Tag - You're It!

This tagging in the blog world - is everywhere!! You get tagged and get to tag others and it's fun fun fun. This is the latest tagging round - look how cute:

Brittney tagged me! So, here's the deal:


(1) The winner can put the logo on their blog.
(2) Link the person you received your award from.
(3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
(4) Put links of those on yours.
(5) Leave a message on the blogs of the girls or boys you’ve nominated.

Now the hard part - finding 7 people that haven't already been tagged!!

1. Virginia - I'm not sure how many times she's been tagged, but I'm doing it again because she has MAD SCRAPPIN' SKILLS

2. Amy S. - she absolutely rocks the two page layouts like nobody's business

3. Grace Violet - the girl is so stinkin' crafty - she makes all kinds of stuff!!

4. Katie M - i love her blog because she tells the funniest stories about her girls.

5. Linda - she makes CUPCAKES - out of paper!!!

6. Mandy - She blogs - therefore, she is. 'nuff said!

7. Monique - she has the best playlist on any blog i know


ok - moving on!

We are heading out of town this morning. The parents will be here at 9 or so and we'll be packing in the car for a trip to Asheville, North Carolina. WOO HOO - we've never been, so it'll be something new for all of us. We're going to the Biltmore - and the McDonald's by the Biltmore. We saw it featured on the Most Unique McDonald's on the travel channel. That part of the mini vacation is for Cole - surprised? He's addicted to McDonald's. SERIOUSLY!!

Jason is heading out of town separately - he's going to Altanta tonight with our friend Kevin (from Mobile) and they are going to THE game tomorrow. You know - THE GAME!! Roll Tide! I have my Alabama shirt to wear while we're gone and I need to go find Cole's and toss it in the luggage! Hmmm.....I wonder were it is. He needs a jersey in a bad way. I mean I tried last year and couldn't find one so I MUST this year.

Monday is Labor Day and we will not be doing any Laboring. I may have to do laundry - rats. I didn't think of that. And I'll do some scrapbooking (sorry Jason - it was bound to happen). And I'll be checking in at Scrap Etc for our first ONLINE CROP! So if you aren't too busy - you should check us out too. We'll be doing challenges and contests and maybe giving away some prizes. :) So come on over - and check it out: Scrap Etc

And just in case you wanted to know - my current favorite radio station is 100.5 - they totally rock. It's like 107 the X from back in the day. Then it moved and was different - but when it started it was The X and it was FAB. I've heard lots of music this past week from those days and have LOVED every beat, every lyric - everything. They are also playing what seems to be new stuff too - since I haven't listened to anything but country in about three years - I'm not totally up on what's new or old. BUT I loved this song - Come On Get Higher by Matt Nathanson. Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqRcobkdnos


For some reason, I can't post a You Tube video here sadly - hmmmm.

Here's another version that I like as well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiPC-ZyTKNU

And my SWEET boy let me listen to this on CD about forty times in the car yesterday - he didn't even make a fuss which he usually does - saying things like 'oh not again' !!! I had Jason's car yesterday, which I love driving, but the antenna stinks and I couldn't pick up 100.5 so after taking Cole to school, I downloaded music and after three attempts at burning a CD - I ended up with the Sugarland version only for some stupid reason.

Ok - I've got to go finish packing, wash my hair, eat some breakfast - keep singing this song in my head!!

later - lisa

Step Up

is from Alabama. Didn't know that. I'm watching Step Up 2 - the streets. This is what happens when you don't get a sub job every day!!

Flashing back to my "Breakin' 2 Electric Boogaloo" days!! :)

lisa

This guy:

Fox 6 tonight at 10

Watch tonight at ten, or tomorrow at 8am or noon and see a piece Chris Montana did one Scrap Etc. I was there but tried to blend into the background - i DID not talk at all!!

check it out!!
lisa

If I had a million dollars............

Anyone remember that song? I heard it today and couldn't help but smile and sing along - loved that song!!

So, what's been going on out there? Not much here. Some scrapping, some playing around, some housework.

Here are my latest Scrap Etc Design Team layouts and projects. The first one is for this next month (September) and the rest is due at the end of September for October - but I've turned it all in already. I'm the overachiever if you haven't noticed!! :) Actually this last stash of stuff I had to create with was so fun, I just couldn't help it!!

My mini album "I want a love like Johnny and June" - I took the chorus from the song by Heidi Newfield. I love the chorus the most - but the whole song is great. She has this raspy voice and there's such meaning in the lyrics!! LOVE it!

(I want a love like Johnny and June)

(Rings of fire...burning with you)

(I wanna love...)
(love you that much)

(cash it all in - give it all up)

(and when you're gone....)
(I wanna go too)


(Like Johnny and June)

check out this yummy Basic Grey!!


and more yummy Basic Grey along with some My Minds Eye
they go together VERY well!!



American Crafts paper and thickers
(one of the lines here is called Moda Bella - like Bella from Twilight - sigh)


a little 'smile' card



and a little surprise card!!

