It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Hi! I am quickly losing track of time. Where does it go? One week until Christmas, do you have all your shopping done? I am pretty much complete. The bad part about finishing so early is I tend to buy more! I guess if you are on the receiving end that could be good!

The weather here has been frightful. The weekend was pretty much a waste due to snow. It also was bitter cold. We had the family Christmas party and Ken's work party. We only have 2 things to do this month and can you imagine they were both at the same time. The weather didn't help either.

The ladies are doing a bus trip to Windsor on the 30th. That will be fun I can hardly wait, just to get away for a day will be wonderful!

Well I am gonna get back to work Have a great Christmas!

A Very Blessed Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving has come and gone and all my stressing was for nothing.....everything was perfect! The food, guest, and camaraderie was just right. I spent days stressing about the meal, the company, the store and it all worked out great. We had about 25 people for dinner, eating at 1:30 just like I planned. Uncle John was released from the hospital, and did make it home on Saturday. The store opened at 11:00 on Thanksgiving and lived up to it's name...it was CRAZY for 3 hours anyways but that's OK. I got to come home and sleep like I wanted and go back Friday during the day. The weekend itself was a little slow but that's OK, it has been some steady days since. Well it is bedtime so I am gonna go, write more later!

I am getting OLD!!

O.K. I know I am getting older but I was not ready for the eye doctor's diagnosis that I need bifocals! Those are for really OLD people! I will have to say if I can see better it will be OK, but I really hate the thought of them and am hoping they don't make me sick...I have no time for that!

I have a very free Saturday and am bored! I need to get something done for Thanksgiving but that doesn't even sound like fun, plus there's not much I can do food wise right now it's still to early.

My uncle John is at the Cleveland Clinic where he had heart surgery on Thursday. He is pretty much in a drug induced coma because he is having problems coming off the respirator. We were going to take Aunt Marlene & Mary to dinner but Marlene just called and they are going to leave John like he is until tomorrow and Mary was sick all night so they are going to pass on dinner.
So that gives me a bunch of FREE TIME. I am no longer used to free time so I don't know what to do with myself! I think I used to organize my time much better then I do now, but I just can't get it together?? Well, I think I will go take a nap... that is always a good way to spend time :)

Back!

Well, I didn't make it back last night but here I am this morning. It has been a very busy last 6 weeks. The store is going great. We have been busy and business is steadily picking up. We just had the best week we've had in over a year, so that is good:) On the homefront has been good too. We spent last weekend camping the final campout of the year. We made turkey again...mmmm good! There's not much new at home, Greg is still here, but WORKING!! so I guess it's ok. Jeff is busy with that last year of school and he is working too! So part of our job is done...I just hope they continue to grow in the personal lives. Well I am gonna get some cleaning done, and maybe a project or two. Have a great week!

WOW! TIME IS GETTING AWAY FROM ME!

Can you believe it is October 19th? Where is the time going? This is the date of my HS boyfriends birthday so whereever you are Happy Birthday Jon! Well a shipment came so I am gonna cut this short...will try to get back tonight:)

Here are some pics from the store...I will spend more time on them later and figure again how to flip them right side up.....these are the soccer, friend and Washington DC areas. Nice???

Zoopendous Weekend

Christy, Bob, & Allison came from Ft. Wayne on Friday and spent the weekend here...it was a great time had by all! Friday night (after getting Christy out of the store:) we went to Buca's for dinner and sat in the kitchen table...like there is anywhere else to sit???? It was fun, we had pan fried mozzerella sticks, YUMMO!, garlic bread, chicken parmigan, spaghetti & meatballs, and a new dish we tried macaroni rosa!! Awesome! Ken & I decided it definetly will be on our list of foods to get again.

Saturday was spent at the zoo...and I do mean ALL DAY!!! I have never spent so much time at the zoo, it was fun and I had some new experiences like petting the stingrays...they are smushy and slimy. We also saw the dinosaur exhibit which was neat. We met Ken at Macaroni Grill for dinner.

Sunday they met us up at Dweeb's for breakfast...then we went to the store again for Christy to shop:) They made it home and it was a good weekend! Hopefully they can visit again.

Well, it has been a yucky day so I am gonna hit the sack early! Have a good week!

Hah! I figured it out...here she is right side up!!

Sunday Morning

Well, it's a bright, sunny Sunday morning in the hood. Ken is still sleeping and I am up early as usual. Yesterday was a nice relaxing day...didn't do a whole lot of anything and that was nice. It was my first day off with nothing to do since taking over the store. Sure forgot how those feel!

