Scrap-A-Thon!

I just had to share a few pics from my Fall 2008 Scrap-A-Thon!
This was one of my favorite stampin' classes ever! It was at my house on Sept 27, and the class lasted about 4 hours. Everyone got to make 8 full 2-page layouts.
The projects were all themed for the last half of the year. The layouts we did were: Back-to-School, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Autumn, Winter, Camping & Birthday.

The late-night prep: when will I ever learn? Helpers: What would I do without them?
John and Kaylyn both pitched in... I just love this sight so much I had to take a picture!
Everything all organized and ready to go...... The best part--The Projects!This class was a huge success and so fun to do. My job really is fun!
I am planning to host a Scrap-a-Thon again in the spring. Enjoy!

Founder's Circle Trip!

Well I am finally writing about the AWESOME time I had on the Founder's Circle trip!!

The Founder's Circle consists of the demonstrators who are the top achievers for the past Stampin' Up! year. This was my 3rd year to make the Founder's Circle, out of 6 years as a demo. Among other things, all the Founder's Circle Achievers get invited to an all-expense-paid, pampering, relaxing trip. It is SWEE--EET!

This year there were about 130 demonstrators there. Pretty elite, considering there are about 50,000 demonstrators in the U.S!

Our destination was St. George, UT. (Not too far from home for me, but with the pampering, no kids, me-time...I might as well be in Timbuktu-it's definitely a "getaway"!) St. George was great because we were so close to shopping, the Theatre, and good Restaurants. We stayed at a brand-new Marriott and we took up the whole hotel! It was great because they could just cater to us specifically, as if we aren't spoiled enough on this trip... Here is what greeted me on my room door!

All this to myself!?

Stampin' Up! staff working hard to make sure all is fab for us.

Seriously they do an unbelievable job. This year they even made little Founder's Circle yearbooks for us, with picures and e-mail addresses of everyone there. We signed them and stuff too. I felt like I got to know even more people than usual.

The first night we had an elegant sit-down dinner and it was great! All the food was wonderful the whole time. After dinner I went to Mamma Mia! with some friends. One of the other nights we went to "Big River" at the Tuacahn.

I had a ton of great friends there-which is part of the fun of trips like this. You get to know a lot of amazing people. This is me with my UT buddies: Wendy Knowles and my own downline Ashley VanCamp. Ashley and I hung out a lot and had such a great time. It was one of the things that made this trip so special. I love these girls!

The Gathering Place-designed for us to gather in...it was all lovely and comfy. Plus they gave us a little tin bucket to fill with candy as desired...

...and refill as desired!

One night everyone met in the gathering place in Pajamas,

and we shared all our best business tips with each other. Shelli had her mom with her this year, it it always great to visit with her and hang out. Shelli actually got a cute pic of the entire group on PJ night and posted it on her blog here.Another important part of PJ night: the big SWAP! Here are just a few of my faves.

One SU thing I will never tire of: pillow gifts! And this trip had some of the best gifts ever! Pink leather purse and wallet, fuzzy pink blanket, travel bag, charm necklace, stamps & accessories, and more!

Make and takes, of course!!

We barely squeezed in time for them among all our SHOPPING!!Just a few of my purchases--oh and my cute new wallet from SU!

One day we took a trip to Kanab, to the stamp manufacturing facility there.

Indeed!

The Maine Blueberry bus was my ride the whole time.

It's pretty fun with games and fun stuff. I even won at Bingo!

We checked out Shelli's apartment over the facility. She stays there whenever she is working in Kanab. Of course it was fabulous!

After the Kanab plant, we visited the park that SU built, with the rubber ground cover. it's bouncy. One of my good SU pals, Dawn Rapsas.

The park was even more fun that usual with crazy Ashley to spice things up. The entire ground is covered in Shredded Stampin' Up! rubber. It is a sight to behold.

On the last night we went to a schmancy golf course/resort for an outdoor dinner and movie. It was gorgeous, yummy, and so fun! It was set up with a huge outdoor screen and director chairs for us to sit in and watch. We saw "No Reservations." It was kind of fun that the resort is where they filmed High School Musical 2. It was a great finale to a really nice trip. I hope I will have this opportunity again!

There was a full snack bar with fresh popcorn and everything.

It just does not get cuter than Wendy and Wendy showing off designer series paper popcorn holders, handmade by Shelli! :)

After our movie night, we didn't want to go to bed 'cause then the trip would be over! So we stayed up playing Phase 10-and met a new friend, Barb Mullikin. As we discussed, this was a good way to end the trip.

Hope to see all of you next time!

Thank you Stampin' Up! for making us feel so valued!

