The end of January

It is so hard to believe that January is almost over. The weather today was a balmy 60 degrees - pretty amazing for a January day in Pennsylvania. Work continues to drag on, but I am definitely getting a lot of studying done for my A+ exam. It is sort of nice not talking to people. I am out of the loop as to what's going on and it's so much better for my mental health.

We had breakfast for dinner tonight. Casey made pancakes based on the IHOP recipe, Greg made scrambled eggs, and I cooked bacon and heated up leftover potatoes. We added a bowl of grapes and the meal was complete. Larry even had a chance to eat before he left for school. It was a nice dinner together after everyone spent the afternoon outside (Larry and the kids played tennis and I took Kitty for an hour and a half walk).

I have been keeping up with my scrapbooking projects. I did the 4 layouts for the January DW2006 challenge and I have been keeping up with the Donna Downey class. I made a trip to the lss last week and spent about $50 on some cool stuff. I found out that Donna Downey is coming to the store and I am so excited. I hope to take a few classes with her. The store is also having a Design Team contest which I am considering entering. It would be fun to be on that design team because I would get new products all the time. We shall see!!!!

Words that are ringing with me now

I found this on the blog of Chris Jenkins, a scrapbooker whose blog I read from time to time. I have already read it 3 times and each time something new jumps out at me. I have put this in my planner with the words "Read this weekly" written across the top. I added it to my blog so that I will always have it.

A time comes in your life when you finally get it...when, in the midst
of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and
somewhere the voice inside your head cries out--ENOUGH! --Enough
fighting and crying and struggling to hold on.

And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, you shudder once
or twice; you blink back your tears and begin to realize it's time to
look at the world with new eyes. This is your awakening. You realize
it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change...or for
happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon.

You come to terms with the fact that in the real world there aren't
always fairy tale endings. (Or beginnings for that matter) And that any
guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you...and in the
process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone
will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are, and
that's OK. They are entitled to their own opinions. And you learn the
importance of loving and championing yourself...and in the process a
sense of new found confidence is born in self-approval.

You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to
you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can
really count on is the unexpected. You learn that people don't always
say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will
always be there for you and that it's not always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and take care of yourself. And in the
process, a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance. You
stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they
are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties...and in the
process a sense of peace and contentment are born of forgiveness.

You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around
you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been
ingrained into your psyche. And you begin to sift through all the junk
you have been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, how
much you should weigh, what you wear, and what you should do for a
living, who you should marry, the importance of having and raising
children, and what you owe your parents, family and friends.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. You
learn the difference between wanting and needing and you discard what
you don't need. In the process you learn to go with your instincts. You
learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. You learn that
principles such as honesty and integrity are not outdated ideals of a
bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which
you must build a life.

You learn that you don't know everything, it's not your job to save the
world and that you cannot teach a pig to sing...You learn to distinguish
between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting
boundaries and learning to say NO! And know when enough is enough! You
learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry.

Then you learn about love; How to love, how much to give in love, when
to stop giving and when to walk away. You learn to look at relationships
as they really are not as you would have them to be. You stop trying to
control people, situations and Outcomes. AND YOU LEARN THAT ALONE DOES
NOT MEAN LONELY.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside; smoothing
things over and ignoring your needs...You learn that feelings of
entitlement are perfectly OK! And that it is your right to need things
and to ask for things that you need...and that sometimes it is necessary
to make demands. You come to the realization that YOU DESERVE TO BE
TREATED WITH LOVE, KINDNESS, SENSITIVITY, AND RESPECT AND YOU WON'T
SETTLE FOR LESS!

And you learn that your body is really your temple. And you begin to
treat it with respect. You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and
uncertainty and so you take more time to rest and eat right. And, just
as food fuels the body, laughter fuels the soul. So you take more time
to laugh and play.

You learn that for the most part, you get in life what you believe you
deserve...and that much of life truly is a self fulfilling prophecy. You
learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that
wishing for something to happen is different from working toward making
it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success
you need direction, discipline and perseverance.

You also learn that no one can do it all alone...and that it's OK to
risk asking for help. You learn the only thing you must truly fear is
the greatest robber baron of all: FEAR itself. You learn to step right
into and through your fears, because you know that whatever happens you
can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live
life on your own terms!

