need I say more!

45 things I have learned ......in random order

1. I am older then I every thought I would be
2. People can make you feel WONDERFUL!
3. People can really crap on you.
4. Being a Mom, is the BEST!
5. Kate Loves me!
6. 50 SPF sunscreen still doesn't keep me from burning.
7. I love creating art through my scrapbook pages.
8. Nothing is easy.
9. Rehoboth beach is my favorite vacation spot.
10. If you read the book, it will ruin the movie for you.
11. it sucks getting old.
12. You can survive each stage your child goes thru (at least up till 7)
13. Woman are caddy.
14. You can live your dreams.
15. You are the only one that can MAKE yourself truly happy.
16. I love all 4 seasons for different reasons.
17. I am a reality TV junkie.
18. Anne Murray is still my fav.
19. Ipods are a must for any music lover.
20. I love watching Josh play sports.
21. You can have a relationship with your Mother.
22. I love to hear the birds singing in the morning.
23. Martinis are GOOD!
24. I have a great smorgasbord of friends.
25. Dogs truly have unconditional love.
26. Humans don't
27. I love taking pictures.
28. I grow everyday.
29. I can go on everyday as long as I hear " I love you, Mom"
30. Sometimes you are the windshield, sometimes you are the bug.
31. Who I can trust.
32. chocolate can solve most problems
33. I can't be high maintenance
34. Josh, can make me feel like nothing else matters
35. It is not quantity of friends, but quality
36. I can do most home improvements
37. I don't have many fears
38. I love Sudoku
39. Family is the most important
40. I can own my own business and be successful
41. I love blogging
42. I love crabs
43. I need more sleep
44. I am a jokester
45. I have to cherish each day.

Whew, I could do that....it isn't each and I was struggling there!
I have had a wonderful birthday already, since some sneaky people got together to celebrate that for/with me.
Tonight I get to celebrate more with 10 of my girlfriends at the Melting pot! I can't wait....I am looking very forward to kicking back and having some great fun tonight!!

That lovely Cake was made by my dear friend Laurie (Trish's Mom) . I just love this woman and all she is....and I love her more for always having me on her top 5 list!!!
Where ever you are have a drink tonight and clink it with me!!

I miss Kate

Do you have that ONE person in the world.....that no matter what....is your rock.

That one person that when the rest of the world makes no sense.....they do.

I hate being away from mine.

No matter what goes on, no matter what differences we have....not matter how hectic it gets,

We belong together. We are what is right in this world.

Kate has been going to D.C. for a couple nights every other week, and I am still not used to it.

But sitting here tonight in the house with the dogs and Josh sleeping, she is on my mind.

If she was home, it is 11:30 at night and yes she would be asleep, but there is still comfort just knowing she is home.

I am surrounded with wonderful people in my life, but I have to say Kate is that one person that really doesn't let me down. In the rare occasion she does.....she cares that she does and makes sure I know she cares.

She is that person the couldn't fake it. I don't have to wonder with her if she loves me.

I hope you have that one person in your life....cause it truly isn't about how many people you have in your life, but the quality of that person.

Night sweetheart

are you feeling the love?

Wow.....

I have so many things to say and feelings going on I don't know if my fingers can keep up.

I will try tho...

Yesterday my friends and my wonderful soul mate got me!

They had a Surprise Birthday party for me.

Now I am not easily surprised....I often find out, one way or another.

Not this time.

My dear friend Trish had invited Kate, Josh and I to a BBQ at her house for Saturday afternoon, harmless invite I thought. I mean she has invited us numerous times over the past couple years and we had yet been able to make it. Why would I think it was anything else.

It wasn't a 40th, or a 50th, because those you basically know something is coming.

So my tricky, tricky friend and her Hubby have been meeting with Kate for secret lunches I find out last night. Hmmmmmmmm

I find out everyone around me has been in on this....well I must say they did a good job of not spilling the beans, and some of them like Kim had to actually stay away from me so she wouldn't. Some I see or talk to almost everyday and they didn't spill it. Very Very good!

So anyway we arrive and I don't know where in hell they hid the cars but there was nothing suspicious, I was wondering why Trish wasn't coming to the door to greet us, but I just opened the door and walked in. Then through the back windows I see my friends Nic and Coreen, and then Linda and Jo and I am thinking .."wow Trish didn't tell me she invited more people" I thought it was just us coming. Then it clicked as I see the balloons and the tent that there is more going on. So finally I put it all together.

