I'm ba-ack!!!

We arrived back Saturday morning but I had to hit the ground running.  The kids had a school fete, Girlfriend was dancing so I spent most of the daylight hours keeping track of my babies.

Still feeling a little punch-drunk from jetlag but it should all come good soon.

We did lots!  I took thousands of photos and my computer is struggling to download them so I'll drip feed them over the next few weeks.

We spent two days in Los Angeles.  We went to Venice Beach, Santa Monica Pier, Malibu Beach, toured Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, Bel Aire (sp??), the Hollywood sign, etc.  Then we spent three(?) days in Las Vegas doing the Grand Canyon, saw Criss Angel, shopped, ate and lost $20 in the casino.  We left Las Vegas to meet the girls in Kansas City

Sherryn and I had the pleasure of Debbie and Candice for roomies whilst the others Donna, Sue, Pam, Kristi and Melinda had the other suite down the hall.  Kendra didn't room in but was there for the waking hours. Lots of laughs, food and laughs and more food and laughs.  Did I tell you we ATE?

Here are some pics from the weekend.  I took lots, people.  Lots.  These are just a couple of them.  If I post any more of Candice you might think I have a raging crush on her.  Well, I do but she is in so many of my photos!  I touched up every single one of these too.  Here goes...

LOVE this photo of Donna.  It's SO her.  She's a crack up.  Thanks for having us on the farm, Donna and for introducing us to the best REAL mid-western tobacco spitting farmer to ***** behind two boots! ha!

The tractor wheel.  You can't go to the farm and NOT have your photo taken on the tractor wheel!  Here are Debbie and Candice.

OK... OK! I have a crush on Candice, people. OK!  There!  I said it.  Do you blame me?  She's beautiful on the inside too.  Candice, you can thank me directly into my bank account, OK?   =D

These colours are looking a little washed out here but I suppose its the whole sRGB/RGB colour thing going on.

LOVE this one of Kristi and Candice.  I do believe I will use it for an upcoming layout...

We'd just emerged from Archivers in Kansas City.  Strike a pose, ladies...

I know, I know... Candice again... I have it BAD.

Here are Debbie and Candice again.  I love this photo.  I captures the essence of their friendship.  I believe I will use this one also...

OK!  I'm done with Candice now... for the moment, anyway.

We then went on to spend a couple of days with Kristi.  I have photos of that also but here is a pic I stole from her blog.

We left Kristi to meet up with Donna and Barbie in Chicago.  Lots of photos there as well but I don't think I got one of Barbie OR Donna! =(  We were about 30 mins too late to get in to an Oprah show.  Apparently, she had Nicole Kidman and Doctor Oz on.  I have a couple of pics of the outside of the studio.  That's as good as it got...

From Chicago we went to New York.  We arrived there in the early hours of the morning so we bedded down at a 4 star hotel close to La Guardia airport.  I was too scared to brush my teeth or even to shower. 

For Candice and all of you other germ-o-phobes... check this out...  Thing was see,  I wasn't treated to this view until my butt was firmly placed on the toilet seat... and by then it was too late to react...

and this...

"4 Star"?!??!?!?!?  ... my foot... and to top it all off - it was on a smoking floor. ={

We hi-tailed it out of there EARLY the next day and checked into a very nice hotel on 48th Street.  And there we showered, brushed our teeth and scrubbed ourselves to a shine and sprayed our belongings in perfume.  Then we investigated the Big Apple.  All day.  For the next 3 days we investigated.  All day.  Every day. Investigated.

We did the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, 5th Ave, Rockefeller Centre, Broadway, rode the subway, went to a Harlem Gospel, checked out Ground Zero, shopped in Soho, 5th Ave and a few other places, ate in Little Italy, Times Square and a million other places.  And photos.  Photos. And more photos.

Sherryn iceskating at the Rockefeller Centre.  I was designated bag watcher and official photographer. 

I just love the colours of Halloween.  Here is a little bird chewing up the straw in the Halloween display at the Rockefeller Centre.

We came across a gang of Breakers bustin' a move in Central Park.  They were good entertainment.  They even assured the gathering crowd that they weren't carrying weapons... nice.

My partner-in-crime.  Love you Shezza!  Thanks for being you!

And here she is... The weather on the day was the ONLY day we had bad weather during our entire time in the US.  It was a bit blowy and wet but we just HAD TO DO IT!  and when we got bored we liked to watch the people yak over the side of the ferry.  It was choppy out there on that water.  Fun fun fun!

...from behind... 

...and of course in front...

 

After NYC we took the train to Niagara Falls and spent a couple of nights at a B & B on the river.  It was F-F-F-Cold!!!!  Apparently it snowed during the night.  It was during this stay that we spent the day with Janette who was convalescing after some major surgery which was the reason for her not joining us in Kansas City.  She is everything I thought she would be!  Loved meeting you girlie!  I have photos of that day too.  Again, it was F-F-F-Cold.

We then left Niagara to spend the last day of our trip in Toronto.  When we arrived I couldn't help but wonder "Where are all the people?"  We soon found out... They were all underneath the city!! There is a labyrinth of shopping under the streets!  Genius!  Especially when it snows and gets all F-F-F-Cold.  And it was here that we found the best shopping of the trip.  I loved Canada! ... Apart from the F-F-F-Cold.

