Friday, September 21, 2012

TGIF!

I just want to say for the record that I love Fridays!  Especially this one.  Not much planned for the weekend other than cleaning the house and getting out my fall decorations, but I have the whole weekend ahead of me!  Bliss. 
My work schedule has about beaten me down in the last two weeks and I am ready for a reprive.  Not that anything is too different at work, but I think I just expected my body to bounce right back after surgery and it isn't.  I seem to tire more easily than is normal and when I lie down at night I pass out.  To be honest, I can barely stay awake through dinner.  Ha!  Makes for stimulating evenings at my house, gotta tell you.  But as my Mom always says, this too shall pass.
Last weekend I was able to spend a little time in my craft room inking up some new stamps. Yeah! I also made a trip out to the scrapbook store (closest one is 45 min. away) and picked up the Dewey Decimal Set by Lawn Fawn and the paper pack of the same name. So cute! Here a a couple of the cards that I made:





The three above a made with the Inky Antics set that I showed you last week, papers are all Papertrey Ink.  I love their paper!

This was just a little set that contained just the turkey image and the sentiment that says 'Happy Turkey Day!' I know that it is difficult to see there in the corner.

On Sunday we skipped church and took Michelle, Shawn and Isabella to the Fair. Bella loves going and her favorite part is the animals. One year she was able to see a cow giving birth and she was so fascinated! Every year we have to go and one of the first stops is the Birthing Tent. This year we missed the birth as one occurred just before we arrived and one shortly after we left. We were able to see the proud new mommy and her baby.




Bella made a Tussy Mussy in one of the buildings and we saw lots of great home grown produce, flowers as well as animals.

We all rode the ferris wheel, it was nice because we were able to feel a nice breeze up there!
We heard a lot of comments throughout the day about Michelle being a Steelers fan and Shawn a Ravens fan.  Bella was planning on changing into her Steelers jersey after the Ravens game.


This ride was new this year. It's a big inflatable tube that is in water and the kids move it by walking or running inside.  Bella liked it if you couldn't tell.


Michelle and Bella in the Fun House

This was a prize that Shawn and Bella won at one of the game booths.  You had to toss ping pong balls into a small fish bowl and for each one in you got a fish or a ticket.  If you won 6 tickets you could trade up for a Gecko.  So this little fellow is joing Bella's menagerie!  After they got home Shawn went to the pet store to buy food (a neighbor gave them an aquarium) and there he learned tht they do better with others, so now she has 2 Geckos!
Let's just say that Daddy is a pushover!

Shawn and Bella rocking their Ray Rice jerseys! 

Have a great weekend y'all!

Monday, September 10, 2012

Manic Monday and Weekend Wrap Up

I went back to work last Tuesday after having been off for three weeks on medical leave and let me tell you, it was a long four days!  Though I was glad to get back to work and try to get on a somewhat normal track, it was difficult not to be able to just lie down and nap when I got tired.  Further, I had been gone for three weeks and despite the fact that there were several people in my office who were covering for me, there was still a LOT of work that had piled up!  I worked a little more than 40 hours in the four days that I was back.
Still, I must admit that it was nice to have been missed and I certainly received a warm welcome back. :)

Needless to say, I did very little other than work last week.  I simply didn't have the energy. 

Friday afternoon I was able to squeeze in a 30 minute power nap after I got ome and then I headed off to meet a friend for the evening.  It was so nice to be able to just talk and visit with Tootie as we haven't been able to see much at all of each other recently.  Her dear Mom had been ill and Tootie has been taking care of her.  So we talked and laughed and talked, it was just what we both needed.

Saturday, we headed out to the Stamp and Art Show.  It was held in the Agriculture Center and let me tell you, it was hot, hOT, HOT and terribly humid!!!  The poor vendors had a difficult time keeping paper and books and dry.  We wound up not staying too long because between the heat, humidity and the crowds, it just wasn't fun.  But I did manage to pick up a few things before heading out.  I grabbed several packages of Honey Comb paper (including the a couple new colors and Peppermint Stripe) and this new Honey Pop Stamp Set:
I just love that little squirrel with the acorn cap.  So cute!  I also scooped up another Honey Comb set that I can make tree ornaments with.  So, I have some new stamps to play with just as soon as I have some time!
As we were headed home, the sky began to darken, the wind picked up and the whole atmosphere seemed to change.  Within minutes the sky appeared to look kind of purple and green and then it just opened up and the rain came pouring down!  It was unbelievable and quite trecherous to drive in.  Obviously we made it back safely, but holy crow-what a storm!

Sunday was a very special day in the life of our church.  The church building is over 100 years old and over the last seven weeks it has been undergoing a much needed face lift.  Yesterday the results of that face lift were revealed and celebrated.  What a wonderful service and time of worship!  It really did my heart good to be able to be there and share in this day with my church family.  To add to the celebration, a concert was held in our sanctuary last evening combined with a prayer service.  The vocal quartet The Laughing Bird came down from the Philadelphia area and entertained us with a capella chamber music.  The group featured a young man who had grown up in our church-Colin Dill.  Their music was so extremely moving, a feast for the senses!  Truly amazing to hear such beautiful sounds coming from this small group.  If you ever have a chance to hear them, do NOT pass up the opportunity!  What a way to spend the evening.  
It was a truly blessed day!

Monday, September 3, 2012

Happy Labor Day!

Hope that everyone has a great Labor Day.  I am enjoying my last day off before heading back to work after my surgery.  It's been a long haul. Ha!


I wanted to show you a few pictures of my girl on her first day of third grade, I was so glad to be able to walk her to school and pick her up after school.  What a blessing!  This little girl is such a JOY, what a happy child!  I can't even tell you.  She was SO excited to go back to school. (She just loves those boots and nothing was going to stop her from wearing them. Such a diva)

I have been busy these last few days, cooking  and baking, cleaning and spending some of these remainin days of summer at the pool.  I have managed to squeeze in some time in my room and created a few cards.
A birthday card for Aiden.


A rather generic birthday card,

And the inside of that card.

Love this little bear.

Scooting by...wanted to send this one to my boy, he likes to get mail that's not bills.

Been able to do some cleaning in my room as well and I feel really good about that.  Finally got some curtains up, though I put up a temporary rod.  I want to change that out but am waiting till I find what I really want.  Switching out some pictures in frames as well. 

So back to work tomorrow, actually looking forward to it to be truthful.  So much to do and though I've been checking emails and responding to what I can, there are so many things that need my attention.
Feeling good and have  no restrictions on me, but I will limit lifting and hauling stuff.  Have a great week!