Cars.........

I'm trying real hard not to get new car fever, but mine will be paid for next spring, so it's about time to get the fever. I KNOW I can't get a new car, but I can wish, hope and think about it can't I? I've never paid off a car on my own. DH and I have been married for 15 yrs and have always had a car note. The past 3 yrs we've had TWO. Both cars will be paid off within a few months of each other in the spring. He did inform me that after he gets his paid for, he's buying a four-wheeler. Thats fine. He can save the money for a couple of month, make a large down payment and only finance a little and then pay it off by the next year. His car/truck is older than mine so I think we'll be buying him another car before me. With the tution for Em's school, I just can't have another 4 yrs of two car payments. It's about broke me. Plus I know as she gets older and involved in more school activies, I'll be spending more and more "extra" money.

Christmas is right around the corner. Em wants an i-Pod. Can you believe it? I'd love one too, but I think Steve and I will skip getting Christmas for each other this year (just not in the funds). Em doesn't really need anything or hasn't said much of what she other than that. Steve and I did talk about getting comcast DSL at home yesterday. We'd need it to download music. I would like it, but right now at home I have bellsouth and it only costs me $9.95. Paying $45.00 more a month is going to be a big adjustment in my month bill budget.

Nothing more to really talk about. I'm almost finished with the gift album I've been working on. THANK GOODNESS. I was so NOT in the mood to work on it. I have a pink/orange friends book started that is going to be really cute. I want to finish it!

Em old elementary's Carinval is this week/weekend. She is begging to go. I guess I'll take her and her girlfriend Friday night instead of going to a crop. She really can't go during the week because of homework and Saturday she cheers in an away game. What a great mom I am!

More later ........

Drop at the door or walk in?

For almost 9 years, I've walked Em in the door at daycare and took her to her class. Of course most of that was because she was really too small to do it herself. And then as she got older, the tradition just stuck. Now since she doesn't go to daycare in the morning, I decided we need a new tradition. She goes to the elementary gym in the morning before school. She can go in as long as there are lights on in the entry way. Some mornings we get there too early and some mornings right on time. The first week or so, I walked her in so she could get a feel for it and I would know what was going on during that time. But last Friday I kinda pulled up at the curb and pushed her out. Not really, but I was late and needed to get to work. She needed to get in the gym and re-read her AR book. But this wasn't something new for her. I had fussed and lectured her about it last Thursday and Friday. How she was old enough to walk in the door herself, no body elses' parent brings them in, how I've been doing it for 9 years, blah, blah, blah. This morning she knew better than to say anything when I pulled up to the door and told her I loved her, gave her a kiss and told her to behave. She did it and she looked so big doing it. Getting out, acting like she was embrassed that I was telling her what to do. It didn't bother me till just now. I want her to be independant and walk in by herself, but that means she needs me less and less. That makes me want to cry! She's growing up so fast!

Scheduling conflict; blogs; books; craft fair projects

I'm teaching at the Reminders of Faith - Journey of Faith conference here in Nashville in September. When I got Em's football schedule, I went through my calendar and wrote the game on Saturdays. When I got to homecoming, I realized it was the same weekend as the conference. Now, I know that this is just Jr. Pro football, but for little girls, homecoming is a big deal, our season hasn't even started and Em is trying to decide who she wants to walk with! So, I immediately sent Sandra and Kathy and email and told them the dilema and starting praying. I didn't exactly get what I prayed for. I prayed that Sandra/Kathy would say, we'll just switch your class times later in the day. I ended up telling them that I'd be there for the class, probably miss the end of homecoming (which would be okay) and probably be running like crazy to get to the class on time. We'll, God does answer prayers. Although I know this solution isn't the answer to everyone else's prayer, it was an answer to mine. My prayer was: please let it work out so I can do both! Unfortunely, the enrollment for the conference is not where they need it to be and many of the classes didn't have enough attendee's. So they have decided to cut classes and only have 10 classes that EVERYONE will attend. I teach on THURSDAY! YEA for me. I get to do both. Thank you God for answering prayers. I know Em would have been so disappointed if I hadn't been at homecoming, but I also had a commiment to ROF. Problem solved!

