July 31, 2007
Be Careful What You Wish For
So SOMEONE was whining because he took the care and time and attention to mail me a CD of photos and then I hadn't scrapbooked any of the pictures that he was in.
How's this?
Anyone else? Actually, as the journaling says, in our family, being called weird is a complement. The weirder you are, the more we like you. The little card is one I picked up at a shop here in town that is actually named that.
The colors were just too perfect to pass up, not to mention the title fit how Scott and I feel about Wes.
He's off now I believe on a cross country bike trip to start a film job that will last most of the month. Wishing him well on this next adventure!
July 30, 2007
July Time Capsule
An Idea from either CK or SS, which Lisa and I have decided to implement:
1) A gift you gave: 8 boxes of goodies out to TallyScrapper friends
2) Something you apologized for: Hurting Julie M's feelings
3) The last person you thanked: Joyce and Jeff for inviting us over to their new house
4) The last movie you watched: Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix
5) The best food you ate this month: Both dinners at Julie and Park's
6) The last place you ate out: Big Bowl with Vivian's clan
7) Something that made you cry: JK Rowling talking about Harry Potter fans
8) Something that made you laugh: Andrew in underwear at the scrapbook store
9) The last person you talked to on the phone: Lisa, on the way home from Elk River
10) Someone you're thinking about today: Julie M, Bob S
11) What have you created this month that you are proud of: My scrapbook pages from Saturday really tickled me
12) What is your mood today: unsettled
13) What is today's weather: Hot and Sunny. Again.
14) Something you are thinking about: How to make 450 Squngees in one week without all the parts.
July 27, 2007
My Dream Vacation
Someone recently challenged me to do a scrapbook page about my dream vacation.
Well I have several, but right this instant it is this:
Anyone care to pay my tuition and airfare and accompany me to a week in Amsterdam? I make a great traveling companion!
Scott and I did new scrapbook pages about my mom.
mine is a 6x12 layout that opens to reveal two more 6x12 panels.
July 25, 2007
It is Finished.
Sigh.
I think I'm already ready to read it again!
July 23, 2007
Am I doing it too?
I think I might be guilty of this because I know that six of my seven readers see my work elsewhere.
Still, I use this as my back up should those layouts ever burn up, so I need to still post them here too.
So here goes!
Although I'm not fond of this last layout, I love the pictures and I love the 6 x 12 size I've been trying out from time to time lately. I love the ratio of it, very useable.
Potter Mania
I will be posting this week about Lance's return, I'm just waiting for access to some pictures...
On another exciting front, and what a WONDERFUL week it was, Andrew got to attend his first Harry Potter book release party on Friday night.
Scott found out about a great one at the wonderful independent booksellers Red Balloon Book Shop and we took a late afternoon nap in order to be chipper by the 11pm party start time.
The shop had actors to give us little glimpses of the action from each of the previous 6 books, and a snitch drop at midnight. The actor that was the MC who played Mr. Weasley was wonderful. It was especially charming to me to see so many older teens, say 16-18, dressed up as various characters and as dewy wide-eyed with excitement as the littler kids. One handsome football hero look alike was talking in a gush to his two parents, who he didn't seem even a little embarrassed to be hanging out with and sharing his heart with. Love that.
We had pizza and butterbeer (rootbeer) and when the snitch dropped at midnight balloons dropped and we threw confetti everywhere and horns were tooting and it was wonderfully exciting.
That is where we abandoned the little store and headed out to buy our book. The line went round the block of those who had prepaid for their books...after them we could line up as having not prepaid. We decided to take advantage, at 12:45am, of living in a large metro area, and jumped in the truck.
Yes, as much as I hate the big box world, the UNCOOL nature, the lack of party and the OPEN 24 HOURS is what brought us to Eagan to buy our book from...Walmart.
Very uncool, but half an hour later we were home with our discounted book reading! Reading! That is the goal, more than buying the book at full price from a "cool" location. RIGHT?
A few photos from the mele':
And now? Now we are on day three of reading aloud the entire book together. A wonderful and quiet family time. We are about half way now, so it will probably be later in the week before we finish.
Talk to you then!
