Man I love Pictures!

Last night I was in charge of a church youth group scavenger hunt. Not just any scavenger hunt, but a Digital Camera Scavenger Hunt. My little group of girls made up a list of 10 things to find and then we split into groups (boys and girls) and went out into Albany to find them. It was such fun to see how each group interpreted the lists! I think my favorite shot was the "something big, round, and red" that my group took first. Here are some interpretations for you!

I feel like I am moving from "just lucky" with my camera to knowing how to set up and get good shots. I still haven't read my manual all the way through (I and I know I should have done that a long time ago) but I am figuring out more and more how to frame a shot, use the light to my advantage, and click at just the right moment. It's becoming a wonderful challenge to me to take just the right shot. I hope you enjoyed these!

A RECORD high!

I'm not sure what the official high was yesterday, but I heard it was a new record. We've been having lovely mild summery temperatures in the 7o's, but yesterday, according to the temp in my van, it was up to....99 degrees! It hovered around 95 for the most part, but it was still HOT! Thank goodness my hubby said "It'll be real hot today, close up the house" in random passing about 8 am as the kiddos left for school, 'cause we stayed pretty cool all day. I'm also thankful for the ac in the van and the wonderful built-in hepa filter that filters out all of the cottonwood and other pollens.

On unrelated news, I head back to one of my favorite places in Oregon--Seaside--for a wonderful scrappy weekend with a very select group of ladies. Should be a wonderful, rollicking good time, as the women I am going with are all some of my favorite people in the whole wide world! I'll post pics of what I accomplish when I get back! I'm feeling VERY creative and very much in the groove!

Enjoy your day!

Just a couple of pics....

I just wanted to share some of my favorite pictures from Boston. One is the old aqueduct/dam on the Charles River. The other is a site of a sister duck boat on the Charles River during the tour. And the last is my favorite picture of Joel and I on the trip. We are sitting on the edge of the fountain in the Paul Revere Mall.

Enjoy!

Home Safe and Sound

We made it home safely. It was a wonderful trip. Definitely broadened my horizons. I think that everyone should travel when and where they can. Anything that broadens your mind and expands your sense of self should be enjoyed. I'll have more to say later, but I wanted to say here that what I felt most while seeing all of the historic sites of Boston was gratitude. I'm grateful to everyone who stood up and spoke out and fought and died for the freedoms I enjoy today. I hope that I can be as courageous should the need arise.

The picture is of the center of the Quincy Market. This was the original marketplace of Boston. When they needed more land, the people of Boston chopped off a hill and filled in the harbor that was on the edge of the marketplace. Now it's shops and restaurants and bright and beautiful. All of the signs are original to the marketplace. And I have to tell you, the restaurants all smelled AMAZING!

But back to the gratitude. I think that freedom's biggest enemy right now is apathy. Too many of the American people aren't doing anything--even voting. I think that this recent news blurb sums it up best. A father was running for a state senate seat and the voting in the primaries ended in a exact tie. AND NEITHER OF HIS TWO SONS VOTED! And, to make things more interesting, BOTH sons were registered voters in the same political party as their father!

Please, whatever your political views are (and I don't want to start a debate here) enjoy the freedoms that came from the sacrifices our forefathers made. Educate yourself about the issues and exercise your right to vote.

And that's the other side.

20,000 steps

So according to my step-counter, I took about 20,000 steps yesterday, or roughly, ten miles. It feels like it too! Thankfully, my legs and ankles aren't so sore I can't continue to walk around today! So far, we've seen the Old North Church (one if by land...two if by sea...), walked past Paul Revere's House, Copp's Hill Burying ground, walked through the Italian District, went to the Museum of Fine Arts, lots of time near Faneuil Hall and the Quincy Market. I have tickets on reserved for a Duck Boat Tour this afternoon. That way, we'll see the majority of the sites WITHOUT WALKING them! Hooray!

More later...

Fenway and More!

So the game was on! It was foggy/misty, and by the time the 5th/6th inning came into play, we were pretty wet. We were wet, then dry, then wet, then dry. Thankfully we ended dry. It was an exciting game! Tied off and on, and even up to the middle of the 9th inning. The Sox lost (barely) but it was an exciting game!

Today I made it to Paper Source and walked around the Boston Public Garden as well as Faneuil Hall and the Quincy Marketplace. I took myself out to lunch at Cheers (even though no one knew my name...it was still fun!) All in all I had a wonderful, sunny, yummy day.

Arrived!

It's a long flight from Oregon to Massachusetts. That's all I have to say. Plus, nothing makes you realize your size like cramming into airplane seats. We had a smaller commuter plane from Oregon to Salt Lake City, Utah (about 50 people on the plane) and I had to comment to Joel, "It's a good thing we are friends!" because we were literally squished into each other. Thankfully, once we got on the 737, we had bigger seats and a row of three seats to ourselves. I took the window and Joel took the aisle, and we were quite comfortable for the duration of the flight from Utah to Boston.

It's been cloudy and rainy. We found out that Tuesday's Sox game was called on account of rain AFTER everyone was seated, so we are hoping for a let up on the drizzle for the game we have tickets to tonight. I spent the morning hanging out at the hotel, and the afternoon walking around the Harborwalk and the USS Constitution and the USS Constitution Museum. Enjoy the pictures!

Boston, Baby!

So tomorrow is my birthday, and my husband has a class he has to take for HP starting Wednesday in Boston. And, this time, I get to go with him! I'm looking forward to having a little time away, as well as seeing some of the historic sites to be found in Boston. Our hotel, for instance, is RIGHT on Boston Harbor--home of that famous tea party. Plus, there are THREE, count 'em, THREE Paper Source stores within miles of our hotel. It's gonna be hard spending as little as possible there, let me tell you! Plus we are going to a Red Sox game on Wednesday night (thanks eBay!).

I'll be sure to take lots of pictures as I wander around during the day. Maybe even something for a new banner!

Woo-hoo! We're going to Boston, Baby!

Jumped on the Bandwagon

Well, I caved. I bought some Crocs. I first discovered these shoes a couple of summers ago, but didn't want to buy them online. I wanted to try them on first, see if they were all that they were cracked up to be, and stuff like that. Well, now they are SUPER popular, and I found them locally at the sporting goods store G.I. Joes. I now feel like I want SEVERAL pairs! There's a teeny weeny store in Seaside, Oregon that also sells them, and I'm going to Seaside in a few weeks for a scrapbooking retreat. Hmm...I think I hear a pair of lime green ones calling me....

