Fall

I absolutely love fall. The colors, the air, the leaves....well, not raking or anything, but how pretty they can be and such. Our birthdays, anniversary, the holidays we love, all in the fall. I guess I'd have to say Christmas is my favorite holiday, but fall is definitely my favorite season. So I'm really enjoying the atmosphere here in Iowa in the fall.

Other things -- eh. Working on being and getting better at things we need to do, work, home, budgets, getting the girls to bed, all of it. It's time to shape up, ya know? It's so hard to turn around old habits, but the time is now, so we're working, ebaying, cleaning......

One project to show, another lunchbox -- this one is, hopefully, sold to my sb'ing friend in New Zealand. Waiting to hear from her today!

I cropped!

Not much new since yesterday, but I did scrapbook a layout. Woohoo! Hopefully will do something else tonight. Good therapy, this. :)

Catching Up, Clearing the Fog

What a week. Busy weekend, ups and downs, tired mostly, trying week so far, terrible day yesterday. Wish I had some scrapbooking to share. I feel like I need to cleanse my soul of burden and stress right now. I want to stare some scrapbook paper and photos in the face and it be for me, for my books, for my girls, for our family, for fun. No projects for sale, no samples, no make and takes, no circle journal entries. Maybe later tonight.

Until then, I'm on my guard. I'm watching the girls, not letting them get too far from me without worrying with what they may be into. Yesterday, what they were into was poopy diapers. I couldn't believe the mess -- the husband came home early to try and clean it up. My back was still hurting from Saturday's activities, and I didn't want to push it, so he was able to help. Maddie had two baths yesterday because, yes, she got into a diaper twice. Amazing, I know. We're now stapling the diapers on them, and that mostly works. Today it does, anyway.

Also yesterday, after all that happened and I had the girls sitting with their lunch, and I was sitting with mine, I feel something with my tongue, and it turns out a filling has fallen out of my tooth. The upper one all the way in the back on the left. UGH. I mean, how much worse can this day get? So I make a dental appt for today; dh has to come home early again. I hate dental work. Hate it. I am way beyond just cringing. I have a terrible sensitivity to it. If the drill is being used, I"m ready to throw up. If it touches my lip by accident (you know how they might move the handle part around and it touches), I can throw up. That vibration just makes me ill and hurt and puts chills up and down my spine. My knuckles are white the entire time and my whole body clinched. I hate it. My former dentist understood this, and if I needed so much as a filling (not often, thank goodness), he'd use the heavy drugs. For a cleaning, I'd use nitrous. It helps. We'll see what today brings. I asked if they had nitrous and told them I"d be needing it.

Today

Today things have not changed significantly, but seem better. Just little things can adjust how you feel about things, you know? We finally got our over-due travel refund, which helps get the bills paid! Good thing, that. I am trying to accept that someone else's stress is not my stress and not to let mean remarks get to me. And I'm wondering if they offer boarding schools that potty train. You think?? maybe?

UGH

Well, I'm having one of those 'damned if I do, damned if I don't' days. I thought I had things going pretty well. I thought I was contributing in some way in one thing I'm involved in, I thought I was doing ok with the girls, I thought I was helping our budget....but today doesn't seem like it's working. Apparently, I don't have the right priorities. Apparently, I am not a good mommy. Apparently, I take one step forward and at least a step and a half back on the budget most times.

About being a good mommy -- I do not know what to do. The girls aren't responding to using the potty. They won't keep their diapers on, and I"m running out of packing tape. I now have to go between their legs with it, too, or they can pull the diaper out from under it. Putting overalls on them doesn't work. Anything with snaps, like a onesie, etc., they can get off and get to the diaper. I bought them big-girl panties to see if that would work, figuring it would be SOMEthing between their bare bottoms and the house, but Emily peeled those off instantly. I don't know what to do.

Budget -- cleaning out the sb supplies! Need to make up to our very very tight budget for some dumb spending. That's going ok, just wish I had more time to go through stuff.

The other -- well, I"m the terrible person in a group, I suppose. I have stronger feelings about something than others do, and I feel like I'm being "put in my place" about it.....not sure what to do here, but I know that it seems I can't do or say anything right these days. I guess I"ll go through with my committment and just keep any thoughts or feelings to myself. What else?

Just having a baddddd day, I guess. Hope yours is going ok though!

