Loni's Life

Welcome to Loni's Life! and  the 2010 Operation Write Home Memorial Day Weekend Blog Hop!    If you've arrived here from Sharon Field's Created by U blog, then you are in the right place at Stop #66 of over 135 fabulous blogs for this year's Memorial Day Hop!   If you've started here at Loni's Life, then please continue onwards from here; the last stop will circle you back around to Stop #1 the OWH Home which will link you to Stop 2 and so forth.  I was introduced to OWH during last year's hop under their previous name... and I've loved being able to support our Heroes by providing hand-stamped cards to give them some options when writing home to their loved ones.  After all, they don't have the luxury of card shops or card departments at the local grocery store or drugstore... and probably precious little time and/or space to stamp their own creations.   As a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, I have plenty of card making materials and love to ...

Friday Fill-Ins # 178 1. Potato Chips -- the best food to take on a picnic. 2. Summer vacations are way too short. 3. Mama prefers sandals over flip flops. 4. To love someone is the best . 5. Livestrong Challenge sometimes involves a long hike. 6. When I crave food, it's usually chocolate . 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to dinner with BFF and Mama C , tomorrow my plans include Operation Write Home BlogHop and Sunday, I want to get laundry done and prepped for packing for Disney!!

Lest you think that VC Rocks is ALL about stamping... sometimes we get a bit philosophical.. and other times we are downright silly... but here was a recent conversation starter which falls a bit more on the philosophical side.... Begin your sentence "I am __________ "(fill in the blank with a positive affirmation) and then "I wish__________________ "(fill in the blank with a goal for yourself) ~~~ I am very blessed with family, friends, health and generally enough wealth to live in a manner to which I am accustomed.   I wish to improve my health by shedding my excess pounds once and for all; continue to improve my health with cycling for charities to benefit others; and enjoy my family, friends, health, and wealth for many, many, many, years to come. ~~~ Though my other answer was  "I am blessed.  I wish for chocolate.... and world peace."   At which point BFF rolled her eyes and gave me a sideways glance (ok, so she was drivng at the time...

On our way home from Tour de Cure San Antonio-Austin, we stopped at a little quilt shop in Salado called A Sewing Basket .   I picked up some fabric for placemats for Mama C; not cause she's a big wine drinker... but in this case because I think the colors will work fab in her kitchen.  The fabric is from a collection called First Course , designed by Tara Reed , and produced by South Sea Imports .    Heck, for all I know, she may have some of this in her stash already...  And probably wilth a LOT of personal Coaching by The Mama -along with use of one of her sewing machines-, I could probably manage to produce these placemats.  However, I think the honor will fall to her to complete the assembly :)   

Another funny shared by one of the greatest Summertime groups ever.... and though it did not have a name, I shall call it Ode to Blondie & Company ~~~~   Are you tired of those sissy 'friendship poems that always sound good, but never actually come close to reality? Well, here is a series of promises that actually speak of True Friendship.  You WON'T see cutesy little smiley faces on this post... Just the stone cold truth of our great friendship. 1. When you are sad, I will jump on the person who made you sad like a spider monkey jacked up on Mountain Dew!!! 2. When you are blue, I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you. 3. When you smile, I will know you are plotting something that I must be involved in. 4. When you're scared, we will high tail it out of here. 5. When you are worried I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining, ya big baby!!!! 6. When you are confused, I will use little words. 7. When you are sick, s...

Ah, Ms. Ellen , the Punch Queen is also a scrapbooking genius.. and so I had an inkling that her challenge would be scrapping related..and she didn't disappoint.   Because VC Rocks always BRIGHTENS her summer she challenged us to make a scrapbook page (any size, with photos) and the requirement is LIGHT.     So using a photo from this weekend's Tour de Cure Central Texas (San Antonio/Austin) and my alternate purpose - besides raising money for the American Diabetes Association is to shed these extra pounds... so "Getting Light er through Cycling", I put together this layout using Stampin' Up's My Digital Studio...  and the added bonus, is by random drawing I won a fabulous Ellen prize !  Woohoo!!!

Ok, in Mama C's 'Year of Daring', the rest of the girls have dipped into the pool of being daring too.... and to add to my cycling schedule.. I have always had a secret and unfulfilled wish to do a triathlon... I've got a Half Marathon under my belt.. I've even got a Duathlon (Run-Bike-Run) under my belt.. but had never gotten a Tri on the schedule.... well that has Officially changed as I'll be headed to Austin with my BFF in tow as my #1 Cheerleader to do the Trek Women's Series Triathlon on October 3rd.   1/2 mile swim - 12 mile Bike - 5K Run/Walk...   Ok, now let's see if I can beat the battle of the Fat Cells once and for all and send that TOPS scale on a steadily downward trend!

