More Project 365 pictures and a new addiction to share...

Another exciting post for all my fans! LOL! I think I really want to keep the pictures here, as well as in my album. I like the idea of being able to see the year this way too...

January 16 - This morning on my way to work riding down Route 12. And yes - that is a -7 showing for the temperature!

January 15 - We're being good and making the bed every day...one day my bedroom will look all put together. But for now it just looks warm and cozy!

January 14 - The new Vera Bradley Spring lines (such fun bright colors!) and a magazine cover that I find super inspiring. I LOVE that bouquet and the colors.

January 13 - The Project 365 kit arrived! Just as good as I expected and packed with all kinds of things to play with! I'll be posting my pages soon I hope!

Is anyone else addicted to the new show "Leverage"? I love it! Another great addition to TNT. I think I only watch them and USA now. The best shows are there. Especially for someone like me who really, really doesn't like reality TV.

Off to count the minutes away until I can go home and start the weekend. :)

I have to wonder why...

I got an interesting call from John yesterday when he got home. He said that the cable was working all wonky and that the phone was dead. Then he called back and said that the wires outside the house had been cut and that the wire was all nicely coiled up and near the pole across the street! What??? Yes...the bill was paid (I should own that company by now!) and No...I hadn't asked them to cancel service. So he called the police, had a nice visit with the local officer and then (because I begged him) he made the dreaded call to the cable company. And they confirmed everything (bill paid, service still in place) and set up an appointment for Thursday to come fix it. We think we know who did it (think bratty teenager), but really can't prove it. It's just annoying and stupid. And childish. And wrong. Somedays I just wonder what people are thinking when they do things like this. ARGGGGHHH. But it will all be fixed tomorrow and until then, the DVR is working perfectly and we can catch up on things.

On a happier note, my Project 365 kit came yesterday and it's just wonderful! Love the contents and I'm really looking forward to the long weekend and getting it started and organized.

May your cable stay attached to your house! ;)

Project 365...so far

Here are the pictures for 2009 so far (boring, but a slice of my life...):

January 1 - just a beautiful winter day. I love the shadows from the trees in my back yard.

January 2 - Practicing my word for 2oo9 - Simplify. I'm packing up old/unused scrapbooking supplies to be donated to the Boys and Girls Club.

January 3 - The lovely receipt for getting the dryer repaired...finally! I'd forgotten the absolute luxury of NOT going to the laundromat to dry my clothes.

January 4 - One of my favorite scrapbook/craft stores - Absolutely Everything! I volunteered here to help do inventory...and make a little spending money. See my post about the lovely, EXPENSIVE day I had! LOL!

January 5 - A fun order of new papers and ornaments to make for next year from my new favorite store! Look at that packaging! Check them out: http://www.emmaspaperie.com

January 6 - I've gotta get all that stuff out that WAY too big pocketbook and into the normal one I should be carrying!

January 7 - John hit the Paycheck Lottery (long story and not about a real lottery) and to celebrate he made this lovely dinner with stuffed pork chops...YUM!

January 8 - My monthly dose of happy and inspiration...my Studio Calico kit! Always fabulous and always fun! Check it out at http://www.studiocalico.com

January 9 - The ugliest building in America - Boston City Hall. Not so too bad with the pretty lights. It's across the street from where I work.

January 10 - Working on a calendar class for my local scrapbook store (Sturbridge Scrapping Corner - http://www.sturbridge-scrap.com/) while I'm at a crop in Southbridge. It came out cute...photo to come later. :)

January 11 - Critter tracks in the fresh snow this morning. Very creative little one - it traversed the yard going under the vehicles...and then back to the woods again.

January 12 - I love Fanueuil Hall. It's such a beautiful building. This is just next door to the office. It's been the site of lots of political doings and I've seen some interesting people there.

I had a fun time scrapbooking with friends at a hotel this weekend. Low key and productive with lots of laughs...perfect! I finished a couple projects which I'll share soon.

Ok...back to work for me. ;)

Looking for some reviews...

Does anyone have this printer? It's the HP Photosmart A826 Home Photo Center. I have an HP portable printer now, but it's life expectancy is almost up and I want to start researching it's replacement ahead of time. I'd love feedback on this (or any other portable printer you love).

