been visiting the 'kids'

I've been at the kids this weekend. Drove down on Thurs. They have a cute little place in So. Cal. Ain't it hard, seeing you baby in her 'own' place with her husband!

They have a new kitten, Colby Jack, who is just a cutie-pie and a terror. I must have taken 50 pics of the little guy (can you imagine if I finally do have grandkids) (is that a bugar in his nose? oh, let me get the camera!!) teehee. Oh, I did take one of the kids, too!!

DD's been working the past couple of days, but today is her day off! So, we'll see what we end up doing. I brought her some of her prints, so we may be doing a little decorating.

Last night we all had dinner at their friends' apt. They have 2 little boys, one a li'l over 1 and the other 2 weeks. One of the grandma's was there, but she let me hold the baby! Oooooooooooooohhhh, talk about adorable!!

So, the 2 peas challenge was about scrapping plans. No scrapping for me...but taking some pics of my new grandkitty, and there was talk of a game of Mexican Train.

Tomorrow, I will drive home...should be fun!! NOT!!!

my baby is 22 today!

My sweet angel is 22!
can you believe it!! I guess the miracle is that we MADE it! Do you remember James Dobson's book, the Strong Willed Child, this book was written about my dd. (the books at my bedside was this one and Dare to Discipline, and How to Make Children Mind without Losing Yours)

From the gate, she proved to be onery and strong willed. I was at a loss. The first years of her life, we were like a "rock and a hard place", a lot of butting of heads...I wanted to control her and make her the 'perfect' little girl and she was having none of that. I remember when she was @4 years old, I matter of factly told my husband that we need to find this girl a new mother, as I am simply not equipped with the needed skills!!

The turning point for us was when she was around 7, and we went to joint counselling, thank you Dr. Hoffman, anyways, I learned to 'back off', stop trying to 'control' (had to learn this with more than parenting, I was almost ocd with the control issues) and enjoy. After that I started to appreciate the 'gift' of her strong will, (she was less suseptable to peer pressure), help her develop her talents (dance, then cheer, then acting and yes, even singing) and be her biggest 'fan'.

A big complement was while initialling planning her wedding, she asked me to be her matron of honor. I told her no, I've already got my role, I'll be the one 'blubbering' in the front row...and she needed someone young and cute in the pictures with her. (by the way, she made an EXCELLENT choice with Jenn)

Now, my baby is 22 and married to the Okie. I am so excited for them. And I can't wait till she gives birth to her own 'strong willed child'...nah, for them, I'm hoping for twins!!

a scare yesterday morning...

This fellow gave me quite a scare yesterday morning. As I was geting ready for work, making my lunch, one minute, he was begging for a piece of roast beef and then the next he was dragging himself across the kitchen floor. I heard a loud noise, and I see him dragging his bottom half across the floor. Like he was paralyzed in the bottom half. I was so scared. So I called our vet, and explained what was going on...she said she had no vets (they were all out on large animal calls) so she referred me to a vet 40 minutes away. Now, by the time I was off the phone with her, Marshall, was standing...shaky but standing.

So, I call the other office and got the next appt. As soon as I am done with the phone call, Marshall is strong. I had to 'catch' him and fight him to go into the carrier...he HATES that carrier.

Marshall is @13 years old, has stopped using his box for pooh, and has been getting skinny. When he first started losing weight, back in March, I took him to the vet for tests. They all look good, no thyroid, kidney, even teeth and gum problems. He's old and skinny but healthy.

So, the vet says cuz he was alert during the incident and recovered so quickly, he really does not think this was neurological. His suspicion is that Marsh injured himself while trying to jump on something...which I have noticed that Marsh does struggle to jump up on the bed and couch. Actually, he doesn't jump anymore, he pulls himself up.

In the space of the visit, the vet called Marsh, senile (the box issue) and stubborn...its like, he sure does know Marsh!! Yup, Marsh is a stinker, but he is family and we love him. I'll continue to cater to his picky eating habits (he only wants people food) (and the vet says at this age, just give it to him) and pick up after him.

Weds, mayo or miracle whip

UGHHH!!
its morning.

After the cats woke me, I sat down at the computer and tv, and QVC is selling Murano Glass jewelry!! OH, so pretty. but I was thinking, if I bought some on QVC...then took it to Italy..would I have to pay duty as I am heading home? hmmmmmm....guess I can carry my receipt with me!

There is a sad thing about the show, the fellow kept saying that only one old man knows how to make some of the items, like the large puffy heart pendant. And while reading Rick Steves, he has a blurb about the aging of Venice. That Venice as a city is dying. The young are not staying, the buildings are falling apart...


