This week’s Monday Mailer

It’s the end of June and I have mailed out my last June Monday Mailer.  Unfortunately, I was not as lucky on the receiving end of my Monday Mailers and only received one card.  My partner was busy and says she will be sending my cards later so I’m being patient!

Here’s my card:

I used the stamp set, Fresh Cuts.  The Fresh-Cut note card is embossed with the polka dot Texturz Plate.  I stamped on Rich Razzleberry (new in color) paper with white craft ink and embossed it.  The flower is punched with the Boho Blossoms punch and sponged with white craft ink.  I used the new polka-dot grosgrain ribbon (Rich Razzleberry) on the side.

This is the inside of the card:

50 Life Lessons

I ran across this article by Regina Britt, a columnist, and thought it was great. Perhaps you will too.

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.

38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

45. The best is yet to come.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

48. If you don't ask, you don't get.

49. Yield.

50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

blog candy alert

Last day for Blog Candy HERE!

Dual Challenges

I did another card tonight to meet the criteria of two challenges!  And, I have to brag, I just love this card!!  The sketch is another one from Stamping 411.  The colors are from a new one I found called Color Throwdown using Kraft, Baja Breeze and Pink Pirouette .... how could I resist?

This card uses Kraft, Pink Pirouette, Baja Breeze and Parisian Breeze DSP.  The stamp set is from Hero Arts, Feather Gras.  I cut out all those flowers and the flourish/stems.  The circles are from the Nestabilities.  The scallop punch is Martha Stewart and I used little gemstones in the center of the flowers.

It has been so hot and humid here the past few days.  We didn't even want to go out on the boat today because of the humidity.  We've been back in NC almost 3 years and this is the first time we have encountered that awful humidity that we both remembered about the Carolinas.  Hopefully, next week will be better!  So we had to busy ourselves today finding things to do inside!  We picked my Mom up about noon and went to the movies to see Pelham 123.  It was very good if you like action flicks!  I love Denzel Washington and Travolta.  After the show, we drove to the mall so I could get my sunglasses tinted a little more and Sonny actually went shopping!!  That never happens, but he needed shorts and a belt.  (The belt he was wearing he has had since  before we were married .... in 1973!!  Think he needed one???)  When we left the mall, we headed to Friendly's Restaurant in Huntersville where we all 3 had ice cream sundaes.  I know, not quite Weight Watchers, but it sure was good!  When we took Mom home, Sonny & I planted a couple of gardenia bushes for her.  Then, we headed to Michaels (and Sonny to Dick's).  Michaels shelves were pretty bare.  I think they are getting ready to put the fall merchandise in .... can you believe it??  We were going to take a spin out on the lake when we got home, but by that time is was 6:00 pm and Sonny said he felt like we were back at Ashley's we had been on the go so much today.  So, we just had dinner (I was smart and put pork ribs in the crockpot this morning!) and watched a couple of shows on tv.

Hope your weekend is good and you are keeping cool!  We keep reminding ourselves it could be worse .... we could still be in Texas where it is still 90 degrees when you go to bed!

411 Sketch Challenge

Last night around midnight, I decided to make a card!  After watching the depressing stories about Farrah & Michael for the past few days, I needed something to cheer me up! 

I decided to do a challenge card from this sketch:

The "411" sketch challenges are a lot of fun.  They even give you the measurements!!  I took a few liberties with the sketch - as you can see .... no scallop circle, but used the daisy instead but I like the results.  Hope you do too!

I used the new "In Color" Rich Razzleberry and paired it up with an old "In Color" Pink Pirouette.  The DSP will be retiring next week but I still love it!  It's Raspberry Tart and I think it matches these two in colors well.   (remember - click on the picture to see it)

I'm sure going to miss this year's in colors.  The new ones are going to definitely have to grow on me!!  I'm just not too sure about them.  But that is what I said last year about Baja Breeze and it turned out to be one of my favorites!  Have you stocked up on them before they retire???