WOW - this post took about an hour to upload all the photos.
So - sorry for the delay on the photo of Cole and his future bride! It's coming - tomorrow probably!! She's a real cutie!! She has declared that she wants to marry him - but he said he "doesn't want to get married and parents don't marry kids and kids don't marry kids - but parents can marry parents - that's all!!" :) I guess I should be glad he's not in a rush to get married. The biggest thing he's concerned with is the fact that he has to go to school before he can go to Pioneer Playschool (his new afterschool program). He wants me to take him there each morning instead of school!!

Ok - i'm outta here! Pics of the lovely couple tomorrow!!
lisa

Go Away.........

Go Away Little Girl" by Donny Osmond was the number one song on the day I was born. Hmmm, and to think I used to have a young girl crush on him.

Check it out here: http://www.joshhosler.biz/NumberOneInHistory/SelectMonth.htm and see what was number one on your birthday!!

And for Michelle, who is using dial up at her mom's (bless her heart) - here's yours so you don't have to look it up:

"Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" by The Temptations

And for her hubby J:

"How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" by The Bee Gees

And for my hubby Jason:

"Shadow Dancing" by Andy Gibb

And had I known that THAT song was number one when I met Jason - I would have known instantly it was meant to be - I loved Andy Gibb and even had the tshirt to prove it!!

later, lisa

oh, i'll be back tomorrow with pictures of some cute kids!! maybe even Cole's future wife - they were really cute together!!

some pictures and stuff

ok first - let me just say that I DID NOT get they job they may or may not have been available. not only did I not get the job, I didn't even get an interview. major bummer. I have been subbing like crazy though - well, four out of the last five days - so that's been good.

I have some lovely layouts to post - these are the layouts that will (or are) on display at Scrap Etc. and I have some cute things I've made lately - one fun thing for the store and some fun stuff for my mom for her birthday too!


So here's the fun Happy Hour clock I made for the Creative Cafe area at the store. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Creative Cafe. So fun! I love that you can mix and match it all and make the coolest things!

And speaking of the coolest things - we're making this tomorrow between 12 and 2 - come join me for a little Happy Hour while we make this cool hugger for your beverage of choice - these are just your basic water bottles, but I'm thinking about making one for a Diet Dr. Pepper can! And check out the one in the middle - how cute would that be for a teachers gift, if you stuck a little packet of those flavors you add to water - cute for Teacher Appreciation day - or just a fun 'thanks' at any time! I'm thinking Cole's teacher may get one of these soon!

Ok - here are the layouts I have at the store - the top on is a bit of everything I think - Scenic Route paper, Creative Cafe paper and buttons, PUFFY THICKERS - OMG - I love them! And Prima flowers! OH and Heidi Swapp brads. Lots of stuff huh?


All Scenic Route here - this was a picture of Jason and Cole at the zoo in Memphis!

Cole being a ham for the camera - also in Memphis. This is all Sassafras. I love those letters.


This clock was for my mom for her birthday. I thought it would be cute in her bakery - she has a bakery, have a ever mentioned that? If you need a wedding cake - check it out - Sweets by Peggy! Anyway - used some Thickers, Creative Cafe buttons and October Afternoon paper. The apple ticks in seconds - that's why it's half upside down!! :)


She also got this really cool checkbook cover and picture holder - also October Afternoon and a thicker - for the P. You can also see these up close at Scrap Etc - not my mom's though - mine :) I forgot to take pictures of those although I could swear that I did! hmmm.....



And last but not least - a cute little mini album for Cole's teacher. It's got a page for each kid and she can add their picture - she's already taken pictures of them all so I'll her pick her pictures herself. I even left room if she gets a new student during the year - but only room for one, so if anything else changes, I'll have to make her another page! :) But that's cool, I won't mind.


Speaking of Cole's teacher - she is so cool. She's really been supportive of me in the job hunting area. She's suggested me a few times for positions at the school. So cool of her. I also just found out her and her son go to our Church and have been for a while - didn't even know it. They go to an earlier service, so we've just been missing them all this time!

Ok - now last but not least - here are some small peeks of some things you can purchase at Scrap Etc soon - I've done some layouts for the Layout of the Day - so go by the store and check them out!!

alright - that's all for now! gotta run!

lisa

WOW - two post in like two minutes

ok - i was reading blogs and got tagged by Melita - so here ya go - 6 random facts about me (this may be hard - it's not like i'm very secretive here - there's not much you don't know)

1. I'm divorced (you may already know that - I'm not sure though).
2. I'm 7 years older than Jason (I think you know that too) - but I didn't know until we'd been dating for quite some time that he had fibbed about his age.
3. I spend entirely too much time on the internet when I should be doing housework, or something with Cole or scrapbooking.
4. I HATE to mop - swiffer - sweep - vacuum - HATE IT. Something about cleaning floors just stinks!!
5. I had an I {HEART} Shawn Cassidy tshirt when I was little and I loved Andy Gibb too - oh and Leif Garrett.
6. I have a scar across the bridge of my nose that you can barely see, but I can feel - from an acrylic beer pilsner that fell out of one of our cabinets. It smacked me in the nose really hard, broke the skin and hurt so bad I could have sworn my nose was broken.

