Busy, Busy, Busy (and a little bit sad)

Have you ever had times in your life when it seems that you're on a merry-go-round and it becomes the longest ride ever?  I feel that my last few weeks have been like that.  Geez, every time I turn around there is something else to do.  And yet, nothing ever seems to get done!

I spent the beginning of this month prepping for a class that never happened.  So sad--I created and prepared (and ordered supplies for) a Christmas Card class and was really excited about the cards I had to show.  I sent out my invitations--I had to move the class up a week, as I was leading a big event at my real job and would be working 12-hour days for one week; I knew I'd be too exhausted by Friday to hold a class, so I bumped it up...and then had to cancel!  What?  Yes, as so often happens, life got in the way.  And here I had supplies and cute cards and...nothing.  (insert sad face)

Then came hell week (pardon my frankness) and the accompanying sleepless nights (planning what I would be presenting all week) and the aftermath of presentations to upper management, and suddenly it was time to take a trip.  I was going to the East Coast to visit my parents for a week.  So I hurriedly prepared my blog posts (did you even notice I was gone?), held a team meeting for my Stampin' Amigos, and flew out at 6:30 the next morning.

Sometimes it's good to have low expectations...visiting elderly parents (and don't get me wrong--I LOVE visiting my folks) can be trying.  Fortunately this time my sister (who lives 400 miles away from me) joined me--our annual "together" trip.  And somehow we managed to take a New England Leaf-Peeping road trip for 3 days, totally enjoying the absolutely gorgeous colors, visiting long-time family friends, and reminiscing on the shore of a lake in New Hampshire where I spent summers as a kid.  Overall the visit was extremely nice; and I think we accomplished our main goal of convincing my folks to come to California for a few months during the upcoming winter, to escape the harsh weather that is expected on Cape Cod this year.

Then it was time to return home (and to my sweet husband, who hates to fly, so allows me to go off alone).  And the very next day was my first grandson's 5th birthday!  So up early (not too difficult as I was still on east coast time), unpacked, cleaned up, and sat down to make him a card.  And now comes the "little bit sad" part of my post.

While on Cape Cod, I got a call from my son, informing me that he and his wonderful wife and two adorable sons (my first and second grandchildren) are moving to Maryland - IN TWO WEEKS!  A job change (Air Force orders) is prompting the move.  Although I knew he had applied for this position, I was secretly hoping it wouldn't come through.  These two kids live only an hour away right now, and we have been able to enjoy all their special moments (I was in the delivery room when they were born, and have been to nursery school presentations, baptisms, birthday parties and trick-or-treating) and now they'll be 3000 miles away! (insert devastated face!)

So I took one more day of "vacation" and spent it with my grandson.  I love him to pieces and will miss him terribly.  But I made him a fun card, so without further sad stories, I'll show you a little creativity:

Boys Will Be Boys is such a cute stamp set.  It has Legos, a robot, and a parachuting army man--lots of things my own boys, and now my grandsons, play with.

I ran a piece of Whisper White cardstock through my Big Shot using the Chevron Embossing Folder and added it to my card base (of Whisper White Thick Cardstock).  I stamped my robot on "vintage" Brushed Silver cardstock and then again on Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Night of Navy, Whisper White and Basic Black papers, fussy-cutting the various colored pieces and adding them to my robot.  This was all cut out (I ONLY do this for special people!) and popped up on Dimensionals.

I embossed Night of Navy with the Lucky Stars Embossing Folder and cut out a rectangle; and adhered another piece of Real Red with a smaller opening underneath.  This was then added to my card front with more Dimensionals.  Some Silver Glimmer Paper stars were adhered along with a sentiment from the same set.

Of course I needed a special envelope too...

Here is my birthday boy:

Happy 5th Birthday, darling, Ethan!  I love you to the moon and back!

Thanks for "listening"...I guess I needed to get all these feelings off my chest!


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