An Award!

Stacey from Stacey's Stamping Stage awarded me the Lemonade Stand Award! How cool is that?!? She happens to have a very cool blog and hosts one of my very favorite color challenges--the Jewelry Inspiration Color Challenge. I was honored she chose me as a blog that shows "gratitude and attitude". Did she read my PMS post or something? Hehehe! Thank you again Stacey!

Now to pass it along to some others who I feel show great Gratitude and Attitude! Here they are...

Lindsay of Southern Girl Florals

Morningstar of in all weathers

Ashley of Lady Isla
Leslie of Pandascrapper
Daniela of Purple on Paper
Penny of A Work of Heart

All of these women are quick to leave an encouraging word and I am thankful to know them either personally or through bloggerville.

The rules of the award (To pick up the Lemonade Stand Award):
- Comment on this blog.
- Cut and paste the award logo and use it in your own blog.
- Nominate 5 to 10 blogs you feel show great attitude and gratitude.
- Link to your nominees within your blog post.
- Comment on their blogs to let them know they've received the award.
- Link back to the person who gave you the award to show your appreciation.

Two cards

As promised, here's my mom's Mother's Day card:





And this is my sister-in-law's birthday card. She turn's the BIG 2-5 today!! L if you see this post first, act surprised when I give it to you, wink!! Pop on over to her BLOG and wish her a Happy Birthday.



I have to say I have so much fun making cards for people I love. It's easy and effortless.

Jewelry Color Inspiration Challenge #36...

or as I like to call this one...half of my sanity. Hee hee!


The colors seem harmless enough, but when I started working on them...yesterday...it took me forever to get them in some semblance of a card. You can tell from the sentiment I chose, that I am still apologetic about the results. I am sure the rest of you who did this challenge did justice to the colors unlike me. Stacey, consider me stumped on this one!!


Here's the colors (notice how they beckon one to create...)


Aaaaand here's how I train-wrecked them.



Don't get me wrong. I like the layout of the card and will be trying out that ribbon thing on another card surely, BUT I think I needed a different ratio of the colors. Oh well. Stacey you'll still let me play next time, right?

Alright y'all I have a few more cards to post, but I'll do a seperate post for them.

An apology or two, and a funny story

First I have to say I have a truly wonderful husband and I think my rant last night left the impression that I was mad at him. Not entirely true. I was peeved that I was not doted on for Mother's Day, but honestly, I am pretty doted on the rest of the year. So babe if you're checking in here ever, I'm sorry for seeming ungrateful.

Second, I never for one second take for granted my two healthy children. I know I rant and blither about the mundane details of my 'stay-at-home' existence, but I would not have it any other way. I am blissfully (and perhaps this is directly related to lack of sleep) happy to be here in my life. I thank God every day that I was blessed with these kids and for some reason He sees fit to trust their life to me. So I apologize for seeming ungrateful, I hope you know that most of my ranting is--while truthful--for entertainment. And it is healthy to vent, right?

And no, none of your comments prompted this post. I just have a couple of friends going through tough times and it makes me even more grateful for what I have.

Okay now for the funny (to me anyway) story...

This morning I was sweeping up Play-Doh. Stop laughing, that's not the funny part. Little m, age 18 months, is in the living room watching.

"Little m, can you please pick your blocks up and put them in the box for Momma?"
"Mo-ommm" She says while tilting her head to the side and slumping her shoulders. I am not making this up. She totally got that from watching Little d. She doesn't even speak in two word sentences yet. But she understands everything. Even how to convey distaste for chores.

And a little PS to Miss Leslie. No I do not wish you to bite your tongue for your comment. But we are not officially trying for number three until June. (Meaning I would not be upset in the least for the other reason for cravings...color me crazy.)

When in doubt...

bake chocolate cake.

At least that's what I decided after a rather crappy mother's day that included me having to eat dinner at IHOP with my in-laws (dinner=me eating four bites of cold soggy pancakes while balancing Little m on my lap and sitting at a table that was literally broken and tilted down, so that I had to hold my plate from sliding off). Mind you, D worked all day Sunday, and so I had the privilege of getting two squirmy girls into (freshly ironed) dresses before D got home from work. After that 'dinner' I came home and made a lunch meat sandwich. Mmmm-mmm.

D was exhausted...you know he works all day...so I gave the girls their bath and the whole tantrum thing was my responsibility. Then, at 11pm I noted we were out of sippy cups. And I had the silly notion that I would get to sleep in Monday, so I unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher.

