Makes Geeky Girls Happy

We had to drop off Ian's laptop at the Apple store last night for some service. So we got to look at all the new laptops and stuff. They are definitely cool... I just miss the matte screen option. I hope by the time I need a new one (at least 2 more years) they will be offering them again. The glossy screens are just SO glossy.

I took my laptop in too because my keyboard was looking crappy. Several of my keys had the finish rubbing off of them. Ian said it was because I type SO much, but I didn't think that was a good enough reason. I've only had this computer a year and a half!

This sort of thing really isn't covered by my warranty because it's considered "normal wear and tear." The guy made that very clear. AFTER he replaced 7 keys for me! :) (That's what we call a sneaky geek.) Now it's all shiny and new looking and it makes my geeky little heart OH SO HAPPY!

You know what else makes me happy? My geeky man. Isn't he cute?

I took that picture to document that he is wearing stripes. You have no idea the battle this has been! I got him to buy a plaid shirt too, but that one hasn't yet seen the light of day. It's still banished to the dark closet dungeon. I think my honey looks great in this striped shirt! I hope he will give more of them a chance :)

And here's something just for fun. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

World Wide Antiques Show

We had SUCH a good time at the antiques show this past weekend. We had to go TWO days because we didn't see everything the first day. I like antique stores & always have, but I thought at a big show like this I might get bored or get tired of looking at things. But I didn't. And I certainly didn't think we would buy things... but we did!

It was really neat because Bob & Carole (the owners of the jewelry shop my engagement diamond and our wedding bands are from) had a booth at the show and got us in for free. It was fun having their booth as sort of a home base. We would visit them when we showed up each day and before we left each day. It's nice to have such a good repore with them.

The first day we had a lot of fun looking around at everything. I was doing fine and just enjoying myself, not really feeling the need to purchase anything. Then I came across something I couldn't pass up... someone's SCRAPBOOKS from the 1930's, done as a project for college. One was about home furnishings/interior design, and the other was about manners, parties, and other matters of etiquette! It's so funny - like a time capsule. But this woman - Anita Ann Clark - put so much work into these books, and even included her own watercolor work and other handmade things (such as invitations/party favors.) These are so much fun to look through! Ian bought them for me :)

Those are only a few of the photos. I put a bunch more on flickr - check them out here.

The next cool thing was this wax seal made into a pendant. This lovely piece was from Bob & Carole's booth. Ian and I both really liked it, and I just couldn't stop him from buying it for me :)

I got a chain for it too (included in the price), but I picked it out the next day. They brought some special for me! I also can use the chain with other pendants I have, yay!

We ended up spending the last of our time the first day talking to this really nice lady who had an antique bottle booth. I have a bit of an antique bottle collection that I started in my early teen years! I don't have very many but I love them. I have had the collection packed away since moving here. I was drawn to some cobalt bottles (my favorite) in her booth. It turns out Ian was really interested in the bottles, too! We talked to her for quite a while... she is part of an antique bottle collector's club here in Colorado, and she was telling us all about their meetings and the fun stuff they do. To my amazement, Ian actually wants to go check out a club meeting with me. I am so happy that he is interested!

We didn't get to buy any bottles on the first day, but I was thinking long and hard overnight about which ones I wanted to purchase. When we went back the next day I decided on two of the cobalt ones. Then, in another booth nearby, Ian found a purple glass insulator that he really liked. It's even from a Colorado company! So we started a little collection of our own now with these cool pieces:

Last but certainly not least... another pendant from Bob & Carole's booth. I almost made it out but then it caught my eye :) It was just so simple and cool. I picked it up and knew I had to have it. I said "Damn it, Carole!!" hahaha. Anyway, it's a widow's mite pendant. I hadn't heard of widow's mite before. Now I'm wearing one! Hehe.

UPDATE: If anyone is interested in purchasing from Widow's Mite Jewelry... she has set up a coupon code for my readers! You can save 10% on your purchase from now to the end of November. Coupon code is IANCHRISTIE

:)

The Weekend

Our weekend was busy overall! After Friday night being out the whole time geocaching, and Saturday we went back there, and grocery shopping, and to lunch... and then Ian went on the Spooky Night Run (he hasn't blogged it yet but he will be) while I stayed home and worked on the bathroom project.

Today we ran a few errands and went up to Estes Park to drop off my ring. They're making a wax model of it so they can create my wedding band finally. Bob & Carole (the owners) were expecting us, and we got up there around 3pm (they close at 4pm). We walked in and they're all "THERE you guys are!!!! We were wondering if you were still coming!" It was nice that they look forward to us coming up there as much as we look forward to going there! They also gave us free tickets to the antiques and jewelry show this weekend! They'll have a booth there. We are really looking forward to going, especially since it's free!

On the way back from Estes we stopped at Target and I picked up my 2nd suitcase...After our stop at Target, we headed over to Cori's place. Ian needed to help her get the laptop I gave her functioning on the internet. It worked when we gave it to her but they had added something else that interfered, so luckily it was a fairly easy fix. Cori made us a LOVELY dinner of meatballs, mashed potatoes, and a yummy salad. Also a tasty oreo/pudding dessert. YUM do I love when my friends cook for me!!! They are both awesome at it (Kellie and Cori.) I'm not up to snuff yet, but Cori said she'll help me :)

By the time we got home from Cori's it was well past 10, so that was our weekend. Go-go-go!

As for home improvements, my dad and I finally got the first coat of tan paint on the bathroom walls. No pictures yet because the place is a total mess. We took the medicine cabinet out of the wall, and there are toiletries EVERYWHERE. Who would have known we had so much stuff in there?! Plus the new shower curtain, new cabinet, and other stuff is on it's way, so right now the old bright blue & green shower curtain is in there. It just looks like chaos.

