Happy Halloween!

I'm sure you're getting sick of looking at my "lovely" basement so I thought I'd post...sorry for the delay - lots of things happening with us.

First big news is that we're selling our house. NO!!!! Not because of the flood but we thought it would be best to look to the future. We have a couple of options that we're looking at: 1. invest in a townhome property near or in the Japanese community here in Chicago (we would live there for a few years and then we rent it out to a Japanese family for rental income); and 2. really buckle down and do some serious work at the church by renovating the minister's resident and live there. Still mix feelings about it but we need to think about our future (i.e. where we need to eventually retire = Japan? and financially be even stronger). Don't get me wrong, we are living comfortable but I'd rather we stash away $$ for our "mature" years - LOL!!!

We'll see, it's a VERY soft market and I don't expect us to move anytime soon. BUT we did get a nibble...the buyer is crunching numbers as we speak! Not even on the market for a full week and we get an "interested" party! YIKES! Even my wonderful realtor was surprised! LOL!!

SOOOoooooo.....HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! I'm going to the youngest's elementary school for the Halloween parade and party. Looking forward to it since my middle schooler doesn't have that kind of event anymore...sniff, sniff! Guess I better get the outdoor decorations out! LOL!!

Another happening...I started classes at Cherish Scrapbooking in South Naperville! So excited! Did a basic scrapbooking class (SB101) with two students last Sunday afternoon. Very relaxing, intimate and FUN! We did all sorts of technique and they went home happy to do their first layout and I was there to help! LOVE IT!!! Here's the layout we're doing in my SB101 class...




















My next class at Cherish will be Nov. 10 (Fri, 10am to NOON) and Nov. 18 (Sat, 10am to NOON) that I think would be TONS of fun! We'll be using a round chipboard album from Rusty Pickle, lots of ribbons from American Crafts, trying out the new Ranger Ink's dabbers that everyone has been raving about, patterned papers from DaisyD's latest Christmas release and again, doing some cool techniques to put an awesome album together! Are you up for the challenge?! LOL! If you're interested, call and have some fun!! Here's a pic of the completed album called "Joy of Christmas Past..."





















Now another favorite LSS is Frozen Memories! Did you hear about their 14-hour crop this Saturday (Nov 4, 10am to MIDNIGHT)?! It's sounds like a wonderful day...wanna come? You'll need to sign up REAL QUICK...I think they may have 1 or 2 spots open! So if you're free, call and come join us!!! You get lunch, snacks/drinks and a TURKEY dinner all for only $25!!!! I sound like a commercial but how can you bet this price! LMBO!! I'd pay but I'm working at the crop - LOL!!! So who's coming?!

Also needed to get some fall pictures since the Chicago area is going through some funky weather...most of October has been below normal temps and the leaves were disappearing! AH~! I had to bribe the guys into Frozen Memories' homemade ice cream for them to cooperate - UGH! So here are pics of Chicago's fall!














AH~brotherhood! LOL!!!





















OK...so this is what I get for the milk shake later! LOL!! Here's hoping that they will continue to let me take their pictures (minus the bribes! LOL)!!

Have a wonderful halloween and hope that everyone makes their rounds safely!!!

A flooded basement....

Well, our worst fear has happened...the basement flooded and it wasn't pretty. LOL!!
See...


















We had a HUGE storm come through the Chicago area (biggest one since 1996) and the power went out...the rain kept pouring...and no sump pump moving...and no backup battery pump!!! OY! First time "flood victims" and we're not liking it! LOL!!

We had about 1-2 feet of water. I woke up and started cleaning from 5:30am. Got the boys dressed, fed and out to school in between. Went to the store and bought a mop and about 50 garbage bags...thank goodness it was garbage day - our only bright light that day! He took about 15 extra bags out for us - love Waste Mgm't! LOL!! I think I bagged a total about 30-35 bags of wet stuff!

