love this for a kids room

One day :)

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today's inspiration

via and be sure to follow her amazing blog too!

this weekend

Friday ... For some reason I was craving a Margarita all day long at work on Friday. It was such a productive work day because I was coming off of three events in a row so I had a lot of follow-up to do and the emails were flowing. Chad came to my work to take my car through Air Care (it passed but what a stupid system) and I told him I needed a Margarita - ha ha. So after work I swung by the liquor store and picked up a bottle of Skinnygirl Margaritas and headed home to throw a pizza in the oven for dinner. Now that is how we do Friday nights! We watched "Main St." which was okay. It played like I was reading a novel instead of watching a movie. It was an early night for us because we were planning on getting up early Saturday morning.

Saturday ... We woke up early and hit Timmy's drive thru and then headed across the line to get our shopping on. Got some clothes, new runners and lots of groceries/toiletries that were on our shopping list for a while. It all added up but it sure felt good to cross those items off of our list! We had lunch at 5 Guys and then headed home to unpack all of our goodies. Later on we went to dinner with our good friends Leah and Daryl. We had a delicious meal at Lou's Grill in Abbotsford. I had the Cajun Seafood Fettuccine and I cannot wait to have left-overs for lunch on Monday. So good!

Sunday ... I got to sleep in (heaven)! When I woke up Chad was downstairs working on finishing our railing with his Dad so I lounged around for a bit and finished reading "celebraTORI" by Tori Spelling. Such a cute book - lots of old and new ideas and tons of inspiration.

At around noon I headed to my friend Donna's house. We went to the local courts and played tennis for about an hour. I have not played tennis since high school and ... I LOVED IT! Can't wait to go out again. Such a great work-out! After our rallying, we headed back to Donna's for sangria and lentil soup for lunch. Delicious. Swung by and visited by parents for a bit and then headed home to make french onion soup, garlic buns and salad for dinner. Yes ma'am - I sure ate well this weekend :) After I cleaned up and got our lunches ready for Monday, we popped in our latest DVD purchase - "Gods of the Arena". We have seen "Spartacus" so I was excited to see what happened before that storyline. Man alive - it did not disappoint. We are two episodes in and it is so full of gore and sex ... I LOVE IT! Ha ha. Just goes to show you a little bit more about my personality eh? Hope you all had wonderful weekends too! Bring on Monday!

may goals

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Holy Hanna Montana! I cannot believe that tomorrow is ALREADY MAY 1st!!! I know everyone says it and it is obnoxious every time it is said but seriously - where has the time gone? I am just starting to get into my April goals and it is the last day of April. Oh well - better late than never :) With that in mind, I am going to carry over my April goals to May. Here is a quick update ...

1. Eat more slowly, say grace and think before eating.
Working on this. This has always been a struggle for me but when I do take my time to eat and enjoy what is going into my body, the process is much more rewarding. This will always be on my "goal/to do" list I think.


2. Have 5 successful work events. A big month for me!
I am able to cross this one off for May. Yay! April was awesome work wise - it flew by but it was a successful fly by Goose! Bring on May and then June is our golf tournament. I just need some solid sunshine to make that event a success!


3. Brainstorm more ways to use my organizational skills for a possible career choice.
My mind has been working at this every day and night. Still in the thinking stage but getting closer ... I can feel it!


4. Add an extra day of moving/exercise per week.
Just found the time to do this and it feels amazing. Bought some new kicks this weekend so bring on the movement!


5. Work on a craft project per week.
Been doing more thinking than doing on this goal but I can feel it coming together. Hello Crafty May!

recently and weekend plans

I just finished reading this after lending it to my mom first (bought her the other two books for her birthday). It really is that good. Read it and enjoy the simplicity behind it. Hope to see the movie soon in the theater but for some reason we never actually go to the movies or the drive-in even though we talk about the idea of it constantly. Might just have to make this one happen!

