Have Mercy...

It is quite possible that this will KILL me.

Yep - - August in West Texas.  This is as good as it gets.

Change of Plans

I shipped the Kindle back to Amazon today.  Why, you ask?  Because I saw yesterday where they were releasing a new one in late August.  It is smaller, but maintains the same screen size.  It has 50% better contrast.  It also comes in the color "graphite" instead of just white.  They added Wi-Fi to it.  It stores more books.  AND it has faster page turns.  For the same price.  It was a no-brainer.  So - - I've waited this long for one, what's another month?

It's a good thing.

I've pre-ordered the new one.  It should be here either the 30th or 31st of August.

(For the record - - I loved having it.)

Sympathy Card

I have a sweet friend who lost her mother to cancer on Monday.  I wanted my card to her to be more personal. So - - on a sad note - - I made a sympathy card.  I think it turned out pretty.  It was simple to make.

The card is a cream cardstock.  I used the same cardstock to cut out "With Sympathy" on my Cricut.  The frame is from the Storybook cartridge and the sentiment is from the Lyrical Letters cartridge.  The black cardstock is from The Paper Studio and has the white core.  I embossed it with the paisley folder using my Cuttlebug.   I sanded around the edges of the sentiment to give more depth to the paisley embossing.  The top is lined with some ribbon I had on hand.

If you would, please be in prayer for my buddy, "Fox."  I can't imagine the enormity of her loss.

More Crafty Love

Somebody stop me.  This is it.  This is the last of the purchases for a while.  I blame Abbie for two of them.  The Gypsy and this.  The Cuttlebug.  I'm seeing lots of embossing in the magazines.  I've wanted one of these machines for a while but have held off.  Then - - 40% off at Michaels this week.  I bit the bullet and pulled from my August allowance and bought it and four embossing folders.  Tomorrow, if I can tear myself away from either the Kindle or playing stupid Simpsons Hit and Run, I'll try to make a project to post on here.  I need to make a card for a friend.  I may just give it a go tomorrow.

See you Wednesday.  And hopefully with something crafty to show.

It's Here!!!

It didn't get here until 7:00 tonight.  It's charging.  I'm so excited!

Waiting

*tapping foot*

Mr. UPS Man,

Where are you?  Why is our street one of the last ones on your route?  It's killing me knowing that my new toy is just riding around on your truck and not here charging.

See you sometime after 6:00.

B

*more tapping*

Not feeling the love?

I'm sorry.  Busy, busy, busy.  I know my legions of fans are wondering what I've been up to.

In a word - - busy.

Cameron's 5th birthday party (only 3 weeks late) - check.
Scrapbooking with friends (two separate times this week) - check
Wicked bad headache - check
Dinner out with the girls to say good-bye to a friend - check
Volumes, repeat - - VOLUMES of paperwork to sort out insurance claim from wreck in *March* - check
Playing Simpsons Hit & Run on the X-Box. - check - Non-stop.  I'm dying to finish this game.  It's been quite addictive.

All of that on top of my usual mom stuff.  Busy, I tell you.

I've been reading the Bless Your Heart book.  Hi-freakin-larious.  It is seriously funny.  This woman is my new hero.  I wonder how she got inside my brain.  Awesomeness.

On the book note - - I finally talked Mr. B into buying me an e-reader.  After TONS of research - - we chose the Kindle.  I didn't want an iPad.  First of all - - uh - - too expensive.  If I wanted to read books on the computer screen, I'd read them on my laptop.  The Kindle is light-weight, has lifetime 3G and I have access to tons of books with just a few short clicks.  I've found several free books, too.  I'm pretty excited.  I thought it would be here today, but UPS says tomorrow.  That's okay.  I can wait another day.

I've been learning how to use the Gypsy.  Wow.  Just - - wow.  That little machine is amazing.  There is definitely a learning curve.  But I'll get there.  I LOVE not having to have my cartridges with me all the time.  To quote my Saturday night scrappin' peeps - - it is some serious bad-assery.  :D

I've been watching Big Brother but have since decided that its suckage has reached a whole new level.  This season is L.A.M.E.  For those of you who think you like Rachel - - no.  Just no.  She is a skank and a total dumbass.  I hate her.  I have read some stuff from my friends who do the live feeds.  Everyone who does the feeds hates her.  They *really* edit the show to make you see what they want.  And believe me.  Rachel and Brendan are NO Jeff and Jordan from last summer.  They are weird.  She is a total airhead and he is a total wimp.  Break up the ho-mance.  I missed last night's show and don't really care.  There is a better than average chance that I am done with the show this season.  I am SO glad I didn't pay for the live feeds.

