Read yesterday's post please.

I was looking for something to post and came about this....an old layout about Miss Emma. Not very exciting, but something to look at none the less.

So I am still looking for a few more people to help me out {see yesterday's post}...it truly won't take up much of your time....please? Thanks of course to mom and Shannon. I'll tell you where to look when I actually start making some layouts =).
So... a little example of how much I use the camera in our house. Yesterday morning we opened the front door to find a present from Betty on the front porch...a bloody half headless mouse. Emma promptly wanted to go find the camera so we could take a picture of it. Thought it was kind of funny and cute....scrapping a picture of a bloody mouse.
I don't really know much else right now, have a lovely day!

New Years Resolutions

For the first time ever ( I think ), I actually made new years resolutions and wrote them down. I did this as I was making a project for Scrappy Giraffe. Had I not done that, probably wouldn't have done them. Since approximately 1/3 of the year is gone already, I got them out to look at them. I'm doing pretty well on almost everything believe it or not. Now I did make some scrapbooking goals (yeah I know I am a NERD) but as this was a scrapbook project, I thought it would be warrented. I am failing miserably on one of my goals (buy less...well maybe I'm doing about 1.5% better than last year). One of the other goals was to enter one of the big contests. For those unfamiliar to the wacko world of scrapbooking...the major magazines run contests every year to find the "best" scrapbookers out there. Anyway the magazine Creating Keepsakes just finished theirs which I failed to enter so I am left with Memory Makers in which submissions are due in a few months. Anyway, I feel rather obligated to try it since I wrote it down so I am making it public that I am going to try to enter (I always do better if I tell people I'm going to do something...that way I feel like I can't back out...like I did for CK HOF). The chances of me winning are about 0.5% (that would ZERO point FIVE), but I guess that is a bit better than the 0% chance I would have if I didn't enter =). Anyway I will be looking for the 4 best layouts to send to them. The deal is that these can not be seen in a public domain. So I am looking for an official advisory committee to give me real and honest advice in a private domain. So I think that disqualifies you mom as your advice is always tainted by the fact that you are my mother (but if you are dying to be on my committee, I guess I'll allow it =) ) So anyone interested..??????? Please leave a comment and someway for me to contact you if I don't have your email address. Seriously...if I'm going to enter this thing, I'm going to try my hardest even for that 0.5% chance.

Road Trip

Had a busy day yesterday, which is once again why there was nothing this AM to read. Took a road trip to IC for my teeth, which look marvelous according to mr. orthodontist. Then went to see my Mom and Dad, had supper, hung out. Took a picture of a tulip.

Saw my grandparents. Finally coerced the girls into the car at 9:17 to come all the way back. Don't really like driving that much, but I guess I survived.

Today I did an unofficial weigh in at the gym. I am now down 17.5 lbs from where I started several months ago. It is hard to believe I even had that much weight to loose. I think I hid it pretty well, but now that it is gone, I can REALLY tell. If I can keep myself there until next Wednesday when I have an OFFICIAL weigh in I will have officially reached my second goal and I guess will be ready to stop. We'll see I guess.

I haven't done much scrapbooking this week (shock!). Had to finish a project tonight for 3 scrappy boys that I somehow forgot to do. But that is done...you'll be able to see it in the May newsletter which I will link here when it goes live. Well, that is all for now. Have a good one.

The big green machine

I'm back...missed a day yesterday, I'm sure you were all heartbroken, but never fear I am back. I was creating a "special" scrapbook project last night and the computer was acting up so combining those two...no post.

So as much as I enjoyed the 2.5 plus hours of mowing that I did this weekend (and by the way that was only about 50% of our yard...just the stuff that was growing so far)...I finally broke down and did it...meet the newest aquisition at our household.

