A real short one today...the morning is already half over and I've been being spoiled :) Tell you all about it tommorrow! But for now I am off to spoil my own little Valentines. Have a WONDERFUL day!
And, as alluded to yesterday, here is a treat for my blog readers. I won't be advertising this freebie...just a little way for me to say thanks to the faithful few for stopping by.
But first, while I am waiting for yousendit to load my files :) I will share one LO I did last night. I haven't had much time to scrap the last few days but I snuck in a few minutes last night and scrapped one sweet pictures of my kiddos. This is from last January. I had just made cookies and I gave one to the kids. I turned my attention away for a few minutes and then couldn't find them. I walked into my room and saw it. I didn't appreciate the chocolate all over my bed, but the moment was worth it!
I used SHABBY MISS JENN'SPOMEGRANITE STREET kit. I LOVE the colors in this! I used it once before on a LO for my sister, but I waned to use it for a page for my own album. Paint strokes by Michelle Coleman and circle stitching is my own.
**ETA** The links are no longer available. Thank you you to everyone who stopped by! If you still would like this template set, be sure to check my shoppe in the next day or two.
It will be short this morning. I was looking forward to a nice leisurely morning....Alaina would be at school and I could enjoy some of the quiet that her absence gives this home. I love her so very much but she is a VERY chatty four year old and I am lucky if I can spend three minutes doing something without an interruption. It was not to be today. Jason took her to school and ten minutes later they walked back in the door. Apparently it is a snow day. Seems kind of strange since there really isn't that much snow but I guess since so many of the kids are farm kids and live in rural areas, they just canceled. So I will keep this short since she is sure to need something soon :)
Yesterday was soooo nice! The plan was for me to have a working day. So Jason took the kids out for a few hours (not as long as I had hoped) and I got some very QUIET time to work. I also snuck a long hot bath in there. I LOVE baths but since having kids, I find it nearly impossible to take one and achieve any semblance of PEACE. I usually have kids coming in as soon as they hear the water. Then they start stripping. I have had to resort to bathing in my swimsuit since Alaina and Caleb are getting a bit old to bathe with me sans clothes. I lock the door sometimes which keeps the kids from crawling in to the tub but I can still hear all the noise and without fail, someone needs to use the bathroom (I miss having two bathrooms!) So yesterday I took a nice long HOT HOT bath (my fav!) and just soaked it all in. I could actually think and pray and I'll even admit, I got to sing :) Sooo wonderful!
I also got some work done. I have a few big projects in the works that I was able to make a dent in. I am really excited about some things I have planned (this is all scrapping related). Over the past few weeks I have been really trying to focus on what it is I want to do, how I want to help others with their scrapping, and how to make the most of my talents and abilities. So, I have some new projects in the works and I really hope that others can benefit from them. I have a long way to go but I am really excited!
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So last night I was sitting at the dining room table on my laptop. Usually my laptop sits on the desk in the office but our desktop is there too and Alaina has found Nick Jr games online and I find myself getting kicked out more and more. So since my laptop and EHD were already set up at the table last night I just stayed. I was working on moving a bunch of files to my EHD and getting ready for a defrag. I had heard sirens a few minutes before but didn't think much of it. Then I saw lights out the window so I peeked out. I saw two police cars and thought that something was going on. Turns out, the house across the street from us was on fire! It was actually kind of scary. The flames would peek out above the roof and before long all of the rural county firefighters were out and running around and yelling. Our big picture window by our table looks right out to the house so Jason and I just sat there watching (there was absolutely nothing we could do) and talked. Something like that makes you think about finding yourself in that situation and what you would do. Pretty scary. One thing it made me realize is that I really need to keep some DVD's full of my kids pictures at our parents house. I would hate to lose those. To me, anything else is replaceable or we could live without. But pictures are 100% totally irreplaceable. And photos have this magic ability to bring us back to the past and relive feelings and memories and bond relationships. They are precious to me and it would break my heart for my kids to lose these.
In the end, we can't really tell how bad the fire was. From the looks of it, it was mostly in the roof/attic. It took quite a while for them to put the fire out but this morning the only thing (from our view) that gives it away is the gaping holes in the roof where the fire men chainsawed in to get to the flames. So sad.
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Today will be a busy one! I have Valentine's Day stuff to organize, cleaning to do, letters to write, and some time just loving on the kiddos. Thanks for popping in! I hope you have a great day! And be sure to check in tomorrow where you just might find a Valentine's goody!
I love the feeling of having DONE something...of having less undone and more DONE. I can procrastinate sometimes but when I finally get in gear and get things done, it feels SO good! I really don't know WHY I procrastinate...I know how good it feels to accomplish a task. I also know how much I DISLIKE having things not done. Now common sense would say that I would just learn to DO IT and enjoy it. And while I have improved greatly in this area, there are still some things that for a reason unknown to me, I put off.
