Here's to new friends!

Not only did I have the best tiime at Inspiration Unlimited (Teresa Collins' annual scrapbooking event), but as an added bonus, I made some really great friends!

I met Anita at the airport as we waited (for an hour) for the hotel shuttle. She flew in from Houston and this was her first time attending IU. We found that not only did we both enjoy scrapbooking, but we also both love Wes Welker. Oh yeah!

Wednesday night, there was a small get together (pre IU) for dinner, with Teresa and a bunch of ladies (like myself) that were here a couple of days prior to the event. These ladies were kind enough to let me sit with them at dinner and we got along great. Elaine, Bea and Sandy are from California. (Am I the only one traveling from the east coast?) There were a few others, but not many. I had a lot of fun with these ladies and we are are already planning for next year. So exciited!

Look at us! Looking good, right?! Lori and Stephanie sat with us for our classes all day on Friday. Even outside the classroom, I seemed to see them everywhere I went. I think (no, I know...lol!) that they thought that I was stalking them. But seriously, they were great. Next is Erin. Erin was my roomie for the event. She was great. Easy to talk to to and very fun. She also drove to the event. Yup, all three of these ladies are from Califorinia. I am starting to think that maybe I should move...

I had a great time. I definately made some great friends. One can never have too many friends. We are all going again next year. It will be a great reunion.

I can't wait for 2012!!!

Learn Something New Everyday...the 1st half

Learn something new or re-learn something you may already know. That is the lesson that Shimelle is teaching in this online class that I am taking this month. It is a sort of December Daily type class, but with  lessons or observations from our day to day life. I liked this idea and thought that I would give it a try. We are half way throught the month already. I can't believe it. It is crazy, but I am loving it. Here are my lessons for the first through the fifteenth & my cover...



My cover, colorful and simple:

Page one: Unfortunately, there is no such thing as an easy button. I have this one on my desk at work and believe me, there are days that I really wish that it worked!

Page two: It has been a really long time, since I have gotton floweres for any reason, so imagine how happy I was to recieve these beautiful sunflowers, out of the blue. It really makes you really learn to appreciate the little things in life.

Page three: Family is precious. Bryant only gets to see his cousin Ben 2 to 3 times a years. So, anytime they have together is precious. They are more like brothers (and look alike too.) Love these boys!

Page four: I love to read. The characters you meet. the places you go and the things that happen are such a great escape. I learn so much!

Page five: Everything is new again through the eyes of a child. This little guy is my friends' 4 year old foster son. He is adorable. I loved observing him. I (re)learned alot!

Page six: One is never to old to enjoy a fun boy band. My son and I recently went and saw Big Time Rush in concert. We had the best time!

Page seven: Toys are not just for kids. Who doesn't still love to play with toys?

Page eight: Sometimes you just gotta let it rain. As mother always says 'there will be days like these'.

Page nine: I have learned that even at my age, that I am still a bit of a geek. I am okay with that though.

Page ten: I look at this little beat up football, hanging from the mirror, everytime that I get in my car. Sometimes I know how that feels.

Page eleven: This will always be a sad day, but I have learned how brave and strong people can be.

Page twelve: No matter how much time goes by, I still miss my friend.

Page thirteen: I love my son more and more everyday. He makes me so happy!

Page fourteen: happy mail given and recieved makes me very happy.

Page fifteen: No matter what else is going on, as long as the sun is shining, all is good.

So these are the lessons I have learned or re-learned so far this month. I am enjoying this quite a bit. Two more 2 weeks to go.

All for now.

Happy Scrappin'!!!

Something Borrowed / Something Blue

There is something about reading. I have always been a reader. Always have my nose in a book (or books). I love the escape. To picture the characters and get caught up in the story. I bought this book, Something Borrowed, a while back and finally had a chance to read it. I knew they had made a movie based on it, but I still wanted to read it first. I enjoyed the book. It is a story about two friends, Rachel and Darcy, they had been friends since childhood and are now 30. Rachel is the smart, good girl and Darcy is the wild, well connected party girl. Total opposites, which makes for an interesting story.

 

Of course, after I finished the book, I had to see the movie. The coolest thing, about movies based on a book, is seeing the characters come to life. The movie was okay. It made you feel. They did change a few things, here and there and tweeked the ending. Sort of, tied it up, a bit of a tear jerker of a scene, but it was still different from the book.

