Me GOP

Wow, so much to take in.

Sorry to those who have been checking on me. My Mom had developed back pain and one thing lead into another. Doctor visits, her going downhill, ambulance, hospital stay, skilled nursing, physical therapy etc. etc. etc. has just taken anything extra I had to offer to life other than family survival.

I love my Mom, but we are VERY different people. So this particular time of life is difficult for me. Any issues I harbored now have to be put aside to do what is "right" in my mind. Is it just a given that when people become elderly, they become a bit hard to deal with? Does the elderly mind work in such a way that decision making becomes so hard?

I don't know what the near future will bring, but have resigned myself to the journey no matter which road is laid out before us.

Oh, and DD turns 16 tomorrow.

Gotta love life changes. Or else have a really good relationship with your pharmacist.

What a difference a week can make!

Unbelievable week. The entire area in this state received so much rain that there is flooding everywhere. I have lived in my house for 10 years and I guess really became quite a Pollyanna thinking I would never have water in my basement since I live on a such a hill and everything drains away from me.

Well, that is true EXCEPT for when you have 8 inches of rain in 5 hours and your sump pump burns out. I discovered the 3 inches of water covering my entire finished basement at 4:20 on Monday. By 1:30 the next day, I had 1400 square feet of carpet laying in the back yard, no less than 8 fans drying out the sheet rock and now I owe so many neighbors a thank you gift. It was amazing.

DD was sick on Tuesday and had to take her to the doctor. Tonsilitis once again. Two more times this year and we go to a specialist. DS broke his glasses.

DD well on Wednesday, DS had field trip.

DS sent home from school on Thursday with possible pink eye (don't know what the school nurse was thinking, because when he got home, I said...no way he has pink eye.) The doctor agreed with me.

On Friday I had to take the fans back from the carpet restoration company and I drove to my back yard to load them. I go to turn back to the street and ran over my sons bike that he had left in the yard and I didn't see. The bike is damaged and it ripped the spoiler off the underneath of my car. I also now have a slow leak in my tire that I need to have fixed. Later that night, DH and I were coming home in seperate cars. He parks in the garage and my car stays out. Out of sheer habit, I always hit the garage door button when I turn the corner onto my street. I didn't even realize that My DH was already backing in and the rubber seal was knocked off the garage door by the top of his car.

I had always heard that things happen in threes so let me see. Water, Sick, Broken Glasses, Sent Home for No Pink Eye,  Bike, Garage Door. That makes six, so today, I believe I can enjoy Mother's Day.

Oddly enough, I listened to a friend of mine who is a pastor at a fairly large evangelical church on the radio. I had never made the effort to listen to him before and I was just waking up switching stations on the radio and found it. How totally apropos to hear him speak of Job and the powerful authority God gives mothers to shape society.

I have to admit, I didn't curse God, but I was sure asking "why me" this week. Compared to Job, there is nothing on Earth that I have to complain about.

I knew I loved my friend.

I have to replace some cords for my external hard drive, but I have pictures of the flooding in the basement that I will post later.

You Would Think?

That after you pour your heart and soul and sacrifice family time for someone so they could realize THEIR dream, there would be a thank you, or some sort of remembrance.

Quite sadly, I'm not at all surprised.

I love late night scrapping

A wonderful glass of wine, some soft music and focusing on my photos. Does it get any better? I don't think so. I'm working on my Heidi Swapp "A Year To Remember" class from Big Picture Scrapbooking. I so love the site. I have zero...YES I SAID ZERO...true scrapbook stores around me for classes, so this online fix is perfect. Especially in my studio, with my wine and my music.

Right now, I'm working on a small notebook to record parties and events that I hold over the year. It is a fabulous idea, but I'm at a loss where I put my Autumn Leaves tabs that I'm so in desperate need of.

Off to search, I'll post a photo when it is complete. :)

Happy Scrapping!

Heroes and Other TV Addictions

It is official. I am addicted to a few shows on TV. I begin to sound like my mother by saying...but Heroes is on Monday. The Apprentice on Sunday. AND even finding myself wanting to stay home so I don't miss it.

Thank goodness for Directv and me getting the east and west coast feeds so that late at night, after the kids have gone to bed, I can grab a cup of hot chocolate and watch things like American Idol.

Heroes has to be a favorite though. I think this is the best show that has come along in a very long time. Other addictions you ask? 24, Top Chef, Survior, Surviorman, Dirty Jobs and Mythbusters. (Yes, I have a little boy in the house). I'm looking forward to the new design show on Bravo with Todd Oldham too.

So there you have it. Proof I'm getting old.

On a scrapbooking note, look at this so cute scraplift I did. The mini suitcase was a QVC purchase from a couple of years ago, although I believe I saw it again recently on a Creating Keepsakes spot.

I saw something similar somewhere so to the original artist, I apologize that I did not write down your site so that I could give you credit for the idea. Lots of Ribbon Jar ribbons (love you Amber),  American craft ribbon, Doodlebug flowers and buttons and Making Memories pebbles alphabet.

I have it DD's room for her Cheerleading hair bows. Even though she is a teen, it is still all about buttons, bows and ribbon. So Girlie! 

So, it doesn't look good on the HOF front. I have had a TON of work come in so I'm just busting it to get it all done. One of those times I question whether I should bring another person in or farm out some of this stuff. Hard to make the decision when just two months ago, I was wondering what I was going to be doing with myself this year!

