Dear Son

Lately, I have been posting lots of crafty things but nothing from the heart... so it's time for a little heart sharing post.

Most of my readers know that I am the Mama Bear to both a teenager and a toddler (yes, I know that big age gap may seem crazy but I LOVE it!).  Currently my teenager is going through all the normal things that a 15 year old goes through.  When he exasperates me the most I try to remember what it was like to be that young.  How every feeling seemed larger than life, how I seemed invincible, how I rarely looked beyond the problems of the present moment.  I think about the adult that I am now and what I want my teenager to know as he goes through the next few year.  These are my thoughts in absolutely no order other than how it pours out of my heart...

Dear Son,

First off, I love you more than you can ever imagine.  I am so proud of the young man that you are.  You are truly an amazing, smart, funny and awesome human being.  I admire the confidence you have and that you are willing to try new things.  I admire that you aren't afraid of life.  I want you to know that I am behind you 100%, supporting you and encouraging you.  I may not always agree with you. I know there are times that you will really not like me, but I am okay with that.  I will keep loving you no matter what.

I want you to know the following things about this time in your life:

Those HUGE feeling that you are having right now are not all encompassing.  You are more than those feelings. You get the choice of how you want to let them affect your life.  You can choose not to give these feeling power over your life.  For example, you can choose not to be afraid of things in life that seem daunting and you can choose not to let anger pull you down into drowning.    You are in control. Listen to your gut, trust those little whispers that say 'You can do this!'.

Know that you are not defined by who you are with.  You are a completely separate person!  How cool is that... no really think about it for a minute...  You get to make your own choices, do your own things, have your own interests!  Don't change who you are, what you do or the things you like just to keep friends or a girlfriend around.  Guess what... if they don't like you for who you are, they aren't for you.  I know, it sounds so simple... but IT IS SIMPLE!  You are amazing just the way you are and if someone can't see that they aren't worth your time and effort.

Understand that life changes.  I know that you have already been through so many changes, and you are pretty awesome about rolling with them, but I mean this more in a personal sense...Who you are changes.  What you do for work and fun will change.  This is exactly how it is supposed to be.  Change isn't bad.  Plus, remember, YOU ARE IN CONTROL, you get to decide what changes to make.  Embracing the ebb and flow of life will make your days so much easier.  That makes me think of the age old saying 'Take one thing at a time.' You know what?... the people that say that aren't lazy or stupid, they actually have it figured out; if you tackle each thing as it comes at you life is easier.  You don't end up with a pile of crap that you need to deal with.  Take a little chunk out of each project every day and soon you don't have hours of work and worry, you have things under control and can rest with ease knowing that.

WRITE THINGS DOWN.  Seriously, I read back over my blog posts and it teaches me something new each time.  Why?  Because as much as I would like to believe that my mind is a steel trap, it just isn't.  Thoughts, ideas, appointments, they slip out while I am doing other things.  It is totally okay to not remember stuff, but if you write it down you have a much better chance of hanging onto the lessons you are learning and the things that you should be doing.

Listen to adults you respect, hear what they are saying.  It's simple... we have more life experience than you do.  No, we don't have it all figured out, we never will, no one ever will.  It is okay to not have it figured out.  What you should do is at least listen to what we have to say and then weigh those thoughts with your own when you are making a decision.

Don't stress to much about the future because...the future is unpredictable.  It's alright not to know what you want to do, where you want to go to college, if you want to go to college.  Don't make your choices based on what pleases us, your parents, we don't have to live your life.  Life changes, remember?  So take the time to think about where you might want to end up and then talk with someone you trust about it, lots of someone's if you need to, just don't bottle up fear and worry.    Weighing the pros and cons and hearing what others have to say is really helpful, then... you make your own choice.

Be responsible for your actions.  You take the action, you make the choice, you are accountable for it... own that good or bad.  Don't blame others or hide behind some screen.  Stand up, take the responsibility, again... good or bad, and then grow from it either way.

Say what you mean... Damn this is a big one... but so simple.  Don't talk around stuff.  Say how you feel.  Own how you feel.  Remember, you make the choice for you, so you get to choose what comes out of your mouth.  Say what you think.  It may piss some people off but at least they know where you stand.

