it's all about the details

is having a blog still relevant?

For almost four years, Beth and I have been blogging, and as of late we've wondered about the relevance.

Back in 2006 we were inspired to begin this blog for a number of reasons after attending an amazing scrapbooking event in Birmingham, AL. One of the key things we took away from that weekend were these wise words from one of the teachers, "I have a story, and it needs to be told." As we drove back to Indiana, we brainstormed the beginnings of what you are seeing today - our blog, It's All About the Details.

Before that weekend, we'd read blogs of some of the most influential scrapbookers of the day like Cathy Zielske, Donna Downey, and Tara Whitney (among others). A few of our friends had blogs, too, but we were hesitant to start our own, mostly due to the time intensiveness of it, but after that event in May of '06, we felt like we were ready to enter the blogosphere. We figured it shouldn't be too hard for us considering there would be two of us doing the writing.

Our goals as we began were to tell our story (write), witness about our faith, share our pictures, and network within the scrapbooking industry.

It was fun to come up with unique and sometimes silly posts, and once you start a blog, you start to see your entire life as a potential blogpost. As English teachers, this blog became a great outlet for us to write. It's not like we really got the chance ourselves to write; we were just teaching it.

What a joy it was to meet new people and hear their stories, too, through this technological tool! We felt like we made friends with those who were kind enough to stop by and leave a comment. We chatted about American Idol, family, travel, sports, and of course, scrapbooking. We were blown away with the outpouring of good wishes when we made the leap to move to Utah and follow our dream. It was like a celebration with friends all over the globe right here on this blog!

And then, as we moved far away from family and began this western adventure, again the blog served as a way to keep us connected.

But now, four years after the inception of this blog, we must admit we've been less dedicated to it. The blog landscape has exploded since 2006, and it seems that blogging has morphed for many bloggers. Many crafters especially have moved away from telling the story and instead use their blog as a showcase of their work for inspiration (which is not a bad thing). Super blogs draw readers in with daily posts and prizes. Manufacturers began to blog, and keeping up became overwhelming. It seemed like everyone had a blog and trying to read and respond to everyone was an impossibility.

Both of us write for our jobs, so the writing was less of a draw, and we found ourselves dreading our turn at the blog. And you know what? That's no good.

And to be perfectly honest, once we joined Facebook things changed significantly. Posting pictures and networking with people in the industry was so fast and easy! Sharing our faith was as simple as a sentence or two. And reconnecting with old friends from every aspect of our lives has been outstanding. By the time we would blog about something, it felt like old news.

So we've come to the conclusion that it's time to say good-bye to our little blog. It's our plan to figure out how to save all of our posts and comments so that we can keep the stories we've told along the way. If you're on Facebook and want to keep up with us, you can find us at facebook.com/beth.opel and facebook.com/susan.opel. If you aren't on Facebook, please consider joining. It really is a wonderful way to keep in contact with people, and you can participate as much or as little as you like!

Thanks, dear readers! We've so enjoyed sharing our lives with you these last four years.

Susan (& Beth)

PS. One of my favorite blogs that I ever wrote was this one about my Meijer Quest. Do you have a favorite that you remember?

vogue, cupcakes, and friends

Why is it that when friends say, "We should get together," it takes such a superhuman effort to make it happen? We get so stuck in our routines sometimes that making room for a detour, albeit a pleasant one, requires some determination. Happily, my lovely friend Maurianne came up with an idea and a date and succeeded in organizing a few of us this past Friday.

First, Brittany, Liesl, Mauri, Susan, and I met at the BYU library for a showing of "The September Issue," a fascinating documentary about the making of the September 2007 issue of Vogue magazine. The film follows Anna Wintour, Vogue's enigmatic editor, who was referenced in the hit film "The Devil Wears Prada," and staff as they put together their largest ever issue (640 pages!). If you work in publishing or enjoy fashion, this flick is a must-see!

Afterward, we enjoyed cupcakes at the delightful Cocoa Bean in Provo. Tasty treats and time to chat. We even got to meet Maurianne's boyfriend, Craig. He passed our test! HAHA. :)

So, if it's been awhile, find the time. Friends are so important, and life is short. I'm going to try to remember that myself.

Beth

one of the (many) perks of the job

Recently, I went to Louisville, KY, to teach at my first CKC of the year. I really enjoy both the traveling and the teaching, and I feel like I'm getting pretty good at both! It's always enjoyable to meet so many nice ladies who are passionate about paper crafting. I've got some great classes to teach this year, too - all designed by the Paper Crafts Go-to Gals.

