enjoying ME

Ever since I rearranged my crafty area I've been itching to create a layout. Also to use up some of the stuff I've been buying and hoarding.

I accidentally printed this picture of me out after playing with my printer.

I was about to chuck it but then had some weird spiritual/healing moment.

Like I said it was weird.

Now that I know my dream of getting my tummy tuck is going to happen pretty soon it's made me sit back and think about this whole journey I have been on for almost 2 years.

Fighting the girl in mirror.

Not being happy with who I saw or how I felt.

Almost 2 years later and I'm grateful and healthy and HAPPY.

This is sort of like the closing chapter in some way.

The tool I was given to lose the weight and keep it off will be with me forever so this journey is not at all over but the suffering is.

( I do have ONE more surgery on my mind but that will need to wait lol! )

So I created this layout about me and I love how it came out.




Enjoying life and all it has been throwing hecka hard at me!

.......
xo

project life

One of my Christmas presents came today and I am so excited to get this. This sucker is huge and packed with goodies.




Even took a photo of me with it to send to the creator of it. She asked okay?

I scrapbook pretty much the same way as I have for years. Lot of fun embellishments and different elements on my page. That is the fun part of scrapbooking and the reason why half of my room is a store. I have a problem I know.

But since I am having a hard time finding the energy and time to sit down and use all 6 boxes of photos, I thought a simpler way was in order for the meantime.

Enter Project Life.

Simple.

Photos and journaling your story. I take pictures every single day. I want to document our daily life not just events. I'm known for not plastering Xmas photos in my scrapbooks. It's the other stories I want to tell and the memories I want our kids to have.

Here's an example of what the pages will look like. I can include tickets, papers, blow up photos to 8.5 x 11 and include them as well. The album is still 12x12 which I'm used to.




photo from AE

I am very anxious to get started. The kit has everything I need. No adhesive. Just slip in photos and journaling.

I may take a photo every day and document it. I might do a page for every week. I could just use all the photos I have now. I can do whatever I want with it and that's the beauty of this kit.

So next year will include a lot of scrapbooking both ways I enjoy it.
.............
xo

partying and scrapping!

Today is National Scrapbooking Day! Usually I head over to the local shop and scrap with good food, fun prizes and interesting people for 12 hours.

Today we celebrated Troy's grandfather's 80th birthday instead! I didn't miss anything today. I still had good BBQ, there were presents and VERY fun people! i always look forward to spending time with them.

Plus another added bonus is that my in-laws will be down tomorrow.

Here's a peek!





Brandon opening his presents



goofy boys won't look!



Mila's favorite part
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I entered a challenge online at Scrapbooks.com. It's the place where I post all my layouts. The challenge was to make a layout about why you scrapbook. For me it's a chance to reconnect with my memories and to remember why I was put here. To create my family with my soulmate.

In the middle of all the unpredictability in my life, I forget about the little things. Scrapbooking reminds me and helps me document it so they will have these when they are older. Plus it keeps me SANE!


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AND...Eric's Military Ball was last night. Jamie and I took him and his date to the hall after driving for an hour. I went downtown.

I was supposed to go to Sac State. Eric wasn't too happy but we all laughed the whole time I was lost! Then she told me that Eclipse will be in 3D. Boy that sure took my mind off of it. His date was excited right along with us! Sad.


................
xo

the rain gave me time!

It was cold and windy and thundery yesterday so I thought it would be a great chance to sit at my new desk and scrap.

After picking up rhinestones on the floor, scooping up all my pink buttons and carefully peeling alphabet stickers out of Mila's hair...I finished one.




I'm still not use to girly pages. My stash is slowly growing with pink things but I still love the boy's pages better.

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Tomorrow is my wonderful husband's birthday so I have a few plans in store...
...................
xo

the neglected hobby

I decided that I should start rearranging my sewing area to welcome the new member. While hustling and bustling around I got this strange feeling that someone OR something was watching me.

Watching me closely.

It was my neglected left side of the room. My first love in the crafty world. My reason for being a compulsive shopper in the company of paper, ribbon and embellishments. The place where I create memories of our beautiful children and family.

I was pulled by some strong scrappy force. Ok that was cheesy.

But something made me sit, no not the the fact that I've been on my feet sonce 7 a.m. I felt drawn to the layout I had planned for a month now.

So I sat.

I created.

I feel relieved I didn't lose that desire to scrapbook anymore. I knew it was there. It was just that dang serger got me all off track!




Eric during track season LAST year. The title is track star but you can't really see the star chipboard piece inside the bigger star. You can click on the photo to see it.

I'm back!!!
............
xo

celebrating time!!

