First Thursday Club

I just thought I'd be catching up on sleep. Seems we've hit the ground running as soon as we got home. I have First Thursday Stamp Club tomorrow night so I'm trying to get ready for that and come up with something new for the ladies who have been stamping with me FOREVER. And trying to come up with something for the men for Father's Day. Men just usually don't get stamped cards, at least from me. It's really hard for me to make a card without some sort of whimsical flower on it. I did get in the polka dots and ribbon though, my other trademarks. Sometimes I feel like 1st Thursday gals have seen all my good tricks, but they always encourage me anyway. Thank goodness they're my friends first! We're doing a new stamping technique called rock-and-roll (I think that's what it's called). The "U" is inked up in Tempting Turquoise and then then sort of rocked around the outside in Basic Brown ink-gives it a neat finish to stamp.... all products Stampin' Up! and card layout originally by Anne Anderson with some other stamp set.

On top of getting ready for club we're trying to sell our house and so I am stressing on keeping it at least decently clean, not a small task with a 3 year old and 5 month old. But, we'll see how it looks by the 10:30 showing in the AM. Yikes, I'd better go get some stuff done and quit exercising my typing fingers :)

we're home!

Sorry for no notice but we took a little trip last week. actually, a long trip but we're now home. Thanks for all your comments about missing me...We went to visit Mike's grandparents in Knoxville and then spent the weekend in KY for his younger brother's high school graduation. It was a whirlwind. Here are pictures of Lilly with Greatgrandma Doris and Greatgrandfather Arie and grandma M. Also, one of Abby with her cousins (Mike's first cousins). There are no pictures of Nick the graduate since I forgot my camera at graduation. We were the ones with the little kids now holding up progress:) I remember the days of going to Knoxville and walking in with 2 bags and that was it. One trip in from the car. Those days are long gone. Mike made about 3-4 trips up the 3 flights of stairs to grandma's condo. It looked like a small army had set up camp in the spare room! We had fun and it was great to see everyone. More later.....after I catch up on laundry, stampin' business, and mission trip business. Oh, and sleep too!

I'm a carmel crunch...

You Are a Caramel Crunch Donut

You're a complex creature, and you're guilty of complicating things for fun. You've been known to sit around pondering the meaning of life... Or at times, pondering the meaning of your doughnut. To frost or not to frost? To fill or not to fill? These are your eternal questions.

What Donut Are You?

Okay, okay, I promise I'm going to bed now and pondering something more important than what type of donut I am! Interesting!

quack!

You Are Duck

Exotic and unusual, you are a bit of a rare bird - literally. You're known for being soft and succulent, though at times you can be a bit greasy.

What Kind of Meat Are You?

thought this was pretty funny. not sure it really describes me, but funny none the less.all you bloggers, tell me what kind of meat you are! here's to another riduculous, meaningless thing to add to your blog when you're bored...

sleep eludes me

so I post. hmmmm... why is it that after a long night with a baby last night and a day of break-neck pace frenzy...well, maybe that's a slight exaggeration - I CAN'T SLEEP!?!?!? I had a Coca-Cola at dinner. I wonder? hmmmmm, after no caffiene to speak of since Lilly was born I think it affects me more than I realize.

I will just tell you my thoughts that are running through my head. Mostly useless thoughts. But not all useless. I think if I were really honest, I would probably be a "journaler". I'm not sure when I quit keeping a journal but so far, the blog thing seems to work for me. And I would have never dreamed that I would share my journal with the whole entire world at large. In fact, I promptly throw away any journals for fear of being embarrassed that someone would know my thoughts. I'm not sure why this bothers me since they probably wouldn't be reading my journal unless I'm six feet under. And then, I somehow don't think I'll really care if they read it or not. Gee, I'm weird.No comments please!

I've memorized Ephesians 4:29 over the last 2 weeks. It says: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their need, that it may benefit those who listen." Man, I have failed so many times at that these last couple of weeks but I can also think of at least several occasions that the verse popped into my head right before I said something I shouldn't have and I bit my tongue. I don't know how many times I've asked myself, "okay, who is this benefitting, and the answer is a LOUD NO ONE! " It's been really helpful to me. It's amazing how much I talk and how little of it is really beneficial to those who listen. It's true that we can be transformed little by little...by the renewing of our minds, by scripture that is God-breathed. I'm so thankful for that!

Now that I've shared my un-beneficial thoughts with all of you and at the same time preached about beneficial words (is that 'talking out both sides of my mouth'), I'll go try to sleep again! I wish I was sleeping as hard as Abby in this picture. She only made it halfway out of bed and snoozed some more. With her puppy and Dora's baby sister in the same position as her. There's something about sleeping kids that make parents dash for the camera. Hilarious!

Sweet dreams!

our weekend so far...

