Gloomy Good Morning!

It's dark and cloudy out this morning. I am not quite ready to surrender the sunny days of Summer but, it looks like the weather didn't ask me. I will just have to deal with it.
I went walking yesterday. A must considering that I am in the apartment most days with the kiddos. So it was just me and my burning lung. I think it's a good thing on a physical level and emotional. It gives me a little me time to clear my head and breath. Lots and lots of breathing going on. I have been thinking a lot about physical health lately. I am not a very active person, never have been really. When I wake up in the morning I have aches and pain that never used to be there. I am only 25 for crying out loud, far to young to feel so old and unhealthy. No one is going to get me in shape for me though. It's sort of amusing to me the things that run through my mind as I am walking along. I will try to remember them for my next post. Does anyone else find themselves in their everyday life composing blogger posts in their minds? Sometimes I do it and it cracks me up.

Riley has added a couple new words to his growing vocabulary. "Caw, caw mmmm mmm." and he moves his hands up and down like he's moving a steering wheel (translation - Car, Car mmmm mmm.) He also said "Sow" which is sorry. He is learning so fast. Still doesn't have his R's down but, it'll come to him.

I have not been gone or forgotten about my little blog. I tried to blog twice last week and blogger wouldn't publish my posts. They sort of went poof into cyber space or something.

Monday again. Hubby is gone to work. I have a ton of housework and swap stuff to do. Life should sort of get back to normal soon. Whatever normal is, right?

This weekend was interesting. Friday night we went to a wedding reception. The bride was beautiful. We saw old friends and it strikes me how quickly life changes. I suppose there was nothing quick about the changes, I am just now noticing them and I am not always a fan of change. I am always amazed and saddened at how being in certain place or with certain people can make me punch holes in my own life. Like I just don't measure up in my own mind but, only when compared to ideals that only exist in my mind when put in those specific scenes. I know this probably makes no sense. That's alright. Just something I need to get out of my mind. I completely own all of these feelings. No one made me feel them, I did it to myself. I am always my biggest critic. Enough with the depressing.

Taylor turned 6 months old yesterday!

I think that's all I have to say about that~

Created a nice long sincere post and blogger ate it.

I give up!!!!!!!

Enjoy

Hang it out this morning. Watching QVC online. Love that! Not really buying anything but, love seeing the product and getting the page ideas. Thinking about scrapping a little (if the babies will cooperate) . Started some laundry. Enjoying the slow pace of this morning!

Cheers~

Burnt Out and stuff~

The baby has decided to join me for blogging this morning. I feel sorta bad that I just don't have the time to blog every morning. So, if you read my little blog daily and are not seeing new posts I am sorry. I think things will be better once the Summer is over. Fall is a much slower time of year for us. Well at least it always used to be. My new lovely banner is courtesy of a RAK I won from this lovely blogger http://chrisjenkins.typepad.com/ . I love it and still so excited that I won! Thanks again Chris!


Continuing my quest for color. I went to 3 different Scrapbook stores on Saturday trying to find something that would inspire me. It just wasn't happening. I saw things that were pretty but, nothing that gave me that feeling. I actually started to feel a little panic growing inside me that maybe I had lost my ability to create. My mojo has left the building. I did buy a few things at the last store because they were on clearance. I am sad to report that they are completely me (browns and blues). I struggled thorough a simple little LO yesterday. I thought if I actually create something it'll jump start things. No such luck. It was really hard to make myself stay at the table and finish it. That is just not right. I think maybe I am burnt out. So, maybe it's not just color that I need but, some inspiration too!
{Was going to post the LO but, the blogger Troll will not let me!}

In other news Taylor has 2 teeth now. He has been working on them for about 2 weeks and they finally popped up. They are sharp. He is holding his own bottle now too. Getting way to big too quickly. That happens though.

White Walls

My apartment has all white walls. Except the dining room. It has half of a grey/blue wall. I am so tired of white walls. This could be one of the biggest personal drawbacks for me to living in an apartment. I can't paint the walls.

