I wanna be like Martha...

Happy new year...again!

2012-01-11T11:51:00.001-08:00

I'm back!! :)

A day of "I should..."

2011-08-13T13:16:00.000-07:00

Happy Saturday, everyone!

I'm off work today (yay!) and I really should be getting lots of things done. But instead, this is what my day has been comprised of:

"I should" be in the pool getting my tan on, but the day looks like this:

(view of the lake over my fence)

"I should" be in my scraproom cleaning...or perhaps scrapbooking?? But it looks like this:

(courtesy of my daughter making covers for her school folders, and me throwing everything random in there)

"I should" be exercising because I'm finally back on my weight loss journey, but my elliptical sits like this:

(notice how sad it looks?!)

"I should" be cleaning...yet here I sit! And no, no pictures of what I should be cleaning. That would be horrendous and CPS might show up at my house after someone calls them...

Have a great day!! :)

A card with Copics

2011-08-10T07:50:00.000-07:00

Sort of, lol.

I have several Copic markers. I love them, I think they are purty, and well...I'm a collector. It's what I do. So I thought, hey! Let's try those puppies out!!

The stamp is one that my BFF Sharla sent to me, and I finally busted him out. Isn't he cute?! He doesn't have much room for coloring, so I just used a few of my Copics. But I DID use them, so that counts...right?! I still need lots of practice but for now, it's one on the books.

Thanks for stopping by! :)

I always say, "I never win anything..."

2011-08-09T08:34:00.000-07:00

...but today I DID!!

I've been trying to get myself into the digi stamping scene, and trying to use all of these wonderfully yummy Copics I have been buying...yet once again I lose my motivation. So, I'm trying to boost myself by looking at some really talented ladies do their thing with digital stamps!!

I don't have a lot of room for rubber stamps, so digi stamps appeal to me much more, plus I get the whole instant gratification thing when I want to buy one. ;)

So, in browsing around on the blog of one of my FAVORITE stampers/cardmakers...AMY, I see that there are some sneak peaks at the Some Odd Girl blog. So, I check them out and decide to post my comments. I'll be the first to admit...I'm usually too lazy to log in so that I can comment, which is something I need to work on because *I* enjoy comments, so I know everyone else does too. My apologies to my blogging friends...

But I digress...

I log back in to the SOG blog and see that I have won a digi stamp!!! I love it!! He's cute, he's adorable, and he's ROCKIN' KODY!!

So, go here:

and check them out. The stamps are awesome, and the designers are amazing!!

Back with a layout!

2011-07-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

It's been ages since I did a blog entry. Since I started working I just can't see to get myself onto a schedule...even though I only work part time. I'm the worst procrastinator EVAH, but I'm finally jumping back in today!

I haven't had any scrapping mojo in a very long time. I've made some cards sporadically, but this time I tried my hand at working a sketch. I searched a bunch of sketch sites and finally found one I could use at Page Maps. They have maps for all kinds of layouts, plus some for cards too.

Well, here is my finished layout! I followed the page map and finally scrapped some older pics of the girls and I. I forgot to put the gem above the "i" in this photo but rest assured I went back and did it. ;)

Thanks for visiting and hanging in with me!

Some organizing projects I've done

2011-02-10T20:48:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, before I landed my job in the flower shop, I started on an organizing bender in my house. My mom and I had decided to have a yard sale (since postponed) and I wanted to clean out each and every drawer and closet, room and garage, so that we can make it a good one.

I thoroughly enjoy organizing. It makes me feel good, it makes me happy to do, and it makes me enjoy my house just a little bit more. I love having a place for everything and everything in its place...although I haven't recovered from the little tornado called "The Superbowl" that blew through here last weekend.

Here are just a few before and afters I did.

Medicine cabinet before:

Medicine cabinet after:

Everyday dishes cabinets before:

Everyday dishes after:

Cookbooks/recipes cabinet before:

Cookbooks/recipe cabinet after:

Caffeine cupboard before:

Caffeine cupboard after:

Spices cabinet before:

Spices cabinet after:

Pantry before (don't mind the grossness):

Pantry after:

I love having a place or a basket for everything. I also love labeling things. I'd label my kids if they stood still long enough. Labels make me happy. Containers make me happy. Baskets make me happy. These pictures make me happy. :)

Thanks for indulging my inner Martha!

What's new with me?

2011-02-09T19:34:00.000-08:00

I got a job!!

We have a flower shop here in town that hires work during busy holidays, for answering phones and helping out in the store. I happened to go in to find out if they were hiring seasonal workers at the time, and they hired me as a customer service person in the store!! I've been working almost daily for the past two weeks, and loving it!! Once the holiday season is over (Valentine's for now), I will go to a few days a week in the store, and more as they need me. Once Mother's Day starts in, I'm back to full time! I enjoy it very much, and love all of the people that work there!

It's been a challenge trying to figure out how to balance my household stuff and get myself back into the working world. I've been home for a very long time, and it's taking me a little bit to get into the swing of things. Thankfully I have very helpful children and they've helped pick up the slack. ;)

My bff Sharla has been getting into the scrapping challenges, and once I get myself on a groove, so will I!! Check out her blog and be sure to check back with me!! :)

So, yeah.

2011-01-27T16:05:00.001-08:00

I have no reason for not blogging for so long, so I will not insult you with excuses, illnesses, family, yadda, yadda, yadda. But I'm here now!!

Shannon, one of my sickening talented friends, linked to a challenge on her Facebook page and I knew I had to participate! The Paper Variety is holding a challenge to create a layout, card, or craft piece based on this piece of inspiration:

When I saw the phrase, I instantly thought about my BFF. We live in different states but she is still as close to me and as dear to my heart as if we were next door neighbors. She's my sister from another mother, and sometimes we are so similar it's VERY scary.

So, here is my take on this phrase. As I was trying to complete this, knowing I wanted to use a photo of Sharla and I, I realized that we do not take as many pictures together as we should!! That will change in a few weeks!!!

Be sure to check out the challenge at The Paper Variety, and if you get a chance, hop on over to Shannon's blog and check out her beautiful work! I've had the honor of seeing it in person and it is fantastic!! Tell her I sent you!! :) Thanks for looking!

Crazy, non-productive weekend!!

2010-12-05T09:23:00.000-08:00

Friday and Saturday, our Lady Knights varsity soccer team had a tournament in Kingman. My varsity player of course went, but the coaches also brought Cassidy from JV so that she could record the games on Friday and play in the games on Saturday since they would be short-handed.

It was a bummer of a tourney.

Our poor girls just didn't have it in them. They were short several seasoned varsity players, and they just couldn't pull a win out of a hat.

In the second game on Saturday, we were down to two subs when one of our goalies got injured when a girl from the other team pushed one of our girls into the goalie. Since Haley is goalie also, she had to come off the field and go into the box, which put our subs down to one. After a few more plays, there is a scuffle for the ball almost inside our net and Haley jumps on the ball. Well, one of the girls from the other team didn't stop trying to kick the ball and kicked my daughter in the nose, square between the eyes. She was down on the field for several minutes. When the athletic trainer tried to help her up, she wobbled and could not stand firm. Darrell had to run down there and carry her off the field and they took her to the training room via cart. After that, with 18 minutes left in the game, we had to forfeit. Our girls were beat.

Thankfully, Haley is doing well. She's taking it easy today.

Here are some shots of the girls, playing side by side on the varsity team. :)

We are purple. Hay is on the left upper and Cass is running with her.

My girls. *sigh* I love them

Haley in the box. LOVE her goalie jersey! It has a rib cage and inside of it are cogs and mechanical pieces since she is a MACHINE when she wears it! :)

And, because I cannot forget. Today is my wonderful husband's 43rd birthday! And he has to work. So, since we were gone for the tourney all weekend, we are having his celebration next week when everyone is home!! Happy birthday, honey!!

Some things I've made

2010-12-02T10:26:00.000-08:00

I love to craft. But for some reason, I don't do it nearly enough. I have all the supplies, all the goods, all the motivation...but I lack the follow through. Therefore, I have totes and totes full of unfinished projects.

Awhile ago, while visiting my bff, we decided to try a few crafty things with our new-fangled Expressions that we had gotten awhileagorecently. We made a tile with just the word "family" on it from one of the cartridges. I don't have a photo of it because...well, I've been bad about photos lately.

My aunt saw the tile awhile later and wanted a few for Christmas gifts this year. Since my Expression is older now, I've had lots of practice using it. *coughcough* Sorry, something got stuck in my throat...

I dusted off my E, got some vinyl, and got to work. And this is what I came up with!!

(Again, please forgive the cell phone pics. I got a new point and shoot on Black Friday so things will be looking up!)

I love them and I think they turned out fabulous!! I think I'll make a few as gifts from me! If you get one...act surprised. ;)

Sorry for the hiatus!

2010-12-01T17:56:00.000-08:00

When the weather cools off...so do I. Hence my hiatus from updating my blog! But my goal is to be better about updating, and actually finding interesting things to update with!!

I thought today's entry would be about weight loss. In particular, my weight loss.

I've struggled with weight in the past few years, bouncing up and down, but mostly bouncing up. I was buying bigger and bigger clothes, and becoming more and more miserable. I tried everything, and failed at every diet. I even failed at Weight Watchers...where you can eat just about anything you want. But then I found THE diet for me.