The store is doing great! We have been extremely busy! Which is a GOOD :) thing. We have received several orders which also helps. Due in this week is Bo Bunny, Reminisce, ans hopefully Sports Solutions. Next week everything else should be ready to come in. We get our check on Monday which means I can pay for the big orders. I am SOOOOOOO excited!!! Labor Day weekend should be a biggie!!!

Only 4 more days and Christy & Bob & Allison will be here!! I can't wait it will be so much fun!! We're heading to Buca's on Friday night and the zoo on Saturday. I need to decide if I am gonna cook on Saturday or go some where to eat. Any ideas??? The picture above is Christy at CHA...I have figured out how to get them here now I need to figure out how to turn them:)

Well I am gonna go do something with my hair and get ready so when Ken gets up we can head to breakfast. Have a good week!

Exiting News!

Wow! Has it almost really been a month since I last wrote?? So much has happened since then! The store officially became mine yesterday! It is now called Crazy for Scrapbooks. It is all so surreal. Barb & I went on a shopping spree at CHA...I can't wait for the new products to come in.

On the down side it has been a bad week in the 'hood. Hillbilly Steve blew up his car on Saturday night and burnt the house down. He is in SERIOUSLY critical condition and not expected to live. I guess he didn't blow the car up what really happened was he hit the garage and it exploded. SO, So SAD!

Below is the newsletter that went out for the new store! Write more soon!


We've Been SOLD!
Scrapbook Outlet has been saved from becoming another victim of a LSS closing. Effective Wednesday, August 1, 2007 Scrapbook Outlet will become Crazy for Scrapbooks!Julie Kovach, who has been the manager for the last 2 years has become the new owner and has she been busy! She just got back from a 2 day buying trip at CHA in Chicago. For those that are unfamiliar this is the summer show where the manufacturers release their new collections for the fall. Albums, papers, and embellishments galore have been ordered! Shipping begins mid-August so in order to prepare for all the new products from August 1, 2007 through August 8, 2007 we will take an additional 10% off your total order! Just mention this email to take advantage of this great offer! This includes all clearance products too!
***Breaking News! Long awaited albums have arrived! Shop early for the best selection!***
We plan to continue the same great service that you have come to expect at Scrapbook Outlet. The faces that you are used to seeing will stay the same. We have many wonderful ideas for the months ahead so stop in and check us out. Future mailings will come from Crazy for Scrapbooks. You will receive a new notice that you will need to activate to continue receiving our emails. We will keep you updated on new arrivals and any exciting happenings at the mall! If you have any questions you can call us at 330-948-8080 or email us at www.crazyscrapbooks@aol.com. Thanks for your continued support,Julie Kovach

New Beginnings?

Well, I am back from vacation and I feel like I was never gone!! I had 4 great days south, the weather turned yucky on Thursday, so it was a good time to leave! The fireworks the guys put on were wonderful! Each year they get better and better!

The news from Ft. Wayne is interesting....Rhonda is selling the stores. I have been offered Lodi for an unbelievable price and if I can get a loan it will be mine. I am EXCITED, but very nervous too!! I am afraid to get too excited because somehow I see it all falling apart. If this doesn't go through our store is scheduled to close on August 31st.

I am going to CHA on the 19th. I have asked Barb to go...I need to get catalogues for Rhonda and for me and hopefully place some much needed orders for what will be my store. Right now the biggie is a name!!! Any ideas?

Well I am gonna take nap before work talk more later!

Contest

I entered a contest on Lisa Bearnson's blog and assumed my email woud show up but it didn't darn it. Well hoping I am one of the right answers ans she checks here it is julie@purplescrapbook.com

JAKE

Here's Jake! He has become our BIG! baby. Ken got me these flowers for our aniversary and I had to hide them because he kept chewing them!

I am so ready for the holiday week to be here! I am leaving Sunday for south and can't wait. I bought us a new pool and told Barb to have it ready with a BIG MARGRITA!!! Ken can't make it until Wednesday, I am leaving Thursay and going to Ft. Wayne for a meeting. There will be big news after the meeting and it could be goo or bad...we'll have to see.

Well have a great holiday and be safe!! I'll post after my meeting and let you know what's up!

Here's a couple more...that's Ken & Me at Alabama Grille, Jeff's 18th birthday dinner....and his new tattoo!

O.K. let's see if this is there...this is one of the old fashioned pictures we took!!

A Day of Scrapbooking!