DC Tour .... part 2

OK - back to finish my travel monologue! I think I left off on Wednesday at the Supreme Court and Library of Congress. After our day of sightseeing, we met some of Ashley's friends for dinner at the Quarry House and had an old friend join us. One of my son's friends happened to be in DC for a couple of weeks also. Sam works for NASA in Houston and was in DC for the moon launch so it was perfect! He met us for dinner and also was able to come to Ashley's party on Friday.

Here we are with Sam -

Thursday: We took Thursday off and relaxed. We had lunch in Georgetown at Old Glory and then dropped Ashley off at Walter Reed for graduation rehearsal. It was a much needed day of leisure!

Friday: Finally .... graduation!! Imagine my surprise when I opened up the program and saw a wonderful write-up about Ashley winning two of the awards! She was totally surprised. When she filed in with the others, we ended up sitting about 2 rows behind her and she asked for a program. We didn't give it to her because we didn't think she knew and we were correct. She won the Bailey K Ashford Clinical Research Award and the General Graves B Erskine Fellowship Award. Here are a few of the excerpts from the article:

"As a clinician .... she is superb. She is an astute and confident diagnostician who has earned the confidence of her patients and parents as well as her attending physicians. ... Residents pursue our rotation when Dr. Maranich is on service as she is renowned for her level of instruction and mentorship... Ashley has taken the role of "physician-scholar" to new heights.... she has published four peer-reviewed articles and two book chapters during her fellowship..... she has proven to be one of the most accomplished graduates from a training program in the National Capital Area in recent history."

Friday night we told Ashley that we were meeting Sam (Jeff's friend that was in town) at a local Mexican restaurant where her friends and colleagues were waiting. Three of Ashley's good friends had planned a surprise party for her! She didn't catch on until the hostess said something about us having reservations for dinner .... we're not a reservations making family! But that was ok - it was a great party!

Here's Ashley with Beth, Debbie & Laurie:

Saturday we drove to Alexandria. We wandered around town and grabbed some lunch. That night we attended the End of the Year Pediatrics party held at Indigo Landing. The view from the deck of Indigo Landing was magnificent - we had a great view across the Potomac River of the airport (National) and the planes landing and taking off as well as a lot of the DC Monuments.

We spent the night in Alexandria at Best Western Old Colony Inn. If you ever plan a trip to the DC area, I highly recommend this motel!! It had complimentary WI FI, fitness center, flat screen TV in the rooms, hot breakfast in the a.m. but best of all was the Snack Kitchen on each floor! It is a fully-stocked kitchen open 24 hours a day with soups, snacks, fruit, sodas, water, gourmet coffee, ice cream, cookies, and much more. The concept is designed to reflect how kitchens might be stocked in a guest's own home. Check it out HERE! If you were visiting DC for a few days, you would only need to buy one meal a day!! A great deal! And the price of the room was very reasonable.

Sunday, we explored Alexandria a little more, touring Gadsby's Tavern Museum which consists of two buildings, a ca. 1785 tavern and the 1792 City Hotel. The buildings are named for Englishman John Gadsby and was a center of political, business, and social life in early Alexandria. Some of the patrons of the tavern and hotel included George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the Marquis de Lafayette.

We also drove to the George Washington Masonic Memorial and took a tour of it. This is a magnificent building!! It was difficult to get good pictures inside but you can take a virtual tour HERE.

We celebrated Father's Day at an Irish bar in Alexandria with some great fish and chips!

Monday was another "veg out" day while Ashley went to work. That night we went to Wolf Trap again to see Creedence Clearwater. They performed all their hits including “Bad Moon Rising,” “Have You Ever Seen the Rain,” and “Fortunate Son.” They were led by the band’s original rhythm section, Stu Cook and Doug Clifford. It was definitely a step back in time as these were the songs popular when Sonny and I were dating and first married.

Tuesday we drove to Baltimore where we ate lunch and then headed to the airport to catch our flight back home.

All in all, we had a great time!!

New catalogs

The new Stampin' Up catalogs are HERE!! I have a few that have been pre-ordered. If you are interested in having one of the catalogs, let me know and I will get it to you!! The catalogs are $10 each,

Call me now so you can see all the new goodies .... the fun begins JULY 1!!!