Last night's commute was a BREEZE! I got home earlier than normal! It seems that everyone stayed home and only the people who love winter like me (and aren't afraid to drive in it) came to work. :)

I'm going to see if I can upload some of my pictures for Project 365 today. I was one of the lucky ones who actually got this:

It should arrive at my house this week. I love this kit and I can't wait to dig into all the little goodies! I did my own Project 365 last year and never finished the book I started for it (heck...I still have MONTHS of pictures to print!). One day soon I'm going to have to take a whole day and upload my photos to http://scrapbookpictures.com and place a huge order. At least then all the 2008 pictures will be handy to work on when I have a few minutes.

Is anyone else doing Project 365? I'd love to hear how you're documenting it!

I really love winter...

Really. Truly. I love snow and the cold and the quiet that happens this time of year. The only thing I don't love is the commute home and the short days. We've had plenty of snow here this winter so far, but today was our first "wintery mix". Not as much fun or as pretty as snow. And it tends to make my usual 1 hour commute something horrific. So please keep your fingers crossed that I'm home at some reasonable hour tonight.

And if you need a smile today, this article had me giggling at my desk:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/01/hungry_seal_hit.html

Very resourceful little critter! And too, too cute!

Fun...and expensive...day!

Lovely day doing inventory at Absolutely Everything.  Lots of ladies and laughs.  And LOTS of counting!  I was partnered with a nice woman from Colorado Springs!  I thought I had a long commute today!  LOL!  But the day went quickly, lunch was delicious and I came home with a new toy.  Which is giving me massive shopper's remorse.  Despite John's assurances that I deserve it and that I was going to buy it for myself anyway in a couple months as my birthday present.  I was able to get a good discount on it and I know that I won't be able to get it for that price again.  And still...

Without further ado, I present to you:

So there it is.  The Slice.  Oh...and the FaLaLa Design card too...

I definitely spent more than I made, but at least I made a dent in it. :)

Goals and a working dryer!

I know...odd title line! LOL!  But today I got my dryer fixed.  It's been broken since April and while it was easy to be green and line dry the laundry all spring and summer, it's been weekly trips to the laundromat to dry since October.  I've been doing the happy dance all afternoon listening to the beautiful sound of that dryer doing it's thing!  And it only cost me half of what I thought it was going to!  Life can be good indeed.   :)

Now for the planned post...goals for 2009.  John and I wrote these down on Thursday night (without seeing what the other was writing) and we're putting them on the refrigerator as reminders to help us stay on track.

Me:

1.  Re-do the bedrooms (new wallpaper and accessories)

2.  Develop good housekeeping habits and find a schedule that works

3.  Try 20 new recipes

4.  Clean/organize front porch and shed

5.  Work on yard - plant berries, plan/plant front bed and fix front path

John:

1.  Be better with keeping the house clean 

2.  Organize and clean shed

3.  Improve gardens and yard

4.  Work on pickup truck 

5.  Do things to keep the romance alive

LOVE his #5!  I'm a lucky girl!

Tomorrow I'm off to help do inventory at Absolutely Everything in Topsfield, Mass.  This is one of my favorite scrapbook/stamp stores and I was thrilled to have an excuse to take a road trip out there (it's over an hour away) AND get paid for fondling papers (which I do for free every other visit! LOL!).  

Off to watch Peyton Manning do his thing and cuddle with the man on the couch.  

A new year...

Happy New Year!  

I've neglected this blog for so long.  But the new year brings a chance to begin again.  And so that's part of my plan.  

Tonight it's just a quick post to get me started.  Tomorrow will be a longer post with a quick 2008 review and sharing my goals, hopes and dreams for 2009.

So, to kick this year off, I'm posting my word for 2009:

Simplify

I've already started on it and it feels good.  I am grateful to http://aliedwards.typepad.com for this challenge.  This is the second year doing this for me and I like it.  I found that it becomes some kind of mantra for me and helps me get to where I want to be.  I've been repeating this word to myself for some time now and I think I'm ready to embrace "less is more" as a lifestyle.  

More to follow.  Promise.