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~