Isn't she pretty? Pretty expensive. Hate spending money like that, but I also hate wasting probably 6 plus hours a week mowing when I could be doing something more enjoyable. Even though it is a great workout...don't want to do it more than I have to. We got it tonight...took it for a spin in the driveway =). Wow...it turns nice! The last time I drove a lawn mower must have been in high school and that thing had about a 30 foot turning radius on it. We got a free cart with it and if we want to we can buy a blade to put on it this winter for pushing snow. How exciting is that? Yeah, I know not very. Just trying to convince myself it was a good purchase.

So the weather took a bad turn today...turned on my heat tonight when I got home. Just when you think winter is over, it goes and gets cold. Bella had her Iowa Cubs baseball game today for making her goal in reading...they stayed about an hour before they left due to the lovely 40 degree temp, wind and rain. Kent was there with her so they went to a movie, Ice Age 2...makes me mad I wanted to see that...guess I'll wait until it is out on DVD. They also walked around the mall and she apparently talked him into buying the real "crocs". I had bought her the fake one at payless and she is always reminding me of it...I told she could pay the $18 difference if she wanted the real ones so bad. The fake ones look about the same to me...just diamond holes instead of circle holes. Don't I sound like a good responsible mom?

Anyway, now that I have bored you to death, I will quit. Going to see my orthodontist tomorrow afternoon 90 miles away so he can check my retainers {had jaw surgery and braces 3 years ago...{fun in your late 20s/early 30s...highly recommend it (ha!) }. Have a good day.

Things I've learned over the weekend

First a quick layout using my scraps from the March Scrappy Giraffe kit...This picture was from about 1 year ago.

On to my great aquisition of knowledge
1. Soccer is much more pleasant to watch early in the A.M. when it is not 30 degrees out.
2. Grocery shopping with 2 children can suck.
3. Mowing the yard by push mower the day after instituting a new upper body routine creates pain.
4. Mowing our yard is a great workout, about equivalent to the elliptical machine per the all knowing bodybugg.
5. Going to Walmart at midnight is so much better than other hours of the day {except for the man behind me at the checkout line who smelled like a alcohol and was buying camo gear...Hmmmm}. I wasn't overwhelmingly annoyed. Why Walmart at midnight? They have a great selection of THESE . I love them. Maybe my taste buds are skewed since I haven't really had too many sweets in the past 4 months, but they are chocolate and they fill me up and they have a cake/brownie consistency...what more could a girl want?
6. Running in the dark is fun...you pay so much attention to where your feet are landing that time flies.
7. My new church is super cool.
8. When you don't mop your floor for months, it gets really dirty.
9. I still hate the smell of self tanner. Wish the sun didn't cause wrinkles and bad evil skin cancer.
10. I got some Creative Memories circle cutters in the mail over the weekend from my old friend Dana. I love circles, they make me happy.
That is about all I can think of that I learned this weekend. Wasn't very exciting was it?

Joe and concerts

Here is another very quick layout from the March Scrappy Giraffe kit. This is Joe, Kent's stepdad. He is 95 and still going strong. He's pretty cool. I thought this picture was really good...kind of captures his personality.

Tonight we went to Bella's spring concert. It was called "getting down with mama goose"...I think. They sang a bunch of songs, lasted about 1/2 hour. Pretty cute. I really couldn't get good photos, we weren't very close to the front and my lens is not great for dark places and I was having a hard time holding it still. Should have brought a tripod...but then I would have looked like a complete nerd...wouldn't want that =). I'd hate to start embarrassing Bella already in the 1st grade. After the concert we went to dairy queen for some yummy ice cream.


That's all for now. Bye!

Just a layout

Another layout from the March Scrappy Giraffe kit. The girls on Valentines day.

Don't have much to say tonight...think I talked myself out yesterday. Will write more later.

Bits and pieces

*Had a terrible day at work today...sat around and did pretty much NOTHING all day. Very frustrating. One day I think I'm going to make it, the next day I'm pretty convinced I will be going broke this summer.

