Thank you card

This is a pretty quick and easy thank you card that I made for a card swap I was in this month. I was afraid it was too plain and simple, but Abby said she thought it was cute.

Jan. Sketch Challenge

Here is the layout that I made for the January sketch challenge at AWDML's Design Team blog.

I didn't follow the sketch exactly since I only had one picture I wanted to use, but I really like the way it turned out. I used Bo Bunny papers, thickers, and a Kaisercraft bling arrow. Here's a link to the blog http://memorylane.typepad.com/design_team_blog/2010/01/friday-challenge-a-sketch-challenge.html

It's a snow day!

And it has just now started snowing. They called off school this morning before it even started snowing! I don't think they have ever called off in anticipation of snow. We're only supposed to get 1-3 inches and really I'm a little puzzled as to why they did call off. I'm not complaining, mind you. I'll take a snow day at home with the boys any day! It is starting to come down now and the flakes are getting bigger and our drive way is almost covered, so maybe the school officials knew what they were doing. All I know is that it looks like the perfect day to get some scrappin' done!!

20 Years

I can't believe it's been 20 years since Scott and I got married. It doesn't seem nearly that long ago. I can remember that night like it was yesterday! Anyway, yesterday Scott got home from work before I got home from picking Matthew up at his academic team practice and there sitting on the bar was this beautiful bouquet of roses. He said after being married 20 years he thought he should at least bring me home some flowers. It hasn't always been easy, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I can't wait to see what the next 20 holds!

Week 2 of 52 weeks challenge

Here is my layout for week 2 of my 52 week challenge. I decided to do a layout about Shane's plate. The story for this was really long, but it needed to be told. I know that years from now it will be hard to remember that Shane had to have this plate...or maybe not, who knows, but at least the story is told. This is what it says:

You often hear about people with autism and the "quirks" they have - food can't touch each other or they won't wear certain colors, etc. As you go along everyday living with someone with autism, you'd think you could see these "quirks" immediately. But, you get so used to the routine and the way things are done and you really don't think about it. And then one day it hits you like a brick wall. Example - Scott makes Shane a sandwich - Shane refuses it. I think it's just because he prefers my sandwich over his Dad's sandwich. Scott cuts him up a hot dog - Shane refuses it. Once again I think he prefers the way I do it. Then one day I make him a sandwich - Shane refuses it. Hhmm.... What's the deal? He keeps telling me he wants a sandwich, but refuses it when I take it to him. Sandwich goes to the dog. Shane says, "Want some more sandwich!". That's when realization hits me right between the eyes. It's not the way the sandwich is made - it's how it's served. It can't be on a saucer, it has to be on the white plate with the stripes. I always put it on the white plate with the stripes - just not today. So, I make another sandwich, put it on the white plate with the stripes and everything is Perfect!

Monday, Monday

The boys were supposed to be off from school today, but since they missed a week thanks to the snow and cold, they had to go to school today. Abby is off, but we have to take her back this afternoon. At least that means the boys will get out of school half a day today. I'm hoping to stop by the scrapbook store today while we're in Springfield. Like I need any more scrappy stuff, right?! But it's always fun to look! I have so many pages I want to work on - it's just finding the time. I still need to finish the school album for Marilyn - I only need to do like maybe 5 more pages and it will be done with, I need to finish my layout for my week 2 of the 52 week challenge, I want to work on a couple of sketch challenges.... so many things to want to do, so little time. *sigh* Maybe this evening when I get home from Springfield.

Tomorrow is mine and Scott's 20th anniversary. I can't believe it. 20 years has really flown by. I have something I would like to do for him, but once again, I'm running out of time. I will be sure and post when I get it done.

At least the sun is shining and it's supposed to be in the 50's today! Maybe it will dry up our mud pit of a yard/parking area before it rains on Wednesday!

New workout posted over at Scrapfit

I just seen that they've got the new workout posted over at ScrapFit's blog. It's a scraplift challenge - something I can definitely do! I love to scraplift!! Anyway, here's a link to their blog. Head on over and check it out!http://scrapfit.blogspot.com

Sketch Challenge at AWDML DT blog

The Friday challenge over at AWDML's design team blog is a sketch challenge. I love sketch challenges, but when I first saw this one I wasn't too sure about it. Then when I saw Nicole's layout I knew I had to give it a try. Maybe that's what I will work on today!
Here's thier link: http://memorylane.typepad.com/design_team_blog/2010/01/friday-challenge-a-sketch-challenge.html

TGIF!

Boy, it just seems like this week has lasted FOREVER! I know it's just getting back into the routine of school and such, but it's been long. It seems like it's taken Shane a bit to get back into the old routine. Usually after Christmas break he's ready to get back into the swing of things. Not this time. It was a struggle to get him to eat breakfast before school on Monday and Tuesday and we even had a few whines when we pulled up to the school. 3 days out of the last 4 he has fallen asleep at school - all things that just doesn't usually happen. So it's been a long week. The boys have to go to school for a snow make up day on Monday, but it will be a short day for them since I have to take Abby to the dr. in the afternoon. Now they won't get another day off until March. March. That seems like such a long way off! I am ready to enjoy the weekend with my family and hopefully get recharged and ready for next week!

Top 10 of 2009 cont'd

Top 10 of 2009

Donna over at HSS had posted about showing your top ten layouts of 2009. I decided to not only do layouts, but my favorite cards, too. Here are the first 5.