Blogs: How many do you read? I think I have about 80 bookmarked, but don't read them all daily. I usually read the ones I know people update reguarly. Kathrine Brooks, Heather D White, Tracie Claiborne, the Junkitz Blogs, Heather Preckel, Sara D and there are others. I like the glimpse inside their lives and especially the scrapbooking peeks we get. Who's do you read and why?

Books: I've been reading like crazy lately. My friend Renate got me started on the Janet Evanovich Plum series and I've read all 12 of the books in about a month. I read the last one in two days. (shhhh, don't tell, sometimes I don't have a lot to do at work - so I read!) I'm currently reading a Luanne Rice book called Summer of Roses. It's pretty good. It's taken me about 10 chapters to get in it. Of course, when I read this much, scrapbooking usually takes a back burner.

Craft fair: After I finish the baby boy book I'm working on, I need to start my craft fair stuff. I've got a "friends" 8x8 book almost finished. It looks pretty cute. Oranges, pinks, white. Very girly stuff. Then I was thinking about some altered clipboards and I guess a few pencil holders (made from beef stick containers - which my friend said would make cute teacher gifts!) and of course some paper bag albums - but not many --- mostly friends, girls and maybe a sport book or two.

Gotta run to break (our group never misses 9:00am break!)

UGH!

I forgot my blogger password and then couldn't remember my login! How did I get kicked out of the "automatic" password thingy? I just couldn't remember any of it cause I never sign on. Oh well, I'm here now!

Em started Goodpasture last week. Wednesday was 1/2 day, Thursday full day. Em is very a very social person. She's happiest when she is surrounded by her friends. And she's always been more of a leader than a follower ..... till now! We went to the "back to school bash" Friday night at the school and I watched her follow a goup of little girls around that she kinda knew. She was like the 5th wheel. It broke my heart. They didn't appear to be mean to her, it was just they could care less if she was there or not. I honestly made me think to myself, my gosh, what have we done. But then the logical part of my brain took over and said, you've made the best decision you could for your child..... she'll make friends eventually, but she'll get a GREAT education NOW! And I know, she will make friends. I just hope she lets if happen at its own pace and not force it, which has been my advice to her. These little girls have probably always gone to school together, give it time. But still, it's hard to wait, I know that! She did have a lot homework last night. It took us 3 hours to do it because she didn't want to do it and couldn't focus on it! Hopefully it will get better.

Nothing happening other than school and cheerleading. I have an 8x8 book started, but can't get in the mood for it. I really need to, cause I've got our work craft fair in Oct. So that only gives me a month to work on stuff. Honestly, I'm thinking I might give up my spot, I'm just not feeling "it" right now. Scrapbooking is the last thing I want to do!

Gotta run! More later

Anyone have advice on potty training a dog?

Okay, we've had this puppy since she was 4 months old. The previous owners were paper training her. I don't really have a good place for that, so we started outside training her when we got her. We'll, we've had her a year and she's still not completely trained. She stays in a crate during the day when we are all gone and goes out as soon as we get there. It does get a little sketchy while we are home. She goes out a couple times while we are home (sometimes more) depending on what everyone is doing. I try and keep my eye on her and if she seems to be wanting to go out or sniffing around, I'll take her out. Last night she was out of water and when I gave her some, she drank, drank and drank. But I had just taken her out when I discovered the water bowl was dry. I took her out before we went to bed and nothing, she did nothing. I guess sometime during the night (or early morning) she got up and needed to tinkle and did in DH's room (its the extra bedroom that he uses for his clothes and junk!) Of course, I called him on his way in to work and he was livid, tell me I've got to MAKE her go. Tell me, how to I MAKE a dog go potty?!?!?!?!? I pretty much said it wasn't entirely my responsbility. He could have taken her out this morning when he was up at 4:30 with his bug bitten legs putting more medicine on them. I've gotten up at 3:30 before just to let the dog out because she was restless. I'm not sure what else to do other than take her out EVERY 2 hours. But I know she won't go everytime we go out. Who would? What are we doing wrong?


By the way, listen what else happened last night. I woke up sometime during the night with my finger killing me. It felt swollen. I punched DH and told him (which he didn't respond), got up, wet my finger either with water or my own spit and took them off. But, for the life of me I can't remember where I took them off and put them. I'm hoping in my jewerly box because I have a faint memory of reaching over the dresser last night and feeling for the box, but it could have all been a dream! Who knows ...... I just know I don't have my rings on.

