Friday!! Wahoo!!! One more night and I am able to rest for 2 days!! Wahoo!! I am also starting to get excited about Las Vegas! It is less than 1 mnth away! Wahoo!!!! I can't wait...it has been over 6 years since we have been there!!! Wahoo!!! The last time I was there all my pictures were taken by regular film...I am going back with a digital camera...Wow!!! The pictures I will be able to take!! Wahoo!!!
So speaking of trips I was reading one of my favorite sites (and radio spots...) and came across this...some good stuff !!!

Stay Happy On Your Next Trip
Here’s a page ripped from our Summer Survival Guide. How to stay sane and happy when you’re on vacation with every other person on the planet. This is from travel columnist Christopher Elliot, who says that travel in the Summer of 2008 is more costly. Gas is pricier, so you’ll be paying extra not just for your ticket, but for every checked bag. So here’s how to keep from freaking out.
Take care of yourself. The unspoken rule of summer travel is that the moment you leave home, you’ve agreed to be hungry, tired, lost, dirty and disappointed. Psychologist Leslie Beth Wish says you can reduce the negativity and beat the travel blues by planning ahead. Like packing a lunch, getting plenty of rest, and printing out directions before you leave home.
Lower your expectations. You used to be able to depend on certain things on a trip. Like, the hotel room rate you were quoted would be what you actually paid. Today, there are a lot of hidden charges and unfair resort fees. Like for the golf course - or the safe in your room - whether you use them or not. Bottom line: You’ll stay saner if you expect to be taken advantage of - and let it go when it happens.
Another way to stay happy on your next trip: Build in an extra cushion of time whether you’re headed for the airport, or to an amusement park. That way you can relax, and find a way to enjoy the delays and long lines – say, by people-watching, or reading the book you were smart enough to toss in your bag.
Look for the things that go RIGHT, instead of those that go WRONG. For example, the fact that your plane took off on time, your luggage actually arrived when you did, and your hotel room was ready and waiting when you checked in.
Pack your sense of humor. Since travel has gotten so absurdly difficult, it’s actually funny. Like the fact you have to take off your shoes at airport security. Or pay extra to check your suitcase, or pay to get earbuds for the in-flight movie or a bag of snacks. The ability to laugh at absurdities can reduce your own negativity, even if those around you don’t get the joke.

ok...so i am sooo behind but I must comment about CSI!!! My daughter and I just watched the final episode and WOW!!! I had heard the character of Warrick would not be returning (as if CSI MIAMI was not enough!!)...but to kill him off!!! AAUUGGHHH!! I sat there stunned! and the way they did it does not leave any room for him to survive! So sad!! And then...I just read about Petersen (Grissom) leaving CSI (the 10nth episode)! Wow!!! What next??? I know they are saying he will make "visits" but it will not be the same! I love his character and I think he is the backbone of the show so...i don't know what will happen. I have to agree with my daughter when she says she hopes the show does not "die a slow horrible death..." Well, only time will tell and in the meantime I will mourn my losses (and keep my fingers crossed about Heratio!!).

My acrylic class was fun and I can't wait to put the pictures in so I can enjoy the book! I learned some things and was able to use some new products (wahoo!!! I did not purchase anything!! tehehehehe).

I wanted to post a few pics...the first are from a challenge about what is in my fridge right now, the last one was when hunny bunny had his horrible eye allergy...

The front of our refrigerator...

Cheese, Pace picante (Boo and I love hot and hunny bunny and Gigi love medium) and yogurt...what more could a family ask for...teeehehehehehe

Poor hunny bunny.....and it became more swollen as the days went by...

It's one of my "cool" days but not really "cool". To be honest it is freakin' HOT!!! It has been in the high high high 90's and man oh man is it hot!!! I sooo love the son but the heat that comes with it...yucko!!! It's that kind of heat where you don't want to move because movement causes friction which causes heat!!! YUCKO!!! WE bought ice so we can have cold ice water and that is real good on two counts...1/keeps your body cooler and 2/I NEED MORE H2O!!! Hopefully this will get me back in the habit of drinking water.