I think I then turned to Trish and called her a bitch! I couldn't believe that they got one over on me, and I couldn't believe that they were throwing me a birthday party. That was so nice! I was in shock and just thinking how lucky I was to have all these great friends.

It was cool to have friends from all different parts of my life there.
My sis even made it, poor thing had such a bad day with a flat tire and a long week on the road. I had even just talked to her hours before the party and she was very good, no hints and I thought I would just see her next Saturday in Rehoboth.
Sarah I had just seen at the store and she had just told me this whole thing about just hanging out with her family for the afternoon, and had casually just asked me what I was doing for the afternoon...and I had said "Going to a BBQ at Trish's" She thought that was nice....oh she was good!

So we had a great time, I got to see alot of people, and great food also!

Highlights.....
- It isn't a party till there is margarita in the diaper bag
- Wait till you see the driver cover for my golf club (picture to follow)
- Laurie (Trish's Mom) Makes one awesome cake
- Sam Jones made me an awesome birthday card!
- Jen made me another Jen original piece of pottery!!!!
- Ruby knows me too well getting me a starsbuck gc!
- Going to get new golf clubs today, thanks to the group gift card! You guys ROCK!
-Telling Patrick he is going to the beach Saturday (so he can ask his Mom everyday this week..."after this sleep Mommy?"
- John bringing out his guitar and playing!

So Kate and Trish you can honestly say you got me..... You guys are the best and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Birthdays are special to me, I love to celebrate them. None of us knows how lucky we are to have one every year and how blessed we are to be able to be with the ones we love one more year. I never take a day for granite and I cherish my friends. Today I am feeling the love!

Thank you so much everyone! You all are so important in my life.

Things you can learn in the summer.

You can take 3 Seven year olds to Dorney Park....and survive!

You can ride every thrill ride 3 times in a row....and still want to do it again!

Aqua Race ride RULES!

Steel Force is still one of the BEST Roller Coasters around!

SPF 50, still doesn't keep me from burning!

It is great when the park isn't packed with people!

9 1/2 hours at the park will make you sleep well!

What fun we had yesterday, I really enjoyed taking Josh and his two friends to Dorney Park.
I even got a little teary eyed during the day as I was remembering the summers as a stay at home Mom taking Josh to places like this a couple times a week in the summer. I love what I am doing now, but the summer time is harder then I thought it would be. I enjoy doing things with Josh and playing with him in the summer. So yesterday was one of those special days this summer.
One time yesterday after we rode Thunder Creek, we were walking and Alex looked up to me and said...."I almost peed my pants, I was so scared" It just cracked me up. Altho I told him Steel Force was going to be a bit more then that one. He said he would be ok, it was because of the water on the last ride. We went with that, and rode Steel Force 3 times!

It was also so nice yesterday, we didn't wait for any ride longer then 5 minutes and the park was not packed at all. I wish it could be like that at all times......would go more.

If anyone plans to go, check with your borough office, they often have discount tickets. We saved 10 dollars each.

We got home at 8:30 pm last night and Josh fell asleep in about 5 minutes after he took his shower and layed down on the couch. It was so funny we looked over and he was asleep.

Well it is time to get ready to go to the store! Free Crop today so there will be some people there to play and create.

Sometimes you are the windshield..........

sometimes you are the bug!

This week I am the WINDSHIELD!!

If you can just hang on thru the days, weeks or months that you feel like you are the bug

you will eventually get to be the windshield.

For Kate's birthday I got her tickets to go see K.D.Lang ....and for those of you that don't know who she is, you are missing out on some great music. I have been listening to this womyn's music for about 20 years now. It never gets old....it never sounds the same. She can make you melt or she can get you up and dancing. Soooooooooo we go to the concert, have a WONDERFUL time. It is threatening rain and it is 9:30 pm. Kate was exhausted as was I. We were out on a "school nite" so we didn't stay for the 2nd portion of the evening which was Lyle Lovett...not real big fans. We start walking out- Kate nudges me.- I look over and it is K.D. and a small group of womyn. I think I froze and I know everything went in slow motion!