Truthfully, they are comfortable to wear and light as a feather. I walked all over Costco on those concrete floors without any pain or discomfort. We'll see how the summer goes.

Either way, life's too short to wear uncomfortable shoes!

And that's the other side.

A little color...

Now that I have you all voting for a black and white, here are some color shots I took later in the day. I really fell in love with this light and tooks some great shots of my kids. (I hope to share later....)

Thanks for all of the feedback!

New Year--New You!

So it's been a year since I took my first set of self-portraits. My birthday is in April (on the 30th) so I've decided to take a self-portrait every year in April. Here's what I though was the best 4 (out of the 21 I took so far). Which one do you like best? Count from one to four in clockwise from the upper left and let me know!

Smiles!

Getting closer!

Well, my banner is SUPPOSED to look like the picture in the post below. But I am getting closer! I have no idea why it split itself into 4 parts. If anyone out there knows, please leave a comment and tell me!

Thanks in advance!

tos_banner

tos_banner
Originally uploaded by dianneknelson.

trying to make a banner....keep watching to see if I figure it out!

Look what I made!

So I've been collecting these Crystal Light canisters because I was SURE I should/could make something with them, and last night it hit me--I'll turn them into Inspiration Bookmark Canisters! So I put one together as a gift for a Secret Sister at church, and I am VERY pleased with the results! I am giving away some scrapbooking gift baskets at the school carnival next month, and I think that the free class I will give them will be a Bookmark class! Ta-da!

Plus! I learned how to make a photoshop collage using PSE 2. Yay for me!

And that's the other side!

I Can Change the World

I've been reading the Studio Friday blog and yesterday's posts were all about "working hands" which just kept putting Ben Harper's wonderful song from the Curious George Soundtrack "With My Own Two Hands" in my head. These are my daughter's hands. And, just to share, here are some of the words to the song (I'm not putting all of them in because there are a lot of repeats). I'd try to share the actual song, but that is beyond my blogging knowledge right now, and if anyone has a tutorial, I'm open!

I can change the world
With my own two hands
Make it a better place
With my own two hands
Make it a kinder place
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands

I can make peace on earth
With my own two hands
I can clean up the earth
With my own two hands
I can reach out to you
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands

I'm going to make it a brighter place
With my own two hands
I'm going to make it a safer place
With my own two hands
I'm going to help the human race
With my own two hands

I can hold you
With my own two hands
I can comfort you
With my own two hands
But you've got to use
Use your own two hands
Use your own
Use your own two hands
With our own
With our own two hands.

It's an excellent soundtrack. Hope you liked the words.

And that's the other side.

Feeling a bit better

So I still have stuff to work out in my head (don't we all?) but I am feeling better overall. I plan to get back in the creating groove here asap! My Parks-n-Rec Class was postponed to this summer (because only one person signed up!) We are opening it up to the general population (instead of just for Seniors) and I've also been asked to do my "Baby's First Year" album class. That one will be just for a couple of hours in a workshop setting rather than as a 4-week class. I need to get my samples done asap to show off at the Senior Center to drum up business.

We've decided to go to California for Memorial Weekend for a Price Family Reunion (my Mother's side of the family). I can't remember the last time we got together as a family of Prices--it was between 10 and 15 years ago. I know I scrapbooked it--just have to find that album and see! I literally don't expect to even recognize many of my cousins; I'm the oldest Price grandchild, and I think I'm at least 5 years older than the rest of them. I could be wrong, but that just shows how out of touch with that side of the family I am. Joy is pretty excited. She's really getting into knowing her roots and her heritage right now. It'll be our big trip for the summer.

Well, that's all for now. Make it a great day!

Man...

So I'm in a weird sort of mood. I went on a "personal retreat" to the Oregon Coast with a dear friend. Got a lot of talking done. She's in the mental health field, so lot of it was good, but it's been making me think a lot. (And you guys should really check out Seaside Scents and check out their fragrance oils--YUMMMY! I esp. like their Vanilla Musk, Lime and Coconut, Laura's peach cobbler, and the Lemon Verbena Mint hand cream.)

The bottom line: I just want more from my life. But at this point, I'm not sure I have the energy to do it. Or even if I could say WHAT exactly I want MORE of!

I'm reminded of the title line from the Jack Nicholson movie, where the main characters look around and say, "Maybe this is as good as it gets" I've been looking around and I think that if the way my life is right now is as good as it gets...I'm not sure that's what I want. I love my kids and my husband and a lot of things in my life--but I'm not liking the clutter and the bickery fights my dh and I seem to be having more often and the pervading sense that I should be doing something more--even though I don't know what that is.

I'll have to get back to you on that one.

And that's the other side for today.

Ooh! Forgot to tell you!

I decided I needed a professional look for my classes, so I bought myself this apron from a local company called Beelart Embroidery . Beautiful work, and Colleen the owner/embroideress extraordinaire even rushed the job and delivered it to me personally. I plan to order some more--I want a longer apron just for kicks. (this is the shorter one, like you see in restaurants....) Good stuff though! If you are looking for something similar (or bags, blankets, other good stuff), I recommend them wholeheartedly!

Enjoy!

Running through my Mind....

So I've had so much going on, I just didn't have time to sum it all up in one post, but I'll try to anyway....

Joel is in ENGLAND right now. First foreign travel for either of us. He's enjoying himself, although he said the food tastes different, and NO ONE told him that our bank has all of their debit cards blocked in the country of England, so he is without a lot of money. Thank goodness for American Express! His plan was just to withdraw cash as needed from an atm, but no such luck. Apparently England doesn't like Credit Unions. I spent some time on the cell phone with him on one side, an IM window open between us, and on the other side, a very nice girl named Sara from the OSU Federal Credit Union on the other phone trying to explain the situation to us. DH's response? "Well, tell them to UNBLOCK my debit card then!!!?!" My response, "Uh, Honey, it's not just you--it's debit cards in general. England doesn't seem to like them. You'll have to talk to the Queen to unblock yours...." Ah well, things you learn....next time it will be better.

We've had the same cold off and on since December. Last night I decided I'd had enough of it. I've been coughing so hard I can't breathe this week, and my youngest son has been coughing until he pukes. NOT FUN! Supposedly, there is a three-month virus going around the Willamette Valley. This was our fourth month. All four of us (me, dd, ds#1, ds#2) went to the doctor today. $60 for doctor copays; another $50 for drugs. This had better be the END of the cough!

