took the day off!

I'm all prepped for the close, was even filing for a coworker yesteday...so, I'm taking today off. It will be busy for me the following week...a day off is good.

So, other than a Walmart run and cooking dinner...its my day. What shall I do?

Well, I have 3 books waiting for that one last layout to be finished. I REALLY should work on them. And the men's bday cards need that one last touch..

That should be my concentration today...

Also I joined a 'new' website, Colorful Creations, I could do a couple of their challenges..

So, if I ever get off the computer, it could potentially be a very productive scrappy day!! ha!!!

I'll leave ya'll with this... what happens when I leave the scraproom door open...for some reason, Winston is absolutely fascinated with the glue dots roll...li'l stinker

crop yesterday!

Normally at crops, I am a 'machine', churning out dozens of layouts..yesterday not so much. This layout about my dad, took a looooooong time...I changed it soooo much, but when I finally found the package of Pink Paislee diecuts in my Scrapbook Circle kit...yeah, it came together.


Here is another layout using the Pink Paislee from the kit.


loving these kits, since I don't have an LSS near me, and the selection at Michael's and Joanne's is a li'l generic...I NEED a kit!

I worked on Adriana's trip to Indiana and Texas in October of last year...and made some cards for a swap I'm in on Scrapbook.com.

these are some I made earlier...



worked on b-day cards for men...not quite done, so not ready to post a pic.

it's Tuesday!

as a side note, the dreams have been much more normal the past few days. BUT 'chicken' that I am, I do pray as I go to sleep. get that 'extra' security!

Had a great SUNDAY, spent the day with Adriana, as her mom went on a 'ride along' with one of her Dad's coworkers...and both were out from about 11 am to 3:30 am...so, I got an Adriana day!!

EXHAUSTING but wonderful.

I brought scrappin stuff, but she took such a short nap, I did not end up scrappin'...but we did get out the stroller and went for a nice long walk..to Baskin Robbins! after sharing an Orange Sherbet, we then went on a longer walk home (to burn those calories) G'ma was a li'l dumb, I did not wear walking shoes and got a blister! oh well!

We then played at home, translation g'ma chase her all through the house!

and went to a Chinese restarant with g'pa. I 'discovered' something, g'pas are worst at spoiling than g'mas. Yes, I kept telling him, she's had enough and he kept giving her more! (at least it was the peas and carrots from the fried rice). He even taught her to wiggle her shoulders in tune to "Ummm,ummmm, ummmm" while she was eating. It was fun!


And she was soooo good at the restarant..but then, I brought her her own dinner...so she did not have to wait to be served...she just got a li'l of the fried rice. Her mom requested she not have a lot of Chinese, as Chinese is notoriously high in sodium.. I really admire how her mom (my ddil) is being such a good, dilegent mom..and I completely respect and admire that.



so, Monday was a work day...but I did get to spend the morning with her and Nyki...since I spent the night..it was soooo hard to get in that car and go to work!!



okay, gotta do my dvd! I babysit tonight, my regular Tues night! yay!!!

recurring dreams...

what do you think? are they trying to tell you something?

I've been having intense recurring dreams with the same theme, esp this week.

On Sunday, I saw something that triggered a strong emotional response. One that was also physical. I don't want to go into detail, but this has only happened one other time in my life. Over the same 'issue'...

I've always had dreams of running away from something and hiding..in the past I could go to my neighbor's house and hide in her 'fixed up' attic. (no dark attic for me, it was always luxurious) I could see what that meant, as my neighbors were a strong, Christian family...and I always felt safe with them. IRL, I 'hung out' at their home as much as I could. They are a big reason, not because of their preaching, but because of how they lived their lives that I am a Christian.


Then as a mother, I had consistent dreams of running away from something and trying to protect my dd...I figured it was because she is/was a strong willed child and I not only had to protect her from the 'world' but also from herself.

but after this 'trigger' incident, the dreams are back and much more intense. I am still protecting a girl, sometimes a young one, sometimes older...but she is now indescript, no longer identifiable as my dd...

last night was a li'l different...I actually turned around and fought back. I had these hooked shaped knives and though I kept slicing and stabbing, he would not die. If you wanna know what he looked like, he looked a li'l like the dad in Happy Days...odd, I know. He ended up defeating me, and I ran down a cliff. I think, I managed to roll into a crevice...but that my have been my 'awake' mind changing the ending. All I felt was fear that he would not die...and failure that I could not save the girl.

There was another recurring theme dream in my life, but those have faded. Maybe I'll go into them in another post.

So, what do you think? Did I fight back this time because of the changes I've made in my life, to take better control..esp with the eating and exercise. I do feel like I am changing in more ways than just losing the weight.