Homeopathic HCG.

When I first heard about this program a few years ago, all I knew was that it had to be done with injections. So, since I am deathly afraid of needles, it was a no brainer for me: No thanks. Then, I found out there was a homeopathic version of HCG and decided to try it. The diet itself is VERY restrictive, and I didn't tell anyone that I was doing it (except my bff) because I didn't want anyone telling me I would fail at it.

So I ordered and started.

I didn't have stellar results because in the beginning, I was still working on my self control. I had some slip ups. I had some falls on my face. But my first round I lost 15 pounds and a ton of inches. In my second round, I found it was a LOT easier, and I lost another 15lbs and got down to a comfortable 12 from a tight 14. I also went down to L (some XL) in shirts from 1X.

I am on round three right now and am having a difficult time getting back into the groove after a month long hiatus. But I'm not giving up. I've come too far and am too close to my goal. :)

Here are a few comparison pictures. I usually stay out of the lens so photos of me are hard to come by. But you can get a glimpse...

Before:

(January, 2010)

(July, 2010. Notice all of my skinny cousins?! Do you know how HARD it is to hide behind a skinny cousin?!)

And AFTER/CURRENT pics! I still have about 20-25 pounds to go, but I've come a long way!!

(November, 2010)

I've finally started on my scraproom!!

2010-11-20T09:22:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I finally started cleaning out and organizing my scraproom. I spent hours in there moving things around, throwing things out and sorting items. I am SO excited to see the progress so far! I am no where NEAR the end, but at the rate I'm going right now, I could actually do a layout or a card this weekend!!

Now, here's where I hang my head in shame.

I didn't take any (good) before pics. I think my scrapbooking membership card should be revoked. I did, however, snap a few shots with my crappy cell phone camera, so all is not lost. I will post actual pics when I am done with the whole room!

We have measured and measured and now the process of buying cabinets and counter tops begins!!

Here is one view. My table (to the right) is actually a little cleaned off. It was stacked so high before that everything was sliding off onto the floor! So this is not quite a beginning, but not an after just yet. The table in the back, with the green containers on it, will be replaced by the cabinets and countertop. It will run from wall to wall.

And here is a view standing in my scraproom. The bookcase that you see now was in the upper left corner of the previous picture. Shelving will eventually go above the bookcase.

Now, here's something you can all help me with! I have a glass door that leads into my scraproom. I'd like to put something in vinyl on the outside of the door, but I don't want to say "Welcome." What would be good to put on the door? I'm going to hang a curtain on the inside, so the word would be what you see before opening the door to my scraproom. Let's hear your ideas!!

Happy Saturday!!

I love to meal plan...when I do it.

2010-11-18T21:42:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else out there like to meal plan? I love to meal plan...when I actually do it. I don't know *why* I don't do it more because when I actually do it, I save money and we eat better and have more time management. When I don't meal plan, it's a free for all.

Today I jotted down a few meals that we haven't had in awhile and also ones that can be easily frozen. I'm all for making extras and freezing them...when I remember to buy extra ingredients. I also take our leftovers and freeze them so hubby has meals during his work week. But today, I actually based all the meals on their ability to be frozen.

I went to Walmart tonight and browsed around and picked up all of the ingredients for my meals. I also picked up some foil baking pans so that they can be frozen and then put right into the oven. I am planning on cooking all day tomorrow and stocking our freezer!

Here's what's on the menu:

Texas Style Spaghetti
Lasagna Soup
Chicken Enchiladas
Lasagna
Roast with gravy
Italian Chicken

I will post recipes as I go if anyone is interested!!

Procrastination doesn't pay.

2010-11-17T15:58:00.000-08:00

I've probably posted about my procrastination several times on this blog. I'll have to go back and check. Later. (hahah!!)

I had some items that absolutely had to get out in the mail no later than today. I've known about this project for...oh...a month or more. But could I *be* prepared for once in my life?

Don't bet on it.

When you procrastinate and your deadline looms above you, you begin to run around like a chicken with its head cut off. Then, things don't always go your way. Or in this case, MY way. The items I had to get out are Christmas presents that I made for someone else to give. I can't post the pics here because, well, they are gifts. But trust me; they are REALLY cute!!

So, as I'm running around like a maniac, nothing is working right. My Cricut isn't cutting right and is tearing my letters. I find out I'm *thisclose* to running out of black vinyl, which keeps tearing in the aforementioned scenario. I can't get my pics to copy onto a DVD-R which has to be mailed with the gifts. And to top it off, my land line wasn't working.

UGH.

So, after brainstorming with my BFF, I change the blade on my Cricut. Magic. It worked. I was able to squeak out the last of my craft with the black vinyl I had left. I found some CD-Rs to copy my pics to...and I got my land line working again.

The package is in the mail, and I'm spent.

It doesn't pay to procrastinate. But apparently I never learn my lesson.

And here's another vacation picture I uploaded today. Boy, did I wish I was back on that ship today!!

Why do vacations go so fast?

2010-11-16T07:06:00.001-08:00

Last week, my mom treated my family to a cruise as our family Christmas present this year. She went with us, as did my aunt and uncle. We left Long Beach and went to Catalina and Ensenada. When we got to Catalina, I told everyone to turn off their cell phones because I wasn't sure when the International calls/texts would go into effect since we cross international waters at some point and then when we hit Mexico.

Little did we know that about the same time we hit Catalina on our ship, another Carnival ship, the Splendor, had a fire in their engine room and lost all water and electricity. Our friends had no way of getting a hold of us, and we didn't even know about the other ship until the next day. It even turns out that we had passed the Splendor but no one knew we did (passengers) because the ship was blacked out!

When we finally got back into the LB port and turned on our phones, the texts/messages/FB alerts started coming in like crazy!! Our friends were so worried about us!! We really felt bad for not updating anyone. :(

Here are two family pictures from the cruise. I will post the rest in a little while! Still have lots of scanning to do!!

Catalina:

Ensenada:

And now for a second post! Enter this giveaway!!

2010-11-15T11:26:00.000-08:00

And that's an order!

Now, don't get used to TWO posts in one day from me, but I had to post and let you know about this giveaway on Tatertots & Jello!! I love the puff quilts, and one of these days I'm going to try the tutorial that Honeybear Lane has posted on her blog!!

So, head on over, start drooling, and start entering!!

It is now noon...

2010-11-15T11:06:00.000-08:00

...and I am finally getting around to writing today's entry.

I think I will call it: "An Entry About Nothing." Hey, that's kind of catchy. Wonder if I could make a show out of it...

Woke up with a migraine today. I think migraines are absolutely fitting for Monday's, don't you? I actually went to bed with it last night and didn't take any meds, thinking I could just sleep it off. I try not to take meds unless I'm absolutely dying. But, I woke up with same said headache this morning so I knew I had to take something. Some Advil Cold & Sinus, some more sleep, and I can actually function now. Still achy but much better.

Today all the kiddos went back to school. They are going to have one HECK of a week because not only did they miss last week due to the cruise, the girls begin high school soccer practice and my senior practices from 4pm to 7pm. So, she wakes up for her 7AM class, she gets out of school at 12:30, tutors two days a week, comes home and does online Spanish, goes to after school clubs twice a week, and will have soccer practice every day. I'm exhausted typing that all out. We don't know what team my freshman daughter will make yet (senior is guaranteed varsity, which is good but a little strange, IMO), but I will announce it when we find out!!

I'm already one day behind on my zone for the week. Story of my life, hahah. The good news is that I don't sleep much when hubby isn't home so I can stay up all night and work on organizing the recipes while the kiddos are sleeping. ;)

Happy Monday!!

I really do Wanna be Martha!

2010-11-14T08:46:00.000-08:00

I've decided to get back into the organizational groove. With the holidays coming up, it's time to purge, reorganize, and prepare for a stress-free holiday season!

I think I am going to take a "zone" at a time and take a week to do each one. I know I won't get much done before Thanksgiving, but if I get ahead of myself (a girl can dream), then I will push on.

My first zone will be kitchen/dining room/hutch area.

I will empty cupboards, discard/donate unused items and get everything in working order...so that I can mess it up when I start baking. hahah.

A big part of the kitchen organization, apart from the cupboards, will be organizing my cookbook/recipes cupboard. Yes. CUPBOARD. I need to streamline it and make it easier. I'm tired of having to sort through piles and piles of papers when I want to make something. Do you know how difficult that is when you want to make SOMETHING but have no idea what you want to make?! I think I will get a binder and take some page protectors, and sort out the recipes by type. Hopefully that will make meal planning more fun...and easier.

Will post updates later! I know you will all be on pins and needles... ;P

I'm back, yet again!!

2010-11-13T09:42:00.000-08:00

And this time I brought a giveaway!!

You HAVE to go and check out this site: http://www.foralltimeclocks.com/view-samples. These are some of the prettiest clocks I've seen in a long time! I have many ideas for them as we just got back from a cruise and took a lot of family photos!

After you check out the gorgeous samples, you HAVE to go to Tatertots&Jello and enter to win one of those gorgeous clocks!! There are several ways to enter and several chances for multiple entries, so be sure to read through and do them all!!

Now get busy!! :)

Second verse, same as the first!!