 

This year I got to meet talented card maker Windy Robinson who took two of the classes I taught. Just love her style! And look at cute Diana in the bottom right, proudly wearing her Paper Crafts magazine shirt!

Another benefit to being in Louisville was the proximity to Michigan. My cute and retired parents decided to come visit me and have a little get away in the meantime. We enjoyed exploring Louisville and the chance to be just together! One day we visited Churchill Downs and marveled at the beauty of this historic complex. My dad even simulated a Kentucky Derby horse entering the stadium. He's so goofy!

The next day after I had finished teaching, we headed to the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory to get all excited for Spring Training! They had been making bats for the Tigers just the day before. Yay! After the museum, we headed out into the sticks for some fantastic fish at a family-owned joint.

Thanks to Mom & Dad and the paper crafters for coming to Louisville and showing me a good time!

Susan

sports bucket list

People often refer to things they want to accomplish or experience in their lives as a (before I kick the) bucket list. The other day I realized that I have several wishes just in the realm of sports. And then I wondered what was holding me back from just doing some of them.

So I'm gonna check off "See a Tigers spring training game." Yep, Yanks at Tigers on March 27. Woo!

And maybe, in a "My Name Is Earl" fashion, I'll just write down the rest of that list and start getting after it. What would the list include?

• Indy 500. Don't care about the cars...it's the spectacle. I lived in Indiana for 10 years and never did this?
  
• Kentucky Derby. Greatest two minutes in sports. And the hats!
• Red Wing game. Sadly, I've never been. Saw the IHL Saginaw Gears back in the day. But c'mon, the WINGS!? What's up with that. Must remedy this omission.
• Michigan Final Four game. It could happen again!
• Michigan/Ohio State football game. While I'm on a U of M kick...Greatest rivalry in sports. Go Blue!!
• Super Bowl. Just such an American cultural EVENT. How about Lions vs. Colts? A girl can dream!
  
• Run a 10K. I've never been a runner, but it seems doable. Why not? I like having a goal to shoot for.
  
• Go fishing. I grew up and Michigan and have never fished. It seems so peaceful...a boat on a lake...
• Ice skate at Rockefeller Plaza. At Christmastime. Less about sports, more about that "awwwww" factor!

I actually HAVE been to the Olympics (LA '84), so that's a cool one to have under my belt...and I could really list dozens more...But the BIG one...let's add another year to this banner, and let me be there when it happens!!!

The other day someone made a comment about how weird it is that I'm such a fashiony girly girl AND a sports nut...what can I say? That's me. Thanks for indulging my little dreams...What would be on your sports bucket list?

Beth

ckc 2010

Today I'm off to lands east for my second year of teaching CKC. My first stop is Louisville, KY, where I had my inaugural teaching experience last March. I'm particularly excited to share some cool new classes with these ladies, and seeing my parents (who are driving down from Michigan) will make it a top-notch trip.

One class I'm teaching is the Paper Crafts Card Swap, and I once again whipped cards to share with everyone in the class.

I made use of WordArt and shapes in Word to create the computer generated sentiment, a Marvy scallop punch, and I dug into my scrap stash to come up with these cheerful and colorful little greeting cards. I hope the recipients like them. :)

The beauty of this design is that they'll look different every time based on the scraps that I have on hand. So who ever takes the card swap class in Buffalo in May and Nashville in August will get a different look!

Which one is your fave?

Susan 

i love this season

American Idol season, that is! As usual, we're excited to see where this season takes us. One of these 24 individuals will be the next American Idol - following in some pretty big footsteps.

Who are you rooting for?

Susan

cha - it's hard to fit it all into one post!

Attending the CHA (Craft & Hobby Association) trade show in Anaheim, CA, is an exciting and totally overwhelming and amazing and way cool... well, you get the idea... experience. To try to sum it up is pretty impossible, so instead of even beginning to try to do that, I bring you CHA in pictures!

1. Love hanging out with my team and the Go-to Gals!

2. Love seeing friends that I've made along the way - all the way back to the beginning of my scrapbooking "career."

3. Love meeting IN REAL LIFE new friends that I've met on Facebook and through the magazine.    

4. Love rubbing shoulders with talented designers and industry celebrities.

5. Love seeing so many pretty, pretty things that inspire me to no end!

I'm ready to do it all over again this summer in Chicago! :)

Susan 

 

it's what we do

Beth and I are festive people, and we come by it naturally. No matter the season our mom always found ways to make them fun and memorable.

