April reveal and stuff....

Sooo....does everyone remember my little rant and rave about the Canon Digi Rebel?? Just to refresh your memory...I HATED it because I couldn't handle having to look through the stinkin' viewfinder. Well...after literally months of research (and thanks to DH for selling his old truck so I had the extra money!) I finally was able to order a new camera after wanting/needing one for almost 2 years!! Woohoo!! But I'm cheap...I opted for the free ground delivery so I probably won't get it for another week or so (but after 2 years what is another week??). The camera I chose is a Panasonic dmc fz50. So I'm pretty excited for that sucker to arrive at my work...hopefully the learning curve isn't too extreme. It also shoots videos which is nice as we have no videos of the boys!!

Okay...so I cannot for some reason get the April kit for Sweet Pea Scraps to load. But just click on the link and it'll take you right to it!! It's a GORGEOUS kit (as always) and is jam packed full of goodies. It is on the heritage vintage side but some of the other girls rocked it without doing a lick of heritage!! I did a little of both....because I simply love doing heritage pages and these papers were perfect!!

This first one is my little brother and my boys before Christmas. We had gone to visit my grama who isn't doing great...and the Sunday paper arrived with all the 'guts'. The boys literally spent a good hour looking through the guts wishing for this and that. I sure hope Santa brought them something they wished for!! (I don't think Santa was paying that much attention to be honest with you!!).

This one here is my absolute favorite. (below) It's one that I can't stop looking at....Isn't that conceited?? :) Actually it's pretty rare I create a page that I'm totally in love with...but this one just happened to be it. I also created it for the Random Chaos challenge. Anyway...this is my grampa and me...in about 1978 I was guessing. I've always been a grampa's girl. :) Loved the Jenni Bowlin Lucky card and the papers I thought were SUPER fun!! And the border I made by dipping a pencil eraser in ink...trying to mimic the dots in that cherry paper. :)
The one below is a picture of me, my mom, grama and great grama at my baptism. I do have more current photos of us all together (as my great grama didn't pass away until I was a senior in high school)...but I just loved how this one went so perfectly with the papers!! The stamp is from a previous month's kit too!!

For you (below) is Mathew....we had gone with my lovely stepmother, Alison, to a gig she had at a local nursery. The day was packed with activities for kids and adults alike!! One of the activities was to plant a flower. Mathew was excited to do this..and immediately took it and set it at his grama's feet. I'm pretty sure that made his day!!

This one (below) is of my great aunt Ethel,whom I adored!! Here she is with her roommate on Easter Sunday. On the backside of the original photo she wrote down a blurb that I journaled on the card. I loved it because she described her dress and talked about her big shoes. :) It's pretty cute. (aunt Ethel is on the right)

And last but not least....wedding photos of my dad's grandparents. After I had scrapped this my dad was able to get a bunch of cool paperwork for me including their marriage certificate!! Very cool stuff...so I'll have to make sure to get that scrapped as well.

That's about it. I'm trying to gear up for my retreat this weekend...did receive the May Sweet Pea Scraps kit today (already..aren't I lucky??) so I'll have all those new goodies to play with. Really anxious to go as I need a break but am really nervous about being gone when my grama is doing so poorly. My mom is in Missoula with her all this week...and it just doesn't sound good. I cried last night while trying to fall asleep...not because I'm so sad for me..but because I'm sad for her...wondering how scared and confused she must be. What is going through her mind....she hasn't spoken since Friday and hasn't gotten out of bed since last week. Can you even imagine what that must be like? Mom said that she just stares at her..like she absorbing every detail of her face. I'm a spineless wimp. I won't go see her. Isn't that horrible of me?? Sometimes I feel guilt but other times I'm okay with my decision. The last time I saw her was at Christmas time and she looked bad enough..but was still able to eat with us...and sit and watch the kids open presents (although I don't think she knew who the boys were). She wasn't even really 'grama' then...and honestly...I just don't want to remember her like that. I want to remember her from the farm...the grama who pulled weeds and wagged her finger at my cousin and I when we stole carrots from the garden...who always 'jiggled' me when she gave me a hug. Okay...I have to stop now...I'm at work and I'm crying. Not a good thing.

Bad Blogger!!!

So you are going to get an eye full...so if you actually make it to the end...you deserve a cookie or something. :) Here's a little bit from our weekend...