Be kind to others.  Treat others with respect.  EVERYONE IS DEALING WITH SOMETHING.  Remember this... kindness costs you nothing.  What if they aren't kind or don't treat you with respect?  Well that is their own ignorant choice.The truth of the matter is this... you are not, nor will ever be, better than anyone else.  Why?  because we are all humans, we are all living this life good, bad or ugly.  If you can go to bed every night knowing that you have put kindness into this world and shown respect to others, even to those who may not deserve it, you can rest easy.

Last but not least... Love your family, spend time with them!  (Yes, this is a shameless plug from your Mom to get you to hang out with us, but I have my reasons.) Your friends will come and go, and let me tell you this is how it will always be.  Your family is stuck with you and if you are good the them they will always stick with you.  You never know how much time you have with your older relatives, if you are close to them be sure to cherish that time, they can teach you so much if you take the time to listen.  Hug your younger siblings, even if they are annoying, someday they may be all that you have left.  Don't roll your eyes at me or Mike, we may also be annoying as hell right now but they love you and are doing their very best to deal with your smart-assed self, trust me someday you will WANT to apologize for being craptastic.

You can do this.  I believe in you.

Love,
Mom

Life IS good.

Sometimes it is very easy for me to slip into the world of "Why me?" or "Why not?" or "What if?".  Sometimes I can only see the not-so-good parts of my day; the parts that make me sad.  I focus on the things that are missing from my life instead of celebrating the amazing bits of goodness that flood each day.  I've found that being thankful for those good piece of my day helps to shake me out of my funk and see things in a much better light. 

Today I want to be washed in the warm waters of gratitude for my blessings instead of being swamped by the stench of stagnant questioning. 

I wanted to share a short list of some of those really great bits of my summer days that I am so thankful for...

• At my new place there are birds that sing from the trees into my window every morning and "super cute" baby bunnies are hopping about in the green grass each day. 

• I get to spend every day with this cute kiddo!  He is so very me... always questioning, always pushing a little too far to see where his boundaries lie, always leaving cups everywhere... but I wouldn't have it any other way.  Seeing things through his eyes changes my perspective and makes the world seem shiny and bright again; he sees the world as full of possibility.

• I get a hearty greeting from all the kids at the pool every day as soon as I open my car door. "Houston!" they shout... it's like Cheers... someplace where everyone knows your name!

• I get to live in Colorado; one look toward the west and you know there is a Creator and He is good.

Life IS good.

What are you thankful for today?

Simplify

I was talking with a friend yesterday and they were asking if I wanted to buy a trailer, like for camping, I'll admit I've wanted one previously, not a big one just one of those cute tiny teardrop ones, but yesterday I realized I didn't want one. 

I like tent camping. 

I like fires outside at night with hot dogs and s'mores. 

I like things simple. 

I turned to my friend and said "No, I don't want a trailer.  I've learned all I really need is a blanket to sit on, a good book to read, a notebook to write in, a dog to hang out with, my silly kiddo, good friends, good beer, and a camera.  I'm pretty darn happy with just those things." and it's true, I am. 

I like my how my life has become more simplified.  Technology gets in the way of actually enjoying life.  Not that I'm tossing the computer any time soon, let's face it I take digital photos and I type a heck of a lot faster than I write by hand... but I don't need it to have a better life. 

Ahhh.... learning, living, loving, laughing... it's all good.

Oh and check out this awesome post over at the Brave Girls Club!

Seeing Grey

I'm halfway through this year of "Learning" (my OLW for 2010) and I'm still just at the beginning of my journey.  You see I have always thought of the world as black and white.  I truly believed that things were either good or bad, that they were true or false, right or wrong.  I'm the girl who colors within the lines.  I thought that my way of thinking was the "right" way.  I was so very blind.

I've discovered in the last few months that the only way to really enjoy life, to truly live life, is to see and embrace the areas of grey.

It's really hard for me to embrace the grey.  The areas where things are not so cut and dry, not so mapped out, not so black and white.  I have to constantly tell myself to relax.  I must keep remembering that control is only an illusion.  I must breathe and try to live in the moment because I will never have that exact moment again. I have to take off the blinders in order to really see all the beauty life has to offer. I have to not have a plan.

So today I'm learning to see the grey and trying to embrace it.