2010-09-04T08:33:00.000-07:00

Once again, I will be dusting off my blog. Once again and again and again. As you can probably tell, I'm not really good at keeping up on things. I have a full force burst of energy...and then nothing.

Thanks for hanging on. :)

A proud mommy moment

2010-04-14T11:29:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, my oldest daughter left with her fellow drafting/vocational classmates to participate in the Arizona Skills USA competition in Phoenix, AZ. The school competed in several areas, and Haley and her partner competed in the Team Home Design category. Their jobs are to complete plans for a home based on specifications given to them. Haley's partner does the interior plan and the site plan, and Haley draws the front elevation and the wall section.

THEY WON FIRST PLACE!!!!!!

Here they are up on stage:

First place!!

Her partner and Haley with their medals:

I'm so proud of her that I can't even put it into words. She wasn't even going to participate in Skills USA, but her teacher saw potential in her and pushed her to do it.

Look out world. This girl is going to do great things. :)

Putting myself out there.

2010-04-13T10:53:00.000-07:00

I decided that today I would bare it all. Now, before you all run screaming and throwing bleach in your eyes...not ME baring it all. I mean what my house looks like RIGHT NOW.

Now, I've been "sick" for about five weeks, and am finally on the mend. When I say sick, I mean that I was sick sick, but since then I haven't been able to get rid of my horrendous cough. It keeps me up at night, it keeps me down during the day, it just exhausts me.

And my kiddos have taken advantage of my lack of attention, as evidenced by my "before" pics.

So, shall we proceed?

Here is my front room, looking in from my kitchen area. If you were to come through my front door, you would see this room right away and back right out the door. I was even gracious enough to stand back far enough so you could see my messy dining table too. It's kind of dark, but if you look closely enough, you can see the piles of laundry on the couch. These were done intermittently, and my family was lucky enough that I took the clean clothes out of the dryer, much less folded them. But apparently they can't take the folded piles and put them away.

We're walking, we're walking...

Next we visit the kitchen. At one point, in the past five weeks, EVERY. SINGLE. DISH. we owned was dirty. I think my kids have forgotten that we have running water...and a dishwasher. Oh, and apparently "empty the dishwasher" means take all the clean storage containers out and leave them on the counter. I'm such a proud mom. I feel sorry for all future spouses. And your eyes do not deceive you: that is an iron on the kitchen counter.

We're walking, we're walking...

As we walk toward the family room, we quickly pass by the newest addition to our home; our back room. Notice the vacuum cleaner neatly displayed in the center of the room? My children have to walk past that vacuum cleaner each and every time they let the dogs out. God forbid they actually wrap up the cord and put it away.

Now! We've made it to the family room. Oh, the family room. Notice all of the empty dishes on the end tables? This is what happens when mom isn't right on top of them at all times. Because, after almost 17, 14, and 10 years on this planet and under my care...my kids STILL don't know that dirty dishes go in the kitchen after you're done. And yes, I allow them to eat in the family room WAY too much. That's my bad.

Turning to your right...

We have the other side of the family room, complete with a bajillion video game systems, movies scattered everywhere, doors wide open on entertainment centers, cords everywhere. And a yellow chair?

Now, I'm hoping that you haven't, but if you have clicked on these pics, you can probably see how much dust is in my house. Heck, you can probably write your name in it from where you're sitting. I am NOT duster. It's always been the very last thing on my cleaning list, and most times I just don't do it. I'm trying to change, though. Also, my carpets are filthy. Remember the vacuum cleaner a few pics up? Yeah. It's been there for a LONG time.

After a few hours of clean up this morning, this is what my house looks like now!!!

It's not completely spotless, but I would be just a little less horrified if someone dropped in unexpectedly. Still lots of dusting and windexing to do, but I'll do that later today. It's lunchtime now.

I always say that it just takes a few minutes, but I never seem to do the few minutes it takes. But like I said before...I'm trying to change. *Ü*

Be sure to have your barf bags ready...

2010-04-12T08:09:00.000-07:00

Last night, we decided to have a "free night" for dinner. Hubby and I had eaten a late lunch so we were not hungry at all. Little man had a chicken patty and when she got home, Cass decided she wanted a frozen pizza.

I had gone grocery shopping earlier and found Tony's pizzas, the larger size, on sale. I picked up four of them.

Cass heated up the oven and proceeded to open up her pizza and get it ready to bake. As she opened the plastic wrap she said, "Um...there's a HAIR *in* the frozen cheese!!" Upon further examination, this is what we found:

Not one, but TWO hairs intertwined with the frozen cheese and pepperonis!!!!

I don't think that I have ever purchased an item at the grocery store that has had human hair in it.

I was disgusted beyond belief. I wrote "DO NOT EAT!!" on the box and stuck it back in the freezer. I will be calling the 800 number right away. Someone told me they may send me coupons to keep me as a customer. I think they lost any chance of that when I found the SECOND hair.

Lesson learned and a PSA.

2010-04-11T10:26:00.000-07:00

Recently, a good friend of mine told me of the usefulness of baking soda. The cleaning aspect, the freshness aspect. I also discovered the money saving aspect of it as baking soda is merely 50 cents at Walmart!

In my grocery shopping excursions this weekend, I neglected to buy dishwasher soap. And, since I am a mother of three and we have five people in our family, dishes (and laundry!) are the bane of my existence. I hopped on the computer to see if anyone out in the 'net has used baking soda in their dishwasher. I mean, it cleans pans, it cleans and freshens the sink...it could do both in the dishwasher. Right??

Not wanting to overdo it, I half-filled the lidded compartment of the dishwasher with baking soda, turned it on "heavy load" and let the magic begin. Later, as I went to unload the clean dishes...I was horror-struck.

My dishes looked like this (click for closer view):

Baked on baking soda.

Let me tell you. This stuff does NOT come off. Not even after re-running the dishwasher twice. Ask me how I know.

In order to get this lovely baked on film off of my dishes, I had to SCRUB the heck out of each and every dish. Rinsing them off simply does not work. My arms ache, my back aches, I have cramps in my fingers, and my water bill is going to be sky high this month.

So, take it from this wanna-be Martha: Baking soda in the dishwasher? NOT a good thing.

Perpetual reorganization

2010-04-10T09:34:00.000-07:00

I am forever reorganizing my scrap room. Or should I say trying to. There is a challenge on twopeasinabucket but it is way too time consuming, my room would be in disarray too long...and I am just too impatient and want it done NOW, right or wrong.

This is what it looks like now:

So, I've been going into my room a little bit here and there, grouping like items together in baskets/totes and just sorting, for the time being. Once I get shelves and cabinets up, then I can start streamlining and buying containers that fit those areas.

Until then, I'll just keep trucking along! Hopefully I'll get to a point where I can at *least* whip out a layout or card!

Trying to change

2010-04-08T21:34:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been examining the way I dress: extra-large t shirt, husband's shorts or my sweatpants, flip flops, hair in a bun.

Not very attractive.

I'm trying to re-do the way I think about dressing, which requires some new wardrobe items. I purchased an adorable black/white skirt on ebay, which I absolutely LOVE. But I'm trying to "funk" it up a little and am looking for some fun shoes to go with it. After that...I'll look for the oh-so-important shirt to match.

Look at these shoes:

Don't they just scream "FUN!!!" I'm not sure if they would go with the skirt I bought, but I might have to find SOMEthing to go with them!!!

In the meantime, I'll continue my search for the perfect shoe!!

Wow. Where has the time gone?!

2010-04-07T08:37:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe it's been so long since I have updated my blog! I almost forgot how to find it and sign on!

Since I am trying to make all kinds of new changes in my life, I am reopening my blog! I'm ready to dive back into it and make it my own once again.

So, look for new entries on organizing, scrapping, shopping, and life in general!!

Friendship. What a funny word.

2008-10-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

Friendship is such a funny little word. To some, it means the world. To others, it's just a word to throw around without much meaning. It's really difficult when you realize which one you have with someone.

I'm at the age where I do not want to work for my friendships. They should come naturally, easily, and without heartache. What do you do when things come up and the "friendship" changes for you? But...only you know it has changed. The other person is completely unaware of things.

I guess you just go on as usual without making any extra effort as it will be lost anyway. My friends know who they are, and what they mean to me. I guess that's what I'll hang onto.

Bit the bullet.

2008-10-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

So, from my previous post, I'm sure you can gather that I am itching to unpack my scrapbooking supplies. Actually, I don't think itching is a strong enough word. I finally bit the bullet and put a small shelving unit in my kitchen. It's not pretty...but here it is:

And another (darker) view:

At a later date, I'll get/make a cover for it so it's not so "in your face." But at least I can scrap!! My only problem is...I still have about four more boxes to unpack!!

Not a real entry. :)

2008-10-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

(I am posting this, seeking for help on a scrapping booking site. Please feel free to ignore!)

Now, we had just moved in a few weeks earlier when I took these, so DON'T look at the mess!!!

Okay, this is the first room you see when you walk into my house. The front door is actually on the right side, and you can see a bit of it through the arch. Door on the left leads to garage/laundry area. I am standing in the dining area, taking the pic. I actually thought of putting a table under that little arch, but then there's the big TV. That window is a front window, so it really can't be blocked. And the length of wall left (with the tv where it is) is not big enough for a table.
.

