Scrappy time

Lindsey and I have had some serious crafty/scrappy time today and yesterday. I have done many scrap layouts over the past few years, but have been real weird about posting them for just anyone to see, I guess I am not real confident in my *scrapping* abilities. I so *love* paper and all the *yummy* stuff that goes along with it, I have loved paper, stickers, art supplies ever since I was a kid, just ask my Mom. My brother always made fun of me because while he was scoping out the toys at whatever store we were at, I was scoping out the school/office/art supply aisle.

OK so this is one of the first posts with one of my layouts, about one of the best subjects *ever*, my girls.

The photos were taken last August when my Mom was in town for visit. We took the girls around town looking for cool spots to take pictures. Lots of fun!

This is one of Lindsey's layouts, she has discovered Hambly. *ohmygoodness*. (I took her to our local scrap store last week, YIKES! She has been cranking out some really cool stuff. She has quiet the knack for scrapping. This is one of her more simpler layouts:

Photo was taken by my friend Marci Lambert, the best photographer EVER!!

Try this!

I made this on Sunday, so very YUMMY! A fresh twist on salsa.

Grape-Mint Salsa

Prep: 15 min., Chill: 1 hr.

2 cups green seedless grapes, coarsely chopped

2 cups red seedless grapes, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 whole jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped (for less of a *bite* only use 1/2)

Sugared Pita Chips (I served with regular tortilla chips for that sweet/salt combo)

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl; cover and chill at least 1 hour. Serve with Sugared Pita Chips or regular tortilla chips.

This is how mine turned out.

The recipe is from the March 2008 issue of Southern Living, if you have the magazine it is on page 123.

Days 9 -10

*Day 9* Molly our rotten Corgi, OK I'll admit it she is cute, and she adores Lindsey!

*Day 10* Some reading in the afternoon.

Days 6-7-8

OK, the pictures were taken just not posted. It's been a busy week *peeps* (Mom, that is slang for *people*, Lindsey taught me that).

*Day 6* (at church/Mally's daycare Spaghetti dinner/Art show)

*Day 7* after it started snowing:

*Day 8* same tree/fern as yesterday, but a little more snow.

I am on vacation next week, Lindsey is out for Spring Break. WOOHOO!

Day 5 of 31

The ever so *cute* Miss Mallory!

I have been playing with some PS Actions, this one has a vintage feel to it.

This is the original photo:

Day 4 of 31

This is Lindsey doing some creative Spelling homework. They get to choose from a variety of assignments to complete their four points for Spelling each week. One of the choices is called *Sound Words*, where you record yourself spelling out your words. This is a good starter for studying your words, speaking aloud always helped me when studying as a child (well it still helps when I am writing storyboards at work to hear how they sound after I write them, yes I look like I am talking to myself, but so far I have not gotten any strange looks from my co-workers). The Sound Words are worth three points, so we still have one point to go before Thursday. Lindsey uses a sound recording tool on her computer to record the words since we no longer have a tape recorder, not that she knows what that is anyway, she was born the the age of *CDs* now it is all about her iPod. (no the cel phone you see in the picture is not activated, it is my old phone she uses to play games , come on, she is 8 people)

Day 3 of 31

*Little Miss Mallory*, girly I hope your eyes stay that beautiful blue!

Day 2 of 31

This is what happens on the ride home after a weekend with PaPa Rick and Grandma Karen. I had barely made it out of town and I look back and see this. She slept for the 45 min ride home, I snapped the shot after I pulled into our driveway (slept through that too).

March 2008: Photo-A-Day

Today begins my March Photo-A-Day challenge. First a picture of my album:

Yes Mom, that is some *bling* on the front. (added just for you)

Now, my photo for the day:

The first sign in our yard that *Spring* is around the corner.

