Tales From the Bleachers

Shelly and I will be hosting another crop in November and would love for you to join us!  We will be hosting the event at a beautiful venue in North Liberty-South Slope.  I have posted our flyer with all the info.  Let me know if you have any questions! 

Fall Crop Retreat with Sweet Tooth Scrapbooking     

Mark your calendars for November 13 & 14, 2009!

You are not going to want to miss out on this big event!! We've already pre-registered several guests for this Fall Retreat at previous Sweet Tooth Crops and now it's YOUR turn to get in on all the action!!

Isn't it time for you to relax with your friends? If your house is like mine you've been busy running kids around to their events, helping with family gatherings, and planning vacation-NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Come and relax in the comfort of friends in a gorgeous surrounding at the South Slope Community Room in North Liberty, IA.This is our Biggest and Best scrapbooking event to date! Save the date to pack up your bags and set off to the best scrapbooking weekend of the year!

What's Included:

• Sweet Tooth Exclusive Crop layout & card kits and a sampling of Reminisce's newest product lines valued at over $50.00
• Friday night dinner from Olive Garden. Lunch on Saturday from the famous Hamburg Inn #2, and pizza on Saturday night. Beverages and Candy provided throughout the weekend. (Vegetarian choices too).
• Make-n-Takes from some of the leading scrapbooking companies
  a chance to SHOP all weekend long from a variety of vendors like Scrapin' Rebels, Creative Memories, Tastefully Simple, Mary Kay Cosmetics, plus others and of course we'll be there with TONS of new kits too!!
• Lots of door prizes
• Saturday morning shop the shelves at our EXCLUSIVE Reminisce Warehouse Discount Sale. (We're bringing the warehouse to you-so no time lost driving to the warehouse!)
• Stock up on the newest releases, and the hottest Reminisce products at fantastic prices.
• Plus, adorable t-shirts commemorating this fun event (Gilden 50/50 in sizes that fit S-3X)

Registration Begins on Sept. 1, 2009 at $99.00
Friday, November 13, 2009 4pm-12 midnight
Saturday, November 14, 2009 10 am-6pm

www.sweettoothscrapbooking.com

Need a hotel? Holiday Inn Express is extending a special rate of $99.90 to our croppers the weekend (regular rates begin at $139.90 a 30% savings). Each room has a mini fridge and microwave and hot breakfast is also included. To receive this rate, call the Holiday Inn Express at 319-625-5000 and ask for the Sweet Tooth Rate. During your stay you may enjoy their indoor pool, whirlpool, 24 hour fitness center, high speed wireless Internet access, and Express Start breakfast which features hot items such as biscuits and gravy, cheddar cheese omelets, sausage patties, and our signature cinnamon rolls. Guests also appreciate additional perks including free passes to local health clubs and discounts at area restaurants.

Adventures with Cindy

Life at our house has been crazy the past six weeks or so, with family things and work so I was REALLY looking forward to getting out of town for a couple of days with my daughter Katie and my friend, Cindy and her daughter, Joanna.  Time to de-stress, relax, sleep in-WRONG!!!!!

My friend Cindy lives in Peoria, so we had planned to meet along I-80 so that we only had one car in Chicago.  Katie and I got off late-no surprise to those who know me-but it was mainly the fault of the DOWNPOUR we were having at the time.  So we head down I-80, 30 minutes behind schedule.  Still POURING (I have to use caps to EMPHASIS how bad the conditions were)we hit construction.  Yuck.  Cindy calls-they are at their location and we are still 45 minutes away.  FINALLY roll into the Flying J truckstop in LaSalle, Il and there they are.  Such good friends!!!!! 

 We pile in my car and we are on our way!!!!!!!  Not so fast.  We are planning to pick up I-39 to the tollway but NO, Cindy (meaning ME) is heading south and not North like she should be.  Were we talking too much?!?!?!  After trucking along for about 20 miles, we make an illegal U-turn and we're on our way again.  Things are going well, not much rain or construction.  Oh and there was the I-pass that I drove through but that's no bid deal, right??  We take our exit to Oakbrook and we are on our way to the mall.  Not so fast.  We are driving along in a soft rain, in stop and go traffic and have you figured out where I'm going with this???  BUMP!  And that's all I'm going to say because our insurance companies are still chatting.

