Chi Town

Sniffle sniffle. Yep, its started again. But what can you expect when you take your body from 5 degrees to 70 degrees in one day. Our Chicago trip turned out GREAT on both sides. Our sailor looks amazing and is loving the Navy and getting all kinds of awards. Yes, I will brag. She won a marksmanship ribbon and she's an E2. She leaves for Pensacola to become an ABF - aviation boatswain fuels - she'll be pumping gas into jets. How exciting (yes, and dangerous but we're ignoring that part right now). She will see the world and for a talented mechanical girl, this will be great for her. We had a nice day and a fun visit and even made a little video for my hubby and the rest of the family. It was fun to hear all about her day and the people in her division and what she's liked so far. (firefighting school). And then the REAL fun started...

On Friday FIVE of the best peeps in Chicago braved the elements to go to Hannah's and Paper Source and partake in a yummy meal at the Lake House. Total fun with Cathy, Nan, Shelley, Jeanne (my roomie) and Kathleen (soon to be mama). Hannah's is a great craft store in Antioch, not fancy and lots of good stuff to choose from - sewing, beading, general crafts and of course, our fav - scrapbooking. Good Tim Holtz selection. And who doesn't love a good Paper Source. Expensive yes, but great envelopes and its interesting to see what they have going on as far as colors and styles. It was such a fun time to compare notes and jabber about what we made for Christmas or Silver Bella. I told Jeanne she is so lucky to have a great group of people around her and that they get together often. Note to self - make better effort to get together with my local peeps. The weather was so interesting and amazing. I spent an hour at 4 am watching a pick up truck try to get out of a snow drift (from my hotel window). The snow is gorgeous, especially out in the burbs where we were. It wasn't really cold to me at all - I found it refreshing. Of course, I only went from hotel to taxi so its not like I was out in it. But we did walk through the Navy RTC to pick up Rachel and it really wasn't that bad, with coat, scarf and gloves.

But like everyone else, I'm happy to close the chapter on Christmas and look ahead to 2009. 2008 was a great year with alot of good things happening. My hubby is home and life is going back to normal - a new good normal and I can't complain. Nope. Not for one minute. Bring it on.

Merry Christmas

I should be packing (lots of heavy layered clothing) for Chicago right now but instead I'm rambling down the Super Highway, playing here and there. Google Reader. Ebay. Facebook. It hasn't been all play - there's been some hard work. I found a library card catalog. For someone else. Dammit. No, not really - it was an excellent score in Omaha and Ms. Foofala herself picked it up. It was such a find... $65! There's another one in Portland and Stockton, CA. I'll keep googling "craigslist library card catalog" and hopefully one will show up in Texas somewhere. This photo isn't Theresa's cabinet, I found it while searching - don't you just love it. It belongs to this lady. What a great display!

I finished reading The Shack and it was such a great book. I loved it - mostly because of where I am in my life right now. It is such a great spiritual reminder. I want to read the second half again. I'm sure we'll have alot of time in the airport tomorrow - I plan on bringing lots of reading material. Nancy and I are going to Great Lakes to see Rachel. She's finishing up basic training for the Navy and it is also her birthday - she's a Christmas baby. I sure wouldn't do it for many people... I'd love to stay home. I finally ditched the idea that I was going to drive in that snowy, icy weather so we're taking taxis - what a relief. Until Friday, when my roomie, Jeanne and some of the CE gang are meeting me at their LSS, Hannahs. We're also going into Highland Park to see Paper Source. Love that store - have only been to the one in Beverly Hills - so this will be good fun. If I don't freeze my buns off. Unfortunately, the weather is suppose to turn nasty on Friday - icy sleet but we're hoping no. I can hope. I wouldn't blame them one bit if they wanted to stay in for the day... I would - to scrapbook.

One thing I have to say about Christmas this year. My husband loves Christmas time and all the gift buying - that man enjoys every moment of it. He's taught me alot about generosity and gift giving. I'm very lucky. It has been nice this year though doing it alot simpler and I think most everyone is doing that. Buying one or two meaningful gifts. My present was the Cricut Expression. I can't wait to use it and make this. I had plans to make some of my gifts - I hope next year I'll be better with that. It feels good though knowing that we'll start 2009 without a pile of credit card debt from Christmas. I also put the kabash on scrapbook buying. My motto is - if I'm not going to use it in the next two weeks, I don't buy it. No more rambling trips to HL or Mikes picking up $35 worth of stuff.

In the meantime, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas with lots of time to enjoy family and presents and some time to sit still and be in His presence. Good Night.

You're In the Navy Now

Lots of random stuff swarming around in my mind. I am almost well from the cold crud - gosh its taken a long time to leave! What's that saying - fish and family stink after three days??? Well, we can add flu to that... ~ Have you seen the new version of Picasa 3? It is Google's free software for photo editing and storage? I swear by it, especially for uploading photos after an event to share. I've played with the new choices for collage - lots of fun! ~

Rachel's graduation from Navy basic training is January 2nd in freezing Chicago! I am so INCREDIBLY proud of her beyond words. She sounds so happy and focused - it is the best possible choice for her. We will definitely be there to see her graduate. This is a pic of her at her last graduation 2 years ago. The good news about Chicago is that a whole slew of my peeps live there: Jeanne, Cathy, Nan, Melissa and Kathleen! I am hoping to get together with them and maybe even see their LSS, Hannahs!

The next picture is a beautiful journal made by Carol Wingert that I picked up at the Silver Bella Vendor Faire for my friend, Laurel. Laurel, Cindy and I LOVE Carol Wingert projects, especially her white books. Right now Laurel is the high bidder on Karen Russell's blog for a spot in her online photography class - lucky lucky girl! (We all learned so much in Karen's one day photography class - I can't recommend it enough!) Karen is donating the money to a charity of Laurel's choice. A great win/win situation for everyone. We all missed Laurel's birthday party last month because we were sick so we need to plan a makeup session soon.

I'm late for work... Here's to a great Friday and weekend!