As the new year approaches.....

I can't seem to believe that the Christmas Holiday has come and gone....and with it, a new year approaches. I seem to recall that last year at this time...I did have some form of new year commitment.....the question now is what was that? I have never been very good at sticking to those RESOLUTIONS, and I am quite sure I have made at least one resolution year...NOT to make any silly RESOLUTIONS just because of that FACT. Loose weight has always been on that list, be more organized also seems to be a top contender, get to the gym more often.....keep the house clean....oh and there is always the project commitment that never seems to get started or if it has started...never finnished (I still have blue painters tape on the floorboards of my livingroom from a paint job I started two years ago, an entire craftroom of albums not finished, papers and cardstock thrown in baggies with those MUST scrap pictures, tons of undeveloped film, and boxes upon boxes of a now 16 year old's kindergarten drawings just waiting to be packaged together as a keepsake.) It seems to me.....as I have known myself now for 40 years.... my resolutions do not stick, and I fear making a New Years RESOLUTION will only be a repeat of the last several years of such. (better not produce a self fullfilling prophecy). So this year......NO RESOLUTION....NO COMMITMENTS to self proclaiming that ....this will be the year when.......This year I am going to simply LIVE each day to the fullest, taking each step ONE DAY AT A TIME!!!! Today I will LOVE in LIFE...not wait for the day when. This does not mean that I intend to live foolishly.....I do still have life commitments to attend to...but instead I will stay in the moment, be carefree, spontanious, joyful, and FREE!!!! I can invision the day when.....I weigh 130 pounds, and everything is organized, the bills are all paid, I have the perfect job, my house looks like a centerfold of Better Homes and Gardens, I have money for and on and on and on......I have been invisioning such things for many New Year's pasts....thing is, I have managed to miss out on the NOW. So for this year......I do not have any futuristic prediction on what I will be doing........and just how much happier I will be WHEN.......This New Years....I am going to just BE.

New day...

Thank Goodness for new days......after my mild depressive spell yesterday..thanks for the support everyone, I am in a much better place. Spent yesterday morning shopping with my mother..this was nice to spend some time with her as she was in England for the last four months. Yeah for MOM's!!! (How come we don't truly appriciate them until we get big???) We had a nice lunch and she gave some wonderful support. Spent the afternoon at my youngests school Holiday party, and the evening with my family. Feeling much much better. A call from a potential employer would have sealed the deal...but no such luck. I have decided that I need to quit my current job (if working three hours Paid hours anyways...not including my personal hours....in the last five weeks a job). In theory this job should be an amazing position....great pay, flexable hours, benefits etc. It just has not blossomed, and I don't have the patience, or the financial means to wait out the thaw. Have decided to look for an established position and therefore I am garenteed hours and a paycheck......theory doesn't always play out like one theorized. I sent out a resume last week and I am hopeful that I get a call soon. I realize that with the Holidays I may not hear anything until after the first of the year, so I am not getting to concerned just yet. One small bummer yesterday was that I dropped my camera and now it doesn't seem to be working....guess I now know what to ask Santa for for Christmas. Don't tell my husband...that I really wanted to seek out a new one anyways....and no I didn't drop it on purpose. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!!!

BAH HUMBUG

I keep being reminded that there are only so many days before Christmas, and now that we are approaching count down #3...I am having a pre holiday freak out......just how did I get in this crunch again this year? I guess I got my fathers procrastination gene....every year I vow to not get in this situation next year and every year...here I am...days before the big day and worlds behind. every year...things seem to work out...but this year..being unemployed has really taken it's toil. I would like to be one of those people who says...Christmas is not about the money....I really would, and I know that in all reality none of us in this family really NEED anything. I would like to have....is a pretty long list however. I am also feeling a little bit gulity, as I am not even slightly prepared with the non-present items....got the tree up...have some lights on the house...but otherwise...it looks pretty plain. I haven't even begun to think about Christmas dinner, didn't do many Holiday cards....and the worse part about all of this is I am feeling Very Grinch or Scrooge like. BAH HUMBUG!!!! Struggling to shake this I do not care about the holiday feeling that simply is eating me up!!!! Maybe some ghosts will visit this evening and give me some direction.....or perhaps I will hear the singing of whosville and my heart will grow three sizes......or maybe I should just enjoy the precious gifts that are not wrapped and under the tree, but the gifts of my friends and family, the gift of Christ in my life, the gift that each and everyday is a blessing and Christmas day is one more of those blessed days......okay, okay......even Scrooge needed three ghosts before he got it!!!! I'll keep working on it.

