Finally a new post......

LOL life just gets so crazy that I just can't get to this dang thing except the Sweet Shoppe has a cookie quiz that I just had to take and find out what I am.....here are my results:

You Are an Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

On the surface, you're a little plain - but you have many subtle dimensions to your personality. Sometimes you're down to earth and crunchy. Other times, you're sweet and a little gooey.

What Kind of Cookie Are You?

Hmmm, plain??? Well I guess I can live with that and well I do like Oatmeal Raisin Cookies....sooo...must be me!

What's new? Hmmm, let's see??? I bought a new laptop yesterday that is being shipped to me and I am scared that it won't be what I want. I have one now that I bought on impulse and I hate the colors on it....and rarely use it except to do my commenting late at night. Amy and David like to use it but they are internet junkies so it's perfect for them. If the laptop works, then it will help me be portable but not sure what I will do with my desktop.....we will have to see how this works out.

Comments - I started this new thing in December where I would spend the last hour of my day commenting in the galleries I post at. I return my comments and then go to the home pages and just comment on all the ones on the page. Now it's been kind of fun to see new pages and people I had never seen and I feel good when I can do it. And the unexpected results? I am getting a lot of nice comments back.....and making new digi friends out there...

I spent a better part of my day attending the chats at Designer Digitals and had a blast. Didn't win anything but DID spend tons of money in the store!!! I am on the fence if I am going to get any idea books there too because I really love the DW 2007 Calendar I picked up a few weeks back. That thing is filled with ideas and I honestly thought it would just sit there on my table not being used. DD is having a contest each month for the best layout that uses one of the tips there and one lucky girl will get a change to create a layout for the 2008 calendar. I did already 3 this month so far:

This one I did for Charlene V at TDC of her little girl, Jasmine and used the suggestion from Feb 9th to "use the centers of punch-out letters to make coordinating page elements." I used the "s" and duplicated it a few times to create the orange swirl flower element underneath "love you"....now who would have thought an "s" could be a flower???

This is the Feb 8th prompt to "document your child's resolution for the new year." Amy is generally a homebody and not one to join in group activities especially sports. But this year she decided she would try it out and whatever happens she would also remember to just have fun!!! These are her best friends on the basketball team....before the game...being silly!

This is inspired by the DW prompt on Feb. 12th to "capture everyday moments" and this is Hayley when she was younger and loved to play in my scrapbook area......miss those moments with her.

I would say pick up the calendar but Katie said during one of the DD chats that it was all sold out and out of print......so make sure you pick it up for 2008. It really is filled with lots of inspiration and fun!

Ok I have to go do some layouts but wanted to at least post something on this for February! :)

Ugh....I hate when I get behind!!!

Ok I know I have been trying to blog but it just seems that time slips away and well....I just don't get to it. But now that DST's gallery is down I feel a bit like I have some extra time......of course I could be doing layouts but kind of tired right now. I did go shopping today and bought a few goodies and will call it my "pre-birthday" gifts....hehehe....this is what I got today:

From Sausan Designs at www.scrapbookgrapics.com, I purchased these items I just couldn't resist:

From Terry Maruca, I got these cute little doodle/text paths actions thingys that you can use in Photoshop Elements (after I found out she was having a sale on these at Scrapbook-elements...grrr):

And of course, I had to snag up the new items released by Natalie Braxton at www.the-lilypad.com and smile at my layout on their store site :):

and of course, I needed a few little goodies from Designer Digitals.....even though I know tomorrow they release their new stuff:

The last item is by Anna Aspnes who I absolutely adore!!!! I have the papers and just noticed today that there was elements to match.....so couldn't pass that up. I created a layout today with the items for DD's guest ct contest they have going in January. I honestly don't know if I will make it but I have been having so much fun using my DD stash!!! Here is the layout I did today:

I was kind of excited to see this photo of Amy because I decided to shoot the entire game in RAW mode. I was definitely worried but so far they are coming out very nicely. I need to learn a little more about taking action shots so they don't come out so blurry but I did ok.

Oh and guess what? I won Gina Miller's contest with my "2006 in Review" layout I did below! I was soooo excited because in all honesty I rarely do layouts like this.....probably should do it more but I don't. So this template was a great "kick" to try it and well I loved the end result and was happy to be selected with the other 7 girls! So I have a nice $15.00 gc to use but I am waiting for January 31st when Gina has all her new goodies up!!!

