Good Conversation and Cards

Hello all! It's been very busy around my house. Friday was Tim's 31st Birthday. We went to this Chinese Restaurant called Hong Kong in Catania. The ride was a little scary, but every drive through Catania frightens me which is why I don't drive there. Once we got there I was so excited to get some yummy food, and it was just that. Jacob loved looking around. He was going on about Kung Fu Panda and the Dragon Warrior. He associates things with his movies. We went back to our car to find parking ticket. So much for free parking. Where we parked was packed with cars and they all had tickets too. Oh well.

Saturday I woke up bright and early for a joint yard sale with my neighbor. We did awesome. Many of my things found new homes. After I cleaned up from that, ate lunch, and did some grocery shopping it was time to go to quilting at 2pm. Stayed there until almost 6pm. Then it was home for dinner. Yikes! It was great being that busy. The day flew by and I actually felt normal. Like I said in a previous post, life in Sig is not normal. My recent busieness is (for me anyway). Sunday I was absolutely exhausted. I had a meeing with another stamp buddy. And it was nice to sit, play with stamp techniques and chit chat. Monday night was my 3rd stamp groups monthly meeting. Small with just 3 of us. Again, great time with wonderful people and conversation. Tuesday was spent cutting paper all day for my Halloween Stamp-a-Stack. That's where we make 10 Halloween Themed cards. These are fun because I get to stick with a theme and do several ideas around that theme. The prep work is insane but the end result is a lot of fun. Got some good reading time in with Jacob. Worked on ABC's. That's going to take a while. He's not quite 3 so I don't feel pressured to get this done.

Today was the actual Stamp-a-Stack. 4 ladies in the morning and 4 children including mine. The kids played well like normal 4-2 year olds do and the adults enjoyed their cards. And again, more good adult conversation. The afternoon was spent outside with Jacob playing until Tim came home Which was late allowing for extra outside time. This cool weather is great, Jacob is actually asking to play outside. Tonight was 2nd group to make Halloween cards. I got to spend time with 2 great ladies that I don't get to talk to very often. We had a very enlightening conversation that really made me feel somewhat better, though still sadenned by an issue I've been dealing with for sometime. It's nothing serious involving family or me persay. Just an issue that has weighed heavily on me for a little over a year now. It's gotten worse so I decided to distance myself from it. I found out that the issue is affecting others and I might be able to help by talking to someone. So, hopefully I will work up the nerve to have this conversation and not have a panic attack while doing it. Wish me luck! As I am not good with these types of things. Now that I know I am not making this up should make it easier.

I think what I love about my schedule is that I am doing something I LOVE!!!! I haven't been forced, talked into doing more than I bargained for, I'm not in an environment where I constantly question or doubt my beliefs based on others and don't feel like I have to do everything. I have found I'm not complaining anymore because I like what I am doing. Yay!
So simple, yet so hard to realize sometimes! ( especially when others tell you differently)

Fall

Well, I cannot sleep. I keep thinking about my new stamps, paper, ribbon, glue. . . I am in major craft mode lately. I don't know where this sudden burst of creativity is coming from. I'd like to think it's the change of season. Which brings me to my topic. FALL!

So, for the last 2 days we have finally had some breezy, cool weather. It's awesome! Fall and Winter are my favorite seasons. The other 2 I could care less about. Give me Sept.1-Feb. 28 any day. From the age of 1-10 I lived in Vermont. I think that is the absolute best place to spend fall. The leaves are gorgeous shades of red, orange, and yellow. The "Leaf Peepers" are visiting (those are the tourists that come specifically to see the leaves). Apples are ready for picking, and then there is the apple cider, pumpkins, Halloween. . .it's great! I really hope to get up there this time of year at least once for Jacob and Tim to experience it. Of course there is the change in wardrobe. Jeans, sweaters, dark colors, I love it! And let's not forget that first day of school and the prep involved. The back-to-school shopping was always fun, especially the supplies. I could live in a Staples. I have always had this thing for paper, crayons, pens. . .I'm always well stocked in these kind of supplies. As I got older fall also meant High School and College Football games on Friday and Saturday nights. Those were fun. ahh the memories!