Learn - Patience

Learn - to gain (a habit, mannerism, etc.) by experience, exposure to example, or the like; acquire: She learned patience from her father.

I had to laugh at the example dictionary.com used for this definition of learn.  I most certainly did not learn patience from my father.  He is more impatient than I am, if that's possible.

I do however have a heavenly Father that works to teach me patience.  He whispers in my ear, in a voice only my heart can hear and He says "A patient man has great understanding,  but a quick-tempered man displays folly. A heart at peace gives life to the body," Proverbs 14:29-31 (NIV) The words dance in my head and in my heart.  I think upon them and I attempt to have peace and patience in my everyday life.  This is no easy task because my first instinct is to be impatient and react.  Yet I am finding, each day, that waiting grows easier.  I do have more peace when I am patient and truly wait until I understand a situation, or outburst of emotion, instead of pushing forward towards my selfish goals.  I do not do this perfectly, many times I have to take a deep breath and remind myself to calm down, be quiet, and wait. 

I am still learning.  I love that this is my word for this year.  It describes where I am at in life perfectly.

Reading, Writing, and Parking

Okay, so I'm back in school!   I am relieved that I am not the oldest person in my classes, although I don't think of 31 as old on any scale.  I love, love, love my law classes... thank God because working in the legal field is what I'm planning to do as a career.  I really like my regional geography professor but the book is boring me to tears... it's the big blue-ish one that is 12" tall and 10" wide and boast super fab 10 point type.  My online art appreciation class is pretty cool so far, I love the subject, the book is darn good and all my time on Studio Calico has prepared me well for the online class format ;)

My first week and half have contained a few learning experiences that I didn't expect...

• 
  
  I had to parallel park for the first time EVER and I totally did it!  I knew the basics, read about it (yes I am a book junkie) and then attempted it with great success, the first day that is... the second day I was a little too close to the curb, but we just won't talk about it. 
  
  
  
• 
  
  I had forgotten how sore your hand can be after taking four pages of notes. 
  
  
  
• 
  
  I discovered that most text books now come with a CD of all the notes, of course this was only after I spent three hours taking notes on the first chapter of my legal analysis book. 
  
  
  
• 
  
  I learned that if you want a parking space that is not patrolled by the city you have to get there by 9:30. 
  
  
  
• 
  
  I've decided not to take my laptop to class because really it's just a huge distraction for me and the sound of typing seems to annoy others. 
  
  
  
• 
  
  I've figured out that you should get on the first available elevator going up, even if it's packed already (luckily I remembered that bit of herd mentality from our Vegas trip). 
  
  
  
• 
  
  Oh and last but not least, take a bottle of water and a jacket, it's dry and sometimes super cold in the classrooms, the poor girl next to me was wearing gloves while taking notes today!
  
  
  

Well, that's really all I have time for... must get back to the North American realm and all it's tiny font glory...

Finally Scrapping Again

Layout design is lifted from Lisa Dickinson again :)

Papers by Studio Calico, Basic Grey and October Afternoon

Embellishments by American Crafts, Jenni Bowlin, and Chatterbox

Mist is Coffee from Tattered Angels

For months I have had the hardest time creating any layouts or designing my classes.  It's been like walking through wet cement just to come up with one page.  I've been struggling through my own personal issues and I have been writing again, which is a great thing, but I just couldn't scrap to save my life.  My dear friend Christyn promised me that my scrappy mojo would come back and it finally has!  I'm thrilled because I have a room full of paper, glue and photos that was just gathering dust.  I've been "lifting" layout designs from my super talented friends, and participating in scrappy challeges, doing so has helped jump start me back into the creative mode.  So if you're just not feelin' it don't give up hope, it will come back, I promise.

In other news... I go back to school this week to get my Paralegal AAS.  I vacillate between being excited and really, really, nervous. I'll come back later this week and let you know how it goes.

Oh and these super cute shoes came home with me yesterday for the sweet price of just $8!   I'm thinking I may wear them to my first day of school for a little height confidence boost!

The Soundtrack Of Life

This Christmas my sweet boy received an iPod shuffle and while I was loading it with him I started thinking about how, in life, we each create our own soundtrack.  I love that a song can come on and I am instantly transported to a time in my life when it was relevant to me. 

