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XOXO
Merry Christmas everyone!
1 day ago
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
Bre's 1st Day at the Park
Don't even get on me....
Yes, it is her first time at the park...for some reason it never really crossed her mind to take her to the park until one of my coworkers & good friend (LAURIE!) got on me for not introducing her to the park yet!
So..in light of everything going on, we managed to escape to the park about a month ago. We went to a park right by my moms house....
She had a wonderful time....doing all the things you shouldn't do on the playground...like walking / climbingup the slide the incorrect way (instead of walking around climbing up the stairs!) ~_~ Anyway....while we were there, the Ice Cream truck happened to rollon through and we shared an ice cream sandwich! It was yummy. SO I thought that we would go home after the ice cream....WRONG! Well we stayed a little longer and man she got pissed we we had to leave..I tried to tell her we would be back...but she wasn't havin it!
Yes, it is her first time at the park...for some reason it never really crossed her mind to take her to the park until one of my coworkers & good friend (LAURIE!) got on me for not introducing her to the park yet!
So..in light of everything going on, we managed to escape to the park about a month ago. We went to a park right by my moms house....
She had a wonderful time....doing all the things you shouldn't do on the playground...like walking / climbingup the slide the incorrect way (instead of walking around climbing up the stairs!) ~_~ Anyway....while we were there, the Ice Cream truck happened to rollon through and we shared an ice cream sandwich! It was yummy. SO I thought that we would go home after the ice cream....WRONG! Well we stayed a little longer and man she got pissed we we had to leave..I tried to tell her we would be back...but she wasn't havin it!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Twas The Night Before Christmas - Scrappers Version
(shared from my scrapper friend Audrey..)
Twas the night before Christmas, I'm glued to the tree.
I'm wondering what Santa brought just for me.
Could it be cardstock or chipboard or lace?
Or a Cricut, I said, with a smile on my face.
And that's when I heard him,
"Hi Santa, " I said"You know....good little girls should be in their beds.""I know I should Santa,and now I've got caught.But I was just so excited To see what you brought.""Well, let's take a lookin this room where you work.He shook his head quickly,And left with a jerk.I heard him exclaim as he put it in gear."You've got enough crap,I'll see you next year!"
Twas the night before Christmas, I'm glued to the tree.
I'm wondering what Santa brought just for me.
Could it be cardstock or chipboard or lace?
Or a Cricut, I said, with a smile on my face.
And that's when I heard him,
"Hi Santa, " I said"You know....good little girls should be in their beds.""I know I should Santa,and now I've got caught.But I was just so excited To see what you brought.""Well, let's take a lookin this room where you work.He shook his head quickly,And left with a jerk.I heard him exclaim as he put it in gear."You've got enough crap,I'll see you next year!"
Monday, December 08, 2008
What Do YOU Know About This!?
Yes Lord!
Its that good ole' Eggnog & Ice Cream Baby! Drizzled with a little bit of nutmeg!
You either like it or you don't...alot of people don't really care for eggnog, but if you are an Eggnog drinker, you must try this....(I eat with a spoon, when ice cream melts, of course drink it!)
- One of your favorite mugs
- However many scoops of Golden Vanilla your heart desires
- Pour Eggnog directly over the ice cream
- Finally top it off with a few sprinkles of Nutmeg OR you can try Cinnamon.
So...this was one of my most favorite treats that me and my Nana enjoyed having together. Dang it! I can't believe she is gone still....but still here and forever here within spirit!
Love you Nana...CHEERS!!!!
Enjoy!
Entertainment 4-1-1 (week of 12/1/08)
4-1-1 ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 2ND, 2008
When the new season of Bravo’s Real Housewives Of Atlanta returns, will it be renamed The BROKE Housewives Of Atlanta? Two of the stars are having serious financial problems. Nene Leakes the breakout star was recently evicted from her 5,000 square-foot, five-bedroom home. The Leakes family had to leave after owing $6,240 in back rent. Dang, I thought they owned the house! With all the fancy designer handbags and bling jewelry, they were renters? Aw dang! Nene is married to a real estate investor, and apparently they rented their home through a corporate deal that went south. So where is Nene living? She won’t say. Maybe these questions will be answered next year during the new season of Atlanta Housewives. Sheree Whitfield, the mean, selfish housewife, is reportedly selling her mansion. She didn’t get as much as she thought in her divorce settlement. Word has it she has also pulled her children out of their private schools. As much as I enjoyed this show, it makes me wonder were these women just frontin’? Tell me what you think.
