Happy Halloween

It didn't dawn on me that today was Halloween until I went to the doctor's office this morning. I had to go for a follow up appointment, so there's nothing to worry about there. It certainly doesn't feel like Halloween usually does. I'm not sure what it's supposed to feel like, but however it's supposed to feel it just doesn't. No decorations. No costumes. No pumpkins. No candy. Lilly Belle and I do have matching skeleton tshirts that glow in the dark though. I bought them a few weeks ago when I was more in the mood. Time seems to really be zooming by lately. I find myself thinking about a lot of things I wouldn't normally, but I'm blaming it on the fact that I deploy in a month. I'm savoring so much of life right now. You know, little stuff. Stuff I won't have for a while. Mexican food. Manicures. A curling iron. High heels. Hugs. My first name. Lilly Belle. Christmas. Babies. Blue jeans. Warm from the oven cookies. Icy milk. My car. Baths. Make up. My birthday. My family. There's so much around me that I've never stopped to be thankful for. Stuff I didn't even think twice about. I have so many gifts to be thankful for, and so many things I am undeserving of. Too often I feel like I'm alone in my walk through life, and that God has turned his back on me. It's so easy to get lost in this world. I fight daily with that, but with one step back I can see clearly that I am never left to be alone. God is in every breath I take and in every beat of my heart. He's wrapped around me screaming he loves me, and all I have to do is listen. Sometimes that's the hardest part. I need to push away all the noise in my life and make a quiet place for Him. I need to let him guide me in the right direction instead of fighting it. I need to do the right thing no matter how difficult it is. I need to face my faults and weaknesses. I need to have faith that everything will turn out just right. And I need to keep pushing through the darkness and doubt. I will make it, and I will be okay.

Sunday Inspiration

Sunday Inspiration

Scrappucino

Alrighty, it's on the calendar! Here's the information for my first class at Scrappucino:

Christmas Explosion Album

Date: October 23, 2008

Time: 6:00 pm

Where: Scrappucino

2606 Hwy 41 South

Greenbrier, TN 37073

615-643-2622

Class Description: This awesome explosion album will blow your Christmas socks off! We'll be teaching you how to make this fun-folding album from scratch using the newest FaLaLa collection from Making Memories as well as TONS of embellishments from Creative Café, AccuCut, Bazzill, May Arts, Karen Foster, Anna Griffin, and MORE. Give this unique interactive album as a gift or keep it all to yourself for those upcoming holiday photos. Be sure to stop by the store to check it out!

Cost: $22

Supplies Needed: Paper trimmer, distressing inks, bone folder, redline adhesive, pop dots, glue stick, rub-on tool, & scissors.

(Oh, and I'll bring the Christmas cookies!)

If you need any other information about the class or shipping of kits just send me an email or leave a comment, and I'll post the answers right here for everyone. There are only ten seats in this class, so get in while you can!

Twilight

I just finished reading this yesterday: I picked it up last Wednesday without knowing a thing about it. If I had known it was about vampires I never would have thought about it twice. I'm really glad I gave it a chance though, because I was literally inseparable from my book. I even slept with it. I panicked when I reached the end, so I stopped at Walmart on my way into work yesterday around 0500. I could only find the Spanish version of the second book of the four-part series. I was on my way back out to the parking lot when I saw it on one of the end caps. It's called New Moon. I snapped it up, and I'm already on page 136. I'm one of those people that can't stop in the middle of a chapter. Just as I'm reaching the end of a chapter though my curiosity bites me, so I keep going. I've found myself in bed by 1930 this past week not only because I'm tired, but because I'm excited to read some more. I even took the book to work and read snippets between giving immunizations and pregnancy tests to Soldiers. The only problem with reading quickly is I know I'll have read the entire series in less than a month, and then it'll all be over. I hate it the end! I always want more. I'm even more excited that the first book has become a movie! Check out the trailer HERE.