Monday I didn't get to sleep in, but I did get a back rub and an apology, so it evens out. I decided to take Little d shopping for shoes and other stuff at Target while D stayed with Little m during her nap. Huh. I go in this morning to tell her I wanted to take her shopping for new shoes and a bathing suit and pick out a gift for her aunt and I am met with...whining. "But I want to scrapbook while Little m naps!!" Sheesh.

How have I made it thus far with a child and never taken her shoe shopping? (Usually I grab a pair and hope it fits...usually it doesn't). Well today we made history. It exhausted me. Bending over and taking shoes off and on. Looking and looking for the right size--now she is anywhere between an 11 and a 1. So each style required trying on 3 sizes. And all she wanted was pink glitter ballet flats. Again-sheesh.

Then this evening while I was taking a shower (after walking) the girls spilled blue Gatorade everywhere. The silver lining? They were in the garage with D. So I gave them a bath and then Little d won't listen (shocking) while am trying to brush her hair, so I snap. I scream at her to go downstairs and get Dad to brush her hair. Which...you guessed it...results in full tilt meltdown. On both our parts. She later came an apologized and I did the same, but my brain is still somewhat hovering on bat-shit crazy mode, so I try not to do anything but cry and eat a sandwich.

It occurs to me, when D goes into the garage to finish up his air compressor, that I will bake a chocolate cake. Did you guess it yet? No? Really? I thought the chocolate cake was a giveaway. What if I tell you I want to eat it with sour cream and onion Lays?

That's right. P. M. S.

Mom

My mother is the best person I know. Hands down. She is selfless in the truest sense of the word, loving, fun, beautiful, caring, supportive....the list could go on and on.

I've been witness to some crappy moms and I feel eternally grateful that I didn't just wind up with a good mom, I got the best one. Any post I attempt to pay tribute to her with would pale in comparison to the actual person. Now I know many of you would argue that your mom is the best, but sadly, you are mistaken.

She has set vigil at death beds (notice that's plural) sick beds, hospital beds, and children's beds. She prays, holds hands, offers hugs and Kleenex when necessary.

She has an amazing sense of humor. She loves to laugh, spend time with her family, and play on the computer. (Not necessarily in that order-hehehehe) She taught me how to crochet, appreciate a good movie, listen, and cook. Though she would argue that she doesn't know where I learned to cook. She has this silly notion that I am a better cook than her.

She was endlessly patient with me. She supported my choices in life even if she didn't always agree with them. She is always a phone call away anytime day or night. And Lord knows I rely on this often enough. I would not have survived this far in life without her. She makes the world a better place every day.

The single most important lesson she taught me was to put your family first. I can still hear her telling me (usually when I was arguing with my brother at a young age) "Family will always be there for you-no matter what."

I think that is why I am so fiercely protective of my kids. The motherly instinct must be inhereted. Thank you Mom! I Love You!!

Mother's Day Pledge

I have decided to do one thing (at least) a day that is healthy for me, to set an example for my daughters. This week I've been walking and eating salads, carrots, tomatoes, avacados...you know vegetables? Last night when I went walking Little d asked me why I was going walking. I explained to her that it was for exercise so I could be healthy. We had a little discussion about being healthy and it hit me...again...that she is watching everything I do. So I better make it good, this life.

So if you want to join me this Mother's Day to make a pledge to do one thing healthy a day, here's what you have to do. Pledge to do one thing a day that's good for you. Something that would make someone in the health care field smile. Take a walk, floss, substitute a soda for a glass of water, get a colonoscopy, schedule a pap. Whatever it is. Oh and it doesn't count if it's something you've already been doing forever. Do something new. Do it until it becomes a habit. Do it so you will set an example for your children, or someone who looks up to you as if they were your child, OR just do it for yourself!

We owe it to ourselves, our kids and our mothers. (Oh and our husbands, wink)

Happy Mother's Day to all of you!

Raspberry Suite Color Challenge #5

This challenge came right in time for my rush to make Mother's Day cards. My Memaw loves pink so I knew she would be the recipient for this one. And then D asked me to make a card for his great aunt who is like a grandmother to him. So to save time I made them identical.

Here is Dawn's color challenge...

And here's my card. I thought it would be fun to add the rhinestones to cards for 80+ year old ladies!

I also finished my mom's card, but I'm not posting it until she sees it. I'll try to post that later today with my May CTMH workshop stuff...TRY being the operative word!

