CHA and Sneak Peak!

Well, we're off to CHA (Craft and Hobby Show) to see all of the wonderful and "can't live without" new scrapbook stuff! It will be a whirlwind trip . . . so much to see. There are five of us going . . . Me, Michelle, Amy, Kim, and Jen is coming from Utah. We are soooooo excited. We also get to spend some time with the "Mouse" tomorrow and hopefully a little bit more on the other days before we come home.

The pictures are a sneak peak of a new paper line . . . "Paper Elements". We will have the product in the store by mid-February. Check out the Devine Memories website for more sneak peaks on this new paper and let us know what you think!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Boot Camp and Tulips!

We made it through our first week of "Boot Camp" and are still alive! Michelle and I and a couple of her friends signed up for a 6 week exercise camp at the gym which started last week. This has been a challenge . . . not only do we have to be at the gym at 5:30 a.m., but they work us non-stop for an hour every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I must admit that I feel really good after the work-out, even though the muscles ache and the body hurts and I have to get up sooooo early! For those of you who know me best, I would much rather stay up late and sleep in the next day. Anyway, I'm psyching up for week "two". It has been rainy and gray and cold this weekend which will make it much harder to get up tomorrow morning . . . but, I have promised myself that I will do it. I will keep you posted on the progress.

A very bright spot has been a vase of tulip bulbs that a friend picked up for me from COSTCO. Twelve bulbs are growing in water in a glass vase. It has been fascinating to watch the bulbs sprout, grow, and now bloom into beautiful purple tulips. The flowers are guaranteed to bloom for several days, even into weeks if taken care of the right way. Did you know that you can extend the life of a tulip by cutting a small slit on one side of the stem just below the flower? Apparently this directs the energy of the bulb to the slit and not to the flower . . . which means the flower lasts longer. This has definitely added a bit of spring to the unusually cold winter weather in Arizona.

I'm looking forward to a great week . . . remember to exercise, get plenty of rest, enjoy the beauty of the earth, and spend time with those you love!

Utah Pictures . . .

Slow to post, but here they are. It is almost as cold here in Arizona as it was in Utah last weekend! The coldfront that is going across the United States has hit hard and has all of us bundled up and staying inside with our heaters and jammies on. But, I must admit it is a nice change. So . . . the weather report from my perspective is cold, clear skies, slight winds, maybe some rain, snow in the high country, and a great life in Mesa, Arizona!

Utah Trip!

I spent this past weekend visiting Jen's family in Utah! What a wonderful trip . . . it was cold, and it snowed, and all I did was play with the grandkids, go out to dinner, see a movie, and visit with my dad. It was just what I needed. I really enjoyed the change in temperature and wish I could have brought some of the cold weather home with me. It was 75 degrees in Phoenix yesterday!

It's a crazy busy week . . . the store is celebrating is "1st" birthday. We have lots of great classes and crops planned. I can't believe that it has been a year since we refurbished the store and had our "Grand Opening"! I guess we better take that sign off the storefront window. It's official, Devine Memories is here to stay.

I got some great pictures while I was in Utah and will post them later today. I loved being with Jen and her family. I love them sooooo much! It was good therapy for all of us.

New Friend Max . . .

Yupp, I have a new friend and his name is ProMax . . . Max for short! My water heater bit the dust, rusted away, and went to water heater heaven. So, Max came to my rescue and I am so glad he did! Fortunately I caught the old model before it completely shut down, even though the bath tub ran out of hot water this morning more quickly than I would have liked. Afterall, at 5:45 a.m., when it is dark and cold outside and you really don't want to get out of bed, the last thing you need is a cold water wake-up call!

It has been one of THOSE days! I am still working on hospital stuff, at home, and have another early morning meeting tomorrow. Anything that could have been a challenge today was. Too many critical deadlines, last minute requests, and emergency priorities that needed to be accomplished. Thank heaven for Cheryl and all of her hard work! I'm hoping to get things finished in the next couple of hours and will then go to bed. . . I am actually ready . . . wearing red flannel jammies, slippers on the feet, and the cat cuddled up on the chair beside me.

Even amidst all of the days ups and downs, it has been a good one. Everyday you wake up and accomplish something is a GREAT day. . . I just managed to put several days into this one. Have a wonderful week!