What a year it has been for Oscar Winner Morgan Freeman. Later this month, he’s getting honored along with Barbra Streisand as part of the Kennedy Center Honors. He’s also getting a divorce from his wife of 24 years. Earlier this year, Freeman almost lost his life when he was involved in a car crash with a woman who wasn’t his wife. The Freeman marriage has been troubled for a while. Morgan has reportedly moved in with another woman who was friends with his wife. Myrna Freeman decided she had had enough: Morgan, Keep Your Blonde! Just Show Me The Money! Myrna Freeman stands to get up to $170 million in a divorce settlement. Freeman has property around the world, and that’s where his wealth derives. If this divorce costs as much as this, guess who’ll be driving miss daisy now?
Speaking of the Kennedy Center Honors, Ne-Yo, Beyonce and Queen Latifah are all scheduled to take part in the festivities, which will air on CBS December 30th.
The hottest actress of the moment has to be Taraji P. Henson. She’s co starring in the Brad Pitt movie The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. The movie opens in theatres on Christmas Day. Henson plays his mom. Henson is also starring in the new Jamie Foxx-T.I. video Just Like Me. Henson is hysterical and she shows off her comedic skills. In addition to these projects, Henson is starring in the new T.D. Jakes’ movie Not Easily Broken with Morris Chestnut and Jennifer Lewis. And, her latest Tyler Perry movie, The Family That Preys, is scheduled for DVD released in early 2009. I had a chance to talk to the beautiful actress, and she was a delight. Her first starring role was in the John Singleton movie Baby Boy, and she says her career has been on a role ever since. Henson is also best known for her role opposite Terrence Howard in the Oscar-nominated film Hustle And Flow.
Chicago police have officially charged William Balfour with the murders of Jennifer Hudson’s family members. Balfour was the estranged husband of Jennifer’s sister Julia. Balfour has been in custody since the night after the bodies of Hudson’s mother and brother were found. A couple of days later, the 7-year old nephew was found murdered. Did Balfour confess to being at the scene of the crime to his current pregnant girlfriend? Did Balfour have an accomplice? He faces life imprisonment if convicted. In the meantime, the sisters are at odds on what to do with the house where the family was murdered. Jennifer wants the house torn down, but her sister Julia wants to continue living there.
Soul Train Founder Don Cornelius is in a lot of trouble for assaulting his wife, and he could windup in jail. Who is this woman? Friends say the trouble for Cornelius started when he married Viktoria Chapman-Cornelius, a Russian model who is much younger than him. Chapman loves to party, and she and Cornelius hosted wild private parties. What provoked the attack? Cornelius has been ordered to stay away from his young wife. Will the couple divorce? Will she get his money if he goes to jail? Cornelius faces up to five years in jail for assaulting his wife. He also had to turn in his massive gun collection.
The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin is teaming up with Sean “Diddy” Combs for a new talent show. The Queen and the hip hop mogul will be searching the country for talented R&B and hip hop stars. Unlike most competitions where an audience decides the winner, Franklin and Diddy will pick the winners. Now speaking of the man formerly known as “Puffy,” he wants to be the first black James Bond. He has reportedly spent thousands on an audition tape showing him in exotic locales surrounded by beautiful women.
This was not a good week for Cedric The Entertainer. His first attempt at Broadway failed. His stage play with John Leguizamo, American Buffalo, opened and closed the same week. In a weak The weak economy, Broadway’s box office has been hit hard.
Gabrielle Union has just signed a TV deal with NBC. Union is in a development deal to play a detective. She is no stranger to TV despite her big screen success. Back in 2005, she co-starred in the ABC Nightstalker show and last year she was in Ugly Betty. Union is best known for her big screen movies including Bring It On, Daddy’s Little Girls, Deliver Us From Eva and Bad Boys II.
Speaking of our girl Gabby and the movies, this week, she and Beyonce team up with Oscar Winner Adrian Brody and Jeffrey Wright for the movie Cadillac Records. Beyonce is playing the Legendary Etta James.
Actor Courtney B. Vance has also signed a TV deal but with ABC for the new series Flash Forward. Vance was recently on the hit NBC show ER with his wife Angela Bassett.
Mike Tyson in trouble again? YES! Tyson ran his car into a friend’s gate on Thanksgiving. Tyson’s Escalade tore the gate down in Las Vegas. He got a ticket from police. What a way to greet guests for the holidays.
The January editions of Essence and Ebony magazines will be collectors’ editions. President Elect Barack Obama will be on the cover of Ebony. This is his first print interview since being elected as the first African American President Of The United States. This issue will also feature never before seen photos. Michelle Obama graces the new issue of Essence. Our future first lady looks fabulous. These issues are on newsstands this week.
Tyler Perry has given up his fighting with the unions. He will now be employing union workers. Perry caught a lot of flak after he fired several non union workers. The situation actually got messy with protests and picketing outside his Atlanta studios. Perry recently signed deals with various unions including Writers Guild (WGA), Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Teamsters unions.
