1st Birthday Hyland's Island Style

Party central.... the soups and chili are made. Deer Valley Chili - Roasted Leek and Potato with some little home made crackers and fresh Parmesan (new recipe) and Barb's Butternut Squash soup (they should all make for a very colorful display).  3 different salads, cookies and home made German chocolate cake...  The beer is already cold and the wine is in the bottle ready... I want this to be the celebration it is planned to be for the one year anniversary of Rich's transplant last year but I also want it to be a foodie experience.  Pictures and updates to follow... Happy birthday to Rich.... starting over... happy birthday to you... he is so cute!  Cooked today with Barb and she already made the Butternut squash soup and we made the Leek together.  Darn it is just fun to get in the Kitchen and cook with a friend.  We got done and cleaned up so fast.  Can't wait to try all this goodness tomorrow. 

OUCH My feet Hurt

My poor feet are screaming at me right now...    SIT DOWN   ... give me a breather you should try carrying this load all day - or in this case all morning....  So I find myself sitting for awhile and my feet taking a deep foot breath... ahhhh.... that is all I need talking feet.  Been in the kitchen playing all morning with this rainy wet weather.  Making Chocolate white chocolate cookies (Ian Garten ).... and they are really good.  Also found an old cookbook and it had a Red Velvet cake recipe (very trendy right now) so I made that and I really am feeling like Betty Cracker this morning - the only thing not 100% happy my feet...  Rich is out playing golf in the rain, which is funny since he thinks sugar melts and he thinks he is sugar.. dumb I know but something he has been saying in the rain for 34 plus years.  Maybe someday I will scrap that richism...  My friend Donna is back at the hospital seeing her dad, Jeff is working and well it was just me, Gracie, the kitchen and CMT on the TV (love looking at those sexy belt buckles and boots) this morning.  Anxious for someone to come home and try the cookies.  I always need a second opinion.  Went to the Oasis last night and had some great laughs with the ladies  in case I have not told you and you read this I LOVE YOU GUYS!  I do think all that Laughter releases some joyful hormone that carries you through the next day (no wonder someone calls it her HAPPY SPOT).  Time to get back up on my feet and clean up the baking mess my feet are starting to get a little to relaxed!  Joy, laughter and something tasteful to everyone today and all week.  Party on Friday.... 1st birthday celebration for Rich (it's been a year since the transplant)

Good News & Liven Life

Good News from the City of Hope last Tuesday.  Rich is clear and good to go for 3 months till he has to have blood work done again. Scans were clear bone marrow aspiration was good... AHHH such wonderful news!  He has come so far in the past year.  January 30th is his new Birthday and we will be celebrating this 1st birthday Island style with a little PPPPAAAARRRTTTYYY, here at Hyland's Island.  As you can see from this post last January, we have come along way... Deep breath-release enjoy.

Other News this week.  I had my one year protest anniversary of avoiding TARGET.  Yes, it has been a year and it feels good to know I actually held tight to my beliefs and did not spend ONE (Lincoln) cent in that place.  I did walk through twice and things pretty much looked the same.  I am still in no hurry to go there and buy their goods but funny story, we got some coupon in the mail from them this week, which we have not gotten in along time (unless Rich tosses them) but I happened to grab this one and it was like they were trying to call my name... JACKIE  come back....  come save $5.00, with this coupon....funny.

A week ago last Sunday charming Susan (one of the SISTAS of Aunt Liz and Susan ) came to visit and spend the night- oh my gosh it was so joyful and fun to see her and talk about Aunt Liz.  We were reminiscing about how we celebrated our birthdays last year together in Las Vegas,    with Liz and maybe we should go again this year. To my amazement my gracious hubby went upstairs used the fabulous Marriott points and we are booked for our March birthdays at the Summerlin in Las Vegas for March 19 to the 21st.... Relax and Spa time and a little gambling here I come... Oh and a birthday.  They have amazing spa treatments and a women's spas area that you could spend a week luxuriating in. 

What else what else what else.... Been scrapbooking at the Oasis  and did this class and even had my picture posted on their blog.  If that is not total hollyscrappin (like hollywood) I don't know what could be better.  Very fun and cute project.  