I've been thinking about goals, dreams and aspirations lately. When I was super-involved in MK, someone once said, "God doesn't give you dreams without also giving you the way to achieve them!" I really believe in this statement. I believe that our Heavenly Father isn't mean or malicious--that he really wants us to be happy. I have some big dreams for myself when it comes to creating and scrapbooking and papercrafting and writing. I just can't see now how to achieve them. Right now I'm in "education mode." I'm reading all I can about collage, paper art, digital design, graphic design, art in general, and other things. I'm hoping that the right inspiration will come my way, and I'll just get a glimmer of how I can achieve these big dreams.

I may not know how to do it yet, but I do know that I have to try.

And that's the other side.

In 10 years it will all be different

So, I just got off the phone with a very dear friend who has been in my life for about 14 years now. We started being friends shortly after Joel and I got married--in fact they were our first "couple friends." Time being what it is, we've drifted apart some, and we just spent the last 2 hours on the phone catching up on the past 2 years. Even though we haven't lived more than 20 minutes apart during that time, we just haven't been close on a daily basis. It was nice to touch base with her again, to get a snapshot view of my life right now as we talked.

I have to remind myself when I get caught up in feelings of desperation (are we EVER going to get out of debt? Will I EVER get the career I want out of writing and scrapbooking and papercrafting and paper art? Will my 3 year old EVER eat anything more than peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and the dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets? Will the house EVER be relatively clean and clutter free on a daily basis? And so on...) that my life is SIGNIFICANTLY different than it was ten years ago. Ten years ago I was going to school and managing apartments. Joel was working weekend graveyard at HP and thinking about going to school--and maybe he had a class or two--I don't really remember. We had one child, a very precocious one year old. I worried about school assignments, daycare for my baby, finding time with my husband, handling difficult tenants and empty apartments. I know we were busy with church. We were pretty broke.

Now, We're still pretty broke, but with better cars, nicer furniture, and we can pay for things like cable, a mortgage, taekwondo for H and J, a Trendwest membership for fun family vacations, this very nice HP laptop, my very nice HP Photosmart 945 Digital camera, and so on. We live pretty comfortably, all in all. We can meet our monthly obligations and still have some left over. Our marriage is still pretty strong, our kids are polite and well-behaved and well-liked. Things are good for us.

In ten years my daughter will be 21 and most likely not living with us any more. My baby will be nearly 13. I will have had the opportunity to work full-time (once the baby is in school all day, that is the plan to reduce our debt) and hopefully our debt will be gone and we'll have a comfortable retirement savings in place. That's my lesson for the day--start planning your financial future now! But enough of that soapbox.

My point is, ten years is a SHORT long time. Much will change, and while I KNOW I'll have new things to worry about, most of the things I worry about now won't be issues any more. I just have to remember to take a break from my worries and enjoy the now.

And that's the other side.

Sometimes you just gotta sleep...

So today was one of those days. We have a virus going around the Willamette Valley that comes and goes for several months before you are well. I think I'm on my third bout, so hopefully that's at an end soon. I just didn't feel like getting out of bed this morning. Thankfully, my church responsibilities today were covered, and my son also wasn't feel well, so we stayed home. I slept until 1:15 this afternoon, and probably could have slept longer, but wanted to be able to sleep tonight.

Sleep--It's a good thing.

And that's the (still) sleepy other side.

Gettin' ready

Well, I am preparing today for a class I am teaching tomorrow on my planners and blank journals. A dear friend of mine is helping me jump start my class business. I will also have things ready for them to make cards. Should be fun, and help me use up some scraps! I have A TON from all of the planners I made at Christmastime.

I have a "Family Yearbook" class on Friday. I'm stoked 'cause it's a different group of people, AND because everyone pre-paid like I like. I hope to get more classes from this. My business cards from vistaprint came just in the nick of time today. They really are beautiful, and I am very pleased! I'll take a picture later.

I'm teaching a class at the Senior Center for Albany Parks & Rec in April called "Scrapbooking Your Personal History." I'm not only designing an album for this, but I'm also creating a Family History Workbook to use in conjunction with the album. Sort of a book of "scratch paper" so you can get all of your information in place before you make the album. I'm pleased with how it's coming together so far.

More later...that's the other side for today!

Beyond

This would have been a HOF layout, but I mixed up the contest ending dates. I did the assignments anyway, just for my personal satisfaction. This one was for the candid photography. It shows my youngest DS at the playground, Buzz Lightyear toy clutched in his hand. Materials use: black staples, red waxy flax, Bazzill cs. QK photo corner die cut. Enjoy!

Some Family Shots

This is the whole gang! Matt, Joel (dh), Cooper (youngest ds) Uncle Scott, Joy (dd), Aunt Joy, Aunt Lila, Nate, Cindy, and Henry (other ds).
This is (from R-L) Matt, Uncle Scott, Joy (my dd) Aunt Joy, and Aunt Lila

Swimming through Words

I am surrounded by words. Words run through my head like the binary code that runs at the beginning of the movie Matrix. Words I read on the several emails/newsgroups I get every day. Words I want to write down. Words I say. Words I should say. Words I am thinking abouat saying. I am swiming every day in a sea of words.

I've been thinking a lot about my Grandparents. My Grandma Price died in February shortly after I got married. I don't know if she even realized that I did get married. My grandfather also died in February when I was sixteen. I've always thought that he died just as I was becoming interesting to him (I don't think he had much patience for small children). So in February, I think about my Grandparents and my heritage. It helps that I recently had my cousin and his girlfriend, his parents, his little brother, and my Aunt from Utah here this last weekend. Nate and Cindy came to visit me; Aunt Joy and Uncle Scott drove from Spokane to check on Grandma Reese, and Aunt Lila decided to join them. Matt just came along for the ride.

I've decided to write a memoir of sorts...mostly just a collection of small essays--but things that are more auto-biographical than fictional. Mostly, I want to get some of these words out of my head! I need to sleep at night, and these words and stories keep tugging at the edges of my brain demanding to be heard. I'll post here first...at least a rough draft.

On a side note: I've been asked to teach a scrapbooking class through the Albany Parks and Rec for their Senior Center. It'll be a four week class, mostly for seniors, with different levels of scrapbooking experience. I'm expecting them to be beginners. I've titled the class "Scrapbooking Your Personal History. I'm looking forward to it. I've also lost about 15 pounds since December. I've been doing what I call "old school" aerobics in my office, walking more, and doing Pilates 4-5 days a week. Man I LOVE Pilates. More about that later though.

And so it begins. And that's the other side.

The Cardstock Queen is Coming Back!

