live. love. scrap.

Recipe of the Week: Beef-Veggie Chili

2012-02-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

This is one of my FAVORITE recipes!

Beef-Veggie Chili
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 sm. onion
1 cup celery
1 med. bell pepper
1 med. yellow squash
1 med. zucchini squash
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can black or pinto beans
1 12 oz. can low fat beef broth
1 pkt. favorite chili seasoning

Brown beef, onion, and bell pepper. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 30-40 minutes.

I got this recipe from a friend and I believe it is a Weight Watcher recipe. I absolutely love it and try to make it once a month. It's a light enough chili with lots of veggies, so we even enjoy it in the hot Texas summers!

This time, we added some snap peas from the garden . . .YUM!

Valentine Gift Ideas for Teachers

2012-02-13T07:30:00.000-08:00

My boys are taking these to their teachers for Valentine's day. I followed the pattern from here to make this hanging treat box (the directions are very clear and easy to follow). I decorated them with some vintage Valentine's paper, tickets, and red embellishments. Then we chose their teachers' favorite soda, and put some light candy bars in the paper holders. Quick and easy- my 2 requirements for gift making!

Here's another gift giving idea: chocolate covered gummy bears!

All you need is a bag or 2 of gummies, a brick of chocolate almond bark, some skewers, and wax paper.

Melt a small portion of the almond bark in the microwave. I usually start with a minute, then go for another 30 seconds after mixing. Then, you need to put a gummy on a skewer and dip it. Let harden on wax paper.

Once they're hardened, you can remove the skewers and package them however you wish. The gummy bears somewhat resemble bears, but I thought the hearts turned out cute. And they taste. . . fantastic!!! We actually went through the first batch. I plan to make more tomorrow to give out for Valentine's Day.

Hope you all have a very Happy Valentine's Day!

I linked these projects to:
Sundae Scoop at I Heart Naptime
Craft-O-Maniac
Brassy Apple

Quick and Easy Gift Idea

2012-02-10T11:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a gift I made for a friend yesterday. She seems to love Sonic drinks as much as I do!
I got a frame from the Dollar Tree, sanded it down, and spray painted it. Then I printed off this delightful sign from here, made a few flowers from fabric, lace, and crepe paper and put it all together. Very quick, very easy, and very cheap. That's how I roll!

Thrifty Thursday

2012-02-09T14:36:00.000-08:00

Here is my "Deal of the Day" from my thrift store shopping: a drum set for thirty bucks!! I got all these pieces plus a container of loose parts for this set. I am so excited!
Sam, my 12 year old, has been taking drum lessons and using a drum pad (which is about the size of a dinner plate). He's been going once a week for nearly 6 months now. When we had signed him up for lessons, his instructor had mentioned that about 6 months into lessons, he would need a drum set. I've been pricing drum sets- even used, they're pricey.
I figure that even if we have to buy some various parts to make this set complete (like a snare drum, which my 10 year old pointed out that it doesn't have), we still won't put into it what a good used set would cost. It's a good starter set for my beginner drummer!
Have I mentioned how much I LOVE thrift stores?!?

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

2012-02-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

Here's the new recipe of the week:

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 tbsp butter

2 cans condensed Cream of Chicken soup

1 onion, diced

2 pkg refrigerated biscuits, cut into fourths

Place chicken, butter, soup and onion in slow cooker and fill with enough water to cover. Cover and cook on high 5-6 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, place biscuit dough in slow cooker. Cook until dough is no longer raw in center.

Next time I'll add more water so it will have more of a "gravy" consistency. Despite the lack of gravy, my family deemed it a repeat recipe. It was quite tasty!

My 2012 Year In Review Album

2012-02-07T11:00:00.000-08:00

I finally took pictures of my 2012 Year In Review book. I love this paper from House of Three. I would wallpaper my house with it if I could! I also used some tape from the Smash Book line.

I made a book in the style of Janet Hopkins' Junk Books with the binder inside (loved her class!). The book cover is actually an old encyclopedia. I chose the 12th book and sanded the entire thing except for the #12 (for 2012).

The interior pages alternate with scrapbook paper (mostly K and Co) and 6 x 9 manila envelopes. I love having room to add stuff- and I just love the look of envelopes in my scrapbooks! I put a piece of pattern paper in each envelope for extra photos.

I was so pleased with how it turned out. At the end of every month, I'll get the family calendar down so I can write down what we did for the month, then print photos accordingly. This year I'll probably print my photos wallet size since my album is smaller.

Linky parties I linked to:
Today's Creative Blog
Brassy Apple
Craft-O-Maniac
Your Whim Wednesday

Old doors

2012-02-06T14:37:00.000-08:00

My brother surprised me with this set of six old doors-one of them even has a crystal doorknob!

I'm coming up with ideas of what to do with them. I just have to wait til my hubbie is available to help since I'm not handy with tools. I'm not too sure where I'll keep these beauties once they're done. Probably can't convince my hubbie to move to a bigger house so I have room for all my old treasures. . .

Globe Bowls

2012-02-03T13:00:00.000-08:00

My son had gotten this light up globe at a yard sale last summer. But he broke the stand, so I claimed it. I pried it into 2 halves, added a little trim, glued the halves on stands, and now I have 2 darling globe bowls that I can use to organize my supplies.

Here's what I used to make this project. The stands are 2 different candlesticks that I've picked up on my thrifting adventures.

I attached some trim around the edge with a glue gun.

Each globe half had a hole in it. I cut a circle from chipboard and glued it in.

This way whatever I add to it won't fall through to the stand.

Then I used some E600 glue to attach the candlestick to the bottom of the globe half. I let them dry for about a day.

These are going to look too cute on my scrapbooking desk. There is just something about globes that makes me happy:)
This tutorial is a part of the Sundae Scoop link party, Get Your Craft On Tuesday, Brassy Apple, Your Whim Wednesday and Craft-O-Maniac Monday.

Thrifty Thursday with a Tutorial

2012-02-02T19:35:00.000-08:00

On my thrift store rounds this week, I only picked up a few things. I got a 6 pack of photos from the 1950s for a quarter! It's a nice set of someone's baby turning one. Don't know yet what I'm going to do with them, but I couldn't just leave them there in the store.
I also found this pretty glass plate for $.75 and this tiny vase for $.25. I went home, washed and dried them, then prepared to make a raised dessert tray. This is such an easy project. I've done it with small China plates and glass candlesticks as well.

You just apply some E600 glue to the lip of the vase (or you could use a candlestick).

Stick the vase to the center of the bottom of the plate.

You'll need to leave it upside down for about a day before you use it.

Voila!

I thought this would make a nice hostess gift. If you get invited over for dinner, you can bring dessert on on of these babies, then let your hostess keep the dessert plate. A cute (and inexpensive) way to show your thanks!

Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

2012-01-31T13:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a recipe we made for Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin (from Gooseberry Patch).
I love Crock Pot recipes- smelling the food cooking all day, then the illusion that I hardly had to do any prep for the meal (although I did; it was just earlier in the day!).

1 pork tenderloin
garlic salt
pepper
1 can each of Golden Mushroom, French Onion, and Cream of Mushroom

Put tenderloin in the Crock Pot. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. Mix the 3 cans of soup together and pour over the meat. Cook all day (4-6 hours) and serve meat with gravy over mashed potatoes or rice.

This tastes good with mashed potatoes and buttered green beans. I love easy meals that taste good, too!

Heart garland

2012-01-30T16:19:00.000-08:00

To create this heart garland, you'll need an old book that you can cut up, a stapler, scissors, ribbon, twine, and a paper trimmer. Cut at least 36 1 inch strips of book text. You'll also need little pieces about 1 inch by 1/4 inch (these will be the tabs that stick out of the hearts to which we'll attach the ribbon).

Take 3 strips together and fold them in half.

Take a small tab, fold it in half, then stick it open side down into the folded side of the paper strips. Staple together as shown.

Fold each piece down to form 3 hearts.

Staple at the bottom, Cut off the excess paper at the bottom of the heart below the staple.

Attach ribbon to each heart then attach to twine. I tied a knot around each ribbon so my hearts would stay in place.

Hang up and admire!

I also made one out of pages from a comic book. It's pretty cute, too!

I linked up with Craft-O-Maniac Monday Link Party and Get Your Craft on Tuesday. Thanks for stopping by!!

Thrifty Thursday

2012-01-26T20:29:00.000-08:00

Here's what I scored at the thrift stores this week.

Books were only 2 for a quarter. I just can't pass them up when they are that cheap! I got a bag full of the Reader's Digest books with the beautiful covers. I am going to feature projects with books coming up here on the blog.

The other great deal I got is this pack of Brides Bookmarks. They say things like "Like it," "Love it," and "Possibilities." They cost 25 cents. I thought they were a lot like the tabs I have for my Smash album (in photo above) and that's where I plan to use them.

I love searching for treasures in thrift stores.

Valentine banner

2012-01-24T18:17:00.000-08:00

Here's a simple banner idea using playing cards, a few letters, twine, and some various embellishments.

Since it's Valentine's themed, I chose cards from the hearts suit. Then I decided what word I was going to use and grabbed a handful of red and pink embellishments. My favorite go-to embellishments are buttons, tickets, lace, and flowers.
After placing the letters and embellishing the cards, I punched holes in the corners and placed them on twine. I did add a card to either end with photos of the boys and of Phil and I.

This took about 30 minutes and is very inexpensive to make. (As a matter of fact, I picked up a pack of cards for a quarter at the thrift store the other day.)

This would be cute with a birthday theme, family theme- the possibilties are endless!

I linked this with Get Your Craft On at Today's Creative Blog, Sundae Scoop , Your Whim Wednesday and at Brassy Apple.

A Class I'm Taking- and Recommending!

2012-01-17T19:50:00.000-08:00

I am very excited to be signed up for a year long class from Stephanie Ackerman aimed to help me stay focused and be more productive with my scrapbooking. (I do believe you can still sign up for this class- and I highly recommend it!) I did get a late start preparing my binder for the course, but here it is. . . ready. . . finally!:)

I purchased an 8"x9" binder and covered it. Then I cut down file folders for my dividers for each month. For the filler papers, I cut to size several different types of papers:

sheet music

ledger paper

baseball play book

old school attendance book

French workbook

German road map

vintage dictionary pages

handwriting paper

I'm really excited about the eclectic look with the variety of papers. Hopefully they won't be too distracting when stuff is added to them.

This is my January divider. I only took abut 10 minutes to put it together (as she recommended).

This is my first layout. We were supposed to use words to describe ourselves. I had a great time finding word stickers that would work!

I am so looking forward to this year long project. It has already started bringing me out of my creative slump! Thank you Stephanie!

This week's new recipe

2012-01-12T19:53:00.000-08:00

One thing I thought I'd try this year is a new recipe every week. This week it was Deep Dish Pizza Casserole. It was good and very filling. The recipe is for an 8"x 8" dish. I didn't think that would be enough for my family, so I doubled it. There was no need to have done that. This recipe is so thick, an 8"x 8" pan would have fed all four of us.

Deep Dish Pizza Casserole

1 lb beef
8 oz can tomato sauce
6 oz can tomato paste
14 oz can pizza crust dough
6 slices mozzarella cheese

Cook meat. Drain. Add sauce and paste. Cook until heated.
Grease an 8"x 8" dish. Press dough on bottom and halfway up the sides. Place 3 pieces of cheese on the dough. Top with the meat mixture. Bake uncovered at 425 x 12 minutes. Top with remaining cheese. Bake another 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.

We all really enjoyed it and decided it would be a "repeat recipe" (code for "Make it again, Mom!).
Note: I added some seasonings to the meat as it cooked- Lawry's Seasoned Salt, garlic salt, pepper, and Italian Seasoning. I mistakenly bought sliced Swiss cheese instead sliced Mozzarella and I used that on the bottom layer. Then I topped it with shredded Mozzarella cheese and shredded Cheddar cheese. I figure you can't go wrong with cheese on pizza! I also cut up a green onion for my husband's piece.

Unfortunately, I cannot remember the source of this recipe.

Month by Month Scrapbooks

2012-01-03T18:11:00.000-08:00

Two years ago, I started keeping a month by month scrapbook. I started out by creating an album with 12 layouts. Each layout had the month printed on it and contained a journaling box for which I used to write down what we did for the month. It was basically a list I compiled from our family calendar.

Some months are packed and I have lots of photos which I cropped to make fit or added an extra page to that month.

The first year, it was a smaller album made of a clipboard cut in half. Every other page was a large note card with a 6"x9" envelope for the alternating pages. This gave me room to keep extra mementos from the month (2 months shared an envelope). This was a nice size although all the photos had to be majorly cropped or printed out wallet size.

the cover

the title page

July's layout

The next year I used an album from a kit. This was a somewhat larger format and had room for more and larger photos.

cover August's layout

This type of scrapbooking is very "freeing" as I am able to cover our entire month's activies in 1 layout and our entire year's activities in only 12 layouts. At the end of the month, I just print the photos, grab a few embellishments, use my calendar for documentation.

This past year this was really the only scrapbooking I have done.

Stay posted for photos of this year's album- made from the cover of an encyclopedia!

This post was linked to Get Your Craft On Tuesday on Today's Creative Blog

Teacher Appreciation Week

2011-05-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

I know that Teacher Appreciation Week was 2 weeks ago, but I'm just now posting pics of the projects I made.

On Monday, the boys took their teachers map bangle bracelets. Sam's teacher is from England, so I chose a map with the U.K. on it.

