{discovering} life

Motherhood

I have been in a reflecting mood lately about motherhood. I think Mrs. Heidi Swapp brought that on. I am preparing for CKU Albums next week in Provo, Utah. I have been thinking about her album theme, 'She' for a few weeks and it has just stuck with me. I have been so reflective on my thoughts about being a mother...what it requires, what I desire as a mother, what I need to be a good mother and so much more. Last night, I could not go to sleep...I kept thinking about different pages and my thoughts for them.

I've been preparing my photos, changing them to black and white, and trying to search through my millions of photos for ones of me with my kids. I never take photos of me with my kids - I'm always so self-conscious. I don't look the way I want to 'look', so I'm embarrassed to see myself in photos. It has also opened up my eyes that I can't hide behind the camera - my kids need to have those photos of me with them as much as I need them. It's amazing to me, how one single photo can evoke such powerful emotions. I was almost overcome yesterday by tears by this one certain photo - such powerful emotions involved in that photo - at that very moment that photo was taken - and yet the photo doesn't necessarily show and tell the story behind it. I'm more motivated and inspired than ever to scrap the moments behind the photos - not just put a title of 'darling, sweet, etc.' (although I still love to do some of those!).

I'm really looking forward to going to Provo next week - to near my hometown. I'm staying at my parents - that will be nice. And I plan to hook up with some friends while I'm in town too. It's sad, I just got home from a teaching assignment for Making Memories in Cali and here I am, anxious for another break. How bad is that!! Pathetic! My poor hubby - here with the kids again for another weekend! I love him!!

I'm excited to see old friends and meet new friends. I'm excited to just play and learn! I'm excited to shop!! Bring it on!! LOL! I'm excited to create an album that will be timeless - that I'll treasure forever. It is something that I would never do on my own - I'm thankful for  Heidi for coming up with the awesome topic of motherhood - it's going to be an awesome weekend of emotions and fun!

I'm getting my photos printed right now - I can't wait to get them on Monday as I'm sure they will spark even more emotions.

Out for today...

My Man

This is the very first picture I took with my Digital Rebel XT. My hubby came home for lunch and I showed it to him - luckily the battery had just charged so I made him step outside for a quick photo. I love it - he's so cute! (:

Back from Cali....finally.

What a trip! Me and Maggie had a total blast! We could talk for hours - it was hilarious - we would not stop talking! We met tons of awesome scrappers in Ontario California at the Scrapbook Expo. Thanks to all of you that came up and introduced yourselves - it was so awesome to meet you. I hope you all enjoyed the classes - we had a blast with you!!

Maggie and I had a ton of fun too! We talked about everything under the sun and went to fun shops, saw two movies (without kids - yahooooo), went to Cheesecake Factory (plus lots of other great places) and just had a great time. I love ya Maggie! Thanks for coming with me and being my friend! Your the BEST!

We were suppose to fly back way early Sunday morning but we didn't make our flight - long story but a total mess. We ended up not being able to fly out until 4:20 that night. Our hubbies were not to happy! LOL! And neither were we, but we went out and had fun. Saw Batman Returns, some shopping, lunch...etc. I wasn't suppose to get home until midnight, but this sweet guy let me on the earlier flight last minute - I ran as fast as I could to get on that little plane - I was so grateful. I ended up getting home at 9pm - so much better. I didn't see Huddy - he was asleep, but I spent some time with Madi. I really missed them. She was so cute and excited to see me. I just love my little family!

So, today is clean up day. Of course. I had to finish up some assignments and get them in the mail, but I've been cleaning up for the most part.

OH - BIG NEWS - for me I guess....my new Digital Rebel XT came today. I was so excited cause it wasn't suppose to be here until tomorrow. Way excited! I've already been playing with it - realizing that I'm definetly going to need a better zoom lens - but all in time I guess. I'm so happy though - can't wait to learn more about it all.

So, that's it...pretty boring. My sister from NY and her 4 kids drove down from SLC (where they are visiting my parents) and will be here for 2 days. So, we will spend some time with them and my other sis that lives here. Madi finished up school last Thursday so now she is home all day long - wowsers - enough said! (:

I'm gonna put it out there in the great wide open....

I wanna be a Garden Girl! I'm putting it out there. It's always been a goal and dream of mine. I've been with Two Peas since December of 2001 - I'll never forget the day I stubbled upon the site. I was on a message board about pregnancy (I was 8 months pregnant) and someone mentioned Two Peas. I instantly clicked on it and was in love. My new home! I haven't left since. I think I've been there every day (unless I've been unable to get to the internet - which is rare LOL). The community there is incredible, the people, the shopping, the resources, and the garden. Love it!

