There is a lizard in my kitchen, among other things.........

I know, I know - it's just a lizard. It's more afraid of me than I am of it. I'm bigger, it's smaller. WHATEVER!!! I still don't want it in my kitchen. Its just sitting there - behind the sink. First it was green, then it moved and now it's brown. I considered sucking it up with the dust buster, but the dust buster is so loud that I'm sure it will scare the lizard and the lizard will run straight toward me.

I know I have issues.

I've lived gecko/lizard free since May of 2007. Why oh why is their a lizard in my house now????

On to other things - maybe, if I can possible concentrate on anything other than the D%^# lizard.

We had a super busy but fun weekend. Friday night we did dinner with my parents and Cole went home with them. So we decided to go see a movie. I really wanted to see Fireproof, but it started at 6 something and we were eating then. So we picked Eagle Eye - very good movie. SO good!!!

Then Saturday I spent the day at Scrap Etc. FUN TIMES were had by all. They got loads of new stuff in last week - I mean loads. Basic Grey and My Minds Eye being the favorites for me. Prima came in too and those flowers are yummy yummy as well. So I shopped a little off and on, helped by ringing some people up who had also picked out loads of MME and BG and Prima. Then I hosted a Happy Hour for Creative Cafe (it was a cute little blooming lollipop) and taught my VERY FIRST CLASS. I think it went well. I tried not to ramble on too much or give bad directions. We finished in plenty of time too - so that was a good sign. It's hard to calculate how much time you need to put something together. I even had kits left over to leave at the store and sell - so if you want one - let me know!! Then I did another Happy Hour - but no one participated, so we'll save that one for another day. I'm working on another blog. One that will show all the fun Creative Cafe stuff we're doing at Scrap Etc. I really really love all this stuff and the fun little projects and how cool it is that you can just run in and make something fun for next to nothing and in no time at all. I hope that the blog will help get people excited about it. It's not finished yet - you know I have to cute it all up. I want to take some pictures too - so I'll need to do that tomorrow maybe. Although, it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all today - sneak out of the lizard house and to the scrap book store. Hmmmm................

Ok, back to the weekend. Saturday night we went and watched the ALABAMA game with friends. Can I just say ROLL TIDE? Oh my gosh - we were amazed. All this talk now about how awesome the team is and National Champion stuff - WOW - we've been waiting for a good year for so long. And it's so easy to wrapped up in the hype and think "YEAH, we're doing it!!!" But on any given Saturday - everything could change. One bad loss could just ruin everything. Well, not really - but you know what I mean.

Sunday we headed to Alabama Adventure for the last day. It was hotter than we thought it would be and pretty busy. We got hungry once we smelled all the food and thought we'd get some chicken and fries. They were out of ketchup. Chicken and fries just aren't the same without ketchup. We let Cole lead the way and tell us what he wanted to ride. He is the boss, after all. So he rode the same old things he always rides, with the exception of the Scrambler - which was ok with me. It was gone actually - nothing there in it's place at all. That was a little strange. Anyway, a good time was had by all and I got some cute pictures that I'm going to use in a mini album about our Alabama Adventure Summer!!

Last week we also went to the fair in Pelham. It was nice. It was small though. Cole rode several things and fed the goats and did the pony ride. I'm really missed the Greater Gulf State Fair though. WOW - the fair in Mobile is loads bigger. I hope we get back to that here one day. Mobile always had great concerts on the weekends, too.

This week I have some scrapping planned - I'm uploading photos to Walmart.com right now. I'm going to work on cleaning out my studio too - it's a mess right now. So much to do - so little time without lizards!!

Alright - I'm going to check on the d#$% lizard again and see if he's moved (why are they always he's???) and then see if I can find anything to eat that doesn't require anything that's near the d#$% lizard!!

lisa

You just never know

Remember my lovely story about Tivo? Well, today I got my bill in the mail - and guess what? Yep - you guessed it - they refunded my 12.95. But it was done a week or so after the conversation so I'm wondering if someone actually did it or if that happens automatically when you cancel and no one knew to tell me that. It wouldn't surprise me.

Guess what I'm about to do? Go ahead - guess!! I bet you can't!!

I'm going to open an Etsy shop.

YEAH! I know I've talked about it and mentioned it several times. I'm just taking another plunge and doing it. I've got some cute Alabama glittery A's to sale and I'm thinking about doing some Halloween trees and Christmas trees like the ones I posted over the weekend. I've already planned on doing Christmas ones for out decorations - but not as many as the Halloween. I have tons of Christmas decorations - so I just don't need as many glittery trees. And there are so many other Christmasy crafty things I want to try to make. So, I don't want to over do the glittery trees.

Anyway - I'm hoping to post some things tonight or tomorrow in the AM and I'll come back and link it up here. I've got to make a few of the Christmas trees before I can post them - so ya know, takes a little time for that paint to dry.