AND, DD has pink eye! She woke up yesterday morning with both eyes red and yucky. I took her to the doctor and she said he looked like pink eye. We also taked about the Ritlan (this is a blog in itself, but I hate the fact that I have to give her this medicne, but she can consentrate so much better when she is taking it!) and we talked about her tonsils, which are HUGE! She told me she'd refer me to a ENT if I thought she needed it. DD snores pretty loudly and even shows early signs of sleep apena (spell?).

Gotta run and work!

More pictures from Destin FL

Em playing in the water. It was pretty clean on this day. It did get yucky later in the week. But then cleared up when we left. I do love the white sand in FL ..... beautiful!

Okay, I'll bite!

I love Amy Howe's blog, scrapbook pages and especially her photographer. I stalk her blog daily! She kinda fussed at us stalkers who don't post comments and issued at challenge ..... I've been tagged. If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged also!!!


If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be?
Right now, I'm pretty content where I am. I've lived on the same street all my life, I don't know anything else. I really like quaint little towns, where things are slow and easy! But don't have any place in mind.
What's your favorite article of clothing? Embrassing as it is, a pair of cut off sweat pants that have a million holes in them, but they are so comfy!
Favorite physical feature of the opposite sex? Muscular arms and chest, toned legs, nice behind!
What's the last CD that you bought? Rascall Flatts
Where's your favorite place to be? Anywhere other than work!
Where's your least favorite place to be? Work!
What's your favorite place to be massaged? Never had one, but have a gift certificate!
Strong in mind or strong in body? mind!
What time do you wake in the morning? With the alarm, 5:15 am; without around 8:00
What's your favorite kitchen appliance? Microwave!
What makes you really angry? People being inconsiderate of others feelings and opinions.
If you could play any instrument, what would it be? Piano
Favorite color? Purple
Which do you prefer, sports car or SUV? Depends on what they are. I drive a truck and love being up higher on the road, but I love the new little 4-door BMW's!
Do you believe in afterlife? Heaven? Yes!
Favorite children's book? Charlottes Web
What is your favorite season? Toss up between spring and fall.
What's your least favorite household chore? cleaning bathrooms
If you could have one super power, what would it be? flying
If you have a tattoo, what is it? nope, don't have one ......... yet :)
Can you juggle? Nope
The one person from your past you wish you could go back and talk to? My great grandmother, I was about 3 months old when she died.
What's your favorite day? Saturday - although they are pretty busy.
What's in the trunk of your car? Don't have a trunk, but in the bed of my truck is a fold-up chair.
Which do you prefer, sushi or hamburger? HAMBURGER!

Have fun!

Pictures of the beach .......

I thought these were here yesterday, but I guess the post didn't make it.

Let me try again!!!

The yellow rope behind our heads was to keep people off the dunes. Since we were in Destin FL and Katrina tore up most of the dunes, we had to go to the state park in the area to get dunes in the back ground. Ours at "our" beach were still gone and what was there was yucky red dirt/sand/concrete mixture. Mom can take the rope out in Photoshop. I can too in elements, but she's much better at it and is now retired, so she has more time on her hands than I do!!!

Lovin' this picture of us. Eyes are good, smiles are good, color is pretty good, hair isn't blowing crazy!

The whole clan. Nice picture. Look how all the "khaki's" are different colors. I bought my shorts while I was in FL, got a great deal on them. All three of us (Steve, me and Em) had to have white shirts while we were there .... another good deal!

I'll post more later! Got some funny kissing pictures!

We were at the beach last week ..........

And boy was it nice. Just to get away and not have the same ole schedule. Although Steve and I have come to the conclusion that as long as Em is young, our vacations aren't really a vacation, she just requires a lot of "interaction". But we also deteremined that next year we're either vacationing with another family or taking her a friend. It will leave us with more "us" time. By the way, it was our first time in Destin FL.

We did a mini photo shoot, with the purpose of taking pictures for a Christmas card. I haven't sent out Christmas cards in a while. I figure if I have the picture done already, getting the cards printed will be a snap!

For some reason, I've tried to download a couple of shots for two days now, and can't get them to download to blogger. I'll try it in another post.