We walk over, I had a t shirt i bought over my shoulder- Kate is prompting me to get it signed...everything is going in slow motion- I can't even get words out to ask her to sign my shirt.

I must have looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

K.D. actually takes my t shirt from me, I hold it and she asked me to stretch it out so she could sign it.

She then held out her hand to shake mine....I uttered "you are amazing" (or at least I hope that is the thought that came out loud" we turned and walked (or I think I was floating) out.

How many of you have a top 5 list?? I have her on MINE!!!!

That was just an amazing, wonderful, won't forget moment!

I was floating so much, when we got home and Kate pointed out that I had left my car home with all my windows down (and it had stormed hard for a few hours). It was so soaked in my car I would need towels to sit in my seat in the morning. I DIDN'T even care, I just blew it off and chalked it up. (I know on another given night, bad words would have been flying out of my mouth!)

So I got a giddy 20 year old moment the other night, felt good, was needed. Life is good! Just need to hold onto moments like that to get thru the rest of the crap sometimes.

So if you are the bug right now......hold on for the ride.....it will end!

Summer is here!

Wow it has been a week since I blogged. It hasn't been a week since I thought about blogging tho. It is one of those things that I want to do, but by the end of the day I just don't have the energy sometimes. Getting old stinks!!





Sooooooo..... let's see what's been going on.





Josh is a 2nd grader now! YIKES! How does this frigin happen so fast. He received an award for Most Improved Reader this year. I was so very proud of him, because at the beginning of the year he was so frustrated with reading, he wanted to just be able to do it. He didn't like the fact he couldn't just do it. He had to work at it, but now is a reading machine, loves it and wants more. He has little trouble with many words and he is proud of himself....which is so great to see.


This weekend was my little sis's birthday, we celebrated at the White Dog Cafe in Philly....great food and a wonderful time had by all. I made her a chipboard purse mini album. Forgot to get pictures, have to do that next time I see her. Which will be Rehoboth!

Yesterday I went golfing with my friends Lynette/Nancy and Denise joined us too. It was loads of fun and I shot a 105...best of the season so far! Denise held her own also, for the first time out this year( or maybe in a few years) she shot a 119! I just love going out on Mondays to play.
I will miss it for the next month as Mondays are no longer mine for a while. But hope to even find a nice Sunday to go play soon.

So summer is here....Josh is out of school and the balance act begins. I have it pretty much planned out till the end of July. Josh should only have to spend the next two days at the store all day with me, then he will have things to do. This is the one part of owning a store that is hard for me. I just hate having to have josh at the store all day. It is so boring for him. But we will get thru the next two days and he is a trooper. Probably bothers me more then him.

Josh got a new bike...a little present from his Moms! He had outgrown the other one from last summer. So the big 20" bike is here now. It is hard since there are no sidewalks here and I won't let him ride in the street. So we packed up the bike last night and went to the park to ride. He did great, and loved riding. We will ride alot in Rehoboth....Kate and I love taking him for rides around town...it has great memories since that is where he learned to ride without training wheels a couple years ago.

So tonight is K.D. Lang at the Mann....we are so excited to be going. I got this for Kate's birthday present..she loves K.D. and this should be a fun night. I love listening to concerts at the Mann, it is a great summer concert place!

I started taking the Jessica Sprague On line class last night. I am so very excited to learn about Photoshop Elements 5.0 . I know I could probably never go digital all the way, but I do love all the brushes and neat titles you can do in it. I also want to learn more about editing my photos. So I guess I could be a "hybrid". I have been called worse.

Well it is off to the store. I need to go wake sleeping beauty in the other room...I think he is enjoying the extra sleep this week!

Farm Fun, Life, Friends and off to work...

What a whirl wind weekend.
First we had Kristina Contes in to teach some classes.
Lots of fun and the kind of girl you can get messy with!

We had a great time at Sanner's Farm on Sunday! These 3 boys are showing it. The High Five belly smack and K is just expressing his joy with VOLUME! It was nice to relax, enjoy and observe. I am usually behind a counter helping people in the store, I am ordering, following up and making it run day in day out, and this is where I get to see most of these people when they come to shop or crop. So there usually isn't alot of time to socialize as much as we would like.
This was a great day to do that, I didn't have to wait on anyone, get anything for anyone and I could just relax. Rare for me most days.