Last night was awesome...I was getting ready for work and I see these 2 huge boxes from...yiu guessed it!!! HSN!! Wahoo! My order came in!! Well..I did not have time to open it but I was excited! I was to tired this morning so I left it for this afternoon and WAHOO!!! Lot's of fun stuff!!! (I will post them later!!). It made my week (especially after the disappointment on Monday with QVC (what was with that???). I also received my 2Peas box on Friday (you talk about fast!! I ordered it on Wednesday night!!) and there were lots of goodies in there too!!! Yippee!!! and I have a scrapbook class tomorrow at Archivers!! Wahoo!! Scrapbook heaven is where I am right now (pictures to come!).

Ok...so on to my favorite part of Tuesday...LISTS!!! Wahoo!!!

* Fold clothes (they are piling up so much I can't see my loveseat in the family room...right next to the wash area!).

* Have hunny bunny get transcripts for Gigi

* order and pick up pictures!!!

* finish my to do list at work (almost done!!)

* start working on the living room (it keeps getting put back!!)

* scrapbook some more and get the new challenges

* upload pages from last week

* get a new air bed!!!!!

whew!!! enough for now....back to avoiding the heat~~

One of the things I wanted to do this weekend was see a movie. Well...VOD is so awesome and available at anytime so I was able to get in a movie I have been wanting to watch...

Boy, did it make my day, I was able to laugh and laugh and laugh some more! And having visited my husbands family, I was able to understand the humor a little more. And I loved "chica"..she is what a friend is!!! Loyal and willing to through a brick and someone for you!! Wow!!! (Peggy, I know you would do that for me...teeehehehe). And the family...wow!!! Who would not love to have a house full of Browns!!! A fun movie to watch!!!

Ok...i have been thinking and sometimes that can be dangerous!!! Thinking, that is...and one area where my mind has been going crazy is my "work" world. I think it has something to do with my babies going to college. I so hope they stay and get a degree in something they have passion for. Something they love! Something that excites them and makes them happy. I mean 40 hours a week (depending on the job...way more hours than 40) doing something that does not give you joy can be a horrible thing! I am excited for Boo. She wants to write and that is what she is pursuing (she is pretty darn good at it!!). Gigi is still figuring out what she wants but that is ok...take you time baby girl, you are only 18 there is no huge rush! Anyway...I see the girls so "fresh" and "open" and I wish I would have had this type of encouragement when I was there age. Now I am not blaming anyone...I just wish I had someone to guide me and listen and say "You can be anything You want!!" "Stay focused and never give up". But you know what, I believe there is a reason for everything and there was a reason for me and I believe that has helped me to be a better mom...especially right now, during this phase in the girls lives. I can bring a different perspective and I hope it is helping them. Which brings it around to me...what should I be doing with all this? I know there is coming a time where I need to make a move and I am not sure where or to what level. I too want joy and passion in my work. I want to love what I am doing and be excited (at least 90% of the time!). Hmmmm.... and today's economy and "concerns" do not help in the thought process. One must be responsible and use wisdom, especially when you have a family, bills, college... So there in lies my sadness... Being grown up! *sigh* Boy are my babies lucky right now!!!

Saturday and wahoo!! the weekend is here!! Time to...well i have all these "cleaning plans" in my head but I do not know if they will fall through. I do know I have some challenges I want to complete and tomorrow we have a soccer game to attend (i so hope it is not as hot as it has been this last week...wow!!! we reached 99 one day!!! Yucko!!). Hmmmm...i am not sure if I have a weekend list!!! MTLANTA!!! What is the world coming to when I might not have a list....maybe it is overload!! So much going on in my mind and i can't stop thinking! Have you ever wanted to take your brain and put it on the nightstand for awhile? You know..function without all the thoughts going on!!! I know...but I cam dream can't I??? I do know I would like to get in a movie...time will tell (I was thinking of something at home, in my family room where it is nice and cool...).

Here are some pictures of the night of the 4th. Good Times!!

Hunny Bunny!



Cousins having fun (look real close they are in there...somewhere among all the smoke!!)

Getting ready to enjoy the fireworks!!

Gigi and Dominique "sparkling"!

