mom's 50th

Since I've been back from nyc, I have been so busy. I've been working on a project (which happens to be a scrapbook) for my women in the middle east class. I collected articles but of course, I was short one source. So I retreated to family photos of the middle eastern women in my family. As I was searching for some pictures, I came across these and instantly tears dripped down my face (literally). These pictures are of my mom on her surprise 50th birthday party. I can't believe that was just 2 1/2 years ago. She looked so good and healthy and now she's gone. I still can't believe it.

Look at her face in this one, she's so surprised. Also, notice how happy my dad is (i haven't seen him this way in a LONG time)

Here she is with Marie....my mom loved those gifts.

and this is her beautiful birthday cake. I wish she could have gotten more of these....

If only anyone knew what I would do to have her back...I miss talking to her, hugging her, complaining to her, crying to her, i miss calling her name. Oh mom, I miss you so much that heart hurts constantly. My soul feels empty and lonely without you. I can't wait until the day I met with you again....I'll be so truly happy!

start spreading the news....

We're going to nyc today!!! Yay!! I can't wait to get there and hit the shops! I especially can't wait to go to fun the crafty/artsy shops that Vee told me about. I'm so excited! Oh and FYI there are going to be 5 of us girls in 1 hotel room, which by the way are tiny! I bet I'll come back with some funny pictures! Later.....

check it out! *edited*

I just got an email from Staci...she got the somerset memories issue (both of us are published in it) in the mail and we're both on the same page!!! How weird is that?! Not only did we get published in the same magazine, same month, but the same page too!! So weird...I love it! I can't wait to get my copy! I copied the pics from her blog....

Here we are!!!
I just got another email from staci, i have another page in the magazine....that makes 2 pages in one issue!!!! i must have forgotten! It's at the bottom of the page and is actually one of my favorite layouts. It was made for the design team and I hated the paper when I first got it. I kept wondering what the hell I was going to do with that the ugly pattern, but in the end it worked out to be one of my favs!

Also, I started my new job today. There's a lot for me to know, but I think it's gonna go well. How can it not? I get to do what I love... help people (under privileged families and children) and plan events!!

p.s. chris we miss you!! when are you coming home?

1982?

So i went to office max in search of.......a typewriter, but i didn't find one! What was i thinking?! Of course i wouldn't find one! What year did i think we were in?!

I really don't have much to say. I've been keeping myself busy....bumming around, working out, and going to school. I start my new job on wednesday so i can throw that into the boring mix of my exciting life. At least I'm going to nyc this friday!!! Can't wait! I'm still debating on the xanax chased with liqour for my horrific flight. I'm not sure which one I should give up since it's a pretty short flight...

by the way, who's j?

kitty wigs and gyro

so i saw this on jamaica's blog and had to share it with you guys....can someone tell me what the fuck this is??? who buys wigs for their cats for god's sake?! and it's $50!!! what is this world coming to? if something like this was invented and people actually buy it, i think the cousins should put their heads together and market something!

by the way, these really are miniature wigs for cats that you can get from kittywigs.com. i would just die laughing if i saw this in real life...

and check out lil kim....
michelle likes this one for some strange reason...

so, since adam is out of town this weekend, i made michelle sleep over (thanks, mishy...i love you!). we're in bed on our laptops watching food network and i just learned the strangest thing...gyro meat is formed out of ground lamp. this whole time i thought it was just one cut of lamb. did anyone else know that?

amazing

this, you have to watch! it's awesome!! i'm not gonna say anything to give it away except that this guy is absolutely amazing!! you won't know what he's doing until the end...so cool!

uneventfull

All I did today, besides homework in between surfing the web (i really need to stop that), was go out to lunch with Marie. We had a delicious lunch (something very fattening I really shouldn't be eating) and she surprised me with Print Regional Design Annual 2007. It's a magazine I saw at borders but refused to buy it when I saw the price (it was so expensive b/c it's a special issue). Really, I'm not cheap, but I just couldn't bring myself to buying it for $40 bucks....so thanks Marie...I love it!!!


Alex sent me a cool picture he thought I'd like and he's right....check out this awesome room! Imaging that wall for an office/library or a scrapbook room! He acually gave me a great idea: "do your scrapbooking as you normally do, then sometimes if you want a break or you're feeling whimsical or experimental just start scrapbooking ON your wall. You could constantly add to it and rework it"....I might actually do that one day!