After 29 years, get ready for more FAME. The 1980 hit movie with Irene Cara is being remade with Debbie Allen, who will act as the principal of the performing arts school. The cast will also include Actors Charles S. Dutton and Kelsey Grammer. The movie is due out next September.
Another familiar story returning to the big screen in the form of a sequel is Beverly Hills Cop IV. Director Brett Ratner says his version, with Eddie Murphy investigating the death of his partner, will open in theatres in 2010.
Is singer Ciara set to become a Victoria Secret model? The popular singer is being courted to become the newest spokesperson.
Congrats to the McNabb family. Eagles Quarterback Donovan McNabb and his wife Roxie are the proud parents of twins. The boy and girl were born this week. The McNabbs also have a four year-old daughter.
The 15th Annual Essence Music Festival is set for July 3rd, 4th and 5th in New Orleans. Beyonce is the first musical guest announced. There will also be seminars featuring Prophetess Juanita Bynum and Roland Martin. Plus, there’ll be an all star tribute to Bishop T.D. Jakes.
We will certainly miss the TV presence of CBS 3 News Anchor Angela Russell. She anchored the 4pm newscast. Her contract was not renewed, and she will be leaving the station.
Will Smith has been named one of the Most Fascinating People Of 2008. The Barbara Walters Special airs December 4th on ABC. Tom Cruise, Miley Cyrus, Tina Fey, and Michael Phelps are also featured.
Toni Braxton will continue with Dancing With The Stars, but not on the small screen. Braxton has joined the touring company, and their Philadelphia stop will be in February.
The new season of American Idol: Season Number 8 kicks off January 13-14th.
For its 50th anniversary, Motown Records is releasing a new box set of songs that the fans have picked. The box set is due December 9th. The 10 disc CD will feature 191 songs from your favorite Motown stars including Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells and Martha & The Vandellas, to name a few.
Queen Latifah will be hosting the 35th Annual People’s Choice Awards to be held January 7th on CBS.
The 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards will take place on February 12th.
Lionel Richie is getting ready to release his new CD next year. Richie will be teaming up with Singer/Songwriter Ne-Yo for his next CD entitled Just Go.
Musiq (Soulchild) returns with his latest CD, On My Radio, on December 9th. The CD features his hit duet with Mary J. Blige, If U Leave.
Lee Daniels latest movie with Mariah Carey, Tennessee, opens in theatres December 19th
Sinbad and Yolanda Adams will be hosting the 21st Annual Stellar Awards. Gospel Sensation Marvin Sapp is leading the pack with nine nominations including song and male vocal. The show is taking place January 17th.
The movie, Notorious, based on the life of Rapper Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G., is gearing up for its release, which is scheduled for January 16th, 2009. Angela Bassett will be playing Biggie’s mom, Volletta Wallace.
The Whispers are coming out with a holiday DVD. The famed singing group has been performing for over 45 years. Christmas With The Whispers features holiday classic and interviews.
WHAT’S THE UNDERGROUND BUZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He’s an NBA Superstar who most likely will never win a championship. Now that he’s in a new city, he’s back to his old bad habits of missing practice and cheating on his wife.
Is this Pop Diva really pregnant, or is this just another publicity stunt for her stalled career? P.S. …..if she really is pregnant, this won’t be her first child. Hmmmmmmm!
This woman is so desperate to hang on to a faded Singer that she will go along with his lame publicity stunts. This Singer is still in love with his ex-wife, and needs her to help his stalled career. At the moment, he is using his current girlfriend to help him get back with his ex.
When the new season of Bravo’s Real Housewives Of Atlanta returns, will it be renamed The BROKE Housewives Of Atlanta? Two of the stars are having serious financial problems. Nene Leakes the breakout star was recently evicted from her 5,000 square-foot, five-bedroom home. The Leakes family had to leave after owing $6,240 in back rent. Dang, I thought they owned the house! With all the fancy designer handbags and bling jewelry, they were renters? Aw dang! Nene is married to a real estate investor, and apparently they rented their home through a corporate deal that went south. So where is Nene living? She won’t say. Maybe these questions will be answered next year during the new season of Atlanta Housewives. Sheree Whitfield, the mean, selfish housewife, is reportedly selling her mansion. She didn’t get as much as she thought in her divorce settlement. Word has it she has also pulled her children out of their private schools. As much as I enjoyed this show, it makes me wonder were these women just frontin’? Tell me what you think.
What a year it has been for Oscar Winner Morgan Freeman. Later this month, he’s getting honored along with Barbra Streisand as part of the Kennedy Center Honors. He’s also getting a divorce from his wife of 24 years. Earlier this year, Freeman almost lost his life when he was involved in a car crash with a woman who wasn’t his wife. The Freeman marriage has been troubled for a while. Morgan has reportedly moved in with another woman who was friends with his wife. Myrna Freeman decided she had had enough: Morgan, Keep Your Blonde! Just Show Me The Money! Myrna Freeman stands to get up to $170 million in a divorce settlement. Freeman has property around the world, and that’s where his wealth derives. If this divorce costs as much as this, guess who’ll be driving miss daisy now?
