Month: June 2008

Yesterday my aunt & uncle, his 3 kids, their 6 kids, plus, of course, spouses descended upon the house of Flaum. For those doing the math- that’s 14 for lunch. I was totally thrilled to do it- because it meant I got to see these cousins and meet all their kiddies for the first time. Here’s a pic of all the kids.

Talk about baby central! It was fun having them over for a few hours, but of course once they left I’ve gone back down to “working lockdown” in the batcave. LOTS to do. The fact that I’ll be wrapping up my St. Paul trip this time next week does not seem real. Deep breaths, long lists, it can be done!

Before I run back to work here I leave you with this.

Is that not the cutest mug you’ve ever seen?????? This one gets put up on the wall for sure.

FIRST: October Afternoon/jelly belly prize winner kimberlee #2494. Shoot me an e-mail mflaum@comcast.net to claim your prize. Now onto my regularly scheduled post…

How it started:

MANY of my friends told me I “need” to get into the plum series. I bought “one for the money” a year ago. Finally in January I read it. 1/2 way through I knew I was in the heat of a new literary love afair and logged onto amazon.com to purchase every single plum book. (thank you Christmas $$!) I then got sick, threw my back out, etc. so I had quite a bit of time and license to lay around. What did I do? In less than a month I read every single one. Loved every single minute.

What I wanted: When I finished #13 I discovered that a new one was due in June. Oh how long to wait. Oh well. I made a plan. I’d re-read the plum series #1-13 (plus in between books) starting June 1 to refresh my memory.

what happened: travel, work, illness, work, new opportunities, girlie fun with daughters, day trips, work, and have I mentioned work?

conclusion: NO WAY will I wait, read through all 13 novels (it would only take about a week- I read fast), and then read #14.

No, I’m going to get on a plane to St. Paul with this book in hand. This is going to be one flight I really look forward to. I’d really like to thank Janet Evanovich for releasing this book just 2 days prior to my trip so that I’ll be able to read it slowly and at my leisure. Nobody pulling my leg, needing food or attention. Nope. I will be allowed something most moms are never allowed. A few hours of total selfishness. Just a solo traveler with the book I’ve been waiting for… and some junk food because who can read plum and not want junk food?

good times. and what a treat for me.

 

Big thanks go out to www.amillionmemories.com – Michelle (owner) sent me a kit to work with + one to give away this week in my Big Picture Scrapbooking class. She’s got beautiful stuff over there- and I had a blast working with this kit.

Know what I love about the whole kit thing? I can sit down and play without having to dig through my own stuff too much, and therefore I make more, spend less time making mess. Don’t get me wrong- I love making mess- but it’s nice to just play too. Here’s what I made with the kit she sent. I went a bit sew-crazy- LOVE the lace and such that she included…

Rebecca’s six month portrait (above), some pics of me and E (below)

I added in some german glass glitter, my trusty silver leafing pen, thread, and buttons- but everything else is pure kit. Here are some little fun things i did too. A chipboard round (meant to be part of an album) that I’m going to use as wall hanging, and some simple cards…

Thanks again to www.amillionmemories.com– such a fun kit to work with!

Jelly Belly released Cold Stone flavored jelly bellies. So far, the flavors are surprisingly AWESOME. I’m usually a simple fruit flavors ‘bean’ girl- but these rock! I think they look pretty with these 5 sheets of October Afternoon papers, don’t you?

I may be a few-and-far-between blogger the next week. So rather than merely telling you, I’m also thanking you for visiting and offering a prize. The goodies pictured above to be specific- I’ll draw a winner in a few days. Thanks for stopping by!

Offense #1: eating two ok, five chocolate chip cookies today. YES I said 5 and no they aren’t small. This is what happens when a chocoholic is put on a very low sweet diet and then makes cookies for her hard working husband. Who isn’t home to help stop her. My bad for making them- but I promised the wee E- and I don’t go back on promises to her if I can help it! Oh, but the cookies are soooo good. I put them all in the freezer, which you might think will help me tomorrow. It won’t. I *LOOOOVE* frozen or near frozen chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. uh oh.

Wish me luck tomorrow…

The funny thing is that I probably have 3lbs of chocolate in this house- but it doesn’t tempt me. No, in it’s raw state I can resist so long as it’s not one of “those” days. Ok, moving on-

Offense #2: Having SCARY stacks of work to do and instead settling in for the last (gulp) 4 hours to read chapters 4-end of “Bitter is the new Black”. Do I love Jen? Oh yes. Can I wait for my flight to St. Paul when I read her next book? Hardly. www.jennsylvania.com and her style is so NOT for everyone- but I love her truly. Her memoirs will be cherished on my bookshelf.

So WHY did I read her book tonight? Because I found it while cleaning up some stuff in search of my class project which needs finishing but is buried somewhere. Oh- and I was already 75 pages in (last week- when still sick I started it). so I figured “one or two chapters wouldn’t hurt”. However- like the cookies mentioned above- when I bite into a good book I’m gone. So I wonder how it’s 1030pm now, and yet the dishes are undone and NONE of my “after the girls fall asleep” tasks have been completed. huh. weird.

Confession #1 (of the hour): I’m an old lady who can not be productive past 10pm*. I blame my children. Of course- I wouldn’t have it any other way. But sometimes my super-human power to work late into night (after spending hours reading instead of working) would REALLY be fabulous. Ah well, I have other super powers, and I’ll use them tomorrow…

*I can read a book or zone out on TV or movies. but can’t “do” anything. body quits at 10pm.