rainbows & unicorns

home again, home again, dippity dee!  : )  or jiggidy jigg, idk how it goes.  LOL  


my trip was amazing, lovely, and lots of fun!  i started out saturday - later than planned, but the weather was beautiful!  

i took a couple detours on my trip - the first totally accidental.  well, literally due to an accident on the interstate.  i noticed a line of cars stopped right before the newton exit, and i'd been contemplating stopping in newton to use the loo.  when i saw the line, i knew i'd better stop if i was going to be stuck in traffic for an hour.  then, off to the side of the exit, i saw a museum, so i thought - sit in traffic for an hour, or visit a museum?  MUSEUM!  : )  

 i would love to own this pattern!!  : ) 

 fiestaware!!

woodwork is always my favorite.  : )  

the jasper county museum has a wonderful maytag exhibit, including the last washer from the plant in newton, before it closed.  the inside panel is signed by every worker from the line.  very emotional, as many in the area (and beyond) feel that the company closed the plant out of spite.  :(  


anyway, when i stopped, i thought i'd just tour the museum for a few minutes - you know, like a normal museum.  lol  but then a lady came out & said she was just starting the tour, so i could join her group.  well, it was really just a couple.  very informal, nice tour!  and at the end our tourguide gave me a hug...!  


when i left the museum an hour or so later, the accident had been cleared up (hope everyone's okay!) & traffic was back to normal.  my next detour was to a danish windmill somewhere in iowa along I-80... LOL  i don't remember the name of the town!!  i didn't stop this time, tho, because there seemed to be a festival going on - LOTS of ppl!  heh.

there was also a neat church & a graveyard i would like to check out sometime!


i made it in to omaha safely & hung out w/ joy & bobby & the kids for awhile.  then i just VEGGED OUT!  really, that was my weekend - spend some time w/ joy & then veg out in the hotel.  i *heart* DoubleTree SO MUCH!!!  the room was the perfect temperature, they left me extra towels since i was in for a 3 night stay, and they gave me an extra cookie!  : )  

monday was the family reunion & it was lots of fun!  we ate lots of yummy food & played bingo.  : )   i did not take as many pictures as i thought i would.  sometimes it happens that way.  for as much as i am a shutterbug, sometimes i feel funny about taking pictures, especially when other ppl are taking them.  


ah well, at least we had fun hanging out! : ) heh.  and on the way back to the hotel, i took a little detour (LOL)...and i saw this... 

all weekend i slept really well, in the giant king-size bed.  there were storms i didn't hear.  there was only snuggling into the many, many pillows... ahhhhh!  this morning i got up "early" at 9:30 so i could get packed up & everything.  


it was another beautiful day!  i took an unexpected detour when i missed an exit... 

and then i took another when i decided to visit the Herbert Hoover Presidential museum & historical site.  : )  i didn't go thru the museum, just the front part & gift shop.  it was only an hour before closing time & i didn't want to pay the $6 admission to feel rushed.  i like to wander in museums... : )  i did pick up some nice postcards, tho, and definitely want to go back soon!!  

oh, and my favorite rest area, also!  it's dedicated to writers, and oh so neat!

of course, i prefer these pictures from last year's trip to boone w/ mom & leyton.  : )  

i got into town around 5:30, but had to pick up some hobo & cat food before getting home!  heh.  when i did get home, i ate my dinner & watched some Royal Pains - and a bonus ep of Psych!  wooooot!!!!  that was a really neat surprise!  : )  


now i should go to bed as tomorrow is a work day.  i'm afraid to look at my email.  i should do that before i go to bed.  lol  in conclusion - God is good, this weekend was VERY BLESSED, and i'm ready for vacation again.  *laugh*  well, i'm ready to be independently wealthy.  ; )  aren't we all??  


ttfn!!

Miracles

I had a great time today with Joy & her family at the reunion. Joy & I have been friends for 16 years, and I think the first time I went home with her on a school break was after we'd only been friends like a month! Her family has always welcomed me with open arms to family functions. :) Beautiful!


And when I got back to my home away from home, the awesomest thing happened - I had a note from HOlly!! A happy note, a nice note, an I want to be friends note! I feel so blessed today. :)


now... Just need to join me in prayer that the line of storms headed this way loses its punch before reaching here! With all the insane weather happening all over, i am really praying a hedge of protection over the area!!!


How was your weekend? : )
ttfn!