For instance, ever since we moved into our new apartment (January 1) the garbage disposal hasn't worked. It hummed the first time I turned it on and then after that....nothing! So, I've gone for almost six weeks without a garbage disposal. Not really a big deal, since most of my married life I have been without a disposal (or a dishwasher for that matter). But, it would seem logical that since I have one, I would take advantage of it and use it. However, that would entail calling my landlord. Then I figured he would have to come over...and then he would see that it was broken...then it would have to be replaced and he would have to come over again...and so on. So, I never called. I kept thinking I would, but didn't. The same would go for the flickering light in our kitchen.
When we sent our check last week Jason decided to write a note and let the landlord know some of the problems we were having around the place. So for the next few days I scurry around making sure the house is clean and the sink is empty. I sure didn't want him to come over and see a sink full of dishes. On Saturday morning of all wonderful times he comes over. I thought, "Great, there goes my Saturday. He is going to be here all day fixing this thing." So, he comes in, opens the cupboard, turns some thingamajig, pushes a button and says, "fixed." LOL! The fuse for the disposal is actually on the disposal itself. I did think to look in the fuse box when it first went out but I saw nothing. Never thought to look on the actually disposal. So in about 20 seconds he fixed something that has been broken for six weeks. My procrastination is silly sometimes!
In addition to the disposal and our light (which is only working half the time I am afraid), I got a lot of other things accomplished too! I did our taxes yesterday. I have to admit I am quite proud of myself. I always do our taxes but this year it was more complicated because of our foreign income for half the year and because of my business. It took me a few hours (mostly trying to understand what it was I had to do) but it feels soooo good to have it done and ready to be mailed!
We also got some good cleaning done. With three little kids it is hard to get the whole house clean at the same time. I will work on one room and the others will get messy in the meantime. But I LOVE the look and feel of a house that is completely clean and vacuumed and dusted and tidy. So Jason and I tag-teamed and got the place spic and span (well, almost...my craft closet still needs some major attention!)
We also played, and ate together, and rested, and read, and just enjoyed being a family. Our kids will only be young for such a short time and we want to soak it all in. Enjoy all the little quirks and stages. It isn't always EASY, but if we take the proper perspective, it is all fun.
Take this episode for example -- Levi, as any good nine month old, likes to turn and wiggle while we try to get him dressed or change his diaper. He lays still for all of 1.2 seconds and then he is trying to get away. Yesterday I was trying to put his pants on and he was squirming away. I would get one leg on and then when I moved to the other leg he would pull the first leg out. This went on for literally 8 or 10 attempts. I was getting so frustrated and it seemed that the more frustrated I got the more he squirmed. I tried reasoning with him (why do I attempt such useless things?) I kept telling him in my sternest voice, "Levi! This will be OVER if you just lay still!" He didn't seem to get it. And when I finally got to the breaking point I just stopped, took a deep breath, looked at the situation for what it was, and burst out laughing. It was actually really funny and pathetic! And when I started laughing, so did Levi, and he settled down and giggled and I quite calmly put on his pants and the day could go on.
See, I just need to embrace life. I just need to embrace all that comes my way....the good days, the bad days, the every days. I need to enjoy all of it. After all, the highs feel so much better for having experiences the lows as well! Putting Levi's pants on really isn't a "low" in life but the lesson was learned and I pray I can apply it to the bigger things in life.
So, enjoy your day today. Take all the inconveniences and frustrations and look at them in the perspective of a much bigger life. Find the joy and the humor in the moments and realize how truly blessed you are.
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So, I scrapped a bit this weekend! It wasn't much, but it felt good to just create. Last week I emailed a friend and told her my creativity was gone! I would try to scrap or to make a template and...nothing. I didn't like anything I did. I need to learn in those instances to just walk away and do something different rather than push it. So, I took some time away from the computer and read, cooked, hung out with the family. And then, when I tried to do a bit, it just came to me. And I love that I created things that were authentically ME. I really don't care about trends and fads and what the scrapping community seems to think is "great" srapbooking. I am really starting to feel comfortable with my style and feel confident that I will look back on these pages in years to come and still love them.
WINTER FUN: Love this one...love the look on Caleb's face and the bright and fun colors. Papers and brads by Shabby Princess. Snowflake brushes by Michelle Coleman. Stitching by Ronna Penner.
VALENTINE: This one came together pretty fast. I made a few templates this weekend and I wanted to try this one out. I used Mindy Teresawa's beautiful new LOVEY DOVEY kit at Designer Digitals. Tag is by Michelle Coleman.
Now this next one wasn't planned. I got done, saved it, and then realized that just two days before I did one soooo similar! It looks a bit funny now having two so similar but that is one of they reasons I am glad that I do not scrap chronologically. In their albums (which are chronological) you would never notice the similarity.
EASTER TREAT: This is Alaina on Easter last year (one day before Levi was born!) I used Mindy Teresawa's GORGEOUS SPRING FEAST kit. I also used glitter paint strokes by Meredith Fenwick from her Hallway Graffiti collection. Pin and tag by Danielle at Catscrap. TK Doodle font.
This last one was just a quickie...
SWEET CHUBBY FACE: That's Caleb! Isn't he soooo cute! Blue paper, flowers, staples, and journaling paper by Danielle at Catscrap. Kraft paper is my own. Stitching by Lisa Whitney at Scrapartist. Hand stamped alpha by Michelle Coleman.
