figuring out 40

ode to a long weekend.

actually...no ode here (sorry Em, I know you were hoping for a blog version of HSM). Just basically random, silly stuff...

• I took my relationship with Starbucks to a new level this morning. A QUAD latte. Yes...4 shots of espresso in my skim milk. Uhm....wow. It's not for amateurs.
• I have to get up at 4:30am to head to nowhere, vt for a football game. Thankfully, another mom is driving. I can get myself to the airport at that time of the morning....but that's only b/c it's habit. I drive with my eyes closed (I'm SO kidding, Mom).
• I got my copies of Ask The Masters in the mail yesterday. Love it. Seriously love it.
• Read through We Dare You while Hope & I watched a movie tonight. I am in awe of these girls. I really want to get back into doing the Dares. Maybe this weekend?
• I know I've blogged about this before, but I watched the rerun of Grey's tonight where Mer & Der are fighting b/c of Marc finding out about the race for chief...and McDreamy tells Meredith that he is going to keep showing up. Since it's the 3rd time that I've seen that episode, and the 3rd time that those words have really hit home with me, I'm thinking about how to work that into a layout...something about the people in my life that keep showing up.
• I am not thinking about the October Afternoon design team call at all (and by at all...I mean only about every 1/2 hour).

And back to the long weekend....it's so desperately needed in this house. No grandiose plans...but just a little extra time to get everything done. My house is a complete disaster right now. My scraproom? Don't ask.

Before I head off to bed for my luxurious 5 hours of sleep....be sure to check out the Fiskateer's Blog this weekend. I'm totally jazzed that May asked me to be a guest blogger....thanks May!!

happy weekend...enjoy!

first day photos...

pencils ready?

Oh, how I *heart* back to school. I love the order & routine. I don't love the relative chaos of the mornings. After assuring me that she was "ready" last night, Hope was running around this morning...

"Mom, have you seen my button down shirt?"

"Mom, can you iron this for me?"

"Mom, we really need some dark blue flip flops."

"Mom, can I have a dollar for a bottle of water?"

For the love. Plus, she scored a ride to school this morning b/c Rob is off today, so he was home to get Austin moving.

(and yes, I did take a picture of Hope this morning...and put the camera on auto so that Rob could take a picture of Austin)

In other "new start" news, I'm totally excited that Homegrown Scrapbooks invited me to join their Design Team. They have awesome kits, and a fabulous design team (that Kimber and Em are on...YAY!!!). Can't wait to get started!!

mile marker #500...

820 days....since I started blogging.

3,587 comments....from old friends, new friends, family, and strangers.

54,942 page views....likely inflated by me checking my blog to make sure it "looks right" every time I change something.

So...my 500th post. Feels like a milestone. Maybe we should open a bottle of wine for it? Something.

Anyway....

Thank you. For reading. For commenting. For cheering me on. For lifting me up. For the occassional swift kick when I need it. For tolerating my obsessions. For being patient with my self-doubt. For laughing with me. For getting angry with me. For getting happy with me. For listening to Joss with me. For just sharing the journey....

y'all are good people.

one last hurrah...

it's the last weekend of summer vacation, so we're headed off to Maine for some shopping & playing.

If you feel like doing some shopping as well, I'd highly recommend this....

it's available for preorder at Amazon. I can't wait to see it in person...we all worked SO hard on this book.

have a great weekend...I'll be back on Monday with a milestone post.

be good.

good news x2

good news #1 - just before I left for Ohio, I got an email from Angie asking for a layout for the Jan/Feb issue of Simple Scrapbooks. It's a layout that means a lot to me, and I'm beyond thrilled that I'll get to see it in print.

good news #2 - just after I got home from Ohio, I got an email asking for some paperwork for the layout that is going to be on the cover of the Nov/Dec issue of Memory Makers Magazine. The cover. Now that's just cool.

mini album - slide show style

Hmmm...I'm not sure how to get the captions to show? That's what I get for making slide shows at 11pm at night! The last photo of the masters is courtesy of Michele (thanks M!). Anyway. Credits: Bazzill, Worldwin, Scenic Route, October Afternoon, American Crafts, one heart one mind, Autumn Leaves, Hambly...lots of fun stuff!

Off to the big O today. Dirty minds...I meant Ohio.

see ya.

just a quickie...

'cause we're out the door to skateboarding camp (anyone else feel a trip to the ER coming on??).....

some old faves, some new faves...

american crafts thickers

october afternoon patterned paper

autumn leaves journaling stamp (thanks Lori!)

oh...and a pretty cute kid.

 

more on this one later...lots of fun!

happy chaotic monday :)

admit it...you watched it, too

C'mon. I won't laugh at you if you don't laugh at me.....

High School Musical 2

It's wholesome fun for the whole family. Or at least for Hope & I, who were the only ones counting down the minutes until it started (we were also the ones who broke the "no eating in front of the TV" rule for this occasion). It was cute, wasn't it?

Honestly, I just needed something cute and fun tonight. It was a fairly brutal week work-wise. I'm still doing the hour+ each way commute b/c our new facility isn't quite ready. Blech. So, I got home tonight, called my friendly neighborhood chinese restaurant, and settled in for some dancing & singing. Good times, folks, good times.

Taking it easy this weekend....the usual errands & house straightening. I'm traveling next week, so I need to figure out clothes & packing & all that. Need to work on some scrapbooking stuff. And need to catch up on some sleep....having some wicked nerve pain in my leg (souvenir from my car accident) that is usually the universe's way of slowing me down.

So tempted to put the youtube video of You are the Music in Me on here. Sooo tempted.

thirteen on thursday: itunes

yeah, so I'm totally uninspired as far as blogging goes, so I'm resorting to the age old itunes listing....thirteen songs that I'm singing loud in my car....

1. Icky Thump - White Stripes (just for fun)
2. Beautiful Disaster- Jon McLaughlin - she's perfect only in her imperfections...uh huh
3. Human - Jon McLauglin - can we get back to the point in this conversation where we saw things through each other's eyes?
4. What If You - Joshua Radin
5. Waiting on the World to Change - John Mayer
6. Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie (don't judge...besides, the guy in the video is hot)
7. Lips of an Angel - Hinder
8. Tell Me About It - Joss Stone (b/c no list is complete w/o Joss)
9. How to Save a Life - The Fray - lay down a list of what is wrong, the things you've told him all along, and pray to god he hears you
10. Chocolate - Snow Patrol
11. Home - Daughtry (sept 13, right macaroni?)
12. Bubbly - Colbie Caillat - it starts in my soul and I lose all control, when you kiss my nose, the feeling shows
13. Never Again - Kelly Clarkson (because an angry breakup song is always fun)