Camping

     I just read a status update from Addicted to Saving and she was asking if camping was your thing or not and it got me to thinking of the first time I camped with hubby and the last time we camped!!
     The first time was on our very short honeymoon.  We got married a month after our daughter was born and grandma was baby sitting for the long weekend.  We packed up our tent, (a small 2 person dome style), equipment, and headed off down the road!  We went up north in Michigan about 4 hours from our house. We got to a campground late, way after dark! We set up the tent and went fast to sleep. During the early morning, Mother Nature came to visit!! Double time!!!  It had stormed and I, well let's just say, I needed the facilities fast!!!!  I got there just in time to wait for the cleaning crew to finish up the bath/shower building. While I was cleaning up, hubby was putting a tarp up from tent to van so as to create an area where we could get fresh clean air without getting wet!  So, we spent 3 days and nights in the tent playing uno, backgammon, and rook!  Then we packed up and left in the rain, of course, I was just wanting to go home, back to some sunshine and warmth!  And then the sun came out about an hour of being on the road!  And with the sun coming out, our smiles and our moods became even brighter!  After another hour or so, my new hubby turned to the right and I asked where we were going, and he told me he just wanted to look around. ( I thought he had to pee!)  We drove around a curve and up a hill only to spot an area as big as a football field of an inlake! A true state park watering hole!!! LOL  It was big enough that about 8 to 10 campers (old style on truck), could spend the week/weekend.  I love, that in our state of Michigan, we have honor parks.  This is a park with no facilities, outhouse only, that you pay a very nominal amount ($3-?) for a 24 hour period that you will be renting the space! You just drop your money in a lock box and go about your business!  So cool!  Anyway, we had a very nice time swimming and playing!

     The last time was in Lansing, Michigan at the Common Ground Music Festival.  We were to see Boston on Monday night and Meatloaf on Wednesday and to stay at a local campground with a tent (now bigger, but still a tent) and air mattresses.  We set up on Sunday evening and then went for a walk. 
     We woke up Monday morning soaking wet! We had to pull everything out and hang everything on a clothesline that hubby devised! (He's is so handy to have around!!!) It was an ok day and it did not rain at the outdoor concert!  It was a great time!
     We woke up Tuesday morning soaking wet!  The spray we used was definitely not working!!!  So again, everything out and hung to dry!  I don't remember what we did Tuesday but it was dry and gray! 
     Wednesday was just like the previous days .... everything out to dry again!!!  Are ya loving my vacation as much as I am now???  Best part of the whole experience was Wednesday night with MEATLOAF!!!  Totally awesome but it was a little sad as he announced that it was his last tour!  Talk about putting emotion in your songs!  Whew, he did it so well!  And no rain!!
     When we left the concert, hubby asked what I wanted to do.  I said we are only 30 minutes from home and I am not going to wake up one more morning soaking wet!!
     We went camping many other times that were fun and interesting but the first and last are my most memorable trips! 

Enjoy each and every minute in that minute!
    

Announcing .....

JeanKnowsCars.com 

 

 

This is my sister in law's new website!!!  I am so excited for her!!  And I'm sure she and it and everyone associated with it will be a great success!!  Yay for Jean!

 

If you know anything about cars or car news you have heard of Jean Jennings!  And with the launch of JeanKnowsCars, you will get to know her as I do!!! She will be known as the most hilarious, witty, smart, fun, generous, genuine, loving, and most important, kind person on the web!  And how do I know that?  Because she is so genuine!!!  And that so comes through on this video about her hat collection !!  I have nicknamed one of them her Alabama hat! (Roll Tide Roll!!)  She says no, but secretly ......whisper whisper ..... I think she's a roootin for the Crimson!  Tee hee hee!  She's so much funnier than I! lol Doesn't really matter cuz when you're near Jean, YOU WILL BE LAUGHING OUT LOUD!!

 

Check out this video on her hats ......

 

 

Don't ya just LOVE her? So I hope this gave you your smile today!

My newest scrap.

I went to a scrap and met a new friend!  She is a scrapbooking friend of my scrapbooking buddy!  It was held at a beautiful church in Brooklyn, MI.  What a great time we had!  I'm hoping Sally's mother feels better.  She came down with the crud and Sally needed a fill in at the last minute and I was available. Yay for me, bad for her Mom!  Well, I hope that's behind her.  We had such a good time although I really didn't think that going to a 12 hr. scrap would really allow me to get anything really done, but I surprised myself!  I got 6 pages done minus the journaling.  Although while there, I met someone else and she actually developed a journaling aid!  It is called the eeeEasy Straight Journaling Tool and it is the best tool for writing in your own handwriting! It can also help you lay stickers down in a straight line!! How bout that?   Sandi is a great gal and I hope her break comes soon!