I hear the soundtrack to Les Miserables and the song Castle on A Cloud takes me back to the times when I dreamed that things would change in my world and between my parents. I knew every word to that soundtrack at one time... wonder if I still do?

When Alanis comes on in all her angst I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard her... driving down College Avenue in my little silver CRX, it was just before my senior year of high school.  Jagged Little Pill is still one of my favorite albums of all time.  You Learn played on repeat in my car and dorm room.  It's of course totally appropriate for my OLW 2010.  Her songs were catchy but I was attracted to her honest views of life and her lack of concern for what others thought.  I admired that she put herself, her authentic self, out there for the world to hear and see.

In college the song Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls was dedicated to me by a long time love and it breaks my heart every time I hear it.  "And I'd give up forever to touch you, because I know that you feel me somehow, you're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be." "Sooner or later it's over, I just don't want to miss you tonight.  I don't want the world to see me because I don't think that they'd understand.  When everything is made to be broken I just want you to know who I am.".  I have it on my iPod because it is an integral part of my life soundtrack; it plays and I cry.  I like that songs have the ability to stir such powerful emotions.

When I first had Coleman, Garth Brooks came out with a song called Wrapped Up In You.  I used to dance around the kitchen holding him and singing "How do I love you, well let me see, I love you like the lyric loves the melody... baby completely wrapped up in you.  How do I need you, well can't you tell, I need you like a penny needs a wishing well... baby completely wrapped up in you. How do I love you, well count the ways, there ain't no number high enough to end this phrase... baby completely wrapped up in you."  He still thinks I am a fantastic singer... he's a sweet boy and those words will always be true.

There have been a lot of good songs released in the past few years and I currently listen to a wide variety of music... the top ten most played songs on my iPod are... Better Days - The Goo Goo Dolls, I'm Alive - Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews,  The House That Built Me - Miranda Lambert (if you don't own this song you really need to check it out), Keep You - Sugarland, Gravity - Sara Bareilles, Let Me Be Myself - 3 Doors Down, These Are The Days - 10,000 Maniacs, It Happens - Sugarland, Over My Head - The Fray and Good People - Jack Johnson... I'm a sucker for good lyrics, especially if they tell a story, and a haunting melody gets me every time.

What's on your life soundtrack?

ETA: I don't only listen to sad/realistic song... I may or may not have a Hannah Montana song in my 25 most played... I'm just sayin'.

Meal Planning and Pantry Cleaning

Ouch!  I paid my tuition bill and bought books this weekend and now it's time to pinch pennies for a couple weeks.  I'm trying to be wise with the grocery budget so maybe I can save a little in that department.  I decided to take an inventory of our pantry and refrigerators... one of which only contains frozen food and beer... then I planned my menu and shopping around what we already had.

I'm a visual person so I hauled everything out of the pantry, half of the shelves are above my head so a chair was needed and I'm counting all that stepping up and down as my aerobics for the day, I placed everything on the counter and then sorted it into groups based on meals. Once it was all out I discovered that I must have been very concerned about a shortage of canned green beans and bbq sauce in the last six months, the pantry contained ten cans of said beans and five bottles of sauce... green bean casserole and bbq chicken will be on the menu in the next few weeks.  The only bad part of this was putting it all back but I'm certain that my rump will be firmer tomorrow from stepping on and off the chair.

Since food was on my mind I remembered that I needed to finish this layout... a lift of my talented friend Lisa Dickinson.

Paper: Sassafras, Basic Grey, unknown, and Starbucks tissue paper. 

Stamp: Studio Calico

Embellishments: Prima, Making Memories, Basic Grey, American Crafts, Hambly

I'm off to the grocery store... if you've got any good recipes that contain green beans and bbq sauce let me know!

Oooh... Mr. Brown stopped by just as I was leaving and look what he brought me!  QuicKutz and Studio Calico!  My Monday just got a heck of a lot better! Maybe the grocery store can wait for a bit....

Reality Is...

what you make it.  It's different things to different people... even those  involved in the same situation.  Reality is perception or lack of it.  Reality bites sometimes.  Life sucks and life is good... it's really just what you make it.

Right now my life isn't roses and sunshine... that's the simple truth.  I struggle daily with overcoming the "roles" I've played for the past eleven years.  I agonize over little decisions and big decisions.  I laugh,  I cry and I sing all in the same minute.  Most days I feel okay and I know that whatever happens I will be okay.  Some days I just freak out.