I got this by email from a friend... and figured I'd share it with you all..... We all need to read this one over and over until it becomes part of who we are! HOW TO STAY YOUNG 1. Try everything twice. On one woman's tombstone she said she wanted this epitaph: "Tried everything twice.loved it both times!" 2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you do wn. (Keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches!) 3. Keep learning: Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever... Never let the brain get idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.' And the devil's name is Alzheimer's! 4. Enjoy the simple things. 5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with HIM/HER. 6. The tears happen: Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. LIVE while you are alive. 7. Surrou...

Mocha's Mommy is on the road home from Tour de Cure Central Texas... these are some pictures that may have been shared previously... but hey, it's Monday, it's Mocha.. it's a Mocha Monday... Enjoy!!

FFI #177 1. Chocolate never fails to make me smile. 2. I'm looking forward to the weekend . 3. The Early Show is what I'm listening to right now. 4. Potato salad must have potatoes in it! 5. Chocolate was the best thing I ate today. 6. Today was uneventful so far . 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to arriving safely in San Marcos ,tomorrow my plans include Tour de Cure and Sunday, I want to have a safe ride and then work on my tan !

Wow, the Tour de Cure San Antonio to Austin ride weekend is here already!     I've already made my minimums for this ride, but you can add to the cause by making a tax deductible donation here  (ok, you didn't think I could go without begging for money for my charities?) The plan for the weekend... pick up BFF from airport tonight; hopefully on schedule.. but weather here in DFW is whacky and may throw her flight plans in a tizzy.  Then off to see Mama C tonight, since she and the boys are leaving for their short vacation tomorrow as well. Tomorrow, BFF and I will drive on down to San Marcos which will be our temporary home for the next few nights (no prison-like dorm room this year... though I may have to do sock puppet theatre depending on how chilled BFF gets the room.. and well, she says it's a new tradition... I think she just likes to laugh at my sock puppets). Saturday should be a 32 miler for me; so BFF will pick me up at whatever rest s...

This Admin Assistant has been hard at work.....got BFF's office packed for her move back to cube world... moved her breakables to her new cube...and returned a heavy box of documentation from whence it came...plus rid her current office of the Dust Bunnies. Now, I'm at the car place getting her car's alignment done... it benefits us both 'cause hers is the newer car so we take it for our cycling adventures. Of course, my jeep seems to vehemently object to cycling events out of town as it has a history of breakdowns while we are trying to leave town. So this leaves Friday clear for leisurely trip to San Marcos. Tomorrow, I get to pick her up from the airport and we'll go see Mama C.

It's Move Day at the office.  Our campus has been under a remodeling effort it seems like forever... as it's been about a year or so.    They moved everyone from our North 2nd floor to South 2nd so that they could remodel the North Building.   South 1st floor to North 2nd floor finished up their move and open house while we were in Hawaii in January... so then South 1st floor underwent remodeling so South 2nd floor could move downstairs.... and TODAY is the move day for our group.    So it's a bit of a discombobulated kind of day since our cube contents have been packed, but are not yet moved to our new cubes... but have laptop and it's locked down, so now to get some stuff done until my docking station and stuff gets here.

Ooh, sometimes these Mondays seem to arrive sooner rather than later.... More pictures from her Staples perch... now to charge the camera battery to capture some more pics.   Have a great week!!!

17 comments left on my blog for VCRocks Blog Hop #1... and the winner is #4 - the boss lady herself, Kimm BT .   I hope you all enjoyed our hop full of wonderful projects... Mark your calendars to come back for our next hops ~~~ June 26 - 27 July 17 - 18 August 21 - 22

My man Colby got voted out in short order after Parvati outlasted him in the holding up stacked dishes challenge... fooey!!!     I think he would have been sitting pretty well with The Jury since he didn't really piss off anyone overly much as Russell was the main agitator.    That left Jerri, Parvati, Sandra, and Russell as the Final Four.    The Final Immunity challenge was a blindfolded maze and was a race to the finish with all but Sandra at the finish totem pole to grab the idol...  Russell managed to just outreach Jerri.. and then Jerri was voted out, leaving three. I think Boston Rob summed it up nicely in the Reunion Show when he said that Russell plays to get to the end to face The Jury; but he doesn't play to Win... 'cause in the end, you still have to schmooze the 9 jury members whom you had a hand in voting out.    His other big problem can be summed up as he OVERestimates his chances with the jury while co...

