Rasberry Road, Scrapbook News & Review, Christina Renee Designs

Credits: HERE

And too boot, this lo is featured at CRD's store with the Dirty Notes Papers: HERE. And I have another one in her shop feature, too: Game On.

In addition, my e-mail came today with the latest issue of Scrapbook News and Review which has one of my lo's in it! I'm so jazzed. So all in all, today was a good scrapping day!

Susan Darter of Rasberry Road is about to open a shop instead of her blog shop, which will feature a forum, gallery, blog and all the usual stuff. I'll be posting about the grand opening when we get all the stuff organized. Lots o' prizes and games and giveaways 'n stuff! Wahooooooo! So check back...it should be fairly soon.

Neck pain...teenagers...killing me...slow painful death...oh GAWD! Said with much love, but ds and his friend woke me up 2x last night...at 1am and 4am...at which point I became possessed and forced them to go to bed. (#_)#($*)(@#)( XBox 360 Live is like a drug to them. Cutting that way back. And dd has been argueing with her bff all week...mainly over bff's ex who is a complete and total loser, drop out, verbally abusive, controlling, stalker...who has snuck back and trying to get with bff and dd won't support her. Duh! GEEEEZ! Why do girls like abusive boys? I have no idea.

Hmmm. think I shall scrapbook!

Rasberry Road Recipe Page and Challenge

Credits: HERE
Here is a page I made for the challenge participation prize over at Rasberry Road. It's an 8 picture challenge and the prize is a kit from Susan Darter. Who doesn't want to win a free kit? Anyway, the participation prize is recipes and QP's for your own recipes. Now that sounds like a Christmas gift in the making if you ask me!

Home Pom UCA Cheer Camp & Photos

The first night there was a competition where the girls had to create a routine that had no tumbling or stunts to pump up the crowd. The only real competition was a competition squad from Kentucky who were 3 time National Champions with one cheer competition (Open Cheer I think)organization and with UCA they were 3rd at Nationals at Disney for 2008. That squad was 2x the size of our's too. I'm saying all this because we got 2nd place, and to them that is losing. You should have seen their faces. But considering what they were up against, I feel like it was a first place! Especially since we are not a competitions squad!

The first day at camp, the JV and Varsity combined won the TOP Banana award, which is something you want because you exhibit the most spirit all day!

Our squad, which includes an awesome guy this year, took home the 2nd place for Home Pom, which they completely choreographed on their own and selected their own music and made their own CD. They took home a Superior award for overall camp performance and the coup de grace was the LEADERSHIP award, for which only one award is given. That is voted on by the other squads at camp. They were so excited about that!!!!!!!
Here is a few photos of my dd and her squad from camp as well! That's what I've been doing from 7a to 11 or 12 at night for the past 4 days. I came home and went to bed at 5:30 last night! LOL!

There's Hope In the Teen World!

Not too much to chat about today. No scrap lo's. How sad! Mojo is not here for some reason. I'm excited about some kits that I've got available to me. I'm just not in the stinkin' mood! And that never happens...well, hardly ever!

My kiddies are 16 months apart and have always been very close until probably high school. It's been a rough go as far as that because I'm so used to them being close, and it was killing me to see them fighting. Until yesterday because one of ds's friends said something to him that dd didn't like. She told him not to talk to her brother like that. The friend said, "But you talk to him like that." And she said, "Yeah. I'm his sister. You're not allowed to." She told him he could just leave if he didn't feel like apologizing to her brother. Now the friend is a good kid, and he apologized. A little while later, ds texts his sister, "I love you sister."

So it's true. The foundation is there. There may be some rough patches, but I am confident they will come out on the other side as friends and siblings and still close.

I upped my running today to 1.25 miles from 1.0. I think I could have actually gone further, but one thing at a time. I'm just very pleased with myself. And I feel so much better than when I was just walking. I sooooooo need that run!

Rasberry Road and Recipes and a Challenge

Don't you just love the jar in this set of elements? Susan always does something unique. Her papers are just beautiful. This also has a freebie alpha available at the blog. So check it all out here: Rasberry Jam at Rasberrry Road Designs by Susan Darter.

Only today and tomorrow left to participate in the "Layered Frame Challenge" I am hosting at the Rasberry Road Forum: Click HERE for details! You can win a kit from Rasberry Road Designs!

And finally a little teaser for next month's challenge is this recipe card from the Homemade Goodness collection at RR. They will be given away with a bunch of others along with QP's for a recipe book made with the Farmers Market Collection just for participating in August's challenge!



As far as comments on my daily life, it's hot. It's summer. So what else is new! LOL! I ran a whole mile yesterday OUTSIDE, which is a big deal for me as I have always run inside on a treadmill. I had to give up my gym membership, and since I ruptured my achille's tendon several years back, have been afraid to run outside. But I conquered that fear and am now out on the road! So hopefully I can get up to my normal 3 miles! Keep your fingers crossed.

Here we are scrimping and saving like all of America with gas so expensive. And I get a bill for having our wrought iron gates fixed. DH said, "I found a guy to fix our gates for $160.oo." Yeah, bill comes, and true to dh's form, it is $725. Yes, you read that right. I said to him, "Now? With all that is going on we get this bill? If I had known it was going to be this much, I would have passed on this project." *#$_)(*@#_)(*$(_@)(#$*_)(*_@#)($*_)(*#$)(*$_$*#(_)(*#_@)$ Sometimes I hate handling the family finances, cuz I sacrifice so much and then ($*_#(*$@#)M*%_#)(* like this happens. I mean, where am I going to cough that out of??? HELLO!!!

PUBBED and Clearly Something with a BIG GRIN

This lo was created using Wendy Pages Clearly Something kit available at Digitals. I am so tired so I'm too lazy to direct link and use html code, so just click on the Digital blinkie if you are interested!

And take a look at my little dog, Runt. He is the one with the most hilarious human looking grin on his doggy face. My family saw this pic, and we were just rolling. Y'all, that little dog has dimples. Fo' real! He smiles!

