1. Your Work Space

My work space at work is pretty boring. I run the front desk and some days it takes all three of my computers to stay caught up. I have one family picture of me & Josh and then some pictures of Josh from the year he shot his antelope, deer and elk. I try to keep my desk pretty simple since the public sees it every day. My only splurge at my desk, is my ilive for my ipod.

The work space that I get excited about is my craft room. I try to spend a few hours in there every weekend. Now that we have Friday's off, I use it as my reward: after the house is cleaned, then I can go craft. I have to do that because if I started crafting before I cleaned, my house would never get clean.

I have noticed one thing about my craft room, it takes such a short time to get messy. I am horrible at getting something out, but then not putting it away when I'm done with it. I moved into the pink room so I could have more room to organize, but instead I just have more room to make a mess.

That wouldn't be so bad, if I cleaned up before leaving the room each time, but most of the time I don't. When I go in to craft the next weekend, I just push stuff to the side and then get more stuff out. This pattern continues until my table is so buried, I can't find anything.

I think one of the reasons is because I tend to work on one project for an extended period of time. When I was making Christmas Cards in January, I had Christmas stamps and papers strung out everywhere. Currently, I am working on getting the pictures from the Hanke Family Reunion 2009 into a scrapbook. I have a TON of pictures sorted into dozens of different piles.

Here is where the layers of piles come into play. Last weekend I took a small break from working on the family reunion pictures to finish some other pages I had started at scrapbook group, but didn't get the chance to finish. Instead of putting the other stuff away, I just piled on top of it.

Here are a few pictures:

One of the things I don't like in my craft room, is how I organize all of my papers. I stack it on my shelf that is across the room from my table. So each time I need paper and I have to walk across the room and dig through it all until I find what I want. When I'm done with it, I just toss the package on the floor next to me. The stack in this picture is actually smaller then normal.

The lamp shade is on the floor, because the lighting in the room sucks, so I took the shade off the lamp to hopefully improve things. I did close all of the drawers in the filing cabinet before taking the picture, but I didn't close the drawers in the stand next to it.

Here is a picture of my table, before I cleaned of the top layer of projects.

Under all of this was a layer of papers and stamps for the camping pictures, but I didn't get a picture, because then I moved on to the next layer of mess.

My various assorted piles of pictures. Sometimes I am lucky and they don't get mixed up.

I keep my stamps and ink pads to my right. I got tired of opening the drawer to go through my stamps, so I finally just set it on the floor. I don't get in the bottom drawer often, so this set up works for now. Usually I don't let the cats in the room with me, but when I do, they like to go through the opening the middle drawer left and sit in the bottom drawer. That is one of the reasons I don't let them in the room.

Here is my table when it is clean. It amazes me how much room I have to work!

I should have took another picture, because once the room was all cleaned up, I went right back to scrapbooking and now my table is chaos again.

"Just for Fun" Posts

I've seen this idea on a few blogs and thought it would be fun to do. A few of the blogs I follow did a series of posts that helped you get to know them a little bit better. Each blog seemed to do a little bit different version, so I thought I would combine them all into one list and then do my favorites. I'll try to do a post a day.

1.Your work space.

2. The best part of your day.

3. Something you never leave home without.

4.Last book you read.

5. Say something to your 15-year-old self

6. Talent you wish you had.

7. Last item you purchased

8. 15 Facts about you.

9. Your favorite thing(s) right now

10. Something you’re thankful for

11. Something you crave

12. Last time you cried

13. Last time you had to apologize to someone

14. Something that really bugs you

15. Post a bit of your last AIM conversation

16. What turns you off?

17. The story behind one of your scars

18.  Self Portrait picture

19. Something that stresses you out.

20. Something you are looking forward to.

21. Pictures of things that make you happy.

22. A song that makes you cry (or nearly and why).

23. Favorite Movies

24. A place you have traveled to.

25. Put your ipod on shuffle – first 10 songs.

26. Something you’re afraid of.

27. Favorite TV shows.

28. What you believe.

29. Goals

30. Describe your dream house.

Book Club - "Charly" by Jack Weyland

This month it was Tina's turn to choose the book. She choose "Charly" by Jack Weyland. I've read this book before, but had been a while, so I was excited to read it again. After that I read "Sam" and now I'm reading "Adam's Story." I figure you can't read a book in a series, without reading the entire series. ;)

We've all taken a turn now choosing the book, so we get to start over. I'm already nervous what book I'll choose next, and its a few months before it will even be my turn. 