I so badly want to scrapbook right now but I have stats homework (yay) and training...I'm not sure which is worse. But, I made this layout a couple weeks ago of me and Cliff (my bro)

I love using printed trancparency, magic mesh, and rub-ons....they're my favorite right now. Mabye I'll bust out a page later....

it's back...

My laptop is finally here!!! I can start blogging regularly, posting pics, and scrapbooking again! I'm so happy!

Some updates:

I started school and have stats....AGAIN! I have to say my infamous quote..."i hate this fucking class!" and then I want to throw my book across the room as i start picking a fight with adam cause i'm so frustrated. And just for the record, i'm 3 classes into it and this has already happened...poor Adam!

I got a job at an awesome organization...right up my alley and what I'm going to school for. I start training on friday.

My "escape" journal is going to be published in Apr/May issue of Somerset magazine and it's going to be a feature article...yay!! Also, I'm not sure if I mentioned this but I'm also going to be in there Feb/Mar issue and I think Staci is going to be in that one too! What are the odds of that?!

I've been going to the gym regularly and I actually want to go! The trainer, JJ is kicking mine and Michelle's asses(and soon to be Rita's).....and I'm still not losing weight! wtf?!! Maybe it's true that your metabolism slows down and your body changes once you hit 30. Or maybe it's b/c when JJ isn't looking I switch my weights to a lower set...oops (mish, you better keep your mouth shut!)

I had 3hrs of sleep last night and I'm still wide awake! I think it's the lingering effects of last night's boot camp....my body is still in shock. I actually woke up at 4 am and after 2 1/2 hrs of tossing and turning I decided to chop the parsley...don't ask...i don't know.

Adam is going snowmobiling this weekend and I'm not happy about that. I think I'm too much of a worry wart but I really can't help it. It's going to be a nerve wrecked weekend. It's okay though, I hope he has fun.

And finally, I'll leave you with some confessions....

no pain, no gain

that statement better be true cause training is KILLING me! I am not exaggerating when I say that I had to hold my breath while walking down the steps today...it was SO painful. Michelle and I did almost a full hour of squats yesterday and let me tell you, those bad boys are NOT fun! I'm so not looking forward to the next training session!

So this morning before class I stopped by my dad's to fill up my thermos with his delicious tasting coffee (i don't know what he does to it, but it really is the best coffee). I went to the bookstore to sell my old books from last semester and I only got $30 back!! Can you believe it...$30!? Absolutely ridiculous. I took my money and rushed to my morning class and left my favorite starbucks thermos filled with my yummy coffee at the bookstore! Then my temporary cell phone broke (mine broke yesterday). By this time I was really pissed and hot (from all the running around and pissy-ness). I got to class, sat down (which is also very painful), and took off my sweatshirt. I then realized I was wearing my shirt the wrong way...with the tag in front!!!! All this in just 1 hr! Needless to say, I had a prety shitty morning!

By the way, I still don't have my laptop. I should be getting it next week and then I'll be able to post some pics....can't wait!

wtf

why do i get these?? I hate them!!! I swear, all I have to do is think about these damn cold sores and I get them...urrgh!  <---I'm not sure what that is : )

I'm using my brother's new mac computer and I want one!!!! I love it, so many cool features! Maybe it's a good thing I don't have one cause then I would be on the internet so much longer than I am now and get nothing done.  But I really wonder how long it's gonna be before I break and get one.

Last night I scrapped with Janiece and Staci at my house!  We, or should I say I, created such a disaster in my family room...but it was worth it cause I had so much fun.  We scrapped until about midnight by the fire and we all got a lot done.  Too bad I can't post any pictures...still don't have my laptop. Shitty.

And this week classes start...so not looking forward to it!  I can't wait to finally finish!

2008...so far

1. I was sick on new years eve and day.
2. Good new and bad news about my laptop: bad news: it won't turn on again. good news: there's a recall on it, so there's an extended 1 yr warranty.
3. My 14 yr old dog, Lucky, has stage 4 kidney disease and the vet gave her a couple months to live...I'm SO SO sad! I love my little lucky to death!
4. Was hoping to start this year off a little better than this!