:: BACK ON TRACK ::


So... the last two weeks have been filled with summer outings and barbecues and I have come to a weight loss halt. Just when I was coming to the realization that dieting isn't hard if you are eating the right things (just look at that delicious salad above - tomatoes, avocados, carrots, peas, tofu, feta cheese, and some beans, and salt & pepper), I tasted potato chips again. Honestly... nothing replaces the taste of a potato chip.

But, I am back on track and ready to be serious again. I help take care of the pool at our apartment complex and so I was making a schedule for the entire summer with the other gal doing it. Anyway, I noticed how close my September 1st weigh in is and it is time to get strict again.

Summer is shaping up to be super busy. I do love the carefree feeling of summer. I am glad that didn't go away after I finished school. It is still in the air. I'm excited for July 4th. I've been making a festive wreath that will be the death of me, but I am almost finished. I hope I get it finished before Friday. Mike and I are also on the planning committee for our annual neighborhood July 4th breakfast and parade. I am in charge of centerpieces. They are kind of cute so far. I have a lot of gluing to do and a lot of coke bottles to fill with sand. I'll take a picture when they are all done.

I wish I had something exciting to show and tell. But I don't. I got my hair done yesterday and that is always exciting. If you ever need a new stylist and live in the SLC area, I have a GREAT one!

:: MOURNING ::


Well... last night I stayed up so late with my computer in front of me, my cell phone in one hand, and the land line in the other. I was the ring leader of the "Van Wagoner Disneyland Summer Spectacular" and I was determined to make everyone happy. IMPOSSIBLE! There were too many "maybes", and "Let me call...", or "Can I ride with..." or "how many can we squeeze..." type questions. I lost it. My logical bro-in-law said, "Let's go in September" and now it is all behind us. Planning things is so hard. Especially when there are so many people involved. That is just how it was.

I went to bed in the wee hours of the morning thinking about how to make it all possible, and then had a nightmare that Mike took me Disneyland to a bar where the cronies were playing table top war games and because I sat around watching (and fuming), I wasted one of my days of my 2-day park hopper days. When we finally left the bar, gas cost $20 a gallon and we didn't have enough money to get enough gas to get back to the park. I took it as an omen to give up and plan a more relaxing, longer vacation, when the temperatures are cooler and all of the rugrats are back in school. I'm just really sad. I even bought us all new swimming suits for the beach. :-(

But in good news, I had a fantastic weekend. I got to see so many friends on both Friday and Saturday. Then we spent Sunday with Mike's entire family and had dinner last night at his cousin's house. Tonight is our book club and we're discussing Uglies by Scott Westerfield. It is a great little Young Adult series and I am excited to read the rest of them.

And in other good news, I got a great package from Malinda that include the brooch pictured above along with other buttony goodness.

So, now since Mike has that week off that was originally reserved for a trip to NYC for my friend Erin's wedding (this fell through - not the wedding - our plans) that was then changed to Disneyland (see above). Where should we go? We want to be able to drive. We have four days. I really want to go to Yellowstone or Jackson Hole. Maybe we could even go hike Table Rock (here are some other guys pictures). I haven't done that in 10+ years. Any suggestions?

:: LET'S MAKE A DEAL ::

I was at DI last week looking for Mason jars (read: I am in charge of centerpieces for our neighborhood 4th of July breakfast... I have to make 30+... YIKES!). The selection was below par so I made a detour to the random stuff isle where I've found crafting goods before. I was drawn in by a small ball of sock yarn. When I lifted it up, I found all of these knitting needles! The best part about this find is that they are all different sizes and lengths. WAHOO!

Only one of the cheaper packages had a price tag of fifty cents on the back. I found a manager the following conversation took place:

Lori: Excuse me ... as I approach him with hands full dropping needles...
Manager: Can I help you?
Lori: Yes, I just was wondering if you could give me a price on these.
Manager: Hmmm.... what are they?
Lori: Knitting needles and crochet hooks.
Manager: looking at me like I'm a crazy person. Do people still knit? Hmmmm....
Lori: This one is marked fifty cents, but the rest just have their original price tags on them.
Manager: looking at the back of a package... Someone once paid $15 for these? Sheesh...
Lori: Yeah... hoping this wouldn't sway his decision
Manager: Hmm... well... I guess you can have them for fifty cents a piece. Sound okay?
Lori: Yes sir... picking my jaw up off the floor...
Manager: Glad I could make your day ma'am.
Lori: You have no idea.

