Even more CHA...

It's amazing what a good night's sleep can do! LOL

More photos from yesterday...

Robin and I with Elsie Flannagan. I totally need that apron!

Here's Audra and I with Kellie P, My Digital Muse CT member. She is such a sweetie!

We went to dinner last at Carlucci's - yum! Afterward, we had drinks and dessert at Gibson's, out on patio. It was such a beautiful evening! Holly and Audra practiced taking photos of still objects using manual settings. So, I had to capture them, using my little point and shoot.

Holly's friends Kathy and Jen met up with us, and we ordered the biggest desserts I've ever seen! Check out this carrot cake...


and my coconut cream pie...


We figured there was about 50,000 calories in that carrot cake! LOL Good thing we didn't eat it all!

This morning we are meeting Holly in her hotel lobby so she can take some head shots of us. I can't wait to see how they turn out.

I will be going through withdrawal tomorrow, leaving my new friends and going back to "real life". I have learned so much about them, and about myself too. Hopefully all this inspiration will help me do something new and exciting! Who knows!

More CHA :-)

The fun continues! Today after a real breakfast, we hit the show again and did so many cool things!

Isn't this an adorable little mousepad?

I loved using this product. First you rub on the adhesive, then the glitter or foil. There is NO mess and it's easy enough for this digiscrapper to do! LOL

Over at Elsie Flannagan's booth we made this sweet little mini-album from playing cards. Elsie really couldn't be any cuter.

This is my favorite thing that I've made here. It's a Zoom Album, and I used the photos from our silly night last night and totally made this book about the evening. You buy the kit, which includes a printable sheet with directions on how to fold it, adhesive and a cover.

Okay, Audra wants to go to sleep now so I will have to continue this tomorrow. There is sooo much more to say!

CHA is rockin'!

I got to Chicago yesterday, after a two hour plane delay, and finally got to meet my friend Robin Cabana at the airport. I knew I would like her when I say that she had an iced coffee in her hand! LOL We had lunch at the hotel restaurant and headed over to check out the convention center. We had a chance to relax for a while in the room, and then were treated to a free reception, complete with free drinks! We met up with Terry Meruca and had a ball. :)

We took Jeanine Baechtold and Jen Reed to dinner, since they were kind enough to get us passes into the conference. It's so fun to meet all of my digi friends in person!

Back in the room we were able to connect to wireless and get our fix by checking email and surfing. Audra Little got into town around 12:30am, and then the three of us stayed up half the night laughing and being silly.

Here are a few pics from the conference:

First, just a sampling of the free stuff...


Check out these cute make and takes...



Throughout the day, we met Patti Knox, Dana Zarling, Ashley Smith, Amy Teets, Audrey Neal and lots of other people too.

We are off to the 2 Peas reception, and then to dinner. I'll post another update later!

Notfunatol

Rob has been out of town since Thursday. Gretchen's behavior has been deteriorating since that time. Yesterday, my MIL fell and broke her hip, and today she had a hip replacement surgery. After I had gotten the updates on that, Gretchen was being so ornrey that she picked up her plate and threw her lunch at me. It's as if we've gone right back to square one. So, this is what I've come up with tonight:

We have a name for this face - “evil cartoon character face”. But, there’s really nothing funny about it. Gretchen has been making this face since the age of 18 months, and it represents years of tantrums, screaming, anger and frustration., both for her and for us. This face reminds me of all the research I’ve done, the meetings with doctors and psychologists, the suggestion that she may be bipolar and the countless nights I have worried about what her future may hold. Mental illness still has such a stigma with it and it’s very difficult to find support and people who truly understand. I am truly grateful for the few people in our lives who have listened and offered me a break on days when things get really bad. Mom and Dad, Jim and Patrice, Jeanmarie, Angela, Debra, Melissa, Amy, Melinda, Audra and so many others have listened and been there when I needed it. So far, we think her behaviors might be associate with a sensitivty to cow’s milk, but it’s really just a starting point.. I will continue to rely on God for direction, and I pray that Rob and I can help her learn to manage the confusing feelings she must have inside. 7/14/07

Yes, I finally managed to capture that evil cartoon character face she makes when she's having a fit.

