10 Things

So I saw this post on Shimelle's blog today and decided to join in --- so here are my 10 things in no order -- just 10 random things....

1 - Had fish tacos from Cheesecake Factory last night.  They were so good.  I think I like fish tacos better than chicken or beef.  They were just quite tasty.

2 - Finished my new Bazinga scarf for the second time (ripped out the first time because was too long)  Still not happy with it -- this time I think it is too short.  Ugh.  I think it is the wrong time of year to work on a scarf -- time to move on to socks.

3 - We turn the clocks AHEAD tonight.  What?   How in the world did that sneak up on me.  I must be way out of touch because did not realize it until I turned on the computer about 2pm this afternoon.  So here I sit at 11:19pm, but should be treating it as 12:19AM and of course I am WIDE awake.  Have a feeling will not be so awake tomorrow afternoon.  Last year the time change got me way out of wack for several days -- hoping this year is better!

4 - March Madness -- Selection Sunday is tomorrow -- love college basketball!

5 - Tomorrow I have to catch up on my Project Life album.   I have all the photos, just need to put them in.  Only a 2 weeks (well, maybe 1.5 weeks) behind.  Don't want it to get more than that or it will get out of control.

6 - E was exceptionally ornery today.  I know she was tired.  Oh my, with the time change, tomorrow could be nasty.  It is supposed to be a beautiful day -- a sunny morning will mean an early wake up -- maybe it will be so nice tomorrow we will have some good outside play and good exercise.  I hope so.

7 - I have been on the first chapter of the same book for 2 weeks.  Ugh.  I really want to read this book (Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie), but just cannot seem to find the time to devote to it.  Maybe tomorrow.

8 - STASH Spiced Chai is a very good thing.

9 - Got one of those insulated cups with a lid and a straw yesterday at Target.  The ones on the main shelf were $12.  Ones EXACTLY LIKE THOSE were on the end cap on clearance for $6.  Not sure why -- they were exactly the same --- I bought the clearance one.  Hoping it will help me to drink more water.

10 - Just checked the online guide for TV shows this evening.  So weird that it goes from 1:30 directly to 3am.  It is a little disturbing that 2am just does not exist.  Guess the time change is really happening -- better force myself to get to sleep.

Before and After

Finally accomplished something today I have been avoiding for months... still a junk drawer, but at least now you can find the junk!

Flip Flop Summer

Summer officially arrives today, however have been enjoying sunny skies, beach and swimming pools for over 2 weeks now. Just returned from a vacation plagued with mishaps --- illness (sick child ALL WEEK LONG), bug bites, bumpy matteresses, illness IN THE CAR, and oh yeah, there was that auto accident we were in on the way home that we were so blest that everyone walked away from uninjured and did I mention rain on mountain highways -- ugh! Glad to be home again. Sounds like a terrible vacation, but with all the bad, there was some good. Anxious to print up some photos and start scrapping.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

Summer is offically here!

First Communion

This past Sunday, Megan made her First Holy Communion. A lot of preparation goes into the event -- religiously, months of focus lessons in her religion classes (and at home) and a retreat at church. There are also some non-religious prep -- outfit shopping, party planning, banner making and in our case doll dress construction. This may sound odd, but last year a friend of mine had a dress made for her daughter's First Communion and the leftover material was made into a dress for her American Girl Doll (actually the story is much better than that -- she used her wedding dress as the material for daughter and doll dresses). Anyway, Megan knew the story and she also wanted a dress for her doll. I did not make her (Megan's) dress, but thought I could make a similar one for her doll -- actually was not as difficult as I thought. The veil, on the other hand, was a little crazy and was pleased when I found a little cross charm that my neighbor made into a necklace for the doll.

Megan really seemed to like it. I was worried that other aspects of the day (clothes, dolls, parties) would take over the day, but I think Megan did a good job focusing on the religious importance of the day. We were blest with beautiful weather and that family was able to gather with us to celebrate.

Video Treasure

Every once in awhile you run across those things that make you wonder how time can pass so quickly. When you are with your kids everyday it is easy to miss how much they are changing. It only takes looking back a few months to be amazed. Found this video from 2 years ago -- what a cutie in the blue dress and pasta necklace! How quickly children grow and how easy it is to miss. Love this song -- audio is a little loud, but a great memory. I remember Grandma and Grandpa came this day -- we went to mass together and then to the school gym for the CFP Early Childhood performance and then to IHOP for breakfast. Such a fun morning -- complete with balloon hats for the girls (see scrapbook page below).

Picture of the Day

What does that say about my life that my POD is of the price of gas??? Slightly pathetic?? The soaring price of gas really has me frazzled and almost turns my stomach when I see a 10cent per gallon hike in a day. Yesterday, I luckily dodged the price hike bullet, at least for the next week or so. Thank goodness for those Kroger gas points -- got 45cent per gallon discount which put the price below $3 -- yahoo! Hubby even beat the hike as I heard of the jump to $3.49 and was able to alert him to stop on the way home from work and fill up at a station that had not yet made the jump. I think it is the unpredictable nature of the price that drives me crazy -- from morning to afternoon it can drastically change.