Friend .... ship

I am trying to be a friend with a person in my life by taking baby steps towards a trusting relationship. 

I've recently read an article about making friends out of rivals or enemies.  They listed these ten steps:

1. Find something to talk to them about which has nothing to do with the reason why you are rivals. Most of the time rivalry is a result of jealousy, so find something that is not a bone of contention between you.
2. Talk to them about something that they are very good at or interested in. This will make them relax because they have the home court advantage but at the same time they are not competing with you.
3. When they are not around, make sure that you speak about them the same which you would while they were present. The worst thing that you can do to a rival is say something which fuels the fire. Especially if it comes to them through another source.
4. Make sure that you are not too nice to them when you approach them. If you are they may lose respect for you or think that you are simply 'up to something.
5. Find something that you have in common which you are both passionate about that has nothing to do with the reason you are rivals. 
6. Ask for their advice.  This will impress them that you are humble enough to ask them for advice and that you respect them. Many times rivalry is due to a lack of mutual respect; if you can restore respect,  you can heal wounds caused by conflict.
7. Entrust them with something.  Just make sure that you have done some of the other ten steps to making friends out of rivals first. Trusting people puts them on the hook to live up to that trust. They will not forget it.  Just make sure that you use common sense.
8. Tell them a joke.  Seriously, making someone laugh is the best way to get them to relax. If they think that the joke is funny they may even try to one up you with one of their own. Just make sure that you laugh so that it will not be competitive.
9. As the friendship grows,  ask for them to forgive you for being the way that you have with them. They will most likely follow suit.
10. Find something productive to do with the friendship and it will probably last a very long time.  

So, without further ado, here's the card that I made.

 I used the new Soft Suede cardstock (new In Color) for the card base with some retiring DSP.  The stamp set is Boatloads of Love and I watercolored the image.  I used Liquid Applique on the clouds.  I also used the Nestabilities Labels One die.

I'm baaack!!

Wow .... we returned home last night and it sure was good to sleep in my own bed.  You know that old saying, it's fun to travel but great to be back home!!  Our return trip on Delta was not as bad as the one trying to get to DC, but it was not without delays.  Guess that's what you get for traveling in the summer.  Everything was good - we got to Baltimore airport a little early and made the trip to Atlanta with no problems.  Atlanta flight was on time, BUT .... because of traffic in Charlotte, we had to sit on the Atlanta runway for 40 minutes!!  Ironic since the flight from Atlanta to Charlotte is only 40 minutes!!  Then, it took forever for our baggage to come down the ramp.  We finally made it home around 9 pm ready to just "veg." 

Here's a run-down on a lot of what we did while in DC.  I had to write it all down or I'd forget!!

Friday:  Ashley had to work so Sonny & I dropped her off and went to a great little deli near Walter Reed for lunch.  That night, we went to the Green Turtle and watched our Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings in Game 7 of the STANLEY CUP!!

Saturday:  Drove out to Fort Meyer so Ashley could get some ribbons, etc. for her uniform for her promotion.  After wandering around the PX, we went to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington Dulles International Airport.  It is part of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and is the companion facility to the Museum on the National Mall.  It provides enough space for the Smithsonian to display the thousands of aviation and space artifacts that cannot be exhibited on the National Mall. The two sites together showcase the largest collection of aviation and space artifacts in the world.

Sunday:  We went to church, had breakfast at the Georgetown Cafe in Bethesda and went to the National Cathedral.  Ashley and I had toured it before but Sonny never had so we took the guided tour.  That night we went to Wolf Trap to see The Ultimate Doo-Wop Show.  It  featured:  The Drifters, Jimmy Beaumont & The Skyliners, The Contours, Willie Rogers & The Soul Stirrers, The Clovers, Randy & the Rainbows, The Marcels, The Edsels, and The Blue Suede Orchestra.  We were singing to these hits:  “Under the Boardwalk,” “Do You Love Me,” “Love Potion No. 9,” and “Blue Moon,” with artists featured in the popular PBS special.  It was great!!  I even got Sonny up to dance a couple of times!

