There. I posted already.

Hello again. I'm posting finally so TN will stop checking my blog 14 times a day. I know I am awesome and interesting, but really... get out more.

Saturday, I got up early, which in itself is sad because that's supposed to be lie-in day, packed myself up - just me - and head off for KS for Laura's baby shower. I did not get lost one single time. Go me. I now can drive to Mary's house without directions because once I get it right without mistakes, I'll remember how to get there forever.

We had a lovely brunch, and Laura opened some really nice gifts. Stephanie helped, and entertained herself with bows.

After the shower, I headed back for North KC and made the huge tactical error to try to cut from 435 across Barry, but oops, there was a bridge out. I prayed the van ahead of me was trying to get back on Barry too. They were. Blind faith got me there with about 5 min to spare but the parking lot was PACKED FULL. No kidding, I've never seen the Boardwalk like this before *ever*.

I met with my 2 brides, and both meetings went well. Both brides were really sweet and sounds like they're going to have lovely weddings.

Of course, what is a trip to the boardwalk, without stopping at Archivers? Seriously. I dropped cash there. Probably not a lot compared to some sb'ers, but a lot for me. I had coupons. I haven't been for a while. I had catching up to do. Nuff said.

Gene and Tanner stayed home and cleaned up the mess left from the guy that put up the foundation. We're going to have to rent a truck in the spring to go to the landfill, but in the meantime, it's no longer in my driveway. Much better!!

I've been decorating. Have Christmas at your house, that will get things cleaned, put away and/or decorated. I'm actually very glad because the only thing I had on my walls for almost a year was a deer head, and that's so not my style (the deer head and no decor).

I got my 3 prints hung. I couldn't bear to crop Jiggly-puff out of the pic :)
I like it, but it's pretty dark. I might end up painting the inner part of the frame cream colored.

All three pics were taken here at "the ranch".

The christmas decor is in full force and I'm STILL NOT DONE! Tanner and I put a huge dent in the dining room on Sunday afternoon/eve. The buffet that I have in my dining room, will eventually be my master bath double sink, but in the meantime, it's just in my dining room looking like it belongs there, unless you open a drawer, and you see that it's really a great big tool chest.

My tea set, center stage

I love this big star. I bought it at Gordmans (the only time I've been to one, which is Amber's fav store and she shops there all the time. grr lol). The black background it's hanging on, is actually a table top. I bought it at a garage sale, and it will eventually be used when we build our entertainment center. Until then, it's "art".

I actually was going to give away this snowman set, but decided that I needed a little something to go with my big huge vases of flowers.

This wire tree about made it to the donation bin too. I've had it for years, it was originally where I held my shiny bright collection before I very much outgrew it. But, it got a reprieve and holds all solid shiny brights, and turned out kinda pretty. That makes the 5th christmas tree. What's wrong with me?

Don't answer that.

My favorite stuff to decorate with is of course my old ornaments. I swear I was born at the wrong time, because I love the old christmas decor (and halloween and easter too). I'm slowly getting rid of the "new" stuff and replacing it with old stuff. The little chair was actually Torrie's when she was little, she didn't want it so it became mine, it found a perfect spot under the light tree to hold annie and my stocking from when I was a little girl.

I have part of an old red/white quilt that I just wrap around the base and I put my empty shiny brite boxes there, and this year I added my "new" roller skates like they're a new christmas present (back in 1954 maybe).

So today, I'm enjoying the snow from the window, trying to finish up my christmas wrapping and nearly there. I have a few things to make or assemble. I'm going to try to get that bathroom cabinet hung so I can get it out of the middle of the floor. I have a dollhouse that needs some love - well, honestly I have 2 that need some love. Gotta catch up on some emails and the good old stand by - pay bills.

All this from my jammies. I think I'm going to avoid walmart, although I keep forgetting to buy adhesive so I can finish my christmas cards - all 3 of them. :p

here kitty kitty.

more animals

Mucho Grande Busy

Well, yesterday was mucho busy.

I started out by writing a couple emails, hanging some pics (which still aren't done because I'm not happy with them yet) and then getting gussied up to head to town where I went to my first weight watchers in like 3 weeks.

We missed a week because of Thanksgiving and then I decided to skip last week. I just didn't want to face the piper. But this week I did well, and have resolved to do better. I'm no where near my goal for the year, BUT I am lighter than I started out last year, so if I just continue downward, that's all I care about. WW is starting a new program that's a combination of flex and core plans, and I'm using that as an opportunity to get re-inspired with the program. I'd like to lose 5# during December - which will be hard but not impossible. I'd like to finish up '08 on a positive note.

I then went and ran some errands, avoiding Walmart and going to HyVee instead, which I got irritated as hell because I couldn't find the magical door to Narnia where they keep the raisins. I flat out told a girl {after looking for 10 min} that I was 10 seconds from sitting down my stuff and leaving. All the sudden there were 3 ppl there to help me. Where were you when I was walking aimlessly through the aisles?? Grrr. Helpful smile in every aisle my ass.

So they actually ended up being between bakery and produce facing bakery items, which makes absolutely no sense to me, but to be fair, I have a hell of a time finding them in Walmart too. So my irritation is even on all levels with raisin shopping in Maryville.

When is that Walgreens coming again? And I bet they don't sell raisins. sigh.

So then after the raisin incident of '08, I went home, got ready to go to Iowa to take pics of mom with her dogs for her Christmas cards. Which for the record, Christmas is two weeks from now! :p It didn't help she left her phone at home in her coat pocket and I kept calling. I finally had to call Amber and figure out where the hell she was. LOL.

