Is it really "Girlfriend and Sister's Week" ?

I am only as strong as the coffee I drink, the hairspray I use and the friends I have.
To the cool women that have touched my life; here's to you!

Just Been Crazy Busy with LIFE!

You know how it is...don't you? I keep putting stuff off and then it gets to be too late. I have a to-do list that's a mile long and counting. I'm supposed to be e-mailing people, organizing crops for my scrapbook group, arranging to have T-shirts screen printed for my volleyball teams, cleaning up my house and a bazillion other things.
So here I am updating this blog. I feel kind of guilty but not really...at least I got my circle journal done. Better two days late than a week. LOL (Sorry Jeanne!)

Anyway, I will keep this whiny post short and sweet and promise to update with some photos next week.

Hugs,

Mel

House Building Update!

Well, I've been meaning to post some pictures of our building project for a long time now...but you know how it is.
We started the whole thing way back in November of last year when I made the appointment for a permit application. The first open slot was for March, so that already put us out almost 1/2 year. Then we brought in our houseplans which we bought on the internet. This is a picture of the original plans:
We took these to an architect, who sucks BTW, and had them altered. We added a bay to the garage, a bonus room over the garage and several extra bathrooms, you know those darn plumbers, can't have too many bathrooms. LOL We started with 2500 square feet and now have 35oo square feet after alterations. There were other changes made later on but not by the architect. We had enough problems with what he did/didn't do...
We finally started prepping the site on August 1st of this year by mowing the lot. Since then we've put in most of the drainage ditches, sprinkler system, electrical, septic tank, cable, etc. Concrete work started on the 13th of September with forms being installed for the foundation pour later that month. The plumbing was put in on the 25th and the infloor heat piping was stapled on the insulation foam on the 29th. We had the concrete guys pour the floor on October the 10th, after which I was watering concrete for two days straight so it wouldn't crack. Of course both of those days were gorgeous and sunny so it had to be watered every 15 minutes. On the 23rd of October we finally started the framing after a week long delay. So that's the stage we are at now...today being the 2nd of November and pouring rain this morning. So the framers left after an hour and then it stopped raining. Of Course!!!
Watch for an update in the next month...

MOM's Club Outing

Two days ago I joined other Mom's on their annual trip to Stoney Ridge Farm. I was very surprised to find out that it's right here in Everson. I lived here for over 5 years now and had no idea this was here? I remember seeing the photos of the trip in 2005 and everyone being all bundled up with hats, scarves and mittens on. Well we couldn't have picked a better date for this years fieldtrip, it was a gorgeous fall day with plenty of sunshine. So much, as a matter of fact, that most Mom's who had worn black or long-sleeves were sweating up quite a shine under the beautiful blue sky. I took plenty of photos but it seems that Grace wasn't in the most cooperative mood that day. She is always pulling her nose up, her lips across or sticking her tongue out. ARGH! Anyway, I got this shot of her making her "Great Escape" when mom was trying to get her to pose on a pumpkin. Eventually, after feeding and petting most of the animals, exploring the crate maze, checking out the "How Tall This Fall" yard stick, taking a hay wagon ride, eating some lunch and trying to pose for impossible pictures we ended up with a pumpkin to take home. Here's the proof:

It's been a while...

Oh My Gosh, I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've posted anything on here...
I have so much to tell you and don't even know where to start...

I attended Creative Escape in Arizona at the beginning of September and what a BLAST it was... I saw the Arizona desert, ate cacti, climbed forts, took photos of a rattlesnake up close and personal, all during the wonderful Hummer Tour arranged by Shelley with Steve from Road Runner Desert Adventures. Thank you so much for this!
I took classes for two days straight and learned so much. I was pleasantly surprised that I learned the most in a lecture class not an actual hands on scrapbook class. Allison Tyler-Jones is a gifted photographer and a wonderful, caring person and her class was funny as heck! Thank you Allison for your insights, tips and making us cry. Please check out her amazing work at her website.
All in all I will never forget this getaway. I learned so much, met so many amazing women, got to listen to my scrapbook idol Stacy Julian give a moving and life changing speech, spent a few great hours relaxing at the pool, had a wonderful massage & pedicure and made a new best friend for life.
You would think things couldn't get much better. The crowning ending to a fabulous, amazing, spectacular weekend was the grand prize giveaway. Of course they had drawings for fantastic prizes all throughout the two evenings, thousands of dollars in cute and adorable prizes including some that were so large they had to get two brawny guys to lift it for the lucky winner. So how are you wondering can it get any better? Well, let's just say that this gal pulled the lucky straw, litterally. The organizers of the event had outdone themselves with decorating the hotel ballroom. We had pink, white and green balloon banners, a huge bouquet of paper flowers, banners with all the awesome sponsors and wicked cute table center pieces made out of these new storage tote buckets and balloon on straws. At one point we were all told to pick a balloon out of the centerpiece. Well, wouldn't you know it, I snagged the one with the pink bottom and my gal pal Megan got the green colored one. So she won the cute little organizer that contained the balloon centerpiece, along with one other lucky gal at each table. So then they asked who got the pink bottom. My heart just about stopped beating... I was the only person standing up in a ballroom packed with over 700 people. WOW! I got up on stage and was shaking so bad my girl Megan took all blurry photos. I guess she was shaking a bit too. **Wink**Wink**
So I won the GRAND Prize of the whole weekend, a free ticket to next year's Creative Escape, and the same for a lucky friend. WOW! What a way to end a dream of a week... Needless to say I ran through who I could take with me in my head and Megan was the logical choice. We had only met like three days earlier, but felt an instant connection and in her words were "twin sisters separated at birth". We spent most of the convention together and forged a great bond and have been talking several times every week and are planning all kinds of mischief together in the future. Check out the convention we are attending in March of next year with our fellow Hydrangeas Jeanne from Chicago, Peggy from Texas and two of their gal pals.

Well, this has been a long post so I will update you on more stuff later. Gotta get some much needed sleep.