Accomplishment is my chocolate

"I can go?!" is the reply that fell with surprise from my lips as I asked Rob if I could go on a "scrapbooking" weekend with my friend Lori.

Almost 3 full days to sit on my behind and focus on finishing years worth of projects.  I was pumped and couldn't think of a more luxurious getaway even if a massage on a beach in the Virgin Islands was offered.

So, I packed up a small craft store in the back of her van and we left one Friday afternoon in February.

*Now the reason I inform you of this trip is to let you know that if this sounds at all appetizing, you can also go.  They do it twice a year, two different locations but the outcome is the same. Just give me a ringy ding and I will hook you up with the details.

This particular location that they frequent every year in February is called The Great Escape in Monroe.  It is catered especially for scrapbookers, quilters and crafters.

 The room is set up with your very own table, wire shelf, chair and garbage can.  Bring extension cords, lighting and any luxuries you want at your fingertips.

All set up!!

Not so much into the traditional scrapbooking, more digital blog books for me.  I ended up spending Friday evening until midnight consolidating my hardcopy journals from 2007.

Saturday was a marathon of creating my 2011 digital blog book and let me tell you...pushing the SUBMIT button after 17 hours of staring at the screen and whisking my finished project off to publishing is one of the greater feelings in life!!  

Offering up 15 rooms (single, double and triples available), we checked into our dormitory and staked our personal space.  

Being fully catered for every meal, there was little to interrupt your trains of thought.  I haven't been on a thought train for that long of a ride in years.  It felt so good to focus.  Even clean up was done for you.  You could be the "eat and run" girl because that is the way it is set up.

Over the course of the weekend, we dined on lasagna, breakfast casserole, sandwiches, tacos, salads, desserts each night and any other food we brought.

But, there must always be a table full of treats to nibble on and Lori's contribution of Ghiradelli chocolate fit that bill.  

 Like I said, scrapbookers paradise!!  A die-cut machine with over 600 dies.  You could spend all day just at this station.  BYOP!

 One of the best tips Lori gave me the week prior was to have a crockpot meal in the fridge ready for the husband to pop in and press ON Sunday morning.  Nothing is worse than coming home from a relaxing weekend than to hungry, impatient kids.  Have dinner hot and ready when you walk in the door.  Roast beef was my poison.  

 These kinds of texts are a good thing when you have replenished your patience tank!

Incredibly rewarding was my overall feeling after 3days and 2 nights away.  I crossed some major projects off my "weighing me down" list and catching up on your memory logs records is really addicting.  Sensational was all this weekend was.  If you want 48 hours of "get'er dun" then you need to plan this into your yearly schedule.  I know it will be a regular trip for me.

My favorite things:

• Your personal area is open 24 hours.  You can stay up all night, get up at 5am or take a nap if you want to.  I even stole away for a run on Saturday and church on Sunday.  Monroe is just down the hill so you can get away for lunch, shopping or coffee.  
• Several times, in an effort to really hunker down and power through, I would put on my headset, crank up the tunes and blur out the chatter.  Lori and I were even bopping to the beat of our own music Sunday afternoon.  Silly to the uninformed onlooker, quite thrilling to the listener.  
• Boasting wifi, I could check email, facebook or just surf if I needed a break from my work.  I brought a large bin, a rolling cart, my entire desktop computer and my duffle bag and I am pretty sure I was the lightest traveler there.  Most came with bins and boxes and bags of crafting stuff.  Bring what you want, get into it!!
• Since I was watching my calorie intake, I brought my own food and with a fully stocked kitchen, there was no problem making my hot cereal in the morning.  
• Creative Memories is the sponsor of these weekends so of course they want you to buy their stuff.  Many discounts and supplies are available for purchase.