Today I actually turned off the A/C for most of the day and had some yummy apple candles burning. I was in fall heaven! I've been meaning to put the fall decor out (pumpkins, leaves, etc), but the humidity of the last 2 weeks just killed the mood. So, hopefully after my yard sale on Saturday the stuff will come out.

As the seasons change, so does my schedule. I am really happy about this schedule or lack there of. I decided to end my commitments and positions I held last year to focus more on my family, crafting, and to enjoy the last months in Sicily. Maybe I'll finally get Jacob's scrapbook finished. So far so good. I'm not stressed, I don't feel the pressure to do everything that comes along. Jacob is too young to participate in pre-school and sports here so were are enjoying the time together. I look forward to chauffeuring him to these activities in the near future. There are many days I miss the structure of going to a job, and all the craziness that revolve around that but, there will be plenty of time for this when we return to the States next year and get back to some kind of normalcy (my life here is far from what I consider normal). So, that's that.

Ok, I have rambled enough and I think I am finally sleepy. Good night!

Sept. Stamp Club

Spring Action Inside the "Under the Stars" card
Pocket Silhouettes (sorry it's sideways)

Well tonight kicked off the 1st of my 3 stamp clubs this month. I think I captured the WOW factor I've been trying to accomplish. I tried a new technique called "Brayered Background" and it created a really nice sunset effect. All cards used Stampin' Up! products. Enjoy!

Cefalu

This past weekend we went on a spur of the moment overnight trip to Cefalu. A very pretty tourist town here on the island. It is about 2 hours away by car. We followed some of Tim's co-workers and as soon as we paid the toll Jacob decided to puke everywere. So, it is official, the kid gets car sick. I used to do the same thing, and in his defence, the roads are bad here. I sat in the back with him for half the trip and was feeling yucky too. The roads in Sicily are bumpy and curvy. Not a good combination for someone that gets motion sickness.

So, we arrive at the hotel and decontaminate Jacob. Of course I get stuck with this fun job while Tim checks in. I can do blood, pee, and poop, but I have a problem with vomit. Some nurse I am right?! We get to the room and Jacob was horrified that there was no TV. We finally found the little 13in screen on the wall so all was well.

We headed to the beach which actually had sand, score! This beach reminded Tim and I of Clearwater Beach in Clearwater, Florida which we lived 10min. from growing up. The sand was really soft, min. rocks and scarce shells. I missed the shells but that wasn't a big deal. Jacob went right in the water and had a fun time making sand castles with daddy, or at least trying too.

Saturday night we walked up to the center of town for dinner. Jacob was dying for pizza but the restaurants in Italy don't open until late. The cafes and bars were open at 6 so we stoped and got some water and granita (aka Italian Ice). It was delicious. We got lemon flavor and it was like really sweet lemonade. It hit the spot after the long walk in the heat and humidity. Jacob kept asking the waiter for pizza. After that we killed some more time but going into a little shoe store. I finally found Birkenstocks to replace my brown pair that are beyond repair. They were a fraction of the price even with the exchange rate approx 1 euro=.67 Yippee! So, after my new pair of shoes it was finally 7pm. . .Pizza time. We found a retaurant and order drinks. Jacob chiimed in to the waiter, "uh, pizza?" He finally got his pizza about 30 minutes later. And not a minute too soon. He polished off 3/4 of it. For those not familiar, pizza in Sicily comes on a 10in. plate. After that we called it a night and walked the mile or so back to the hotel and called it a night. I think I fell asleep to Jacob singing the intro to Thomas and Friends. Lightening McQueen has been taking a back seat to Thomas lately. I don't know which is worse. It was nice to get home even though we weren't gone too long. I quickly remember why I am not a fan of sandy beaches. Sand was in everything. I'm still finding sand and it's Wednesday.

Barry Benson lives in my Sunflowers

Those of you with kids might be familiar with "The Bee Movie" starring Jerry Seinfeld (my fav. comedian), and the Bee he plays in the movie, Barry. Well, this evening after the humidity finally let up we went outside. What's left of my sunflowers have a few small blooms. They were swarmed with bees tonight. So, Jacob stands a few feet back and looks up at the flowers and sees the bees. With a straight face of course he says. "Um, Barry Benson?" "Hi" and then he waves. "Hi Barry" "I Jacob" So cute!