Finally Finished!

I started this about 2 and 1/2 years ago. I don’t remember where I first saw this idea because it has been SO LONG ago but I thought it was really cool looking! I started bugging people and had finally collected a bag full of corks so I went to Michaels to pick out a frame and fell in love with this one and it only came in this size and I thought I should already have almost enough corks collected to finish it. WRONG my goodness this thing was the never ending project. I don’t know enough people that I could ask to collect them for me… I even ALMOST went through one of my neighbors recycling bins because… well never mind I am sure you can guess why… anyway I am sorry for everyone I bugged for these but it's now done and I LOVE IT!! Isn't it pretty!? I need to go pick up some decorative pushpins from Ballard Designs (which are a rip off… does anyone know somewhere else that carries them? So far none of the craft stores do!) and then I am going to put some of my favorite quotes up on it. It's hanging in my entry way. Hopefully this doesn't offend any of my company : P

I actually got my act together for Halloween this year. Mainly because my Mum sent me decorations last year and since they were already at the house and totally cute I had to put them up. Some of you will recognize these since they were from the shop, they would be REALLY cute on a little black tree ( I think you guys may have done that) but I don’t have anywhere for a tree so I went with a wreath. I just picked up a grapevine wreath, orange/purple ribbon and some funky ball garland and played with it all until I could live with it… I am SO NOT a wreath maker I always have all these cool ideas but I can't ever get the wreath to cooperate… it really bugs me. BUT I think this one turned out decent (that is about all I can say for it) This will probably be the extent of my decorations for this year… I might try and pick up some pumpkins but we don’t usually get more then 2 trick or treaters a year so it seems wasteful … we'll see how festive I feel. This is actually hanging inside the house because we never use the front door… but you can see the wreath when you walk in the front door.

How are your decorations coming? I am off to work on something new...

Apparently I shouldn't be messed with...

Uber had been bugging me for a while to get out to the range. We finally went this last Friday and it was a lot of fun. Totally a stress reliever (HA!) After shooting at our own targets for a while (which is fun but gets a little old) Uber decided we should compete and who doesn't like a little competition?!?
I am on the right and Uber is on the left… never would of guessed that huh? To be fair Uber is usually better than this… but I WON I WON!! Oh and that stray on the big bulls-eye that is my one out of five that didn't go into my target.. I TOTALLY did THAT on purpose (right….thbt) not to bad for someone who has never shot a hand gun before… we will definitely be doing this more often!

Oh and presents for small ones. Finally got this in the mail today I don't think his mom reads the blog so I should be safe and not be ruining any surprises... This jacket is SOOO cute! it has fold over pockets on the sleeves! And what little boy doesn't like dinosaurs?

Alright off to work on a new project!

Roller Derby Anyone?

After feeling terrible last weekend and having that extend all through the week, I was determined to ignore any more feelings of illness and have some fun. Still felt awful at times but made good memories in the process.....

Friday night we walked down into Boeblingen. There was an Italian fest. I thought more Italians lived in this area.... maybe they were at the Canstatter Wasen? There was a band, it wasn't bad. The funniest part was the lead singer speaking in Italian about all the different pronounciations of Boeblingen.
Self serve candy. Friday would have been the day to get some, no dirty fingers yet!
Does anyone know anything about the pots in the sky? I mean why?
Yes, we went to the Roller Derby! You Know Who happens to know several of the players. They asked if he would go to the show on Saturday and he being the nice guy he is said yes. I got to go too.

These women are tough. The first time I fell, much less got slammed or run over, I would be so out of there. They on the other hand kept it up for and hour and a half, and had a great time. I didn't understand roller derby before going and I admit there is still a lot I don't get, but when they make points or nearly kill someone, it is really fun to scream and whistle.

Unfortunately, our team lost. Some of the fans were upset but the team seemed fine, like they'd just attended a party where you knock people over to show them how much you like them being there.......



I ended my weekend with a bike ride. I made the mistake of telling the DB that Mary jokingly said I should go on one. He kept up with

Mary said

until I broke down and went just to have peace again. So next time Mary says something funny I'm not telling him.

No Way!

I just had to post about this cause I think it is cool... this site mentioned my blog for the tour of Kings Point I did the other day - how wierd is that!!

http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/maritime-monday-128/

Clara's in love...

With Antonio. Yes, he is a super hero snail. There is a reason behind this madness, really. The more I do these, the more practice I get, the better able I am to teach, right??? Right.

*warning actual crafting happening in this post*

I just finished these invites up tonight. They are my first commisioned invites so that is REALLY exciting!

It is going to be a Christmas wedding but this shower is in October. I dont know if you can see on but the white papers is pin-striped and the ribbon is Grosgrain... yum!

Sorry for the terrible pictures it's kinda night here.. but I wanted to show these off!

One might say I'm obsessed......

But one shouldn't........ Meet Chloe. If you're not keeping up, it's Henry, Clara and Chloe. Henry might be brave enough for a new home....... maybe.

