it's all about the details

dating is a drag

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        So, as Charlotte York (Kristin Davis's character on Sex and the City) once famously quipped, "Where IS he?  My hair hurts..."

As a single gal myself, I have to agree that I'm tired of it all.  I don't want to make small talk, endure that awkward "getting to know you" phase, wonder what he's thinking of me...anymore.  I don't want to have to brush off suitors with whom I don't feel any chemistry, I don't want to negotiate religious perspectives, and I don't want to be the only one who's making an effort. 

I am ready for THE guy.  The one who will know all my stories and not be bored of them.  The one with whom I can share inside jokes. The one who understands my foibles and how to deal with me.  I want the comfort of a man who "gets" me, with whom there is rhythm and stability and future.

Don't get me wrong.  It's great to be single, to be able to pick up and go at a moment's notice if I want, to make my own decisions and purchases.  Susan and I are a good team, and I'm not wanting for companionship, but in the wee hours of the morning there's something to be said for that dream of "happily ever after." I've had several dates recently, so it's not like I'm wallowing in loneliness. I actually am happy with the results I've gotten from eHarmony.  But I just want to cut to the chase already.

Did I jinx it by wearing the wedding dress too soon?  I've been told that as a first grader I drew an elaborate photo of Dan Reichard and me on our future wedding day.  Like most little girls, I expected to be a bride!  Now, before you start scolding me for dreaming of the white dress and the cake and the flowers, let me clarify.  Lord knows I love a party, and naturally planning a wedding would be tres exciting for me, but it's not the center of my heart's desire.

I want what I saw in church on Sunday.  An elderly couple came to the communion rail.  Both were frail and fragile, but the husband was particularly tottery.  He wore dark glasses indicating severe vision impairment, had a visible hearing aid, and was markedly bent over.  As they began to kneel down, his wife reached over from his left and placed his right hand on the rail.  Just a simple gesture, but it made me very emotional.  THAT is what I want.  Somebody who instinctively knows when I need a hand and is there to guide me. 

So I'll keep dating, and keep hoping.  I'm content with my life, but I'm ready.

Beth

seriously...

I want to know...  Who buys this stuff? 

Whenever I clip coupons I stumble upon the most bizarre things for sale.  And I wonder...  Who buys these things?  Let's take this one for starters.

Where, exactly, would one wear this?  And why?  Eeeekk!

And when it comes to fashion things like this make me cringe.

This jumper is an example of what I could purchase at Homeroomdirect.com.  I got a catalog in the mail the other day (probably because I am a teacher), and frankly I was a little offended.  Because I teach I am expected to be frumpy?  I beg to differ.  But then again I found THIS tempting:

But wait, there's more.  Why buy all of these clothes when I can get my hot little hands on this gem?  I really must save up for this one!

Really...  who buys this stuff?

Rant.

Over.

:)

On another note...  Have you gotten the chance to hear Celtic Woman?  Beth and I watched a performance on PBS the other day.  Completely mesmerising!  I've always loved close harmony, and this really is outstanding.  I highly recommend it!

Susan

summer wrap-up!

You may be protesting: "NO!  There is PLENTY of summer left!"  But to teachers on the eve of the first day of school, it's time to bid the season adieu.  Before we dive into tests and term papers, let's take a moment to savor all that we were able to experience these past 66 days.  Don't forget, Beth is pink, Susan is blue, and (at least for this post) green involves us both!

We celebrated Father's Day with our Daddy.  He is the bestest father in the world--seriously!  Don't argue...'cause you are WRONG!

We attended the gallery opening of our friend Nicole's photography exhibition.  She totally rocks!

We redecorated the guest room. We have hosted a few guests in it already!

I worked hard on my Scrapbooker of the Year entry.  Although I didn't make the top ten, I'm very thrilled with the layouts I created!

I flew to Los Angeles to see Kurt and Anna's place in Redondo Beach, frolicked with my nephews in the Pacific, and brought the little dudes to the Midwest for a summer adventure!

While in southern California, I got to meet my cyber-friend Lanna Carter and her little ones Porter and Maeryn in person!  Lanna and I chatted like we'd known each other for eons!  Love her!

Speaking of babies, we also met Rachel, our cousin Karen's bambino...

...welcomed Joshua Thaddeus, firstborn of our friends Sherry and Chris...

...and were visited a few times by Leila Klein, who accompanied her daddy, Michael, when he stopped by to take care of our lawn or just say hi!  He makes a delicious zucchini/chocolate chip bread!

We followed the progress of the pregnancies of our friends Tanya (due in November with her first) and Gabriella (due in February---or more likely December---with her second, third, and fourth!  TRIPLETS!)!

We traveled to Tennessee for several days in July and picnicked on the Fourth with our family.

We had our picture taken for our church directory and did a timer/tripod photo shoot of our own.

We caught some rays and relaxed at Ruth Schroeder's pond.