On Tuesday, Sam took his teacher a clipboard. (Ethan's teacher actually had Sam last year, so she has already received a clipboard.) She got this school themed purse size notebook.

On Wednesday, they each got a pail full of goodies. These were just regular pails that I found in the Target dollar aisle that I covered with strips of map (can you tell I like maps?).

Then on Thursday, the boys took school themed subway art. I downloaded the image from

www.eighteen25.blogspot.com. (rockin' blog full of rockin' ideas, by the way!) My hubbie spray painted a couple of frames, and voila! Pretty cute gift!

On Friday, the boys took each teacher a school themed mini album- ready for the teachers to add their own photos and memories from their years of teaching. I hope they won't feel overwhelmed by this!

On a different note, my hubbie and I took the boys to see Thor yesterday. What a great movie! We all really enjoyed it. It was funny, easy to follow (even for me- a girl who has no knowledge of Thor:), and the actor who played Thor- let me just say, "Whoo!"

One ought every day to hear a little music, read a good poem, see a fine picture and , if possible , speak a few reasonable words.

-Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

2011-02-08T20:07:00.000-08:00

Here's a little something I made out of some vintage spools I picked up at a thrift store. I wrapped the spools with pattern paper and sheet music, stuck pencils out the top (covered them with twine), and attached hearts that I had cut out with my Coluzzle.
Got the idea from a Christmas set that I saw on this rockin' blog:
http://www.scrappergirl.typepad.com

Birthday boy

2010-12-01T20:03:00.000-08:00

This beautiful boy turned 11 today. It was not that long ago when he followed me around chattering to me with his little chipmunk voice and drinking out of a sippy cup. Now he won't even give me a kiss in front of school anymore. Where does the time go?

He is such a blessing to our family. He's very good natured, easily entertained, very bright, and has a wonderful sense of humor. God was smiling when He gave us this bundle of joy. I say prayers of thanks everyday for this boy- and his brother, of course.

On another note, one of my favorite blogs, "Today's Creative Blog" has "Get Your Craft On" Tuesdays. I linked up one of my projects. You can check the blog out here: www.todayscreativeblog.net

This blog rocks!!! Nearly everyday a different creative blog is featured. For a blog surfing fanatic like me, this is superb!

In my kitchen

2010-11-23T20:01:00.000-08:00

This is a wall in my kitchen. I've had the old Coke bottle wooden thing hung up for awhile filled with my spices. The other day, I thought I'd like to have my vintage aprons out in view. My hubbie screwed some clothespins to the wall and voila-old aprons on display!

Craft show

2010-11-09T20:32:00.001-08:00

I spent last Saturday with a booth at a craft show at the local high school. I had a good time and met some nice people. I'm anxious and excited to get new faces in some of my classes!

Countdown to Christmas Album

2010-11-02T20:21:00.000-07:00

I am so excited! I have finally finished my December Daily album (based on Ali Edwards' idea). This will be my third year to do this type of album. It is such a fun way to show all the festivities that occur leading up to Christmas.
On another note, I am having a difficult time sitting as I type this. Somehow my little darlings have messed my desk chair in a way where unless I balance just right, I'll either topple over frontwards or nearly flip over backwards. Seriously. Neither boy is claiming responsibility. I wonder why. . .:)

Halloween goodies

2010-10-28T18:55:00.000-07:00

Made these little cuties for the boys' teachers. I traced a McDonald's french fry box on Halloween paper. The tags say "Witching you a Happy Halloween!"

Quality time

2010-10-25T19:50:00.001-07:00

Three against one- the boys and the dog wrestling with their daddy. Don't know who was having the most fun. Love this photo.

Scrapping on an envelope

2010-10-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

Here's another idea for utilizing envelopes in scrapbooking.
I grabbed one of the white 9 x 12 inch envelopes leftover from the last project I discussed. I ran one line of stitching about 3/4 of the way down (second picture) to keep my items from falling too far down in the envelope. After choosing which side I wanted to be on front, I covered it with a piece of ledger paper, a couple pieces of pattern paper, and a few photos. I added a title and hand stamped some journaling. I chose to use this for our Father's Day photos. The cards that the boys made went right in the pocket. This is the first time I've made a layout focusing on Father's Day. My favorite part, other than the few cents that it took to make this, is that the cards fit right in the layout. Maybe I'll start a tradition of envelope layouts for Father's Day- just using a different envelope every year!

Easy scrapbook

2010-10-07T18:54:00.000-07:00

(the cover)

I was asked to make a honeymoon scrapbook for a young couple at church. So I went to Big Lots and bought this pack of envelopes and some embellishments, then went to Michaels and got a few pieces of matching pattern paper. I took 2 envelopes, folded them in half, cut 2 pieces of pattern paper to size, folded them in half and placed them in between the envelopes. I punched holes in the binding and bound it all with ribbon. Then I went through with paper scraps and love themed stickers to decorate the pages. Voila! A cute scrapbook ready for photos!

interior pages

pocket page

I placed 2 pieces of chipboard in the first envelope before sealing it, so the cover would be sturdy.
This is a fun scrapbook to make- very easy, and you can use items you already have to create it!

hilarious!

2010-10-04T19:23:00.000-07:00

These boys just crack me up. The other day while driving in the car, Sam, my older son, asked, "Dad, how do blind people drive?" Before we could even answer him, his younger brother Ethan very seriously said, "Sam! That's why they have the dogs!!!"

He was serious. I explained that is not what seeing eye dogs are for.

I don't know if I have ever laughed so hard at those boys!

Gift wrapping idea

2010-09-28T19:09:00.000-07:00

The boys were invited to a couple of birthday parties this month, and even though I have 2 boys, I didn't have any boy-themed wrapping paper. So I grabbed an old map (which I picked up at the thrift store for $.10) and used it for wrapping paper. Then I finished it off with some twine and an aged manilla tag. Voila!
I would be tickled pink to get a gift like this- and I'd probably very carefully take the map off so I could use it for something else:)

School Scrapbook

2010-09-21T19:54:00.000-07:00

I am nearly finished putting together the kits for my

next class. I love setting out the piles and creating the kits. Has something to do with my need for things to be organized, I think:)

For this school themed album, I used a vintage style crayon box as a cover and carried out a vintage school theme throughout- even embellishments from a Dick and Jane book! I plan to put my mom's school pictures and memories in this.

I was actually finished with the example until a trip to Archivers this morning- had to find spaces to add a couple things. I just can't pass up cute school themed papers!
I should have the kits finished up by tomorrow. I don't realize how much goes into a mini album until I go to make the kits!

(interior page of the album)

Front Entry Project

2010-09-04T20:03:00.001-07:00

I've had this old door hanging in my front entry for

awhile. I've been trying to figure out how to display photos on it. This is what I've finally come up with.