And you learn to fight for your life and not squander it living under a
cloud of impending doom. You learn life is not always fair. You don't
always get what you think you deserve, and that sometimes bad things
happen to unsuspecting, good people. On these occasions you learn not to
personalize things. You learn that GOD isn't punishing you or failing to
answer your prayers. It's just life happening.

You learn to deal with evil in its most primal state--the ego-. You
learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be
understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and
poison the universe that surrounds you. You learn to admit when you are
wrong, and to build bridges instead of walls. You learn the importance
of saying "I'm sorry."

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple
things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the
earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a
soft warm bed, a long hot shower. Slowly, you begin to take
responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise
to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than your
heart's desire.

And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the
wind. And you walk slowly through a rain storm. And you make it a point
to keep smiling, to keep trusting and to stay open to every wonderful
possibility. Finally, with courage in your heart, and GOD by your side
you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the
life you want to live as best you can. And keep the faith and hope alive
for love to enter your heart.

A Short Week This Week - Yeah!

This was the week 2 assignment for the Big Picture Scrapbooking class. It is very similar to DD's but that's okay. I'm not ready yet to strike out on my own too much yet and I really liked how this turned out. The journaling around the edges is my addition to her page idea. I am really liking this class and it makes me think of scrapbooking in a whole other way - more of a creative endeavor rather than an obligation to get the pictures scrapbooked. Tonight at midnight begins the scrapbook fair on QVC. I'm sure my Q Card is going to get quite a workout during the next 12 hours. That's okay though because I haven't been spending money lately and feel that I can treat myself.

Well Larry and I did it - today we booked our trip to Ireland. It's a 10 day Irish Heritage tour that takes in many of the sites of Ireland. We are even going to the town where the last port of call for the Titantic took place. Being the lover of anything Titantic related, this makes me very happy. The kids are excited, especially Casey, who has been wanting to travel to Europe for quite some time. I am sure that there will be many pictures taken on this trip.

The cold and flu is going through our house now - yech! I am sort of longing for spring already which isn't usually a good sign. Most years it doesn't hit me until late in February. Guess I need to use my time creatively and enjoy the time stuck in the house.

Started reading the Purpose Driven Life book and it has definitely opened my mind to God and his purpose for me. This is what I have been needing. I am only on the 3rd day but so far I have realized that God has placed me on this earth for a reason. He is the reason I am here and I was put here for his goodness and to do what he has planned for me. Today, Day 3, the question is "What Drives Your Life?". I have been thinking about this and think that I am driven by both fear and resentment as well as the need for approval. Not that I fear failure but I do feel the need to please people in general. I also tend to harp on things in the past rather than getting over it and moving on. I tend to stew it over. I love this: "knowing your purpose gives meaning to your life." Now I only have to find my purpose!

"A pretentious, showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life is a full life." Proverbs 13:7

A Creative Start to the New Year

I am off and running for the new year in terms of my creativity. I signed up for the Donna Downey class at Big Picture Scrapbooking and I am being energized already. The first week assignment was to cover our SS planner. This was fun because we were to use a special piece of paper that we bought but haven't used yet. This was part of a Christina Cole slab but I liked that it sums up the year "Life Happens". I posted this on the BPS website and got an email from Donna praising it. As this was my first time putting any of my scrapbook work out there, it made me very happy. It sort of started the ball rolling. I am now working on the Week 2 project - a year in review type page.

I am also doing the DW 2006 Challenge as well. This uses the 2006 calendar to make daily pages. The challenge is to do 4 pages per month and post them on the 2Peas board. I have already done the January 1 challenge (year in review) and the January 2 challenge (fall ball). I have done the January 6 challenge but haven't scanned it in yet. This challenge is really helping me think outside the box. I love getting the comments under my post and hope to do more praising in the Peanut Gallery for other people.



I had set a goal for the year to be more active on the message boards and post work in the gallery and I'm happy to report that I am off to a good start. It's a nice creative outlet for me and so far I'm enjoying it immensely. The downside to all of this is that I spend way too much time lurking on the message board at 2Peas while at work and then I see all kinds of new products that I would like to have. Guess I have to keep working to keep scrapbooking. Oh well, it's a lot of fun for me and makes me feel good to know that I am recording my family history for future generations. My Mom would be so proud.

