Our Sunday started out as a good day. Church was great. Music sounded great and extra rocky - probably because of the cute drummer stuck behind his plexiglass fish bowl (have to post a picture of that someday). The sermon was great. Pastor Glen was preaching it! Talking about not judging others, how quick we are to talk about others when we don't have the whole picture, how we think we are so great and we are not etc. He also mentioned at the end - do we think we can predict the future? Do we think we are really in control of our lives? We may think we are and make plans which is fine but God knows what the big picture is. Anway after that, I was all inspired and really going to put the lesson to good use. So chatting with friends outside, Julie comes up to me and says the Harding house was just broken into and all the tools were stolen. Wow - okay God - didn't want the pratical lesson so soon. So somehow between 9:30 the night before and 10:00 Sunday morning (when our construction guy came by and found stuff missing and then left a message for my husband) some one helped themselves to our stuff!!

Part of it is our own fault. Half of the house's walls are missing and boarded up with random peices of wood so we could have done more to secure the stuff inside. We lost all the plumbing fixtures, recessed lighting fixtures and some of Rob's tools (about a $1,500 loss for us). We did call the cops and Matt said as soon as they walked in, the two cops started asking flipping advice and how to do stuff like lay floors etc. Which was kind of funny but hey - our stuff got stolen!! Part of it is also our construction guy's fault for leaving a bunch of his tools (he lost about another $1,500 worth) and not putting up the siding like we have been asking him to. Luckily the night before, we had realized Matt had left the check book there that not only had receipts with both Rob and Matt's signatures but cash as well. We would have been in REAL trouble if that was taken (hence we know it happened after 9:30pm because that is when Matt went back to pick it up).

So a hard lesson to learn but it happens especially when bad people know that there is construction going on and no one living at a house. So bad guys -I am sure your lives are pretty bad and desperate to sneak into a house and steal stuff and it won't get any better for you. Shame on you!! But God knows the big picture right? So I think it will work out for us anyway in some round about way I am sure. I'll let you know when it does!

These are my two layouts for the month for Picture me Perfect. I know the first one is crazy and I know for all of my non-scrapping friends, you can show this to everyone you know and say "See this is why I do not scrapbook - because scrapbookers are crazy!" Seriously I could not resist when using the packaging for this product. What were these manufacturers thinking (I spare dyou all from the bra packaging - oh yes - there is bra packaging)? This one of course is of my two boys who made their Mom so proud when they both got achievement ribbons at school. I can't believe there are only 13 more days left of school and only 12 more days of me working for Harman's!!! Yikes!!

It was a busy San Francisco weekend! Saturday was our friend's Robs birthday (flip house Rob as well). So he wanted to eat dinner at Scoma's on Fisherman's wharf. Matt and I decided to get their in the afternoon so we could do some touristy things with the boys. We took them to the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum. It was fun. Tyler was a little freaked but the rest of us liked it. Then we met up with the rest of the party and ate the yummiest seafood. I was trying to take spontaneous pictures during the meal and I LOVE the one of all the kids (and Rob) blowing out the candles and then Timmy and Robs' nephew Christian were cracking each other up with 10 year old jokes. It was so funny to hear them laugh at the silliest things.

Oh and check out my purse! It's the Amy Butler swing bag that the lady at work made for me. I LOVE it!

Then on Sunday, I drove back to the city to meet one of my high school friends there, LisaBeth. She is a brilliant violinist for the Philadelphia Orchestra (hey Stephanie - you out there :-) ???). So she was playing in the city and we met up for lunch and walked around the Ferry Building which has all these fancy food stores and great restaurants. So it was fun playing in the city this weekend and I was a brave driver!!! I had to drive California St. which has the steepest hills I think in SF!