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Well, that's it for today! Jason is taking the kids for the day and I am having a work day. I have a bunch of stuff I want to do for the shop. I have had a bunch of ideas floating around in my head for a while but no time to implement them. Keep your eye out for some fun stuff in celebration of my six month anniversary!
Over the past few months I have had this "pile" of layouts start gathering dust. Some I was holding onto for certain reasons, some I just never got around to posting, some I just totally forgot about. I don't know if a lot of them will ever make it into my online galleries but at least you can see them here. They definitely capture my eclectic style. Some of them I like, some I don't, but they all mean something to me since they captured a thought, a memory, a feeling. And for that, I love them. So, here you go. I am not going to add all the journaling because it would take me forever so if you are interested in reading any of them just leave a comment and I will send the journaling to you :)
As for credits I will post QUICK credits...I really don't have time to gather everything, but I will tell the main stuff I worked with and what I can see on the LO. Surprisingly, I usually can tell just by LOOKING at a LO what I used. Great, I can't remember to put a letter in the mailbox or to move my sheets from the washer to the dryer but I could look at probably THOUSANDS of digital scrapping supplies and tell you exactly who made them and what kit they were from. My brain needs a vacation!
As for the fonts, you can be assured that 95% of them will be Century Gothic, SP Wonderful Wendy, and a Susie's Hand and Mom's Typewriter thrown in. I don't change my fonts out much!
There is no order here, so these may not be in the order I created them.
1345 -- Misty Mareda's DAYLIGHT FADING paper pack, jewels and flower by Shabby Princess, stitching by Gina Miller, template (never released) by me (all that scroll work was part of the template). I did this LO in October!
A QUICK STUDY (SOMETIMES) -- Everything by Danielle Catalona - Titus at Catscrap. I will actually give you the journaling on this one because I have saved in a word document. I did this LO a few weeks ago.
I’ll admit it. I’m pretty smart. Most things in life come quite easily to me. I am by no means a genius, but I am no nitwit either. And yet, there are some simple things in life that for some reason I just can’t comprehend. Like verb tenses in Spanish class. Four years and I can’t conjugate verbs properly. And then there are directions...you know, like someone says, “go north on highway...” Okay. you already lost me. You mean left or right? I guess that is why I still haven’t learned to take care of ME yet. I can take care of my three little kids, I can care for my husband, I can care for our home and the bills and the correspondence. I can care for my ministry and the kids I work with. I’ve got that all figured out. So why can’t I just figure out how to take care of myself? It should be easy. I am a pretty simple person with simple needs and wants. But time and time again I fail to do what it takes to keep me happy and healthy. I just need coffee and quiet and exercise and time for art and hugs and cuddles, and yummy food, and sleeping in, and time in the Word and friends and hot baths and long walks and warm weather. I need to figure it out. I’m not getting any younger. The time is now.
ANDY AND SALLY -- I did this LO as part of a mini album I did for my sister for Christmas. I took this picture this past summer. I think most everything is from Lisa Whitney from her A BEAUTIFUL MESS kit. Stitched heart is by Dani Mogstad. Date stamps by Amber Clegg (at Scrapartist).
WALK ALONGSIDE ME DADDY: Another one for my sister's album and using Lisa Whitney's A BEAUTIFUL MESS kit. Template is by me from my FAT PACK. I LOVE this template! Date stamps by Amber Clegg.
A FATHER IS -- yet another one for my sister. Didn't use anything on this one :)
FULL HOUSE -- This one is a two page LO. The journaling is just about how although people think we are crazy, we don't think we are done having kids. We just know that we aren't complete yet. Papers are by Katie Pertiet from her STORYTIME kit at Designer Digitals, curled edge by Anna Aspens, cards are by me (before they started coming out all over the place...I did this LO like a month ago and now I see cards EVERYWHERE!) But not with photo spots I don't think :) Stitching is by Lisa Whitney and Katie Pertiet.
HURLING SNOWBALLS -- I LOVE these pictures and they were soooo perfect with Nancy Rowe Janitz's HOLLY JOLLY kit. Painted dots by Michelle Coleman.
I LOVE THIS -- Most everything by Katie Pertiet from her Gold Membership kit at Digi Shop Talk. White paint strokes by Michelle Coleman. Flower brush is by Rhonna Farrer. I made this LO back in September I think. I had to go to Kearney (about an hour and a half away) with the dorm to shop. I brought my laptop in case I finished shopping before they did. Well when we got to the mall I started feeling really sick. By the time we got home I had a temperature of 103! So, this LO, which I really love, was done with a high fever sitting in a pizza shop in a mall!
IMPROMPTU FAMILY CHRISTMAS -- I adore this LO! I love how I got our WHOLE Christmas scrapped on just two pages! Papers are by Mary Fran, present sticker by Jen Wilson, alphas by Gina Cabrera. I made this LO about a month ago.
INDIA ON MY MIND -- another two-pager. Kit is by Meredith Fenwick from her URBAN COLORS collection -- JUNGLE. Loose stitching by Syrin at Catscrap. I made this LO a few weeks ago.