So do you know how hard it is to wrangle 4 dogs? Not quite as hard as you might think. Treats helped. I set up a tripod in anticipation that I was going to have to combine images to get one good one, after all, who wants a picture of a dog butt or a 1/2 bark? seriously. That meant, one spot, one location, and I thought that might help keep everyone kinda calm. Which worked!

Here's a couple of my favs so far. Before and afters.

I spent a little time chatting with mom, and then had to haul ass home because Tanner had his Christmas program. He's a trumpet player just like his Step dad was :) As usual, I'm up in the nose bleed section, and I swear no matter WHERE I sit, I'm going to be blocked, so I had to move so the conductor wouldn't be in the way.

Here's a pic of him actually playing. Do you realize, that he's been playing for 2.5 years and I have NEVER heard him play in person? Only at concerts. he refuses to practice at home.

Hmmpft.

We made it home around 7:30 and had a free for all supper. I'm making up for that today. Homemade potato soup. mmm.

Today, I have to get those pics hung, which I'm giving up and getting those 3m hangers because every time I nail, I cringe. I'd rather pay the $$ and be nail free. I also need to kick that dining room some more. It has been a catch all of tools and such ever since *the wedding*. Having a holiday here is a good excuse to organize and clean.

I'd also like to finish wrapping gifts, I'm almost there.

Tomorrow is Laura's baby shower, and then after that I have consultations with 2 brides in North KC. I'm excited!

Busy bees! I must flutter about.

More laters!

el Diablo is BACK

who is el Diablo? Well, that would be this little demon:

you see, when Gene and I started working in KC, we tended to want to get to work, and home, as quickly and efficiently as possible. Now sometimes that meant we got flipped off in the process (and sometimes we were the flipees).

As the time passed, we started making up stories about how the Highway patrol was probably looking out for us, and then they were looking out for that little red el Diablo... setting up stings trying to catch us.

Seriously, we had a lot of time on our hands.

So anyway, poor little Leon the Neon (his other name) has been kinda gimpy lately. He shook like an SOB around 70 mph and it felt like it was going to fly apart around 80 mph. Gene thought maybe it was alignment problem, but I remembered my old Dodge Caravan that we ran into the ground, and how once it did the exact same thing, when we got around to affording a new set of tires, the problem was solved.

So we've had money set aside for like 4 months for tires, but I, being the $$ hoarder, have been putting it off as long as possible, after all I don't drive to KC every day now.

With the threat of crappy weather, which in reality, ended up being nothing but a threat, Gene has been persistent the tires get changed. There was a sale, there was much waiting in a store with no waiting area. Boredom set in deeply, and I came out alive - with 4 new tires. woohoo

So plans change. Things are fluid. I'm in town, I have new tires, I need to see if I can get to warp 9 without flying into bits. I decided to hit St. Joe. I needed some frames for those 3 - 16 x 20's that I bought a couple weeks ago and Walmart had crap. I should have bought them Sunday, but I didn't. Cest la vie.

It was "like buttah". Smooth as glass.

Which is a problem because I'd look down and be gliding along at 80mph. Oops. LOL.

***Bulletin***Bulletin***Bulletin***Bulletin***

el Diablo is back and has been spotted north of St. Joseph, Missouri, traveling in the northbound lane doing approximately 145 mph, zig zagging and flipping ppl off.

Use force if necessary.

Super. Powerful.

Christmas preparations are coming along nicely... and slowly... nice and slowly. LOL. I've resigne to the fact that I will just add a couple things a day. Which is perfectly fine with me, and ever changing for Tanner and Gene.

This fall, Amber, Mom and I went to a craft show in Clarinda. Now, you all know I like creepy cat/pumpkin faces for halloween, but when I found this creepy snowman pillow, I so had to have it!

I almost have all my Christmas shopping not only done, but almost everything wrapped too. Last year, I bought a bunch of nice hard boxes with christmas print at 90% off after xmas. Normally $3 for $.30. sweet. Makes it easier to wrap, plus less trash in the landfills.

And just to keep it fun to unwrap, I used some pretty twill tape that I have left from when I was doing more scrapbook stuff to tie everything up. Some leftover shipping tags and voila!

Speaking of December. Sounds like one heck of a storm is coming this direction. Actually, I think it's supposed to hit KC worse than us, and I'm ok with that. Part of me wanted to keep Tanner home, because I kinda expected a 1/2 day anyway (1 p.m. and it's not started yet). I figured we could clean, decorate and play christmas music all day.

Instead, I edited some pics that I was not enjoying for some reason. Probably because I needed to overexpose part of the session so it meant a lot of extra work to fix it.

And totally not related to the topic, but we've determined that Gene has a super power. We call him "Geneferno". Ya see, he seems to run a low grade fever *all the time* (that's probably what helps keep his metabolism up and built like a 22yo... bastard).

His power:

• He can melt butter with his bare hands.
• He can heat up the bed 10% faster than a NORMAL human being.
• He can work outdoors.. without gloves.

Geneferno!

So of course, I needed to be his sidekick... so I said "HEY! You know what my super power is????" His answer: "Sarcasm". LOL. Which is so funny because he beat me to it. He seems to think that my super powers work only on him. It's kinda true.

Geneferno and Sarcasm girl.

Here to warm you up, and then

take.you.DOWN.