I realized when I did my last post, I did not say anything about what I had done that day. I did something really monumental that day. I think I was still in schock. I gave my notice at work!!! I still can't believe I did it!!! I had been at Harman's for 11 years and that place was like my 2nd family. I feel like I have grown up there, in my confidence in what I can do and I got more of a back bone there. So now I am taking all my event planning skills and publishing skills and doing what???? Who knows - it is a big blank slate. A scary slate but an exciting slate all at the same time. Matt and I know this is the best thing to do for our family at this time (for them not to be dragged to Matt's office everyday) and I am looking forward to the change, the time with the boys and all the new possibilities.

So I am toying around with different ideas of how to bring in income, use my skills and work around the boys schedule. Any ideas????? :-)

A friend emailed this to me and I thought it was great! Happy Belated Mother's Day to all the Moms out there!

POSITION: Mother, Mom, Mama, Mommy

JOB DESCRIPTION: Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES: The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5.Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.Must always hope for the best but ! be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT &PROMOTION: Virtually none.Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION: Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses.A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and then wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS: While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you play your cards right.

For my mother's day it was a weekend of celebrating starting with Friday when my mother in law and sister in law got together to have tea at Lisa's Tea Treasures. It is always really special to dress up and have a fancy tea party. Then on Saturday it was round 2 of the National Scrapbook Day at Picture Me Perfect. I demo-ed this product, the Maya Road 4" binder and the Queen and Co felt border. I love how this turned out and was sad to see it get raffled off but the girl who got it liked it so that made me happy. I also made these - for some mother's day presents.

Did you know there is a National Scrapbook Day (well, my other crazy scrapbookers friends do but for those of you who may not be in the know) - it's on Saturday! So have fun scrapping!! Here is a little somethin' from the latest round of layouts from Picture Me Perfect - check it out! These gals always inspire me to try new ideas and have fun with product!!

I am celebrating on May 12th with an all day event at Picture Me Perfect because I will be at this all weekend with my hubby. Maybe I will pick up some good realationship advice and can post it on my blog! :-)

So a week ago today I was the smelliest, dirtiest I have ever been huffing and puffing trying to move boxes and furniture and trying not to die of heat exhaustion. I was in North Carolina cleaning out some things from my grandmother's 2nd home. She and my Uncle had been there the week before (and I'll spare you all the family drama that happened for about a month) and I came after as the "clean up crew". I literally booked my plane tickets and made arrangements the week before. I had to leave all my boys behind but I am glad I did because I probably would have taken it out on Matt a week ago today. I don't do well in the heat and they were having a heat wave plus with humdity and going in an out of a house does not help cool oneself down. But I got into work mode and just got it done. The things that I thought would be left behind for me weren't what I expected but I did find some things that made the trip worth it like some of my mother's paitings that were in the garage and some of our fruniture from when her and I lived in NC. I had fond memories of this house and my Mom and I would visit often when we lived about 20 minutes away. My Grandad tried to teach me how to ride a bike in the driveway. I loved the upstairs bedrooms that were just for kids and I would lay in bed at night and hear the train whistle. So I am sad it is no longer in the family but I hope whoever has bought it will take good care of it and restore it since it has fallen apart from lack of visitors.

While in NC, I got to stay with my childhood friend Shannon. We always say of each other "She's the closest thing I have to a sister" and I guess after 30 years of friendship we are. She's always just right there for me and without even trying she just does things that help me out without her even knowing. We can talk and talk and not get tired of each other. I keep telling her we have to be in the same retirement home when we get old but I don't think she believes I am serious. When we are together we always seem to slip in some kind of fun. This time we made last minute plans to see her boyfriend's friend drag race. Wow I had no idea how popular this sport is and all the science behind it. I got educated about drag racing and I tired to understand the best I could but I could have used a translator. Anyway it was fun and loud!!

Shannon also took me to visit Southern Season which is like a Trader Joe's (for those CA folk) but 100 times better with all kinds of dishware, kitchen stuff and home decor. I could have gone nuts in there but I restrained myself. It was only a 4 day trip (which 2 of those are traveling) so it was short and bittersweet.

I have so much else to post like an update on the house flip, my latest layouts for Picture Me Perfect but I'll keep you all anticipating....