Holiday Overload

Had party after party this weekend. Kept us all very busy. Enjoyed my CTMH unit party. Our team "Hearts a Flutter" is the best group of gals ever. Had an amazing time. I have not been very active with regards to my gym and ww attendance....must force myself to go today. Feeling a little daunted by my new job....apparently dissapointment and multiple holiday parties MAKE ME EAT bad things. Have decided that I really have to gt aggressive about the work thing and began exploring in a new direction.....(Had no one sched. for this week...bumbed me out) So despite the promice of good money and a very hopful career direction...it looks like it may not be taking off. Spent yesterday at the career center doing my resume and calling all potential contacts for possibilities within the community. Feel like I am going backwards...but at least I wil have a job and an income. Feeling the no income thing heavy this time of year.....everything COSTs so much. Don't want to disapoint the kids Christmas morining. Neither of my younger ones has ever felt they loss out on Chrsitmas morning. Guess thats just reality. Did tell my youngest that Santa is on a budget this year and he may not get everything on his list. He was a little confused but seem to accept this. So back to the real world....job seeking and weight loss

some Holiday goodies i made......

I made the necklace and earings for my CTMH unit party Sat. night. These are my gift exchange. My friend helped me...as this is not my usual craft. I think they turned out pretty good. the Journals are for members of my Health and Wellness group. There are three of them that I have developed a relationship with; and we have become good workout buddies and my coach Sue who has been an amazing support through this process. I am go grateful for these women, they have been an inspiration to KEEP it up!!! 15 pounds and counting....haven't missed a workout day in weeks, and haven't missed a single meeting!!!! H20 aerobics this am, then I am off to the monthy Folkmarch with my daughter.

December 9th 09

Up and ready for another busy day...WHEN, what should i spy out the window......SNOW. Quick turn on the news....Nope...just a two hour delay. Which makes things all the more difficult because now i am committed to things here.....no usual Wed. Morning routine. Would rather of had the kids off completely. Anyways, Have decided to make one more tag for the swap on Sat. and Went with my talented friend Renee yesterday to find jewerly to make as the gift...a shirt as well. Wishing I hadn't waited till the last minute, every minute is taken up this week. Today is my health and wellness meeting, jewerly making this afternoon, tonight Church school for Gavin and my Zumba class. Thursday have CORE at the gym, Cub scouts, and Health and wellness Holiday party. Friday h2o aerobics, and my husbands residency party. Sat....Zumba and I must have all gifts finalized for CTMH unit party later that night, and finally Sunday- Church in the morning and then yet another Holiday party. WOW.....perhaps not working so many hours isn't such a terrible thing...when would I actually have time to work????LOL

SB challenege #34

Cherish- balanced blocks- using twitterpatted. SC#34

Scrapbook challenege #33-

working backwards on the scrapbook challenge here is #33 "subtitles" from Imagine. (doesn't look like it does it) Paper is from the felicity paper combo.

Tags-

Made some tags for the Unit Holiday Party exchange this Sat. the shaker snowmen are made from the containers that hold CTMH brads and accessories. I have not left the basement until now to post.....Working Hard...its already 130 having some lunch too.

nothin done!!!

weekend went by way to fast. Couldn't seem to bring myself to my basement scraping area to do any work..its cold here and the basement is the coldest. Did enjoy a play with my daughter and was surprised by my friends Sat at a belated birthday party! looks like I am work free today....and plans are to get a move on with the projects. I am hopeful that a friend of mine will help me make some jewerely as thats my gift for this Sat. holiday party.....nothing like waiting til the last minute.
Off to the basement.....blankets abound.

Its that time of year!!!!!

I can't believe the holidays are upon us....i have so many projects ...in my head....and not done!!!!! My younger kids and my hubby are going away this weekend...so between the101 things that have to get done I am going to lock myself in my scrap room and create. Love looking at the creative bloggers!!!!! hopeful to have some creations to post by the weeks end.