Hello! Well, I haven't been able to figure out how to upload pictures to here so I guess I can't share. Oh well someday! I actually had 2 days in a row off and no plans! I did hit the Seville garbage sales yesterday for a while with Barb. I bought some salt & pepper shakers to go with my dishes and some Tupperware and some small frames and 2 cookbooks. The big news was I actually scrapbooked!! I scraplifted a page from Fremont and did it. It turned out better then I hoped for...it is my FAVORITE!! layout so far. It is all about Ken and I purposely took the picture for it down in Gatlinburg. I also made some cute little gifts for friends and my mom. I got up this morning and got right back to it. I made a shadow box of the old fashioned picture we had taken. It is ok...not what I had visioned at all but since it is my first attempt at this it's ok. I then made small shadow boxes with the wallet size photos for mom and his mom. I also made one to use as a sample at the store. They turned out neat. I am on a break now to get remotivated! I may run and get lunch too! Ken should be home from work soon. I am making ribs (from the Career Center), baked potatoes, and salad for dinner. The ribs are great! Chef tony makes them and sells them for $10 a slab, all you need to do is warm them up! That's my kind of rib....I DON'T do ribs....tried many times they just SUCK! so it's easier to go out for them or heat up already cooked ones. I bought 4 racks for the freezer...need to remember we need more next year!

Well I am gonna close and TRY again to do some pics! Have a great day!

More May Updates

Hi! I am back...I forgot the biggest and best news from May...my biopsy came back negative!!! I was so happy about that! Memorial Day Weekend was spent working. Ken went camping at Barb's. He said it was a good weekend. I am also going to try to upload some pictures from our Gatlinburg trip and more. Have a good week!

Wow! Time is flying!

Well I guess this will be a big catch up day! I had posted a post one day about 2 weeks ago but must have hit the wrong button because it's not here. So I will first try to remember the info from that. I know Jeff turned 18 on April 29th! Can you believe it? We went to Shinto's for dinner, that is kind of a tradition, we also went there for Greg's 18th. I went to Kentucky on the 30th and helped close the Dry Ridge store. I brought back a lot of product. Darla was also here that week, so she went to the birthday dinner. We went to the Princess Di exhibit on May 5th. It was very neat to see...such a tragedy.

I also have been to Ft. Wayne and helped close Luv2. I hope with that closure that Rhonda can continue to build the remaining stores back up. Either way I have decided this is a wonderful job and if it does end I will survive! I was given this wonderful opportunity and am enjoying every minute. I have met some wonderful friends and I hope that they will remain my friends no matter what!

My travels for the month didn't end there....Ken and I went to Gatlinburg for our 20th anniversary! We had an amazing time!! We left on Wednesday night and stayed in Dry Ridge. We then got up and drove to Gatlinburg. We spent the early afternoon in Pigeon Forge. We went to lunch at Country Music Legends Grille...this used to be the Alabama Grille, but it must have been sold. The food was blah! but the memorabilia inside was totally COOL! we then did some shopping both for souvenirs and food then headed up the mountain. We never left again until Saturday morning. Thursday afternoon was spent doing a whole lot of nothing and Friday was a WHOLE day of doing nothing! I was in HOT TUB HEAVEN! Ken even got in! Saturday was spent in town eating and shopping! Sunday we headed home....I cried for a while I really didn't want to leave! Hopefully we can do this again! We went to Tony Roma's on Monday for our "REAL" anniversary. Ken even got me flowers! I am so happy and in love I hope it last forever! The last 20 years have not all been easy by any means but we have survived and things are definitely looking good:)

Well I guess I am almost caught up so I will close for now and write about Memorial Day later!

Wow has time flown!

Can you believe it is May 12th! Where has the time gone...there is so much to catch up on! Let's see...1st of all Jeff turned 18 on April 29th, we went to Shinto's for dinner. I left the next morning for Kentucky. The store there closed on the 28th and I was able to go down and pick up some product for my store. Luv2 is closed on May 5th and I went there to help box it up. I think this will be the end of my traveling days but that is ok...I am just glad my store is still open:) I still think it is touch and go but hopefully things will start to look up.

Darla was here for a week that was GOOD:) We spent some fun times together and went to the Princess Di exhibit at the Western Reserve Historical Society. That was nice, but also sad. A wonderful life gone before it should have.

I go on Monday for my biopsy. I am not totally ready for that, but I also am ready for it to be over. We leave on Wednesday for Gatlinburg, I can't wait for that!!

I will write about that when we get back, but right now I am keeping John in my prayers, he had a lung biopsy on Thursday and things are not looking good right now.

Have a good week!

HI! It's Sunday morning and I am killing time before I leave for Ft. Wayne. I am going over for a meeting that Rhonda is having with the Ft. Wayne stores. She is going to anounce that she is closing a store...it is so sad! A year ago we were thriving and then she took on Luv2 and it has been a steady downhill since. I know this is for the best and I am hoping it helps bring back our stores and restore her faith, I know she is feeling beat up, depressed and just blah so hopefully this will help!