I'm pretty stoked! As I sat here recovering from a Costco Chocolate Cake coma, I realized what I wanted to do with my store. I've been creating scrapbooking classes--classes simlar to what you'd take in the local scrapbooking store, but instead in your home--I have a hostess program and everything--and I realized I really wanted to go that route--the teaching route (and if you made it through that sentence, I'm impressed. I'm sure it's not grammatically correct at all...)

Anyway, I am going to reopen the store in a MUCH scaled down version...a web store to support my classes. I have three classes booked for the end of Feb/beginning of March. I'm pretty pleased about that. I missed the store. Well, I missed making some of my own money and I missed buying products to use in the store. I'll also have class kits available for purchase...so some of you who asked about it in the past, you'll be pleased!

Stay tuned for more information!

Been Reading

I have been enjoying a reading binge. So far in the last few weeks I've read:

A couple of Clive Cussler Dirk Pitt Novels (Highly entertaining, and I really recommend them for a fun read. I got into these after seeing "Sahara" with Matthew McConaughy. He will always be Dirk Pitt to my mind's eye when I read. Not so sure about the actors playing Rudi Gunn and Al Giordino though....and the book IS better than the movie!) I honestly will be bummed when I've read all of the books in the Dirk Pitt series.

A couple of Jude Deveraux novels. Specifically, Wild Orchids and The Summerhouse. LOVED The Summerhouse, liked the other. I'm going to put her "Carolina Isle" on hold at the library. I read a lot from the library. It's free--well for most people. I seem to easily collect late fee fines. I tell myself it's my way of supporting the Library.

The Unbidden Truth by Kate Wilhelm. Oh Man! If you haven't read Kate Wilhelm's books about Barbara Holloway--RUN to your library and find them. They are also sold here at Costco pretty regulary, since she now lives in Oregon. The Barbara H. novels are all set in Eugene and thereabouts. I've yet to read such a wonderful female protagonist. Really. Go find these books. Kate Wilhelm's been writing for a looonnng time, and she's really honed her craft. I just finished this book yesterday, and had to go back to the library today for more. I think there are 6 or 8 or so. I have a stack of 3. I can't wait!

I also have the 2 latest Patricia Cornwall books in my bag, as well as The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffigger. I've been seeing this one around a lot, and it intrigues me. This stack of 6 books should keep me for a week or so.

Catch up to you later!

Layout Blueprints

So a friend of mine from my ScrapDivas of Oregon yahoo group is publishing a book titled "Layout Blueprints." Here are a few of my layouts that I submitted for that book. If YOU are interested in submitting--there is still time! You can submit until January 31st. Just go here for more information.

Enjoy!

We are under water...

For those of you on "Flood Watch '06" you should know that the Willamette is about to flood in this area. Highway 34 closed early this morning. Monroe area schools are closed. People in some areas are beginning to commute by boat. You can get more of the story here and here. I'll keep you posted if we have to evacuate. It's really too soon to tell, but we DO live in the hundred year floodplain. Joel may be living with his parents for a few days so he can get to work. Today it took him an hour--it usually takes about 15 minutes. That's because all of the people who usually use Highway 34 had to take Highway 20. My friend Kate was coming for a visit, but had to bail when she realized the usually 15 minute drive was going to take over an hour.

Hopefully we won't float away!

Some Happy

We had a nice weekend here at the Nelson home. We took advantage of the three-day weekend to use our Christmas Gift membership to OMSI (HUGE THANKS to Uncle Jared and Aunt Beth!) and we hosted my cousin Nathan and his girlfriend for part of the weekend.

I've written about my Grandmother before, so I'll skip a lot of the background information. Nathan is also her grandson. Until she started slipping away inside her mind, I really had no relationship at all with my Reese cousins. Not so now. I've had Nathan over twice for some overnight stays, his sister Megan has also been a houseguest of mine, and his sister Kayla and her husband and children have dropped by on the way to other places. I also now get Christmas cards and birth announcements from my cousin Phil. These are choice to me, and I'm glad to have this contact with my cousins.

As one of the oldest cousins in our little family, (I only have one cousin who is older than me...) it's always been important to me to work to keep those family relationships, well, there at least, if not friendly. And I think that if my Grandmother had just died, instead of slipping away into herself, I wouldn't have these friendships with my cousins. I'm grateful for them. I sort of think she'll hang on until more familial relationships are mended or made.

So go find someone you loved once, but haven't talked to in awhile. Reach out. If they rebuff you, at least you tried, and now THEY can own the problem. Find a long-lost cousin. Sometimes, in finding your family, you can find a little bit more of yourself.

And that's the other side

Some Musings on some Shoulds

It's a New Year. A New Year brings new enthusiam for things in our lives. These can be old things (like losing weight/getting in shape) or new things (This year I am going to try/do [fill in the blank]). But it's the enthusiasm that's important!

I've been reading and hearing a lot of talk on different boards and groups and within my circle of friends about the things we SHOULD be doing as women. Working out, caring for our homes, caring for our children, volunteering at school, sewing, home decorating, cleaning, yard work, taking pictures, laundry, shining our sinks, scrapbooking, and maybe, just maybe, caring for ourselves somewhere near the bottom of the list if and when all the other things are finished. Some of my women friends, both in person and online, even feel guilty that the things they should do are undone, or feel guilty if they take a little time for themselves--because that time SHOULD be spent doing the rest of the things on the list--especially the undone things. How enthusiastic can you be about laundry? The boxes of pictures that are tugging at the edges of your mind? Yet another pile of toys to conquer? The guilt and "shoulds" just keep piling up.

I think that's rubbish. I really do. The guilt and "shoulds" will only pile up IF WE LET IT. Who decides what we SHOULD do anyway? Who has the right to suck our enthusiasm for our life right out the window? Who decided this set of "rules" that we have to live our lives by? That is one of the things I like about the FlyLady philosophy: You decide your OWN shoulds, and release yourself from someone else's.

My Grandfather Price felt that all women in the world should be revered and honored JUST BECAUSE they were women. I LOVE that idea. We women keep the world in order. Some of us bear children; ALL of us love and nuture the next generation. We keep our homes in order--some days more than others--and we love our friends, our families, our hobbies. We can take a break if we need one. We can keep working if we feel like it. We make the world a prettier place just with our presence. We sing peace. We make differences around us every day.

So today, I want to leave you with some enthusiasm. Love your life--wherever it is! My best friend and I are supporting each other through a weight loss/exercise regime this year. We've been talking for years about how unhappy we've been with our weight gain and change in size, and this year, we are doing more than talking about it. Our motto is "Face It and Fix It." We've weighed ourselves and taken measurements with the mantra of "No Judgements, No Guilt--Just Face It and Fix It." This has been marvelous for me at least. I enjoy making the changes I need to make to "Fix" what I am working on this year. I want you to have the same enthusiasm in your life. Find something YOU'VE been feeling bad about and tell yourself that IT'S OKAY! And either let it go, or figure out what you need to do to fix it. No Judgements, No Guilt. Just love and support. And it's okay.