*Exchanged my new camera for another new camera as new camera #1 decided to malfunction every time the flash popped up. New camera #2 seems to be functioning normally. They exchanged it very happily

* Here is my first attempt at creating a digital scrapbook page. I am taking a class at The Big Picture . My first ever scrapbook class. I can do the online thing....in person, probably not. I didn't get creative with it at all....just followed the directions...maybe the next one. Just wanted to learn how to use Photoshop Elements better, I'll try to post my progress for you scrapbooking fans.



*Guess how many times I fell off the treadmill today at the gym? If your guess was 2...you are correct. I was bored stiff running and kind of got caught up with T.V. watching and the next thing I know I drift off to the right and poof...flying off the treadmill. The first time was minor...the second time I about killed myself. Not really but I did get a scrape on my arm as I crashed into the railing of the treadmill. How embarrassing. Luckily only me and my few fellow noon gym people were there to watch {that's what I like about noon...only a few of us there}. Some older guy came and asked me if I fell off...started yacking at me about all sorts of stuff. Told me if I lost anymore weight I was going to be flying off the treadmill more often...not sure what that means....he obviously hasn't been looking at my flabby bottom (which is good). Anyway, moral of the story is I am not capable of running and watching T.V. at the same time =( {sure did make the time fly}

*Pictured below is a layout created from March's Scrappy Giraffe kit. There was an unfortunate delay in the kits being sent...but they are coming now, huge...with lots of fun stuff in them. Not sure that I am loving this layout, seems to be missing something, maybe a title would help? Hmmm, not sure.


*After taking my camera back, the girls and I went to dinner at P.F. Chang's. Emma who has been especially obnoxious the past week, behaved herself wonderfully. I was proud =). Of course, I told her that this was a nice restaurant and that they don't let kids cry in it...they get kicked out. Being hungry, she didn't want that. Also had to tell her about stealing {she was very intrigued with the cloth napkin and wanted to take it home for her babies} had to tell her about people who steal and how they go to jail. She didn't want that either. You should have seen them eat...another point of pride for this mommy....they devoured it all, broccoli, asparagus, pea pods, tofu, chicken, baby corn. I love it that my girls eat vegetables, makes me happy.

*Had great mail days the past 2 days. Scrapbook stuff {scrappy giraffe, free maya road via paper heart studio, returned layouts} and lots of magazines! Makes me happy. Doesn't take much. Anyway, better go to bed...it is late. Have a good day!

Inferiority complex

Well...I am getting a complex. I have only had three layouts in magazines....but each and every time they have shrunk it down to miniscule size. Usually the smallest one you can find in the mag. It just makes me wonder if they get my layout...look at it and say, "Hmmmm...this isn't as good as we thought, let's shrink it down really small so no one will notice!" Anyway, I should just be happy that they want something of mine {and I am =) }. Just makes me wonder..... Anyway take a peak at page 64 in this months Scrapbooks etc to see my tiny layout.


Busy week this week...soccer practice x 2, the girls go to adventure club on Wed night and Thursday Bella has a spring concert at school. I hate having stuff most nights. I am such a home body. Somewhere in there I need to find time to take my faulty brand spanking too expensive new camera back to the store. It is malfunctioning every time the flash pops up....lovely. Makes me feel as if I've spent my money well. =(.

Today I had a little girl tell me that she wanted to be just like me when she grew up and then she said, "I love you Dr. George".....it was really cute, nice to feel loved. I always like it when kids do that....makes up for the ones that start screaming the moment you enter the room.

That is all for now...kind of tired tonight {Got home from Lincoln last night around mindnight and then slept poorly due to the Mt. Dew high I was on}

Bunch of pictures.