I know, I know - we are a bit behind the times with this one but there was a LONG wait list for Cars 2 at the library so I had to patiently wait for my turn. WOW. This is quite the story line for kids to follow. It was so involved with so many characters and overlapping story lines. Clearly it was made for kids and adults alike but other than the cool talking vehicles, how is a young child supposed to follow along? Mind blowing really when you think about it.

My latest Kristin Hannah read. This one was a wee bit too sappy for me (listened to the audiobook) but I look forward to her next one that is on my Kobo -
Between Sisters.

Weekend Plans:

1. Dinner and a movie rental with the husband.

2. Shopping across the line for new running shoes.

3. Dinner with good friends.

4. A long overdue tennis date with an old friend ... and probably a glass of wine or three too!

What are you up to this weekend? Have fun friends!

i'm in LOVE with this party

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the top 25 brands to follow on pinterest

Found this article on The Top 25 Brands to Follow on Pinterest and found it really interesting. I really want Pinterest to stay warm and fuzzy - full of craft, recipe and home decor ideas, and inspirational quotes. I hate it when I see something "for sale" (I would rather do the research and find the product on my own - kind of like a mini treasure hunt) and I loath anything to do with exercise tips on Pinterest - just doesn't seem like the proper place for it if you ask me. But that all being said, there is no denying it that businesses are jumping on the Pinterest bandwagon - some "just because" and others because it works really well with their brand. We have chatted about this a lot at various work functions lately because it is a "hot topic" right now - my work won't all of a sudden appear on Pinterest because it doesn't make any sense but for craft focused businesses and empire builders (i.e. Martha Stewart) it does make sense. Check out the article and let me know how you use Pinterest for work or play! Follow me on Pinterest here!

friday's inspiration

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some wednesday inspiration

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quote of the day

"Are you kidding me? It's insane that civil rights are being denied people in this day and age. It's embarrassing, and it's heartbreaking. It goes without saying that I'm completely in support of gay marriage. In 10 years we'll be ashamed that this was an issue." ~ Chris Evans via

tuesday's inspiration

what a beautiful reminder

must try recipe

soft sugar cookies with whipped topping via gluesticks

must add to my recipe box - yum!

fluffy raspberry mousse recipe via design crush

movie review

Ridiculous, unrealistic, unbelievable and horrible acting.
BUT ... man can they drive :)

who knew?

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Check out this awesome info that can help you on a daily basis! 

10 Great Alternative Uses for Dryer Sheets

love this!

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my weekend

Friday ...
I woke up Friday morning and didn't want to deal with any stress so I pulled together leftovers for lunch, watched 'Grey's Anatomy' while getting ready for work and treated myself to Starbucks for breakfast. After work I made a rum and coke (must have needed it because it tasted so good!), threw in a load of laundry and watched 'The Office' on the computer while Chad made a roast dinner. Chad had some problems with the BBQ and even though he was frustrated, I thought dinner turned out fabulously - even though I am not a fan of red meat - especially roast. After cleaning up we watched 'Rum Diary' with Johnny Depp. It was awesome because it starred Johnny Depp but that was about all it did for me.

Saturday ...
When I woke up this morning I had a hot bath, read 'The Hunger Games' (getting so freaking good) and then met my girlfriend Tara at her house in Surrey. We did some major wedding planning shopping and went to Ikea, HomeSense, Michaels, the Adidas store and Bed Bath and Beyond. In between all that we had a delicious lunch at Cactus Club in Coquitlam. Sangria, calamari and fish tacos - so good. After she dropped me off at my car, I went and hung out with my mom for a bit and waited for Chad to come back after finishing all his power rake details - he is in serious Spring yard cleaning mode right now! After a quick visit with my parents, we rented some movies and got Chinese food for dinner. We watched 'The Green Hornet'. It was okay - Chad liked it and I like Ryan Reynolds so it was a win-win :)

Sunday ...