There are pictures of all of us (my mom, dad, Steve, Em and me.) Those pictures were taken by a nice lady on the beach that was helping set up for a wedding. She did a pretty good job. We passed a family arriving on the beach when we were leaving to have their pictures made... they had a photographer following them. When we got back to the condo, we downloaded our pictures and everyone agreed that we probably saved ourselves $300, because our pictures were so good! I can't wait to get some of them printed and framed. I have a really good shot of my cute hubby .... it's going in a frame on my desk!

Gotta run and read a book (I'm on a reading kick - just finished a James Patterson book Violets are Blue it was really good!)

I want one of these ...........

On the Making Memories blog they have listed on the new stuff debuted at CHA. I want - no - NEED one of these!

"12” x 12” Precision Paper Trimmer – Professional construction meets sophisticated utility with this trimmer. The long-lasting rotary blade provides accurate, straight cuts, while sharpening itself at the same time. Its one-of-a kind folding design offers crafters a full 12”x12” cutting surface, that folds down to easily fit into a Runway Roller™. A trimmer this specialized, at this affordable price, makes it a cut above the rest. "

Isn't it cool! A full 12x12 trimmer, that folds! I love it!!!! Gotta find one NOW!

Also, here's a couple shots from my most recent photography adventure. This is my best friends 16 (almost) daughter. We took these pictures so she could put them in her b-day invitation (which I'm making, with lots of help!) The pictures with "the boyfriend" was just because we wanted them!!

Aren't they cute!?!?!?!

More later ................................

Sometimes life SUCKS!

One of my friends, Beth, found out yesterday that her job has been deleted. Where we work, we don't get uemployment, but she got a small severence package. We are hoping and working to find her something else within the corporation. She's been her for 21 yrs! Can you imagine. She graduated high school on Thursday and started working on Monday. She's never known anything else. She's very upset, as you can imagine! Please say a small prayer for her!

On to happier things. We watched "In Her Shoes" and "Failure to Launch" this week. Both very cute movies. A recommended see. I get them from Netflix and yesterday morning, DD and I put them in my parents mailbox to watch and with everything that happended with my friend, I forgot to call my parents and tell them they were in there. Well, the mailman took them. They weren't sealed and the arm wasn't up to take the mail, but he did anyways......... guess trying to be helpful. Of course, if I had wanted him to take the mail .... he wouldn't have!

Hopefully, I can get some scrapbooking done this weekend. I've been on a reading kick. I'm reading The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. Very good series. I'm book 8. They are a quick, fun read. I started book 8 last night and just wasn't in the mood to do anything but veg on the couch, I assumed just generally bummed because of my friend. I'm sure today, I'll read some.

Here's a picture I took of some unknown kid at my friend's little girls ball game. I think its a pretty good shot! He was sliding (sp?) home. Look at that smile!
















Gotta run, more later .................

I WANT to lose 10 lbs

Okay, so 10lbs isn't such a big deal. I can do this .......... before July 30? I don't know, thats a lot. When I was doing WW faithfully, I think one week I lost 4 lbs, but after that I averaged about 2 lbs a week. I don't have 5 weeks to lose this weight. So I think I'm going back on the South Beach diet. No sweets, no bread .... but I refuse to give up fruit! They are my salvation to the sweet thing! So anyways, send good vibes to me. We leave July 30 for vacation ......... actually I might to try to talk DH into leaving a day early and spend the night someplace on the way down. The reason for this weight loss thing? I bought two bathing suits from JCPenney.

One is this one. I can't believe I actually bought a two piece ....... oh my what was I thinking? Well, let me tell you. After seeing how many people actually wear a two piece that really shouldn't, I started thinking.... hey, I don't look THAT bad in a two piece, so I bought the bullet and did it. Now, I'll probably wear it mostly on vacation and at the house, but still.... I could wear it to Wave Pool or Nashville Shores and MAYBE be comfortable! The one is black with the floral print. Halter top and high waist bottoms. I asked Em what she thought and she said the bottom were too high! HA - my answer was they are keeping stuff hidden!

I can't find a picture of the other one. It's a tankini - orange and pink. It's safe. Cute! Very momish ..... They were kinda expensive, but usually when they cost a little more, you can wear them for several years.