Well, we didn't leave tonight. Too much tornado damage...Kent worked all day taking trees off of peoples houses. But he is home now and we are off tomorrow AM. Here is a layout I did the other night. Picture of me in 1993...back when I was young =). I really don't look all that different now...not sure if that is good or bad...good in some ways I guess and bad in the fact that maybe I should change my hair a bit (it is cut differently now...I swear)

So I guess the camera is mine....I've taken 98 pictures so far...just trying it out. This first one is of Bella today. She was named to the reading hall of fame this month. She read 900 and some minutes in March. She was pretty proud. She got to go in front of the whole school to get her t-shirt.

Just another one of Bella.

Emma checking out a "pretty flower" otherwise known as a bud.

And just a leaf sprouting on one of our trees (japanese maple for you tree lovers out there). Was trying out my macro setting.

That is all for now. Be back later.

Goodies, tornadoes, and my new camera.

Here is another quick one created under my "get these pictures off my desk" quest. It is cuter in person...but I guess that is always the case.

So I got a box of goodies from Memory Makers today as well as my layout back. That seemed pretty quick. I got a few good things in the box and also a few things that will probably be donated to the girls. Oh well...can't complain about free stuff, huh?

So the weather today was awesome....89 was the official temp. Just a few days ago I had the heat on in the house....now I probably should have turned the air on. Feels so nice after a long winter. As Emma would say, "Our love it hot outside, right Mama?"

I got a call from Kent at 9pm tonight (he is in Iowa City). He started the call by saying, "Well I'm alive." I was like...Okay...that's good, shouldn't you be? Apparently a big bad ugly tornado went right through the middle of Iowa City causing all sorts of terrible damage. Yuck...love IA City, lived there or in surrounding areas most of my life. Sounds like it was pretty bad.

So I opened the camera box today, carefully peeled the label off in case I wanted to return it =). I took a few photos with the limited charge that was in the battery. Here is one of them. I'm trying not to overglorify the few pictures I took, but on my computer at home {not sure if you can see it on blogger} with these few photos I can honestly say that the clarity is awesome, the color intensity is awesome and I love the fact that there was zero shutter lag...yipee! Now all I have to do is read my 170 page manual twenty or so times and I'll have the thing mastered =).

Have a lovely day....don't know if I'll be posting tomorrow...probably won't be until Sunday as we are going to Lincoln for Easter. Adios.

Deep thoughts

No I really don't have any deep thoughts tonight, just couldn't think of anything to put for the title. The layout below was also created in an attempt to clear my desk of extraneous photos. These two are the girls cousins...who {or should it be whom...never really picked up on that one in English class} they deeply love {hope you don't mind me posting their pics Miss C.P.}


So could the weather be any more awesome?.....highs in the 80s tomorrow and Friday. Love it!

It's all your fault, kded {had to blame it on someone}! So you all knew I would buy the stupid camera right? Actually...I went to the first store with the sale and walked out without anything in my hands. The reason the price was lower was that the lenses were a different brand...so I wanted to research them a bit before I purchased it. Anyway....headed over to the mall area and stopped at Best Buy who also had it on sale but with the canon lenses...plus they had 18 months with 0% interest and I liked the sales guy more...the first one bothered me. So I bought it. Now, that all said, the camera is still in it's box with the sticker intact...why? Not because I don't want it...but because this camera is totally something I don't need...just want it, that's all. Will it bring me great joy and happiness...quite possibly, but I still need to convince myself of that before I break that sticker. And I have a perfectly good camera that now I need to figure out what to do with. Just feeling a bit of guilt for a purchase that I don't really need. Maybe I'd feel better if I could get rid of my current camera...anyone interested {Canon S2 IS 5mp with 12x optical zoom, 512 MB card, camera case, rechargable batteries} Anyone want to help me out either alleving or worsening my guilt? Kded...you're a professional, should I keep it?

Anyway...met with my trainer today, didn't really make any progress this past week. Overall though I am officially down 6% body fat from where I started...so that is good. So I have met my original goal...but would like to go a bit farther. I am going to make this public to keep myself in line...for the next three weeks I am going to be good with as little cheating as possible {except for possibly easter weekend}. If I do that, when I meet with my trainer in 3 weeks I should have attained goal #2 and be ready to just maintain my new weight. So keep me in line people.