In this pic, I am actually standing in front of the window in the previous pic. This is the dining room, with the kitchen to the left and the family room to the right (next pic). Front left is a hallway that leads to some of the bedrooms. The room straight through the dining room is an Arizona room (enclosed patio) and changes with the weather, so no scrap supplies are going in there yet. Got a quote to enclose it, but that will come MUCH later. That would be a scraproom in the future.

In this pic, I'm standing in the archway of the previous pic, looking into the family area. To the right is my daughter's room. To the left is our computer table since we lost our office, too. That pic will be next.

And here is the computer desk that is behind the small couch in the previous pic. It has to stay there due to the internet/phone/cable link.

Hope this gives you a few ideas!! Any suggestions would be great!!

I hate death.

2008-09-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

Hay's hamster died last night. I was holding him up until the very end because I didn't want him to feel alone. We had a vet appointment for today at 11, but apparently he couldn't hold on that long. We don't know what was wrong with him, just that he started eating less and less and wasn't drinking very much, and then yesterday we noticed he was wobbling a little when he walked. That's when we made the appointment, but we were too late. He went downhill fast.

This was the coolest hamster ever. If you put your finger in his cage, he would "bite" on it and act like he was trying to pull you back down with him. All four of his legs would flail and he would almost roll over on his back, hanging onto your finger the whole time. He was just a sweetie. Now he's gone.

Why am I taking this so hard? I've been crying since last night, and every time I think about him, or Hay, I start crying again. Maybe it's because he did the same things my father did when he passed away? I don't know. But even though it was her hammie, I loved that thing too. I always went into her room when she was sleeping or gone and I would play with him.

*sigh*

Why do things happen the way they do?

Settle in...it's update time.

2008-09-11T09:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I go from no posts to two posts in one day. How's that for dedication?!

Me. What's been going on with me. Where to start??

As I stated a few months back, I lost my dad to pancreatic cancer in May. Horrible, horrible time in my life. I still have moments that I can't breathe, and it's unbelievable how much I miss him.

Since that time, my family and I have relocated to Arizona to be near my mom. The original plan was that someday she would join us in Nevada. But, after thinking long and hard about it, we decided that she had more "roots" in Havasu than we had anywhere else, barring D's work. So, we moved to be closer to her.

The kids had a difficult time handling it, especially my high schooler, although I think *I* was more stressed about it than she was. But they have all adapted so much better than I thought they would, and they are slowly making friends. They are all playing soccer, and loving every minute of it.

D still works in Vegas. He is waiting to transfer to Laughlin and then he will only be an hour away from us. This will make it SO much easier, not only on us, but on the car and the checkbook. ;) It's difficult, and to say that it's a test is understating things, but we are strong, and we are a strong family, and we see the greater good and the end result.

I'm still at home, and I'm ITCHING to scrapbook. All of my scrap stuff is still in boxes. We lost some rooms and some square footage when we moved, but other than that, I LOVE my house. We have a pool, we have a good-sized lot, and D has his "play" garage: a four car garage, separate from my two car garage. Six car garages. Wow. Still unbelievable, lol.

Although I didn't have many, I miss my friends in both Nevada and Utah. They were my scrapping buddies, my lunch buddies, my shopping buddies. But we'll meet again...soon. I've reconnected with my high school best friend, and it's great. I've been gone for 20 years, but it seems like I've been here the whole time. We're both busy, but we're finding time for each other.

I love living near my mom, and it's so wonderful to be able to pop in for a bit, or take the kiddos to see her. They've even had a sleepover with her...and they loved it. She's my bestest friend, and I'd forgotten what it's like to be so near to her.

So, that's where I've been, and what I've been doing. I hope that fills in a few blanks. ;)

Thanks for reading.
Steph

Check out this awesome scrapper!!

2008-09-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

Okay.

So, I'm one of those "look but don't comment" people. That is something that I *really* need to change as I know that people love recognition...because I do too!! But...

I've been following a scrapper at TwoPeas. She does such fantastic work and I love every single card she's made. Another plus is that she's from Holland!! I have family that lives there, and I absolutely love it there. Hopefully I'll be back to visit the country soon.

If you get a chance, check out Nancy at her blog: Scrap This!

A "hello" and a cool product!!

2008-09-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been gone for a really long time. I've checked my blog several times (for what, I don't know, lol), but never had the gumpf to update. I'm not doing an update today...but I will soon. I promise. Just a quick hello and...

...check out this cool site: SheetLoads

They have some cool ideas and even cooler product!!

Crossing my fingers!!

Please, keep checking back. I *will* update soon. *Ü*

Funniest. Video. Evah.

2008-07-03T14:28:00.000-07:00

The expressions on this girl's face are hilarious!! Be sure you have the sound on. ;)

http://www.maniacworld.com/strangest-kazoo-performance-ever.html

(thanks Aunt Joyce!!)

Sunday, June 15, 2008

2008-06-15T09:11:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day, Daddy.

I miss you.

Feels like forever.

2008-06-14T21:42:00.000-07:00

It feels like forever since I've blogged. My life has been so crazy that it's been difficult to keep my head above the water.

After a 13 month battle with pancreatic cancer, I lost my hero...my father...on May 23rd. Nothing, and I mean nothing, prepares you for when the time comes. I thought I would be so relieved, knowing that he wasn't in pain any longer, but when the time came, I just wanted him back again.

I'm not ready to write about everything that transpired right now, because I'm tearing up even as I write a small update. I just wanted to let you all know what was going on, and that I will be trying to keep my head up. I need to, for my family and for myself. I know my daddy wouldn't want me to be in a state of depression over him.

I'll be back later to write about his battle, his passing, his epic memorial, and his wonderful legacy.

Mother's Day, 2008

2008-05-12T07:58:00.001-07:00

Here we are, in all our glory!! *Ü*

Bento love

2008-05-08T19:39:00.000-07:00

I've really enjoyed reading all the posts that used to be on Two Peas regarding Bento lunches/boxes. I purchased some stuff when I was in California in February, and recently purchased some more stuff from ebay. I finally broke it all out a few weeks ago and made them for my kids!!

Here are a few from this week. I only do it a few days of the week because I'm really stumped for ideas. It's hard trying to figure out what will stay warm and what will stay cool.

Haley's lunch. Ham/salami/cream cheese pinwheels, grape skewers, Babybel cheese, goldfish, and Japanese candy:

Cassidy's lunch. Ham rolls, olive picks, grape skewers, Babybel cheese, goldfish, and Japanese candy:

These are really fun to make, but I'm having brainfarts because my picky children stop my ideas in their tracks. But we'll find a happy medium. :)

Mr. Green Jeans

2008-04-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

I've wanted to plant/have a garden for as long as I can remember. I'm not quite sure why I have not ever had a garden, but I figured now is the time to change that.

Somewhere I heard about planting a garden in a child's wading pool, the harder plastic ones. I did a search and came upon this site: Benefits of a Wading Pool Garden.

This is what I'm going to do!! We have such yucky soil in our backyard, and being on an acre, we don't have any sprinklers set up. As a matter of fact, we have *no* landscaping whatsoever...unless you count tumbleweeds as landscaping.

Friday is the day! I'm going to get the pool and the soil and pick out my veggies/herbs!! I'm so stinking excited!!! I'll post pictures as I go!

A week of reckoning.

2008-04-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't noticed, I have been absent for the past week or so. Before I was just really busy. This last week I just haven't been myself. It's taken me a week to break out of this and I think I'm just scratching the surface.

So much has happened in my life in the past year and, more specifically, the past few months. My dad has been sick (pancreatic cancer), and he just has not been feeling well. He went for a PET scan last week and tomorrow, Monday, we find out the results...whether he is clean or there are any tumors. Waiting is the hardest part.

I've always prided myself on being an optimist but lately I've turned into this ginormous pessimist and it is affecting every aspect of my life. When I'm down/blue, then I don't want to do anything. My housework suffers, my cooking suffers, my commitments suffer, my exercise and eating habits suffer.

I've only exercised a few times this past week. I took Thursday and Friday off due to illness, and I took today off due to laziness. In my defense, however, I cleaned my bootay off yesterday, so I was exhausted today. I think since I made myself do all this housework yesterday...and I lurve how my house looks when it's clean...I'm ready to break out of this mini-depression episode.

Sorry about the bummer post but I didn't want to go another day without an update from me. Thanks for reading. *Ü*

The Biggest Loser contest update!

2008-04-06T12:08:00.000-07:00

As you may or may not know, our little down does its own version of The Biggest Loser contest. Those entering have the opportunity to win cash and prizes while getting healthy along the way.

I joined this year, and the contest ended on April 2nd. We had a live showing, and it was pretty exciting. They showed our before picture and then we walked out as our "after," then we got weighed. They had taken our measurements previously, and all was entered into their computer. The winners were announced...and I had won second place in ladies! My total weight loss was 21.7 pounds and I lost a total of 14.25 inches. Not too shabby!

Well, a day or so later, I get a phone call from the people running the contest. Apparently there was a computer "glitch" and I did not get second place. As of right now, I can't even tell you what place I got because they keep talking in circles around me and I don't understand. They told me I could keep the prizes, though. Yay. I kind of liked bragging rights better. Oh well.

D says it doesn't matter what place I came in during the contest. The important thing is that I lost weight...the right way...and I am now in a better place as far as eating and exercise. I know he's right, it's just a bit of a let down.