I have been noticing lately a real lack of color in my life. It is everywhere from the walls of where I love to the clothes that I wear and especially my scrapbook pages. They are all brown and blue. I am not sure that I even know how to use other colors. I sit and wonder why I am drawn to these colors. Well I am bored with them. I need a color infusion and I need it NOW!!!! So if any of my lovely blog readers know how I can kick up the color in my little world please let me know. Do you know of a really juicy and colorful line of scrapbook stuff that would help me. I am so willing to be enabled right now. Anything to get this color train moving. I would appreciate it so much!

A big thank you for all of the anniversary well wishes. It was so sweet of you all!

We had a nice dinner and saw a movie. A calm, quiet celebration. Sometimes that is simply the best way! Especially when you are the parents of 2 under 2!

I had a class last night. I am always so amazed at how people can take the same products and make them completely their own. So much creativity and originality. I just love it!

We are hoping to have a quiet weekend. There are a lot of events coming up and this might be our last Summer weekend to relax and play.

Would love to get some scrapping done. I have a long list of To-do's but, what's new, right?

Have a fabulous weekend all!

Let's raise a glass!

Three years ago today we said "I Do!" .
So many things have happened since that day.
2 kids, a move, multiple jobs. Varies medical emergencies. A few vacations, a lot of laughs, too many needless fights. what does it all boil down to?
A Boy and a Girl
who vowed to love each other forever
before God and more witnesses then they planned for.
We have been blessed in countless ways.
Today I get to reflect on those blessings.
Reflect on all of the reasons that we said "I do".
How crazy is it to meet your other half when you are 11 years old.
No, I didn't love him then, the opposite actually.
But, I love him now and always will!
Cheers!!!
T

Monday Again!

Busy day ahead of me! Lots of deadlines to meet. Cup of coffee in hand and I am breezing through my morning routine. Email, blogging, making a list for my day. Hopefully I will be productive!
Have a great day!

The Weekend~

So somehow I managed to go through most of yesterday with the sense that it was not Saturday. My days have all started to blend together. I think this is due to having Andy home 24-7. Today looks like it's going to be a beautiful day. I have a ton of scrapping projects to do but, I would rather go play. We shall see...

Yesterday I had a Bridal Shower to go to for a friend. I made her some Thank You cards. I thought she could use them. I remember how many I went through when I got married. I made here 5 different designs. This is just one of them.

My MIL gave her stamps to go with and then we also gave her some freesia body spray and bath gel. Just a little something to make her feel special. To pamper herself!

The Weekly 2Peas Blogger Challenge is to post a favorite picture and tell why:

This is so hard for me. I have so many favorites. A lot of which I don't have uploaded onto my computer. If bloggger will let me I will share a few of my top favs with you.

Riley playing with the hose. I love how this pic captures his playfulness.
First pic of Riley with his eyes open. He's not crying just peaceful. I know he looks a little funny because he was just born but, I think he is so SWEET!

My niece Hannah and Riley! Love this one of my little Hannah Banana!

Have always loved this pic of DH!

I had another picture here of DH and Taylor but Blogger decided not to be nice anymore and it ate my picture! Errrrrrrr.

Weiner Wagon and feeling low.....

Yesterday I was in a funk most of the day. Towards the afternoon the funk sorta turned into a general pissy attitude. There were moments when even I couldn't stand being around myself. So, not good. KWIM???
Andy tried to cheer me up by taking me for a drive. He got really excited when after aimlessly driving around a destination popped into his mind. I know where I am going to take you for lunch he says. Thus we end up at the Weiner Wagon. Literally a wagon on wheels sitting on the sidewalk in downtown Vancouver. I didn't get anything to eat but, Andy seemed to be in heaven as he was eating his heart attack special aka. Chili Dog Ala Mustard, Cheese, Sour Cream, & Fritos. It was the scariest thing I have ever seen!!!!!!!! (Sorry that I don't have a picture for you) It made me feel so unhealthy just watching him.