Chad woke up before I did so when I woke up I read for a bit. When I finally got up to make breakfast and clean the house (my plan that I told him about the night before), he informed me we were going to the nursery so - Sunday plans quickly changed. We picked up Timmy's along the way but the nursery by our house was closed so we went to Port Kells nursery and then - my favourite - Aarts because I get to drive a golf cart! After that we visited my parents for a bit and dropped off a plant Chad had bought for my mom. When we got home I made us chicken wraps for lunch and then I cleaned the upstairs and reorganized the craft room while Chad worked outside - felt so good to do a deep cleaning! After cleaning up, Chad watched the Canucks lose (boo!) while I watched 'I Don't Know How She Does It' - cute movie but I still like the book better - one of my all time favourites. We had leftover Chinese food for dinner and then Chad's mom freaked us out - she stopped by and we so weren't expecting a visitor :) Read before crashing. And now - my crazy week begins!

friday's list

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Pet Peeves of the Day:

1. When people say they are going to email you or call you back and they don't. That makes you a liar.
2. When people have an email address, advertise for you to contact them that way and then they do not respond to your email. That makes you a liar.
3. When you exaggerate. You are lying.
4. When you change the rules. One day you believe one thing and the next day you change your mind. You are lying again.
5. When you blame me for something that has gone wrong with a project that I was not even involved in. That is lame and when you indicate to other people that it was my fault well then - guess what - you are lying.
6. Liars.

Ahh ... I feel better :) Have a wonderful weekend friends!

book review

I just finished listening to this audiobook yesterday. I love any non-fiction diary style story and this one did not disappoint. Mr. Archer's candid telling of his days spent in prison are so frank and detailed that I couldn't wait to see what his next day of incarceration would bring him! Here is a description of the novel from his website:

DAY 5 MONDAY 23 JULY 2001 5.53AM 'The sun is shining through the bars of my window on what must be a glorious summer day. I've been incarcerated in a cell five paces by three for twelve and a half hours, and will not be let out again until midday; eighteen and a half hours of solitary confinement. There is a child of seventeen in the cell below me who has been charged with shoplifting - his first offence, not even convicted - and he is being locked up for eighteen and a half hours, unable to speak to anyone. This is Great Britain in the twenty-first century, not Turkey, not Nigeria, not Kosovo, but Britain.' On Thursday 19 July 2001, after a perjury trial lasting seven weeks, Jeffrey Archer was sentenced to four years in jail. He was to spend the first twenty-two days and fourteen hours in HMP Belmarsh, a double A-Category high-security prison in South London, which houses some of Britain 's most violent criminals. This is the author's daily record of the time he spent there.

Now I just need to get my hands on "A Prison Diary Volume II - Purgatory" and "A Prison Diary Volume III - Heaven".

Next up - surprise, surprise ... Hunger Games!

today i'm loving

This seems like the perfect Spring/Summer bag. LOVE!

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this looks awesome!

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you really is

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so beautiful

Such a beautiful daily reminder.

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book review

I mentioned before that I am pretty obsessed lately with the author Kristin Hannah. Her stories are wrapped around families, friends, relationships and small "West Coast" towns. Easy to read but always entwined with a heart tugging story line. I finished "True Colors" last night - a story about three sisters and how their lives don't turn out exactly the way they had hoped. But in the end after love lost and love found, they learn to trust each other again and - so true - blood is thicker than water. I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this novel - including the spread of stories through a few generations of family members that came full circle at the end. I recommend "True Colors" or any of Ms. Hannah's books for a warm spring afternoon of reading, or an evening of reading in a hot tub with a glass of wine. Perfection. Enjoy friends!

lessons i have learned

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I am a 33 year old woman who is married, owns a home and works a solid 9 to 5 job as an Events and Communications Coordinator. My husband and I are thinking about starting a family, working on our retirement savings plan and discussing taking a vacation in the near future. I went to college and got a 2-year diploma and he is successful with no post-secondary education but because he is the hardest worker I have ever met. He drives a pick-up truck and I drive a Honda Civic hatchback. We have one vehicle payment. Wow - sounds pretty standard and ... normal doesn't it??! But, it is our life and we have worked hard to build it to this point. It hasn't been an easy road - I have lost many loved ones along the way including my father, had my heart broken more than once by a "boy", I don't talk to my brother, I have 2 step-brothers and a step-sister somewhere out there in this world who I no longer have contact with, I have an anxiety disorder that I deal with every day and the list goes on and on and on ... as do all of our lists - it is what makes us human!

