As promised...the photos

I can't believe that blogger let me load this many photos at once...amazing! Anyway, here are a few of the pictures I took on Sunday morning. I took 78 total, all in about 10 minutes. Love that about digital! "Same-same dresses". I always get better ones of Bella as she loves to pose...Emma's not a big fan of that. Here they are...enjoy!

The last layout

Last layout fromt the June Scrappy Giraffe kit. Miss Emma last summer. The stamps are from Fontwerks (not in the kit). I ordered them elsewhere. They are called George outline. I love them very much =).



Tomorrow I am going to see the trainer...and discuss why I have failed miserably over the past month in meeting my goal. Life has gotten in the way I guess...too many holidays (mother's day, anniversary), the week off of exercise, food tastes very yummy. All of that equals still having pudge on my inner thighs. Oh well...I'm not too concerned about it (which may be the biggest problems).

I still haven't downloaded my beautiful pictures I took on Sunday. I'll try tomorrow. I've been diligently trying to edit all my past years photos to try to use a coupon for 9 cent prints that expires tomorrow. So I must go, have a good one.

Sunday blogging.

Another layout from the June Scrappy Giraffe kit.
I took some beautiful pictures of the girls this morning before we went to church in their "same-same" dresses {as Emma would call them}. I need to upload them and fix them up a bit and then I'll try to post some tomorrow. I have been really bad about keeping my regular photo albums up to date since I went totally digital {about a year ago}. Couldn't decide what I wanted to do with all of them. Previously I'd just stick one copy of each photo in a regular album and play with the doubles. Now since I don't have high speed access anymore, I can't upload them and have them printed out and I've been very lazy and have only printed on my home printer what I have wanted to scrapbook. So last night I started the process of going through the past year, picking out the best ones and I'm going to take them in to have printed....throw them in a regular album. And now since I have a fancy new way of editing my pictures...it's going to take a while. Made it through August of 2005....quite a bit more to go =(. Maybe I'll try to do this monthly in the future.
So I caved and turned the air conditioner on today. It was 80+ degrees in the house so on it came. I really like having the windows open though. Must be a throw back to growing up with no air conditioner.
I also did some major weed eating today. I probably could have done it for several more hours...but I needed to stop as the thing was beating the crap out of my leg {i guess I kind of support it with my thigh as I am using it} I have about 10 huge bruises on my right thigh. Lovely. Looks like someone was beating on me. I was covered in a fine green weed mist when I finished. Emma wanted to know if I was an alien. I'm just hoping there was no poison ivy in the fine green mist. I probably should learn to identify that a bit better.
Anyway, have a good day all.

Saturday

I just finished reading this book...it was pretty good. Obviously about midwives, this book about the ones that deliver babies at home. You all know how I feel about that =).

Here is another layout from the June scrappy giraffe kit. Can't seem to make anything pretty lately. These photos were from last summer. Thought they were kind of cute. Emma thought it was all fun and games until she got the water dumped on her head.

We went to the dowtown farmer's market today. Holy cow...that thing is huge. Unfortunately, it started downpouring on us while we were there. Emma kept saying we were going to melt, so we left. Didn't get to see it all. Will definitely have to go back. We did have time to buy a hosta, a giant whoopie pie, some homemade jam and a bunch of asparagus. We were going to eat there, but the rain interfered with that. Stopped on the way home and ate some yummy Chinese food.

Well, that is all for now. Hope you are all having a lovely weekend.

This is all you get.

Sorry this is all I can muster tonight. I have very important magazines to read. Supplies are from the June Scrappy Giraffe kit. Auf Wiedersehen.

Summer 2004

Here is a layout with a photo from the summer of 2004. We were living in Idaho. Went on a lot of vacations that summer. It was pretty cheap to go on vacation there. There was never anywhere to stay so you just had to pitch a tent. This is from the California coast. Very beautiful. We saw the Redwoods, the coast, and Crater Lake in Oregon all on the same trip. The supplies are all from the June Scrappy Giraffe Kit

It was a beautiful day here today, temps in the 80s. I went running outside...couldn't take the treadmill today. I run a lot harder outside, time passed a lot faster, it was kind of nice. Got some mowing done tonight. I love my John Deere =). So that is the extent of my exciting life...have a good day!

My mom

Here is the layout I had laying on my desk for a long time. Nothing great...sorry mom, I tried. This is a photo of my mom and I the day before Mother's day this year. I think this is the first photo of us together since my birth? Well, maybe not that bad...but almost. Mom's in general seem to never be on the other side of the camera. Made it with some leftovers from my 3 srappy boys kit.