We have a few things going on today:

• typical Saturday chores
• monogramming orders to fill
• working on more paper designs for my etsy shop
• JA bowl-a-thon this afternoon
• Dinner out tonight (David, Mally and I....Lindsey is at my Dad's for the weekend)

Conversation with my Mom

OK so I am sitting at my desk this afternooon eating some soup (which I nearly spit everywhere) and I get an IM from my Mom, yes she is pretty with it for her 56 years, well at least she is after the following conversation: (screen names have been changed to protect the innocent)

Mom: what the heck is bling?
Jennifer: LOL
it is slang for jewelry
Mom: how does jewelry become bling??????
Jennifer: definition from Websters:
bling: noun; flashy, ostentatious jewelry
Jennifer: and what in the hell are you doing that you need to know what "bling" is?
Mom: aren't you the smart one. good thing i didn't go to Hobby Lobby and ask for a bottle of bling!!!!!! Nothing. I just keep running across the word!
Jennifer: you are cracking me up, I am in tears

No Mom I'm really not that smart, I am raising your *eight* year old granddaughter. I am learning so much, just as you did with me. LOVE YA!!!!

We have some teeth....finally

Although you can barely see them in this photo or any other photo I have taken of her lately. Trust me they are there.

In other news we are in the midst of Lindsey writing her autobiography for a school project. All eight years of her beautiful life, we still have two chapters to finish up this week. Spring Break is just around the corner and I am looking forward to the time off.

A little creative time

I had a little time today to create an album of pictures that I have taken of the girls this month. It felt really good to actually complete it. I kept it simple, not a lot of journaling, just pictures and some embellishments. I like how it turned out, so much so that I have challenged myself to take a photo a day in the month of March. I created the album already so all I will need to do is add the pictures and whatever else I want to. I didn't take a photo of the March album but here is a picture of the February album I created today.


I have a few other albums *in progress* so actually finishing one was so nice. I am not sure why, but I like creating an entire album as opposed to one layout. Maybe because you can tell a story with a series of pictures in an album or maybe it is just one of those organizational hang-ups I have. OK, gotta get back to watching the Tigers vs Vols game. GO TIGERS!!!!

Plays hard

This is what Lindsey and I arrived to find when picking up Mallory yesterday.


Miss Mary said she had been playing with a huge stuffed animal dog and the next thing they knew she had fallen asleep hugging the dog. They had just moved the dog from under her before we arrived. The girl rarely naps for very long; much less falls asleep while playing. So *sweet*.

Mamamamama

Yep that's right, Mallory knows my name and is not afraid to use it. Tonight, that is all she could say. Lindsey's first words were Dadadadada. So maybe just maybe Mallory will be a Mama's girl. hehe although she is quiet fond of her Daddy. Daddy's and their girls, what else can you say? They have his heart that is for sure. (mine too)

Sneak peek

A very small sampling of stuff I have been working on. Tags, journaling spots for scrapbooking and so much more will be added to my etsy shop soon. Please stay tuned. If you can't wait and want to place an order or see more stuff, shoot me an email and we can work something out.

It's been awhile

Ok I think I am human again. After battling strep, double ear infection, sinus infection and flu mess, I am happy to report that I am feeling much better. These last three weeks have been tough. It is the first time that David and I have been sick at the same time along with both girls being sick too. It hit me the hardest, lucky me. David rarely gets sick so this was a huge deal. Both of us trying to take care of two sick girls and take care of ourselves too. We managed, just like we always do, we are good like that. A great team. Sometimes it is hard not having family close by that you can call on to help out, but we certainly manage and we are better planners for it.

We got hit hard with several storms last night, this morning we are all safe and well. My heart goes out to those who got hit harder than we did.

I have gotten behind on my etsy store launch, I am working double time to get caught up. One thing that is hindering me now that I am feeling better is the terrible clicking sound my hard drive is making, ARRGGG. I have managed to get all of my embroidery designs, my paper designs, photos and all other important stuff transferred to an external back up drive. David has a new pc ordered and on the way. It was time for a new one and we knew it, this just got us moving a little faster.

OK time to get the girls stuff packed for school/daycare and myself ready for work.

But first a photo of my cuties, Lindsey likes reading to Mallory and of course Mallory likes her Big Sis to read to her. Too cute!

I'm still here...

The entire family has been very sick for over a week. I'm feeling somewhat human today. Time to catch up on stuff. Will post again later.

*Birthday Girl*

Yep it's my birthday!

Happiness

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself "what else do I need to accomplish in life to truly be happy"? I have done this from time to time, not so much lately, but if you had asked me that question 10 years ago I would have had a list at least a mile long. So much has happened in the last 10 years that I can now without a shadow of a doubt say...there is absolutely nothing else I need to be happy. So why? you ask are you rambling about this now? Well you see 10 years ago tomorrow, my *birthday* to be exact, David and I had our first date. I can still remember what we both wore and everything we did that night. I guess you can call him the birthday gift that keeps on giving. We have been together ever since and still going strong.