I think what differentiates our "stories" are the lessons we learn along the road that we take. Here are some of the lessons that I have learned and I find that now that I am a bit older (this side of 30) I learn new lessons each and every day so this list is organic and changes from day to day and even sometimes, minute to minute. What has your journey taught you?

1. Do not assume anything. Ever.
2. Be as consistent as possible when it becomes to your own personal rules and beliefs. When you go off track even once, people notice and you lose credibility.
3. Everyone deals with death differently. Respect that fact.
4. You can't change someone. You will try but you can't.
5. "The Secret" really isn't a secret at all but believe and trust it. Your thoughts become things and you choose your own happiness. You design your destiny. And if you are nice to others, they will be nice to you. You truly do get what you give out of life. Trust me.
6. I am not a believer in organized religion in any form and am still cultivating my thoughts on God, the after-life, etc. but I believe in the "10 Commandments". Live them.
7. It is 2012 and there is no such thing as job security any more. Keep that in mind when choosing a career and when entering your office door each morning.
8. I have been told that I don't have to like my boss, I need to respect them but the truth is, I usually like them but don't respect them in regards to the position they are in.
9. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it is.
10. If you are just this side of positive on the scale of 1 to 10, it IS a good day.
11. Treat your body like the temple it is. Respect it because it is all you have to take you through this life.
12. Read often.
13. Family is everything. Like it or not, it's the truth.
14. Technology is amazing and if you embrace it, it will make your life much easier. Embrace it and learn. 
15. Change is good. Always.

To be continued ...

weekend movie review

I usually rely on our local library for DVDs but I have found a small, hole-in-the-wall Video Store in Aldergrove that has very reasonable prices and - from what I can tell so far - usually has at least a couple of each new release available. I guess people just don't rent anymore but since we don't have cable, this is just a bonus for us :)

I had heard that "Change-Up" with two of my favourites - Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds - was hilarious but I was skeptical. Ding, ding, ding - the reviewers got it right. This movie was so ridiculous and funny - both Chad and I really enjoyed it. Jason and Ryan were awesome and played off of each other so well. If you are looking for a laugh, I would suggest this movie on this cold and rainy Monday.

I rented "Thor" for Chad's amusement. I was not aware that it was another comic book adaptation. I thought it was more "Gladiator" style but I quickly realized that the reason it was so cheesy and unrealistic was because it was the same storyline as the comic. I went to bed early (even Natalie Portman couldn't save this one for me) and even Chad fell asleep before the last scene. I asked him if he wanted me to keep it or return it so he could watch the end and he quickly said to return it so enough said really.

I was so excited to see "Drive" with Ryan Gosling because a) the trailer looked awesome and b) Ryan Gosling is just plain old awesome all around. I was so disappointed though! The whole movie was basically in the trailer I saw so that is always a downer and I think they were trying to make it an artistic and dramatic film but I just found it slow and boring. Chad enjoyed it but the ending was lame. Maybe I just didn't get "it" but I am sure that if it wasn't for Mr. Gosling, I probably would have turned this off less than half way through. P.S. I love you Carey Mulligan but you did nothing for this movie - casting was all wrong. Oh well - at least I got to spend my Sunday evening with Ryan. Sigh!

float your boat

Yesterday Chad and I helped out at the "Team Andrew Forever Float Your Boat for Cancer" fundraiser at Derby Reach park. It was an amazing day filled with donations, boats, friends, laughs, hugs, bouncy castle, face painters, entertainment, food, etc. etc. etc. - the list of good things about yesterday goes on and on. Turns out that the group raised about $2,000.00 for Team Andrew Forever for the 2012 Light the Night Walk for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. You can support Team Andrew Forever HERE.