Speaking of the Kennedy Center Honors, Ne-Yo, Beyonce and Queen Latifah are all scheduled to take part in the festivities, which will air on CBS December 30th.
The hottest actress of the moment has to be Taraji P. Henson. She’s co starring in the Brad Pitt movie The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. The movie opens in theatres on Christmas Day. Henson plays his mom. Henson is also starring in the new Jamie Foxx-T.I. video Just Like Me. Henson is hysterical and she shows off her comedic skills. In addition to these projects, Henson is starring in the new T.D. Jakes’ movie Not Easily Broken with Morris Chestnut and Jennifer Lewis. And, her latest Tyler Perry movie, The Family That Preys, is scheduled for DVD released in early 2009. I had a chance to talk to the beautiful actress, and she was a delight. Her first starring role was in the John Singleton movie Baby Boy, and she says her career has been on a role ever since. Henson is also best known for her role opposite Terrence Howard in the Oscar-nominated film Hustle And Flow.
Chicago police have officially charged William Balfour with the murders of Jennifer Hudson’s family members. Balfour was the estranged husband of Jennifer’s sister Julia. Balfour has been in custody since the night after the bodies of Hudson’s mother and brother were found. A couple of days later, the 7-year old nephew was found murdered. Did Balfour confess to being at the scene of the crime to his current pregnant girlfriend? Did Balfour have an accomplice? He faces life imprisonment if convicted. In the meantime, the sisters are at odds on what to do with the house where the family was murdered. Jennifer wants the house torn down, but her sister Julia wants to continue living there.
Soul Train Founder Don Cornelius is in a lot of trouble for assaulting his wife, and he could windup in jail. Who is this woman? Friends say the trouble for Cornelius started when he married Viktoria Chapman-Cornelius, a Russian model who is much younger than him. Chapman loves to party, and she and Cornelius hosted wild private parties. What provoked the attack? Cornelius has been ordered to stay away from his young wife. Will the couple divorce? Will she get his money if he goes to jail? Cornelius faces up to five years in jail for assaulting his wife. He also had to turn in his massive gun collection.
The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin is teaming up with Sean “Diddy” Combs for a new talent show. The Queen and the hip hop mogul will be searching the country for talented R&B and hip hop stars. Unlike most competitions where an audience decides the winner, Franklin and Diddy will pick the winners. Now speaking of the man formerly known as “Puffy,” he wants to be the first black James Bond. He has reportedly spent thousands on an audition tape showing him in exotic locales surrounded by beautiful women.
This was not a good week for Cedric The Entertainer. His first attempt at Broadway failed. His stage play with John Leguizamo, American Buffalo, opened and closed the same week. In a weak The weak economy, Broadway’s box office has been hit hard.
Gabrielle Union has just signed a TV deal with NBC. Union is in a development deal to play a detective. She is no stranger to TV despite her big screen success. Back in 2005, she co-starred in the ABC Nightstalker show and last year she was in Ugly Betty. Union is best known for her big screen movies including Bring It On, Daddy’s Little Girls, Deliver Us From Eva and Bad Boys II.
Speaking of our girl Gabby and the movies, this week, she and Beyonce team up with Oscar Winner Adrian Brody and Jeffrey Wright for the movie Cadillac Records. Beyonce is playing the Legendary Etta James.
Actor Courtney B. Vance has also signed a TV deal but with ABC for the new series Flash Forward. Vance was recently on the hit NBC show ER with his wife Angela Bassett.
Mike Tyson in trouble again? YES! Tyson ran his car into a friend’s gate on Thanksgiving. Tyson’s Escalade tore the gate down in Las Vegas. He got a ticket from police. What a way to greet guests for the holidays.
The January editions of Essence and Ebony magazines will be collectors’ editions. President Elect Barack Obama will be on the cover of Ebony. This is his first print interview since being elected as the first African American President Of The United States. This issue will also feature never before seen photos. Michelle Obama graces the new issue of Essence. Our future first lady looks fabulous. These issues are on newsstands this week.
Tyler Perry has given up his fighting with the unions. He will now be employing union workers. Perry caught a lot of flak after he fired several non union workers. The situation actually got messy with protests and picketing outside his Atlanta studios. Perry recently signed deals with various unions including Writers Guild (WGA), Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Teamsters unions.
After 29 years, get ready for more FAME. The 1980 hit movie with Irene Cara is being remade with Debbie Allen, who will act as the principal of the performing arts school. The cast will also include Actors Charles S. Dutton and Kelsey Grammer. The movie is due out next September.