Well...it is done. We registered Gigi for Metro (sniff...sniff) and now are waiting for her acceptance so she can sign up for classes! Wow! Where does the time go??? She is not to excited (to be expected) but she does feel this is where God wants her (so important!!). I can't believe I will be saying in a month..."My babies are in college!!!). Auggggghhh!!!! Now if I could get hunny bunny back in school I would be one happy momma!!! (smile!!!).

I have been uploading pictures and bot has that been fun!!! I made the mistake of putting all of them in one file (over 600!!) so now the file is sloooooow to come up!! AAuugghhhh!!! I need to break the pictures down...so time to get with Boo to teach me (teeehehehe). I have all these cute pictures to post but the wait time is to much and I give up (sigh!!). Maybe later today she will help....

We are still trying to get ahold of Grandma (such a frustrating process)...what to do???? HSN had a scrapbook day yesterday and guess who was bad (sigh!). It was so much fun and they had some new stuff (teeehehehehe!!). I am debating on a family day (sigh) and i put my name in for a project (another sigh!!). I am rocking on my scrapbooking (wahoo!!!) and I am off to check my weekly challenges (part of my 101 things...). Speaking of 101 things I am working on them and need Boo (my guru!!) to show me how to put a line through my lists of things (once I get done with one). Wahoo!!!! Summer is half over and i have so much to do.....SIGH!!!!!

Well...off to make some yummy dinner (chicken and rice...a favorite!!). tata!!!

Tuesday...you know what that means.... LIST TIME!!!! (teehehehehe)

* grocery shopping

* finish laundry and road trip laundry

* fold...fold...fold

* figure out what we are going to do about family get together

* work on challenges

* download pics to seadisk (Boo)

* have Gigi fill out application for Metro

* send 2-3 cards (including Allie's grad!!)

* bills....

* get upstairs back to "normal"

* order pictures from Sams

* Let Brandee know you want to do an album for her

* download birthday/4th pictures

4th of July + Fireworks + Fireflies + Family = FUN!!!!!

We made it back safe and sound! It was a great 4th of July spent with family in my uncle's "ranch" (I say it is a farm but hunny bunny says it is a ranch because there are animals not plants?????). I loved spending time with my Uncle and seeing him feeding the animals and taking care of his land was special. He really fits in the country. I was also thrilled to spend some time with my cousins...good times!!! The only thing I did not like were the mosquito's!!! UUUGGHHHH!!! But WOW!!! the fireflies were incredible!!! They lit up the grass and the cornfields...it was awesome!!! I am sooo glad we went to South Dakota. We also had some awesome fireworks...and against the starry sky...it was awesome!!!

On This Day:

Friday, July 4, 2008: Today is “Independence Day!” In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress, even though the “official” signing didn’t happen until August 2nd, 1776. The manuscript journals included the famous declaration “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
On this day in 1826, fifty years to the day after the approval of the Declaration of Independence, which they both had a hand in drafting, former presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the same day.

Today is the anniversary of the publishing of “America the Beautiful.” In 1895, the poem of the same name, by Katherine Lee Bates, a Wellesley College professor, was published in the “Congregationalist,” a church publication. It later went on to become one of America’s most beloved national songs.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY from South Dakota!!!!

One of the things I wanted to do was get back into challenges so here are a few that i have completed...

This was for the How Much Is Too Much Challenge (#83...Now I know my ABC's...we had to use the alphabet)




Another HMITM Challenges...(#82...use 8 epoxy stickers and 2 complimentary colors).






This was a challenge on 2Peas...The title comes from me adding all the years we all have been married!! WOW!!!

Another 2Peas challenge (101 things...). This one was real fun and I was able to do some sewing which I enjoyes and also drew circles around my photo (I have never done that before!!!) Fun!!

No challenge...just inspiration!!! Boo took this photo of herself and the paper is at least 2-3 years old!!! I love how this one turned out!!

WOW!!!! It is the 1st of July and do you know what that means????? The start of my 101 things list!!!!!!!!!!!! Wahooo!! This has to be such a good sign...starting on the day i do my "list" of things to accomplish!!! Wahoo!!! So I am off to a good start and am looking forward to all the "fun" things I have planned as well as those things that may hurt in the begginging but in the long run...will be awesome for me!!! Wahoo!!!!

Well...to prepare I went to one of my favorite sights (John Tesh!!) and found something I think will help me...motivate me. I have a tendancy to slack or put things off so...

