What a ride!

{A nice peaceful sunset at home!}

What an incredibly busy weekend!

There was a little piece of me that thought I might be able to post last night, or maybe even sneak on Carol's computer and do a shout out to my peeps, but it was not to be because wow how busy were we.

Saturday we got up early-ish, thank you Lana for setting my cell phone alarm clock, and then leaving it in the bathroom, because otherwise we probably would have been rushing around.

Packed the car for a weekend in KC. First stop of course was Archivers, waiting for my bride to show up for our meeting. I did well at A's only spending around $14. I think Gene secretly wanted it to be more so he could justify more scratch off tickets, but alas, it was not meant to be. LOL. (that and I'd bought scrapbook stuff 2 days before that so I really didn't NEED anything!)

The bride was awesome sweet and brought her MOH (maid of honor) with her. We talked for about an hour about weddings, and her plans, she reminds me of myself. I'll be doing her wedding this summer or fall (she has to pick a date ASAP). Her MOH said "We'd already decided if you were shy we weren't going to hire you." haha.. Dude. *try* to shut me up.

We weren't planning on it, but I ended up stopping in a clothing store and bought some new clothes. Gene "shopped" and kept bringing me things that he liked making me put them on. LOL. I finally had to say STOP!!! The clerks *loved* us.

After all that, I still need a new pair of jeans. Jeans are tricky, the have to be just right. So I walk in and buy stuff I don't desperately need. Although, all these things I can shoot in if i need to.

We went to Gene's mom and dad's house, visited with Becky and David, back from PA, had dinner and celebrated Ester's first birthday! (more pics in the next post).

Sat night we spent the night at Steve and Laura's house (Gene's other brother and sister in law). We slept on an air mattress and I will just say, air mattresses make you appreciate your own bed. I've also decided that I think gene and I need seperate bedrooms - I sleep so well by myself. I doubt he's going to go for that. LOL.

Sunday we all went to hell. I mean... Sears, to have our family portrait taken.

Long story short, the girl that was trying to photograph us had to be mildly mentally handicapped, OR, so incredibly shy that speaking to anyone was painful. I think it was both.

She had no idea what she was doing, she was all alone when there was supposed to be 2 ppl, (someone quit and the manager was on the way). Finally, after waiting 20 min, now the kids are pissy and so are the adults. She has no idea how to pose 11 ppl, I step in and *try* to help and they still look like crap because I can't see through the lense.

Finally the manager shows up, Gene has a few firm words with her and 45 min after we were supposed to, we get the pics taken. *no one was happy*

I'm hoping they all turn out better than they looked on the preview screen. Above all else, it was really nice that we all *tried*.

Now ppl. Sears is the devil.

We have photographic proof.

Nuff said.

Gene and I had dinner at Carrabba's - calamari is one of our favorites and their awesome 4 cheese pizza, which I can't spell but it was in italian. Gene knew. He surprises me sometimes.

One last thing we did, which was actually earlier at Steve and Laura's. I left Stephanie the dollhouse I made about 15 years ago.

I spent about every weekend working on this house, and once I spent an entire week off from work and worked on it about 12 hours every day. I spent a lot of time and love on it. When Tanner got big enough to walk, he started tearing it up, so it had to be put up and away and it never really got displayed again after that. When I moved, I put it in storage and I decided that if Gene and I were really going to go places in our lives, we must rid ourselves of some things.

Since I didn't want to just donate it to charity or put it in some garage sale, I gave it to Stephanie, because of all the girls i know, I am sure she's the one that will take the best care of it.

I hope Stephanie will grow up loving the house. When I was her age I always wanted a dollhouse, and so that's probably why I became attracted to miniatures as an adult.

She played with it for about 2 hours without saying a single word, so it will keep her occupied I'm sure.

Something I've realized over the years, to help reduce clutter in my life, that if there's something that has a sentimental value to it, I take a photo to keep. A photo takes up very little space as opposed as to a really large thing bigger than a small child.

Many times that will suffice and keep me happy, not worrying anymore that the thing is gone forever.