Home again, home again...

Just got back home this afternoon. Been home long enough to set up the computer again, unpack the cars, the suitcases and check a bit of e-mail. I can't get Yahoo Messenger to load correctly. I keep getting a "memory could not be read" error every time I try to sign on to Messenger. I finally uninstalled it and have it on the web now and will probably need to reinstall it. Maybe tomorrow.

Thought I'd share a couple other pics from our getaway.These were taken on our very first day there. It was early evening and the sun was beginning to hide behind the condo building...this made the beach rather overcast but the sun was still shining on the water. It was so cool! This picture of Emily is one of my absolute favorites of the weekend. She was in such a giddy mood and very cooperative for photos. LOVE THAT! The one of Josh with Emily isn't all that great...but a happy moment between the two of them. I have to cherish these moments because sometimes it seems that they don't come often enough.

We met this fisherman on the dock of the restaurant that we ate at on Thursday night. He caught a crab with a fishing hook and that's what started that conversation actually. The crab had claws that were a good inch and a half thick. Not quite sure what kind of crab it was though. But really strange that he caught it with the fishing hook. He let Emily fish for a bit but she didn't catch anything. My friend Nancy and I called him the Gordon's fisherman...he had a raincoat and all. Very funny.
Here's one of Em and I...don't mind how awful I look. Bleck! Nancy and I set out to find a scrapbook store in Daytona Beach...and found it. There was a cute little park area across the street and we took this pic. This was a picture that Nancy took at that same little park area. Another great shot of Em. She's such a ham at times!

I think that's all the pictures that I really want to share today. I guess I didn't get nearly as many as I'd hoped to. But, there are some fun memories behind the phtoos that I did get. So I'm not going to complain. Quite honestly, the camera stayed up in the condo alot more than it was out.

I got a York Photo order while I was gone. More than 100 pictures that I'd ordered the week before we left. Can't wait to see how they turned out. I'm off to look at those now.

Thanks for reading!

WE ARE HERE...

Insert arrow here...I decided to run away from it all...and that I did.

The kids got out of school for the summer on Tuesday, the 22nd. Our Ponce Inlet Condowas open, so I took advantage of it. We came over after school on Tuesday and are having a blast. The weather, for the most part, has cooperated. We got a little bit of rain and it was cloudy most of yesterday. It's been VERY windy and the surf is high. Emily has discovered boogie boarding...and now we can't keep her out of the water.

Alex is going kayaking tomorrow with our friend Charlie...then they're coming back here to join us for a cookout and they'll stay the night. Charlie happens to be Josh's girlfriend's dad...the rest of his family will be joining us for the cookout too. It's gonna be a full house here...but we always have a great time with them.

The only internet connection we have is just outside of the office at the condo building. Right now, I'm sitting in the corner of the pool area, blocked by the wind and pool water. I'd better head upstairs again...there's a cold one calling my name!

Photo share...

While I was at it, I thought I'd post a photo here that was taken at the Mom's Day Tea at our elementary school. Just me and my baby girl. (who's not so much a baby anymore)

It's almost over!!

School that is...for my kiddos. Tuesday is their last day! How did this happen? I know that every year I say that the year has passed so quickly, but this year seemed to go even quicker. Maybe it's because I kept myself busy with different things with both Emily's school and Josh's Crew? Whatever it is, the time just went all too quickly. Not to mention that I will soon have a child in China, a Sophomore at Ga. Tech, a Jr. in HS and a 2nd grader. Lordy...I'm feeling old!

The excitement of the End of the Year Party is over. The party was on Friday and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. We had a beach themeand different centers for the kids to enjoy. I still need to get pictures printed for the seashell frames that they made I should do that while I'm on the computer this morning.

Yesterday was the big Boone Crew 20th B-day Party. My friend Wendy threw this together in a matter of maybe 6 weeks. We tried to reach out to as many former rowers as possible but with the somewhat short notice, we only had a few there. But, it was still a success, I think. We had it at a local golf course/country club. Complete with lunch, a silent auction and a golf scramble. The weather was almost PERFECT! A little breezy for golfing, but none of the golfers seemed to mind. The kids stayed at the clubhouse to swim while we waited for the golfers to finish. We then headed off to Don Pablo's for dinner...and finally made it home after 9pm. It was a long day, but so much fun!

Today is another busy one. Our neighborhood homeowner's association is having a "spring fling". A cookout and mingle with the neighbors type thing. Should be fun!

Then its dress rehearsal/picture day for Emily. Her dance recital is in just a couple of weeks and now the fun begins with that. Dress rehearsal today, tech rehearsal and recital next week. This too, is another thing coming to an end for the season.