And my big news of the day is that Scrapbook News & Review has picked up one of my lo's to be featured in their next mag issue which comes out in August. And they are the kind of digi mag that you have to subscribe to. Not that I mind ones you don't have to subscribe to. I'm happy to be pubbed whatever it is! LOL!

Some of July's Layouts & Page Maps for September

I made a slideshow since it has been a while since I blogged. I don't think I'm much of a summer blogger. There's just so much more I'd rather be doing outside. I don't like winter so I blog more in winter cuz I'm inside where it is warm! LOL!

Becky Fleck has sent me a sketch for the September issue of Page Maps. I am so excited to be asked to contribute to her new digital section. That just completely was awesome!

I went to Hard Rock Park yesterday with 5 teenagers. I think they managed to have a good time. I do believe the highlights of their day included (1) my cussing on a ride because I had lost my ever lovin' mind from fright and (2) my screaming, "Close your eyes if you can't make it through!" several times during a vertigo experience brought on by a drug induced spinning tunnel in the Moody Blues Nights in White Satin ride. Apparently I'm quite funny when I don't realize what I am doing brought on my extreme sensory experiences! LOL!

I rode some dag gum swings. Let me tell you about that. That scared the bejesus out of me. I do not like the feeling of falling. Never have. One reason I don't like airplanes cuz turbulence feels like free falling. So I hop on these swings and off it goes, scaring the wee-wee out of me because I am suspended in mid-air on a twirly-swirly ride where I am experiencing that falling sensation and the only thing I have to hang on to is the two chains currently in a death grip. If I even move one inch, the swing starts to turn, which sends another shock of fear through me, causing a more death defying grip. I realize I can't scream, "Stop this ride! Get me off of here! NOW!" I mean all the others enjoying the ride, don't want to endure my panic attack. So I have to endure, meanwhile my vertigo is aggravated and a wave of nausea is welling up. So on top of falling, I might vomit on anyone below me on this wildly spinning ride. That was it for me for the day. I then went to the Beach Blanket Bingo show. My speed! LOL!

Fun New Lo with Cottage Arts and Senior Portraits

CottageArts Play & Grow Collection by Julie Meade

UNEDITED

Okay, I have always wanted to do one of these kind of cartoon lo's, for lack of a better description. When I saw this kit by Julie Meade over at Cottage ARts, I had to have it. It just so happens that I found these photos of my dd from about 4 years ago that were just perfect to be scrapped with it.

I can't remember if I shared this pic of ds that I took. I need to edit it, but I just love it. I believe it will be his Christmas card pic! And the one he can give his friends when they are passing out senior photos! I just love it when he cooperates with me.

His senior proofs came, but the tuxedo yearbook pics didn't come out. Photographer flubbed up so he has to redo those, but the casual looks were great. Now dh and I have to pick which one to order. TOUGH choice! LOL! I'm only going to get an 11x17 as otherwise it is way too expensive!

Digi credits: HERE

That lo is for the July 4th Challenge at the TBD Loft which is a Christmas in July challenge. I will say one thing, it was hard to get some pics for this cuz I really took some stinky photos this year. I'm talking cluttered backgrounds, shadows BLAH! I know not every photograph has to be museum quality, but for heaven's sake, these photos stink-stank-stunk as the Grinch would say!

Let's see, today was HOT! I sweated. That's what I did today! LOL! I had to finish mowing the lawn. Just as I got about 1/4 done, the irrigation guy came to chat with me about our impending sprinkler system in the front yard. I was dripping sweat. I mean, literally, sweat was pouring down my face. It was so gross. At least I didn't stink! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

I planted the rest of my begonias. I just wasn't sure where I wanted them. I finally just put them in the rest of my pots. So I'm done. No more planting...big fat lie! I still have another camellia to plant and some hostas...this weekend...

I did enjoy some time in the pool today, which was wonderful and welcome considering the heat and the sweat. Mind you, I'm not complaining because summer is my favorite season! Even HAWT summer's are my fav!

I have got to do something with my family so I can get some pics of us this summer. DD is the only one traveling, but she lives the life of the Rich and Famous cuz of all her friends. Hilton Head, ATL ya know. but anyhoo, the rest of us gotta do something. A lil day trip somewhere. I really want to go white water rafting. Frankly, I'm the only one excited about it, but too bad. I may just have to drag them all along anyway.

So Much I Had To Make A Slide Show

I have been a busy bee lately, although I do swear that my mojo is dead. I think I taxed my scrapping creativity so much with Christina Renee and Tangie Baxter, that I killed it! LOL!

Anyway, I hope that you will visit Tangie's ATC Emporium because they have so many new ATC kits, you won't believe it. She partnered with Sherrie Drummond to create all these goodies, and they made a ton of stuff!

Hope on over to Tangie's CT blog HERE for this weeks Big Picture Challenge which ends on Thursday 6/26...yeah...today! But you can knock something out real quick and win a $10 GC to her site and buy some cool ATC stuff or something else.

And while you are at it, hop on over to the Authentic Artistry blog where Christina REnee has some awesome freebies posted and two challenges.

I had a migraine today, and so I am very sleepy now. I was worried about it, but I took my lil sumpin and I feel so much better. Sleepy, but at least the headache is gone. I was supposed to go to work, but I was too afraid to be stuck over there with a major migraine cuz it's hard to drive when you are dying of pain! And I don't feel to friendly when I don't feel good!

My teens are out and about as usual. Yes, I know exactly where they are cuz I am a strict mom all up in their business. DS was supposed to go to this go-cart track today, but his friend's dad got mad cuz they were playing XBox 360 online and his friend stayed up all night long. So that was the end of that.

I did have to lay an egg the other night when they hooked up the online XBox because I kept getting woken up by ds's friend saying, "hello? Hello?"

It turns out ds's headset was malfunctioning. I got smart and kidnapped it, and left a ransom note. They are however, teen boys, and got smarter...they got their other friend's headset, and it only delayed them a few. So I threatened them with taking the whole system if they did it again. Cuz I am the smartest!

And on that note of mom power, I shall say, "Ciao!"