One way we love to embrace the season is to dress accordingly. No, we don't have closets fun of holiday sweaters (no, indeed!); instead we like to go on color themes. Last week we started slowly into the Valentine's Day celebration by wearing pink every day, but now as the day approaches, we're off to the red races!

Here's what I'll be wearing this week!

Beth relishes being my stylist. She truly enjoys putting together outfits that are unexpected and interesting, and her attention to all of the accessories is divine.Yeah, I'm pretty lucky. Don't get me wrong, I'd do pretty well on my own, but if it makes her happy, why fight it, right? And of course, she does the same for herself.

So, do you have your red ready for this week? Have fun with color and enjoy the week!

Susan 

something to look forward to

Not  long ago, I posted a Facebook status saying, "I need something to look forward to." Not too many days later, I read that the last week of January is statistically the time of year when people are most prone to depression.

It makes perfect sense. The festivity of the holidays is over (though I do have to urge those of you who have not taken your decorations down to GET TO IT ALREADY!! haha); the newness of 2010 has worn off (perhaps along with the determination to work on our resolutions); the weather is cold and bleak (depending on where you live); and the days are short and dark (maybe, like mine, your commute occurs before sunrise and after dusk).Well, people, it's FEBRUARY!!! Not only did we make it through January, it's a new month, starting with a Monday. Time for another fresh start and a renewed outlook, if ever there was one.

So I'm focusing on now, and I'm looking forward to brighter days to come. Here's what has got me smiling:

1. Good TV.

2. The return of sweet sporting events.

3. Reaching personal goals. 
So happy February, everyone! The best is yet to come!

Beth

the 2000s - whatta decade!

On December 31, 1999, none of us were sure what the decade ahead would bring. Ten years later we are on the brink of yet another decade filled with possibility. What will it be like? I'm excited to find out!

From 1/1/00 to 12/31/09 we've had many experiences - from births to deaths, from weddings to trips, and even a career change for both of us. Throughout the 2000s, we became avid scrapbookers and because of that, we've been able chronicle our lives. I'm so thankful that I picked up this hobby that helps me to appreciate all that life has to offer!

I'm a little embarrassed to admit how much time I've spent compiling everything for this blogpost. After the better part of three days, I keep telling myself how useful this will be to me in years to come! It was a pretty special decade, and I figure it deserved some remembering. So, dear blog readers, let's strap ourselves into the time machine and explore the 2000s!

2000

In the news: Hanging chads  #1 Song: Breathe by Faith Hill  Best Picture: Gladiator  On TV: Survivor  premieres  What we're reading: Before I Say Good-bye by Mary Higgins Clark

Life with the Opel Sisters:

• Beth is teaching at Carrol High School in Fort Wayne, IN, and Susan is teaching at Woodburn Lutheran School in Woodburn, IN.
• Beth has a new car - a yellow Beetle!
  
• Both of us are coaching cheerleading at our schools, and Beth is named Coach of the Year by her peers.
• The Michigan State Spartans are NCAA champs, and we watch it in Indy with friends Wendy and Mary.
• We head to Missouri for Spring Break and do a little American literature tour visiting Mark Twain's birthplace and Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on Rocky Ridge where she wrote her books.
• With Mom & Dad, we road trip to El Paso, TX, for our cousin's wedding. While there, we jaunt into Juarez, Mexico.
• Detroit lures us to Comerica Park for a game in its inaugural year, and we share the Tiger love with friends Wendy, Jessica, and Mike.
• Susan takes a class entirely about John Milton at IPFW. Ick.
  
• Our adorable nephew Jonathan Caleb Opel is born on December 13th in California.
  

2001

In the news: September 11th terrorist attacks  #1 Song: Fallin' by Alicia Keys  Best Picture: A Beautiful Mind  On TV: Boston Public  What we're reading: A Painted House by John Grisham

Life with the Opel Sisters:

• We're in Los Angeles when George W. Bush is inaugurated to participate in our godson's dedication. We also visit San Diego while in California.
• The Carroll Chargers make it to the final four in March's Hoosier Hysteria, and we're in Lafayette, IN, to cheer them on.
• Susan institutes Fashion & Beauty Week with her girls' art class at WLS.
• Spring Break in Minnesota? Yup! Mall of America, baby! And Kid Rock blaring on our road trip.
• Susan's Meijer Quest takes her to 157 Meijer stores this year in 5 states.
  