IT WAS YOU -- my sweet hubby Jason! Papers and some elements by Michelle Coleman from her GUY THING kit. Swirl by Tracy Ann from her FLIP kit (overlaid). Stitching also by Michelle Coleman from her BOHO CHIC kit. Hearts by Michelle Coleman from Chloe's Closet. I did this LO about three weeks ago.
KEEP MOVING FORWARD -- This 2-page is further proof of my obsession with Shabby Princess's WONDERFUL kit. Arrow by Katie Hadfield (blog freebie). She now sells at the Lily Pad. I did this LO about two weeks ago (I think).
LOOK OUT SUMMER! -- My sweet girl! I used Shabby Princess's WINTER CHIC kit with paint by Michelle Coleman and "rub-ons" from SP's WONDERFUL kit. I made this LO back in November or December.
MAKE THE MOMENT LAST -- I did this LO back in September or October! I used Michelle Coleman's FEELING GROOVY kit.
ONE KISS -- This is one of my all-time favorite LO's. I made it this summer and for some reason just held onto it. Sometimes I guess you just love something so much that if you share it, and others don't feel the same love for it, it makes you sad. The thing is, the LO isn't that spectacular. It isn't like there is some great design technique or anything. It was just one of those times that the picture, and the papers,and the elements just all worked together to perfectly translate onto paper what is in my heart. Love it. Paper is by IOD (I can't remember the paper pack name right now). Everything else is by Michelle Coleman. Paper tear by Steph Krush.
SENSE OF SMELL -- just a tribute to my love of my tarts and tart burners. I did this LO back in December. I used Shabby Princess's HOLIDAY JOY kit with alpha by Fee Jardin at the Digi Chick.
SO GLAD -- Okay, this was just a simple one I did yesterday, just playing around. Love my kiddos! TK Doodle font (Valentine). Stitching by Lisa Whitney. Everything else is the result of my craft time with Alaina. A kit that will not ever make it into my store :)
TAMING WILD HEARTS -- and another 2 pager using WONDERFUL kit by SP. The journaling is just about a little of my thoughts on raising boys. I did this LO about three weeks ago.
THE LOVE YOU FEEL -- I can't remember when I did this LO -- maybe a month ago?? Almost everything by Michelle Coleman (Guy Thing and Feeling Groovy kits). Stitched border by Shabby Princess from her SPLENDID kit. Template (never released) by me. Font is Teen.
THE SNOW WILL COME -- Used Nancie Rowe Janitz's HOLLY JOLLY kit. I had my camera on the wrong white balance and this picture was HORRIBLE. I did my best to save it but it still is NOT good! Another unreleased template by me. Man, I need to go back and gather up all these templates and package them up!
WHY CAN'T I? -- Totally different for me. Paper by Shabby Princess (BLUEBELL ROAD kit), stars by Doris Castle, paper curl by Anna Aspens, and I can't remember who the flourishes at the top are by. Michelle Coleman???
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Well, that's it! There are the never-before-seen LO's! LOL! It feels good to show them to someone!
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Alrighty then...need to go! Jason isn't feeling well so he is taking part of the day off. I might take the kids into gymnastics or else we will all just hang out at home, enjoying each other. I finally got my financial statements from our school in Malaysia and my 1099 from my store, so this weekend I get to do my taxes. The refund will be nice :)
I hope you all have a fabulous weekend! "See" you Monday!
..is just the coolest. Not only do I get to do something I love, something that my family will benefit from, but also I get to meet and interact with so many people. I can't explain how many people I am in contact with that scrapping has held together. I have met so many women over the past two years who have impacted my life tremendously. I have had the opportunity to talk to others about scrapping, about how to do it, what it means to me, what it means to them. And it is truly exciting and inspiring. I especially love seeing new scrappers starting out, just beginning this walk of preserving precious family memories. How wonderful is that? And it excited me even more to seeing people use MY templates to get them started! That is seriously the most humbling thing! It makes me sooo happy to know that I have a way to use my creativity to help others. I love seeing different people's takes on the templates. There is just so much creativity out there and so many memories to be preserved. Truly priceless.
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I don't have too much to share today...have a list of things that need to get done (you know, the fun stuff like paying bills, cleaning rooms, vacuuming, etc). I also want to find some time to read a book I have started. A few months ago my dear friend Hollie sent me the book, BABY IN A BOX, the story of a family and their experience of adopting a baby girl in China. When she sent it to me I started it and got about 70 pages in. Then everything exploded with work and it took a back seat to other stuff. But I rummaged around in the garage and found the box of books from our bedroom and pulled it out. It was so nice to sit and read for a change!
**** I didn't get a chance to scrap yesterday but I do have some layouts that I have done in the last few months that I haven't shown. I got in a weird funk about posting LO's for a while (still don't like posting in galleries).
Ugh...I just realized that I haven't saved any of them for web. How about I fix a bunch of those today and show you a whole bunch tomorrow. I also really need to update my digital album here on the blog. It don't think I have added anything new since September! I think I need to go back and just put in my favorites. I am probably at five or six hundred layouts and I don't think anyone, no matter how interested they are, would want to look at all of those!