I've pulled myself up outta the gutter of depression so many times by putting on a happy face and pretending the sorrow doesn't exist... but guess what it does.  I've learned that if you ignore it the pain will come back to bite you in the ass ten times harder than if you just dealt with it in the first place... so I am dealing with it.

This place... My Daily Domestic Diary... well it's just that... it's now my diary of the good, the bad and the ugly of life. 

So this is it... the real me... happy, sad, mad, crying, laughing, singing, sighing and hard to shut up... welcome.

Oh and yeah, I still scrap... layouts will still be posted here... they just might be a little different...

Never...

I was really inspired by Cathy Z's post about all the things she has never done, been or been able to understand.  I thought I would give it a try. I think it's part of learning more about who I am, or am not, as the case may be...

I've never been a patient person.

I've never been a quiet person.

I've never been good at letting go of control.

I've never had the desire to sky dive or swim with sharks.
I've never been an adrenaline junkie.
I've never sung karaoke.
I've never been to a karaoke bar.

I've never lived alone for more than a few months.
I've never owned a cat for more than a few months.

I've never been to Europe.
I have never gone on any extended trip alone.

I never thought I would have children.
I never thought I would be a good Mom.
I've never been more glad to be wrong.

I have never been more excited about life than I am right now.
I've never put myself high up on my priority list before.
I never thought I would go back to school in my thirties.

I've never been a very good housekeeper.
I've never mastered the art of keeping up with the laundry.
I never leave the bed unmade.
I've never been a "put things away when you are done using them" kind of girl.
I've never liked emptying the dishwasher or the groceries.
I've never minded doing the grocery shopping or loading the dishwasher.

I've never forgotten those whom I have loved.
I never thought I would lose some of them before it was "their" time.

I never knew how easy it could be to forgive.
I never knew how hard it could be to forgive.

I never knew that telling the truth could set you so free.

Taking It Back and Learning

I am taking my blog back!  I started this blog as a way to document how I feel about life and what's going on with me at any given moment but somewhere along the way it became about what I did and not who I am.  I'm a creative girl and I love to share the things I make with everyone but this year ... 2010 ... is all about learning who I really am and what I want in life... with that in mind I am going to post more about what I feel and think and not just what I create.  Know what I mean?  I hope so.

I thought I would start by sharing my word for 2010...

Learn -
–verb (used with object)
1. to acquire knowledge of or skill in by study, instruction, or experience: to learn French; to learn to ski.
2. to become informed of or acquainted with; ascertain: to learn the truth.
3. to memorize: He learned the poem so he could recite it at the dinner.
4. to gain (a habit, mannerism, etc.) by experience, exposure to example, or the like; acquire: She learned patience from her father.
5. (of a device or machine, esp. a computer) to perform an analogue of human learning with artificial intelligence.
6. Nonstandard. to instruct in; teach.
–verb (used without object) 7. to acquire knowledge or skill: to learn rapidly.
8. to become informed (usually fol. by of): to learn of an accident

I love that this word has so many ways to define it!  A few of the ways that I hope to learn this year are... I want to gain more knowledge about who I am.  I want to memorize me so that I can stand strong and secure in myself when the winds of change are blowing my way instead of bending to the will and desires of others.  I want to be informed of my options and then choose wisely based on that knowledge.  I want to acquire the knowledge that I need to start a career.... there are so many more things that I want to learn this year but these are the most important ones.  2010 is going to be a whole new adventure for me and I can't wait to begin!

What is your word for 2010?  If you're not familiar with the concept of choosing One Little Word for the year you can find more info about it here.

Happy New Year!

Blah, blah, blah

Well, yesterday I blogged about my new computer and all the love I was feeling for it.... today I have yet another new computer and I am trying not to get attached just in case this one shows me the blue screen of death. I'm just not sure I can handle three deaths in just five short days. I console myself with the fact that Windows was the grim reaper for both computers, but still I feel responsible in some way, maybe I shall wear black today.