Synopsis

Well, after I wrote that last post I went back to work, and something big went down. Maybe I should start from the very beginning... I'll try to keep to the main events. As I've mentioned, last fall I was assaulted by an authority figure in my unit. A big investigation happened, and I was told to keep my mouth shut while all this happened. He was immediately removed from the unit temporarily until the investigating authority was able to put forth a conclusion on guilt. I however had to stay at the unit during that time. It was quite a lengthy amount of time for the investigation to wrap up, but when it did I found myself still at the school. I was told that it wasn't a good time for the unit since the other person in my section was retiring. We needed to find and train a replacement before I could leave. The next excuse was that I needed to find and train a replacement for myself. These two new people and now a third and fourth have come into my section and are fully capable of doing my job, but still I haven't left. Why?! A couple months ago I finally asked my big boss what the deal was. He then said I just needed to go find a a job somewhere else. I did, but still I stayed. Then I was told I needed to take a couple of classes to benefit my career. What? At this point I knew there was no way they were going to let me leave willingly, so I went to visit one of my good friends for advice. She's one of those gals that knows it all and will tell me exactly what I need to hear when I'm falling apart. She told me to call up my branch manager (the person in charge of assigning medics to different units across the whole Army) to let them know my situation. I did, and in a blink I had orders sending me to another unit at Fort Campbell. I thought everything was finally going to work out until the assignments manager here at Fort Campbell called to talk to my big boss. It turns out he put a lock on my position so no one could move me. I broke down at that point. I sat in my little cubicle at work and balled my eyes out. I should know by now that I can't do anything in private at work, because just when I thought I was alone another head honcho walked over to ask what was wrong. I spilled the beans and he sent me to the commander's office where I spilled the beans again and a few more tears. The commander had no idea that all this was happening and made me feel better about the situation, but also told me that he'd have to talk to my big boss before he'd let me go. This was what I was dreading. I went to lunch for an hour, and came back hoping all was well. I wasn't in the door two seconds before my section leader called me in for a verbal smack down for jumping the chain of command. I asked permission to explain myself, but he said "I don't want to hear it!" So, I just sat there and took it. Finally, at the end of my lashing he asked me if I had anything to say for myself. I started to cry again followed by babbles of everything that had transpired over the past year all the way up to earlier that day. He then proceeded to tell me that I was being released to another unit on post. I didn't know what to think. I couldn't think. I was drained emotionally, but so relieved to be rid of my poison. I still don't have orders yet, but I hope and pray every spare second that they'll come today. I dread every breath I have to take in that place, and I know that I'm on the edge of screaming at the next tick of the clock. I'm holding back the rage and anguish with every thread of strength I have at this point. I just hope I can hold up a bit longer.

Falling into Place

Things just seem to be falling into place lately. It's amazing how I'm able to see events slowly unfolding in my favor. The power of prayer really is an everyday miracle. I felt like I was experiencing a break down this past week with going to the emergency room, my grandfather's passing, coworkers with cruddy attitudes, and even a few bad hair days thrown in. I've been working at the school for about two and a half years now, and it's really been eating at me. I felt like I was going to snap at any time. You're not supposed to be in a unit like mine for more than 24 months. It's high-stress to say the least, and really I cannot progress in my career without going back to a regular unit again. After I was assaulted last fall by one of my co-workers I asked to move away from the unit. They convinced me that I would be at the top of the list to move, and all I needed to do was cross-train a new person for a couple weeks before leaving. It's been nearly a year now, and I'm still living in my prison. Working at the school was amazing before all this happened. I felt like I belonged. A couple months after the incident though, my coworkers started to drift away from me. It's like they're scared that I'll start crying at any minute, or if they give me a high-five I'll claim assault on them too. It's like I have cooties! I need a new start with new people. Somewhere that I'm not known as a victim or a liability. Like I said, things are falling into place for me, and I need this more now than ever. I'll keep you posted...

Punching Bag

My life is never less than a roller coaster as some of you may know. All of our lives are that way, but this past week has been especially coaster-ish. I try not to complain about my job publicly too much, but I'd be a liar to say I love it all the time. Like I've said before, I LOVE being a SOLDIER, but sometimes I don't love the tasks, the people, wearing green all the time, the waking up early, not being able to keep a nice mani/pedi, and lots of stuff. It's all the little things that I would probably find in any other occupation as well. Those little things though are what seem to break me down as of late. I think my family matters are built up in me too. How do you mourn and move on when you're only allotted a day and half? I wasn't back to work after the funeral for more than an hour before someone decided they needed to break me down (repeatedly). I'm sure it's merely coincidence and lack of tact that this person chose to use those words at that moment, but at the same time I can't help but feel like they're purposefully attacking me for some personal reason of their own. I can't even begin to understand why someone would choose to be so cruel. We all have bad days, and we all take things out on people who don't deserve to be in our cross-fires, but this has been going on for the entire week. It's like a switch has been flipped suddenly. I'm not the only one being used as a punching bag for this person though. I'm just tired of having to hold my tongue sometimes, but really it's probably for the best. I mean, what would snapping back do anyway?

