Why do I need a title?

I have no title for today's post. I don't feel right just skipping it, so I titled it "Why do I need a title?" Crazy, I know! So what's up in blogger land? We've been super busy lately. We are putting out house on the market a week from today!! WOW! Anyway - we've been cleaning out lots of our stuff and making the rooms look bigger in the process. Which is nice in a way - our living room now looks really really big but my guest room is much more of a guest room now than a scrapping room. We've tackled most of the major things, so hopefully it'll go on the market - someone will see it, want it, give us an outstanding offer and it'll sell super fast. It sold super fast when we bought it so there's a chance!

I only have two days left with the fourth graders! YEAH! I love them and will miss them - BUT I'm really glad to finish up and graduate! I cannot wait to walk across the stage. I picked up my cap and gown today! Plan on trying it on soon to see what I'll be able to wear underneath it. They actually tell us we have to wear a black skirt and a white shirt - but NO ONE CAN SEE IT! Why would we wear something so boring when no one can see it??? I'm hoping the gown is long enough to cover my capri's!! :) I really don't want to buy something new.

About buying something new - I would LOVE to buy some new things - scrapping things! I haven't purchased any scrapbooking goodness in a while - well I take that back - I did buy some adhesive and stamps recently. But I need more - more paper, more embellishments, more of everything! What I really need to do is get caught up on my scrapping. I haven't finished my Disney album - which is from December of last year. Actually, I haven't finished the Disney album from November of 2005. There isn't much more to do but I just got tired of looking at it and quit! Cole is quite happy with it as it is and my scrapping style has been upgraded since then so my pages would look a lot different. Maybe I should just forget 2005 and focus on 2006!

The ChemoMoms Fundraiser Crop is still planned, but sadly not one single person has signed up. Tammy and I took flyers around (to two different scrapbook stores - one here, one in Foley) and we've had no response. I posted the flyer in the teachers workroom at school too - no response. This makes me sad! I know it's Mother's Day weekend, and there was a big crop last weekend here, followed by big stuff Saturday for National Scrapbook Day - but STILL - we've really tried to make it a good thing and so far - we've just got no response. I wish I knew what else to do. Tammy's done a lot and put a lot of money into the baskets ChemoMoms is giving to parents and this was our chance to recoup some money and have money for more stuff. Oh it makes me sad! I wish I knew some other way to make this work! Maybe if we plan something later it will have a better response. I don't know. The bad thing is - on my end - if we plan something later, our house could sell and we'll be moving and I can't help out! So if you are in the area and thinking about coming to the crop and just haven't contacted us - please do so - RIGHT NOW! And if you aren't a scrapbooker or aren't in the area and want to help in some way - you can! You can contact me directly (lisatanner@comcast.net or leave me a message here) or you can go visit http://chemomoms.blogspot.com and go through Paypal to make a donation. There is also a list of things we need for baskets. I just found 8 plastic baskets that I had stashed away so that'll be a help. But there are other things listed on the site that Tammy needs for these baskets.

I read on this blog - http://www.jodyferlaak.blogspot.com/ - and she had 7 random facts listed about herself! Well, she didn't tag anyone in return to do this on their blog, she wanted us to post ours on her blog - so I did. But it gave me an idea for a layout of Cole - 6 random things (because he's six). So here are the 6 things I'm going to put on Cole's layout:

1. I was a cancer survivor at age 3!
2. My favorite number is 6 (but last year it was 5)!
3. I have nine tattoos - no kidding! But Mommy can only find five of them now!
4. I have an amazing memory - I can watch a show twice and have it all memorized. I have watched the CMT 2007 Music Awards and I have all of Jeff Foxworthy's dialogue memorized and love to tell it to anyone who will listen!
5. Pluto scared me by sniffing me very loudly during what should have been a really cute photo op!
6. I sleep with a baby blanket, every night, that was my mommy's when she was a baby. I call it my Mommy's blankie!

So I'll be working on this layout next! How Fun!