Anyway, I am feeling tired today but, better. My Saturday class got resheduled and I have some cards to make for a wedding shower tonight. I figured every bride could use some lovely handmade Thank You cards.
I have a ton of scrapping to do for circle journals, gotta keep 'em moving. I'm off to find another cup of coffee. Cheers!

Last Scrapper Standing~

Those fabulous Effer Dare girls ( www.fortheloveofeffers.blogspot.com ) are having a Last Scrapper Standing contest. The first challenge was to include all of your journaling on your pictures. It had to be a sizable amount of journaling too, not just a few words. I have never entered a contest before but, LOVE doing the dares. So I entered! I have no delusions that I will win, I am just having fun and honestly loving the experience! So many awesome and talented entries! I would be on cloud nine if I made it past the first round. Whatever the outcome I am so pleased that I tried!
Journaling reads~ "Riley, you are pure joy! I love that you delight in simple things. You are wonderment. You spread happiness everywhere that you go! I love you!!!"

A bloggers life for me......

So sorry that I have been MIA lately. I have been living the life of the super busy mommy. I have been lurking since Monday because I have had too much that I could blog about and I just didn't know where the heck to start. Does that ever happen to you?

We got home Sunday late afternoon from camping. It was a nice little trip. The company was top notch and the food was not too bad ( I did the cooking. LOL). My favorite part will probably always be the camp fire! Love everything about it! Although when we got home I had to double was everything to get the smoke smell out of it. Plus, I got a cold. As family vacations go it was an 8 out of 10!

Riley before his hair cut~

Friday as we were packing I decide to trim Riley's hair. Well he decided that he didn't want to cooperate. As I trimmed he moved and it kept getting shorter and shorter and well you get the idea. The finished product was one that I could not fix... Daddy had to get out his clippers. It is now known in our family as

HONEY, I BALDED THE BABY!!!

Needless to say I cried as Andy buzzed him. Thus ending my days as the family hair trimmer....

Andy's birthday was Monday. I had a birthday dinner for him. Very low key, just family. It was nice relaxing and visiting. (There was going to be a picture here but blogger will not cooperate)

After the party we watch Hells Kitchen. I am sad to say that we are slightly addicted to it. Oh, the drama.....

I need to finish cleaning the apartment. I am having a small 101 class on Saturday. I finished my Last Scrapper Standing Effer Dare last night. I wasn't sure that I liked it so I started another one. Then I realized that I didn't have the paper that I thought I had. So this morning I need to run to the LSS and see if they can save my poor little Layout. I will try to post them both tomorrow.

Have fabulous day all~

Ann & Andy~

Today I am drinking my coffee out of one of my favorite mugs. It has raggedy Ann and Andy on it. They were a gift from my sister for Christmas a few years back. It's fun because my husband is Andy and I am StephANie. Get it? It's funny because I call my DH AN sometimes. He doesn't seem to mind. Anyway, today is Friday and it looks like we will be going camping with my sister's family and my husbands' parents. How does that happen you ask.?Well both parties wanted us to go camping with them this weekend. We are making the best of it and combining the two. The more the merrier, right? It should make my DH super happy. He has been itching to go camping for some time now. His birthday is on Monday so it's perfect timing. Although he is having a low key birthday this year. I threw him a huge surprise party last year.

So what are your plans for the weekend? There are not many weekends left so get out there and enjoy the nice weather. (Hopefully it's nice where you live!)

Blogger Challenge: challenge:
what are your favorite movies/shows to watch while scrapbooking? or do you listen to a specific type of music to get the scrapbooking flow going?

Well, I don't watch TV while I scrap but, I do listen to music. Usually I will find a CD that strikes my mood and I will listen to it over and over again until I am done with it (it doesn't get listened to for a few months after that). Usually my little one helps me pick the music. He has his favorites that he like to dance to. It's really funny to watch. He loves his music!
I managed to complete a layout yesterday! I am pretty happy about that!

