Here it is..

My layout for Random Chaos. You should check it out...it's kinda fun. :) This weeks challenge was to create a birthday layout...and since the Bean just had a birthday it was easy peasy for me! This layout though, sat on my desk all day long before being finished...it seemed that I just couldn't get it to look 'right.' I think what it was the black cardstock I had for the background originally. anyway...I'm really pleased with how it turned out...and love those corrugated letters...those are from a Sweet Pea Scraps kit from a long time ago!!

And the challenge for this week at the Sweet Pea Vine was to use this cool sketch by Jana Eubank (who rocks...her link is on the side!). To see her examples for the sketch just click on the link. I'm really going to try to get a layout done using the sketch tonight...and hopefully I will have something to post tomorrow!! Yup...I can scrap tonight (and sleep in tomorrow!) as Shawn is working out of town this week and will be spending the night up in Eureka (almost to Canada!) tonight and Thursday night. So I will have those 2 nights to scrap. Now....hopefully I will use my time wisely. :)

Last night Mathew woke up and trekked out to the living room. He was scratching his legs and stomache so I knew he was probably in the midst of a night terror. I said...Mathew...what is 2 plus 2. He just kept scratching and said some incoherent word. Shawn and I had to giggle...as this wasn't a scary one...he was just totally in a fog. Pretty soon he did his little shiver and looked up at us like..what the heck am I doing out here?? So I tucked him back in bed. But the night before he had another one (yup..that's 4 in a week!) that was horrible! I was brushing my teeth and Shawn was in the shower. His eyes were huge and his mouth open in terror. He said...Auston...and then...what did he do to you? And the rest I didn't understand. That's just a scary phrase and I really wish I knew what had him so scared. I had to take him outside again to snap him out of it. *sigh* I just wish these episodes would go away. they say that lack of sleep is a key factor in bringing them on...but he goes to bed every night no later than 8:15pm...and he's been getting his Flonase at night. My friend Missy suggested a cranial therapist?? (I think that's what she called it). As her daughter had them as a baby. It's a great thought....but I'm going to see if my pediatrician can offer any insight. The problem is...there really has been no known solution for them.

And...still trying to research a camera. I found a Panasonic that is promising...but in the reviews I read that it had a heavy body...and with my hands I'm not sure if that's going to be the best for me. If anyone has a camera they love (NOT a Rebel or NIkon! :) ) PLEASE give me the heads up...so I can have some more ideas!

HA!!! Call me CRAZY!!

But I tried out a Canon Rebel this weekend (specifically Mathew's last basketball game) and it is NOT the camera for me!! I know.....you are all probably thinking I'm nuts but I'm being totally serious. There were just WAY too many things that I didn't like about the SLR that I just can't imagine dropping that kind of money for one. (And I AM getting an new camera in about a month as we sold dh's old truck! WOOHOO!).
Anyway....here is the list of CONS about the camera...

* The lenses...I couldn't have the big telephoto lens on and be able to change my focus to get a picture of something close up...I had to change the lens. But with fast moving boys...who would have time?? (ie...focused on Mathew at the other end of the court...then wanted to take a picture of Auston sitting on the floor beside me)
*The viewfinder. I had to look through the viewfinder. This was the BIGGEST issue for me actually. And it may seem odd to you but I couldn't WATCH the game as I was looking through the viewfinder and could only see Mathew. So I missed basically the whole game. Whereas with my camera now...I'm able to look at the screen but am also able to look up and see the game being played at the same time. (and I'm not going to go through 2 boys and all their sports watching through a viewfinder!)
*I'm left eye dominant...so by the end of the game my right eye was sore and twitching from having to stay closed!!
*Not to sound like a wus...but my right hand is SO sore today from holding that thing up. I have arthritis in my hands already and it just wasn't a good thing!

The Pros...
*I loved the clicking noise it made when it took the picture. I know...I"m such a freak!
*The fact that I could take like 3 photos in a minisecond...that was cool.
*To be able to focus on the other end of the court.

But all in all...it's just not for me. So neither is the Nikon. I found this Panasonic that I'm REALLY interested in so am going to do some more research on that. But basically...I now know that I'm not in for a DSLR. I'm really thankful that I was able to test out one before dropping the money!

Didn't do any scrappin' yesterday...just finished up my layout for Random Chaos...and I'm really pleased with how it turned out! I'll post tomorrow after the challenge is revealed!

TGIF!!

And I TRULY mean that!! I even had Monday off due to the boys being out of school and it has STILL seemed like a really long week! Don'tcha just hate that?? So I haven't blogged in over a week so let's see if I have any exciting news....

......nope. Not really. :) Mathew's counseling appointment went well I think. I asked him what they talked about and he said...mom I can't tell you that...it's a secret between her and me. :) So I'm nosy!? She *did* tell me, however, that Mathew does seem to have some characteristics of ADD. BUT that he is able to regroup and refocus. And that he seems to get really frustrated when trying to explain himself. She said she could just tell his little mind was going but he wasn't able to get the words out right. I told her I thought he was just throwing a fit (because he DOES get frustrated, runs to his room and slams the door). She said that he IS throwing a fit and she's going to work on helping him to get his tolerance time built up so he doesn't get so angry so fast. He has an appointment today with her AND I did make an appointment with the pediatrician for next Friday to discuss the whole ADD issue.

