Happy Saturday

I've been a cleaning fool today. The living area (kitchen, dining room, den and living room) are super clean and Cole's room is pretty spotless. Still haven't tackled our room or the guest room, or the bathroom - wow, I didn't really accomplish much I guess - well, I'm half way there!

We're just hanging out at home. Going out tonight to hear a friend's band (haven't done that in about 11 years) and then tomorrow I'll be in baby heaven - at a baby shower! I can't wait!! Okay, so I really just blogged to see if my signature would show up and stay. I just made this one really quick and will have to do something else, I'm sure - but hey, tell me if you like it and maybe I won't change it!

The Girls Loft

Hey - go check out this blog post by Margie - just met her at the beginning of May and she's fabulous! So go check it out!! She's started this really cool kit club - The Girls Loft. So go - hurry - why are you still here?

lisa

Babies are so fun! And crafting is even more fun!

My cousin in law twice removed, or however that works - is having a sweet baby girl in about 7 weeks. We're giving her baby shower this Sunday and I made a diaper cake and banner for the Cutie Pie. She doesn't have a name yet so I stuck with the last name as a monogram and then CUTIE PIE for the banner. I hope Jennifer will like it and be able to use it in the nursery!! It was super fun to make. Now, my aunt in law is having another girl (this will be number 5 bless her heart) and I'm thinking about making another diaper cake for her. Her nursery theme is going to be Raggedy Ann and Andy and sort of that vintage look - so I'm not sure I'll have paper that will work, but here's hoping!!

Check it out:



And here's a sideways close up!



And I took these before the banner was strung together - not sure why but I did :)



The C - U - T



The I - E and an empty one between CUTIE and PIE



And that's the PIE!!

I wish I could make some more stuff but have no clue what else to do! I think I'll have to wait on the babies name to do anything else. I wanted to do a sign for the hospital room but need a baby name for that!

I used the Accucut to cut my pennants and then a few scalloped borders and scallops circles. I also used the lovely Virginia's butterfly punch and my Slice. It was really a fun project once I got over the 'how in the heck do I make a diaper cake' and after realizing that it really couldn't be done with just two hands (at least not my two hands) so thanks to Carol for lending a 'hand' literally!!

And one last photo - this was the last Friday night at Scrap Etc. A few of us decided at the last minute to ditch the hubs and kids and just hang out for a little while. It was great to have one last night of fun with the scrappy girls!! I still can't believe the store isn't open, but we'll survive!! I know it!!



Okay - i'm outta here. Lots of catching up to do. Have to finish unpacking from the long weekend away. Pictures of follow - got some great shots on the beach of Mr. Cole - the Beach News Reporter!!

lisa

She's crafty

So, I thought I would share a few things I've worked on lately!!

I made this little mini album about the new house. Sorry the pictures are pretty small, but I just didn't want to load all the big ones!!


This was an Easter picture - my cousin and I always try to have pictures taken together - usually it takes about three to get a good shot. I rarely scrapbook pictures of the two of us and thought this paper was so pretty - I just had to use it. I love pink, green and brown together.



This is from Easter, too - my mom did a fun scavenger hunt for the kids and this is Cole finishing up the hunt!



And this one is filled with a few pictures of the girls at the Wishful Thinking event. I had such a wonderful time with all of them. I can't wait for the next event. I can't wait to help out and do all the fun behind the scenes stuff - it's just fun to be creative with all the other girls!!




So, I've been on the computer for over an hour trying to get my printer to work. And finally Kris from Lexmark took care of it. In the meantime, all I could do was sit here and watch as he took over - the pointer just doing it's own thing like my computer was possessed. But, now resumes are printing and cover letters are done. I'm off to address envelopes in my best elementary school handwriting and will have to drop them in the mail TODAY!! We are heading to Mobile tomorrow for a long weekend. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we're going to make it to LuLu's for some dinner over the weekend. YUMMY!! I can't wait. It's one of my all time favorite places in LA (lower Alabama). Lots of fun times there - lots of great memories. I can't wait.

Now that school is out, I'm slowly going to finish up all the stuff that needs to be unpacked and put away somewhere. We really want to be able to park in the garage at some point. Right now, we're doing good to walk through it! Well, I trip through it - it's like an obstacle course to get around the boxes and bins and stuff!!!