And that's the other side

Some Scrapbooking....

Here are some LO's I did tonight....I need to fix the lighting before I take any more LO shots. It's a bit off. I have a true color light bulb ("GE Reveal" style from Costco) on one side and my Ott-lite on the other. One layout is of Cooper's first birthday (in April of 2004--working on getting 2004 done); and the other is Joel's siblings and their wives and children meeting at Mo's Annex at the Devil's Punchbowl on the Oregon Coast in June of 2004. It was good to get back into scrapping after all of that planner making and stuff. And, I was very disciplined and put EVERYTHING away when I was done!

Anyway, enjoy!

Getting Closer to the After!

Well, today I unearthed the homework desk under the pegboard. I've also switched the white dresser with another small desk that was in another part of my Scrap Nook. Now I can have my sewing machine close to my scrap desk. One of the things I want to try this year is sewing on my pages.

Let's have a game! The first three people to comment on my blog and tell me what letter is back on the wall (it was missing in the previous picture of my messy space) will get a package of Bazzill Buttons (colors will vary--but do tell me if you have a preference!). Look closely! (NOTE: this game is separate from the SBT game--please don't post here AND there. Thanks!)

If you really want to work for a prize, tell me what the letters stand for and I'll throw in something else as well!

And that's the other side--cleaned up!

The Great Space Reclaim~~

I've lived with this mess for TOO LONG! This has been typical of our office area looking into my scrapping area (and after several hours, my scrapping desk is pretty clean!). My mission this week is to get a handle on all of it, and work to break the "I'll clean it up later habit." It's been my sad experience that "later" never comes. My DH is pretty bad about this. I have piles of things for him to look at "later." I'll probably just start throwing it all away and hope I don't toss anything important. That way, the piles don't move into boxes (and I have a few of those as well!)

I'm having a good time on the Scrapbook Talk Yahoo group. I'm leading the "Great Space Reclaim" challenge and am really enjoying being involved with this group. I'll add the link to my link section in case you want to check it out!

Go Reclaim some Space that's important to you--whether it's your bedroom, your living room or your kitchen. It'll make you feel better!

And that's the other side.

It's a bit wet...

Well, here in the Rainy Northwest, we are living up to our reputation. This is a local park, and what you are looking at is the top of the picnic table shelter, and if you can make out the green pipe-thingys, that's the top of the play structure. The white squares are the basketball hoops. The river that is flooded is the Calapooia River--which runs into the Willamette River. This park borders the junction of the two rivers. Just a bit wet here....

Sibling Love

She loves to ice skate. He's only tried once before this. She's brimming with natural ability and skill. He hugs the side of the rink and makes it around in about 40 minutes. When he wanted to try the center of the ice with the other less experienced skaters, she stopped her fun and pulled him safely in. That's love for you.

New Year's Musings

I want to first say that I LOVE New Year's! The anticipation of new things to come and the changes I want to make always inspires and motivates me. I just love the idea of a whole year to do anything I want to in. I kinda feel the same way about Mondays--a whole week to either do things right or do nothing at all if I choose to. I could go on and on, but that's another topic for another day.

I've been writing in my journal a lot more to finish up an old one so I could start a new one--since I am the owner of bookbinding equipment, I made my own--and I took the time to read over it a bit. I've been keeping this same journal since the summer of 1993--so about twelve years. It seems that I only wrote in it when I was upset and wanted to complain about something. I'm a bit embarrassed to tell you the truth. I can imagine the scene now--my posterity discovers this journal amidst some family junk, and they open it eagerly, expecting some words of wisdom or at least a peek into my life. A few minutes later they'll throw it aside and exclaim, "What a whiny baby Great Grandma Dianne was!" It's true. I used the journal as whine therapy when no one else would listen.

That's another good reason to scrapbook. We may fill private journals with whining and complaining, but our scrapbooks count our blessings. We document the good, the things we are thankful for, the precious moments we want to remember. We scrapbook the funny, the miraculous and the interesting details of our lives. In short, we scrapbook the moments we are proud of. For me, scrapbooking is THE OTHER SIDE of whiny journal writing. Hopefully, my posterity will look at both--the journal and the scrapbooks, and get a fair balanced picture of my life.

So back to the new year. I have some ideas in the fire and I'd love to know what you think--One of my big goals this year is to empower women through scrapbooking. If you would be interested in some inspirational scrapbooking prompts and album ideas to come your way, let me know! Pass my blog along and let's see what people want! I'm thinking of a newsletter subscription type thingy or regular posts here on the blog. I want to make a difference in the world of scrapbooking and I want to start here. Anyway, I'm rambling....Just let me know what you think and what you would like most from your scrapbooking this year so if I can help you, I know what you need.

Any complaints you have can go in YOUR journal! (just kidding--tee-hee!)

And that's the other side.

Back to the Blog

Wow! I didn't realize it had been about six weeks since my last post. I just know that I've been feeling swamped with stuff. Not overwhelmed, just swamped. I'll post a day-by-day December calendar and it'll all make sense to you!

But first, let me say that by December 2nd my husband was again employed. He was able to fill an opening at HP with one of his past supervisors. All is new and exciting and well again. We feel blessed and watched over by our Heavenly Father.

It's Christmas Day, and it's been a lovely pleasant day filled with music, family love, the understandings of the spirit, and just right Christmas presents for all. Tomorrow we gear up for a short holiday at the Running Y Ranch Resort courtesy of our Worldmark Membership. Joy will ice skate (she loves this and rarely gets the chance) and I will use the in-room jetted tub! (something I love and rarely get to do!) Hot cocoa, Christmas gift movies and games, and a chance to get away from our regular responsibilities to just be . Should be a great time!

I have a New Year's goal of writing in my blog at least once a week. I have a lot of ideas bouncing around in my head and heart and can't wait to share them with you!

And that's the other side (for now!)

Throw me some Love

Well, it's finally happened. After living for several years with the threat of being laid off from Hewlett-Packard, it happened yesterday. On Friday, we knew that the final word in layoffs this year was coming down on Monday or Tuesday. We'd made it through 3 or 4 rounds of layoffs in the past ten years, so we weren't really worried. Joel had barely gotten to work on Monday when he got the word. Of the eight people he worked with closely, 6 were let go through a "Work Force Reduction" program. We'd been discussing all weekend what we would do if it happened, but it was still a shock. I bawled all day long.

