I am BACK!!

I am back and my goal is to utilize this took and to keep it up for my friends and family! I want to share lots of pictures and ideas and just have fun with it. Sorry I took a detour and hopefully you will enjoy my new blog!!

More good stuff coming soon!

I Have Been CHALLENGED!!

Mommy2boys just offered a challenge to me (See comment on my Diet post). She challenged me with.......
you can not buy a single piece of scrapbooking supplies until I lose 15 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love it! This is a huge motivator to me!! Is anyone else up for this challenge???????
Thanks Mommy2boys, I am taking your challenge!!!

Now, is it possible to lose 15 pounds in like 2 days because HL has all their paper 50% off. HeeHee
Just kidding!!

Ready, get set, go!!

1. How many times do you wake up during the night? On an average, probably once a night. Carter still comes into our room for a drink at least once a night.

2. On an average, how many hours of sleep do you try to get? 7-8 hours

3. What day of the week do you do your "major" housecleaning? Saturday

4. How often do you move your furniture to clean behind it? Oh golly, once or twice a year depending on the room.

5. Do you do your dishes by hand or do you own a dishwasher? I do my dishes by hand, and we even have a dishwashwer and we do not use it. Its used for storage.

This is the first Monday Madness I have particapted in, this was fun!!!!

Day 1 - New Beginnings

How did you do last night? I did pretty good. This morning I had a granola bar for breakfast and I brought some soup for lunch!! I am feeling excited and motivated to my "new beginning"!!! I had a comment that suggested we set small goals. So I am going to set a small goal. My goal is to loose at least 15 pounds before the end of April!! Are you going to set a goal? If so please leave a comment and share that with us so we can hold each other accountable!

Here is my dieters prayer for today!

New Beginnings
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!
Isaiah 43:18-19

Food for Thought
I can begin again!

A Prayer for Power
Dear God, thank You that You are a God of new beginnings! You didn’t stop creating on the sixth day but continue to create and re-create this world and his person that I am. I confess that is it hard for me to begin again. I’m afraid to try to change because I’ve failed so many times before. But this time I know: You don’t waste any pain or any failure. And You never give up! You never throw up Your hands, walk away, and say, “That’s it! You’ll never change!” Instead, You are wholly and happily ready every day to begin all over again with me. Just as the sun rises new each day, so do my opportunities for new beginnings and totally fresh starts. Help me to remember that as I take small steps toward You, You are always reaching out to help me and You are rejoicing in my progress. Your focus is not on the distance gained or the final destination. Let’s begin again, God. Right now. Amen.

The Dieter’s Prayer Book, Heather Harpham Kopp

Am I The Only One?

Am I the only one who struggles with weight? Am I the only one who starts a diet and falls off the wagon in less then 2 days? Am I the only one who hates the way they look and has no will power to change it??
That is probably the most frustrating part. I don't even like to look at myself in the mirror, so don't you think I would gross myself out enough to make me stop eating. (You can laugh that was kinda funny). You would think!!
Something hit me today. My husband called me at work and I told him I was not taking a lunch and leaving work early today. Being a nice concerned husband he said do you have something to eat for lunch. In a sad, pouty voice I said yeah a can of soup. I then said, doesn't that sound exciting. My husband then says, it sounds like lunch to me, does it have to be exciting?? There it is, does it have to be exciting??
I know this isn't my only problem, but yes I do think that lunch is exciting for me. I look forward to lunch, where are we going to eat today, are we going out, are we eating in, we start talking about lunch after breakfast because we look forward to it so much. Its a break in the day, its like clockwork if your truly hungry or not its 11:00 what are we doing for lunch. How do you get out of this routine?
I sit at a desk all day long, I don't get much exercise at work. I feel like I run around all evening long at work but its not much exercise either. We eat out several times a week at home. Of course I never choose the healthy options, how boring right!!!!!
Well, I am not telling anyone (besides two of my good friends) that I am starting a diet today. I figure I have 2 months to get a good start on this diet and loose some weight to really make me feel good to start the summer.
I am going to keep myself in check on this diet.
What diet am I doing? Here is my goal, I would love to try to stay around the WW point system. That way I know what I am eating is good. But I don't want to be obsessed with it. A good friend of mine told me about her husband. He has lost 29 pounds in a few short weeks. He is simply eating a light breakfast (granola bar), a Smart One Meal (weight control frozen dinner) for lunch, a veggie or fruit snack in the afternoon, and a normal dinner. This has inspired me, this doesn't sound to horriable to me. I think I can do this??
Are you on board?? If you want to do this with me, lets stay accountable on my blog and check in each day and lets see how we do! If we fail, we pick up our pieces and we try again! (I need help with this one, when I fail I just want to give up!). I have a daily diet devotional at home and I am going to try to post a devotional each day as well.
I hope I get a few supporters out there.
First problem...........................we are going to a Revival tonight, we are stopping at McDonalds on the home, any suggestions?????