I cut it all off!!

2008-03-28T21:40:00.001-07:00

(more info to come later!!)

It's good to be home.

2008-03-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

I had forgotten just how much I enjoy being in my home. I love the feel of accomplishing things that need to be done, and I love to be able to prepare food in a timely manner instead of having to throw things together and call it a meal.

Today I was cleaning the counters in the kitchen and I happened upon a bunch of ripe bananas. These were prime candidates for banana bread! So, I whipped up a couple of batches and they are baking in the oven as I type. I think it will be a nice surprise for hubby and the kiddos when they get home from school/work.

Tonight's meal is going to be Texas Style Spaghetti. My aunt gave me the recipe many years ago, and it has become a family favorite...for all of us!! I will post the recipe later.

Things are getting clean. Laundry is getting done. Things are getting sorted. I need about a month or so and my home will be running smoothly again. *Ü*

Remember me?

2008-03-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

Wow. Almost a month since my last entry. Not that I have any readers or anything, haha. This is mostly therapy for me, and the fact that I enjoy doing it, so no worries.

A lot has happened since my last entry. One of the major ones being that I have closed my store. Business was slowly going downhill due to the rising cost of, oh, just about everything else. So, sales suffered. It's almost like a blessing in disguise. So much heartache and let down in that store, and now I have time to go visit with my dad and spend more time with my kiddos.

I'm home now, and I've been bitten by the spring/summer cleaning bug. I've been doing laundry for two (yes, that's right, two) days, and I'm nearing the end. Cleaning out clothes as I put new, summer clothes in the closets. Next will be drawers. They need a good purging.

On a good note, I have been doing The Biggest Loser contest in my town, and I am hovering right at around 20 pounds gone!! I've gone from a tight 14 to a comfortable 12 in three months. I would have had better results, but I did a *ton* of traveling during this contest, which made my eating and my exercising suffer. This is the last week, and weigh in is on Tuesday, so check back!!

Along the same lines, I received my Turbo Jam DVDs yesterday, and I'm in love!! They are really fun, once you get over some of the awkwardness of some of the moves. I danced for 14 years, and I felt like I was a fish out of water. But, day two and it's getting easier. I plan on doing my DVD in the morning and walking my five miles in the evening. The pounds and inches should MELT off, right?!

Sun Chips...you had me at "hello."

2008-02-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

Where have you been all my life?

I just discovered this humble bag of multigrain goodness today at the store. Honestly, the thought of "grainy Sun Chips" just never appealed to me before now. Since I am on a quest to eat healthier, I took a look their way.

Oh. My. Goodness.

These "chips" are just the right combo of grains and flavor without making you feel like you're eating pressed wood.

If you haven't tried these beauties out, go. Now.

Well, it's been a long time.

2008-02-16T22:24:00.000-08:00

A really long time since I've updated. So much going on, business and personal, that I've gotten a case of the LAs (lazy azzes).

I'm in the mood to organize. And to scrap. And that means that I need to organize my scrap space! I've accumulated so much stuff lately that my creativeness is hitting a roadblock. So, this weekend I am working on getting things together!!

First off will be my scrap table. I barely have space to make a card in so it's time to take it all off and put back what needs to be easily accessible. Then, the stuff that does not need to be on top of my table will need to find homes. After that, I can tackle the paper holders that are overflowing, and the rubons that need some sort of organization.

Once that is all done, then I can create!!

Any New Year's resolutions out there?

2008-01-04T20:03:00.001-08:00

I did not make any resolutions this year. So far, I've never been able to keep one of them, so why set myself up for failure again? But, this year is the year of me and the year of responsibility. Time to get me back in order and time to get responsible about other things, which, unfortunately, I cannot discuss on here. So, if I have a hiatus between posts, it just means that I got caught up in life.

Currently, I have also decided that my house needs a cleaning overhaul. I've started by doing one room at a time, top to bottom. So far, my front room has been cleaned/dusted/vacuumed/mopped, and then put in its final order. Also, I finished my office yesterday, which was pretty big. My desk was unrecognizable, and that is nice and clean now. I have a few things to dust (that I discovered while sitting here blogging about cleaning), and then it is complete!!

In order to keep up on the cleanliness of the clean rooms, I will "go over" each room a few times a week, leaving the deeper cleaning for one day a week. This sounds like a do-able plan, and so far so good!!!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! I'll post more on my holidays once I'm in a better mood.

Smooches!

Picture time!!

2007-12-19T07:59:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, we went down to Caliente to visit the in-laws. It's always a fast trip, and they're always pretty busy with either their store or their restaurant, but this time, we got to spend a little extra time with them which was nice.

D's dad begins growing his beard in October/November. By December, he's in full-on Santa mode, and looks fantastic!! While we were there, he played Santa for some of the resident children. They loved it, and he did fabulous!! Here are a few pics.

With my kiddos:

My kiddos, along with their cousins:

And, just because he's cute, one of Z waiting for "Santa." We told him Grandpa was helping Santa out that night because Santa had to be somewhere else, getting ready for Christmas. ;)

The countdown begins!

2007-12-18T13:07:00.000-08:00

One week from today. One week!!!! I can't believe Christmas will be here in one week. This time next week, we'll be settled in at my parents' house, opening gifts and enjoying family time.

For once in our lives, D and I are ahead of the game with regard to wrapping gifts. We usually spend Christmas Eve wrapping and assembling gifts for the kids. Because we're not smart enough to do it ahead of time, heh. Well, this year, we get to actually RELAX on Christmas Eve because we wrapped ALL of the presents yesterday!! Plus, for the first time, there is nothing to assemble this year. I think that a relaxing evening is the best present we can give each other.

Today, at the store, we are staying open until 8pm, hoping to drum up some business. I have prepared discount cards, and each customer can draw a card and receive a discount on their entire purchase up to 40% off!! Send me be busy thoughts!!

We went up to Caliente this past weekend and tooks pics with Santa. As soon as I upload them (I've been sick), I'll post them!!

Guess who's coming to town?

2007-12-13T13:38:00.000-08:00

Nope, it's not Santa, although he will be here soon enough...

HANNAH MONTANA!!!

It was just announced this morning that the young singing sensation has added more dates to her Best of Both Worlds tour and she's coming to Las Vegas!!!

Man...the girls would be in HEAVEN if they got to see her.

I wonder what Santa has up his sleeve.....

Heee-larious morning!!!

2007-12-12T10:23:00.000-08:00

This morning had to be one of the funniest I've had in an oh-so long time.

I went upstairs to go take a shower and start my day. The girls were already at school, and Z was eating his cereal. As I pass by his room, I go into his closet and pick out his clothes for the day: a pair of jeans and a rad Quicksilver shirt.

Z goes into his room and begins his process of getting ready. Then, he comes into my room and asks me to tighten his pants (using the adjustible elastic/buttons in the waistband). I think to myself, "Hrm, that's strange. I know he's worn these pants before and he hasn't lost any weight..."

I tighten them. And then I have to tighten them some more because they are still falling off of him!! How strange!!

He gets situated and goes to sit on the couch to wait for me before we head to the bus stop.

As he's getting into my car, I look at his ankles, and see side "slits" in them. I realize he's wearing his sister's capris!!!!!

After my fit of laughing subsides, we rush inside and find him HIS pants and change. By this time, we've missed the bus so he gets a treat...and I take him to school. The whole way to school we were laughing about "the pants."

Hee-larious!!!

It's an illness...

2007-12-10T08:43:00.000-08:00

I love shopping. I love decorating. These two things, when combined, can cause havoc and discontent in our household.

I can walk through a mall and find nothing that I can't live without. I can walk in and out of stores, picking up clothes/shoes/purses...and then walk out without making a purchase. These things are "usable" in that they would get daily/weekly use.

But.

There are a few stores that I cannot walk out of without purchasing something I really don't need which will sit in my house only to be seen by guests. Or my dog. One of them is a book store. I can spend tons of money on books. I love books. I love to read them, fondle them, look at them collecting dust on my bookshelves.

The other store is a craft store, such as Michael's, JoAnn's, or Roberts. When I walk into these stores, my inner artist comes bursting through. I may walk in looking for one (or three) particular things, and I walk out with this:

Isn't it beautiful?! I saw the container in the clearance aisle. Then, of course, I *had* to find the foliage to go inside of it. Then, once I had the entire ensemble put together (in my head), I had to think of a place to put it in my house.

Doesn't it look great?!

D was less than thrilled, heh. Because, he said...this is something we really need right now, right?

Stay tuned...I will be posting pics because I bought the coolest frame/stand from a place called Tai Pan Trading. My BFF introduced me to this store and booooyyyy....will my husband be sorry!!! *Ü*

It's SHOPPING DAY!!!

2007-12-08T13:36:00.000-08:00

In about twenty minutes, my little self will be on her way to St. George to visit with my BFF and to do some MAJOR holiday shopping damage!!! I'm so excited, and it was hard to hold it back from the kiddos!!! We still have one little believer, so the magic still needs to be there.

Wish lists from my kids have been...interesting this year. My son would like...are you sitting?....Alaska. Yes, the boy wonder would like Santa to bring him Alaska so that he can build a giant ATV track. He would also like a microwave. You know, should he decide to whip himself up a little midnight snacker...

