A new one:

This is the last layout I made for my online class. I'm using a photo technique I learned on this one, but the whole page is ALL my creation. I love how it turned out. (For any digi scrappers out there, I used Diana Rigdon's (scrapartist.com) "Grunge Factor" kit.) One of the big plusses of digi scrapping (besides the fact that it's quicker) is that there's NO MESS to clean up afterwards! Sweet! I'll never give up on my "real paper" scrapping, though.

Well, as I write this, Matthew and Martha are enjoying the gorgeous SW Irish coast view from every window of the cottage they're renting for the week. They arrived at Shannon yesterday a.m. and Matthew, for all his concerns about driving, said it was fine. They've already downed a few Guinesses and sang (American songs) with the locals. So they're off to a great start of what promises to be a trip of their lifetime! I'm just beside myself with excitement for them, which is only more pronounced by the fact that I know just what they're experiencing. It makes me long to get back there my own self!

And our nest is again empty as Dustin is finally actually spending the nights at his new apartment - just 10 minutes from here! :) He was gone over the weekend and we hit WalMart and Sam's and dropped off "a few" goodies for him to find when he got back last night. (We didn't want him to starve!) He still has a phone situation to work out, but he can easily walk to a pay phone or call from work, where he'll be putting in about 40 hours this week - a GOOD thing!

Woke up to 40ish degree temps this morning and a chilly house. But the sun is shining now - it's gorgeous out. Fall is definitely in the air, though I heard it's to warm up again later on in the week. A good frost wouldn't break my heart, though - I'm tired of waking up all congested and sneezing all the time...my hay fever has made a reappearance this season. On the other hand, I hope our flowers hang out long enough for our annual Dancin' on the Deck party this coming Friday. We'll see!