Miss Piggy

Christmas Mini Album

Well, I'm headed to Texas here in a few minutes, but wanted to leave on a better note. I've been working on this interactive mini album for the new store I'm teaching at. It's called Scrappucino. It's fun just to say that, isn't it? I'll be teaching it next month, so if you're in the area I'd love to see you there. We'll be having Christmas cookies not to mention tons of FUN! Anyhow, here's a peek for now:

Rest in Peace, Grandpa

Do not stand at my grave and weep; I am not there. I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn rain. When you awaken in the morning's hush I am the swift uplifting rush Of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the soft stars that shine at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry; I am not there. I did not die.

Happy Birthday

DEBBIE!!!!

Coffee with Jesus

I saw this video played in church last Sunday, and I immediately saw my self as the guy in the clip. Too often I just shoot God a little ditty of a prayer. A lot of times I end up just asking for things to go my way instead of really taking the time to talk to God and really open myself up to listen in return too.

P.S. His name is Chris, and after five dates I finally got a kiss! Whew! :-)

UpDATE

This past weekend was pretty busy. I had to stay late after work on Friday for an hour just to shred mounds of paper. I was pretty antsy the whole time considering I had a date that night to get to all the way in Nashville. It's about 50 minutes from here, but I had to get de-funked from being in my Army garb all week long. Anyway, right after I took a shower, changed into something cute, did my make up, blow-dryed my hair and even curled my lashes, (which I NEVER do), he called to cancel. Boooo! He said he had some stuff to do for school, so we decided to meet on Saturday for lunch instead. Again, he called and canceled at the last minute! I couldn't let another perfectly good face of make up and a fabulous head of hair go to waste, so I packed up all my scrapbooking projects and drove into Nashville anyway. I needed to go to JoAnn's to pick up my fabulous new sewing machine. Debbie is going to give me some lessons, so I'm pretty excited. I've been stitching by hand on my cards for a while, so this will make things a ton easier and faster. On my to JoAnn's I stopped at a cute little scrapbook store that Debbie and I like to swing into every so often. I took all my projects in and showed the owners. Long story short: I'm a designer for the store now! YEAH!!!! That crappy Saturday sure did turn out a lot better than it started. That night a new guy started messaging me from one of my many dating sites. We talked for two and a half hours before it started to get too late. Before I said "good night", he invited me to church the next day for our first date. I didn't know what to think. Sure, it's a "safe" place, but really church is so personal and intimate for me. I was a little nervous and freaked out, so I said I'd think about it. The next morning I woke up to a text message from him asking me to consider it again. His sweetness defeated me, and two hours later we were at church together. I loved it! I think I'll keep going to this church even if he turns out to be a schmuck! Anyway, after church we went to lunch and talked and talked and talked until near dinner time. We went our separate ways. About three hours later I couldn't stand it anymore, so I invited him over to help me frost cupcakes. He mentioned liking them earlier, so of course I had to bake some. Gotta work it, right? This time we talked until around 0230 in the morning! Madness! Yes, I know. So then we really said, "good bye". I had to be at work in a few hours anyhow. After work today we went out to dinner and stopped at Walmart for some ice cream on the way back. We ended up hanging out until just a few minutes ago, but I'm already wishing I could see him again right now.

Making Memories

Oh, what a great Friday! Work is over, and the weekend is HERE! Yes! AND... Check out who the Making Memories Guest Designer is over on their awesome blog. Yep, it's ME! I can't tell you how much I adore every single collection that's out right now. It's all just so yummy! I'll be featuring some more of their products this week, and I'm also giving away some delicious Making Memories blog candy filled with paper, ribbons, embellishments and MORE!!! You have up to TWO chances to win. Okay, so here's what you have to do: Leave a comment on THIS blog post for one entry, then head over to the MM Blog HERE and leave a comment for a second chance to win.

Well, since he mentioned it...