Thank goodness for GOOD neighbors! I will not reveal my life saver's name because I KNOW he will get phone calls!!! LMBO! He came to our rescue when we found out that you couldn't simply dry the water heaters and light the pilot light! What were we thinking? LOL!! They were only 2 years old - yes, they! We have two water heaters because we have a big house and a HUGE bathtub that we use everyday. Being Japanese, bath is a major part of our routine :0) Well after two hours, both my DH and our handy friend were able to salvage both heaters and the furnace! PHEW!!!!!!!!!!! Saved us THOUSANDS of $$$$$$$$! Thanks again Mr. R!!!! We definitely owe you (and the Mrs.) a wonderful SUSHI dinner!!!

Yesterday, we lucked out...had a wonderful company come out at 7AM to take out everything in the basement and haul it out of here!! If you're in the Chicago area and you need stuff hauled out, call Metropolitan Clean-Out & Haul-Away Services (in Elmhurst but they go all over/630-359-4285). The guys were great, efficient and reasonable!!!

So after the guys left, I went to mop the floors but couldn't finish in an afternoon so back down I go today! Wish me luck! LOL!! Oh and after this is done, my shopping trip will include a trip to Home Depot and a purchase of a new backup pump! Ya think?! LOL!!!!

October!!

Well...another month has just flown by! Things are looking up for us...a new job and new challenges!

On a personal note, I want to thank those who have been praying for us that we FINALLY hear word from my DH's new company...we've been waiting for several months (talk about pins & needles). But I'm lucky to have a DH who always have a backup plan and a steady mental will! LOL!!

My challenge was to submit to yet another design team (DT) call and didn't do so well! Oh, well! Life goes on, right?! LOL!! But the positive thing about these calls is I do get pages done! So I thought I'd share some of my submissions to you all...what do you think?













This was an altered CD of my son's first day of middle school...I followed him to the bus stop (to his great dismay - LMBO!!!) and took these pics. This is before I put pages on the CD and then strung them on Stemma ribbon.


















Stemma had these great word PP and I used "Family" for our family vacation page. This particular one is of Mt. Rushmore. The journaling tag is tucked behind the picture of the "boys" which I inked the edges and doodled on the corner. The photo corners were painted with Ranger Ink's new paint dabbers....now that is a MUST HAVE item!!!!!!!!! LOVE their stuff but this one is definitely a best seller!!!















These pictures are of the cousins hanging out at Cantigny Park (Wheaton, IL) during the 4th of July picnic. LOVE this place....so peaceful! I cut parts of another Stemma paper and used it on the pretty blue Stemma PP. Popped a couple of the flowers out with foam dots...never thought to have flower accents to the boys' layout! Heehee!!!

I have classes going on at Frozen Memories (FM) this month! One of them is this Saturday AM (kids are also welcome!) and it's a Halloween theme! We're going to be decorating a bronze color pail so that you can fill it up with goodies! It's very cute! I hope the store uploads the picture sometime in the next couple of days! I plea senior moment! I forgot to take a picture....maybe when I go today, I'll bring my camera! So here's my schedule:

Saturday, Oct 7
10:30am to NOON
Halloween Pail Class
$25 w/ apple cider

Sunday, Oct 22
2:00pm to 6:00pm
"SUNDAE" crop
$12 w/ ice cream float

Saturday, Oct 28
10:30am to NOON
Altered Canvas Panel Easel
$25

So give the nice people at Frozen Memories a call (630-830-7492) and reserve your spot! Would LOVE it if you can join us!

OH!! FM will be having their first BIG crop...they're renting out the space next door (it hasn't been leased out yet) and it's called the Harvest Crop! You have to come....it' s only $25!!! If I wasn't working, I would pay!!! LOL!!! It will be a 14 hour crop with food & drinks, prizes, challenges, etc. and dinner is a TURKEY dinner! YUMMMmmmm!!! So mark your calendar and come on over! I saw some of the prizes on Saturday....let me say, it's VERY nice! Heehee!! No more hints!

Well, it's going to be in the 80s here in Chicago so I'm making the best of it! So make the best out of your day too!! Have a good one!!