leave.

I lost another pound so now I'm down 12 (hope I didn't already post that - crs). I feel so much better! I would love to double that amount and then I'd really feel good! Well, I have to run out at lunch time to get an ice cream cake for my mom's bday and a gc for a mani/pedicure. Then after work I head to the hairdresser and will come home to company. I let her worry about what to do for dinner. I thought she was taking them to Outback or Bugaboo Creek. I'll just show up and see what is happening!

Just another manic Monday....

Yikes, it has been a zoo here. I can finally breathe for a few minutes while I wait for an answer on something. I'm taking tomorrow off so Wednesday ought to be fun!

What a weekend. It was good but busy. I have to clean tomorrow because the Brits are coming on Thurs.!! My mom's friends have a wedding in NY and will drive in to see us for a few days before the wedding. I don't have a clue what to have for dinner Thurs. night since I have a hair appt. at 5:30 and won't get back until about 7. Fri. they'll go into Boston with my aunt & to Outback Fri. night. They LOVE Outback! Sat. we're having a huge family cookout at my aunt's house. She has a great pool and bbq area. Not sure about Sun. but I'm hoping they're traveling back that day. They are fun people and love to party. We'll be totally exhausted by then!

So I'm hoping I can finish my cleaning and find a gift for my mom's bday and then take some ME time. I want to scrap again. It's been way too long! We shall seee.....

I YI YI!

What a day it's been. It's year end so everyone wants me to try and spend all of the money left. It's also graduation on Sunday so everyone calls us to find out the info instead of going online. It's the mad rush....can't wait until it's over.

Well, today I saw my one friend, the woman in her 60's, reach her final destination. I've always wondered how far she actually has to go. She must work at the church I pass on my route. She has a good 3-4 mile walk to work every day. Poor thing. I know it must sound strange that I see and think about these people. Oh well...

So tomorrow is a bridal shower for my cousin. I have to finish making her monogram cards tonight. I need 6 more! I made the cutest book for them to write her gifts in too. Then I have to work at graduation on Sun., giving out diplomas to all Education students at the tent. I'm glad it will be on the cooler side. Last year we melted in that thing! The tech guys are streaming the commencement on the web. A few of us will go around the corner to the Brewery for drinks afterward! Yippeee...something to look forward to.

Faculty, faculty, faculty....

Ugh....we are enduring another miserably hot day at the University. They are fixing the a/c (that's exactly what they told us LAST year when we were sweltering). So...it's about 78-80 degrees in the office. First we had a visitor come in for a faculty interview. He proceeded to sit in our waiting area, take his shoes off, and put his feet on the coffee table we have!!! I wouldn't do that at my best friend's home. Why would you do that?!!!

Second, a faculty member emailed to ask what we have to do to get the a/c on. I want to reply and say, "Oh, sure, let me just run over and turn it on, I just forgot!!!!!!!". I mean HELLO, doesn't he realize it's not just hot for him?! He's our newest addition. The arrogance of these people! Some are nice but most are just so full of themselves. I jokingly said that if he had some magical powers to let me know & they'll turn it on when they're done. I'm just a tad snippy when I'm hot! :-))