Need.More.Boxes

Want to see something funny... the extent of my packing... As I was packing my photo albums and scrapbooks, I was seriously delayed. I had to re-read my Australia journal and then the e-mails from Australia that I have saved. I have to say though that it was a very enjoyable trip down Memory Lane.

I spent the day with my nephew, Kyle, today. We went to Barnes and Noble then to lunch... that was Kyle's birthday gift from me. Kyle is 8 and is really such a joy to be around. I cannot believe that he is 8!! He loves to read and his vocabulary is really amazing. At lunch we read all about snakes and lizards!! Here are the three loves of my life... when faced with a camera, Brendan finds it impossible to keep both eyes open:)

And we can't forget Grace...

Another Winner

Unfortunately, I never heard from my first winner so my co-worker picked another random number and the winner of the blog candy is... Jan Scholl! Jan, send your address to laurafjv@yahoo.com and I'll get your stuff right out to you!!

I haven't stamped in so long, as you can tell! I am moving on Saturday and have been busy packing and purging!!

Practice Random Acts of Kindness...

When I got home from vacation, look what was waiting in the mail for me!!

This adorable Fluffles card from Becky (belledancr on SCS). I love the paper/color combination and the layout!!

Also, this beautiful welcome care from Kitty (Oregon Stamper on SCS). I love the colors and the layout here too!!

It was such a treat to get home and have these waiting for me... it helped to cheer me up! Stamping and the kindness of strangers has truly helped me to get through this rough patch in life!! I can't wait until life settles down and I can reciprocate to these two great stampers and become more involved in the forum!!

For now though I have to face th massive project of packing up my apartment!!

Winner

Okay, my vacation threw off my contest! The winner was E Jones! E-mail me your snail mail address at laurafjv@yahoo.com. If I don't hear I will pick another winner!!

Back

Here I am... back at home. I had a really great time on vacation. Pictures to follow...

I absolutely fell in love with Colorado... the wide open spaces, the hot, dry air, the friendly people. I hadn't seen Liz in 3 years, far too long, and she and Jamie were such great hosts! She drove me around the state showing me Vail, Boulder, Colorado Springs and Denver. We reminisced about our year in Phoenix and shared a margarita or three:) Liz is the kindest, most giving, loving person I know and I am so glad to call her a friend.

I flew from Denver to Baltimore on Friday to spend the weekend with Salvatrice, Jen and the Murphy family. Monica's baby shower was good fun and it was so good to re-connect with friends. I miss those days in DC and the fun I always have with those girls!

I don't know what I would do without Salvatrice and her amazing strength and advice that I so needed right now!! I am always humbled by my friends, here in Boston and all over the country... with them I have not cried in 7 days!!

Vacation

Here I am, blogging from Denver! I am on vacation, visiting my good friend Liz and her husband Jamie. They are slowly convincing me to make a move to Colorado... where the men outnumber the ladies:)

Back next week:)

Funny How That Works...

Grief that is. You're going along okay, planning vacations, reconnecting with old friends, starting to live life as a single person instead of a twosome... and then out of nowhere, it hits you. Like a blow to the stomach... a blow that has taken your best friend away. Then you go over all the reasons, legitimate reasons, for now being without that best friend. But it doesn't help... because those reasons won't make you laugh at the grocery store, support you in everything you do or bring you gingerale when you are sick. The hardest part is that you have willingly inflicted this grief upon yourself... because for whatever reason you weren't as happy as you thought you could be, or should be. You were angry alot and thought that is no way to start a life with someone else. So you make a tough decision and say good bye to a really great guy and your best friend. And you hope it's not you and that someday you'll find another best friend and this time you won't be angry or worried or resentful. And you hope that you learned from this and that this grief is for a reason and is making you a stronger person.

We Have a Winner

I am having issues with my internet at home so I have to pick the blog candy winner tonight!! The winner is... E Jones who suggested I go to Italy!! I had my co-worker pick a random number between 1 and 26. I already looked up flights to Rome!!