There is a follow up book. I bought this one too. Something Borrowed, the first book, is in Rachel's point of view. The second book, Something Blue, is in Darcy's point of view. The second book starts by overlapping the end of the first, but Darcy's version and then it continues on with Darcy's life. The beginning of the story seemed very believable. I understood what was happening to Darcy and how she was feeling, but the ending to this story just does not seem believable to me. That is just my opinion. I do not want to give too much away. I compare it to a movie sequal. You will always go see it, but it will never be as good as the first.

Well, now I am off to pick a another book from my pile of the many books I still have to read.

I just have too!

I love that.

Blog Your Heart (a Challenge)

I saw this 'challenge' Here and Here and thought I would put myself out there. Maybe writing this out will help me feel a bit better. I don't know....

September 11th is a sad day in all our hearts. It scares me and makes my heart hurt for all the families that lost someone that they love. But, it also makes me sad for another reason. It was a friends birthday. Not just any friend, but a friend that turned out to be my first serious boyfriend. We spent five years as a couple and did everything together. While he was in college in Boston, we spent every weekend together. When he graduated we moved to Daytona Beach, Florida. His parent were there, but I knew no one. Scary for me at the time, but I found a job and met some new friends. Though I enjoyed my job and my new friends, things were not quite what I had hoped for us. We broke up. He thought that I should move back home. I missed my friends, but I was a stubborn 20 something and I stayed. If I was going to move back home, it was going to be my decision. I went on with my (2) jobs at that point and struggles and managed to stay there for 3 years. We eventually became 'friends' again. One day he surprised me with Van Halen tickets, with the understanding that we would be going as friends. He had something else in mind. Right before we left for the concert, he proposed. This was a surprise and something that I did not want anymore. We were just starting to repair our friendship. He wanted me to think about it and I said that I would. The next day he showed up at my house. I told him that the answer was no and I just did not feel the same way anymore. He was devistated. It really was too late. It was really hard for me to not have any of my friends from 'home' with me. I needed them. Eventually,we were able to talk. I decided to move back home. He helped me move back. We drove back with 2 car loads full of my stuff back to my parents. Once everything was unloaded, he left. That was the last time I ever saw him. We had e-mailed a couple of times over the years, but it was really nothing. Last year I was online late at night, I did a search for him on My Space. I just was wondering what he was up to. I found him, but the last postings were from the year prior. They were a bit strange. Missing him on the holidays and stuff like that, so I thought that maybe he had moved. So, I did a google search...and found a partial obit. I thought, this can not be him. It was late. I forwarded it to my my Mom and went to bed. The next day at work she sent me the complete obit. I froze. He had drown trying to save his dog. I did not know what to do. No one here knows him. I already missed the funeral. Nobody contacted me. I was upset. I was disappointed. Some time went by and an old friend found me. I was now on Facebook. We talked on the phone and she told me all the details. She said 'everyone' was at the funeral...except me. They 'tried' to find me. i do not think that they tried very hard, but I let it go. I was just kind of numb. I thought how funny it was that every September 11th I thought of him. I would think Mike is 39 this year, etc. Not even knowing he had passed. He was a part of my life. I just feel there will really never be any closure for me.

RAK

Random Act of  Kindness.

That is what this is.

From someone I have not met...yet.

A new friend that I will meet at IU next week

I love to send surprise scrappy mail to friends.

I love to receive it too.

Makes me happy.

Thank you new friend!

You made my day.

Aleida

It has been 3 years.

I miss my friend.

I miss her laugh.

I miss her wild side.

I miss being able to just pick up the phone & chat.

I miss her creativity.

I miss everything about her.

                                                                                    

9-11

I remember every year, as a child (and sometimes even now) my mom reminding me of where she was on November 22nd, the day president John F. Kennedy was shot. Every year. I can almost quote the story. Almost. I remember smiling at my mom, but thinking why would you want to remember that. But, now I realize that you can never forget a moment that is so signifcant. So tragic. So historical. So sad. Now on this date, September 11th, the ten year anniversary of the loss of life, the Twin Towers, the crash at the Pentagon and the terrible plane crash in that Pennsylvania field, I understand.. I know where I was when I heard the news. Or should I say saw the news. I was home on that day with a sick one year old baby. I saw it live on TV and listened to Peter Jennings as he was breaking the news. It seemed surreal. This could not be happening. It was happening. Our country was in crisis. It was like watching a movie, but it was reality.

Time has marched on since then. That does not mean that we have forgotten. We as a country have gotten stronger, but the sadness remains. On this day, the ten year anniversary, it feels like it was just yesterday. It was yesterday. We must never forget! I, like my mother, will never forget where I was on 9-11.

