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.

Happy Anniversary...

One year ago today I became part of a couple...quite unexpectedly and with wonderful results. I got together with my best friend from high school to talk about old times and ended up finding my future.

Happy Anniversary John. Thank you for making my life better every day. You are amazing and I am blessed that you love me.

Check out the newest addition to the family...

Isn't it cute?!?!!? Yes...there's a cute little smart car coming to live with John and I! We both played hooky on Friday and went to Warwick, RI (the closest dealership and it's an hour away) and test drove one. LOVE this little car and can't wait to get it. But wait we will. Our estimated delivery date is Oct. 2009! With any luck, someone will cancel their order when their car comes in and we'll get to take it home a bit sooner. The bad part is the color combo we love (b/w) is the least popular. Good for being unique, not good for getting it sooner.

(this makes 2 posts in 8 days! yeah for me!)

Some new pictures...

Here are some recent pictures instead of an actual typed update! LOL!


This is John's new toy. Hopefully it will NOT look like this next year. (Gotta love that paint job!) It does run and can actually be used now...I just don't want to be seen in public in it.


Anthony's new face! What a cutie...in desperate need of a haircut!


Birthday presents from John. Love hoops & yoyo!







Some faves from my birthday lunch in March...my favorite restaurant, my new favorite drink (Raspberry Lime Rickey - YUM!) and me and John.


Love, love, love this frame. I'm going to fill it with little "scrapbook" pages and hang it in the dining room when we redo it.


Finally...a clothesline! The dryer died and the weather was perfect to start drying things outside, so we grabbed this at Home Depot and John set it up in this table we're not using. Love how easy it is to hang things without having to keep bending down all the time. And I love how my clothes smell so fresh now. I've missed this and I'm so glad I'm doing the green thing now and drying outside!


My two favorite men...John and DJ (who is growing up way to fast for me!)


My beautiful Homegrown Spring Survival Kit. I had such a great time using this - and I still have a ton of it left! I'll be posting some of the LOs here...eventually.

That takes care of March and April...May and June to follow soon. :)

Ugh...

I've had this window open all day trying to think of some witty, charming update.

I got nothing! LOL!

I think I'll try this again tomorrow.

(p.s. GO CELTICS!)

It's been too long...

I've got lots of things to write about and stories to share. But for today, I just wanted to pop in and share this family's story: Audrey’s Story.

It puts all my little life irritations and disappointments into the right perspective.

I'll be back with happy things to share soon!