Spotless Mind

Got Storage??

Okay please tell me I am not totally crazy!!  I think I have serious issues.  I spent the weekend cutting up stamps and putting them nicely in plastic page protectors.  After that I wasn't satisfied.  I needed to store my stamps that were in the protectors into something else.  I was a woman on a mission.  I found a basket I've had forever.  It held all the page protectors perfectly and looked so pretty on my shelf.  Ahhh, look how purty that looks! 

Of course I wasn't done there.  I needed something to store my new stamp endevour in.  I am now collecting Close To My Heart stamp sets.  I say collecting because I still have a bunch of SU stamps that are in their original containers and haven't been cut or mounted.  I love the new CTMH cause there  is no cutting involved!  You just slap those bad boys on an acrylic block and you are good to go!  This may just expedite my usage of them!!  I'm so excited! Anyhow, I found this cute napkin basket at Target that fits my stamp envies perfectly!!  The best part, they were only $5.99!!  Oh and they look very purty on my shelf!! 

So I went back to Target today to get another napkin basket for my CTMH stamps.  I found this on the clearance rack.  It was only $3 and I thought DANG, that is perfect for my larger spools of ribbon!!  I'm in love!!  It's a paper towel holder!!  Of course I just had to get one! 

Okay that's it.  I will not buy another storage container for the next week!!  Well, I will try not to anyway.  I will try very very very hard not to!!      

Jumpstart

Last night I had my first Close to my heart stamp party.  I invited a bunch of friends over to my house.  My upline introduced all the products and we made a card using this month's stamp of the month.  OMG!  May I just say that I am sooo in love with this stamp!!  It kicks butt!!  I am so in love with their acrylic line!!  I can already tell that I'm going to be in deep trouble *sigh*!  Hopefully I won't go down alone!  I'm taking someone with me!! 

Special Friends

I have a friend named Suzy who has mantle cell lymphoma.  It has relapsed again.  Since she is such a wonderful person and a huge part of many lives, a bunch of us planned a surprise for her. 

There is a group of girls that live in Washington and Oregon.  We get together as often as we can to gab, scrap, shop and have fun.  This weekend we planned yet another get together.  This time it was different though.  We had a friend from California and a friend from Florida fly out to join us.  Of course, Suzy would never know until it was too late! 

We surprised the heck out of her.  I must say all the planning and scheming was so worth the look on her face when she finally realized what we had done.  We had a great time with the girls this weekend.  We spent Saturday morning doing the tourist things.  We had brunch at the revolving restaraunt at the Space Needle.  At brunch we presented her with an album we had all worked on.  We had each done a layout letting her know how much she meant to us.  It was a very emotional thing for all of us to do but seeing how touched she was was priceless.

The memories from this weekend was so priceless.  I was so sad to see the few days fly by.  I could have hung out with them forever!  Seeing them all and being with them made me really appreciate the bond I have made with them and I am so grateful to have these special freinds in my life.   

22 Days

*sigh* My blog says I have 22 more days remaining on my free trial.  I guess I'd had better get typing huh? 

Happy Mother's Day

For most, today is a great day.  It is a day to spend with your mother and grandmother.  It is a day to spoil and pamper them.  Today is not such a happy day for me.  Each year, this day devoted to mothers everywhere, reminds me that I no longer have one.  My grandmother, who was one of my best friends, is also no longer here.  For me it's a sad day, one of regrets, anger and missed opportunity. 

However, as I busy myself with everyday monotony to pass the time, I received an email from a dear friend.  In her email was a beautiful poem that made me smile through the tears.  Thank you Dori, for making my day!   

Mom, I Miss You

Mom, I'm being selfish now
Because of how much I miss you--
But I wish you were still here with us
And that I could hug and kiss you!

I know that you're in Heaven now
Seated at Jesus' knee.
But sometimes I ache so awfully bad
For you to be here with me!

It was so hard to watch you leave
And, Mom, I must admit
There's grief and hurt inside of me
That I'm not over yet.

I cried so hard and wept so much
That I could not speak or see--
Until I felt His touch upon my head--
And heard " YOUR MOTHER IS WITH ME!"


Thena Smith
 

Pass the Tylenol please

Remind me again that I am not the young person I once was.  Last night I went out with a group of friends for drinks.  Well apparently I had too many and stayed out way too late.  As I pulled into my driveway at 3am I had an sense of deja vu.  But wait, that was years ago.  What am I doing coming home at 3am now?  As I woke up this morning, my head pounded.  Where is that dang bottle?  Ah, there it is...heaven in a bottle!!  I think to myself....gee I'm getting old. 

A is for Auschwitz

I was watching the news last night and they reported about a filmaker who had mad a documentary on a couple's experiences at Auschwitz.  Excerpts from the documentary gave me goosebumps.  The most amazing thing?  The filmmaker is only 18 years old and the couple he interviewed was his own grandparents.  His film has been endorsed by Amnesty International and selected by film festivals.  You need to see it: 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7747401/

Saying "HELL NO" is so liberating!!

Okay well I didn't quite say "HELL NO" but in my mind I thought it but out of my mouth came "no thank you".  I've been at my current job for over 4 years now.  I've always been one to come in early, stay late, work extra shifts, stay for a graveyard shift or two, work more than 50 hrs in a week, etc, etc.  Whenever asked as a "favor" by one of the managers, I've always obliged.  This has been going on for 4 years now.  I think I've become jaded.

Well last week was my first liberating experience.  The manager on call for the week had known for at least 5 days that his graveyard person was not going to be in.  Well I get a call the morning before and am asked if I will come in at 3am the next morning....and I'm talking not even 24 hrs later.  I said I'd think about it.  I had decided to say no right then and there but needed to let him sweat.  He had, afterall, waited until the last possible moment to find a replacement when he had known all week.  I had, after all, just worked 8 hours on top of my already long week of 48 hrs.  I call him back 2 hrs later and said, "no thank you".  Of course, I got the guilt trip.  I held my ground. "no thank you".  I got the well if I can't find anyone will you do it?  "no thank you"  He finally gave up.  God what a liberating feeling.  To finally not feel guilty for saying no; for not feeling guilty that some other poor shmuck would be coming in at 3am while I was snuggled in my bed; for not feeling guilty that I wasn't being a team player.....ahhhhh.  I could get used to this.  And thus, I've learned sometimes saying "HELL NO", (even if it's just in your mind), can be so liberating!!!

Treat Yourself Day

I've had quite a few of these days recently.  Am I being selfish?  On Monday I finally went to the hairdresser after 8 weeks.  Yep, I was looking pretty rooty.  I always feel better after having my hair re-highlighted and cut.  Now I have happy hair.  Don't ask my to style it though.  I can never get it to look like how she does it.  I'm convinced my hair hates me and only me.  I also bought myself flowers.  Funny eh?  I just felt like it and it's spring and I LOVE IRISES!!  They were gorgeous and cheered me up a lot!  Of course my cat decided it would be fun to eat the leaves.  I guess my point is that we all deserve little things to make ourselves happy.  RIGHT?  Maybe tomorrow, I'll stop at Starbucks.......

Holy TypePad Batman!

Okay so now I feel like a traitor.  I've jumped ship.  Here I am re-doing my "I'm never going to use that" BLOG!!  So now instead of going for a nice walk and get some exercise, here I am!!  *sigh* This side project will be the death of me! 

I did want to share this with you....spring is here!!