Bad blogger..bad..bad Blogger I am

WARNING...SUPER LONG POST!!

No I haven't died, or been kidnapped (well...it is summertime you know...I have been KIDnapped by my boys so to speak)...just been super super busy this last month and in all honesty no intentions of letting up anytime soon. As I wrote in the last post, we did get a camper...and we used in during hubby's vacation a few weeks ago. We had lots of fun and boys loved the camper...even if we were only 10 minutes away from home. Here's a picture of the camper: We stayed three days up at the Brown Farm...my sister, her husband and her son came and spent some time camping with us too...which the boys TOTALLY enjoyed...they were so excited to see them pull in...just ask my sister ;-) Here are a few pics from our camping trip:

After our camping trip...we went from camping in the great outdoors to a 4 star hotel...talk about both ends of the spectrum! We got a free trip through our bank yet we were limited to where we could go...one of our last options was Dearborn Michigan...(we were hoping to get to go to Cincinnati...but they were already booked)...so off we went ot Dearborn...and I'll admit it...I wasn't too thrilled about going to Dearborn...just because I was afraid the boys would get bored and have nothing to do. Overall the trip to Dearborn went relatively well....we of course visited The Henry Ford Museum...which the boys enjoyed...and we actually closed the place down...in fact the boys (and Kevin) got so caught up in doing a project that they actually had to tell us they were closed and it was time to leave. The next day we went to Greenfield Village (which is right next to The Henry Ford Museum)...though Kevin and I liked it, towards the end the boys were getting bored...though they enjoyed the schoolhouse and the teacher who taught there as if in the old days...I think they appreciated their teachers a bit more now. ;-) It was cute. If you do go to Dearborn...head to Buddy's Pizza....best pizza I've ever had...in fact on our 4 day trip we went twice including for a late "brunch" before we left Dearborn...very very Yummy! Then there is the BD's Mongolian Grill....I ate WAY too much and boy was it ever so good. You got to make what you wanted and they fixed it for you right there on their grill...super tasty! Oh...then polish it off by just going down the block a piece and head to Coldstone Creamery...I'd never been to a Coldstone before...though it was a bit pricey, it really was very good...you got to pick out your ice cream and then add whatever you wanted to it...I got the Chocolate Cake Batter with Ghiradelli Chocolate Chips...yum! Austin got Green Apple Ice Cream with Gummy Bears...hey as long as he ate it...and he did...to each their own. Our hotel was really nice...though I have to admit I looked like a dork trying to find the button to activate the elevator and the boys and I couldn't find any button anywhere on the elevators (there were 6)...until we saw this pedestal in the middle of the room that housed "the button"...I know there were people who must have thought we were a bunch of hicks...oh well...we thought it was funny. Overall it was a good trip after all. Here are some pics:

Of course coming back I have been hopping it seems non-stop...a mom never gets a vacation, especially after the vacation! Now I'm trying to get things caught up after being away for 2 weeks, Brennan started summer school, we had a small flood in our basement and had to rearrange some things, all of us went to a baseball game with the church...that was fun...dime a dog night...Brennan ate 4 1/2 hot dogs! I've got VBS on the horizon (I'm in charge of crafts again this year), and Colton's birthday coming up and school (yes I said the dreaded word) starts in about 3 weeks...yikes where did the time go?? And my boys just seemed to really sprout this summer. Kind of ready for them to go back, but really not...kind of looking forward to getting back to a routine, yet not looking forward to homework time and all that stuff. I really do like having my boys home. I like knowing where they are and that they're safe.

Well I think I've rambled on enough...I apologize for being away so long...but life called and I was living it...hopefully I'll be a better blogger once school starts again. Hopefully you are having a great summer as well...God bless ya!

And So Life Goes...

So how's your summer goin'? Well mine is going and seems to be going fast...Hard to believe that June is almost over. WOW!

So this past Saturday hubby and the family went and bought a used tent camper...now we will be able to go camping...which Brennan has been begging and begging for a camper of some sort since we went camping last summer. Hoping to use it when hubby takes his vacation in July. So excited. Brennan even had been praying for a camper in his evening prayers...and now has said thank you to God for his camper...he's so excited as well of course!

We have had two full rainbows this week over Coshocton...a sign maybe?? The one we saw on the way home after buying the camper and then tonight. I have pics...will upload later.

Today Brennan and Colton and I did some science experiment. Brennan received some science kits for Christmas and we finally broke them out today and used acouple of them. We worked a little with his weather set (which he LOVES weather...he even loves to watch the Weather Channel)...then we did a rocket with backing soda and vinegar...which we only got to work once, but hey it was fun anyway, then we played with the diving submarine that you used baking powder with....Brennan sat for almost an hour and played with that. Nice bonding day.

Well it's late and time to get to bed...update with photos soon.

Wow has it really been that long??

Wow...look who's been a bad blogger lately!! Things have been a bit topsy turvy since hte boys let out of school and hubby's been on vacation. Boys got out of school the end of May and honestly I love having them home...yet it has thrown me off my schedule so I've been trying to truly no avail to go back to some sort of schedule, but hey...it's summer...schedule...no schedule...it all works out and the days go by quickly with or without one.
Hubby was on vacation these past two weeks and it was more or less a working vacation...we worked around the house, cleaned lots of cars and just tried to get caught up on things.
I had a birthday while on hiatus from my blog not that I want to advertise birthdays anymore, but Brennie (my sweet tender hearted one) was so determined to buy me a present and was so disappointed when he wasn't able to get me one on my actual birthday (hubby was out of town at the time), but hubby took him later that week to buy me my very own WEBKINZ! Yes I've been blessed with adopting my very own Webkinz...now I can play with all my boys online with their Webkinz...and I have to sheepishly admit it IS quite addicting...I know I am truly a sad individual.
So now that hubby is back to work I can finally be on vacation and get things accomplished that I want and need to accomplish (as long as I can stay off this computer...it truly just sucks me in and I can't get away from it!)
So I hope you are having a great summer...I know I am so far. See ya real soon I hope!

