worry.....just plain ol' worry

well......as i posted....rex drove 5.5 hours to chicago on thursday......spent 8 hours at a class on friday....(some of it on his feet.....most sitting in a chair).....then i arrive on friday night! after we drove to the suburbs of chicago, he complained about his calf hurting and started to massage it!!!!! NO>>>>>> never.....REPEAT.....NEVER massage a calf that is hurting!!!!! okay.....my public announcement is over......anyway......after i told him NOT to massage his leg, i took a quick peek... not red, swollen or warm to touch! so just told him to keep me informed!

saturday.......at ikea he again said it hurt!!!!! well.....ikea just happens to have little paper tape measures hanging around.......so i made him raise his pant legs and measured his calves.....just a 1/4 inch difference!!!!! so again told him to keep me informed............

drove 5.5 hours home saturday night and no further comments!!

sunday......rex goes to work at the Pottery Barn for 5 hours.............no comments!~

fast forward to monday am.........he calls me at WORK...(first time in over 2 years!) and tells me his calf is hurting badly and his foot is going numb! so quickly called joe (our primary) and then met rex at the ER...............1 hour and probably $1000 later.....no DVT. (blood clot)....thank god and just muscle inflammation! so home for the rest of the day

with the leg elevated and iced!!!!! so very thankful that he is healthy.......i love rex so much......i can't imagine a day of my life without him........

next month we will celebrate 34yrs of marriage!!!! wow....and some said it would never last!

i just LOVE my life!

home sweet home~~~

chicago was so much fun.......after a short flight to midway and a 1 hour to drive to Windy City....the flipping store was Closed!!!!! they had cancelled their crop that evening however they failed to update their schedule!!!!! so off to Smoque with Shelley and Rich.....they treated us to dinner.....what a great night!!!!! so back to their home.....drop off rich and with rex following us, shelley and i drove out to Archivers to surprise kathleen loughran!!!! so much fun to see the look of surprise on her face! just love those two girls!!!!!

after only a short time in archivers and spending just a few dollars, rex and i left and tried to find a close hotel......first one, NO vacancies ........so off to another one.......few minutes later we were in a cozy room with a king size bed.....and off to sleep.........there were children above running amok......and making it difficult to sleep soundly........so up by 8am (i know.....that's not early for some!) then to breakfast and off to Ikea.

well.......just 4 hours at $110/hour .....yep...$440 total.....we came home with frames, shelves, funky panel holders with fabric, paper holders with rolls of paper.....and other little fun things.!!! i can't imagine how much time i would spend in one of the stores if it was in st. louis.........however i hope they think about building one here!!!!! here's a little photo of some of my purchases!!!!!

it took us about 5.5 hours to drive home on saturday, pick up my car at the airport parking.....that cost $33....ouch ... then to erin and mike's to pick up two misbehaving puppies and bring them home! charles manson (their cat) finally got to come out of the basement rafters! lucy the puppy will miss comet and apollo.!! it felt so good to get home and into our own bed.......the windows open and very cool air blowing through.....waking up with the covers pulled up tight around us.........such a great feeling.......home......our home!!!!!

going to play with some paper and Helmar Adhesives later tomorrow......thought i would be able to do that tonight......however after a so-so massage i have a migraine......who'd have thought????

i love my life......my sweet husband......and my dear friends!!!!!

off to the Windy City.......and to Windy city

yep.......hopping on a plane as soon as the work day is over tomorrow and going to spend 1 whole day in chicago..........yeppers.........24 hours.............can't wait! going to meet rex (who arrived there tonight) and then off to Windy City Scrapbook store.......gotta check out if they have anything fun! then.. dinner with some friends at a yummy BBQ place...........then to spend the ENTIRE day at Ikea.......doesn't that sound fun!!!!! i have NEVER been there and can't wait to poke around and see all the fun stuff!!!!! not too big of a car to transport items home.......however i think i can keep my purchases to a minimum!!!

still waiting about the HelmarAdhesive DT tryouts.........i'm so excited about this.....and hope i can keep waiting without going too crazy!

well......the puppies are at erin's for the next two days........so it's kinda quiet here........

i love my life........and hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

Helmar Adhesive DT tryout info emailed!