Time flies

I think this is the first time I've been a week without posting....just happened. I've been pretty engrossed in the news coverage of Hurricane Katrina. Still, I cry. Some days I can't watch at all. Keep those prayers coming!

Scrapbooking -- this has been a week of working on ebay projects and Stampin' Up! projects for the Crop for the Cure (www.debbie.com/cropforthecure). I have a vendor booth, plus am on the "committee" sponsoring the event, so since it's in 2 weeks, there's lots to do. I am creating some projects with stamping like small scrapbooks, little bags, a lunchbox, all to "raffle" off. The raffle tickets are given with sales -- a ticket for each $5 earned. The husband gave me that idea, as it's what his baseball card shop guy does. Sounds reasonable and fun. I have actual SU product, too, but wanted to show what you can DO with the product, you know? Fun stuff....

Circle journal HELL. Ok, love the idea. Ok, hate the mailing. I seem to be the link in the chain where everyone decides to "catch up;" on three separate cj's, I have received 2 at a time, and am expecting 3 on one today. I know sometimes it's that the person before me is ahead, but sheesh -- how did I get to be the lucky link? I am going to be VERY selective regarding cj's in the future! I'm currently in the post-CKU Minneapolis cj (love it), a pre-CKU KC cj (love it, but am not actually going to CKU KC); a 2Peas 1980s cj that I angeled for when I was frequenting 2Peas; a local sb friends one (easy and small circle). That may be all. It's so hard to remember at the rate they hit my house.

What else -- had a quiet labor day here. The husband was off work on Friday, too, so we finally got to the bathroom painting. Yes, the same bathroom painting mentioned long ago. Sans some final touch up and installing the curtain rod once we find the hardware (another story, that), I think we're finished! Of course, this is my cosmetic make-over. It now looks like a room we decorated instead of the previous owners. What were they thinking with all that lavender and yellow??? Someday we'll replace the toilet, sink and cabinet....someday.

The Gulf Coast

There's been no reason in the world to mention this on my blog so far, but I will today. Biloxi, Mississippi, is my hometown. If you've had your tv or radio on at all, you know about Hurricane Katrina and the devastation of the Gulf Coast and New Orleans. Say a prayer, hug your loved ones, if you give, give to the Red Cross or other reputable relief agency. I imagine the Coast will never recover from this, not fully. Wow.

Lunch Boxes

So when did the Lunch Box craze begin in scrapbooking? Apparently, this great little box appeared and someone knew what to do with it. They sure are cute. The latest must-have-can't-find scrapbooking item. I think the last one was the Target Document Boxes. Yeah, I got some of those, but only because a new Target opened by us and they had them. And I got the lunch boxes. I'm expecting four in today's mail, and I bought the last five at my lss on Friday. Of course, I immediately sold three to friends. That's sort of why I nabbed the last they had, to cover my friends, too. Here's the one I made to sell. Wish me luck that my lunch box does well on ebay!

More Nekked Girls

The saga continues. Today, we were nekked again. Well, not me, THEM. The terrible twosome. The toddlers. The twins. I ran out of pull-ups last night, and they did ok in diapers with sleep-induced brains, but today, today, it was toddler bum free-for-all. Maddie even peepeed in the corner. So Mommy did what she had to: got the package tape and taped those suckers on. Yep, I did. Then, after a while, Emily comes down with her "Once Upon A Potty" book. Good book, that one. After reading it oh-so-carefully to them, Maddie decides she wants to -- wait for it -- go potty! She even let me take her diaper off, but no peepee was made. Eventually, we left the bathroom, took the potty to the family room, and Emily figured it was her turn. For an hour and a half, she sat there. She ate her lunch there. She drank her milk there. She read her books, she drew on her magna doodle. Finally, she decided her butt had gone to sleep and a diaper was better than that, so I taped her in, too, and now they are playing. At least their baby butts have actually touched the potty now; it's progress. And, needless to say, no scrapbook layouts to show today.

Tag! Now YOU'RE it!