Anyway, here I sit with computer number three. I refuse to name it. I refuse to transfer photos onto it. I refuse to become too friendly with it. ( Insert childish foot stomping here) I must remind myself that it is just a computer and that my "friends who live in the box" are real people too and if I was desperate I could just pick up the phone and call most of them, although I have to be careful about that, there was a three hour phone call to England once ;)

What I am trying to say is that I shall have to give this computer a good run through before we become BFFs. How long do you think that should be? I am a very emotional/relational type and I hate to offend... maybe seven days will be long enough? Or maybe I shall have my more techy friend Christyn over for dinner to take a good long look at this computer. In any case I must keep reminding myself that I cannot become too friendly with this shiny new black box of knowledge.

I know, I know, you are all sick of my computer woes, what you really come here for are the witty PSAs I post sometimes, so without further ado I shall leave you with three PSAs for November...

Please remember to throw away the one year old turkey in your freezer on trash day, not before, because it will thaw and all your neighbors will wonder what is causing that horrid road kill smell to emanate from your garage. There will be overt speculation that you are a serial killer and that's just not good for neighborly relations. *

*You know what I'm talking about, that extra turkey that you bought last year because it was a good price and you were certain that you would roast it that winter but you never actually got around to it.

CAUTION... IF THERE IS ICE ON THE ROAD... DO NOT SLAM ON YOUR BRAKES! Seriously, this is just pointless, dangerous, stupid, idiotic, and a whole slew of other things that point to the fact you should not be driving in the snow. If this is you, consider that now may be the time to move to a nice condo in Boca.

Last but not least... Don't eat yellow snow.

Huge thanks to anyone who made it to the bottom of this post, I'm in a mood (can you tell?) and I appreciate you humoring me.

Ten On Tuesday

It's almost Thanksgiving and my sweet friend Marti has been talking about gratitude lately and I decided it would be a good day to remember ten things I'm grateful for, so in no particular order here they are...

- I'm grateful for my sweet kiddo who is freely handing out random hugs lately, he's the best!
- I'm grateful for the people in my life who can make me laugh when I am crying. These are the kind of friends who know you so well that with just one sentence they can make you smile.
- I'm so thankful that I had a chance to drive up the Poudre Canyon with my camera this weekend, it was beautiful day spent in one of the most amazing places, all by myself; a little solitude is never a bad thing.
- I'm grateful for my clean white bathtub, it sounds so silly but I just love that colorless thing!
- I'm grateful for food on the table, a roof over my head, and a cozy bed to sleep in at night.
- I'm thankful for another beautiful Colorado day dawning outside my window, bringing with it the chance for me to go walk the canal, what a blessing to live in a state that makes building nature trails a priority. So different from Florida, but I won't go there.
- I'm thankful that Glee will be returning to TV this week!
- I'm grateful for friends who listen to your problems, laugh when you laugh, cry when you cry, and who know that you would do the very same for them.
- I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to create everyday, it keeps me sane.
- I'm thankful for all those serving our country and the families who support them, thank you for the sacrifices you make to preserve our freedom.
- Oh and last but not least, I'm grateful for baseball caps that I can throw on when I've been ditzing around on the computer instead of drying my hair ;)

Don't forget to leave your holiday wishes on the previous post for a chance at a Starbucks Gift Card!

Happiness In A Cup and A Chance To Win

Nothing says "Happy Holidays" to me quite like the return of the red cups at Starbucks! I wait anxiously for the day that they will arrive and bring with them my dearest loves... Egg Nog Lattes and Peppermint Mochas! Most of you know that I drink Peppermint Mochas all year long, they always have the peppermint syrup, but the red cups make it that much better! I don't mind if I have to put in a few more minutes on the treadmill or not eat an extra piece of pumpkin pie, nope, those are the sacrifices I am willing to make for my precious red cup of holiday cheer.

This year the cups are emblazoned with the words...

We invite you to listen to your desires

and to renew your hope.

To see the world not as it is,

but as it could be.

Go ahead, wish.

It's what makes the holidays the holidays.

I know we all have holiday wishes, what are some of yours? Leave me a comment between now and Wednesday evening and I will randomly choose one of you to receive a Starbucks Gift Card!

PSA of the Day

Public Service Announcement - 9/09/09

Beware of Facebook Hair... This affliction is growing more and more common as people begin their day by being sucked into the unending void of the networking website.