OH, yesterday I was 'complaining' about losing my mojo with 5x7 layouts...and yesterday, I got Elsie's Recipe Box. Oooooh La La...now her style may not work for my wedding album...but I'm thinking I can modify... but now I'm excited about doing these layouts. And ain't that the definition of mojo!

Have ya'll ever thought about why you use mayo instead of miracle whip? I was recently asked that one by ds. He married a gal from Indiana, so he was asking why we as a family use mayo...I told him quite simply, because I lost that battle. I grew up in Texas, I grew up with miracle whip...but dh absolutely would not use the mw.. so I switched. Now, dd married an Okie, so she is making the switch back to mw.
(as I suspect ds is.. cuz ddil is one stubborn Indiana-in)
BUT dd was successful in switching the Okie to barstyle cheddar cheese (Tilamook, the absolute best)..as the teethmarks she found in the cheese proves.

Have you ever thought about those regional preferences?
Growing up in Texas, it was all 'coke'...since moving to CA..I'm hooked on pepsi.
DS switched to coke, the traitor, after his training months in FL and MS with the Corps. For me, now days, the only use I have for coke is if I decide to make 'coke cake'. yummmmmmmmmmm

a new crop space...

So, with dh out of town, this is what happened yesterday in the living room.
Worked out kinda nice for me. I do admit, I am enjoying having the house to myself.
Computer whenever I want, whatever tv I want, eat what I want, a nap...wearing pj's all day...yup its nice. But I'm ready for him to come home.

So far, the dogs have been behaving. Staying on the property and no carcasses. Here's to hoping they will continue...yikes...the worse part of being in 'charge'.

Okay, I'm working on my wedding album..the one for me to keep, and I'm at the 5x7 pics of families. I AM Getting Sick of scrapping 5x7's...ya'll know of any great sketches for 5x7...I mean its, "matt it, stick it in the middle and decorate around it". bleh...

OH, the scraproom tour was nice. Fun to see the color schemes, the organization and set up of all the rooms. LOVED Susan's slat walls and organization, Dorlene's vintagy items for storage, and Ashley's use of a model-home's display case, and the organization of her open closet for storage...she has a ton of paper!!

Off to start my week...but I have a plan...am hoping to go down south to see the kids this weekend. here's to hoping...

layouts from Scrapbook Expo all day crop

These are for MY wedding book...

one of those questionaires...

I 'tagged myself' from Lemons to Lemonade,

1. LAST MOVIE YOU SAW IN A THEATER: Momma Mia (very fun, still getting over the last scene of the guys in spandex suits...hint..don't leave the theater quickly)
2. BOOK ARE YOU READING? Sail by James Patterson
3. FAVORITE BOARD GAME? Monopoly
4. FAVORITE MAGAZINE? Scrapbooks Etc, Making Memories
5. FAVORITE SMELLS? the ground after rain, febreeze
6. FAVORITE FOODS? enchiladas (they are simply a perfect food) with lasagna a close second
7. FAVORITE SOUND? running water as in a brook or fountain
8. WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD? tooth pain
9. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP? UGGH!!!
10. FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE? KFC/A&W combonation
11. FUTURE CHILD'S NAME? Not for me! but future grandbabies are, Ava or Parker and Audrey or Aiden (though these are being re-discussed)
12. FINISH THIS STATEMENT. "IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY..."? pay off our bills, build a decent private school for this town.
13. DO YOU DRIVE FAST? Nope, I'm a total lollylagger, give myself time so I'm not in a hurry.
14. DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL? Does dh count!! In the winter time, my cat gets under the covers.
15. STORMS-COOL OR SCARY? Cool..grew up in Houston...used to them, no fear
16. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR? A 71 Camaro...loved it!!
17. FAVORITE DRINK? Pepsi
18. FINISH THIS STATEMENT, "IF I HAD THE TIME..." I would organize my home and get stuff out of storage (ha)!!
19. DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI? No
20. IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY COLOR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE? I like my natural, but would add purple/violet highlights
21. NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS YOU HAVE LIVED IN: San Bernadino, CA;
Houston, TX; Rockville, MD; San Jose, CA...Patterson, CA
22. NAME ALL THE STATES/COUNTRIES YOU HAVE VISITED: geee...Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Idaho, Georgia, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Nevada, countries: Japan, and in October will add Italy, Greece, Monaco, Turkey!!
23. GLASS - HALF EMPTY OR FULL? Half a glass (consider myself a realist)
24. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH? high school sports when dd cheered. (now, NONE!!)
25. ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU: I snagged this from Lemons to Lemonade, don't know much about her...except from her questionnaire.
26. WHAT IS UNDER YOUR BED? storing stuff...old clothes, towels...gee don't know
27. TOILET PAPER - OVER OR UNDER? Under
28. SEAT UP OR DOWN? Down
29. MORNING PERSON, OR NIGHT OWL? neither, I don't get going till @10 am, but am running out of gas @9pm.
28. OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP? Over medium...not too much runniness for me
29. FAVORITE PLACE TO RELAX? couch with a blankie or my swing on the back porch.
30. FAVORITE PIE? mom's chocolate pudding

