Postcard Swaps!

Thanks to Naked Jen, I joined another postcard group.  This one is really great because you get 49 postcards throughout almost a year.  That is one for each state if you weren't paying attention.  This is my first one from the Great American Postcard Swap!  Amiee from Adventures and Pursuits is running the show....and it is a fun family friendly show!

Monday I got my first one from Alabama!  Thanks stranger from Alabama, I love this card...so pretty.

I am also on Postcrossing where I sent out 5 cards to random people around the world and I get postcards from random people from around the world.  I have received cards from Finland, Canada, and right here in the US!  I love mail, but this just takes it to the next level!  Click here to see what kind of activity is going on with my postcrossing account.  It has been so fun.  Let me know if you join and I can follow you too.  :-)

Milestone birthdays

30 years old. Isnt this supposed to be the year I have a mental breakdown about my age? Nah! Not me. I adore birthdays. My dad always told me that I could grow old, but I should never grow up. I feel like that means so much more to me now that my life has been given back to me from the reigns of chronic pain. 30 so far has been a great year....granted I am only a few days into it, but all I have done was celebrate.It all started with Friday night and taking Liz, Em, Elaina and Erin to Disney on Ice. I was surprised at the door by the girls wearing princess crowns that said happy birthday on them. That made me smile, but they had bigger surprises in store for me. They made me a crown and a t-shirt with their handprints on it. I almost cried. The girls love is so unconditional. We had a great time at Disney on Ice....seeing their faces was birthday enough for me.Saturday night was our party at our friend Travis' house. So many amazing friends were there. They all brought tasty food to share and lots of hugs as well. We laughed, talked and had a wonderful time. I have the greatest friends a girl could ask for.
Sunday I was able to see super awesome fabulous Niki. She was so nice to take me out to lunch at Olive Garden. We sat and talked and enjoyed a lovely lunch. I just love her guts! She is so genuine and caring....I dont know what I would do without her. We understand what each other is going through and a lot of times our situations are so parallel, its creepy. Niki and I not only share a last name, but our lives have traveled down the sames paths and we understand each other so well. (BTW, we are not related although it would be an honor.)\
So, that was my weekend. It was a blast and the partying isnt over yet. We get to now get together with my parents and siblings to celebrate more! If you dont enjoy birthdays, its time for an attitude change. Cake, friends and fun...thats what birthdays are all about.

I made it....

I made to 30! WOOT go me!!! I actually love love love birthdays...the decorations, the cakes and pies and all the attention. :-D Oh and I love the decorating of the desk at work! I am not sure why I love this part so much but I do...it is the cleaning up that I hate. Here is what they did to my desk this year:

And later Ashlie came along and made it worse!


And then....we had pie! Preacher pie, Blueberry pie and my favorite, banana cream pie!
Now I am super excited for the next couple of nights...Tonight it is Disney on Ice with my nieces and sister-in-law, Erin.
Tomorrow night is a party for me and hubby at our friends house. Should be awesome! I am excited. I love that me and hubby have birthdays 15 days apart.

I'm gonna get me a new career!

Sitting here quietly at work I decided I needed me a new job. I am gonna buy myself a new camera and take pictures of peoples pets. The only problem here is A: I dont know anything about photography and B: I dont own or know anything about cameras, specifically nice ones that take pretty pictures. I talked to my sis-in-laws friend, and he gave me some pretty good options. He's a professional you know. I think I am just scared of dumping $500 plus dollars into a hobby. *sigh* What to do, what to do.

Surrogate grandparents

In 8th grade, I met my bff that I would now have for life. His name is Mickel and he completed me in ways I didn't understand until life would take it away. This weekend, Mickel's grandpa passed away. Mickel gave me the chance to know this wonderful man who would let me call him grandpa because mine lived in Heber, and was very cranky at that. Jim and Audrey always welcomed me with open arms into their home and always treated me just like a grand-daughter. I would stay over there for hours on end, playing, chatting, goofing off and they didnt mind one bit. They would take me with them on "family" outings and allowed me to fit in a family unit. He was a very sweet man with a very sweet disposition. The thing I remember most about him, is his laugh. I don't remember a time when I was there and he didn't laugh. Their house was always warm and filled with love and acceptance. I will never forget the love they shared with me as my surrogate grandparents.