Ok - that's all from me - back to the Donna/David wedding. I love that part at the end when you think Dylan and Kelly end up together!! :) Hopefully we'll know for sure once the new show starts!!

lisa

It's just another manic Monday

Little bit of a crazy week here. Yesterday was calm and quiet. Well, except for the coughing. Cole has got a yucky cough and cold - big cough, little runny nose. So after my teeny amount of sleep Friday night - I woke up Saturday night after just a few hours of sleep to hear Cole coughing his head off over and over. He'd already had cough medicine and couldn't have anymore for a few hours - so I gave him some water and ended up sleeping in his room - just to keep an eye on him. Again - woke up with the same headache that started Saturday morning. Now, we skipped church do to the coughing and snotty nose. Bummer. We missed two weekends in a row!! So as soon as the pharmacy had the refill ready we headed to Walmart - then all was better. Well, no not really - I still had a headache! I napped Saturday and Sunday - and still had this horrible headache. We watched the olympics last night - again. We're addicted! I don't think I've ever watched so much of the olympics in my life!!

So this morning I woke up and had NO HEADACHE. Finally it's gone!! I guess I was paying for staying up so late Friday night - or was it Saturday morning?? :) So I guess I'm caught up on my sleep now. And cole didn't cough all night last night - so improvements all the way around.

Today I was subbing in Cole's room for half a day and in a third grade room for the other half. The teachers have so much to do at the beginning of the year, so I'm covering their class while they get some reading assessments done. It was a great day - two really great classes. I enjoyed the day all the way around - but freaked out a bit when I showed up for my second classroom. They weren't in the room yet (I think they were at P.E.) and I was just looking around. The classroom was super cool - a nice set up. I always like to look around and check out how the teacher decorates. Well, I'm looking around and there's a fish tank - but no fish - no water. It's really a snake tank? a snake cage? What DO you call those things? Anyway, I creeped up a little closer and peeked in - I didn't see the snake anywhere. So I was first thinking is there really a snake in there? I hope not. So - no there was no snake. The kids had to tell me stories about how the snake got out last year - things like that - just to freak me out more I think. Crazy kids.

I had a list of things to do when I got off work - but Cole was already talking about how tired he was and how 'all this school work is making me kind of hungry and thirsty' - so we just came home earlier so he could have a snack!!

Now - I'm supposed to be calling Michelle (sorry Michelle, I'll call soon) but I'm sitting in front of the computer (obviously) and the tv because the series finale of Beverly Hills 90210 is on. I know, I know - this show went off SO long ago - but it's on every day in reruns on SoapNet. I dvr it and watch it - yes, I watch it all the darn time. I love me some 90210. And yes, I'm a bit excited about the new show - 90210 - its coming back on. Rob Estes is in it but my girl Kelly is in it too - Jennie Garth. I can't wait to see it. I'm sure I'll be a bit disappointed since you can't ever redo something so fantastic. I mean - who remembers Saved By the Bell - the New Class? Not as good right? So - hopefully they won't disappoint. The story is Brenda will be back too - and maybe Donna - she backed out because she wasn't going to make as much money - but maybe that will change. I hope so - I'm a Donna fan now - even when she making the ugly crying face she is right now as David declares his love to her.

Ok - enough already right?? Well, not really. I'm so ready for the new shows to come on. Lipstick Jungle, ER, House, Life - and then some new ones - the one with Christian Slater (i can't remember the name) and Fringe - which has Joshua Jackson in it - OH i love him too!

Ok - that's really all now. I've got a meeting tomorrow morning and a ribbon cutting at Scrap Etc tomorrow. WOO HOO. Then maybe a Cub Scout meeting tomorrow evening. We're thinking about it for Cole - if he's interested. We'll see. Jason starts school tomorrow night, so he'll miss the meeting - I hate that.

Ok - now, just so you know - David and Donna are married - YEAH - and the whole crowd cheers - and cries! AWWW

how many paragraphs did I just start with OK???

too many!

I'm outta here
lisa

i said a hip hop

the hippie the hippie

to the hip hip hop, a you dont stop

the rock it to the bang bang boogie say up jumped the boogie

to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat

Nope - I haven't lost my mind. But thanks for being concerned. I get this song in my head anytime I think about this:

>>>>>>Wrappers Delight<<<<<<

I love Christmas. I love putting up the Christmas Tree super early. I love wrapping presents all pretty, although I tend to just do more plain wrapping now a days - back in the day though my wrappings were as much of a gift as the gift was. I love Christmas music. I love driving around looking at Christmas lights. I love it all. Oh, I love Christmas presents too!

And I love Christmas projects. I love to make things Christmasy. I guess that goes back to the days of younger years when we made Christmas ornaments for the tree. I just love it.

So go check out Wrappers Delight - one class peek has already been given by the wonderfully talented Virginia. She totally rocks. I love her classes - they are always fun - they always push me outside of what I would normally do. I've learned to layer layer layer from her. I've learned that most of the time I just have to put thread through buttons on a page or project. I've learned that everything doesn't have to be perfect - it's ok if a button isn't in the exact middle of a flower or whatever. Her project for the Wrappers Delight event looks like so much fun. I can't wait to see it in person.