• While in DC with the WLS 8th graders, Susan tours the White House.
• Getting together to sing karaoke at the Latch String with CHS faculty is dubbed "Carroll-oke."
• At Germanfest in Fort Wayne, we meet our favorite meteorologist, Betsy Kling.
• Beth skydives with her friend Joe, and then comes down with mono which puts her in the hospital -- in Tennessee while we are on vacation.
• The Grissom Family Reunion includes a trip to the Grand Old Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and Aunt Judy vows to never canoe again!

2002

In the news: Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City  #1 Song: How You Remind Me by Nickelback  Best Picture: Chicago  On TV: American Idol premieres  What we're reading: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Life with the Opel Sisters:

• Beth gets picked up by a modeling agency.
• We host an Oscars party replete with a red carpet!
• Las Vegas is our destination for Spring Break, and Kurt & Anna meet us there with our nephews! We loved seeing The Rat Pack is Back at the Sahara.
• IU is in the NCAA finals, and we watch the game in Downtown Las Vegas with Kurt!
• Mom begins her Picture of the Day emails and brings the family together.
• Our home church celebrates its 150th anniversary with much fanfare.
• At the Michigan District LWML convention, we serve as song leaders for hundreds of Lutheran ladies.
• Shortly before school starts, we road trip to Toronto and stay at an awesome B&B. While there we check out Casa Loma, The Bata Shoe Museum, and The Hockey Hall of Fame, among other things.
• Mom and Dad spend some quality time in Indiana, and we show them Sechler's Pickle Factory, James Dean's grave and museum, and Indianapolis.
• I buy a new car after the previous one dies. (I still have that Chevy Cavalier!)
• We celebrate Kelly Clarkson's Idol victory with friends.
• We're really getting into scrapbooking, so we attend the Chicago Scrapbook Expo with our friend, Gabriella.
• At the beginning of Christmas Break, we head to Chicago with CHS friends and soak in the Windy City at Christmas.
  

2003

In the news: Disappearance of Laci Peterson  #1 Song: In Da Club by 50 Cent  Best Picture: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King  On TV: What Not to Wear and Trading Spaces  What we're reading: The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

Life with the Opel Sisters:

• We mourn the sudden loss of our cousin Terrie. We still miss her.
• At the Fort Wayne Home & Garden Show, we meet Doug Wilson of Trading Spaces.
• For Spring Break, we drag Mom across the country to California to visit Kurt's family. Best part of the trip? Seeing Monica Lewinsky while shopping in LA!
• Instead of taking the 8th graders to DC, we head south to Atlanta. I loved seeing the house where Margaret Mitchell wrote Gone With the Wind, but the kids loved The Coca-Cola museum best.
• We volunteer with our friend Jennifer at the Mad Anthony Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament in Fort Wayne, IN. What fun to meet Shelly Long, Hans Howes, Steve Kroft, Austin Carr, David Naughton, and David Anspaugh.
• Beth wins an honorable mention in an essay contest for Creating Keepsakes magazine.
• Gabriella comes to Fort Wayne for a week, and the three of us take classes at Luv2Scrapbook. We meet one of our favorite people in the world that week, store owner Karen Monroe.
• Another family reunion takes place in Tennessee, and we spend an idyllic week in the wild with no phone service at Fall Creek Falls State Park.
  
• We attend the weddings of friends Steve & Tanya and Chris & Sherry and cousins Sharon (to Brian) and Karen (to Paul).

 2004

In the news: Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction  #1 Song: Yeah by Usher  Best Picture: Million Dollar Baby  On TV: Sex & the City and Friends finales and Lost premieres  What we're reading: The Dark Tower by Stephen King

Life with the Opel Sisters:

• Beth becomes the newest member of the Luv2 Scrapbook Design Team.
• Simple Scrapbooks magazine informs Beth that they'd like to publish one of her layouts!
• Susan is offered a job to teach at Carroll High School and finishes her 9 years at WLS.
• Our cousin Andrew comes home from Iraq!
• We take one of the greatest road trips ever with Mom & Dad - Fort Wayne to LA and back. We visited OKC, Albuquerque, Rodeo Drive, Legoland, Ronald Reagan's final resting place, and even rode horses in the Hollywood Hills. Our trip through Zion National Park in Utah and the Slot Canyons in Arizona were highlights of the return trip.
• Fall Break found us visiting Paul in Syracuse. Susan attended her first college football game at the Carrier Dome, Paul took us on an awesome tour of the Finger Lakes wine country, and we got to see the Mike Estep Band in person for the very first time.
• For something different, we celebrate Thanksgiving in Tennessee with family.
  