And while I was (along with a gizillion others) was waiting for DST's gallery to come up, I had to smile when I saw this thread here and kind of get all soft inside to see this.....who says you can't have true friends online???? I know that I am very blessed to have some of the greatest ones out there......and I wouldn't trade any of them for anything in the world......

Last Layout....

Ok I am finally ready to go back to work - I have done all the layouts I can - still have more to do but feel good about the things I accomplished. Today I saw that Gina Miller was having a contest with her 2006 Template she created. I had already bought it a last week but hadn't done my layout yet so I decided to take a shot and do one for her contest. I really stay away from things like that but what the heck....so here is my layout:

Credits:- "Never Give Up" papers and elements by Vera Lim- embroidered vines and canvas by Jen Wilson- creme daisy from "Fudge Dream Supreme" by Robin Carlton and Lauren Grier- pinned ribbon by Natalie Braxton- dried flowers by Trish Jones- round brads by Amanda Rockwell- heart by Amber Clegg- used sketch template by Gina Miller- used shadows by Traci Murphy

And here is my new Princess Purse with my inserts I made using Fee Jardine's "Vintage Pickle" kit....a wonderful kit in my opinion!!

Ok all done with posting....time to dash off to see the new Desperate Housewives episode tonight!!! Yeah!!!

:) Always Changing

Hehehe....I hated the header because it looked too squished so I got up early this morning just to create a new one. Now this I like! I put 2007 so I won't have to deal with it if I don't want until the end of the year.....which is fine by me!

Got some scrapping done and now feeling that sense of "I only have so much time before I go back to work." - so trying to get a few more things done since it will be more than likely crazy starting Monday. I did get a layout done last night.....I am finding I am slowing down again....ideas are a little bit slow but just hoping it is just a little bump....but here is what I did:

This is Hayley just daydreaming while home sick...

Credits:- "Tranquility" paper and elements by Amber Clegg- white daisy from "Eclectic Connection" collaborative kit by Amber Clegg and Kimberly Giarrusso- leather heart (re-colored) from "The Gazebo" elements by Amber Clegg- bunched up ribbon (re-colored) by Amy Martin- flower string by Natalie Braxton- scallop edges by Michelle Coleman- curled edges by Anna Aspnes- photo frames by Gina Miller- top brown edges overlay by Linda GB- metal buckle by Jen Wilson

:) Oh and I have to post this for my husband, Dave. He has been off because he pulled his sciatic nerve and can't walk. While he has been home, he has been reading the Scott Kelby book I got for Christmas and playing with Photoshop Elements......and this is what he did.....

Kind of cool huh??? Guess we have another person in our family getting ready to post stuff! :) Guessing he won't......

A New Year and New Blog

Ok it took me forever to figure out how to add a blog header but man do I love google! I can always find some person who posted how to fix something! I will probably need to go back and change this a tiny bit but not many people visit so I have time....hehehe... I spent much more time than I cared for to get this straightened out and of course this is taking up my scrapbooking time. I only have 2 more days left before I have to go to work and I am feeling the time slipping right by even though we will disregard that I have been on vacation for 2 weeks. :) But I have accomplished a lot:

1. Caught up to most of my ct layouts.

2. Learned how to delete Norton Systemworks from my computer, repair the registry to delete tiny things Norton left and install a great new antivirus program - AVG - and didn't have to restore my entire hard drive!

3. Updated my blog and started back up in blogging at TDC.

4. Did most of my laundry - not all but most which is an accomplishment in itself.

5. Created and printed a calendar for 2007.

6. Commented, commented and commented in all the various galleries I play at......

7. Ordered a Princess Purse and will start designing my inserts for it!

8. Taught Amy how to use Photoshop Elements and she created her first layout using one of Rachael G's cool templates here:

Pretty proud of her and I think she is going to have a knack for this.....she is already busy creating her own papers and little touches! But then Hayley gets mad cuz she wants her to play barbies and well, Amy has to go. Poor kid!