well.......i did it!!!!!! i emailed all my information to Helmar Adhesives for their DT tryout. I had a great deal of fun playing with the product.........the 450 Quick Dry rocks!!!!! and the scrap dots are fabulous for adding height and dimension! not sure i can post any of the stuff.....however i will try to put just a little sneak peek on here!!!!!

wish me luck...........

i also was able to complete the Copic Certification class and i'm now a Copic Certified Designer! what fun it was to play with Sally Lynn MacDonald!!!! she is soooo funny and informative!!!! and damn......she is TALL!!!!!! kinda like 5 foot 12........well....probably 5'9 or something.....however she seems so tall to me!!! what a delightful person! guess she is on her way home.....or may be there already!

i just love my life!!!!!!!!

dreaming about paper & glue.....Helmar, to be exact!

not sure if anyone else has this problem, however if i work on stuff late at night......say 730pm (i'm old, folks!)......then i do nothing but lie awake thinking about what i could be doing.....instead of trying to sleep! not the best thing........after i made a big error with ages of patients.....thinking 6 and 7yr olds.....vs 16 and 17!!! sooooooo....i just went to the studio and looked at the pretty papers and contemplated what i wanted to do.........so just a little sneak peek.........love this helmar glue......it holds so dang gone well........and i love the scrap dots!!!!! can't beat a great adhesive!!!!!!! we all use adhesives, and why not use the best around!

okay.......just a little sneakie!

still just love my life!!!!!!!

dreaming about paper and glue

design team tryout! with Helmar Adhesives!

trying to get a little creative mojo and design some fun things for this dt tryout! i have been using Helmar Adhesives for a while now and really love them! wish me luck!

the weather today in st. louis was WONDERFUL!!!!!! almost 90degrees......and i drove with the top down..........now my hair could be a nest for any creature!!!!! with the curls, it's almost impossible to comb out........will jump in the shower and De-Tangle!!!!!

will try to post some photos this weekend.....the puppies went to the groomers and look so handsome!!!! erin, mike and lucy are coming over sunday for easter dinner! i got a photo of one of the LARGE turkeys that live in the neighborhood.......rex had to stop on the road for one with his feathers all spread.....(it's dating time in the hood!) and he had a little girl turkey following him......i whipped out my iphone and got a quick photo......not too good, however it IS the turkey!

i also snapped a few photos of some daffodils, and hope to edit them and add some brushes......(trying to learn something new!)

hope everyone is having a great week.........have a wonderful Easter with your family!!!

i love my life!

cough due to cold

went to work..........came back home..........this cough is UGLY......

started some ultra strong meds........thanks blondie!!!!! (you know who you are!) so now i just have to get well......... staying home tomorrow and going to just push the fluids and healthy foods.......so i can get back to work and pay the mortgage!

dinner was fun last night with the children.........bandana's....love me some ribs and corn on the cob............then home for cake!!!!!! GREEN VELVET!!!!!!! whooooo hoooooo...... erin gave me a stunning necklace and mike gave me a new salad spinner........mine cracked and HE loves salad!!!!

rex.....my sweet rex got me a wonderfully pink optical mouse........and a fully packed calculator that has tape!!!!!!!! yep......TAPE!!!!! michael thought it was something from the 70's however i need something with tape when i'm paying my bills.............trying so damn hard to get outta debt and a machine with tape just makes it easier for an old school girl like me!!!!

well.......the cough is starting again.........i LOVE my life.......just not this cough!

it's my party and i'll cry if i want to!!!!

nope......not really!!!! wait.......it is my birthday and it is a party.....and i am NOT crying!!!! i have everything i could want.......sweetest husband ever.......loving daughter, great son-in-law.....two of the best puppies ever........friends all sending birthday wishes..........what more could a girl ask for.

i just wish i didn't have a cold and cough.........this cough is soooo forceful......it hurts!!!! and that lousy tasting medicine isn't much help!

okay.......enough whining.........the sun was shining for about 15 minutes!!!!!! glorious!!!!!! and the air is full of sounds of spring......birds chirping......the harbor bell is ringing......and you can smell spring in the air!!!! (no, it's not just dog droppings!) IT'S SPRING!

hope everyone is having a spectacular monday.........going out to dinner tonight with rex, erin and mike.........not sure where.....however, it will be tasty!

i love my life!!!!!!!