And I'll be submitting it into the "Scrap your Stash" Challenge on the Paper Place Scrapbooking Community Website - click on the blinkie at the top of my page, or the banner at the bottom and go check it out. You gets points for things you use on your layout - you post the layout in our gallery, link to it on our message board and calculate your points according to the list of possible points. The person with the highest points in the amount of time noted by our Design Team Member - Heather - will win a goodie!!! Cool, huh? Oh and by the way - our site is so cool - there is no store involved, no shopping online is done here - but we talk about scrapping and life and we share our layouts, ideas, tips and more. We have challenges that are so much fun. We do a lot of cool things - and we are small - so you don't have to figure out who 1000 different people are. We're a close knit group that mostly live in the Mobile area, but not all of us do! So PLEASE if you are a scrapper - come check us out! I would love for you to join up and come see our design team - I'm a member - and check out the challenges and the gallery! We'd love to have you and get to know you!

So here's a BLOG challenge! We all love to stalk blogs and read about every one's life and then leave them a comment occasionally! I wonder how many people actually read my blog - so first, leave me a comment to say HEY and then PLEASE go to the Paper Place site and become a member! We seriously would love to have you. So please come check us out. We're fun - you'll like us! And what happens at the Paper Place stays at the Paper Place! Come on over!

I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week. I'm a little bummed that I forgot to DVR the special House that came on tonight but am looking forward to seeing Idol tomorrow night. I actually voted last week for the first time - but did it do any good since no one was sent home? Hmm, we'll see this week! And Jon Bon Jovi will be there - can't miss that now can you??

later
lisa

I did it!

I've been stalking this blog - http://scrapjacked.blogspot.com/ - and always love to see what they come up with. While, I haven't been brave enough to ever play along - I've thought about it and thought about it. Well, I did it today! Here's my take >>>>

I've gotten a little brave in my scrapping lately! I've planned a class for our fundraiser crop - http://www.chemomoms.blogspot.com/ - and had enough of the supplies needed on hand to make 10 kits! YEAH! I entered a contest here - http://www.pagemaps.com/anniversarycelebration.htm - and now I've scrapjacked someone!

Thanks for looking - check out the scrapjacked blog - those girls are awesome! Check out the fundraiser crop - it's going to be fun - sign up now!!!! And while you're at it - check out www.paperplacescrapbooking.net - you can click on the banner at the bottom of my page. We have challenges posted all the time - layout of the day, fun and games and more! Come check us out!

Lisa

Photo Shoot!

We've been playing the last two days and taking photos of my adorable younger cousins! I tried to use some of the tips from a photography class I was in at the Scrap Etc. Event. A few of them worked, but I just don't have the right spot in my house for picture taking with natural light. But I think they are ok! It helped that I had willing models. I'm not sure how successful I'll be if I try the same thing with Cole. BUT - I will try! :)

Here are my favorite shots!





Have a wonderful day! And enjoy the people around you! I have been this week - and sadly, they go home today! Cole is already giving us 'the lip' - that's what Hunter calls it when he pouts. She said something, can't remember what, and Cole pouted and she says "Oh no! He's giving me the lip!" Sounds like a great page to scrapbook huh? Anyway, I've already told him the girls have to leave today and he's pouting about it. The usual bribes haven't worked yet - trip to Walmart for a new Cars hotwheel, MawMaw's house, McDonald's and Karate. He said those weren't good ideas. So hopefully he'll be ok when they leave - if all else fails, we still have Happy Feet to watch. How can you be sad when you're watching HAPPY FEET??? I don't think it's possible!

Anyway - off to do another load of dishes and get some laundry going. All the other girls are still sleeping so I have to be quiet!

lisa

Who long can you carry a grudge?

I've been known to carry a grudge for a very long time. To the point where others have forgotten the incident even happened but I still remember detail after detail. And I can easily get mad about it all over again. I know - I have issues!