yay, can post layouts

With my camera home, I can post layouts...I feel like a scrapbooker again.

The top image is my Shimelle's inspiration layout. The assignment was to go thru the house and take pics of the things that inspire us in our home. I found myself taking pics of items being 'hit' by light...creating either shadows or diffused color light. I also collect colored glass, because I love the way it looks when light shines thru it.

The 2nd is my "funny" layout from the crop a couple of weekends ago.
I was working on this layout of the academy pre-graduation run. I love this Basic Grey Boxer paper, anyways, I started to add the flowers..these are from the Prima tubes, and my ddil looks over and with a raised eyebrow, says, "Flowers?".
I asked her, "would they look better if they were distressed?".. she agrees.
So I take them, put them on a piece of cardboard and stomp on them..nothing. So I take a little ink and put them on my shoe, my new canvas crocs, and stomp on them. Yay, the effect I wanted. You know, the guys are running, it looks like they stepped on the flowers, right? So, I put them on the layout and just start laughing at myself. WHO does that!

How this 'hobby' changes us. We collect stuff normal people throw away, we carry our cameras as though they are a part of us. When dd asked me what souvineer I wanted from her semester in Europe, I asked for "pictures, receipts and napkins".

And now, I've dabbed ink on a perfectly good, new pair of shoes.
tsk, tsk.

Today is my appt with the oral surgeon, then errands (skipping work), tonight, I'll make a slideshow of my other, normal layouts from the Scrapbooks Expo crop.

Tomorrow is a crop with the girls. We are also taking a field trip, a tour of each other's scraprooms followed by a spaghetti pot luck.

some good and bad this week

Been busy..
the good, my camera is back from the Canon Hospital. Gotta say I am really impressed by the service. I got an email from them when they rec'd it and then an email when they shipped it home. So excited. Really needed it yesterday, as ddil was walking around work with a huge tear in her jeans.

and
My MP3 works!! Now that was 'user error'...I did not release the safety button. DS had that one "fixed" for me immediately.

and
I got my car back. (though I really liked the loaner).

the bad...
my dentist appt showed that I have an infection brewing in my #19 tooth. Will need to see a specialist to drill thru my tooth, to the root and jaw. Then back to the dentist for a new crown. Poo-ey. Sounds like I'm gonna be in a major vicadin mode.
Luckily I'm not in pain right now. I have the consultation appt tomorrow morning

I was hoping to travel down south to see my dd and dsil for her birthday. I still have not seen their apartment or their new kitten. Oh well...guess I'll have to plan that one another time.

Well, Kristin arrives in about 10 minutes.
my 'break' is over. (another poo-ey)

this weekend

Did alot of driving this weekend...on Fri it was to Sacramento and back to pick up dd, on Saturday, Gilroy and back to meet with the gals, and Sunday, Sacramento and back to take dd to airport...so I was sick of the car.. Sunday afternoon, I was firmly planted on the couch, first for a nap then watching the tube. But I did get on the treadmill. (such a good girl, huh)

Sat was fun. Met with the cruise ladies, our first meet as a group about cruise stuff. This is my first major cruise, I have been on a 4 day Ensenada/Mexico cruise YEARS ago. Then Michele and I went shopping. Only 2 months away, getting excited.

Still so much to do and look at and plan. Finally opened my Rick Steves book...wowza, I wanna do the mile night time walk thru Rome he has mapped out.

Started a page, but got sidetracked..but my goal is doing the last 4 pages for my nephew, so I can get this mailed out.

This week should be interesting. Today, after my workout I have a dentist appt. Then it is off to the church, the pastor asked me if I'd pray about/consider becoming the church treasurer. To tell the truth, I am a ground level bookeeper, can check those numbers, but don't know what you are supposed to be doing with those numbers...so I don't think I'm qualified for treasurer. But we'll look into it.