I also REALLY need to go through and organize my scrapping stuff and burn a bunch to DVD. My poor laptop AND external hard drive are getting pretty full! Is there anywhere I can get more hours added into my day??
Have a GREAT day!
Oh, and a few people have asked about the pictures I showed of Mimi yesterday...the ones that look like they are coming off the page. Although I know how do it myself, they are a pain so I was THRILLED when Debbie Knorr came out with her BEND IT! templates! Soooo cool! Now, lots of designers have come out with them but I am all for supporting the original creator. So if you like them, run to her store and grab them.
Now, if you know me, you know I don't really like getting up in the morning. ONCE I am up, I am fine, and quite happy to be up. It is just the waking up and the getting out of bed I am not so thrilled with. But today, it was nice. We got everyone up early so we could have a web-cam meeting with our dear friend Mimi in Malaysia. Mimi was our "amah" or househelper for the two years we were there. She was like family to us. She loved out kids in a way that no others could and she took care of so much for us. It was one of our hardest goodbyes! She even came to the airport with us when we left. My last memory of her was once last look I stole as I walked away, both of us with tears in our eyes. It was one of the hardest moments of my life. Leaving and not knowing if and when we would ever see her again. She was especially close with Caleb. She adored that boy more than words can say. He was only two months when we arrived and by the time we left he followed her around everywhere, helping her do her work. Here is is helping hang out the wash.
So, we set it up with our good friends Scott and Debbie to have Mimi come over and talk to us on the webcam. Our kids weren't very awake so it wasn't a very lively discussion, but at least we all got to see each other! Makes us miss it so much!
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So, Caleb does NOT have the mumps! Yea! The doctor still doesn't know why his gland is enlarged. It isn't a bacteria, it isn't the mumps, so it is some other unknown virus. Ugh. She said it good takes weeks or even months for the glad to go down. Poor little guy! At least he has had a change of heart about medicine. In order to get this boy to take ANYTHING we had to literally tackle him to the floor and have one of us hold his arms while the other one straddled him, holding his leg, and forcing the medicine into him. Needless to say, we didn't do this very often! We tried to give him medicine in juice, but that worked all of one time. Then the smart guy caught on and refused. So I was really scared when the doctor wanted him on medicine for ten days. I kept thinking that there was no way this was going to work. But, I tried it once in the nifty little measuring spoon she gave us and CALEB TOOK IT! And not only that, but he likes it so much he gets the bottle out of the fridge and brings it and the spoon to me! Thank goodness for small favors!
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I had a successful computer-free day yesterday! I checked email a few times but other than that the computer stayed off. I had so much to get done and while I didn't accomplish all of it, I feel good knowing I didn't waste my time, I got all the laundry done, and my kids got extra cuddles and kisses! It was a good day -- more time to clear my mind, feel my dreams, and love on the kiddos. The computer isn't bad, but it can pull away from much more important things. I am still struggling with balance, especially as my work requires I be on the computer. I'll figure it out soon.
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Alaina and I had a fun craft time together! With Jason's weired weekends he is home for three days so there is a gap between the times when it is just the two of us. It was especially nice yesterday since both boys were asleep and it was really just us! We made these fun little flowers with pipe cleaners and cupcake holders. Now, I will admit, it would have been much easier if we had had green pipe cleaners! As it was, we only had brown so I had to paint a bunch of them. It was fun though and Alaina was so proud!
I don't have our craft planned for today yet...I'll have to find something fun!
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Well, our sticky rice is ready so we are going to enjoy a family breakfast. I am hoping to have some time to scrap today! I miss it! Have a GREAT DAY!
So, Alaina comes up to me yesterday while I was writing an email. She crawls up on my lap (making it very difficult for me to type) and she shows me a band-aid that she has on her knee. Then, she says to me, "So if I put another band-aid on top of this band-aid, would that be a violation?" No, sweetie, I don't think that would be a violation! LOL!
What in the world? A violation? WHERE do kids get this stuff? I don't know, maybe she picked the word up on a safety DVD she has checked out from the library a few times. For some reason unknown to me, she loves this video. I don't remember the name of it but it is done by the lady who made all the Baby Einstein videos and John Walsh (I think that is his name), the guy from America's Most Wanted. It teaches kids all about stranger safety and what to do in certain situations. I find the video completely annoying but it DOES have good information and she has learned a lot from it. Being overseas, my kids aren't used to not just being able to run around and go anywhere they want without a parent (and no, I did not just let me kids run the streets of Malaysia...we had a large campus and lots of eyes looking out for my little ones!) Being in the States scares me a bit. At least in Asia of someone were to try to walk off with you child it would look a little odd -- an Asian person dragging along a little blondie. But in the States it could happen in an instant, especially in crowded places. So I guess if Alaina has an obsession with "staying on the safe side" (as the video teaches) then I can rest a little bit better at night.
All of this makes me think of all the questions I get about being back in the States and how we feel about it. We have been back for seven months now. The times goes sooo fast! People always assume that we are THRILLED to be back...(you know, since everything in America is so perfect...please note the sarcasm here).
The thing is, America IS wonderful. It has so many amazing things and gadgets and places and opportunities. We ARE loving it (for certain reasons) and being here also makes us miss Asia (for other reasons). So, here you go, a short list of my favorite things about being back and the things I miss most.