I am starving and waiting patiently for my hubby to get home. I've had beef tips in the crock pot all day and it smells delicious!! As soon as he gets here - the bread will go in the oven and the rice will get to cooking. I can't wait. I love the crock pot and love cooking stuff in it, but geez - it makes it smell good for so long - I'm just starving. I did chili in the crock pot a few weeks ago and it was the same way - I was hungry all day long!! And I'm making cupcakes tonight too - baking them tonight and icing them in the morning. Me and Carol are meeting at Scrap Etc tomorrow for lunch and it's Vanessa's birthday - so I'm bringing some cupcakes!! :) YUM

ok - off to stir the crock pot a little bit more!
lisa

Little Scrappy Time Today!

Hosted a little Happy Hour today for Creative Cafe at Scrap Etc. Three people made my cute little dress tag!! So yeah - that was exciting. I hope they'll all three come back and do another Happy Hour with me. We've planned some really cute ones in the next few weeks. Just wait until the Halloween stuff!! Oh my goodness!! Cute Cute!!

I had to take Cole with me to the store - which I hated to do, but he was SO SO good. He behaved very well. Didn't make any trouble and barely any noise. I stayed longer than I planned, too - and he still hung in there with me - chilling!!

I worked on some upcoming Happy Hours and I tried to work on a cute little Halloween mini!! I love it. I've never done a paper bag album and just that Halloween and fall would be the right time to use one. So I made it at the store the other day. We had a little lunch fest one day and I did the majority of this album. Then today, I got another idea about binding it together and ended up taking the ENTIRE thing apart - but managed to salvage all of it except the bags - so I reconstructed the whole thing on more bags but sewed the bags together - which worked so much better. It's really cute. I took pictures but haven't uploaded them - so I'll do that tomorrow probably. I took pictures from every Halloween and put them all together. Cole loved going through it at the store and telling Linh and the gang what each costume was and what it reminded him of. He's crazy like that!! :)

I'm hoping to make a similar paper bag album for one of the Creative Cafe Happy Hours in October!! I wanted to do a whole class with it - because you can really put a lot in there and make it so cute. But rumor has it someone is planning a Halloween class already - I can't wait to see what it is. I've gotten more into Halloween lately - the last four years maybe - each year - it's just a little more and a little more - more decorations and crafty things!!

I actually spent a good amount of the day yesterday making decorations for the house - all Halloween!! I can't wait to get the displayed and pictures taken - then you'll get to see them. And I made THE cutest thing in the entire world for Mandy. Then, I saw her at the store, but didn't know I would see her, so I didn't have it with me. OH it's so cute. I can't wait to make one for me and mail her's to her - MONDAY - I'll do it Monday. It's just so cute!!!

Ok - Jason's home and we are headed to my cousin's to watch the rest of the Alabama game - I hate when they are pay per view - not fair!! We paid for it last weekend and watched it here with friends - but this weekend, we knew Jason wouldn't get home in time for the whole thing - so we're off to watch it there instead!!

Later
oh, and ROLL TIDE!!!
lisa

OK - I owe you 90 things now.

So I tried on Friday to start working on Saturday's list, but I only got to 15. I am making a list of my favorite music lyrics - and just didn't get far enough to post it on Saturday. Friday night we were without power for about three hours and the rest of the weekend was spent with company and doing Jason's homework. So I just didn't get to it - but I'll catch up. Today's list will be 30 things I did this weekend - like you haven't seen that before. And I promise I'll post 30 more later today - probably pertaining to 30 things about the CMT awards which comes on tonight - with Kenny!! WOO HOO - the lyrics will show up when they are completed!!

so this weekend:

1. Drove through a hail storm.
2. Spent about 30 minutes having a little photo session with Cole while the power was out.
3. Hung my super cute kitchen decor (retro popcorn, hotdog and milk shake tin signs)
4. Ate a sandwich at Schlotzsky's.
5. Hung out at the bookstore and met a couple that lives near us.
6. Went to Krispy Kreme (it's a weekend ritual for us lately).
7. Met my bro and sis in law and nephew there too!!
8. Got hugs from everyone but the nephew - he's too cool for that!! :)
9. Called my house repeatedly waiting for the machine to pick up so we'd know we had power.
10. Stayed up too late Friday night.
11. Got up too late Saturday morning.
12. Rode to Tuscaloosa for the A DAY GAME!!
13. Bought pom poms.
14. Thought about a million other things I wanted to buy - all Alabama gear!!
15. Showed my cousin which shirt I liked
16. Took about 200 pictures during the A Day Game.
17. Watched Alabama win the A Day Game - there was really no losing it!! :)
18. Ate a delish meal at the Cajun Steamer.
19. Oh - did I mention that I froze at the A Day Game. I decided, against my husbands better judgement, to wear short sleeves and it was very WINDY!! {Sorry Honey - you were right, I was wrong}
20. Got a little sun/wind burn on my forehead and one strange spot on my chest in the shape of an upside down triangle.
21. Watched No Reservations with my sis in law.
22. Got up to early on Sunday.
23. Ate a yummy breakfast.
24. Tried to get the computer to run a game for my nephew - I failed!!
25. Ate a yummy lunch at Johnny Rockets.
26. Hugged everyone bye - even my nephew!! :)
27. Bought a small amount of groceries for our short week at home.
28. Helped Jason with a ridiculous amount of homework. (I should at least get some credit for these classes, I'm thinking)
29. Ironed clothes for today - winter clothes - what's up with the temperature, by the way.
30. Fell asleep holding a book.

well that was the small details of our weekend. there was much more than that - but it's not 150 things for 30 days - it's just 30!!