Summer is almost here!!

It's the small things...

That excite the daylights out of me.

Today, I worked on a layout for a class at Mara's Memory Lane. This will be my very first class since Mara bought the store and my first class "back"...I left there over a year ago.

Anyway...while I was up there working on the class layout, Jessica and Heather came by to scrap. We were chatting and I mentioned the Marvy scalloped Circle punch that I keep seeing EVERYWHERE in the magazines. Mara let me look in a couple of wholesale catalogs for it but I didn't have much luck. I told the girls that I'd probably be able to figure out how to do this on the wishblade eventually.

I decided to look online to see what I could find tonight. Looks like either Marvy hasn't "released" these babies yet or everyone and their uncle is looking for them since they're all over the magazines, and anyone that's carrying them is sold out. . While searching online tonight to find it, I came across another scrapper/stamper's blog that showed how to do this WITHOUT buying the punch.

Then...while surfing HER blog...I came to another link that shows basically the SAME technique, but for a scalloped border. Here's that link too...scalloped border tutorial.

So, now you see why I'm so excited! So excited that I had to share.

Oh, and I'll be posting that class layout soon too. I printed pictures to put on it tonight. I just need to scan it.

Gotta run...almost time for American Idol! Goooooooooo Jordin!

Here's what I've done this morning. My friend Cheryl, shared a picture of adorable little cookie bouquets like these. I decided to make a couple for some of the folks at Em's school for Teacher Appreciation week. A few of the teachers saw them and have asked me to make them for their parent volunteers. Well, one teacher asked, then another and now a 3rd has asked. I'm up to something like 15 or 16 of these that I'm making now. I really don't mind. They're so simple easy to make and it's actually kind of relaxing. I need to run out and pick up a few containers and cookies a little later though. Don't have enough to finish the orders that I have so far. Hehehehe...a little spending money for me too...I won't/can't complain about that one!!

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

So far, this has been a fantastic morning!! Brooks called from China at 8am. That was a nice surprise, indeed!! I worry about him over there, so every time he calls, it's so nice to hear from him.

Alex, Josh and Emily woke me with a delicious breakfast. Complete with scrambled eggs, bacon, hashbrowns and GRIDDLE CAKES too!!! I love IHOP's Griddle Cakes and they've recently taken them off their menu. Alex took the time to find the recipe online and attempted to make them for me. They were YUMMY too! I was so full after that breakfast. I might not need to eat anything else all day. LOL

Kyle called me too. He said he was thinking of me and wanted to touch base to say Happy Mother's Day!! This Mom's a happy camper now...having heard from all of her babies! **insert big grin here**

For Mother's Day, Alex and the kids gave me a new Epson Perfection 4490 scanner. My old scanner wasn't working 100% anymore. I took it to Mom's house to scan a bunch of pictures of Richard for his Memorial Service and it started acting up then. This new scanner ROCKS!! It's like 10 times faster than the other and since it's an Epson, it's very easy for me to use. I'm pretty familiar with the Epson scanning software, so that helped to make it an easy transition. I've already scanned a two page spread that I did last month while I was away with the girls. I've included a pic of it for ya too!

Today will be a very relaxing day for me. I'll only do what "I" want to do and when "I" want to do it. I think I want to work on getting the scrap room straightened up a bit. I'll pop Grey's Anatomy, season 1, in the DVD player and get to work. Then maybe later tonight, I'll be able to scrap a page or two.

Oh, and btw, this is our last full week of school for my kiddos. The last day of school is Tuesday, the 22nd. I can't believe Summer Vacation is just around the corner. I'm going to have a JR. in HS and a 2nd grader. How is that possible?

All finished!!!!

Well, for the most part anyway. I still want to add a few pictures. One over the toilet and some on the wall next to the mirror, over the hand towel thing. Kyle took some really awesome black and white pics. I think I'll frame them to hang by the towel thing and get something with some color to hang over the toilet.

I've got a few errands to run today but promised pics...so here ya go!

Almost finished!!!

Today should be the last day that our contractor is here. It has taken him a couple days longer than expected, but the room is coming together so nicely! Here's the photo that I took this morning.
Today he'll put in the lights, hang the mirror, sand the drywall and seal the grout. Tonight, hubby and I plan to put the Kilz on the walls so that we can get it painted in the next few days. I still need to search for the shower curtain and accessories that I'd like to put in there too...hopefully by this weekend, we'll have a brand spankin new, 100% finished bathroom. I still can't wait for that first bath in the new jacuzzi tub!!