That's pretty much it for now.

I'm spending the rest of my down time dreaming of Brad Paisley and Darius Rucker.  Less than two weeks.  *swoon*  I can't wait.  I am going to try to talk Mr. B into an awesome hotel.  I love luxury when I'm away from the littles.

Okay - - I need to get back to this mission on the Simpsons.  I am determined.

Sorry I've been gone.  And sorry for the epic post.

Have an awesome week!!!!!

Feeling the Gain love. Big time.

A couple of days ago, I got a coupon in the mail.  It said, "Coming in August."  Liquid dish soap made by Gain.  Hog diggity dog.

And then today I read that Febreze is going to have an air freshener spray, a fabric refresher spray, a candle and a plug in.  Could my world be getting any more perfect?

How cool is this?  Seriously, HOW COOL IS THIS?

*giddy*

New Book

This is right up my alley.  Southern humor.  VERY short chapters.  Laughing out loud during the first chapter.  Mom humor.  So far, I'm loving it.

I just finished A Reliable Wife.  I really enjoyed it.  Once I hit the half way mark, I could not put it down.

For Sale

I hate doing this here.  But I'm gonna.

I have a couple of things for sale that I wanted to bring to your attention.

For you Scrapbookers/Cricut owners:

Cricut Jukebox - I have two.  I am willing to sell them as a pair or individually.  One has a longer cord, which makes it easier to reach your machine.  I will sell them as a pair for $65 or I will sell them individually for $35 each.  I'm not going to mess with shipping them.  If you aren't local, but have local contacts, I'll hang onto them for you.

They are in great condition and working perfectly.  Why am I selling them?  I've purchased a Gypsy and am loading all the cartridges on there.  Just holler at me if you think you'd like one or both of them.

Also - we are interested in selling our bedroom furniture.  It is a king-sized bed.  Headboard, footboard, frame, two night stands, dresser with hutch/mirror (small curio cabinets on each corner) and a tall chest of drawers.  It is made of a dark-stained pine.  It is solid wood  (not that pressed board stuff.)  It is made by Vaughan Bassett and the cost of it new was $5000.  I priced new stuff online and to replace the bed alone, with something comparable, would be around $750.  Just the bed.  So - - make an offer.  We are also willing to sell the mattress and box springs.  We know we can't get anywhere near the purchase price for it.  So please, don't hesitate to make an offer on it.

Here are some pictures:

Moe Love.

While the boys (Mr. B and the littles) were inside the house playing each other in some racing game on the 360, I went outside.  In the heat.  Insanity, I tell you.  But it was quiet and calm out there.  So I thought I'd take advantage of it and snap some pics.  All three kitties were lounging around in the grass.  Apparently, Moe was pretty tired.  He yawned.  A lot.  And I got a few really good pics of him.  (He's not hissing here!)  I also took a few pictures of a hummingbird.  Those didn't turn out as nice as I would like.  I think it's my backdrop.  The feeder hangs outside my kitchen window and that doesn't make for pretty pictures.

I came inside the house and was invited to join the boys in their racing game.  Meh.  Okay.  Guess what?  The race has eight total racers.  So the game played four of them for us.  The first game, I came in fifth.  The guys followed me in sixth, seventh and eighth places.  The second game, I came in first.  LOL.  I had never picked the game up before in my life.  I had no idea how to use the stuff to throw at other players or anything.  No idea how to drift.  Nothing.  And I still beat them.  Yeah, I'm that awesome.  However, I stunk it up on my third game and then bowed out after that.

I am sunburned today.  I was afraid that would happen.  Those two weeks of no swimming made me lose a lot of my tan.  So I am staying out of the sun today.  The kids are going over to my parent's house for the afternoon and I'm going to try to get some stuff done around here.  Lots to do.  Always lots to do.  It NEVER ends.

I hope you have a fabulous Thursday.  I plan on having one.