Another familiar story returning to the big screen in the form of a sequel is Beverly Hills Cop IV. Director Brett Ratner says his version, with Eddie Murphy investigating the death of his partner, will open in theatres in 2010.
Is singer Ciara set to become a Victoria Secret model? The popular singer is being courted to become the newest spokesperson.
Congrats to the McNabb family. Eagles Quarterback Donovan McNabb and his wife Roxie are the proud parents of twins. The boy and girl were born this week. The McNabbs also have a four year-old daughter.
The 15th Annual Essence Music Festival is set for July 3rd, 4th and 5th in New Orleans. Beyonce is the first musical guest announced. There will also be seminars featuring Prophetess Juanita Bynum and Roland Martin. Plus, there’ll be an all star tribute to Bishop T.D. Jakes.
We will certainly miss the TV presence of CBS 3 News Anchor Angela Russell. She anchored the 4pm newscast. Her contract was not renewed, and she will be leaving the station.
Will Smith has been named one of the Most Fascinating People Of 2008. The Barbara Walters Special airs December 4th on ABC. Tom Cruise, Miley Cyrus, Tina Fey, and Michael Phelps are also featured.
Toni Braxton will continue with Dancing With The Stars, but not on the small screen. Braxton has joined the touring company, and their Philadelphia stop will be in February.
The new season of American Idol: Season Number 8 kicks off January 13-14th.
For its 50th anniversary, Motown Records is releasing a new box set of songs that the fans have picked. The box set is due December 9th. The 10 disc CD will feature 191 songs from your favorite Motown stars including Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells and Martha & The Vandellas, to name a few.
Queen Latifah will be hosting the 35th Annual People’s Choice Awards to be held January 7th on CBS.
The 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards will take place on February 12th.
Lionel Richie is getting ready to release his new CD next year. Richie will be teaming up with Singer/Songwriter Ne-Yo for his next CD entitled Just Go.
Musiq (Soulchild) returns with his latest CD, On My Radio, on December 9th. The CD features his hit duet with Mary J. Blige, If U Leave.
Lee Daniels latest movie with Mariah Carey, Tennessee, opens in theatres December 19th
Sinbad and Yolanda Adams will be hosting the 21st Annual Stellar Awards. Gospel Sensation Marvin Sapp is leading the pack with nine nominations including song and male vocal. The show is taking place January 17th.
The movie, Notorious, based on the life of Rapper Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G., is gearing up for its release, which is scheduled for January 16th, 2009. Angela Bassett will be playing Biggie’s mom, Volletta Wallace.
The Whispers are coming out with a holiday DVD. The famed singing group has been performing for over 45 years. Christmas With The Whispers features holiday classic and interviews.
WHAT’S THE UNDERGROUND BUZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He’s an NBA Superstar who most likely will never win a championship. Now that he’s in a new city, he’s back to his old bad habits of missing practice and cheating on his wife.
Is this Pop Diva really pregnant, or is this just another publicity stunt for her stalled career? P.S. …..if she really is pregnant, this won’t be her first child. Hmmmmmmm!
This woman is so desperate to hang on to a faded Singer that she will go along with his lame publicity stunts. This Singer is still in love with his ex-wife, and needs her to help his stalled career. At the moment, he is using his current girlfriend to help him get back with his ex.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Arkansas
Arkansas...what can I say. I ate alot, and had a good time. My step mom I swear never left the freakin kitchen! Bre was eating like she aint never ate before! Making it seem like i never feed her! Hmph!
The kids had a great time, Bre did very well on the airplane trip, (Thanks to all who gave me advice to deal with the elevation and ears). Everything worked out great!
Anyway, my dad was so happy to see us. Well...Bre more than me I think! The last time he saw her was when she was maybe 2 or 3 months. He was just so tickled. Little rock is about 2 hours from Warren Arkansas which is where my dad lives. My dad says, "Make sure you shake the smog off your clothes before you come into my house!" Ha ha..he had jokes. There is absolutely no smog there...air quality is great! I am so happy for my dad as he is out there living the retired life and he goes fishing and hunting at least once a month. So he is definitely enjoying himself.
I can't wait to go back, I had a good time!
Enjoy the pics!
Monday, December 01, 2008
She Came to Tell Me Bye...
My nana finally went home to the Lord yesterday morning around 3:30am....yes, I was in Arkansas waking up to get to the airport.
I miss her already...
We were two hours ahead of my Cali family, so I had my alarm set at 5:00am...well it was a short sleep because we didn't get to bed till about 3am anyway...
Well, I woke up a little prior to my alarm going off by a little brush of air....I turned to look behind me to see if Breanna was up or Reg, but they were sound asleep. It was my nana...telling me that she was going home and that she is flying free. I didn't realize it was her until we touched down in Denver and I received the news when I called my mom. I immediately remember feeling that brush of air around 5 my time around 3 their time. It was her. I am okay with this because it was not a total surprise and I know where she is....and I will definitely see her again one day. I knew this day was coming, but it just came too fast. We were going to try and have Christmas early for her to have one last Christmas, but she was ready to go home.