So in the last ten years:
*I have moved up and around in the same company and found something I like doing
*I lost my Grandfather (I miss him terribly)
*I met and married my soul mate
*I bought a home with said soul mate
*I started a family (two beautiful daughters)
*I became an Aunt
*I watched my baby brother graduate from Army Basic Training
*I mended my relationship with my Dad
*My Mom and I became *friends*
**just to name a few things

I truly am happy *right here, right now*. Sure there are still things on my "Life's To Do List" but none of which impact my happiness today.

So in this *10 year anniversary year*, I have HUGE goals. This is the year for *Simplifying* and it is the year for *Home*.

Back in the saddle

Well we are back in the swing of things, yesterday was Lindsey's first day back to school after Christmas break. She was a bit tired but didn't give us too much grief, she was totally dreading the homework though, I was too for that matter; but it wasn't bad last night, we got it all done before dinner and even had some time to scrapbook a little bit before bedtime. I have been moving into my new space upstairs the last two weekends. I had my craft room/office in a 12x8 room by the laundry room (an addition the previous owners made, sort of a work room) but after we had Mallory we decided it would be best to move me upstairs to the bonus room so the girls could play/hang out while I work. Yesterday was so nice, we were all upstairs, Mallory was playing, Lindsey was doing her homework and I was working. I felt disconnected in the other space, I used to think that was nice, but now, not so much. After Mally went to bed last night David, Lindsey and I went upstairs to *hang out*. David of course got several calls from work so he had his laptop working/conference calls etc. Lindsey and I scrapped. We moved a TV upstairs and have arranged the 70's furniture into a sitting area in front of the TV. The 70's furniture was left by the previous owners of the house, they added the bonus room with a spiral stair case leading up to it, so the problem is they could not get they furniture down to move it with them so now we are stuck with it. I am now in search of a chainsaw to cut the wooden framed couch apart with and am looking for some simple yet comfy chairs that can be taken apart and hauled up the spiral stairs or through the attic, (the bonus room has a door leading to the attic space) Anyway, all in good time. I love the space nonetheless. I still have to get my sewing and embroidery machines moved up, hopefully this weekend, and then I should be set. When it is finished I will take some pictures and post them here soon.

Oh and reason *1,999,999* that I *so adore* David......he has totally worked his butt off to get the upstairs painted and looking fab for me. HE ROCKS!!!

A few of my favorite things

I am trying to adjust to life as a working Mom again. My 1.5 weeks off were *really nice*. It has been hard trying to get back into the routine of work this week. Mallory is back at daycare, she was so excited to show her teachers her *new trick*, she is sitting up.

YIPPEE for her, she is so thrilled with herself. Big Sister will be home today, she went home with J (grandmother) to Ohio after Christmas. David is on his way to pick her up as I type. We are both ready for her to be home. We missed her a ton.

So, I had a really great Christmas, and here are a few of my most favorite gifts, all *handmade*, which in my opinion are *simply the best*.

My *hand* made pot holder from Lindsey:

My picture plate from Mallory:

and My hand painted windows from my Mom:

We had to have new windows installed this past summer and we saved the old wooden windows, which I think may be original to the house (late 1950s) I sent some home with my Mom when she came for Mallory's birth and told her I wanted her to paint them for me for Christmas. She did an amazing job on them, I *love* how she did the crackle finish on the window frame. David hung them for me in the den this past weekend.

*AWESOME*

Christmas Hangover

This was taken the day after Christmas:

A bigger post soon, right now I am enjoying my time off with my family.

*YUM*

Lindsey and I spent all day baking on Saturday. Well she kinda got bored with it after a few hours and moved on to other things like cleaning her room, hmmm I would have rather baked than clean my room when I was eight. Gotta love it though, that is her Dad coming out in her. I did however get 90% of my baking finished and I am so happy about that. Last year I was a total slacker with the holiday baking. I think the only thing I managed to do was the Chex Mix and that is only because David and Lindsey would have made me ride on the hood of the car to Ohio. Chex Mix is a must with those two, forget everything else as long as there is homemade Chex Mix. I was 12 weeks pregnant this time last year, so I really was not up for much of anything except my head on a pillow. Anyway, this year I am on schedule with my decorating, my baking and pretty much all of my shopping, well my gifts are mostly handmade this year. So after....