My hubbie helped me hang old clipboards evenly spaced out. Then I put an 81/2 x 11 page protector on

each clipboard before placing an 8x10 photo in each protector. That way the protector not only protects the photos from the environment, but also keeps it from getting a mark from the clip on the clipboard. Quick and easy- once I made my mind up!

New Classes!

2010-08-15T18:57:00.000-07:00

I am back on the bandwagon! I have examples made for my next 2 classes. I'm planning a school themed album (pics to come) and "A Day In My Life." This one has room for lots of photos. I had a good time carrying my camera around for the day to capture a day in our lives. I wish I had one of these from when my kiddos were younger- lately I've really been missing those toddler days!

The Gold Standard of Yard Sales

2010-08-14T20:57:00.000-07:00

I love going to yard sales and thrift stores looking for goodies that I can use for crafting. Today was an awesome day- as a matter of fact, it was a gold standard of yard sale shopping. I scored a vintage typewriter for $2. I got 2 good size wooden shutters for $1 each (they will possibly become message centers). I also got this rockin' park bench chair for $5. How cool is this? I also got one of those old fold out rulers for a quarter! Don't know yet what I'll do with it, but the possibilites are endless!

Believe it or not, my hubbie and kids came with and they had a great time! The boys found 2 pairs of nunchucks and asked if they could get them. Not wanting to be the bad guy, I told them to ask their dad. He let them get them! I really thought he had my back on this issue:)

Awesome thrifting finds

2010-06-29T19:56:00.001-07:00

Well, I got to visit the thrift stores today and I got some excellent buys. I got this entire bolt of red ribbon for $.50! And the brand new book full of ledger paper- $.50 too! I nearly danced out of that store! Other awesome buys today: a
French workbook, a novel written in some far off language (which is Asian of some sort and looks just beautiful in print! Will make gorgeous paper flowers), and a copy of Child's First Encyclopedia from 1971 (I love old children books- especially ones that I can use for projects!).

Travel Album class

2010-06-22T20:11:00.000-07:00

Had a nice small group get together tonight to make a travel journal. Only took 2 hours and we had a great time!

I'm really looking forward to taking trips so I can get some photos in here!

Quick and easy project

2010-06-09T18:45:00.001-07:00

Instructions for a quick and easy mini album featuring a trip:

1. Gather various pamphlets, business cards, and a gift bag while on your trip.

2. Cut the bottom flap off the bag, then cut straight up both short sides of the sack. Glue the flaps down (this reinforces the strength of the cut bag). These two halves of the paper bag will be your front and back cover.

3. Place the pamphlets and other items in random order. These will be the pages of the scrapbook. Because every page is different, they won't all be the same size.(I also used 2 partial sheets of pattern paper.)

4. Bind the album. (I used simple office rings- 5 of them to ensure all the business cards and pamphlets would stay securely in the book.)

5. Add photos and journaling. (My journaling consisted mainly of a list of what we did each day with little comments about some of the photos.)

6. Add your title.

Voila! A simple, yet very cute way to showcase photos from your trip!

This album is from my girls' trip. A couple friends from nursing school and I try to take a trip together every year. This year, we went to Fredericksburg. We had a great time! And now in just a couple of hours' time, I have a darling memento of our adventure.

Summer

2010-06-08T17:59:00.000-07:00

Ahh, the boys finished school last week. I'm really looking forward to having them home all summer. Sure it's louder and messier around here, but I wouldn't trade it for anything!

The boys gave their teachers an appreciation jar on the last day of school. I popped in at lunch one day and got all their classmates to write a note to their teachers and I put all the notes in the jars. I knew the boys had great teachers and reading these notes just reinforced that fact!

To celebrate the end of the school year, we went camping out at Brazos Bend State Park- or as we call it, "The Gator Park." Sammy was great help setting up the tent. Ethan was not. He spent most the time posing and asking me to "Take this picture, Mom!"

It was beastly hot, but we had a great time! Since it was only a one night trip, we decided to bring Chloe along. She did great. She bought herself another camping trip! I'm thinking we need to wait for cooler weather, though. . .

next class

2010-05-13T19:25:00.001-07:00

I've been working all week on my next class. In honor of the time of year: Mother's Day and Father's Day, 2 albums to record your memories of your parents from when you were young. I'm really excited about these!

weekend round up

2010-05-10T19:28:00.000-07:00

For the final day of Teacher Appreciation Week, the boys took their teachers framed chalkboards. We added a personalized message to each one.

Saturday was filled with soccer games, then we had my mom over for a Mother's Day celebration. I made her one of her favorite dinners, we played Yahtzee, her favorite game, then we all watched a movie. It was a really nice night.

For Mother's Day, I told Phil and the boys that all I wanted was for them to make me lunch, then do the dishes. I got just what I wanted- and I loved it! It was delightful watching the boys help their daddy. They made Beef Strogonoff, corn, and buttered bread. When they served it to me, they had it in the shape of a tulip (thanks to a cookie cutter). Then they made a cheesecake for dessert. Yummy food and even yummier company!

Thank goodness it's almost Friday!

2010-05-06T19:26:00.000-07:00

Today the teachers got flower pens in pots. I helped Sam and Ethan carry them to their classrooms because, honestly, I couldn't trust them to get the gifts there in one piece.

We spent most the night at the soccer field, so I didn't get to do anything creative tonight. Plus I worked today and every other day this week, so tomorrow I'll be playing catch up here at home.

I saw a sign on the way home that said, "We need to slow down and appreciate what we do have." What a nice thought. I'm going to go appreciate the episode of "The Office" I recorded earlier tonight!

2010-05-05T19:32:00.000-07:00

Today the boys took their teachers a decorated notebook- such an easy and quick project to make! Unfortunately, when I picked the boys up from school, Ethan informed me that he'd had a sub, so his teacher's present was in his backpack- crammed in between his binder and his lunchkit. Needless to say, it needs to be rewrapped before he takes it to her tomorrow.

I've been keeping up with this creative project a day challenge that I've issued myself. (It's actually quite fun and stress relieving.) The gift I had planned for the boys to give their teachers on Friday is going to be saved for an end of the year gift. To replace it, I quickly made up a bunch of flower pens, put them in a pot filled with dried beans, and tied a ribbon around it. Another quick and easy project, but very cute. Will post a picture tomorrow.

Thought for the day: If your house is really a mess and a stranger comes to the door, greet her with, "Who could have done this? We have no enemies."

-Phyllis Diller

still feeling creative

2010-05-04T19:43:00.000-07:00

Day 2 of Teacher Appreciation Week: the boys took each of their teachers a school themed bangle bracelet. I've made several for myself (not school themed) and love to wear them. Hopefully their teachers are jewelry wearers. . .

I also sat down after putting the boys to bed and made my mom and mother-in-law bracelets for Mother's Day. This went amazingly quickly as I had a picture in my mind of what I wanted them to look like.

