Close to My Heart weekend

King of Prussia, PA
December 4th, 5th &6th

King of Prussia PA was where we had our Close to My Heart event. It meant three days of crafting and three days of hanging with some AMAZING people. I love being a part of this business. Not only do I love playing with paper and making truly incredible stuff....but the ladies and the relationships I have formed are the best part. Every year I struggle to meet my quarterly (I really am not so successful at my sales), and every quarter I consider and reconsider my position in the company, then an event like this weekend reminds me exactly why I LOVE Close to My Heart....and I find myself thinking yep...I can make this happen. Its is weekends like this that inspire me to push forward and spread the reason why I love CTMH all over again. 

Sandy, Lara and I drove to PA from NY on Friday morning. Once we arrived we were soon crafting, and seeing old friends. Day 1 was filled with hours of scrapping and having fun.

 What a great bunch of Gals. Each had some projects that are filled with incredible talent. I worked on projects that were provided to us by Linda (my upline's upline) who as always pulled off this incredible weekend to extend the CTMH company's Workshop Your Way event to be held the following day. We had the best of both worlds. Three days to work on our own and an afternoon on Saturday to learn new and exciting ways to expand our business with leaders of the CTMH company. Workshop Your Way is Awesome I must say!!! (Judy saying HI!)

 Here is Sandy, my beautiful friend and upline, as well as my reason for becoming involved in this awesome company,
Friday after driving nearly 4 hours and working all day we had dinner from Wegman's and worked into the night.

Saturday morning we were presented with breakfast, before we were all back to crafting.

 Linda proposed a decorating contest for these cute little pints. Are these not adorable? I never submitted mine...but there was definitely some serious competition.

 Later that afternoon.....Corporation was in the HOUSE and we made our way over to score some seats for the Workshop Your Way event.

 I tried to find a sticky boy (He is a small stamp that is often hidden at Corporate events.) I have found two in my travels with this amazing company.
He looks like this and is a CTMH Icon.

Soon we were all seated and working on the next big thing from CTMH!!!! I simply love the new product line.

 and look.....I even got a picture of me this time.

 All prepared for the afternoon's project,.,, ready set go!!!

 Monica presents watercolors.

With a happy heart, some great new projects in hand, but sad to see it all end. Workshop your way was over as quick as it started....but we still had the rest of the evening and some more crafty fun on Sunday.
Linda got us all the Mitten sugar cookies. They were delish!!!

 For dinner we all went to Red Robyn,.

 Indeed the bottomless french fries do have a bottom.....I scored a burger and fries. (anyone surprised?)

 Soon we were back to stamping and scrappin.

Sunday blessed us all with a beautiful day for our trip home. And I think I am gonna have to really push my commitment to myself and CTMH.

Another year older, Thanksgiving and an SU game!

Several days over the last few weeks in November

Yep I am nearing 50!

I gained a year this month. Yep Birthday time. I attempted to keep it on the down low...very down low in fact it was so low I spent the entire day on the couch recouping from a cold/cough that I am still battling. I noticed a cough before we left the cruise. I can't rid it!!!! So as Birthdays go....it was not so eventful. I did enjoy cake, and an overwhelming amount of Birthday wishes on facebook. Thank You!!
Thanksgiving came quickly after my 46th..We bounced the idea of having it at home. I would have made it happen, but after further discussion we concluded on one more year at the Casino.
We've done the Turing Stone Casino for Thanksgiving, Mothers Day and even Easter in the past. I think the tradition has caught on as this had to be the most crowded I have ever seen it. Family in tow we almost all made it. Of course Ben is in Florida and Nick, the biggest opposed to having yet another Thanksgiving out suddenly became sick. So down two of the four, we pushed forward into our Thanks and stuffed our faces.

 The gingerbread village is always nice.

 We have all decided that NOT everything is eatable.

 But it is sure NEAT!

 Me, my mom and my daughter....I think we all have the same nose.What do you think?

 The family minus three...(Ben Nick and the photographer..)
I am incredibly Thankful for this bunch and so many more blessings in my life.  Happy Thanksgiving!

I worked Black Friday and saved my sanity by avoiding the Malls/shopping. I did pick up some adhesive at AC Moores and went grocery shopping. The craft store was a ZOOO!!! but the grocery store was EMPTY!!! I had hoped to get some after the Holiday discounts at the Grocery store. Maybe a marked down price on a frozen turkey. No such luck, but I did score a festive Thanksgiving cookie cake for $4-. My sons favorite!
Spent the weekend being Lazy, although I did get the Holiday decorations up and started Holiday cards.(I must finish these this weekend in PA). Yeah I am going on another trip this Friday!!!
On Saturday we went to the last Syracuse football game of the season. I guess the team is not Syracuse's pride and there is some talk of the coach going along with the seniors this year!!! The tickets were FREE!!!! (Thanks United Way). Free can only mean way way way up in the rafters is seating, I don't mind, but this time we brought my mother in law who was not about to take those rail-less stairs up to the top. (I totally get it they are a little intimidating). The usher found her and all of us seats in the level below. Gavin and I stayed up top for a bit. I love being able to see everything even though it is VERY VERY SMALL!

 He looks so happy!!!!(Not). I love when the band comes out and lines up to form letters or the great State of NY.

 Here they go lining up to make the S!!!

 and right in the front was this lady who twirled and flipped with a split to final her routine.

 Lots of Orange, but lots of empty seats too!!!

 and here they come!!!!This little camera may have a funny coloring in the pictures (Its a weird yellow tint I think.) and some of my quick point and shoot pictures are blurry...but it can sure get up close. WOW!!!

 We watched a bit more before we made our way down to the lower level and all sat together.

 Not a bad view from her either. I enjoyed myself and had a few beers. Football really does go better with an alcoholic beverage.

SU played Boston. We were up, they caught up...it was close!!! And finally SU won!!!!
We headed out a bit before the game ended to miss the CROWD and the traffic nightmare. We didn't leave the college campus however and decided on a late lunch early dinner (DUNCH) at Varsity Pizza!

My family refused to allow me to take their pictures.... Good pizza and a staple for Syracuse university. It was there when I was a kid and longer apparently since 1926.

I enjoyed it.....Bacon slice...YUM!!!!
Great days lots of fun and food. Monday brought back NORMAL...EWE I hate normal!!!Thank goodness we only have a few weeks before MORE Holidays!!!!! Next stop....King Of Prussia Pennsylvania. I leave Friday morning!