I know a lot of us have goals for ourselves, but from day one, I've aspired to be a Garden Girl. I want to inspire people - I want to have assignments, to be challenged, to get my art out there. I want it, badly. And, I feel like I could do a great job at it given that chance. I used to dream to design for Making Memories and I can't believe that I am there - doing it day in and day out. Sometimes opportunities come along and you wonder why, or how they happen. Is this where I am suppose to be or is this a stepping stone to somewhere else? I've been blessed with a lot of great opportunities in scrapbooking that have taken me to other places. Is this where I will be for the rest of my career? Will something else come along? Will I reach my other goals? I guess all I can do is continue to try...try with all my heart and soul.

Madi is doing great with Potty Training. A few leaks, but lately she'll just tell me and she'll go. Talk about pride. I am so proud of her. And on Sunday, at 10 am she wanted her pink sundress on, pancakes (hello, can I say a rare request) and she let me put her hair in pigtails - with pink ribbon. PIGTAILS!! I almost cried! The first time! She looked soooo darling. Yes, I took a million pictures. The layout is already in my head: Pigtails, panties and pancakes!

Well, I've been crazy busy. I'm getting my hair done tomorrow - yippee! Then, on Thursday, I leave to teach at an expo in Ontario, CA for Making Memories. Anyone coming? I'm teaching classes Friday and Saturday then flying home Sunday. Hope the family will be okay - I always worry. I guess as mothers we do that. So, I've got a lot to get ready before then. So much to do.

I'm excited cause my friend Maggie, who also designs for Making Memories, is coming with me. Talk about fun! We are going to have a blast. Since I've moved, we haven't seen eachother so it's gonna be awesome. We talk all the time, but we will still talk eachother's ears off. I can't wait! Love ya Mags!!

Well, if I don't post again, I'll post next week. Sorry I haven't been on much this week - just busy. Hope you all have a good week!

Hugs!

We have SUCCESS!!!

I can't believe it - my little girl, Madi, went pee on the big potty last night! SUCCESS!!!! I am so happy and soooooo proud of her! We have been battling this potty training thing for months and months! She was sooo ready - would tell me when she had to go pee/poo, would take off her bottoms, would need it changed instantly - and those size 6 Pampers Cruisers are not cheap when you go through them that quick. I've been trying to get her on the potty but due to a scary experience back at her other school, she just fears it. So, yesterday, I went to the store to buy, yes, more size 6 diapers - $18.00. Drop that like 2 a week. Gag!!

When I picked her up from school and came home, I had an idea. "Madi, I went to the store today to get you more diapers and they were all GONE! They told me that you were a big girl now and had to wear your princess underwear!" She kept saying that we could go to the store tomorrow and get more! LOL! She put on her underwear and she totally understands that she doesn't go pee in them. She has to keep them dry. She would tell me when she had to go pee.or when she hurt - so we would try. She would freak out - kick me, hit me and just go balistic. Oh great, this is gonna be fun! She would leak a little and then stop sometimes, but no big mistakes. So, last night, she had to go soooo bad finally. I told her to come watch me do it (she kept trying and saying that she couldn't do it). So, she watched me and got all excited. 'Change the water to yellow - it's sooo cool Madi.' So, 15 mintues later she said she had to go and she did it! She was so excited and we made it a huge deal! She flushed it and was so happy! I'm so stinkin' proud of that little girl!!!

She has been staying dry through the night for months, so I just put her in her underwear for the night - no going back now. I need to stick with it!! She woke up dry - it's 8:42 am and she still hasn't gone pee. Kinda fussy about the whole thing, but she'll have to eventually!

Anyway, I'm so proud of her. I hope that she takes to this okay and doesn't stuggle with it every day. Let's pray!!

I'm looking forward to some CHASummer updates on some websites today! I love seeing what is coming out! I'm excited that  Heidi is using my two layouts in her booth! Yippee! And, I have worked with some of the stuff Making Memories has coming out - incredible!! Can't wait to see their booth too - hope to catch a glimpse of some of my stuff in there!

Have a great day! May post again later!
Hugs!

One more for today - RIBBON SPLIT!!

Hey everyone!

Ok, we all love ribbon. Well, Stampin' Up! just brought in 8 new grosgrain ribbon colors(1/4" wide) that are beautiful )! So, I figured, let's do a ribbon split. If your interested, please let me know asap. Just post here or email me and I'll get back to you.

Colors:

Black, White, Cream, Taupe, Chocolate (NEW), Burgundy (NEW), Red, Tangerine, Apricot (NEW), Mustard (NEW), Maize, Apple Green, Spring Moss, Celery (NEW), Hunter (NEW), Navy (NEW), Bluebird, French Blue, Turquoise, Eggplant (NEW), Delphinium, Light Orchid, Rose and Light Pink

Details:

5 Yards of Each Color (120 Total Yards) ONLY $36 (includes shipping to you)

2 1/2 Yards of Each Color (60 Total Yards) ONLY $19 (includes shipping to you)

This is a great price - I cut all the ribbon for you and mail it to you all nice and pretty! (: If your interested, please let me know by Tuesday, July 19th!