Well that is all for now, have a lovely day.

Do I really need a new camera?

Wow...it worked! I made this very late last night (I kind of lost track of time and made it to bed around 2 AM). Another old picture. It is the slightly strange story of how we became engaged.

So tomorrow afternoon after I visit Mr. Trainer, I am going to go check out a camera. Yes...I know that I really don't need another camera, but the digital rebel XT is on sale at a store this week & comes with a 1 GB card, and 2 lenses...good price. I'm just going to look, touch...see how it is. I am going to try to not buy it...we'll see =). But at it's current price, must check it out. I have been contemplating the fact that I think I bought the wrong camera {for me} last year for many months....so if I am unable to control myself, it is not totally spur of the moment....I have months of stewing about it to back my decision up.
The weather here this week is absolutely beautiful....supposed to be in the upper 70s and sunny for the rest of the week....yahoo!!! I think spring REALLY is here. Anyway, that is all for now.

It is really true!

So blogger is still being obnoxious with the photo thing...probably my stupid computer is involved too...it really enjoys screwing things up. So I had to bypass blogger and do it another way {which would explain the hugeness of them and why they screwed up my side bar}, took a long time so you better enjoy the pictures. ****Edited*****fixed everything, all is back to normal size =).

So it is really true, I am officially a published scrapbooker. I have a layout in each of these. One is of Emma when she was a baby and the other is a bunch of Bella's schoolwork. She was super excited to see some of her drawings etc in a magazine. I think she is taking it for show and tell tomorrow....if she goes to school. She had 2 lovely episodes of vomiting late this afternoon, but seems to be acting fine now. Who knows?





Here are two layouts of the same thing...one of Emma and one of Bella enjoying the amusement park last year. Those girls sure do love the rides!



{Paper: Paper Heart Studio}

That is all for now, have a lovely day.

No pictures today

Well no photos tonight...sorry, blogger once again is being obnoxious.

Had a good weekend...after freezing our butts off at soccer....it was a balmy 36 degrees which feels colder when you have a whiny 3 year old with you. But we survived. Today was a lovely day sunny and in the 60s. Bella and I went on a huge walk today. Probably about 4 miles. We walked to the county park that is near our house, played on some playground equipment and then down to the river to look at the water. I love walking around where we live...so pretty, saw a bunch of little trees sprouting leaves, loving that. Bella is sure growing up. Non-stop talk, question after question...she was bringing up all sorts of stuff....who made God?... talked about the evils of smoking and drugs and alcohol....wanted to know about the meaning of certain words...jabber, jabber, jabber...Pretty smart kid (takes after her mother I think =) ).

I just finished reading THIS . It was pretty good....pretty easy to read, but still thought provoking. You can read the review on amazon...I won't go into it here.

Well that is all for tonight...sorry about the lack of pictures, but hey...not my fault...I have them here just waiting....until tomorrow I guess.

Happy Friday

This is Emma this past summer...amazing how much she has grown up in just under a year. I had written down some phrases she said that sort of highlighted her "pronoun problem" Pretty cute kid. Her speach has greatly improved, much more understandable, especially over the past few months. She is saying big words all over the place...it's pretty cute. All of this from a kid I thought was NEVER going to say anything. The paper is Paper Heart Studio Marmalade collection.

I'm so glad that it is Friday...unfortunately some idiot scheduled a soccer game at 8 AM tomorrow...so I will be getting up earlier than I do on weekdays. That is very evil...against everything I believe in. Anyway, because of that I should probably try to go to bed soon. Hmmmm, not so happy about that. More later.

Random happenings

Here are some pictures I took of the girls this past Saturday. Emma as usual wasn't interested. She's never been the "ham" that Bella has been since the beginning of time.