Tips to Help You Stop Putting Things Off
DO you have the following symptoms? A lack of motivation, a love of “dilly-dallying,” and the ability to put things off until the very last minute. Sound familiar? Then YOU have a case of “procrastination-itis.” I’ve got a cure. Tips that’ll help you stop putting things off.

*Let’s say you put things off because you’re always tired. What’s the fix? Schedule your most dreaded tasks for when you’re most energetic. That’s the word from Julie Morgenstern, author of Never Check E-mail In The Morning. So when do you have the most energy? Try tackling tough tasks between 7am and noon – brain-alertness chemicals rise in the morning, which means it’s a good time to do critical thinking. If you’re not a morning person, try working from 5 to 8pm. Studies show you get a surge of energy and alertness when you get to early evening - kind of like a “second wind.”
*What if you’re putting something off because you dread doing it? Dr. Jane Burka, co-author of Procrastination: Why You Do It, What To Do About It, suggests breaking a task you dread into small, manageable pieces. So if the “dreaded” chore is painting your living room, spend one day picking out the color, another day buying supplies, and another day painting one wall. Completing a task in chunks makes it seem like less work, and you’ll be more likely to finish.
*What if you procrastinate because the task seems impossible? A grand, sweeping goal – like “lose 25 pounds” – can be overwhelming. How are you going to achieve anything if just the thought of your goal makes your head spin? Here’s the fix: Turn your big goal into smaller milestones that are easier to achieve. So instead of “I’m going to lose 25 pounds,” tell yourself “I’m going to walk for 30 minutes three times this week.” Then, once you’ve got that down, your next milestone can be “I’m going to cut three items of junk food from my diet this week.” When the goal doesn’t seem as intimidating, you’re more likely to stick with it. If you stick with it, you will get results.
© The Tesh Media Group 2006-2008, All Rights Reserved

Tips to Help You Stop Slacking

Are you a big fat SLACKER? Well, don’t be too hard on yourself. According to Psychology Today, we’ve all gotten lazy. Let’s face it – how many times have you thrown your Saturday morning plans out the window in favor of sleeping a couple more hours? Or put off writing that novel so you could watch reality TV? “I’ll get around to it” seems to be a universal motto, but why?

Dr. Nando Pelusi, a clinical psychologist in New York, says, in the grand scheme of things, we’re members of the ‘leisure class’ now. No matter how hard we work, we’ve got it better than any generation in the history of mankind. We can order food in restaurant instead of hunting for it, flip on the light switch instead of firing up a lantern, and hit the mall if we need a new shirt – no more sewing our own clothes. Since our basic needs are relatively easily met, we have the luxury – and the burden – of daydreaming and procrastinating about our future, while actually DOING very little. Of course, if you want to be TRULY successful in life, you have to buckle down and STOP SLACKING! So, here are a few tips that’ll help:

* Start small. Ask yourself, “Why is it too hard to do this for just 15 minutes?” Because honestly – it isn’t. Once you get going, you’ll stick with it and you’ll probably even ENJOY it!
* Challenge the idea that you CAN’T do it. Often, we learn by trial and error: If you look at it in “long-run” terms, you’ll find that you CAN do something difficult. Maybe it’ll take a couple attempts – but what one man can do, another can do.
* Keep tabs. Write down your accomplishments. We’re more likely to stick to our plans if we monitor our progress toward a goal.
* Commit to others. Make a public commitment to complete a task. The motivation you get from others will make you more focused on getting things done.
* Reward yourself. Relaxation differs from laziness – it’s a REWARD for a job well done. So let yourself relax after a period of hard work. Soon enough, your big GOAL will become your big ACCOMPLISHMENT.

So...here is to success and having fun anf finding lots of joy in all 101 things on my list!!!!

“Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival.” Winston Churchill

Today is Tuesday and you know what that means!!! LISTS!!!! It is time for my weekly list of things I want to accomplish this week...

* Finish up the dirty laundry

* Get the family room "cleaned" up

* get my nails done

*Complete the 4th of July goody bags (this includes going to the store for the candy)

*Renew Sams Club

* get my hair done

*prepare for our "outing"

*upload some designs and get them on 2Peas