Since my parents are in England and my husbands mother took a cruise during Thanksgiving, my dear friend Mary invited the family to celebrate at her home this year...this is the card I made to Thank Her. December CTMH promo- Felicity.

Where has all the creativity gone??????

I have been off from the creation this past month!!!!!! Just not feeling the inspiration I guess. I have started back to work....but only have had 2 patients...this is quite discouraging. Holiday week kept me busy with friends and family. I did finally put pictures on some of my done pages...and I have decided to re explore the scrapbook challenge..I think I will have to start at 34 and work my way backwards...I did do some of them...but don't have a clue which ones are which. Have all of my holiday cards done.....and started some tags for distribution at our CTMH holiday party next week...still do not have my gift to exchange...or my special gift for my upline. there was no black friday shopping this year....as I am broke, and the gift list just keeps getting longer and more expensive....did anyone know a pair of ugg boots cost over $150-, my daughter wants a black pair and a brown pair!!!! I have joined weight watchers and have a weigh in today...I am terrified as this week was awful, they should have attached a spoon to my hand...I just kept scooping. I also have to meet with my new boss later today....this puts a nice little interuption in my day midway through it.....I don't even get paid for these little visits. My parents return from England next week, but their home was broken into on Thanksgiving....that was a mind blower. They took the news better then I did. Plan to get my mother tickets to see Wicked as her Christmas gift...of course I have to get one for myself as well.....speaking of the theater...my 14 year old daughter has decided that maybe mom isn't so bad and will be joining me this Sat. for a performance of Little Women. She also reluctantly volunteered to baby sit Sat. night so I can go out and celebrate a friends birthday.....we shall see if she convinces her older brother to do that instead. Goals of the week....get back on the weight watchers plan, start holiday shopping, decorate the house, and start to be creative....i got two big projects to do before next weekend. Had our first sticking snow today....very approprite for Dec. 1st.

been awhile///Life has been hetic I guess. i have been dedicating myself to the gym and Weight watchers and I have not been to active with my creative side. I turned 40 this past week and I also should be starting work on Monday. i only have a few patients to start but I am hopeful that this will grow soon. Sadly I do not have any new pictures to show..however i have completed my Holiday cards and my swap holiday cards as well as some layouts!!! I will have to post those soon.Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Hers is June

sorry they are sideways!

first six months of 2010

here are my first 6 months of 2010 calender-

Happy halloween

BOO! Good Morning to you on Halloween Day. Halloween has always been my favorite Holiday. Maybe it has something to do with the one day of the year you have permission to dress anyway you want and play any character you want, i don't know but i just love this day. This year has not been as exciting as i had hoped and this last week was more difficult then usual. I am not inferring that one needs financial means to make Halloween fun and exciting, but when you have a Major set back in your funds the celebatory focus becomes less . I found out last week that my unemployment was being investigated and as a result they ceased all deposits. I was totally unaware and as a result the domino effect began and as one may know who has ever written a check when there is no $ to pay that check.....let the fee's begin. things like a $1 movie rental from red box ended up costing me $42-...You get the point. At this point it seems as if the investigation was unfounded and after some feelings of betrayal....(a story that none would believe so I am not going to tell it) I am looking at owing the bank $1,000.00. So as one would expect this scarry Holiday season has been not so joyful and more stressful then most. Alas....things will get better and I do see my future job coming into focus and it looks as if I will be working before Thanksgiving. So as i say Happy Halloween Enjoy your ghosts and goblins!

No new art...just me today

Well another week has come and gone. I certainly made it a busy one. back to the gym, back on the diet opps...healthy eating and living. I hit up the CORE class again yesterday and even went back to the Y later to take a swim with my son. Looks like the job thing is coming into focus. I just do not know when I will be starting. have a busy weekend coming up. We are going to go to Enchanted tonight (Beaver Lake) and our Annual Halloween Party is tomorrow. Sun I plan to get to Church...although I maybe in recovery from the evil spirits I know I will be drinking on Sat evening, and find that pulling myself from the sheets may be to dificult. We do have plans to take the kids to a Hallowen Bash later on Sun. and by 2pm I had better be fully charged for the day. Looks like I had better get the last child up and off...its already nearing 8am!!! Where does the time go? Have a great day!

