You don't know Jack!!!

Till you've heard Jack FM!

That is my little slogan for the radio station my friend introduced me to this weekend. I love it. In fact, I have listened on the way home from work. It is about the only time I can listen to the radio anymore. Fun stuff.

This past weekend, I went away with a friend to Indio to scrapbook ALLLLLLLLLLL weekend. We had a great time. We completely rearranged the furniture in the condo. It was great!!! I will have to add some before and after pictures for you...hopefully I can do that tomorrow for you...

I did great on my layouts. I got 14 pages done and I am now officially less than a year behind on my scrapping. This is a good thing. Geez. I swear I was right at a year for so long.

So, on other news. My mom just had a third appointment with doctors and specialist to see if she had cancer. The tests were inconclusive and they will check again in four months. Praise the Lord. I was a nervous wreck for awhile. Really. I couldn't even put my thoughts and feelings into words so I just prayed it through...

I will work on getting those pictures posted.

40 til 40 Begins...

Well gang...tomorrow starts the 40 til 40 ...Not for me but for my friend. Many of you have watch me prepare endless nights of preparing for it. Well, tonight I dropped off the first two weeks of goodies. My intent was to drive out tonight and leave the two bags on her front porch but her husband was out so I was actually able to hand it to her. I gave her the first envelope and told her it should explain everything.

I can't tell you what the goodies are until after she opens them but I might be able to share along the way.

This weekend I am going to Indio with a friend. I can't wait. We plan to scrap all weekend. Isn't that great???

Ok. Time for sleep. I am really tired, Talk to you all soon

Goodbye Weekend...

Well, Tour de Crop was a great success. I had a great time checking out other Southern Ca. scapbook stores...spending money (butr not too much), meeting new people and having a GREAT HOST!!! Thanks Red Bee for all the fun.

Today, I was able the get some scrapbook maintenance done. I FINALLY put two albums together. Usually I just scrap the pages and put them in a "safe" place. Well, I finished putting the pages in 2004 and 2005. Let me just say...I am glad that is over and I hope I don't find any other pages that need to go in there...We could be in some trouble.

I have a friend who left on a very long and nice trip this last week. I hope you have a great time. thanks for the card. I miss you too.

Also, there are a couple of friends who are going through some tough times...I want you to know that I am thinking and praying for you.

That is all for now. Talk to you all soon.

Ed On Design & Tour de Crop

Hello all you happy pappy bloggers. Nice to see you again...

Well, tonight I thought I would feature a special friend of mine. I have know him for many years and after several years of not really knowing where each other had landed...we reconnected. I wrote about him in an earlier blog.

I have never met anyone who is as creative and talented as he is. I am not talking scrapbook world, I am talking other stuff...Stuff I don't think I have fully grasped yet. I am getting an inkling and I just wanted to share with you his great gift. You can look here for his most recent work. It is a weekly e-magazine that comes out.

I can't really do justice to what he is capable of but I can tell you this...He is a very talented man.

Tomorrow I head out for a tour de crop with the Red Bee. I can't wait. Over 20 of us will hop on a bus and travel to 2 other scrapbooking stores in Southern California. I know our tour guide will have lots of fun stuff planned for us. I must try to get some shut eye though so that I can be ready to hit the shops bright and early.

Talk to you fine folks tomorrow...hopefully

Carnival Party

I know...it has been a long time but I am here now... Let's see... What would you like to hear about today...

This weekend was my friend's son's 6th birthday. The plan was a simple party, one where he could invite a few friends and have some fun...at the same time his mom and dad could maintain sanity. Eli had other plans. All he wanted was a Carnival Party...Really??? Ok...Maybe we can do a little something. (See Birthday boy to the right)

This party was amazing! And I helped! I have a couple pics below so you can see all the fun...I made the cupcakes...don't they look professional? Oh and the choc. pretzels were also home-dipped. The party was a great success but suspect Eli's mom and dad are still recovering brom today.

On another note...I had a great day with the hubby today. After church we thought we would hit Home Depot and Target to get some errands done. We ended up getting a really great deal on a great dishwasher... from Best Buy! See, the one we had was used as a dish drying rack since we moved in. It just never worked right....Now, hopefully...we will have one that works. Mike is trying to install it as I write but the sounds coming from the kitchen are not too pleasant...I have been kicked out and I hear some grumbles. It can't be good. Here's hoping it all works ok. He has already said...no more appliances.

Ok. I am done for now. Talk to you soon

Hooked on a Feeling...

Anyone know that BJ Thomas song? Anyone know who BJ Thomas is???

Well, today we learned about "I-messages" and confrontation...that is how to confront someone who has done ya wrong...The key thing to remember is to hook onto a feeling that you are hearing from your confrontee...Hense...Hooked on a feeling.

I am really enjoying this training. We are doing tons of role playing so you all better watch out. Once I was afraid to confront you and now you will not know what hit you. Just kidding. I am getting some great stuff here though.

Tomorrow is the last day of training and then we head home. I am hoping that Georgina (my partner in crime) and I can stop and check out the outlets on our way out of town.

Are you ready for some pictures???Who should we start with???A jewelry set I made to wear to Bethany's party...Bethany and Mike's trip to MO...then b-day...

Beautiful necklace and bracelet....Isn't it? :)

Here are some Missouri pics...Mike and BEthany and Bethany's first fish... and Papa

The rest will have to wait...this girl is tired. Tomorrow's traing is on conflict and how to have a win win outcome...Are you as excited as me? See you tomorrow.

Shrink Wrap

Well September is already speeding by.

Bethany had a great b-day. She had some from friends from school come to Castle Park in Riverside to celebrate. The kids had a great time eating pizza, playing in the arcade, riding the rides and playing golf. Miniature golf that is. I will post a couple of pictures later.

This week I am in Indian Wells at a Leadership Effectiveness Training, (L.E.T.). Yesterday we learned about behavior windows, roadblocks in conversation and active listening. Sorry, did you say something?

Our homework is to read, read, read and to give a 5 minute recap of Active Listening. I am getting really good at saying, "So what I hear you saying is..." and "You sound like..." I feel like I am in a therapist office (Shrink) and I am the one helping you all work through your issues. Aren't you glad...? Don't answer that.

Really though. It is a great course. It is a course by Dr. Thomas Gordon (Link to be added later) and I recommend everyone to read it. It has lessons for work and home. Bet you can't wait to hear what I have to say today...

Have a great day. Hopefully, I will add some pics tonight.