Monday:  We had Ashley's ceremony at the National Archives Museum.  (Read blog post HERE and HERE)  We went to the top of the Washington Memorial which was an awesome view of the city!!

Then we headed to the Smithsonian American History Museum where we saw such things as Julia Child's Kitchen, Dorothy's Red Ruby Slippers, Kermit the Frog, Edith & Archie's chairs, Roberto Clemente's jersey, the original Star Spangled Banner and flag .....

Tuesday:  After breakfast at The Original Pancake House (YUM), we headed downtown again via the Metro to the Newseum Museum.  It was awesome and we were there all day!!  It bills itself as "the worlds most interactive museum."  It showcases history through the lens of our media, from newspapers to movie reels, television to the Web.  You don't have to be a history buff to enjoy the Newseum.   Take the Virtual Tour HERE.  I don't know what was my favorite part .... from the old newspapers you could view the end of the Civil War, the section of the Berlin Wall and photographs, or the traveling exhibit of Pulitzer Prize Photographs (From the poignant shot of an ailing Babe Ruth watching his number being retired at Yankee Stadium, to the U.S. Marines raising an American flag atop Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima, the photographs illustrate the enduring power of the still image.)  We finished the day off with Stromboli's!!

Wednesday:  We got a late start today and skipped breakfast.  We went straight to lunch with Philly sandwiches.  Then hopped on the Metro to check out the Supreme Court and The Library of Congress. We heard a lecture at the Supreme Court as to how it all works - they were not in session at the time.  Then we just wandered around on our own.  They have a gorgeous Spiral Staircase that is a self-supporting eliptical staircase.  There are 136 steps that complete 7 spirals while ascending 5 stories from the basement. 

We were very surprised at the Library of Congress.  We really just passed it by and decided to go in and see what it had to offer.  We were so glad that we did!  It is the most gorgeous building inside!!  It is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts in its collections.  There are actually 3 buildings that house the Library of Congress .... we toured the Thomas Jefferson Building.  I would highly recommend the tour.  HERE is a virtual tour of the second floor of the building.

Well, enough for now!  I'll finish the tour another day.  Hope you enjoyed it!

Interesting Fasts!

• After the Bayer company introduced aspirin in 1899, it quickly became the top-selling non-prescription drug in the world. At first, it was sold as a loose powder. But sixteen years later, in 1915, Bayer gave us the first familiar aspirin tablets.
• Limousines got their name from the Limousin region of France, where they were first made.
• Leotards are named after Jules Leotard, a trapeze artist from France, who popularized the snug-fitting garment during his performances in the 1800’s.
• The J.J. Heinz company sells more than 50 percent of all the ketchup in the world.

_{Resource: ~~Strange & Fascinating Facts About Famous Brands by Charles Reichblum}

Sweet Little Honey Bee

Monday Mailer

 

I'll need a vacation when I return home!!

Busy, busy, busy! I'll need a vacation when I return home from this vacation!! We have been on the go 24-7!! Yesterday was graduation and I was proud as a peacock!! Ashley was the most decorated graduate there! She was awarded two awards - one of her research and one for the best Fellow!! I'll have more details later!

Last night, her friends had a surprise party for her in Bethesda and a good time was had by all. She was definitely surprised!!

Today we drove to Alexandria where we are spending the night. We just returned from the End of the Year Pediatric party and are ready to "hit the hay." Tomorrow we will take in the sights here in Alexandria and celebrate Father's Day.

Hope your weekend is great!!

Pictures of the promotion

I've had a few moments to download some of the pictures of the promotion on Monday. Unfortunately, we could not use flashes in the Archives so the pictures taken inside didn't turn out too good.

In this one, we are pinning the Major stripes on Ashley:

This was taken outside the building right after the ceremony:

This is Ashley and two of her friends who attended the ceremony, Debbie and Beth.