Thanks again to Donna Downey, whose blog I read and got involved in the Tag game! The idea is that if you're reading this, you're obligated to post five random facts about yourself. I read her blog, so here ya go:

Hmmm, 5 things...
1. I sometimes let my twins fight because they have to figure out how to share and get along without me interferring.
2. I have lots of signed first edition Eudora Welty, Richard Ford, and John Grisham books.
3. I used to put every single thing away in my scrapbook room as soon as I used it, like glue dots. Use one, put the roll back in the drawer. I"ve gotten better about this.
4. I love coffee. Let me say that again. I love coffee. It's an obsession that started in grad school, and it doesn't make me feel old at all. lol
5. Since becoming a SAHM, many people are surprised when I mention that I went to grad school. BA and MA in English -- want fries with that??

Ok, now go on; you do it. Oh, and no new layouts yet because I've worked on ebay projects this week.

Nekked toddlers

Yep, that's what I've got. Nekked toddlers. My girls have decided that it's fun to remove their diapers and run around the house screaming and laughing. Oh, yeah, it's great. Let's run up to mommy and laugh. Let mommy put her hand on a baby bottom to ask where the diaper is, only to find poopy on that nekked bottom. UGH. This has GOT to stop. I used pull-ups to rescue myself. They seem to like those.

The girls love to sit on their potty, but not take their diapers off for it. They scream if I even suggest it. Lately, they even like a square of toilet tissue to "wipe" with. They may not want to try to potty like big girls, but I think we're gonna have to push the issue if this nekkedness continues.

Update

My ebay package arrived on Saturday. The postman teased me with it though! Usually, he delivers the packages in his truck, then walks the mail route house to house. So I called dh, he said no packages, and I said, uh oh. HOURS later, when I get home, dh comes out with a package -- THE ebay package. I say, huh? He says, postman came back later with it, like he forgot or something. I think, uh uh; he's just torturing me! Sheesh -- let's hope Monday brings my new GIN X rubons that were missing from the other package, and all this Friday business will then be totally cool.

Today's not been my day

You know how you get really excited about things coming in the mail? Well, I do. Today, I received one of my kit clubs in the mail. I ripped that box open poste haste! Bummer to find that one of the "you pick it" items was the wrong one. I sent an email and got an immediate reponse AND a phone call, so that was good. What wasn't good was that we continued talking. The kit owner made me a nice offer to be guest designer for their other club, but since I just this week did NOT make her design team, I decided to pass. Then she tells me that I missed it by one person. Then which person, and I got to look up her work. UGH. Mine is definitely better. I mean, really. Not just that I"m partial, either. I can't imagine why they thought the basic entries submitted were better than my very crafty ones. No accounting, I guess.....anyway, the phone call kinda bummed us both, cause it reminded me that I'd lost, and let her know how displeased I was. Oh well....what'd ya do, huh?

THEN, I've also been waiting for a package won on ebay -- a packed full set of Lil Davis chipboard and more. It didn't come today. It should have come today. The seller has mostly great feedback, but just enough not good, and not good at all, that I asked for her info and gave a quick call. That call started out ok, but also ended up a bummer because she was on the defense, and I am really worried about getting this package! Well, she gave me the tracking number, which is of no use because the system doesn't update, and basically didn't seem to have any sympathy for my plight. I sent her another email that I"m sorry she thinks I have attitude about it, and she called me back saying she's been looking at ebay trying to see why I didn't receive her emails. So maybe it's all good. Hopefully, the package will come tomorrow.

Still -- two deals kinda bummed my day. I'm sure both will work out fine. Tomorrow is another day, right?

I gave in

I shopped at the Hobby Lobby 50% off sale today. I didn't get a lot, and I'm sure less than a lot of scrapbookers, but still....I was trying to pass on it. I got MM Mixed Brite rubons, Spare Parts by The Paper Studio Marquee (acrylic) letters (3 sets, pink green frost), 7 Gypsies 97% Complete Family Stickers, and a couple of other things non-sb'ing. UGH. Is there no stopping me?

I finished a layout today that I got started last night. Love the new BG paper. I can't decide if this needs something else -- should I embellish the painted Heidi Swapp ghost frame? Anyway, I think I like it, but will sleep on it before calling it final. It's the same picture of Emily as the 'Girls Rock' layout, but this is actually what that picture was for anyway.

The husband is going out of town for a night this Thursday. I dred that. He is rarely gone; actually, this will be his first night ever away from the girls. I've not even done that. Still, he takes care of the girls and their needs as much or, at times, more than I do, so his being gone for a whole night isn't gonna be fun!