So I'm sure you are all tired of my weight loss saga.....but I did an "official" weigh in today at the gym. I am down another pound. I have now lost a total of 15 lbs. So I guess I have officially reached my goal. But of course, now that I am there I am going to try for a few more. =) It is amazing what a difference 15 pounds makes...in my clothes, in how I feel about how I look. I put on a pair of capri pants this afternoon that the last time I tried them on this past summer I immediately took them off as they looked as if they were painted on me. I remember being quite disgusted and wondering if I would ever be able to wear them again. Well I'm pleased to say that I won't be able to wear them again because they are now huge! With a little effort I am able to pull them straight off of me (which is quite dangerous at my house...the girls think it is quite funny to depants mom).

Speaking of capri pants...the weather here was gorgeous today....sunny and my car thermometer said 75 (it's usually not that far off). This is getting to be the time of year where I love where I live (winter...not so much).

So I got a new bedspread...it's a little girly. I've never had a girly bedspread so it will take some getting used to. Think I like it though. I bought the Euro shams with it (26x26") so tonight I went to Walmart (I HATE that place....everytime I go in which is not that often anymore...I remember why I hate it so much) and bought some 1.00/yard plain fabric and made myself some 26x26" pillows to put in the shams. My sewing machine seemed very happy to be sewing fabric, I don't think it has EVER done that before. It has only sewed paper =P . Well that is all for now...oh..one more thing, I am proud to report that last night I actually did go to bed early. Lights were turned off at 11:13. Amazing. Now I'm so energized I could probably stay up all night. Bad part about getting enough sleep. Anyway...have a good day.

More green and airplane tickets at Chuck E. Cheese

Yes more green....still have more green to use too. Just going through a stack of photos on my desk, trying to do something with them. Another quick one I did last night.



I am very tired tonight, so I'll keep it short. I am really going to try to go to bed early (ha!) Emma was reading this dictionary type book tonight and she was looking at an airplane. She asked me if I wanted to go on the airplane with her. I said yes. She said we need to get some tickets. And said yes. Then she said, we need to go to Chuck E. Cheese for tickets (only place she has seen tickets, I guess). Thought it was kind of cute. Today was beautiful here. When we got home tonight, the girls played outside and I got my grass seed out and put a bunch down. I am determined to have a yard this year =). Anyway, going to try to go upstairs and try to get to bed before 1 AM...we'll see.

Green and New Babies

Thanks to all that have commented about my layouts. You are very kind. I appreciate it very much. Some of you have noticed my green theme. I just got a few sheets of green paper and decided to use it. I do love green. I have decided that my problems with using my supplies is that I am just too dang efficient with my paper. I can make one piece of paper last 3 or more layouts. I will never ever even come close to using my supply at that rate. I still have more green paper to use and I have already completed at least 5 layouts with it. Also to answer another question....I hand sewed on the autumn beauty layout. There are also beads sewn on there....don't know if you can appreciate that. So here is another one I finished tonight. Nothing exciting. Just had these photos sitting around from our time in Idaho so I decided to do something with them.



Had a good day at work today. Actually saw 5 new babies (Along with others)!!!! I think that is a new record for here. It gives me hope that perhaps I won't go broke. New babies are so important...now if only I could see 5 everyday I'd be busy busy in no time. Well off to bed. I'm struggling with the time change...was up til about 3 AM on Saturday, 1 last night, probably 1 tonight. Doesn't make for pleasant mornings.

Spring is here

Why do I know that spring is here?
1. Spent at least an hour in the basement off and on over the weekend due to Tornado warnings.
2. Freezed while watching Bella play soccer.
3. Have rivers of mud in our somewhat grassed yard due to the large amounts of rain.
4. Grass is turning green! Yeah!!!!!

So what do I post today in honor of spring....a picture of fall. This was Emma last fall...thought she looked so beautiful.



Don't know much else today....have a lovely day!