In a little over an hour, I will be sitting at the oral surgeon’s office, waiting for my daughter Lauren’s name to be called. She has a "mucocele" – a place where she bit her lip so hard that it severed the salivary duct and caused a cyst. At our consultation visit, she was so freaked out that they prescribed Valium for her to take both last night and this morning, before they give her the laughing gas. But last night, she said "I don’t need to take the medicine. I’m not worried about it." We talked it over and she really isn’t bothered – just very matter of fact. I’m hoping that she remains that way by the time we walk into the doctor’s office.
Dad is a different matter altogether.
I think he’s more freaked out than she is! Moms know that sometimes our kids have to hurt in order to get better. From a heel stick as an infant to holding them down for vaccinations…we know it’s what’s best for them. For me at least, that protective urge shifts from the pain in the moment to the keeping them safe long-term. Doesn’t mean I’m happy about the oral surgeon taking a scalpel to my baby, but I know it’s what’s best for her. I’m going to videotape her all goofy on the laughing gas, but I promised her it would never show up on YouTube!
Did you know that today is National Inconvenience Yourself Day? I love all the weird holidays that people create, but I read about this one in a magazine and I thought it was a great idea. So, today is the day to be kind to the stranger who’s trying to merge into traffic in front of you or take your shopping cart back to the store instead of leaving it in the parking lot. Today is a day to make the world a little better place by doing something nice for someone else, even if it inconveniences you a little bit.
We try to make your life a little easier by having lots of great new scrapbook products all in one place and this week is no exception! We have 248 new items this week, starting with one of K&Company’s new collections for 2009: Que Sera Sera. It’s a beautiful floral collection that they framed and decorated their booth with at CHA. We also have the Safari Chic and All About a Boy collections from Die Cuts with a View, three new collections from Teresa Collins: Documented, Family Matters and Haute Cuisine, calendar stickers from SRM Press and new colors and Just the Edge from Bazzill, including embossed paper!
The SYT designers were working on the following themes this week: Cayman Islands, Netherlands, Virgin Islands, Alaska, Louisiana, Billiards, T-Ball, Camping, Casino, Cooking, Sea World and more. We have a new custom paper that you can choose two different sayings/words in two different fonts. You have 30 color choices and 16 font choices. It turned out fantastic! Click here to see all the new items:
http://www.scrapyourtrip.com/22509.html.
We also have 248 items on sale this week and over 200 items left on 50% clearance. Click here to see all the bargains:
http://www.scrapyourtrip.com/clearance.html.
As always, thanks for your business.
Julie Swatek, President
Scrap Your Trip®
www.ScrapYourTrip.com
‘cuz life is a trip worth scrappin’®
February 25th, 2009
A momentous occasion occurred at my house this weekend (in my car actually). We took the back seatbelt positioning part of Logan’s booster seat off! He’s so much taller than Lauren was at 6, because we only took hers off about six months ago. He’s so excited and acting like he’s the big man on campus. I thought I’d be sad, because it’s one more example that’s he not my little baby anymore, but I’m actually excited. Every day, they each get a little more self-sufficient and than means a little more freedom for us. They can open and close their own car doors…buckle their own seat belts… We went to Disney this past weekend and it’s so much more fun now that they’re older. No strollers…we get to go through the "Guests With No Bags" line…and we get to ride all the fun rides, instead of "It’s A Small World" for the 3000th time.
It kind of follows my whole new "be in the moment" philosophy that I’m trying to live by. When they were babies, I loved it. Now that they’re older, I love this too. I get to relate to them as people, not just as my kids. I have more energy to put into a different kind of relationship with them, instead of so much energy put into their caretaking. Now if I could just get Logan to brush his teeth without having to tell him a gazillion times, we’d be on a roll!
Because so many of you have been asking, we’ve brought back F*R*E*E shipping! All orders over $59 will qualify for free standard shipping. All you have to do choose free shipping as an option and enter coupon code FREESHIP59 at checkout.