We love pottys around here. Well let me clarify that. We LOVE when our KIDS go potty in the pottys!

Max is doing so great. I tried about 4 months ago but because of his issues it was a struggle. But he has it down on Day 4. We still get teeny reminders in our pants that we have to go and with his sensory issues like Damian this may be a struggle for a bit.

Stickers and one M&M..who knew? Psst..thanks Emily ;)








Good job buddy!
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We also celebrated my Dad and brother's birthday! I made a collage of pictures of my brother and I when we were small and older and ones with my Dad. Brought back so much wonderful and fun memories!









Love my family!
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Since I'm fighting this darn ear thing I've been cooped up at home minus all the doc appt's. So I scrapped last night.



I don't do alot of Mila's layouts. I tend to like boy products better but I have a full box of developed photos of her so I better start movin'.
....................
xo

thnigs are going good so far!

So have I made the recipes yet? Nope.

But I did scrapbook, got bad news from the eye doctor and got a new faucet courtesy of my handyman hubby!

I couldn't wait until we re-did this kitchen to get a new faucet. The purifier was making it spray everywhere and the faucet itself was grody. Another reason I love being a homeowner. Pick out and do whatever the heck you want!





my handymen



Brandon sporting my ugly eye doctor specs



my layout with pictures I've been meaning to scrap for 2 years! It felt so good to surround myself with my goodies and all these great memories.

My in-laws are coming down tomorrow and I cannot wait. It's always so much fun when they are here and the kids go crazy when they see them. Plus I get to always go craft shopping with my mother-in-law. Another reason to spend moola!
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So I'm going blind. Yep. No O2 getting to my eyeballs because my kiddos broke my glasses and I'm lazy and I keep my contacts in forever. Soooooo.....

I have inflammation in my cornea and it is turning into an ulcer and I'm on steroids to clear it out. Then I get to go buy cute glasses and more expensive contacts apparently.

Troy wants to pay for me to get Lasik surgery but I'd rather have lipo and a tummy tuck. I may take him up on that offer because I'm kinda gettin' tired of these puppies covering up my eyes for the past 20 years.
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On another note...Max had his 4 year check-up yesterday with 4 shots. He didn't even move with the first shot but as soon as she kept stabbing him the cries got louder. But I soon found out that the 4 Band-aids on his legs was freaking him out instead!

Everything looks good. We are going to see a pediatric surgeon instead of a general surgeon for the little mass below his neck. They said the good thing is that it's smooth and it moves around a little. Bad would be rigid and stable. Phew.

We'll have him seen by the same behavioral pediatrician Damian sees to possibly have further assessments done on him to rule out PDD. His OT is a little concerned with behaviors so I wanna get him squared away before kinder time. May just all be sensory but with my kids you never know.

Plus they have a strong advocating and sometimes pushy mom who will stop at nothing to get every single service and evaluation they deserve. His speech is great, it's just the behaviors I want ruled out.

Speaking of that doctor, Damian has his follow-up with him today to see how he's doing on some new treatments we are doing for him. I told a handful of people and I'll let you guys know what's going on!

...........................
xo

what a lazy friday

finally finished this layout




trying to figure out how to make this cake

wishing this was my everyday vehicle

trying to locate this bed

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Thinking the day spa idea wasn't such a bad idea.

i want a baby and a ring

so it could wear this! Too cute! Want one Sonja??

Don't worry babe, I'm not preggers.

I finally got to do some scrapbooking the other day for my mom-in-law. It's easier to do layouts for other people because I don't get too anal about them if they're for me. I only take about an hour versus 2.

Damian at his favorite castle park down the street.

Us in Santa Cruz a few years ago. Okay I noticed the bunny ears AFTER I made the page. Thanks Eric!

I'm so excited summertime is next week! No driving to high school until September! I get to just walk the kids down to school in July. I'll have to get used to this track school year. Then they'll have September off while Eric starts! Weird.

Another highlight is Eric will be getting his permit thank God. We're gonna sign him up for the online course ( why didn't they have that for me? Big 'ol pregnant teen driving!) and then he'll take the written before his behind the wheel. Nervous.

I'm also trying to talk Troy into the concert of the summer, at least for me and the kids.

Yea Yea. I know we've been to every single one in Sac. BUT Miss Mila is obsessed with them as all the kids have been, even though Jamie swears I'm the one obsessed. Mila would be rockin' out!

Speaking of Pocohantas..time to get a little trim.

So this Saturday Troy and I are going to go look at rings like we did almost 10 years ago. I actually am leaning towards the top one. Whaddya think?