So...

So...been away a little bit...sorry 'bout that...so much going on with the last weeks of school (only 2 more days now)...field trips, helping at the school, then just keeping up with home and hubby tossing jobs my way...I'm finally seeing a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel now finally.

Hubby is away at classes for the next two days in Cincy for the USPS....so it's just me in the boys chillin' out. Great bonding time.

Speaking of bonding time, worked on the ant farm that Brennie got for Christmas since God just seemed to plunk hundreds of ants on my front step tonight...thought it was a great opportunity to work on that. Brennie, well honestly all the boys, but Brennie most of all loves that kind of thing...he loves to examine how things work especially when it comes to nature and animals....he's so caring. When I was collecting the ants he was like, "Now Mom, this isn't going to hurt the ants is it?...are they going to miss their family, cause if they are going to miss their family maybe we shouldn't do it." He's just so kind and tender hearted...like today as he was playing recess (He has recess right before school lets out) I was in my van and he came over to the fence to give me a flower....things like that are what makes being a Mom sooooo stinkin' great!

Happy Birthday...

Happy Birthday Kevin!
I love you bunches!

As a Mom, some days are just two shower days

I know Mother's Day has already passed, but as a Mom I have to say the usual "it's the hardest job in the world yet the most rewarding" line cause it is true. Some days are easy days where you are just hanging out with your kids playing or watching a movie together...other days not even trusty duct tape could keep it all together.... and it's funny it all just works out anyway...who cares if there is a mess on the counter or dishes in the sink. As mother's we try so hard to get it all done and done right...when in the end all that matters is family.

Tuesday, well actually all this week, is a busy week...field trips, meetings, etc...just lots going on. Tuesday however was a crazy day...I had to get Austin up early for school because he had a field trip that morning, then I get all the boys finally off to school and I try to do a few things around the house, get a shower and rush up to the school to do lunch duty, do some errands around town, run to Wal Mart and do a few things at home, run and get the boys from school, hear that it's going to rain the next few days and figure I better get the lawn mowed today, so I mow...by now it is now 5 p.m....I have a meeting in an hour, run in the house, get my second shower, make quick sandwiches for the kiddos and get them out the door and was 5 minutes late for my meeting and ran in there like my hair was on fire...but it was all good and OK and no one cared. Even though I'm the secretary....but hey...such is life. Then I get home from the meeting (hubby lagged behind talking to some people) at this time it's after 9 p.m. past the boys bedtime...rush and get them started for bed...kitchen is a wreck...sink is full...finally get boys in bed, start on kitchen....finally about 10 p.m. or so kitchen is cleaned, and I finally collapse on the couch to watch my DVR recording of American Idol...tried for an hour and a half to call for David Cook to no avail...thus at midnight I finally called it a night...thus the life of a mother...for those of you who are mother's I'm sure you can relate...those of you who are not...I'm sure I just scared the pants off ya...but truly, it really is all worth it...right moms??

Here's to every day being Mother's Day

New Survivor Series

I'm not one much for the show Survivor...but this new one sounds like it would be worth watching ;-)

THE NEXT SURVIVOR SERIES

Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each for six weeks.

Each kid will play two sports and either take music or dance classes.

There is no fast food.

Each man must take care of his 3 kids; keep his assigned house clean, correct all homework, and complete science projects, cook, do laundry,and pay a list of 'pretend' bills with not enough money.

In addition, each man will have to budget in money for groceries each week.

Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives, and send cards out on time.

Each man must also take each child to a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment and a haircut appointment.

He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the Urgent Care.

He must also make cookies or cup cakes for a social function.

Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house, planting flowers outside and keeping it presentable at all times.

The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleep and all chores are done.

The men must shave their legs, wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes, keep fingernails manicured and eyebrows groomed.

During one of the six weeks, the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches, and have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or slow down from other duties.

They must attend weekly school meetings, church, and find time at least once to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting.

They will need to read a book and then pray with the children each night and in the morning, feed them, dress them, brush their teeth andcomb their hair by 7 :00 am.

A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father willbe required to know all of the following information: each child's birthday,height, weight, shoe size, clothes size and doctor's name. Also the child's weight at birth, length, time of birth, and length of labor, each child's favorite color, middle name, favorite snack, favorite song, favorite drink, favorite toy, biggest fear and what they want to be when they grow up.

The kids vote them off the island based on performance.. The last man wins only if...he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment's notice.

If the last man does win, he can play the game over and over and over again for the next 18-25 years eventually earning the right to be called Mother!

have a great Mother's Day!

Tired and sore...

So after a busy weekend of hefty scrapping...today was a busy day of getting caught up on things that needed done. So here is what I did:

Stayed up till 1 a.m. this morning organizing my scrap paper...finally unpacked all my scrap paper from when I went to Michelle's Studio and got it all organized by manufacture and cardstock is organized by color...it's such a good feeling and it looks so nice!

Did my work out and laundry.

Worked in the yard...I pulled weeds...I raked...I dug some things up...I mulched...I mowed...I swept...I straightened. Yard is starting to look good again. Still have to mulch and work on the front hill yet and use the weed eater, but it's coming along.

Took the boys to get haircuts today...made dinner.

Took 2 showers today...now I'm relaxing for a moment on the 'puter and getting ready to make a list of what I need to do tomorrow...more cleaning...time to rid out...time to spring clean...time to get a grasp on things that have needed to be done.