sick bugs living here in mo'fallon!

well.......guess i will be spending the day in sweats tomorrow for the official birthday outfit......have the day off (not sure why.......just a day off!) and i have been sick since thursday night........started with a little cough........mentioned it to tootsie about why am i coughing so much..........by that night i kept waking rex up with the coughing attacks...........got the call on friday to stay home on monday.....and thought.....yea...i can actually make a few things in the studio........yeah right.......been lounging with the puppies......can't keep my eyes open for more than a hour or so at a time.......really wanted to accomplish something..........perhaps tomorrow will be a better day......it is MONDAY!!!!!!

little jose' still has some narley spots on him.........his two hind legs and tail........just were the flowers are............hopefully they will heal over soon.

well..........did you hear......??????? i'm going to be the guest designer for ClearScraps for the months of May&June...........totally excited about that..........hope i can find some fun mojo to make some outstanding contributions!!!!!!!

will post some of the layouts i did yesterday with tootsie and girls!!!! think some of them turned out nice!!!!!!!!

tootsie gave me a remarkably stunning brooch for my jacket.....along with some other fun stuff......including red velvet cupcakes with pink/green icing!!!!! monica surprised me with some really cool pool stuff......can't wait to have the next party!!!!!!! along with a delish red velvet cake...........what a wonderful day it was..........except for the low grade fever and cough from hell!!!!!!!! downing cough medicine that tastes like is was made from yak intestines.......ohhhhh how awful it is!!!!!!!

well......off to bed........i love my life......sick bugs and all!!!!!!

poor little jose'

well.....after one week of debate.....i have decided to name the little creature that is living on my foot Jose'........thanks to miss becky!!!!! rex suggested hector.....ICK.....and i thought HEY-SUS (you know spelled jesus......not) then becky suggested jose'......since i am already associated with jose'...........so jose' it is!!!!!

anyway......poor little jose' is peeling.........and i hope the color isn't all coming off.......just don't know.......if so, guess i'll be making a trip back to delmar! there are some spots that feel really icky....just keep washing and moisturizing.......course seeing those little pieces coming off where very freaky..... thinking about a little heart with rex's name in it!!!!!! ohhhhh, i think i see a habit forming!!!

it's sunny outdoors.....and the weather seems pleasant.....the pups are running and barking as usual........miss lucy is coming over with the children........we are going to grill some steaks and hang out........perhaps watch the award show!!!!!

on another note.....since spring break is coming up, and erin loves to bake.....etc..i purchased a little cricut for her.........hope she will make a superb cake for me for the birthday.......will just see!!!!!!!

still loving my life.......peeling gecko and all!!!!!!

lazy day

wow......the warmth today was just wonderful.... we had some errands to run and just loved having some fresh air in our faces!

cooked dinner tonight.....using erin's recipe for chicken scampi......turned out wonderful.....and sooooo delish!!!!! and sooooooo fatting....... almost 2 sticks of BUTTER.....just wonderful!

rex took some time today to learn his new software program on computer aided drafting......he's planning on redoing the backyard.....new plants and hardscapes....... i'm sure he will come up with something beautiful!!!

well......off to watch some tv!!!!

i love my life!

tats and friends..........

well........i did it!!!!!!! i have been talking about getting another tattoo for some time.........and i have been talking about it with tootsie.......and some other friends...........sooooooooo......

tootsie, jen k and myself went to the delmar loop......walked into IronAge and got some tats!!!!!!!

now.......mind you...........when i got my first tattoo there was NO pain......i used emla cream!!!!! okay........i got a script for emla......paid a butt load of money....applied the emla to each of our extremities..............and it HURT like hell!!!!!!!! well......actually only the outlines hurt.........poor little jen.........her's was ALL outlines......with just a touch of shading........however it's BEAUTIFUL! and toot's looks soooo damn gorgeous...........i even kept her sketch just in case i would like one like hers!!!!!!!!!

i just love mine........and can't wait until spring/summer to show this puppy off!!!!!! love the lime green and hot pink.............would have loved more pink..............however there is always a NEXT time!!!!!!!

tootsie's is the dragonfly......jen's the celtic heart........and mine is the GREEN gecko!!!!!!!!!

well..............i still LOVE my life..........and most all that goes along with it..........have a few bumps in the road............however i guess they keep me guessing!