I figured it was okay to share the email I just received from the guy in the photo booth on the last post: "Hi, it's me. This is really really hard for me, and I know it makes me a big jerk. I think you're really cool, and I had a great time with you on Sunday, but there's someone else who I'm pursuing a relationship with :( I don't want to lead you on and be a bigger jerk-face than I already am. Anyway, I wish you the best, and I know you'll find someone great to settle down with...just stay away from those guys who pee on your car. I hope you have a good weekend :( and if you feel like you need to bash me on your blog, I'll understand :(" I guess I should stop telling people I'm into blogging when they ask what my hobbies are. I just can't find it in me to mad at him anyway, but now I'm wondering if he ended up with the waitress that served us earlier on our date. He seemed to hit it off more with her than me. They're both displaced from Michigan. He came down here for a job, and she came down here for a couple different guys... Well, I hope he didn't end up with her! I'm not sure how that would affect my ego. I'd better not ask. All is not lost though. When one door closes another opens, right? The second email in my inbox was from another dating site dude asking if I'd like to meet him on Friday at a little hot spot in Nashville. Sure, why not!? I had a golf date for Saturday too, but that guy seems to have disappeared randomly, so I don't know about that one anymore. I told some coworkers about my four dates last weekend, and they all laughed. Am I really ridiculous for doing this online dating stuff, or am I dating too much? Please, someone feel free to dish out a reality check at any time. If it were up to my mother I'd have a new date every night, but then again she'd be picking out the guys too!

Four Dates in Four Days

Whew! Labor Day weekend gave me a four-day vacation from work, but there was little rest to be had. I freakishly ended up somehow with four dates in one extended weekend. Crazy! I haven't been on a date in a while. Where did all these guys come from? This is the only date I was able to get evidence from. I LOVE photo booths! I think they should put these things up at our offices. What would you do if you had a photo booth at work!? I can only imagine the pictures our guys would come up with....

I've been playing with the camera...

I love this girl...

Little Treasure Box

I told ya I'm on a MM kick! I need to figure out a good way to use up all the little scraps I have still, though. This little box was just too cute to pass up. I bought it last week at my LSS. (Speaking of that... Memories in Bloom just started their very own blog! Stop on over, and tell Georgie I sent ya.) Okay, back to the little box... isn't it the cutest little thing. I used up some of my fuzzy rub-ons from Heidi Swapp that I've had forever. They're such a bugger to work with, but I do love the outcome if only I can be patient. I think I'm going to fill this little thing up with all of my favorite MM flowers and buttons, so they'll be at hand when I need them. They're currently in a cello bag right now. That's no fun, but this little treasure chest is. I feel like a little kid with a secret hiding place for my favorite little things. Heehee!

Arts & Craps

My craft space was dubbed the "Arts & Craps" room quite some time ago. I think it was my dad who coined the phrase for my hobby way back in elementary school when I initially began crafting construction paper mosaics and pop-up cards. In fact, my mom still has the first Valentine card I ever designed from way back in 1992. That was second grade. I made a butterfly out of different sized heart shapes and a few doodles. It's pretty lame, but I guess I was feelin' it at the time. Anyhow, I found this 47-cent doorknob hanger at the local craft chain a while back, but just this afternoon it started calling to me. As you can tell, I'm kinda on a Making Memories kick. The other two projects I made today are also from MM. Gotta love it!

Old School

One of my old high school friends just posted a picture on her site of all of us in theatre class. It's hilarious! I think we're freshman in this picture. I just can't stop laughing!

Tagged

Oh, Michelle, is SOOO UBER SWEET! She became an instant friend through blogging since she's apart of the Army family, and she lives in TEXAS! Who doesn't love that? She tagged me on her blog yesterday morning, too. I've been pretty lame on the blog tags lately, but I think I need to start sharing the virtual hugs again, so here goes.... THE RULES!!! 1. Only five people allowed. 2. Four of them have to be dedicated followers of your blog. One has to be new and live in another part of the world. 3. You have to link back to who gave you the award. Number one HAS to be my best friend, Debbie! Estivalia of course has to be on the list too. We both started blogging around the same time, and she's become one of my closest friends although she lives all the way in Chile! Oh, and Lauren! We went to middle school and high school together. I think we even went to the same elementary school. I love this girl!!! Let's not forget Marie! She's a military girl too, so of course she's THE COOLEST! Hmmm... I need one more person whom is new and from a different part of the world... I just spent over an hour searching for someone ANYONE to add to my list, but I'm still drawing a blank. Does anyone out there have a suggestion???

Elephant Card

I'm totally in love with the Animal Crackers collection from Making Memories. I love all this glittered stuff. Whatever kind of thing they did to make the glitter not fall off of the paper is genius. Ironically, Brad is the one who gave it to me for my birthday back in May. I'm just now getting around to it though. I'm always scared to use the stuff I love. I just want to have it forever! I love all the little die cut animals that came in the embellishment kit too. I think I want to do a series around these little animals. The little box came with tons of stuff, but I only have three sheets of cardstock. I need more!

Stampin' Up! Sale

From August 11-September 30, enjoy a 15% discount on select brand-new, die-cut stamp sets from the Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalog--no additional purchase necessary!

