The Ugly Duckling

I'd like to tell you the story of my ugly duckling.... Three years ago when our friend Jimmy was diagnosed with the cancer...we banded together and held a community garage sale as a fundraiser. Several of my girlfriends & I were there peddling our goods, bargaining for every last dime. This older guy wanders in wondering if we had any "hunting" items....I suppose he wanted camouflage pants or decoys or how-to-books...since we didn't have any such thing, I felt obliged to offer up the duck...it was the closest thing to "hunting" items we had! {Just being my helpful, happy self!} Later in the day....the duck was gone. I asked everyone where he went...did we sell that ugly thing? Who would buy that? No one seemed to know his whereabouts. Little did I know, Kelly bought the darn thing. PS: friends fib

The ugly duckling turned up under the Christmas tree that year, filled with candies, with my name on him. Gee, um, thanks Kelly! :)

For the past three years we have traded the duckling back & forth. {our version of a white elephant} I gave it back to her for her birthday. Then again when her son was born...I thought it was perfect for the nursery.

Well, my birthday is coming up in a couple of days & guess what? The duckling filled with awesome scrap supplies found his way back to my house....gee, um, thanks Kelly.... *smile*

Today's work.........

Today was a good day...I got up early & had breakfast with my hubby, took Bailey to the vet this morning, scrapped, went to the gym & made King Ranch chicken for supper....yum! Here are the fruits of todays labors............

today's layout...

I wish I could scrap everyday with friends....it is so very helpful to have a second, third, fourth opinion on what should go where! :) I'm taking a POLL: Please leave me a comment and tell me what you think......

• Should the first page read "Peek a boo" .......or..... is "Peek" enough? I have the letters to write the whole thing......hummmm?

What-a-Wednesday

Today's creations.... I love the blur and look of pure glee on his face. How about the paper that says......i like to go fast ....... {the paper is from a Scenic Route pack I picked up at the scrapbook convention}

This is the actual invite to Jacob's party that Betsy made.

I just cut it up & used it.....made for a quick & easy page!

Blurred to protect the innocent! *smile*

The 'fabulously fancy' scrap club met at Kelly's today...Faye was able to join us...but Alison & Josh were under the weather. We missed you, Al. I got more talking than scrapping done....but what fun! :) Kelly is the perfect hostess...delicious lunch & homemade cookies! Thanks girl!

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***Proud***

This week Dad is riding his 6th {maybe 7th?} RAGBRAI. RAGBRAI is an acronym for Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. Every year thousands don those fabulous padded spandex shorts and push, peddle & pull themselves across the state. The riders camp, party and eat their way from town to town. The route is different every year and the riders average between 50-70 miles a day for a week! Iowa is in the plains, however, not all of Iowa is flat and in July it can be brutally hot. Biking icon Lance Armstrong is even riding this year! {in the past he was at some ride in France & missed RAGBRAI ? } I think it is super cool that Dad is riding & I'm very proud of him. Go, Dad, Go!

Click here for RAGBRAI photos & route information.

Testy Tuesday....

1. Brittany Spears is a flake. Period. The end. She will never win 'mother of the year.' So... lets STOP talking about her, taking her photograph and encouraging her bad behavior. How about child protective services work to get her poor children some help?
2. Harry Potter. Dead or alive....I could care less. They are offering counseling for people who just couldn't deal. For heavens sake, what it this?
3. David & Victoria Beckham. One more story/photograph of these two and I literally may barf. Yeah, he has great abs and a tight little butt....I'll give ya that. People tell me he is a pretty decent soccer player....yeah, so? Please. I know some really good nurses...

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Addendum: July 25

4. Paris Hilton. What a wind bag. Has she contributed to society....EVER? Brings to mind the song by Hall & Oats...Rich Girl

5. Lindsay Lohan. Beautiful girl. What a waste. Or should I say...wasted...?

6. Nicole Richie. Now there is some talent....NOT.

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Whew. Just had to vent....I often wonder what this trashy world is coming to...who decided that these things are important in our lives? Is there not a war going on? Are people not starving on our streets? Are babies not being born premature? Hello....Cancer? ARRHHGGGGGGGGGGG!

Give me a break!

{It might be best for me to leave the TV off for awhile and stay off the MSN homepage.}

Until next time......I'm finished.

ramblings...

My hair was revolting against me. It was time for me to take charge. This is the picture I brought to Lili... I'm thrilled with my new do... It is basically the same haircut I've had, only shorter, cooler & a bit more manageable. I left my bangs a bit longer than the pic...had to save something for next time! I need to work on my round brush technique to achieve the poof on top, but it is a work in progress! :) Have I mentioned that I adore Lili?

Last year I bought these frames from Pottery Barn

I was having one heck of a time finding wall art that I liked...and if I liked it, naturally, Brian did not. So, I decided to display our photography in these awesome gallery frames. Clockwise from top left:

1. Rusted Dodge truck
2. Longhorn in the Bluebonnets
3. Old windmill with a red, white & blue five point Texas star on the tail
4. Bass Performance Hall at night
5. Night shot of the Gruene Dance Hall
6. Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

I wanted to share with y'all my awesome thrift find! Typically enamel ware is quite spendy & I usually have to pass....however, I found this little gem at an antique store in Des Moines on our way back to Texas earlier this month. I love the size, wooden handle, creamy color and the rust was included for FREE! :) I'm using it in the laundry room as a trash can...perfect! It also serves quite nicely to catch the occasional drips from the industrial sized TIDE spigot.

What I did today...

I found another birdie nest.