We've never been out of work in our married lives. We (for the most part) feel hopeful and confident (and a little scared). Thankfully, HP is giving him a severance package and things won't get dicey for a couple of months. His job at HP ends on December 16th. We've talked about me getting some kind of full time job beginning in January, just to help pay down our debt (and the store's debt). If you know of any IT jobs, let me know!

We are looking at jobs all over the US. If you love your state and think we should move there, go ahead and tell me why! Then link me to some jobs I can pass on to my hubby!

Mostly, since it's early days in this layoff thing, we are feeling more like this is a good thing than a bad thing. No more sword of Damocles hanging over our heads. It's a chance to choose what kind of life we want for the next decade or so, and that kind of power IS a good thing. Joel can finally get paid market value for his work--he's been underpaid for the last 4 years, again due to HP's sneaky policies. My mom said it best when she said that the hardest part about this will be how well Joel and I work together--and that it's more important than ever that we work together and support each other. Isn't that what being a family is all about anyway? Working together, supporting each other, and choosing the future together?

Either way, I could still use some love. I tend to lean a little too close to being scared of this whole thing.

And that's the other side

More Planners

As promised, here are some more pictures of the planners. These have the clear plastic comb binding (that is really quite kewl!).


I'm behind on my pledge to make one of these a day. Oh well. Here's to another day!

And that's the other side.

Decisions, Decisions

Well, I'm thinking of shutting down my online store. We've been losing money the last few months as sales decline dramatically. And the truth is, with all of the options for online shopping--especially for scrapbooking supplies--I don't think I will even be missed. I'm kinda bummed about that--only because I thought I was doing a good thing with my store, and I like the idea that my store mattered to people.

I think I want to go other directions. For the past few months, I've been designing scrapbooking classes people can have in their homes. I've been working on the perfect compromise between a scrapbook store class and a "home party" class. I find that I really like doing that. I want to pursue it more--just not sure how to start. I've been getting good feedback from those that have tried it. Most of them are beginning scrappers or just occasionaly scrappers, and they like having the instruction without feeling the pressure to meet sales or get a certain number of bookings to get a prize.

Anyway, if you've been a customer of mine--would you miss me? I'd love some feedback. I'll probably move to eBay for some of my inventory--less fees for now. It's funny to be on "the other side" of things and looking to change a bit. Gives you a different perspective and makes you realize that life is nothing but a bunch of choices.

And that's the other side

Planners and Life

So, as promised, here are pics of the planners I'm making for craft bazaars this year. I'm also teaching this planner as a class at the LSS. I'm going to create a brand for them--based on my love of Italian and my love for paper. I also now own my own binding machine! (Courtesy of my sweet husband snagging it from a dusty closet at his parents house--or maybe it was his Dad's appraisal office? No matter--they don't want it and I have it...yay!) I bought some clear plastic binding combs. I thought at first I wanted wire, but after a series of mishaps at the local staples resulting in the redoing of two planners--(well actually the same planner, but it's been bound 4 times and I had to redo the covers twice because of ripping and misaligned holes--and it's still waiting to be redone because the gal at Staples tore the holes apart by accident)--I've decided to stick with the clear plastic. They look really cool! plus without a large wire, they will fit more easily inside purses, etc. These pics are of the one I made for myself--I'll get some pics of the ones I am selling in a bit.

I am putting the words "Life" and the year on the cover. I like how that sums things up--it's a little scrapbook all about our (my) Life. You have your calendar pages, and then an original menu planning/shopping pages, a page for notes, and what I like to call a "sumpin' pretty" page where you can put quotes or pictures or both.

If anyone wants one, they sell for $22. They have a library pocket on the inside front and back, and a ribbon loop closure that you stick a pen through to keep it shut. I can make it from Basic Grey, Junkitz, SEI, Urban Lily, Pixel Decor, and probably others in my stash. The calendar is a vertical or portrait orientation. (Mine is the opposite) I also use Bazzill. I hope to make a planner a day between now and my craft bazaar the first week of December.

Smiles to all! Enjoy your LIFE--however it's planned!

And that's the other side.

Discouraged....

Well...I'm a bit discouraged right now. I really, really, really, want to enter CK's Hall of Fame contest--not because I have any expectation of winning, but because I am tired of the feeling of failure I experience every year when the winners are announced and I didn't even give myself a chance because I chickened out. This year, I promised myself I'd follow through on my desire to enter and that alone would make me a winner. So I was going down the list of requirements, feeling like each was doable--until I got to the one about needing to showcase an ORIGINAL, INNOVATIVE technique. I don't feel like I have any original, innovative techniques. I am primarily a simple scrapbooker who looks for ways to put the emphasis on the photos. I rarely distress, coat anything with UTEE, use alchohol inks on foil, or anything like that. I just don't know if I have ANYTHING like that. Unless you count the streamlined sketches I created for a class I call the "Family Yearbook."

I made up a series of ten sketches that allow beginning to seasoned scrabookers to quickly assemble scrapbook pages that are well-designed and pleasing to the eye. When I teach these classes, the emphasis is on getting a whole year's worth of pictures into an album. Not necessarily every picture you take in a year, but enough pictures to give a snapshot on what your family does in a year. The people who have taken the class are thrilled with the result, and leave with a feeling of self-satisfaction as well as guilt reduction. I tried the sketches myself to see if they would work--and I got 48 pages done in about 5 hours. Another girlfriend of mine did two years--two albums of at least fourty pages--in just a couple of weekends. The albums look great and it's a fantastic feeling to have that album finished!

So my question is: is a sketch designed for simplicity and beauty count as an innovative technique? I keep thinking about a quote from Donna Downey's blog that says that simplicity can be groundbreaking. I hope that this is the attitude of those involved w/the CK contest. 'Cause that's about all I have that's innovative and original.

If any of you blog readers have thoughts, I'd love to hear them!

And that's the other side.

Feeling TOTALLY stoked!

This has been an exciting few days for me! I made myself a planner, (inspired by Donna Downey) and showed it to my friend that owns the local scrapbooking store here. She immediately wanted one, and asked me to teach a class at her store. I'd wanted to teach there for awhile, but wasn't sure how to bring it up. Super Excitement Number One!

Next (and while I realize this is tame for some...) I figured out how to post layouts to the gallery at 2 Peas and got very positive responses for my layouts. Excitement Number Two!

