A regular blog post

Ok - I know I've committed to the 30 things for 30 days - but this is a bonus post.

Pictures of MY STUDIO - WOO HOO!!!

here it is:

This is my cool paper rack and the storage containers with drawers are the first EVER scrapbook storage items I bought. And the wall the cross is hanging on was bright blue - sort of a neon shade - before we painted:

And below is a picture of two bookcases that came with the house.

Oh - and the wall behind these shelves was HOT HOT pink before we painted them.

the other shelf:
and this is my work space - two table and lots of junk!! The wall the windows are on was flourescent green!!
And this is another shot of the BLUE wall. This huge wall unit was too heavy for the guys to move upstairs and we really didn't have a spot for it up there, so I got it. Lots of shelves and spaces to stick stuff in. The opening in the very middle is my version of the Clip It Up. It's a tension rod with bags hanging on it that have handles that will hook on the rod. You can barely see the bags hanging, but they're there - behind a roll of paper!!

So there you have it!

There is also a closet directly opposite from this wall unit, but that area was still a mess! So of course, I didn't photograph it!

Thanks for all the tips and hints from everyone that gave me advice on storage, etc. I really appeciate it!!

lisa

Happy Birthday Kenny Chesney!

Just have to get that out of the way - (you know, in case he stops by and reads my blog today) and tell Kenny Happy Birthday!!! He's forty today - can you believe it? He sure doesn't look it, or is it just because I'm older too and I don't see 'age' anymore unless your like really young and you have that hair cut where its all in your eyes and I just want to take scissors and cut your bangs? Well, Kenny doesn't have that problem at all - he has no hair! And he still looks just fine to me. I've talked about my Kenny obsession here many times and it's really not all about the looks - I promise, really it's not. I love his music - no matter how many times I play a cd over and over, it's still good - great actually. I love the music blaring in the car with the windows down. That rarely happens since Cole would get blown away in the back seat and tell me it's too loud. But I enjoy it anyway I can get it - love it!!!

Ok - enough gushing on and on about Kenny Chesney. Well, it's not enough for me, but I'm sure YOU'VE read enough.

So, spring break is over and school is back in. I was actually very glad to come back to school and rest!! :) No, I don't nap at my desk or anything like that. We just had a busy spring break. We moved. Yep - we moved into a big giant house that's much bigger than the apartment was. And we really thought the apartment was huge. Well, we were wrong!! :) We now how a larger playroom for Cole that also has a desk area for us with a tv for him to watch. He doesn't hang out in there much yet, but I think he will eventually. We have a seperate living room that has NO TOYS IN IT! Well, most of the time anyway. That was Jason's rule since Cole has a giant toy room and his own bedroom - why should there by toys in the living room. So before Jason comes home from school and work each day, we pick up any random toys that have found their way into the living room to watch Noggin.

The best part about moving, besides the nice big house and cheaper rent - I HAVE A STUDIO!!! One whole room dedicated to nothing except ME!! Scrapbooking, crafting - whatever I want to do is there in my STUDIO. It's full of furniture and has lots of shelving for me to store everything (although it isn't all unpacked yet) and I have a tv and stereo in there (with kenny cd's of course), too. All I need is about a million dollars to buy more supplies. Ok, not really, but $100 to get the new Bind It All would be nice, and then I'd need a bunch of chipboard to make albums and all that fun stuff.

Anyway, we had a very busy week and still don't have everything taken care of at home. Lots of things to unpack - my kitchen is still in boxes due to a little bug problem left behind from the previous tenants. THEN - I almost forgot this - the neighbors daughter backed into my car. My car was simply parked in the front of the house - not really in her way at all. But she was talking on her phone I think, and backed up - right into my van. The van that isn't even a year old! The van that doesn't even have a ding or scratch anywhere except a small chip in the window from a rock. They got our numbers, didn't want to fill a report because it seems she hits lots of things and they don't want her insurance to go up anymore. So they got our neighbors and the dad was going to call. This was Saturday and we haven't heard a word!! The dad walked over to the house Monday and looked at my van in the driveway - without knocking on the door or anything. He was on his cell phone talking to someone about the van and I heard 'about $200 worth of damage' but no knock on my door. Strange!!! Jason says that have until tomorrow and he'll be knocking on their door. They have our home number and Jason's cell number - good grief!! We should have filled a report!!