Should I show courage next time , and not run?

okay do I have courage to hit the post button...aye yi yi!

Windows 7

so my computer is back from the doctor...(our IT guy) and since I could not find my install discs for Windows XP, We had to go out and buy Windows 7. There is a bit of a learning curve for me, but so far its cool. (okay, found something I need to learn ..how to move my pictures into files once they are off the camera..)

Like with my old HP printers, just had to plug them in...did not need to put in the installation discs...and they were installed!

I do miss my Kodak Easyshare program (I no longer have the printer)...I loved how I could print pictures from 5x7 to 16 per 4x6 page..and the mini pics were not 16 of the same...but could be 16 different pics! I don't have that ability with my new HP photo printer. siiiiiiigh.

the only downer is that I've been having a hard time getting on Spark! While in Texas, my facebook sent out the 'I'm sad..." message which is some type of worm. and dsil recommended I change my passwords to be safe...esp since this happened within a week of the 'trojan horse' incident. well, since then, I've been having trouble with the Sparkpeople sign in. double siiiiiiigh.

Last night, Nyki and Adriana met me at the local high school track/football field. They are opening it to the public on Weds for the summer. We did 8 laps (walking), which I'm told is 2 miles. It was nice, and Adriana was quite good... a couple of times she 'hollered'...but Nyki would tell her to stop...and she would!

here's a pic of her looking up at us while we were walking her...she says "Up!!"

I forgot, or should I say I overlooked...

I've been so intent on losing the 'obese' label...I overlooked the fact that I hit the halfway mark of my goal of losing 65 lbs! Of course, in my head, I'm kinda changing that goal...may want to go for 10 more...HOWEVER that initial goal is to lose 65 and get down to 150.

Did have a bit of a mental setback yesterday. read the blog of another gal, who has lost 40 lbs...she said she went from a size 16 to a size 8...I've lost a li'l over 30 lbs and only dropped one pants size!! wahhhh! shirts, a li'l different, I've gone from a 1X to a Large. THEN I was talking to one of the gals at work, who also lost 30lbs (from Zumba classes)...she went from a size 14 to a 9!! boohoo!!

Here's a link to Andy's blog..I LOVE the way she writes...and she is doing a lot of the same things I've been doing, watching what she eats...adding exercise (walking)...very inspiring. (IF I don't compare)

Which I WILL stop doing! We cannot compare our journey with others, right? We just keep going and will get there in our own time and our own way.

Okay, time to put in that dvd...a friend loaned my Jillian Michael's Target Zones...this should jumpstart my 'problem' area...my tummy. "Beatrice" (that's what I named my tummy) is being a li'l stubborn. I remind her that she will get a belly button ring if she co-operates..and those who know me, KNOW I do not relish 1) needles and 2) pain.

vacation is over!

back to work today! boohoo

We spent a week in Texas...came home Thursday, cleaned like the 'dickens, babysat on Friday...shopped on Saturday and completely lounged yesterday. But today, poo-ey
Never did sit down to scrapbook. I'll have next Saturday to myself, as Michael will be at the neighbors. He is gonna be 'chute man' while they castrate the cows. all I can say is, have fun! I did ask him to take pics...as it could be an interesting scrapbook page.


My mom is staying in Texas...so, I did like 5 loads of laundry on Friday...and a couple more throughout the weekend. So odd, I'm doing laundry again! and my own dishes! In many ways, I feel like the 'mistress' of my own home again! ha!!
Don't get me wrong, I miss her.

Friday morning, I redecorated the inlaw suite. I LOVE it! I put up a poster of Venice...now I can look at that while treadmilling. I think the room will be done in a 'theme' of travels. Can't limit it to where I've been, only been to Japan (as a child) and Italy/Greece... so I'll have to include where I wanna go...like Ireland, Scotland, England.. I have no real desire to go to France, but the pics are cool..so, I'll have posters of it, too.

I will take pics when I get my computer back. However, Saturday, I showed Michael my 'new space'..and he goes, 'where is MY space?" and thinking about it, in the house, he really doesn't have a space of his own. He even shares the office with me..as both computers are set up there.

I felt a li'l guilt for a while, then I looked around the living room...he keeps his guitar and the tv monitor for the outside cameras in there and an inversion machine in my now unusable entryway...pssssssshhhhhh. AND he has total say in the acreage surrounding us, I have NO SAY about anything out there. Like the fact he is prepping it for permanent pasture so he can raise cows!(which I do not want, I don't want to be surrounded by c o w s ! He even tossed the candle holder I bought from Ikea to put on the porch table!! So, you know what, no guilt!!