Click here to see a larger flyer.

Click here to see the NEW CATALOG!

Fort Knox

I'm off to Fort Knox again. As usual I'm feeling uber creative right when I have to leave. I'll be back on Thursday though. I have to leave Lilly with Brad. It's too late to change that arrangement. I was supposed to have dinner with him last night and drop off Lilly since I have to leave at the butt crack of dawn, but he texted me at the last minute to say he has a date that might run late, so he'll have to get her in the morning. I guess he's was expecting to break out the "party hats" or something. Ew!!! (I hear you, Debbie!) I'm so angry. I always complain about my horrible dates and being stood up. He calls those guys "jerks" which always makes me feel better, but I think he's the jerk now. I'm only sorry I blow-dried my hair. Anyhow, here's a sneak peek for you...

Van Gogh

I've always loved the Lollipop Shoppe collection from Basic Grey, but I've been hoarding this paper for way too long. I don't think they even make it anymore. Anyhow, as soon as I saw the new Making Memories glittered die cut shapes from the Noteworthy Collection I knew I had to dig it up. I just love all those bright fun colors. I've been on a card kick lately preparing for a craft show, so I decided to make a little altered box. I wanted it to be a place perhaps that a little girl could keep fun little things like notes, jewelry, or other doo-dads. I'm not sure exactly what I'll do with it though.... how about turning it into a coordinating card kit? I do have tons of paper and embellies left, so why not?

Cards

Woo! Hoo! The September issue of Cards is finally out! It seemed to take so long for this book to come out. I submitted my card way back in April. (You can catch up on the previous details here and here.) I haven't received my copy of the book yet, so I'm still anxious about seeing my card in print. I really hope it didn't end up on the cutting room floor. The post office can't work fast enough. Someone hurry up, and find a copy to let me know. Ahh! It's killing me!

Quickutz

I'm just not using my Quickutz the way I used to, so I'm downsizing my collection. My old stamp sets will be the next to go. If you're interested you can check it out here.

Nutrisystem

Okay, so my Nutrisystem came yesterday! That was really fast. I cleaned out my entire cupboard. I threw out everything that was expired (oops!), and put the rest in a box for the food pantry. My pantry is completely stocked now though. I can't spare an extra inch! I do have small cupboards though. It's quite annoying. I only have two skinny drawers in my kitchen too. I hate that! One for silverware and one for towels. The rest of my kitchen utensils are crammed into a jar on the counter. I guess I'll need to take a photo now, huh? Anyhow, the only food I've tried so far was the fudge brownie. The flavor isn't terrible, but it's so stinkin' sticky. It's kinda like eating a wad of peanut butter. It's definitely filling though! :-) I think I'm going to see if the Weight Watchers cakes and cookies are a comparable substitue based on calories and fat sorta stuff. They expire way more quickly than the Nutrisystem, but that just makes me think they're more fresh!

Something New

I ordered this yesterday.

Samantha

Remember Samantha? I introduced her in this post. Well, she's here! She came up to Tennessee for a four-day weekend. Today we went to the Adventure Science Center in Nashville, but first stopped for some BBQ and finished off the day with a stop at an old fashioned ice cream parlor and a souvenir shop. We also did some crafting. Her big sis, Chelsea, is off to college this fall, so we decided to make a picture frame for her dorm room. Samantha picked out all the colors, and I assembled the project out of a broken Goodwill frame. I designed it to be used vertically or horizontally. It didn't have any glass, so instead I attached a clip with a brad so she can change the picture easily as often as she changes boyfriends! Hmmm... maybe I'm thinking of my own dating life. Oh, and that's still as lame as ever if you're wondering. I'm still signed up for four different dating sites with meager results so far. I've had dates here and there, but they seem more self-obligatory. I have to convince myself more and more that I need to keep myself in the game rather than being unrealistic in thinking Mr. Right will just happen to knock on my door because he needed to use a tire iron after his car got a flat in my culdosac while en route to the emergency room where he's a medical intern. He also has a Yorkie and arranges flowers for the elderly on the weekends. Oh, and he loves his scrapbooking mother. Anyway... here's the frame:

Blog Candy!

I'm back from West Point again. I've been completely antsy about getting back into my studio, but when I walked into it I didn't feel as inspired. It's a total mess! I think some "spring" cleaning will help me work better. I always find stuff to get rid of and even more stuff that I'd forgotten I even had. That's always fun. I really would love to hear about your storage and organization solutions. Send me a picture or two of your craft space that I can post on my blog in exchange for some yummy blog candy.