Awesome Message

Stacy Julian posted this today on her blog. Great message -- worth the 18 minutes to watch.

Last Week

I did some of this...

And some of this...

Had a crafty week last week -- Mom came for 2 days of scrapping and I caught up on the kids school books, finished my 2008 digital book (just had to trim the finally printed pages and put in the album) and scrapped in my traditional books. Felt good to be scrapping again.

Got some new yarn for socks for ME and started them this past weekend. Knitted a lot on a couple different projects, hubby did the taxes and kids played and we watched Sound of Music. Kids LOVED it.

Summer in full SWING!

Creating has been going on, but a lot of vacationing too. New experiences for some, and just plain fun for others --- movies, 3-D movies, laser tag, berry picking and putter golf! Oh, did I mention swimming and slip and sliding? Gotta love summer!

My Spring Break???

Officially, spring break was last week -- we had fun at the zoo, playing with friends, visiting relatives, bowling and a whole lot of fun eating and easy living. However, today, I sent my 1st grader back to school today and my husband back to work and my spring break started --- I am reading a book, surfing the net and playing with my 4 year old -- even though I should be cleaning, putting away laundry and running errands --- too bad -- today is "Do What I WANT to do Day" -- Anyone else ever have days like this????'

This week I---
watched --- Julie and Julia --- loved it
read (well reading) --- Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah -- it is a 14-day book from the library and due back on Wednesday -- got some major page turning to do!
ate -- too much! Always feel like I have to go on detox after being gone -- especially to the parent's house!
laughed -- little kids bowling is a hoot!
started - walking every night after dinner --- at least it is a little exercise!
cleaned -- bathrooms and changed over closets
visited - with family -- always enjoyable

Ordinary Magic

I have a thousand things I should be doing today, but spent time watching this on Beth Proudfoot's blog and need to remember it -- too much time doing lots of different things lately -- too many times saying "just a minute" or "hold on". This video is a good reminder. Don't know what the book would be like, but for now this video is just the kick in the pants that I needed.

I just love this!

I must be having a sappy day -- I just LOVE this commercial!

SNOW DAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Just love snow days! Not much snow is on the ground yet, but the huge storm is heading our way and they are afraid the kids will not be able to get home from school. On the schedule for today --- a little TV, cinnamon rolls, soup for lunch, coloring and a couple crafts and of course being in our jammies all morning long -- love it!

Crafty Christmas

I made these cards based on a design from Wendy Smedley. Could not find the exact link, but links to her blog here.

Both made with Stretch Your Imagination by Cricut.

My new favorite book --- Last Minute Knitted Gifts.

Received some very fun crafty gifts for Christmas ---- scrapbooking supplies, knitting inspiration, a Bind-it-All by Zutter, Michael's gift cards and a couple Cricut cartridges. Received the Stretch Your Imagination cartridge --- my first shape one --- I am more of a font girl when it comes to my Cricut, but am having fun with this new cartridge. Here are some pics of me and one of my favorite gifts and some things I created today on my Cricut -- I feel like a kid with a new toy!

Not every layout magazine worthy...

I struggle with this -- I want my pages to just be dynamite, but let's face it, they can't all be that way -- or at least mine cannot. Some are just simple -- some are just using what I have (something I am really trying to stick to this year!) and some are just for my kids and I know they will love them no matter what. This one is an example of that --- it is OK to be ordinary -- sometimes! (One element I LOVE on this page is my new journaling stamp -- treated myself to a set of 4 and I love using them!)

NOTE: I wrote this post before I saw on Lain's sight a posting about the influence of scrapbooking magazines and whether or not they were too much pressure. You can read the full posting here. I responded that for me, it is the no pressure style of Simple Scrapbooks magazine that I will miss. (See more on my opinion on that here). I do have issues sometimes when I look at magazine layouts and they are one photo and a ton of embellishments. That is just not my style. I am a Creative Memories trained scrapbooker -- that was I started and that is the style that I used -- I am just starting to put dimensional elements in my books. However, I love the dimensional factors in cards and mini-books. I am rambling, but basically, yes, I did agree with the woman who complained over the overwhelming pressure to create these perfect layouts that some magazines promote -- removing the fun, removing the individual style and as you can see in my layout above some pages just happen, they just get finished, and that is OK. I am not making this for a magazine, I am making it so my kids remember the memory. It is important to get our memories recorded (words+photos), it does not have to be perfect, it has to be a reflection of you telling the story. I think Stacy Julian emphasizes this often, and I appreciate that she does. I need this coaching! I think we can all get caught up way too easily in making the perfect page and scrapbooking then is not longer fun, no longer an enjoyable hobby. I is OK to make pretty pages -- magazine worthy pages -- we all enjoy that, but we should not feel the pressure to be magazine worthy all the time. Our own individual style is just fine.