So we had a skiff of snow on Easter. It was COLD. We went to the park on Saturday and did the city Easter egg hunt. Auston just ran...literally...in circles. Just ran. Totally happy just running around amongst the chaos...he picked up one egg and a couple candies and that was it. Mathew on the other hand was an egg collecting machine. We had heard that every hard boiled egg was worth a buck. He got SIXTEEN eggs. Then I overheard a parent say the BLUE eggs were worth a buck...and of course he didn't have one single blue egg. poor guy. I told them I would give them some money for their eggs...he was pretty devastated because he took that egg hunting very seriously.

Friday my grampa was there and we spent the day with him. Boy the older he gets the WORSE he gets. He gave me grief about getting a new camera stating that I really don't NEED it. *sigh* But a year ago I would have been in tears (as sometimes he's just not nice) but now I've realized that's just my grampa and I need to just let it go in one ear and out the other. So that's what I did. We (mom, grampa and I) went to the Ag Days in town....mom had to sign up for EVERYTHING...it was hilarious as she would whisper...Jennifer..come here...sign up and get your free stuff. I can now say I'm the proud owner of a 8" level and a magnetic clip, I'm one lucky girl. :) Grampa and I sure harassed her...it was fun. :) Oh and that morning we dyed our eggs...my mom always has a new and different way of doing the eggs and it's always fun to see what she comes up with. I think it's kinda her little tradition for the boys. This year they 'spun' the dye on!! And yes..I actually did already scrap those photos..amazing huh?? :) That's my mom in the picture with the boys.

After that we went and picked up Gunner who finally got his 'nards' cut out (as the boys say). Can you believe that here they quoted me $280 and with my parents' vet it was a total of $125 which included all his one year shots and rabies shot?? Isn't that INSANE?? EEEK.

Friday afternoon a gal came by with a delivery for the boys. My mom got them each a pure white miniature mule. :) They were actually pretty cute. But they had been penned up in a tiny little corral with 3 horses so they were totally getting beat up. They had huge patches of hair missing and were just filthy. The corral we put them in is pretty large and for the rest of the afternoon they just ran. So Saturday my brother and I got halters on them and brushed them down..and fiddled with them a bit. They hadn't been touched in over a year so the boys didn't get to do much more than pet a little bit and watch them. I'm hoping that they settle down enough that they will be good for the boys when we go home.

And I raked. Everytime I go home I always feel so dang lazy so this time I vowed I would do something. So I pooper scoopered and filled up a bag and realized that it probably hasn't been done in years...I know...ick. So I just started raking up that portion of the yard which also consisted of a trillion 'dinosaur bones.' (rib bones, tbones etc...that the cats/dogs get from leftovers...Auston calls them dinosaur bones and usually has to collect a bucket full and bring home!). My brother actually helped me too...it was a miracle. I think mom almost had a heart attack when she leaned over the deck and saw us BOTH working. *giggle* And needless to say...every fiber in my body ached on Sunday.

Oh and Sunday I also got a cold. YIPPEE!! I feel like crapola! I have a sore throat...and of course when I cough because I'm still sore...even my chickenbones are sore. (chickenbones are armpits..just fyi!). And yes...here I am typing this all at 3:33am...I've actually been at work for an hour as I couldn't sleep. I feel like crud and my husband was gurgling snot which makes me gag (he snores bad!) so I thought I might as well just come in.

And my dad had two little containers full of pictures and whatnot of him when he was a kid. My grama actually saved the newspaper clipping announcing HIS birth!! It was pretty cool...and to see ALL the ribbons he won for track. My dad was a trackstar!! He took 3rd in state for the polevault!! His letter was filled with metals...it was so cool and made my H look puny. :) There was also this book about Montana and in it a page was marked. The picture is AMAZING (I'm scrappin' it soon so be on the lookout!!). This cowboy is sitting on his horse...his one leg over the saddle horn...just gazing out below (he's kinda sitting on a ridge)...and there are TONS of cows. It gives me tingles it's the coolest dang picture! Well it's my great grampa!! Of course...I never knew him as he passed before my parents were married but still...it's VERY cool. So I'm really excited to start working on some more heritage which is perfect actually because the April Sweet Pea kit is TOTAL heritage..it's so freaking cool!!

Ready for the weekend already. And it's only Wednesday. Need to go get gas today...boy it doesn't take long...although this is still gas from Sunday so that's not too bad I spose.