After the ceremony, we walked over to a statue garden and took a few pictures (I needed to suck in my stomach better!!):

How to Calculate Your Calorie Needs

The formula below will give you a ballpark figure for your daily caloric needs:

1. Figure out your basal metabolic rate (BMR).
   Women: weight in pounds x 10 = BMR
   Men: weight in pounds x 11 = BMR
   (e.g., for a 130-pound woman: 130 x 10 = 1,300 BMR)
2. Calculate your lifestyle percentage (L%).
   Sedentary: 20 percent of BMR = L%
   Somewhat active: 30 percent of BMR = L%
   Moderately active: 40 percent of BMR = L%
   Very active: 50 percent of BMR = L%
   (e.g., for a somewhat active woman: 1,300 x 30% = 390)
3. Add the two together to work out your daily calorie needs.

Note: If a woman who needs 1,690 calories per day eats more or becomes less active, she’ll gain weight. If she eats less or becomes more active, she’ll lose weight. It will happen at the rate of 3,500 calories per pound.

from Dottie's Newsletter

Floating Reinkers .... or is it Monet?

 

Monday Mailer

Fathers Day Cards

 

 

 

Out and about in DC

Just a quick post before we're off again!! As usual, Ashley is wearing me out!! But we're having fun! Yesterday was the big promotion day. I'll try and post some pictures later today. Ashley and one of the other fellows were both promoted to Major (Army). They held the promotion ceremony in the rotunda of the National Archives with the cases of the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, etc. surrounding us! We were the only ones in the building (except for the guards) so it was pretty special. We had to be out by 9 a.m. After the ceremony, we took pictures outside and then wandered around DC until things opened at 10 am. We went to the American History Museum; took the elevator to the top of the Washington Monument; went to a Statue Garden; had lunch at Old Ebbitt's Grill and took the metro back home around 7 pm. Today, we are going back into town .... after breakfast at The Original Pancake House .... and going to the Newseum, a new Smithsonian about newspapers.

Taste of Tuesday - Rainbow Cole Slaw

Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2/3 cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise
• ½ tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 small head red cabbage, shredded
• 1 small head green cabbage, shredded
• 2 carrots, peeled and shredded
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 small white onion, thinly sliced
• 1½ tsp celery seeds

Preparation

• In a small bowl, whisk the mustard and lemon juice.
• Whisk in the mayonnaise, then the sugar and salt.
• In a large serving bowl, mix the red cabbage, green cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, onion and celery seeds.
• Drizzle with the dressing.
• Toss to coat.

POINTS:   *2.5
PER SERVING: 123 Calories, 2 g Protein, 7 g Total Fat, 3 g Dietary Fiber, 13 g Carbohydrate, 260 mg Sodium

Barbecue Meal Ideas

Here are some ideas for summer bar-b-queing and Weight Watcher point values for you.

Grilled Meats
1 lean Hamburger (3 oz. cooked), 5
1 lean Cheeseburger (3 oz. cooked & 1 slice cheese), 7
1 Vegetarian Burger (meatless), 2
1 "Boca" Burger (meatless) *Excellent, 1
1 Hot Dog (beef or pork), 5
1 Ball Park Fat Free Franks, *Excellent, 1
1 slice London Broil (2 oz.), 3
3 BBQ Spareribs (pork), 7
1 BBQ Chicken Breast (skinless, with bone, ¼ cup BBQ sauce), 5
1 Chicken Leg (skinless), 1
1 Chicken Thigh (skinless), 3

Grilled Fish
½ cup Shrimp (cooked), 1
1 Tuna Steak (6 oz. cooked), 4
1 Swordfish Steak (6 oz. cooked), 4

Vegetables/Sides
Grilled Veggie Kabobs - Alternate sliced zucchini, mushrooms, onion, green or red bell pepper & cherry tomatoes on skewer. Brush with 1 tsp oil. Grill until tender, turning often. 1
1 cup Baked Beans (canned), 4
1 small ear Corn on the Cob, 1
1 cup Coleslaw, 6
Tossed Salad, 0
½ cup Potato Salad, 6
1 medium unsweetened Pickle, 0