Until tomorrow...have a great week!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

OK...now that I have you in that Christmas spirit...it's not exactly Christmas I know....but it is like a holiday to me...guess what this weekend is...and no it's not my birthday quite yet. Any ideas??? Well it's....

National Scrapbooking Weekend!!

Now for those that don't scrapbook...sorry...and a question..."Why not??" I know I'm freakishly passionate about this hobby but I want to hear if you aren't a scrapbooker, why you don't scrapbook?? Do you just not feel creative enough? Think your pictures aren't good enough? Just intimidated? Don't be shy...tell me...I'm hoping to start a scrapbooking group again at church soon and I've already heard some of the reasons....but hey give me yours, that way if someone says the same thing to me I'll already be prepared ;-)

I'll be spending part of my time at FaithSisters this weekend (I only say part because hubby is working and hey the kids do have to eat and I have to be there to break up any arguments...I mean not that my boys argue with each other or anything ;-) )...so if you are a scrapper...PLEASE...stop by the FaithSisters site...they are having challenges and prize giveaways all weekend...and if yo uare a digi scrapper especially...there are lots of sales going on...plenty of coolness out there...so if you ARE a scrapper what will you be doing during our happy holiday???

Have a super duper weekend!

Out of the mouths of babes...

OK...I have to say...my boys just crack me up...Now my two older boys have been very busy taking their state tests the past two weeks....now yesterday before we left for school Brennan frantically tells me..."Mom, Mom...I think today is hat day at school." I look at him kind of funny because usually they tell parents when they are having these "special priviledges" at school. I'm like "really buddy??"...he's like..."yeah mom...my teacher told us that we needed to bring our brain hat."...I stood there and thought for a moment...brain hat?? Then it hit me..."You mean thinking cap buddy?"...."Yeah that's it mom...I need my thinking cap...can we get it?"

Hee-hee...gotta love 'em!

Also if you happen to be surfing the net and are a digi scrapper...check out these Freebeies at FaithSisters.

Hope you are having a good week.

So Let's Review...

OK...I just have to say how cute my boys are right now...last night we were getting the boys ready for bed...and hubby asks Colton if he got his card flipped at school (card flipping is our school's form of discipline for those who may not know)...and Colton unfortunately did yesterday...I guess him and another boy were hiding instead of going to the Art room. Of course his 5 year old (and very intelligent) brain tries to explain to his daddy why he got his card flipped...well daddy I wasn't really hiding I was just playing and I wasn'tready to go into the room yet. When hubby asked Colton to explain again what he did...he looks at his daddy plainly and tells him...OK daddy....Let's review...I lost it...I had to walk away...where does this little guy get this stuff...it's like the day at church when he wanted me to spell sun for him (he kept spelling it s i n...appropriate at church I guess)...and after I spell it for him he says, "That's very interesting Mom." He is such a trip!

Then there is Brennan who came home yesterday with bandages on his elbow and leg..his leg all skinned up...I asked him what happened...He tells me he caught the football and another boy pushed him to the ground to get the football. Now if you know Brennan he doesn't play much with the other kids...he says he has no friends and he usually plays alone on the playground...so I honestly was kind of excited to hear that he was playing football with other kids...after a long conversation...come to find out he wasn't actually playing the game...he was in the middle of the field and accidentally caught the football...he wasn't actually in the game, he was just in the wrong place and happened to catch the ball and caught dirt too in the process...I was upset to hear the boy who pushed him didn't apologize, but one of the big prayers I have had this year is that Brennan would have a friend. And the last couple months he's mentioned this boy that has been playing with him and befriending him. Well yesterday this boy saw that Brennan got hurt, personally took him to the office to get cleaned up and gave up his recess to help my Brennie...I was so touched by that...and the power of how God answers a mother's prayer. God is good! It's good to know that even amongst children there are those who truly care about others.

Hoping to watch Hans Christian Anderson with the boys this weekend (yes the 50's Danny Kaye movie)...hope they enjoy it like I did as a kid.

Oh...also...If you are a scrapper and well if you are obsessed with it as I am...you know next weekend is National Scrapbooking Weekend...well in honor of that Faith Sisters is having a celebration on their web-site...there will be prizes, scrapping and tons of fun....so stop on by...you know I'll be there ;-)

Have a super weekend!

After much anticipation I bring you...

My Kitchen...the pictures aren't the best...with the new doors this room is a little dark, but it really look gorgeous IRL...here are a few pics:





Even though this is NOTHING like what I originally wanted or planned and this project gave me more headaches than anything I've ever dealt with...after all I was aiming for a more rustic feel...I do actually like it...even if the doors are much darker than the background...I'm going to call it chic rustic...or maybe contemporary rustic...what do you think? If you're close by...come by and check it out.

Been keeping busy with boys school projects, church stuff and scrapping this week...also trying with not much success to start spring cleaning, but oh well.


Going to keep this short as I have not been to bed before 1 a.m. this week and I still want to watch American Idol on my DVR before I retire this evening...but before I go...


If you happen to know how to convert a .wma file to an .mp3 file could you please let me know how?? I have a song I need to sing at church this Sunday and it's in .wma and I usually haven't had any trouble, but it's been a while since I've done it so maybe I'm doing something wrong...any help would be greatly appreciated! And please remember I'm blonde...I need details ;-)

Have a great week!

Check this out...

Going to keep this super short, got to pick up the boys in a few minutes...but I just went to the Faith Sisters site and one of the fellow Faith Sisters, Dahlia, who asked me to join her Creative Team featured my layout from her last challenge on the website...you can see it here. I'm super honored and excited...God has been blessing me greatly in this area of my life and I am super grateful...God is good!