Time for a glass of wine...

Daddy needs to rest

Heidi: So Daddy, what did you do at work today?

Rob: Oh, I did a lot of things. I had so much to do.

Heidi: Aww Daddy, did that make you tired? It sounds like you need to rest. Come on Daddy, let's go downstairs and rest.

Is there really anything I can say to this? LOL I haven't had anyone offer for me to rest today. Instead, I attempted to fill up their little pool since it's 94 degrees here and feels hotter than h@#$. Thank the Lord we have AC! As I was pumping up the pool (which has a continuous leak in the top layer) the air compressor literally died. Sigh. So we made do we a half-filled up pool and a hose. It was great until they started climbing the slide...

I also set up their little princess tent in the backyard. Now they want to camp out tonight! Yikes! And Rob has to work again, so if I let them I'll be solo. This just won't end well, I know it. Last night it took me 2 hours to get them to go to sleep. It was back and forth between bedrooms.

Here is a layout from our trip last week to the Lake Erie coast. See full credits here.


Vermillion, Ohio is such a cute little town. There is a small, but pretty beach, a marina, lots of shops and restaurants and just has a lot of charm. We had lunch at an old fashioned soda fountain and man, was it good! There are also more trains there than I've ever seen...one about every 5 minutes.

Before I forget, be sure to check out my first altered project as a part of Traci Reed's CT! Visit the Hawt Mamas Team Blog to see it, and leave me some love if you would. :-)

Happy Birthday USA!

The 4th of July is my favorite holiday, and this year did not disappoint. To start the day we headed down to Harvard Circle to join in the annual celebration which is geared towards kids. Some friends of ours, who are normally out of town on the 4th, came along with us, and it worked out so well. They have a 4 year old girl and a 20 month old boy, and the girls all decorated their bikes to ride in the little bike parade around the circle. It was so cute! They also had their faces painted, got tattoos, ate popsicles and popcorn, visited with Mister the horse and had Cookie the clown make them little balloon animals.

After the festivities, we had a BBQ at our house. The kids played and we had way too much food (which is always a good thing!) and we had a blast. I found myself missing my pool. See, we used to have an inground pool, before the kids. Once I got pregnant, we had it filled in, because it literally took up our entire backyard. It was too much of a risk having little ones around.

When you are the one with the pool, it's always easy to get people to come over. LOL There was one especially fun 4th that involved swimming and smoke bombs. Too bad I don't have photos of that one!

I have a whole blog to do about the trip Rob and took, but that will be another day. I just spent the past two hours trying to get the girls to go to sleep, and looking for a well-loved sheep that was lost for an hour of that time. Sigh. It's time for a glass of wine...

Conversations with an almost five year old

Gretchen: When we're five, we are going to do whatever we want to do.

Me: Um, I don't think so! As long as you live in this house, you will follow our rules.

Gretchen: When I'm five, I'm not going to live here anymore.

Me: Oh really? Where are you going to live?

Gretchen: Me and Heidi and going to live in our own house!

Me: Okay, how are you going to pay the bills? You'll have to get a job you know. What kind of job do you want? A teacher? A firefighter?...

Gretchen: Oh! I will be a teacher!

Me: What are you going to teach?

Gretchen: I will teach little kids how to dance!

Me: Okay, good! That sounds like a great job. Now, how are you going to get there...will you drive a car, or take a bus, or walk?

Gretchen: I'll take the bus.

Me: How will you pay for that?

Gretchen: I will just get the money from Kroger (our grocery store). Do they give you money there?

Me: No sweetie, you have to have your own money to buy stuff from there.

Gretchen: Oh, well as soon as I'm done teaching the kids every day, I'll come right home. Heidi, what job are you going to do?

Heidi: I think I'll be a mouse catcher.

********************************

Sigh. Is this what I have to look forward to...my five year old trying to leave home every other day? LOL She is really something. Man, where did she get that strong will from?


I should be cleaning my house right now, but that little exchange was just too priceless. It had to be recorded! We are having some family and friends over for the 4th tomorrow. It's my favorite holiday, and I just relish every minute of it!

Happy Birthday USA!