A New Year Again

I'm sitting here at work and thinking about a lot of things - mainly what this new year will bring. It's another year without my Mom and Dad (I miss you both so much). I feel that it is finally time to go through their papers and stuff that I got after you both passed away and decide what I really need to hold onto. Some of the stuff are snippets of your life and other things (like your address book) remind me of your abundance of friends. The important thing to keep is your memory alive in your grandchildren. They need to hear stories of my childhood and your childhoods in Steubenville, OH and Rumford, ME. Yesterday a mine collapsed in West Virginia and the first thing that came to mind was the stories told to me by my Mom about her father's working in the mines. It was and probably still is a very hard life. So in 2006, I will purge some of the things I have been holding onto and work hard to get the family stories written down and always keep those strong family memories alive.

In 2006, Casey will be going away to college. While it will be very hard to have her away, I envy the experiences she will have as she moves on to this next phase of her life. I hope the college she ends up at is one where she will have the opportunity to grow and experience life. In 2006, Greg will finish middle school and move on to high school. Where did the time go? My little boy is becoming a man and one that I am so proud of. Each day is a gift and I am making sure that I welcome each day and all the happiness and challenges it brings.

As for me, my creative juices where flowing yesterday as I started the D. Downey online class and completed the redecoration of my planner. I am pretty happy with it and will post it to the class site. I also did a page for the DW 2006 challenge that I really liked. I will have to add that here as well as posting at 2Peas. It felt good to sit down and just create. I hope to try new things out in 2006 and submit more often in the hope of someday getting a page published.

Finally, I intend to be in the everyday moment of life and enjoy it. Life is too short to waste on insignificant things.

Christmas Blessings

As I was walking the dog very early this Christmas morning, I was thinking of all the blessings that I have. I am blessed to be able to get out of bed every morning and walk the dog. I am blessed that I have 2 wonderful children who are becoming wonderful young adults. I am blessed that I have wonderful Christmas memories of years past. I am blessed that I had such wonderful parents who made every day seem like Christmas. I am blessed that I have the opportunities I have without worrying about money or health. I am blessed that I live in a world where my voice can be heard. I am blessed that I have a roof over my head and food on my table. I am blessed that I have friends who forgive me for not keeping in touch. I am blessed that I can pursue new interests and not feel stifled in my attempts. I am blessed that I always want to learn new things. I am truly blessed.

Wow, December 15 already and it has been a long time since I blogged. Christmas activities and work issues have been keeping me pretty busy lately. I am taking time off from karate to let the swelling go down in my knee. I intend to go back in January and see if the knee can take it. If not, I guess more surgery is in my future.

Still loving my new camera. Haven't taken as many pictures lately but again, it's been pretty busy lately. The flip side is that I'm racking up some hours at work which will get me through the holiday bill season. I still need to think about what is ahead at work. Do I stay and enjoy the flexibility and the slow demise of my boss or do I get out and find work where I am appreciated both mentally and financially for my expertise? With Casey heading off to college sometime next year I know that I will need the flexibility, and I still want to be there for Greg and not have him come home to an empty house for hours. Oh well, it is always a dilemma.

I am feeling more and more creative these days. I am probably going to sign up for Donna Downey's class online. She inspires me, as do a lot of the people she mentions in her blog. I like the whole concept of Big Picture Scrapbooking. I am setting a goal of getting published in 2006, but won't stress if I don't. I just have to figure out this whole submitting thing first and then submit pretty often. I hope to branch out and do some very creative, original things, especially in the area of family history. I promised my Mom I would keep the family history alive and I have to admit that I haven't done as much as I should. This year I will!!! Another reason to stay at my current job is that I have the free time to do stuff like this at work. Oh well, I flip back and forth almost weekly.

Still waiting to hear where Casey is going to college. She got deferred at Harvard. We weren't too surprised because of how political it is and how you almost have to be famous or know someone famous. Anyways, her first choice is really Bowdoin and I think she will be devastated if she doesn't get in there. We just hope to hear from one of the schools sooner than April. The waiting is driving all of us crazy.