So, E Jones (I'm sorry I couldn't find your first name)... please let me know your snail mail address and I will get your goodies in the mail to you!!

Congratulations and everyone thanks for playing!!

Amused

Today I went to an Amuse class at Ink About It. It was taught by Jenn Sherkus from Amuse. It was very fun. I worked with some new inks, specifically the Colorbox chalk inks... LOVE them!! I didn't buy anything today though! Huzzah!

So, I'm loving all the comments below...there have been some great suggestions that have me drooling to get on the road!! When I was younger, I had a short list of places I needed to see, that if I didn't get there in my lifetime I may not be able to deal with myself.. those places were California, England, Ireland and Australia. I feel incredibly fortunate that I have done my short list and am now working on my long list!

I will choose a random winner on Saturday!!

Want Some Candy??

I promised some goodies when I hit 500 visitors. That happened a little while ago... I'm up to over 700, however 1/3 of those visits are probably me anyway!

So, without further ado, I have some sparkly crystal brads from Making Memories, 2 spools of ribbon from Michaels and the new Super punch from Marvy... I guess it's kind of ticket shaped!

But I'm not giving it away for free:) I've been thinking of taking a vacation in Jan or Feb 2008... Leave me a comment and give me some suggestions! I LOVE international travel so get out your world maps!! I'll randomly pick a winner on Saturday!

Addendum: I would have to say that the top 5 places on my travel list are... Spain, Fiji, the French Riviera, Germany and Thailand... I know what Jen will suggest:)

Everything Will Work Out

I'm still so sad and just feeling a million mixed emotions

But...


Tonight I've had this feeling wash over me... I don't know if it's going to Denver, talking with a co-worker about my Doctors Without Borders dream, planning to go see Irish music tomorrow night... I don't know.. but I feel like ME and I don't remember this feeling for a long time.

Life is going to be fine (I hesitate to say that b/c now something disastrous will happen... see,still myself:)

D.O.N.E

My Micro class is finished!!!! I had my final today and I am SO happy!!

Now I can stamp, stamp, stamp! and pack, move, etc! with no studying hanging over my head!

I am trying to keep myself busy, busy, busy so tomorrow I get my haircut and foiled (haven't had a foil in almost a year, so excited), go see my friend Rita and then go here for some good craic! I don't have anyone to go with me tomorrow night so being a fun, fearless female I'm going to go by myself:) After that I'm headed down the Cape until Monday. Two less nights of sleeping in my oven-like bedroom.


So no stamping until Monday night... Have a great weekend!!

Color Challenge

This little number is for this week's color challenge. The pieces are crooked but I made it when I got home last night... my room wasn't 5,000 degrees just a mere 3,000. No stamping today... I have my final tomorrow then class is DONE!!!

Details-
Paper-SU Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Close to Cocoa, White
Ink-SU Bashful Blue, Close to Cocoa, Certainly Celery
Stamps-SU Simply Said, Kindness Jumbo roller
Accessories- Ribbon (?), Hodgepodge Hardware

Still Nothing

I swear, TODAY, was going to be a day to stamp... but my sister-in-law called and invited me to hang out at a lake and have lunch with her. It was a beautiful day and I couldn't refuse! So, Ana and I had a great talk as always... she and my brother are expecting their first child in October and I am so excited!! Our brood is growing...that will make 5 grandkids for my parents! and even better... none are mine!! I get to hand them all back!

Yesterday I babysat for my sister's kids- 3 boys and a baby girl. I felt all out of whack as I slept over the night before and got up at 7am with them. Me...7am... yeah that's what I said too! Anywho, my sister has some kind of grudge against caffeinated soda so I was flying solo through my morning of babysitting. It went fine though... I love those little people so much! Except when Grace threw up on me and Owen told me I was too bossy!

I love the color combo for this week's color challenge so I am going to try to get to it tonight. I get home at midnight and alot of times I don't feel like stamping b/c my room is usually 5,000 Degrees. 9/1... central A/C!! I actually don't like A/C but the option will be nice.