Good-bye, February!

Well, according to my computer's clock, it's less than an hour before March 1st is upon us! YIKES! Where did the time go?! That means FOR ME, I have less than a month to prepare for CKU-A!!!

OK...I need to stop participating in swaps and get in gear with my homework which I barely scrape the surface (SHHHhh! Don't tell the JUNKITZ instructors...they're working so hard as this is their first CKU album track!)!!!!!

So this past Sunday, I was able to go to the Pre-CKU crop at Archivers in Bloomingdale, IL from 11am to 6pm. My friend, Miho, and I sat together! We made plans on what to bring (esp. FOOD! LOL!!) and how things are going to work out. I also had the chance to meet a fellow DT from JADs, Dalis! She just got into CKU through a transfer, got into the host hotel, just found out she was pregnant, won a prize at the crop and found ME! How lucky can one girl get in a month?! LOL!! Here are some pictures I took:












Some of the IL JUNKies...JulieG, Me & KellyP















This is the rolodex swap we did for the Chicago Far West CKUer's group. Mine is the "Mickey Mouse" one in the lower right corner...thanks, Dalis! HA!
















...and this is my friend, Dalis, who hit "jackpot" in more ways than one :0)

During the weekend, my "little" brother, Dave, came into town from Tokyo! I felt kinda bad that I left on Sunday to go to the crop but I was looking forward to this and had paid months in advance. Well, he knows how crazy I am about scrapbooking so he went off and did some shopping & errands so it worked out! We went out to dinner after I got back from Archivers and had a great time! I love seeing my family! I'm hoping that my other brother and family will be coming out to see us in the summer! Just what I need FOUR crazy boys in the house...hmmm, CAMP anyone?! LOL!!

OK...off to bed!!!

Swaps & Stuff...

Well, let's say that these swaps of mine are really getting out of hand! Can't leave the house without the pressure of completing one or making a major dent or mailing out one before the deadline!!! AH!!!!!! LOL!

Today was one of those days AND the boys had half day of school so while they were studying away, mom was power altering 20 CDs for a swap that needed to be out by the afternoon! This was the end result...what do you think? Yeah, I'm crazy but I'm a scrapbooker - LOL!!!












This is the front of the altered CDs and...












here are the back.

Then I went ahead and finished Dawn's CJ (theme: CKU)...a semi-altered CD. It came out like this...












I finally broke down and bought those darn Prima Flowers! But you know, they are cute on this layout...hope Dawn thinks so too!

Oh, before I forget, I also wanted to show the other CJ (theme: Friendship). I recently went to a "late" holiday dinner party that was hosted by my college roommate & pledge sister @ Gamma Phi Beta (obviously before I joined Delta Zeta Sorority!), Rita. Then this CJ arrived! I've known these ladies since froshman year back in August of 1980! So that makes it 26 years that we've known each other and kept in touch for that long! Especially with me...moving to Japan, Chicago, New Jersey and back to Chicago. So decided to make a layout of my special friendship with them and the second page is friendship quotes that I have enjoyed in the past.














The next CJ challenge is grandfather theme...YIKES! A tough one but I'm ready! Can't decide whether to do my father as a grandfather or my own grandfather...hmmm.

In the meanwhile, I have to finish a rolodex swap. I did one but not sure if I like it...so it's back to sketching another idea. But have to get to bed...another Saturday morning and that means Saturday Japanese School! This time we will go straight to school...I have library duty from 9am to 12:15pm. There seems to be a pattern this year, I've been going to that school once a month (well, March is the end of the school year so that might be why I'm not going in for anything). In April, I'm on school yard duty....what is school yard duty?! LOL!! I have to make sure the kids play safely and nicely....you think we parents have nothing to do on Saturdays?! But I will cooperate AND it's another excuse to take picture (unless that's in the rule book) - heehee! Good night all!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Well, I made it through the day! LOL! I was asked to bake 30 heart-shaped brownies for my third grader's class!!! The class mother talked to me right before the party, my survey at the beginning of the year said "I can't bake if my life depended on it!" She didn't sleep very well last night - OY! I feel bad! They turned out fine...so tempted to nibble but did not! My house now smells of chocolate! I had extra so I gave them to my neighbors :0)
















They don't look so bad - right? Looks like everyone had a great time...they're great kids!

Last Saturday was my sorority's first meeting of the year and it was a lunch 'n craft day! This time we took an idea from Martha Stewart and did a "dot painted ceramic" thing. I loved how mine turned out! We might try this again since everyone else enjoyed themselves. It's pretty easy to do.




Here's my blue and white square plate after I baked it in the oven on 300 degrees for 30 minutes to set the paint. Now I can use it for our upcoming afternoon tea in March with my Delta Zeta sisters!! So excited!














This is Carole and she made this beautiful trim along her vibrant red bowl. Love it!!

Hope everyone has a lovely valentine's day...off to make dinner and bake more brownies (for dessert!)! xoxo

SETSUBUN!

Boy, it's been awhile since I've posted! Well, two stomach flus (the boys) and a mysterious swollen foot (me) later...we're back on track!

It was so sad that my youngest son had to miss his BIG field trip of the year...Brookfield Zoo but that stomach flu knocked him out like I've never seen before. But he did get to see "March of The Penguins" and did his Penguin presentation (power point even! LOL!). I had to miss my meeting with some CKU-A ladies from the Chicago far west suburbanites!

Today we had our SETSUBUN ceremony at church. It is full of fun and great time for everyone! Setsubun ("division of season") is a celebration held on either February 3 or 4, one day before the start of spring according to the Japanese lunar calendar. For centuries, the Japanese have been performing rituals with the purpose of chasing away evil spirits.
In modern days, the most commonly performed setsubun ritual is the throwing of roasted beans around one's house or at temples/shrines. When throwing the beans, people shout "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" ("Devils out, happiness in"). Afterwards one eats the number of beans that corresponds to that person's age.











This is our ONI (aka TakaONI)!












Not a great picture...they kept moving! Actually, they were throwing the beans out to the congregation members but they are also throwing bags of beans with a piece of paper which indicates what prizes they got (ie. mug set, bag of candy, calculator). It's a sight to see when you see all these people diving towards the floor getting these prized bags! LOL!!

It was a long day but was great to see alot of the members come out for SETSUBUN!