Homemade Mini Album

I saw the coolest mini album that Ali Edwards had on her blog this past week. I was totally inspired to create my own mini album from items I already had. So here is my creation.

I made this mini album homemade this weekend at my Jennie's scrapbooking at her house!!! This was so much fun!!!

The orange pages are slightly smaller for journaling (I still need to do the journaling). I used chipboard and covered the chipboard with HL paper (I should have jotted down the paper brand but I didn't). Its hard to tell but I have a pattern for the book. I have a piece of chipboard cover, back side of chipboard is a big picture of the boys. Next page is the smaller journal page (with rounded corners). The next page is actually a transparancy page with a smaller picture in the middle of a 3x3 square, the back side of the transparancy is a 3x3 picture. And the pattern starts over again. I did not show all the pages so save space. I loved using the transparancy page in this book. I definately want to make another one of these soon!! The last picture shows it standing up so you can see the transparancy page!!!
Enjoy! Also if you would like one of these, let me know. I am considering making these for friends and family for a low cost of course!! Let me know what you think!

Mamaw's Sizzix

This is for my scrapshare friends. The other half of the "Jennie's" Sizzix collection! Nice huh!

She has monthly crops at her house and they are so much fun.

Sorry, its alittle blurry!

TwoPeas 3.22.07 Challenge

TwoPeas 3.22.07 Challenge: Today is the 2nd day of spring, officially, What have you done, so far to officially welcome in the new season????

The following pictures are sure signs that Spring is here or near. When the power wheels are pulling out of the garage!!

My boys love their power wheels, they will play on them for hours around the yard or we all go around the block together. The helmet is my husbands "old" helmet from his moped days. The boys love it!!

Enjoy!

A Must Have!

I love this ScrapNStash Apron. Wouldn't this be awesome to have everything at your fingertips (pockets) while you scrap. Plus this would guard your clothes from adhesive, glitter, stickers, etc!!!

If you click on the ScrapNStash word it will take you to the link of where you can buy one of these. Awesome idea! Why can't I come up with these awesome ideas first????

TwoPeas Challenge for Today

TwoPeas Challenge for 03.21.07:
Your fave piece of spring/summer clothing? Blog about it!!!!

My sandels! I love getting my sandels out of the closet and putting them on for the first time. Of course you have to hurry up and get your toe nail polish out and paint those toe nails first, am I right???

Tell me what your fave piece of spring/summer clothing?

Testing

I am trying to figure out how I can at a link by using just word! So I am going to type the word

Scrapshare

And see if I can link to scrapshare website from that word???

Ready, get set, go!

This is basically just for me, sorry, you will be back to your regularly scheduled program shortly!


Edited: It worked!! I actually figured it out on my own! Yes!

More Pages Completed

The first layout is my Timeline (I did a post on completing a timeline of your life a while back), but its missing the e's. My letters were missing a-f?? They should be coming in the mail.
Most of the layouts below are using the Easy Patterns For Scrapbooking Magazine http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/shop/item.ihtml?idx=505. I am loving this book! I made 3 cards to go along with these pages with my scraps as well.
The second layout I used handmade flowers using a pair of my old jeans!! That was a challenge on http://www.kimemories.typepad.com/ . Post any questions you may have. Enjoy!!

Friday Fun at Mamaws

I went to pick up the boys at Mamaws house on Friday evening and this is what they were doing!! Does this look like fun? The cookies tasted wonderful!!!

Oh and for you scrapbookers, if you look at the last picture above you will see a SMALL portion of the Sizzix collection my Mother-N-Law owes. Another good reason to attend a scrapbook day at her house soon!

Want to play?

On Ali Edwards blog http://aliedwards.typepad.com/_a_/ she made a challenge to capture your nightly routine at your house. Using photos and words and then create a layout. This looks like so much fun to me. So I challenge you to take this challenge. Just keep your camera with you one evening and capture your nightly routines. And then share them with us!!!

I will be working on this challenge this weekend. I might take the pictures with my digital so I can share them with you. This is the kind of stuff that you and your kids will want to remember. What sweet memories!!

Want to play?

The Weekend

I got a surprise at work yesterday. My husband showed up with these flowers but they had not bloomed yet. This morning I get to work and this is what they looked like! Just beautiful!!!
Thanks honey!!!