I'm SO rambling. Friday Mathew has a field trip and I had asked him if he wanted me to go with him...he said..no mom, I'd really like dad to go. (it's going to a gravel/asphalt plant...both of which Shawn worked for). So I asked Shawn and he's taking the morning off to go with Mathew. I'm SO excited because it's just neat that he's finally at a stage where he'll take the time to spend with his kids. 3 years ago...no way it wouldn't have happened!! Sometimes I'm still amazed with how much our lives have changed!! I'm hoping Shawn will take pictures...so I'm going to send my camera with him..just in case. :) That would be really neat.

Saturday we are taking the boys to Lawrence Park....where they have the soccer fields...so they can fly their kites they got from the 'Easter bunny' aka grama. They are super excited...I'll make sure to take some pictures. We are doing it as a family so that will be fun. Then I work at the scrapbook store on Saturday night from 4-midnight. And next weekend...cannot WAIT for next weekend!! It's my 3 day scrap retreat! I'll work until about noon on Friday and then will be there until Sunday around noonish or so I spose. NO phone service and no phones in the hotel rooms!! Or TV. Deanna and I are going to go for a hike everyday...she's SO outdoorsey..and I have always wanted to hike the trails and such in the mountains but Shawn never would go with me...so that will be fun. And now that Deanna and I are becoming such good friends....they are moving back to Msla as her husband just got a job. My luck right?? First my friend Heather moves to Miles City and now Deanna. And Deanna and I have only been hanging out since probably this year. ARGH...now I'm going to be friendless again...it's SO hard for me to find a good friend....why am I so dang antisocial??

Okay...I better get my rear to work since I am here and need to get caught up. I got behind again and inventory is the 3rd week in april so I have lots to do. And go grab that cookie..you deserve it!!

just for you Missy!!

So my bestest friend is a VISUAL person she tells me. She wants to see my new scrap area and wasn't happy with my description...I NEED PICTURES is what she said. So here they are dude...my new scrap area in the bedroom. :) First picture there above is the whole view. Yes that is one of those el'cheapo 3' plastic tables...I think I found it at Shopko in the camping section for 20 bucks. The to the right there you have my necessities. The basket (also Shopko..and funny cuz I don't shop at Shopko much) was 7 bucks or so. Then my cardstock and patterned paper..and yes...that is all. Do ya see that little brown sheet there? It's a slice of corrugated cardboard...I really want to try painting on it and stamping it...but haven't gotten that far yet. Will it even work??

Here is my little embellishment center..it's pretty much the exact same as what I had in the laundry area. This shelf I had torn apart and had my shoes stacked on it. :) But thought I needed something and couldn't get the wire racks to work right...so viola! I reused. So by the way..this renovation didn't cost me a cent!! :) Woohoo!! The bottom shelf is my bill stuff so I didn't show that in the picture. :) It's not quite so clean.

Here is the shelf that my father in law made me a gazillion years ago. :) LOVE my little ribbon jars. And underneath are those awesomely awesome shelves from Target...which coincidentally are on CLEARANCE for $5.24. Go figure. Oh and yes..the one shelf is tilting because I need a hollow wall anchor...

So honestly I haven't felt that I've scrapped more...because well, now my scrap area is right next to the computer! But I have great plans to. :) Anyway...there it is for anyone who cares. :) It's not fancy but it's all mine. Mmmwahahahahahaha!!

well he ran away....

Auston that is. A totally funny story....which I'll share..from the beginning. :) I asked him to pick up a lego that I found on the floor...he told me to just throw it in the garbage (which I did). Then I found another toy...a cage for his jungle animals...and I asked him to pick it up. He just shook his head. I explained that if he didn't pick it up I would and throw it in the garbage. So the little twirp challenged me and said...no mom...you put it away. So I did...in the garbage. Oh my gosh...you would have thought I chopped off his left arm! The waterworks were flying and he ran over to the garbage. "How could you mom!" he shouted at me. While of course I'm in near hysterics laughing so hard. He then ran to his room and slammed the door. I followed him, opened his door and asked if he wanted to start over and shut his door nicely...to which he replied...I don't want to be in this family anymore! (which he learned from his lovely brother).