For those of you that know me - you know about my ribbon obsession. Gotta feed the fire ya know!

hugs!

Madi Jade Layout

Well, sans cleaning yesterday! LOL! I did a little then I just had to play. It was calling me! Mostly Heidi Swapp products here - the pink chipboard label holder, large photo corner, ghost alphabets, chipboard heart. Striped ribbon is Making Memories, White Grosgrain is Stampin' Up!. The stamp inside the label holder is a new stamp by Stampin' Up! called 'It's a Date'. It's $14.95 and comes with 6 stamps like this - love it. If you want more info, just let me know. The embossed paper is Autumn Leaves. Thanks for checking it out! SO into simpler scrappin' lately - love how this turned out! Hope to do another today - don't tell my hubby! LOL! Hugs!

 

Why?

Well, we are back from Lake Powell. What a trip! It was so stinkin' hot that I wanted to come home early so badly! LOL! The kids had a hard time sleeping, Madi would not get in the water (she was scared) so she was just burning up the whole time. It was a hard time to go. I had some emotional break downs but we made it through. It was great to be with my family and Madi loved being with her cousins. The highlight was the fireworks and a princess dress-up sticker book my mom gave Madi - she would not put it down! Hudson was a little stud - he is just so dang cute! I took some awesome photos - now I just want to scrapbook!

Ok - while I was there - I was out floating on a raft, trying to get some peace and quite (and some sun!) and I thought about a lot of different things. It was good for me. Last week was an incredible week for me - winning the Heidi Swapp contest, then talking with her on the phone for a good while - and so much more. I was so happy - so elated. Then, I start to doubt myself. Why do I do that? Why do I loose confidence? I need to believe in myself. I have an incredible week and then some other things happen that aren't so great and I get down. Do we all do that? Why am I so hard of myself? So determined to be the best at everything I do, so hard on the way that I look (I need to get off some of this extra weight) and so hard on myself with Scrapbooking. Why do I always need other people to say that I do a great job? I love what I do - and I just need to be me! So many things have been on my mind - just trying to sort through it all.

Getting home late last night to messes everywhere from being gone two weekends in a row, makes me just want to clean. I rarely get in that mood! LOL! Yet, I sit here at my computer catching up on MB's, Two Peas, email and more. Thank heavens for the internet!

I do need to clean today. I received Thursday night my boxes of new stuff from Stampin' Up! I'm aching to cut out the new sets and alphabets I got and use them! Great new things for scrapbooking - I can't wait! So, those may itch me too bad today that I can't resist. We'll see.

Off to get something done! Hugs!

What a week!

What a week! We got home from SLC on the 4th that night and drove into St. George just when the fireworks were going off - kinda fun to be able to see them. We had a great trip! Now, I am getting ready to leave for Lake Powell in the morning. We are going with my family and I hope that the kids will be good! Madi sometimes has a hard time at other places but with all her cousins there, I think she'll be fine. I hope they both just sleep good! I need to get everything ready today! We are coming back Monday night so not a long trip, but sitting in the sun that long, it will be long enough! LOL!

Guess what happened yesterday!!! My little girl Madi, for the first time in her life, let me put her hair in a pony tail for more than 1 minute. I tied a pink ribbon in it and she loved it. She kept smiling all shy and just sooo darling! I had to take a photo - although it didn't turn out that great! She is sooo cute! I wish she'd let me do it more. She wore it like that for at least 45 minutes and than I took it out for her to go to bed. I just loved it! She was going to wear it like that to school today but she was really fussy this morning so I didn't push it. Too cute!

Well, I'm off to get ready. I'll post when I get back - everyone have a wonderful weekend! Hugs!

YAHOOO! Can't believe it!

On Friday, we randomly decided to drive up to SLC (4 hours) and spend the weekend with my parents and family. The drive wasn't too bad and we are having a good time. Happy Fourth to everyone!

Awhile ago, I submitted to a contest at Croppers Cottage website that was being hosted by Heidi Swapp. You had to buy a kit to be able to submit for the contest, but then you could use whatever you wanted - but it had to be all HS, besides paper. So, I did two layouts and submitted them. First of all, I just love Heidi. Her work is what inspired me to start scrapbooking and she is just such an inspiration to me. I've met her a few times and just love her.

SO, today, I got on the site to see if she announced anything and this morning she announced the winners. I thought, "Oh, I didn't get an email, oh well." But, I went on to read and I WON FIRST PLACE! AHHHHHHH! I'm just so happy! Yes I'm thrilled about the HS Pink BOx of goodies coming to me, but most of all, thrilled that my 'idol' thought my layout was the best, that it may of inspired her in some way. That is what is an honor and so exciting for me. I'm just so happy right now. The owner of the site, she's so sweet, posted the winners on the front page with my layout shown there. You can see it here. What a great way to start the month! I'm just too happy! Thanks for letting me share.

I hope that everyone has a happy fourth this weekend! Hugs!