Speaking of 3 scrappy boys.... the May newletter is out. I had to make those stupid, ah hem...I mean lovely paper lilies. They are under the paper craft section. I also have the layouts there too...which you have already seen if you read this thing regularly. My picture is up too...it was taken by the lovely Keesha D. (who is really dying to become a scrapbooker too) TAKE A LOOK HERE Hit ctrl F5 key if the march newsletter comes up instead of the May (mine keeps doing that, but I have a stupid computer, it's to be expected).
Hope you are all having a lovely day.

Friday blogging

Just a few photos tonight. I was playing with photoshop tonight (elements). Trying to learn new stuff. Here is photo I took of Bella tonight. It is the before untouched shot.

Here I played with it a bit. See any difference with her eyes?

Here is a "dreamy" version. Would be cool with the right photo...not this one =).

I'm trying out some things I found HERE

And finally a photo of the swing set...all finished.

Bunches of stuff

Here is the last layout I did for 3 Scrappy boys. I don't like it very much. Aren't I a good mommy letting my child chug Mt. Dew? Actually, I think she had just grabbed it out of my hands and never actually drank any. I have another 3 scrappy boys layout half finished on my desk....just need to work up some energy to finish it.


So I am happy to report that I have had 5000+ hits on this blog. It only took 10 months =). I'm sure mom was 2500 of those right?

The swingset is 99% finished. Forgot to take a picture of it. Will do that soon. The girls seem happy with it.

Am I the only adult that likes kids fruit snacks? I love fruit by the foot and I just indulged in some gushers...those with the fruity outside and the gooey syrupy inside. Ohhh...I also like those twistable things too. Anyway onto more adult like food. I am always trying new recipes, usually 1-3 per week. Here is one I tried this week. Thought it was pretty good. I even have a pretty picture of it too (not mine, although mine looked similar minus the pretty garnishes and pretty plate). As many of my recipes, this is from Cooking Light magazine. Without further ado...the recipe of the week.



Herbed Chicken Breasts with Tomatillo Salsa and Queso Fresco

Calories 364; Fat 10.7; Protein 47.1; carb 17.7; fiber 2; chol 162; iron 3; soeium 770; calc 169.

Salsa
2 quarts water
1/2 pound tomatillos (about 10 small) husks and stems removed
1 garlic clove
1/2 to 1 serrano pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp salt

Chicken
3 (1 oz) slice white bread
4 (6 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 T olive oil
1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled queso fresco cheese
Cilantro springs (optional)
Lime wedges (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. To prepare salsa, bring water to a boil. Add tomatillos, garlic, and serrano chile; cook 7 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Combine tomatillos, garlic, chile, chopped cilantro, onion, lime juice, and 1/4 tsp salt in a food processor or blender; pulse 4-5 times or until coarsely chopped. Set aside.
3. To prepare chicken, place bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 1/2 cups. Arrange crumbs on a baking sheet; bake at 350 until lightly browned. Cool completely.
4. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2 inch thickness using a meat mallet or rollin pin. Combine 1/2 tsp salt, cumin and red pepper; sprinkle evenly oever chicken.
5. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Place egg in a another shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg; dredge in breadcrumbs.
6. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicke; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Top chicken with slasa, and sprinkle with questo fresco cheese. Garnish with cilantro and lime if desired.

4 servings (1 chicken breast, 1/4 cup salsa, 2 T cheese)

Shoveling dirt

Hello, Blog readers, I am back. Here is another layout from the May 3 scrappy boys kit. As close as we've come to a family picture in a long time.

Had a busy afternoon off today. I decided to dig a flower bed in the back yard. Still have about half of it left to do. Let me tell you, digging hard dirt with a shovel is a good workout. I burned a ton of calories. Kind of nice. Kent was busy today putting up a swingset thingy for the girls. They are going to love it. I'll take a picture when it is done (should be tomorrow unless it rains a lot). Well I'm tired better go. Have a good day.

Another layout

Happy Monday to you all. Here is another layout from the May 3 Scrappy Boys Kit Those flowers are a little more 3 dimensional in real life, but you can kind of get the picture.

Don't have too much to say today, just wanted to post that picture. Have a good day!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there! First of all, I am finally posting a layout. This is from the May 3 Scrappy Boys kit. I think this is my favorite of the ones I made. I'll post the rest in the future.


Didn't do too much today. Went to church. Then went to Z'Mariks Noodle Cafe for lunch. Yummy. I really like that place. Then I took a nap. Unfortunately no one bothered to wake me up and I slept for about 80 hours and therefore will probably be up all night. Went to Walmart tonight as I can't pass up their Clif bar selection...got some groceries while I was there too. And that has been my day. Exciting, huh? Well, that is all for today. Better go try to make myself sleepy somehow.

Happy Birthday Abigail!