Have a great day!

What a great weekend!

Sometimes it is just nice to get away. This past weekend I went here. So nice to see Michelle and Christina again and just get away and just scrapbook. Huge thanks to hubby for taking care of the kiddos all weekend and my super father in law that helped hubby just about finish putting my cupboard doors on my kitchen...it looks FABULOUS! I love it! I will take pictures tomorrow when the sun (hopefully) is out and I can get a better picture. Anyway fantabulous weekend! I got 18 pages done and another 9 pages done in a mini album I am working on. Here are some pics of the weekend:


This studio used to be a bar and these girls converted it into an amazing crafting studio...I had an amazingly awesome time...I'd have to say more fun than Scrap Camp, just because it wasn't as noisy and cramped (there was only about 12 of us compared to 100 at Scrap Camp) and it just seemed more relaxed. I liked it a lot. Plan on going again soon, once I sell more eBay to pay for it ;-) That's how I paid for this trip...my eBay monies...well worth it too! I do owe hubby $ 23.00 cause I just HAD to buy one of those cute new ribbon organizers...that I filled up today and it is just too cute and now all my ribbon is in one spot and most of all visible! Thanks Michelle and Christina for an amazing weekend and all the awesome food (yes they fed us too)...the Taco soup was amazing!


They had a layout contest from the weekend and the campers voted and I tied for first place...I'd show you the layout, but it's for the next challenge on Faith Sisters so after Wednesday I'll show you. But the other girl who won with me made this layout that I voted for because I thought it was truly amazing:

Here are a few of my layouts:

Then on Sunday Christina and another lady invited me to go to a church service at an area church...kind of like an inner city type mission church to describe it...it was a very upbeat church that their target seemed to be teens, single moms and the homeless...honestly I had a great time. Their praise team ROCKED! The worship was truly amazing and just feeling God move there was all I could say is WOW...it was nice to be at a service for a change and not be "in" the service doing something. Totally helped me to focus more on just worshipping God. It was a great experience.

Again...the whole weekend was an amazing time...will be doing it again hopefully soon...I got my cupboard doors on my kitchen...kids were good while I was gone...life right now is good.

Now back to reality and getting back into the groove.

Have a great week!

I want one of these

OK...I don't usually get to excited about these die cutting machines, but I've seen this one and I want one...it's portable, makes cute designs and from what I hear more reasonable than the other bigger models which I really wouldn't get the use out of, but I really like this one...may have to save my pennies for this one. Check it out:



Also don't forget my giveaway below...you have until Thursday.

Back to life....back to reality...and Lurker where are you? I've got a prize for you!

OK...now that I have that crazy song playing in your head...been extremely busy lately...busy at the school, busy doing things for the church, busy at home, busy trying to get things squared away...just lots going on....today it was another non-stop day. Had to go to the school for "Pastries for Parents" day...it's their finale for their Right to Read week...and they got to wear their pajamas to school today...it was great to go to the school and eat donuts with my babies! Then it was off running errands and grocery shopping (man is that ever getting expensive anymore!) and then hubby took me out to lunch at English Ivy...yummm...I had a bowl of their Mexican Cheese soup...oh my...so delicious...my favorite soup from there...so tasty and spicy! Then I was home for less than an hour and had to pick up the boys again...man these days just go faster and faster!

On to other things...I did get my movie that I mentioned in the previous post Dan In Real Life...so cute...may watch it again tonight...maybe while I'm working in the office that is. Oh also rented Indiana Jones first movie...can you believe I've never seen this movie all the way through?

OK...you may have noticed that I have this map on the right hand side of my screen...tells me where in the world people are reading my blog...I'm amazed as to where people are reading from...Montana, California...even Singapore?!?! (Jaz is that you???) So I want to prompt you out of your lurking...I know all who read may not be scrappers, but I'm going to make the assumption that you are...so if you post a comment to this post....just say Hi...(a name would be nice too, but I'm not picky) I will pick a name at random this Thursday evening and you will be the happy new owner of these foam stamps. So come on...quit lurking and talk to me ;-)

Have a great weekend all!

Movies and Books

Busy month ahead...but just had to share some books and movies I've seen recently.

If you haven't seen Horton Hears A Who yet at the theatre...it's funny...the kids loved it...even Austin who at first had absolutely NO interest in going and moped the whole way there...ended up laughing through the whole movie.
And of course the movie Enchanted which is a totally endearing "can't get that song out of my head" type of movie...take all Disney's prince/princess movies and roll it into one and you have this movie....the boys love Pip the chipmunk...Apple??

Dan In Real Life...I liked it more than hubby did, but totally funny/sweet movie...loved the scene when Steve Carell's character is playing the guitar singing "Let My Love Open The Door." Loved it! I don't go out and buy a lot of movies...but this one WILL be in my video library soon!

If you are looking for a good somewhat romantic movie...this is on is good. Chocolat stars Julliette Brinoche (Which is also in Dan In Real Life), and Johnny Depp...whom my sister loves....Wendy you would like this movie. It's about a woman and her daughter that open up a chocolatier across a church in this small village and how she changes the town...endearing.

Becoming Jane - Chose this movie because I loved Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries movies and of course The Devil Wears Prada...though Anne plays a great part, this movie was a bit slow and didn't end the way I thought it would. I'd give it a 3 out of five stars...if you are into those english movies like Pride and Prejudice and the like you'd probably enjoy this one more.

