Boston in review

CKU Boston

Wow! Boston is an amazing city!! We had such a good time at CKU Masters and taking Nolen was a truly awesome experience! He had such a great time...learned SO much about our country's history. We walked and walked and walked. I really loved being able to give Nolen my undivided attention...no baby sisters to interrupt his thoughts or mess with his stuff. Just the two of us hanging out. And being there with Emily was a blast too. Luckily Nolen and Emily both remembered their PJs. It was a big concern of Nolen's that one of them might forget. Here are some fun pics from the trip.

Dinner at No Name was great! Nolen and I got boiled lobsters and worked a little for our dinner.

This is one of my favorite pictures from the trip.

One of the really cool things we got to do was visit the Body world exhibit at the Museum of Science. It was really incredible. After he got a look at a real smoker's lung compared to a non-smoker's lung, I really don't have to worry about a thing. It's all he could talk about for days.

The memories we made together last weekend were amazing. I'm so glad we went together. It was also neat for Nolen to see what I do when I go to CKUs and what it's all about it. I love how comfortable he feels in the crazy make and take setting and in the classroom. He's so easy going and really gets interested in what I do. He's a really cool kid.

CKU Home Study

I got great news this week. I'll definitely be doing some CKU Home Study classes. These are going to be so much fun! I love it b/c everyone can take it, no matter where you live! My classes are a little bit digital and a little bit traditional and a LOT of fun!! So be on the lookout for them soon. More details to come...

Labor Day Crop

We decided to have a crop at the Magic Scraps office on Monday - Labor Day. I can't wait to get caught up on some layouts and projects! The crop is just $5 which covers lunch. EVERYONE gets a goody bag, so come one and all...digi or traditional...it's open for all!! Just let me know you're coming! e-mail: ashley@polkadotpotato.com

Big week...bigger weekend

It's about 3 am and I'm desperately trying not to fall asleep. We leave for Boston in just 3 1/2 hours! Yippee! Never been to Boston so I'm really excited. It took me quite a while to get packed tonight...so no sleep for me! I'm too scared of falling asleep and not waking up in time so it's best for to suffer through and then crash on the plane. I don't really like sleeping on the plane b/c it never fails that I wake up with my mouth wide open...so embarrassing.

I'm really, really excited about this trip because my son is coming with me! I used miles to get him a ticket so he's taking a couple of days off school. I really wanted to take him somewhere special this summer - just the two of us - because he did really well on his 3rd grade testing and I wanted to reward him. Chicago came to mind but unfortunately the funds just weren't there. This is actually so much better b/c there's so much more history involved with Boston. Plus, I've never been there so it's fun for me, too!!

This week was fun but busy. On Monday, a bunch of us girls got together to celebrate my birthday and Kate's birthday which is Friday...Happy Birthday, Kate!! Emily, Pam, Jen, and Kandice treated us to a lovely evening! We went to Grand Lux which I adore b/c of the beignets. I could eat those things all day long!

Ben's sister came over last night to visit. She's very single and pretty much looking for a man...so we looked at match.com. Wow! What a bunch of losers! I got so sick of reading "I'm seeking a woman who values personal fitness as much as I do" C'mon...just say it...You want some skinny chic! You don't care if she's fit! Anyway, most of the guys wanted to make me vomit so we took that off our list of ways for Arides to meet a man. Now Ben is trying to drag her to the singles group at church. He's a sweet brother.

While I'm on a rant and rave...I have a comment about the whole layered look that's in. I really love it...very cute...long shirts help hide people's cracks...good things:) But...then again...is it just a plot to make us buy more clothes? So, one top isn't good enough...has to be two? three? I'm cheap. I don't like buying 2 shirts for one outfit. Makes no sense to me! Another thing...I was so happy to have the big shirt thing back. It's comforting to me. Takes me back to my teenage years in the 80's...minor problem...my hips are huge!!! 3 births later, a shirt pulled tight around my ass is just not a pretty thing! Oh well...Debby Schuh recently told me that once you've worn a style, if/when it comes back in, you're too old to wear it again. That's some sound advice...nay...fact. So no Cyndi Lauper and early Mondonna outfits are in my future...darn it all!