Ahhh....Thanks commenters. It makes me happy to know someone is out there. =). Truly...Really happy.

Arriving this morning was Miss Abigail. Hope no one minds that I posted this photo. Pretty cute. {By the way I am her auntie...not mommy}


I made another new layout tonight. But once again, you are going to have to wait for just a bit until I post it here. Sorry. Using the May 3 Scrappy Boys kit.

Well, I have officially been okayed to enter the MMM contest....guess I have to go through with it now. Will try to start working on that soon. Don't know to much else right now. Have a good one!

Maybe a baby

So the word on the street is that my sister is being induced as we speak and may soon have a baby. If it comes within the next 22 minutes, it {as the gender of this child is unknown} will share a birthday with my lovely parents anniversary. Not sure how long they have been married, but it's been awhile. Happy Anniversary!

Well, I may be a bit biased, but do I not have the most beautiful girls in the world?




So I went to the gym again today. My ban is over. It was good to be back. And what a difference a little workout makes in my calorie burn for the day. Makes it so I can eat...which I greatly enjoy doing. I got my picture taken again today. I don't like that...but my gym is opening a new gym downtown and they want to use me on the wall there to inspire others. Hmmm. Interesting. I even had to give a little bodybugg testimonial.

I actually made a layout tonight. Can't show it to you just yet. Pretty soon.

Just a little whine here...this blogging thing is getting old...especially when I feel like I am talking to MYSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Could someone please comment? Please, please, please? The world won't end, you won't die, it might be freeing to your soul, it would make me happy {not that that is the main focus of your lives....but wouldn't it make you feel good to spread joy to little old me?}. Whine over.

Curtains!

Well....I know you were all dying to see this, so here it is....my curtains. I know it doesn't belong in any sort of decorating magazine, but it sure does look better than it did before. On the wall to the right, there is even a picture on the wall. Amazing. No if I could only get some paint on the walls, then you could appreciate the crown molding and pretty fat trim. Maybe someday.

So I got a magazine called "Parenting" in the mail today. Didn't order it. Maybe the magazine gods are smiling on me? Or maybe someone sent it to me as a hint that I need to work on my parenting skills? Hmmm. It says my subscription expires in April of 2007. Interesting.

Well that is all I have for now. I am in a scrapbooking slump right now. Maybe when I get out of that I will post some stuff. To those on my "official" advisory team...I may not be eligible to enter due to my affiliation with Paper Heart Studio. Need to figure that out. Anyway, must run. Have a good day.

4 days off from work.....over.

Don't have any great pictures today. Sorry about that. Will try to find something exciting to post tomorrow.

My 4 lovely days off of work are over. What did I accomplish?
1. Not much.
2. Went to the tulip festival with Emma.
3. Watched the whole first season of Grey's Anatomy on DVD. Very good...but what a waste of time. That's why I try not to watch too much T.V....it sucks you in. Still it was good.
4. Went out with Kent for supper last night and a movie to celebrate our 12th anniversary (today). Had good Italian food and this completely awesome chocolate cake type dessert. Totally worth blowing my diet on. We went to MI-III. Wow...very intense. I'm not usually one to get uptight at movies...but this one was super intense, non-stop action. Can't believe that it was only PG-13...guess there wasn't a lot of cuss words in it, no nudity....so they overlook the extreme violence I guess? We saw an approximately 4-5 year old kid come in with his parents...couldn't believe it. Wow...he got a show.
5. Hung a curtain up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Found some curtains that I had forgotten about that were in our bedroom in Idaho. Hung them up on the window in the upstairs landing/nook area. Also put another small bookcase in there that I got from Target courtesy of my mother (Thanks!). And I almost hung a picture on the wall...maybe tomorrow when I decide which one. That is a crapload of decorating for me. It almost looks like someone lives here (at least in that part of the house) now.
6. Finished unpacking 4 boxes that were half emptied out in the basement (yes, I know I have been living here for 15 months...you think I could have done that before).
7. Scrapbooked one (1) page. Seems I work better when I don't have time to scrapbook.
8. Didn't do so well on my diet. Will start being good again tomorrow.
9. Enjoying not exercising...almost too much.

That is about all I can think of...more later. Have a good day!

The day in pictures

Decided to go to Pella today to the tulip festival. Took Emma with me. Bella, the scholar, went to school. Took a few pictures of Emma before we left.


Here some nice man took our picture for us.


Our snack....yummy. Had a bad food day today, but it was tasty.


Emma thoroughly examining a tulip.


We got to tour a windmill. We were actually standing on the windmill in this picture.


That's about it for now. Going to actually try to get some sleep tonight... =). Good night!

I've been banned.....