Anyway - back to school - the kids are on the way in. So i've got to run and go educate!! :) I love teaching!

lisa

Busy Busy Bees

That's what we've been - busy!! Last week we were just busy getting ready for this week and this week we were out of town for four days. We spent the beginning of the week in Memphis. Cole had a check up at St. Jude and everything went well. His MRI was fine - all clear. He's growing too, which is a blessing!! A few other things were discussed, but nothing life changing at this moment. Things we need to think about for the future. We're looking at some programs for the summer, maybe some art classes or something - but that's expensive, so we're thinking about it. Cole does need to work on things at home this summer - getting ready for second grade. I bought a book the other night that's full of work to get kids ready for second grade. So that's a good start. I have some other things we can work on. We also went to the Parent Teacher Store today and looked around. Cole is going to pick an animal and we're going to learn all about it this summer!! We saw cute little tubes of animals in the store and this prompted the discussion of how we could learn about animals. So far, his pick is a jaguar but I was secretly hoping for penguins. I like penguins. Anyway, I'll have my work cut out for me!!

Speaking of work, I'll be working a little for the next two months. I'm filling in for a maternity leave at Cole's school. So I'll be working for the next two months - YEAH!! I'm so excited - it'll be great experience and exposure. I spent a little time there today getting to know the teacher's routine and such. I think it's going to be a great thing. And getting paid regularly will be wonderful!!!

We have our big vacation planned - we're going to DisneyWorld May 31st and we're already counting down the days - 91 days now. Cole is so excited. He's ready to go now and wants everyone we know to go with us. I would love for him to be able to bring everyone he wants with us - he's have a blast. I'm hoping this trip will be even more fun for him than the last - hopefully he'll want to ride more older rides and not just the kiddie stuff. We keep checking out the website and looking at different shows and rides - trying to get him interested in more things. I can't wait - I'm just like kid at Disney. I want to see it all, take it all in! Did I mention I can't wait!!!

I've got a few scrapping plans this weekend - at least, I want to. I want to make a few cards for Lois - that's what my last blog post was about. I have a few layout ideas in my head I'd like to get on paper too. And I have tons of other things I need to be doing - first, cleaning the apartment - it's a wreck from dumping all the stuff in the dining room from Memphis. And we are moving. Yep - Moving!! I have a friend I've known for 15 years I guess. She's living in London right now and needs someone trustworthy to rent her house - and we aren't totally happy in our apartment. It stinks - literally - so it's working out for us and my friend - YEAH! So in the next week the other tenents will be moving out and we'll get keys in a week or so and then we'll start moving in. We're going to paint a little - Cole wants a red bedroom and since he's a little aprehensive about moving again - we'll do whatever it takes to make it an easy transition. We did the same thing when we moved in here - he got a complete Lightning McQueen bedroom and bathroom out of that deal!! So he'll probably get a red bedroom this time. The better news is I'll get a scraproom!! I've already been looking at paint colors - trying to decide what color I want to go with. I instantly thought pink - I mean I'm so outnumbered with boy stuff here - Pink is wonderful. But, I'm not sure that I really NEED a pink room. I mean my scrap stuff is so random - different color containers, totes, etc. So I'm thinking a yummy brown maybe. I would like some extra details though - I was thinking about some design around the top of the walls - maybe a scallop - the Scrap Etc. store had that at their location in Trussville and it was so pretty! So maybe a lighter brown with a darker brown scallop! We'll see!

Well, We're off to dinner with my parents. So, gotta go -

lisa