Senior Portraits

digi credits: HERE

I took some photos of my son before his senior portraits. He is a comedian, and couldn't help but act goofy. He kept cracking up and then say, "Okay, I'll be serious now."

What can a mother do, but photograph those silly moments, too? So I made a lo of the silly. Then I can make one of the serious. What a kid!

I am surviving teenland so far today. Ds has managed to go fishing for two days in a row. His friend got bit by some fish, but I wasn't there and he is fine! I swear my ds could fish all day and love it. When we are at the beach, he is fishing, fishing, fishing! Right now there are four of them in the pool at 11:30pm. I did have to tell them to quiet down once, but they seem to be managing not to offend the neighbors.

Last night they had big fun as there was a turtle in our pool. They decided to swim with it. I tried to take a picture of it, but I was too busy screaming to concentrate and so it didn't turn out that great! It came out of the water and his friend had picked it up! bwahahahahahahah

I did manage to relagate the number sleeping over to one tonight. I just need a break! LOL! KWIM!

I'm not sure my mojo is quite right. I feel kind of out of scrapping sorts as if I can put the stuff on the page, but it isn't clicking. I think a need a break for a few days!

Okay, I am hosting the challenge at Tangie Baxter Designs Loft starting June 20th. HERE. You can win a great GC to Tangie's store with lots of awesome new stuff and the debut of her ATC Emporium just around the corner!!!

Some things can make you feel pretty darn good. How about being a preview lo at Christina Renee? I nearly had a cow. If you look HERE, I am the third lo down. The orange one! I gotta tell you, that just totally made my day, week, month!

Oh yeah... and check this out: Can you find me??? OMG! Isn't it great!

I think that is it for today. I'm sleepy. Although with all these teen boys, I gotta stay up until they go home! bleh!

My Camera and A LO and TEENS

Everything is CRD!

So I made this lo yesterday. I also made 3 ATC cards for Tangie Baxter Design's upcoming ATC Emporium release on June 25th. Can't post those.

Maybe that is what sapped my creative energy? I made the ATC's first. Then I tried two lo's and had to get rid of them. This was my third attempt. I went with some Christmas photos, hoping that if I got out of the current photos that it might spark a lil sumpin. I don't know if I will scrap today or not as I have to go to work later. But that might be a good thing. Get some mojo going!

I decided to use the manual settings on my camera to photograph my ds for before his Senior pics at school. I figured I would go with 800 ISO because I like the look it gives for portraits and then use an f/stop around 4.0. Well, my camera, being a Kodak Z740 only goes up to 400 ISO so I used 200 because I did like shooting with that when I was in the film world and using my SLR. Daggum gas prices keeping me from getting my digital Rebel. I shot one I really love. I just miss having total control with my Z740, although it has a 10x zoom and does take good pics.
unedited

More teen stories...dd's friend, C came in the house and took his shirt off. He was hot, only to reveal about 5 hickies on his chest. I said to him,"OMG what happened to you."
C, who at 17 thinks he might be smarter than me, replies, "Oh, messing around with them." (meaning his brother and my ds)
I looked at him and said, "They look like hickies to me."
Snagged. Exactly what they were. He confessed.
Remember the girl I had to shuttle out of the room full of boys? Well, he just so happened to hook up with her when he took her home. Which then led to a whole conversation with dd and her friend and them about how he could do better and blah blah blah.
Let's see...horny boy. Willing girl. Do better? I'm sure he was very happy.
But the icing on the cake was when C said to me, "How do I get rid of these? Isn't there something you can do? They hurt." bwahahahahahhahahah "Shoulda thought about that when you were getting them."

Then, earlier in the day, C and his brother, D, got their senior pics. I had to take them. Well, I said I would because they have no a/c in their car and they were upset about being sweaty. Once again I had to tie the ties. Meanwhile these two, who are fraternal twins, are fighting about: their dad calling and who will answer the phone, who got the shirt with the bigger collar, who always gets the shaft, no belt, who's G, who's not. Finally, I looked at them and said, "I'm glad I only have two children. If I had added two more to the mix and had to go through this x2 every day, I'd be in the funny farm."

They looked at me and said in all seriousness, "Oh, that would be bad."

Do they really have any idea?

Then ds calls me from work and complains I have no snacks. His friends are complaining about the crummy snacks we have. I cannot keep up with these locusts. They swarm in, consume everything in sight, and swarm out. "So buy some I said."

I'd had enough. I was teened out. OMG! I needed a break. I was mean. I wouldn't let anyone stay over. And now, my house is quiet. I'm at peace. Recuperated. AHHHHHHH!

Dogalicious

I hope you like my lo. Everything is from Christina Renee. I'm too lazy to link tonight. I've had a trying day in the parental realm.

So I've decide talent never sleeps. That's what I think after seeing Christina Renee creating non-stop for DST and Tangie going crazy getting ready for her ATC spot in her shop. Personally, I could do with a nap. I'm tired! LOL!

How many kids can you have at your house at one time? Let's see, ds showed up with six friends to swim in the pool, and shortly thereafter, dd showed up with two friends in tow. That makes ten teenagers at my house. Perhaps one would worry that I would turn into the crazy cat lady with all this going on, but I read a post the other day, which made me hugely relieved.

You see, that lady was the CRAZY CAT LADY. She showed up at a neighborhood bbq with her cat on a leopard print leash. She told people that she bought him a live mouse every week for him to chase in the house. Most weeks he caught it.

So, I am not a CRAZY CAT LADY, yet.

One friend of ds's had to borrow a bathing suit. He kept saying that the legs were too tight, and he could hardly move. Frankly, that was the least of his problems. Over 1/2 his ass was hanging out. You see, my son is very lean and this boy was corn fed! LOL!

Ds's crew involved one girl who is one of the boys. I guess it's a good thing because she announced that her boob fell out of her bathing suit. I asked her if she would like a t-shirt thinking she might have some modestly and was assured that, "No, I'm fine." OOOOOOOkaaaaaay! Personally, I prefer to keep my boobs in my suit, and if one made a mistaken appearance, I wouldn't announce it. And I would've taken the t-shirt.