Crystal Cove - Life

Crystal Cove Pictures... It seems like the mac- goggle i photo burp maybe over.  We will see how these post.  Photos are from our walk with Gracie on Sunday at Crystal Cove.  Gotta love where we live and love here in Irvine.  Only 20 minutes to the coast.  We may not have a budget in this state but we have the PACIFIC OCEAN... which is priceless!                                                            

A Little FYI for next week.  On Tuesday we are off to the City of Hope for some of Rich's quarterly Poking and Prodding.... blood work and to see the Doctor's.  On the right side of the City of Hope web site you see this really cute lady with curly hair.. That is Rich's doctor and the person you barely see in the pic with their back to you that is ME... I almost feel like a CELEB.   We expect all to be perfect but some good thoughts and prayers are always appreciated.  Love, joy, aloha and health to everyone.

LIFE - Wow

Hope everyone is enjoying the New Year.  I hear Oprah talk about having more JOY in your life and in the new year... PONDERING QUESTION.... Don't we always have JOY in our life?  It's not about having more JOY it is about being AWARE of the JOY that is already in our lives and around us everyday, every second.  So what exactly does she mean... give more joy - have more joy.... does joy move into your house and live in the downstairs guest room, so you know she is physically there??  All I want to say is -  LOOK and FEEL -  the JOY is already there it all depends on how you choose to see it and if you express the JOY by letting someone know, telling the flowers, or telling GOD thank you that brings me JOY... I FIND JOY IN THE ORDINARY ho hum of life... there is JOY in the ordinary....  OPRAH.... Does this mean ABC will be calling me to have my own talk show... I do have some interesting friends and family that would love to put in an appearance and besides that I could use a little makeover and I have been hoarding scrap book stuff, oh let's see what else, I need to lose a few pounds, I need some organization.  These are just some of the joys in my life. 

Yes, I had another scrappy hang over on Saturday am... I think I am now officially addicted to Fun Fridays at the Oasis.  One of the big topics of discussion at the Oasis was the Creating Keepsakes, Becky Higgins feeding frenzy over the 365 kits.  Definitely not helping the industry with those kind of mess ups.   I must admit I was reading the SCRAP SMACK blog and I could feel the anger and frustration of the people who had a giant run around (it would seem Julie V, more people got the run around and screwed on their billings than those that will actually receive the kits).  Once CK deleted my messages  from the message boards after CKU- master in Anaheim, my review was not all roses - I was done with them,  they can not take any constructive criticism or words of advise on how to improve.  They have been  at the top of  the scrapping QUEENDOM and this may just knock them off their adhesive.  Oh I feel like such a snitch... Bottom line is I love scrapping and most of all the new friendships and thanks to Karen for providing a place for Friday night therapy .  NOTE to manufactures, designers, bloggers .... we are going to discuss you and your products , just like we discuss those LSS (local Scrap Stores) that feel the need to overcharge for product.  

AHHHH I was going to end with some nice pictures of our walk at Crystal Cove Sunday... but mac must be having an attack or else goggle is goggled up and having a hot flash since the little picture loader thing at the top will now work... OH HOW BORING just a bunch of words...   LIFE.... !!!

Will try and post the pictures later.  Off to see if Joy is living down stairs in the guest room... I better let "O" know if I find her...... I hope she comes to stay at your house too! Joy not Oprah.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.....No hangover yet....

Happy New Year 2009.... wow.  Glad to close the books on 2008.  Feels like I have a clean slate and you get to do so many things again.  Fresh Start! This year I want to do a bucket list sort of thing with at least 3 to 5 things I really want to accomplish.  Nothing to daring here- mostly organization.  I guess you could call it a resolution. Resolutions somehow only seem (for me) to make it a week into the new year and a list is something that keeps going.  

Spent New Years at Crystal Cove celebrating with friends.  Oh what a place and what fun.  I can not even remember what we did last New Years.... I know it was probably a quiet night at home since Rich was recovering from a chemo treatment and Michael and Meghan were here for a visit.   Already this year is so much better - PARTY.....

Oasis Hangover coming up again tonight - off to have some fun times with the ladies tonight!... for now it is off to start that New Year's list...