New Layout

Here's the layout I referred to on Sunday...working on another now with some new Basic Grey. You gotta get this stuff -- so cool!

Lots of cropping

That's what I've been doing. Lots of cropping. Not that it's a complaint, I just usually don't get this much cropping-away-from-home time. Wednesday at a friends' house, Friday night at the lss, Saturday 10-4 with the Stampin' Up! crew, last night here in my sb room. Wish I had more done. Wish I had more time. I made strides on my Disney honeymoon Bazzill gatefold album. Finished all but the story-telling of my pregnancy journal (it looks fab -- pics to come). Started on my Dirty Laundry lo of the girls in their daisy shirts. I will admit that I took those pictures just because I knew how great they would look with the Dirty Laundry paper. Is that just sick or what?! Can't wait to have that lo done and posted here for the fans. I know you're out there -- speak up, please! ha!

I think I screwed up my layout

I'm trying to use my handwriting as often as possible on my layouts. I guess it's the trend these days; also, for me, it's easier than going up from the basement to the PC desk where the printer is and doing my journaling. On this layout, though, I screwed up. The handwriting looked lost, so I tried to fix it with a mini-headline. The GIN-X rubons look fab, but the "Girls" handwriting sucks. I used too fine a point to start with, so I had to trace over it with a broad tip. I dunno. What's it look like to you? Don't you love my rock and roll chicks?? I couldn't believe the photo when I saw it. All I really wanted was a photo of Emily with her Magna-Doodle artwork, but they wouldn't stand still and Emily wouldn't stand by her screen. This is what I got, and it's the coolest photo. It provided me with a much-sought chance to use this MOD paper, too, not to mention the hard-to-match Gameboard chipboard alphabets.

Donna Downey Rocks!

It's funny the whole world of scrapbooking and the scrapbooking celebrities, as we love to call them. Regular people who really ROCK at what they do with and for this wonderful hobby and passion -- they are our celebrities and we love them. Today, I love Donna Downey. She's talented, real, friendly, and downright nice. She gracefully entertained an email request from me that I'm sure she gets tons of and probably would rather do without. And I emailed her because she was nice to me about a comment I made on her blog, taking full advantage of her friendliness and she didn't seem to mind. Doesn't that ROCK?? If you don't read Donna's blog, check it out under my "Blogs Worth Reading" links to the left; you'll be glad you did.

Donna Downey's A Trouble Maker

So I love Donna Downey's blog, but yesterday, she was a trouble-maker. She just had to mention and show Wendi Speciale's stamps, so, of course, I just had to go to the site. It was all over for me once I saw the large cuppa coffee stamp. Just when I was trying not to spend. MAN!!

Busy Busy

Suddenly, I find myself so busy.....I haven't felt like this since I worked full-time outside my home. Yes, I'm a stay at home mom now, but I worked most of my life. I didn't marry until age 37, didn't have children until age 39, so yep, I was in the work world a long time. Anyway, back to busy.

I went to a crop Friday night with my new scrapbooking mom's group. I just love this. I have been friends with two members since our CKU start-up last fall, but just recently joined their group. It's nice to be building a network of friends in the area after a year here. Oh, I got two more spreads in my pregnancy journal completed. Saturday, I went to Archivers to do the make and takes and pick up a few things. Not a bad trip; I spent $14 and that included the $5 make and take. Bought more of the cute new Junkitz paper and some Heidi Swapp pink spiral clips. I just can't resist her stuff or pink stuff, so I was in trouble the second I saw it. At under $2, it was a must buy. All last evening, I worked on my donation goodie bags for the Crop for the Cure and then my Stampin' Up! make and take for my vendor booth. I'm doing a cute "About Me" paper bag book that I hope goes over well with the 100 scrapbookers who have already registered and paid for this fab event. I'm also helping the group organize the event, since my friend is the founder and coordinator. I did that on Wednesday. It was nice to be able to bring the girls, let them run around with the other 9 kids there, and still get work done.

Today, the lovely husband has taken the girls to do some mall errands and to let them run around the play area there. More time to work on my SU projects. Also this week, I have a girls' crop on Wednesday evening, a crop at a different lss on Friday night, and a Stampin' Up! demo's crop most of Saturday. Even I am finding myself taken aback by all this scrapbooking and stamping activity. Not that there's anything wrong with that.