I told him he could move my computer to another room so the office can be his 'cave'..but HE said no, that computer time is the only time we spend together, and if he moved it, he'd never see me. ha!!

well, should be driving to work soon! nah, I'll wait an hour, so traffic can 'die down'.. have I mentioned that I don't like work?

Suduku...

So, with 2 flights @6hours each..I finally opened the extreme Suduku book my mom got me. It is something I've been meaning to try. between the flights, I did 26 of the 'easy' puzzles. The first 25, I cheated. No, I gave myself a 'handicap' by copying the diagonal answers, sometimes both rows. BUT by #26, I was able to do the puzzle without!! Yesterday, while Adriana napped, I did 4 more...no 'handicap'.

Altzheimers runs in my mom's family, so she does word search puzzles and jigsaw puzzles in the hopes of keeping her mind active...suduku just may be my way to stay mentally active.

Yesterday was a good day, I did miss my dd and her dh...and the grandkitties and puppies. BUT kept BUSY in the morning, I redecorated my mom's suite. No more sunflowers...now, its kind of a 'travel' room. found a great print on Allposters, venice...added traincases...and pics of MY kids in silver frames. Simple do not need dozens of pics of my neices. (kept a couple, but most of those went into a closet) ALSO thoroughly cleaned out her bathroom, and made a couple of decorative changes in there. I do this everytime she moves out. And she redoes it her way when she moves back in. BUT this should be the last time...Tim's house is almost done.

then BABYSAT!! first Adriana took a nap, but when she woke up! Lots of playing, chasing her, dancing to 'retro disco'...watched a li'l Blues Clues...she is soooo precious, adorable, wonderful!! She carried her li'l blankie everywhere, even used it to do a li'l dusting! Put her in her blue/purple tutu...don't worry, got lots of pics. (just can't upload them, cuz my computer is still not fixed) (I'm using dh's till it gets back, and no picture uploading and stuff)

Today, grocery store, Walmart run (have I been seeing something about Cricut Lite?) and Best Buy (got a list from the dr of supplies for the computer)...when do I get to scrap?

oh speaking of scrap, did I mention the goodies I got at GASC? BG Oliver and Olivia and Max and Whiskers. Was able to resist the Max and Whiskers online, but once I saw it in person...had to have it! Also picked up 7 Radiant Rain glimmer daubers from the Crafty Scrapper booth...haven't had a chance to 'play', but the demo looked wonderful!! did the 'buy 10 get 12' bling and felt from Queen and Co. 2 t-shirts in a size large (no more X's in my clothes)(YAY!) and other misc. Yup, did go over my cash budget and spent too much. BUT what can I say, no lss here...so this is my summer spree. for the fall spree...

I pre-ordered my tickets for the Expo in San Jose! Taking a copics class, and going to Fri and Sat all day crop!! soooooooo....looking forward to it!
Michele, if you are reading this, you should consider going!!

the Fort Worth Stockyards today!

very nice to go visit. took lots of pics of the Stockyards and of downtown, can't wait to go home and scrapbook...actually, kinda sad to go home. BUT will spend Friday with Adriana while the kids shop, so that helps.

I got the 'feel sad, hit Like, post' on my FB page! I'm so upset, could it be the result of that whole Trojan Horse incident? did I hit 'like' button for someone else? if so, when? I'm glad our IT guy is blowing out my home computer as we speak.

last night, we watched Glee...I'm not really into the show...but dd 'caught me up'. The music was cool, but I was so pissed at the results at the competition. I would get any soundtrack cd...just not gonna get into the show.

wish me luck! gonna 'craft' a difficult email..hope i say 'the right' words!!

phew!

We are visiting the 'kids' in Texas, terrific time! Yesterday, C and I painted! we painted her inner hallway, and one of the guest rooms. LOVE the colors, but not the muscle soreness this morning! Just getting too darn old for that kinda work. In her hallway, we did Behr Plateau and in the room Behr Mushroom Bisque. We are looking at a couple of shades of green, for her living room and an orange for her guest bath. The green would be 'localized' to the 3 walls in her living room, surrounded by more of the Mushroom Bisque. Her bedroom and master bath is still 'under discussion'...and the other guest room, we are thinking of the Plateau. Red may go in her game room...we have a couple of chips up...but are leaning toward a Red Brick also by Behr. I won't be here for the rest of the painting, she and Chris will have to take care of all that.

Oh, the night before, we watched Avatar. I enjoyed it very much. of course, there had to be 'digs' at capitalism, some 'environmentalism', the 'left wing' view of the superiority of American Indian culture and such...but, I still enjoyed the 'story line' and special effects. Tonight the kids are having several of their friends over, and Michael is making his spaghetti. They are coming over to watch Glee's season finale. I'm not much of a Glee fan, but then I only saw the first episode...so, we'll see!