Catching Up!

I am a bad blogger of late.

I am hereby blaming Facebook, especially Farm Town, for sucking away all my precious computer time. I now can proudly say that I am at level 16, can send my farmer friends cats and coconut trees, and have a barn. I am apparently forced to live in said barn, since I cannot yet afford a house.

Since my last post I have also managed to take that promised trip to Bethany Beach with Jacob to see Lorna and Jared. We had a fabulous time - she is a fun hostess! I snapped off a TON of photos with my new lens but because of Facebook, I have yet to transfer them from the camera. Lorna's studio is wonderful but we were so busy eating crabs, watching Mama Mia and going to the beach that we didn't play at all.

Here are a few pictures from my phone, just so that you can feel you were there with us... (if only you could have felt the burn on my chest and the sand in the suit.)

Snuggie Birthday

First, I want to say thank you to all of you who wished me a very happy birthday! I had such a nice day - even though I was traveling for work and didn't make it home on my birthday. A few highlights:

- The chapter where I was the guest speaker surprised me with a birthday cake. How is it that I can get up in front of 100 people to speak, and yet I blush when they sing happy birthday to me?

- My seats on US Airways might have been uncomfortable, but not as much as having five of the ticket agents sing to me in the Savannah airport.

- Jacob insisted on waiting up for me until I got home, which was 1:00 am. He had hidden clues around the house to help me find my gifts. Confessions of a Shopaholic movie, a new blender and a Snuggie (see previous posts here and here)

- Continued my celebration on the 13th with dinner at the Japanese steakhouse with Maggie and Dillon. The cute little stamp in the picture is from her, along with Snuggie #2. I am thinking people paid some attention to my previous blog posts!

Oh, and I had concurrance from several friends that since I didn't make it home on my birthday, I did not really turn 41! Right?

A Tribute

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Ferris Bueller

Take me home...

I hear her voice

In the mornin hour she calls me

The radio reminds me of my home far away

And drivin down the road

I get a feelin

That I should have been home yesterday, yesterday

Country roads, take me home

To the place I belong

Some people take vacations to exotic or faraway places. Where did I go this year? (ok, Hawaii, I know...) No, I spent summer vacation on the farm in Pennsylvania with Jacob and my family. It is what my soul needed. Here are some of the photos I took with my new lens. John Denver may have loved West Virginia, but it is on the country roads in Western Pennsylvania where I belong.

Meet Maggie

Maggie is a new member of my brother's family, but she has been staying with us while Louise and Ryan visit DC. Maggie was a shelter adoption, at the shelter because of abuse and neglect at a puppy mill. Those eyes look so sad, don't they? But already she is showing signs of being a happier dog. Before she left us tonight, she has started to play with Beau, even though he wouldn't let her play with his toys. (aka... the cats)

In related news, my friend Maggie came over to crop On Saturday after GASC and didn't appreciate our humor. "Maggie, don't lick yourself."
"Jacob, can you let Maggie out to pee."
"Who knows how many babies Maggie has had? Look at those nipples."

It will take alot of Margaritas to get Maggie to come back for a visit. The friend. Not the dog.

I will, of course, provide updates on her progress! The dog. Not the friend.

Great American Shopping

This weekend was the Great American Scrapbook Convention in Virginia, and I almost didn't go! Maggie and I made a deal to help curb each other's spending and each went armed with the cash we were willing to spend. I even left my credit card at home! This is what I bought. Look closely and you will see the lens Maggie bought for me. Hey, our deal did not include refraining from spending the other person's money!

Lots of great paper from Luxe Designs and Rusty Pickle. That album will say ASMC (not scam) for work photos. A super cute album kit from the Button Farm. And that tree on the left is a little mini album, but I am not sure who makes it.

And here is a shot of my unwilling subjects with the new lens. I am not loving it and may go to Penn Camera to look at some other options. It is not as smooth as I would like it to be, like my other lenses. Will report later as to what I decide, but would appreciate any feedback you might have on your own 18-200 lenses, and above!