On to other news. The next Harry Potter movie was supposed to be released in November of this year - but it's being put off until the following Summer!! SUMMER!! Good grief. I've heard two stories - one about Harry being in a play and bad publicity and junk and then something about them thinking they'll make more money if it's released in the Summer. WHATEVER! I'll still see it but I'm not happy about having to wait longer. That's NOT FAIR.

But thanks to Harry Potter and his Broadway play and the movie being put off - Twilight the movie has been changed to released November 21st instead of December 2nd. So that makes up for having to wait for Harry. I canNOT wait to see Twilight. I've read all the books now and have obsessed over them and thought deeply about them and just loved every page. I'm almost done with my second reading of Breaking Dawn - I stopped so I could read Fearsome Fourteen - or whatever it's called. The fourteenth Stephanie Plum book. I'm not very far in, but I'm ready to get going with it - I want to get back to Edward and Bella.

Speaking of Bella -I was reading blogs this morning and there was an update on the Creative Cafe blog - they highlight a different scrapbook store that has a Creative Cafe - and the one today was Bella Scrapbooking!! Cool name huh? I think one of the owners is named Bella. Cute! Their Creative Cafe was really cute. I love the one at Scrap Etc. I can't wait for the new stuff to come in. I can't wait to see all the new tags - polka dots - YUMMY! And I'm hosting the next Happy Hour - next Saturday from 12 - 2, I believe. We're making something really cute!! I'd show you a picture - but not just yet. I'd rather you be so excited that you check my blog every single day in hopes of a peek! :)

Ok, I'm off - I'm so sleepy. I was out late scrapbooking and didn't get home until 1:30 and couldn't read because Jason threatened to go sleep in another room if I even thought about turning the lamp on - I can't sleep without reading, so I just laid there forEVER trying to fall asleep - it took a while and I was freezing. Then Cole wakes up at 6:30!!!! He doesn't even wake up that early on school days - I always have to wake him up. Why does this happen on Saturday?? So I made him get back in his bed and I laid down with him in there but he would not go back to sleep - I dozed off and on until 7:30 when he proclaimed that the sun really was up now - it wasn't too early anymore. Good Grief!! So we've been up a while and Jason is still snoozing. I'm jealous!

Later,
L

May or May Not

Ok - so I may or may not have been told today about a teacher who may or may not be leaving the school that my son may or may not attend.

The person who may or may not have told me this, may or may not have also suggested me for this person's job, who may or may not be leaving.

This position may or may not be first grade - which MAY or may not scare me slightly.


I haven't checked the answering machine - I just walked it, so I may or may not have a message about possibly interviewing.


ARGHH


For the love..............I need a job - like YESTERDAY. Maybe my husband would not be so interested in Dave Ramsey if I had a job.

Please pray that I MAY get an interview and MAY get a job and MAY NOT be a total loser at teaching the wee ones!!

lisa

I've been tagged

Carol tagged me - so here we go:

4 places I visit over and over

1. McDonald's--- Cole loves it and wants to go every single day - but we don't!
2. Publix - we just keep eating :)
3. Walmart - for all the stuff we don't get at Publix
4. Library - we visit here pretty often too

4 people who call/email/text me regularly

1. Jason
2. My dad
3. Carol
4. Audra

4 favorite foods/drinks (Carol added drinks to this!)

1. Diet Dr. Pepper - with crushed ice
2. ice cream - vanila with diet dr pepper poured over it - or with sprinkles
3. Buffalo Chicken tenders, or sandwich - oh the buffalo chicken from Outback - is YUMMMY
4. Apple Dumplings

4 places I'd rather be

1. DisneyWorld
2. Somewhere the involves a paycheck
3. my studio
4. Ireland

4 movies I'd watch over and over

1. Steel Magnolias
2. Harry Potter ... any of them!
3. Empire Records
4. Ten Things I Have About You

4 bands/groups/musicians

1. Kenny Chesney
2. Lady Antebellum
3. Little Big Town
4. Tim McGraw


Ok - Now my turn to tag:

Virginia
Michelle
and
Mandy

lisa
(oh, can you believe I'm sitting here watching Tori and Dean, Home Sweet Hollywood???)

I'm becoming one of 'those' girls!!

You know - I've fussed about them, I've tried not to turn into them, I get props to the girls who AREN'T them, but here I am...................

I want straight hair.

There - I've said it.

I have fussed a million times about celebrities that have naturally curly hair but they straighten it all the time (or have some fab salon do it for them). Well, I've fussed that they can't just give in to the natural curly hair they have - I've wanted them to do it for all of us curly headed girls that can't afford tons of straightening products and $200 flat irons and chemical treatments.

And now....

I'd rather have straight hair. I mean, I'm ok with the curls most of the time. But last week, the humidity was zilch and my straight hair was good. Tomorrow - the humidity will be back. Just thinking about it is making my hair frizz. Why oh why can't it just be straight 90% of the time? Why can't the humidity stay below 45% all of the time? or why can't my curls keep themselves in line and not frizz out or do whatever they want to do when I'm trying to have a good hair day?? Do they act out because they actually long to be 'straight' too? hmmmm, maybe so. Maybe they are rebelling..............