I had two interviews this last week but didn't get either job. I am pretty bummed about that. One was really my dream job - the perfect grade level, a wonderful school - oh well. It wasn't meant to be. But I'm beginning to wonder what IS meant to be. I don't have patience for this. I know I need them - I know I need them in many areas of my life, but you know, it's hard to be patient when you want something so badly. I watched the fifth graders walk down the hall to their graduation yesterday and wow - it was awesome. I remember my first group of students at Dodge and then my next group - they are all in middle school now. I miss them. Some were absolutely so sweet - just good kids. The kind of kids you hope to have in class, the kind of kid you hope you are raising, too. I love kids. Anyway, I'm sending out tons of resumes today and lots of cover letters - tons of applications online, too. So I'm just hoping that the perfect job will come along - quickly.

Okay - off to finish up some laundry so we can pack up our stuff - Cole already has his clothes picked out and his toys ready to go!!

Have a wonderful memorial day!
lisa

Happy Last Full Day of School

WOW - the school year has flown by! I can't believe today is the last full day. The kids get out tomorrow at 1 and then 11 on Thursday. I was in Cole's room this morning delivering cookies for their Book Buddy party tomorrow and dropping on his game for Game Day and the principal came to find me (that's usually not a good thing, right?). So she says there's a team that wants to interview me. WOW! Talk about needing a heads up. Of course, I said I could do it whenever and would be happy to talk with them. So at 10:00 I headed to the conference room. Nice interview. I hope I answered everything well. It's been two years since I graduated and I really feel like I've forgotten a few things - I don't feel 100% confident I guess. But, I hope that I came across as someone who knows what she's talking about.

Keep your fingers and toes and anything else you can think of crossed for me!! I really really really really (am I stressing the importance here) need a job - want a job. I mean - I feel like I am supposed to be in a classroom. I feel like this school is the place for me. I like the teachers, I love the kids, I want to be here. And the position is really in the grade level I love the most - so I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that they liked me - they'll decide quickly and want me for their team.

I'm already thinking of ways to decorate my classroom - is that nuts? probably so!

Okay - I know there are a ton of things I was going to blog about and I still haven't. Here's a recap:

May 1st and 2nd - The Wishful Thinking Event - it was awesome!! I really can't tell you enough how much fun it was, how stress-less it was, how great it was - how I can't wait for another event. I really think it's fun to attend these events, but honestly, I love working them, too - it's really been fun to be behind the scenes and help pull the whole thing together. Lucy did an awesome job at this event. I'm ready for the next one already!!

May 14th - Kenny Chesney concert - it was great. This was my 6th time to see him. I'm starting to feel a little like I did about Disney after our second trip - I'm ready to see something different. We'd seen the same Christmas parade two years in a row and said we wouldn't go back until it was different - last time we went (last Christmas, it was different, so that was great). With Kenny - there are things you expect - you expect him to bring someone out to sing with him - a surprise guest. That didn't happen this year, so I was a little disappointed. I love seeing the dynamic of him performing with someone else. I love 'Back Where I Come From' and he didn't sing it. That hurt. It's my all time fave. I mean - I loved the original back in the day - I love Kenny's version now. But, it wasn't there and sadly just made it feel incomplete. The opening acts where great - Miranda Lambert brought out her man - Blake Shelton. We've seen him before and really love his music - so that was a nice surprise. Overall, I'm tired of the outdoor shows - I'm ready to see Kenny next year, inside - it's just better. Better light show, better special effects. Just Better. We may have to take a break from next years tour - like we took a break from Christmas in Disney. Then maybe I'll appreciate Kenny more the next time around!!

We are heading to Mobile this weekend to see the family. We're planning lunch on Sunday at LuLu's - I can't wait for this!! I love LuLu's!! It's just the best food - the best atmosphere. Can't wait for that! Jason has Tuesday off, so it'll be a nice long weekend. Hopefully I'll know about the job situation before then though. I hate waiting.

Speaking of waiting - I have a friend who's child is sick - something mysterious, but could be something super simple - we just don't know yet. So please pray for this sweet girl and that everything is really okay!! Pray that her mom isn't super stressed!! I've been a stressed mom before and it's not fun!

Okay - lunch break is over - but my dang headache will not go away. Advil and Sinus meds - nothing is touching it!!

lisa

Apparently, I'm a liar

I didn't blog one single time all weekend. I did catch up on some other things - laundry, episodes of Fringe, a Gilmore Girl episode - you know, important stuff. Then we discovered we have a clog and spent a large chunk of the day snaking the drain. WOO HOO fun times! Jason did the majority of the work, but I did help a bit.

