Friday, September 28, 2007

Go Now to the Rusty Pickle Blog!!!!

You have to pop on over to the NEW Rusty Pickle Blog! (http://www.rustypickle.typepad.com) Go over and leave a comment in the comment section and you could be the daily winner of some Rusty Pickle Goodies!

And She's BACK!!!!

Okay, so in the last two weeks I really have gotten a LOT done! I've cleaned and mowed and organized....it's not all done or caught up but I've at least started which makes me feel MUCH BETTER! I hate to be disorganized and have a mess (okay, mom don't laugh at that!)

Now to catch everyone else up on what's been going on during the month of September.

The first weekend of September I attended Creative Escape in Phoenix Arizona. Creative Escape is put on by Heidi Swapp and Bazzill Basics Paper. And let me just say that I loved each and every one of my classes. I loved Heidi's class where we made a canvas (okay, I haven't finished it) I loved Rhonna's class where we created a 21-Challenge Journal (okay, I haven't finished that either). I loved Leslie's Card Class (Yes, I finished those in class) and I liked Heidi Lynn's Calendar Class (I finished those layouts too!). I truly had a wonderful time and I already have my reservation for my room next year! And next year I'm doing it right and treating myself to a much needed personal vacation, including a trip to the spa, and maybe a trip or two to the casino!

I returned home from Creative Escape on the 9th of September and was able to "visit" with Simon and Sarah for a few days. And then I was off again! This time I went to Utah for the Annual Rusty Pickle Chef Retreat!

I flew into Salt Lake City on the 13th and stayed until the 16th. I was SO excited to go! I'd never been to Utah before! The first thing that we were going to do was go to the Rusty PIckel Warehouse so that we could go shopping before we headed to the cabin! And that was TOTALLY fun!!! It was so much fun watching what everyone was buying, and then you would stand there and think for a bit and got and get a little bit more before it was your turned to pay. The Chef retreat was awesome and I had a truly wonderful time! (Thank you Tasha and Lance and Patricia and Emily and everyone!!!). We stayed in a cabin that was on this mountain and the funny thing about it was that there was NO cell phone reception which meant that noone could get in touch with me! So when one of the other chef's decided that she was going to go to town on Friday i jumped at the chance to go just so that I could call Simon and inform him of the bad news....the conversation went something like this...

Me: "Hi Sweetness"
Simon: "Hi Sweets"

Me: "Umm..i have something to tell you"
Simon: "Yes?"

Me: "Umm...you're not going to be able to talk to me until Sunday when I go back to the airport because there isn't any cell phone reception at the cabin".
Simon: "Are you really up in the mountain"

Me: "Yes, and noone can call anyone, so everyone is calling their husband to let them know that they can't call them".
Simon: "Okay, so I guess I'll talk to you when you go to the airport"

That was basically the conversation. Mind you, I didn't included the entire conversation, but that was basically it. And when I hung up the phone, i sort of giggled, because well Simon can usually get in touch with me wherever I go. But, this time he just couldn't do it. Little did we know, but there was a phone in the cabin and well...it worked.

At the retreat we had SO much fun! But I think I stayed up a little bit too late one night....I think it was 4:30 a.m. when I went to bed? Yep...it was 4:30. You see I was working on some stuff and well, I just didn't want to stop. If i could have stayed up later I probably would have, but you know I guess I was really tired.

I returned home on the 16th. Totally tired. And what did I do? I went to bed. On Monday I brougth Sarah to school and came back home. And what did I do? I went to bed. I don't think that I felt right again until about Wednesday. But by Friday I was back to my old self! Which I had to do! Why? Well, because Friday, September 21 was my 43rd birthday....eeek.....yes...43.

Usually in my house my birthdays are not the greatest. Usually dh goes out on that day and buys me a card. I know because i find the reciept that shows the exact time that he purchased the card. But this year, I think it was in April. I put on the calendary "Jill's Birthday, You Better Plan Something Good!". And i circled it. Well, guess what! I was in complete shock, because, yes, he planned something good. Well, not exactly he planned, but he bought me a REALLY REALLY NICE present! or should I say presents? Simon and Sarah walked into the bedroom on Friday and they had my presents in their hands. I had the cards to open...one from Sarah, one from the cats, and one from Simon. Then I had two bags. In one bag there was a Dremel! I've been wanting a Dremel for a very long time! BUT, in the other bag there was an envelope. I looked at it....and then opened it. Dh had ordered me my camera that I had been waiting for for a very, very, long time! I am now the proud owner of a D40X!!! Now I just have to figure out how to use it!

