Wow! What a week it’s been. Every time I come to Iowa, there are a few things that just ‘are’, it’s like, a standard, or, whatever.

This time was no different, Amber and I are very similar people, we enjoy similar things and when we get together, there’s a lot of fun to be had.

Wednesday morning, I woke up later than I’d planned, and exhausted – it was our first night dog-sitting the Madden dog-a-bongs and they’d not settled very well during the night. I got very little sleep.

For lunch, Col and I decided to head to the local Chillis and eat. We had a $10 gift card that I’d earned with a reward point system and what a better way to use it, than for our ‘last supper’.

When we tried the online check-in, we discovered that we couldn’t use it as it was trying to charge me for my luggage bag – which, I should have been getting for free. At the check-in desk, we figured the ‘issue’ out, bag was free and I headed through a hellish security line (after banishing Col back to work).

The flight I was on, was a new one. Finally, a direct Continental flight exists between Houston and Cedar Rapids – it’s even from George Bush International, and it also came with double miles! What a deal, eh?

As flights go, it was great, short, direct, effecient. The plane was empty (even so, it was a small plane, when full, it can only hold around 60 people) and the stewardess was friendly.

When I landed, picked up my bag and ambled out into the Iowan sunshine, Amber picked me up (with a momentarily shy, gorgeous little two year old) and we headed out to Walmart. Now, for those of you who know me, Walmart is one of those places that I LOVE to go with Amber – it’s like a staple. This trip, however, was solely for groceries – followed by picking up chinese food and heading home for dinner (which was DELICIOUS – best curry since I left Ireland!) and an evening of crafting.

One of the main reasons I was visiting with Amber was due to the aforementioned little girls second birthday party. I came last year, for the same purpose and I helped Amber out where I can. Crafting, baking, sticking, cutting…ideas and alcohol too…My first task was to cut out the water bottle labels and the bubble labels – which I did, in Amber’s crafting heaven basement!