A relaxed weekend

We had a fantastic weekend! It was funny, though, because Greg and I went to Omaha, but our family wasn't there. My mom and Grandma went to Seattle, so Greg and I housesat/pet sat for mom. My cousin Emily was away at school, and my aunt, uncle and cousin Melissa were moving Melissa into her dorm. So for Friday evening and Saturday we were on our own. We enjoyed coffee on the deck each morning, some great homecooked meals (thanks mom) and some shopping around town. I went to the scrapbook store that started it all for me, though it has since changed owners. And we stocked up on our Nebraska "imported" coffee to take back to Minnesota with us (their customer service is amazing, as is their coffee. Our favorite is Heavenly Delight). Sunday my aunt and uncle got back so we went to their place for dinner and went to see The Bourne Ultimatum...that was SUCH a good movie! I just love that series. And thankfully, I think they left the movie open for more, but closed it enough that it won't leave you hanging if they don't make more. Monday we went down to the lake with my aunt, uncle and some family friends. We had a really nice time relaxing down there. Yesterday we drove back to Minneapolis, stopping in Des Moines for dinner with Greg's family. It was fun to catch up with them. Of course, my nephew was entertaining as always (love that kid!!!), and Greg's sister got to tell us all about her new job. Knowing what a photo nut I am, my MIL had printed some pictures for us, which I always love. So all in all it was a great weekend, and now we're back to work and the week is already half over.

The Three Miss Margarets

About a week ago I finished a book called "The Three Miss Margarets". It was a nice, easy summer read. I'd give it a 3 out of 5. The story opens with a mystery and that mystery slowly unfolds through a series of flashbacks and recollections by each of the three Margarets. It is in these recollections that we begin to understand the bond between these three women, and the history (the good and the bad) of the town in which they live. It reminded me a lot of the Ya-Ya's which, although it may not be fair, made me judge this book a bit harder. If you can get it at the library, borrow it, or find it at a used paperback store, it's definitely worth the few evenings you'd spend flying through its' pages.

Damn, it feels good to be a gangsta...

Last November when Greg and I got married, our friend Nick told us that his gift to us would be to cook us dinner on an evening of our choice. You see, Nick is well-known for his masterfully cooked chimichangas and brandy slush. Well, as it always does, time got away from us, and finally ended up nailing down this weekend as THE weekend.

So we decided to precede dinner with a gangster tour of St. Paul. Nick and his girlfriend Robin joined us for the afternoon. Did you know that quiet, quaint St. Paul, MN has a corrupt past? Yup, and it attracted all kinds of famous gangsters to this area. So we got on a bus with "John Dillinger" and he took us to see the sites and told us the stories. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who is looking for something fun to do one afternoon.

Relax

Few things in life are as good as relaxing with loved ones on a hot summer day. My husband and my nephew, relaxing on a hammock on Father's Day. I love these papers...I found them at Scrapbooks Too this past spring. It was a new line called Stacy Boyd Claire by EK Success...I just loved the colors and geometry.

Here's to hoping you can find some time to relax and enjoy the company of loved ones during these last days of summer.

A great weekend!

Well, for whatever reason, blogger is not letting me upload pictures today. Oh well...I guess my verbiage will have to do! Anyway, it's been awhile since I've posted a real post (not that Simpsons aren't real) so I thought I'd dive back in.

Friday night we went to a fundraiser beer bash at Shaw's in Northeast (lest you be confused, that's the Home of the Shaw Burger) for Make-a-Wish. Saturday, we participated in the third annual Wifflin' for Wishes (incidentally, we have played every year) which is also a fundraiser for Make-a-Wish. We always have so much fun. Greg has been able to organize three teams from our offices to play each year and a good time is had by all. A shout out to our friend, Truck, and his team of organizers who make this event possible! After a playing in the sun we were exhausted so we took it easy and watched movies that night.

Sunday, we spent the day doing practical grown-up things...running errands to Target, cleaning the house, doing laundry, that type of stuff. I was excited, though, so finally get out and do something that I've been meaning to do for several years now: Stuff the Bus! Greg and I got out and did a little back-to-school shopping for charity. Can I just tell you how very much I LOVE school supply shopping? I think it's the greatest. To me, it signifies the start of a new year: new classes, fresh starts, potential of new friends and new experiences.

And then today, it was back to the grindstone.

See you soon!

I've been Simpsonized!

But it wouldn't let me change the cats to look like mine. Bummer. Fun anyway though. Check it out here: http://simpsonizeme.com/##

A few more layouts to share...

The top three layouts are pretty self-explanatory. On the graduation one, the journalling is hidden on a tag under a photo. This is my youngest cousin on her graduation day this year. My aunt is in the turquoise, my mom is in the black with terracotta, and my grandma is in the black and white. That's me in the all black.

The journalling on the layout at the right explains the layout: ""March, 2007 – These pictures make me smile BIG TIME! Melissa & Trudy came up to visit the U of M & also to celebrate Greg’s graduation. While they were here they said they were going to be downtown. I told them they HAD to stop into Target to see their cart escalator. Having come from Nebraska, where there’s plenty of room for urban sprawl, our Target stores are only one level, so this is a sight to behold. Not only did they go, but they took pictures…and gave them to me! Of course Melissa, being the typical teenager, said she was embarrassed that her mom made her take pictures, but I find the whole thing amusing! Thanks, girls, for humoring me."