I have to say I was having a good week until Friday morning. I talked to Christy on last Saturday...broke down and cried, I really thought they were gonna close my store and I have been a little depressed over the thought of it, but she assured me she hasn't heard that rumor so I felt a lot better. Then I had to go back for that mammogram that I just figured would be a big fat nothing. WRONG!! There are 2 lumps and I have an appointment with a surgeon on the 3rd of May to schedule a biopsy to rule out cancer. Well that hit me like a ton of bricks!! I spent most of Friday crying and finally told Ken Saturday night after his birthday dinner.....I am VERY scared! Luckily I have a wonderful support system and I know whatever happens I will survive....it's just not knowing that is so hard!

Well I am gonna run and get ready to go.....only one more week and Darla will be here! I am very excited about that!

Feeling Good Saturday!

Well I spent most of the week sick and am finally feeling human today!! Is started feeling crappy on Tuesday night and when I got up Wednesday it was full blown...headache, body aches, runny nose, sore throat and just an awful feeling. I spent most of the day either sleeping on the bed or recliner. OH I haven't been that sick in a long time. But I am finally feeling human again so thats good!

Ken is at his moms this weekend. He had a great week at work...got a promotion to painter and also got a decent rasie with it :) Life is good! I love the fact that they really seem to appreciate him. I know Doug is a fan of his so its good for Ken.

The down side of the week is I have to go back for another mammogram on my left boob. I sure hope it turns out to be nothing!

Well I may be feeling human, but I am feeling tired too so I am gonna go rest for a while...you now me LOVE THE NAPS!!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! It's hard to believe it is Easter already! With the snow we have it should be Christmas.

Well it's been a couple of busy weeks, last weekend was a fun-filled weekend at Mom's. Friday we met Elaine at the Farmers Home for their famous burgers, boy do I wish there was somewhere like that here. I mean don't get me wrong, I love Swenson's, DQ, and Sky-High burgers but they are not the Farmer's Home burger at all! 1# of solid burger, yum yum! After pigging out there we went to Darla's and went to Kailen's dance recital...AMAZING!! I can't believe the little town of Reese offers such a wonderful program. Kailen was cool up there. I haven't seen her dance before but Mom said she has really grown since last year. I am already planning for next year.

Saturday we went to the Chinese buffet in Green Acres for Mom's birthday. Mom & Ron, Tanya & Scott and Ashley, Darla & Kailen & Kris, Carol, Me, Barb , and Pam were there. It was a nice time and more good food! I am all about the food! After lunch we headed up to Soaring Eagle for a ladies night out! We enjoyed the hot tub, slots, and the BUFFET! There's the food again:)
I went down early Sunday and put another $20 in the machines and lost it, after breakfast at the buffet:) we played a little more.....my favorite machine right now is the Texas Tea one but it didn't do much for me so I watched Mom play her Pegasaurus? one that she had won $900. on and when she got up I sat down and put my last $20 in, I figured I was going for broke and I did have a debit card to get home on:( Well low and behold I won $65.38 which put me ahead $5.38! I was done! Mom was a little agitated that I wouldn't keep playing, but I am too cheap! I figured I am ahead of the game I am done...she sat down and lost $20 before admitting it was time to go...I am glad it wasn't my $20:) We dropped Mom off at home and stopped at Tanya's to go Dead People Shopping, but there wasn't much there, so we headed home. I-75 in Flint was backed up due to a BAD BAD accident, it was very sad...we actually cried, sure that whoever was in one of the cars was dead for sure, and not knowing when it happened it could have been us. (I later found out it happened at 11:00am, and the person in the one car was in very serious condition, I haven't been able to find anything else out so I am not sure if he lived. They also said alcohol was involved..IDIOTS!!) We finally got home about 8 after stopping at Max & Erma's for dinner in Toledo. The only downfall of the weekend was Greg & Jeff fighting at home...seriously it is worse then when they were young.

Well Jake is begging for attention..I will update more later.

Check In Saturday

Well, another week has come and gone, boy are they going fast!!! This was a good week. Not a lot has gone on. Sunday was spent scrapbooking, I actually got 3 pages done. I worked on the pages from the zoo last year with Darla, Kailen, and Kristopher. Can you believe that was almost a year ago. Monday was work, nothing exciting there! Tuesday work then Dweebs for dinner with the gang. Karen had surgery on Monday and is doing fine.

The rest of the week was work work work! Not a lot going on there, we had some busy days, some slower.