Definition: Hair that has been allowed to dry into an au naturel state. It is limp, lifeless, and unbecoming.

Cures: There are no known complete cures for this horrible condition. If you feel you are suffering from Facebook hair please go to your nearest closet and place a baseball cap on your head. If you are capless then the CDC (Council for Damaged Ends Control) suggest you massage a leave in conditioner into your limp locks and attempt to flat-iron.

We urge all citizens to step away from the computer now.

Changes

Oh my poor neglected blog, know that I still love you and am just busy making some healthy changes in my life. I need to get moving, get rid of the excess, not just in the rear-end department but that is on the list... I'm talking about cutting back, buying what I need, not just what appeals to me and that goes for the grocery store too... I need to nurture healthy things in my life such as family relationships, friendships, and creative paths. I am going to let go of the bad weight, the negative bits, practice being like a duck ... let it roll off my back.

I know it's a little late in the year for resolutions but I am going to make a few today...

1. Eat healthier

2. Exercise more

3. Write, I haven't in so long and it feels darn good!

4. Quit being afraid of every little thing, seriously the world is not out to get me.... I've been experiencing more anxiety attacks lately, I'm not sure why but I'm working on it.

5. Try one new thing a week... last week it was Salsa aerobics class with my sweet friends. I have no rhythm AT ALL... this is genetic as my parents don't either... after ten minutes of flopping about like a dying fish I moved onto the walking track and put in two miles.

So here is to changes and taking charge... I'll be back with more and hopefully it won't take so long!

Road Trip Recap... Day 2... Vegas Baby

TEN THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT LAS VEGAS BEFORE YOU GO

10. Smoking is allowed everywhere, even in the ELEVATOR!!!

*Personal Experience* The Venetian is the only hotel we encountered where they pump some type of air freshener through the vents to cover the odor of smoke.
Oh and those people hacking in the casinos, don't worry they don't have TB, it's just that they've been smoking while gambling away their children's inheritance!

9. The four acre pool at the hotel will be filled within half an hour of opening, if you want a free chair, get in line early.

*Lounge Chair Tip* The chairs that do not cost $100 - $800 a pop are filled immediately... cop a squat in the sand and then start scanning the ten rows around you, wait until you see someone who is putting on their shoes and then pounce! This can take a bit but the relief your rear will feel when it's out of the scorching sand is worth it!

*Pool Time Tip #2* You can book an $800 cabana online, with a special pool package in the summers, for about $50-$100 more than your room fee. Look at it like you are really saving $700, and severe stress... trust me that little bit of money is worth it, I was kicking myself, with hot sandy feet, for not doing it!

8. Just because there are 6 elevators designated for floors 18-34, don't expect them all to work!

*Elevator Savvy* Get on the first one that opens, it doesn't matter which way it's going, just ride until you get to your floor. This is the only way you will ever survive the mobs you meet at the elevators every time. Wave at those who didn't figure that out as you go past them again!

7. The hotels never look as good in person.

*Reminder*
The angle of the camera used in shooting promotional photos is key!

6. Just because it's an attraction aimed at kids don't expect it to be smut free.

*WARNING* It may be the size of a baseball card, but that nude woman on the front isn't a short stop! Yes that's right they have stripper trading cards in Vegas and people leave them EVERYWHERE!

5. Take no notice of the Chef's name in the restaurant title... they all serve the same five entrees, with only a slight variation on the original.

*Savvy Dining Tip* Go to the place with the longest line, there is a reason for it... we discovered The Burger Bar in the Mandalay Bay Shoppes and it was truly the best food we had in Vegas.

4. Art can be found anywhere... even on The Strip.

***Don't Miss the Luxor's Titanic Exhibit or the masterpieces at the Bellagio***

5. Always check where the monorail you are riding goes!

*Person Experience* We boarded the monorail that took you from Mandalay Bay to The Luxor and Excalibur, as we jumped on a man yelled "Next stop Treasure Island" he was still riding when we got back on an hour later! Luckily for him there was a woman carrying a giant box of Krispy Kreme donuts who was also still on the monorail when we got back on, so he won't starve! Seriously, it only had three stops, didn't they notice?!

4. Don't expect to win big... it's not going to happen... aim to break even.

*Insider's Gambling Tip* The only place you'll make money is the penny slots... I am now $8 richer!