Boy Scout camp out this weekend, teen birthday party and maybe a scrapbook night for mom. Wouldn't that be a welcomed and much needed break for me!

A Confession and Other Fine Things in Life.

Ok...I love Big Brother. There, I said it. I am woman enough to admit it. DH would be sooooo disappointed as he HATES reality TV. And this one, would take the cake for him.

I love to study people and what makes them tick. I am fascinated at how Chill Town has accomplished what they have. I must say, I am not a Janelle fan, but I do hope she kicks some Chill Town butt! (Ha, I said Butt!).

Anxiously looking forward to my secret pal package from the Ribbon Jar swap. My poor secret pal had a family emergency and was delayed (not her fault) in getting the package out, but I understand it will be on it's way this weekend! I cannot wait!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow, DD gets to wear her cheerleading uniform to school. She is beside herself. The varsity cheerleaders are entering the stadium on motorcycles (yup, Harley's). They will line up on the field and form a line for the football team to run through. It is also her first High School Dance. Believe me, I will share pics.

DS has an overnight and basically told DD to spend the night with someone else, so after we see the biker babes, DH and I will share a quiet evening at home. WE NEED IT! Life has been way too crazy lately and it is time for us to actually have more than a passing conversation.

I'm looking forward to it all!

Plain Digital Wrapper

So I purchased some kits from Plain Digital Wrapper designed by Holly McCaig and some various other artists. Thought I could use some of the designs to give the old blog some new kick! I worked for Holly when she owned Memory Makin Divas writing articles for her e-zine. She is a fabulous digital artist and makes the most amazing kits! I miss that community when Holly went on to bigger and better things. I still run into other artists from time to time that were also on staff for that web community. It really was like family and so fun.

I cannot download the kits for a couple of days, but as soon as I do, I want to do a blog makeover.

Sorry to be neglectful of posting. My husbands entire family is getting together to go on vacation and I got elected to put the family blog together coordinating all the food, travel etc. etc. A big effort since we are talking about 5 families, kids, boats, lake homes, etc. etc.etc.

I am thankful we do it, as I truly think it brings us all together on a level that is so important since we all have very busy lives!

Well two of the cousins are over here today playing with my son so I must take advantage of the "down" time to get some paying work done!

And "Sigh" It is Raining....

On vacation! Ok, get ready for a sarcastic remark here...I so glad gas could go to $3.00 a gallon as we pull a boat behind us for perhaps two days of rain! OUCH!

I do hope we get some time on the lake. Emily got her wakeboard yesterday. It is soooooo cute. So girlie if there is such a thing in wakeboards. The sales gal told her that she should spend a lot of time on the water as there are not enough female wakeboarders. Surfer DUDE! LOL. Here is the board.

She should have an ok time getting up this trip. She learned to ski last summer and has been with friends while they wakeboarded. I think it will be more of a factor of us learning to drive the boat! All different ways to take off with wakeboard vs. ski vs. tube. What fun.

She even chose pink bindings (how cute). It is nice to see her get it as she has had a hyperlite poster on her wall for more than a year now. It will be the board she has for all adulthood, so I did not mind getting it since this will be our vacations for many summers.

I do have to admit I was getting a feeling we should sell the boat due to not being able to use it as much as we like, but after actually getting down here (and only having to fill up twice), I do have to admit, I like owning one. You get to "know" it, what it can do, how to maintain. I guess that is the difference with renting vs. owning.

It will be interesting to see if Boone is more daring on the tube now that he is eleven. He has no interest in sking (much to his mother's delight since I would be the one left out in the lake to get him up). Although, of course, as mom, I would be happy to do it  when he is ready. :)

The Coolest!

So I read Amber Lee Pence's blog right (link at right with other super cool blogs of people who inspire me) and I joined a swap she is putting together.

I had the pleasure of meeting Amber in person (as well as her BJ) and there really aren't two nicer people in the world. I love reading Amber's blog of her adventures. Makes me remember the ideas and adventures of my youth as I'm old enough to be her mother!

I also adore The Ribbon Jar and find myself constantly seeking out her special collections! The jars look so wonderful on a shelf in my studio!

Another super cool thing is my niece is getting married in Hawaii in October. I know it will be a beautiful wedding! I love destination weddings and if they were something that more places did back in my day (people went to Vegas back then), I'm thinking DH and I would have done it!

On the creative front, I'm getting the scrapping bug back into gear again. The studio is still not how I want it, and I can't seem to find the time to get it all together. Therefore, I just make do, so I've not been to excited to create in the chaos. BUT, I do want to make my niece a scrapbook of all the ancestral photos I have for a wedding present. Good motivation!

Yup. It's Official. I'm a Glutton for Punishment!

I'm taking dear daughter and 2 of her friends to a teeny bop all day concert.

Pink, Nick Lachey, Dirtie Blonde (eww) and other artists I've never heard off. People tell me I'll be there for like 8 hours.

I told Emily, I'm bringing my headphones to listen to talk radio as well as a book. She told me I should have fun at least one day in my life. (Um hey girlie, I can still have fun. Nick isn't a part of what I consider fun). LOL

I must admit, I'm sort of excited to go with her. She is 15 and will be gone way too soon, so these moments of sharing and observing her just being her is rather precious. Think of me on Saturday!