Recently on the way to school, I was giving the boys a pep talk. I told them that they could do anything they set their minds to. Sam immediately responded, "Nuh-huh. We can't fly or shoot lava out of our hands!"

I guess I should have specified that they could be anything but cartoon characters!

feeling creative

2010-05-03T19:52:00.000-07:00

Today marks the first day of Teacher Appreciation Week. The boys took their teachers a decorated clipboard.

Last week, I prepared enough gifts for the teachers to get one a day this week. It was so nice to be crafty again! I've challenged myself to try to do one creative thing a day. I worked today, so I guess my creative thing for today will be this blog post:)

I signed up to take a class from Elizabeth Kartchner today! It's not til August. The projects are sooo cute! I'm anxious to learn from this amazing lady.

The boys and I stopped at Walmart today and as we were checking out, I told the boys they could get a soda to share. I stressed that if they fought over it, it would be my soda. On the way to the car, Ethan told me that he needed a Sharpie marker to mark it half way, so he would know when Sam was done. I explained to him that since they were both drinking out of it , that wasn't very fair. . . somehow his idea of sharing is not the same as mine.

just completed

2010-02-18T20:29:00.000-08:00

Haven't done a layout in a long time. Just finished up these two. The layout on the left is from the day Ethan had his dental expander removed- a big deal at our house! The second layout has 2 cute pics of the boys. In the first picture, Sam and Ethan are hugging, but in the second picture, Ethan has gone beyond hugging. Love Sam's expression in that one! Love those boys!

my next class

2010-01-26T20:09:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple photos of my upcoming class for Valentine's Day. It is quick and easy to put together.

There are definitely more than 10 things that I love about Phil,so this is just a little taste. I just hope I'll be able to wait until V. Day to give it to him!

odds and ends

2010-01-19T19:43:00.001-08:00

Well, everybody seemed to enjoy the album the other night. It's really quite an easy concept. One layout per month- with as few or as many photos as you'd like. The cover is simply a clipboard cut in half. The interior pages are large index cards alternating with 6x9 envelopes. Embellishments include a swirl painted on with a foam stamp and a couple of strips of pattern paper.

I've got a couple more classes in the works- a Valentine's themed one and a memory/ vintage-y one.

Tonight, I finally used a Christmas gift that I received- a body exfoliating scrub. My skin feels fantastic and smells so good, and somehow I think my skin looks like a lighter color!

I got a pair of those new walking shoes by Sketchers. I wore them around the house tonight- my feet are sore, but I think that's more from wearing shoes for 14 hours today and being on my feet most of that time. Anyway, I'm going to wear the new shoes to work tomorrow. I'm anxious to put them to the test.

Here's a blog I've started following lately. I love this lady's work. Actually, it's where I got the idea to use a clipboard as a scrapbook cover. http://mollyirwin.typepad.com/

latest project

2010-01-14T17:26:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow night is the monthly crop at church. We used to do a different project every month for a make and take. This year, we're going to start a "Year In Review" scrapbook. Each month, everybody will complete one layout so at the end of the year, each lady will have a completed album. Our group has grown since last year, and we all look forward to our "Girls' Night Out."

I've also been working on two mini albums for upcoming classes. I'm really excited about both of them. I'm hoping to put on the finishing touches tonight after I get the fellas in bed.

goals for the new year

2010-01-12T19:04:00.000-08:00

I am not one to make new year's resolutions, as they never seem to "stick." However, I do have some goals for myself this year:

1. This one is obvious- to blog more often.

2. To become a stronger Christian

3. To watch my temper (which will in turn help me be a better wife and mother)

4. To lose some weight

5. To get my business of teaching

scrapbooking reallly rolling

and finally 6. To get our finances in order

All of these are pretty do-able with a little effort and a lot of faith.

Life is pretty much like a cafeteria line- it offers us many choices, both good and bad. The Christian must have a spirtiual radar that detects the difference not only between bad and good, but also among good, better, and best.

-Dennis Swanberg

Busy, busy

2009-10-12T18:34:00.000-07:00

We took the boys to Laser Zone for their "good report card treat." At report card time, they get to choose where we go for a family outing- usually it is something involving laser tag. All 3 boys (including Daddy) had a great time hiding behind walls and ducking around corners. I was a frequent target as I was feeling a little under the weather and wasn't giving them the competition I usually do. Laser Zone is a three story, very dark building with ramps and lots of places to hide. I'm surprised Ethan didn't get nervous wandering around in the dark by himself. We were the only ones there, which was nice as it wasn't crowded; however, fewer people mean fewer targets!
My brother has been working on getting a website up for me. Very exciting!

back again

2009-09-15T20:33:00.000-07:00

Ah, what a week it's been. Ethan came home from school with 102 degree fever last Friday and was sick all weekend. We went to the doctor Monday afternoon where we were informed that it was only a virus and should be just about done. Lovely. While I am very glad that my son is nearly better, it cost me $21.60 to be told what I pretty much already guessed.

Sunday night he felt well enough to soak in the tub. I got him set up with music in the background, toys, and a spa bubble maker, then I crossed the hallway to straighten my scrapbook area. Within a few minutes I heard, "Mom, look!" And this is what I saw:

Chloe in the tub with Ethan! I don't know which one was having more fun!

I've been having some great creative bouts lately. Last night I made a card for a contest. I'm not usually a card maker, so I felt that I needed to do something a little unusual with it. . . so I made it out of burlap! Then this morning, I cranked out a one page layout for another contest. Whoo, I love being productive!

This weekend, I'm heading out for a girls' weekend with some old friends of mine from nursing school. We're headed to San Marcos for the Creating Keepsakes Convention and for a little sight seeing. Looking so forward to it!

ideas

2009-08-20T19:38:00.001-07:00

I've been looking at lots of blogs lately and getting lots of ideas for albums. Can't wait to get started- do I start with the "He Said, She Said" or "A Day in My Life" or maybe "All About

Me". . . I just don't know. . .

Here's a recent picture of Chloe. She's such a big part of the family.

Sweet!

2009-08-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

The other night, we were invited by some friends to go to an Astros game in a suite. Let me tell you, it was sure sweet! I've been to a few games before, and I always enjoyed them. But this was something else! 12 of us had a room with chairs, tables and our own set of bleachers. The food was phenomonal! We even had an ice cream cart come to our suite and we got to choose what kind of sundae we wanted. Unbelievable! We had so much fun!

Oh, the game was great, too.

2009-08-03T19:25:00.000-07:00

Ahh, the sweet days of summer. Phil was watering the yard today, and Ethan decided to have a little fun. . . what is it with little boys having to stick their tushies in the spray?

busy, busy, busy day

2009-08-01T20:47:00.000-07:00

Whew! What a busy and productive day! I began the day teaching a class at The Scrapbook Village. We made a vacation journal out of envelopes, graph paper, a map and cardstock. We all had a great time! I truly enjoy teaching. The two pics above are the finished product.