DH leaves at the end of the week for Chicago. I have a crop planned for Saturday, but I am looking forward to a few days of 'whatever' I want to do. Been thinking of watching the "Band of Brothers" cd set my dsil loaned me.

The only thing is when he is gone, I gotta do all the outside stuff. Feeding dogs, horse, watering garden...yikes...I HATE outdoor stuff!! I'm an indoor girl. give me the a.c!!

a day off!!...plllllrrrrbbffttt

ya right. So I took the morning off. This afternoon I have to go to the airport to pick up dd. The original plan was to work in the morning and take off at noon. Anyways, took the morning off. Visions of sleeping in and scrapping in my head. What have I been doing? I've been scrubbing the kitchen floor. now, this floor is a gorgeous travertine. LOVE IT!! but it has all the natural nooks and crannies of stone...so we are talking about dragging a bucket on the floor with a scrub brush. with my knees and back, I had to break it into quadrants, keep a towel under my knees and take breaks. Also, been doing laundry. I am soooo hoping I can do a li'l scrapping after the floor.

I'm sure liking this Darius Rucker song on CMT...


Got my loaner car yesterday! its a 2008 Ford Focus. I told my husband, "forget my car, I want to keep this one!!" Me like it. Me want it.

I sure do miss my camera. this morning the 'boys' were sitting in dd's room's window. She has 'the princess room' all white with Caribbean blue walls, and to see them on that window sill with the white sheer curtains and the sun outlining them was 'inspiring'...but no camera. I rarely open the room up, cuz of the white taffeta beadspread and white fluffy rug, but she is arriving today so I wanted to air it out.

Okay back to the floor, then I'll hit some blogs during my next break...I hope.
So nice to have access to the computer!

a little cheese for this whine?

The past couple of days, I've just felt like I've 'hit the ground running"
so exhausted. No computer time. as, the wireless no longer works, so dh has priority on the one working computer system. poo-ey.

Yesterday morning it was the Post Office and UPS store. (sent a circle journal page and returned a pair of Trotter shoes) While taking pics of my weekend layouts, my camera broke...so now it is on its way to the Canon hospital. boohoo. I am camera-less. As ya'll would understand, it does make one feel very naked.

And yesterday was dh's birthday. We all went to lunch, then after work I ran to Best Buy (get him his own li'l camera), Target and the grocery store. I was going to go to a Stampin Up class, but dh pulled the old "You were gone all weekend scrappin' and now you are going stamping on my biiiiiirrrrthhhday!!". So I stayed home.

Today, I am waiting for Kristen to stop by and torture me (aka exercise) then off to the car dealership to deal with rental car situation. No, my car is not ready, but the extended warrenty does cover car rental for 10 days, its been 10 days, so they want me to return the rental and get a loaner car. UGGGGHHH!!

Tomorrow, I'll go to work in the morning and then pick up dd from the airport! She is coming home for the weekend. Well, one of her former college roommates is getting married, so she is coming home for that. But I'll get to see her for a little while! (yay, yay, yay!!)

well, its time for Kristen to show up...I'm off and running! again!

Fun at the Expo

Well that was a great weekend!
I'm glad I made the decision to stay at the Hyatt. A long walk, but only had to park the car once and was done with it.

Both my classes were great. I took the Clearly Beautiful, Penny was an excellent instructor, she not only taught her project, but gave us the info we need to create one of our own acrylic albums. I actually won an album as a door prize.

I also took On the Move, she showed us how to make waterfalls, peek a boo, and windows. Though everything was precut (to make the class go quicker), so I'm going to have to measure the samples to do my own, it was a good class. Definately not one to work ahead on...follow it step by step. To be honest, I wasn't crazy about the papers in this class, but that is okay-dokay.

LOVED the all day crop on Friday, you could get up and shop as needed. Sat crop was fun also, now, EVERYbody at my table won a door prize, except for me..boohoo.
I became convinced that if there was only one ticket left in that bucket, it would be mine. So, its a good thing I won a li'l something in a class, or I would have cried.

Friday, worked on dd's wedding. and Sat night worked on ds's academy graduation and a couple other pages. My ddil helped with a couple of academy pages. She did not bring anything of her own, so she made herself available to do pages for me.

So, I do have a funny crop story, but I'll save it till tomorrow, when I can take a picture of the related layout.

off to start my Monday!!

overpacking, I'm sure.