So now I have started to let my machine work for me.  We will see how that venture goes! lol

I have been making a couple of phone calls and just getting my list made of what I am going to need and who is actually going to help me.  Some people are good at some things and other people are good at the other things! : )

                      Smile big and bright!  The world thanks you for participation!!

ABE'S AMAZING ANGELS ANNOUNCEMENT

Easter Hop In To Crop for JDRF 2013
Is being held Sunday March 29, 30, and 31, 2013 at the Super 8 Motel in Brooklyn Michigan!

This is going to be awesome!!! I am sooo so so excited to put this together with my friends, family, and team mates!! We have just started putting this together and all this help sure shows you, people will help when there is a good cause and lots of fun! Thank you everyone for helping us help too many kids find a cure for this dis ease in their little bodies!

There will be table gifts, door prizes, huge baskets with scrapbooking supplies of all kinds, including Peachy Keen Stamps , Cricut cartridges, stamps, inks, and oh so much more WILL be raffled!!

 

The cost is $35.00 for Friday~ 10am - 10pm
The cost is $55.00 for Friday 10 am thru Saturday 10 pm
The cost is $75.00 for Friday 10 am thru Sunday 6 pm
We will have an extra basket on Sunday for those who stay all weekend to raffle!!! There is also going to be a 50/50 raffle that you do NOT have to be present to win! We hope to have so so so much more to announce later!

 

To Reserve Your Table  and more info CLICK HERE 

 

You will not want to miss this one!!

 

It's officially Labor Day!

I am not done laboring yet!  I have asked the hubby to help me get all the editing done that I have been struggling with for the last month.  He agreed to help, so lets give him a hand!!  Here ya go!  lol
I want it done my way of course and he did agree to it although I had to finish the few more that I had due to computer issues, I guess.  (wink wink)  I tend to be a little control freak so give me patience and Lord don't let me bite my tongue off while I work with him!  LOL

Here is a start to my Halloween Cards.  Enjoy the last day of your mini vacation!  And smile! : )

Baby Cards are on my mind!

My niece is having her first baby!!!   Little Abrielle should be with us in a couple of weeks now!  We can hardly wait!! Especially her Mom!! lol  So I made a few cards with baby in mind.

So I started this post a few days ago and am now ready to post these cards and keep in mind that I did the editing so please be patient with me and ride along as I teach myself!! lol

Ok, well, we have a date of inducement.  Abrielle should arrive on the Wednesday!  I hve why she is being induced but only asked yesterday and I try to stay away from facebook!! It steals my time in a NY second!!  lmbo!   To me it's the black whole!!  Hahaha Here are some more baby cards.

I will posting some Halloween pictures of cards, of course!  lol  Have a very wonderful Labor Day and a great big Whoo Hoo for The American Workforce!!! 

Still editing!?!

Yes I am still editing the pictures of my cards.  Although I am not working consistently at that chore! lol  I have been making Halloween and baby cards, and playing at my friends house!  It's been like a mini vacation!!  No cooking or cleaning!  Now that's a vacation if I've ever heard of one!  I say heard because I have never really been on a "real" vacation before. My husband and I have gone to familys' homes out of state and been camping (and as every WOMEN knows ...... camping is NO VACATION!)  However, a real vacation has eluded this family! So I'm happy with any get away! lol

I did happen to sneak in making a veggie soup and a batch of GAZPACHO!!!!!  I crave it every year and it never disappoints!  This year I used Alton Brown's recipe and mam o man ...... YUM YUM!!!!!
Can you tell I love it?  hahaha   I love tomatoes and there is nothing better in August than a ripe out of the garden tomato!

I have also been busy setting up 2 different crops to benefit JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) because I truly believe they are so close to a real cure and not just another, but improved, way for children to live with this awful disease.  I am so excited to do this, to finally find my nitch!  Now I only need to find about 5 friends to help me cook 2 lunches and 2 dinners!  I think I'll start with our team and see who is available!

Back to my friend's scraproom .... lol. I played with her Slice!  It was still in the box brand new!!  Haha I sound like a used car salesman!  Anyway, we decided to get it out and play with is for awhile.  It is a pretty good little cutter! Surprisingly!  It only cuts between 1" and 4"  in half inch increments and cuts very sharpe.  I played with that all evening and had lots of fun!
So now I'm off to do some stuff, I don't know what but something! lol

Have a very nice weekend and I WILL have some pictures to post!