Have a fabulous weekend all!

Beating the BLAH's~

A big thanks to Sofia and Melissa! Your encouraging words meant a lot to me!

I feel better today! I pushed through my BLAH's and completed two pages yesterday. I am not crazy about the first one (the source of my scrappers block) but it was amazing and freeing how just the process inspired me. It's such a catch 22, you know? I need to create to be inspired and sometimes I can't find the inspiration to create. LOL. I love irony!



The blogger challenge is all about self portraits. This is a hard one for me. I am getting so much better at including myself in my pages. It is kinda like therapy. I just want to leave my kids with a well rounded idea of who their mom is/was. I came to realize that there are years of my life where there are very few pictures of me and they are horrible because I wasn't smiling or I was trying to get away from the camera. Now I tell people when I take their pic and they won't smile " Trust me you are gonna wish that you had smiled!" It's important for everyone to be in their pictures. No matter how much you just don't like your image. You are beautiful and wonderful and fabulous just being you. I know this might sound like a bunch of BS but, I think it's true and I think that we need to remind ourselves constantly.

So, as Melissa on 2peas wonderfully suggested, GO TAKE A PICTURE OF YOURSELF TODAY!

Round and round and round~

Do you ever have those days where you just want to stay in bed?
I was so tired this morning I could barely drag myself out of bed. If it wasn't for Andy the baby might not have gotten fed (Just kidding). There really is no reason why I feel so tired. I guess I just have a case of the BLAH's. Everything seems a bit stale to me. I have had the same LO on the table half scrapped for about 3 days. That's so not my scrap style. If I don't complete a page in one sitting then I just lose the feel for it. Does that ever happen to you? I really would like to know where you get your inspiration to scrap from? I could use a HUGE dose of it right now. KWIM???

I am off the play with the baby. He has learned how to make the raspberry sound with his lips. So funny and super cute!

August

Well people it is August.... This is already shaping up to be a crazy, busy month. Birthdays, classes, doctors appointments, camping trips, an anniversary. I am exhausted and the month only began like 7 hours ago. Seriously though, this is the first Summer that I have been able to enjoy in like 6 years because, I am blessed to be working. Not in the sense that I have to go into work early and leave in time to go home, have dinner and sleep. Only to repeat the process over and over again. I know that many of the people who are reading this are going through this exact process right now. I realized that it's part of life. I realize that I am starting to ramble. It's my blog so I'm allowed to, right??? My point is that if you can enjoy the Summer do it. It passes so quickly!!!

Andy and I went to You, Me, and Dupree yesterday. It was ok. Parts of it were pretty funny. It was all over the place, you really couldn't tell where it was going to go next. Owen Wilson was funny! I would say rent it but, don't see it in the theater.

I have projects to finish and Andy's birthday is next week. I have one present for him but, would like to get him something else. So, if anyone knows a good gift to give there soon to be 26 year old husband. I would love the ideas..... I am off to enjoy my coffee before the babies wake up!

~Sleepy~

I am sleepy! Didn't get to bed until almost 1am and both babies wanted to sleep with us . Let me tell you 4 people in a queen is 2 too many! LOL! My crop was a success! Thanks for all of the well wishes. It was a lot of fun! I didn't have as many people attend as I expected but, that should have been expected. Right?
Today I need to clean up my scrap space. I trashed it sorting everything to take to the crop. Yikes!!!!! I can't just leave it a mess either, as it is our dining room. If nothing else Darling Riley will assume that Mama has finally decided to let him have a free for all with her stuff. So, not gonna happen little man!!!!!!!


Behold~ Crop Snacks!!! You can see the rest of the pics and an updated events schedule on my scrap happenings blog. The link is in the side bar!



