Greetings from Bellevue Washington!

I am in Washington, getting ready for CKC set up tomorrow. It seemed like a long drive, with how tired I am lately, but I got here! I ordered room service and got a yummy chicken caesar salad. It was wonderful. I talked to Mike and he said they have had a zillion trick-or-treaters. Poor dogs, they must be going nuts! I know it is so hard for Kassie when I am gone... and this is the first time I have been gone since she has been blind. =-( Off to bed, although it is not 8 o'clock yet! Nite nite.

Just life...

It is Monday night. I am due to leave on Wednesday for Seattle CKC. I am so excited, and want to go. Yet, I know I am not at 100%. Heck, I am not sure I am at 75%. But, I have talked to Terry and she is going to be a workhorse on Thursday. Thank God for her. I have drawn up way more than usual. Usually the layout is in my head, but not on paper. Now it is all on paper so if I need to just sit for a few, I can do that.

I went to Portland Fixtures today to pick up some more hooks. I knew I needed them after my last expo. Before I go I still have to go to Batteries Plus and see if they can hook me up with a 2nd battery for my credit card machine. Oh, and I need to turn ON my credit card machine too. Many things to remember to do, but I feel pretty good about being sort of ready to go. I rented a UHaul this time, instead of a van. I thought it would be easier to drive my own Pacifica, with cruise control! LOL

I got my box from CTMH today of goodies from the album retreat. I am not going to really have the time to go through it before CKC. But, that is OK, I know I will enjoy it Sunday
night or Monday! LOL There are a couple of new sets and papers in there that won't be availabe until January. SO, that is pretty cool. I sure do wish I could have gone.... but, I digress.

Maybe I need cherry pie? Doesn't that sound yummy. I wonder if I will be near a Marie Callendar's in Seattle? I am so going for pie if I am! LOL Hot cherry pie with vanilla ice cream... yummy...

Mike is making plans to go to New Orleans in March. He has a conference that he wants to go to, and it is there! LOL So, trying to figure out all the specifics. Sounds fun. Nite nite.

Who can help? LOL

I need to get a banner for my blog. I have no clue how to do that! Anyone got any EASY tips?

Thankful for....

I thought today would be a good time to think about a few things I am thankful for.... some are a little goofy, but they are all true! LOL

1. My family. They offer me the ability to have EVERY emotion known...sometimes within a few moments.
2. My pets. They are always expensive, but they sure do offer a lot of love as they follow me everywhere all day long. Kassie gets carried more than she used to, but if I don't pick her up she follows anyway, it is pretty darn cute.
3. The grocery game. Saving some money and I have way more food in the house than I ever did before.
4. Mike deciding to learn to cook. And, he is getting GOOD. I keep food in the house, he cooks it! Yahoo.
5. Our home in Hillsboro. It is way smaller than our beach house, but there is something cozy that I just love about it. I always feel warm and comfy here. It is just a great house in a central location.
6. Health care. I love knowing what is going on, rather than worrying and wondering.
7. Close To My Heart. Something I thought would just be a hobby, but has become so much more... friends, family, love...
8. Computers. I love being in the know, it is neat to just Google things!
9. The son of dad's college roommate: Steve. He is really a WWII buff and has shared SOOOO much about my dad and what he went through as a fighter pilot during the war. These are things I want to know, but am often too busy raising a family to research myself.
10. Blogs.... to see that I am not alone out there, others deal with many of the same issues!

Just a few things I really am thankful for.....

Oh brother...

At about 5pm I told the boys that their dad is going to outdoor school to eat with the 6th graders. I would either make breakfast, or pick up burgers or pizza for the three of us. One didn't want pizza, the other didn't want burgers. So, I explained that I was hungry and was not even going to make breakfast, but just have cereal. They both wanted to watch "Reaper" from last night so said OK. I went and got a bowl of shredded wheat. Now, about 40 minutes later, they are BOTH mad at me and each other! OY. They are old enough to make their own dinner... and HELLO I have been sick. It just irritates me that they don't ever want my first idea... which was omlettes and pancakes.... It isn't worth making it if they just whine. What is up anyway? Grrrrr.

I don't think I am really mad at them. I just don't feel great, and I don't want to deal with dinner issues. So, Alec stomped around for awhile and now is back sitting on the couch watching the show. I can't wait (NOT) until it is over to see what happens... maybe I will just sit here on the couch and type more... LOL

adding insult to injury.....