And here are some of the layouts I have created over the vacation:

I saw this kit and just had to do something funky with it and well this photo seemed to fit it quite nicely!! A bit different for me but fun! :)

Credits:- "All Star" papers and elements by Ashley Olson- "2" alpha (re-colored) and stitches from "Messy Sampler" by Ashley Olson- heart doodles by Ashley Olson- flower string and pinned ribbon by Natalie Braxton- painted edges from "Invigorate" elements by Trish Jones- graffiti spray by Dani B- cardboard and leather heart (re-colored) by Amber Clegg- "my girl" tag from "Winter Tags" by Heather Roselli (modified)- torn edges by Anna Aspnes- scotch tape by Jen Wilson- shadows by Traci Murphy.

My beautiful dd, Amy.....

Credits:- papers and metal photo frames from "Fair Game" kit by Jan Crowley- striped paper, buttons, felt stamp (re-colored), corner stamp (re-colored), dotted stamp and stitches from "Buchanan" kit by Jan Crowley- crocheted flower swirls and flower (re-colored) from "Junk Drawer" kit by Jan Crowley- brooch from "Bombshell" kit by Jan Crowley- mini-alphas from "Havanna" kit by Jan Crowley- twine fastener and pinned ribbon by Natalie Braxton- embroidered flower (re-colored) and lace by Amy Martin- leather heart from "The Gazebo" elements by Amber Clegg- tied twine by Trish Jones- journal strip from "Meaning 1 accessories" by Jen Wilson- negative frame from "Just Plane Cute" kit by Laura Deacetis- curled edges by Anna Aspnes- clock hands by Katie Pertiet

These are my girls.....

Credits:- "Winterglow" papers and elements by Amy Wolff at The Lilypad today- frame by Gina Miller- stitches from "Junk Drawer" elements, alphas from "Havanna" freebie and grunge edges by Jan Crowley- bunched up ribbon, decorative ribbon and bead by Amy Martin- leather heart (re-colored) from "The Gazebo" elements by Amber Clegg- metal clip by Katie Pertiet- heart by Peppermintcreative- string by Trish Jones- tiny red flowers by Mindy Terasawa- shadows by Traci Murphy

Hayley has been sick all this week but I am guessing she might be feeling a bit better!

Credits:- "Fresh Delights" paper and elements by Eve Recinella- circle and square brads by Amanda Rockwell- binder clip by Robin Carlton (re-colored)- notebook paper by Jan Crowley- edges by Linda GB- journal strip by Jen Wilson- flower by Fee Jardine- heart doodle by Ashley Olson- stamped alphas by Michelle Coleman

I did a few more but these were the last ones I did that just made me smile! It was a good time....now back to work! :)

Musings and Thoughts.....

Do you ever feel better when you just apologize and let it out? I think after I blogged this weekend I felt like a weight was lifted from my shoulders. Nothing was resolved but it was also not pent up inside. A lot had to do that things were changing so fast offline that I just had no energy to post anything. But once I did - I was able to complete 5 layouts this weekend - and layouts that I actually liked.

And I also got a chance to make up some layouts I didn't get done in November. Julie Howard had a call for guest ct's and I thought it would be fun to try since a month was not that big of a committment. So I was terribly excited when she said yes and I got my email at the end of October with all the details. I did a layout right away for her and then life got all bogged down and November ended and I didn't do another one. I was sooooo upset about it because one - she is really nice, two - designers need help and if you don't do a layout, you are not helping with the promotion of them and three - I always keep up my commitments and this time I didn't. I wanted to send an email but I felt like a heel and sometimes don't want people to think I am getting too big for myself that I can blow off assignments like this. So I was really happy that I got them done last night and sent her an email apologizing for my tardiness with copies of the layouts. I don't know what she will think about it, if at all, but I feel better because I did finish things as she had asked. Oh and I feel better now.....

Last weekend I was trying to find energy to do layouts (Thanksgiving weekend) and Trish Jones sent me a hello message to join her in a chat. She just installed a chatroom at her forum/store and wanted to try it out. Now I don't really know her that well except to say she is incredibly funny and crazy so I went to help out. So imagine being there with Trish and then some of her other friends that I recognize from the galleries and then in comes your idol - Jen Wilson!!! Wow I was just in awe being there......and she was talking to everyone when they asked about me. And then Jen said she knew who I was......dang that was a cool moment! I guess that is me being a little star struck....you know the digi kind....hehehe.

I got some scrapping done!!!

It's been awhile but I finally got some layouts done......see:

This is Hayley today at our local Christmas parade....dressed as a little Christmas present!