Thank goodness for Schwans!

Last night Ben and I worked late at the office...like 7:30. We've gotten in a terrible habit of driving through for dinner...Boston Market, Taco Cabana, Chili's to Go...ch-ching, ch-ching!! We couldn't bare to spend another $25 on dinner even though that $25 also bought a little bit of sanity with it...nevertheless, it had to stop. So we went home determined to scrounge together something that resembled dinner.

Ben remembered that it was our Schwan's delivery day but since it was now nearly 8 pm we thought we were out of luck...driver gone home. Ben paged him anyway, just in case... Well, he came flying by the house in his big yellow truck and terrified that he would keep going, I flew out of the house to chase him down! Of course, at that point he was just backing up to park in front of the house. Ben and the driver got a good laugh at my behavior, but who cares...we have a freezer full of food! It's not the cheapest thing in town but when compared to dough we've been shelling out for dinner, you can't beat it. It tastes good too! Love the veggies, meatballs, tortellini, pork chops, french bread, breaded mushrooms...just to name a few.

We have a babysitter booked tonight b/c it's my birthday and Ben and I are going to Saltgrass for dinner...yes, the big THREE-FOUR! How did that happen? I just graduated from high school the other day :)

I hope Ben stays awake during dinner tonight. We have been desperate for him to repair our office network so he went to bed a little early last night (if 10 pm is considered early) and woke up at 2:30 am to go back to work. Isn't that crazy!? He's wonderful...everything is working! Yay! More intro to digital scrapbooking classes tomorrow. I'm so excited!!

Just my non-stop crazy life...

Okay, where on earth does time go? We have about 15 functioning hours in an average day and I swear it feels like I only get to use about 1 of them....and yet I'm always doing something...at least I'm out of breath a lot...probably b/c I desperately need to get to the gym...but anyway...

Monday was back to school for Nolen. It's actually getting harder now than it was when he was in Kindergarten **FOURTH GRADE** I can't believe it! He was so excited he could barely stand it. As we got in the car, he asked "You do have your camera, right mom!?" What a great kid! I think I'm having such a hard time just because he is getting so big...and before I know it, he won't need me anymore! What if he has a crush on some cute girl this year? How am I going to deal with that?? This is the year when those "will you go with me" notes get passed around. I'm just not ready!! He's started being self conscious about random things...like his teeth. He's been using White Strips. And the first day of school he brushed once with whitening toothpaste and one with breath strips toothpaste. Who's he trying to have good breathe for?? He won't tell...

The relationships he forms now very well may alter his life forever. Example: the summer before 4th grade I met Tracy Adams, one of my closest and dearest friends to this day. Just before my senior year of high school, Tracy's boyfriend Jeff Jacobs introduced Ben and I to each other...and today we celebrate that meeting...we met August 16, 1989...married August 13, 1990 and the rest his history. Tracy and I just found out last week that Jeff passed away in March from a boating accident. It was sobering to see my 3 kids running around the house and know that if he hadn't made that one phone call to an old friend from junior high, Nolen, Ella & Gracie wouldn't be here. Heavy...

It was back to class for more than just kids this week! On Saturday, Polka Dot Potato had its very first intro to scrapbooking class taught by yours truly. It was exciting to see people learn and have fun! Here's a pic of the second class. I'm a TOTAL dork and forgot to snap a pic of the first one. You can see some more pics of the lounge here. Polka Dot Potato, Rehashed.

On Sunday, I got another bad case of baby fever when our friends Joel & Melody came with their son Grant and 3 week old baby, Kate. Isn't she beautiful?! There's nothing like the feeling of a house with a newborn in it. So comforting! While they were here, I snapped this cute picture of my girls sitting on the fireplace.

We switched internet hosts for the potato site which was loads of fun...we were down for about 2 days and still have some kinks to work out... But on the other hand, I've really been able to catch some odds and ends up at the office and feel like there is an end in sight to the chaos.