Okay, gotta run .... wish me luck losing the weight so fast ..... I'm gonna do it!!! Salads and meat for the next three weeks!!!!

Guess what we did Saturday night?

Yep, I was one of 47, 699 that was that LP Field for the Kenny Chesney concert in Nashville. VERY COOL. It was a night to remember. First, it was DD's first concert. She adores Kenny. (Informed me this weekend that she's gonna name her first born son Kenny!) Second, $60 worth of tee-shirts got cigarette burn on it. Third, I got beer poured in my seat and down my back. Fourth, Kenny freakn' rocked!!!!

I didn't take my camera (glad I didn't, would probably have ended up with beer all over it!), so I'm going to borrow pictures from the Tennessean.com (our local newspaper)

Okay, Little Big Town was good. Good choice for an opening act. Dierks Bently.... wow! He's a hottie! Great job! Big and Rich ...... oh my gosh, what a great concert! I'd love to see them for a full concert. Gretchen Wilson, we'll I like her songs on the radio (Here for the party, Redneck Woman, etc), but to hear a lot of her songs, well, I'm not that huge of a fan. Kenny rocked the house! Keith Urban..... Em and I screamed our heads off! And we were within a stones throw from the mini stage that Kenny came up on, so we got to see him close ....... we were screaming our looney heads off! It was a blast, even with all the "trouble" around us. Which by the way, the cops came down once to straighten them out and then the girl next to me got sent to the hospital (her friends got a text message from her) don't have a clue what happened, but her friend left their seats. I guess that went to get her! She was really wasted. My question .... why would you pay all that money only to get so drunk you don't remember it? That my friends is stupid!!!! We (Em, hubby and I) had a great time, as did the people beside us and in front of us and we were all stone sober!

Thats it for now. I got the new Stampin' Up catalog. Gonna try and look at it today. But at a quick glance, looks like a really great catalog.

Quick Recap of July 4th Weekend

Saturday - swimming party at friends
Sunday - swimming at Nana's and dinner at Aunt Shelia's house (yummy rib-eye steaks!)
Monday - nothing ----- scrapbooking and reading
Tuesday - family gathering at Nana's house - yummy food! Then to another friends for fireworks
Wednesday - back to work :-(


So, nothing real exciting and nothing to stressful. Tonight I'm going to the crop at Scrappuccino's for a little while. Not staying long. I'm really not in the mood and I'm really tired. Tomorrow is the Kenny Chesney concert! Whoa-Who! Very excited. Em is very excited! She's wearing her pink cowboy hat! I just pray we'll be able to see. We're on the floor....

FAMILY pictures

Here's some pictures that we took Saturday after the wedding. So, scrapbookers, what color/pattern paper would you use for these pictures?

The best thing about a blog ...........

is pictures! Or at least thats one of the best things.

It's funny, cause you either get blogs or you don't. I went to lunch recently with some friends, pretty wide range of ages. From 23ish to 39ish. I was the only one who had a blog. The oldest in the group didn't get it and thought they'd never, ever have one or see why anyone would. One was starting or had just started one (he's a techie kind of guy - waving at him if he's reading) and the other two were just like whatever. I really enjoy reading blogs and thats how this one started. I thought, hey they can do, what can't I do it. Maybe one day when I'm a famous scrapbooker, people will flock to my site like the do Alli's or Heidi's. Just think if Becky H or Lisa B had one! WOW! Not many of my friends know I have one. I try not to advertise it to the general public. Most don't get scrapbooking and most would laugh at my posts. Plus, what if I talk about them?!?!?! He-he-he!

So, one to the pictures. I thought I'd show a few from a couple of Saturdays ago when we were swimming at Nana's! Steve had gotten in with the girls and was playing shark and such. He decied they should try and catch a "splat" ball while they jump in the water. The other little girl is my friends daughter. She's 6. Em is 9. Check out those boo-boos on Em - from a scooter wreck at daycare one day!

Cheer Camp has started

Em is in Cheer Camp for the next three days at Goodpasture. It's a fund raiser for the Varsity team. I was worried about Em because she wouldn't know anyone, but a friend of hers is there also. And we know one of the varsity girls, so I introduced them. She wanted me to stay, but I couldn't cause I'm at work. Thursday there is a "pep" rally. I'll go to that and watch! She seems to really love Cheerleading and pays attention pretty good. She's cheer this year at our park for the Jr Pro Vikings team, but next year she could cheer for the school. I'm torn on this. That means she won't finish her "cheer" career for the Vikings, which saddens me, but cheering at the school will give her a head start for trying out for middle school.