We have a whopping 272 items this week! We have the first of the 2009 Basic Grey collections, Marrakech and Porcelain, with all the fun pieces and matching Bazzill packs. Reminisce has a new Road Signs collection and we have more mini photo die cuts from Paper House. The SYT Designers worked on lots of travel destinations such as Italy, Spain (wait until you see the bullfighter!), Alaska, New York and Vegas, but also lots of different themes, such as twins, cooking, President’s Day, Sudoku and even customizable Sock Monkey paper! We also have two custom die cuts – a chef’s hat and a road trip "here to there" die cut. Click here to see all the new items:
http://www.scrapyourtrip.com/21809.html.
We also have 272 items on sale this week and over 275 items left on 50% clearance. Click here to see all the bargains:
http://www.scrapyourtrip.com/clearance.html.
As always, thanks for your business.
Julie Swatek, President
Scrap Your Trip®
www.ScrapYourTrip.com
‘cuz life is a trip worth scrappin’®
February 18th, 2009
I am absolutely blown away by all the comments on the blog from last weeks e-mail about your "perfect day"! Even though I had to bribe you with a $25 gift certificate drawing to get you to post to the blog (the eight winners are listed below), it was worth it to have the opportunity to read your thoughts. As of today, 196 people posted 83 pages of comments!
You can’t read through everyone’s posts and not be a changed person (and if you haven’t had the chance to read them, please make some time – you’ll be glad you did!). Here are a few comments:
"Thank You for everyone’s perfect day, I have loved reading them and cried at many and my own."
"I just read so many of the "Groundhog Day letters"……they brought tears to my eyes…..I am in my 60′s and usually don’t read blogs, but I accidentally clicked on that link….."
"Thanks for asking the thought provoking question, it made me stop and think about what is important in life."
"I’ve read through 148 wonderful "perfect days". I guess I’d like to live through some or all of those days already described. Sometimes we don’t realize that our "perfect day" was today (or yesterday or the day before, etc.)."
I can tell you that I am a better person because so many of you shared your stories. Some made me laugh, some made me think "I should add that to my perfect day list!" and many made me cry. But the effect your words had on me is best evidenced by what just happened.
I am sitting at home, at my computer, writing this e-mail. My husband takes the kids to school in the morning and he just got home. He came into my office, where I am working and said "I don’t know what happened or if you’re just making a conscious effort, but you’ve been so much nicer to me in the last week. I really appreciate it!" He kissed me and walked away.
I am nicer because I have read the stories of so many of you who have lost loved ones and would just give anything to have one more day with them. I have come home from work early every day in the last week so that I could spend more time with my kids since so many of you would give anything to have your grown children be 9 and 6 again. I have tried to live "in the moment", because all these moments are what my life is. Not something that might happen someday, but what’s happening NOW.
So, for me, thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing and helping me be a better person. I also have to believe that I am not the only one who has been affected. This gets at the heart of why I asked you to post to the blog. We get so many wonderful e-mails every week, but we are the only ones who get to hear the stories. By posting them to the blog, you share with the world and you never know how many lives you are going to touch.
Okay, now that I am done bawling my eyes out – on to new products! We have 222 items this week. We have the cutest collection from Reminisce called Monkey Business (along with matching Bazzill pack and five sample layouts – click on the items or
Shop By Layout. We also have the Snow Day collection from Carolee’s Creations, Mardi Gras from Creative Imaginations and Let’s Cruise, Fishing, Equestrian, Auto Mechanic, Field Hockey and Nature collections from Karen Foster (all with Bazzill matches). We have a bunch of cute birthday stickers from SRM Press, along with stickers for baby, snowboarding and snowmobiling.
From the SYT Designers, we have papers for Beach, Martini, Pirates, Humpback Whale, Rainforest, Africa, Cliff Diving, Hong Kong, Blue Angels, Farming, School, Drama, Skiing, Theme Park, Hawaii, Alaska and Pennsylvania and die cuts for 1 & 2 Year Olds, Drinks, Mediterranean Cruise, Cruise, Disney, Love, Ancestry, General Travel, Hunting, Italy, Scrapbooking, Antique Cars, Dogs, Lacrosse, Sports, Baseball, Football, Basketball, Square Dancing, Track & Field, Music, State Fair, Alaska, National Parks, Engagement, Wedding and Safari. Wow! Jill also made the cutest month die cuts to use for calendar pages! We also have three custom die cuts this week – custom lacrosse jersey, custom " I Left My Heart In…" and my favorite, a tree with your initials "carved" in the bark. Click here to see all the new items:
http://www.scrapyourtrip.com/21109.html.