Week 1 of my 52 weeks challenge

Here is my first layout for my 52 week challenge. Since January started off bitterly cold and with a little bit of snow, and since the kids were out of school all week because of it, I decided that would be my subject for this weeks challenge.

Journaling reads: Temps staying in the single digits. Wind chills of -10 to -20 degrees. A few inches of snow on the ground. No school all week. But it's too cold to go out and play. Yep - we're in the...

This first week (and a half now) of January has been miserable just because of the weather. Sure the kids were out of school for another week, but we couldn't even go out and play in the snow because it's just too darn cold. It looks like this next week is going to be a lot warmer. We're talking 30's and 40's here. That will definitely feel like a heat wave. I am ready for it!

Winter Wonderland Crop

Going on over at Scrapfit starting today and going through Sunday. They have some really cool challenges going on. I hope to get a lot done this weekend. Come on over and join in the fun.
http://scrapfit.freeforums.org/winter-worderland-crop-jan-8-10-f45.html

Project 365/52/12

Well, surely if you are a scrapper you have heard about Project 365. That is where you take a picture everyday and then scrap it. Well, I know I would never remember to take a picture every single day and to be honest, my life is not that exciting so I have decided to try for the "52" part. That is where you take a picture or series of pictures every week and then make a layout. I'm really kinda excited to do this, I've already got ideas for what I want to do every week for the month of January, and at the end of the year I can look back and see everything that has gone on. Stay tuned to see how I do!

Holiday rewind crop over at MSW

MSW is having a month long holiday rewind crop. They have a lot of challenges posted that I cannot wait to do. I neglected to get any of my pictures uploaded for the Dec. challenge, but I have a lot of pictures I can use and I can't wait to get some of those holiday photos scrapped. You can find all the details here: http://www.mysketchworld.s2.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=4332&mforum=mysketchworld

Extended vacation for the kids

Well, the kids have had a few days off of school thanks to this little bit of snow and cold, cold temperatures. I'm not real sure if the temperature today even made it out of the single digits. School is already cancelled for tomorrow and we are supposed to get 2-4 more inches of snow starting tomorrow and going through Thursday. There's no telling when they will go back to school. I don't figure they'll go all this week. Maybe Monday - but they are forecasting snow for then, too. I would love the snow if it was warm enough that we could go out and play in it, but that doesn't look like it's gonna happen. The windchill on Thursday is forecasted to be -20. Yikes! Hope to be staying in where it's warm!

Here's the picture

turned the right way so you can see Abby and Shawn's smiling faces! One of these days I'll learn how to fix these things!

It's official...

Shawn proposed to Abby on Christmas morning! He asked Scott's permission, so we had a little heads up as to what was going on. When all of the presents had been unwrapped Christmas morning he pulled out the ring box got on one knee and asked Abby if she would marry him. Of course it didn't take long for her to say yes. As you can tell, I think this was by far her favorite present this year! No official date has been set just yet, but neither one of them has been the type to rush into anything very fast. We are very happy for both of them and we couldn't have picked a better man for Abby if we tried. Congratulations to both of you and we love you both very much!

I'm the winner!!

I am doing the happy dance this morning! I found out that I was the winner of the random draw for the prize package for the 12 Days of Christmas over at AWDML's design team blog! You can find them here:http://memorylane.typepad.com/design_team_blog/ .

New Year's Eve happenings

Well, our New Year's Eve tradition is to go into Aunt Kay's and have pizza and play games all evening and see the new year in with the family. Those plans didn't happen this year since we all have the cough and cold and didn't want to spread it around to everyone else. So, we ordered a couple of pizzas, rented a movie, and played games until after midnight - just us - Scott, Abby, Shawn, Matthew, Shane, and myself. Abby was really feeling bad with a terrible headache and cold, but she still got in and played some games. We took time out to watch the movie, The Perfect Getaway, it was really good, and then finished out the night playing Sequence and Skip-Bo. Shane fell asleep around 11:30, and we were so into our Skip-Bo game that we actually missed seeing the new year in at exactly midnight. We realized it was midnight about 5 minutes after the fact! I cannot imagine a better way of seeing the new year in. Spending time with my family is the best! (Pictures to come soon!)

I cannot believe...

I did the unthinkable on Christmas eve and left my camera at Mom and Dad's house! Abby has been kind enough to let me use her camera for all my holiday pictures. Now my only problem is our computer won't read her camera card so I have no way to upload those photos. And I have so many pictures that I want to share! I need to get a disk the next time I go to Wal-Mart to get some developed and maybe then I will be able to share them. I don't even know what pictures I took on Christmas eve and how they turned out. I'd better go by Mom's and get my camera...soon!

Happy New Year!!

I cannot believe that it is 2010! Looking back, last year just seemed to fly by. Last year had a lot of ups and downs and some hard times with Scott losing his job in March, but it has ended on a high note. He found a new job in November and really seems to like it. Abby was valedictorian of her senior class, started college at Missouri State University, finished her first semester with a 4.0, and got engaged at Christmas. Matthew won first place overall the school at the science fair last spring, he had another fun baseball season, and his trash robot was in the top 5 of his class. Shane had a line in the 2nd grade musical welcoming everyone to the show. He started 3rd grade - had a bit of a rough start, but he really likes his new aide which is very important! He loves to watch the mash up of It's My Life and Usher's Confession's on a Glee episode (thank goodness for DVR!) and he is just lovin' life in general! We went camping for the first time this summer and loved every minute of it - we're planning on doing that again this year and maybe even more than once! Yeah, looking back at 2009 as a whole, it wasn't too bad of a year!