Bryant was only one and does not remember that day, but every year he is told the story, the history of the event of  one of the worst things to ever happen to our country. This year they were shown news footage and given flags:

These flags were planted by the fifth graders all over the front lawn of their school:

The students at the elementary school next door, also had an amazing display of flags:

God Bless the USA

I also want to remember two old friends of mine, who celebrate their Birthdays today.

One has since passed away, but never forgotten.

Happy Birthday Mike!

Happy Birthday Di!

Words to Live By

Last month I joined in at a free online class over at Big Picture Classes. I have taken a few classes over there this past Summer and was intrigued by this free event. Yes, it was a free class, with many of their celeb teachers and tons of inspiration. It was called the Big Idea Festival-Words To Live By. Basically, you were given a new word each day, a page template (if you wished to use it) and a few examples of page creations. The object was to create a page each day with your own interpretation of the word. I created a little 6 x 6 album of all my pages using some of my favorite papers by Studio Calico. I originally was not going to use any photos in the book, but later changed my mind and added a few.

Here is my cover:

Page 1 is the word share. For this page I chose to list some ideas on sharing:

Page 2 I found a sweet little quote about wonder and for page 3 I used a quote (that I love!) and the definition of less:

Page 4 is the word give. My son really is my pride and joy. For page 5, the word is enjoy. I just listed some of the many things that I enjoy:

Page 6 is the word nest, with a pic of my little family and page 7 is the word cherish. Need I say more?

Page 8 is the word free. Love this pic of B in his flag glasses. I just had to add it, I had too! Page 9 is the word moment. Love those perfect moments. Do you know what I mean? There are so many. No picture here, but I love this camera paper:

Page 10 is live. One thing I have learned in my life is to go for it. If you have an opportunity, take it. This little pic is of me and a few of my co-worker friends on a trip to Montreal last year. So glad I went. Page 11 is the word play. Another thing we all need. We need more play time or time to play:

And last, but not least, page 12 is the word embrace. Love this pic of Steve & I:

This really was a fun little project.

The gallery was full of inspiration.

Love the classes there.

Check them out if you get a chance.

Happy Scrappin'!!!

Big Time Rush, Baby!

Oh, oh, ohhhhhho...Big Time Rush is in da house!

We love Big Time Rush and we got to see them live and in person. Woo Hoo! They actual did a show at Hampton Beach Casino in NH. B was so excited. There was like a bazillion people. It was a bit crazy. Here are their tour buses.

The line for shirts was never ending, but of course we had to get one!

They even did a show in Boston the night before, but Hampton Beach was much closer, especially on a school night.

B loves his shirt and I think he has worn it 3 times already.

I am so glad we were there, together. It was a very fun mother and son evening!

At every show, they take a picture with the crowd. Here is the one from Hampton Beach.

It was a really great show. My first boyband concert ever. The screaming girls were not that bad. There were lots of families there, moms and dads. The band sounded great and even dedicated one song to the parents. So sweet!

I am so glad we went.

 It was fun.

Plus we were not out too late.

Bryant's 2nd concert.

What a lucky kid he is!

Ha!

The Help, glee 3D & me

I have been wanting to read this book for a while now. I knew the movie was coming out, but I also know that I have so many books in my bookcase still to read. This one was intriguing to me though. Heading out on vacation last week, I knew we had many hours of driving ahead of us. I decided to finally pick it up. I am so glad I did. It kept me interested from start to finish. I was finished this book way before I even got back home. Though I did not grow up in the south and I really can not relate, it did make me laugh, cry, think and try not to judge or assume (you know what 'they' say...) you know anything about anyone. Though this is not a true story, it is a way of life in Mississippi. If I had been born there, it could of been my upbringing. It is just a great story.

As soon as I returned from vacation, I had to see the movie. It was really good. Though they tweeked a few parts of it, it was for the good of the over all feel of the story. I cried (quite a few times, I will admit). I really felt it, seeing the characters come to life. If you get a chance, do see this movie...but read the book first!

As much as 'The Help' made me really think, the 'glee 3-D' movie helped me escape. Even if only for a bit. We went and saw this while we were in Charlotte. It was so good! It made me so happy! I could not get tickets when the glee concert came to this area (they sold out in like 3 minutes!) so this was the next best thing. There were only a few of us in the theater, but we were singing and laughing and just be-bopping around. Love, Love, Loved it!

I really love all the glee cast, but 2 are my real faves. I love Artie! He totally does not look the type, but he is an awesome hip hop singer. Love him!

Then there is Blaine. He is the lead singer of the Warblers. He has the most amazing voice and he can sing to me anytime. Love him!

Yay! We have a long weekend ahead! Do something fun on this last Summer hurrah!

Happy Scrappin'!!!