Ahh! I love hotels, especially the DoubleTree. Not just for the cookies! : ) the bed is always cool, crisp and comfy. There are plenty of pillows. Ttfn

music

i do love music!  


today was a whole lotta - sleeping in, watching White Collar, catching up w/ blogs (it's so easy to get behind!), writing bills, opening lip balm (yankee candle lip balm!  so cute & so far i like how it feels/tastes!), CLEANING, letting the pest control dude in, errands (bank/post office/BK for an iced coffee).  i went to phil's to hang out w/ him & the boys for a little bit before they left.  they were playing monopoly - and leyton was beating anthony!!  LOL  phil was buying up all kindsa properties, so i'm thinking he was winning.  : ) 


while there, i read the latest TV Guide, which told me which of my shows got the axe - No Ordinary Family & Human Target.  *cry*  no more of this guy??  how will i go on?

and guererro!  dude!  i will miss this team.  

this show will have to join my dvd collection.  

and NOF was unique & awesome & super hero-y.  and, hello, GREAT cast as well!  wth?!!  :(   


so, that was disappointing.  also disappointing - didn't get to chat w/ april.  *sniffle*  


not disappointing?  baylee's fundraiser.  spending time w/ my family.   : )  

 they have groupies!!  : )  

the sky was beautiful on my way home.  i love God's artwork!!  

and more WC!  i'll be done w/ season 1 soon & then will move on to season 1 of Royal Pains.  : )  but that'll be after my long weekend of fun w/ joyums & her family!  


ttfn!  oh yeah - don't forget to enter the giveaway!  : )  

recent postcrossings from russia & china

Yankee Candle Lip Balm - A Review and Giveaway!

so, i recently acquired some of this delicious lip balm, and want to share it with you, dear bloggy friends!  


the balms come in a variety of different flavors, just like the candles themselves!  i bought a four pack with Sweet Strawberry, Vanilla Cupcake, Christmas Cookie, and Vanilla Lime flavors.  i've used the Strawberry & Lime, and they are both quite nice!  the balm goes on smooth & doesn't leave my lips feeling sticky or cracked, which some flavored balms can do.  


the balms are packaged to look just like the jars, tiny little 3 inch candles.  heh.  i thought the lid would come off just like the jars, but it's actually a little lower.  had to peel off part of the label to open.  then the bottom twists up.  SO CUTE!  : ) 

so, here's the deal - i'm going to give one lucky reader the Christmas Cookie balm, and another lucky reader the Vanilla Cupcake.  all you have to do to enter is comment.  : )  


interested?  


ttfn!

quick

tonight was so much fun!  after work, i met mom & the boys at incredible pizza.  watched them play laser tag & then we ate (i really do love their buffet!) & then we played some more.  :)  skeeball!  and some bowling.  

there was a group of little girls who i thought were rather rude (well, the parents)... they just all piled in where i was sitting... idk, it was just annoying.  


leyton & i had a blast playing air hockey.  : )  i think anthony liked laser tag the best.  and mom always likes deal or no deal.  heh.


i got home at about 10 after 8, and wanted to chat w/ april - i miss her! - but aunt carol & uncle mike picked me up at 8:30.  hopefully we'll get to chat tomorrow night, altho dawn reminded me that baylee's fundraiser is tomorrow night.  d'oh!  (april, if you get to read this, i should be home by 8 my time...)  we picked dawn up & then headed to iowa city.  the ride was so much fun, first of all!  dawn gave me one of bradley's senior pictures, too.  yay!  


we got to the mill in time to hear a banjo player before mandi's set.  then it was time for mandi, w/ mikey on percussion & her friend & bandmate... whose name i can't remember... on guitar.  

the pictures i took w/ my phone are awful, but i still wanted to share!!  : )  they did so well!!!  after their set, a trio took the stage, and they were good, too.  dawn, mikey & i were really enjoying them, but it was pushing 11 & mike & carol needed to go, so we had to leave after their second song.  

more chatting on the car ride back & more fun for sure.  i love my family, love love love!!!!


i also love VACATION!!  : )  tomorrow i am going to sleeeeeep in.  then i have errands - PO & bank & gas station & WM & then the pest control peeps are coming btwn 2 & 3.  then baylee's fundraiser for her missions trip to nicaragua at 6 & then home by 8.  busy busy!  


so, this weekend is memorial weekend.  thank God for our men & women in the military.  thank God for their bravery, their dedication, and their willingness to give up their time and pieces of their lives to protect our country.  


ttfn!!