Howdy and welcome to Loni's Life!     If you're one of the VCRockers or one of our Stampin' friends, then you've probably landed at my blog from Fancy Nancy  .. so you're in the right place!  Woohoo!!! If you're one of my family, friends, or fans checking in on what I'm up to, well today is our very first Blog Hop for Virtual Convention Rocks also known as VCRocks!   My blog is the last of the hops on the tour so if you're starting here at my blog, then be sure to continue onwards to our home page to start at the beginning of the Blog Hop.  My project features both retiring colors (boohoo, sniff!)  and a set from the current Summer mini-catalog.  Stamps: Favorite Thoughts, Sprinkles Ink: Brilliant Blue, Green Galore, and Pixie Pink ~ all soon to be retired... sigh... it's sad to see the colors go; but wow Stampin' Up! has some great colors planned for us with the upcoming catalog to be released July 1st.  Paper: Brilliant Blu...

Ok, my take on the Final Five... Colby ~ Probably my most favorite Survivor.. ok.. .no probably about it... and my Thursday night TV watching/dinner eating buddies know it...  so yeah, he IS my favorite Survivor....  but deserving of the million bucks this time around.. well, that.. not so sure... While, he's the Last Hero standing and he has had to scrap like heck to get here... he really hasn't been Outstanding in much of his game play or in the Challenges as much as he was in his original season (Season 2: Australia Outback).   Still, I'd pick him to go on my reward challenge any day :)  Sandra ~ The last of the Underdog Villains... one of the Boston Rob Alliance and fighting to stay... I think she will be the sneaky one to Outwit-Outplay-Outlast them all.. pretty much kind of like her original Winning Season.  Quiet but Sneaky...  and I love her quote... I'll make up a Lie.. but I'll make it a goooood Lie.     Plus...

Friday Fill-Ins # 176 1. I just had dinner with Mama C and got my hiney kicked at Split as usual ~ but still had fun . 2. What is, simply is. 3. The third sentence on the 7th page of the book I'm reading: K1P1 Rib for 3 inches . 4. Ice cream or chocolate nearly always tickles my fancy. 5. I was walking Sammy when a cat that resembled Boo popped out of the bushes and scared him . 6. BFF makes me laugh! 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to picking up BFF from airport , tomorrow my plans include VCRocks BlogHop and Sunday, I want to work on VC Rocks Card Swaps, RAKS, and Badges !

Kimber's  Basic Challenge - Make a Celebration themed card, using ONLY In Colors (any release yr) and at least 1 punch. I first did this one with the card with the Real Red base; but then re-read the challenge and it was for InColors...  and yes, it has flowers because Kimber sooooo secretly loves flowers.... (ok, maybe Shari is a bad influence upon me) First attempt Stamps: Love You Much, Teeny Tiny Wishes Ink: Basic Black, Pink Piroutte Paper: Real Red, Pink Piroutte, Whisper White, Sending Love Speciality DSP Accessories: Silver mini brads, Stampin' Dimensionals, Word Window Punch, Modern Label Punch, Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Paper piercing kit  Second attempt:   Stamps: Love You Much, Teeny Tiny Wishes Ink: Rich Razzleberry Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry, Whisper White, Razzleberry Lemonade DSP, Silver Mini brads, Stampin' Dimensionals, Word Window Punch, Modern Label punch, Rich Razzleberry polka dot ribbon; paper piercing kit. 

BFF needs some time at home again I think.... we were chatting on the phone last night as we normally do when she is on the road when Call Waiting indicated that my Dear Hubby was calling.   So I tell her, Hubby is on the other line, I gotta go, Ok?  Love you.   Got an OK from her and so hung up.   Talked with Hubby who was calling to say he was going to be extra late due to work and would be working eves this week as well.      Since I knew BFF was picking up her dinner, ordered online, at whatever restaurant she was at; I decided to go run an errand to pick up a new universal remote for my TV since mine had died.   Then I stopped at Taco Bell to pick up some dinner.  While waiting in the drive-thru, I check my mobile phone email and she's shot me an.... I'm sorry, what did I do to hurt your feelings, why did you hang up on me... kind of email.    She doesn't have these freak out moments very ofte...

I am Mommy to one of the cutest furbabies around... and she is totally a Mommy's Girl.. much to Daddy's chagrin....

I split time between Mama's and The Bellamy's Annual Crawfish Boil... played at Mama's for a bit, then to the Boil, then back to Mama's. I got to play with some of my favorite babies.. ok, so some of them aren't so much babies anymore at 2 1/2, 4, and 6.. though I think Jaeda still qualifies as a baby since she is only 10 months.. and what a difference a month makes... at Easter she wasn't quite mobil.. and now she's on the move and can crawl pretty darn quick.    Anyhow, Saturday was good weather, a bit on the cool side, but the pool was heated... and poor Brandon had been waiting all day for Carlos to arrive as apparently the key to pooltime was an adult that would go in... so I whispered to him, you know if you ask Ms Loni nicely maybe she would go put on her swimsuit so we can go play in the pool.    Which immediately prompted the appropriate 6-year old begging.   Well then Mama of the 2 1/2 and 4 year olds got hers ready to go too.. and I found myself...