Is it ironic that she waited for me to enjoy my trip to visit my dad and that wonderful retreat I went on a few weeks ago? Nana knew how excited I was about my retreat I was going on, because she knew I needed that time, and she really knew how excited we were to go to Arkansas to see my dad. So...it is ironic to me that she waited to go the day I would depart Arkansas. It happened so early in the morning so that I would not see her in the condition that remained.
I am TRULY TRULY blessed to have such wonderful memories of a strong black woman in my life. She grew up in the era of racism and such and had encountered to much as a child. She faced so much growing up but overcame. She gave birth to 5 children which only 3 are still here. From the 3 she has 4 grandchildren and 3 great grand children. I am so glad that she got to love all of us and especially happy that Breanna was able to have fun times with her. Bre may be too young to remember Nana, but there will be wonderful stories to tell her when she gets older.
Thanks you so much for all your constant prayers, thoughts and encouragement...it has been a short journey, but glad it was not prolonged.
With much love,
Patricia V. Jones
I miss her already...
We were two hours ahead of my Cali family, so I had my alarm set at 5:00am...well it was a short sleep because we didn't get to bed till about 3am anyway...
Well, I woke up a little prior to my alarm going off by a little brush of air....I turned to look behind me to see if Breanna was up or Reg, but they were sound asleep. It was my nana...telling me that she was going home and that she is flying free. I didn't realize it was her until we touched down in Denver and I received the news when I called my mom. I immediately remember feeling that brush of air around 5 my time around 3 their time. It was her. I am okay with this because it was not a total surprise and I know where she is....and I will definitely see her again one day. I knew this day was coming, but it just came too fast. We were going to try and have Christmas early for her to have one last Christmas, but she was ready to go home.
Is it ironic that she waited for me to enjoy my trip to visit my dad and that wonderful retreat I went on a few weeks ago? Nana knew how excited I was about my retreat I was going on, because she knew I needed that time, and she really knew how excited we were to go to Arkansas to see my dad. So...it is ironic to me that she waited to go the day I would depart Arkansas. It happened so early in the morning so that I would not see her in the condition that remained.
I am TRULY TRULY blessed to have such wonderful memories of a strong black woman in my life. She grew up in the era of racism and such and had encountered to much as a child. She faced so much growing up but overcame. She gave birth to 5 children which only 3 are still here. From the 3 she has 4 grandchildren and 3 great grand children. I am so glad that she got to love all of us and especially happy that Breanna was able to have fun times with her. Bre may be too young to remember Nana, but there will be wonderful stories to tell her when she gets older.
Thanks you so much for all your constant prayers, thoughts and encouragement...it has been a short journey, but glad it was not prolonged.
With much love,
Patricia V. Jones
Monday, November 24, 2008
Layouts
Here are some pics of just random items!
This is a little mini book I did of Breanna creating HAVOC in her room....I was in the process of weeding out old clothes that simply didn't fit...next thing I know...I was in a sea of clothes and books!!!!
(Made from Kasier Chipboard Board Book)
Some random layouts....no..I haven't been THAT busy, just haven't had time to upload!
It was nice to scrap this page...the chair seen in this page, my great grandfather gave me before he passed. It came with a huge snoopy dog...now its Bre's. =) I still have the snoopy dog to,but the little styrofoam balls are coming out of his poor neck!
Partners in Crime!
She has a thing with laundry baskets!
A layout of her messing up her room!
Untitled...hadn't got to that part yet...but love the buttons. =)
Tickle Wars...
This is a little mini book I did of Breanna creating HAVOC in her room....I was in the process of weeding out old clothes that simply didn't fit...next thing I know...I was in a sea of clothes and books!!!!
(Made from Kasier Chipboard Board Book)
Some random layouts....no..I haven't been THAT busy, just haven't had time to upload!
It was nice to scrap this page...the chair seen in this page, my great grandfather gave me before he passed. It came with a huge snoopy dog...now its Bre's. =) I still have the snoopy dog to,but the little styrofoam balls are coming out of his poor neck!
Partners in Crime!
She has a thing with laundry baskets!
A layout of her messing up her room!
Untitled...hadn't got to that part yet...but love the buttons. =)
Tickle Wars...
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Retreat Recap!
Okay, so since I am giving the commentary here, I might as well share with you the DAY BEFORE the retreat which was really really out of control.