Paper: Blush, Grey Wool, and Hollyhock cardstock (CTMH)

Stamps: Spot On Backgrounds, Say It In Style (CTMH)

Embellishments: Hobby Lobby

Jewelry Color Inspiration Challenge #35

I'll admit I didn't think this card was going to come together there for a while. I don't have the Dutch Blue or Taffy in paper, so I had to improvise. Oh and fair warning: remember how attached I was to that My Farm (rooster) stamp set for a while? Well Extreme Happiness (hibiscus) is now the new My Farm! So you'll probably be seeing a lot of it! I know I don't usually toot the CTMH horn, but here's a stamp you may want to look into...

Enough about that. Stacey has issued a new Jewelry Challenge and some blog candy on her BLOG. Check it out!! Here's the colors. I chose CTMH's Dutch Blue, Taffy, Sweet Leaf and Colonial White. (That lighter blue in my card is second generation Dutch Blue.)

Here's the card:

I think this card will be going to my Dad's mom. I usually try to incorporate blue on her card as it's her favorite color. (good thing since she did have NINE sons.) She also had FIVE daughters if you're keeping track.

Did I mention I love my new camera? Let me count the ways...

closeups. And I haven't even played with any of my other lenses yet.

natural flash. Indoor pictures without the horrid bright white flash. LOVE IT.

Are you all able click on my photos and make them larger? I can't do it from my computer, but I have been adding the link on most of them that I think makes it possible. Just curious...

Oh and in reference to my Play-Doh post--thanks for the warning, I will steer clear of 'moon sand'!!

Play-Doh...me no likey!

I may well be the only person on the planet who never liked Play-Doh as a kid. I hate the smell of it. Hi, what? Like that surprises you about me?


Still don't like it today. Obviously it still smells the same. And you can only play with it for an hour and then it's pretty worthless and stiff. Yes I know the directions say you can rehydrate it with some water, but that is so ewww you will only do it once I promise. Oh and {breathe} forget if I {deep breath} find a {breathe through your nose} a {swallow} hair enbedded in Play-Doh. {change the subject, change the subject}


I've taken some art classes in HS and college and guess what? I don't like working with clay. I hate the way it makes my hands feel. Ewww.


Back to Play-Doh. Why is it so hard to open the containers? They are childproof that's for certain. They are practically adult-proof as far as I'm concerned. And then this morning Little m wanted to play with some so I opened a container and look what I saw...




Play-Doh as a petri dish. I know the second pic is not focused, but it looks like it's erupting, so I had to post it. What the hell is that? I give up. What is the redeeming quality to this amorphous solid? (I paid attention in HS biology-go ahead, look surprised.)


Okay. Fine. It does have a redeeming quality. It keeps a four and half year old and an eighteen month old playing together and quiet for a long time. Long enough for me to type this ranting post. Which is the only reason I keep it in my house. That and the fact that my BFF gives it to the kids for EVERY holiday. Grrr.

BTW. Check out the close up of that second picture. If I had focused in on the right place it would have been awesome. New camera rules!! I mean how cool does the edge of that Play-Doh container look??

Canon T1I

Gasp! My new camera is here and it's a beauty! But not as beautiful as my girls...






I have one seriously good-looking family. And then there's me. My Aunt has advised me to be in some of the pictures, so he's what D got...



No I am not pissed, I'm just in the middle of asking him a question. Yes that is a smudge of BBQ Fritos on my shoulder. I could have cropped it out, but I'm trying to keep it real. There is a better close up of me, I'm actually smiling. But in that picture you can tell I need to wax my eyebrows, and I'm not going to keeping it that real! Maybe soon I can get a picture of me and D together...after I wax my brows!!

ETA: Here's a link to the camera....CANON T1I.

A clarification and an update...

First the update.



Aunt Betty is back and home and doing well. {Even if she's all hopped up on pain meds.} My mom and I spoke to her on the phone this morning and I am thrilled to say that she still has the same spunk as always and I am most confident that she's going to be up and running soon. (Ok- maybe not running, really what's the point of running on purpose unless you're being chased?)



Second the clarification.



Yesterday I mentioned that the only person who can fool me is my husband. You probably read my little story and thought "huh, even I saw that coming...she must not be very observant." I've known D for nine years and he fools me about half the time he tries. But this backfires because there was one particular incident that I refused to believe when I really should have trusted him.



A few years ago {I won't bore you with the who what why} he was travelling an hour away after midnight. He was supposed to stay up all night in preparation for working the next night, but he was tired, so he drank a Dr.Pepper to help keep him up. Before he left I told him to call me when he arrived at his destination. I then promptly fell asleep.



At about 12:30 am he calls me. I fumble for the phone. "Hey, did you make it there?"

