Holidays

It's right between Christmas and New Year's and mixed emotions are everywhere. Christmas was so busy, went to St. Louis to see relatives and shocked how much the nieces and nephews have grown! I know it happens but when you don't see them on a regular basis it still comes as a shock. They've grown into awesome kids. Ok, so now there is only 1 who is still shorter than me, soon to change I'm sure.
I'm optimistic about 2010. Searching for my "word" for the new year. The one that is to describe my goal for my life as well as my craft. I'm hoping it comes to me soon. I'm working on my craft room today and hoping to have it pretty well where I want it to be so I can create again. I feel restless with all the chaos.
Excited about getting back to work. Michigan, Ohio and Illinois are on the calendar and I'm hoping to get to Utah and Washington. Those would be fun.
Enough of a break---back to work in my space!

So close and yet so far!

Sitting in Grand Rapids airport with another flight delay. Snowstorms back east causing delays everywhere. Jeff would be saying : "If you drove you'd be home by now!" but I don't drive that far especially when the weather is crappy. I'm exhausted enough as it is after working a show without having to worry about driving so I guess I'll just make the best of it. No choice, right. At least when I get to Chicago I'm home but Christine has to go to Alabama after that. This year has flown by so fast. So many things happening. wonder what will happen in 2010????

Wow! I've been a traveling fool lately!!! Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Washington, not to mention the shows in Illinois! The Provo Craft/Costco Road Shows have EXPLODED!!!! what started out as a small test program has extended beyond all expectations. From the stand point of Provo Craft as well as Costco. I'm assuming that's a good thing! It's fun to see the expressions on people's faces when they see us. lol We'll get the people who have seen the infomercial and want to see it IRL, and are amazed by it and end up buying it. Others just rush by. Then there are those who are curious to see what we are doing, get excited then buy the system. Some people look wistfully upon the Expressions and wish they hadn't bought the smaller one then realize they can pass it along to someone and get the big one for themselves. Sure you get those who don't have time to stop or husbands who don't want their wives anywhere near us!! lol
I feel so very lucky that I have found something I love and that I can share with others. When people "get" it and create something they didn't think they could, I'm happy. They get excited and want to keep going and that's what keeps me going. I love to see things people come up with and when they copy something I've done, well, that's the ultimate form of flattery. Makes it all worth while.

Family

Last week I was in Fort Meyers, FL to visit my niece. She ended up having her baby on October 23rd instead of waiting for great-aunt Thea to get there. But that was ok. I still got to see the cutest little baby boy! He is so tiny. Normal tiny but still, I couldn't get enough of him! But I can't forget my Sean. He's 5 and so smart. He decided he'd just call me Aunt instead of Aunt Thea. That's ok. We had fun going to the park, doing homework, fingerpainting, all kinds of things.

Crop Weekend

Had a great time at Karen's crop at Eaglewood Resort this past weekend. Demo'd the Cricut and the Gypsy by Provo Craft and finding new things about both every time I use them! I think that's cool, you can never know everything about a product so I love to learn as much as I can.

I also became a Great-Aunt again! My niece Kathy and her husband Brian had a baby boy on Friday! He was supposed to wait until Aunt Thea got there but you know kids! Can't follow directions and have minds of their own! Everyone is doing well and Big Brother Sean seems to be excited, so far. I'm sure there will be times when he wonders when Ben will go "home" but he'll make a great big brother.

Karen has another crop coming up in November so we are getting ready for that and the BIG crop in January. Stay tuned for more info. The theme for January is "Chinese New Year" and it will be the year of the Tiger so get ready to roar.

Stay tuned for more info!

Busy, busy, Busy

Wow, lots to do over the next few weeks! Weekend scrap at Eaglewood this weekend. On Halloween leave for Florida for my niece. Thanksgiving go to Grand Rapids to demo the Cricut! Come back then demo in Naperville. Then go to Wyoming MI for more demo time. I never even knew there was a Wyoming MI!!!

I will try and post some cool pics on things I've done with my cricut as soon as my web designer, (that's you, Corinna in case you didn't know, lol) teaches me, tho I may have to hire her!!