You all know how excited I was for this retreat with all the events goin on in my life right now I really needed some time for Trisha. So…I had been meaning to get my car to the dealership to get my brakes checked or whatever…if they had to be replaced, I wanted them to be replaced and just to get it done. So….I drop my car off at the dealership and a coworker picked me up for work. Later in the morning I got a call indicating not only do I need rear breaks but my tire bars are showing…AKA….YOUR TIRES ARE BEYOND BALD! So….I was like crap! I know my tires had lacked some attention and of course they were the ones who reminded me it needed to get done! So….meanwhile I am on the phone with my dad and he tells me to not get it done (brakes) at the dealership because they WILL overcharge me. Well by the time I thought about it and agreed, it was too late as my car was already “taken apart” which I figured I would be told that…anyway…so I tell them just do the breaks and I will get my tires done later, since at that point I just wanted to get my car out of there. My dad does business for a tire shop (in Azusa), so he set it up for me to get that done. At this point I am getting bummed because my plan was to be at the retreat at 9:59am! I wanted to be one of the first ones there! HELLO!
So I was like dang….now not only do I need to spend money on brakes but it is probably best to get my tires done too.
Meanwhile….it is still Thursday, sitting at my desk and dealership calls. Car is ready for pick up. I go and pick it up, and pay. CRAP! I gave the cashier the wrong darn card! Meant to give her the credit card instead of the check card. I needed my check card for the weekend ahead of me! So…I kindly and politely in my sweetest and apologetic voice, “I am SO sorry, I made a mistake. Is it possible to cancel that transaction so I may use an alternate card?” She replies, “Sure!” I say, “GREAT!” So…BEFORE I give her the alternate card, I wanted to ensure that I am not charged twice….can you feel where I am going with this???? Cashier says, “Oh, no…it will be cancelled.” Okay great. (I thought). The coworker that took me to get my car, we decided to go to Bakers for lunch….about to pay for my PAPA MEAL…the cashiers at Bakers says, “Your card is declined”….I say, “You are kidding right?”, she says, “I’m afraid not…” So at this point I know exactly what has transpired. So you see why I am fuming at this point, because I asked the girl at the dealership whether or not it was going to be a problem!!!! She said NO!!!! If this was a possibility I would had just let it be! So….now, I’m pretty p&%%ed off….and I am out about $600 in total between 2 different cards! And what stinged the most was that the money I was using for the weekend retreat was no longer available to me. I get back to the office and of course call the manager….the cashier who helped me remembered me, and thought I was stupid enough to know she really hadn’t talked to her manager when she asked me to hold. So…when I asked to speak to her manager instead of her it took the manager about 7 minutes to get to the phone….(I guess so she can really tell the story). The only reason I was upset at this point in time was because I specifically asked the girl was it going to be a problem…she said, “NO.” So I explained this to the manager and I told her, I really hope my money is back into my account before this weekend…she says, “me too.” So anyway…my money finally showed up a little past midnight (was up late packing).
So anyway, since I have taken up most of your time with my dreadful night before retreat I will try and fast forward. I ended up getting tires 1st thing Friday morning and STILL managed to be the 3rd one there at the retreat, showing up maybe about 10:10am! WOOOHOOO!!!!
So….when I almost get there I already knew I was going to make an entrance so I started honking my horn like a mad woman to let everyone know TRISHA WAS IN THE BUILDING!!!! WOOOO!!!!! So, when I pull up to this really tucked away home, I see Alondra, Rochelle and Beth. The owners were there as well so I got to meet them, really nice ladies. I walk in and I am like WOWZAS BABY!!! WHERE IS MY ROOM!!! I WANT A GRAND TOUR!!! So…Alondra was kind enough to give me a tour of the spot. Your sheets and towels matched the bathroom…very cute. So I chose hot pink, my sheets were hot pink, my face, hand, and bath towel were hot pink along with some super soft fuzzy warm socks to go with it! There is also a color coordinating basket in the bathroom to keep your personals in and in the HUGE commercial type fridge. It was great. Anyway…after scoping out the sleeping quarters on to the real deal! The scrap space was AWESOME! The owners left some goodies on the tables, coupons for Pink Pineapple, Ever After and Cool Scrapbook Stuff. Speaking of goodies, there were HUGE tall canisters of goodies, one with M&M’s trail mix, assorted mini chocolate bars, gold fish, etc. It was insane how much stuff there was. There were assorted sodas, enough for the entire weekend, bottled soda, and coffee for those who needed it.
Blow by Blow…
FRIDAY...we all arrived in the AM with the exception of Janice. She had a hair appointment in LA and ran into major MAJOR traffic on the way back. I told the girls that we had a surprise guest coming by and we must be here by 2:00pm. What the girls didn’t know was Elena from Scrapbook Royalty graciously contacted me to see if we would like some goodies brought by their fly-by-fairy! I thought that was very sweet of her to think of us…..THANKS ELENA!! Unfortunately they came a little earlier and a few of us were still out at the store so we missed the little cute fairy! Heard she was really really cute! We truly appreciate your goodies that were dropped off! Thanks again!