When ds and friends finished swimming, they went upstairs for a video game session and shut his door with girl in room. OOOOOOH NOOOOOO THEY DIDN"T!

DD says to me, "Are you going to get that girl?"
I said, "No, they won't do anything to her."
After all, she would probably kick their butts. She's a toughie. But this doesn't satisfy dd. She wants to know why ds can have a girl in his room and she can't have a guy in his room. "It's because I don't have a penis."

Fabulous. my dd said penis to me. It's a modern generation. She wasn't embarrassed, so I guess I have done my job as a parent who wants to keep the lines of communication open.

"No, it's because you don't have a reputation and she does, but I'll go take care of it."

So off I go. "Matt, no girls in your room."
His friend says, "Are you kidding me?"
I said, "Do I look like I'm kidding?"
"No. But he's seventeen."
"Is he married? No girls in his room unless he's married."
"You're serious."
"Yes, I'm serious."
"I didn't know you were like that."
"I'm a Christian. Yes, I'm like that."

What a day. I need a sedative.

Two more lo's and Foodie Chat

digi credits HERE

digi credits HERE

Okay, a shameless plug for Tangie Baxter who is soon to launch her ATC Emporium within her shop, which will also be perfect for the amazing INCHIES shaking up the paper scrapping world. My first lo features an INCHIE on the star... they are 1" x 1" squares that folks decorate! Anyhow, check with Tangie's site on June 25th! That's the debut day!

While I'm shamelessly plugging, check out Christina Renee Designs who is featured at DST this month AND is giving away a freebie every single day. Part of her Ready, Set, Chase! designs are released each day. On Saturday, if you clicked on my blinkie at DST, you got the Fantasie Ornates, Windows. Boy was that fun for me to be able to do that!!! Anyway, hop on over and find the magic CT member to get the latest piece!

Dd came home from Hilton Head today. I'm glad. I missed her. We celebrated Father's Day after she got home and ds got off work. I made a Beef Wellington, Risotto and cherry cobbler for dessert. Appetizers were potatoe skins with blue cheese. Whew! Am I full. Anyway, can you tell I've been watching Hell's Kitchen with Gordon Ramsay.

I would like to know WTF is English mustard? That's what you are supposed to rub all over the beef tenderloin before you cook it in the shell. They don't sell it where I live that is for sure! Not a shocker, but never heard of it! BTW, beef wellington is delish. I used portabello mushrooms for the mushroom part. Yummo!

I have managed to master risotto. And it is really, really good. You just can't be in a hurry to make it.

And cherry cobbler. A whole stick of butter. Need I say more.

I do love cooking when I have time and watching Hell's Kitchen got me curious about risotto and beef wellington. Now both are added to my culinary skills.

So all that being said, I do believe dh had a nice father's day. He got two trees for our landscaping adventure: a pansy tree and a dogwood tree. Plus we got him a pair of Columbia shorts. I also took him for my "short" route of walking since he is wanting to lose some weight. I told him I would take him the long route another day. I think he thought the short one was the long one!

A Cat's Fantasy & Medical Chat

digi credits: HERE

I made this lo imagining what my cat might dream about. I shot this pic when she was looking out of my screened porch at birds???? bugs??? something else??? So I thought I would have some fun with it.


digi credits: HERE

This is a little page for a book I am going to make for my son documenting his senior year.

My dh went to the dr. on Friday. Hard to believe (see prior post) but he was having pains in his kidney area that had awaken him during the night. The dr. determined it was not a kidney stone and sent him for X-rays.

The x-ray check in lady told my dh that he had been there three times lately, and he had to pay first. WTF? We have insurance with a major insurance company, and he is employed by a Fortune 100 company. The hospital hasn't even had time to file the insurance from the day before so of course we would have a balance...blood work, colonoscopy and now the x-ray. She tried to extort $700 out of him, but he told her no. She remaneuvered and he told her no again. Finally he gave her $100. Now, the last time I checked, we have active insurance so they aren't supposed to "deny" us service. Which is what he basically told her, "Take the $100 or I'll take my money and go somewhere else."

This type of treatment has really chapped my hide! Especially since the doctor asked for an immediate "wet" reading. Did he get it? NO. Did he get his report today? NO! So on Monday, I am going to call up there and raise hell. I'm glad it wasn't an emergency. I am really turned off by this hospital. We can't use the other one in town, which gave better service as his insurance changed and we are forced to go to this FOR PROFIT place instead of the other, which was NOT FOR PROFIT.

Not only that, when he was recovering from being anesthetized, he was in a room where the gurney fit. There was a sink about a foot away and a chair (for me) next to the sink. The nurse, who was a healthy woman, could not fit her butt in between me and the gurney. What type of facility is this? At the other hospital, you got a full room. This one is squeezing you in like a Japanese hotel and compromising the care you get by making a large nurse have no room. I suggest they either build a bigger room or hire smaller nurses that will fit in their sardine can. It was really a turn-off.

Oh, I almost wrecked my blog. I was in the HTML trying to figure out my ad-sense...not that I've ever made any money from it, but they sent me an e-mail to update it to google. Anyway, I was looking for this code they asked for and changed something, only to discover I'd lost all my customization. I wasn't able to get it back. However, it seems to have recovered by itself and then I decided to change to this black background to see if I like it or not.

Thoughts Du Jour

In 24 hours, my family has had 4 wisdom teeth pulled, a skin cancer surgically removed, and a colonoscopy. 3 of us down and out. The extra one is away at the beach enjoying herself. What a ride! LOL!

Update on the redo of our garden: I had 3 boys out in my yard laying putting down newspaper as a weedblock and laying pinestraw to keep the weeds out. They have done two beds out of 4 that need to be done. I'm paying them $1.00 a bale, which is great for me, and since it isn't over 100 degrees anymore, I think it is ok with them. They can jump in the pool when they get hot and there is lots of food and drink.