After a few mental lapses resulting in missed beads and working knit cross instead of purl cross or purl cross instead of knit cross resulting in lots of time spent in the Frog Pond (rippit, rippit).. even though I have successfully completed the entire first half of this scarf... it just took a Quiet Morning alone with some yoga music and a purring kitty cat to get this project back on track.. and so I have finished the beaded section of the second half of BFF's Eventide beaded scarf, woohoo!    I think there are just now 40 more rows until this is ready for me to learn something new.. Kitchner Stitch to pair the two halves to make a whole...

This list was shared with me by an email pal... and so I share it with you all and wish all the Moms, Aunties, and special Mama-types out there a very happy Mother's Day   1.      My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE  . "If you're going to kill each other, do  it outside.. I just finished cleaning."   2.  My mother taught me RELIGION . "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."   3.   My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL . "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock  you into the middle of next week!"   4.  My mother taught me LOGIC . "  Because I said so, that's why."   5.  My mother taught me MORE LOGIC  . "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."   6.  My mother taught me FORESIGHT . "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."   7.  My mother tau...

FFI #175 1. Salsa and margaritas… of course I don't do either of those things; but my friends sure seem to enjoy them. 2. Mayonaisse , Ketchup, Pickles and you've even got mustard. 3. By the time I get home Mocha will be at the door . 4. The cookie aisle is what I look forward to most when grocery shopping. 5. And I was dreaming of winning the lottery bigtime . 6. Friends, Family, Chocolate, Knitting, Stamping, Vacation and a little hanky panky now and then ... is there anything else better?! 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to stamping and pizza , tomorrow my plans include knitting and playing with kiddos, Mama & Auntie J  and Sunday, I want to have some ice cream !

VCRocks has my stamping mojo flowing; here's the result from Preview Challenge #9 Stamps: Service & Sacrifice; Red White & Blue jumbo wheel from the 2010 Summer Mini Catalog. Ink: Versamark Paper: Soft Suede, Confetti Cream Accessories: Vintage mini brads; detailed black embossing powder Techniques: Heat embossing

Susan Undulating Waves beaded scarf by Laura Nelkin ~ finished and delivered early for Mama's b'day Cable & Teddy Bear Jacket by Debbie Bliss ~ cast-on, but not actively working Scarve-a-palooza 2010 ~ in progress on Mina's have a few others to work with beautiful beads that Auntie Jill brought home. Breakfast At Tiffany's sweater for me ~ think I will aim to have this for the Beaumont TOPS SRD trip Hat for my brother ~ completed and delivered before Hawaii trip in January Socks for Kayla (purple) and Karie (blue) ~ Working the gauge swatch now for Kayla's Finish my UFO's in queue ~ need to sew buttons on striped sundress, buttons on a sweater, flowers on a sweater (was for Zelenka, but now will go to Jaeda)   Knitting Thoughts in Queue pending patterns and/or yarn finalization Afghan for BFF Afghan for Hubby (this one will have to be extra long since he is so tall) Other secret projects :) Beaded hooded dress for Z

I love my BFF, but yesterday she played the Pampered Princess/Helpless Female when she got a flat tire...and called in the DH to resolve it.   Now, this would have been generally acceptable if she hadn't a clue as to how to change it...but since I know for a fact that she does, she earned the Helpless Female crown from me.    I do cut her some slack that she has a bad back and her DH got to do the proud peacock thing at being the Rescuer; plus we were on a schedule to get to the massage therapist... but still, have to train her to at least not sound so pitiful and helpless when she has been shown how to do these things... it's like an early episode of ER as they were teaching med students procedures ~ See One, Do One, Teach One. 

Very Important Pillowcase goes on the road for cycling adventures.

Not the day I envisioned; but a day I am happy with.    Time with BFF; money raised for National MS Society; safe from boo-boos, and rested for tomorrow's ride with a better forecast in sight.. all in all a grand day.

Clumpy Cows are not a good sign...onward we ride in the SAG. -- Hugs, Loni BikeMS DFW http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/loniholt_BikeMS_2010 LiveStrong Challenge Austin http://austin2010.livestrong.org/loniholt

Rainy start in Frisco... so Sagging with BFF ahead of the pack...and crap the weather sucks west too. -- Hugs, Loni BikeMS DFW http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/loniholt_BikeMS_2010 LiveStrong Challenge Austin http://austin2010.livestrong.org/loniholt