Off to NYC Again...

Okay, I'm off to West Point again for a week. I'll share all the juicy details and pictures as usual. I'll even leave you with yet another card. I made it from the left overs from my last card. I had some printed chipboard stickers that came in my kit of the month. I thought they were pretty ugly, so I just peeled of the sticker, stuck it to some patterned paper, and filed the edges to make a new one. I'm really thinking I need to add a few random brads to the green paper or perhaps some small rub-ons here and there. I'm not sure. It just doesn't feel done. Any suggestions? I've made a few more cards, and I've even been sketching like crazy lately too. It just sucks I have to break my creative stride. Oh well, I can't wait to see the city again!

Supplies-Cardstock: Stampin' Up!, Lace Cardstock: KI Memories, Patterned Paper: Bo Bunny & Chatterbox, Chipboard: Scrapworks, Alpha Stickers: American Crafts & Carolee's Creations, Flower: Imaginisce, Piercing Template: Stampin' Up!

Seize the Day

I've been working so much lately, and when I'm not working I'm sleeping as much as possible. I feel like a zombie walking around here these past couple of weeks. Hopefully the end of summer will bring some relief. I'll be headed back up to NYC again on Tuesday, so I'll go yet another week without creating. Of course this happens right when I feel a super creative vibe come over me. I think it's time to clean out my scrap studio too. It's a super mess right now. I'm just not as productive in a messy space. I'll take pictures for you as soon as it's photo-ready though. Until then, here's the card you've already gotten a little peep of. I had one little piece of acetate, so I finally jumped on the bandwagon and made a clear card. The difficult part was finding a way to take a picture of it. I really had fun making this one. It's a little wacky, but so am I.

Sunday Funny

It's been a long time since I had a Sunday Funny posted on my blog, but after seeing how my good friend Beverly created a custom shipping area in her house I had to share my giggle fit. Check it out here.

Closet Makeover

My closet has been driving me nuts lately. I've hated it since I moved in here almost a year ago now. It's one of those long ones with two doors, so I can't access the long spaces on either side. I'd almost prefer having those ugly sliding doors that always fall off the tracks. At least I could get to everything then. I also hate my dresser. I put it together myself way back when I was first stationed here. I'm surprised it's lasted three years anyhow. The drawers don't work quite right, and it's not designed very practically. I've always been a bit obsessively compulsive about having all the same type of hangers (huggable hangers rock!) and that my clothes are hung in color order, by season, and by type. You'd think that would be enough organization, but not for ME! I really wish I had a before picture, but the only thing I was able to snap was a photo of Lilly "helping" me organize. She's like a cat that tries to squeeze itself right into the middle of whatever you're trying to get done.

I put all of my winter clothes, extra uniforms (I have TONS), and my overflowing tshirt collection each into their own big lidded storage tub and slid them into one of the long ends of the closet. I then moved all of my luggage and large bags into the other long end. Okay, I'm already bored with hearing myself describe my closet organization. I don't know why anyone other than myself would find this interesting, so here's a picture in short:

There's a lot that can't been seen in the picture, but you get the idea. I labeled all of the drawers with little metal rimmed tags tied on with embroidery thread. Even all of my undershirts for my uniform are rolled to the exact size of a dollar. We had to do that in Basic Training. (I guess I did learn a few things other than how to throw grenades and apply a high shine finish to a pair of combat boots.) All of Lilly's clothes are in the big blue drawer on the bottom left too. She'd be upset if she didn't have her own space in the closet. Only one of the bins on the top shelf is full. It's holding all of my jeans. I still have two empty drawers, an empty shoe cubbie, and room for six more pairs of shoes on the door caddie too! Perhaps it's time for some more shopping! I just didn't have a place for my polka dot rain boots, but that's okay. I like having them out anyhow. I wear them at first sight of looming clouds. I love funky shoes. I think I need a scrapbook page about that now. I've been working on some more cards for submissions again. I haven't created a thing since my first one was accepted over a month ago. I was afraid of being a one-hit-wonder, but the mojo is back! Here's a sneaky peek:

The Big Read

Shannon recommended this fun little ditty, so I'm giving it a try... “The Big Read" reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they’ve printed.”

• Look at the list and bold those you have read.
• Bold those you have read.
• Italicize the books you love.
• Strike out the books you have no intention of ever reading, or were forced to read at school and hated.
• Reprint this list in your own blog so we can try, and track down these people who’ve read less than six, and force books upon them.