"No I ran off the road."

"Yeah right, are you at the house?"

"No, seriously, I am stuck in the ditch."

"Babe, stop, did you make it there?"

"I'm not kidding, I'm stuck."

"I don't believe you..." I am sure I sung this to him like nah-na-na-na-nah-na.

"I am really stuck in the ditch, do you think I should call T to get me out."



I think we argued for a full five minutes before I believed him. To his credit, he never got mad that I refused to believe him. Running into the ditch because he dosed off may have mellowed him. (D is pretty mellow anyway.) Of course this incident apparently didn't phase him as he is still always trying to play jokes on me...

Gullible=Me?

I am likely the least gullible person you will ever meet. I am skeptical times 1000. So why is it that my husband is the only person who can fool me. AND on a regular basis. He did it again yesterday. Like this:

D calls to me from the hall, "Someone has vacation on June 5th and 6th." The weekend of the Glenn Beck thing. (fyi-our tickets are in the mail)

I think he must be pulling a fast one, "Is it you?" I don't even look away from the computer.

"No."
"Are you kidding?"
"No."

Pause. Okay now I look away from the computer and he sits on the couch next to me. "Does this mean you can't take it off?"

"Yep."
"Are you kidding?"
"Nope."

Now me with the rapid fire questions {this is Glenn Beck people--my crush, remember?}
"Who is it why did they take off can you ask them to trade can you tell them you already bought the tickets?????"

D gives me that look of intense patience that means he's the only man for me. "Dennis took vacation--I'm not sure why."

Oh. Dennis is friends with D this could work. "oooh, Can you explain it to him?"

"He's called in sick through Sunday." Great, I think--probably swine flu.

"This sucks!" I look at him one more time. "Are you kidding?"

"Yes." And then that grin. Pisshead. If he wasn't so good in bed I'd kick him to the curb.

"You know you are the only person on the planet who can fool me?"

He just laughs. It's a good thing I love him. A lot.

Garage Sales

I've never been one for garage sales. You know I'm a total germaphobe so digging through other people's dirty junk, not really my thing. I mean pretty much the only thing I will buy at a garage sale is something that can be bleached. My BFF can find the neatest stuff at them though. She's always stumbling across great deals on cute benches for the garden or brand new in-the-package pool floaties, etc.

So through her I have braved the garage sale world and found some cute things. Mostly I look for craft/scrapbooking stuff. She has also introduced me to the world of Estate Sales. If you've never been to one of those they are pretty neat. Usually it's a fancy house in a fancy neighborhood where the little old lady has 'moved on'. And every one of these little old ladies had a sewing room. And in this sewing room she had buttons. Tons and tons of buttons. And you know where buttons go, right? On a layout or a card of course! In fact, on the card from Thursday I used a silver button from an estate sale I visited a couple of weeks ago. I also scored some brand new DMC floss. And a large bag of antique-y ivory buttons. Because I need more embellishments in my stash...

This morning my BFF went to a garage sale which I bowed out of due to the fact that I would rather sleep than shop most days. BTW, thaaat's another drawback to garage sales. If you don't get there at 7am, you might as well forget it.

Things I've bought at a garage or estate sale...

• MegaBlocks, which I soaked in a sink full of bleach for an hour.
• buttons
• scrapbook paper still in the package
• sheets for the plants in winter, which I have yet to use
• buttons
• a basket
• buttons

Things I've sold at garage sales (and I honestly can't believe people buy some of this stuff)...

• clothes
• panties, including but not limited to thongs
• a partially used roll of aluminum foil
• a couch that belonged to D that his mom bought at Goodwill
• used makeup, no I am not kidding
• broken electronics--with full disclaimer
• did I mention a used roll of foil?

It amazes me that people buy some of this crap. The used makeup and foil were a joke and I told my BFF no one would buy that. But they did! And what's funny about the clothes is that sometimes it sells like hotcakes and sometimes it doesn't sell at all.

Well I've prattled on long enough. In fact, I think I will start a new label for posts...meaningless prattle. Mostly it's to keep my mind off the whole swine flu thing....

Raspberry Suite Color Challenge #4

If you want great inspiration you should check out Dawn McVey's blog. Her work is amazing. She recently started doing color challenges and I can't help but play along when I have the time. Here's the challenge...


And here's my card.




I know technically I used colonial white instead of white, but CTMH's Perfect Day paper was...wait for it...Perfect! Okay I'm done. Later hopefully I can get that post about our adventures buying a camera done for your veiwing pleasure. Oh the things I will do to humiliate myself to keep you people entertained...