Back from Disney

10 Things I Learned from my Walt Disney World Vacation

1. 8 days with my family is too long. I don't think as adults we are meant to spend this much time with our parents and siblings because lets face it, we are all adults now with our own opinions, agendas and needs. Nothing bad against my family, but let's face it, we aren't living together anymore for a reason.
2. Florida is hot!! Yes, I knew this before and have been to Florida a few times, but my gosh, it is way hotter than I remembered. Maybe because it was July, maybe because I can't tolerate the heat like I used to, maybe because the ozone layer is thinner now and thus hotter.....whatever the reason, it is way hot! My hair was insanely frizzy and unmanageable for 8 days and I have never seen steam rise from the ground after a rain.
3. Disney World may not be the best place for kids. This is a place that is not only hot, but also filled with thousands of people and hundreds of opportunities to wait in line to ride a 2 minute ride, probably not what most kids would consider fun. I have never seen so many crying children in one place before, the horror. And to top it off.....tiny little babies!! Even Max at 9 had a hard time dealing with it all, so I sympathize with those poor 2 year olds that just wanted to ride Dumbo without waiting 60 minutes.
4. A person can grow tired of steak and lobster. I never thought I would say this, but after a few days, I got really sick of fancy shmancy restaurants and filet mignon. I just yearned for a cheeseburger and fries. I could only take so much of the 3 hour 5 course dinners, but unfortuntately I had 7 nights of them.....too much.
5. Sharing a bathroom with 3 other people is rough. Granted my sister and I have little boys that aren't so little anymore, but it never fails when someone is in the bathroom one of them has to go. Plus, getting ready for all those fancy dinners takes time in the bathroom, so that was another aggrevation.
6. Space Mountain is just as much fun as it was when I was 13!! I remember riding Space Mountain for the first time in Disneyland when I was 13 and thinking it was too cool. Well, at 33, I still think it is too cool. Best ride in the Magic Kingdom.

7. Even at 33, your parents still want your picture with Mickey. Granted I wanted my picture with Mickey as well, but my parents really insisted on the photos with the characters.......perhaps they are planning a scrapbook?
8. Coffee in Florida is bad! I never did find a good cup of coffee in all the breakfasts and dinners I ate in Disney World. I thought the happiest place on earth would include a decent cup of coffee, but I was wrong.
9. Walking is good for you. I have never walked so much in all my life. Even when I was a waitress and on my feet 10 hours a day, I never walked that much. But after a week of power walking about 7 miles a day, I am feeling great. Makes me want to walk everyday.....I'll start tomorrow.
10. I never take enough pictures on vacation. Everytime I go on a "trip" I never take enough pictures!! I had my camera with me every second, but still not that many pictures. I think partly because all the pictures I was getting were posed and I grow tired of those. It was too hard to hike at a rapid pace and snap photos. Need to practice for next time.

All in all, fun vacation, but exhausting. It was more work than I do at work plus less sleep than an average work week. I feel like now I need a vacation which includes lying around, soaking up some rays and reading a book.

CHA in Review

I know it was a week and a half ago, but I have finally gotten back into the swing of things after the big vacation that nearly killed me and had a chance to sit down and think, ponder. CHA on the whole was in one word..... OVERWHELMING!! So much product, so little time. I could not believe all the stuff there was to see and didn't have enough time to check it all out in one short 9 hour day. Saw so many celebs, peas and scrappin' big wigs. I got to see Ali Edwards from a distance, wanted so badly to get within arms reach of her, but missed my chance. I thought for sure if I had merely stood next to her, I could soak up an ounce of her talent, but unfortunately, I did not get the chance to soak. That's the last time my bladder makes me miss an opportunity like that!
I realized within the first hour at the show that there is too much to choose from!! As I walked the floor my head was spinning with ideas, so many I could barely keep track. I brought a notebook and camera (of course) but even now, I am trying to recollect all the cool things I want to share. The pictures help, so here is a short pictorial of my CHA experience.

So here is a simple list of the sights of a few things I loved at CHA:

Seven Gypsies made me drool!!! Awesome new stuff and incredible booth, loves it!

An incredible 7 Gypsies sample!

Not the craziest about the new Doodlebug and not sure why they only released Christmas and Halloween themes, but love this idea.....consider it stolen.

New Bazzill Chipboard pieces and accordian folded papers!!

Lunchboxes from Basic Grey as well as Chinese takeout boxes, uber cool!