"The Girls" White Eagle Weekend 2009

last one...

this was inspired from a book...its a halloween decoration made from Coasters.

and more...

these layouts are done with some of the stamp sets that I borrowed from my friends at retreat....most of them were also inspired by these creative gals. Beware stamp set is used for the halloween layouts, your a hoot...with the owls.

more layouts from white eagle

these pictures are for my Disney album.

Back from retreat Pictures!!!

What fun was had at White Eagle, three beautiful days of creativity, delicious food, and AMAZING friends. I was truly inspired and learned a lot about my goals for both my business and personal directions. I am on a TRULY amazing team..."Hearts a Flutter" and I can honestly say that these women are more then just team members but FRIENDS too. here are some layouts that were inspired this weekend. I got several of my past Holidays done, I still have a few years left, and I continue to plug away at the never ending Disney album.....here they are.

A week went quick!

I have been so busy with other things that i guess i just let the blog go. here is another Wednesday. i really wish I had something exciting and valuable to write...but truth be told....I have been sick and have done much of nothing. I have a workshop this pm and a gathering tomorrow night then I am off to the retreat at white Eagle. I can't wait. I have so much to scrap that I really don't know where to start and what to bring. I am driving myself because I plan to FILL the van. I hate having to decide what to bring, so i am bringing everything. I will post more when I get back on Sun.

Wednesday oct 7th

Yesterday was spent preparing for the upcoming workshop and gatherings. I had a late attendee ask to join us on the Twitter workshop and was pleased to find that when I cut everything...and I cut everything...I was able to pull out four workshops out of three paper kits. (i did contribute some of the cardstock) Now once her order arrives I can distribute the rest to the group. I am kicking myself for volunteering to cut, because it took a long time to do. I did both layouts, and all of the cards...it was time consuming. This is the first workshop I have ever done and I may change up some things in the future. I also prepared for my gathering on Sat...because most of these girls come monthly to some sort of gathering I mix things up a bit and try to add a unique technique ( My upline says I should call it a CLUB, thing is I don't charge them like a club...they always buy something so I don't loose out) I did a 1- page layout using a swinger card. It is really cute..but I can't find any more pennies. My son had raided my piggy bank and any strays have gone to his school for his math classes $ count...searching for 20 dines was NOT fun! I also did my FREEBIE card kit...today I have to pull together some cards for next Thursdays gathering....this group is all NEW so I may do something much easier then swinging cards. Hostess would like to see holiday cards...I think I can make that happen. Made it to the YMCA this am...broke down and bought my sons cub scout uniform, swung by Michaels and STILL no adheasive....What is going ON?????? my hubby is not doing an overnight tonight so I am hitting up a Zumba class at 8pm tonight and later watch Ghost Hunters....Busy Busy!!!

Tuesday in Oct...already

time has sure flown by. It is already Oct. The weekend was busy, as always. I always thought that I would encourage my kids to play sports, but after hearing my friends lifestyles of runing like mad...I have kept my mouth shut with my own. I spent Friday cutting and preparing for my upcoming hostess parties and workshops. I have 2 gatherings and 1 workshop with in the next week (this is more then I typically do over a quarter) So i have been busy preparing. I was expecting to host a crop with some fellow CTMH teammembers...but I am not sure what is happening with that. Sat I spent a few hours preparing for my sons cub scouts, grateful that John (another childs dad) stepped up as leader...so I only have to play in the shadows. Sat night was incredible fun playing Pokeno. I won the movie monsters vs Aliens. I have decided to donate it to the neighborhood, and it has already made its way into another household for viewing. Sunday I went to Church with a neighbors family and my son and had a great time. We also stayed for the clam bake and some bounce house time before rushing off to dance lessons with my husband. ( I am not sure what I was expecting from this...ok lets get real i was expecting to walk out of class #1 looking like Fred and Ginger)....we look more like we Frank and his Bride LEAD FEET. Yesterday MIB came and I cut papers and made cards for my upcoming twitter workshp, and in between I took in a field trip with my son's 1st grade class to Hospital Land. I still remember going on my eldest's field trip to Hospital land some 10-11 years ago. I recieved three emails regarding my future empolyment and will sign the contract today...It willl be offical soon....I will be back to work. today i plan to make phone calls to business for the walk a thon committe, clean the house, take a water aerobic class, and finalize all stamping and scrapping for the week ahead. WOW

just one more layout

All of the papers are CTMH. The 2nd one is my take on the Grace WOTG. I didn't have all of the buttons used in the recommended layout design, so I improvised. Other two papers are Sweet Home, and Moon Doggie. I am hosting a calender workshop and spent yesterday evening making those pages up. I will post pictures when they are finnished....

some pages that I did on Thursday

WOW!!!!

