another cj layout and a tag!

Okay, Kellie, my "swak" (she was my secret cupid this year, and an AWESOME one!), tagged me on her blog, 7 random facts about myself..so here goes, nothing too amazing mind you, just some little ditties 'bout me:

1. I am afraid of the dark! Yep, hate, hate, hate it! Always have, always will...totally into that boogeyman is somewhere in the dark thing LOL!!

2. I can't go to sleep at night without having the tv on for awhile...at least until I fall asleep and then wake up sometime and shut it off! Goes along I think with that whole afraid of the dark deal. It is not unusual, in fact it's typical, for me to fall asleep to some show and wake up about 2:30 a.m. and just shut it off...wierd huh, and drives Roger bonkers sometimes..however, he complains about it but most times I find him asleep on the couch with the tv blasting away so you tell me how that works?

3. I rarely eat meat. It's not an ethical thing really, just a taste preference. I'll eat ground beef in tacos, or hamburgers (and then it's not all that often), and on Christmas Day I eat beef tenderloin (traditional family dinner) but other than that, I don't touch it. I NEVER eat pork or lamb...ick! I'm mostly a chicken and fish sorta gal!

4. I will never not watch "Jaws" the movie. Yep, if I am channel surfing and I see it, it stays on. I've seen this movie about a thousand (seriously...I've seen it alot) times, it is my favorite. If I know it's coming on tv, I watch it...in fact, sometimes it will run in a marathon, showing again and again after each other and I keep it on! I love Jaws. My bff Carol (lol) bought me the novel this Christmas cause, can you believe it, I had never read it! Love Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfus, Lorainne Gary...the whole gang...specially my shark! I actually got to see the actual mechanical shark used in the movie one year while they were transporting it to one of the museums in Chicago..it was awesome!

5. I make the exact same wish everytime I wish on something..pennies in a fountain, falling stars, first star I see at night, piddiddles (don't ask LOL), birthday candles, eyelashes..you name it. If I can make a wish it's always the same one...can't tell ya though, that stays a secret!

6. I don't know how to swim. Took swimming lessons two different times in my young life and still never mastered it! Both of those occassions involved cruddy instructors who scared the life outta me and that is probably why I have this swimming block...sure do wish I had learned though...

7. I don't drink a beverage while I eat. I think this comes from when I was little. I would whomp down my glass of milk first and then I wouldn't be hungry to eat so my mom stopped giving me milk with my meals, only afterwards. I will have a drink on the table but to this day I usually eat my meal first and then drink my drink...I know, strange LOL!

So, there you have it, 7 strange and random little facts about me. Now, if you are reading this blog, it's up to you...you've been tagged!! Post on your blog 7 things about you and let me know so I can visit!

Okay, on to scrappy biz...this week my scrap project was a circle journal layout for Renee. Her theme was 3 things I like about myself. I have to say, this was a really tough one for me. It's not that I don't like myself..most times I do LOL, I mean heck, we all have our "my thighs are too fat...my hair sucks" days but generally I like me. It's just that I have never really given any thought to why or what I like about me. Thanks Renee for making me look at myself in a way I've never done before. I used Bohemia and Fancy Pants papers, Bazzill cardstock, Primas, buttons, paint (love paint!), some hand stitching (wanted to machine but didn't have any brown thread..what's up with that???), and I used my Creative Cutter mini for the numbers and the word "Me!" I hope she likes it.

Besides my scrapping accomplishment this week, I also got the pool opened up and as of today, it is finally clean...you can't believe what an icky mess it was when I took off the cover on Sunday (well, actually my neighbor Tyler took it off for me)...omgosh it was gross...but all is good now, and hopefully Roger can drop the stairs in this weekend and it's pool time!! Summer has officially started!! Yippee!!

Until next time,

Blessings!

Serious Eye Candy!

Okay, this is gonna be a quickie tonight....in honor of tomorrows debut of the new Pirates movie and since I lust after Johnny, I seriously love me some Johnny Depp...and....my sister is a big fan of the movies....and I seriously love me some Johnny Depp, he is, after all on my list...and did I mention I love Johnny??? I am treating you to some wonderful eye candy tonight: ta-da!!! Captain Jack, major swashbuckler and all around hottie!

until next time,

Blessings!

