Some Scrappy Stuff

I can't believe another week has come and gone since my last post! Not to mention that we are already in the last week of January! I guess time flies when you are having fun! :) And I have been having lots of scrappy fun this week. I have been busily working on a 9x6 album of my dad's wedding from Fall 2007. I really wanted to get this out of the way so I can continue working on more of my day to day pages. I have a really difficult time jumping all over the place and would rather work on one project at a time. I have started to photograph some of the wedding album to post but I dont' have time to post them today. But the good news is as of the 1st of January I only had 6 pages done, to date I have completed 32 more! WOW I'm impressed! I've never accomplished so much in such a short time. Mind you I know they are on a smaller scale not 12x12's or anything, but still a great accomplishment for me! Oh and I only have 16 to go! :)

But with all this wedding scrappin' I was really in the need for a change in pace. We had professional family photos taken this past fall and I have been itching to scrap them! The pictures here hardly highlight the beautiful photos that were taken but they still have great meaning to me. We were just goofing off, because the kids had been so patient through the whole section and they wanted to just have fun. Who could blame them right? Well these are the result of that fun...

I did this layout using this sketch from the "Friday Scrappy Formula" over at CMK. They are so much fun!

In other news, I've been up to something! But I can't share yet! It's all very exciting though and I can't wait to spill the beans! So until next time! Stay warm.

Pink Paislee Doesn't Disappoint!

I look so forward to this time of year! Anticipation plus for all the new products and creations from all the scrappy manufactorers! The blogs and websites have been flooding with sneak peaks of all the lines! But with out a doubt right now this one has won my heart! Guess what it is called? "Fetching"The Winsome Collection. Couldn't have a better name. ~Swoon~ As a momma to two boys this collection just makes my heart sing! I cannot wait to see more from this wonderful company! Thank you Pink Paislee and to the amazing design team that keeps me coming back for more!

The Price of Children

The Price of Children.

Here is something absolutely positive for a change. I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice.

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family. Talk about price shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition. But $160,140.00 isn't so bad if you break it down.

It translates into:
* $8,896.66 a year,
* $741.38 a month,
* $171.08 a week.
* A mere $24.24 a day!
* Just over a dollar an hour.

Still, you might think the best financial advice is ; don't have children if you want to be 'rich.' Actually, it is just the opposite.

What do you get for your $160,140.00?
* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles and flying kites.
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.

For $160,140.00, you never have to grow up.
You get to:
* finger-paint,
* carve pumpkins,
* play hide-and-seek,
* catch lightning bugs,
* never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:
* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
* watch Saturday morning cartoons,
* go to Disney movies, and
* wish on stars.

You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For a mere $24.24 a day, there is no greater bang for your buck.
You get to be a hero just for:
* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
* taking the training wheels off a bike,
* removing a splinter,
* filling a wading pool,
* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and
* coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat in history to witness the:
* First step,
* First word,
* First bra,
* First date,
* First time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match. In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price! Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren & great-grandchildren. It's the best investment you'll ever make!

I'm Excited for Mail this Week!

I came about to wonderful finds last week that I'm really excited about. One is a new Canadian online store that I really liked called The Paper Passion. I love the name. They are having a great deal on shipping right now, only $5 for all standard sized orders U.S. or Canadian until January 25th. How great is that?
Secondly, I came about two awesome new Cricut Cartridges called Graphically Speaking and Storybook. Thing is I know they aren't brand new. They came out in the summer, BUT to me it was a hidden secret. As I'm sure many of you have experienced if you own a cricut that you usually can't just pick cartridges up at your LSS. Pretty much only the big box stores carry them because they are so costly but the closest Michael's to me is an hour away. So we rely mostly on the internet for ordering, or at least for browsing and then I can place an order for one at the LSS that I work at.

Now what started me even looking in the first place is now my Step Mom got a Cricut for Christmas (thanks to me) :) and she wants to build her collection so we can swap cartridges. So I started the hunt for some good deals. Made a list of possibles and went from there. I usually tend to like font cartridges more then graphic ones. When I came upon the Graphically Speaking Cartridge there wasn't much detail on what it offered. It only showed a few pictures. I liked what I saw, but wanted to see more! So I googled it. WOW was I pleasantly surprised! Do you guys have any idea what this cartridge can do?????? Here are some pictures, are you ready to fall in love? First Graphically Speaking:

Secondly Storybook:

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES HERE! Are you as amazed as I am??? How fun! These cartridges totally out do any other cartridge that Provo Craft has come out with, in my opinion. The features are packed with extra graphics! Did you see the borders? Florishes made into borders and also the whole series of numbers too! How about that owl! :) He makes me smile. See the new shapes that would be perfect for journalling cards? I could go on about them forever! I truly believe that Provo Craft under marketed these babies! Or I've been living under a rock!

Here's a Good One!

Quote of the day.

Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater.

If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby.

If you give her a house, she'll give you a home.

If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal.

If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart.

She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.

So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of shit.

This is so true!!!! It makes me giggle! Hope everyone's week is going well! Ta Ta for now!

Just Struck a Cord

HAPPY 2009! Here is pic from New Year's Eve at the big bash we went too. Good times!

I have been having some trouble coming up with what I wanted my first post of the year to consist of. Still working on the idea of what my new years resolutions should be. Then it hit me. Really there are two main things I want to do. Lose weight and create more. Period. Do I have lots of goals? Yes, have a wrote them down? No. But then a very dear friend of mine today sent out this email and it just struck a cord with me.

A NEW YOU in 2009

1) Take a 10-30 minute walk every day, and while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2) Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

3) Always pray, eat right and always make time to exercise.

4) Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of six.

5) Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less foods that are manufactured.

6) Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat broccoli, almonds and walnuts.

7) Make at least three people smile each day.

8) Clear your clutter from your house, car, desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

9) Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment called "NOW".

10) Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

11) Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a layman and dinner like a beggar.

12) Life isn't fair, but it's still good. 13) Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

14) Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

15) You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

16) Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present. ALL YOU HAVE IS NOW!

17) Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

18) Go on and burn those 'special' scented candles, use the 600 thread count sheets, the good china and wear fancy clothes now. Stop waiting for a special occasion. TODAY IS SPECIAL!
19) No one is in charge of your happiness except you. Don't Worry ... Be Happy! IT's A CHOICE! 20) Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

21) Forgive everyone for everything.

22) What other people think of you is none of your business.

23) Time heals almost everything. Give time, time!

24) However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

25) Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will. Stay in touch with them.

26) Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

27) Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need. God provides, remember?

28) The best is yet to come.

29) No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

30) Do the right thing!

31) Call your family often.

32) Each night before you go to bed, complete the following statements:
'God, I am so very thankful for __________.' 'Today I accomplished _________.'
33) Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

34) Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.
LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH LIFE'S A gift. That's why now is called the PRESENT ... UNWRAP IT!

That sure sums it up doesn't it? It just spoke to me, about a better life, about a better me. A lot of great words here. Here's to everyone goals or resolutions and making 2009 great!