Credits:- "Gingerbread Lane" kit by Laura Deacetis (some papers and elements re-colored)- Christmas tree from "Holly Jolly" kit by TDC designers- stitches by Lisa Carter- used template from "Templates No. 2" pack by Suzy Nunes

This is Hayley and her little best friend - Raylene - together at our local Christmas Parade....dressed like little presents.

Credits:- papers from "Outback Christmas: All Aboard" papers by Trish Jones- tag from "Outback Christmas: Cheerful Tags" by Trish Jones- notebook paper from "Outback Christmas: Making A List" by Trish Jones- flower brush from "Keeping Up With The Joneses': The House" kit by Trish Jones- photo frame and gingham ribbon by Katie Pertiet- curled edges by Anna Aspnes

I just had to scrap this picture I found of Hayley goofing around!

Credits:- "Blissful Holiday" kit by Julie Howard- used swirl brushes (no. 6) by Anna Aspnes to cut out swirls from Julie's papers- stars from "Merry Decorations - No. 7" by Jen Wilson- tags by Katie Pertiet- photo frame from "Understated Frames" by Mindy Terasawa

This is Amy and her best friend, Meghan who is sitting there "enduring" one of Amy's crazy antics!

Credits:- "Wintersong" papers and elements by Julie Howard- snowman from "Merry Decorations - 6th Day" elements by Jen Wilson- journaling tag from "Journaling Pieces" by Jen Wilson (re-colored)- curled paper edges by Anna Aspnes- used part of Templates No. 2 by Suzy Nunes

I did one more but blogger will only allow me to upload the layouts I did....pooh! But happy that I got so much done finally......

Hmmmmm, where has time gone???

Wow two months since I wrote anything here....what a slacker!!! hehehe...not really just incredibly busy. I thought once the girls were in school life would get a little less hectic but instead now I have two girls who have a "social" life and that means mom is driving all over. :) For all my worrying and stressing over Hayley entering kindergarten, I have to smile at how much she loves her class and new friends. We have had playdates and parties and Daisy girl scout stuff and I am having a great time meeting these new moms in her class. I really believe Hayley's class is going to be a really close fun group! They also needed some help with the Daisy Scouts for Hayley's class and somehow I volunteered to help a "little" and well that grew and now I am the assistant leader! Not sure how that always happens but it's really been fun seeing these cute little girls trying to be new scouts! Yesterday the girls were in a Christmas Parade and we dressed them all up like little Christmas presents....it was very cute.....as you can see above. Most of the girls made it the whole route but a few of the tinier ones were getting tired and restless. Thankfully they saved the melt downs until the end when their mommies came! :)

As for Amy, Volleyball is done and now we are are getting ready for Basketball season.....which agains means more driving all over town for us. Sadly though, we have been having some really terrible issues with her new teacher this year. She is a first time teacher and honestly I don't know how she became one. And I say this sadly because Amy is a very strong student and every night homework and drama has killed any time for me to scrap or rest. I have had already 6 meetings with the teacher, the assistant principal and the principal and nothing has changed. I am at my wit's end because the girls are in Catholic school so I am not sure what the protocal is to elevate this higher if there is a higher. I won't go into details about this teacher because it upsets me so and so much of my time and energy is wasted every day on her that I just beg for time that I don't have to deal with this. I really worry that Amy and her drive to be a good student are going to be lost with all the drama and so I struggle to encourage her to keep studying and reminding her to see past the drama we are experiencing....and we pray very hard for a solution and guidance. I learned yesterday that one of Amy's friends will be leaving the class as the mom cannot handle the teacher anymore.....and I am sad. The child is extremely smart and very gifted - what a shame that the school has let this come to this point.

Work has also been super crazy. We have a hiring freeze right now and our department has many vacant positions. The high ups are only allowing some positions to be filled if there is a GREAT need for it. So the work has been just building up and everyone is asking to help out where they can. Since I am an administrative assistant that means I need to help all the managers, directors and supervisors in our area and that has been quite a challenge. I was used to my one manager and what she wanted and now I have 8 people asking me for help - all with very different quirks and personalities! Since there was a position open for this particular job that paid extremely well - I went ahead and interviewed for it. Believe me it was not that I wanted to the job per se - I just knew this would be the only way I would be compensated for what I was doing. So I did and I got the promotion two weeks ago. Now honestly I am not sure if I am happy or not - happy definitely about the pay but there has been a struggle with trying to make everyone happy and my old manager is the one who is not the happiest. She kind of likes me to herself so the "sharing" part hasn't been exactly easy on her. So I kind of been juggling and balancing stuff to make things work and then she tells me that I am not doing a very good job at it. So I sighed and cried some cuz I am tired from being pulled in all directions. I just hope that I can find a way to manage all the new changes so that I don't see a bad review coming up.