Have you ever had someone yell at you for something that was completely out of your control? And you suddenly felt as though you had to yell back because that's the only way you could be heard, and you instantly jump into defense mode? Then you realize you are defending something set forth by someone else and you don't entirely support the 'cause' but still have to go along with the game anyway! Jeez - that sounds like an awful day huh? Well, it was my day Friday at school. A grandparent and parent yelled at me - I certainly raised my voice back (no doubt about that - or they would have never even heard me!) and I see why the incident happened to begin with. I can now look back and see the evolution of that very moment and completely see that it was not my fault or my doing. But there is still nothing I can do about it - how it happened or the outcome or what will happen upon returning to school! But what I CAN do is not ever make the mistakes I've seen made in classrooms. I can certainly learn what NOT to do! That's what is so hard. When we are placed in classrooms, you think, wow this teacher is great. But then the newness of the situation wears off and you see what the classroom environment is really like. That's why you really learn how things operate in the room. That's when you see what you will and will not repeat in the long run.

So now I've learned what not to do in many situations but I still dread returning to school and dealing with the aftermath of the 'grandma verbal attack'! I feel as though no explanation is going to be good enough. I can be really honest with an administrator and tell her what I think, but she may come down on the teacher who in turn has to evaluate me. So what to do? I haven't a clue!!!! I hate being put in the middle of a situation and having one side not acknowledge what has happened and have the other side (grandma) living across the street from me. I'M NOT KIDDING!!!!

So my Spring Break should be fun filled and enjoyable and instead I'm carrying the grudge of the grandma verbal attack and the dread of returning to school next week. SO not fun! And four days later and I still haven't heard from my teacher. So that doesn't help any - at all!

We are enjoying our time out of school, despite the situation! My cousin and her girls are here and Cole is loving having 'the girls' here! Hunter has colored with Cole and played Dora and Diego so much. It's so sweet to see them playing together. Bailey has taken over the laptop and seems to have it attached to her lap now. I'm not sure what will happen when they go home. Will she have withdrawals? Will she need some type of computer withdrawal counseling? Oh to be 13 and think the world is revolving around you!

We spent yesterday letting the girls shop (what an adventure - I'm so glad I have a boy!) and we went for lunch at LuLu's! Oh I love LuLu's and the LuLu's way of life. Cole now has a new LuLu's shirt for the summer! Today - who knows what lies ahead! The girls are still sleeping, so I'm hopping on the computer while I still have a chance! I wonder if they even realize when I was their age, I didn't have a computer, or IPOD, or cell phone. I think I was probably reading books, watching some television and talking on a phone that had huge push buttons!! Seems like a lifetime ago!

Well, if anyone has grudge advice - about how to just let it go - let me know. It's been an issue for me for a while now!! I hope if you are on Spring Break this week you are enjoying it and having a true break! I know I'm trying! If I can get some scrapbooking in - I'll be a happy camper!

have a wonderful day
lisa

25 days until GRADUATION

I realized today I only have 25 days left! 25 days and I'll no longer be a college student. 25 days and the student loan people will be told - hey she's done, send her a bill. 25 days and I will officially just be a domestic goddess again instead of mom/wife/student!! WOW! One of the fourth graders asked me today how long I've been in school. 16 1/2 years - that's not too bad, except for the fact that most of the teachers I've met are younger than me and have been teaching for 5 years or so, or are older than me and have been teaching for 10+ years. So, I'm a late bloomer of sorts. I knew a long time ago that I wanted to be a teacher, but I also knew I wanted to be a mom. I guess I just did then out of order from most teachers/moms - but that's ok! I'm really looking forward to putting on some heels, a black skirt and white shirt (yes - they have a dress code for graduation - and I don't have a white dress shirt {insert eyes rolling here} and don't want to buy one) and walking (hopefully, gracefully) across the stage, shaking hands with President Moulten, smiling for pics and getting the heck out of college! I can't wait. One of my very good friends will be seated five seats down from me (that's if everyone between us decides to walk) and another one will be right by me! I just can't wait!

There is so much going on in the near future that I'm excited about! My cousin and her two girls are coming next Sunday to spend a few nights. It'll be Spring Break for us and them - so that's exciting. I really miss them and can't wait to have some time with them. Of course, the girls are true girls and act like they are about 16 and are usually too cool to hang out with me, unless they can use my laptop that is, but I love them and can't wait for their arrival. Cole will have a blast too - he loves his girls!