Well…apparently while we were out…the girls who stayed behind at the house began to worry about us because apparently there was a man on the loose with only HANDCUFF! How did they know this you ask? Well, have you ever heard a helicopter make an announcement of such from the sky!? I guess that’s what they do in Escondido! LOL! It was funny because we were only up the street and totally heard the helicopter but didn’t hear the message. So the ladies in the house gave a sigh of relief when we came through the door.
Everyone gets situated and for dinner Friday night, I cooked tacos for all, Marie made the 7 layer dip and everything was just yumm-o! Janice actually got there right in time for dinner!
By this time everyone had given out all their goodie bags, treats and so forth. It was not a prerequisite, but it was nice how a few ladies brought something for each other. Marie made us our own personal pumpkin breads, and everyone got a few goodie bags. To add some excitement to the weekend, I made some acrylic “Hi My Name Is..” tags, but instead of everyone’s personal names, I made up scrap related names, Scissors, Zots, Adhesive, Buttons to name a few. So…how it worked was…just like the baby shower game. Beth was no longer Beth, her name was “Buttons.” If someone called Beth out of her scrap name whoever was caught would have to give up all their brads punched in their tag. So the one with the mist brads by the end of the weekend would get a super nice gift. That winner ended up being Melissa. I think she actually won because she wasn’t really talking too much! LOL! So that game started early Saturday morning.
It got late for me…I went ahead and turned in…not sure I if I was the first to turn in…but was rudely awakened by a monstrous snore’er. I had to leave my hot pink sheets! Thank God there were plenty of other beds to choose from! I was out! Couldn’t take it!
Saturday...we woke up and Alondra cooked us pancakes, and we had eggs and sausage to go with it. Beth made some MIMOSA for some of the girls and we dined out on the terrace overlooking the pool. The weather was perfect!!! It was so nice, just out there relaxing!
A little after breakfast we participated in a white elephant type gift exchange that Marie put together for us. Each person had to make up a page kit and wrap it up and we did an exchange. If you made a page out of it, you would get a RAK from Marie. I think everyone participated and that was a fun activity. There were a few kits going back and forth being stolen twice! We got some more scrappin in before we left the house. We decided to go to Cool Scrapbook Stuff since there was a Michaels and Joanne’s in the same shopping center. We spent too much time there we ended up eating late and we just did our own thing. Someone had a “brilliant” idea to purchase a fake mouse…MELISSA! LOL! Her and Rochelle were pretty much in Cahoots and thought it would be funny! So after Melissa agreed to go to the store with someone later that evening, she wondered if the mouse would be discovered, and YES IT WAS!!! Discovered by Marie…LOL! Rochelle, plead the 5th….and said she was against the whole thing….but come to find out, that wasn’t the case! LOL! So Melissa and Rochelle went at it for hours on who said what and whose idea it was. I swear we were laughing for hours and it gave us our 2nd and 3rd wind!!! For dinner that night Janice made us spaghetti and Beth made some BOMB garlic cheese bread and Melissa provided salad. After dinner…the party started! Who said a group of women with no rhythm could not be taught the cupid shuffle!!!!???? LOL!!! Yes…..it was hilarious! There is video floating around in someone’s house, but I better not find it on YouTube! LOL! That was BEFORE Alondra made us Pink Panties!
We had a surprise up our sleeve and celebrated Rochelle’s birthday. She had no idea and I think she almost started crying. That was nice and fun! So we had some cake and ice cream…yummy!
Saturday we got A LOT projects done! INCLUDING…these really really cute Acrylic Tissue Boxes that came from Kits2Remember. I was a little afraid of them at first but thought it would be a nice challenge for the group! So…I got one for each person and 4 out of 8 of us actually completed them. They turned out really cute! (Thanks Jessica!)
Melissa gave out prizes throughout the weekend, first to put their pajamas on, 1st to go to bed, etc. It was cool, everyone got something.
Sunday…I THOUGHT I was leaving early, so I can get back to my baby, because I missed her so much. HA! We all drove out the driveway with the exception of Beth left at 4:00pm, check out time. We allowed enough time to clean up, it was required to gather all the trash and put by the front door, and strip all sheets and place towels in the hampers. We had plenty of food left over from Friday and Saturday for lunch on Sunday so it was cool!
I asked to take pics of everyone’s projects so we can really see everything that was accomplished. Yeah, we had a lot of FUN but we still got our scrap on!!!
I am sure I am missing a lot, but that was most of everything….the house was beautiful as well…very spacious and I think it was just enough room with the 8 ladies. =) We had a very memorable time and can’t wait for next year.
Here is what I did...
***My tissue box is missing, but you can get a glimpse of it on the slide show*** Not formatting correctly. =(
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