C seems to think that we have turned into the Trumps overnight. Top of her list? A laptop. Oh, and a TV. Let's not forget about the desk, shall we? Thank goodness she has put a few more "reasonable" requests on there....except for the new puppy....

H would like an acoustic guitar. Oh, and an electric guitar with an amp. I wonder if it will sit next to her keyboard that she never uses? Never mind the fact that she does not even know HOW to play a guitar, heh. She would also like the new iPod Nano. Because her old Nano is a year old, duh.

I want to be able to give them everything, but how will they learn responsibility? Such dilemmas during the holidays.

Wish me luck in finding everything I need!!!

Only 19 shopping days left!!

2007-12-06T11:54:00.000-08:00

I absolutely cannot believe that it is December. Where has the year gone?? I remember trying to keep my children up for New Year's Eve, waiting to welcome 2007, and here we are...twelve months later, getting ready to ring in 2008!!

So many things happened in 2007; many fantastic, but also a few not so good times.

2007 was a rough year for me, personally. I had many things happen between a few friendships, and while one of them is fine, another has been damaged irreparably. Lots of tears shed, lots of heartache.

On the up side of the year, C and Z had a fantastic time racing ATVs. They placed 3rd (C) and 1st (Z) in their classes. We are very very proud of them. H had a fantastic year with soccer and made us so proud not only of her determination, but of her perseverance. She really shined out there on the field.

Right now, in our world, it's basketball season. We had a small break, but now....back to the harried grind. *Ü*

A little melancholy today...

2007-11-26T20:54:00.000-08:00

It's really sad when a certain part of your life comes to an end, whether it be a person, a place, or a thing. It can leave you empty. It can leave you feeling like a part of you is missing. Sometimes these things are easy to get over; other times, it takes awhile to get back to a routine.

I'm finally back to my routine. The part of my life that came to an end is in the background of my head. I am finally able to move on.

Today, I received some unwanted contact that brought it all back.

How does one decide when something is *truly* over and done with? That returning to the former routine will not end in the same way it did the first time? When do you say, "Forget it?"

It's a decision that each person in this particular scenario will have to decide for themselves. This is my scenario...and I have decided. I'm happy in the place I am right now, and I see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Things will be alright.

A few pics...

2007-11-17T08:11:00.001-08:00

Since I've been a pic-posting slacker, I decided to post a few recent pictures of some things we have done! We are regular jet-setters, what, between soccer games and races. That sentence was dripping with sarcasm, by the way.

So, without further ado, the the picture show begin!!

Since I'm so behind, I'm going to start with some more recent events because they are still fresh in my memory, heh.

We just came back from a race in Victorville. The kiddos did great, and our trip was made oh-so-much better because of the fact that we had a motor home to use!!

Here is Z making a jump:

And before the race, striking a pose. What exactly is he doing in this picture?!

Here is Miss C enjoying a nice warm cup of cocoa...

...before she tears it up on the track!!!

Here is one of H, my varsity soccer player, doing some practice shots before a game. She actually plays keeper, but she was warming up with everyone else:

Thanks for looking!!! *Ü*

I know...I'm all talk.

2007-11-16T22:19:00.000-08:00

I say I'll be a better blogger. I say I'll post every day. I say I'll come back and update.

And I don't.

I'm all talk.

This is something I'm striving to work harder at...keeping up on things and balancing my time. You've seen me post time and again about budgeting my time and attempting to get over my procrastination issues. Well, Rome wasn't built in a day, was it? This is a little harder than I thought, and I'm really working on it lately. I have a big event that I'm gearing up for in January, and I need to have EVERY aspect of my life on track.

One day at a time, right?

*Ü*

Coupons, coupons everywhere!!!

2007-10-11T16:05:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've made a trip out to Rite Aid and Smith's to do my couponing. So, since I wasn't going to the stores...I wasn't clipping out my coupons.

Today, I spent about five hours clipping my coupons and sorting them. Yes, you read that right...five hours of my life I'll never get back.

But, now they are all sorted and looking all purty in their new little binder that I crafted (read: put baseball card protectors and cardstock dividers in a binder), and I'm all ready to go!! C and I are going when I get out of the store. Why, you might ask, is C going? Well, because I can't go anywhere without C wanting to go...and she needs pants. No, you cannot buy pants at Smith's or Rite Aid. We are hitting Walmart too. Good times.

I'm hoping that I can come out of these stores with a ton of stuff without spending a ton of money. It is possible...I've done it before. Couponing, I have discovered, is not for the impatient or those short on time. When there is something good in the paper that is advertised, chances are there are other sales NOT advertised that are just as good. This is the reason that I now carry my coupons with me ANY time I set foot in the grocery store!!! Nothing like getting toothpaste for 25cents a tube!!! woohoo!! Since you need PLENTY of time to coupon, I like to go by myself. It can sometimes take me about two hours or more to go through each of the two stores. But it is oh-so-nice to be able to browse leisurely, unless I have C with me, lol, and snatch up all the deals I can get!!

I'll report my savings tomorrow!!! (How's that for a cliff hanger?!)

Welcome to Wednesday.

2007-10-10T17:08:00.000-07:00

Today has been pretty interesting for me. Not in the fact that I have been busy, but in the fact that I have been busy. Keep up with me, people.

I got up early this morning and started on my morning "regimen." Make the bed, throw in a load of laundry on my way downstairs, start the coffee, empty the dishwasher, make sure the girls are up, load the dishwasher, wipe the counters down. All of this before 6:05 am. Once the girls are on their way, load Z up with some breakfast and switch out laundry while he eats. Set out his clothes (c'mon...he's only seven!) pick up my bathroom. Take him to the bus, come home and get myself ready for work.

So far, so good. Although it's only been one day...But it's good to have goals.

A little slow at the store today. I could have gotten in a good nap today, but I sat on the computer and wasted away more brain cells. I'm learning that I really, really need all of my brain cells because whenever I take in more/new information, something important manages to squeak out of my eardrum, and I forget things. I need a notepad with a string to tie around my neck, just like what I threaten my kids with...

I think with my new found organization (remember, this is day one), I'm going to try to eek in some scrapbooking. You know, because I don't spend enough time during the day looking at scrapbooking stuff...

I'll keep you posted on how that goes. ;)

Where's Martha??

2007-10-09T12:02:00.000-07:00

You know, kind of like Where's Waldo??

So, so, SO much has happened in the past few months that it will make your head spin. I've been so busy that I actually forgot that I had a blog. I know...blasphemy.

I have been super busy with the store, and things are looking good. It's a slow road, but there is a destination somewhere in all of this stress. I'm doing some inner healing, and I should be back in the saddle soon.

In other news, I have been "invited" to participate in a version of "The Biggest Loser" with some people here in town. Now, is this something I should feel flattered about? The jury is still out on that one... But I'm excited to do it and cannot wait until it starts!! I actually lost two pounds last week, and told D that I need to quit losing weight right now. After the look of panic dissolved from his face, he nonchalantly asked, "Why?" Well, duh!! I need to save my weight loss for TBL!! I figger I'll gorge up and then drop it like it's hot. Sounds good in theory...Wish me luck!!!

I'm very excited for October 20th. Ask me why. Okay, I'll tell you. My BFF and I are going to Mesquite after I close the store on Saturday and we are going to eat, watch a movie, eat, watch a movie, eat, watch a movie...oh, and eat!!! We may try to squeak in a pedicure too. I'm really in need of some R&R, and my BFF is just the one to spend it with. I can't wait!!!

Thanks for sticking with me and I promise that I will have more entries. *Ü*

Layout a day: July 12, 13, and 14

2007-07-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

Um, yeah. So I'm behind in posting my layouts, heh. I've completed them just haven't sat down and posted them here. Here we go!!

Still using my stash. Some of these look oh-so beginner for me and others I really like.

Thanks for looking!!

Layout of the day: July 11

2007-07-11T22:41:00.000-07:00

This is SO not one of my better layouts, lol. I'm not even posting this one on 2peas. But the way I'm looking at it is, "Well. It's done." *Ü*

Thanks for looking!!

Layout a day: July 10 (and July 9!!)

2007-07-10T22:41:00.000-07:00

So, I felt really "guilty" for not doing a layout last night, lol. Great priorities, huh?! ;)

Well, I did two tonight. I'm breezing through those old pics!!!

Layout a day: July 9

2007-07-09T22:08:00.000-07:00

There will be no layout for today. I am going to flake and take tonight off. I need to get other parts of me back on track and will be ready with another layout tomorrow!!!

Thanks for peeking!!

*Ü*

Layout a day: July 8th

2007-07-08T21:55:00.000-07:00

Not much I could do with this picture, but I love the flowers and am so happy I still had the card!!

The colors are not showing up very well, but it is a very pretty pink and black combo of papers.

Thanks for looking!!

Layout a day: July 7

2007-07-07T20:56:00.000-07:00

Still using my stash and finally scrapping older pictures that I've been putting off.

I really like this one!!

American Crafts papers and metal letters
Heidi Swapp tapes and brads
Bazzill flowers
Misc buttons, ribbon, rubons
Paint
Prima flowers

So, I'm getting motivated.