We were proud of our good buddy Karen for winning a prestigious national award for her jewelry business!

I enjoyed the company of my friend Joe, the singin' Army stud.  He's the big brother I never had!

We traveled to Chicago for several days to attend the Craft and Hobby Association trade show and loved schmoozing with pals and industry celebs!

I reunited with the class of '87 and had a grand time reminiscing and reconnecting!

We reveled in the beauty of nature in our own flower gardens.

We celebrated Mom and Dad's 49th wedding anniversary on August 9.  Next year they will party down for their 50th, including renewing their vows!  They are a total inspiration.

We learned makeup techniques at a MAC event in the mall.

We explored Indiana's attractions, like the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo...

...the Three Rivers Festival...

...and the Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

I drove to Buffalo, NY, for a quick getaway with my chum Carolyn.  She's a doll!

We rooted our Tigers on wherever we were!  Currently they are atop the AL Central!  Go Tigs!

We spent a week back home in Michigan with our family and made merry with Andrew Rohde and Molly Helmreich as they were wed.

Mom and I returned the boys to California and got some beach time of our own.

And we took about a bazillion pictures of it all!  This will definitely be the summer of David and Jonathan...we adore them so!

So farewell, dear summer '07!  We haven't even mentioned everything, but as you can see, our lives are full and blessed!

Beth and Susan

what summer is all about

Yesterday I returned from a quick trip to Buffalo, NY, to visit my groovy scrapping pal, Carolyn. 

She is such an amazing host!  I was pampered with my very own room, and time was set aside for us to scrapbook for hours on end.  All I had to do was bring pictures and dive into her supplies.  We talked forever on many, many topics, and sincerely enjoyed our time together.

Things I love about her:

• She taught me how to use a toaster oven.
• She is making a 6x6 album about her "So You Think You Can Dance" experience that is SO cute!
• She has Photoshop and actually knows how to use it.
• She is a talented photographer (more on that later).
• She helped me to realize that stamping is less messy when using ink.
• She thought someone might recognize me when we went to the scrapbook store. (HAHA!)
• She makes beautiful pieces of jewelry and loves to share them!
• She packed me a bag of travel snacks.
• She is a GREAT mom! (Seriously!)  Take a look at how adorable her kids are.

Meeting these two kids was like a scrapbook page come to life.  It was like I knew them through layouts but had never seen them in person.  Q (Quinlyn) and I hit it off right away.  She just loved to craft with mom and me, and she seriously admired and commented on every piece of jewelry that I wore the whole time that I was there.  Carolyn told Garrison that I was from Indiana, and he thought that she said banana.  I told him that yes, it is very yellow and curvy in Indiana.  His reply?  "Bananas aren't purple!"  I guess he misunderstood my Midwestern accent!  They are creative and adorable just like their mom!  Carolyn's husband, Matt, is a great guy.  Super friendly and so accomodating to two girls' need to scrapbook endlessly.

Carolyn also spoiled me with my own personal photo shoot.  Now you can see what I am talking about when I say that she is a pretty good photographer!  She sure made me feel beautiful! 

Thanks for the absolutely fun time, Carolyn.  You know how much I needed it right then!

 

More fun ahead for the Opel sisters...

Monday - The Detroit Tigers vs. the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Comerica Park.  Infield box seats 5 rows behind the visitors' dugout.  Entry into the private Tiger Den Lounge.  Supposed to be in the 90's that day - do they make SPF 900?  And of course we have shirts to wear and a cool Tiger puppet that we got at the zoo to get us on TV!

Tuesday - Mom and Dad return to Fort Wayne with the nephews.

Wednesday - All six of us head to Indianapolis so that on...

Thursday - Mom, David, Jonathan, and I will fly out to LA to return Kurt and Anna their children.

Saturday - Return to Indiana.  Whew!  School starts in (essentially) four days after that.  Yikes!

Scrap Goodness

Today I picked up the New CK Idea Book Super-Fast Pages with 4x6 Photos at Barnes and Noble. 

   

What fun to see a part of one of Beth's layouts in the TOC!  And the first layout in the first chapter is mine about my dear friend Karen.  And then there is one time where Beth's layout is on one page and one of mine is facing it.  At the beginning of the chapter on using 6 or 7 photos, Erin Monroe's face is at the top, and a picture of me at the U of M football game is featured as well.  If you look really hard, you can find a stack of our dinner plates featured in one of the circles at the beginning of the next chapter, and at the very end of the book, one of my ideas is shown as a good idea to try!  Our friend Tina has an adorable card featured in one of the ads, and our friends Tiffany, Leah, Barb, and Britney have layouts in the book.  The journaling on Lisa Moorefield's layout called "he" on page 27 brought us both to tears.  This book is GOOD!  Go get it!

So these are my thoughts at this very moment.  Hope that all is well with all of you!

Susan

PS. Congratulations to my Scrap Etc./SIStv/CMK girl Gretchen McElveen - CK SOY Top Ten!