I'm hoping I can blog from Nashville, but I'm not sure it'll happen. We'll be so very busy with event stuff, we probably won't have time to blink, or pee, or eat - but there will be FUN had by ALL. I can't wait!!!! Last year I was a bit nervous about the event. I didn't 'know' anyone at all - just had chatted with a few people online on the message board. We arrived in B'ham really late - the van broke down, we rented a car - it just started out horribly. I didn't go to all the extra stuff they had because I didn't know anyone really and was missing Jason and Cole too. This time - it's just me (no Jason and Cole along for the trip) and all the girls. I'll be behind the scenes, doing some registration, helping with classes - just fun stuff. I really can't wait. We're leaving Wednesday around lunch time I think and I'll have a car load. I feel like I'll have a great chance to get to know these girlies even better!! I can't remember the last time I had a girlie weekend. Well, I can - September of 2006 I guess and it was scrap related but I was sort of sick the whole weekend - not enough sleep or food just not a great weekend sadly. Then before that it was probably May of 2004 - a bridal party weekend for my SIL and that was not anything like this weekend will be. It was a long drive, a small hotel room, too many people in the room and giant gecko-like iguanas in the trees - I mean - really???? YUCK on the gecko-like iguanas!! ew!

So, I'll do more 30 things later tonight and I'll keep going as long as I can from the event and if I miss it - I'll owe you!!

Lisa
30 down, 60 to go!!

Happy Monday

Good Morning. Hope it is nice and sunny where ever you are. It's not here - gloomy and cloudy - an Eeyore kind of day. These are Cole's favorite though - he loves cloudy days.

We had a really busy and fun weekend - lots of visiting and lots of accomplished at home. I got loads and loads of laundry done - not fun, but always feels good when it's done, right? Sadly, there's always more waiting around the corner - you never catch up on laundry.

All our visiting this weekend was great. We saw Jason's aunt and uncle and their five girls. The youngest is just over a year old and just adorable. She's the cutest thing - took lots of pictures of her too, but sadly none of anyone else while they were there. Shame on me. Speaking of picture taking, I can't find my charger or replacement battery for the camera. My battery is getting low and I have no idea where it got packed. I remember the last time I used it and what bag it was in, but have no clue where that bag actually is - well, that's not entirely true - it's in a box, I just don't know which one!! Hopefully I will locate that very soon. I need to take some pictures of Cole now that we're in a house that actually has windows and great natural light pouring in. Our dungeon of an apartment was not the place to take indoor pictures without a flash.

We also went to a cookout last night with our small group from church. A good time was had by all. Jason met some guys - which is a plus since he hasnt' met many people here yet. And he got to meet a few of the scrapping girls I know so that was cool. Cole got to hang out with his girlfriends - Alyssa and Alayna - and now he counts Marissa in the girlfriend role call. He's added an older women too - Savannah. She's in 7th grade and is really great with kids. She's also pretty great with adults - I really enjoyed talking to her and listening to her talk about school and DisneyWorld - she knows a lot of DisneyWorld. We were surrounded by Disney fans last night - and as much as we love it and know about it - we don't know much compared to them. It just made me more excited about our trip!! I cannot wait to go!!

We also talked with one couple there (Savannah's mom and dad) about Cole and St. Jude and our whole cancer experience. We really always enjoy talking about it - even though it was such an ordeal. I think we're far enough away from it that talking about it is easy. I'm not saying I could stand up and talk to loads of people about it, like some families we know, but having a conversation with people, I can handle. And the big thing is we have a happy ending - it's good stuff. Some stories aren't - some stories haven't ended yet as the kids are still fighting. But it's so good to talk about Cole and all he went through and what a great place St. Jude is. We can't talk about how wonderful they are enough.

I also got lots of boxes that were in the way put away or emptied. The empty boxes are piling up in the garage. We need to break them down, bundle them up and store them away. That's what we did in the apartment, so we're hoping to do the same thing again. We have company coming in less than two weeks, so I have lots to do. Jason's brother, his wife and our nephew are coming, along with another couple and possibly another friend. We're all planning on heading to Tuscaloosa for the A-Day game later in April. We cannot wait. I have NO Alabama shirt to wear though - I have a long sleeve, but I need a short sleeve shirt. Just can't go to a game without your game gear on. I also need to get my 'bama princess' sticker on my car!! So the houseful is coming and we'll have tons of fun while they are here, but I still have lots to do to get ready for them. I'm hoping this weekend I can actually get the kitchen unpacked. Then there wont' be much left at all!!

Alrighty - I've been typing this post forever, thank goodness for the autosave feature. It's almost time for lunch and a team meeting, so I've got to run! (This post started last night - should it take this long to blog?)

Lisa