Maybe I need to get a life? huh? or a job? hmmm, somethings gotta give huh?

later,
lisa (currently with curly hair that will be frizzed out tomorrow with the first sign of rain)

Pictures Pictures and more Pictures

So, I blogged yesterday but hadn't uploaded any photos yet - so here we go! This is the rocket I painted for Cole's wall. Originally it was for the door - but I made it too big. I think I'll try to make a smaller one this next week that will actually fit the door.

I painted the Toy Story logo on a canvas, along with the Robot (which I think is in Toy Story 2, I'm not sure if he's in Toy Story 1 - I don't remember) and the Little Green Alien guy. Cole, of course, wants me to paint all the characters and put them all over the room. I'm just not that good. These were the easiest of all the characters - I drew them out first and then painted the background in and used either paint or Galaxy Markers for the rest.

Here's one little area of stars - we did these on the ceiling. There are three or four little clusters of stars scattered around. I think Cole wants more of these too - it's on the list for this next week, I guess.


And lastly - a photo of the new Design Team for Scrap Etc. Pictured from left to right - in the front - Pat, Amy, Me, Elizabeth, and Nubia - then in the back (ya know, the taller ones) Amy, Mandy, Adrienne, and Carol. I think we have a really fun team and I'm so excited to get to work on layouts and cards and projects. I can't wait!! I cleaned my studio last night and did one layout and started another!


Now, I know there are tons of things that are probably not in the store anymore - there were so many shoppers yesterday. I love this time of year in the scrapping world - Back to School pictures, Halloween is just around the corner and I love Halloween paper. Then before you know it, Thanksgiving and Christmas!! It seems like the next few months are just packed with fun photo opportunities. I always seem to get a lot more done in the fall.

Ok - I guess that's enough for me.

Later, lisa

The Saturday Run Down

What a Saturday we've had. First, I started off with a trip to Scrap Etc. for the Grand ReOpening. The new store is just awesome - and I didn't take pictures of it. WHAT? I didn't!! The store opened at 10 and at 9:30 there was a line outside. And I wasn't in it. Hmmm - wanna know why? Well, I was INSIDE. Wanna know why? Because there was a meeting of the NEW DESIGN TEAM before the store opened. So, what does that mean? Well, I MADE IT! WOO HOO! If I could only turn a cartwheel!! Very fun stuff. I'm way excited and the rest of the team is really great. Great girls (they are all so sweet) and great talent!! I'm so honored to be working with all of them. I cannot wait to make my first layouts for the store!! I made a few things last week just because I made a suggestion and Brittney said 'do it' so I did. But now the "Official" design team work starts. I can't wait.

So, after spending a good part of the day at the store - which was so fun - there were tons of people - I headed home. We have company coming over tomorrow so it was time to clean. Actually we just had some thing to clean out in the garage, some things we wanted to get rid of, etc - so we really did that. It looks tons better now. Most of the boxes are all empty and broken down - out of the way finally. Now, I need to tackle my guest room which is basically my laundry sorting, folding, and sitting-there-until-we-wear-it-again station. And the studio. It is such a mess. I've got to clean it out - seriously. So that's on my list for a little tonight and a ton tomorrow morning. I'm also hoping to make my favorite dessert - Apple Dumplings! YUM I picked three big apples off the tree in the back - I'm hoping they are more ripe now. If not, well, we may not have any dessert tomorrow. Oh well, they aren't coming for dessert anyway - but if they'd had this before, they would know it's well worth the visit!!

OH OH OH - we've pretty much finished Cole's new Buzz Lightyear/Toy Story room. I think we're going to try to make one more rocket, or a space ship for Cole's door. The first one was really too big for the door - I got carried away I guess. Cole really wants one on his door - so I need to try. And I want to do something fun with the Little Green Army Men. We just picked up two bags the other day - one for him to play with and one for my to come up with something fun with - so if you have any suggestions - let me know!!

Ok - I've finished eating my dinner/blogging/checking mail - so back to cleaning up. The weekends are never long enough! But hey - school is back in! WOO HOO - some time to myself (no offense to Cole, I'm pretty sure he even gets sick of me sometimes). Oh and we have Nim's Island to watch tonight.

Later, lisa

Big Day Big Day

It's the grand REopening of Scrap Etc. today! Woo hoo!! Can't wait to get over there this morning - the store looks fantastic!!

Check this out for updated information - and sign up to play with us - it'll be fun!!

Swap Your Stash

later,
lisa

Aw, the first day of school...........

You know Cole was really ready to go back to school. He had no problems this morning getting ready - and going in. It was almost strange, like he wasn't going to miss me AT ALL. Anyway, it was a good day for him. I asked what they did and all I get is 'we went to recess' and 'it was great' - that's IT. No details - nothing about how much fun his teacher is, nothing. We have our parent meeting Monday night, so I'll be looking forward to that - just to get the class details and schedules and stuff. The bottom fell out right when I got there and it was POURING. UGH Cole hates the rain. Can't say I blame him - my flip flops were soaking wet.