2005

In the news: Hurricane Katrina  #1 Song: We Belong Together by Mariah Carey  Best Picture: Crash  On TV: The Office premieres  What we're reading: Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince by J. K. Rowling

Life with the Opel Sisters:

• Our friend Yvonne needed a scrapbook room overhaul, so we did it on the sly with her husband's help.
  
• After slaving away on her entry, Beth (a relative unknown in the scrapbooking world) is chosen as a Creating Keepsakes Hall of Famer.
• We see Josh Groban in concert!
• What an amazing trip we have to New Orleans for Spring Break! Dancing on Bourbon Street, watching alligators in the Bayou, touring a plantation, eating at Emeril's, riding a street car, nibbling beignets, exploring the southernmost parishes -- we did it all before Katrina devastated this lovely city later that year.
• We're in the mood to travel some more, so we fly to Miami with our friend Karen and drive to Key West. Sun, relaxation, The Southernmost Point, bloody marys at Blue Heaven, dolphin watching in the Gulf, and a night out at Hog's Breath Saloon. Key West is amazing!
• We attend our first CHA in Chicago. So fun to meet some of scrapbooking idols!
• It's Aunt Judy's 60th birthday, but we call it Judypalooza. Fun times ensue in Tennessee.
• U of M vs Penn State at the Big House with our cousin Sharon. Tailgating and a last second Wolverine win!
• Susan gets her first layout picked up for publication in Simple Scrapbooks!
• As if we haven't traveled enough, we head to Paul's house in NY for Thanksgiving.
• Friends and family gather with us at our favorite martini bar in Fort Wayne for a Club Soda Christmas. We fully embraced a kitschy retro Christmas theme with ballroom dancing lessons and a crooner for entertainment.
  

2006

In the news: Amish school massacre  #1 Song: Bad Day by Daniel Powter  Best Picture: The Departed  On TV: Ugly Betty premieres  What we're reading: Beach Road by James Patterson

Life with the Opel Sisters:

• We're off to Las Vegas for Winter CHA with Karen.
  
• Beth teaches scrapbooking classes for an event in Plymouth, IN, and we hang out with fellow teacher and scrapbook cutie Hanni Baumgartner.
• Instead of traveling for Spring Break, we remodel the kitchen, guest room, and bathroom.
• We road trip to Birmingham, AL, for an awesome scrapbook event, and take classes with Carrie Colbert (one week away from Batt), Elsie Flannigan, Heidi Swapp, and Cathy Zielske. We leave so inspired, we start this blog!
• Luv2Scrapbook turns 5 years old and almost all of the DT is there to celebrate. Julia and Carolyn stay with us that weekend, and the four of us make many memories. Sadly, Karen sold Luv2 later that year.
  
• Our cousin Julie asks us to photograph her wedding. Wow! It's not an easy task, but we did our best!
• We spend our summer working on our 20 layout entries for Creating Keepsakes's Scrapbooker of the Year contest.
  
• Beth travels to Portland, OR, for an Assessment for Learning workshop.
• What an honor! Beth is notified that she is one of ten finalists in the Scrapbooker of the Year contest. We fly to Las Vegas for the festivities and are there when CD Muckosky is announced as the winner! It's amazing to meet Tracy White, Lisa Bearnson, Becky Higgins, and the 9 other finalists. And staying in the Venetian isn't too bad, either! Mom, Dad, and the Kurt Opel family spend time with us while we are there as well.
• Susan gets her first cell phone as a Christmas gift.
  

2007

In the news: Sky-high gas prices  #1 Song: Irreplaceable by Beyonce  Best Picture: No Country for Old Men  On TV: The Sopranos finale  What we're reading: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Life with the Opel Sisters:

• The Colts win the Super Bowl, and we're in Indy when it happens!
  