Breads
1 Hamburger Roll, 3
1 Frankfurter Roll, 3
1 Roll, any type, 3

Snacks & Desserts
14 Potato Chips, 4
1 slice Watermelon (2"), 1
1 cup Fruit Salad, 2
1 piece Apple Pie (1/8 of 9" pie), 10
1 scoop low-fat Frozen Yogurt, 3
1 slice Angel Food Cake (2 oz) topped with ½ cup blueberries, ½ cup sliced strawberries, ¼ cup whipped topping, 4

Dressings & Condiments
2 tbsp fat-free Dressing, 1
2 tbsp reduced-calorie Dressing, 2
2 tbsp regular Dressing, 4
¼ cup Ketchup, 1
¼ cup BBQ Sauce, 1
Mustard, 0
1 tsp Relish, 0
1 cup Sauerkraut. 0

Beverages
1 bottle or can Light Beer (12 oz.), 2
1 small glass Wine, 2
1 can Diet Soft Drink, 0

from Dotties Newsletter

Did You Know????

• The word news was coined from the fact that early daily papers carried images of globes on their mastheads and boasted that their reports came from all directions – North, East, West, and South.
• Tip is an acronym for “to insure promptness” – and once upon a time was given in advance.
• Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.
• Because the studio expected it to bomb, the budget of Casablanca was so low that the plane used in the background of the final scene was a small cardboard cutout. To give it the illusion of being full-sized, the producers hired midgets to portray the crew preparing it for takeoff.

_{Resource: ~~Who Knew? By David Hoffman}

Paper Weaving

Monday Mailer - paper weaving from SU

 

close up of the weaving -

 

A Long Day!

Whew!! Well, we are finally in DC but Thursday was a long day. I started out the day with a trip to the dentist. My teeth were all in good shape, thank goodness. He saw no problem with my gums after my incident with the airplane pressure when we went to Texas. My gums are still sorta numb feeling so he referred me to an ENT doc and gave me some antibiotics since I would be flying again that day. He did say that my sinus area looked a little cloudy and it should look clear. So, when I return guess I'll be finding an ENT Doc.

We left the house about 3:00 for the airport ..... NO UPS man yet! So, I dropped a Priority envie and cash off at Judy's house and will have to wait patiently for the delivery here at Ashley's. (Judy, hope you are enjoying my catalog!!) When we arrived at the airport, we discovered the Long Term Parking area (all 3 lots) were closed and we had to proceeded to the Remote Parking Lot ($6/per day vs about $4/per day). Of course, that would be the way it is when we are going to be leaving our car there for 10 days and not just a weekend trip!! We got checked in at the airport and then of course, had to wait in a long line for Security. We get to the gate about 40 minutes before the flight is to leave and our flight is not even listed! We found out that the plane coming to Charlotte has been delayed making our flight late. No worries .... we knew we had about a 2 hour layover in Cincinnati. Flights all around us are getting canceled because of the weather - Texas flights, New York flights, so I was a little worried. But, I figured it was no biggie - Ashley's promotion wasn't until Monday. We could always go back home (and I could get my cattie!!) and fly another day. Finally, our plane arrived and we boarded around 5:30. Still, plenty of time to make our 8:15 flight out of Cincinnati or so I thought. Well, I didn't take into account that we were going to sit on the runway for over 30 minutes!! Because of the storms in the Charlotte area, Air Traffic Control wanted 10 minutes between each plane taking off. So, after a scary bumpy flight, we landed in Cincinnati with enough time to make a run for our connections .... I thought. But, the jet way was not in place for our flight so we had to sit on the runway waiting for someone to connect the stairs! When we got inside, we asked the ticket agent about our flight (it was about 8:10 at that time!). Instead of radioing down and finding out anything, she checked and said "it hasn't left yet - you might catch it if you run!" We were in Terminal A and had to run through the terminal, down the escalator, catch a tram, run up the escalator, and through Terminal B to Gate 16. Guess what??? No one was in Gate 16!! Duhhh! So we found a ticket agent in Gate 15 who told us there were not any more flights to Baltimore that night. No problem .... we'll take any flight into DC. Luckily, DC has 2 other airports to choose from - Baltimore is just usually the cheapest. Yes, there was a flight to DC National at 9:00!! Yay!! So we headed to that gate and got checked in to that flight. We were lucky because that flight was originally scheduled to leave at 8:00 but because of the weather, it was delayed. So, while waiting for the flight, we went in search of some dinner. Who knew that Cincinnati rolls up the sidewalks at 8:30!! All restaurants and shops were closed. Luckily, I had eaten a bag of pretzels in the Charlotte airport. Oh, and don't forget the 2 little bags of peanuts we got on the flight!! Yum!! We actually didn't leave until after 9:30 and arrived in DC about 11:00. Our baggage was another story. They were short-handed in the ramps at Cincinnati so no one could re-route our bags for us. We arrived in DC with no other problems and were able to hop on the metro right from the airport to Ashley's house. She picked us up at the metro stop which is 2 blocks from her house and took us home! We were in bed within minutes .... at least Ashley & I were. Sonny was eating a bowl of cereal as I drifted to sleep!!