Cats get cabin fever too

I think we are all ready for winter to be over. Even the cat have a case of cabin fever. So to help them get out of their rut, I gave them some catnip the other day. It makes a mess in my kitchen, but it makes them happy. They love them some 'Nip. 

They also love being just plain lazy. 

From Kim

Last weekend when we got to the Wii party, Kim had a present for me and Jessica. She made us each aprons to match our kitchen and our personalities. They turned out so CUTE and I think Jessica and I could both argue that we think we got the best one.

I love the sunflower print and the polka dot print. LOVE! And I love the little wire whisk and spatula. LOVE! And I LOVE the little book, "The Highwayman of Tanglewood". LOVE!!!!

Thanks for the gift Kim, and more importantly the gift of your friendship.

Wii Party

Ever since the New Year's Eve Party, Josh has been hinting that he wants to get together again and play Guitar Hero. So this week I suggested it and we decided to all get together and have a Wii party. Jessica had just gotten a new game, Just Dance 2, and Kim brought Glee Karaoke. Between those three games we had a BLAST!

 I didn't play Guitar Hero the last time, but this time I got brave and tried it out. I tried one song and didn't do well, but then Jessica told me to try "Eye of the Tiger". I finished the song (on the easy level)! But it must have all got to my head because I never did well after that. (I couldn't even do a song on the beginners level!) 

 I've heard Just Dance is a fun game, and it IS! We were so tired and yet we kept going. 

 I didn't know if I would get into the Karaoke game, but I really enjoyed it too. 

 Even Jessica's cat Emilio joined in on the fun. 

I now have a HUGE wish list of new games on Amazon.com that I want to get someday, hopefully soon. 

10th Anniversary Getaway

This year we celebrated our 10th Anniversary! I have been so excited to celebrate our anniversary this year. Our anniversary was on February 9th. We wanted to get away for a few nights, but had to wait until this last weekend. That was fine with me because I felt like it made the fun last even longer. For the last two weeks I have told everyone "We're celebrating our 10th Anniversary."

At first we talked about escaping the cold and going to St. George for a weekend, but when I started calling around looking for a room, they were already booked up, and I was calling two months in advance! So then we decided to try something new and go to Logan. We stayed at the Anniversary Inn and LOVED every second of it.

There is so many amazing things about this place! They have themed luxury suites that are so cute. We choose to stay in the "Artic Journey" Room.

Along with our room, we added on the "Adore Me" package. It included:

A single rose

A large box of chocolates

An in room massage

Rose petals scattered around the room

3 battery operated votive candles

1 large bath truffle

Late Checkout

Two nights before we went up, I got on their website again, just to look around. That is when I noticed that each room also comes with:

Warm cookies as you check in

Two slices of cheesecake in the fridge in your room

A bottle of Sparkling Apple Cider

Breakfast each morning.

Then I was even more excited to go!

We didn't drink our Sparking Apple Cider until the last night. But each day room service made sure to fill our thing with ice so it would be cold for us. We also ate the cheese cake the same night.

I added one more small package to our room. It was 2 champagne flutes filled with Hershey Kisses.

I loved the rose petals around the tub! I made sure to press a few in a book so I could take them home.

One of the votive candles and the large bath truffle. It smelled so good! I bought some more when we check out so I could have some to use at home.

The BIG thing for our getaway was it HAD to have a jetted tub. I love soaking in the tub, but our house is old which means our tub is small. When we have a room with a jetted tub, I try to get a year worth of baths in the weekend. I spent half of my time in the tub reading books while Josh watched the hunting channel.

