Warning: stream of consciousness post.

Here's the deal.

• I routinely add water to my Bath and BodyWorks liquid handsoap. When the bottle is about half empty, I fill it nearly to the top with water and swish it all around and the bottle is full again. It makes my soap last twice as long. I secretly think I'm a freaky person for doing this. After all - while Bath and BodyWorks soap is more expensive than Dial - I can afford it. Am I really sacrificing the cleanliness of my family's hands to save a buck fifty? Yes. But then, I don't think our hands are any less clean. They sure still smell clean with diluted soap, and there's plenty of lathering going on...
• You know how it's usually really hard to buy gifts for men? Well, I totally rock the fab on my Dad's birthday and Father's Day presents this year. (At least I think I do. He still hasn't seen his birthday present - I'm giving it to him today - in person - because that's so much more personal than something that came through the postal service. ahem.)
• Yes, I just used the phrase 'rock the fab.' What are you going to do about it?
• Asia went to the movies the other night with a friend. The movie got over around 10:00 and he didn't get home until after 12:30. Was I sound asleep in bed? No - I was up in the living room having a panic attack because he hadn't taken his phone and I was just sure he was dead on the freeway somewhere. We're talking heart thumping, cold sweaty fear. I haven't had a fearful episode like that for years. It was awful. But it also made me appreciate my husband in a new way. I really would be a basket case without him.
• I once saw a movie at a slumber party called "The Boy in the Basket." It was a horror flick. This kid had a twin who was basically just a head that he carried around with him in a basket. Until one day, the head went crazy sick of being in the basket and somehow propelled itself around killing people. I get the best belly laugh whenever I tell people about it. Quite possibly the stupidest movie ever made.
• E. and I were at the library yesterday and he wanted me to read him some books. He picked a few off the shelf and one of them was a beautifully illustrated edition of "Little Black Sambo." Really - it was a gorgeous book. I remember lots of controversy about the restaurant 'Sambo's' at one point in my life. But there's really nothing controversial about the story. It's really a sweet little folk tale. Remember Sambo's? Good pancakes.
• I taught a class yesterday - a mini book titled "Life's Little Lessons: Things I've learned from my family." LOVE the book - (I used SEI's new Paisley and Petals papers and tags) but I love the sentiments most. In it, we recorded simple little things - like on a page with a picture of my Aunt Pat - I wrote "You can always fit more into a Tupperware container than you think you can." And on a page with my Grandma and Grandpa Young: "Save your kindest words for those you love the most." On my Mom's page? "Cook baked potatoes for one hour at 350 degrees." Can't tell you how many times I had to call her as an adult to ask how long and how hot to bake potatoes until I finally remembered it.
• Apparently - according to the ladies in class yesterday, you will be treated to the most delicious baked potatoes in your whole life if you rub them with olive oil, salt and pepper the skin before you wrap them in tin foil, and then bake them for an hour at 450 degrees. Crazy, I know, but I'm going to try it. I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out.
• Asia and I did a "Yogilates" DVD last night after dinner. You should have seen us. All he kept saying was "this is really hard..." and I was too busy holding my breath to say anything. You mean I'm supposed to do a 'downward facing dog' and breathe at the same time? Yougottabekiddingme. We both decided that the 'corpse' pose at the end was the best one.
• What do you think was up with housewives in the 60's and Jello? Did anyone really think that adding vegetables to Jello was a good idea? Ewww.
• Just got my hands on "Designing with Type", Autumn Leaves' new idea book. I tucked it into my supplies for the weekend and cannot wait to pore over it, tagging page after page of fabulous ideas. This has got to be my favorite idea book series of all time. Those "Designing with..." designers have got it going on. Amazing stuff. Really - it gets my creative energy flowing big time.
• I leave later this morning for my retreat. Got some great books on tape for the drive - and some great music too - Billie Holiday and Andrea Bocelli... I LOVE road trips where I'm the only one in the car. Happens SO seldom for me - and is such a treat. Oh - and I get to scrapbook and eat great food all weekend too. Very.excited...

Happy weekend, friends. I'll be back Monday morning. And I'll share my five favorite pages from the weekend. Won't that be fun?