My ceiling has had a leak in our family room for about two months. It was finally determined to be related to the "terlet" upstairs. Which is a huge relief as we thought it was the flashing on the roofline. Finally someone is here to fix that mess...the leak and then next week, they will come and repair the ceiling in our family room...for the third time...The other three were do to storms which caused leaks.

And finally, my son's friend just turned 18. He is thinking of joining the Army. I don't know if they will take him as he was never able to make it past 9th grade in school, and this year finally gave up and dropped out. This is not a friendship that I encourage as this young man was headed nowhere, but I feel distressed about him joining the Army at this point in our country's history. I'm pro-military, but anti-Iraq, and I'm afraid they will send him to Iraq.

I plan to scrap today, as I am the one that had the skin cancer removed. I have a two inch gash on my neck. I shouldn't call it a gash. It was done by a plastic surgeon so I doubt I will have a scar that will look like anything more than a line on my neck that is supposed to be there. But I had no idea that they were going to make an incision that large, but they said it should all be gone, which is the main thing! Anyway, I don't want to get it in the sun so mainly I have to be indoors until the pool gets some shade.

That means cleaning up from the boys that have been here for the past two days. LOL!

And the highlight of my coming week is my son is scheduled for his senior pictures. Now I could shoot his myself, but it is part of the journey, isn't it? And I want to take it all in and enjoy him making it this far. If you have a child with ADHD, you know exactly what I mean. It's been alot of work and love to get him to this point, and I'm so proud, I'm going to do every corny little, traditional thing that comes along and wallow in every delightful moment! I'm just busting with pride at my evolving man!!!

Christina Renee and When Do You Work

digi credits:HERE

That is my latest creation using Christina Renee's designs, including her latest Freebie at DST: The Scenery-The Royal Garden. I hope y'all have been downloading those cuz the heart, fish, hearts with arrows, star and UP are all from her freebie this month, too, at DST!

I told my son to be sure he had off Tuesday this week as he was getting his wisdom teeth out. Okay says he.

Tonights conversation went like this:
Me: Matt, when are you working this week?
Matt: Tuesday & Friday
Me: Matt, you can't work Tuesday. You are having your wisdom teeth out.
Matt: I know.
Me: I told you to tell Ryan you needed Tuesday off.
Matt: I did. We're having a tournament.
Me: Well, you can't work.
Matt: I know.

Why did I bother to tell him to be sure he had off? Anyway, he has to trade with someone now or WORSE, embarrassing Mommy will have to intervene!

UNCOOL: This girl at work asked me to work last Sunday for here which was my Sunday off. I did. She promised to work for me this Sunday, today. Did I hear from her? NO! Did I call her twice and text her. Youbetcha. Did she ignore my calls. Youbetcha. Did I have to go to work today. Youbetcha. Was I pissed? Youbetcha. Will I ever do anything for her again? NOPE! (Did you think I was gonna say YOUBETCHA?)

It was 101 degrees in the shade on our porch today. IN JUNE! Early June at that. That is HOT no matter how you slice it. Whew!

I've got to get out early and water tomorrow so everything we've planted lives. It was too hot by the time I woke up this morning for it to do any good. So I'll have to water extra tomorrow. Hate to see that water bill, but I gotta protect my landscape investment!

Any movement at all outside tomorrow will require a dip in the pool. That's what I do. Work a lil, dip a lil, work a lil, dip a lil! LOL!

digi credits: HERE
So this is my attempt at (1) one of those fantasy lo's that so many people do and (2) a big picture lo for my challenge at Tangie's Loft June 20th, that I am hosting (and keep mentioning). I had alot of fun doing it, and I must say, I rather like the way it turned out.


digi credits: Tangie Baxter Beach ATC freebie @ DST (check out her Queen of the Day thread) & Mehndi Caravan, CRD Ultimate Art & StoryBoards 2.

The city where I live has turned down my claim against them saying that "they had no prior knowledge". I wonder how they explain my husband's phone call to them and my two phone calls to the City Manager? Bastards. I knew they were gonna do that. Deny the first time. I read RAINMAKER by John Grisham. I know all about denial as a standard procedure because most people will go away. So tomorrow I call the Mayor and forward my picts and story to a newscaster in the Junior League with me. Maybe that will get their attention? Too bad my friend moved whose husband was the head of our paper here. I'd be all over that, too!

Who wants to talk about that crap anyway? Not me. I have enjoyed day 3 of my 4 days off by scrapping, blog train(ing), praise game(ing), and swimming in my pool which is now a temperate 90 degrees! OH YEAH!

I also spent part of the day watering as it was nearly 100 deg here today. All those new plants and shrubs to to my plumbing fiasco need to be watered to live! Next to get in-ground sprinkler system so that everything we planted doesn't die. I feel like I'm in a money pit right now!

Tomorrow is errand day as we are out of groceries. Ds had his two friends over today. They were eating everything in sight, of course, being teenage boys. Each had a Totino's pepperoni pizza. One had some chips. The other had some nuts. They finished a thing of lemonade I had made. Gotta stock up. This was just their pre-dinner snack!

Dd has not been seen all day. She has possession of the car, and that means, was long gone!

Which brings me to my final comment of the day. I had to take pictures of myself enjoying my pool as ds was not home for most of the day and neither was dd. I guess the tide is changing, and I will be scrapping more things than just the kiddie patrol, eh!!!

And rest assured, there are not full length photos of me in my bathing suit. Why would I do that! LOLOLOLOL!

Blog Challenge And What's Up Doc?

First off, I haven't posted this lo anywhere yet, but credit is due to Tangie Baxter & CRD whose kits I used to make this lo!

I'm hosting the blog challenge over at the Creative Team Loft on June 20th. I decided to make a big picture challenge as I was inspired by some lo's using big pics over at DST. When I say big I mean a minimum of 4"x12" and a maximum of 10"x12". So if this is something that interests you, c'mon over June 20th and play for a GC to Tangie's store. I'll be posting a direct link then so don't think you have to remember it, unless you don't visit my blog...then you do!