Rainy Thursday and gotta make cupcakes for the Crop!!

2 days in a row!

Today the weather is crappy but it is 50 degrees out. My friend Meslissa is going to culinary school and has to practice cooking and guess who gets to be a guinea pig??? Yup, she is cooking for Jeff and I and 6 of our friends. It smells so good in here! Usually each of us brings goodies so it's really hard for everyone not to bring something over. Kinda funny really.
Our little group has decided to do something together once a month. This month is our dinner. Wonder what will come up next??? I just realized that in 2 weeks I'll be leaving for Florida!!! I guess I'm a bit nervous about being in the delivery room but excited too. The only other times was when I had Erik and Brittany. I remember when they started to pull B out, I kept asking, "What is it? What is it?" and they said, "A head." Then the rest of her popped out and I had my girl. I wanted an older boy and younger sister and I thank God that that is exactly what I got.
Well, off to check out what those smells are!

au revoire

I'm Back!!

Well, so much has happened in the past few months! My baby girl graduated from high school and is now a freshman at Western Illinois University. It's 4 hours away from home and took a while to get used to. Rosie, the dog took it hard too. She would lay down by the front door waiting for her to come home each night. I finally had to keep her in the bedroom with the door locked so she wouldn't wander all over the house looking for her. lol Brittany seems to be doing well. We went to see her for Parent's Weekend and had a blast. The Leathernecks lost to the Southern Illinois Salukis, whatever that is, but we had fun anyway. Erik is in his senior but not final year at Northern Illinois University majoring in English Education. He was in London over the summer studying at Oxford and took over 300 pictures. Scrapbookin' Mama only had 140 printed for a scrapbook.!!! lol
The other great think that happened is that I am now employed by Provo Craft!! I get to go to different Costco stores in the Midwest and demo the Cricut! It is so much fun! I get to meet all kinds of people. Some who have seen the infomercial late at night or during the football game. Others who have no clue what it is yet end up buying it after seeing what it is and how it works. Since it is a machine guys come up to it to watch the demos! I feel very lucky to be associated with a company that has such great products!
On the 31st I'll travel to Fort Myers, FL to be with my niece when she has her baby. Since my sister passed away in April of '08 I've become very close to my nieces and was very honored when she asked me to be with her. An experience I'll never forget.
So, I've updated my blog and need to contact my blog guru to jazz it up and get more pictures up on it!!

Have a great weekend!!

Pretty Sunday except for that white stuff on the ground!! I really can't complaim because it's just about gone already and we got about an inch. Stayed up late last night, until 4 this morning, to take Brittany to her friend's house for her trip to Mexico. Lucky her. So it was a weird sleep day. Ok, I confess, Jeff actually took her while I stayed in bed but I stayed awake until he came home. so it's supposed to be our Spring Break too since Erik is at NIU and Jeff comes down with the flu. He never gets sick so I know he feels like crap. I leave on Wednesday to go to Westville to pick up Corinna so we can go to St. Louis to work at the CKC. I'm excited. It will be fun. Hopefully warmer too!!

Out like a lion?

I thought I would write in green today hoping against hope that Mother Nature would get the hint and actually make an apperance a little bit faster than she is today. We are expecting snow I had to type that little to make it more acceptqable but it really isn't. Here it is March Madness and that white stuff is supposed to drop on us. Is it to make me even more jealous that this time tomorrow my daughter will be basking in the sun of Mexico????? Um, what's wrong with this picture???? I don't remember doing anything fun like that during my senior spring break. Well, I guess I should be glad she can since our teenage years are complete opposites. (but she better bring me back some intense sunshine or else......!)

Um, long time no blog!!

I can't believe it's been that long since I've blogged! Ok, maybe I do. lol This next week my dd, 18 is going to Mexico for spring break. She's going with a friend and her family to a resort so I'm not as psycho as if she were going to go to Cancun itself. which of course she wouldn't be doing anyway! I can't believe she's 18 and going away to college in the fall!! It will be very quiet around here since Erik will be a senior at Northern Illinois University wile Brittany will be at Western Illinois University. I'm so proud of them. Which also means I will have time and no more excuses to get busy!!