Lastly, I found out that you could submit your layouts using Basic Grey products to the gallery at the Basic Grey website so I submitted one just for the heck of it. I just found out that it was accepted and I am now in their gallery! You can go to the gallery and look up my name under designers. Super Excitement Number Three!

I'll post some pics of what I've been creating later. I just had to post about this. It's what I've wanted for awhile, and I'm lovin' the recognition!

And that's the other side.

Light Show

Ode to a Glowstick

What a wonderful
Crackling sparking
Sound.
Shake a little,
And for a few hours
You can hold your own
Universe.

We love glowsticks at our house, and thankfully, we can get them 6 for $1 at our local Dollar Tree. Here are some fun pics from the last time we all got into glowstick play.

How Sweet it Is

Okay...here's some background so you understand the magnamity of the emotions in this post. My grandmother is 87 years old. Super feisty, super smart, super lost in advanced dementia. I am her closest relative. I lived with her for several years while going to college, and in general, can trace a lot of the good things about my life to her influence. Music, writing, poetry, my husband (whom I wouldn't have met if I hadn't been living with her while going to college), etc.

About two years ago it became apparent that she was losing her grip on reality and I called my Uncle (who is the executor of her estate) to come from Spokane to get things in place before she was totally gone. That was in November of 2003. By December, she and her new husband of a couple of years had been moved from the home my grandfather built in the 1950s to an assited living community. That was tough on her, because she knew enough to know it wasn't her home, but wasn't able to stay in her home any longer. When it snowed hard that winter--and snow is uncharacteristic in my neighborhood--she was convinced she was on a Winter Holiday on the East Coast somewhere. By February, she was wandering the halls at night and going into other people's apartments and the assisted living center asked us to move her to another facility. She was moved to a place specializing in Alzheimer's and Dementia care, and that has worked out pretty well.

For a long time I was still one of the people she recognized. Me and Lloyd, her second husband. About a year ago that stopped. After I spend some time with her, I think she knows who I am, but it's hard to say. One of my duties (and it's not really a hard thing to do) is to take her to her doctor and dentist appointments. That's been a pretty good experience for the most part. Earlier this month, I took her to the dentist. It was the first time she'd been for several years. It was hard. She didn't know me at all. At first, she was belligerent and angry and refused to go. After a few minutes, we (her aid Marta and I) got her moving and in my van. Let's just say the rest of the day was interesting.

Anyway, a few weeks later it was time to take her to the doctor for a routine appointment. She wouldn't budge. No how, No way, not for anyone. Rather than force her, we decided to just cancel the appointment and go another time. I noticed that someone had left a hymnbook from our church on the piano, so I decided to play and sing to her for awhile so that at least by lunchtime she would be in a better mood. My grandmother loves music. She especially loves Church music, and spent a long, long time serving in some musical capacity. Sadly, she no longer remembers the words to the hymns she loved so well. She often just hums the alto part along with me.

Today, however, she sang every word to one hymn. Kinda in the middle of my impromptu concert, we sang all three verses to a hymn called "Count your Many Blessings." After that, nothing. Just part humming. Of all the hymns to sing, it was the one reminding you how good you have it when you think you have nothing. What a hymn for her to remember! I think that somewhere inside her, her soul is hungering for spiritual things. Yet despite everything, she is still counting her blessings.

When I left, I held her hand and asked her if she knew who I was. For the first time in a long time, I saw recognition in her eyes. She knew who I was and she knew that I loved her and I knew that she loved me. She cried a little, I tried not to, and then I hugged her and I left. It was a sweet choice moment in my life that I will never forget.

And that's the other side.

Find out what YOUR birth date means!

Here's a link: birthdate quiz

Enjoy!

Dianne

What does your birthday mean?

Your Birthdate: April 30

Your birthday on the 30th day of the month shows individual self-expression is necessary for your happiness. You tend to have a good way of expressing yourself with words, certainly in a manner that is clear and understandable. You have a good chance of success in fields requiring skill with words. You can be very dramatic in your presentation and you may be a good actor or a natural mimic. You have a vivid imagination that can assist you in becoming a good writer or story-teller. Strong in your opinions, you always tend to think you are on the right side of an issue. There may be a tendency to scatter your energies and have a lot of loose ends in your work. You may have significant artistic talent and be very creative.

Not a Single Photo...

Earlier this month, we had a very nice Nelson Family Mini-Reunion. It was lots of fun and packed full of things to do. We drove to the Oregon Coast on Wednesday and spent a day playing in the surf and sand at the beach near Devil's Punchbowl. On Thursday, the older cousins did a 4-5 mile bike ride ending in a beautiful waterfront park near the Willamette River. The Mom's drove the younger kids to said park where all enjoyed a lovely picnic lunch and playing in the large fountain. It cycles through different water dances, and is intended for splashing and playing. Later that night the whole family gathered at yet another park for a free concert from the band "Asleep At The Wheel" (a great concert and a lot of fun!). Friday had the whole crew meeting at still another local park for paddle boating. WE RENTED THE ENTIRE PARK (yep, twenty or so of us Nelson's with six paddle boats and one Surfrider) for an hour, and spent the whole time wheeling around the little lake. Another picnic lunch was followed by the celebration of Grandma Rampton's 97th birthday (NINETY-SEVEN! I mean, how often is THAT going to happen?). And I didn't take a single picture.

Even though I'm a bit shocked by this (I ALWAYS take pictures--often I am the ONLY ONE taking pictures), there was a strange freedom in it. Permission to just sit and relax and enjoy rather than worrying about catching the perfect shot or wondering if my camera is going to fall into the lake, ocean, fountain...etc. So I guess the lesson here is that sometimes it's okay to let go and just be.

Just be a part of things. Instead of looking at your life through the barrier of a camera lens, just be a part of it.

And that's the other side.

Choices, choices

I've been thinking lately about the choices and paths we choose in life. Sort of a "Two Roads Diverged in a Yellow Woods" kind of thoughts. (for the full poem, go here ). I've been looking at the choices I made that put me in the position to marry my husband. What if I had been more adventurous and gone to college in Ithaca, New York, or Colorado (two places I was mildly curious about) instead of sticking close to home and going to a junior college in Idaho followed by going to Reese Family Home Turf at Oregon State in Corvallis, Oregon? (in case you don't know, my grandfather was a chemistry professor there for many years, and my father went there--met my mother there--and the apartment where I was conceived has been pointed out to me many, many times...) I met my husband in Corvallis, and I have to say, that was a good road to choose. A VERY good road, 'cause he's perfect for me!

But what if I'd stayed closer to my high school boyfriend? There was definitely a time in my life where I expected to marry him. Not that THAT would have been bad, but would definitely have led to a very different kind of life.