new adventure!!!!!!!

having some girlfriends join me and we are off for tattoos tomorrow!!!!!! hoping to have a fun day.........then do some scrapbooking about it later in the day!!!!!!

will try to post some photos of the activities.........

and will try to post photos of the progress on the homefront!!!!!

love my life!!!!!!

more renovations!!!

rex installed new lights in the kitchen.....and replaced all the cabinet hardward......it looks sooo damn cool......next we are going to work on the hardwood floor between the first floor and second floor...........then we start on the second story with the hardwood........course i have to come up with some funds for that!!!!!

still planning on a little adventure with linda and jenny next weekend......already got the EMLA creme and toots is bringing the dressings..........so now we just need to wait until saturday!!!! then off to crop at Archivers in illinois (where jenny works!) this is going to be soooo much fun!

also......went to see Mamma Mia this past thursday night.......what great music from ABBA ( the first B is supposed to be backwards.....just can't seem to do that on this computer!).....loved all the music....and the company! lynne celebrated her birthday on sunday....valentine's day......what a fun day for her!

well......off to bed..........erin and mike just left after having dinner here......erin made shrimp scampi.......what a great chef she is.........so skilled in the culinary arts......not at all like her mom!

i love my life!!!!!!! and my puppies.......so cuddly!!!!

going to work on this

here i am again...........short day at work.....came home and took a little nap with a puppy or two.......have some more snow outdoors......and comet and apollo just love to romp in it.....then have to spend "timeout" in the laundry room to de-thaw.......or just get into the sink and get a quick bath...........hopefully only one more time outdoors for tonight!

that's pretty much here..............still love my life!!!

busy hectic life

wow.....it says on my blog that i have only posted once in the last 3 months.......what a slacker i am........oh well.....

spent the day cleaning up the mess that rex had made installing hardwood stairs to the second story.....replacing that nasty carpet that comet and apollo had drug their little bellies on and dirtied it beyond belief!!!!!! course, now that we have hardwood stairs the little guys can't seem to maneuver them at all........and need to be carried! okay.....comet only weighs about 12 lbs........however apollo and i greatly resemble each other and he's chubby.......and it's a chore! oh well.......love my puppies and will continue to do it!

it's snowing outside right now.......so glad i don't have to arrive at work until 11am.....certainly makes it easier with driving!!!

well......off to bed......after i carry the boys upstairs!!!!!

the new year, decade.....time to change

i will post some photos of the holiday......what great days those were.

he's doing his part........keeping it GREEN!!!

yep......rex and i both recycle....and try our best to keep as much out of landfills as possible........however i'm not sure rex isn't taking this just a little too far!!!!!!!!!! as you can see, almost one entire side of our garage is full of engine parts, block heads (????) and lead weights for wheels.......i missed shooting the wheels that are also on their way to the recyclers.........this will all take place tomorrow...........then straight to the eye doctors.......wow.....i really want to get some really funky glasses........just don't know what kinda cost that would incur.........

wel.....still love my life!!

wow.............where does the time go????

the pool is closed......it was a sunny cool day.....and still they can't send a fun cabana boy to do the work.........looks more like a plumber with that butt crack going on..........and you KNOW i can't resist a great shot like that!!!!!!

spent a great relaxing weekend in innsbrook with these wild and wacky women!!!!! what a great time........i got to spend some time singing off key with a wonderful hairbrush mic....
also had some fun sliding across the marvelous hardwood floor......second oldest in the crowd and had to act like a 2yr old......oh well.....i LOVE my life! got little scrapbooking done......however can't wait to play again with these girls!!!!!!
tootsie (linda), michele and i had great fun while in vegas.......classes were fun.......little accomplished there, also..............hoping to go back to vegas.......not sure about it though.......will have to wait to see about funds.........and check things out with mr. butt............haven't had a holiday away with him in a couple of years......thinking perhaps the white sands of the gulf coast would be great.......perhaps see a couple of friends who live down there.........gotta chat with him and see what we can work out..............love that man.......seems like he works all the time and i would love to just spend some time with him!

mrs. erin had the icky swine flu while i was gone to vegas........she's better now.......thank goodness.........

well..........still love my life...........looking forward to the holidays..........low stress.........just peace......