1. I love to CELEBRATE! I love the holidays in the States...I love the hype and the products and the parties and the way we just make a BIG DEAL out of things. I guess this is just about how BIG everything in America is...whether it be a restaurant portion or the way we do Valentine's Day. I love to celebrate and so we have really enjoyed the holidays this year. Fall was especially fun since we haven't had fall in so long. We loved all the pumpkins and the corn and smells of fall.
2. I love the EASE of everything here. If you want something done you just make a phone call or send and email and it is done. In Asia, things take forever. First you have to figure out WHO to call, then you have to get them to understand what you want, and then you have to WAIT. In India, it was really bad. Life in Asia is about telling people what they want to hear, not necessarily the truth. So, when I take something to the tailor to be made and they say it will be done "tomorrow" they may know perfectly well that it will be three weeks. But they won't usually TELL you that. They will keep saying tomorrow because you want it done tomorrow.
3. I love some of the products that make life easy, or just plain fun. This may sound silly, but there are three things I have gotten to enjoy since being back that just make me happy. And they are sooo small and insignificant!
I LOVE this stuff! Like seriously LOVE it. It MAKES ME WANT TO DO DISHES! The smell is amazing and I just love all the foam and yes, I know I am crazy but I actually smile when I see my bottle of Dawn Direct Foam! When I first got it I bought the Orange (citrus). I adored it. One time when I was at Wal-Mart I went to grab a bottle and they were all out. I just stood there in the aisle thinking, "what in the world am I going to do?" I really need SOMETHING that makes me want to do dishes. So I stood there, unjustly discriminating against the green bottle that was sitting there whispering "pick me! pick me!" After much deliberation I reluctantly grabbed the green bottle and threw it in my cart. When I sucked out every last bubble of foam in the orange bottle that was at home I opened my new green bottle and was getting ready to NOT enjoy doing my dishes (why am I sooooo reluctant to try new things??). And then...wait...what is this? It smells good? It smells as good (but different) than my beloved orange bottle? Wait! No! This can't be! Now I have to CHOOSE each time I go. Which do I like better? I don't like big decisions like this (yes, I do know I am crazy). So now, I usually keep one of each on hand. And maybe I should give that little blue guy a try. Who knows.
Oh the love I feel for this bottle of pop! Before moving to Malaysia, I never drank diet pop at all. Hated the stuff. But then I went on Weight Watchers and I couldn't imagine drinking water for the rest of my life and Crystal Lite is no where to be found so I had to learn to drink diet. Unfortunately, in Malaysia, the only diet pop to be found is Diet Coke (called Coke Light) and Diet Pepsi (Pepsi Light). So, I learned to drink diet Coke. And lots of it. Now I can't even drink regular pop. I really enjoyed coming home in the summers and enjoying the wide variety of diet pops available. Not all of them are good (can't stand diet Dr. Pepper which is too bad since I love regular Dr. Pepper). Diet Sprite is REALLY good. But my all-time favorite, the love of my life (yes I am exaggerating here) is diet Pepsi Jazz (Black Cherry and Vanilla). This stuff is soooo yummy! Like seriously GOOD. I drink it every day. You would never know it was diet. Even the bottle has diet written in the tiniest little letters. There is so much flavor! Now when I drink diet coke at Fazoli's it takes yuck. If you haven't tried this stuff, go do it! The strawberries and cream flavor is just okay in my opinion. But the black cherry vanilla is yummy yummy yummy!
My third favorite US product is this:
Oh my goodness this stuff is AMAZING. I love it! I have always despised Saran Wrap -- never could get that stuff to cling to anything other than itself. But I was was my sister's house (I think it was there) and I used some of this and I was hooked. This stuff sticks to ANYTHING except itself! It is the most fantastic kitchen product ever! It creates an airtight seal! You can put it over a glass of liquid and tip the glass over and nothing spills! When we first got to our apartment on campus one of the window panes in the door broke a few days later. I didn't have any plastic so I put some of this press and seal over the open window and it stayed like that for over a week! Blocked out everything. I swear, this stuff is the female duct tape -- it can be used for everything and anything!
Okay, now that you all think I am totally nuts, I will just continue on with my little list of things I love/miss!
4. Driving. I LOVE to drive. I really do (unless it is somewhere I have never been and there is traffic. Then I can't stand it). I really love the freedom it offers me. I drove in Malaysia...not a lot, but I did. But I NEVER enjoyed it. The streets are crowded and the lines on the road are just mere suggestions as opposed to expectations. You ALWAYS have to be totally aware of what everyone around you is doing (or not doing). Turn signals are unheard of. There are people and motorbikes and well, I just didn't find it very relaxing. And India...let's not even talk about India. I would NEVER EVER drive there! Total chaos (but remarkably I saw less accidents there than I do here). Just watch this and see what I mean about India!
I don't know if that worked or not. I tried to embed a YouTube Video of India driving. If it didn't work you can see it HERE
Yes, there are a lot more things I love about being back in the States (like Fazoli's, being near family, etc.) but those are the little things that make me smile.
