My Girlie Getaway!

Last week I really got to get away from it all and have a little girl time.

First, I got to spend a little time up at Girls' Camp with my cute young women.  I have such wonderful memories of going to Camp as a girl, and I was so excited to be back - if only for a day (and a night!)  I was so sad that I had to get up really early to head back down the mountain, but I had a plane to catch!  I drove from Big Bear straight to Dennis' office where he took me to the airport.  No time to loose!  I was leaving the fun of camp behind, yes, but I was off to where there was more fun to be had - the 2009 Stampin' Up! Convention!

Off I flew to Salt Lake City for the Stampin' Up Convention!  SU's conventions are always first-rate, and so very much fun!  Thousands of women (and a few guys too) gather to swap handmade cards, learn and share new stamping techniques and ideas, look at stamps, eat, and just have a blast!  (Plus we got a darling reversible convention bag and a bunch of free new stamps!)  Oh ya, and we also get to STAMP like crazy!

The theme this year was "inspire, create, share" and I got a lot of all three!

This was an exciting year for me, because I got to walk across the main stage and be recognized for my remarkable accomplishment. No, I didn't have high sales (HA!) or remarkable recruiting (ya, right!).  But I hung in there long enough and bought enough of my own stamps that I recieved my 10 year pin! (It will actually be 11 years come October!)  This was my 8th convention in 10 years. (I missed one when my twins were born, and another a few years ago, when all the slots filled up before I got my ticket.  So sad.)

I really enjoyed my moment in the limelight, since I'm sure I won't be recognized for anything actually important on stage ever again. I am just not the most motivated business women in the company.  I do the BARE MINIMUM it take to get my discount and go to convention.  Maybe I should try a bit harder.

Too bad I was having a bad hair day!

For me, the best part of convention was hanging out, in person, with my dear friend Diana.   Diana and I actually met last convention standing in line for the Make-and-Takes and hit it off immediately!  We got to know each other a bit that week, and then a lot more via blogging/email afterward.  She is an amazing, darling gal!  A speech therapist, a triathelete, an amazing singer and musician, the ward choirster, and a STAMPER too!  It was especially fun to see her in person becasue she has lost 40 lbs since last year!  Way to go Diana!  

Here are just several hundred pictures I took of the thousands and thousands of stamped cards and projects that were on display there.  It was pretty overwhelming!

Not wanting to get too stamp-crazy, Diana and I took an afternoon off from convention and pampered ourselves a bit.  First stop - pedicures!  Nothing says "I've had a girl weekend" like pretty polished piggies!  We kept looking at them for the rest of the trip.  (They are all messed up now since I went to taekwando class as soon as I got home, and had to kick the bag about a hundred times.  Oh well.  It was fun while it lasted!)

Of course, no girlie getaway would be complete without a shopping spree!  Our rounds included one of my favorite inspiring stops in Utah, Gardener Village.  I just love the cute little old buildings and pretty boutiques.  We also got to the Black Goose, the mall, the Rack, and Target (always Target!)

All that candy was for the kids, OK? For the kids.

And dinner was Diana's suggestion - Cafe Rio, where I was introduced to their pork salad.  Super yummy!  Wish I didn't have to go all the way to Utah to get another one!

And of course, there was one more element necessary to having the perfect girl weekend - talking to you girlfriend late, late, late into the night!  We had a few good chats, I must say!  Came home completely exhausted!!!  But Happy!

Dennis and the boys sure were happy to see me, and the house was clean too!  It was so great of them to let me have this time away!

I sure enjoyed myself on this getaway, and loved spending quality time with my friend Diana!  Again next year - definitely!