A Little Family Skype Time To Plan Our California Holiday Adventure!

Time To Board The Santa Express for A Good Old Fashioned California Holiday Adventure!

So this morning I was awaken by a buzz, buzzz, buzz as my Skype rang out on my computer.  It was my Sister Shari buzzing me in for our first official Family Skype Conference call to plan the fast approaching California Holiday Adventure!  Before long my Niece Jaci had joined the conversation and a short time later, my other Sis, Ami, My Daughter Emily and my Niece Ashlee! It was definitely a colorful and fun time and we were able to get through the planning of the entire trip in just under 3 hours...yeah, 3 hours,  but it was all FREE (gotta love skype) and so much fun! 

I think we might make it a regular Sunday morning event! hehehe. 

Since I live in California my house will be the home base during the time that everyone is here and that means that I will definitely be doing some holiday decorating this year.  Motivation that I have not seemed to have in the last couple years so that's a good thing! Plus, we have so many fun things planned from a fishing trip launching from Balboa Harbor with an evening cookout and mmemorial for my Mom on the beach (that's gonna be a tough one) to a Mighty Ducks Hockey Game that kicks off my daughter's Birthday...and so much more in between! Actually we'll be celebrating 3 birthdays...Emily, Evan and Parker...WOW!

From Jaci's notes Shari even created a fun event schedule complete with little drawings...how cute is this!

Oh, I'm sure as the saying goes, "best laid plans of mice and men . . . " there will be a few tweaks and changes to the schedule before and probably during the holiday trip, but what is for sure is that it will be awesome to all be together for the holidays!  

So, now my job will be to prep the house, create the menus for meals at the home base and make sure that I have enough clean towels and places for everyone to sleep!  This may be a bigger job than I thought...better get a move on!

So to summarize...

Fishing Trip $72.25, Disney Tickets $101.00 (unless Saul comes through, hehehe), Breakfast with the Goofy $30.00 (Parker's Bday A Can't Miss), Dinner at the Elvis Restaurant $25.00 + (Celebrating Evan's Bday), Ducks Hockey Tickets $36.00 (yeah, we're in the nosebleed section), Birthday Cake from Whole Foods $45.00+ (Emily's Bday Request) Car Rentals, Meals, Shopping $ALOT! 

FAMILY TOGETHER FOR THE HOLIDAYS...PRICELESS!

Playing The Catch Up Game . . . Creative Re-entry!

I've been back from my "Dolly" product development trip to China and Sri Lanka for a couple days now and have begun the game called "Catch Up". . . with no time for monkey business! hehehe!


While I was away candle orders from my Primitive Cottage Collections store became quite backed up and so I began the first round of "catch up" by doing alot of dipping, dipping, and more dipping.  I've managed to make a dent in the stack of orders, but still a ways to go.  One dip at a time and hopefully by the end of the weekend I'll be caught up with this part of my life. 

Next up in the catch up game was the re-entry back into the office! Swatched!

My first day back after the 2 week product development trip and my desk, although clean when I arrived looked like a disaster area before I left. After starting the work day at 6:00 a.m. due to the fact that my body time clock is a little messed up at the moment (posting at 1:34 a.m. today as well) I managed to get a few major things completed plus was surprised by an awesome meal of homemade enchiladas and turtle bday cake (thanks to some special peeps in the office)!

Blogging...yeah, I missed this alot while I was gone and am trying again to get back on a schedule.  I guess that's why I'm sitting here again at a ridiculous hour of the night blogging about the "Catch Up" game.  And really need buzz The Hive...have missed keeping up with all my #twitterbee friends!

Pop Art Minis...oh, how I have neglected you!  A promise to myself that I MUST finish and upload all of the images for the 2011 Calendar Design including the elusive cover that I just can't seem to find time to complete!  Definitely will be DONE this weekend!

Along with the following list of additional MUST DO'S!

1.  Helping my daughter move into her new apartment!  (A definite decorating blog here...hehehe)

2.  At least 1-2 NEW Holly Day Pop Art Minis Designs

3.  Finish pulling together all the goodies for the Pop Art Minis Facebook Milestone Contest Giveaway Goodie Package (this one's gonna be big...thinking Celebration filled with holiday fun a few polka dots a penguin or two thrown in for good measure, definitely a Pop Art Mini ACO and something that will help you create a sweet treat...hehehe...stay tuned)

4.  Finding a new kitchen/dining table to replace the dining table that has now become my daughter's new dining room table! Not sure how that happened, but I'm sure it's gonna look cute in her new place and I"m looking forward to getting a new and larger set that will accommodate a few more people.

Thinking this might be the one, but I will definitely be changing out the chair cushions to something that is more bold! :)

5.  Cleaning and organizing The House...big CATCH UP here....eeek...maybe this one will come off the list until later! hehehe~

6.  Catching up on some more blogging fun...have some amazing pics from the travels that I am definitely looking forward to sharing!  Sneak Peak Pic...Elephant Awesome!

7.  New project that requires some major sketch time inspired by my trip as well...

graphic, bold, green? Yeah...gonna be soooo cool!

8.  Catching up with family and friends and maybe even a little continued birthday celebrating!

Plus, I think today is the day that my birthday pinata arrives and I can't wait to see what goodies are tucked inside...definitely will share that!

WHEW, so that's my "Catch Up" game list and now I'm off to catch up on just a bit more sleep before the sun comes up or is that the Chinese moon! Zzzzzzz!