Okay, on to my current saga. Albeit a small one, it is really chapping my hide! I had a growth on my neck so I went to our family physician who thought it was a skin cancer. He said I should see a surgeon immediately and scheduled me an appointment for a few days later. But since I see a dermatologist every six months (red hair and freckles), I just went to see her...er only her wasn't available so I had to see her partner. He was a piece of cardboard as far as personality.

And much to my distress, he didn't take the thing down to skin level like my regular dermatologist would. He just scraped a teeny piece off and left the rest of this thing that was the size of an eraser causing me to feel like one of the witches from MacBeth. I felt it was my own beacon, lighting my way on the darkest of nights. To me it is huge and glaring. I wanted it OFF! I guess at Georgetown Medical School they don't teach you to take it all off.

So the biopsy is supposed to take 2 weeks. My appt. was May 12th. On the thirtieth, I called the office, and they just had my lab report in their stack. Their stack of what? Wait and ignore until they call? Eraser is still on my neck. It is still unsightly. Someone needs to get rid of it. Fine, they can see me. It is a sqemous cell (sp). Lovely. Take it off.

The earliest appointment is July 8th. WTF? I'm not going around with an eraser skin cancer on my neck until July 8th. Would you? Honestly, it's time to have this lighthouse removed. Moly russel's wart...remember that from Uncle Buck. I have moly russel's wart. Get it off!

So I'm more clever than these inept scheduling people who arent' alarmed that I have a skin cancer the size of Uncle Buck on my neck. No siree, I'll get the best of them and have this thing removed, by George!

So I call the local plastic surgeon. Added bonus of tiny stitches leaving minimal scar, which in the world of vanity is a big BONUS! Plastic surgeon sees me today. MOTHEROFGAWD he doesn't take the elephant in the room off my neck either because insurance says I have to be precertified. They couldn't do that before? They couldn't do it now? I have a freakin' family moving in on my neck. GET THIS ()*#@()*$ OFF!

So now, I am relegated to coming back on Tuesday to have this fabulously Aaron Neville-ish moly russel's wart Macbeth witch thing removed. IS IT REALLY NECESSARY TO WAIT THIS LONG? I'm glad it is not a melanoma. I might have had to wait to Christmas to get it off. By then it would have been so big, I could have stuck a bow on it and left it under the tree.

As an aside, for the first time in 19 years of marriage, my husband went to bed before me...

Christina Renee PlayTime

Digi credits: HERE

digi credits: HERE

Digi credits:

Okay, so I feel like I've managed to rock out 3 lo's that just tickle me pink. Sometimes the creativity is right on! KWIM! What I hate are those brain fart lo's. Do you have those? When your brain just apparently stops working, and you put something together and think,"Oh my, that's not that great."

I hope that you enjoy the last lo up on my post as it is for a blog challenge at Tangie Baxter's Loft. Click on my Tangie blinkie and you will be able to get to the challenge. The challenge was about your inspiration in creating a lo. What a great idea! Anyway, so that's what I made.

I spent my first day off pruning, cleaning up "left overs" from the mass planting, and trying to be in the shade and not get sunburned...all the while taking a dip in the pool whenever I got hot! Now that is a perfect day! The pool is a perfect 86 degrees. You can just walk in and not feel cold. I love it when it is like that! I love it when it is 90 degrees and we can night swim. You could night swim now, too, but I prefer the pool to be warmer.

I can only top this day by a nap under a tree by the side of the pool. Perhaps tomorrow!

Back To Blogging

OMG! Planting, digging, planting, digging, planting, digging, work, work, work, sleep! Those are two photos of my beds on the sides of my front porch. Mind you, we've had to replant the beds on the right and left sides of the house and the little bed by the front curb. I'd say we are 75% done planting.

I have been so busy planting. I'm so far behind on my CT obligations! WAH! I had to take a month off from Digitals, which I really hate, but I need to get things back on track. Which I am off four whole days this week! WAhooooo! So I made two lo's this weekend, which I really adore, using Christina Renee's products since I made her CT for the time being! OMG! And that is super big news so I am totally jazzed, and as always there are familiar faces on there from other CT's I am on. I love seeing people at different spots. Anyway, it is using DST Gold kit which features CRD this month, so I have to wait to post them until their newsletter goes out.

Anyhoo, I'm keeping this short today.

Credits here
This lo was done for the Loft Challenge at the TBD Loft which will be posted today...it's a challenge to do a lo about what you love about Spring. Frankly, that summer is right behind for me as my lo says. Spring is cold and damp here and annoyingly long. I'm all about SUMMER!!! Anyway, check out the challenge, you could win a GC to Tangie Baxter's terrific store. She and Sherriejd are coming out with a new collab kit on Tuesday, and if you saw their last one, you know it is a big deal! We get it today. It's not ready quite yet.

I have to work every single day this weekend. OMG! What we mother's do to have flexibility for our children but provide some extra income...however, I do have 3 days off next week, which will mainly involve replanting everything I had to have ripped out since it was overgrown after 17 years in our yard...and affecting the water pipes...still waiting on my check from the city, although they did forward my stuff to the Risk Management folks who sent it right off to their third party handler with whom I spoke yesterday.

Meanwhile in order to be sure I am aware that the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing, the city's paperwork arrived which instructed me to mail (1) two estimates...uh, no, work is already done... and (2) send it to the Risk Management office who would then forward it to their third party handler...didn't they already do that? OMG, it really makes you wonder what the hell they do over their all day, doesn't it. Bumblers is what I'm thinking...Doesn't give you alot of confidence in the local government.

And when I spoke to the third party, upon receiving their letter saying they had tried to contact me...NOT...we have an answering machine, caller ID and cell phones...no message...no caller ID...I called them anyway, and they want me to explain the whole story, so I do, but then they start asking questions trying to make me say something. I tell them I don't discuss the plumbing since I am not an expert, but they can call the plumbers and, "I'll read you what they did. I have their e-mail right here."

"Oh, no. That's OK. I have a copy of that."