Altho I have made it a point to get to know people better, not just as customers. I have been really developing relationships that have started at mlpa. It is nice to know that these relationships will last well beyond any four walls.

I have been thinking about what makes a friendship last, what is it that people that have been friends 10, 20 years have. It is work, but it is also honesty and communication. I have seen over the past few months how important communication is and how some people really don't do it.
I also have been looking at relationships I have and have had, I question myself sometimes what keeps some of them going, I also wonder sometimes if I think more of the relationship then the other people do. Do I think there is more there then there really is. All questions that you have to answer yourself, and hope that you have the right answers or you could be very hurt.

on another note....
18 MORE DAYS!!! wAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
I can not wait to be on the beach, in the beach house, at Lazy Suzy's eating blue crab DAILY!

Well it is time to get going and get to the store....lots of goodies coming in.

Have a wonderful day....I know there are only 3 1/2 days left of school here, and then I have a 2nd grader!

I was tagged!

Tagged!!
I was tagged by the talented Rachael !!

These are the rules.... each player starts with 7 random fact about themselves on their Blog. People who are tagged need to blog 7 facts about themselves and post the rules as well. At the end of the blog list 7 people you are tagging. Let them know that they are tagged by leaving them a comment.

**I LOVE to play golf, and have made a real effort to play more this year!**

I love to eat dessert first sometimes.

**I was born and raised in Maine, on about 10 acres of Mountain. We built our house when I was about 9 years old.

**I was an All State Basketball player in Maine. I also Lettered in Track, held the school Record for the Javelin throw.

**I LOVE going to the movies, I get popcorn and dip it in nacho cheese, I also have Josh and Kate now doing it.

**I enjoy doing things for my friends for no reason. I love seeing something in a store and knowing that it is the perfect thing for a certain person.

**Rehoboth Beach is my favorite vacation spot. It is so important to me. When Josh was born one of my wishes was to have that one place we went every year that would always give him great memories. I watched this come true as this is our 8th year going and Josh counts down the days with me now.

With that, I tag:
1. Ruby
2. Julie
3. Stephanie
4. Mimi
5. Jessica
6. Lisa P.
7. Karen Russell

It is great to let it out into the universe...

That is all it takes for me.



Release it out there into the universe...and I just happen to use my blog to do that.



I am so glad I did yesterday...cause there was more crap to fit in yesterday.



Good stuff today...

These are our new t shirts at mlpa! I am going to go pick these up in about 30 minutes....and am so frigin excited!!!

We hope to have hundreds of ladies wearing this t shirt in just a short time. We will be sporting them at the CKC Convention at King of Prussia in July.

Have a great weekend, Surf's Up opens today and I know Josh is very excited!!

Sunday we get to go to Sanner's Farm for a day of fun.

Life is just plain ole good! As in anything it has its ugly moments, as long as those aren't the highlights all is good.

just some love today please.....

ever feel like you were at the breaking point...

Nothing earth shattering has happened.

Just little things that build up.

No need to be alarmed...it will pass, but you know it wouldn't take much to put you over the edge.

Just feeling a little fragile...ever get like that?

I think I need a vacation..a whole week away! OH that happens in 23 days, whew!

I hate it. But I have at least come to notice when I am there.

So today I am posting a few pictures that are happy, those moments that keep you going.

Those pictures I look at that can make me smile, even on these days.

I have lots of those type of pics...but these are the ones I came across today for a pick me up.

oh these angels
my morning love
loving what we have created
Just being silly with kate

Also just a side note....JULIE! you are the big winner from the questions post. I have a little something for you :)

Treated myself...

to a little me time, which I use for a code name: Scrap time!
I did this in about 30 minutes, and I am loving it.
Slapped some paint around.
Used some Thickers( my favorite thing right now)
and did a little journaling.

Lots of busy going on, the list would scare me.
Won't be home this weekend much, we have Kristina Contes coming to the store.
Then it is off to the Sanner Farm on Sunday!! (Excited for this trip!!)

Josh is busy, which makes us busy.
Two nights a week for Wrestling practice.
Two nights a week for Lacrosse.
He is loving the wrestling with Bobby Weaver, the improvement is amazing already.

Off to bed.....well after I watch Deadliest Catch!

Race day!

Josh did his first ever race today.