....from the gym!!!!! Had my session today with the trainer. I have officially met goal #2. Was talking to him how I'm totally zonked, weak, feeling tired with my workouts. He asked me when was the last time I took a week off. Hmmmm....Back before I started working out regularly again, which would have been last July. Oops. I guess I haven't taken any time off because I was afraid I would start liking the lazy life again and would never go back. I was actually feeling a bit anxious after he told me I was not to step foot in the gym until next Wednesday {how wierd is that?}, but I'm okay with it now and actually think it will be very good for me. We also dinked around with my food and I will be eating more now, having a day of positive balance, etc. Still going to try to get my body fat% a little lower, but at a slower rate. Going to try to get rid of all those womanly problems {i.e. inner thighs, butt} firm up a bit more there. So there it is...bodybugg update.

Made this layout last night. I was going to post it to my secret site, but then realized that the "celebrate life" theme was actually the one layout they assigned to you (plus 4 of your choice). That layout has to be 12x12...too bad for this one, kind of liked it. I guess I should start doing more 12x12, but am kind of liking the whole 8.5x11 thing.


I cleaned out my closet (pants only I guess) and I pretty much had to put away/get rid of 97% of my pants as they are much too large (yeah!). So today, out of desperation, I went shopping. Went to Gordman's. Have never been there before. It seems to be kind of like a Kohl's. I found a brand of pants that actually fit everywhere...butt, waist, legs...all at the same time. I about died. I bought 3 pairs. The best part, only 17.99 each. Can't get much better than that. Except the size...really like the size I got to take home =). So now I have like four pairs of pants total to wear to work. Excited about that.

Clif Bars: Cranberry, Apple Cherry...not so good. Just had one for a snack. Stick to the chocolate varieties.

Well that is all for now. Have a good day.

Random stuff

So I am here at work writing this as I am bored. VERY bad sign, if this continues, I will be broke in no time =). I have read about cat scratch disease, rabies, allergy testing and I can't be "good" anymore. I did learn today that if you are bitten by a rabid animal, that if you scrub the wound vigorously with an iodine solution you decrease the rate of transmission by 90%. Good info to know, cause rabies isn't a nice disease, as Emma would say, "It makes you dead?" Also avoid skunks, they stink and are a major source of rabies. My doctorly advice for the day.

So scrappy giraffe is in the process of launching its new site... Check it out here . The June kit will be for sale soon and looks to have some cool stuff in it... if you are of course into the cult of scrapbooking.

Tomorrow, I will have an official bodybugg update. Speaking of the bodybugg, my lovely mother has been a bodybugg convert as well. She has used it for maybe almost 2 months, I think? She has lost a little over 22 pounds. Just thought I'd share, as I think she is doing an excellent job. After my session tomorrow, I am free, totally free until Monday morning. I am taking a few days off of work just because and if the rest of the week is like today, no one will even realize that I am gone. I am not doing anything special, just going to do what I want to. Which sounds so very nice to me. I might go see the tulip festival in Pella. I am deciding if cool flowers and windmills are enough to make me brave the crowds. I hate crowds. We'll see. Then if I do go, do I take Emma or do I just do a "me" trip. I'm not very good at "me" trips. Emma always seems to "con" me into keeping her with me on my days off. She's just too cute to resist. Bella will be in school so I don't have to worry about her.

I'm home now and am blogging away at my normal time (midnightish)...I forgot about these stars...wanted to add them to yesterdays layout. So here it is, new and improved. Didn't ask Emma if she liked it better.


God bless whoever invented the riding lawnmower. That's all I have to say about that.

Thank you Chris for volunteering for my advisory committee...need a way to contact you so I can direct you to my secret site =).

That is all for now....can't wait for tomorrow afternoon! 4.5 days of no work!

"Ugly Layout" per Emma

Kind of a quick and ugly little layout I made for a challenge at 3 Scrappy Boys. Bella a few weeks ago kicking the soccer ball. I obviously had some trouble taking the pictures {kind of blurry}. Guess I could just pretend that I did that on purpose for artistic effect, right? Just getting used to my camera, I guess. That is my excuse. Emma came into my room when I was making this and told me that it was very ugly...she then added that it's because it is not her favorite color. It's not pink or purple. Oh well, such is life....can't please everyone.

So, I now have 4 official volunteers for my "advisory committee". Two are family members which I don't feel can totally be trusted. The third is a person who feels that scrapbooking is a dangerous cult and almost didn't let my previous place of employment interview me because under my hobbies it listed scrapbooking. The 4th person might almost be as crazy as me when it comes to scrapbooking {? maybe}. So there is room for a few more if you'd like...don't be shy, it might be fun.

Well, I must go. It seems the later I stay up the more hungry I get and the more unable I am to control my eating....which might be bad for my official weigh in on Wednesday.