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!