They're Everywhere!! (and some porn...)

Well, if that title doesn't grab ya, I don't know what will!! (snicker, snicker)....

Just hopping online for a few minutes to share a couple of photos...now, when you travel, and your an addict like me, these are a few of some of the things you seek out with great might! Well, for me it's the first picture, I can do without the second one, but I had to snap a shot because, they are literally everywhere you go!

there is nothing like a latte in a foreign country! LOL...seriously, they taste exactly like they do here in the good 'ol US of A...I don't know why I thought they wouldn't but I did and I was wrong, just goes to show you that Starbucks really has it down good, no matter where you go, you can count on the quality and taste, it's worldwide!! Same goes for Mickey D's, well, except in Finland, I found the hamburger there to taste a bit different, and I have to admit, I didn't have any burgers in Asia, just fries...but....the fries tasted the same, and I don't care what you say, hands down, Mickey D's has the best french fries!!
gotta love the Chinese writing on the sign too, but with their logo of the golden arches, you don't even need to read! LOL

Okay, I know you are wondering...porn??? what porn?? and why does Cricket have porn on her blog, isn't this a scrappy blog, is there such a thing as scrappy porn?? NO!! but there is such a thing as Brown Bear porn!!

yep, while visiting the Shanghai Wild Animal Park, the gal who was my guide for the day and I decided to do the bus tour that takes you into an area where the animals are all roaming freely (hence the reason you stay on a BIG bus with no open windows!!)...we were cruising around when we hit the bear area and low and behold lookie lookie, some bears having nookie!! LOL!! Totally warped being that I am, I had to snap a picture! (I seriously think the girl I was with Yung, thought I was outta my mind), I told her, hey, I'm a scrapper and this needs to be scrapped!!...really??? Excuse the glare, I had to take this picture through a dirty bus window!!

Well, that's it, that's my rated X shot for the day! I'm still plowing through pictures, trying to get settled back into life here so I'll be posting more as time goes...
Until next time,

Blessings!

Time changes....

Okay, raise your hand if you've made yourself mac 'n cheese at 4:30 in the morning...anyone?? anyone?? LOL!! Guess I'm alone here...well, it's what I do when I can't sleep and I've spent a few hours puttering around on my computer, getting it all set back up from being on vacation with me, and the munchies hit big time! Yep, macaroni and cheese..total comfort food, totally yummy at even 4:30 a.m!!

Roger and I arrived home yesterday late afternoon after our fabulous trip to Asia! It feels good to be home (well, it feels good to see Mandi again) but I have to sheepishly admit, I'm feeling kinda blue that our time is through...vacations take so long to come and go so fast don't they?! Anywho, we had a really nice time, and I enjoyed seeing all the things I got to see. The safari in Phuket was so fun, love those elephants, and in Malaysia, we went to the botanical gardens and got to feed the monkeys...wait until you see those cuties!! I have to say, I think monkeys are now my new favorite animal (hee hee)...and China...what can I say about China..SO FREAKIN MUCH!! I have pics that once I get them set up, I'll post but it was quite the experience in Shanghai...I did have a chance to get to see something very fabulous though...

isn't he/she (really not sure) adorable?? Yep, I got a chance to see the Giant Pandas! These bears are marvelous, not all together social though and so the picture isn't really as close as it looks (the magic of software), and that, coupled with my lack of photo skills makes for not the greatest shot but good enough to scrap! I was lucky to be able to see these beauties and while they didn't come over close to us, they did come out of their hiding spot (in the shade) long enough for me to snap a few shots. I've always loved Pandas, in fact, my first stuffed animal was a panda bear that my dad bought me on a trip to Europe when I was just a little one...it still sits in the middle of my bed too, all these years later! This alone was worth a trip to China for me (smiles). I was also able to see a beautiful temple with these amazing buddha statues that were carved out of a single piece of jade...so amazing (did get a couple pics in there too..), and just seeing daily life of the people was interesting, so totally different than anything we are used to I have to say, and until you actually see it, it's hard to believe!

So, that's what I did today during the wee hours of the morning...set up my computer, plow ed through some emails, surfed my blogs and made myself some macaroni and cheese! Lets just hope that tonight I can go to sleep and stay asleep....I think I'm out of mac 'n cheese, yikes!