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. The Harry Potter Series - JK Rowling
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Bible (Okay, okay, so I haven't read ALL of it)
7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12. Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare (I've read quite a bit, but not "complete")
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19. The Time Traveller’s Wife
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy (I read this in elementary school just because it was the biggest book in the library. I didn't have a clue what I was reading!)
25. The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams (This one is still on my coffee table. It was a disappointment.)
26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield – Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34. Emma - Jane Austen
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52. Dune - Frank Herbert
53. Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58. (I'm not sure what #58 was supposed to be. It's lost in blogland somewhere. If you know what it is be sure to share.)
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69. Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72. Dracula - Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses - James Joyce
76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray (I honestly have only heard of the magazine!)
80. Possession - AS Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens (This was an annual holiday read)
82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte’s Web - EB White
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom (Oprah made me read this.)
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90. The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92. The Little Prince – Antoine de St. Exupery
93. The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare (I love reading this kinda stuff)
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables – Victor Hugo

36/100 I guess I'm ahead of the polls. It still doesn't seem like that much, but remember I was a SUPER nerdy kid. I also studied musical theater in college, and most of these books were turned into musicals or plays. I'm sure most of these books would have been a bit more enjoyable had they not been homework assignments. Right now I'm reading Open House by Elizabeth Berg. I picked it up in the airport where I do most of my reading. I almost always blindly choose one of Oprah's Book Club picks. I haven't found too many duds so far, so I think it's a safe bet. What book are you reading right now?

Happy Birthday

LILLY BELLE!!!

I'm Back

That was a very short trip. I wish I had stayed longer. I didn't even see the Statue of Liberty, although I did see a man dressed up like one. In fact, I saw many men dressed like women. You certainly won't see that around here. I was supposed to arrive in NYC around 6pm, but the plane ran out of fuel, so we had to head over to Baltimore for three hours. That was strange in itself. Once I arrived in the city it was already dark, and I still had an hour to drive before I reached our hotel near West Point. I hopped a shuttle to head over to the rental car place only to find out they were out of cars. This trip wasn't turning out too well already. I waited for quite sometime before they approached me to see if I was okay with having a Mustang. Uh, yes! That was just fine with me. The guy behind me got a mini van and wasn't too happy with me at all. I stuck out my tongue and just carried on. What a baby. I reached the hotel by midnight and went to bed as soon as I could kick my shoes off. I had to be up before the sun the next morning, so I wanted as many Zs as I could squeeze in. The next morning we headed over to the training area and conducted classes. My part was quite short, so I was out of there by 1000 and on my way into the city. The lady at the hotel desk gave me directions to the train station, so I hiked it about a quarter mile to the platform. She told me not to bother taking my car, so I didn't. It wasn't but a few minutes until the train came, but I had no idea where to get a ticket. The little train station was more like a bar than a ticket counter. I found two girls about my age to ask about the boarding procedures. They laughed at me the entire time, but were a help nonetheless. Turns out there is no ticket counter. It's all automated.It didn't take too long before we reached Grand Central. This is where the real fun began. There were so many people shoving and pushing. I was afraid I'd fall onto the tracks, so I kept to the center as much as possible. Once I got out of the terminal I couldn't figure out how to actually get out of the station. It was huge, and it seemed like every corridor lead to another platform. I found a group of three police officers, and said "How do I get out?" They all laughed to each other before one said "Walk out!". What a jerk. I've never gotten lost in the woods or on a land navigation course, so I figured it out. Once outside on the street I debated on trying my hand at hailing a cab, but decided against it. Instead I found my way down and around a few blocks to a hotel front where I picked up a double decker tour bus ride. It was one of those hop-on/hop-off things, so it sounded like a good way to see it all and get around at the same time. The first stop was Rockefeller Center, so I hopped off to get a few pictures and walk around. It was super crowded, and I wanted to get in so much more, so I hopped back on the next bus that pulled up to the curb. Before we reached our next stop I snapped a few dozen more pictures.I thought I was quite funny that the street signs were so plentiful that they just kept stacking them up and up and up... Do you see the one on the bottom says, "USE THE TIMES SQUARE SHUFFLE"? Ha! That's a lot of cars doing a lot of honking.We zoomed right passed Radio City Music Hall.

They call them "dirty water dogs" in the city. I doesn't exactly make me want oneCheck out the city's disposal system. Ew!

The tour guide said this was Trump Tower. It was my mother's only request to get a shot of it. I hopped off the bus again to walk around Central Park, but I ran into this massive list of park rules. Wow!