One thing I did notice were a few new teachers - I knew of one, but I saw at least four today. So that makes me wonder if they were all 'hired' before they really knew about me (before my long term sub spot there) or what? I hate being unemployed. I mean, I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Depressing!!

Anyway...............

Yesterday a tree fell in our driveway - I couldn't get out of the garage and Jason couldn't get in. The weird part - it wasn't our tree - it was the neighbors and they had NO interest in helping take care of it. My dad and Jason took care of it - but it was THEIR responsibility!! Crazy stuff I tell ya!!



Tomorrow I'm going to get my nails done. I finally get to go without taking Cole and his DS to keep him busy. And I've had no nails for over a week and I can't stand it - I've got to have them back.

Saturday I'll be at Scrap Etc for their grand re-opening! I've seen tons of new stuff I can't wait to get my hands on!!! So much cuteness.

OH - i forgot to post this yesterday - i saw this tuesday night on the way to the library - cuteness!!

Huge News in our house!

Cole starts first grade (again) Thursday so all week we've been talking about things like the first day, the new classroom, his old friends, getting up early and getting ready. He's suddenly grown - I mean he wants to brush his own hair and dress himself. I feel like he's wear he should be finally - like most kids starting first grade should be able to dress themselves, right? Well, last year - no way. He could pull on shorts or pants - but that's it - he really had a hard time with getting a shirt over his head. He's just got fine motor skills issues, and sometimes that rolls over into less than fine motor skill issues. Somethings are just hard. That's all there is to it. Well, he WANTS to do those things. When he's tired or cranky he'd rather me help him, but most of the time - he WANTS to do it.

This. Is. Huge.

I mean, so much of me wants to hold on as tightly as I can. I want the baby that needs me, ya know? But, gosh - he's doing normal things that three years ago seemed SO far away. I mean, WOW. I've been thinking about this a lot today and yesterday and I'm just a bit blown away by how independent he wants to be now - from brushing his own hair, to changing his clothes because he wants to PICK OUT SOMETHING ELSE. He's never even cared about what he wore - not really. I mean - he's a typical boy in that respect.

Anyway - just wanted to get a few things out of my head - and put them here. I'll be scrapbooking it soon - I just feel like it's a big thing to document.

Oh - Twilight readers - I saw something COOL tonight on my way to the library for Bad Art Night - and I'll post it - it was really cool!! Now, you're wondering aren't you? You'll have to come back to see!!

Double Oh - Thanks so much for all the suggestions about chores and such for Cole - I really think this is the time to jump into this with his new found independence!!

Later - L

Lots of stuff ......

Happy Tuesday! Woo hoo!! It's Tuesday! What? Ya'll aren't excited about Tuesday - whatever - I am! Tuesday totally rock. Do you want to know why? Well, first - now that it's Tuesday instead of Monday, I know who the next Nashville Star is - and WOW I was so glad she won!! I'm glad because - really she can sing, and she loves it - you can see it in her eyes when she sings - she LOVES it and feels every word she belts out. And I'm also glad she won because she isn't a little skinny thing and none of the mentors (they don't have the whole judge thing like Randy, Paula and Simon) ever knocked her for her size. I think she lost a good bit of weight while there too and they complimented that. You know an Idol - Simon would have said something ugly about having to reinforce the stage or something. There are so many things about Idol I don't like - yet I still watch. SIGH..... moving on.

Last week the lovely Virginia had this on her blog and she awarded it to me:



Who gets the “Brilliante Webblog Award“?

Websites and blogs of your choice for their designs that are especially noteworthy.

1. The winner can take the logo

2. Place a link to the person that sent you the award

3. Give the Award to at least 7 other Scrapbooking-Blogs, which by its currency,the issues of choice and for their designs are especially noteworthy

4. Put a link to these sites on your Blog.

5. Write a comment on their Blogs that they’ve won an Award.

So here's who I'm AWARDING:

1. Shelley - because when she updates her blog and a little (1) pops up next to her name in my Bloglines - I get a little giddy. Love her layouts - love that she's patient when she teaches a class and lets me just go with it and encourages me to think outside the box sometimes.

2. Amy is next! I love her blog because she always comes up with the most fun things to do in her camps for Stampin' Up. I love her cards. Plus she's been doing some digi stuff lately that is way cool. And she because she's a wonderful natural light photographer! On her blog, scroll down to her categories and click photography and check them out - really good!!

3. Morgan is up to bat now. I love reading her blog filled with little Ari stories - he's a cutie. she was one of the best room mated during the Scrap Etc Event (all my room mates rocked, by the way). I always know that around the beginning on the month she'll have a long post filled with layouts. Love looking through them all.

4. And the next one is sort of funny because she rarely blogs but we all at Scrap Etc really wish she would blog a ton more because we love her! Who, you might ask?? Vanessa!! I can remember going through the Scrap Etc. message board looking for Vanessa posts so I could find her blog link because surely she had one. She didn't!! THE SHOCK. Now she does, but she hasn't updated it in quite some time. I will probably see her today and will give her a bit of a hard time about it!! I really love seeing her work! And I'm so glad she's reading the Twilight Series now!!