So, I think I have officially had a thrift store score. I bought twenty four pair of needles and three crochet hooks for $11. Some of the packages were double stuffed. Wooooooohooooooo!

:: WASHING FABRIC ::


We've been sick this weekend. I didn't even post a "Happy Father's Day" post for Mike. He really is the best, though. He told us not to worry about getting him anything (so in typical Donnie - my mom - fashion, I really didn't) and he said he'd take care of it. So, he shopped and wrapped gifts and put them on the table. I was surprised that for Father's Day he gave us gifts. The poor guy didn't get a thing. Well, I did make waffles and his mom gave him a card, but I felt a little sheepish. However, he bought me a subscription to CRAFT for the year. YAHOO! Anyway, I'm not too fond of the weird cold that we all have. Cohen started it and we all followed.


I attended the wedding ceremony and reception for one of my mission companions this weekend. Ariane and I served together twice in FL. The ceremony was in the most beautiful garden and the day was gorgeous. I sat in the sun and just wished that I felt better. But she was beautiful and happy, and that is what mattered most.

And... on washing fabric. I only do it about 1/2 of the time. I get lazy or forget or get so excited about starting the project that I just dive in. I've started to go back and wash all of my fabric and it has been fun to sort through it and see what I have in there. The fabric pictured above is going to be a blanket for one of Mike's coworkers. Tis the season for baby gifts. Sheesh, I've got a lot of pregnant friends right now.

Life isn't too exciting. I need to go grocery shopping in a bad way. We're out of everything. While dieting, it seems easier to open the cupboard and see nothing there. It makes me feel like I have so much will power. On the diet update, I am down 11 pounds. I need run a tighter ship on the diet front and get going if I am ever going to make it to -30 by September 1st. Mike is already down about 20 lbs which is INSANE! He looks great. We're determined to win the contest ($100 in September and $1000 in January) and it has been fun to do it together. Sometimes my favorite parts of the evening is when we sit and talk about how good some ice cream would be while we drink another glass of water. YEAH... that rocks.

:: ORGANIZATION GONE OCD ::


When I was about 15 years old, I got this yellow box to organize my (very few at the time) beads. After a few months I quickly filled it up. Of course, as soon as it was full, I knocked it over onto my mom's lovely calico shag carpet. I probably vacuumed most of them up. Finding seed beads in shag... not my idea of a great time.


Fast forward about 12 more years. The box, now even more full and disorganized, was left on the coffee table within the reach of a barely walking toddler. There it was all over the carpet again. Woops! Recently I've been asked by a few people to help repair, repurpose, and build jewelry. I felt the beading itch and was ready to make myself some stuff. With my hot hands, I opened my yellow box to find a complete buzz kill. The sorting fairy still hadn't visited it.


In the immortal words of the Doors, "The time to hesitate is through" (name that movie quote) and I got out some bowls out and started sorting. Three days later, I was finally done. Whew!!! I ended up casting off most of them, and only kept the ones I knew I'd really use.

I didn't take a picture of my sorted box (duh!?!), but here are the cast offs. I am not sure what I am going to do with them yet, but they are bagged up and ready to go somewhere. There is a mixture of glass, plastic, stone, metal, seed beads, findings, sequins, shells, letters, spacers, complete necklaces, clasps... you name it... it is in there. If any of you want them, I'd be happy to send them your way. You just have to sort them.

:: REALLY BUSY ::

I am so busy with everything in my life right now. I'm enjoying myself, though. I'll talk about it some other day. I've got a lot of stuff to give away, too... So come back!

In the meantime, enjoy Cohen's new favorite song by the Flobots (Handle bars). He doesn't know that the song really isn't about a little boy riding his bike without his hands, but we'll let him believe that for now. I love when he tries to sing along to the "no metronome" part. Haha.