So, I'm prepping for this weekend.
Will be at the Santa Clara Scrapbook Expo, signed up for Fri's all day crop, a couple of classes Sat then Sat's crop. I've been packing.
and packing.

I'm up to one rolling tote, one huge duffel bag filled with tools, one 'extra' bag with Sat night papers...and another bag filled w/ embellishments (mostly wedding, so that is my Fri bag. I'll also be carrying my purse. I'm trying to keep it down to the 3 (per night) and my purse. Now, on Sat, I'll be able to 'check my bags' during the day. (oops, need to put my name on them)


So what are your non-scrap crop essentials? for me, its a box of kleenex, baby wipes, snacks, pepsi. My cheap MP3 is acting up. sooo, I may be 'music less'.
But that's okay, I rarely take this to a crop. Kinda enjoy the noise of 'creating' around me.


The good thing about taking a couple of days to pack is you're not in a hurry. and if issues crop up, like running out of printer ink, okay, I can take care of that. BUT the bad thing is you think of EVERYthing. this morning at 3 am, I thought of stickles.

Even as I type this, I keep getting up to retrieve something. STOP, okay the next thing I will get is a pad of post its. That way, if I do think a page 'needs' something from home...I'll make myself a post it note, instead.

Okay, when I went to do that, I also grabbed my Scrapbooks Etc Page planners, never know when you'll need inspiration, right? But that's it, really, I'm done packing.


So, ya'll have a good weekend...I'm thinking I will!! If I survive the trip lugging this stuff from the car!!!

beautiful...

So, last night while on the treadmill, I started watching Mr. Skeffington (an old Bette Davis movie) and the tag line was "A woman is only beautiful when she is loved". The movie is about a very vain woman, who suddenly loses her beauty thru a disease and has to come to live with herself. Anyways, I think I'd change that line to " A woman is at her most beautiful when she loves". And that made me think of this picture of dd taken by Tyler. I just love how the light of 'love' simply illuminates my dd's face.

I'm running late, so I'll continue later.

We May have a winner...

a winner for my new favorite and comfy shoe. I bought a pair of canvas topped
crocs...and they are comfy...and I'm not limping at the end of the day and the next morning. My sis and nieces think they are U G L Y...but I think they are cute.

From 2 peas: What is the most photos you have used to create a layout? Can be a one or two page layout. A Dozen, I've done a couple of shaped collages...a heart in dd's wedding album and mickey mouse ears in the d-land book.

I also liked yesterday's 2 peas prompt...to open a dictionary, point to a word, and talk about it...so here we go.... Onerous - imposing a burden. Nope, doesn't mean a lot to me. You'd have to ask people around me if I am 'onerous' cuz I don't think I am,(insert angel smilie) and I pretty much ignore people who are 'onerous'. Don't let their issues get to me, ya know.?

I'm packing for the San Jose Scrapbook Expo crops. I'm going to both the Friday all day and Sat night...anyone else going? Of course, my photo printer at home runs out of ink...oh well, at least I did not start this Thurs night.., so I have time.

Speaking of which, I'd better be off!! Ya'll have a good one!!

independent and in control?

From Shimelle: Share a story with your
readers about one moment when you felt
independent and in control.

Hmmm, as mentioned before, I was a bit of an emotional wreck as a teenager, young woman...my daily mood would totally depend on whatever incedent just happened.
I was also one who was very organized and thought she had control over the environment around her. A paradox, I know.

But God sent me a gift, called a strong-willed child. (and to you mom's with strongwilled children, in hindsight, they are a gift)

With this angel, God taught me, that I am not in 'control' of ANYthing and that all I can do is love and accept...so my moment of true independence and control was when I finally 'let go and let God'. It was the most freeing moment of my life. And the start of my friendship with my little girl.

On my bathroom mirror, I used to keep a postcard. It had a cartoon of 2 penguins, one had an open-mouthed fish on top of it's head with the penguin's head in its mouth and the other penguin is asking him, "Everything under control?"...It was my daily reminder, that I ain't the one in control...and thank goodness for it.

I'm home!!
we decided to rent a car...Enterprise...and you know how they say they will pick you up? So dh left me here to go to work early...I called at 8 am for the pick up and guess what. I never did complete the online order, so they don't have a car for me. Remember, I live in a small town in the middle of CA...so they need to get a car from Modesto, they will contact me, and then I can get on the road.

So that means, in the past 2 weeks, I have worked 3 days and on Tuesday, I only worked 2 hours. Now, this is the paycheck I was going to take to the Scrapbook Expo next week.. well, maybe I can buy some adhesives!!