I took pictures at a wedding this weekend. I thought maybe they'd have a "real" photographer, but they didn't. So it was basically me and some point and shoot cameras. Most of my pictures turned out pretty good (some of the staged couple shots are good enough to frame in my opinon) but the inside cermony shots were terrible. The church was kinda dark, so I really needed a tripod, but didn't bring it. I know better next time.

DH was coorporative enough that we went to Nana's afterwards to get some family shots outside while we were dressed nicely. Once I get them resized, I'll post a couple.

Gotta run and do some work. Here's two OLD layouts! But I love them because I love paper piecing. Both the giraffe and the monkey are from coloring books .......

Here's another older layout

I really need to bring some of the newer layouts to the office so I can upload them to the blog. I do have a lot of them on ScrapJazz.com. ChristyScraps is my id on there, if you're interested.

Here's one:




This one is using all Reminders of Faith product, except the rubons, letter stickers, photo croners and the button. I love this picture of DD. She was 6 months old and a dream! This was not long after she started sitting up, so they made for a great pictures. I have this particular one hanging in my bedroom. Sometimes its the last thing I see at night before going to bed. The right side was made mostly for journaling, which I did on a transparency.


Thanks for looking!

More later .................

Wow, it's been a while!

Since I updated. Sorry! Nothing great or exciting happening! Work, work and a little play. Oh yea, was sick this past weekend, stomach bug.... nothing like it! I still don't feel 100%, but I think I'm on the mend. Nobody else in the family has gotten it, so maybe it will stay that way.

I've been on AMY HOWE's blog this morning (http://www.amyhowe.typepad.com/) I love her work! She seriously rocks. I love her layouts, can spot them anywhere and I wish she lived closer so she could take some of those awesome pictures of Em. Anyways, I sent her an email, I know pretty lame, but I wanted to pick her brain! Lets hope she responds! I'll let you know if she does.

I've been a lazy scrapbooker, but with just case. I'm been battling some serious headache almost daily and haven't really felt like concentrating on anything to intently at night. I think its either my sinuses or my eyes. I can't figure out which since both hurt around the same area. I've had two migrane type headaches in the past few weeks - in the bed sick headache and then almost everyday just a bad, bad headache. I can function with them, so I don't complain to the family too much, but I do seem to get motion sick with them more frequently than usual, so I think thats odd. I probably need to go to the doctor, but it'll cost money (copay and such). I did call and he called me in an antibotic and a steriod pack for my sinuses, but I don't think they helped and when I got sick Saturday night I stopped taking everything. The antibotic upset my stomach (usually do when I take a strong antibotic). I've talked with a friend of mine who says sinus headaches and migrane are very similar, so I can't tell what I'm really having. I do know that I've switched saline solution and so far today, my eyes aren't bothering me too bad. We'll see!

Oh yea, I wanted to comment on Days of Our Lives! Can you belive that Patch and Kayla are back! OMG! I've heard many people say that this story line is one of the best in a while. We'll see!

I thought I'd post a layout. Make the blog more exciting. Here's an old one:



This is of my best friends daughter and mine eating pudding. I think the picture was taken in 2002. I probably made the layout last year. It's for Em's special 11 x8.5 book. Mostly all single picture layouts of special days or some of my favorite pictures of her.

More later!

The Wednesday update

Nothing new going on. I finished a the final album for a client who had requested 4 albums. Mini albums, but still it was a lot of work. Now, I've got to work on my class for http://ajourneyoffaith.com. I'm teaching a paper bag scripture class and haven't really designed it yet, other than an idea I have. I really need to get working on that so I can get my sponsors lined up. I hope I can get the ideas out of my head and on the paper!

Tonight is a pretty lazy night. I plan on working on another mini album I've got started. I'll probably sell it at the Livery Stables. Very simple, heavy clipboard front (covered) with thinner chipboard insides. All hole punched and held together with ribbon. Very inexpensive to make (so far - its don't deocrated yet!). My plan would be to sell it pretty resonable. We'll see how it goes.

More later!