What do they think I am going to say? I'm not an idiot. Anyway, I wasn't really that aggravated because the city had sent everything off already cuz they know they are culpable even though their letter says they admit no guilt or responsibility. UMMMMmmm...ok.

Anyway, it should take about a week for them to get back to me. They have to get the city's paperwork. Which will say they came out, which they didn't. Which will include a photo of the dirt pile in my yard as evidence in the plumbing issue. Which will go against my photos of broken end cap, completely 100% clogged pipe and all photos taken in the hole where the plumbing is...now whose case is better. OH MINE!

One thing about me, I do not like to be unprepared. When I was working, I had to be 100% prepared for anything I did so I could answer any and all questions. It was just me. Kinda freaky like that. I don't like to be surprised with something I don't know about my job! LOL!

And speaking of ultra dorky and jobs. So I'm working this retail gig til the kiddies graduate and they are having some sort of contest while they educate the sups in each dept. They learn a lesson every week, give us the answers from the quiz they take, and last night the store manager gathers us all up and quizzes us. Now, frankly, I don't give a rat's behind about knowing the other departments because I don't care how they hang their shirts. I don't do it. I can't leave the jewelry department, even to go to the bathroom without at least a dept. supervisor there to cover so I don't get anywhere else all shift! Anyhoooooo, if you answer your question right, your dept. supervisor gets a point. Mind you. I'm standing behind the store manager because they have to have the meeting in jewelry because I'm still open. I can see all the answers. LOLOLOLOLOL! I got my question right, but it was about jewelry so duh! And so my sup got a point and lo and behold, I got a little dorky pin to put on my name badge like I'd done something spectacular at work. I'm sorry, but I find all that a little gay.

Hope everyone has a fabulous Memorial Day. We do not celebrate it where I live as they celebrate Confederate Memorial Day. So everyone is open except Federal businesses! LOL! Doesn't that kill ya! What can I say about a state who is proud of "First to Secede," and "the South shall rise again!" King cotton and all that! Heritage not hate. I'm just quoting, btw, so don't get panties in a wad, not expressing my opinion. Now let me go have a mint julep under my magnolia tree, I'm gettin the vapors!

Rasberry Road and Boo

Credits here
You might recognize the photo from my post the other day. It's my dog, Boo, who weighs 85 lbs. and thinks that he is still a lil' pup. What that means is he wants to sit in your lap. He is such a big baby, but oh so protecive of his mommy that if a workman comes to my house, I have to warn them not to pet the dog! Boo is a very smart dog. My dd taught him to sit, lay, and roll over. She basically had to get him to do it once and he got it! Boo is a mix of everything... a Heinz 57 dog. His favorite toy is a tennis ball, which he will fetch for me until he gets tired. He gets tired because he is overweight. When he is finished, he takes his ball in his mouth and goes and lays down. Sometimes he even plays with the ball himself like a kitten. That is really hilarious!

All I can tell you is I LOVED David Cook singing with ZZ Top. Talk about fantastic. I'm waiting to buy your album, dude!

Magnolias and Cottage ARts

Digi Credits

I love magnolia trees. I always take a pic of my blossoms. I have 3 trees in my back yard. What a glorious bloom. They are so big and white and pretty! They just remind me of a gentile life and summer.

I wish I had more sage things to say today. But I just got off work, and I'm tired! We were busy. My kiddies are out and about (yes, I know exactly where they are), so the house is quiet and I'm waiting on a nice apple streudel to finish cooking for a lil' snack.

A bit of good news in that it appears the city is going to reimburse us for our plumbing disaster. Now mind you, I don't know how long it will take to actually get the money out of them. We have to fill out a form. OMG! CAn you believe it, but that's the government, even if it is local! But I'll do it to get that big chunk o' change. I'm very ahppy about it anyway!

I need the big chunk o change because I have to have 13 bushes and 3 trees taken out. Our house is about 17 years old and the original planting are overgrown to the point they were affecting the sewer lines. Now that we know where they are, we are going to either plant nothing or shallow rooted plants in those areas so that nothing interferes with them. However, to have the roots dug out, which of the bushes, go about 2 feet straight down and 3 ft each out to the sides...and the trees, forget it...the roots are way out and down! We have to pay almost as much as we will get back from the city with a bit of money left over for new plantings.

Family was all tired from the weekend and grouchy this morning resulting in lots of yelling and kids nearly being late to school. What a way to start the day! Bleh.

We had some friends over for dinner last night and I made bbq chicken, asparagus marinated in Italian dressing, zuchini and mushrooms, and pineapple skewers...all on the grill. It was sooooooooooo good!





And I leave you with those few recent pics of my kitties, Kibbles and Bits (Bits is the fat one), and a picture of my dog, Boo, who is a big baby, but so protective of me! Cuz I'm his momma! LOL!

Tangie Baxter

Digi Credits

Tangie Baxter has come out with some fun new kits lately. I love the Office Basics Mini Kit, especially which I did use in my lo above. Check out those models. She has three sets of those right now from the 20's, 30's and 40's. I think they are so clever and unique. I could go on and on, but I suggest checking out what's new at her site!!! I have a direct link on my blinkies.

I did so much laundry yesterday that I need to open my own Chinese laundry. I am down to one more load...maybe two...and then it will all start over again! One tragedy during laundry was dh left a pen in his pocket, which somehow managed to get all over 8 of my t-shirts which luckily I only paid about $2-3 for with my employee discount. But still, that was all but two of my shirts for heaven sake. So I had to buy 5 shirts yesterday to have something to wear. Of course, I had to sneak in a handbag.

Another LO with Sherriejd and Chat

digi credits: HERE

I managed to squeeze in another lo using Sherriejd's great kit: Sheeps in the Meadow available at CRD. That big frame is a freebie from Catherine Paturet over at the CRD Blog from a while back. I've been dying to use them, too.

