I'm leaving on a jet plane...

Okay, so maybe it's not a jet plane. uummm, more like Southwest-LOL! I am flying out to Chicago for CHA in the morning (Craft, Hobby, Association). It is a HUGE trade show where companies release all of their new products/lines. Brandi (my co worker) & I are meeting up with the owners, our bosses at Green Tangerines. Can I just tell you that I am SOOOOOOO excited to be going. I get to spend 3 whole days, ooohhh-ing & aaahhh-ing(code for salivating) over all of the new papers, embellishments, stamps, ideas, samples, yummy colors,etc... On Monday, we will get to see Chicago (outside of the convention center) & shop before heading home. Again, I am so grateful for a husband who can hold the fort & troops down so I can escape, ugh I mean work for a few days -wink wink. I am so grateful for Kelly & Paula. Happy & grateful for the opportunity to tag along & represent Green Tangerines. WA-HOOOOOOO, I can't wait. I seriously hope I can sleep tonight.

{Kelly & Paula-aka visionary vixens}

Thank you for all of of your posts about your favorite books & what you are reading and enjoying right now. I finished EAT-PRAY-LOVE last night. While it was not my favorite book, it did pick up & she did have some great words of wisdom(like many of you commented on). That middle part of the book was very slow & hard for me to get through. Needless to say, I am glad I plowed through it.

I really loved everything she had to say on pg. 260. This is my favorite part, she said "People universally tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you are fortunate enough. But that's not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it." If you decide not to read the book, run down to Barnes & Noble & at least read pg. 260.

I also liked what she had to say on the very last page. She wrote, "In the end, though maybe we must all give up trying to pay back the people in this world who sustain our lives. In the end, maybe it is wiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of human generosity and to just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely for as long as we have voices". I love that! What a great reminder to be thankful for all that we have & are blessed with.

I have started the book COME BACK. Have any of you read this one?

I am off to fold the last load of laundry. Then I will be able to zip up my suitcase & head off to bed. I will be MIA on the blog for a few days. I know I will have a ton to report when I return home on Monday night! Have a fabulous weekend!

P.S. - If you see John out & about with the boys, tell him he's awesome & that his wife misses him & thank him for me, for being fabulous! I will miss these cutie-pa-tooties.