Then I got to help with a make and take. My technique was making a layout out of a paper bag. See photo above. It was quick, easy, and only slightly messy (we used paint).

Once I finished up at the Village, I hurried home to pick my darlings up from my mom's. We ate dinner together and watched a dog superhero movie.

Believe it or not, I then mustered up the strength to clean my house! I swept, mopped, scrubbed the bathrooms, and straightened the kitchen. Yowza!

I just LOVE productive days!

2009-07-27T20:43:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe, but this little boy turned eight today! He's actually been celebrating for the last three days! On Saturday, he invited four close friends to a pool party. They had a blast! Phil had taken the day off from work, so he swam with them.

Then we had my family over to celebrate. We watched baby videos, he opened lots of G.I. Joe stuff, and we ate a dinner of his choosing: chicken sandwiches, corn, and tater tots (okay, the corn was not his idea- I just try to get veggies in them whenever I can). He also requested apple pie instead of cake. I knew my brother and Sammy wouldn't eat pie, so I also made brownies. While Sam and Ethan played with the new toys, the rest of us giggled at the home videos. These boys were such dolls!

Then he got lots of birthday attention yesterday in his Sunday School class. He tried talking me into letting him open a present from us early. I declined.

First thing this morning, after I made his requested birthday breakfast of monkey bread, he was ready to open his gifts. We surprised him by getting a Nintendo DS and a couple of games. Our boys have never had any type of game system, so this went over pretty big. He and Sam took turns with it all day. I told them they could have a day or two of unlimited use, but then we'll have some time limits (I know, I know- veggies with your b-day meal and time limits on video games- what kind of mom am I?!)

Exciting weekend

2009-05-17T19:40:00.001-07:00

Well, this was an exciting weekend! On Saturday, I helped with a Technique Make and Take at the Scrapbook Village. I was showing some ladies some tips for using transparencies when my phone rang. Usually when I'm busy, I don't answer my phone. This time I did, thank Heavens. It was a very nervous Phil calling me to tell me that he was taking Ethan to the ER with a hole in his head. Apparently he had been sitting on a gate which opened (go figure) and caused him to fall on the cement sidewalk. (Later Ethan informed me that he had climbed onto the garbage can to get onto the gate to use a broom handle to pound a pipe that was on the roof.)

By the time I got to the ER, his head was already bandaged after getting 3 staples. He was most impressed by his hospital bracelet. He said, "Look, Mom, they called me ED." I said, "That stands for Emergency Department." Oh.

By this morning, the dressing had fallen off. He showed his staples to nearly everyone in church. He was a big hit with all the kids!

My sweet husband is simply the best. He doesn't much care for blood, and because I wasn't home, he had to handle this whole thing by himself. He stopped the gushing coming from Ethan's wound, dropped Sammy off at my mom's, and got Ethan to the ER. Phil rocks.

The boys only have 13 days of school left. Whoo hoo! I am one of those strange moms who actually looks forward to the summer.

2009-04-25T19:27:00.000-07:00

This is what went on at our house today. These boys had a blast. When they were done, I had to hose them and the dog off before they could come in the house! When my husband sees the holes out back that they dug out to make mud, he's going to be quite unhappy.

2009-04-22T19:23:00.000-07:00

Here are two projects I've worked on this week:

I got this printer's drawer at a yard sale. I cut up scraps of paper for each opening. Can't decide what else to do with it, though. Right now, it's sitting on the floor in my livingroom below some freefloating bookshelves.

The mini book is a make and take project I made for a crop I'm going to on Friday. It's a few library cards tucked into a library pocket. On one side of the card is a photo with a list of that person's favorites on the other side. Quick and easy!

My children never cease to amaze me.

First, we went to a bookstore. While we were in the children's section, Ethan, my mom and I were actively looking. Sam, on the other hand, instead of looking, had a seat at a miniature table and proceded to do his homework!

Then at Bible Study, they were sitting under the table (as usual). Ethan and his friend Wallace had two tiny Lego dudes and a miniature ball. First, they were pretending that the dudes were kicking the ball back and forth. Then Ethan got a pad of paper and I quietly watched to see what he was up to. He labeled the numbers 1, 2, 3 then made one that said home base. Then he and Wallace proceded to play a game of miniature baseball! Truly, I do not know how they come up with these ideas!

2009-04-07T17:29:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos of a class I'm teaching at Scrapbook Village on the 18th. It's a "Mom's Memories" book- basically a place to jot down the everyday stories. Should go together rather quickly and easily (I hope!)

I'm finally feeling better after three days of feeling sick. Man, I hate being sick!

The boys and I were eating out tonight with my mom. Sam was eating his ice cream with a plastic spoon. For some reason, this comment came out of his mouth, "Mommy is probably the only person in the world who washes plastic spoons!" (Yes, sometimes we reuse plastic spoons. They're clean. I didn't realize it was such a big deal!) He said it like he couldn't believe that I do that! My mom and I laughed and laughed.

Well, I got the fourth book in the Twilight series. I can't wait to get started reading it!

twilight and stuff

2009-04-02T19:38:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've started reading the Twilight series on a friend's recommendation. And, oh my word, these books are fantastic! I started reading the first book on a Sunday evening. 498 pages and three days later, I was done- and hooked!
I'm now a third of the way through the third book. I have been finding all sorts of spare time to read, like when I dry my hair or while I wait for dinner to boil . . .

Yesterday while I was waiting for the boys to get out of school, I got to the last two pages of book two before the fellas hopped in the backseat. We went through all the stories from the day as we drove home, as usual. Then, we ran some errands. I really wanted to finish those last two pages. So, I told Sam to let me know when the light turned green. We did this for several lights in a row, and I finished!

Then Sam pointed out that there were some cars waiting at a green light instead of moving. Ethan piped up and said, "Maybe they have somebody in there reading a Twilight book and there's nobody to tell them the light changed!" (That boy sure can call 'em!)

Phil has changed from third shift (11p-7a) to second shift (3p-11p). We think this shift may allow him more quality time with the family. So, tonight the boys and I drove out to the plant to bring him dinner. He loved the tacos and salsa, and I think he enjoyed our loud company. Sure, he had to tell Ethan to stop hanging so far out the window, then had to tell him to get out from behind Sam and go sit in his own seat. Certainly, he wouldn't be able to find this kind of company in the breakroom!

2009-03-05T10:23:00.000-08:00

My kids go through phases where they get really excited about something, but before too long, they lose interest. Examples: Pirates of the Carribbean, Marvel superheroes, Bioncles. . . Well, you'll be surprised to hear their newest obsession- chores! Yep, they have been coming home excited to check things off their chore list. Now, before you start thinking grand things about these boys, let me tell you something. They have an ulterior motive. They want money! We've had a chore list for at least a year. Almost every week I print off a fresh one, but it would stay pretty empty. Last Friday, I took the boys to Target and let them spend all the money in their wallets, so now they feel they need to earn some money! (That was my ulterior motive!)
On one hand, it's great that they're finally helping out around the house. On the other hand, it would be nice if they were doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. I guess I shouldn't complain. . .

