I have a lot of blog posts running through my mind to give you some highlights about my trip. I always say I’m going to keep a journal of sorts but never do. Even though vacations always seem too short – a lot of fun & family gets crammed into that time. Although very little is to be desired about LA traffic, I wouldn’t have missed this trip for the world. I’m downloading pictures & sorting my thoughts but I have to start my “welcome home” with a post about what actually welcomed me at home.

First of all, this is what our deck looked like.
Photobucket”

There were a few boxes that our neighbors brought in for us, one of which I was expecting & I’ll give you the lowdown on that.

When I was in Chicago a month ago with my writing forum friends, we wandered into a Walgreens & I screamed when I saw this:
wiz2
(that’s Trish holding it so I could text a picture to hubby & beg to buy it.)

I have a thing for the Wizard of Oz. I wasn’t a huge movie freak or anything. We watched it once a year growing up & that was that. When my daughter was 4, she was Dorothy for Halloween so I ran with that for her birthday theme too. Being the freak I am, I bet I spent $500 on the party. We got the whole Barbie set, had melting witch green punch complete w/ floating black hat, emerald city snack mix (skittles & sour green gummy things for the emerald city), witch broom stick & hat mix (pretzels & bugles), chicken nuggets (yellow brick road, duh), pin the heart on the tinman (mommies got hand lotions), throw apples at scarecrow, & a rainbow pinata. Since then, friends had given me Wizard memorabilia as random “Tuesday gifts” (That’s what we call gifts for no reason – stole the phrase from my Aunt Barb :) ) It was mostly Lola with the coffee mugs, snowglobes, treasure boxes, etc but enough that I bought a curio cabinet for all my prized possessions.

So… hubby said “Okay, if you must,” to the picture and I carried it around the store. When I walked outside without it, my friends, Trish & Leuk said, “All that fuss & you didn’t buy it?” I couldn’t justify it. I’d sooner spend the money on someone else rather than on myself. I said, “I took a picture, that’s good enough. I’ll put that in the cabinet.” I did regret it though & whined to my son when he picked me up at the airport when I got home.

Two days later I get a call from Trish. “Buggers!!! I found it here! It’s in the mail to you!!” I sent Leuk a text. “Trish got it for me!”
“Oh, I guess I’ll return mine then.”
How bloody sweet is that? Do you feel the love? *sniff*

So I get home & there a box on the table. Here’s what’s in it.
wiz1
I thought it was from Trish but in it is an invoice made out to my son. *gets choked up*

I text Trish hoping she didn’t send it yet ’cause there was nothing else to be found in the house or garage. Maybe she could return it. She said she sent it the 23rd. I look out in the deck (see above picture) & utter “oh…poopy.” (well – you know what I said) This morning I donned snow pants, boots, gloves, jacket, scarf, & hat, grabbed the shovel & commenced digging. Viola!!
deck2

Yes, this was in it & a a few other awesome goodies!!
oz

Do I feel incredibly loved? Yes. Do I think I maybe whine about what I want too much? Hell yes. I now have 2 of the coolest Wizard of Oz set ever made. It was potentially 3. How special can one girl feel? Excuse me, I think I need a tissue.