One movie I cannot recommend is Atonement...no picture here cause I just don't think it deserved any more time wasted to it. A total waste of two hours in my opinion. I saw where this movie got such rave reviews (which usually is a sign that it's gonna stink), and so hubby went ahead and rented it. The same main male chracter in Becoming Jane played in this movie...and he's a great actor for these type of English back in the day movies, but this movie was pointless until the very end where they finally reveal the jist of it...which after an hour of watch soldiers on a beach just didn't cut it for me....I was left exhausted and frustrated. If you want a good foreign movie that takes place during the Holocaust rent "Life Is Beautiful" ...far better movie...it made me cry and it will touch your heart.

As far as books go, I finally finished 40 Days of Purpose again...and also read a book by David Gregory and I'm in the middle of his second book. I think I also told you I finished Captivating too...quite a trip with this reading thing.

Boys are doing well and everything is pretty good here. Fixing dinner tonight for a lady in our church who was in a car accident last week. April is going to be a crazy month between meetings, boys study groups at school, me taking a weekend away, trying to get things straightened away here...lots to do. So I guess I better get busy....hope all is well with all of you...Take Care!!

Thank You!

Thank you Lord for your amazing sacrifice and for dying on the cross for ME!

Your love is amazing!

Happy Birthday Austin!

Happy 11th Birthday Austin!

I love you bunches Jedi Master!

FREE TO GOOD HOME

Free to Good Home

TONS AND TONS OF SNOW

All 12+ inches of it!

Yours for the taking...just come and take it PLEASE!!!

Would be happy to send it to ya...reply below.

Whatcha doin'??

I'm sure that is what you all are wondering...been busy...truly...honestly it's been like a week since I've really been on this computer to play or anything. Check the occasional e-mail, but that's about it...I haven't even parused others blogs like I usually do....been busy doing other things.

First the boys had their birthday party this past Saturday. It's so hard to believe that my babies are 9 and soon to be 11 (March 13th). Where has the time gone? They really didn't have much of a theme to their party this year...sent out Transformers invitations and then Bren wanted Ratatouille...so I got a Ratatouille cake. Never thought I'd see the day where there would be a rat on my boys birthday cake ;-)

Dealing with sickness here noe too...Austin started with the Bronchitis late last week then Colton started with a cold yesterday. He's home right now enjying some Mommy time. Then I just got a call from the school..they are sending the kids home early today because of the weather. Supposed to get 8-10 inches more of the lovely white stuff by Saturday. Not fun! Spring just seems to keep alluding us. Oh Spring where art though?!?!?

Also I've started reading some more, which is pretty amazing for me because I'm truly not much of a reader...If I finish a book it's truly an amazing feat. I'm in the middle of reading Ricke Warren's "Purpose Driven Life" again...read it about 5 years ago, felt the need to re-read it again without the pressure of going through the church campaign...good stuff in there. Also finished (finally) a book I've been trying to get through for a while and never finished Stasi Eldredge's book "Captivating". Really good book. Explains a lot. I was in a Bible study with it once (never finished), tried reading it another time, again didn't finish, but this week I finally finished it. It felt good to finally finish something. Not sure what I'm going to read next...any suggestions??

Well other than that just keeping busy with the usual with homelife, snow days, sickness, scrapbooking (there are new challenges up at Faithsisters.com), and just trying to get past my sickness of CABIN FEVER.

Well got some things to take care of...boys will be home soon. Later~

SICK OF IT!!

Of snow that is! Don't know about the rest of you but I am just so ready for spring! And these 2 hour delays and snow days off from school are just utter craziness! Yesterday was a 2 hour delay...the sun was shining and though there was snow on the ground...I took the boys to school AGAIN yesterday at the regular time only to find out that there was a 2 hour delay...then today though there was an actual 2 hour delay because of a teachers meeting it was snowing to beat the band, yet they still had school...why...because they already used all their 5 allotted days...it was crazy....not sure what they are thinking...but oh well....they didn't ask me ;-)

Getting ready for boys birthday party tomorrow...nothing too elaborate...in fact there really isn't a theme...sent out Transformer invites and having a Ratatouille cake...go figure...as long as the boys enjoy themselves is all that matters.

Not much really going on here...trying to keep up with all these snow days, keep up with the house, do eBay, and throw a little scrapbooking in there when I can.

Hope all is going well with all of you out there!

I've been tagged

You must post the rules before you give your answers. You must list one fact about yourself for each letter of your middle name. Each fact must begin with that letter. If you don't have a middle name, just use your maiden name. After you've been tagged, you need to up-date your blog with your middle name and answers. At the end of your post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name. (Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged and need to read your blog for details).

My middle name is Lynn.
Love my family bunches.
Yep I love music
Nine years ago I started going back to church
Nothing is more important than my relationship with God and my family

OK, so now I tag...Jackie, Cheryl, and anyone else who would like to participate since I don't know too many people who blog. If you do this, let me know.

Also on a more somber note, please be in prayer for the Wentz family. This man was killed at the factory where my brother in law works. He accidentally had a a 40,000 lb. roll of steel dropped on him. He was a good friend of my sister and brother in law and my brother in law was working the same night this guy was so it could have so easily been him. So glad God was watching out for him. Please pray for this family...he left behind a wife and two girls.

Happy Birthday Brennan!

How did 9 years pass so quickly?!?!?

Happy Ninth Birthday Brennan!!

Will you?

Layout for the latest challenge on FaithSisters.com. The challenge was to make a valentine...how better a valentine than Jesus showing us His love for us on the cross. This is a digital layout...still prefer paper scrapping, but digital is fun for something different. Picture credits to Izzy Galvez.

Sorry I've been so MIA but I just haven't been on the computer much...I've been finding many other things to occupy my time right now and that's OK...sometimes in life you have to move on to other things in order to appreciate the things you are used to doing. You kind of get in a rut and sometimes you just need to step back, refocus, and hey you never know you may find something new along the journey that you never experienced. I'm just trying to not get so stuck in a routine or better yet, spend so much time on the computer. So many things out there in life to discover and enjoy. Here's to discovering something new!