Off to watch The Apprentice finale. Hope to be better about updating this puppy.

A Very Nice Day Off

I took the day off and had a very successful day. I took Greg to the Dr and then to school and then did quite a bit of Christmas shopping. I got Larry's main present and little things for the kids and things for the Days to Christmas calendar. Then I called my friend and we had lunch and went to a brand new scrapbook store. I really liked the new store and hope she is successful. She carries all of my favorite lines of products. I have got to stop buying scrapbook stuff and making more pages. I have been working on projects so that isn't a total waste. I am wanting to get Stacy Julian's book "The Big Picture" because it sounds as if I constantly need to remember why I am pursuing this hobby. Today I pulled some pictures out from 2000 and 1995. They will be my next pages because I really need to get the kids baby pictures scrapbooked. I have resigned myself to the fact that it may be years before I get caught up.

When Greg came home from school today, he walked around the yard with me as I walked Kitty. He was very talkative; quite a change from how he was this morning before and after his doctor's appointment. We talked about his future cities project and the fitness fair at school. Greg is so bright and I know that sometimes it has to be so hard to follow in Casey's footsteps. He does so well on his own and has such different interests. He amazes me with his knowledge of sports and I know that will be in his future plans some how.

Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday

Tuesday and another picture of Christmas decorations around the house. Once I have all of these pictures taken, I MUST do something with it - like a scrapbook. (Ha!) Today was a pretty busy day - it actually went by faster that way at work. I was off site taking care of computer issues when I got called from our receptionist that the school nurse was trying to get ahold of me. Casey was sick at school. I called the nurse back and found out that Casey was indeed sick and dizzy and didn't think she could drive herself home. So I picked her up, took her home, got her some soup and went back to work. After work, Larry and I had to drive over to school in the pouring rain and pick up her car in case she felt well enough for school tomorrow (looks doubtful at this point). Anyways, she probably has the flu and is resting tonight. She has been burning the candle at both ends - I can't wait until college applications are all sent off.

We also got home to find out that Greg's dr. appt is at 8 am tomorrow. Larry forgot the time and now I have to take him. Larry has been going to all of the appointments so I am pretty much in the dark here about his headaches. Anyways, Greg is certainly old enough to discuss how he is feeling. I did have plans with Cathy Z tomorrow but it looks as if those plans may get changed because of both hers and mine schedules. I definitely need to get some Christmas shopping done, especially for the Days to Christmas calendar shown in the picture. When the kids were smaller, little treats were fine (i.e. a hershey kiss, a small can of playdough), now they expect a little bit more (iTunes downloads, movie passes, and much more). Some days they only get a small piece of candy, but I do try to mix it up. I made this decoration many years ago and it still gets a lot of attention from both kids. I guess it is just the excitement of the holidays. As for me, I have to pay special attention to what day it is because if I put the treat in the wrong pocket, I hear about it.

Monday, Monday, Monday

Finally, figured out the flash on my new camera (it pops up manually) and the pictures don't have the yellowish cast that they used to have. I decided to try and capture all of our Christmas decorations so that I can make a small book of the decorations (probably should make 2). The inspiration comes from CK magazine (December) and uses Daisy D paper (love that line).

I love the new color on the walls (Thunder Bay). At the time we did the walls before (12 years ago), the sponge painting look was in. Over the last few years, I really began to hate it. Now that the walls are one color, it looks so beautiful and professional. Larry doesn't understand why I like to change wall color, but I think that the walls start to look dated and it's time for a change. I still need to wallpaper below the chair rail in the dining room and then maybe repaint Casey's bathroom.



The bears on the stairs are special to me. The two musical bears with the red hats and scarves were from my Mom. She bought them one year and gave one to me and one to her sister Betty. When Aunt Betty died, she got the bear from Sue and kept it for years. As she and Dad started to scale back on the holidays, she sent me the bear. They make me smile when they play their songs. The other bears in plaid also came from Mom. She loved plaid (as you can see from the tree and bears on the entrance hall table) and I have lovingly put this tree up every year since they died. I have added one or two plaid ornaments, but the rest came from Mom. More photos tomorrow.