Then, it's back to school for 8 days and then the BIG graduation. The weekend after that is Mother's Day and we'll be doing the ChemoMoms Fundraiser Crop! If you want to read about it - go here>>> http://chemomoms.blogspot.com So if you want to help in some way - please let me know. We're looking for fun things to give away as door prizes, or things to raffle. We would love donations of any sort. There is a list on the site of things we are looking for to do baskets for families that are inpatient (in the hospital). I have tons of great ideas for this organization, but not much time or many resources (you know - money) to do it. I'm hoping I can make a few cool things to give away as well!

Speaking of making cool things - we have remodeled our bathroom. Ripped out wallpaper and texturized the walls, painted, new shower curtain rod (those fancy ones that curve out and give you more shower room), new floor mat and I made a cool clock to hang on the wall, and a wall hanging too. Cole was sad that we were making a mess in his bathroom and wanted us to fix it and paint it red. Well, we already have a red bathroom and didn't want to do the same thing again so we picked gray and decided to accent with white and black and why not throw in some red and M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E too! So that's what we did. Here's the clock and wall hanging - the clock is too darn cute, if I must say so myself!!

The clock doesn't have a second hand, but the bottle cap Mickey, in the middle, ticks and turns around - too cute! And for any scrapbookers out there - this was a cheapo Christmas clock that I got for 75% off after Christmas (75 cents I think) and covered with black cardstock, used my Crop-a-dile to punch two hole to add the ribbon, Heidi Swapp chipboard numbers, and the rest is random Mickey stuff that I've been using to make our Disney Album from the last trip we took to DisneyWorld!

OK - what else? Hmm, Easter was great. We had the Tanner family over to our house. We ate and ate and then played with Amanda's Wii! We bowled right here in my living room! AND I WON!! Only the first game, but HEY I'll take what I can get! Then we (and by WE, I mean ME) spent the evening (about 2 and a half hours) putting together a LARGE Lego set that turned into SPONGEBOB LEGO PANTS! Well, Square Pants actually. My brother sent Cole this Lego set that makes Spongebob from the episode where Plankton gets inside Spongebob's brain and tries to find the Crabby Patty Secret Formula!!!! YIKES! Anyway, it took FOREVER! And then I said to Cole - Don't touch it - if it falls apart, I'm not putting it back together. He pouts and I add, well I'm not putting it back together tonight! (which really means EVER) Lego's are hard! Over 400 pieces! I remember when you just got red, blue, white and clear. My brother and I made all kinds of things. Mostly I made a telephone - the one pictures in the Penny's or Sears catalog that was a push button with the huge receiver! That's really all I made now that I think about it. Doesn't my brother remember that? My talent in Lego building only took me so far. Last night though, it took me to a sponge, under the sea.

Well, that's really all I can think of to share with you today! OH, no it's not. I was just thinking about two years ago today and what was going on in our lives. Two years ago today we were at Mud Island in Memphis with Austin and Allen and their parents. We had a great time hanging out with them. The weather was really nice. It was one of those days where we knew we just needed to get out and do something and it was our last weekend there before coming home for a break and returning to begin chemo. We decided that morning to go somewhere outdoors and mentioned it to Brian and Traci (Austin's parents) and then ran into Allen and his parents and they wanted to come along too. We had a great time! It was opening weekend at Mud Island so there was a petting zoo, a train, hot air balloons too. Fun stuff. Then that Wednesday, Cole had his last radiation treatment and we packed up and headed out! I remember being so excited to leave and then, sad at the same time to leave the new family we had made. By the time we returned Allen had gone home (and was returning weekly for chemo), Austin left just a few days later and several other families were gone as well. It seems like so long ago but I remember so much about the little details! I started writing Cole's story last year in a Reading/Writing class at South. I only got through the first month of his journey but started writing more outside of class. I haven't written anything since April of last year. I couldnt' find the note book for the longest time, just saw it recently and now I'm wondering where it is. I think I'll take it with me to school tomorrow and start writing again. The kids have SAT's tomorrow and I'll be sitting quietly for 2 and 1/2 hours while they take their test - sounds like a good time to write, huh?

Ok, so now I guess I'm done. Thanks for reading - leave me a comment so I know you were here - and have a wonderful week!!!

lisa