Now, onto
1. The people -- so warm, friendly, welcoming. I remember being in India and realizing how "American" I was. People would come to the door and I would stand there talking with them. I wasn't trying to be rude, I really wasn't, but that is what we do. In Asia, if you go to the door and someone is there (even uninvited) you invite them in, offer them coffee of tea, and make them feel welcome and not as intruding. I love that. I loved being able to feel welcome in people's lives instead of feeling like an intrusion. I loved the fact that people DID go to other people's houses. In India we had dinner at people's houses all the time. It was such a social community. I miss that.
2. I miss the chaos. I know that may sound weird, but I really do. Something about the pulse of Asia just fits with me. I love the sights and sounds waiting for you. You never know what you are going to find.
3. I miss how cheap everything was. We could order 2 large pizzas from Dominoes for about $7.50. We could go to McDonald's and pay less than $5 for all of us to eat. Jason and I both had hand-phones (cell phones) and it cost us $15 a month for BOTH of us to use our phone as much as we wanted. We usually had time left over. In India, it is even crazier. Our first year we traveled around India for seven weeks. So, for 35 days we stayed in hotels every night, ate out three meals a day, traveled thousands of miles and saw many sites, bought souvenirs, and enjoyed ourselves fully. The whole trip cost $1500. The most expensive hotel we stayed in was $5.00 a night. Now we weren't staying in 5 star hotels, but come on...$5!
4. I miss the understanding that people have that the world is bigger than where they live. Americans unfortunately don't seem to realize that there is a huge world out there...that there are people who live differently than them and that it is okay. People who realize that other cultures have amazing food and music and clothing and customs. I want my kids to grow up seeing the whole world, not just America. I want them to know that God created the whole world and every tribe, tongue, and nation will be in eternity. That means that God loves every tribe and tongue and nation and we are not the special ones.
And yes, there are a lot more things I miss. These are just a few things that strike me today.
So, there you go. Yes, I am glad to be back. And yes, I miss Asia terribly. I knew from the first time I went to India in 1997 that part of my heart would forever be there. I am proud to be an American and I love all that America has to offer. But, I know that the world is bigger and I see America with a different viewpoint now.
******* Wow...hadn't planned all that. I was just going to pop in and share a few pictures from the weekend! Oh well...it was therapeutic!
So, the weekend was great. Just a laid back family time. Jason joined Alaina and I for craft time even! I bought a big box of craft sticks last week so they have bee busy working on building a house with them. Alaina paints the sticks and Jason does the construction. So fun!
Yesterday the boys had doctors appointments so we did that, then had lunch, and a long trip to the library. We all really love going there. It is fun for the kids -- they have a big doll house and a large train table where the kids can check out the furniture/people/trains and play. Then the kids stock up on videos and books. I checked out a bunch of new craft books so Alaina and I will have lots of fun stuff to work on!
On Sunday I stayed home from church with Caleb since we still don't know what is causing the swollen parotid gland . We didn't want him passing anything yucky onto other kids. But before church I caught this:
And this...
Sooo sweet!
********** Okay, I am out of here. Today is going to be a no-computer day for me. I have a lot of things to do around the house -- organizing the craft cupboard, lots of laundry, getting my office sorted, dusting, etc. etc.
I've actually been up for a while but already have had a bunch of stuff to do. Just to let you know, if you purchased the JUST FOR FUN #5 template set I am having trouble with the zip files. I am working hard to fix it but have removed it from the store until I can get it figured out. Those of who already purchased it should have received an email from me.
*** So, i just wanted to say a HUGE
to everyone for their overwhelming support! I was blown away by seeing people all over the world using my templates. I saw regular customers, new customers, and friends who have turned into customers and customers who have turned into friends. Really, I am humbled and overwhelmed. I starting selling these templates because I LOVE to scrap so much and I want to help other people get their scrapping done. I was talking with a friend yesterday about the whole template craze. At the beginning, I wondered how long they would remain popular. I thought that perhaps this would just be another fad and then they would be gone. But as we talked about it I realized that they are not going to go away any time soon. They are a great tool! They are great for beginners who are just learning about their program and may not know how to do certain things (for example, curved lines or scalloped edges). They are great for more advanced scrappers who want to spend more time choosing photos and paper than on design. They are great for when you need to get a page done FAST. They are great for those wanting to stretch their scrapping wings and try something new. Before I started making them, I was in a rut with one photo layouts. But when I started the page process with the DESIGN instead of the photos, it was easier for me to get creative and try new things. Even now, I love using the templates I created because it gives such variety to my pages!
I also want to mention how many OTHER great template designers there are out there. Everyone has their own unique style and you can get such great quality product from so many people. Here are a few of my favorites:
GINA MILLER -- She was the one who got me started in all of this! She sent me one of her templates this past summer and it was like a light bulb went off in my head! I knew right then that I could use my scrapping to help other people! She has some amazing templates! I keep meaning to pick up this wildly popular one -- YEAR IN REVIEW . Actually, I just stopped and bought it because I always think of it when I am NOT at the computer. Can't wait to use it.
PATTIE KNOX has an amazing variety of templates. Her style is just so clean and classy. Love them!