Back to work tomorrow

This is Chocolate under the Christmas tree. He loves this hiding place because he can watch everything that is going on while at the same time staying hidden from the dog. I am still getting used to my new camera and tried to take photos of the tree ornaments. Most of them came out blurry so I need to refer to the instruction book to see what I can change. The weather was fairly nice today and Kitty got quite a few walks. I tossed the football around with Greg as he was missing football Sunday with Brandon.
Greg and I made the first batch of buckeyes for the holiday season. I will take pictures of some of our creations. Of course, this will be the first of many batches of sweet treats. I used the buckeyes as an incentive for Casey to get her college applications done. She is working on Smith, Dartmouth, Bowdoin, Middlebury, and Brown apps. This is the week she needs to have them done and into the counselor. I will be glad when she finds out where she is going next fall.

Tomorrow we all go back to work and school. It seemed as if the break went by too fast. Greg can't believe how fast the 9 day break went. I will probably take Tuesday or Wednesday off to do some shopping and mailing of presents. I'm glad we aren't having a Christmas party this year as it just stresses me out and puts me in a foul mood for quite a few days. I think Larry backed off from it because it was going to require more work on his part. Now, I can just focus on our family Christmas and the reason for the season.

More Christmas Decorations

Got to sleep a little late today - 7:30 am. Woke up to remember that I still had a lot to do today. Larry and Greg went to the Del Val playoff game - they won. Next up Rowan. Chad left around 11:00 to have lunch with his Grandma and the 2 Caseys didn't stir until noon. By noon, I had already done 3 loads of laundry, finished decorating the family room, walked Kitty twice, did the dishes, read the paper, and put boxes away. Whew, I'm tired thinking about what I accomplished. Greg and I were going to make buckeyes tonight, but I think I will wait and do that tomorrow when I am more rested. I hope to get to bed early tonight. The pictures today are of the dining room after it was all decorated. I'm always happy with how it looks. I also took a picture of Greg petting Lucky who was sitting in his lap. They both look so contented.

Black Friday Shopping

Today, Casey and I got up at 6 am to head for the mall. We basically bought for ourselves, but did manage a few presents for other people. I got to Joann Fabrics twice and got 20% off the first time and used two 50% off one item coupons later on. Casey used one of them for me. We also hit Michael's, Macy's, Aeropostale, Williams & Sonoma, Barnes & Noble, and Old Navy. We were both pretty tired afterwards. We cut our Christmas tree and began the decorating process. I, as usual did most of the decorating but got a little help. Chad came over this evening and it felt good to hear how well he is doing. Greg loves hanging out with Chad, and Casey was nice enough to let Greg hang with her, Casey 2 and Chad. They were up pretty late. Wanda and Master Kim came over after kumdo. Wanda is a hoot.

Today's POTD is of Casey and Chad. I think it is a very good picture. They are really good friends. I also took a picture of the tree. It looks pretty nice.

Happy Thanksgiving

This is what I woke up to at 7 am this morning - SNOW! It was very pretty out, but Kitty didn't want to stay out in it very long. Her paws were pretty cold. The snow didn't stay very long but it is still pretty cold out. Perfect weather, I think, for Thanksgiving. I love the sight of snow in the morning - it is untouched and perfect. Some people like to stay in bed when it snows but me, I don't mind going out into it. The crispness of the air and the crunch under my feet makes me happy.

Greg fixed us his Thanksgiving breakfast today - smoothies, scrambled eggs, toast and bacon. Delicious!!!! I'm thankful that he loves to do this.

My New Camera

I got my Christmas present early today - my new Konica Minolta DiMage Z6. I love it. I took 2 photos to post here to see how they look. One picture is of Greg in the family room and the other is of the stuffing I made tonight for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I made the stuffing tonight because the bird is 22 lbs and will take a long time to cook. I don't want to get up at 6 am to start cooking so this sped up the process because it takes so long to cool. Usually I feel stressed about Thanksgiving and all that I have to do. This year I don't feel as stressed. I know that my family will be happy with dinner on the table and not be concerned that everything has to be perfect. I'm thankful for that because that causes too much stress.