Sunday

We had an early breakfast with Kris's family and then headed in to Manhattan for church which was lovely a smaller group but boy could they sing! Love that! I have been here for a day trip before and we had hit up a lot of the touristy spots so I was cool with being a little more low key. I got to experience the NY Subway and I can pretty much sum that up with YUCK! They have nothing on the German transit systems!!! Had to take a picture of this.
Makes you feel good huh? Take a deap breath! It wasn't working though let me tell you because I saw a huge rat on the tracks… it was too fast for a picture but I tried!! I was very excited to exit- it was ridiculously stifling down there! Kris kept joking about NY being built on top of hell… or something like that… sorry if I quoted that wrong… (he can say that he is from there… kinda…well for the purpose of this story anyway)We came up to walk through Central Park a little, I think I would like this more in the winter time there were just a bit too many bodies out. We had a drink at Tavern on the Green. Apparently this is a thing to do. It was pleasant and the perfect way to cool off!

I love the architecture and all of the old buildings squished inbetween the new ones. The detail work is great.

We walked by this church building just as service was letting out… that robed guy has to be HOT!! (robed guy… he's under the pope.. how about a father?? a minister… ok drawing a blank… I really should know this one!)

I hadn't seen Time Square on my previous trip so we walked through here and goofed off the streets were all closed from a concert so we took a lot of pictures!

We got a hot dog… cause they said I had to… I let uber eat most of it.

We popped into the M&M store… to cool down… not sure why we chose that store I think because it was there.

What are these two doing you ask? I have no idea...

Kris bought some candy …chocolate on a hot day… this about sums it up!

We were hungry by this time so we went in search of a German restraunt Kris had been to a few times and said was good… we (finally) found it about 4 and got some yummy grub. They weren't serving the dinner menu yet … much to our annoyance… so we decided to stick around until 6 and order …. again. HA! Stephanie was able to meet up with us here so we just ended up staying there all evening… enjoying hanging out and tormenting Stephanie with (far too many) random stories about home. We ended up spending roughly 6 hours in this restraunt… in Manhattan… we aren't very good tourists! … also unfortunately no group photo… what were we thinking… !? it's no like we didn't have the time!!!

It was a fun day in a neat city. We will definitely be visiting again. I don’t think I could ever live there visiting it for a day every few years is definitely enough! I need space! I need air! This wraps up my posts on the trip… hope it wasn't too painful… Uber got back home fine. I will be posting some crafty stuff tomorrow!

Saturday

We headed up to Connecticut to hang out with Kristen for the weekend (about a 45 min drive). Which means a guaranteed blast. We stayed at his Dad and Helen's house which was wonderful, just the kindest people especially since we totally crashed their house! His dad has so many cool artifacts everywhere! He actually has this really neat print of the Statue of Liberty that he let the Museum at the base of the statue borrow for quite a few years… How cool is that?!?! And we got to see it all close up in his living area! It was fun to look at everything I don’t know why I didn't take any pictures of it … but that may have been rude! Anyway we really didn't make a whole lot of plans just to have fun we spent the morning driving around looking at the ridiculously huge houses which Kris says is what Connecticut is all about.

Then we had a snack and wandered around the Maritime Aquarium. Which was very cute! They had a petting area for the Skates… so you know I had to have a turn! Move out of my way small children!

I liked the Seals… Especially when Kris and Matt were hanging over 'looking' at them and one of the employees walks over to inform them that they need to be careful because 'what do you think your little fingers look like to the animals, SARDINES! They would have no problem jumping up to their hieght and biting them?!?! WHAT?!?! Why do they let you get close enough for that?! And where are the signs warning of eminent danger!!!

Do they look worried? I don't think so! But they did back up a little. HA

They were pretty stinking cute though! Huh?

These frogs were CREEPY I mean really… This one just opened its mouth A LOT I know it is a little blurry but the open mouth thing was wierding me out I just had to take a picture!

Apparently that fat one can go for a ridiculously long time without eating… I wonder how small he can get if he doesn't eat and if the skin gets in the way of him jumping… or how about does this frog even move…ever… I mean look at the size of that thing!!! Can you imagine finding this thing on your door step?!?! I think I would leave it alone!

I know this doesn't look like it but it is alive and huge! I dont know how the picture turned out this well! It doesn't even look like it is in water... wierd

We were going to eat out that night but decided to BBQ at home instead-- which was AWESOME… why you ask?!?! Because we went and bought lobsters!!!

I know I am not supposed to play with my food but COME ON it is ALIVE …. We massaged its head to 'hypnotize' it and make it feel better about its impending doom… I am pretty sure it worked…

Just because...

Yeah we are nerds....

Meet Brunch, Lunch, and Dinner… or just the yummy trio….

We had steaks and corn as well so we cooked the lobster outside… Farewell my lobster friends! (I got to go first)

Oh! Kris's turn!!!

his folks don’t think we are weird or anything …. taking pictures of the whole experience

Tell me you don’t want to reach in and take a bite of one of these!!!!

Alright have you had enough of that?!!? Connecticut rocks by the way….