So I started making dinner and noticed that he was getting his shoes. It went a little like this:

Me: What are you doing?
Auston: I'm leaving..I don't want to be in this family anymore!
Me: Well where are you going to go?
Auston: Alaska.
Me: Oh bean..it's really cold in Alaska you should at least take a coat.
Auston: (dirty look)
Me: Where are you going to stay when it gets cold and dark?
Auston: A hotel.
*of course...what was I thinking???*
Auston: Just give my toys to my brother.
as he walked out the door.
Me: I'm going to miss you buddy...you better go say goodbye to Miss Marcie.

I went into the house and called so she would know. I waited a few minutes and went to the office where Marcie and Auston were checking out a National Geographic. His face just so pitiful and red that I knew he had really given her a show. Apparently I'm a mean mom and just throws his toys in the garbage. I asked if he told her WHY I threw it in the garbage. A shake of the head said no. I asked if he was ready to go home. Another shake of the head. So I did what any mother would do...I bribed him. I said...hey bean if you come home and eat dinner I'll bring you back to Miss Marcie's to get some ice cream...and then if you want you can leave for Alaska. That did it. He ran over and hugged me. Needless to say...he's still in Montana. :)

LOVE this song...

Another Round..by Jason Aldean. The words...*shiver* totally make me cry. Everytime I hear it in fact. It reminds me of my dad...and my grampa. Originally I wanted to scrap a picture of my dad on his tractor (and I will eventually) but I found this picture of my grampa and wanted to use it for this as well. The words I chose to put on the layout are:

He takes the tractor another round and pulls the plow across the ground. And sends up another prayer, he says, Lord I never complain, I never ask why. Please don't let my dreams run dry.

*sob sob sob*

This is for the Random Chaos challenge for the week.

Let's hope it works....

Mathew had his appointment with the Pediatrician on Friday afternoon. Now honestly I'm not sure it wasn't so much for me as for Mathew! I admit it...I was sobbing...in the doctor's office. The amount of guilt and sense of failure was enormous. Dr. Wilder is an awesome, amazing man though and really just gets the whole parenting thing. He kept telling me that this is not my fault and I do not need to hold onto an guilt that I feel. He even said I was a good mom. (which...ha! somedays I so do not feel like it!).

I was given two forms to fill out for Mathew's evaluation. One was for his teacher and one was for me. And I'm not sure if it's because I was actually paying attention and noticing things but that child is off the hook! He cannot sit still for the life of him. How did I not notice this before? Funny thing is that the teacher and I were talking and she said the SAME THING! So we filled out the forms....and Dr. Wilder 'scored' them. And sure enough...Mathew is ADHD. He is on the more mild side of it though as he was just inside the light colored box. We were given Strattera to try...a very low dose...only 18mg. Dr. Wilder said to try this for a month and see what happens. He's guessing we may have to be on a 25 or 40mg dose.

So yesterday was day 1 of the Strattera. Mathew cannot swallow a capsule to save his skin!! Finally we got it down his little throat. :) Shawn took him to shoot his bow and when they came back Mathew crawled on the couch beside me and watched a movie (The Thief Lord...rented from the library...VERY GOOD!). He didn't jitter...he didn't move. It was ODD. Then he just got up and went to bed. I can't tell you the last time that child has taken a NAP...but he slept for over an hour. Honestly it worried me. My brother went through SO much with his meds and it was horrible to watch. I called my mom right away and what she said made total sense. The Strattera probably just made him relax enough for his body to realize it needed some rest. He doesn't sleep usually much at night...and during the day it's go go go. So I'm guessing she is right.

This morning he is off the hook. Totally and completely. No wonder I lose my head somedays. He runs around..makes noise..picks on the dog...picks on his brother constantly to the point that our house is usually just utter chaos. We'll see. I'm just really hoping that this works and he is able to focus and not distract so much in school. Wish us luck. :)

AND...on to scrappy news. I have only done 4 layouts for Sweet Pea Scraps this month. Cuz I'm a MAJOR slacker and have been in such a rut! Oh and I put together my friend Amy's wedding album and realized I have NINETEEN pages left. Yikes! So I did 2 more for her...bringing my total down to 17. *snort*

Here is the kit which is awesome...I love the mix of papers. The stamp like one that's sticking out in the back (blue with white polka dots) is SO cool that I don't know how to use it!! Seriously I have some ideas but I'm so worried about messing it up and ruining the paper that it's totally ridiculous.

Okay....Auston is crying...I have to go...I'll post later.