So..not only this...but his night terrors have come back. He's had 3 in the last week. They suck. They are scary and I thought he had outgrown them. But nope...back in full force, apparently we just had a bit of a reprieve. And NO..they aren't just nightmares. They are horrible screaming episodes that always get me into a panic. And the one he had the other night...I couldn't get him to wake up (you aren't supposed to actually WAKE them up but there are tricks) by going potty which normally does the trick. His eyes were wide...his mouth was wide and he was screaming...the whole time scratching his legs, bottom and face until the skin was raw. He isn't coherent...and even though I talk to him he doesn't understand what I'm saying...I can't understand any of his babble although I did catch the word mom in there. He will look me in the eyes but isn't focusing...tries to walk through me. It's the most awful thing ever to watch. Scary. So I finally said...let's go look at the moon. Luckily the cold air was enough to get him out of it. I took him back to bed...tucked him in and swept the hair from his face. I asked him why he woke up and he said...I dunno mom. His voice was back to normal so I knew he was awake. That's the other thing...he NEVER remembers...so I've never told him because I certainly don't want him to be afraid to go to sleep. The episodes are just very exhausting...for both of us. I need to remember to tell the counselor and the pediatrician about them coming back...as most kids outgrow them by the age of 6.

Ummmm...let's see. Haven't done a thing yet with my March kit from Sweet Pea Scraps but am hoping to this weekend sometime!! I have some ideas and will probably end up doing at least one wedding layout. :) My area in the bedroom is almost complete...hung up the last shelf last night...just have to get everything squared away and then will post a picture of my new and improved...with more elbow room...scrap space. :)

Tonight we are going over to my friend, Deanna's house for dinner. Should be fun. And I don't have to cook so I'm so not complaining!! :)

Okay...have a great Friday everyone...and a wonderful weekend!

Happy *Heart* Day!!

Although mine is FAR from happy. Do you ever have those moments when you feel like the worst mom in the WORLD. Seriously...I don't know what to do with my kids sometimes. They don't LISTEN. At all. To me. Period. And it drives me nuts. Because by the 10th time I've asked them to do something I'm YELLING...and I hate yelling...and I don't want them to grow up and only remembering that their mom yelled all the time. But ya know...by the 10th time..I'm tired of asking them to do something. Any ideas? PLEASE...I welcome them all. :)

And to recap the last week because I've been a total slacker...Auston turned 6 on the 7th. We had his very first ever birthday party on the 10th. It was FUN. At the roller skating rink and it was pirate themed. Very fun and very cool. Here is the birthday boy in all his pirate-ness. I'm really glad that we had a party for him. He was able to invite 7 friends (I wanted to keep it under 10 including my own). All the kindergartners had a blast!

Oh oh oh!! Before I forget...I got my March kit for Sweet Pea Scraps!! OMG...it's SO cool. I have to admit I was a little worried when I saw the preview picture but in real life it's amazing! Those girls can sure through together an awesome assortment of goodies!!

And my layout from Random Chaos. You guys NEED to check it out. Super fun and I'm always looking for someone to give me direction to step outside my comfort zone. I'm NOT fond of my layout because I think the green is SO green. But the story is adorable. Auston told me one day that "even when I'm a grown up I'll still be your baby...and when I'm a teenager I'll still cuddle." Ahhhhh...doesn't that just melt your heart? (Yeah until I tell him 10 times to do something...then I forget that aahhhhh moment!!)

Mathew has his first counseling apointment this afternoon. I'm REALLY hoping that this will work for him. He is terribly angry...and I'm not sure why but it really affects him and well...me. He, for some reason, despises me. Another notch for the worst mom in the world award! He is so mean and nasty to me and so mouthy. The other day I grabbed him and gave him a big hug and he punched me in the jaw. What do you do about something like that? And I KNOW this isn't my Mathew...there is something going on with him that he needs to get sorted out. So I'm really hoping and praying that this counselor can break through and help him. I know *I* need that!! Shawn and I met with her 2 weeks ago and we both really liked her and felt very comfortable. See...I KNOW he has the potential to be my 'old' Mathew...because the one time he saw the school counselor he was a different kid...like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. *sigh* I want that kid back so much. Seriously...I think it all stems from me. I'm totally having a pity party right now...so just let me. :)

Anyway...have a Happy *Heart* Day and I hope all your wishes come true!!

It's a Tuesday...

And I have almost worked myself out of work. Seriously, I didn't come in this morning at 3:30am because I knew that if I did I wouldn't have enough to do to keep me busy all day. I cannot believe I'm THIS caught up...it's never happened before and I'm not sure what to do!! :)

So yesterday was the reveal of the new challenge blog Random Chaos..so check it out. :) Here is my layout I did for the challenge...one of the layouts I had to redo for Amy's album. MUCH happier with this version!!

And don't forget to check out the challenge at Sweet Pea Scraps It's a good one....and there are goodies at stake!! :)

And I did one more layout for Sweet Pea Scraps....I was so hesitant to scrap it because I only had 1 out of 3 pictures that was non blurry. But I wanted Auston to have these photos of his great grama in his book. She has dementia...and is just going downhill fast. I journaled about how I will tell him lots of stories about my grama so he knows what a wonderful and amazing woman she is! The whole time I was creating the layout I was trying so hard not to tear up. And when I sent it into Kristin I told her she didn't have to post it due to the bad photos and her response was SO sweet that it made me tear up more!! Here is what Kristin put on the gallery page which really brought me back to a little reality...of WHY we scrapbook to begin with! Note from Kristin... So Jenn actually told me I didn't have to post this layout if I didn't want to because she thinks the pictures aren't very good!!! This was a hard page for her because of the journaling and the theme. I reminded her, as I remind all of you, that we scrapbook because of the story behind the photos. It doesn't matter how good the photos are; what matters is what you have to say! Something I need to better with myself!!

So with that...remember why you started this awesome hobby. And have a great day!