LOL! Yikes! No thanks. I'll take a smaller one and my kitchen remodeled thank you!

i was away from my desk...

Yes we had a holiday yesterday. Yes I went and cropped for 12 hours straight and yes I ONLY did 1 and a half pages! I yak yak too much and it takes me 2 hours to do a layout because I'm a perfectionist. Only at scrapbooking though.


I had soo much fun and sat with a few of the same people from 2 years ago. I sat across the nicest 41 year old GRANDMOTHER of NINE! I thought I started out young! She used to be a deputy for Sac County too. Small world! We're gonna meet on Fridays and crop at the store hopefully.



Here's what I worked on after bringing about half of what I own to the store.

Brandon's first time in the snow. Love the picture of him running!

I loved this photo the minute I took it. I blew it up and hung it up as well. This is a 8x8 page for my mother-in-law's book I made a year ago.

Fun Fun Fun! Thanks babe for that "getaway"!!

back to routine

What a nice 4 days off with Troy. We got stuff done sort of around the house. He gave me lots of time by myself to scrap a few layouts. I wasn't able to go to the crop on Saturday so I locked myself in our room. I used the elliptical for 1o minutes and 23 seconds before I nearly fell off. I was rockin' too hard to my music! Then I sat down and cooled off and did some fun stuff!

I'm not used to doing pink girly pages and I admit I like doing the boy's pages better. I like bright fun colors and she's always in pink so I use pink! But I like this one of her.

Well Max is going to finish up his testing this week hopefully and we'll see if he qualifies for anything in the Elk Grove school district. Damian was diagnosed with autism as some of you know and the board was more interested in testing him further for services, which I disagree with, and concentrate on 3rd grade next year. I didn't feel like fighting because he won't even be at that district next year but they don't know that!

Troy and I had our Saturday date again and we love the library down the street as our new hangout! We'll go there and check out loads of movies and books and grab lunch. Depending on the amount of "fun" money we have for that week, we may sneak in something else in for fun!
I look forward to these dates and it's something we need. Thanks Mom!!

kids time and mom's time

This weekend sure was eventful. On Saturday we took the kids to the park by Target that had "wood castles" as our next door neighbor Mady calls them. She was telling the boys about it when they were over and they haven't stopped asking about it. So we went. It was so much fun for them. Plus it's close.








My Prince's! Ok Brandon's feet look HUGE!!! Maybe his shoes are too big?!



My sensory kids were lovin' this thing!



Love this picture of these two! I want to get it blown up!







After the park we headed home and I left to go to the crop. I wasn't feeling too good but I went anyways. It usually takes me a few hours to do a page and like it. I only got ONE layout done in 8 hours! I stumbled in the door around 1:30 a.m. It was nice to see his old teachers but I wasn't in the creative mood.






Eric is going to be 16 in May. Him and I went to see his counselor for college plans last week and I was impressed with his dedication. Because he has all honors classes, he's actually ready for a university already! She told me that he would do better going straight to a university after high school and his plans are UC Davis. We'll see.....

I still don't have it in me right now to update on Damian, sorry! A little overwhelmed with information and emotions right now. It's coming!!!

backyard fun and mom time!

Yesterday was filled with beautiful weather and whining kids. They wanted to go in the backyard sooo bad, even Damian which is rare. I was using my mom time wisely and finally doing some scrapbooking. I felt bad that I wouldn't leave my creative space but they had to wait for Daddy to come home! I was not about to leave my layout dangit!!

took only 2 1/2 hours. That's good for me. It takes me
awhile to get it right. Eric, Damian and Brandon in Santa Cruz, love these pics!




my last layout in October! Princess Mila!



Max's recent layout



Brandon never wanting to smile


After I scrapped for awhile I went and ate the BEST dish ever! Summer gave me the recipe for the yummy stuffed bell peppers her mom makes. OMG!!! I gave myself 6 points for it. ( That's WW lingo for the people who don't know!) I used meatless meatballs smashed up instead of the fake ground meat. Lentils, lemon juice and a little cinnamon. Heaven.



I could hear the kids laughing and playing outside with Troy so I decided to go see what all the fuss was about!



Ok..those little spots everywhere are BIRDS!! It was the sickest sight for me but the kids loved it! That scene went on for a good 5 minutes. They would come in batches, it looked like the sky was swarming with bees. Only boys would get a kick out of that!







They keep asking for their"wee" for the backyard. That's the word for play structure around here. We're getting it at Lowe's and can't wait to put that thing together. Troy's family is coming over and we're gonna make a day of it with food, putting the set together and finishing up whatever other projects we needed to do! I cannot wait!!