R U wondering why I am still not blogging? Well, to add to my issues, now I have shingles too. OMG does it ever end? Thank GOD I did not try to go to Utah and get this there. I feel worse and now I hurt too. I am not supposed to get shingles until I am over 50... and last I counted I was only 42! Yikes. But, it does come with a weakened immune system, which I certainly do have right now. It is very very bad on the left side of my back, and appears to now be on the front left of me too--although it is only supposed to be on one or the other. Mike says I am TAG (talented and gifted). Reminds me of that old far side cartoon. Anyway, I am supposed to be in Seattle in a week and a half for the Creating Keepsakes Convention..... I don't know what I will do if I am still sick, trying to not think about it now.

Turning point in my life?

I think maybe I just hit a turning point. I have had this stupid sickness for weeks now. The doctor today doesn't feel it is wisdom for me to travel. So, I lost the album retreat. =-( I feel really sad about that. But, maybe this is a turning point. I am feeling like it is time for me to revisit what is important, again. I think the past year has been mostly about Mike's new job and Alec's Asperger's diagnosis. I need to take back myself. How? I am not sure I know how to do that right now. But, I can feel that it is time. It is time for me to decide, again, what it is that I want & how to get it.

So, first in line is getting HEALTHY. I can do this. I need to start exercising again. Too bad I don't have Kim to kick my butt out at the beach. But, I do have a gym in the neighborhood... and I do have dogs that like to walk. Although Kassie is not as easy to walk anymore! I need to remember about planning time for myself. I need to go to the doctor when I get sick. I can do this. I really need to run my life like I run my business. What is the output I want? Once I decide what the outcome is I want... I can easily back that off to see the steps I need to do to make them happen. And, I already do some of those things, I just think I have forgotten my why.

So, this is me deciding to NOT be angry and disappointed and unhappy and mad and upset.... this is me living in the moment. I am going to let it go and look forward to the album retreat in 2008. I am going to move forward. I am woman, hear me roar!

Life & Stuff

Well, the good news of the week is that Susan's mother came through surgery with no problems. This is HUGE as she is only the 2nd person to have this surgery. Wow. Also, I just got news that Penny came through her back surgery. SO, I believe it has been a great week. Wahoo.

I am feeling better, not great, but better. I did spend a bunch of the day yesterday with Casey at the doctor. Seems he has something too. He gets to take these really cool looking hot pink pills! LOL

I am still planning on going to the Album Retreat in Utah next week. Hopefully I get a GO from my doctor on Monday. I am pretty tired, but that is OK, I will sleep when I have to.... nothing is perfect.

I am really struggling to blog lately. I have never been much of a writer, and this is no different than ever before. But, I will continue to work on it. For now I need to shower and get ready for my inlaws to be here tonight. Hopefully that won't take too much energy.

Sicky Sicky Sicky

Well, I went to the doc today to check on my cholesterol meds. I have been taking them for a month now. My cholosterol was at 178 when I 'gave blood' last! So, I have been feeling kinda crappy for awhile now. Turns out I have sinusitis, bronchitis, and pnemonia. Can you imagine? OMG no wonder I have been feeling icky. I have a bunch of new medications, yea. I have the album retreat next week, so I need to feel better. And, hopefully I will. I will write more tomorrow....

Happy Birthday Trina

Happy Birthday to my best friend from high school and maid of honor, Trina Dawn. Hard to believe you are 43 today! Wow, thankfully I have never caught up (6 months exactly behind). Our lives have gone in such different directions. But, I think overall we are both happy. That is the most I could hope for with either of us. Happy Birthday my dear friend.

Aspergers UGH

I am not sure that it is possible to understand this disorder. It is so frustrating to me! The bottom line is that Alec is not able to effectively communicate with his peers. It makes me CRAZY. He is always frustrated about something, and the glass is only ever half full. He is a wonderful loving child full of a good spirit and love of all things living.... Yet, he has such trouble with people. He has learned, mostlly from us, to let things go and tease back. But other adults see this as good hearted banter, and he finds it stressful and upsetting. If only I knew exactly WHAT to do with him.

Yet, I know the answer... remember we love him, all of him. His strengths (of which there are many) and his weaknesses. And pray that God has an awesome life planned for him, one which only he and God can imagine.

Saxaphone HELP!

Casey is playng the saxaphone, as we speak. This is the first night he is practicing. Tell me, does it get easier?

Crazy People

Often times Casey and I watch the Dr Phil show after school. Today is no exception. We LOVE it. We talk about watching the crazy people. It is so fun. It makes you realize that your life isn't so bad at all! LOL Gotta love watching the crazy people, I do love Dr Phil!

R U Kidding me?

OMG schools are looking at banning hugs? Can you say stoooopid. I watch the Today Show almost every morning. Watch may be over saying it.. but I do have it on the TV. I can not imagine that they are banning hugging. One school said it makes kids late to class? Um, ok, then punish them for being late. There are so many things I don't understand about our society. I am good with the no homemade snacks at school (I have seen some gross kitchens). But no hugging is really over the edge. Just my two cents.