I have soooo many more photos to share. 

I even have photos of my new baby nephew Lochie.  Born less than a week ago.  7 lb 4 oz.  Just perfect!  I introduced myself this morning.  Got some cute pics.

And, just to assure you I haven't been twiddling my thumbs in the scrapping arena, here are a couple out this month in Scrapbook Creations and a couple more that I've done for Scrapbooks etc.

So!  There you have it and there you go!  Chew on this for a couple-a-days.  I'll be back...

Comments

[scrappysue]

you're baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!! GREAT pics! except for the one of that hotel room - ick! i thought I had the worst hotel room in new york! can't wait to see more pics.

have been thinking of you over the past couple of days and wondering how the hitting the ground running went. that's how it was for me too!

[Haggith]

glad to have you back!!! missed ya! :)
so good to hear you had an awesome time in the States. And had fun meeting lots of "net" friends.
can't wait to see more photos.

[Petrina McDonald]

phew!!!! awesome!!!!! I had been wondering when you would be back. Fantastic lowdown on the trip. Can't wait to see and hear more.

[Bev]

Great to have you back - yea!!!! We all missed you heaps!!!! Love your photos and tales of adventure. One thing, are there any ugly ladies who scrap in America? Your friends are all positively gorgeous! Love your layouts especially the last one LOL xxxx

[donnapiranha]

Very entertaining. Thanks for sharing. I think we're all members of the Candice Crush Club.

[donnapiranha]

P.S. I forgot to say "very creative use of The Farmer's '**** behind two boots' saying!" He would be proud.

AND thanks for introducing us to your darling Shezza. I'm so glad you were BOTH able to come here.

[louise]

Hey Missed you!!!

Cant wait for the next episode!

Lou xx

PS Im still running scared!!! [lol]

[Melinda]

Glad you made it home safe and what better way than to sprint back into the daily grind. I am so glad to have met you.. only wish there was more time to spend together.
looks like you have some fabulous photos to work with.

[Candice]

Okay, I spit my water out with the farmer saying...too funny!

Oh, you are just making my head bigger and bigger!! :) Your check is in the mail....and I thank you for all the editing you did.

I really want some of those pics...so hopefully you download them for us all to share. Cant wait to see what you scrap from the trip.

Thank you for sharing Sherryn with us...she is fabulous! You both are. I just LOVE you guys. It was great getting to hang w/ you so much. Miss you both!!

Ummmm, those hotel pics made me gag. YUCK!

You are a fab photographer!!

[Moira Coates]

Hey hey, welcome back traveller! Loved the photos, made me terribly depressed at a)all the travelling you did and that I want to do, and b)all those fab photos for scrapping! It looked like an awesome time :-) Moira xx

[Sherryn]

These photo's are great!...I can honestly say it was one of the greatest 3 weeks of my life!...wished we could have spent more time with these fun girls....looking at these photo's just make me SMILE :)

[KatherineB]

Phew... I'm exhausted just reading about all you did. Sounds like a fantastic trip. What about all the shopping - come on spill the beans - what did you buy!!!!

[Debbie]

Yay! I've been waiting and waiting!

First of all, I loved how you included the farmer's saying. Great use of it. Made me laugh out loud. For real.

I am also a member of the Candice Crush Club but don't ever mention it in front of her husband because he gets all kinky on you then. ;-)

Hey, I think you put make-up on me! I look good!

I loved meeting you gals and I miss you both badly. I wish I could visit you (well except for all the dangerous things that live in your neck of the woods. yikes!)

Tell Sherryn that we are waiting for HER blog.

[Janette]

Welcome back to blog land Kiwi. Also glad you and Sherryn are safe and sound back home. I'm so glad you girls came to Canada and spent the day with me at my home. It was wonderful. You two had me laughing and feeling 100% better. So when you coming back? We miss you already.
So you had fun in Toronto eh? I'm so glad. Told you that it was a whole other world underground. Lots of shopping. Hubby and I like to go there in November and we can leave our coat at the hotel and do all our walking underground. Every once in a while we will come up for air and do some shopping above ground too. Can't wait to see pictures and hear what you all got. Oh did you make it over to the CN tower? Hope you update soon with many more photos and stories. So awesome you got to meet all your favourite people. We need you to start a Candice crush blog. Hahaha! =) Have a great day.
P.S. Sherryn Darling you need to start a blog. Pretty please pretty lady! =)

[Jen Biggs]

Fun stuff (except for the creepy hotel!) Looks like a fun trip! Glad you had a good time! Can't wait to see more.

[keri]

i can't believe you were in LA and didn't call me! I would have bought you a sprinkles cupcake.
great pics, layouts blah blah blah .. i'm all bitter now....;)

[Pam]

You got some amazing photos! I want to learn your editing techniques tho! Then maybe I'll actually be in some photos!

I am so glad I got to meet you and Sherryn! You 2 are so fun!

That bathroom is SCARY! I don't think I could have slept on the sheets! LOL!

Your layouts are beautiful as always!

Glad you made it back safe and I hope you all plan another trip back here soon!

[wog]

What an AMAZING trip you had! That is so cool. Loving your pages, as always. I particularly love the green acres photo. LOVE IT!

[Leanne Stamatellos]

I have an award for you on my blog Lynette!