I also finished the diaper cake and most of the banner I needed to make for a baby shower that's coming up. I'll get pictures posted soon.

I also got a chance to hang out with some scrappy friends Friday night. We had a last minute impromptu farewell. I was listening to Rick and Bubba Friday and they were talking about friends - close friends, friends and acquaintances and the differences between the three. This made me think about the friends I've made through the scrapbook store here.

I signed up on their message board while we still lived in Mobile - I had already been in the store several times, but wanted to get to know everyone 'online' first before attending the event that year (2007). So lots of friendly girls - lots of fun chatting online. Went to the event, was too shy to track everyone down and didn't really make the effort to meet everyone in real life. I'm still a bit shy but I was determined to just get over it. I didn't want to move back home and have no friends and no one to scrapbook with it. I had a great bunch of scrappy sistahs in Mobile and loved hanging out at our LSS on Friday nights. SO much fun. So anyway after moving here, I chatted up more online, I took a few classes at the store, I stopped by the store to just hang out. When we knew new things were coming (like Creative Cafe) several of us just showed up to help unpack it. It was just fun! Fun girls, fun hobby!! I was asked to work on the event team for the 2007 event. I had no clue what to expect, how hard it would be, or what was involved, but I wanted to get to know everyone better and what better way to do it?

So I helped with tons of things and got to know the girls a bit better. I'm so glad I did. Even if it just started out as having scrapbooking friends - I think in the end, I made a few friends that aren't just acquaintances. I'm not always great at persuing friendships. I should do more - call more, email more - visit more. But it's a juggling act sometimes. I hate to neglect home things (like the hubs and son) to go hang with the girls, but hey - everyone needs friends, right? Everyone needs a hobby, too!!

So, upon hearing that the store was closing, I was just sad. I mean, ya - there's no where that carried that exact same stuff, but that's okay. And there's no where for me to go hang out, eat chocolate and play with paper, and that's okay. And there's no where to just spend money that I probably don't really have, that is certainly okay. I will survive that. What I'll miss is running by the store and seeing Lucy (eating chocolate with her) and just hanging out. I'll miss running by the store and getting Kenny hugs from B and Kristin. I'll miss the Accucut - A LOT! lol But I'll just miss the sense of community we had. Just knowing that on Tuesday's, Virginia may run by since the kids are in MDO and I'll get to just hang out with her. I'll miss planning to meet Carol at the store, bringing some lunch and chocolate (do you see the trend here?) and doing a few layouts. I'll miss hosting Happy Hour and seeing people come in and make things and enjoy being in the store. I'll miss coming by there and hanging out when something strange happens at home ( like a snake in my house ) and then being there at just the right time to help Kristin ring up a gajillion people because the store is all on sale. I'll miss going by to just do something real quick and find Vanessa working, Pat scrapping and the table is just calling my name - and then hanging out for much longer than I planned!! I'll miss the customers that I got to know - even if I can't remember all their names all the time!

In the end, it's not the building, it's not the paper, it's not even the Accucut (well, maybe it is that just a little) but it's just those girls. Just the fun times. I wish I had somewhere big enough to invite them all over to scrapbook with me - just to hang out. The store was the adhesive that held us all together. I hope we can be like those Mobile Sistahs - and commit to sticking together -meeting up as often as we can to scrapbook together - do lunch or dinner - do birthday fun!! Just not lose touch.

I'm sad that Lucy is closing the store. I'm sad that the economy is in the situation its in. I'm sad that I couldn't do anything to help. But I'm the most sad over the idea that we may not all stay connected. I know several of us will, but there are girls I don't just see often enough - but I knew during events and meetings at the store - I'd see them. There are girls on the team there that are so so sweet - but when will I see them? Will Facebook be enough to keep us together? Will we be able to get together and hang out? I want to make it a priority and I hope they do, too!

I'll miss SCRAP ETC so much!! Everything about it!!

I'm thankful that Monique had a great vision for the store. I'm thankful that she asked me to be on the event team and I got the chance to get to know everyone better. I'm thankful that the store was bought by Lucy and I got to know her, too. I'm thankful that she gave me a chance by putting me on her design team and letting me be so involved in the store. I'm thankful that I've gotten to know Lucy and every single design team girl, every single Scripts girl, every single customer I've met.

I'll miss it!

lisa

playing a little creative catch up!