Today I went and saw Wild Hogs, it was pretty good. Ken is at his last indoor session for the season, so I will see him about midnight! Ha thats funny, I will see him in the morning, I know I will be zonked when he gets home.

Oh the good news for the week:) Jeff got his license back:) Hopefully he learned his lesson:)

Well I will check in later in the week. On Friday I am leaving to go to MIchigan for the weekend so hopefully some time before then!!

The end of an exciting week

Well here it is another Saturday...this one wasn't too blue! I went to Ft. Wayne on Tuesday to help get the new store ready to open, which it did yesterday! The store and new cafe are awesome! Nice colors and set up really nice. It was very exiting!

On the down side this week the Georgia store has closed. I feel very sad for my friend Marcia, but she is strong and will bounce back from this setback. I enjoy my job so much that I know how devastating she must feel. I remember when I left the golf course how depressed I felt and all I wanted was a job that I could love with all my heart, and luckily for me I found it. I feel very lucky to have had 2 great jobs in my life! I don't know what the future holds for me or the store but I know I will go on. I can only hope it last forever:) I will keep Marcia in my thoughts that only good things will happen to her:)

Well it was a long drive back from Ft. Wayne so I am ready to crash, talk again soon!

Another Blue Saturday!

Well this week is over and here I am again bored! I thought I would be in Ft. Wayne but that won't happen now until Tuesday. The inspections on the new store won't happen until next week. Poor Rhonda! I was invited for margaritas...but thats a longgggg drive for a drink! I'll save it for Wednesday night:)

Work this week was good...no grumpy customers, or if there were I can't remember them! I rearranged the clearance area and moved the Christmas and Halloween stuff into there new areas and moved spring and summer out of their winter hiding spots! I am ready for the nice weather. Friday was great, we even propped the doors at work a bit. Got really hot in there!

Well thanks to my friend Pam we may all be going naked! She was here Monday and talked about her washer breaking and low and behold ours broke on Tuesday! I say she cursed us! When Ken gets home today we are going to buy a new one. I hate being at the mercy of the laundromat. It will be nice to be able to wash whenever I want!

Speaking of Ken, he spent Monday in the hospital with a kidney stone. This is his 3rd one. He went to the dr. yesterday for a followup and they told him he is stoney. There are 4-5 in there, they think the others are attached and shouldn't be a problem. The one from Monday is still there they think it should pass this weekend.

Well I am off to dress, don't want to scare the world:) I need to go to the library to get the new Danielle Steele book so that will give me something to do tonight! Oh yeh, don't forget to set your clocks ahead an hour tonight!

Saturday Blues

Can you believe I spend all week waiting for a day off and then I am bored! I should be getting some scrapping stuff together for tomorrow, but then what will I do between 9:30 and 9:45 tomorrow morning before I leave?

I did go to the grocery store and made a pot of chili. I am gonna make some corn bread to go with it, and of course there is laundry to be done but who wants to do that?? I say go naked!!

Well until next time!

Another Day in Paradise

Well, I keep finding my way back so it must be that this was meant to be! It is a dreary day here in Ohio...rain, rain, rain. But somehow it is better then snow! Well I went and got my nails done again....I keep trying new places out, this one was actually pretty good except they put so much top coat on that it has taken forever to dry. I did get them shorter and rounder which I also like. I will definetly go back to this place. Well it is time to get ready for work so until next time!

Trying to stay sane!

Well I found my way back again! I need to figure this whole thing out! The kids are driving me NUTS as usual. I have decided I did a BAD thing when they were growing up! I did everything for them...I never made them responsible for anything and now it is biting me in the A$$. I came home last night to 3 sinks worth of dishes, 3 loads of laundry and koolaid all over the kitchen floor and rugs that I just washed and put back down Friday morning...they didn't even make it 24 hours. I am irked to say the least! And all they want to know is when am I going to buy milk? I may never buy milk again is my answer!! I just see myself totally losing it one day and being taken away by the men in white jackets:) Well, the laundry is calling! I'll be back!

Another Day in Paradise

Well...I figured out how to get back here! I think this will be fun, kind of like a diary that the world can read! I am going to try to add something daily just for me. Today everyone is off to school & work. I don't have to work until 1, but do need to go to Walmart and pick up some goodies for work. Paper towels, tp, and more cleaning stuff! Yeh! Well have a good day and stay warm!

What am I thinking?

Well, what am I thinking? I have watched the blog world for a while now, and have decided to jump on board. I am not sure what I am doing but I guess I will figure it out as I go!

I am gonna post this and hope I can find it later???? If I can thenI will be back!