2 batches of peppermint bark

Several batches Chocolate Kiss & Turtle Pretzels

2 batches of mint chocolate dipped oreos

3 batches of Chocolate gobs

3 batches of Chocolate chip cookies

3 batches of Chex Mix

3 batches of Sugar Cookies

I am almost finished. I still have a few things left to make, things that really can't be made until the day prior to consumption, but for the most part......*DONE*.

Just for fun

Lindsey and me, goofing with the camera:


And look at this *cutie*

*Love* the tootsies, so cute.

*Holiday craftiness*

Here are some of the things I have been working on:

This is the mantel in our Family Room, I painted the canvas *packages* two years ago and made the stockings that same year, obviously I had to make a fourth one this year, (I had saved some of the extra fabric just in case;) glad I did) The feather trees are new this year, very easy and inexpensive to make. I *love* how they turned out.

This is a wreath I made for Lindsey's bedroom door. Very stylish for a *sassy* eight year old.

These are our advent boxes/calendar, also new this year. Got the idea here and here. Lindsey is really enjoying opening up the boxes each day to see what *goodie* she and Mally have gotten. Not all are filled with actually goodies, some are filled with pieces of paper that list something we will do as a family that night, like *cuddle under a blanket and drink some hot cocoa* or *watch a Christmas DVD* or * put on your PJs climb in the car and go look at Christmas lights* with a to go cup of hot cocoa of course.

I am really excited about the holidays this year, so much to be thankful for. It has been a busy year and I am looking forward to slowing down a bit and spending it will my family. Yes, they are all coming to my home this year. Christmas Day will be spent with my Dad, looking forward to that too, it has been a pretty good year for getting our relationship back on track. I am happy about that, esp. for my girls sake.

Going out soon...

Our Christmas card:

O Christmas Tree(s)

OK, so I was talking to my Mom on the phone yesterday while waiting in carpool line at school and she was asking me how many Christmas trees I put up this year, so I mentally go through the house counting them and say twelve, then pause....and she busts out laughing. It was a total accident that I had put up twelve trees, and didn't realize it until I was talking with her. For those of you that know us, you will find this *hilarious*.

Sick-O x 4

We are re-cooping from a household cold epidemic. We are all drugged and ready to face the world again. More to come.... Some pictures to post too. YEAH!!!!

Getting Ready...

I love this time of the year, getting ready for Christmas, making lists etc. I *love* getting out all of my Christmas crafting books and magazines and getting a few new ones to add to the collection. I have several projects (gift tags, advent calendar, canvases etc...) in the works, trying to get those finished. I plan to get the decorations up this week sometime and I can't wait. I *love* it. I usually put up at least 3-4 Christmas trees throughout the house. Pictures to come later.

Happy Thanksgiving!

For this I am so Thankful:
Photo by Marci Lambert.

I survived....

OK, I survived the *birthday weekend* two parties later. We celebrate a whole weekend of Lindsey's birthday, well it usually consists of a party for her friends (a scrapbook party) then a family party which is our traditional spaghetti dinner. Why spaghetti? Well for starters it is one of Lindsey's favorites and the real reason...when we brought Lindsey home from the hospital, that scary six mile drive, the one where you are thinking OH MY GOSH we are responsible for this tiny miracle in the back seat and traffic should be stopped so no other cars can come close to us. Anyway when we pulled into the garage and opened our car doors all I could smell was my Step-Dads spaghetti and meatballs, *SO YUMMY*, he makes the best, hands down. That was the meal we had our first night home with our little sweetie. Every time I smell them it takes me back to that day when we walked into our home together as a *family of three*. Just to keep traditions going, it was the meal we had when we came home as a *family of four* too. Thanks Bob! Your Spaghetti and Meatballs ROCK!!!!

When he wasn't looking I snapped some pics of him cooking:


I'll post some party pics later. I have to get ready for work now.

Happy Birthday Lulu!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful *eight* year old!

*Apple* of my eye

Well, at least one of my eyes, the other is reserved for my little *cutie pie*.