I feel like

I don't really have much to say today. Not a whole lot going on around here today. I decided that picture over there of me was kind of scary. So I replaced it with this one. I think for being 7 months pregnant when it was taken, I don't look half bad! LOL. I so wish I had more time. I really want to improve on my photography skills. Has everyone been to Chrissy's blog? Her sister in law is a professional photographer, but dang, seriously Chrissy is doing some great stuff herself. There is some seriously creative people out there. It's funny how, maybe I was oblivious to it before, but there just seems to be such a wonderful community of women, scrapbookers, mommies and artists alike. I'm somewhat of a blog surfer, and an occasional comment leaver. I'm always amazed at the amount of creativity and inspiration is out there...Check out Judes 4th card for her weekly art journal. Really cool. And this awesome mini book Ronda made. All I can say is, wow. I haven't done too much scrapbooking lately...lot of scrapbook shopping...not a lot of creating! I'm really going to have to find the time because I'm missing it!

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The Ranch

I had mentioned this in my last post...but then realized I hadn't talked about it in a long time...some of you have no idea what I'm talking about! So here goes (the quick version)...My husband, Pete, is an avid hunter. He's also a licensed hunting guide. He loves hunting so, so much that he's always dreamed of a way he could make money at his (very expensive) hobby. An opportunity arose for him to make some money by...well basically he's got access to about a thousand acres of land and he's worked an agreement with the land owner to be able to bring hunters onto the property to hunt. Like a guiding service. The other part of it is is that he is basically "stocking" the property with livestock, much like certain lakes are stocked with fish for people to fish. So anyways, he's been spending every spare moment up there at the ranch since about mid October trying to get everything ready. They're building bunk houses for the hunters to stay, putting fences up, and trying to build up the livestock. He has literally worked his butt off up there. I'm just glad he's found his passion. It is very stressful sometimes starting a new business, but I have faith this is all going to turn out ok.

So anyways, that's what "The Ranch" is!

One more thing before I sign off for the night...Here are some pictures from this weekend when my mom was down...

I think they're cuties!!

I know it's Monday

but does everyone have to be in a bad mood? It's not my fault you all didn't have your coffee this morning! (well not you all specifically...but you all here in my office) Good grief, people sure know how to ruin a persons perfectly good mood. I don't want to be here either, but jeez do you have to be so rude? It's not my fault that technology sometimes sucks.(ok a lot of times)..but it's not your fault either. So just let it go ok?
Anyways, had a pretty good weekend. Mom came on Saturday and we went to the scrapbook store. Always a good time there! Mom was a little overwhelmed with the huge-ness of the place as most people are on their first trip. I finally signed up for one of Ali's classes coming up in February. I SO can not wait! I'm going by myself. None of my friends are really INTO scrapbooking like I am, and I can't seem to convince anyone to spend the $75 dollars to come with me. Do you think I'll look like a dork there all by myself? Who cares. I'll just get their early and sit right in the front row :)
I also got one of my SB goodies I ordered the other night. Totally impressed by the fast shipping from 2Peas. Still waiting for my box from Addicted to Scrapbooking, but it should be here today. I've now officially spent WAY too much on scrabooking this month!
Pete and Jake went yesterday and bought 8 sheep for the ranch. His first batch of livestock! Totally excited because things really seem to be moving now. The fence has been ordered, the foundations are being poured for 2 bunk houses on Wednesday and on Friday they're going down to get some hogs. All this hard work Pete has been putting in finally seems like it's going somewhere now. Jake was so excited that he got to go with Daddy yesterday. He said to me, "don't be sad Mommy. Don't cry. I will be back and I love you.!" What a cute kid! LOVE HIM!
Ok gonna sign off for now...this post is all choppy, and I've got to pretend I'm doing something productive!
Have a good Monday!

Feeling happy

Finally! I have been in such a funk since probably Thanksgiving. It is so unlike me. I tend to just get over stuff, you know? This time was strange. Every time I thought I was getting over the hump, seemed like something else knocked me down. But enough of that...I am getting back to my old self again. Don't know what it is exactly, but who cares! I feel good, I feel great, I feel loved...I am happy. Going back to work sucked...it still sucks. But because I've gone back, I now have a much greater appreciation for...life. I used to be a total over achiever at work. I strive to be THE best all the time. I always had to know everything. Do it the right way. Do it the fastest. ect...ect...ect...I know now that none of that matters. What does it get me? Nothing but a paycheck that I would get even if I didn't do half of what I did. So my new outlook is: let it roll. Let it all go. Who cares?
At the beginning of the year I came up with a few resolutions...as I said before, I've really never done the whole resolution thing before because I just know myself and know that I wouldn't stick to it. Well after such a trying time in the fall, I just knew that something needed to change. I was ready to get back to me. So one of my resolutions was to lose 30 pounds. Again, at the time I made this resolution I kind of thought..well I don't know if I'll really be able to stick this one out or not. I have no will power...or so I thought. Guys, I am impressing even myself...I know it's only been a few weeks, but seriously, I think I'm doing so good.i have given up soda. For those of you who don't know me...I freakin' love Coca-cola! So this is a big deal for me. I haven't had a Coke in almost 2 weeks now. *yipee* I decided not to go the diet soda route... I hate all diet soda except for maybe diet Dr. Pepper. But I figured if If I can't have the real stuff, then I just won't have any at all. I was kind of inspired by Cathy Z of Simple Scrapbooks Magazine. She talks about the Best Life Diet...The one that Oprah does. I think it promotes more of a way of life rather than a "diet" per say. This is how I have approached my diet situation: See it, believe it, be it. I see myself a size 8, I believe I will be a size 8. In September I'll be lying on the beach in Kauai, and I will BE a size 8. This is all I think about when I'm sitting at my desk at work and all I want to do is go down to the cafeteria to grab a bag of chips to snack on. (I love chips!) It has been the best motivation ever. I'm eating good things, keeping my calories down. I'm exercising (a little) the girls at work and I have been walking at lunch...about 2 miles or so. I don't even know if I've actually lost weight...we don't have a scale at home! But the most important part is that I feel good. I really feel happy and healthy. Another very good motivator!
More happiness...My husband has been wonderful lately. Not that he hasn't been in the past, but again, I think I've learned to appreciate things a little more. He and I have been such a great team during the week. He and I tag-team the laundry, the baths, the feedings, the vacuuming, the dishes, etc...I couldn't do it all without him and I love him so very much for helping me and doing these things because he loves me and he loves our family. He said the sweetest thing the other day....We were out to lunch after church and I caught him eyeing this girl...she's dressed to the nines, has her nails done, wearing high heels, perfectly applied makeup...great body...you know the type. I'm not like that. I'm a jeans and t-shirt girl. I don't go to the hairdresser, I rarely get my nails done...basically I'm not what you would call a "high maintenance" girl at all. Anyways so he's looking at this girl and I say to him, "I know I'm not really the kind of girl you really like, am I?" (yes, feeling a little sorry for myself at at the time...It's hard not to when you've got baby spit-up running down your shirt) My husband is always brutally honest...He says: "you know what? No. You're not like that girl. But, (and here comes the sweet part...) that is all just a fantasy...YOU are the perfect girl for me. YOU are what I need. For now and for always. I love YOU." See, I'm getting all teary just typing it! Sometimes he frustrates the heck out of me, but he always, always brings me back. I love him too.
See, I am happy. I hope all of you are too. :o)

a little splurge

So, the last few months have been rough...real tight in the financial department. I have not spent any money on anything just for fun in like forever. So today I'm looking at my bank account online and what do you know??? That big, world wide, very well known corporation I work for decided to pay me early! *YIPEE* I went back to work about 2 weeks ago, but I figured I wouldn't get a paycheck until the end of the month. Well I don't know what happened, but for some reason they deposited some money in my account today. Can't beat that. So anyways, I've been really wanting this 7 Gypsies scrapbook stuff for like, ever. So, I bought me $40 dollars worth of stamps and patterned paper tonight. For those of you who don't know me...this is freakin' huge. Dudes, I just don't spend $40 dollars on anything unless it's baby food and toys! I know some of you scrappers are like, $40 bucks??-shoot, that's nothin'. Well, like I said I never spend money on stuff for just me. So I'm totally excited. I can't wait for the UPS guy to get here! You know what else is cool? My mom's coming down this weekend and we're going to my local scrapbook store! Youngplay Memories is like the biggest scrapbook store ever. No seriously, click on the link and you'll see pictures of just how big it is. Totally awesome, and only 5 miles from my house! So, I'm sure more, much more, money will be spent this weekend. One sucky thing about this place...they don't carry the 7 gypsies stuff..what is up with that?
Scrapbook goodies are seriously addicting...I don't even know what I'm going to do with this stuff I just bought. I just wanted it and had to have it!

wholey moley

Two posts in one day! *GASP* The computer is actually not being dominated by my husband tonight! How could that be?
Just popped back on here tonight so I could do Ali's Challenge this week. Real simple one this week. She challenged us to make a list of our essential scrapbook materials. So here's mine:
White, black and kraft colored cardstock- Seems like I am constantly reaching for these three colors
12x12 Paper trimmer- I noticed a lot of people said a craft knife (Xacto) and a metal ruler. I don't think I could do that. Knowing me, I'd chop the end of my finger off...or waist a lot of paper. Regular old paper trimmer will do just fine for me! I've had mine for about 10 years now and I just keep replacing the blades. Love it.
Adhesive-some sort of tape runner and a glue stick
Stamping ink-both black and chocolate brown. Both for inking edges of stuff and well, duh, stamping.
Black pen-right now I'm using Pigma Micron's, but I saw a lot of people choosing American Crafts. I'm going to have to check those out.
Mechanical pencil and white eraser-not all erasers are created equal. I like a white artist eraser because it doesn't leave marks.
Making Memories anywhere hole punch- I think it's name speaks for itself.
Flowers-since I have a girl now, I have suddenly become real girly girl. I'm loving anything pink and anything with flowers. Just about every page in Megan's scrapbook has at least one flower on it!
Brads- gotta love brads. They're just simple and easy and always make a page look finished.

I think that's it. If all other scrap stuff ceased to exist...I think I'd be ok with just this stuff.

a few things i've been thinking about...

Well, I'm sneaking around here at work again. I don't really like doing that. I constantly feel like someone is watching me. Scary thing is, they probably are. (Hi there person watching me! :p) Anyways, ok moving on...
I have to sneak around to blog at work now cause I have like no time at home. I get home from work, make dinner, give baths, get kidlettes in bed, then I go sit down at the computer and Pete says, " ahh, I need to get on there." Grrr. Normally I would argue with him, but lately I just don't have the energy!
Ok so here's something I've been thinking about lately...Feel free to leave comments about it. ( but not hate mail!) I'm curious to know if I'm the only one who thinks this is weird. Nicknames...Ok first off let me preface this by saying, I am NOT a nickname hater. I have several nicknames myself, I have nicknames for my kids, heck-technically my mom goes by her nickname. I AM NOT A NICKNAME HATER. However, I have a friend who has a nickname for everyone in her family and always, always calls them by the nickname instead of their real name. (her son's nickname sounds like the name of a German made car...it's just silly) She even calls him by the nickname when he's in trouble. I just think it's crazy. So is there a point when nicknames are just over used?
Ok, have I lost all of you now? Do you all hate me and think I'm a crazy nickname hater? I can see all my little e-friends are clicking off now going ok yeah, she's crazy...won't be coming back to this blog.... I'm really not that terrible. I really, really like this friend I'm talking about. She's a great person, it's just this quirky nickname thing that I just don't get. I think she'd find it funny if she read this. Her son is SOOO cute and has a great real name. (but I refuse to call him by the German car name)
Ok enough of that...
Before I go, I have to tell a funny story about Jake...My mother in law raises Basset Hounds as a hobby. About 2 weeks before Megan was born she had a litter. So now those puppies are all about 5 months old. She only has one left out of the litter and it's pretty big now, almost the size of all the other dogs. Anyways, this weekend she went to visit one of her dog breeder friends and brought home another puppy. But this one is only about 12 weeks old. So it's considerably smaller than the other puppy Grama still has. Anyways, we walk in the house yesterday and the new puppy is in the kitchen and comes running up to Jake. He looks at it and says, "Oh Gamma! You puppy grew down!" Oh, I about fell on the floor laughing! The way the little mind thinks. It was just hilarious. Just had to share that one. I gotta take a picture of that puppy so I can do a scrapbook page about it.
Ok, better be off before I get in trouble!

AEzine challenge-part II-one word

I realized when I posted my last challenge, that many of you guys (non-scrapbookers) might not know what or who AE is...AE is Ali Edwards, a totally awesome scrapbooker, or life artist. More than anything, I think she is completely inspiring. Not only to me, but to many other women. Check out her blog or her work in Creating Keepsakes.

Anyways, on to the challenge... This weeks challenge goes along with last weeks-picking one word to focus on for the year. This week she challenged us to look up our words in the dictionary and make a 3x5 card or something like that we could keep somewhere where we would see it often and hopefully inspire us. When I looked up my word, SIMPLE there were about 18 different definitions! I chose 7 that I thought really focused in on what I wanted to accomplish personally and creatively. It's funny, I was reading someone else's blog who picked the same word as I did last week. She said when she set out for her project she immediately pulled out all kinds of chipboard and patterned paper and embellishments. Then said, wait a minute..isn't my word SIMPLE? I had to laugh, because I did the exact same thing! Anyways here's my entry this week: a SIMPLE 3x5 (well it actually might be more like 3.75x5.5 but who's checking!) I just used cardstock, a piece of scrap patterned paper and a prima flower...cause what project would be complete without a flower!? LOL It's sitting right here by the computer so I know I'll see it every day.

In case you can't read it, here's the definitions I chose:

1. not involved or complicated: a simple design

2. easy to understand, to deal with, use

3. not elaborate or artificial: a simple style

4. free of deceit, sincere, unconditional

5. unpretentious: a simple way of life

6. clear, intelligible, understandable, unmistakable

7. nonessential, unnecessary

Anyways, that's it! Couldn't have been more SIMPLE!

I'm being called away now by crying baby, and a hungry preschooler...gotta go be mommy!

Little Miss Over Achiever...

So as I mentioned before, Megan was sleeping usually until about 7:30, sometimes 8 in the morning before I went back to work. It was wonderful! What mother can say she got up before her 4month old baby did? Yeah, I was real lucky. That's why I was paranoid about going back to work and knowing that I'd now have to get her up by 6 am in order to get her fed and changed before heading out to Grandma's. Well, I noticed on Friday morning, she seemed to already be getting used to getting up a little early. When I peeked in there yesterday at 6 she was lying there quietly, just kind of barley awake. I peeked in over the crib, she saw me, and then immediately got a huge smile on her face and squealed her little happy piglet squeal. I thought, well this isn't so bad, at least she's happy, right?

Well anyway so today is Saturday, and what did this little princess do?...(This is why her new nick-name is "over achiever")....At exactly 5:30am this morning, Megan thought "ok, I'm gonna make my mommy real happy. I'm gonna wake up now and be all ready for her!" Yeah, we heard her through the monitor this morning just as happy as could be at 5:30! Pete rolled over, looked at the clock and said, "she sure does learn quick, doesn't she!" *sigh* Well, I turned over and just hoped she would go back to sleep. No such luck. Promptly at 6am, when mommy didn't come to her happy sounds, Megan thought..."well heck, that didn't work, where's my mommy? Maybe this will work......WHAAAAA!!!" Yep she's a smart one, alright. So of course I got up and fed her a bottle. So long days of sleeping in! I guess I won't see that day again for at least another 9 months! She's such a good girl though, after her bottle we all got back in bed, she snuggled right down next to me and went back to sleep. Such a good girl. :o)

I'm being sneaky...

So, I still don't know what the deal is at home...I can NOT sign in to Google or Blogger to save my life. So I'm supposed to be like working I guess right now...but this is just so much more funner! (I know that's not a real word-don't call the dictionary people, ok?) So anyways, I'm sneakin' on here to try and let you all know how this working thing is going....Hmmm. Well it could be better, but I guess it could be worse. The work is the same, which is good because that would have really sucked if I basically had to learn everything again. That sometimes happens around here. I work for a very well known, world wide corporation. They are always trying to be competitive with all the other very well known, world wide corporations. So needless to say, we've always got new technology, new processes, new people...etc..So the chances of me coming back to an environment where I had to relearn everything was extremely high! Anyways, nuf of that crap. Like I said, the work is the same. But the environment is just weird. No one talks, no one gets up from their desks. People just don't seem to be as friendly as they once were. I don't know, it's just weird. I feel weird here. Like I don't belong or something. I don't know, some may say I only feel this way because I don't want to be here. Well, that's true, I don't. But I know the reality is for now, I HAVE to be here. Anyways I've worked here for 6 years now and developed what I thought were good relationships with some of my business partners. Well I guess since I've been gone, I've now sunk to the bottom of the fishbowl. This makes me mad. It's like I was replaced by "Account Temps". If you don't know what I'm talking about..there's a commercial where a guy keeps calling in sick so the boss calls Account Temps to get someone to fill in and they end up liking the temp better. So I lost all my good accounts and now I have to start all over from the bottom of the to tum poll as if I'm a newbee. Aggravating, but you know what? It's ok. This is just a place where I come to earn money. It's not my life. I refuse to make it that way. I'm not going to let this place take over and kill me. I'm going to stop worrying about it. Done.
The kiddos-Well they seem to be adjusting well. I really am so lucky because even though i have to go to work, at least I get to leave my kids with family. Pete's mom runs a small day-care from her house and she's going to be watching them for us. Jake has lots of friends over there. The first night and second morning, I could tell Jake was really tired. It's a good thing though becasue now I know he's playing and socializing and getting a lot of pent up energy out! He's one that really needs to play a lot and needs to be with other kids. SO that's one positive thing I can take from this. Megan is doing good too. She's just such a good baby! I thought it was going to be hell getting her up at 6am (she was sleeping until at least 7:30 every morning when I was at home!) But you know, she's a trooper! She's fine! She's such a happy little princess! She is ready to go to bed at like 7:30 at night though. That makes me sad cuz I don't even get home till 6! I'm really hoping this will only last another year or so and then maybe I'll get to stay home with these guys. I miss them sooo much!
Creativeness- Well, I'm still trying to focus on my word for this year SIMPLE. I've got it on little sticky notes around my monitor, hoping it will inspire me here at work! This weekend I plan on doing Ali's new challenge with my word and make a tag book or something focusing on it. Jude sent me a link to this blog: http://embers.typepad.com/e/ with a great idea with playing cards. I think I might take that challenge too because it's right in line with one of my NYR's (new years resolutions) to be creative once a week.
Anyways, I may be well on my way to being fired now, since I've been on here for so long! I'm sure people are wondering what I'm doing! Wish I could post some pictures. I just don't feel right blogging with out some to post! Maybe my Blogger issues at home will have been resolved this weekend and I can post some.
Hope everybody has a good weekend!

craziness!

Ok, so I don't know what the deal is, but I haven't been able to sign in here for 2 days now. Blogger makes me so mad sometimes. Seems like there's always problems!
Grrr. Anyways, I'm back at work. Hate it. More on this later. I better get off here before I get in trouble....wait...maybe they'll fire me....Hmmmmm. Better not think like that! Need money!

AEzine challenge-one word

This was an amazing challenge...to find one word to focus on for 2007. I chose the word SIMPLE or SIMPLIFY. The word came to me instantly when I read her newsletter. I had already written a "new years" blog entry when I went back to look at it, the message was clear in both everyday life and my creative life. This year I want to stop trying so hard and focus on the simple things. Creativly, I'm a freak about trying to get that perfect photo, or trying to make the perfect layout. I realize I need to just let go...simplify...it's much funner that way! I actually take better pictures when I don't try so hard. I also try to hard to...well I guess to be honest...to be like everyone else! Like I said in my last entry...I am a bonafied scraplifter...I see something I like and I copy it. I think that's ok to do sometimes, but I think you can take it to far by being too influenced by others. I think sometimes I can be guilty of that. I hope by not trying so hard and SIMPLIFYING, I can find my idendifiable style . Here's a layout I'm working on right now: SIMPLE

In my New Years entry I also described how I wanted to be more organized with lists...So I found this cool thing at Target and it seemed to just really fit my theme. (heck, it even has my word on it!) Just a book of note cards that I can use to write my lists on. Plus there are 3 different colored cards so you can coordinate your lists. I plan to use the different colors for these lists: to do, to buy, and notes to self/to create.

So there you have it. A beginning to a SIMPLER 2007.

This is my last day of freedom folks...I go back to work tomorrow after 5months off. Seriously freaking out right now.

Happy New Year

So it's a new year, and we're like supposed to start over all fresh and stuff right? *sigh* Sorry for the bit of sarcasim, I'm just not feelin' it, ya know? It's just been funk around here. I'm in a bit of a funk and just can't seem to get out of it. I'm trying though, really. I decided if we're supposed to be fresh and new, that I'd at least start by changing the blog up a little. I decided to go with the white background instead of black. Clean. It's a start. I'm going to try and see if I can't make a cool banner for the top...but I'm pretty computer illiterate so, who knows. It might take me all of 2007 to figure it out!

Anyways so in light of the new year, I have decided on a few resolutions. Now you may think most of these are steriotypical, everyone makes these,

same ole boring resolutions. Well, you're right. They are. But they really are things I truely would like to work on and accomplish in 2007. This is the first year that I've ever even considered making any resolutions. I mean, we always had to do it in school. You know, as soon as you got back from Christmas vacation, that was always the first writing assignment...your new years resolutions. I never took it seriously though. So anyways here they are:

1. Lose 30 lbs. by September. For Christmas my dad told us he's going to take us all to Kuai in September. I still have baby fat hanging on from Jake, let alone Megan. So I plan not to look like a fat cow with a permanent intertube around her waist sitting on the beach! I WILL wear a 2-piece! (and look good in it) I'm not old enough yet for the big mama one piece!

2. Be more organized.(sort of) I've decided to make more lists. At work I always have a list of files I'm working on. I love the satisfaction of crossing off a file that I have completed. It really has a sense of accomplishment when I'm done. So, I thought, why not bring this into the rest of my life? Maybe I'd be a little more motivated to do things, and maybe I'd feel good about getting something done. So I'm starting with really simple things...I'm not talking about long drawn out projects like "organize my closet". No. Way more simpler things every day things...like baby steps. Such as "sweep the floor"..."clean toilets"..."run vaccume in kids rooms". I think I could get a lot of satisfaction out of crossing these things of my list. The list would be daily, and anything I didn't finish the first day would move to the next days list. Now all I actually have to do is remember to write the list! LOL! hummm.

3. Be creative. Now this one has a lot of little sub-categories. It's kind of a vauge statement, really. But what I want to accomplish with this one is just basically to remember this year what I love. I love to be creative. Right now it's all about scrapbooking. When I go back to work, I don't want to forget about, or think I don't have time for it. I want to try and make time for being creative at least once a week. Also, I want to try and really hone in on my creative style. I don't think I really have one of my own. I'm a total scraplifter...I see something I like and I copy it. I do that a lot. It's ok, but sometimes I really think I try too hard or something. I made this layout the other day and man, did it feel good. It was so simple. I think this year I need to focus way more on the simple and not get so wrapped up in all the "stuff", you know?

4. this one falls under the creative category too. But it's real simple. I want to see if I can't get one of my layouts published in a magazine. I think that would be just so cool. If that ever happened, I think I'd know I really found my style.

So there it is...you know, I don't think any of these things are going to be real difficult to accomplish except maybe the weight loss. I have no will power! That one is going to be a strugle, but I honestly want to do it, and Hawaii is my motivation.