This morning while Ashley was in the shower getting ready to go to work, the doorbell rang. I was terrible afraid it was a realtor wanting to show her house .... at 6:15 a.m????? Remember, it woke me up!! Anyway, surprise!! It was our luggage!! Can you believe it?? So, now I just need to shower and I'll have clean clothes to put on! The sun is shining here this morning although rain is called for all weekend.

Hope your weekend is a good one!!

Chips - good choices and bad choices!

Chips seem to be a staple at many picnics and family gatherings and I could easily sit down and eat half a bag of potato chips by myself!! The problem is that most chips are very high in fat and calories, which doesn’t help us lose weight and stay there! There is also the problem that it is extremely hard to “just eat one" (as I said before!)
Below are the calories, fat and sodium of some of the more popular chips on the market. This will help you make the best choice for your fun-filled get-together.
Some of your best bets are:
Snyder’s of Hanover MultiGrain, 8 chips (1 oz) ~ 130 cal/5g fat (0g saturated fat)/110mg sodium ~ 3g fiber makes this a great choice!
Funyuns, 13 pieces (1 oz) ~ 140 cal/7g fat (1g saturated fat)/240mg sodium ~ I love these! Sun Chips Original, 16 chips (1 oz) ~ 140 cal/6g fat (1g saturated fat)/120mg sodium ~ Sun Chips uses only whole grains, which helps keep your blood sugar stable along with helping you feel full.
Baked! Tostitos Scoops!, 15 chips (1 oz) ~ 120 cal/3g fat (0.5g saturated fat)/130mg sodium ~ Half the fat of Fritos and double the pleasure!
Baked! Doritos Nacho Cheese, 15 chips (1 oz) ~ 120 cal/3.5g fat (0.5g saturated fat)/220mg sodium ~ Add 2g of fiber to these and you’ve got a winner!
Que Pasa White Corn, 14 chips (1 oz) ~ 140 cal/7g fat (0.5g saturated fat)/50mg sodium ~ Wonderful plain tortilla chip!

Some of your worst bets are:
Natural Cheetos White Cheddar, 32 chips (1 oz) ~ 150 cal/9g fat (1.5g saturated fat)/290mg sodium ~ Sure ‘Natural’ is on the package but that means nothing in the eyes of the FDA.
Fritos Original, 32 pieces (1 oz) ~ 160 cal/10g fat (1.5g saturated fat)/160mg sodium ~ I love these but they are a very poor choice if you’re watching your weight.
Fritos Pinch of Salt, 34 pieces (1 oz) ~ 160 cal/10g fat (1.5g saturated fat)/75mg sodium ~ These are lighter on sodium but remember that 90 calories are from fat.
Bugles Original, 1-1/3 cup (1 oz) ~ 160 cal/9g fat (8g saturated fat)/310mg sodium ~ Each bugle is almost 50% saturated fat by weight.
Tostitos Multigrain, 8 chips (1 oz) ~ 150 cal/8g fat (1g saturated fat)/135mg sodium ~ Half of the calories are from vegetable oil which supplies each serving with a full gram of saturated fat.
Tostitos Hint of Lime, 6 chips (1 oz) ~ 150 cal/8g fat (1g saturated fat)/160mg sodium ~ Yes, these taste good but they are a bad choice if you’re planning on staying on your Journey.
_{Resource: ~~Eat This, Not That by David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding}

Say a little prayer!

