July SOTM Blog Hop

Next up on the hop is http://carol-scrappininparadise.blogspot.com/

I can't even believe I did it again.... My mind must be in another world... or at least another city.... could it be in Washington DC? 

I've been trying to tie things up at work so I can start vacation, it's fiscal year end, my stamp table is full of Zippidee samples... and I forgot the SOTM again.  I suck!!

Hopefully I can get this fixed in the morning....

Las Pulgas to Dana Point - Take 2

Friday we repeated one of my favorite rides.  Looking back, I'm not sure why it was one of my favorites LOL.  Here are a few things we remembered from the first time we rode it.

• I rode the first half of the ride with a flat tire.
• My chain came off on the rolly polly hills that seemed like they'd never end (I'm sure it was because I wasn't shifting properly)
• We rode up "Mt. Everest" (Joshua's nickname for the never ending hill on a crazy busy street)
• Tony thought we were going 20 miles round trip.  Surprise, surpise.. it was 20 miles one way!
• I was at the back, working my butt off to just try and keep sight of everyone else.

I guess I loved it because I pushed myself farther than I thought I could go AND it was breathtakingly beautiful. (I didn't take enough pictures to do it justice)

Well, my memories of the ride this time are quite different; even though there was a mix-up about the route and we ended up on the crazy, busy street on the first half of the ride.  At least it was downhill this time.  Joshua quickly gave us a new route home.  No way were we climbing "Mt. Everest" in traffic again. LOL.

This time....

• It was easy peasy!!
• Most of the time I was relaxing and hanging out with our newbie riders.
• Instead of pedaling like a mad woman to keep up, I was spinning easily and reminding myself to slow down!
• Those rolly polly hills that worked me over last time?  They were so much fun!  My favorite part of the ride!
• Instead of being thrilled to be done... I was kind of sad it was over.

Next week we're planning a 14 mile ride along Highway 56.  14 miles?  I'm thinking I might have to do it twice.

Time will pass,no matter what....

Ok, I'm going to try not to start every post with "I'm sorry I haven't been blogging...." but I'm going to do it one more time and hopefully get my act together from here on out.

I'm sorry I haven't been blogging but... I haven't been creating.  Oh the shock and horror of it all.  Every day I start the day out with high hopes of hanging out in my stamp room when I get home from work, but somehow I never quite make it.  I'm blaming my summer work schedule and a little bit of stamping burn-out.  I created a bunch of fun stuff for future workshops that I can't share quite yet..... 

For the most part, working 4/10's has been wonderful.  I'm kind of liking it and I'm starting to wonder if it will actually be a tougher transition when I go back to my Monday-Friday gig.  I made a promise to myself that Friday's would be my fun days.  I am not grocery shopping or cleaning house or sitting around the house or running errands... I'm bike riding and hanging out at the pool and socializing and it is oh so fun!!!  It reminds me of the summer vacations of my youth. 

I'm also totally loving my new fitness level!!!!  I know I'm always talking about the many bike rides I do and everyone is probably sick to death of it, but here's the thing... At first I really had to work hard on those bike rides.  Even my little mini-midweek rides would kick my butt.  My legs were sore.  My back was sore.  I was exhausted.  I would come home from the ride and want to go right to bed.  I was done for the rest of the day.  Now?  Now I come home pumped up and excited.  I walk the dog.  I do the dishes.  I clean up the house.  I actually have a hard time sitting still; which is yet one more explanation about the lack of artwork around here. ;-P

On Friday we rode 21.5 miles, did a little workout in Candace's pool and relaxed in the jacuzzi and then bright and early Saturday morning we hit Mission Trails and did a little two hour hike.  It was absolutely amazing.  I am generally not the happiest hiker.  I'm usually miserable.  I like the idea of it and I like it when I'm done, but I used to struggle through it so it wasn't all that much fine WHILE I was doing it... but guess what... I totally loved every minute of it!  I wasn't huffing and puffing and trying to catch my breath.  I actually enjoyed it.  Hallelujah!!  I can hardly wait to go on another hike.

And so...my faithful readers... you may have to be a little patient with me.  I'm probably going to be mixing in some fitness stuff and some cycling stuff and some artwork stuff... while I try to find balance again, but hey... if you stick with me I know good things are in store!!

I have some fun artwork that I will be posting starting July 9th!!

I am leaving for Washington DC in two short weeks!  I'll have fun pics to share from conference and of course... A bike ride in DC. hahaha!

And I hope, hope, hope... that I can inspire a few of you to make a little fitness time for yourself.  Try something new.  Do a little bit every day.  Time will pass whether you do it or not.  The difference is that in two years you could be the one LOVING what you can do.... or you can still be wishing you had the energy to do something different.

Jackpot June - Goodie Box Day!

Today is a Goodie Box day! Today you get a box filled with popular products at 60% off of retail value. Plus, you get a slammin' deal on shipping and handling. Purchase today's Goodie Box for only $100 (retail value over $250)!


To purchase, head to my website, then click on "Shop Online" then "Jackpot June". Have fun goodie boxing!

Catch Up Post

Ok, Ok... I'm back... I think... Whew... It's been a whirlwhind the last few weeks.  I had planned to keep up on the blog, but it just didn't happen.  Here's a little catch-up post to get back on track.

1) I'm now working 4/10's, which I love way more than I thought I would.  It's a bit of an adjustment.  Mostly I don't feel like getting on the computer when I get home.  Sorry about that!

2) I've officially lost 20 pounds!  Woo Hoo!!  And that means I got to open my 20 pound gift I bought for myself...ahead of time.  Remind me not to do that again.  It was pure torture.  I thought I'd never get to open it.  I bought the Wii Walk it Out game, which I am loving!  There was a point during my little plateau that I thought... "maybe if I opened my game and played it, I'd magically drop that last pound."  But I'm a little rule follower so I waited. 

Here's a minus 20 pound picture.

3) Since I have Fridays off this summer, my buddies and I have planned some bike rides!  Last Friday we rode 35 miles.  It was a little chilly in the beginning and extremely windy...which made a generally easy ride, a little bit tougher.  But hey, it busted my plateau so it made me happy, happy, happy!

This is when the wind was at our backs and we were flying down the strand...oh so fun...

Candace at the beginning of the strand

4) I'm working on my Zippidee samples so hopefully I'll have some artwork to post soon!

June SOTM blog hop!!

If you came here from Judy's Blog, you're on the right track.

Ooops, I had a big project due yesterday and I totally forgot to post my SOTM creation!!

I hope my fellow blog hoppers will forgive me!!!

In the meantime, here are the links to keep the hop going until I get my act together.

Next up on the hop is Lori Leng

Man... I better come up with something good to make up for this!!!!!