This weekend has been incredible...family time, 5K, bowling party, local festival, fishing! How sweet it is!And how sweet is Photoshop????? I can't believe I haven't tried it before. It's so overwhelming it can do so much but I got brave this week doing my blog banner. Then tonight I had so many photos to share I just didn't know what to do. It was either load a huge lot of photos or do something with them. I opted for "B"! Check it out...look out Jeff! Just kidding, you rock at the graphic design stuff and mine looks like a kindergarten version, but hey, it works!

Our local festival (of sorts) is in town and we made it there last night for only $12. That is AMAZING! Abby rode some rides, got some balloon dog/crown, and a light up Mickey Mouse head thing - she was in heaven...

Mike ran in the 5K this AM at 7:30 and all 3 of his girls miraculously made it there to see him finish! I'm so proud of him - 2nd place in his age bracket for men (23 min and some seconds)!

Abby had an end-of-year bowling party for the little preschool thing we have been doing this year. It's a home-based deal where the workers bring lessons out to us each week. She's had a blast and today she and Mike bowled while me and Lil' took pics...she thought it was great that they got matching bowling shoes although hers were a few sizes too big:)

Then, the culmination of our day - fishing! It was so peaceful, entertaining, and just plain great! Abby has learned to cast, hook fish and reel them in! She caught her first fish totally by herself and then caught tons more - one was a HUGE bass. She called Uncle Timmy to tell him that it was a "wall hanger"! She was so proud and so were we-all 3 of us were so excited...Mike and I just got little ones that she called "cute" but hers was the Daddy Fish!

Hope you've all had a weekend like we have. And it's only halfway over!

addressing

okay, instead of posting 15 comments on your comments I decided to do another post altogether.

Mel-Don't worry! I knew you weren't laughing at me. Just typed it trying to be funny. I will stop mentioning you in my blog because it never seems to come out right. You are an awesome friend!

Michelle and Mimi-I really can't take credit for the card. It's something I copied totally from somewhere online. Don't know where I saw it but loved it so i had to make it myself. The white background paper is Abby designed though.:)

Mom-Thanks for the offer of the old dusty videos but I might enjoy choosing one that is not a hand-me-down like the one I've been doing for 10 years off and on. Geez, you'd think I'd look great by now, huh?

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback about the new blog makeover - glad you like it!

I've stayed up way too late looking at baby clothes on eBay. It's addictive and I hate how I get sucked in...goodnight!

new look!

this morning abby and i have been making mother's day cards for a while so i must take a break. we've been at it for almost an hour and got ONE done! i love making cards and i love kids but sometimes, well, you'll just have to see the cards when they get to you. priceless!!!! i feel like i need octopus arms to keep hands out of the ink, away from the paper cutter and the glue cleaned up. all in all, it's good and that i spent time doing somehting with her is what matters, right!?!?!?! naptime will come eventually and i can finish up and clean up and move on to my next project.

speaking of projects:
thanks to my newest friend Michelle I now have my own personalized blog banner. Michelle, you're awesome for helping me!YAY, team! mel came by the other day and saw my homemade photo studio and was laughing at me. i'm sure it was comical.it consisted of clearing everything off the tiny night table in front of my window (my lighting source) into the floor = mess! then throwing my black SU apron (my backdrop) over the table and putting my little prop on there (my ruler with ribbons). so homegrown and kristyfied! love the new banner, love that it's mine...love that I actually used photoshop elements!

oh my gosh, abby just handed me M's (Mike's Mom's) card. she has glued it to a big whole sheet of white CS and said, "Look what I did mom, so it won't get lost. and I put the glue all over the top of the card." Well, give it a few days to dry (a little excessive on the adhesive) and she should be ready to mail! :) I wish you could see the glue smeared on top of the card in the photo. OH MY! Sorry to spoil the surprise, M, but I have to post this picture. It will take a huge manilla envelope to mail this puppy... be looking for something BIG!

okay, gotta go before I'm stuck to something and Lil wakes up hungry!

Here's to crafting with 3 year olds...everyone should do this at least once!

silence

Both girls are asleep...shhhh....do you hear it! Only the sound of my fingers pinging on the keyboard. This will be short and sweet since I rarely get moments like this. Mike came home for lunch today and found Abigail plastering herself to the side of Dax then rolling her shirt with a lint roller...then plastering herself to the side of Dax and rolling some more. Too funny! I told him since our vacuum is broken maybe we should just give her the lint roller and tell her to get after the rug in the living room....hmmmm, entertainment while cleaning. Now that's an idea worth trying!

Today I'm back on the better eating bandwagon. At last night's weigh-in at my weight loss group I found that I've gained a pound and a half this week...I almost cried. Yesterday I soothed myself over a batch of cookies that Mike had made for friends who just had a baby. Sorry, Kevin and Meridith. I soothed myself so much so that I had to make brownies for the aforementioned friends. Eating and sleeping are my "coping mechanisms" I guess you could say - not a good combo. I need to change those to fasting and praying or something like that.

