Catching Up

Okay... I have a TON of catching up to do, but I'm going to keep this short and sweet. The 2007 Stampin' Up! Convention in Denver, CO was AWESOME!!! Gwen and I had a great time, which can be proved by almost 600 photos that I took and approximately 1,000 that Gwen took. I'm not going to share those photos just yet. Most of them are ideas for future classes/workshops, but as soon as I can get them sorted I'll try to post some of the other pictures. Unfortunately, convention didn't leave much free time for sight-seeing. Since we arrived the afternoon before convention started and left before it was over, we really didn't have time to explore. I saw just enough, though, to know that I want to go back to Colorado for a vacation sometime SOON!!

Curtis and I made a trip to Independence, MO yesterday to pick the kids up. They had been staying with their Ye-Ye (Grandfather in Chinese) and Nai-Nai (Grandmother in Chinese) in Iowa and we met up with them at our Uncle Jim and Aunt Helen's in Independence. Nicole and Tony (Curt's sister and her husband) were also there with their three kids (Rachel, Allison, and Jason) and traveled from Iowa with Ye-Ye and Nai-Nai. We had a "mini" family reunion at lunchtime today. The other attendees were Uncle Don and Aunt Rosalia; Crystal (Curt's cousin and Uncle Don and Aunt Rosalia's daughter) and her son, Christian; Mary Jane (Curt's cousin and Uncle Don and Aunt Rosalia's daughter-in-law) and her son, William. While sitting at the dinner table, I think I counted 12 adults and 7 children. It was a great time!! Uncle Jim and Aunt Helen are always SO gracious to allow us all to visit them - especially at the same time! I would say that they are, by far, the nicest people I have ever known, but I think I'd have to say that about Curt's entire family! I have included a link to the pictures I took this weekend below. If you would like copies of any of these, please let me know and I'll try to get them in the mail to you. The last three pictures are quite humorous. Ernie rode in the back seat with the kids and all three of them were snoozing. Ernie had his head resting on Lauren's leg and his other end was up against Branden's bottom side. Cute!! We got back home late this afternoon and I think I'm ready for a vacation from my vacation!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=nos1qyw.82jzwd0o&x=0&h=1&y=-kj1r4l

I almost forgot... my latest creations!! On Saturday, I was waiting for Curtis to get home from work so we could leave for Independence. It was the middle of the day and I was exhausted from my trip to Colorado, but I didn't want to take a nap for fear that I wouldn't want to get up when he got home. I had some memo pads left over from the swaps I made for convention, so I made one for each of my neices (Rachel and Allison) and my nephew (Jason). This is what they looked like...