1 mile fun run for kids, the Heart association puts it on and this was the 7th annual.

What a great fun day and we had so much fun just being part of it.

I had some fear that he wouldn't be able to finish a mile, silly me.

I also worried because you couldn't see them the whole time, yes it was seconds but they seemed like hours, ok maybe minutes.

Then he came down the home stretch of the mile and he still had kick left.

He finished 30th overall, kids ranging in age from 4- 16 years old.

He finished 4th among the 7 year old division.

I was so proud of him, he really showed me once again that he can do whatever he puts his mind too.

Once again, he is my hero...showing me the determination he has.

He wants me to look for more races, he just had this beaming glow going on, he loved it.

Questions answered.

Thanks everyone this was fun, and I have to say you all made me think. Some questions were harder then others, some made me really think about thinks I don't usually think about.


Regina said...
How does Kate feel about your scrapbooking? Does she ever scrapbook herself?
Kate loves that I scrapbook. I remember shortly after I started scrapbooking in 2003, she said I was a better person because I scrapbooked. It gave me my artistic outlet. She does not scrapbook, has no desire to.

Laurel Burns said...
I'll play along! I'm full of questions.1) How did you and Kate meet?
We met at a Fantasy Football Draft party. As close to love at first site as I know.
2) We all know that you are one of the owners of the best lil scrapbook store EVER, but what other jobs have you had?
Lifeguard, Worked on a farm milking cows and bailing hay. courier, manager of many different retail stores, artist air brushing ceramics. Painter, well drilling, exterminator, product developer for an importer, administrative assistant, accountant, worked in a factory that made football helmets, crayola factory; made Model magic. Swim instructor, camp director...I know there is probably more but that is all I can think of now.
3) You have access to all the "latest and greatest" scrapping supplies and tools, but what is your top "go-to" item that you use on nearly every LO?
I have to say it would have to be chipboard and rub ons if it is every layout one of those items will be on the page.
What is the one item or technique that you really aren't fond of and probably wouldn't use on a page?
I do not use stickers much anymore
Are there any techniques that intimidate you (like alcohol inks intimidate me)?
I really have a hard time with bright colors.
Kim B. said...
When will you let your son marry me?
June 19th
Would you ever consider entering a beauty pageant?LOL Trish
Actually have and won Miss Congeniality, and 4th Runner up....you are so funny!
How old were you when you set out on your own? (As in moved out of parents' home) :)Marlene I was 18 years old.
Ruby said...
Hmm I'll play- if you could have one thing (money wasn't an option, and it has to be like a worldly "thing" not world peace) what would it be and why??
I would have to say, if it has to be "worldly" I would love a beach house, I would love to wake every morning and walk on the beach, watch the dolphins and just soak in the morning as the water, earth and sun awake one another. That is what I do for one week a year in Rehoboth, and I would love to do that everyday.
Julie said...
Rollie, you are a very strong and independent woman, very adventurous and full of life, tell me what SCARES you. It can be anything and everything from spiders to death.
My biggest fear is not getting to watch Josh grow up. I take everyday and love him as much as I can.
Andi said...
Hmmm...how about if you could be a character in any book - which would you pick?
I would love to be a character in one of Mary Higgins Clark's books, one of the detectives solving the cases...I love figuring things out.
hmmm...am thinking, am thinking...do you have any regrets, and if so, what are they?Stuffie
I don't really have regrets, does that sound bad?
Laura Foreman said...
"WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS TRUE EVEN THOUGH YOU CANNOT PROVE IT?"- Laura Foreman
Good one! I believe that EVERYONE should have the right to be married.
Alex Foreman said...
When can Josh Come over to play?
This has to be my FAVORITE QUESTION! Alex as soon as you call and set it up buddy, he misses you very very much.
Lisa said...
if you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
7:35 AM
Hawaii

June 1st Happiness

WAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
29 days and counting.
Loving the questions so far, will be answering them over the weekend.
I am finding it interesting, how the questions are fitting your personalities...funny.
The Cleaning ladies are here....love every other Friday.
The Cricut Expression is coming to the store today!
Josh said " I love you, Mom"
The dogs aren't barking right now.
I created till 1 am .
I got my nails done again, and actually love it now.
29 days and counting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jessica Sprague is opening her photoshop class today at noon!
Kate is back home.
What is your happiness today?