I think that the camera was also a part of a Thank You Gift from Simon. He knows that for the past month and a half I have been helping him, and doing everything around the house. Remember, he broke his hip? He's doing better, and he's walking. But he still has a ways to go. But I think the camera was his way of saying, "Thanks Sweets, I love you".

But I never told you what I did on my birthday did I? I went to get a pedicure, had lunch, went to a movie, went shopping, and then had dinner with my husband and daughter at Buca De Beppo. We sat at the "kitchen table" so that we could see everything that goes on in the kitchen. Sarah made the reservation for us, but I secretly think that she wanted to be able to sit in the kitchen, because it's a special table.

But my birthday really wasn't over on Friday! On Saturday I had plans to go and scrapbook with my friend Bernie (http://scrapbdazzled.blogspot.com/). We had made plans to visit a scrapbook store that was about an hour from my house. I had never been to this store, so I was really looking forward to it. I called Bernie to let her know when I was leaving my house and started my trek to the store. I also told Bernie that if I got lost I was going to call her....yes, I got lost...not once...but twice! But I did finally arrive at the store...and I was hungry for lunch! Bernie and I went and had lunch at McAllister's Deli and then went to Recollections to have a look around. I like to go to the different Scrapbook Stores (okay, so Recollections isn't new to me...but it was in a different town) to see what they have that's different than everywhere else. After Recollections we returned to where we were cropping and started to work. I had a lot of stuff to catch up on...and I'm almost done....

Bernie and I had a great night! And she truly is a GREAT friend! You know what she brought me...BIRTHDAY CAKE and ICE CREAM! I hadn't had a birthday cake yet, and this truly touched me! (Thank You Bernie!) She also gave me this goodie back of treats...like Smarties, and Tootsie Rolls and Lollipops (Sarah is enjoying that!)

So all in all my September has been pretty good! MUCH better than it usually is! And i have my husband, and daughter, and Rusty Pickle, all the Rusty Pickle Chefs and Bernie to thank! Thank you all!

And with that I am going to leave, so that i can go and pack my stuff up so that i can meet Bernie again tomorrow!

Have a great night everyone!

{Jill}

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Just in case you're wondering what's going on and where I am...

I am going to be out of town. I'm going to be taking a break when I get back. I will be back to blogging later....after I take a much needed nap.

I need to reorganize
I need to clean
I need to mow the lawn
I need to get rid of the weeds that have grown in my flowerbeds
I need to finish my bathroom that I have been working on for two years.
I have a lot of stuff to get done
and I need to get it done because I hate making to do lists and never getting them done.

So I am taking a break.

So, if you don't see me online anywhere I will be outside in the sunshine getting my house back in order. For the past three months I've been at home, not really getting much done. Then Simon broke his hip and things went a little haywire...well that's what happens when you are in charge of everything. So, I'm going away this weekend. I'm going to have a good time (better than last weekend (she says crossing fingers)) and I'm going to laugh and spend time with my friends. Because I deserve it.

Have a great month.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Yes, it's been a month....

and i've been busy. Doing what? Taking care of my husband of course...remember, he broke his hip?

Not much really going on other than that...next week is that thing that comes around every year...yes, it's birthday time again (Sepember 21...). And well, I know how it's going to end up. DH is busy with meetings all day...until about 9:00 p.m. And well, DD she is in a play at school and they have practice until 6:45. So what am I gonna do...not quite sure yet, since I"ll be by myself all day. It's sort of sad, you know? Celebrating by yourself. But that's what happens most of the time. Anyway...not to sound like a "sad person" but I think I"m going to take a bit of a break until it's all over. Then I'll come back....otherwise you will have to sit here and read sad post after sad post...so I'm not going to do it! Nope! I"m going to go and do something to keep busy until it's over....

Be back later....

Jill