Free at last.

This is the first Monday of freedom, and I'm loving it. By 10:00 a.m. I had done two loads of laundry, emptied the dishwasher, completed a layout and started on another, made a run to the post office and to Rite Aid to pick up my allergy meds, and dropped off Jenna at swim lessons. During her lesson I took my walk, and listened to my IPod. Sheer joy, I tell you!

It's funny that summer vacation is such an adjustment for me. While it's exactly what I look forward to, there is this weird time where I wonder, how can I fill a whole day? It passes, as long as I stay busy. So that's what I'll do for a while.

Finished a new book today. It's called But Inside I'm Screaming. It was OK . . . kind of a downer. I guess it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out given the title. What was I thinking? Need a new read. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I've finished 5 of the 9 scrappy assignments for June. I only have about an hour of creative energy a day right now (as luck would have it), so I'm scrapping like a madwoman for that hour and then walking away. I've learned you can't turn creativity on when it fits in your timeframe. Wish it would though!

Had a great father's day. Em came home and got Bill a golf pullover that says Michigan State. Jenna got him a beanie baby, and made a dish at school for coins and such. She also decorated a hammer for him at daycare. She wrote him a letter that had us all stumped. It said, "Dear Daddy, I do not want to go to college. I do not want to go to school I do not want to grow up." Um, OK. What is this all about? When Bill asked she said, "I don't ever want to leave you, daddy!" How freaking sweet is that?

It almost made up for her temper tantrum that got her sent to her room at 7:00 to bed with no TV. She tried to get on her bike WITHOUT her helmet. When I called her on it, she threw her bike down in a fit of rage. When I said, "that's it, we're going inside," she proceeded to tell me what a "mean mommy" I am. Well, that didn't work out so hot for her, now did it? You'd think I committed a heinous crime when I told her she was done for the night. After plenty of begging and pleading for "a second chance" it was off to bed for Trixie. Bill and I both felt we needed to make a point of putting the smackdown on her behavior right away for the summer. And that we did. She has been so much better today. The issue is to nap or not to nap. We've been so besy for the past 4 days, she hasn't napped at all. I think this is going to be an issue . . . she still needs her naps, but when do you wean them off of them, knowing she will be in all-day school next year? I consulted my "Parenting for Idiots" manual, and so far no answers.

Our town does a festival every June and one of the attractions this year was this aerial act. She did ballet in the air, as two people held the ropes so she didn't float away. Now THAT is trust, don't ya know. They were called conedancers. It reminded me that some cool things are available in my little town.

On a very serious note, my friend Leslie is going through quite a trial right now. Her son, Kevin, was hit by a suicide bomber in Afganistan. He is in a coma fighting for his life in Texas right now. You can follow the story on Leslie's blog. I read it with such a heavy heart. Les was the first person to hire me for her design team at Scrap Muse, which is a monthly kit club. The friends that I met through that experience mean the world to me, Leslie being the center of it all. You see, you get to know people through scrapbooking. It more than just "pictures and paste." It's telling about you, your family, your hopes and dreams. Heck, I jumped on an airplane and flew alone for the first time 4 years ago to Atlanta to CHA to room and hang out with people from Scrap Muse that I had never met in real life. And yet, the minute I walked into the restaurant to meet them, it was as if we had been friends our whole lives. Now one of these friends is going through a real struggle. Please, if you're the praying type, keep Leslie and her son in your prayers.

I'm out for now.