TERESA FERGUSON at Sweet Shoppe Designs has a great selection too!
There are a ton of template designers out there! So go check them out!
*** I scrapped this weekend! I was really busy on Saturday but yesterday was a pretty lad back day so I got to just sit back and enjoy scrapping for fun.
Okay, I know these pictures are gross. I am not usually one to use pictures like this but it will be good to have blackmail material when he is older. And, I figure that when he is seven or eight he will probably think this is extremely funny. And, I need to confess something to you. I am hopelessly addicted to this kit (WONDERFUL by Shabby Princess). I cannot tell you how many times I have used it. Probably at least seven or eight. There is just something about her products and color schemes...just perfect. I also used some Tracy Ann goodies on this.
Just had a little fun with this one. Everything is from CatScrap.
This page started out one way and ended up totally different! I just love these fun papers by Poppy Andrews (who is coming to the DIGI SHOPPE!). So fun and full of spunk -- just like my little girl!
Okay, I don't say this often, but I LOVE this page. I ADORE the kit (another Shabby Princess masterpiece ~WILD LOVE this time). This was for the Amazing Digi Scrapping Race challenge to give advice to a "younger self". Part of this page was a mistake (the black) but in the end I loved it. What is that quote? Something like "Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep." Love that! Anyway, love this page...and the journaling was good for me! Here it is if you can't read it: You know, bad times come. They come and sometimes they stay. They set up camp and force you to live with them when all you can do is dream of getting out. They take everything out of you, leaving you tired, frustrated, distressed and depressed. Sometimes they last so long that you wonder whether ending your life is the only way out. It sure can feel that way (but you know that already).
What you may not know, is that they DON’T stay forever. Sometimes you wake up one morning and they are gone...vanished...no where to be found. And sometimes you just find the strength somewhere deep inside and you to just RUN...as far and as fast as you possibly can. Either way, you are free from them.
And the best part of it is, that once you have lived with REALLY hard times the good things in life that finally find their way to you seem so beautiful. Even the everyday “normal” things seem like the most wonderful things you have ever seen. The world that seemed so dark for so long is filled with amazing color.
So don’t give up. Keep going. Keep pushing through the crap and reach for something better. You WILL find it. You will find true love and happiness.
I really debated about the word "crap" on a layout. I actually don't like the word but unfortunately is a word that comes out of my mouth at times. Sometimes I just can't find a suitable alternative. And I want authenticity on my layouts -- true representations of who I am. If I was telling this story to my best friend this is how it would have come out. So, I kept it. Sorry if it offends anyone. My language is usually very subdued and proper. I won't even let people say the word "b u t t" in our house.
This was was fun! Anyone who knows me in real life (okay, not anyone, maybe it is just my family and my closest friends!) knows that I have this teddy bear, Pogo. I got him when I was six and have slept with him ever since. I did give him up for two years when I was first married (didn't think Jason would want competition with such a good looking guy) but after the most random issue with a comforter and an allergic reaction to it, Pogo came back into the picture. Maybe I'll explain that crazy story in more detail another day! Anyway, Pogo has been a huge part of my life and I have been meaning to do a page about him. For our last challenge for the Race we had to scraplift our partner. I lifted Hollie's BROKEN CANDY DISH LO
I was inspired by her telling the story of a special object and since I had take these pictures of my guy a few months ago, it was good to finally use them!
The journaling on mine reads:
It is hard to believe that my mom paid 25 dollars for you. It was 1983, I was six, and you were one of my Christmas presents. We went to this little toy store in Lansing, called TOY Village. I remember picking you out but looking back on it now, I can’t believe my mom paid for you. Twenty-five dollars is a lot for a teddy bear -- even today! But $25 then is equal to almost $50 today! WOW! Maybe my mom knew how much I would love you.
It’s been 23 years since you entered my life. You have been the one steady thing in my life...the one friend who was always there, who never left me, who always listened. You have been EVERYWHERE with me(except for those few junior high years when I was too “cool” to have a teddy bear.). You have traveled all over the world, lived in many different countries, and spent almost every night with me since Christmas of 1983. Not everyone has liked you as much as I do. My dad used to think it was fun to hide you or hang you from the ceiling with a noose. And my dear hubby thinks it is funny too. But they are just jealous of how much I love you! They wish it was them:)
And so Pogo, it’s you and me. You are aging. Losing your nose, dull crumpled fur. but, I’ll always be there just like you have always been there for me. I love you!
******* Okay, that's all for today! Jason is off and the boys have doctor's appointments. But first we are going to grab some lunch (I LOVE Fazoli's days!) and we might go bowling this afternoon! Family days are the best!
The sale at the DIGI SHOPPE is going on for another few hours. Enjoy 50% off EVERYTHING (and due to some glitches, a few of my things were marked down almost 75%!)
I added these two sets yesterday...
And this today:
I'll "see" you tomorrow for a weekend recap and some new LO's from me! Yea!
Every once in a while I make a template and I just have to stop right then and scrap with it! This pack is three of those occasions! Enjoy! Keep your eyes open...there may just be more goodies throughout the weekend :)
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