vacation nation

Pin It Now! well - to start off i have to say that vacation life is about a million times more exciting than my work life - thus the two blog posts in less than 24 hrs. 

last night entered my first scrappy challenge on american crafts blog - and i won!  am so happy - was so fun to play around...had never really done any type of theme or group challenge but was fun to get inspired that way so i don't think that will be my last time doing something like that

 

had a faboo day today - day one of official vacation.  got my hair cut this am and then headed to fresh for a yummy vegetarian lunch with one of my faves Kat and then to top it all of perfectly went to the new Anthropologie in Yorkville.  2 levels of pure me likeyness.  and to add to how fondly i already feel about them i went in wearing an anthro shirt that had a rip in it (when i got dressed i didn't realize and by the time i noticed i was too far from home to go back and change...was a bit bummed b/c had just bought it when the first anthro opened and wasn't cheap)...neways i asked them about it when we got there and the guy behind the counter was super cool...acted like it was no biggie "oh just go pick out another one, we'll exchange it" - so nice and refreshing.  they didn't have the exact same shirt (bit of a bummer b/c i loved it) but got another shirt and did the quick change in the line for the exchange.  love stores with paper art inside (big ostriches at yorkville location-fun!) and good business sense - i am now a loyal customer.  that's smart on their part and i like it. 

Had some fun last night finishing up this layout of M in the pool - she IS a little fishie! So fun to watch her gain confidence this summer and lose her GIANT floatie suit - i always thought she looked a bit like a mini bodybuilder in it with all the foam built in he heee

And so it begins

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I am officially on vacation.  For 5 days of work but with weekends & holiday Monday  it works out to 10 days.  10 full days of just fun.....ahhhhhhhhhh...it's only night one and i already feel relaxed.  

and what else would i do on the eve of my vacay time but look@ scrappy blogs??? 

found a fun challenge a few days ago over at the American Crafts blog - didn't realize it closed so soon (midnight tonight eek!) & wanted to get my submission in so although these photos are blurry b/c taken after dark here is my attempt at doodling with American Crafts products:

journaling reads: may 2009 - we spent one sweet spring weekend in nyc in may of 09..  the theme of the trip was eat and eat we did; babbo, stanton social, little italy, peter lugers & papaya dog* - we all came home with full bellies and lots of great memories.  

*note this was supposed to say grey's papaya...(hot dogs) but when i was writing it i put "papaya dog" in by mistake heeee....so papaya dog it will be.  

Used tons of AC products in this layout including precision pens, slick writers, thickers and flair, had fun doodling the street lights and windows of the "high rises" i cut out of patterned paper. 

 

What's in a name?

Pin It Now! I've been considering changing my url within blogger (you can do that easily) b/c really I picked the name www.lovemybt.blogspot.com before i really "got" blogging.  whether I actually get it now is a different story....but it basically goes like this - don't get it really but def. love it

When i signed up i had to pick something so i just went with ilovemybt to honour little Benny Boo...then I realized that's probably a bit lame.  Or dumb, or whatever really but it's clearly not a cool blogging name. Then when i was trying to think of a replacement I realized how can I leave a face like this in the dust of bloginess? 

 She's so cute.  

I am probably the meanest dog owner ever.  Like not really mean but if Ben was an actual boy he'd have an identity crisis.  Because we call him "she'  and "her" sometimes and we dress him up (by we I mean me and then I just make Kirk look and because he's nice he does).  

Will settle for shoes

Pin It Now! Right now i could kill for some good dark chocolate but i'll settle for an update re. my new shoes which i am in LOVE with
Pair #1 - for Nicki's wedding: Michael Kors Pressley from Nordstrom in Seattle. I love the height - you can't see from this angle but there is a little gold button on the back. Cute right?
Pair #2 - Steve Madden Luxe Brake from DSW in Chicago - got these in black satin and love the little ruffle.

Ready to be home tomorrow - have been a bit of a road warrior this week, 3 timezones in one week is 2 too many for me.

xoxo

Classy and Fabulous

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Had an amazing weekend away for N's stagette. Started off friday night with some appies and wine - did my first mini book in honour of the big weekend as a gift for Nicki, you can view the full album here:

Spent Saturday relaxing at the condo, eating, drinking and spa-ing. Had a great time at the Scandinave Spa

And then topped the weekend off with an epic night out.

Here's what we ate:

Thai Chicken Croustades (recipe courtesy of J - found here)

Boconcini, Basil and Mini Tomato Skewers

Chicken satays with Peanut sauce

Baked brie with pecans and green apple

Prosciutto wrapped melon

Greek Pasta Salad

Champagne cocktail & Sangria

...yum!

xoxo - love all you ladies!

Day with mini me

Pin It Now! What a doll she is.  

Had her for most of the day yesterday and we had a blast.  

Got to do all of her fave's including:

- going to "old mcdonalds" -i  know i'm a sucker b/c the first one we went to didn't have a play place so i took her to another one

- let her play in the play place when we got there (which i regretted once i realized that it probably wasn't the cleanest of all places) 

-made her disinfect her entire body with a wet nap once we came out  - she did but then put it on her forehead and tried to mop my brow in a very dramatic attempt to show me how hot it was in the car "ohhh auntie berg it SOOO hot - i put this on your forehead it's nice and cool" 

-went to the dollar store and let her choose 3 things (painting set, rock collection and stuffed cow night light)

-had "scrapbook" time, she really likes the butterfly punch

- took her to la senza to buy a stagette gift where she loundly exclaimed "ohhhh look at all these pretty dresses for little girls!" about the negliges  (heeee) 

-had a dance party with her ipod (courtesy of her nana of course)

Such a fun day!  

Remembering

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I can't believe it's been almost 4 years that Donny has been gone.  4 years ago that the earth shook so hard i felt like it would never stop.  4 years ago where i wished i had a rewind button. Car crash is exactly what it was because everything just came crashing down.   

Donny was one of those people who everyone loved.  I think in that book the Tipping Point he would have been called a connector, you know, someone who knows everyone and who you feel like you've known forever even if you've just met.  He was my brother's best friend, a natural extension to my family as I'm sure he was to many families.  

As I grew older we didn't see each other as often but I could always call him and tease him about his new girlfriend, ask him about his dog or whatever really.  He was my friend and man he was loved by everyone. When he died there were hundreds at the funeral.  It was the saddest day of my life, someone so young, gone so soon, loved by so many.  Not that that's something to measure his life by really, the day we said goodbye - but I think the reason there were so many people was because of how he lived.  

He was always smiling, would always get you a beer, would always make you feel welcome.  I will always wish it never happened, I will always wish that he was still here with us, but I also try to be that kind of friend now, I try to live that kind of live, one without regret, focusing on what really matters, try not to let the little things take over.  He will always matter to me - always be loved, I will always remember him.  

This is summer

Pin It Now! when i was growing up i went to camp every year and then when i got old enough i worked there all summer - it is such a huge part of who i became as an adult, my first taste if independence, of responsibility; there was so much i loved about that place.  i also met so many lifelong friends there - i've got hundreds of pics from all those summers but wanted to do one layout to showcase what it meant to me overall. 

here is a pic of us from this summer - i love these little kids so much, they really are the funniest/cutest neice and nephews ever.