• Chicago is our Spring Break destination. We take a boat tour on the Chicago River, get facials, hang out with the Biancofiores and the Lavoratos, take in the Art Museum, and laugh at Second City.
• We spend much of the spring creating projects for the DVD that we film in Utah for Creating Keepsakes. While in Utah, we meet the CK peeps, check out the Mormon Tabernacle choir, and Park City.
• Our nephews spend much of the summer in the Midwest with us! So much fun to have them with us. We do the zoo and VBS and the pickle factory and the Three Rivers Festival and take 3.5 trillion pictures!
• Susan celebrates 20 years with the VLHS class of 1987. Even though it's in a garage, she wears an LBD and heels anyway!
• A quick trip to Buffalo, NY, for Susan means time with a treasured friend -- Carolyn McAfee.
• We sit ultra close to the field at Comerica Park and the Tigs pull off a win!
• Kurt and his family move to Istanbul, and we say goodbye (for now).
• Toronto is our choice for a destination Christmas with the parents and Paul. The highlight is seeing the Canadian Brass in concert!
• Our friend Gabriella gives birth to triplets Aidan, Sabrina, and Katelyn.
  

2008

In the news: Barack Obama becomes 1st African American US President  #1 Song: Low by Flo Rida  featuring T. Pain  Best Picture: Slumdog Millionare  On TV: Mad Men premieres  What we're reading: Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell

Life with the Opel Sisters:

• We have a little flood in our house, and it messes up our lives for a bit. But we later find out it's all good!
  
• Susan is notified that she's a finalist in Simple Scrapbooks's Funnest Scrapbooker Ever for 2007 contest.
• We get new jobs and get ready to move to Utah! Lots of packing, house selling, and good-byeing. Oh, and one fantastic garage sale!
• Another trip with Karen, this time to Nashville for a scrapbooking event and Susan's 39th birthday.
• After graduation at CHS, we head west in two separate cars ready to start our new lives in Utah!
• We start our new jobs at CK Media!
• For the first time, we attend CHA (this time in Chicago) as magazine employees.
• Jonathan and David spend several days with us in Utah. We love them so much!
• We realize that making cards is kind of fun.
• Our new obsession becomes Facebook... for real...
• We film At Home with the Opel Sisters at our house for TN Marketing, chronicling our scrapbooking history and giving a tour of our scrapbook room.
• Back in Michigan, we witness our parents' renewal of vows for their 50th anniversary and throw them one heck of a party!
• In an effort to slim down, we join Jenny Craig and find great success!
• Susan travels to Salem, OR, to teach card classes for World Card Making Day.
• Mom & Dad travel cross country via train to Utah. We especially enjoy visiting Golden Spike National Park and checking out Pocatello, ID!
• We host one rockin' Halloween party at our new home.
• For Thanksgiving, we take off for Las Vegas, and totally enjoy seeing Tony Bennett in concert!
  

2009

In the news: Michael Jackson dies suddenly  #1 Song: Boom Boom Pow by The Black Eyed Peas  On TV: ER finale  What we're reading: The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer

Life with the Opel Sisters (which we covered pretty recently):

• Susan attends CHA in Anaheim and Orlando.
• Susan joins the band Natural Causes as the lead singer.
  
• Susan sees Celine Dion in SLC, and we both see Pat Benatar in Wendover.
• Susan teaches classes at CKCs in Louisville, KY, Manchester, NH, Valley Forge, PA, and Nashville.
• Susan turns 40, and Beth turns 50.
• We drive 13 hours to San Francisco for Susan's birthday - Golden Gate, Chinatown, Muir Woods, Sacramento, Napa Valley, Reno.
• Beth teaches CKU Nashville and visits a friend in Jacksonville.
• Susan road trips to Arches National Park and later visits friends in Cincinnati.
• We explore the Bonneville Salt Flats.
• We sing for our cousin Andrew's wedding in Michigan.
• Our brother Paul comes for a visit, and we totally enjoy dining at Sundance Resort and traveling to Flaming Gorge Recreational Area.
• Beth loses one job and gains another.
  
• Susan orchestrates two karaoke outings with high school friends and a mini-reunion with college friends while in Michigan.
• Kurt and Anna and David and Jonathan return to the states, and the whole family gets together for Christmas. Great rejoicing!!!!

Quite a decade, indeed. I'm definitely sensing a theme: family, travel (Wow - we went a LOT of places), and scrapbooking. Hmmm, three of my favorite things. I certainly can't complain... Thanks for sticking with me through this longggg post. Whew!

Susan