Finally we are at Oakbrook and we see Nordstrom in the distance.  All is right with the world again.  For the most part at least.  Because we are now about 3 hours behind schedule, we power shop for a couple of hours and then head downtown to our hotel to get ready for dinner and Second City Comedy Club.  We stayed at the Marriott Courtyard on E. Ontario and I highly recommend it.  Clean and great customer service.  While in line at Starbucks a young lady overheard us discussing where to have dinner and she suggested a place called Big Bowl.  Excellent mandarin food!!  And really good drinks:)

The food was so good and the nice manager, on hearing it was our first visit, sent over a complimentary appetizer.  Something with mushrooms that Katie actually shared!!

Here are my friend Cindy and Joanna.

If you are a watcher of Monday Night Football, you will probably get a glimpse of this young lady.  She is a member of the three time National College Dance Team from Tennessee and they were asked to perform the dance for Monday Night Football.  Joanna even choreographed most of the dance herself.

After dinner, we grabbed a cab (no Bone Collector driver, thank goodness) and headed to the show.  I had seen Second City before but the others hadn't.  They weren't thrilled with our seating arrangement.  Just a tad cozy.  I ordered the girls this and it helped a bit:)

It was mostly ice.

The show was HILARIOUS!!!!  And very naughty!  The 12-14 year old boys next to use I'm sure heard things they've never heard before.  Or maybe they had, but the woman with them was mortified.  Don't think she got the memo on the content of this show.  Fun evening!

Got a early start to shopping the next day and really had a nice time.

  The weather was hot but sunny and breezy.  Customer service was great in every store we were in and we were in a lot!!  I bought a jar of face cream and Katie got the rest!  We were worn out and really enjoyed out lunch at where else, The Cheesecake Factory.  Here are the girls waiting for their table.

But, like all good things, it had to come to and end.  And we took a shorter route to LaSalle.  Even though we had a very bumpy start to the trip, we had a great time.  I just hope it isn't another year before we can do it again!

New Reminisce Projects!!

I had fun creating new projects for the newest Reminisce lines: Christmastime, Safari, Trick or Treat and my favorite, Autumn Forest.  There are one more Halloween line and one more Christmas line you should be sure to check out.   I love the glittery paper and stickers and the chipboard stickers are covered with foil.  Love it!!

Don't you just love my cats!!  This layout uses lots of the new Safari line.  Can't wait to print off lots of the pictures I took when Katie and I went to the Omaha Zoo last month.

My little hippie, Molly about 10 years ago!  The Trick or Treat line has lots of fun paper and stickers and I especially love the 3-D stickers they have.  And they also have a awesome laser cut Haunted House-I think you need one!

Last, but not least, a project with my favorite line-Autumn Forest.

You HAVE to check this line out!!  They have the cutest little animals.  Baby deer and squirrels!  And I love the colors.  Fall colors are my favorite.

This past weekend we moved both girls out of their apartments.  I'm still sore.  And our garage is full.  And we have Kyle and Alex here for a couple of weeks.  Their apartment situation didn't work out so they are still looking.  And sleeping on the floor, which really distresses me.  So I think I will be making a trip to Target tomorrow after work to buy some type of mattress.  Or maybe Bed bath and Beyond.

It's late and I work in the morning.  Gotta get that beauty sleep!! 

I'm not a good blogger

I'm finally taking the time to update my blog.  I will confess that I feel like I can't post unless I have a picture or two, but how many pictures of my kids and my pets does anyone really want to see.  But then I remembered, this blog is for me.  So get ready for more pictures of my kids and pets!!

Life has been crazy in the six weeks or so since I last posted.  Katie and I took a quick trip to Colorado to look at the University at Boulder.  She's thinking Grad school and would love to go there.  I would love to follow her if she does, but thinking the hubby might not want to leave his job right now!  We had a good trip, saw some beautiful country and had some AWESOME meals.  We ate every one of them outside, which was great.  No pictures right now.  I'm working with a new computer.  I have a MacBook Pro and haven't put too many pictures on it yet.

I've had a birthday and an anniversary in the past few weeks.  I'm 50 now and I don't like it.  I've been married 29 years and I do like that:)

Jim's mom passed away on the first of July.  Very sudden and totally unexpected.  Very sad for Jim.  He was very close to his mother.  Boys are like that I think.  And it's pretty neat.  We spent quite a bit of time in Dubuque and saw a lot of his family that we rarely see.  That was really nice.  She was one of 13 siblings and the ones that are still with us are a really close bunch.  Our time with them was sad, but good if that makes sense.

This is Jim and I with his Uncle Bernard and wife Lori.  They are such a great couple.  They had just been in Iowa City two weeks before Mary passed and we had a great dinner with them and our girls.  Now aren't you impressed that I actually have a picture on my new computer and I was able to upload it.  Patting myself on the back!!