The Twopeasinabucket.com blog challenge for today asks: What are your weekend plans?

Nothing but spend time with my family. I love weekends when there is no where we need to be or no where we need to go!!! Chillin with my family, and maybe sneak in some scrapbooking after the kids go to bed. Yes!

simplify

to make simple or simpler
to reduce to basic essentials
to diminish in scope or complexity

How do you simplify? Life today is anything but simple. And we seem to be going in a million directions at once! How do you decide right now today that you want to simplify your life?

I don’t know the answer to this question. I have prayed over this for a long time now. At the beginning of this year I wanted to simplify my life. One big area I wanted to focus on was spending money foolishly, for example impulse shopping at the grocery store. You go home and you either never use it, or you never eat it, and its because you never needed it in the first place. Money down the drain. Another area I tried to focus on was doing things with our time that was not necessary. It’s really sad when your kids beg to have a weekend to stay home and “relax” as they call it. That means just stay home! How often do you do that? I think sometimes we think we are doing our kids a favor by taking them to Walmart, McDonalds, Chuck E Cheese, the list is endless. In my case they just want to stay home and spend time with mom and dad.

I read somewhere that you needed to pick the 3 most important things of your life. For example mine would be God, My Family (Husband/Kids), and Family (Extended). And when you needed to decide what to do if it did not fit into one of your important things in your life then put it to the side. It’s not important to you! Sometimes this means saying NO! Which can be hard, I know because I can’t say it! But I am learning. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. But I would only be hurting myself or my family if I did things that were not important to me. I do know one thing for sure, if you keep God in focus at all times you should be heading in the right direction because he will direct your path!
Proverbs 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, And He will direct thy paths.

Seeking God is the best answer I could possible give, but no matter what, I hope this gave you something to think about today.

Thanks to someone special who gave me a good question to ponder today!! And it helped me to think about how God wants me to simplify my life. I almost wrote how I can simplify my life, yum isn’t that the problem in the first place. The big “I” and “me”.

My Journal

I started a journal on Valentine's Day! I am really enjoying journaling my thoughts, feelings, ideas, and daily events. Somedays I have so much to say I could use a bigger journal. I would eventually like to be more creative with my journal. Use stamps, pictures, and paper. I try to remember to add Epherma (paper from daily life) in my journal.

Here is picture of my journal, its very boring!! But I wanted to make sure I would stick with it before I bought something really nice.

I am proud of myself for sticking with it. Stacy Julians book "The Big Picture" really inspired me to start this journal. If you have not read this book, I highly suggest it.

Here is what Stacy wrote in her book about journaling.

"The real reason behind my Everyday album (Journal) is to record the details in my routine as a working mom surrounded by a chaotic househould of young children. There is a lot about "ordinary" life that's completely foreign to most people, and yet at the same time, some aspects of it probably feel familiar to many. I wish it were easier for people to believe that their everyday stories are interesting. I really believe they are."

She also wrote.

"This notebook will become your creativity fun book, a place to collect, record, and reflect as you acknowledge creative thoughts and discover how to act on them. Pay Attention, be open to what your world is telling you. Write down what you learn, this is where your fun book comes into play. Writing down how you've surprised and how you surprise others will make your experience more concrete and enduring."

So....I challenge you to start your journal today!!!

Get a notebook. Pre-date the journal for the whole month of March. And go for it!! Start today!!!

To Value Each Day

My quote for the day says:

Teach me, Father, to value each day, to live, to love, to laugh, to play. -Kathi Mills

If we could live by this, we would be much happier people!! Sometimes we let stressful things and situations get into the way. I challenge you to live, love, laugh, and play this weekend!!!

Do something you enjoy, don't worry about your house, your to do list, or your piles of laundry. Get out and do something fun.

Some of the best times I can remember are when you laugh so hard you just can't stop. Isn't it wonderful to really laugh? We have a saying in our family, don't have fun or laugh without me. You hate to miss a good laugh.

So make someone laugh, laugh about silly stuff, laugh because you did something stupid. Just laugh!!
Have a wonderful weekend!!

Photo Box

A good friend brought me this idea!! This was so much fun to make. And you can do any theme box you can think of. If you would like me to make you a photo box, leave me a comment and we can talk about what type of photo box you would be interested in. On each blank side you would add a photo of your family and friends. These are so cute and so neat to put on your desk at work or even your coffee table at home!!!

This one I put together for Easter!! This would make a cute Easter gift!!!

Gone Digital

A friend at work, gave me a nice used digital camera. So here are some pages I have done recently!!