Have a great week and if I don't see you before Valentine's Day...have a lovely one and think about the one who gave you the ultimate Valentine!

Latest Challenge

If you haven't been to the FaithSisters site lately...check it out...this weeks challenge is about Grace. Loved this challenge...here is my layout:

Been so busy lately, and honestly I just haven't had much to talk about. Just drifting through life trying to keep things going here.

One of my hopes for this year is to be more organized. So on that note I'm hoping to clean my craft room this weekend cause it SOOOO needs to be cleaned. Haven't been able to craft there in weeks or at least very minimally since I have so little space....it's time for a major overhaul...and if you keep an eye out on the FaithSisters site....I may be doing a happy RAK (random act of kindness) and be giving away some of my scrapbooking items of "things I just won't use anymore" and just need to give away and make someone happy. So be on the lookout in the very near future once I ever get this room cleaned out...I will post here once I do.

Well no better time than the present. Wish me luck!

The Weekend...

Concert was good! Missed Group 1 Crew, but other than that, had pretty decent seats and just had an overall good time...even Skillet was good! Barlowgirl rocked and Steven Curtis Chapman was great as usual. I was amazed that Skillet's drum player was a girl! She can wail on some drums let me tell ya...as well as Barlowgirl's drummer...I was unaware that she played the drums AND sang...amazing! The weekend was good other than dealing with a headache for most of the weekend.

Helped my neighbors move this weekend...which was bittersweet. They are moving to a better place...only a few blocks away, but it's sad that they aren't right next door anymore.

Not much else going on...kids are OK for now (other than Brennan has a cough), just keeping up with things on the homefront. Hope all is well with you.

Have a great week!

Tonight...

I will be here in Columbus with our Youth Group....Wish me luck ;-)

More later...

Pure Magic

Hi di ho all! Above is my latest layout for the Faith Sisters Challenege this week ...it's based on a sketch by Nikki on the website. Layout is of pictures from our Disney trip in 2005 that my dad took all our families together for an amazing memorable trip! Anyway, if you feel like playing along, come join us! I like Nikki's sketch so much I did another layout (a one pager) about items I remembered from my childhood...

I so loved all these things...and I know I'm dating myself, but I remember as a kid watching the Banana Splits (and HR Puffinstuff)...I wasn't and still am not a huge TV watcher but I do remember taking time to watch these shows...the Marathon bar...which I think I mentioned in an earlier post...totally yumminess! The Spirograph and Fashion Plates....hours and hours of good crafty fun...I'm sure my mom loved these toys since I'm sure it kept me occupied for a good while...Journey...my favorite band ever! Holly Hobbie...and yes I had the Holly Hobbie lunchbox. Fisher Price's Video Camera....before electronic gadgetry of course...I used to love to take the cartidges and play the movies backwards...especially the one with Mickey and the Ghosts...classic! Mrs. Beasly...from the show Family Affair I believe...I'd carry this doll everywhere...I loved her...recently sold her a few years ago on eBay. Came in handy when I needed a little extra $$. As with the Camel with the Wrinkled Knees from Raggedy Ann and Andy. I think I sold him and Mrs. Beasly at the same time. Was sad to see them go, but I still have the memories and that's really all that matters. Oh, and Quiz Kid...I know...so nerdy, but I loved this too...and it truly was a great educational toy...It wouldn't give you the answer...one eye would turn green if you were right or red if you were wrong. Oh and almost forgot one of my toys from later childhood and one I really did enjoy...my Chem Craft Chemistry set. I remember in 5th grade seeing this Chemistry "magic show" on TV at school and I was hooked. My dad, bless his heart, saw my huge interest and just like any loving dad would....took me to the hobby shop at the mall, plunked down the $ 75.00 + dollars for it and off we went to do some experiments. It's one of those days I'd never forget. Back then that was a lot of money too and being he was the sole breadwinner and raising all us kids...I knew it had to be a sacrifice...but I'm so glad he did it for me. My dad always did come up with the best gifts for me (and mom too), but considering my dad worked a lot and when he got you a gift it was special. Like my electronics set (which he just bought one for my neice Tea and teaching her electronics now...woo-hoo!) My rock tumbler where my dad took me to this hobby shop in Cleveland that had a whole room it seemed of unpolished rocks...he helped me buy some. And not to mention the endless hours I spent with him at his workbench working on electronics with him...loved those days bunches! I'm so glad (and I've told him this) that my parents didn't raise me as a girly girl. My mom was a tom-boy...and so was I. I had more fun playing in the dirt (with my mom's spoons...sorry mom) than primping in the mirror. So much fun...Wow...this post got long...well back to reality.

So my new bedroom set...finally got it all in (including the dresser which barely made it and I pretty much told Kevin it will probably stay in this house if we would ever decide to move...if it wasn't for hubby's friend Ryan at work coming over and helping move it it would still be in my dining room! So here are some pics of my new set...not the greatest pics but you'll get the idea. I really like it. With the new mattress on my bed (BTW I really like having a Queen...more room!) my mattress is so huge and the bed is so tall I feel like I'm going to touch the ceiling! I have to literally step up into it...trying to get used to that, but anyway...love my new set.

Well I better go do something constructive...like clean out my craft room...again!

Have a great weekend!

