Tuesday, May 29, 2007


It's another stellar day in PA. (Hey, that rhymes!) But really, God, can you pleeeeease save one of these fab days for June 8th? I'm sorta happy it's supposed to start storming Thursday. For one thing, I won't have to water the plants, but for another thing, just how many perfect days in a row can you have? The odds are it can't last another 10 days, so we have to have some bad weather to break the cycle (and then start a NEW beautiful day cycle).

I found this new scrapbooking website and I'm so addicted. The site was started by the wife of one of the members of Audio Adreneline (a Christian band), so that's cool right from the start. But it's a new community, so I like getting in on the ground level. But most of all - the art/scrapping of many of the "SIStahs" is, like, WOW. I love that style. I've been soaking it in (til way into the wee hours) and can't get enough. There's a great challenge on right now that I'm getting ready to do a page for, but I feel I should finish the guest book for the wedding first. That should happen today (if I ever get off the computer).

I made a list for the guys for yesterday and everything got done and then my dear friend Deborah invited us for dinner, so that was a lifesaver. Didn't know WHAT in the world we were gonna eat. I'm not shopping til Thursday, so my cupboards are a little bare.

Today Dustin is going to mow and slap one more layer of paint on the basement door. And then tomorrow it's clean up the crap day. Upstairs, b'cause those raging cleaning ladies are coming to do the bedrooms and upstairs bathroom Thursday (hence, my grocery shopping trip that day) and the basement so that Judy can have a clean place to do the flowers for the wedding.

Then......there's, like, a doorknob to install and wastebasket to purchase and WE ARE DONE. Oh, no, wait. We're still getting more stuff delivered Friday - a new living room rug and chair and a new sleeper sofa (i.e. COMFORTABLE - FINALLY) for downstairs (and an ottoman for said sofa). Presuming that all that stuff will INDEED be delivered on time, we should, dare I say it?, be FINISHED on Friday! I think Chris and I shall go out and do a pre-wedding celebration Friday night. We (especially he - and Dustin) have been working out patooties OFF!

Speaking of off, I'm off to work on my Experiencing God study and then scrappin' (i.e. guest book...)

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Monday, May 28, 2007



Getting ready... Matthew sent us a little preview of his wedding attire. Now Chris and Dustin need to go and get theirs. I think that will happen tomorrow evening. I picked up an outfit at the Dress Barn when I went to Madison. Click here and "turn" the page with your mouse to page 6 - it's the outfit on the left.

Tomorrow I'll be working on the guest book and Chris and Dustin will (hopefully) finish up the few remaining projects around the house. The place is looking pretty good. There's still some furniture to arrive (again, hopefully) this week. And little odds and ends. But, I think we're pretty good to go.

I went to my 20th "Ladies LYFE" conference this weekend. It was a celebration of their 25th anniversary doing the conference. The speakers were great and the group of ladies I went with were great. We had a fun time. I have to say, I was really tired. Can't seem to get enough sleep these days (so why, I might ask myself, am I writing this at 1:44 a.m.). Well, I'm sleeping at the wrong times, maybe. I did have a big nap this afternoon. I just think I'm a little consumed with the whole wedding thing. Though I totally am looking forward to it, it's going to be wonderful!

Okay, I'm off to bed!

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Thursday, May 24, 2007

Here's a little "random questions" quiz I just picked up. It's fun to do!

1. Do you like cheese? Yes. My little secret pleasure is using cottage cheese as a dip for chips...

2. Have you ever smoked heroin? uh, NO!

3. Do you own a gun? Does Chris's rifle count?

4. Do you dance? Oh, yeah - we even have an annual "dancin' on the deck" party! (Though my body protested quite "loudly" this year when I went to bed...)

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Sometimes, depends on what I'm there for.

6. What do you think of hot dogs? I'd rather have a cool cat.

7. What's your favorite Christmas song? Mary, Did You Know (Kathy Mattea version)

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? I'm a coffee girl

9. Can you do push ups? Sure! I LOVE the orange-cream kind!

10. Is your bathroom clean? It is now, since cleaning ladies came yesterday...

11. What's your favorite piece of jewlery? My Chico's silver watch

12. Last thing you ate? Ok, I confess - those orange peanuts... (I think I'm gonna be sick...)

13. What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex? A barcalounger in front of a wide-screen TV and a remote.

14. Do you have A.D.D.? Appropriate Diet Disorder? Yes! (see question #12)

16. Middle Name? Lynn

17. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment?
1. "why don't I go to bed?????"
2. "my feet hurt"
3. "why did I eat those orange peanuts?"

18. Name the last 3 things you have bought recently.
1. a green market umbrella for the deck
2. contact solution
3. lamp finials

19. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink:
1. water
2. coffee
3. Fresca (but not that regularly - maybe once a week...)