3. Just because your hotel room is beautifully decorated don't expect everything to work!

*WARNING* The great little flat screen you can see from the tub, it doesn't work, don't get out when wet and try to mess with it, you'll be in for a shock!

2. It's called "Sin City" for a reason.

Three things that proved this...

Women in full head covering gambling away in the High Roller Room.

Amish people driving a pick-up truck with a horse buggy in the back! No I'm not kidding.

A man regaling his friend with his tales of infidelity at the wave pool... thank God the kiddo was in the pool and not by the chairs where they were.

1. Keep your expectations low.

Remember this was all made by man, it doesn't hold a candle to the beautiful creations of God you'll see on the drive there.

Day One... On The Road

Pack 'em up, move 'em out... and praise God that Starbucks is open bright and early and they have a drive-thru, seriously, thank you God for whomever created the drive-thru Starbucks. (Most of you know I'm not a pretty sight without my caffeine fix ;)

We left on Sunday morning and were able to drive through the Rockies on a beautiful sunny day. Perfect for spotting the six big horn sheep that we saw... of course they were right on the side of the road next to the car so it wasn't that hard to see them! That is the thing about these animals, they are never up on the rocky mountainside like you expect, they are eating the grass along the side of the road, so it's like... "Look Big Horn Sheep." you turn your head and in an instant you see them and then they're gone... you can't stop to take a photo or anything because you're whizzing down the interstate at 80mph and the giant trucks would mangle you and the sheep if you stopped. PSA to Big Horn Sheep... MOVE off the shoulder of the road up onto the mountainsides, you're going to get hit and no one can get a good picture! Although I was thrilled to see such a large number of them all together, it was amazing to think they live right here just a few miles from home.

Next we descended into the Western Slope of Colorado, beautiful wine country, yep we grow grapes for wine here in Colorado, really it's not all shoot 'em up at the OK Corral all the time... we can be refined too ;) We stopped at a "50's Diner"... the inside was very authentic, but the fact that it was in a strip mall sort of threw me off. They did however have really good hashbrowns and for me that's what breakfast is really all about... the carbs.

This is the part where Coleman shook up a Sprite, "to get the fizz out" (he is totally his Mama not liking the fizzy bite of soda just the sweet syrupy part). We had to pull over to change his clothes, and talk about our need to buy a carpet and upholstery shampooer.



After all that excitement we drove into the canyons of Utah. Amazing, truly, every five miles or so they change color and it's a dramatic landscape unlike any you have ever seen before. My favorite was the dark maroon red cliffs, truly breathtaking, God is an artist!

We continued on stopping at the strangest gas stations and Burger King you could ever imagine. Sadly there were no more Starbucks to be found. We drove through places like Beaver, Utah... silly name pretty place, on our way into Las Vegas.

Twelve and a half hours after leaving home we saw the towering hotels of Vegas rise from the desert ahead of us. Of course it took another half hour to actually arrive at our hotel, but I'll save the rest for tomorrow. It will be a sort of top ten list if you will.

Thanks for lasting this long, see you on The Strip in the morning.

Letter to American Crafts

Dear American Crafts,

Today I had a hot furry mess in my scraproom. Your Velvet Thickers shed all over my desk, floor, layouts, and cute outfit. I went through multiple sticky lint pages to clean up the fuzzy little bits. However it still appears as though a cat was shaved in my general vicinity. Mental suffering was incurred as I wrestled with the idea of throwing away these precious gems, in the end I sacrificed more pages of my beloved sticky lint roller. I feel that these should come with a large yellow warning label that reads... "DO NOT OPEN THESE BITS OF VOLATILE FUZZ NEAR ANYTHING YOU REMOTELY CARE ABOUT. BE ADVISED THAT WHITE OR LIGHT COLORED CLOTHING SHOULD NOT BE WARN AROUND THE BLACK TIE VERSION OF THIS PRODUCT. IN CASE OF EMERGENCY GRAB YOUR NEAREST STICKY LINT ROLLER." You do not have to credit me on the label.

Thank you,
Houston

Dearest friends, if you own these Thickers, please save yourself endless amounts of anguish by heading to your local Target dollar spot and picking up a sticky lint roller. They are also great for dusting lampshades and fabric covered albums.