Well

I'm learning that sometimes life throughs things your way...not bad things, not good things, just little curves in your road where you feel like that car and the orange cones are coming at ya...sometimes fast, sometimes unexpectedly and somehow you need to maintain in order to make it through. Seems like life lately. I laughed yesterday and told the hubby, I would love to just have one day where things would just go the way I plan...but that's truly not life. And God is teaching me that lesson. So I'm trying not to plan too much or at least not write it in stone anyway cause somehow it always gets rearranged. So here...is to being more alert, more flexible, and not sweating the small stuff.

Finally got my furniture...I love it...it's nice. However can't seem to get the dresser up the stairs...it's too big (which I was afraid would be a problem)...so now it sits in my dining room until we figure out what to do with it.

Got my hair cut...I like it too, but I think it makes me look old...don't like that.

Worked late last night getting the next Faith Sisters challenge done. Had to run and get more yellow ink in order to finish printing out my pictures...again another curve in the road. But I got it done and that is all that matters...and I'm happy about that...check out the new challenge at the link above or to the right.

I think I mentioned before about my new little friend I had in my house...the one who somehow was crawling on top of my craft desk and partaking of my favorite Dove chocolates...well, needless to say he is no longer a resident...he's gone. Kinda felt bad, but he took my chocolates! No one does that and lives (just kidding). Well if yoou are a mouse anyway you don't...anyway...sorry mousie and I hope you have no friends with ya here.

Well got again tons on my plate and need to talk to hubby as to figure out how we are going to get this blasted dresser in our happy room....could be interesting to say the least.

Have a great day and may the orange cones be minimal.

I have been...

I know... a very bad Blogger lately. Sorry 'bout that...been very busy trying to get my house in order after Christmas, helping boys with homework, playing with the boys with some of their new Christmas stuff...yes i've been having fun too, just honestly haven't had a lot of time for sitting in front of the computer lately. So what's going on...hmmm...

Well I've started working out...just at home, but it's a little something...about 20-30 minutes a day...been good so far. I'm hoping to lose about 25 pounds, but we'll see.

I did finish reading my Bible in a year....was proud of myself. I didn't think I was going to make it for a while. Got a little behind, but I made it...woo-hoo. Hadn't done that since I was a teenager.

My new bedroom set is coming tomorrow...yikes! That through me for a loop, but I got my whole bedroom gutted today, Kevin took our old bed to a girl that goes to our church and hopefully tomorrow we will have our Mission style Amish oak queen bed! Can't wait!

Oh...and hubby got the regular position he applied for at work...finally!! He's happy and sad about it at the same time...we're happy that he will now have every other Thursday and Saturday off. He should no longer have to work Sundays or holidays (WOOHOO!! That always stunk at Christmas time). We may actually be able to do things as a family on weekends! The drawback is that he will probably see a bit of a pay decrease, which of course concerns him, but I'm putting it in God's hands...He's always brought us through before. I trust He will again!

Well can't think of much else....gotta go...big day tomorrow, got lots going on....all I can say is I'll see ya when I see ya! Have a great week...or month depending when I get back ;-)

Happy New Year!

Wishing all my friends and family a wonderful and blessed 2008! Hope that 2008 is one that fills your life with joy, happiness and family!

Here is the link to the surprise I was eluding to a post or two ago...finally my work is getting out there. I won the Scrapbooking.com's Year In Review contest (won an awesome prize of scrap supplies too!) It really has started me New Year on a positive note. If you get a chance check it out!

Also the Faith Sister's site is posting a give away this week and a new challenge tomorrow if you're interested in checking that out as well.

Happy New Year All!

I'm back

For those who may not have known...I was without internet for about a week...thus the reason I haven't been on here. Found out I had a bad modem...but now, as you can plainly see I am up and operational again...YIPEEE!!

Christmas was great...got some awesome presents...kids were spoiled as usual and all has been good. Still have one more Christmas to celebrate with hubby's family this weekend, but overall I say it was a good Christmas. My dad gave us all an awesome gift...hoping to find a frame for it so I can hang it somewhere...in my craft area I suppose if I can find it...my room is still buried under Christmas paper. My little sis gave me a cool gift as well....

Don't you love when people truly listen to even the little things you want?? My little sis (bless her heart [hugs sis!!]) knew that I loved the old Marathon candy bar from the 70's...it was my fav. Whenever my mom would send me to Lawson's down the street she would give me a little extra to buy myself a candy bar...I almost always got a Marathon bar. Well Marathon bars of course no longer made, but this is supposed to be very similar...thus my sis gave me the "Curly Wurly"...not only that, she got it for me from her last Disney trip this past October (I admire your restraint little sis for not partaking of this yummy thing)...I have yet to try it...I am still i awe that she got me this...I know it's just a candy bar, but it's little things like this that means bunches to me...I'm not sure to eat it or frame it ;-) Love ya Sis!

Well I'll post more later...I've got TONS to get caught up on at the moment and better get busy.

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

Here's another...and another...

OK...I feel like I need to play catch up here...I am sharing two songs today since I have missed a couple days...first one I wasn't able to find a viceo for but I still wanted to share....it's of course by my favorite Christian artist...Jeremy Camp and it's his version of "O Come All Ye Faithful" which is one of my favorite Christmas carols anyway so if you are looking for some good Christmas music...look for him:

Here is another song I have loved over the last couple years...by another one of my favorite Christian artists...the group Avalon, their song called "Light a Candle"...the video isn't that great, but the song is awesome.

Hope you are having a good week!

On to our next song...

OK I'll try this again...blogger is acting a bit flaky today and I was almost done with this post and then it just closed on me...oh well...on to the next song anyway...

Today's song is brought to you by my hubby....this is one of his favorites...so Enjoy!




Oh, and there is a new challenge on the Faith Sisters site so go check it out and play along with us! Oh and I have some cool news about the layout I did for that challenge...just can't share quite yet, but soon...just stay tuned....and now to our regularly scheduled music...

