Oh where do I start??

**This is not card related - but me and a little blah, blah, blah of what's been going on in my life**

I don't even know where I need to begin...  I can not say sorry enough for my lack of posting.  There has been so much of life that has been going on around here that I just have not posted.

Yes, I was sick for a while.  I could not begin to tell you what it was.  Just when I started to feel better it happened again.  Pretty much since February I was down and out.  Then I had to get cards together for a shoebox swap that I joined in on.  This time there was only a few of us, not the general 18 that we normally have so that was nice.

With the earthquake that took place in Japan recently as you all know it has also had an effect on us here in the states.  My husband works at the Toyota plant and they have had an altered work schedule because of parts.  So for the whole month of May he has only been working 3 day weeks.  I'm sure that most of you can understand that when your used to working 5 day weeks and used to getting over time that is a big blow to the wallet.  I've been having to do some "creative accounting" with our checkbook.

There was Mother's Day.  It was a beautiful day here as far as the weather goes.  We took a trip to the park in town.  Danielle had to work in the evening, but we spent time together in the morning. I'll have to take a picture of the card that I made for Mom.

Then I had Danielle's birthday.  For years I tried to get her to have a party and invite all of her friends and she did not want to.  Out of the blue this year she decides that she wants a party and it had to be zebra themed.  She did pretty much put the party on for herself as far as searching the internet for anything zebra.

I did make her cake - although it was not how I planned it.  I used fondant which I've never used before.  It did not turn out too bad, but it was not how I planned it.  Being the card maker in the family I had a brilliant thought.  I thought that after I rolled out the fondant I could take my cuttlebug embossing folder and press it into the fondant to make the zebra pattern then it would be a snap to decorate.  Well yes, it did work.  But by the time I got the fondant on the cake from touching it I kind of worked the pattern out.  So needless to say she got pink and black flowers instead of a zebra pattern on the cake.  She still liked it so I was happy! 

This is Danielle and her boyfriend, Tyler.  They did have a little "break" this past winter for a bit - but they've been together for almost 2 years now.  Don't they make a cute couple?

And the posse.  Danielle (and I) are very lucky that she has a wonderful set of friends that have their heads on right.  I just love them!

And last but not least ~ we are a one car family, and yes... the car died. 

So as you can see that's why I've not been around for a while.  Just life happening around me, us, my family.  I will be back.  For a while I had not wanted to step foot into the craft room - but now I feel the urge to create so I DO PROMISE that I will be back in the next week or so.  Promise, promise.  And if you'd like to take a peek over at my Stampin' Up! blog I have posted the latest specials that Stampin' Up! has to offer.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend!