Crash not burn

After leading the crafts and activities for VBS camp, Im exhausted! I was incognito for the last two weeks trying to make sure alot of the things were taken care of, my leaders were trained and ready, and that I would survive. It ended up being an AWESOME week with the kiddos, with God giving us many blessings.

On the quilting front, not alot got done. I did cut 100 2" strips of muslim for one of the crafts (the kiddos got to dye the strips and keep them). I did manage to get some fabric shopping in!!

I have no clue who or what this fabric is, but i love the two together:

 What do you think of the yellow, white, grey combo?

I also got a stash of Kona White and Kona Snow... seems im learning these are essential colors to have on hand.

Oh and I did sign up for 2 bees: Scrappy BowTie Swap; and NuBee Bee. Im very excited to give them a chance and see if im cut out for the world of Flickr Bees. 

I have also been working very hard at the Skill Builder Series, and while a new tutorial is up (i havnt done yet) I'm pretty much caught up...

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A Derby Tale

The morning started out dull. We arrived way to early at the Palmer Lake Kids Fishing Derby. Rather than sit around we helped the people set up. Once 8 am hit we were on our way down the lake with our new poles!

The morning got even rougher with a mom and papa who were trying to remember years ago how to put a pole and line together. After a few funky and very funny attempts at casting, we finally figured it out! But before we could start fishing, we had a few neighbors join us and these little guys swam by to say hello....

Then we were down to business. Each of the girls were told to be patient, quiet and to not give up. The older two were allowed to experiment with casting and learned quite quickly....

Zoey was too little to really trust with the hook, so papa and mom helped her out the best they could. However, when her line came in... she cried out "they took my corn and gave me seeeeeweeeed!" followed by a disgusted look on her face. She did not like that seaweed one bit.

As the day progressed, it was funny to watch what the girls did. Sabryna thought that it would just be easier to sit on the ground... with a perfectly good chair next to her....

The one I worried the most about not liking fishing, is my active and fun child Angelique. I didnt know if she had it in her to be that patient. She handled the day super well, even when she got the hook on her finger! She didnt give up and had such patience! By the end of the day with not a single fish caught, it be came a game of learning how to cast out where they wanted it to be. They  sure did try to perfect their swing and aim!

It was a great weekend... NOW... I need to quilt a good comfy blanket so when we fish again, I can lay back with a good book and let them catch me some DINNER...

Anyone have a suggestion for a quilt for this??

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Monday - Updates and "One thousand and More Gifts"

Its been awhile since I blogged. While i determined to blog more often, its not an easy habit to get into. I feel like I only bore you all!

So... I am currently binding up my Rainbow Quilt (see previous posts) and started on the next one. Im doing the
Marshmallow Brochette Quilt Along but with my own nutty choices. I just did rainbow, and dont want to do it again. Angeliques birthday is coming up so she chose these fabrics.

Mix of Robert Kaufman Solids and Central Park by Kate Spain

We did have a blast this weekend, we joined a new group at meetup called the "nonhikers hiking club" and took a few fun pictures. The girls had a blast!

Half way up the trail we stopped on a ledge and took this photo:

 At the very top of the trail (before we looped back) we saw the Siamese Twins. (this was at Garden of the Gods).

When we finished we headed to old colorado city and I got my picture with one of my favorite weather men, Brian Bledsoe (little did i realize the man in the cap near him was my other favorite Branden Borreman!!). Shucks!

I think it was a good week... now to my One thousand and More Gifts:
11. feeling the sunburn on my scalp and being grateful that we even had sun for a weekend.
12. watching the girls learn the value of a good hike
13. seeing the beauty of the area we hiked at and knowing the formations we saw were works of one God.
14. having friends who understand without knowing the details and accept me.
15. realizing that faith is not always an easy thing, but you gotta keep having it.
16. waking up to find a precious little girl sleeping peacefully next to me... she was comforted from a nightmare by just being by me, but let momma sleep.


See you all soon!! Im off to eat potato salad and watch the kids TRY to wash my car!

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One Thousand Gifts - 1 to 10

I have been following a blog called "Holy Experiences" and after hearing about the authors personal story, her history, I thought... "Here is someone who has had a past similar to mine". As I discovered more about her, I learned she wrote a book called "One Thousand Gifts"

This inspired me to finally start putting down all the blessings God gives me. I'm going to blog it every Monday (or mess up and throw it on Tuesday) current or blessings i found during the week. If your interested in joining in... browse those links above for more information.

1 - the voice of a 5 year old lifted up in song singing "holy holy holy, is the lord god almighty"
2 - a little tomato struggling for survival with the cold, staying strong and growing in the midst of it all.
3 - child happily sitting and feeling so beautiful because of some hot curlers in her hair.
4 - secret notes left on my bathroom mirror "I hope you dont get sick, i love you"
5 - strength from good friends when i put myself into a ditch of cannot.
6 - warm toes all night long.
7 - reflection on the beauty that God allowed my hands to create.
8 - dewy fog, deep and thick.... then a burst of sun.
9 - gentle nudges when the alarm didnt go off.
10 - someone to call when sadness overwhelmes me, who always tells me the same joke "Why do they put fences around graveyards?...... people are dying to get it" and it always makes me smile!

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Project Love Me - Dream Layout 1

My Layout.....

My journaling (incase you cannot read it):
Dreaming is not
something I often do.
Too often others come
before any wishes or
desires I may have.
Ive really had to sit
and think, what are my
dreams. I dont mind that
I let others come first, in
fact I do get joy from it.
I think perhaps its because
God has made me this way.
When I think of that, I realized
I do have one dream that
stands out, one hope that
is above all others, one..
one hope that gets me
to the next day. My God.
Oh how I desire to know
him and his word without
question or confusion.
How I wish that I could
hear his voice speak
to me, guide me
and love on me.
My deep deep
hope that he has
redeemeded “ME”.
That little me, with all
my mistakes, bad
bad choices... is
wanted by him.
These hopes,desires
and wishes do drive
me every day. A few years
ago, I thought it would be
a long time before I ever
felt the lord, like I see in
a friend of mine. I even
gave up hope once.
But after the last 13
months, I have seen
that God has given me
a path to travel to make
it into his arms. I have seen
in just a few short months how
he can heal even the worst in
my life. And in such a short time
he has given me hope
and desire to be closer to
him then I have ever wished
to be. BUT I wont stop
here, because I WANT
so much more.... I want,
no ... I dream of one
day having His arms
wrapped around me
and holding me TIGHT.

(layout uses iDream, some product by ziggle, and AWI ssemb highlighters)

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Project Love Me - Cover

My cover.....

The journaling (in case you cannot read it):

One of the things I think of when I scrap for my children is

whether or not they will know me. I fear something will happen to me and
they will not have their stories about their childhood. But what about me? If
something should happen, will they know who I was? I have so many stories, and
while I do share them with the girls, I do not commit them in a way for them to
have at a later date. Beyond that, I also think of grandkids, or great grandkids,
will they ask about me and get no answer, no story?

This is a chance for me to tell all the things about me. What hopes and dreams I have.
The things that make me laugh, the things that make me cry. The things I do, the things I
will NOT do. Things that aresilly and nutty about me. Things I love, things I dont. My
opinions and thoughts whether or not they are right. My love for God, and my
intimate relationship with him. The things I seek, things Ive found.
Im not perfect, so im sure some of my stories will be quite interesting. I
can be very short and to the point, other times I can talk your ear
off. My goal is to work hard, push myself to complete this
wonderful project and not give up. In the end when or if
it happens later that someone asks “Who was she?” They
will have this book to go too. They will be able to laugh and
cry with me, and go on a discovery to find out...
That this is Who I am!
 
(products used are from a large mixture of kits by both SuzyQ and Ziggle)

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December 2nd - That Batch of Cookies

I remember, back when I was a pre teen. I had decided i wanted to decorate sugar cookies for Christmas. I pulled out my moms famous big batch recipe (which is now lost, *sad sigh*) and proceeded to mix it up. My mom didnt have a full measuring spoon set, just a large Tablespoon, but i felt confident that i could "figure it out". I did fairly fine... got it all mixed, and baked. They baked perfectly in our oven.

As they were cooling, i called my friend to come over and help me decorate while i made some icings. I thought i was the coolest person to bake my own cookies. We had sat down, decorated a couple and decided to try our masterpieces.

PfHHHHhhhgaht! *spit spit*

The cookies, even with their super sweet icing were horrible!!! They were so salty, you could barely get the taste out of your mouth. As i reviewed the recipe, i noticed it said 1 tsp for the salt, and i had put in 1 Tbsp!

Moral of the story is to not think so highly of yourself that you lose focus on the task at hand!

Merry Christmas

now.. i need some cookies....

Here is a cookie recipe, i made in 2007, that you cant mess up!!!
~............Merry Christmas..............~



















**This is NOT gluten free.

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Minne "SODA"

Converastion last night.

Angelique "Daddy what is Minnesota?"
Daddy "um, its a state"
Angelique "Is it where soda comes from?"
Daddy "um, no, soda comes from everywhere"
Angelique "then why is Soda in Minnesota?"
Daddy "Angelique, are you done eating?"
Angelique "Is soda older than Minnesota?"
Daddy "No, i think Minnesota became a state in 1850's, Soda more recent."

And then began a big discussion on looking at a map of states that includes statehood information!

LOL!

Thought ya'll would enjoy that.

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Working from Home - All is better!

Its been a bit since i posted. Such a hectic life i now lead!! Im so glad summer is here.

Where have i been you ask? Well besides the end of the year with MOPS, end of school year and a rather interesting vacation (from which im writing from)... I have also been glued to a new book.

Some of you, my friends, have heard me already sing the books praise since i started reading it a few weeks ago. I was only on chapter 3 when i knew it already changed my life as a "WORK AT HOME" mom. So now i want to share this book with all you my friends.

The book is called "Making work at home work" and its written by Mary M. Byers. For such a long time i struggled with fitting how to be the stay at home mom i am, with the fact that i do have a part time job. I have been trying to juggle in things like volunteering and being at the kids school, with deadlines. UGH! Its just too frustrating. One of the things i have learned from Mary is to no longer look at myself as a stay at home mom.

While some of her book was hard for me to relate too, I don't fully own my own business, there were many points that has helped me tremendously with my job at ScrapGirls.com - Like: How to be systematic, take a break, how to face a dinner dilemma (neat recipes included) and getting past the guilt of working from home.


If you work from home, either working for someone else or running your own business, please go get this book. I plan on going out to purchase a few copies to give as gifts to a few friends i know could use it!

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Catching up.

I have fallen into a depression, and with that comes the big word "PROCRASTINATION". I have let way to many things fall behind. I know I'm not suddenly healed, or better, but I know that if I push myself to catch up, I wont feel so bad about my surroundings. Your environment can affect how you feel.

So here is my list of Catching Up:
*Get those Girl Scout Cookies out of the house
*Keep work tasks done and completed ahead of time
*Clean the sink 2x a day for a few days (its that bad, hate steel sinks)
*Cook 40 pounds of chicken in a week for MOPS
*Complete behind week layouts for ScrapGirls 52
*Take a photo a day NOW
*Show up for Parent Teacher conferences
*complete bible study homework this week
*begin waking up at 5 am again and continue personal study of Jesus
*quickly come up with an activity for Girl Scouts tomorrow
*keep hanging in one step at a time

So... I'm going to do it, get caught up and stay current on things I need to do. Here is one of my list tasks started:



Products used from scrapgirls.com: Happy Family Collection Biggie; ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Basic Shadows 6501; Lettering Delights Underwood Pica Font;

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Lessons from God - part 1

One thing I am learning as I walk with God is that His lessons are never ones you would expect.

Recently things in my home and around me have fallen apart. Literally! One thing after another is breaking down. Does this mean I live in a disaster? Not at all. My home is one of pride for me. One of joy.

Lesson 1 : Contentment

I enjoy learning how to be content with my home and after the 2nd break down (water heater then closet) I thought God wanted me to learn even further contentment. Why would breaking things mean contentment? That is because I walked into my Husbands home, then fiance, with distaste in my mouth. The thought of lowering myself to live in a trailer was awful, but I looked at myself as a martyr for sacrificing myself for him. What a horrid way for me to think. He felt it, he heard it, he saw it... my disgust. My poor dear husband, I am so sorry! Then he got a job where he was not home for 2 weeks at a time. During his periods away, I was being changed by God. God was showing me, telling me that what a blessed person I am to have a home such as I do. A safe haven. A protector for my family. My husband did not see this change.

So when the water heater broke down, and it was my almost nagging that made him check on it. He was sure that I was rubbing in what a trash of a home we have. Oh, he was fustrated, so angry at me. I tried so hard to be nice, to be extra helpful, not quite sure what was making him angry. My works were against me. Everything I did only worked further against me. He saw it as me rubbing it in. God finally showed me a time where I could show him my hurt and speak to him. My husband told me how I made him feel. I was so aghast at myself. That my cold curt comments from over 4 years ago still hurt him.

I pray: "God, please help me to show him the growing contentment you continue to nurture within me. Please also help me to learn how to communicate with my husband, as easily as I can talk with you. Thank you for this lesson learned."

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Word of my year - BE

Ever since reading Mandy's Blog post about Imperfect (here) I have tossed and tossed word after word though my head. What a great idea. Rather than say "lose weight" or "stop yelling"... to just pick one word and focus on it for the year. Finally, today, 13 days into January I found my word: BE

Just BE

Slow down and BE

Less do, more BE

Why BE? It started because I am over extending myself. I do this, and that, bible studies, mops, discipleship class, girl scouts, pta (pto), babysitting, more and more and more. My life is so much about doing, but i need to just BE. I need to slow down and feel things around me, experience things. I need to stop doing a hundred church related things in a desperate search to experience GOD. How am i supposed to know him, when i am so busy? I need to just BE.

I don't know how im going to do this. Some epiphanies will find their way into my brain. But that is my goal this year. BE.

Be happy
Be with God
Be a mom
Be a wife
Be silly...












Products used from scrapgirls.com: Life's Canvas Collection Biggie; Assemble Your Own Zoom Pages - 4x6: Life's Canvas; Dress Up Word Art Mini; Pin It Up Word Art Mini; ScrapSimple Tools - Actions: Sketch It PS 8501

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52 layouts in a year.

I am one of the masterminds at scrapgirls.com who came up with Scrap Girls 52. We (myself, Becca and the SG team) came up with a way for our members to do something like Project 365, but in a way that did not feel so overwhelming. A way that would be more forgiving if you say... got crazy and forgot to take a picture. While we are trying to take a photo a day, our main goal is to get 52 layouts done. You should check it out:

Scrap Girls 52 Thread

Here is the first week of January.

















Products are from ScrapGirls.com: 1 Scrap Girls Refresh Collection Biggie (FREEBIE); Yesterday's Child Collection; The Secret Collection Mini'; His and Hers Collection Biggie; ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates - Layered: 12x12 Album Series 5

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What is Love?

Ephesians 5:25 - Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it
Titus 2:4 - that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children

I have just learned what LOVE really is. Its not an emotion of passion, yearning, and joy. Its instead an ACT. If God commands husbands to love their wives, and he instructs women to learn to love their husbands, then it cannot be an emotion.

I get the weekly newsletter from Dr Gary Chapman, and he went over this. And its TRUE. I have spent the last week coming to my husband in a new way. I know his love language is acts of service, so he has come home to a clean house, home cooked meals, even his work clothes washed (ugh). The joy it brought him for me to do those simple things for him is indescribable.

I honestly will admit that I was worried about us. We have gone through so much since November, and I was so scared he was starting to hate me (My issues with the fact he was divorced, deep down Im afraid he will do the same with me, gotta get past it!). Instead, with my small selflish acts, he is now responding to me in a new way. I can almost cry right now thinking of it. I feel more LOVE from him now then ever before.

Wives - Learn to love your Husbands!!!!!

















Get Dr Chapmans newsletters here: http://www.fivelovelanguages.com/

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Christmas and Vista

Its been a bit since I last posted, my apologies. Believe it or not i have been actively communicating with hundreds of people in December. I was the email contact for some games that were going on at ScrapGirls. I had quite a blast. (though i wanted everyone to win badly!)

Anyways. Right now im frustrated with Vista! I downloaded CS4 trial to see if it will run with my computer before i purchased it. When i tried to install, it would not because Vista Service Pack 1 was not installed. So i tried to install it. I keep getting this awful error that is barely documented ANYWHERE on microsoft or the net. All i can find is lots of other people are in my place but that Microsoft has now answers.

So.. ugh. Im sitting back. Looking at my Monchhichi! YES i have one! When i was about 5, that is what i got for Christmas, a great story to be told later. But my dh remembered and he got this doll for me! Gotta love my Dear Husband! He is just too good for me sometimes. Anyways, im looking at my Monchhichi (he needs a name.. how about Walnut!) and I thought "walk away." I think i was getting all to stressed trying to figure this whole vista thing out. So lil Walnut has spoken!

(see how nutty i can be?)

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Drugdery and Creativity

I keep seeing my blog and keep thinking. I need to post something. Most of you know through the message board at ScrapGirls.com that i recently lost my grandmother. I think I am doing fairly well with my grief. But what has really had me out of it is the fact that I am once again sick!

This is the 3rd time this winter that i have fallen sick. I am just astounded! I get mini colds, and maybe one bed ridden physically sick illness a year. But this year ive been badly sick 3 times.

So. Hang in with me. Im here, hiding, feeling guilty about the fact i have not updated in so long!

:)

Here is a layout i did recently to amuse you! I didnt have a red-nosed deer in my stash, and I wasnt too interested in the one at ScrapGirls (mind you its a VERY cute one, just not what i was looking for right then) So.. i thought why not make one? Im getting very good at making brushes. Ive always been able to sketch and draw in black and white. Color gets me though.. im artistically color blind. Anyways. Here is my little red nose's.






















Products used all come from ScrapGirls.com: Christmas Past Collection Biggie ; Basic: Brown Paper Mini ; Merry Memories Paper Solids Mini ; A Joyful Season Collection Biggie ; Make a Wish Collection Biggie ; Lettering Delights Martian Mania Font
Reindeer I created myself!

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Refrigerator Box

This is part of a Story experience, going back to my roots and remembering my stories:

It was summer, hot and boring in the then very small town of Moab, Utah. My mother worked full time, and we were left to our own devices. I was about 8 years old and my sister 6 or 7. One of those summer days my sister and I were playing in a large field near our house. When we got to the far end of the field we found the most wonderful things ever made, a refrigerator box!! While my mother was still at work, we managed to drag the huge thing over the field, across a street, into the house, around the hallway to our bedroom.

Now our bedroom, it was a disaster! We never cleaned it, it would have been my husbands worst nightmare for our kids to have a room like I did. The addition of that box only made it worse! Or maybe better? We had decided to make that box into a fort. But to do that, first we needed to clean up a spot on the floor for it to sit. Once we had done that, we decided we needed to equip our fort with toys and comfortable blankets.

My mom came home that night to find us still in that box. I don’t remember how long, but I know that box lasted for several days and became many things, sky rises, houses, school and even church.

Thinking back, I remember so many days where one little thing entertained us for hours. I know times are different now for my kids, I can only hope that they get a little of my imagination and know how something simple can be awesome!

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Silly Mom

I was waiting patiently at the checkout in Wal-mart when I saw it. A can of silly string. My first thought was to buy it and attack the girls when they got home from school. My second thought was about how I dont have time to play games. My third thought was that I need to do more fun things with my girls. So I bought it.

Zoey and I had hid in the hallway, ever so quiet, as we heard the gate open, and shut.... a foot step on the stairs and .........

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Heights

I am deathly afraid of heights! So much so, that at times its a chore to even stand on a stool! My dear family just does not understand.

Though I do have to say, there is nothing more exhilarating in life than challenging your fear and go for it! There is such a natural rush of adrenaline, excitement, and fun. Just be careful how you go about challenging it.

About a week ago, my girls, myself and my mother in law, decided to go to the "North Pole". They get to brag about having the "highest" Ferris Wheel in the world. Course the thing is sitting on the side of a mountain! My mother in law was not one to ride rides, and this one required an adult. Of course I'm such a sweet mom, gotta let the girls experience this ride, right?

Needless to say, I was scared outta my mind! There was also a thunderstorm near by! I wish i had taken my camera up with me!

See me?

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Quote Challenge

This is from my Scrap Girls Quote/Word Art challenge. Where i give a quote, and you do your best to make a word art out of it. Its a great chat that happens every 3 weeks. However, yesterday was my last day with the chat. While I am sure I'll still show up at the chats, Pat Barnes is now the fearless leader! Go Pat!



Products used for layout:
Brandy Hackman's Abstract Expressionism Embellishment Biggie
Brandy Hackman's Assemble Your Own Zoom Pages: Abstract Expressionism
Brandy Hackman's Abstract Expressionism Alpha & Word Art Biggie
Melissa Renfro's Brian Label words (special freebie no longer available)
Brandy Hackman's Tints & Tatters Collection Biggie
Brandy Hackman's RetroActive - All Girl Collection Mini
Thao Cosgrove's Sisterly Collection Mini
Fonts: AMC_Chatty Font, AMC_Doodlelicious Font, Lettering Delights Hen Hand Font and Lettering Delights Painter's Hand Font

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