Have a Wonderful Christmas time!

Fleas On Your Dog...

So I'm going to keep this short and sweet tonight, but I promised a favorite song...the first favorite Christmas song I wanted to share is a favorite with me and my boys. The song:

Feliz Navidad

Or more apptly called among me and my boys..."Fleas On Your Dog"...we love to sing and dance to this one...it's totally priceless and crazy and ssssooo much fun. You'd have to be there and just goes so well with my sense of humor. So here you go everyone...sing with me...fleas on your dog...bum bum bum bum bum bum...fleas on your dog...

Hoping you are having an awesome week!

Christmas Randomness...

So needless to say I've started to get into the Christmas spirit now...slow start but I think I'm getting there...maybe that means the Christmas spirit will last longer this year...always a thought...

Anyways...finally got our tree decorated...hubby and boys decorated it Sunday night...mine is still undecorated...I usually decorate my tree with my birdhouses I painted, but I just haven't felt like it yet, nor do I think I could get to the blasted things anyway....admist all this eBay I'm doing right now...God does bless in mysterious ways...Brennan the last few weeks had been praying that "Mommy would get more money", cute and silly prayer of an inoccent 8 year old, yet God has listened because there a couple ladies that hubby cleans cars for that have asked me to sell their antiques and collectibles for them. Has kept me quite busy I must say, but it has paid for a large chunk of the boys Christmas so Praise God for that!

On other things...I'm desperately trying to memorize lines for our Christmas play in a couple weeks...luckily I don't have as many lines as most, but honestly my brain is fried right now and the brain cells aren't remembering so much. The fun of the season!

We finally got TV back...as many of you know we have been without cable TV since August. Well we finally got Direct TV yesterday. Hubby is happy and scratching his head at the same time...let me go on...he gets home...asks me what I think of it...how does it work...I kind of give him the basics to what the guy told me..."So what do you think?" he asks...I told him...don't know...as soon as the guy left I turned it off. The story gets better...boys get home...tell them if they get their homework done there's a surprise for them...we reveal the surprise to the children (especially Austin) who hounded us about getting TV back...Austin proceeds to play on his computer, Colton proceeds to play on his Gameboy...Brennan is the only one somewhat interested in it and Hubby is left literally dazed and confused as to why he spent all the money...but hey he's at least happy he has TV back.

So on one of the blogs I frequent the lovely Stephanie asked to use a letter to describe your day today...today my letter is F. For Friends, Family, Fun, Frigid (lets face it...right now in Ohio its COLD!) Fabulous, and don't forget festive and food (that one's for you Dad). So what is your letter for today?!?!

I will be sharing over the next few days favorite Christmas songs...let me know what your favorites are!

Hope you are having a fabulous Feliz Navidad!

More of the white stuff...

Yes folks...another snow day...in a way I'm glad...nice to have the boys home and sleep in a little bit. So what have we done so far today....

Well the normal laundry, dishes, cooking (have to feed the kiddos after all...not sure why they get so hungry all the time he-he), scouting out Christmas gifts on the internet, more laundry....oh and I finally broke out the tree and Christmas music and some Christmas decorations...I'm slowly (very slowly mind you) getting into the Christmas spirit. Will decorate the tree once hubby does his magic fluffing and putting on lights (of course who knows how long that will tkae, but my job is done anyway).

So I leave you with this little ditty:


Colton: Mommy...can you open this game for me?

Mommy: Sure buddy.

Colton: Thanks mom...now I can be the cop and I can catch all those bad guys.

Where do they come up with this stuff anyway??

Have a super day!

SNOW DAY!!

Needless to say we woke up yesterday morning to this:




Which of course lead to school being canceled (YIPEE!!)


Which of course lead to the boys wanting to go out and play...who was I to say no ;-)





Even Daddy got in on it and played with the boys a bit (after shoveling the driveway of course)...ask Austin about the special delivery snow pizzas!! Too funny!! We all had tons of fun!

Today there was a two-hour delay for school (which always throughs me off for some reason) and I forgot that the school was having a special "70's dress up" day today to help raise money for a 6 year old girl in our school district who has an inoperable brain tumor and her daddy just lost his job. So I was scurrying around to try and find 70's like gear...this is what we ended up with:




Colton's 'smiley' t-shirt I made for him about 30 minutes before we left for school...good thing he has a crafty Mom...he was none too happy about his outfit (cause he wanted a costume like Austin) until I made him this shirt...thank goodness for quick thinking! Brennan wore star glasses with his too. They all looked adorable...I mean GROOVY! I'm just hoping Austin didn't get in trouble for wearing his Darth Vader costume, but hey Darth Vader was part of the 70's after all ;-)

Been working on my Faith Sister's site creating and uploading new layouts for upcoming challenges...check out this weeks challenge here.

Still haven't started Christmas shopping...YIKES! Hoping to get that done soon...hubby was way too tired to help me with that today. Maybe later.

Well got to go pick up my GROOVY boys....until next time!

Now it's OFFICIALLY December

It is NOW officially December...why...because Saturday night we saw this:





Snow has arrived in Ohio...we ended up spending the night in Sandusky after visiting hubby's great aunt because the roads were a bit slippery and we where in no hurry to go home anyway. It was kind of nice to get away for the weekend, even if I didn't sleep all that well.

While we were at Aunt Thelma's Colton found a new way to play cornhole:
Why just throw that beanbag when you can crawl underneath it and catch those happy beannies!

Overall it was a nice, yet tiring weekend.

Still have yet to start my Christmas shopping. Hoping to get started this week...hoping.

Well I've got a huge to-do list and only a short time to do it so I leave you with this photo....

Have a great week!