What if I pursued my dream to sing musical theater and/or Opera? What kind of life would I have now? What if I'd been more adamant about playing sports in middle school and high school? What if I'd taken the jazz dancing classes I always wanted to take? What if I'd been able to tour Europe or go on youth hostel tours or served a mission for my church? What if, what if, what if....

I know it's cliched, but I really think that the secret to happiness in life is not necessarily having what you want, but wanting what you've got. If I were to go back (so to speak) and try to reclaim some of those set aside possibilities, what would I give up? To claim those possibilities now, I'd have to give up something. I certainly wouldn't want to give up my children. Nor my husband. I'd definitely give up the extra weight I'm carrying now because I didn't learn to love exercise and sports when I was younger. I wouldn't give up the good or the bad experiences I've had. These experiences shaped me, and I've been grateful for them.

The truth is, those two roads never really go away. There's ALWAYS going to be choices in life. Where to live, whether or not to change jobs, do we have one more baby, do I take a nap or work on chores, do I go to the store today or tomorrow...things like that. Not every choice has dramatic consequences--but we choose every day. We choose to work out our differences with our spouses rather than walk away from the problems. We choose to take care of our children with love and tenderness rather than in a place of frustration (and sometimes that's a REALLY HARD choice to make!). We choose carrots over cookies. We choose every day to be happy with what we've got.

And that's the other side.

Where there's smoke...

Soo...

Yesterday I was blithely going about my morning routine when I heard a strange noise. A raspy, crackling sound, not unlike feedback from a set of speakers. At first, I thought my husband left his online game running and the speakers up and the sound was coming through his headphones. Then the crackling turned to a popping sound and seemed to get louder. I got up and went around my desk to investigate. I found smoke pouring out of the adapter for my laptop. I quickly unplugged it from the laptop and then unplugged it from the power strip and then took the stinky thing outside. I then shut off my laptop to conserve the battery.

I am now back to using my husband's computer. I've been on the laptop exclusively for about a year now. That's where all of my pictures are. All of my bookmarks (AACK! No Blog-reading for me!). My automatic login cookies. I'm feeling a bit lost.

I have since found out that my laptop (an HP zv5000) is one of the biggest power users in the laptop world (so says the seller on eBay I bought my new adapter from). Lucky me! I really should learn to do more with it....

Hopefully the seller (in Seattle) has already shipped my new adapter and it speeds down I-5 quickly. I want to go back to my own desk and be in my own computer world. It's not too bad here on my husbands side of things, but I've become more comfortable with MY things. My space, my stuff, my view of things.

And that's the other side

I see scrapbook paper....

I've become paper obsessed. Mind you, I don't want to USE any, I just want to post it up all over my office like wallpaper. And everywhere I look, I see scrapbook paper. (If you really want to be creepy, say it like the kid from the movie "The Sixth Sense"...). Seriously. I was behind a gal at church and thought her skirt would make GREAT scrapbook paper. When we went to D-Land last month, I kept seeing paper color combinations in people's clothing. I have images of myself throwing paper all over the bed and rolling in it like in that Woody Harrelson-Demi Moore movie. (Only they rolled in money....)

It's funny, how we scrapbookers become hoarders. We see ALL THIS GREAT STUFF and we just HAVE to have it, so we buy it. And then we just have it. I went to a class taught by Darci Dowdle (of SS mag) and she talked about this jokingly, "If we USE it, then we don't HAVE it anymore!" Well, yeah! It struck a chord with me, and I have been on a quest to either use it up or not buy it in the first place.

But that was BEFORE Basic Grey. Before Urban Lily. Before Wild Asparagus, MOD, Pixel Decor, DCWV Retro Stack and others. I am a paper hoarder. I admit it, I LOVE PAPER. I love the smell of new paper. I love the feel of it in my hands. I love to cut it up and make things with it. I love to hoard it. I actually have bunches of this fabulous paper made by Freckle Press. This paper is really lovely, and the company is no longer in existance, so if I use it, I can't get any more!!! This is a quandary for me, because I want to use it, but if I do, it's gone forever. Choices and decisions, decisions and choices.

In the meantime, I'll just keep seeing paper everywhere I go.

And that's the other side.

Me and Ali Edwards at the June Class 

One of my favorite balloon shots. 

The Balloon Lift at the Freedom Festival in Provo, UT. About 20 balloons all took off within minutes of each other 

Glen Canyon. It was about 116 degrees at the time. This is at the beginning of the Grand Canyon 

What a sad little blog this is!

I've been neglecting it so! Well, we went a total of 2850 miles and spent 50 hours and 20 minutes in the car for our round trip. We went to Orem, UT; Flagstaff, AZ, and Anaheim, CA. (Joel's Brother, My Parents, and Disneyland). I know the totals because our car has one of those little trip computers and a trip timer. We haven't had much use for the timer in the past, but it's interesting to use on long trips like this one. It was a lovely time, and I was very glad to get back to my high 70's, breezy and clear weather after the hot high 90's we experienced in AZ and CA. Of course, the next week here it was in the 90's, so I can't win. Ah well....

I've heard it said that you usually need a vacation from your vacation. This is true for me. I cam home and had kits to package and get out, pictures of samples to take, and a newsletter to write for the July CQ Kit Club (see my links to my store). Then I realized I didn't have anything picked for the August kit, and needed to get the pictures up for that. Then I sprained my ankle. Thankfully, I sprained it just after Harry Potter 6 came out, so I spent some time recuperating and reading. I got the kits done and out, chose the next kit, made some orders, packaged some orders, and still have a very sore ankle.

But we did get some beautiful pictures on our vacation. I'll post them soon. Glen Canyon (at the beginning of the Grand Canyon) is very beautiful and picturesque. I also got some fun balloon shots the morning we left Orem.

All in all, it was a fun family time. And that's the other side.

Hours and Hours

We've just driven from Albany, Oregon to Flagstaff, Arizona. Even with stopping in Orem to visit family, we've spent hours and hours and hours in the car. THANK GOODNESS my sweet husband upgraded our van a week before we left. If we hadn't had the dvd player that you can also hook the gamecube up to, things would have been uuug-lee!

All in all, it was a mostly uneventful trip so far. We did see the balloon lift off in Provo, Utah as part of the Freedom Festival. And Glen Canyon, at the beginning of the Grand Canyon, was VERY impressive. More pictures later.

And family. We are spending this weekend with my family. My brother and sisters and their spouses and their children. Really, there's nothing like family. It makes driving about 24 hours total worth it.

And that's the other side.