2007-07-07T12:26:00.000-07:00

I'm getting motivated to get back into my cleaning and organzing groove. I've lost it recently since I've been so busy with the store and procrastinating at my job at home. It's time to get back in touch with my inner Martha. I'm so much happier when my house is organized, and I've really been slacking. When I'm organized, I feel like scrapping, or lounging with the kids, or even getting my other job done. When the house is a wreck, I don't want to do anything. Go figure, lol.

First on the agenda: pick a room/area to clean and organize.

I *had* started on my office a few weeks ago, and I got a TON accomplished. Three bags full of shred, two bags of trash...and that was just from cleaning off my desk and credenza ! Now it is time to go back in and finish.

I want to get it done from start to finish. Here is a small list of things I need to do in there.

Clean out desk drawer and get rid of junk
Finish going through credenza drawers, organizing and purging as I go
Get all appliance manuals for this house in a binder
Go through toy/household manuals and toss old ones and file new ones
Clean up my book shelf and buy something so that my books quit falling through, lol
Hang up my Disney pictures (this is going to be a Disney-themed office)
Take down remnants from when my scrap room was in there
Make and hang some curtains for the window
The usual cleaning: dusting, straightening up, etc.

Hopefully soon I'll be able to get my futon/bed for that room and then I'll have a nice little guest room!!

I'll post pics soon!!

Layout a day: July 6th

2007-07-06T23:13:00.000-07:00

Here it is! I squeaked it out before the end of the day!!

Check out this scrapbooker!!

2007-07-06T12:16:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Sharla turned me onto this *awesome* scrapbooker last night. Seriously, I want to copy all of her layouts!!

Such bright, vibrant colors. Beautiful embellishments and layout designs. She does fantastic work!!!

http://twopeasinabucket.kaboose.com/userprofile.asp?user_id=241561

(I can't figure out how to make her name a link. I'm having a bonehead moment.)

Check her out!!

Money. The root of all evil.

2007-07-06T12:13:00.000-07:00

It just has to be.

When you don't have it, you desperately need it. When you DO have it, everyone else wants it and then it's gone. When you get more, it goes somewhere else too.

You need it to survive. You need it to do just about anything nowadays.

It's pure evil.

If I didn't love it so much...I would hate it.

Layout a day: July 5th

2007-07-05T22:06:00.001-07:00

Here is today's layout!

I didn't realize what a challenge this would be as I try to use my stash and use older pics in my layouts. I'm really struggling, lol.

This is a bright, simple layout of my darling son when he was three. He's all of seven now, lol.

Thanks for looking!!

We're changing the name of the store...

2007-07-05T22:01:00.000-07:00

...to "Scrap and Sauna."

Our air conditioning went out in the store today and, lucky for us, it was ONLY 120 outside. I was a completely sopping wet fool all day long until I closed down the store early. I just could not take it any longer.

I did manage to get the class kits all ready, so that is one thing that is done.

Please, cross your fingers that the air is working tomorrow!! I'm a sissy when it comes to the heat...especially if I'm indoors!!

Layout a day: July 4th

2007-07-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

Here is today's layout. I'm really happy that I'm staying on track after getting off to a late start!!!

This is a plain-jane layout as I'm trying to use my stash and keep on my spending freeze.

Thanks for looking!!

Happy Independence Day!!

2007-07-04T10:59:00.000-07:00

Today, we have a whole lotta NOTHING planned!! D is working part of the day, the store is closed, and the kids are home from rec. So, each kiddo picked out a movie to watch, we're gonna junk it in front of the tv all day long and then watch the fireworks from our back yard. C is sick today (has been for a couple of days), so we want her all well before they leave for soccer camp next week, so we're staying home tonight.

Have a fantastic holiday!!

Holy carp it's been a long time!!

2007-07-03T20:46:00.000-07:00

Where, oh where to begin??? It has been ages since I posted and I am ashamed!! So much has happened but there is no way I can get caught up now, so I will just begin with today. :)

My friends and I decided...well, my friends decided after I bullied them into doing it...to do one layout a day for the month of July. Any extras are just that, extra. But we are to commit to one layout a day, either one page or two.

Well, we got off to a fantastic start. Not.

I forgot on Sunday and almost on Monday until S called me to remind me, lol. She, by the way, had not done hers either, lol. So, then I called D...who was shopping in Vegas...and told her she needed to hurry home so she could do her daily layout. Hahaha. Then, I called and left T a message, and she was "conveniently" out of town. Uh-huh. Great starts for all of us.

I completed two layouts on Monday, to make up for Sunday, and then I did a layout today, so *I* am current (nanny-nanny-boo-boo to you all). And here they are:

More/New pics of the store!!

2007-03-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

So, we've been really busy with the store, and everything is coming along swimmingly!! Things are coming together, and we can really see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Here are a few current pics of the progress we've made so far. I hope you enjoy them!!

D, H, and M working on the flooring:

A view from one of the inside doors. All the painting has been done, and all the new flooring is in!!

Another view of the window with the curtains against the brown wall and next to the pink slatboards:

One of the inside doors in the middle of the pink slatboard:

And here is the front of our side! Fresh paint, pink door, new sign, and new handrails (they still need to be stained):

So I think I'm getting sick.

2007-03-05T21:21:00.000-08:00

Ugh.

I think I'm coming down with bronchitis.

Everyone has had some sort of funk these past few weeks, and luckily I avoided it. But now I think I'm coming down with something. I have shortness of breath and it makes me cough. Plus, I have wonderful drainage down the back of my throat. Ick.

So, tomorrow I'm on the phone to see if the doctor's office can squeak me in so that I can recover before our liquidation sale on Monday!!!!! I *have* to be well for that!!

Wish me luck. ;)

If I wasn't so tired, I'd be exhausted.

2007-03-02T20:30:00.000-08:00

(copy/pasted)

Man, am I BEAT!!!! I can barely keep my freaking eyes open right now!!!

I am trying this new thing...where I get up early (for me) at 5:30, and get my "work" work done right away. Then, I get ready for the day (go through the S's, lol). Then, I run errands or do whatever in the time frame that I would be at the store (when it opens). Then, I come home and do homey stuff and then go to bed at a decent hour.

Only, I haven't made it to bed at a decent hour in two days and I'm exhausted!!!!

I forgot what it was like to work like a dawg!! I need a wife!!

I'm trying to get ready so that I can balance everything when the store finally does open...and we're getting close to that!! I also have not taken a *coughcoughnapcoughcough* in a few days, so I'm extra tired.

Gah. I better make my first million on opening day....

Where do I start?!?!

2007-02-27T21:04:00.000-08:00

So much has happened in the past month, that it will take me a month to tell you all about it!!! But I'll save the big news for this entry.

My friend and I bought a SCRAPBOOK STORE!!!!! An actual brick and mortar store, and we couldn't be more excited for it!!!

One day, we are discussing approaching the owner about buying into the store, and the next day, we owned it, lol. The timing was PERFECT, and everything went (almost) smoothly!! The store is not huge, but once we hit the big time, we can think about moving on up. ;)

Here are a few pics of the store. There are also a few afters (not many), and I'll post them after each "before" picture.

Here we go!! Click on any picture to make it bigger!

Here is the front of the store. We are going to put up awnings over the door and the window to the right. We are actually on the side/back of another store that faces the main street. That's my partner in there, lol.

The view from inside, by the front door:

This is the view NOW, and this desk is where the blue thing is in the above picture:

Another view from the front of the store, a bit away from the front door:

Here is another view, this time from the back of the store where the desk is now:

And here is the above-pictured window NOW with our new curtains (thanks, mom!!!):

We still have a lot of work to do in the coming weeks. We are having a giant liquidation sale in March (everything MUST go!!), and then we will close again for two weeks. During that time, we will paint, re-floor, and decorate, and also restock the store and our grand opening is April 9th!!! We will begin business that morning as The Scrap Shack!!!

Wish us luck!!!

Where has the time gone?!?!

2007-01-30T07:07:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe how long it has been since I have posted!!! Wow!!

I have some very important, big news items in the works right now, and I am busting at the seams to talk about them!!! But I have to wait until everything is done, so keep checking back!!

Today is another busy day. Lots of work to do, and lots of things to do. My organization has been on hold for awhile, so hopefully that will be up and running some time soon. ;)

Keep checking back for updates!! *Ü*

Crazy days.

2007-01-12T08:20:00.000-08:00

Man, things sure get crazy when I have a sickie kiddo at home. Thank goodness it wasn't her "usual" illness, but C has been sick for the past few days. I'm trying to get her well because we are going to see The Cheetah Girls on Sunday!! Woo hoo!! lol... We are also staying the night at The Paris, and going to have fun being tourists for the day!

I still need to upload pics from the basketball tourney; I haven't forgotten. Just been crazy busy!! So after I work today, I'll update again. Check back later!! *Ü*

Technical difficulties...

2007-01-09T18:31:00.000-08:00

Blogger was down most of the day for me, so I was unable to do a well thought out entry today, lol. But I'll be back tomorrow!!

Happy Monday!!

2007-01-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

Well, not really, haha. The kids are back to school, so that means a little more peace and quiet. But other than that, it's business as usual for me. I'm really jiving on the Motivated Moms chore sheet, and very happy that I'm keeping a clean house. And a happy mommy means a happy family, right?!

Today is a short entry because I really have to crank at work today. A few days off and I really put myself behind. You'd think I'd learn by now.