Over the summer, I worked on the logos for the spirit shirts for Nolen's school. I've prepared the art for the shirts over the last several years but this year's shirts really turned out cool! I actually didn't come up with the idea for the boys shirts...the cute PTA moms in the pic did that...but I am so pleased with how they turned out and I really can't believe I did the art! We decided to use the Dallas Mavericks logo as a guideline for ours...since we same oh so close to winning the championship...

We even had basketball shirts made for the boys. We sold over $2,000 worth of spirit items which is HUGE as we are not a wealthy school. Wahoo for the MST PTA!!

Ok, I have a confession to make and hopefully when Wendy reads this she'll laugh...I really, really thought that the 14th of August was a Tuesday. I knew that I had to speak to the Dallas Moms of Twins on the 14th...but when you don't realize until about 40 minutes before the event that in fact Monday is the 14th, there is cause for complete panic and pandemonium! Especially when the event is about 40 minutes away and you planned to spend that evening preparing the one hour talk the next day. I have no idea how it all came together...but miracles do happen because my computer didn't crash even once during the presentation! Thank you so much for having me, Wendy! I hope everyone enjoyed it! I had to laugh because in the middle of the realization of where I should be, Ben said, 'honey, can't you just call and tell them that you screwed up?' and I snapped back 'NO! I told Wendy I'd be there with bells on!'...yes, I actually wrote that in an e-mail so I was not about to disappoint! Really, it was probably so much better that I didn't prepare... I have a horrible habit of way over-preparing for events like this. It was a real blast I just love to see the wheels turning!!

Something Fun...

Well, I don't know what came over me tonight...but I confessed to my husband that I'd like to have another baby. What is wrong with me!? Not now...no...more like 3 years from now. And it all depends on getting this new business up and running. Let's put it this way...if God presents the opportunity again, I'll take it. There's just something about all these rug rats running around that I love! ...the giggles and goofiness...we'll see.

My computer has a power supply issue and it likes to overheat and shut down in the middle of saving important documents. I have this problem daily...my fault...I bought the generic power supply and you get what you pay for. Well, it happened just now and while I wanted to scream profanity from the top of my lungs, I refrained and picked up the American Baby magazine that just came in the mail. I'm glad I did because I got a good laugh out of this door hanger for a baby's room.

Cute site! Check it out here: www.mimiscollection.com

True Confessions

Ok, really, I don't have any...but isn't it a great title!? Pam & I are sitting here at my kitchen table...two empty bottles of wine...laughing about ridiculous things.

Have you read this? www.truewifeconfessions.blogspot.com ? You must read :) We've entertained ourselves for hours with the fun stuff here. Think Desperate Housewives x 10....must read to believe!

Looks like Pam will be crashing at my house tonight... I think she's going to sleep in Ella's room... like old times again:)

Little known fact...I'm a BeautiControl Consultant...this is my TRUE CONFESSION... I only buy for myself.... Anyway, off to do some facials :)

I'm on the radio!

So Fun!! This was my second time to be on the show and wow...what a difference a year makes! I was so much more nervous last year but this time it was fun...I really enjoyed it! You can listen here: http://www.worldtalkradio.com/archive.asp?aid=7544 Hee, hee... you can even dowload the MP3 :)

Well...my world has been non-stop...as usual! It seems I feel out of breathe most of the day...

I really had a great time in Atlanta! Just loved it! We had a little mix up with some of the kits for the class and I was just AMAZED at how Emily handled it...with such ease! She's so good at turning something bad into something so good! The rest of our week is surely to be consumed with come some serious kit packing...but it's all for good reason! I'm just so pleased with the understanding of all those CKU attendees. The Atlanta folks were really, really happy people...THANK YOU!! I was particularly sad that I didn't have more hang time with ScrappyGuy...I haven't forgotten about you!!

I have mountains of work to complete tonight...more than would fit in a single day...but Ben just got back from Starbucks so that should help me:)