We have lots of boxes arriving with new stuff we ordered at the CHA Tradeshow, and we’re running out of places to put it! So, in an effort to "clear the shelves", we’re marked down all clearance items to 50% off, including the remaining WorldWin cardstock. Quantities are limited and of course, when it’s gone it’s gone! Click here to see all the bargains:
http://www.scrapyourtrip.com/clearance-scrapbook.html
Congrats again to our blog comment winners! The winners, generated by random.org, are Wendy Lust, Doreen Winchell, Char, Wanda Baucom, Joan Gonzalez, Deborah Handley, Kathy L. and Connie Cooper. Ladies, your $25 Gift Certificates will be in your email box by the end of the day!
As always, thanks for your business.
Julie Swatek, President
Scrap Your Trip®
www.ScrapYourTrip.com
‘cuz life is a trip worth scrappin’®
February 11th, 2009
Happy Belated Groundhog Day! When was the last time good old Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow? I can’t think back to a year when he didn’t.
I can’t even say the words "Groundhog Day" without thinking of the movie from 1993 with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell, where Bill Murray plays the grouchy weatherman who is forced to live the same day over and over again until he gets it right. But what if you had a day in your life that you GET TO live over and over again? What would that day look like?
I’ve been thinking about this for the last few days and what’s interesting to me is that everything I think of is ordinary. I would sleep late. I would start the day with a nice hot cup of my favorite tea. I would spend some time reading a good book. I would organize something. I would spend some time at Disney World with my family. (It’s a place where I can immerse myself in the fantasy, shut off the outside world and all my thoughts and be totally present, enjoying the kids having so much fun). I would have a meaningful discussion with my husband, one that didn’t revolve around the kids or work. I would spend extra time at bedtime, snuggling the kids.
What would your day look like? If you feel inclined to share, please post it on the blog (that way everyone gets to read it and be inspired). The link to the blog is at the bottom of this e-mail. If you’ve never posted a comment before, I’ve posted instructions on how to do it after the link. Everyone who posts on the blog will be entered in a drawing for a $25 SYT Gift Certificate. We will be choosing 3 winners for every 25 posts (one post per person, please.)
After you’re done posting on the blog, head on over to the store to check out the 220 new items we have this week. We have three new scrapbooking idea books, along with new scrapbooking die cuts. You’ll find the Sweet Talk Valentine’s collection from K& Company, along with the Winter Wishes line from Moxxie. We also have the brand new release from Paper House, one of my favorites. They have lots of new travel papers (some that are glittered), cardstock stickers and epoxy stickers for over 30 destinations, themes and sports, including more Wizard of Oz.
We have lots of custom products from the SYT designers this week. We’ve been getting lots of requests for sorority/fraternity products, so we have several custom paper options. We also have a custom Valentine’s heart, a custom fishing trip sign and a custom vacation sign paper, along with all the other wonderful products our designers have been working on (including a few things for you Pittsburgh fans). Click here to see all the items: http://www.scrapyourtrip.com/20409.html
We also have an additional 220 items on sale this week. The sale lasts until next Tuesday, February 10th and is while quantities last. Click here to see the items at 25% off: http://www.scrapyourtrip.com/220sale2042009.html
Hope to see your day to live over and over again on the blog. Even if you don’t share it with everyone, take some time to think about it. I bet it’s a day you could have more often.
As always, thanks for your business.
Julie Swatek, President
Scrap Your Trip®
www.ScrapYourTrip.com
‘cuz life is a trip worth scrappin’®
Never posted a blog comment before? It’s easy!
Here are the steps: (You’ll need to print them if you want to follow along)
2. This will take you to the current post on my blog.
3. Scroll down to the bottom where it says "Leave a Comment".
4. Fill in the information:
*Name (type in the name you would like to appear before your comment)
*Email (type in your e-mail address – it will NOT be shown in your post)
*URL (If you have your own website, type the name here. If you don’t know what this is, leave it blank)
*Comment (type whatever comment you’d like to share)
5. Once you have completed this section, click on the "Submit" button.
6. That’s it – YOU did it!!
Your post will show up on the blog. In order to see your post, scroll down and you will find it as the last post).
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with others!!
February 4th, 2009