July 16, 2007
Wishing them Well At Home
We live across the street from the Bloomington National Guard Training Center. Although Lance's unit was out of the Brooklyn Center Armory, every day as I drove by our local chapter I was reminded of him. Today as we drove by on our way to target, we passed through the street lined with people holding flags. Why? Because today a portion of the BSB company was brought home to Bloomington.
After our errand, we hurried back to the house, noting that a crowd had now gathered and they were still waiting, and grabbed the camera. We then headed back to join in the festivities. Hurrah for sunglasses, because of course I was crying the whole time.
The Patriot Guards were there to protect them in case of any protesters, which I am happy to say there were none, the police were there for the same reason and a whole crowd of neighbors came out to add to a festive atmosphere. Bloomington is happy that our troops are at last home.
See
Tomorrow at 10:30am? Same deal in Brooklyn Park. Only this time, its personal.
July 12, 2007
Finally was able to visit
When Erin and Lance announced their engagement two years ago, I realized that Lance was in our lives to stay. That is the point where he was welcomed into my heart and I began thinking about his impending overseas assignment. That is when I stopped listening to the news. That is when I started to worry and had to stop myself from it several times a day.
It is also about the time that as I drove by the Ft. Snelling National Cemetery most days, I'd tell myself that I wanted to visit and take some pictures.
This is an amazingly large facility, with over 436 acres containing over 172,000 interments in the years since 1870. It is a good reminder, whether you are driving by at 65 on the freeway, or roaming its avenues, of the number of lives that have been affected by the various wars our country has faced this last century. Not everyone in that cemetery died at war, but every one there had their lives affected by the loneliness of active duty.
Today I finally made it. I wondered why it had taken so long. Why after two years of driving by was I suddenly able to stop? And then I realized the truth. For nearly two years I have been afraid. Afraid that by entering that graveyard I was allowing the possibility that I'd be attending a funeral there. Afraid that somehow to become familiar with that place would mean opening a door of possibility that Lance would join their ranks. Craziness, I know.
Now he is home, or nearly so, and it felt safer to go today. I drove around, took some pictures, recognized some names, placed a few rocks.
I cried a few tears of relief though. Guilty relief because I know so many others have not been so fortunate as we.
And then I went to the information center and looked up the location of my Uncle Roger's site. Lieutenant, Jr Grade Roger William Esh was on active duty from June 23, 1958 until November 20, 1961 during the Vietnam war. His daughter, Lucinda, served in the Navy as an aircraft test pilot and flew helicopters. Her husband is Commander Mark Montgomery, currently commanding 7 battleships in the Pacific Ocean. Uncle Rog died 10/29/1992, and although I attended a memorial service, I did not attend the actual burial. I've never visited his grave, which is amazing considering how close I live to the cemetery.
This is a picture of my Uncles. Uncle Rog is on the left. His big brother, who served in WWII, is pictured here after his discharge in his North American (one day to become Northwest) Airlines uniform.
The kiosk allowed me to print a map and I headed to section 15 to find his stone. To no avail. There was the stone numbered right before his, and four after his, but his and three others were not there.
I can't believe how upset I was.
So, a morning of rejoicing that Lance is okay and will not be joining the ranks at Ft. Snelling from the war zone, and a day of wondering where my Uncle's headstone is.
July 10, 2007
He's HERE!!!!
Tears in my eyes right now, we are on the phone with Lance who is in WISCONSIN. You can see him a couple of times in this clip, but only his mom and wife to be would be able to tell.
So good to see our boys home!!!!
July 07, 2007
07-07-07
This is a big day in Prince's life. Introducing his new cologne with a mini concert. A concert at Target Center. An aftershow concert at First Ave, his old stomping grounds. Big day.
So I did a couple of Prince layouts!
It feels a little funny doing these. I've never been a fan of anyone in the true sense of the word. I've never stood in line for tickets to a concert. I've never read teen magazines and cut out pictures. I've never read fan websites online. Wasn't like that when I was young and I'm not like that now. I think my bro is the same way about Prince. I don't think "meeting" Prince is on his top 10 list. I don't think he cuts out pictures and pastes them in a book. So we both really admire the art without having fantasies about being close to the artist.
So that is why it felt weird doing a Prince tribute. And yet I decided, misinterpreted or not, I wanted to do one...or two!