Everyting American Crafts!



Me and the Arctic Frog.

Plus, as I mentioned before, I WON THE PINK TRUNK from Chatterbox and it was filled with a TON of stuff!!! I am working on a "layout" type letter to thank them for such a fabulous prize, need to take more kooky photos of me and the trunk. But here is a peak, jealous yet?? Here is a sneak peek at it:

Went to CHA and...

I WON THE CHATTERBOX PINK TRUNK OF FUN!!!!!!!!

Totally getting ready for the trip, have to leave in 30 minutes, not ready, but had to post!!! I never win anything, ever! But I won!! And I met Christy Tomlinson and Melody Ross, bonus!!

More on CHA when I return!!!!!

Cha Cha Cha

One day and I will be at CHA Summer Show! Woo hoo!!

Can't wait. Have heard so many things about CHA and have never been able to go, but this is my year and I will be there to bask in the glow of crafty creativity. To rub elbows with the Scrapbook celebs, I'm sure that Ali and I will be instant friends.
I have been trying to check out all the sneak peaks I can on the web so that I am prepared with a list of must see items and I won't have a complete freak out at the multitude of awesome products.
So far, I have seen the sneaks on 2peas for KI Memories which some look like products that I will be unable to resist, but not all. The last time they released new product I was not overjoyed with all of it either, perhaps I have become more particular about what I like.
These are the other products I have caught a glimpse of over the net this week, that are definites on my list to check out:

1. Fancy Pants Designs - Paper Flower Jars
2. New Junkitz products
3. Scrapworks new Cardstock
4. Basic Grey Matchbook Kit
5. Memories Complete coasters (haven't been a big fan, but could be)
6. Urban Lily
7. Paper Heart Studio
8. Arctic Frog

I am truly hoping that this day at CHA will cure my scrappers block. I haven't really had the time to scrap anyways but I haven't had the will either. Seeing all these great samples and awesome product should help with that. I am sorry I can't attend all the days, but Mickey has requested our presence on Saturday, so we are flying out at 7a from Milwaukee destined for the happiest place on earth.

When I return from Orlando......full report and pictures from CHA.

My Pity Party was Uber Fun!

Had to throw myself a little pity party last night complete with hats and streamers due to the sudden overwhelming curse of misfortune that has been going on lately. Not just bad luck garbage, but also the stress of my life is weighing on me so heavily I can barely stand.
This hunt for a place to live is unbearable. There is nothing that I dread doing more than going to look at places I don't want to live at prices I cannot afford to pay. Just driving and looking for places is depressing. I also have to pack and leave the place that I am in and haven't even done a tip of that mighty iceberg. I have been a bit distracted lately, so all kinds of "business" tasks have just sat there, staring at me......beckoning for me to do something.
I just don't wanna.
Sure, this may kinda fit into my plan of simplifying, maybe I won't take it all. Maybe I will throw away or give away some crap I should have years ago, but I just don't want to have to do all that. And in the back of my head I hear the ticking of time just flying by faster than I ever imagined. Not to mention that sweet little voice asking countless times, "why do we have to move, mom?" Necessity. It is time. 'Cuz we hafta. That is the real reason.
All very depressing. All makes me want to get in bed and cry. All makes life really un-fun right now. So, I planned the pity party. Knew it was necessary. But then, as the party was about to begin, I was completely distracted by dinner, chappelle, my honey, red wine.......suddenly I kinda forgot about some of it. The wheels inside my head that spin out of control and take one little problem and turn it into 1000s.....stopped. By the time I knew it, time for bed. Sleep. Dream of a better tomorrow.
Woke up this morning, forgot all about the lack of party. Until now. Huh. I think it is funny how my pity party completely lacked tears, self loathing and that overwhelming feeling that things will never work out. So, no pity party for this girl. I can do all this. I can dig myself out of this hole I am in. And I will have a wonderful time on this vacation that I have been waiting 5 years for!!!!!! I am not going to let any of this crap ruin that for me or Max, damn it!! We need and deserve this more than anyone I know right now!
So, no more blogging.......gotta find a place to call home.

You know that point in your life when you realize that the house that you grew up in isn't really your home anymore? All of the sudden even though you have some place where you can put your stuff that idea of home is gone. You'll see when you move out it just sort of happens one day one day and it's just gone. And you can never get it back. It's like you get homesick for a place that doesn't exist. I mean it's like this rite of passage, you know. You won't have this feeling again until you create a new idea of home for yourself, you know, for you kids, for the family you start, it's like a cycle or something. I miss the idea of it. Maybe that's all family really is. A group of people who miss the same imaginary place. - Garden State

Meme is Back Baby!!