Luggage Love

So my adorable bubbles luggage? Kind of a problem. Why? Because Ian doesn't like to be seen with it! Seriously, he HATES polka dots. (Which makes me cry, because I heart them.) Anyway, I was pretty much of the "oh well" mindset. Until today.

Because of the nightmare with United Airlines and them breaking the handle of his suitcase, we were looking in the luggage aisle while at Target today. Ian found this very nice silver bag with a laptop pocket and it belongs to a whole series that he likes, so I think he's set. However, being IN the luggage aisle helping HIM look for bags quickly turned to looking at options for myself too. I love different bags and things and luggage is no exception. I looked at a couple thinking "my bag is better" for a while, and that's never disappointing, it's nice to know what you chose was a good choice. Then I found this, and it was love at first sight:

Please excuse the bad photo, taken with my camera phone in indoor lighting. If you can't tell, it is brown with tan lines on it. I thought I'd be able to show a stock photo of this duffel and the matching suitcase, but I can't find them on Target's website or anywhere on the whole internet. I don't know if they are brand new, or really old... why can't I find them?! So I am going to snag the suitcase tomorrow just in case it's on its way out the door!

The one I purchased today is the 20" wheeled duffel. Let me start by saying that my 22" suitcase before was great for weekend trips. I packed everything I needed for 2 1/2 days in Vegas. But that was all that would really fit. This 20" duffel ended up holding a TON... it fits carryon regulations for all the airlines I checked. I came home and attempted to pack the thing as full as possible. I did this because Ian was concerned it would tip over when full, when I would let go of it. Not only did it stay standing even when he knocked into it - I can pack FIVE to SEVEN DAYS OF STUFF IN IT. In a freaking carry-on!

Just check out what I was able to fit in it:

What you see there is 1 bulky hoodie, 2 bulky sweaters, 5 t-shirts, 1 tank top, 1 pair workout pants, 1 pair jeans, 5 pairs underwear and 4 pairs of socks. This was without putting toiletries (which there was still room for) and nothing in any of the pockets. There is more than enough room for flip flips, possibly a second pair of larger shoes, and other goodies. This bag looks so dang small, but it is a bottomless pit! As you can see, it's about the width of my pillow which is behind it. Wow.

When I go back and get the suitcase, I'll take a nice picture :) Anyway I am just thrilled. OH! And as for my other luggage - this is great...My mom is pretty much head over heels in love with it, and she doesn't have a luggage set of her own. Poof! Problem solved! :) Whoo hoo! Plus, it makes me happy that they'll still be around and I can use one of them if I want to when I'm traveling on my own. Although man, when I go to Chicago in a few weeks, this new carry on is all I will need for a 4 day trip! Wheee!

UPDATE: I did go back and get the suitcase, and took a better picture as promised:

So there they are! I just love them. Now, for local trips in the US, I can't see ever needing to take the big one because the smaller one suits me just fine, and I love going with just carry-ons. For my longer or international trips, I'd take the big one but then I would want a SMALLER carry-on than this one. Like I said it holds 5-7 days of stuff and that isn't always necessary, and international flights have stricter carryon requirements. Here are the bags I ordered from ebags, hoping they will go nicely.

Sydney Love Vintage Hotel Sleepover Bag

Athalon Plane Case (getting the tan & brown one)

Be sure to check out the extra views of the bags. The first one has polka dots inside (yay!) and Ian actually liked the hotel sticker pattern. The second one is the most freaking organized bag I've ever seen. OH! And just for fun...

Sydney Love Vintage Hotel Passport Holder

For My Dad

I made a scrapbook page with a picture or two from when my dad was in the hospital. I went to start writing the journaling for the page, and a poem just poured out of me. It may not be a stunning work of poetic art by any means, but for me it was the perfect way to express myself. I plan to give him a framed copy of the scrapbook page when it's done, so he will know how I feel.

If you had left me...
There would be a huge hole in my heart
It would be so unbearable
for us to be apart.

If you had left me...
I would not be complete
With so much left to learn
And you not here to teach me

If you had left me...
A light would have gone out
I don't know how I'd learn to be
in a world that is without

If you had left me...
It would have been much to soon
There's so much left for us to see
So much left for us to do

If you had left me...
I'd have to pull it together and move on
although it would be difficult
you've taught me to be strong

If you had left me...
It would feel like life was done
But I know I would eventually heal
and I know life would go on

If you had left me...
I would just want you to know
Although I'll miss and love you forever
I am prepared for when you go

If you had left me...
I'd want you to understand
I would be okay because
you have made me who I am.

More Greece & Turkey Pages

I've accomplished a few more layouts for my Greece and Turkey album. Not nearly as many as I would have liked, but gotta start somewhere :) First we have Kellie and I in the airport ready to embark on our adventure...our hotel in Athens and the little time we spent there before getting on the cruise ship!

Next is our first look around the cruise ship, checking out our surroundings and getting ready to set out!

Next, here are the pictures from our first time at sea.

That's all I've gotten done so far. I'm itching to do more!

Vegas Trip!

So I'm finally getting around to posting about Vegas :) 2 weeks later seems to be my trend!
Our main goal in going was to see the Beatles Love Show which I have to say was absolutely AMAZING. And I'm not even a huge Beatles fan. I like their stuff but don't know it all that well. And I still thoroughly enjoyed the show. It was fantastically entertaining. The rest of the time we mostly walked around to other hotel/casinos and checked out what there was to see!