What a great way to start my day: fighting over the car. We had the schedule all worked out for the week and ds tries to maneuver in and get the car when it was agreed dd has the car today. Then dd refuses to get in the car because ds has the windows down. Ds calls me from the front yard saying he needs to leave for school and dd won't get in the car. I have to go outside and yell at dd using her full name to get in the car NOW! Of course, neighbor is taking out his trash and is staring at me yelling like a fishwife for her to get in the car. Then ds goes up and turns around and is going to stop infront of the house again, but dd calls me on the phone to say she needs the windows closed because her allergies are pushing her over the edge. Which I have to agree. Mine are too right now for some reason. So I have to have her put me on speakerphone to get ds to put the windows up. Now mind you, ddis never going to go to school with all the windows down because it will mess up her perfectly coiffed hair.

SO just shoot me now and get it over with quickly! Forget torturing our suspected terrorists. Give them two minutes with my two arguing over the car. They will spill their guts just to get them to stop!

I do not want DC to win American Idol because they will make a stinkin' pop record with their formula songs, and we'll have to wait for cd #2 to really hear his stuff. So go DA because he will be fine with their pop record. And I hope DC releases Billy Jean cuz that is still my fav he has sung all season!!

It is fixin to rain this morning. I will be doing more laundry. I did about 5 loads yesterday. I think I am down to three left. I paid dd $5.00 to clean the kitchen while I was at work yesterday, and trust me, it was worth every penny! She said it was a $10.00 job. Yeah, right! LOL!

I'm off to read the blog train at DST and see what everyone is up to today.

Working on Blog Posting

My entry for the CRD Build A Bloom CT Contest. OMG! I really cannot believe I am doing that, but if you don't stick your neck out, you will never know. Right? So if you are feeling extra kind, please stop by my DST Gallery and leave me your comments!!!

digi credits HERE
My new card for the Faith Sisters Weekly Scripture challenge. I'm still not caught up, but I'm still doing them, which is the important part. I love reading the different verses and being led to the one that inspires me. I can't wait until I have them all done and in a pretty box for sharing.


I think I've mentioned I fell into a CT gig for Sherrijd over at Christina REnee Designs. Gosh, I am just so honored and thrilled to use her collab kit that I just gave you the direct link for. She worked with another Authentic Artist named Sue on this one: Summer Breezy. So please check it out. Now I gotta find out how to get my stuff in the gallery there, as if I even can aspire to be half as talented as those ladies. And, the circle in the photo is from Cottage Arts.

I'm just going to be slack this summer posting on my blog. I know it. OH WELL!!!

I do have some secret fans who read my blog and NEVER post a "Hi!" They freaked out one week when they hadn't heard from me via phone or blog. They thought something was wrong. Schweeet of them! But nothing was wrong. Just working and enjoying the warm weather.

And finally, seeing David Cook singing Roberta Flack, OMG! I almost cried. He is so freakin' talented. And Randy is on drugs if he didn't think that was the best SHIT he has ever heard. Take the glue out of your ears. He was awesome. I LOVED HIM and if he doesn't win, the world is deaf! LOL!

Blogging In the Summer!!!

Birthday card with Simply Spring Kit by Nini's Notions at Digitals


Denim Kit by Scrap4Brains at Digitals


Denim Kit by Scrap4Brains at Digitals


Digi Credits

I love summer. It is my favorite time of year. I adore the sunshine and hot weather. I'm compelled to be outside which interrupts my scrapping and blogging time! Maybe I'm like alot of people. I don't know. But I do know that I don't scrap as much in the summer because I'd rather be outdoors doing things. Now, I do have a screened porch, and I do scrap out there to enjoy the weather.

Of course, the other thing interrupting my life is that it appears they are not going to hire another person at work, and so I am working 30-35 hours a week. Which I totally do not want to do. That's why I got a part time job, but then in this economy, I don't want to complain. After all, I heard about a local business laying off everyone in sight. So we will see how this all comes out in the wash.

I have done a few lo's here recently, and I'm sharing them today. Finally.

I have a suggestion for you, too. Yesterday, I went to Cottage Arts and spent some time looking around. I mean really looking around and found four kits that I might not have seen my just clicking the "What's New" button. So I'm suggesting that you treat yourself to a really good "look-see" at your favorite digi store. You might have missed something from way back when, and it is fun just to look around and see what all is there.

I didn't get too much done yesterday as I had to go to the skin dr. and get a suspected skin cancer cut off my neck. I just had one cut off my arm about six months ago. They told me not to worry that they come in clusters like that. I'm trying not to think about it.

TOOT and chat!

Postcard from garden center. Sorry it's upside down!


Okay, here is the before picture of my pots. Unplanted...finally. I guess Blogger is feeling cooperative this morning.

I had a very nice day off yesterday. I did a little bit of everything. I exercised, planted my pots, cooked, took a brief nap, cleaned. It was a productive and restful day.

My exciting news is that I am going to be up at the the high school today and next week to show my scrapbooks and talk about scrapbooking to a freshman English class. I got called yesterday by the teacher! Isn't that exciting! I think it's a TOOT and a different TOOT!

One thing I totally loved yesterday is my dd went to the grocery store for me. Yes, it's true. I HATE grocery shopping! So while she went to the store for me with her friend, I went for my 3.2 mile walk that I so enjoy!

I also finally got an EHD! I'm so exciting for that to come. A Western Digital 500GB! Wahoo! There was another one on sale, but I read the reviews, and it ran hot. It also had a rebate that several people complained never came. I'm just not in the mood for that so I went for the one I originally wanted in the first place.

I did do a lo yesterday for the August issue of Scrapstreet.com using a new kit by Katey Green that will be a freebie with the newsletter. I can't post it yet because it will be in the mag, but at least I got to scrap.

Now the big question for NSD is: paper or digital. I'm so leaning towards digital because TAngie Baxter and Cottage Arts have some great new stuff I want to play with. Plus I have some kits by Rasberry Road I haven't gotten to yet. Cast your vote. Cuz if it is paper it is doing my wedding album...which I've started...

And last, but not least, Lisa Bearnson will be on QVC on Friday. I love her. I guess cuz I met her at CKU-WDW in 2003. I'm going to DVR it and see what she is up to. I won't buy anything since I'm digi, but it will be fun anyway!