20. Current worry? I'll forget something really important for the upcoming wedding at my house.

22. Favorite place to be? In my home

23. How did you bring in the New Year? This is the first year I think I fell asleep before the new year. I honestly can't remember, so it wasn't exactly life-changing...

24. Where would you like to be right now? In my bed

27. Do you own slippers? Who doesn't?

28. What shirt are you wearing? My peach Glen Arbor, MI tee with a hoodie I got in FL on top of it.

30. Favorite color? turquoise blue

31. Could you be a pirate? Huh?

32. What songs do you sing in the shower? I don't

33. What's in your pocket right now? The only thing I dislike about these pants is they don't have pockets!

34. Last thing/person that made you laugh? Seeing/hearing Sanjaya sing on the American Idol finale tonight....

35. Best bed sheets as a child? white background with a tiny floral pattern. I had plenty of time to bond with 'em b'cause my parents put us to bed at 7 p.m. - in the summer!

36. Worst injury you've ever had? A "broken", (i.e. lliquified) wrist. I knew I was in trouble when the orthopod told me in the busy waiting room full of mostly children, "I'm saving you for last..." He knew I was going to make noise....

37. How many TVs do you have in your house? 3

38. Who is your loudest friend? I'M all my friends' loudest friend!

40. Does someone have a crush on you. My cat

41. Do you wish on shooting stars? I only wish I'd see more of 'em...

43. What is your favorite candy? M&M peanuts, hands down!

43. Television or Internet? Mostly internet

44. What song do you want played at your funeral? Here comes the bride!

45. What were you doing 12 AM last night? Watching Laura Geller on QVC

46. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? I hope that noise isn't the bear getting into the bird feeders again!

47. What is your last thought before going to sleep? The point is to have NO thoughts SO I can go to sleep...

48. What do you like to do to relalx? Soak in the hot tub in the winter and "read" (with my eyes closed) on the hammock in the summer.

49. Do you like to shop? Only for scrapbooking supplies and, ok, food.

50. Can you wink? Comin' atcha, baby! ;D

Monday, May 21, 2007

There's a lot going on around here. The place is starting to look pretty spiffy!
Our stone facing is almost done. It looks amazing.
Our front porch is looking beautiful.
Chris and I planted lots of flowers - now they need to grow!
And here's a sneak peek at our new sectional. It's awesome!

I can't believe there's going to be a wedding here in two weeks! Wow! We keep thinking of stuff to do. One day we'll just have to quit and say, "enough". But we'll have to stop doing stuff like burning up the surround to the firepit on the patio, because now that will have to be rebuilt. (I guess you could say we had a rather hot fire in there Saturday evening...Chris woke up Sunday and discovered it still smoldering where it burned through...)

We have an insane cardinal that's been trying to come in our picture window in the living room literally ALL day. I guess he sees his reflection or the trees' reflection. But he won't quit. He's going to tire himself to death. Rocky is only mildly interested. The cardinal tries flying into the window and will also perch on the bench outside the window and peek right into the living room. Rocky would peek up from the other side and then the bird would fly. But he KEEPS coming back! He comes back so much that Rocky can't be bothered anymore. Maybe if I put up a 'scarecrow-like" image it would keep him away. Poor thing.

Well, it's time for me to get scrappin'. I'm making the guest book for the wedding. It's a gorgeous day, by the way. We'll be so blessed to have a duplicate of this one for the wedding!

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Thursday, May 17, 2007



This was a fun little link I found. Just click on "get your own..." to do one yourself!



I got to spend time with my siblings over the Mother's Day weekend. We met in Madison so that we could take a photo for my mom for Mother's Day, but also for her 80th birthday, which was the day after Mother's Day. We had a blast together, as we always do. The time always goes too fast.

I spent the day with Mom on her birthday and then flew back home to PA on Tuesday. Having left my house for this trip on Friday - the day after my last day of work - I can now say that Wednesday - yesterday - was officially "the first day of the rest of my life". It was so nice to sleep in and stay home. Truly. Dustin was still here and he polished the (barenaked) living room floor and cleaned off the front porch while Chris did reviews and I did the church banking. Then Dustin and I went and I got my first load of flowers. I'm going to get some planted today. Our new couch and ottoman is coming today, too. And somewhere in there, I'm going to go get groceries. Chris will bring home more flowers at lunchtime and there will be more planting on Friday. I'm getting a little panicked about getting these flowers into the ground. They need some time to spread a bit before the wedding.

The leaves are fully out now and what a difference this makes. Without much landscaping at all, it's just naturally beautiful here in the woods. I love it. So peaceful...

The day awaits and I must get crackin'!

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