My friend Leah is the main organizer for the Team Andrew Forever fundraising events. She is truly an angel and is doing all of this hard work to keep her brother Andrew's memory alive, and to help her whole family continue to cope with their loss. Here her son Lachlan and her husband Daryl monitor the boat floating :) For a minimum $5 donation you got to purchase and decorate a boat and float it in the Fraser River. The kids loved this process and even though there were a ton of boats left-over, this picture says a lot.

Team Andrew Forever volunteers for life!

Sidney got in on the boat floating action too.

Leah's sister Katy also helps out with Team Andrew and here, Chad and her get things popping. Great job ladies!

Stacey and Cory brought the twins by for a visit and they ended up spending most of the day with us which was a real treat for me. I got to be the official "bouncy castle" monitor and the twins got to enjoy two firsts: eating popcorn and getting their adorable faces painted.

It turned out to be a beautiful and perfect day at Derby Reach - not too hot and not too cold. Just right and just the way Andrew would have wanted it!

The Langley Rugby boys pitched in as they always do and took care of the concession stand. They hot dogs were a hit and they had the BBQ going all day! Great job boys!

Uncle Chuddy was teaching the twins how to throw rocks. Best (and cheapest) activity of the day!

dean is too adorable ...

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Happy Friday the 13th Friends! My focus isn't really on the fact that it is the 13th, more that it is Friday :) This week has flown by. We were off Monday and then I had an event on Wednesday which always speeds things up. It was a great week - got a lot accomplished and the sun was shining quite a bit so I am a happy girl.

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Tonight I am taking my mom to get her hair done and then we are meeting up with the guys for dinner as a belated celebration to my mom's birthday yesterday. Going to get a great evening - the guys are going to get us a table at the Cactus Club in Abbotsford and watch game 2 of the Canucks and then we will meet them for dinner and drinks. 

Last night I grabbed a couple of movies on the way home and Chad was wrapped up in listening to the Blackhawks game on the computer so I watched "The Ides of March". Other than the fact that I love both Ryan and George, I didn't follow this movie much at all - I am so not a politically charged person let alone US politics so a lot of the conversations and jargon was lost on me. Interesting story line though - and so realistic from what we hear about politics - but it just wasn't a very good movie.

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I also rented "Thor" (for Chad) and "The Change-Up" (which I hear is incredibly funny) so hopefully those two will fair better this weekend. Have a great weekend!

i statements

Thank you to Becky Higgins for the inspiration!

i was … watching Celebrity Apprentice at lunch. A prime example of how I can waste an hour of my life.

i am … a Ninja. No really - I am :)

i think … my husband is the hardest working human on the planet.

i wonder … where our next vacation spot will be.

i wish … my mom a very happy 61st birthday.

i save … money every chance I can get. I am not a crazy coupon girl but I do appreciate a good deal.

i always … love to read.

i can’t imagine … my life without my family.

i believe … life is good. Believe it too.

i promise … to take care of my parents as they grow older.

i love … home.

i scrap … when I feel inspired. I always feel better after I complete a project but I am more of an art journal type of gal over a traditional memory scrapbooker.

Your turn!

thinking ... so much thinking

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I have been doing a ton of thinking lately. My thoughts are all over the map so I have vowed to work more at blogging and writing in a journal. They are both such a great outlet for me, I wonder why I don't make more time for them both - now is the time :) I have been thinking about my marriage (and every time I think about it, it absolutely blows my mind that I am actually married in the first place), the fact that we own our own home (again - mind blown), that I have been having a tiny tinge of interest in starting a family (something new for me), when will I feel too old to start trying to have kids (will that time come and go and it will be too late for me to realize it?), will be good parents (of course we will be but hello - pretty much the hardest job on the planet, not a task to be taken lightly), do I love my job (I do, when I get to do it but I know that in my heart, I should be running my own career plans), what do I want to be when I grow up ... etc. etc. etc. This is an exciting time for me - 33 and just starting the second half of my life - what will I do for work? what will my babies look like? where will we end up living? Now I just need to get back into living each day with purpose and enjoying the seconds that I am given - another thing I OVER think about :)

Here are two articles I found particularly inspiring today ... both focus on issues that I have been thinking a lot about and they help put my thoughts (and fears) into perspective. Enjoy!