With the work pressure going on, I am finding the balance of working and being a mom extremely demanding. I have to keep taking off to go meet Amy's teacher or go to school events and when I do that I lose time at work. My mom used to be my stand-by to get the girls and things but her job has picked up too so she is not available like she used to be. So I find when the clock hits 4pm at work I am off running to go get the girls before the school closes at 6pm. Sadly California traffic throws me off and I am either caught in a traffic jam or I can find myself falling asleep on the road from exhaustion. David cannot take off to help me because he works for a bunch of nuts too so it's just me if something has to be done. And I will admit I have cried a bit on the way home wishing for a solution. David and I have seriously talked about him going part time and taking the summer off so he can be there for the girls and school stuff. Now mind you I would rather it be me that got this opportunity but I have the job with the awesome pay, wonderful benefits and perks that it would be a hardship for our family if I did it. I just worry if we take that leap that finances will be even tougher for us and I am not sure I want that. So we keep thinking of ways to fix this......and pray.

Whew so with all this going on - you can imagine that not much is being done scrapbook wise. I am very sad about that and have had to quit some teams because I knew in my heart I wasn't doing anything to help out the designer. But on the rosy side, just as all this was happening, Trish Jones asked me to be on her team and because I sooo love her - I couldn't say no. So trying to balance all of this and be some kind of productive ct member to everyone. TDC has been great as always but I haven't had a lot of chances to be there too with all this stuff going on above. I feel bad because it is my home and I haven't had a chance to say "Hey this is what is going on to me" and I just look like a flake to everyone....and I am not. I am just a mom who needs to be with her family right now and feeling a bit uninspired with all the stress around me. Oh I did get an email from Katie Pertiet at Designer Digitals - I am going to be the featured scrapper there this month. :) Man I love that site.....if only I could make it work to be on their team too......but I can't. I realize I am at full capacity now.....and I have a lot of apologies I need to get out to all my designers so they know I am really still here.....just a little bogged down offline. :)

It's Sunday already???

Man time is flying and I have so much to do but feeling a bit lazy....hate that. I was so excited about DD's sale and all day chats.....I knew I could get a lot done and knock out some of my ct layouts but.....guess the beautiful day was calling to me. So instead we took off to the pumpkin patch in Yucaipa! Wow what a wonderful HOT day it was....we played and picked pumpkins and let the girls just run wild all over the place! We got such great photos and I had to laugh because I could have stayed there all day just enjoying it. Unfortunately - Amy had a volleyball game in the afternoon so our fun was cut a little short.

So we drove two very tired girls to Amy's game......and well we didn't win but I got to see the moms I hadn't seen in awhile and had a great time just chatting.....and not really watching the game! Oops! Then Amy begged me to take her to a Halloween party that night and I just groaned - I knew I needed to get things done at home and even though Halloween is only a few days away - I have no costume for Amy! All the moms told David to unplug my computer and to kick me out so they could have some fun with me. Funny ladies they are!!! So we managed to stop at a store that still had costumes and picked up something for Amy - the gothic cheerleader!!! I have to admit I really liked how it came out. But of course Blogger won't cooperate so I could show you!

We got to the party and I have to admit I had a lot of fun catching up with the "moms" I had not seen over the summer - or actually in awhile. We laughed and just chatted about so many things and I really felt a sense of freedom from the "have-to's" in my life. Of course, that could have been the 2 glasses of wine I had mixed in with pizza, salad and some weird carmel apple Amy made and decided she didn't want!!! We both came home so exhausted and even though it wasn't too late, I opted to just go to bed instead of doing a quick layout.

So here I am - it's Sunday - no layouts done and I have tons of little errands I need to do and then I am going over to my friends to scrapbook. I know I won't get anything done since she wants me to show her how to use Elements.....and we both like to talk so.....we never get a whole lot done together! But it has been a long time since I have been to her house and Amy is really excited to play with her daughter.....so I am going to pretend I have no ct layouts to do and just go with it. Figure I can worry later right??? :) Right now I am enjoying just being out and about......