the lime green door

7.12.08 Pittsburgh Zoo...Good Times

My DH and I took my nephew Jake to the Pittsburgh Zoo this past Saturday, as a birthday event for him.  We try to do something with each niece and nephew rather than purchase toys at birthdays.  We did have a lot of fun, although it was so stinkin' hot!  We were dripping with sweat, the animals were lazy and sleeping because of the heat, but we got to see the brand, spankin' new baby elephant, Angelina!  This was amazing, such a huge animal and so very interesting to learn about how the baby needed to be accepted into the elephant environment.

Jake loved the meerkats, even though there were just 3 of them, they had tunnels that the kids could crawl into and pop their heads up into the meerkat environment for a close up look at their habitat...i think we took 50+ pictures of just those cutie pie meerkats!

We also got to watch the giraffe's mate.  Really!

I will be posting more zoo photos in my albums gallery, most likely once I get back from the CHA show in Chicago...off to go do some more work for my boss!

ARRGGHHH....having another of "those" days...I HATE stressing over money!

I am so frustrated...I have a right to be paid---correct?  Not being paid for the last month is the tip of the iceberg of my financial stress right now.  The company I work for, a builder of high end homes, has a homeowner that has issues with high insurance costs and is feeling that his lender is leading him down a path of fees, commissions, and interest. Can't blame the guy---however, it has caused our draw to be seriously late, therefore no paycheck!

My DH has been laid off work for 7 weeks out of the last 12, and that too, sucks!  We have been dipping into our savings to pay for everyday stuff--house payments, car payments, gas...which totally ticks off my DH, because there were plans for those funds...

We are being frugual, but I feel so guilty about going to Chicago at the end of the week because of it.  We should not be taking "vacations" during a time of slow pays, and in my case--no pay!

I have been working throughout all of this non-payment too.  That sucks even more. I have been practically yelled at by every family member I have about working for no pay.  (obviously they are against it, and are very upset that I have been working for my employer without being paid). I have not filed for unemployment yet, as I keep thinking that everyday, our draw should be coming along.

I have been selling off things on ebay, will have a nice huge garage sale in August, am for hire for cleaning or dog sitting, have been making scrapbook layouts and mini albums to sell, all to help out the household.

I HATE STRESSING OVER MONEY...we have taken measures to be less cash strapped in the last 6-7 years, however there are those times like these that it makes it hard not to dislike people or circumstances.

With both of us being in the construction industry, we both have huge fears of being out of work at the same time.  We have the same complaint and problems that everyone else has--much higher gas costs, higher grocery bills, higher utilities, and all with NO increase in pay, It scares the heck out of me...

OMG!! I GET TO SEE WICKED!!!!!

My sister and I just booked tickets to see the Broadway musical "Wicked" while in Chicago for the CHA show...I am SOOOOO Happy about this, I have wanted to see it since I first saw the reviews! Yippee for us!

Layouts made with Moxxie...a "reveal" of the new lines, and what you can do with them!

Here are just a few stinkin cute layouts using the lines Moxxie will be debuting at the Chicago Summer 2008 CHA Show...

 

What is it about sunshine...

that makes one feel healthy? I feel sooooo good right now...it is hot!  (finally!) and after lugging about a dozen loads of laundry up the steps this morning to hang them out to dry, I decided that I needed to go swimming this afternoon!  My Auntie M has a pool and we kinda just show up and float....which is what I did!  I am so sunburned on my face though---took a cold shower and slathered on the face cream and lotions!  I will try to at least not peel. 

I feel so healthy after being wet and in the sun--my body feels good, my skin is loving me, on top of  feeling soooo relaxed, it should be a crime how good I feel!  Aaaahhhh...the beach....the water....the sun!

I am not a sunworshipper or anything like that; I spent most of my life in the sunshine as a lobster (I had blonde, blonde, blonde hair all my life up until 2 months ago) so being blonde and fair skinned was a Rx for sunburn...I never knew what "being tan" was until a few years ago.

Only if I had a margarita and my DH right here, right now, life would be PERFECT!  (I am too relaxed to go down to the kitchen and make a margarita, and my DH just left for class and will not be home until about 11 p.m.)  So I am off to go relax with a book for a while! 

Boycotting Clothing Manufacturers...Short Shirts...and not on purpose!

I am officially boycotting clothing manufacturers!  I am SO TIRED of purchasing shirts, having them fit perfectly, and then washing them once, and they shrink up a good 6" making them belly or short shirts!  I SO HATE THIS!!!!  Yesterday, for about two hours, I was doing laundry and cleaning up the laundry room, and I ended up packing up 4 of the 20 gallon trash bags full of clothing that shrunk--mostly shirts!

I think that when I do start buying again, if this happens I will take the clothing right back to the store...i cannot tell you how many times that I have purchased cute t-shirts and the slightly stretch sleeveless blouses from Target, Wal-Mart, Macy's, Land's End, or JC Penny's to have them shrink the first time I wash them--even in cold water and hanging them out to dry--so they are no longer wearable.

I probably packed up a good 30 shirts last night, and am going back into the trenches this morning to do it again. Maybe this is telling me I have too many clothes (I do and am paring down) but as I was packing up, my feather's were ruffled at all the cute clothes that I have purchased in the last 6 months that no longer fit because they are now shrunk to the size that you can see a good portion of your belly, and that is the last thing that I want to be doing!!!

Watch out clohting manufacturers....I am not going to be taking this any longer!!! 

(no, none of these are my belly!!!)

More Moxxie Sneak Peeks...

Moxxie sneak peeks!  My favorite so far is the Roughing It line...camping, backpacking, park, trails, bon fires, scouts---so very versatile...

Then there are baseball and softball...those who have seen me working with the sample papers for these lines all want them like yesterday!  they will be popular!!!

Moxxie is so AMAZING! Look at the Summer 2008 CHA Sneak Peaks!

Moxxie just gets more amazing each month.  I am blessed to be a part of their design team--we are a bunch of girls with moxxie!  Moxxie has come out with so many new lines to be dropped at this summer's CHA show in Chicago (did I mention that I am going!)  Here are more sneak peaks!  You can click on Moxxie to see more details!  This is my favorite, since I am a huge Halloween Fan! Here is Moxxie's "EYE OF NEWT" line...lots of little witchy feets!

WINTER WISHES---Snow, winter, snowman, and snowflakes, with paper that reminds me of hot chocolate in my favorite mug!

Here is their Tie the Knot/Wedding release...so pretty!

And here is their So Blessed/Baby, Twins and Adpotion line...

 

Also, for the fall sports, here is their Cross Country line...i know that the kids at our high school have already begun practice for this year's cross country teams...

Click on the pictures for a FULL SIZE view, and don't forget to ask your LSS for these fabulous papers from Moxxie!