• Ten Things I Want to Tell Teenage Girls
• 2012 - The Year of No Decisions

happy birthday mom!

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Today is my mom's 61st birthday. She is my mom, my pal, my confidant, my heart, my frustration and my best friend all rolled up into one very special package. She just recently lost her own mother and has been dealing a lot with her feelings around that so I hope that today is happy and bright for her - she deserves only good things from here on out.

I love you mom! Tomorrow we go to get our hair did and eat some yummy food - it will be fabulous to celebrate with you! xoxo

love

Way too pricey but such a good reminder. Why yes, yes it is :)

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life IS good

Today is going to be a good day. Why? Just because I said so. I've learned that it is up to me to choose to have good days because I never know what is going to get thrown at me at any given time - I choose how I react to it. I have an event this afternoon and then tonight is soccer practice - with probably pizza for dinner in between. Seriously - who can complain? Life IS good.

I went for a massage yesterday after work and I am not lying one little bit when I say that my massage therapist works miracles. He is magical - I feel like I am re-energized, re-aligned, re-focused and ready for a hot bath and a nap after our monthly visits. He has such a calming spirit about him to begin with and as we have spent more time together, we feel more comfortable with each other and I find this has helped heal my body in ways I couldn't imagine. Last Wednesday at our in-door gym soccer practice one of the girls on my team but who was on the other scrimmage team ran into me ... hard. Like so hard I had tears falling from my eyes from the shock and not the pain. I took a few minutes to go sit outside in the sunshine and catch my breath. I knew it wasn't a normal hit into the back - I knew that something wasn't right. Well it turns out that I had whiplash - my massage therapist said that he has seen people with less damage after getting hit by a truck in a car accident. I was angry at first when my own teammate did this to me and didn't apologize but I realize now that she had no idea what happened. It still hurts and it will hurt but it was accident. Another choice - move on.

I saw this on Facebook today and it really made me think ... how much love am I really giving to the word? To my loved ones? To my friends? To strangers? Something to think about ...

Our highest power is love, and it is one thing each of us has an unlimited amount of. How much love do you give to others in one day? Each day we have an opportunity to set out with this great, unlimited power in our possession, and pour it over every person and circumstance. Love is appreciating, complimenting, feeling gratitude, and speaking good words to others. We have so much love to give, and the more that we give, the more we receive. From The Secret Daily Teachings by Rhonda Byrne.

Anywho - enough with the sappy stuff. I've been doing a ton of reading lately and am not entirely sure what I did before a) I had a library card and b) Chad bought me a Kobo. I am currently obsessed with Kristin Hannah. I've read and listened to some of her books before but my Kobo is filled with her novels - stories about love, faith, family and relationships. Easy reading but the characters are so well developed that you can see them - I think that is the sign of a great author - one who brings the reader right into the story and doesn't make them think to much, just read and enjoy the ride. I just finished reading "Angel Falls" and loved it.

And this is where my library card comes in ... it was finally my turn to read "Kardashian Konfidential". I was super excited because I really do love any book that is set up like a scrapbook but I got about 1/4 of the way through and realized that the writing was so bad, I just flipped through the rest of the book and looked at the photos. Not a fan of the Kardashians but have become a bit obsessed - is Kim really dating Kanye? Is Khloe moving back to LA now that her hubby is no longer with the basketball team? I know, I KNOW - pathetic but hey - they keep reporting stories about them, I just happen to read them :)

Happy Hump Day Friends! Enjoy the start of spring and all that it has to offer - sunshine, daffodils and raindrops!

wish list

Dear Easter Bunny,
It would be lovely if you could skip the chocolate eggs this year and just pre-order this for me.
Love your faithful believer,
J the Geek

scrabble typography limited edition