5. And the next wonderful scrappy blog is: Stephanie - I'm totally a stalker of her blog. I've never met her but read her blog every single day. I love the way she photographs her and her kids together - so sweet. I love that she's a rockin' scrapbooker and I love that she's so honest about her feelings about being a mom, her husband being away from them and how hard it is. She's one cool chick in my book!

6. Here comes Melita - she's another one that I love to see updates from. She always post the best layouts - love the colors she uses and she's really a great scrapper. She also got me to get out some of my old Fiskars stuff I'd forgotten about and now I love it again!!

7. And last but not least I picked the Creative Cafe blog - I know it's not one person - but I still love their blog. I love when they show one of the Creative Cafe Store picks and you can see how another store has their stuff set up. I was so very excited when Scrap Etc got their Creative Cafe stuff in. I actually just went to the store (with yummy homemade Halloween cookies) and hoped I could offer my unpacking of merchandise services. I'd never done that before - never just stalked the store in hopes of helping out. But I knew I would love their stuff and wanted to see it right away I guess. No one seemed to mind and I hope I was actually helpful that day. I still love the Creative Cafe - my favorite things are the buttons - there's one button in particular that I love and have in many many colors!

Ok, now I feel like I need to say a few extra things. First - when picking my 7 - I tried not to pick people that Virginia named (or anyone else that did this same thing may have named). I guess it's ok if someone gets named twice, but I was trying to spread the love. I realized two blogs I always read (Carol and Monique) haven't posted any scrapping things in a while - so I didn't list them in hopes that they would prove me wrong by posting tons of layouts or projects or something lol - sorry girls. I just love seeing what ya'll make!!

Ok - that's enough from me today - oh wait - one more reason I like Tuesday's - I almost forgot - The Secret Life of the American Teenager comes on. Have you watched this? oh - I love it. And not just because Molly Ringwald and Josie Bissett are in it - although those are great bonuses. I just love it. The main character is just cute - I like her. Anyway - comes on tonight - so check it out - or go watch in online!

now I'm officially done - i have some scrappyness to go tackle and some errands to run today!
later

i finished

so i finished the book yesterday. had a bit of a delay - it seems cole needed new school shoes (which starts thursday) and that was more important than reading - at least him and his dad thought so. so i didn't get done until yesterday afternoon. totally blown away by the book. it was amazing! everything i had hoped for. now i'm anxiously waiting the release of the next book - midnight sun, i believe - it's twilight from edward's point of view - it will be great. and twilight the movie comes out in december. CANNOT wait for that.

so in other news - i've done no scrapping in days! days!! i need to clean up my room very badly. i need to clean house too - all that reading put me a bit behind!! :) I did make a huge dent in cole's messy room today. that boy can drag out more toys in a small amount of time than any kid i've ever seen. i mean - really - i find toys everywhere. he likes to stick them in places they don't belong too. he dropped woody (from toy story) behind is toy chest - an accident? i'm not sure because then he sent all his other toy story characters, along with spongebob and all his friends, and a super mario - down after him, to help him escape. i know this is 'cute' and from the movie - but when i have to move furniture to dig about about 15 toys from behind the toy chest, i get a bit annoyed. the day before, i had to use his mickey mouse light sabor to get the same characters out from under the bed. not anywhere near the parts i could reach with my hand - but all the way in the far corner - his bed is up against the corner - so only two sides are open to us. ugh. then today i'm picking up toys and find the library book i'm missing, stuck under his nightstand - with 6 cars from Disney Pixar Cars - we gathered these all up a while back - all that we could find - and here are more. So - i had to play mean mommy and tell him that he just has to stop sticking toys under furniture and behind furniture. he does this with the couch and loveseat - sticks them between the cushions. so now the next time we find toys where they shouldn't be (under, behind, or INSIDE furniture) those toys are going away for a while. he's got so much and we buy more when he doesn't need it - we weren't really like this before he had cancer honestly - it's just another side effect of having a sick kid - it's hard to say no to him. anyway, he has no real respect for his toys - he doesn't tear them up by any means, but seriously - he doesn't take great care with them either. drives me nuts - can you tell?