I love when Tenika posts these challenges on 2peas, they are totally fun and make you think about what you really like, I forget sometimes.
Here's the challenge as posted:
This week [July 10th] we are going to talk about music. I believe that our favorite music has alot to say about us so therefore, this challenge we are going to write about our
10 "Desert Island Discs"

this was a popular phrase back in the 90's which is just another way to say 10 discs that you would be happy that you had if you were stranded..so they have to be your absolute favorite cd's...not just what's trendy..

10 Desert Island Discs (no particular order)

1. Harry Connick Jr. - We Are In Love I have always loved this Cd, makes me dance around like a fool.
2. Depeche Mode - Music for the Masses There are so many great Cds to choose from but this one I like the best, so Dave, you're coming to the island with me!
3. Garden State Soundtrack This Cd has a nice compilation of music and it is mostly mellow, good for calming me down when I fear I will never be rescued from the island.
4. Sinead O'Connor - Lion and the Cobra Loved this Cd in the 80s so much, I would scream out the lyrics and my parents would refer to it as "angry teenager syndrome."
5. The Cure - Greatest Hits Gotta have some Bob Smith in the group.
6. Simon and Garfunkel - The Essential Simon and Garfunkel I have big time love for Paul Simon, my mom used to listen to it all the time so I figure he kinda helped raise me.
7. Pearl Jam - Vs. Had to pick one of their albums, need a little rock on the island.
8. They Might Be Giants - Flood This is one of my favorite all time Cds, could listen to it time and time again.
9. Counting Crows - August and Everything After Still a great Cd.
10. English Beat - Special Beat Service Got this tape in 1986 and it still rocks.

Seems like a decent list, could be better given more time to think and evaluate. Could have made a preliminary list first and then narrowed those down. I would evaluate the need for different types of music and consider how many times I could listent to each Cd before wanting to scream. But these will have to do for now should I find myself on that island. Hope I get stranded with a hot guy!!

Dancing with the Stars

Yes, I found myself watching Dancing with the Stars last night and I really can't believe it. For weeks, I have been asking myself "Who watches this show?" I had only seen clips on commercials and talk of it on all of the late night shows, but I thought it was a joke. I thought that perhaps they were lying about the popularity of it on the commercials. I know, a commercial lie to me?!?! Apparently, people really were watching this show and now I can count myself in the numbers of viewing audience members. Did we just tune in to see who won? Did we just fall upon it while flipping through channels and then just watch about 5 minutes? Did we just keep it on in the background of an exceptional conversation?
All no!! We purposely chose the channel, watched the entire show with bated breath to see who would win. Would it be the Seinfeld guy or Kelly Monaco of General Hospital fame. (and other things) We mocked and remarked about 50 times "Who watches this?" but never changed the channel. I really can't believe it but it is true. I watched Dancing with the Stars.
That was my confession of the week.
Today is really a Twilight Zone kinda day for me. Very tired this morning, definintely did not want to get out of bed. Was greated with extreme pain in my lower back, which is a nice way to start out. Got to work super early, before 8:30!! My boss is on vacation for the next week and a half so there is nothing to do but think. Think about how this morning moving men came and moved out most of the furniture and all my little sister's crap. Think about how my baby brother is at orientation at U of I today, can he really be that old? Think about how much I will miss him in the fall and miss living with him and his crazy humor. Think about London and how much times have changed since I was little. The world seems to be growing into a very scary place. Think about the crazy weather we have now, hurricanes all the time. What's up with that?? Think about how in 9 days I will be leaving for Disney World and how much stuff I have to do before that. Think about what my little Max may be doing, he left on Monday for a week with dad, miss him already. Think about all the things I could be doing right now instead of wasting time blogging. Kinda wish I had work to do.
So, little Stephanie is moving into her own place. It is time. She is 23, has a job, all grown up. She is wiggin' out though. Too scary for her. When I moved out at 23 I was so excited, so happy, so filled with dreams.....complete opposite for Steph. She isn't seeing the big picture. Here she is, little Steph, all grown up now and out in the real world. Everything will be fine eventually she just has to open her eyes and see that!

By the way, still looking for a place!! That's what I should be doing, the paper came out today.....ouch, my back is killing me!!!