So it seems to me that I have less time now that I am unemployed then when I was working. Gosh if I only didn't need a paycheck..lol. I have committed myself to so many projects that i am beginning to think that they have taken on a life of their own. When pending the layoff I had visions of keeping up with my blog, doing more scrapbooking, getting healthy and dragging myself to the gym, being more involved in my sons school, getting some of those much needed projects done on the house, spending more time with friends and family, reading, perhaps even taking a class or two, and taking care of me. It appears however that all of those things take so much more time and energy then I thought that I am concerns that maybe just maybe I have taken on too much..... let me start with my sons school. I have officially signed myself up as walk a thon comittee person- I am in the process of calling and sending letters inquiring about some donations for this event, room parent, PTO member, and cub scout leader. (doens't sound so bad when I write it out...but YIKES), for house projects...I am endlessly taking on things everyday. Thing is that I never seem to complete the task. I get started and side track..(ADHD perhaps). I am still dreading the closure of the pool. this project became a hudge orderal last week when I decided that the best thing to end this painful process was to simply drain the damn thing and start over in the spring. Made perfect sence to me. Till about pool 1/2 empty I decided that maybe this was too easy asn why hadn't everyone else done the same thing and I googled it. ABSOLUTELY DO NOT DRAIN your inground pool..infact some people have had the pool detatch themselves and float away like a boat. YIKES!!!! So that plan foiled I stopped all drainage immediately..of course this was after mandating my poor son to do the disgusting task of cifering (sp) the hose. YUCK- Anyways I spent the rest of the day holding my breath to make sure the thing didn't up and float away as I plurged water backin to it. What was I thinking..JUST HAD TO HAVE A POOL....goingto the local pool just wasn't enough for me..no way. As far as art projects...yes i have had the opportunity to create...but like everything else in my life...having the time to stop and put things down only complicates things more...I get up and leave so now I feel like I have more stuff to finnish then when I started. I want to do this and I want to do that....oh yeah and adheasive costs alot more $ when you have no paycheck. I have had to seriously decided if I want to eat or scrap. On that note the diet thing seems to have no direction. It seems being home more only opens up the fridge more often. I have been good about going to theY and I am drinking more water. i even took some time to read the 101 emails from that healthy weight loss program that someone from CTMH offered to help me focus on my diet. On that note, another committment. I have joined this group with the Y that meets weekly to help you stay focused on your goals of health and exersize. Great right? So the woman sends me home with a gym scheduale and says ideantify all the classes you would wan to take......Doesn't she know that I am an obsessive freak and I will plann to attend all of them!!!! Then theres just life. just in the next four days I have committed myself to a day of scrapping (in just a few hours and no I am not packed nor do I have any idea what I am going to today with my scrap stuff, although i am sure I will have to BUY more adheasive) Sell popcorn with my son for cub scouts, then come back later and ask for some more money to support the walk a thon finnish the laundry, bake something for Pokeno tomorrow night, meet with the cub scout master to define my cub leader duties, play Pokeno, plan two hostess parties, submitted a WOTG order, and start planning for that even next week, meet with the ro0m parents to discuss holiday classroom parties, get to the gym, close that stinken pool, rince off and store all of the summer patio furniture, go to church, take a dance class with my hubbie, and go to hospital land with my sons class on monday....all the while I spinning in my head how do I convince angenies and business to give donations so when I attend the next walk a thon committe I don't look like a "boob" for not doing anything. I am beginning to think that dealing with sucide threats, out of control teens, over anxious mothers, OCDer and drug addicts is much less stressful then this REAL life I have created outside of my previous job description...HUmph!

My friends are coming over today for fun scrapping. I am hoping to have some pages done to post by tomorrow.

pictures below

These are pictures of our weekend at fright Fest in Great Escape- Lake George.

Just a quick update!!!