i'm going to start on a check list for him - something i can post somewhere in the house - for him to go by each morning. things he needs to do to get ready for school - potty (yes he needs a reminder sometimes), drink your juice and take your pill, eat your muffins, get dressed, pack your backpack, put on your shoes, brush teeth and hair and wash your face. So many of these things I do for him - help him dress, brush teeth/hair and wash face, pack his backpack. he's never going to be independent if i don't push it along. so i'm pushing this school year. he's going to have to be more mature at some point - so i'm committing to making the effort! jason's here in the mornings, but he's getting ready too and he's not home until later in the evening from work - so it'll be me trying to keep cole on track. i think once he gets into a good routine, he'll just do these things without the constant reminders. but we remind him a lot!! lots more than i think a 'normal' 7 year old has to be reminded - that's just how his brain works. this way - he'll have his own list - not just me saying it over and over again. i'm thinking about one for after school too - unpack back pack, put shoes away (he just kicks them off anywhere), snack and homework. maybe even a bedtime check list - bath, pj's and pick out tomorrow's clothes - magic marker (this is his growth hormone injection - we name everything lol) and then story time and bed time. Something else i would like to work on is him going to sleep on his own. we lay down with him every night. EVERY NIGHT. this isn't terrible, i mean we read a story, we talk about it a little, we snuggle - then it's good night and i read until he falls asleep. but there are times when i have things to do - take a bath, iron tomorrow's clothes, etc - and i could use the ten minutes, sometimes longer, to do those things instead of read. i know by now most kids have been going to sleep on their own for years. but we just never got out of the habit. at four years old - we should have been breaking the habit, but he was sleeping with fluids going constantly - so i always felt we had to be there all night - plus if he got sick - you know we needed to be there. then we came home and he couldn't exactly get up and walk down the hall if he needed us - he was still weak and not walking - so we went back to the baby monitor and one of us laid down with him each night. so now it's back to one of us laying down with him - it's a sweet time, but we could do all the sweet stuff without staying in there until he was asleep. i really want to work on this.

and another thing - maybe someone out there has some suggestions - he needs chores - things he needs to do each week and maybe get an allowance for. he can save his money for toys instead of us buying so much. so i'm thinking about putting his dishes away, picking up toys, keeping his dirty clothes where they go - but i don't know what else. what's normal for a 7 year old? what's normal for a 7 year old he isn't quite normal? hmm..........i'm not sure!

oh well - i guess i should get back to house work and stuff - we have to go meet the teacher this afternoon at 2 and sadly we need one more thing off the school list. i hope i can find it - i had a hard time last year and it turns out that what i got isn't exactly what they needed - i wonder what his teacher used them for then? hmmm.....

then i'm hoping to run over to where the new scrap etc is being set up! i want to check it out - i just can't help myself!

later,

no spoilers here

i can't stop reading!!! i'm making myself take a break once in a while - and come check email, load the dishwasher, etc - it's driving me crazy to not just sit and read my book. i'm more than half way through though and all i can say is it's nothing like i predicted, but everything i could imagine it would be!!!

later

a great end to a great week.............

Tonight is the night I've been waiting on for such a long time. Because of this.........

I canNOT wait. I'm meeting some girls later tonight to go to the release party at Barnes and Noble. I have a cute shirt to wear - totally inspired by the Eclipse cover - and a great bracelet to wear - thanks to Mandy who showed me one and made me want to make some myself (thanks Mandy - I really love mine!!) So - I'm excited. Anyone else? Jason is playing golf tomorrow I think with a friend that's in town visiting from Savannah. I'm glad he'll get to go play - he's only played maybe one other time since we've moved here. I know he misses it but doesn't have anyone to play with here, sadly. Anyway - while he's golfing, I'll be reading. Have I mentioned that I CANNOT WAIT!!! I've only been to a release party once and it was for one of the Harry Potter books, I think it was 2003 maybe? Hard to remember. The activities were really geared toward the kids instead of us adults that love Harry. But it was still fun. I worked at Barnes and Noble for a while so while I was there for the release party I ended up just lending a hand and helping out a bit instead of partaking in the fun. But I still loved it. I have a feeling tonight will be more enjoyable though. I'll have my camera to document it all - and hopefully get some good pictures with the girls! I love being able to scrapbook girls stuff once in a while - and oh the black and red stuff I have just waiting for pictures!! YUM

And speaking of scrapbooking, I tried out for a guest design team spot and didn't get it. I've also tried out for a design team but it's not quite time to know about that one yet. My biggest scrapping goal this year was to submit my work somewhere. I've done it three times now (well four technically, but one was a day late so it didn't really matter that much). I feel like that's a big accompliment for me. I've seen so many people get published and I would love to try, but I'm not really there yet. Submitting work the way I have this summer has worked for me a bit better than trying to get published. So maybe next year, my goal will be to submit to a magazine. If I never make a design team (i'll be bummed but....) at least I know I've put myself out there and tried. That's huge for me - I don't normally take risks that way. Moving back home has really helped me in that department. When we moved to Mobile, I didn't really seek out people to make friends with. It was hard. I was shy. It took a while and even then my friends were people I worked with and saw daily, or girls I had classes with once I started back to school. Anyway, knowing we were moving back here I wanted to make a better effort to make friends and get to know people. I got involved on the message board at Scrap Etc and really tried to get to know people BEFORE I moved back. Then once I was able to go to the store more, hang out a bit and go to crops and classes - I didn't feel quite as shy or quiet- I sort of knew these girls online at least - so now I didn't have to be so shy, right? Well, I'm still a bit shy, but I've been trying to overcome that.

So wow - this post was all over the place. Anyway - I'm off to do laundry - have to get my Edward shirt dry!! WOO HOO and then I need to finish a not-so-surprise for a friend and wrap a birthday present too - we're doing another birthday dinner tonight for my dad. Jason's was last week, Dad's was yesterday and my mom's is just around the corner!! Fun birthday times!

later,