So hopefully I'll have time for another entry later today!!

TTFN!!

Thank goodness for Sunday.

2007-01-07T10:11:00.000-08:00

We are not a religious family, but I am starting to really like the "Sunday is a day of rest" concept. We have been going like crazy lately, and it's nice to try and relax today.

The tourney went FABULOUS yesterday. Our girls team won three out of three!! They played back-to-back-to-back, so they were utterly *exhausted* when they were done. We almost lost the last game (22-24), but they pulled it together. I will post some pics once I upload them.

Today's agenda is pretty relaxing. I just finished a bacon and egg breakfast, the troops are fed and full, and the kitchen is clean. Just a few topical chores to do and then I need to work for a few hours. But that is no problem either. ;)

I hope you all have an exciting and relaxing Sunday too!

Glad we didn't want to rest today...

2007-01-06T07:54:00.000-08:00

H has made the basketball A-team (lol, for all you 80s peeps) at her school this year, and we are so VERY proud of her!! But...along with greatness comes great responsibility. Like practice for 2.5 hours EVERY SINGLE DAY. And "tournaments" in another city an hour away for the ENTIRE day.

We are heading to Alamo today for a basketball tournament. Now, when *I* think of tournament, I think of the best-of-the-best hashing it out for number one. But these kids JUST started playing again, so I'm not too sure what to expect. I only know that we have to drive for an hour, there are three games, and we won't be back until late tonight.

Wish us luck!!

Pictures will come later!!!

Busy, busy, BUSY!!!

2007-01-05T09:21:00.000-08:00

Wow. Who knew that housework could keep a person so busy?! But I do love a clean, organized house, so I keep going until I'm satisfied...which will probably be never.

Organizing is a sort of passion of mine. I always tell D that if we were rich, I'd have every single item in our house organized, in a box, with a label, all matching. Ahh...a girl can dream, right? But the same thing always happens to me: I get in an organizing tizzy, I buy some boxes to store stuff in (I buy what the budget will allow), and then I organize. When I need more boxes (and the budget allows)....they are always gone. So. I have hodge-podge storage boxes.

I think that I need to win the lottery, collect my winnings, and spend a weekend in The Container Store. It's the organizer's Disneyland. *sigh*

I've come to a conclusion.

2007-01-04T07:06:00.000-08:00

In my many, many diet programs I've gone through, I have come to the conclusion that there is one product I MUST have to keep my sanity.

Coffee.

I love to drink coffee in the mornings. It's not so much the get-up-and-go factor because caffeine doesn't really affect me. I can drink a huge Starbucks frappuchino and then crawl into bed, lol. I believe it is the way it makes me feel. Coffee makes me warm inside. It warms my hands. It tastes good. It's comforting, but not in the way that a cheeseburger used to comfort me. Can you relate? Am I looney?! Wait. Don't answer that.

So. I have decided that in order for me to succeed in my current program, I am going to allow myself to have a morning cup of coffee. It gets my day started, gets me warmed up, and makes me happy.

On a roll!!

2007-01-03T07:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterday went *fabulously* well, with almost all of my little goals I set getting accomplished. I can't wait until it just becomes upkeep and not major cleaning.

Today is day two of my cleanse, and I'm feeling just a little hungry. I am down two pounds this morning though!! Yippee!! I was starving yesterday, so I did "cheat" and eat a few pieces of lunchmeat and a few carrots. Heck, I went from eating huge...to drinking, lol. Cut me some slack. ;)

I got up again at 6AM today and exercised!! Two days in a ROW!! You're witnessing history here, folks. I feel great, though, and I'm going to slowly start increasing my time by the end of the week.

D is home sick today. He's been fighting bronchitis for a week now, and working NYE on the strip didn't help him much, so he's taking a breather from everything today. I hope he doesn't throw off my groove.....;)~

What is this strange word...exercise...?

2007-01-02T08:02:00.000-08:00

Today I began my quest to lose weight. I got up, and I exercised for ten minutes STRAIGHT!!! lol...

Adding to the exercise, my friend and I are doing Isagenix, which is a body cleanse, with a lovely side effect of weight loss. And weight loss, dear readers, is our friend.

Isagenix is a program that is designed to go after the toxins in your body. When we ingest toxins, our body does not know what to do with them, so it surrounds them with fat and stores them in your body. When you lose weight, you do not lose the toxins because your body is afraid of letting them go. The cleanse attacks those toxins, you lose those fat cells, hence the weight loss!!

I am not going to post my weight because gawd knows there aren't that many numbers, lol, but I'm excited to see some results!!

Happy New Year!!!

2007-01-01T09:22:00.000-08:00

A great big welcome to 2007!!!

Ringing in the new year was uneventful at our house, as always. The man had to work and keep the city streets safe, and the kids and I sat around, watched movies, and put away the Christmas decor. It's nice to have my house back.

C fell asleep at...oh...11:55pm, lol. I went in and shook her up and made her come downstairs! H and Z came down, we watched the countdown on tv, the girls popped poppers, we called the man....and we were done. Happy new year everyone. Now go to bed.

Today is the first day of 2007, and I'm starting out on the right foot! Hey, there's a blogger entry, right?!

I've already downloaded my 2007 motivated moms planner, which helped me TREMENDOUSLY last year in keeping my house clean and my sanity in order. That is, it helped me when I used it, lol. But this year EVERY DAY will be used!!

I think today I will organzie my office area. Baby steps, right?! ;)

Lookout 2007....

2006-12-31T21:07:00.000-08:00

The new ME is going to be WHAM! in your face!!!!

Stay tuned.

*Ü*

No longer a virgin...

2006-10-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

I received my first piece of Tiffany & Co. jewelry!!

Our 11th anniversary was last week (more pics to come later), so we spent the night at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas! While we were there, we walked over to the Bellagio shops, and there was a Tiffany store! I had been mentioning that I would like a bracelt from them, and I also have a beautiful necklace in mind (hint hint, hubby!), so we went in and shopped!!

I am now the proud owner of this beautiful piece:

A girl could get used to this!! ;)

So much to catch up on...

2006-10-02T09:16:00.000-07:00

...and so little time.

SO much has happened since my last entry. Too much to list right at the moment.

But!!

I'll be back after some major house cleaning, and I'll spill all the sordid details. Okay, not sordid, but they're details....lol.

*Ü*

Meh. Just meh.

2006-09-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

Feeling a little down in the dumps today. No idea why though, lol.

Meh.

Reality check.

2006-09-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

I have come to a very serious conclusion in my life.

I have too much scrapbooking stuff.

That's right, you heard me. Too much.

I am convinced that if I were to scrapbook every day from now on, I would never need to buy any more supplies except for the occasional adhesive.

Today I decided to start "organizing" (hearty laugh) my scrap area. I found a cheaper way to go and hopefully it will turn out like I envision it. I still have a few more pieces to buy, but I'm on my way.

I put a table on top of the shelves I have now until I get a real table top, just so I can get an idea of how/where things will go. I'm hoping I didn't shoot myself in the foot by going a bit cheaper, because as I'm looking at it, I have NO IDEA where everything will go, lol.

I do know that I will need a bookcase to house my albums, and I *know* that I do not want anything sitting directly on the floor if I can help it. So, now the game of "will this fit here" begins.

Wish me luck!

Here is just a snack of what visiting guests see in my house right now. *eyeroll*

Freakin' wind

2006-09-14T22:14:00.000-07:00

Ugh.

It is forEVER windy here. I don't mean, "Oops, my skirt blew up" windy. I mean, "Dang, my skirt is covering my HEAD" windy.

Add to the wind the fact that we are surrounded by acerages of DIRT and SAND and TUMBLEWEEDS....this makes Jane a grouchy girl. >:(

Just needed to vent.

Carry on.

I've been tagged!!

2006-09-14T07:10:00.000-07:00

I'm so lucky to have received my first tag from the sweetest person EVAH!! TANGEE!!!

Word association. Tangee's words, my association:

Hobby scrapbooking

Fun shopping

Life family

Passion love

Mountain camping!!

I'm tagging JenK and Carrie!!

Here are my words:

Travel

Weather

Suitcase

Car

Sweater

Have fun girls!!! *Ü*

How does your garden grow?

2006-09-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

Well. I've wanted to plant a garden in my backyard ever since we purchased this house almost two years ago. We're on an acre, so there are other things that need to be done first to begin the layout of the backyard, such as building D's workshop and setting up a pen for the (future) chickens. We also need to extend our patio and do a few other things.

In my true fashion, I have no patience and want a garden now lol.

On Tuesday, I ran down to Ace Hardware and purchased two plants: one green bell pepper plant and one tomato plant. I've had a huge (empty) planter sitting on my front patio for a long time, and now it has life!!

I hope that my non-existent green thumb decides to show up this time around!!

Salsa, anyone?!

Bid puppets, BID!!!!

2006-09-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

Today I listed a few (read: tons) of stuff on ebay.

Since my most recent purging phase I've had two boxes of rubber stamps sitting in my office, waiting to find new homes. Today I took pictures and posted some of those puppies in the hopes that someone on the World Wide Web needs these stamps...at any cost.

Even if I made what my starting price is, that's more than they're making sitting here collecting dust, right?

Check 'em out!! Feel free to bid if the desire strikes you....

MY AUCTIONS