Well, what do you know, a picture of my kids:)  Why does my son insist on buzzing his head?????  He is so good looking with hair.  Good looking without it, but I'd really like to see him grow it just a bit.  They were a great support to their dad and I think they really enjoyed meeting family.  At first, they looked like deer in the headlights.  Imagine seven siblings and their families descending on you all at once!  It is a bit overwhelming but good.

Last weekend Sweet Tooth and Reminisce hosted a crop at the Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville.  We had a GREAT time!! We had some regulars and some new folks and they all couldn't have been nicer.  That is what I miss the most about Reminisce the store.  I miss the people and love when we can have these crops and they all come!!

Here's a bunch of the gals getting ready to ride the carousel.  It was part of the Bingo game we played, plus there was a free coupon for it!!  I was the proud mom, watching and waving:)

Reminisce has some great new lines coming out and I've had the chance to play with them!!  I don't have the pictures of my projects on this computer yet, but I do have a couple of layouts I did with the Under the Sea collection.

Okay, it's late and the cat won't stay off my lap!  I don't want cat hair in it so i'm signing off.  It won't be six weeks this time.  I'm sure you can't wait!!

I'm Not a Crazy Cat Lady!

Mykids are so worried that I'm going to become a crazy cat lady as I get older.  And since I'm turning 50!!!!!!!!!! next month.........

The reason for this post is to share pictures of my cat, Rosie.  I'm sure I've shared before, but I'm doing it again.  She really is the best kitty in the whole world!  She had become more mellow in her "old age".  She's about 12 now but you would never believe if you saw her.  She is aging well.  Not like poor Sassy-the 16 year old.  All she lived for now is to eat.  And sleep.  And then eat again.  Eat, sleep, repeat is her motto!

So her she is and then I will share a fun story.  I know you can't wait!

 

 

 

 

Okay, if I haven't bored you with pictures of my cat, here's the story.  Lat week I was in my scrap room.  It is at the far end of the house, upstairs.  We try to keep Rosie in at night so we don't have to worry about her getting in a fight.  Lots of kitties in this neighborhood.  I was just getting ready to go down to call her and I hear her meowing and heading up to see me, which she does every evening.  Her meowing was a little intense and just as I was getting up to go see why, she popped into my room.  All I really saw was the tail hanging out of her mouth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  She'd brought me a present and was so excited to show me!  And what did I do??  SCREAM!!!  Can't help it.  So she drops it.  And it goes running down the hall.  Jim has made his way up stairs and is trying to get her to pick it up again.  The men in my life believe in "catch and release".  I don't.  Unfortunatley for him and the mouse I guess,  she started to chow down on him.  Poor little thing!  Way to much excitment for me. And thank heaven for Jim!

Do you think I'm a crazy cat lady?

Happy June!!

Can you believe that May is over?  It went so fast.  Too fast inmy opinion.  But then, weather wise, it wasn't all that great.  Hopefully June will be better.  We finally broke down and turned our air on tonight.  We came back from walks and bike rides and said "That's It!".  Uncle.

Reminisce has come out with a beautiful new line called "Under the Sea"  I had a great time creating a little mini album with it.

 

Last March, I took Molly and her friend to florida for their Senior Spring Break trip.  One afternoon we visited the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and spent time watching the dolphins.  LOVE dolphins.  In fact, when I was a kid, I wanted to be a Marine biologist.  Kind of hard to do when you are land locked!!

 

Here they are, riding the Jolly Trolley to the aquarium.

 

 

The girls spent most of the time in an underground observation tunnel.  There was one dolphin (at least we think it was the same one.  they kind of look alike!) kept swimming up to the window, stopping for a minute and then leaving again.  This went on for the longest time.  So cute.

 

Here, the girls got up close with the dolphins.  For a small fee, you could go out and "chat" with the dolphins for a few minutes.  I really didn't think the girls would be up for it.  It's really for the little kids, but they were all over it!  It really was fun and you gotta love a dolphin.  Maybe in my next life I will be a Marine Biologist.

Be sure to go to the Reminisce Site and check out this new line!  It truly is awesome.  they have so many 3-D embelishments and this great gold glitter paper.

Thanks for looking :)

Weird and We're cropping again!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, the last post on my blog, dated today, was from two weeks ago.  I have no idea why it didn't post.  Could have sworn I checked and it did.  Those of you who know me are not surprised, I'm sure!!  Just so you know, the baby deer was reclaimed by it's mother later that evening.  I'm SO glad as I really was not looking forward to being a deer mama.