So I haven't posted anything scrappy in a while, mostly because me scrappy stuff has been all packed up! Here are a few things I've done lately - in the last few months atleast - and then my mom's Mother's Day present is last:

I did these three for a DT Call but didn't make it (wish my luck on reapplying). I have a thing for Irish stuff (thanks Michelle hee hee) so when I saw this paper - I had to have it. It's not my usually thing, but I liked it!! I hand stitched my four leaf clover - that was a first for me, and now I love handstitching on pages!!


This was inspired by a series we were doing at church. You can turn the heart and the quote in the circle changes.



And Cole loves Spongebob and there's a silly song "Goofy Goober" and that was perfect for these goofy pictures!



Now on to the Mother's Day present:












Those are a just a few of the pages. I got this idea from the Bind-it-all blog a while back. I just used a variety of pictures of Cole through the years and even left a few spots to add some photos as we take more. My mom liked it (I hope, a lot) and had it out on her coffee table!

I'm hoping to make another one soon just for me. Oh, I also made one for Brittney's Silent Auction at Wishful Thinking. So, I really have enjoyed this fun little project!

Okay - That's more than I've had to share in forever, it seems. I've been working every day and have still been creating, just not blogging about it. Sorry about that. Moving into a new house is a lot of work, too. Speaking of work - I have a job interview Monday!! Please say a prayer that this is the job for me. There are four people interviewing. This position would mean so much to us - Cole would not have to move to another school. I would be employed!!! I mean, it would be a great thing - for sure!!

Okay, more posts coming soon - I'm hoping to catch up over the weekend. I'm hanging with some girlfriends tonight doing the girlie thing and will probably be around the house the rest of the weekend - I heard it was going to be rainy all weekend so that sounds like a good time to catch up here!! Pending posts - Kenny Chesney concert (hello - it was amazing as always), my fave store closing (aw, goodbye Scrap Etc.), Wishful Thinking pictures, and school stuff - a little about me and a little about Cole.

Stay tuned for more...............

lisa

Lots to say, but so little time.

I just haven't had time to sit down and commit to the blog lately. I want to do a whole post on the WISHFUL THINKING event - it was so so fabulous. I want to do a whole post on my favorite scrapbook store in the whole world closing - but just can't really put my feelings into words - but it's coming. I want to blog about my job prospects and lets face it that shouldn't take long since there aren't many, but still haven't had the time. This week I've been on a date with a girlfriend, out to dinner with 16 people for a 13 year old's birthday party, and tonight I'm off on a date with the hubs to seen Kenny Chesney (or Skinny Kenny as Jason calls him).

Maybe this weekend I'll have some time to share pictures, some projects and more!! At the very least, look for Kenny pics!

lisa

I feel terrible!!

I've neglected the blog for almost a whole month! Sorry!!! I'm not anyone has actually missed me posting - it's not like anyone emailed and said "hey, blog already" but I'd like to think that blog land missed me a teeny bit maybe?? Maybe not. Oh well!

Not tons of interesting things have kept me away from the blog - just tons of everyday things. Our laptop is in the shop so I haven't spent much time on the computer. The working computer is in Jason's office in the garage and I just don't venture down there too often. I need to catch up on lots of computer time, but haven't had a chance. I'm subbing through the end of the school year too - so that's one more thing keeping me occupied.

Let's see - what happened this last month? Oh, some of Jason's family came up for the A Day game. We spent a fun day in Tuscaloosa then just went home and crashed pretty much. The kids played, the guys played and us girls chatted about Days of Our Lives and Twilight. Fun Times.

Oh - the big thing that happened was the Scrap Etc 2009 Event - Wishful Thinking. I really want to do a whole post on it - it deserves it. I haven't uploaded my pictures yet - haven't had the time so I'll do that and then do a good long blog post. It was really a ton of fun!! I enjoyed every second - well I didn't enjoy the end - you know, the part where it's all over and then the leaving - didn't enjoy that. I was anxious to get back home to Jason and Cole but we just really had a good time. I love hanging out with the girls and getting to know people better. It was really fun.

Now we're just counting down until the end of the school year. I've applied for several jobs - and am praying each day that I get one. It would really be wonderful if I could get a job here in Cole's school. He could stay and not have to change schools, but more importantly - I'd have a job!! That would be nice.

Speaking of Cole, 5 minutes left in my lunch break, then I get to go get him for a little one on one classroom time!

More coming soon!
lisa