Our little Chloe is getting bigger everyday. . . and I'm falling more in love with her everyday! What a doll! I'm pleased to announce that she is potty trained! Yep, she stands by the back door when she wants out. If somebody doesn't notice right away, she gives the door a little scratch. Man, I'm proud of her!

Here's a picture of a project I made. I used an envelope and part of a free sample of some Sassafrass Lass paper to create this. The paper felt retro to me, so I used a picture of my husband when he was little.

I'm working on creating a "Mom's Memories" journal/scrapbook for a class at the Scrapbook Village. I'm pretty excited about it. More pics to come soon.

Cute story from earlier. Ethan was singing to himself this afternoon. Here's what I heard to the tune of Take Me Out to the Ballgame, "Buy me some crackers and Applejacks. . ."

2009-02-22T18:34:00.000-08:00

Oh, boy. My kids are something else. They spent the afternoon out back making mud pies, digging holes, and chasing Chloe. They even made a "fort" out of random things they collected from the yard- a soccer goal, lawn chairs, large rocks, a football practice net. . . . It seems that their idea of a fort is my idea of a mess!

I was talking to Phil yesterday while I made lunch. I happened to glance out the window and had to stop my story to holler, "Sam, make Chloe stop licking the lawn mower!" Then I went back to finish my story. Phil laughed and said that sounded like a line from a sitcom. Funny, but that's how it goes around here! I find myself saying things that I never thought I'd say:
"Chloe, stop eating the fireplace!"
"Who put a stick in the windmill?"
"Who hung a dirty sock on the wall?"
"Chloe, stop eating the table!"
"Why is the pepper outside?"

Yesterday, the boys and I decided to walk over to my mom's house which is three blocks away. I filled a basket with games and jackets and hooked Chloe up to her leash. Sugar, my tiny toy poodle, never really walks on a walk, so she rode in my basket. We took off. Ethan got to hold the leash first. Chloe decided she'd rather run than walk. Ethan was fine with that. Then when it was Sam's turn to take her, he only made it half a block before he tripped and dropped the leash. Of course, Chloe took advantage of the opportunity. She took off with Ethan trying to chase her down. Sam started crying more from being afraid of getting in trouble than from being in pain. I think we looked like a mini circus coming down the road! There was a lady out checking her mail, and she just watched us with a smile on her face until we passed.

These are the days! And I wouldn't trade them for anything!

2009-02-17T17:52:00.000-08:00

Phil and I celebrated our 13th anniversary yesterday. We had a date night last Friday, so last night (Monday), we didn't plan to go anywhere. Instead we decided to order pizza and watch cartoons with the boys. When I told Ethan that we were ordering pizza for our anniversary, he looked at me and very quietly asked, "Do we get to eat some, too?"

Ethan and I finished up another project. He was chosen to be the Superstar of the Week in his second grade class. He brought home a poster to fill out about himself. He said we had to use scrapbook paper on it. I looked at it and couldn't figure out how we could do that. Finally, I talked him into a frame made of rectangular scraps. He is very frustrating to work with. He has his own ideas and doesn't budge easily. "But Mommy, I was thinking we could do it like this." or "Are you sure that's how you spell it?" Anyway, this is how it turned out.

This is a picture of Ethan's "How to" poster from last week. The pictures crack me up. Daddy was the victim. When he was heading out to the backyard to take the picture, I asked him to please pretend like he was really trapped. He told me, "Honey, I know how to fall in a boobytrap!"

This is Sam's cobra project.

After all of this, I've decided that the next project that comes home, Daddy gets to help with!

2009-02-04T19:18:00.000-08:00

Wheew! Both boys have had projects to work on this week. We finished Sam's last night and sent it to school today. He had to do a report on the king cobra (his choice of animal) and also do a project to go with it. He and I had a great time working on the project. We turned a small box on its side and turned it into a habitat. It really turned out cute.

Ethan's project is a "how to" poster which isn't due until next week. He is unlike his brother, though, in that he doesn't wait until the last minute to do it. Last night, we took the pictures for his poster. His topic is "How to make a booby trap." It's a lost art, you know:) My boys seem to be experts at making them (I guess it's from years of practice!) He dug a hole, laid sticks over it, covered it all up with leaves, and got his daddy to walk into it. If nothing else, his teacher should be entertained by it!

"A boy is truth with dirt on its face, beauty with a cut in its finger, and the hope of the future with a frog in its pocket. . ." -unknown

2009-02-01T20:47:00.000-08:00

Had a nice weekend. Ethan woke up on Saturday feeling much better. He's been pretty laidback all weekend- not full force just yet.

My grandparents were down from Iowa. They always stop on their way to the Valley, and then again on their way back. We had two nice evenings with them over at my mom's house.

Yesterday when Sam was getting ready to go over there, he came out dressed in his camo pants and hat. I told him that he looked like he was ready for combat. I guess that gave him some food for thought because he came back to me and asked if he could ride on the side of the car on the way over to Nonny's house. Then he was sitting in the bathroom when I went to check on him. A flashlight was sitting on the counter. He asked me to turn out the light so he could "practice going to the bathroom without power." Another brillant idea from my little genius! lol!

Here's a look at the make and take I'm helping with next Saturday, Feb. 7 at The Scrapbook Village. It's supposed to show my style.

Kids are like sponges: they absorb all your strenght and leave you limp. But give 'em a squeeze and you get it all back. -Barbara Johnson

I truly am blessed with my boys. They delight me to no end.

2009-01-30T10:07:00.000-08:00

Finally, I'm posting again!

First of all, here's a picture of baby Chloe. Not such a baby anymore. She is growing like you wouldn't believe! She's only getting up once a night now, and after a trip outside, she goes right back to bed without complaining! Potty training is going pretty well, but we still have work to do. We are all totally in love with her!

Ethan is home sick today. I woke up at 4:10 a.m. to a little voice saying, "Mom, I feel like I'm going to throw up!" He wasn't kidding. Lesson learned: next time you feel that way, head to the bathroom, Mom will meet you there!

Dropped off my layouts to the Scrapbook Junkie last Sat. Here's a look at them. I used the scraps from the wedding papers to make this heart project. I backed an acrylic heart with a transparency, slapped a picture on it, then hung it with a little tulle and silver beads. The other layout reminded me of the seventies, so I did a layout of me when I was little. For a while, I was stumped about what to journal, but once I started jotting down memories, they just started flowing!