I need you to all say a little prayer for me today that my Stampin' Up order will arrive before I have to leave for the airport!!  I have ordered the new in-colors - stamp pads, paper, reinkers and a few of the ribbons plus the new Modern Label punch.  My new catalog will be in the box too!!!  I'd really like to have that catalog to look at while on the airplane.  Our flight doesn't leave until 5:30 so we'll have to leave the house about 3:30 so there's a chance.  Our UPS guy comes at all different time of the day.  Oh well, if it doesn't arrive, I have a back-up plan.  I'll be taking a Priority Envelope to my good friend and neighbor, Judy, so she can send it to me.  I told her that way, she'll get the first look at the catalog!! 

I have a dentist appointment in the a.m.  Hopefully, I'll find out about my nerve/sinus problems that happened on my last flight.  Let's also say a little prayer that I don't encounter that pain on this flight!

I will be gone until June 22 and I have scheduled a few blog posts in advance.  I'll try to do some posting from Ashley's house.  Ashley will be promoted to MAJOR on Monday and her fellowship (Infectious Diseases) graduation will be the following Friday.  So, we are looking forward to a busy and exciting trip.

Card Makers Series Workshop

I took a card class at Stampers Alley on Saturday taught by the very talented, Debbie Holland.  Debbie started teaching this card series classes several months ago and does them every other month.  We make 6 cards using 3 colors of the month that she has chosen (this month was red, yellow and blue) and 1 basic sketch that she has chosen.  Debbie is the most organized teacher you could ever want.  She has our cards all in a plastic bag and they are each labeled 1-6.  Then she has all the materials to make the each card in a plastic tray numbered 1-6.  So, 2-3 people can work on one card at a time and then just pass the trays around.  It is so nice to take Deb's classes.  Here are this month's cards:

Monday Mailers

Here are a couple of Monday Mailers I received recently.

This one is my last one for May from Tammy.  I love the long card.  I never think to do this size card but it's great and goes in a legal sized envie.  She used the daisy Sizzix die (my fav!)

This is my first one from Karen Culler.  Here is another favorite stamp set of mine because it is just so versatile.  It is so simple but so nice.  The inside says "you, you, you."  (or as my hubby would say, it doesn't say that ... you have to read it!)

Stampin 411 Challenge

I just heard about a new blog - Stampin 411 - that was started that will have weekly sketch challenges. I love sketch challenges so I thought I would participate in this one. This card has taken me a couple of days to finish. I started it Saturday morning; then took a break when my hubby took me out to breakfast. When I got home, I worked on it a little more until I had to go to Mooresville to take a class at Stamper's Alley. When I returned home, I had a little more time to work on it; then we went over to friends for a cook-out. Fast forward to Sunday am. .... I was able to finish it before we went out on the lake in our boat. Now, I'm back home from the lake and able to post it!! Whew!!!

I really like the way this card turned out. The card base is Baja Blue (sure gonna miss this color!) with DSP from Parisian Breeze. The stamp set is Organic Grace which is a retired hostess set that I never even inked before. A lot of cutting went into this card - the flowers, the fern and the little wildflowers! I sponged Baja Blue on the white square and backed it with Kraft.

Card Shares

Just a few cards to share with you today.  These are a few of the ones we made last weekend at Quarterly.

Lisa Tedder taught us this one.  It is brayered onto glossy card stock.  It was amazing how different they all turned out.

That is a piece of brown grosgrain ribbon for the butterfly middle.  We pierced a hole at the top and bottom and threaded the ribbon through.  Cool, huh?

 

This is the card opened up.  The frames makes a little box so the card doesn't fold totally flat.

This is a hinge card.  They were all the rage a while back.  The top of the card hinges open where the brad is and the square the butterfly is on is only adhered to the blue part of the card.

 

I made this card last night for my nephew's birthday.  He'll be 32 today.  Wow!  Hard to believe he's that old ... same age as my son almost.  Jeff will be 32 in November.  How time flies!