We weren't sure if we would like the massage, but we decided it sounded fun. Two gals came right to our room and gave us each a half hour massage. It ended up being the highlight of our trip. Josh loved that they massaged his head.

When you check in, they give you a card for each day you are staying and have you choose what time you want your room cleaned and what you want for breakfast. They only have a small selection of choices, but we tried each item and they were all good! Each meal came with your selection, 2 choices of drinks and a yogurt parfait.

Friday morning's breakfast:

I had the cinnamon raisin bagel, orange juice and hot chocolate.

Josh had a cinnamon roll and 2 cranberry juices.

Saturday's breakfast:

I had the Raspberry Danish, orange juice and hot chocolate.

Josh had the Ham & Cheese Croissant and 2 cranberry juices.

Sunday's Breakfast.

I originally was going to have a regular bagel, but after trying Josh's breakfast on Saturday, I called the front desk and had them change my order. I had the Ham & Cheese Croissant, cranberry juice and hot chocolate.

Josh had the Raspberry Danish and 2 cranberry juices.

One day we found Walmart so we could buy a vase for the rose so we could enjoy it during our stay.

Other highlights of the weekend included our first time seeing a movie in 3D. We went to "Gnomeo & Juliet". It was so cute. Before the movie, we were trying to kill time and we ended up at SubZero Ice Cream. It was so good! I was so mad that I had left my camera in our room. We tried to go back on Sunday before leaving, but they were closed.

The Anniversary Inn has several rooms. They offer tours each afternoon, but we were usually out eating lunch so we never went on the tours. But one day the room next to ours, "King Arthur's Court" was left open, so we went in to look around.

Also that day the "Lost in Space" room was open for just a second while the cleaning lady went to get supplies. The bed wasn't made yet, so I only took a picture of the bathroom.

We had so much fun on our trip and we are already talking about going back again and trying another room.

For a few years I have wanted a couples ring that had both of our birthstones. I've looked around a few times, but never found one I liked. This year I was determined to get one. A few weeks ago while shopping in the city with Kim & Jessica, I ran into Zale's to see what they had. At first they tried to talk me into a Mother's Ring because those are styled for birthstones. But then the guy found a ring that was PERFECT! It matches my wedding ring almost perfectly. It came with three diamonds already in it. We had those taken out and three different stones put in, my birthday in January, Josh's birthday in December and our Anniversary month in February. Then they turned the 2 smaller diamonds into earrings. I have the bigger diamond and just need to choose a necklace setting for it.

It took a few weeks to get my ring ready, but I was able to pick it up on our way to Logan on Thursday. I am so in LOVE with it. Its just what I have pictured all of these years.

I bought Josh a new gun for our anniversary. Sorry, I don't have a picture yet because he's still waiting for the scope rings to come in so he can put the scope on and he doesn't want me to take a picture until its all ready. So I'll post that later.

Celebrating 10 years of bliss was wonderful. I can't imagine my life without Josh. I'm forever grateful that he asked me to spend the rest of eternity with him.

Happy Valentine's Day

I was excited to come home tonight and find this bag of goodies waiting for me. 

 Josh got me some chocolate raspberry cups, pecan caramels, Hershey's Pot of Gold Caramels and Dark Chocolate Raspberry sticks. I'm so loved and so spoiled. 

Valentine's Craft

Last week I saw this cute idea on Dating Divas for a Valentine Gift. Click HERE to see the tutorial and the free printables. Each day has a slip of paper with something I love about my husband. I came up with more then 24 things, so some spots have two. I was going to put a Hershey Kiss in each one, but I was afraid it would fall out since this hangs on the wall. I gave it to Josh this morning and he said he loves it. He's going to open one a day. I also got him a bag of chocolates, but they are half gone. 

 Last week I bought this sign because I love it so much. I have always loved Josh with all my heart, but over the last year that love has become even stronger and greater. What a perfect way to express our love.