Made a family favorite last night: White Chocolate Chip Lemon Cookies. They are delightful! Here's the recipe:

2 sticks margarine 2 1/4 cup flour

2/3 cup brown sugar 3/4 tsp soda

1/2 cup sugar 1/2 tsp salt

1 egg 1 pkg white choc. chips

2 tsp. lemon extract

Beat margarine and sugar til creamy. Add egg and lemon extract. Beat until fluffy. Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl. Add to wet mixture. Stir in choc. chips. Bake at 350 for about 9-10 min.

2009-01-06T18:48:00.000-08:00

The boys started back to school today. Ethan was very anxious, as I expected he would be. Whenever he has an extended break from school, he has a hard time starting back up. Sam, as usual, wasn't worried about a thing.

I put the finishing touches on my 25 Days Until Christmas album (see photos in earlier blog). I am so tickled with how it turned out! This is the project idea that I got from Ali Edwards' blog. She is so inspiring!

Our family has a new addition. Her name is Chloe. The boys got her for Christmas. She is delightful and endearing. Even though she's constantly nibbling on us, she has captured all of our hearts.

No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich. - Louis Sabin

2008-12-29T19:02:00.000-08:00

Whoo! I just love Christmas- the music, the lights, the baking, the shopping, the wrapping. . . but once it's over, it's over. I'm ready to pack up the decorations and reorganize the boys' room!
We had a beautiful Christmas. We are blessed to live so close to our families. We spent Christmas Eve at my mom's. Then we had our own Christmas on the 25th. After reading the Chrismas story from the Bible and opening our gifts, the kids got to play with their new stuff all day! Sometimes we're rushing to get here and there, and the kids don't get much hands-on time with their new stuff til after the holidays.
On the 26th, we headed up to my in-laws' house for a two day stay.
With all the hustle and bustle, I haven't had a minute to sit down and scrap. I actually have two projects that were intended to be Christmas gifts still sitting on my desk! The first thing I'm going to have to do is clean my area though. I always feel more inspired when things are clean!

"First keep the peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others."
-Thomas A. Kempis

2008-12-14T19:39:00.000-08:00

We went to see the boys perform in the church Christmas program. It was utterly delightful! It was a Caribbean theme with singing and dancing. I had already watched most of the practices and helped videotape it, but I was still excited to see it again. There was a huge turnout and the kids did a great job! The ladies who worked with the kids did such a good job. Everybody loved the program!

I also had the delightful opportunity today to help in a make and take at the Scrapbook Village. There were about eight of us who had created a holiday tag to share with the participants who circled the tables and left with a bag of tags.

Thought to remember: A positive attitude will have positive results because attitudes are contagious. - Zig Ziglar

2008-12-09T19:37:00.000-08:00

My church has been collecting new and gently used toys all year to donate to needy families around Christmas. We found an organization in Bolivar Peninsula that is hosting a Christmas party for the local kids. So today, my hubbie and I packed the truck full of the donated goods and drove down to Galveston. What an awesome thing to get to be a part of!

While we were there, we drove down the seawall and through the town. It's unbelievable how much destruction there still is this long after Ike. I can't imagine how awful it must have been immediately after. Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to all those affected.

On a lighter note, I played football with my boys today after school. Ethan could not believe what a good defender I was. Maybe someday I'll let him know that his eyes gave away his intended direction every time!

Thought for the day:
Every day is a new opportunity to make a new happy ending.
-Author Unknown

2008-12-06T21:07:00.000-08:00

Phil and I took the boys to the Lego store today so Sam could spend his birthday money. It was filled with Lego sets from floor to ceiling and had lots of projects already built for the shoppers to look at. I thought Sam would have a hard time making up his mind with so many choices, but he didn't. By the time we made a complete lap around the store, he had picked up what he was going to get- Star Wars sets.

So, if you're in the area and have a Lego lover, I would definately say this is worth the stop!

2008-12-04T18:59:00.000-08:00

Sam had a birthday party today with a few friends. We ate pizza and played at the video arcade at Double Dave's Pizza, then played a game of laser tag at Laser Zone. From the minute the boys got together, there was a lot of noise, laughter, and talking about body excrements. It was a lot of fun!

(Ethan, Wallace, Sam, Garrett, Zac)

I received binders in the mail today. I've been waiting for them so I can finish putting together 2 Christmas gifts. They are scrapbooks made out of a hard back book (with the pages removed). It's an awesome project I learned how to do in a class by Janet Hopkins. Here's the link where you can order the instructions online.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17472296

I'll post a few pics of my albums once I finish them.

Here are the layouts I did for the Scrapbook Junkie Design Team. We were given two bags full of supplies to work with and had to create 2 one page layouts and a card. The first layout- the Christmas one- is different from what I usually do. I used a lot of the product on the layout, and it's very busy. The photo I used is from 2 Christmases ago, and I was tickled to get it into my scrapbook. The second layout was not as busy, and I used a small page protector to make a flip photo.

I've been working with Ethan on not worrying so much. I tell him that it's only second grade, he's not trying to save the Earth. I don't think he listens to me.

I read this quote and it made me think:

I am only one, but I am one.

I cannot do everything, but I can do something.

And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.

-Edward Everett Hale

2008-12-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

I worked on a couple of projects today. The first is my Daily December album (got the idea for from Ali Edwards' blog). I had the pages already done last month. Today I added the title on the cover and completed pages one and two. It's really a fun concept. You prepare the pages and book ahead of time, so it will be ready during the month. All you have to do is add 1 photo and journaling daily to each page. For more info, look here http://aliedwards.typepad.com/photos/december_daily/index.html

The second project I finished up is a mini album full of pictures and stories from when my older son was a toddler. I got the idea from Pinecone Press Tabletop Gifts idea book. Here's the cover and the interior. Very quick and simple.

There aren't actual pages- just little envelopes attached to an accordian fold.

Throughout the years, I've kept little notebooks around to jot down the funny things my kids say. You wouldn't believe how often I've turned to these quotes for my journaling! I just love reading through them.

Signing off for now. Here's a little thought before I go:

Do what makes you happy. . .

Be with those who make you smile. . .

Laugh as much as you breathe. . .

Love as long as you live.

-unknown

2008-12-01T17:51:00.000-08:00

Blogging for the first time today- I'm pretty excited.

Nine years ago tonight, I was holding my beautiful baby boy Sam. He was born at 1 a.m. My husband had gotten me to the hospital at 11:50 p.m. Nov. 30. The nurses hooked me up to a monitor and told me that they would be back in one hour to check my progress. Well, I progressed faster than they expected because Sam popped out 1hour and 10 minutes later! He was such a beautiful and tiny baby. (He actually wasn't due until December 25.)

Today he asked if he could stay home from school since it was a holiday for him. "Nice try," I told him.

Dropped my layouts off at the Scrapbook Junkie today. Will post pictures soon.

Here's a little thought that I'll close with: "Instead of counting your days, make your days count." - Author unknown