Today

If nothing else, I kicked the last poinsettia to curb today.
The orchid looks better, it makes the living room less tired looking.

Olympic Readiness

Jodi asked on face book, "Are you going to the Winter Olympic? Do you want to?" We live pretty close to the Vancouver 2010 games which makes it easier.

So, are you going?

We have no athletes training at the Stone House however; we are doing a bit of Olympic prep. Hubby had CNN and NBC at work yesterday, making sure that he is ready.

Max is working after school every day this week, making it easy for the official Olympic buses to leave their prep lot and cross the border to Canada. When hundreds of buses leave at the same time the gravel gets pretty torn up. Max's job is to smooth it out.

I am going to Whistler with my sisters in February to help Kathi spruce up their condo for their Olympic guests. Tough job, hee hee, it involves scrapbooking, shopping, snow shoeing, hot tubbing and relaxing. Just my kind of job. Really, we have a lot of work to do.

We have no plans to attend an Olympic event, yet. We'll see. Chances are we'll all be too busy with prep to actually go. Hubby would love to see a hockey game but tickets are rare. We'll probably watch it on TV in the comfort of the Stone House.

Now all we need is CoLd and SnOw!

The Early Bird Gets the Worm

Or gets tired?

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I get up at 5:30 a.m. for boot camp. This week Hubby has to go into work early so I am getting up with him. So, it is 5:30 a.m. every day.

I make a lunch for my guys to take with them for the day. They have no other options. Hubby may not leave work and Max may not leave school. So sack lunch it is.

Hubby takes yogurt, a banana and a diet coke and Max likes a water otherwise they have the same lunch. Homemade cookies and some packaged stuff, string cheese, fruit, fruit snacks, chips, sandwich, pretty standard stuff.

With Hubby's schedule and guys either in school or at a summer job I make someone's lunch almost 7 days a week. Someone always needs a lunch.

Do you make lunches everyday? Any new ideas?

Some mornings I get notes regarding lunches. These were no ordinary pretzels, they were TJ's peanut butter filled and chocolate covered pretzels. And there were only enough left for one guy's lunch. Now I know everyone loves these pretzels but I had to give Max the A for effort and the pretzels. Oops! I think I may have rewarded lying.

So, the early bird gets the worm and the liar gets the pretzels? Something isn't right here.

AND-

My kitchen is starting to look like LoVe WeEk. Oh, baby!

Hotel Review and Other Important Stuff

Hubby and I went to the city this weekend. We attended the Seattle Gift Show for the museum gift shop. This year I got a great rate at the new Hyatt, Olive 8. Lovely eco-friendly hotel, comfy king bed, super happy hour selections, however; the doors are thin and we heard our indecisive neighbor all night. They just could not decide if they should stay in their room, forgot a key every time they left and had to knock to get back in the room. Hubby thought there was a lady of the night in the room with customers coming and going. Plus the ice machine outside our room didn't help.

So, lovely but loud sums up my review.


In Other News-
*Max baked a cake last night, all by himself. I am so proud.

*We stopped in Edmonds and had coffee with Danny on Monday. He is doing well and we enjoyed the coffee shop Red Twig with him.

*The trend at the gift show for next Christmas was red and grey. It's okay but I like things a bit more festive at Christmas than grey.

*Smaller gift show due to the economy but a more upbeat feel this year than 2009. Could it be we have all adjusted to the new normal?

*If I don't clean my house soon the health dept. will shut me down.

*Sam has his 20th Birthday this week! I mailed him a package yesterday. Thanks Cheryl!

*After more than two months, Hubby is on days. It is so great to have dinner as a family again. Max is happy too, Mom is cooking again. Although last night Hubby BBQ'd the chicken and cut the fresh pineapple. I guess I am cooking with help.

*Thrift Store Wednesday...woot, woot, if it floats your boat.

*Enjoy the sunshine today!

A Smattering of Information

Yesterday I made a peach pie and some rustic bread. Two loaves of bread because I added the water and then couldn't remember how much I had put in, added more, didn't look right so I mixed up another loaf and let them rise. They both baked up just fine. It's me I'm worried about.

I started a mini book project yesterday. I started with a 25 cent board book from the thrift store.

I painted the edges pink.

Then I cut a pattern for my paper.

And then...I went to Safeway and got some groceries. Hubby and I have a friendly competition going with our savings percentage. I was pretty proud of 39%, especially since I bought two Dutch soup mixes and they NEVER go on sale and have doubled in price. He told me he'd be impressed when I got in the 40%+ range. Game on!

Back home I mod podged over the book pages, covering each page with the paper and after it dried I sanded the edges. This book had 22 pages, I didn't have enough coordinating prints so I used some solids. Solids don't sand very nicely. Mental note for next time-find a smaller book.

Then I went through and mod podged over the pages. I couldn't do very many because they have to dry in between. This one got a bit stuck and I pulled it apart this morning. I think I can cover it up with a border of sorts.

Hoping to make it a Valentine book. You know how I LoVe Valentine's Day.

In other news...
*Thank you so much Michele for the sweet treats and note. The bookmark went right into my Bible. You are in my prayers.

*I have received treats lately including a treat in my church mailbox. I will be using it for Valentine's Day treats and will share. BING! That's no bling, no one had ever left me bling! in my church box.

*Our boot camp group is starting a friendly competition on Monday. I'm scared and not going on Monday...

*I get to have fun with my friend Emilyn today starting with a birthday party at the skating rink. NO, I am not skating. I HaTe to skate. I'm thinking we'll go for coffee afterwards or hot cocoa.

*Have a great weekend. I am going on a buying trip to Seattle.

*Check out my Sam's soldier's blog.

When I Grow Up

Beryl Cook Art

On Wednesday I had lunch with a friend and now I know what I want to be when I grow up. Finally. I want to be a lady who does lunch! We met at Giuseppe and had salads and a glass of Chardonnay, a nice long chat and then a look around at the Greenhouse. Good, fabulous fun and I am going back for more.

While I was in town I made a stop at the Paper Zone. There were many sweet Valentine papers and doo dads, and I may have bought a few. But what caught my eye was the Mod Podge.

When I was in junior high I was the queen of Mod Podge. You know, a piece of wood with a decorative edge, a Holly Hobby picture, some Mod Podge and insto facto I was a decorator. Sometimes I burned the edges of the art for a challenge. It's a miracle that my parent's house is still standing, I did some pretty edgy art back in the day.

And now, I'm not even sure when the crafty bug will bite but I have the Mod Podge in the house and I am ready. Mod Podge Rocks should be a good source. I've seen projects on their site and not had the Mod Podge at my finger tips. But now I do.

Today I will be at Sole Obsession during the lunch hour. Come visit and make me look good.
Beryl Cook Art