So Sweet Tooth and Reminisce are having a summer crop.  We had originally planned on not cropping again until November, but we couldn't wiat that long!  We had so much fun cropping at our Spring Fling crop that we have to do it again.  Sooooo, join us at

The Ultimate Summer Scrapbook Retreat!!!!

July 12-18, 2009

at the Coral Ridge Mall

 

Register today at www.sweettoothscrapbooking.com

Only $49.99, the crop includes

Sweet Tooth Special Edition Kit

includes two page layout and three cards

Reminisce  "Latest and Greatest" Goodie Bag

Under the Sea Layout and Card Contest

Bring your beach or summer fun photos and we will

provide the products

Prizes will be awarded including a Grand Prize

package valued at $50

Coral Ridge discount Book

Beverages and Snacks

Grand Prize Drawing (over $100 value)

Lots and lots of door prizes

Plus a few surprises...........

Sweet Tooth Scrapbooking will have card, layout and project kits as well as adhesive and select cardstock for purchase.

Reminisce will have a limited number of scrapbook kits availabe for purchase from their newest collections.  Crop participants may also e-mail Andria at reminisceiowa@aol.com a list of individual Reminisce products for purchase before July 10 and she will bring your items to the crop.  toview items, pleae visit www.designsbyreminisce.com.

All purchae at crop must be cash or check, please.

Need a hotel?  Holiday Inn Express is extending a special rate of $99.90 to our croppers fro the weekend.  Each room has a mini fridge and microwave and hot breakfast is also included.  To receive this rate, call the Holiday Inn Express at 319-625-5000 and ask for the Reminisce rate.

 

Hope to see lots of you there!!

 

 

Another Great Contest from Reminisce and a baby deer!

They've done it again!!!  Reminisce is having another awesome contest.  Hurry to their blog

www.reminisce.typepad.com 

for all the details!!

Now for the baby deer-

 

This afternoon we heard what we thought was a cat bird-hear them all the time.  After about 15 minutes of this we get a call from our neighbor who tells me that a baby deer is in our fenced back yard.  Can't figure out how it got in!  But I wish we'd noticed earlier because maybe we could have gotten it to go out the back gate.  Now it's in our hostas and I don't know what we're going to do.  No signs of the mother.  Jim thinks it's only a couple of days old.  Poor Millie.  We can't let her in the yard and she's currently parked in front of the back door.  Just waiting.

Here's another one of Bambi

Pray that his mama finds him:(

Reminisce Contest and New Papers!!!!!!

Hey!  Hop on over to the Reminisce Blog and check out the great Baby photo contest they are having right now!

And be sure to check out the new Freedom Collection 2009 that they have just released.  I had fun creating a layout about Americas favorite pasttime.

 The papers that I used were:

Red, White and Blue Shimmer

Across America

Presidential Seal

Alpha LOVE these stickers!  Once again, Reminisce has come out with awesome alpha stickers!

Icon Sticker

12 x 12 Icon Sticker

The capital "A" and "S" were cut out with my cricut, Doodletype font

These pictures are from one of Kyle's last baseball games at Cornell.  I sure miss watching him play.

Let me know if you enter the contest.  I don't want to miss your entry!!

Frustration!

All I wanted to do was add a widget to my site and I wind up with this mess.  I've been incontact with Typepad and have done what they said, but it's still all goofy.  I want my old blog back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shelly and I had a booth at a NSD crop last weekend.  It was a smaller crop so we were able to have a table just for cropping right by our booth.  I managed to get a few pages done and we really had a good time.  Ate too much as usual.  Meet some really nice ladies and saw some familiar faces again.  After we left the crop, we went to see friends at another crop in the area.  I was able to get on of Quickutzs new spring sets.  It is the "Relax" set and has the best shapes.  The font isn't bad, I mostly bought it for the shapes.  I also got more paper, which I'm not supposed to be buying-but it was new beach stuff from MME.  How could I say no????

Here are the layouts I managed to get done Saturday.

 

These pictures show the girls with their dolphin buddy.  He was flirting with them big time!!

 

I have had this paper for years.  I thought it turned out okay.  If you notice the background in the picture of Molly, top left of the right page.  That is fog.  Our first morning in Clearwater we woke up to this incredible fog.  We went to the beach anyway and burned.  Should have just stuck a big ole sign on us that says "We're from Iowa and it's freezing back home"  When will I learn????

 

Hopefully, this blog thing will get figured out soon.  It's really making me sad:(