Today is a new day though. I did aerobics this morning, Carolyn helped me take the stuff in the lean-2 shed to the city dump and I played outside blowing bubbles that smell like mango with Abigail for a little while. Must go find my list to scratch off the shed thing!!!!

PS-My reward when I've lost 10 more pounds - a NEW workout video! YIPEEEE! I will keep you posted I'm sure!

list maker

Since I shared with you yesterday that I'm a guarded person I will add to that list of personality quirks that I said I would never post! Hey, you all know that I love eating my words (see archived post about minivans)! I am a chronic list maker. Yep, I love a list. In fact, I make so many lists that Abby mimics me and makes her own list (mostly for what she needs at Walmart). She's warped for life. If you want to know what you do or say without thinking, just have kids. You begin to notice them picking up your habits. Abigail has taught me that not only do I make lists like crazy, I also sigh quite often. I began thinking when she was about two years old, "Geez, Abby sure does sigh a lot. That's terrible!!" Hmmmmmm, I do it to - very bad habit!

Back to lists. Today I had a to-do list that I marked off 12 things! Wow! I think that's my all-time record. Granted, I do like to put little daily tasks such as making the bed on there too! My favorite was reading someone else's blog about lists (okay, I'm a copycat too) who wrote down "get to work on time". Gotta love that! Sometimes I even put something on there that I've already done but forgot to write down - - just so I can have the satisfaction of marking it off. How's that for brutal honesty? I can't believe I'm admiting to this stuff. So, here's my list! I had a very accomplished day, without even adding what I'd already done and marking through it. Hope your weekend is extraordinary!

what's important?

Okay, tonight I've been doing a "virtual stampin' night" with a group of Stampin' Up! Demonstrators I'm in. It was really fun and a few of us have gotten really chatty on the email scene. Thought I would share some of my thoughts with you tonight, too!

One day last week I was visiting with Jeff and Carolyn and telling them how I've been feeling lately. I'm just sort of in a spiritual slump I suppose. I don't want this post to become overly whiny so I will leave it at that. Jeff, Mike, Brandi, and others tell me that it's not just me. Everyone seems to go through these times when things just aren't intense with the Lord as they are at other times (for lack of a better word). The good thing is that my moods change as quickly as Lilly's but God never does. Lil can be crying to beat the band one minute and then flash a grin at you bigger than Texas. No kidding; it's that fast! Thankfully I'm the same way. Yesterday I was grouchy but today I'm counting my blessings. I love looking at photos like this that remind me that there's so much more to life than everyday worries and concerns!

Here's some things I had begun to think were more important than they were:

Lilly's rash/eczema - - -rashes come and go and we now have medicine
Laundry piled to the ceiling - - -thankfully we have clothes to wear
Abby's "miss"behaving - - - I still have a few years of training and testing
House is a disaster - - -it bothers no one but me I've concluded
Gotta lose weight - - - I'm doing it!!!! YAY!!!! what's to obsess about?

What's really important? loving others in authentic relationships... I want to live on purpose for Christ no matter my circumstances, to glorify Him and be joyful about it (stolen from Jeff's life motto and changed up a bit)

Here's 2 pages that depict authenticity at it's best. Great-grandparents, I know there's 5 more of you out there but don't get jealous yet. Your pictures and pages are coming hopefully! Oh, and I worked and worked to do both photos of Mike the night Lilly was born...just was better to have one on the page so I had to show you the other one. It's one of those times I look at him in the picture and want to say, "Penny for your thoughts?"

Oh, and you probably can't read Mike's writing. He journaled to Lilly for me-isn't that awesome! It reads, "Lilly, you have changed so much and so fast. One thing that will never change is my love for you. You can hold my hand anytime. Daddy"

Now go think about what's really important in your own words! I've always been such a guarded person; I'm not sure what about the blog scene it is that makes me so free to share...thanks for listening and commenting!

kazoo for you!

Tonight is an interesting night at our house. I was in the living room feeding Lilly feeling sorry for myself and having a rotten attitude about, well, about everything....and hear "We are the Champions" by Mike coming from Abby's room - not sung but by kazoo. He's apparently taken up a new instrument. Then Abby yells at him, "Daddy, I'm through!" All you parents out there know what that means and if you don't, just don't even ask....so then I hear kazoo song "oops I did it again" :)

It was perfect timing for him to make me laugh so hard I just about wet my pants (speaking of "oops, i did it again"). For some reason I've been in a funk lately. Truthfully, I think I know why I'm singin the blues...it's all because the Lord is dealing with me and the heat is turned up!


*now I'm hearing Hank Williams Jr. "Country Boy can Survive" by kazoo


*new song "taps" if you can imagine by kazoo, how am i even typing?...


*new song "Freebird"

I will do another post and address this important issue after the girls are asleep (if I'm not asleep too) and the kazoo has been hidden! Til' then, happy humming to you and yours!

PS-Thanks for making me laugh Mike, even when I'm in a bad mood and it frustrates me that you're getting me to laugh when I want to sulk for a while. I love that about you!