I had a wonderful welcoming-home too. Thank you John and my fam for taking care of everything so I could be gone for 5 days!

135 swaps

My two littlest ones have not been well today, John was in meetings, tons of things from "the list" are still not done...and it has just been a stressful day. You know what I need? a 5-day vacation on my own. To relax, eat good food, hang with some girlfriends, relax, maybe shop a bit, visit the spa, stamp a little and relax some more.

OH YEAH!

I get to do that Wednesday!!! It is time for the Stampin' Up! Founder's Circle trip. And I am so very ready. Really ready, I EVEN have my 135 swaps done! And it is not the night before the trip at 3AM! I am totally amazed with myself, I must say. My card. I love the 3 X 6 size, no surprise that I chose to use it for this.

I used: designer paper from Simply Scrappin, "I wish." Of course most projects need glitter, this one was no exception. (It is on the snowflake, the pic is not the best.) Scallop square punch, textured red cardstock and elastic silver cord. I also used the new Spotlight on Christmas set, which I accidentally ordered when I thought I was getting a Halloween set..Tasty Sweet. But it turned into a happy accident.

Lined up and ready to be sparkly-fied!

Assembly-line style. The only way to go! Here is the work in progress. I will show off my goods (the swaps I will RECEIVE) when I get home! Or while I am gone...I might be able to fit in some blogging with all that relaxing. I hope all the other SU demos will like my card.

Healthy at my house

The other day Lily Jane played at a friend's house. When I picked her up the other mom said to me,

"She wanted seconds on fruit snacks but I didn't dare give her any because I know you guys are really healthy at your house."

I was dumbfounded. What!?

People think we are healthy!?

Hooray! I am definitely partly succesful at my attempt to seem like a qualified mom.

At least one person actually thinks I am providing good nutrition for my children. YAY!

Well, I do try.

It is just that the child in question, Lily, would completely subsist on chocolate milk and (the aforementioned) fruit snacks if I would let her. As it is, she almost does anyway. BUT...one definite success...all three of my kids LOVE BROCCOLI!! We eat it at least 3 times a week. Yummy! Here is the proof.

"We are really healthy over here at my house!"

Jack's really advanced for his age...

John was working from home tonight and left the room for a few minutes.

When he came back this is what he found.

Jack had climbed up on the couch...

...and gotten the computer situated on his lap, just like daddy.

He was just working away on the keyboard.

all done!

School Kids

I can't believe I have two kids going to school now. I never sent Drew to preschool and I never planned to send Lily Jane, but she has been watching Drew go to school for two years and thinks it is the awesomest, so I had to let her try preschool too. She goes to the Pleasant Grove Rec Center "Funshine Learning School" three times a week. The first day was last week. Her teacher is Miss Holly, LJ loves it, and I must admit...a few hours mostly to myself in the afternoon is a nice change.
Very proud of the new backpack she got to pick out for herself!
Look who lost his two front teeth right before school started! He has such a cute little toothless grin/slight lisp.
Drew is now a bona fide second grader, he has fallen back into the routine of school like summer never happened. He likes his teacher, Mrs. Hansen, and has a lot of old and new friends in his class this year. Drew and Lily Jane both have 22 students in their classes.

John is also enjoying the new school year. He is teaching a bunch of Spanish classes, including concurrent via UVU. He also teaches ESL and a Senior English Lit class (Science Fiction/Fantasy.)

Kaylyn has also started at UVU and she is liking it so far. She was surprised at the huge chunk of change her books cost her, but that's college for you right?

Well I guess that is all for my school update! So glad it's not me!!!

My Inner Princess

Yay, she's my favorite!
You Are Cinderella!

Dignified and hard working. With a gentle and soft-spoken manner you have something many people don't. Patience. Even through the moments of heartbreak you're still able to hold onto all of your hopes and dreams. Bide your time; your dream will come true.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

Swiss Days

This Saturday I went with my 2 sisters-in-law, Erin and Leslie to Swiss days in Heber. It was my first time to go there and it was so fun! I think I will try to make it a yearly event. I got some good stuff for my big shelf...the wire pumpkin, the ghost and the little pumpkin garland. There were a lot of cute Halloween things, it was hard to pick. But I am happy with my decision.
My other purchase...a very very big magnet board. I don't know the dimensions but it takes up the whole wall between the kitchen and stamp room. Perfect to display lots of photos or stampin projects. I'm happy with this purchase too! You might think I'd buy some gifts for Christmas or something, but nope I spent all my $$ on me. I had a great time...I don't really mind crowds of people and the "swiss taco" was yummy. Thanks for inviting me Leslie!!!