I was so excited to see Central Park, but once I was inside it didn't seem so great anymore. It was dirty, there were fences around everything, and it was full of rude people sprawled out eating bagged lunches while screaming on their cell phones. I didn't spend much time there before heading back to the bus stop.The next stop was Times Square! Of course I had to get off and walk around here. Has anyone seen the Legally Blonde movie? How about the musical? It's on my to-do list for sure. I'm headed back to NYC next month, and I've already planned on seeing it live. I'm super anxious to see who turns out to get the lead role. MTV has a reality show based on the audition process. Yes, I'm addicted. I also stopped for lunch and souvenirs. Mom would be disappointed if I didn't after all. Grandma needed a postcard, my sister was quite indecisive on what she wanted, and Mom asked for a mug. I picked up plenty of extra things too. I plan on making a super fun mini book using a postcard book as my album base... Anyhow, back to pictures.

Here's where the ball drops on New Year's Eve. Okay, back on the bus...

After growing up in wide open spaces it's difficult to imagine living like this.This is The Empire State Building.These things remind me of Petticoat Junction. Does anyone remember that show? It's super old school.Here's a picture of the subway entrance. I was too scared to go down there by myself.

This is the U.S. Custom House.And here's China Town. The last place the bus stopped before I ended the loops was the United Nations, so I jumped off. I was a little confused as to which gate was the entrance, so I just walked up to the first one. I started to ask the guard where I should go, but he quickly nipped my question to tell me they were closed for the day. I'm not sure why I didn't walk away at that moment, but I started to ask him questions about what the U.N. was. I already knew, but in an instant I had a school girl crush on him, so every bit of random babble spilled out of my mouth for the next five minutes. He told me he was about to change shifts, so I wrapped it up by asking for directions back to Grand Central. He said he was going that way, so he'd walk me there. I waited for a few minutes for him to change and meet me back at the gate all the while wondering what the heck I'm doing hanging out with a random stranger. I quickly called my sister and gave her his stats and full name. I did one of those mental snapshot thingies I do sometimes at his badge. I think the Army taught me that. I'm always gathering tiny details. It freaks me out sometimes. Perhaps they really did brainwash me in basic training. Anyhow, we stopped at a pizza place on the way to the train station where I again babbled my little head off. I asked him if it was normal behavior for him to befriend tourists like this. He confessed that it occasionally occurred. I appreciated the honesty although I still pretended I was the only one to captivate him this way. He then walked me to my platform before we said goodbye, but not before exchanging phone numbers and agreeing to meet again tomorrow. I know. I know. I'm crazy. The next day I once more had to be at work well before the sun rose. We needed to get in a 12-mile foot march before the West Point cadets could graduate. The work day was done by 1130. I suppose that's one good thing about waking up early. I had lots of time to explore and revitalize before heading back to the city. I went to the West Point Museum, and ate at a little dive that one of my friends recommended. On the way back to the hotel I stopped at a scenic look-out. It was crowded when I stopped, so I decided to mill around before I looked over the edge. The second I peered over the cliff a huge eagle soared up and loomed overhead. It was amazing. I'm an extremely patriotic person as you may know, so little things like parades, children waving flags, and the Star Spangled Banner really get to me.

Oh, and I squeezed in a little test driving of the Mustang, too!

I took a little nap and shower before heading back into the city.

I had about 30 minutes left before meeting my gorgeous guard again, so I camped out on a bench in a little park around the corner while I read a book. Once we met we decided to go over to Jekyll and Hyde for dinner. It was across town, so we took the subway. Man, was it packed. There were some amazing dancers down there though. They were just kids, but they knew exactly how to get the crowd's applause and money. Once we arrived at the restaurant we were greeted by a loopy maid and an arrogantly odd butler who jumped from table to table (sometimes literally) spreading creepy comedy tidbits. We had a good time. We then went to a birthday party for one of his close friends where we hung out for a while before heading back to the train station once more. It was nearing one o'clock in the morning, and there were only two more trains I could catch. I really didn't want to leave. I was having the time of my life. We exchanged email addresses before I reached for a hug. He kissed my cheek. I convinced myself again that I was the only one he'd randomly sought adventures before with while wishing simultaneously that my cheek wasn't the only thing to touch his lips in that moment. I boarded the train headed back to the hotel. I had to be on my way back to the airport by 0900, so I packed up all of my things and collapsed into bed. My travels back to Tennessee were uneventful compared to the previous parts of my trip. I can't wait to go back.