Catching Up on POTD

The digital camera has once abandoned me and isn't working so the pictures I have taken are located on my regular camera. Today there are 2 pictures to make up for not taking one yesterday. The picture is of Spybot running on my computer. I got something through Internet Explorer and now my computer is acting up and driving me crazy. I have now downloaded Mozilla and hope to use that exclusively. Internet Explorer stinks as far as I can say and they created the problems themselves. Mozilla is so much nicer. It took almost an hour for me to run Spybot and Adaware and get the computer cleaned up. I think I also need to try Microsoft Anti-spyware.

The second picture (to be posted later), is of dental floss. Something that for years I avoided as much as possible but now use daily (often more than twice daily). I hate going to my dentist because everytime I go I end up with root canal or fillings. I don't know how much is repair work from a previous dentist and how much is feathering her nest egg.

Hope my camera is working tomorrow.

Grocery Shopping for Turkey Day DONE!!

After a trip to BJ's and Superfresh, we finally have everything we need for our Thanksgiving meal. The refrigerator is stocked full of goodies and a 22 pound turkey thaws in the basement refrigerator. Larry bought me my Christmas present today - a Konica Minolta DiMage Z6 digital camera. I'm going to wait for it until Christmas Eve, but I did take the manual out of the box so that I can learn everything about my camera before I get it. Unfortunately, my POTD was not taken by my old digital camera - it wasn't working again when I needed it. I did get a picture with my camera of the hot air balloon that landed in the field behind our house. We haven't had one land near us for a long time. We see them all the time, but this was just at the back of the property. Kitty and I were out walking when we saw it coming. She freaked out and ran all the way home. When I put her in the courtyard, she started barking and demanded to come back in. She wasn't happy with it.

Go Buckeyes

Well I missed yesterday's POTD so today there will be 2. I had every intention of doing it but as soon as I got home from work Larry, Greg and I went to see the Harry Potter movie (it was the best one). Then we went to dinner and the video store and by the time we got home (8:30 p.m.) I was tired. We watched Christmas with the Kranks and then I went to bed. Of course, I remembered to take the picture when I was in bed, but decided I didn't have to be so perfect and get it done on the correct day. So here it is, another picture of things that I use daily and would be lost without - my cell phone and my sunglasses. Just everyday items, but pretty important to me.

Today, is the OSU-Michigan game. If I were getting tested for my brown belt, I would have missed some of the game. But I am not getting tested so I will stay home and watch the game. I talked to Jim last night and he and Danielle were making buckeyes for their party today. Danielle seemed awfully excited. Maybe, if I get the kitchen cleaned up, I will start making buckeyes today. Greg can't wait for that to happen. He and Larry are going to the Del Val playoff game against Curry today. Go Del Val.

Today's picture is done and out of the way, it is a super closeup shot of Chocolate as he sat in the morning sun getting warm. It's pretty cold out here today and that means winter is on its way.
That's okay though because it sort of kicks in my "nesting" instinct to the point where I don't mind staying home to clean. That's good because I want to get the kitchen cleaned up before Thanksgiving.

One more photo for today - Saturday. My Brutus that Larry and the kids bought for me one year.

Day off, YEA!!

I was planning to post my POTD but my computer is really acting up tonight and there is no place to post the picture. It will be added later. The picture is of a water bottle. I drink a lot of water every day - probably close to 2 liters. A water bottle is always close by - on my desk, in my car, beside my bed, everywhere. I love water - plain old tap water. The Evian bottle is just for show (HA!), it is good old tap water. I refill my bottle everyday.

I spent today shopping - Christmas shopping, craft store shopping, and grocery shopping. I accomplished quite a bit and even made time for a haircut (Larry said it made me look younger!). It was a pretty good day, even though I wasn't asked to test for my brown belt. Oh well, I guess I will take some time off from karate and pursue other activities.

POTD for Wednesday

Today's photos are shots of the sky as as storm is brewing. The willow tree was so beautiful as the wind made the branches sway. It almost seemed like a spring storm because the temperature was in the 70s and the air smelled clean. However, this storm is bringing in a cold front which should lower the temperatures to what is usually expected in November. Greg got his report card today and straight A's across the board. What an amazing kid he is. Smart as can be and nice too. Casey gets hers on Friday. I am off work tomorrow and hope to get a little shopping done, a little scrapbooking and design team research and maybe a haircut.