Oh yeah....enjoy the new tune..gotta love Grey's, gotta love the song..still need to catch up on my tivo'd episodes, so bummed the season is through....sigh!

Until next time,

Blessings!

Bloggin' from the road...

Well, here I am, in Penang, Malaysia! What a trip it's been so far...first stop was Singapore. There, Roger and I spent a couple days shopping, eating and drinking...waaay too much drinking LOL..ask me to tell you sometime about the hooker, transvestite and bar scene we hit LOL!! It was the most fun I think Roger and I have had in a long time. Our next stop was Phuket, Thailand. We stayed there for three days, enjoying a fabulous resort on the Adaman Sea (sp?). Roger and I did a half day safari into the rain forest which was so cool. We rode elephants into the forest, watched how they trained the monkeys to pick the coconuts (some pick up to 500 coconuts a day), rode on a water buffalo, ate fresh coconut, drank the milk, saw how they created the Thai curry paste and then had rice and veggies with it and topped off the end of the day with a boatride on an old Chinese "junk" boat on the sea with a light dinner! I have to say, it was quite the experience...save for a few nasty bug bites (how do they always seem to find me? and I was loaded up with spray too!!) the highlight was getting kissed by the elephant (that pic is on Rog's camera so you'll have to wait) Roger got a "piece" too LOLseriously, they might have goobered us up pretty good but it was so worth it...nothing in the world feels as fun as a big kiss from an elephant!

After Thailand we flew to Penang, Malaysia, where we are currently. The resort here is tremendous! Such a beautiful setting, our room overlooks the ocean, and I just love to sit and listen to the waves crashing on shore! We have a hot tub on a balcony..ooh laa laa...sooooo nice (wink wink). Roger, is, unfortunately at work today but I've had a nice morning so far, walking along the beach, taking some photos and having lunch!

Figured I'd pop online for a minute and say hello! I'll have tons more photos to share later...talk about great photo ops yesterday at the Butterfly farm!! But for now I'll leave you with one more of my "girlies"....How stinkin cute are they??? Oh how I wish you coulda seen them playing the harmonicas and dancing for us...sheesh! Can I please have one to take home???

Until next time,

Blessings! ( and elephant kisses!!)

Leaving, on a jet plane......

Wow, did that time go fast! Tomorrow, Roger and I are jetting off to Singapore (stopping in Japan), then onto Pukhet, Thailand; Penang, Maylasia; Shanghai, China; back to Singapore and home!! I've been waiting for what feels like forever for this trip and it's finally here! Got the closet all put back together (thank heavens), house is cleaned, laundry all done, bills paid, groceries bought and besides packing (that's next after this blog update) I am good to go! I'm still doing the waffle over my camera equipment (cause I'm such a lazy baby and don't like to lug schtuff)..but it's all going with me, just can't afford to lose the opportunity for good pics...well, pics with a good camera LOL!! Let's hope I do a decent job of capturing these moments..then there is the laptop...never traveled with a laptop before so that's another bag to schlep around (but I want to be able to blog or email or heck, digi scrap some of the time while Roger may work or I am sitting on a plane or in an airport)..so lazy baby is dragging that with too!! I will try to update while I'm away, course that's if the internet cooperates with me! And that's all I guess...oh yeah, got a good book, some scrapping magazines, my iPod and a boatload of Dramamine (hee hee)...

Before I go, I wanted to say how excited I am that my first article being back with S. S. Reflections is now live and readable!! I was a part of S. S. Reflections when it first launched, staying with it for about 2 years as a member of the Stamping Design Team but due to life circumstances, I resigned...I was thrilled when Dawn asked me to come back, this time on the Digi side of things! I am not working full time for them, just a couple fun articles a year and I LOVE it!! I'll post a layout here but for the rest of them, you'll have to take a peek at my column

Here is yet another of my little guy...I tell ya, you'll probably soon get tired of his sweet little face (but not me!! LOL)

credits for the layout are in with my article...

So, there it is. Miss Mandi just got home from school, so I'm going to go hang with her for awhile....until next time (from the road hopefully!!),

Blessings!