I cleaned... I baked some yummy cookies...love me the KitchenAid! and ate plenty of dough...sinful. Bailey got a bath....ahhhhhhhhhh......stop that! Bailey has had his fair share of doggie troubles...dry skin, watery eyes...he is a four legged allergic reaction most days. I think I have finally found something that works to keep his skin clear & flake free...Head & Shoulders Shampoo! I have tried many things & I have multiple bottles of half used, expensive, pet shampoo to prove it...who knew Brian's shampoo was the trick! :)

No photo to document the cilantro chicken wraps I whipped up for dinner or the trip to the gym...busy day! I'm gearing up to work the weekend...bummer.

Vacation Log...the final chapter.

OK...blogging this vacation has taken longer than the vacation...so were gonna wrap it up today....I'd gotten up to Sunday.....

Sunday, July 1: Family Rebellion, er uh, Reunion Day!

We celebrated my Aunt Shirley & Uncle Larry's 40th wedding anniversary. My very clever Aunt Judy had a name game where you matched first and middle names for 73 people. Harder than you think! Angie & Betsy enjoying the pool. Weekend softball games are dangerous for us "old" folks...Brian hurt his leg on his first at bat & played catcher for the rest of the day. Injured Reserve! :) We played games...

You can view all the reunion pictures...click here. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday was another lounge day....Tuesday afternoon we headed home.

We had the best week....I love spending time at home and with family...leaving gets harder and harder every year.

Vacation Log...Saturday

Saturday morning we lounged around.

After lunch the race was on to get 11 people showered & pretty for some family photos @ Ambrose A Call State Park

That evening...yummy grilled steaks for dinner & more fireworks.

Brandon, a bucket of water, a empty beer can, a bunch of firecrackers = a big kaboom!

Emma helping Mark get the driveway bonfire going...

Emma & Angie roasting some 'mellows

melty, mellowy, crunchy, chocolaty, sticky, yummy goodness

time warp.....back to last friday

Thursday night we headed to Mom & Dads... Friday morning Mom, Madie & I went for lunch, then to visit Grandma. {She is in the Alzheimer's unit and will be 87 years old in August} She & her roommate, Betty, are quite the pair...neither one of them could tell us what they did that morning or what was for lunch....Betty is a pleasant, happy little lady and is very good with Gram...the nurses use Betty to con Gram into doing things they cannot get her to do! *smile* The following is a transcript of the conversation: Betty: Does she go to school? (referring to Madie) Mom: No, she is only two...not for a couple more years. (Betty with a surprised look) Betty: Does she have a cat or a dog? Mom: Yes, she has a dog named Buddy. Me: Small talk with Gram. Betty: Is she excited about school? Mom: I'm sure she is, however, she is only two. (again, Betty is surprised by this) Betty: Well, does she have a cat or a dog? Mom: Yup, a dog, Buddy, the Yorkie. Me: More small talk with Gram. Betty: So, is she ready for school? Mom: Well, she is only two. She doesn't go to school yet. (again, surprise) Me: Laughing under my breath. Eye roll only Mom & I share. Betty: Does she have any pets? Mom: (ever so patient) Yeeeessss, a dog. Betty: So, is she in school? OH MY GOODNESS! Enough already! :) This went on for about 45 minutes. As we were leaving...Betty asks, one more time...Does she have a cat or a dog? By this time even Gram was annoyed....she looks at Betty and says with a disgusted look..."BETTY???" I love my Grandma so much...I miss her.

Friday afternoon Mark, Betsy & Jacob arrived....I asked Jacob not to tell Brian that he is the new man in my life...Jacob is a sweet~heart...easy going, happy baby with gorgeous baby blues. I love this little guy!

Hello....can you say "REDNECK"........ Friday night the boys took turns shooting at stripped gophers in the yard with the .22 rifle and drinking beer. Oh Lord....that sounds really bad....sad, but true. *smile* At dusk we set off some home style fireworks. Miss Emma was so excited & was having so much fun! Overheard: "Grandpa, you tell me when to run, okay!" Betsy, Madie & Abby enjoying the show.

time warp...back to thursday...

Wednesday night we stayed with Angie & Brandon.... Thursday morning Mom & Dad came down...Miss Emma had swimming lessons in Pella...

May 1995

Since moving to Texas [7 years ago] I lost touch with one of my very, very dear friends...Joy & I were the best of friends in nursing school...we were in each others weddings...we traveled together...laughed...stayed up late talking...smoked...studied...helped each other survive life as nursing students...we had an instant bond the day we met...I knew she & I could be life long friends. Joy lives in Pella. So, on the way to Emma's lesson we stopped in for a surprise visit. I hopped out of Angie's mini-van, Joy came to the door...did a huge double take and started screaming...."WHAT IS GOING ON!?! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" **HUG** It sort of looked like an episode from Maury Povich or Jerry Springer :) I stayed with Joy & visited while the girls went to the swimming lesson. I thoroughly enjoyed our visit & vow to never let 7 years pass between us again....I love you Joy! Pella is a gorgeous little community...cobble stone streets, beautiful town square, Dutch letters, meat markets, perfectly groomed flowers... My girls... While we were off surprising Joy & learning to swim....Dad & Brian went to photograph/chase the Union Pacific Steam Train that was running through Iowa....nicknamed the Corn Belt Special. Brian used his connections & got us a ride on the rails..... We all took turns and "drove" for awhile...under the watchful eye of Jim the engineer. Not exactly Dad's kind of horse power...he is more accustom to the John Deere green variety! :) The rear view view...the train was over 1 mile long... The view from the drivers seat...