What do I know this morning????? That coffee is GOOD! Yes, I knew this before but, I am so feeling it this A.M. There is not enough sleep for me. That comes with having kids. Although, I am terrible at letting myself relax. Maybe I will try that today. Being one with relaxation!!!!!

*F*R*I*D*A*Y*

That's right people it's Friday... All day long! I have so much nervous energy right now I am not sure what I'm gonna do with myself. Hopefully I can find some way to put it to good use. Why am I this way you ask??? Well, in the beginning. Just kidding! I have my first crop tonight. My crop, I'm hosting it and in charge and I am so dang excited! I actually have a few people attending that I have never met. They are attending because they want to, not because they are related to me. LOL! Good times! I will for give an update on how the evening goes down. Plus, I will have pics to update my Scrap Happenings Blog! www.alwaysscrappin.blogspot.com for those of you who are interested in my events! Seriously if you are in the Portland area you should come to one, it's gonna be a lot of fun! and that is what it's all about right? F*U*N!

I have a layout to share from yesterday. Taylor's 5 month page. I have been a good girl thus far and gotten his month page done on the day. I am really proud of that. Although some months have been more of a challenge then others to get it done! It's really important to me though. He is growing so fast and learning so much. I have kept the format for each page the same. This has made it really easy and when they are all together they will have a certain sense of uniformity. Which is so not something I usually go for but, for this it really works. Plus, unlike Riley Taylor doesn't have a baby book, so these pages will just have to do!

In a really bizarre twist of events we got the goverment cheese from out upstairs neighbors. I have no idea why and we have never met them before the afore mentioned incident. It was about 7pm and Andy's watching TV and I am getting stuff together for my crop (these details really are not important to my story but hey it's my story and I'll tell it my way!) So, we hear a knock at our door. Very unusualy because we weren't expecting anyone and we never talk to our neighbors. We just don't live in that kind of community (sadly). It's the girl from upstairs and her Dad with a box of food from their church and they want to know if we would like it. I am puzzled by many things here but, we graciously took the box and thanked them. Now we have never spoken to them ever, in fact I am not sure I have ever seen them before. It cracks me up really. We don't need the things that they brought us and will be donating them to the church. I have no clue what made them do that but, it did make me laugh.
(The author in no way means to offend those who are on welfare (Goverment Cheese) as she has been there herself in the past)

Taylor had Rice Cereal with a spoon yesterday. He was not swallowing it so I had to go back to the bottle feeder. His appetite has grown so much that ! think he really needs the suppliment. He is going through SO MUCH FORMULA!

Have a great weekend people!

5 MONTHS~

Yes, today my little cutie pie is 5 months old.!!!He's getting to be such a big boy! I realized this yesterday when he was playing on his blanket with his toys. I know that might sound incredibly simple but, just the fact that he was playing with toys is a big deal. A week ago he couldn't even hold a toy and now he seeks them out. Although his little noggin is too big for him to crawl he rolls around and tries to get onto his knees. Plus, he is possibly the most genuinely happy person that I have ever met. He smiles in his sleep, it's true. I can only take credit for a normal amount of happiness (taking care of him, playing with him, giving him cuddles) the rest is all Taylor. He's just so smiley. He smiles with his whole self and it's infectious!!!!!!!!!!

I finished two LO's yesterday. The Dare was really hard for me. I have noticed that there is a real lack of color in my gallery and I am not that good at saying nice things about myself. I know scrapping yourself is important but, it kind of made me feel full of myself. KWIM????

This little beauty is just for fun! I love my morning coffee and my MUGS too!

EfferDare # 37~ Positive Self Talk~

I really love how this turned out. Funny too because this is just not my style and yet I created it! Go figure!

Ok, so you are probably wondering why Riley is wearing girls sunglasses. Well here's the story. Sunday at the B-day party Ry thought it would be fun to wear his Cousin Ashlynn's sunglasses. He was dancing to the music and flirting with the 1 girl that we aren't related to. What can I say? My kid is a little Mack Daddy! LOL!