It's Tour Time!

"It never gets easier, you just go faster."
-Greg LeMond

If you're a regular reader or you know me in real-life, you've probably picked up on the fact that Rob and I are bicycle enthusiasts. While Rob's a little more hardcore in the athletic department, I get just as giddy about watching a good bike race.

Needless to say, we're excited that this year's Tour de France starts on Saturday. (In fact, Rob told me he probably wouldn't even miss me much while I'm out of town this weekend!) So to celebrate, I whipped up this little banner to hang on our mantel for the next three weeks.

I happened upon just enough 4"x6" sheets of yellow paper cut from another project. Together with a couple of white sheets and some black curling ribbon, my awesome banner came together.

Click here to make one of your own: Tour De France Banner

currently...

"He who would travel happily must travel light." 
-St.Exupery

Time: 8:06 pm
Location: Bouncing back and forth between kitchen and living room
Watching: Olympics Swimming Trials... we've been watching all week!
Eating: Taking sneaky bites of the mashed potatoes and Parmesan-crusted porkchops that we'll have for dinner tonight
Drinking: A big glass of ice water... it's too hot for anything else
Feeling: Excited about getting to see my Mama again tomorrow!
Thinking: I can't wait until Rob gets home from his bike ride so we can eat
Wanting: To get started on my Memphis vacation minibook
Needing: Clarification from the TSA website about whether I can take scrapbooking supplies in my carry-on
Making: Our favorite meal for dinner
Loving: My new Baggallini cross-body purse... a great T.J. Maxx find!

Happy 28th!

"Nothing is worth more than this day."
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Cookie bowls and ice cream for Rob's 28th birthday

My 28th birthday has come and gone. And, Rob's has, too. We celebrated each other all week, and now we're eager to see what our 29th year has in store.

This past year was one of my hardest yet... definitely my toughest year of adulthood so far. At its best, it was a year of upheaval and uncertainty. At its worst, I struggled with failure and anger.

Me on my 28th birthday

With all the time I have had on my hands over the last year, you would have thought (heck, even I thought) that I would have it all figured it out by now. What I want I do. Who I want to be. Maybe even, how to do it.

But, today as I write this, I know little more than I knew a year ago. Except that I do make it through. And, that there's comfort in knowing some stuff is beyond your control, out of your hands.

As for the future, we're taking it one day at a time... enjoying the here and the now. Looking forward to the months and years ahead, but understanding that they will arrive only when they're ready.

DIY Hiking first aid kit

"Precaution is better than cure."
-Edward Coke

One of my goals for the summer (especially before our trip to Denver in August that we just booked!) was to put together a comprehensive first aid kit for our day hike adventures. I married Mr. SafetyMan, so we've always carried a little bag along. But, after our "adventure" in Yosemite last summer when we needed several of our supplies at the top of the mountain, we will NEVER AGAIN go on a hike without a full first aid kit!

And, with Rob's birthday right around the corner, it was a perfect excuse to pull this together. 

I printed this first aid checklist from REI as a guide and headed towards Walgreen's to pick up the couple of things that we didn't already have on hand.

FYI: Right now Walgreen's has a promotion for a free zippered first aid bag, if you purchase two products from participating brands. And, it's hard to build a first aid kit without purchasing Band-Aid, Neosporin, or Cortaid, so it's win-win! However, I wish I had reached inside the bag and pulled out the coupons first!

I can't wait for Rob to see our new and improved first aid kit. And, more importantly, I can't wait until we throw it in our daypack as we trudge up a fourteener in Colorado. Although my fingers are crossed that we won't need it!

Project 52 Weeks: Pages 13, 14, & 15

“Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” 
-Carl Bard 

Week 13: Moving Weekend

Supplies used: Orange Lot No. stickers collected from our many moving boxes, green satin ribbon, lined paper, staples, date stamp.

Journalling reads: The moving trucks came and went, leaving behind a wake of chaos. Boxes and furniture filled every nook and cranny. We have so much stuff! It is going to be a long couple of weeks of unpacking and sorting.

Week 14: 8:30 to 5:30

Supplies used: solid yellow paper, date stamp, thread and sewing machine, my first paystub from work in the pocket, arrow designed by me.

Journalling reads: After going back and forth for months with B2B, they finally offered me a part-time position. I will go into Greenville on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to work in their Art Department as a graphic artist. My job will be to help prepare files for printing. Most projects will be advertising wraps for vehicles, but occasionally there is an environmental graphics job as well. I'm learning so much about Adobe Photoshop!! More than I already knew!!

I didn't think through where to go after walking in the door. No one was at the front desk, and I didn't know where the offices were. -- I spent an hour online with the IT people trying to set up my accounts. -- We went outside to look at a monster truck that the owner wants wrapped. We chatted about design opportunities. -- Nat (my boss) took me on a tour of the office to meet everyone. He explained the "Orders Checklist" which will be one of my responsibilities. -- President of the company came by to announce a new $750,000 project we got from AT&T.

Week 15: Fully, completely, utterly engrossed

Supplies used: Gray papers from my stash, date stamp, text and asterisk designs by me. 

Journalling reads: Easter Sunday. After introducing Thomas and Jonathan to the Draw Something app, we sat around all afternoon, challenging each other to this high tech version of Pictionary. Then the boys turned on a movie while I made our meal plan and blogged.