Happy Friday ya'll!!

Okay..so it's REALLY Thursday night...but since I can't access my blog from work anymore I kinda have to cheat. ;)

Well...I've been busy trying to get things going for my Etsy Store. I only have 5 things listed thus far but have some more things made just not photographed and listed. I cannot believe how much TIME this is taking. I sure hope that as time goes on I'll get quicker at it and it won't be such a headache!!

So...remember I told you what was happening today? Yup...FREE SHIPPING HERE!! I mean seriously...if you are going to go online and buy scrap supplies anyway (which the store is fabulous..LOVE the paper packs!!) then you might as well get free shipping righto??

AND...I finished working with my August Sweet Pea Scraps kit and wowsa...it is SO fun and SO retro. I love love loved working with it. I will have to show you my projects tomorrow as my sharpening software is at work and I *can* still do some things at work. :) But you'll love it...and if you haven't already signed up for it...you NEED TO DANGIT!

Whew. That's about it...oh except my friend Katie from Boise is here..jumping...she's a skydiving freak. But she's going to interrupt her jump schedule to at least have lunch with me. (which is a HUGE deal..it's like me taking off time from my scrap retreat!!) So that's about it...have a great Friday!!

Oh my gosh....

how horrible....it's amazing how dependent on the internet I am and how empty my morning routine feels now. My corporate office decided to block all blog hosting sites. So I can no longer access the blogs that I used to check EVERY morning nor can I access my own!! So I promise I'm not ignoring anyone. OH...and my home internet took a crash...but just got that fixed about 5 minutes ago. Whew!!

So now...I'm off to try to get some stuff loaded up in my Etsy store...wish me luck on that. Got back from my folks' on Monday...always SO hard to leave them...sure wish we could move over there. Someday hopefully.

Oh and guess what?? Friday the 1st is FREE SHIPPING at AC Bailey. No...I'm not even kidding...doesn't matter how much or how little you spend...they have free shipping. OH...and I think there is something else coming up but I haven't read all the details yet. Hit that link on my sidebar to shop on Friday if you want to take advantage of that great deal. I'll remind ya in the morning too. :)

whew!!

What a nice weekend I had!! Got there on Thursday night...went to bed after visiting the in laws for a little bit. Got up bright and early Friday morning only to find I had a FLAT TIRE. Yes folks...it was flat. So I get out there and find my jack and start to get the sucker changed...when I find out there is a lock box on my spare tire. I have no key. Who puts a lock on their spare tire underneath a rig?? I was flabbergasted....I've changed 26 flat tires in my career (I know...crazy huh?) so honestly the thing I was worrying most about is that everyone was going to look at me like the dumb girl who can't change her own tire. So I ended up calling a tow truck...who hauled me into Les Schwab. The guy there beat the lock off with a hammer so at least if it happens again I can get to my spare tire!! Sooo...needless to say...I didn't get to scrap camp until almost 10am. Set up my stuff and headed to town because I wanted to get my favorite lotion at Victoria Secret.

Met my cousin Courtney for lunch..which was really nice as I haven't seen her for awhile. Had a good visit....and then after that headed back to scrap camp to start scrappin. :) At 8pm I met my in laws for dinner...and was so full all I wanted to do was take a nap....so I set my alarm for 9:30 and needless to say...I didnt end up going back to scrap camp!!

Saturday I met my friend Amy to rummage sale (which the sales SUCKED...they were SO bad and we literally found nothing) then her and her mom took me to the Mustard Seed for lunch. THEN...after that I got my very first ever pedicure. I certainly could get used to that...how cool. Didn't know if I would like it but it was really nice. Had a fantastic day with Amy and it was really nice to hang out with her without a time constraint as usually I only get a couple hours and some major catastrophe always seems to happen. I didn't get back to scrap camp until 5pm!! Yes...that means I didn't scrap at all during the day on Saturday!! Yikes!! I was a bit disappointed as I missed all the fun and games...but it was a really nice day!! I only got 14 layouts done all weekend!!

Sunday I only did one layout...cleaned up my stuff and headed home. Which...how odd and how quiet. Shawn even told me that he checked on the boys before he came to bed...then realized that it was total habit as they aren't even home!! They will be with my parents all week!!

OH...and the car thing. I decided against it. By the time we finance our negative equity from the Durango...I'll have a bigger car payment than I have now which will pretty much just equal the savings in fuel. So really..what is the point? And I LOVE LOVE LOVE my truck...so I'm okay with just sticking it out with what I have. I spent an hour talking with the salesman about options and what we could do...and in the long run I don't think I will be saving any money. I have 3 years left paying on the Durango and they would stick me in a 3 year lease so the time frame isn't even going to change. I'm totally okay with it...I was just trying to do what was best financially but I'm a little relieved actually....to keep my rig as I LOVE IT! :)

And did I mention that it was my birthday on Saturday? Yup...I'm the big 32. It's horrid. I'm not doing this getting old thing very well.

will this day ever end???

I am SO excited and stoked to head to Missoula tonight after work. I just can't wait to get out of town and just be by myself. Isn't that sad that I'm such a hermit I'm excited to be alone? Although technically...I won't really be 'alone' as I'll be in a room with about 50 other women but since I'm going alone I can just stick to myself....so I'm good with that. :) 3 days of scrappin'...I mean seriously...what could be better than that??

This morning was tough though...saying goodbye to the boys. Shawn is taking them to my folks' tomorrow and they will spend the whole week with them. Shawn and I will be all alone for the whole week...what WILL we do?? *wink wink*

And I'm going to go through the Dodge dealership in Ronan...yes...I'm getting rid of my beloved Durango. After only 2 years. But I know it's the most sensible thing to do at this moment. SUV's are depreciating in value so fast it's not even funny. I'm looking at the Dodge Caliber. I figure if I have to get a car I might as well get one that I like. :) We test drove one when we got Shawn's truck last summer...and it's a really cool car. Plus the backseats recline...how nice would that be for the boys when we drive the 6 hours to my parents house?? The only thing I'm really going to miss is the room. I love my truck and how much room I have in it. No more just throwing the boys' bikes in the back...I'll have to get a bike rack or something. :) So hopefully...this week I'll be sportin' a new car. Keep your fingers crossed that I find something I like!!

Have a fantastic weekend everyone...

it's been 15 years...

and I'm STILL bitter.

Last night I walked out into the shed to get the BIG suitcase so I can pack the boys for the 9 days they will be on the ranch with my folks. Out of the corner of my eye I spied the clear tote that held all my high school crap...papers, memorbilia and other junk that I've dumped in there because I'm STILL bitter and haven't been able to go through them. I knew, however, that there would also be some pictures of me when I was little that would match perfectly with the August Sweet Pea Scraps kit so in I went. I wasn't prepared to find the manilla envelope filled with what made me cry. Simple certificates. One was for All Conference and one was for Glasgow Courier Athlete of the Week. Now normally these things wouldn't make a person cry right? Well...they did...simply because after all these years I still am bitter, I still feel cheated and I still wonder what could have been.

Basketball was my life...my passion...and it was taken from me my senior year of high school...the year where I was to shine. I played 6 games that season (and still made All Conference...so that tells me a lot...even now). Tip off tourney went well...then the next week in practice I messed up my shoulder...dislocated it and broke a chunk of bone off (which still hinders me and I've been postponing surgery for years) so the next weekend I sat out. I couldn't handle it anymore so the next weekend I played. I loved to play. The next week I came down with Mono. I took the next weekend off. One week was all I could miss so I went back to practice and tried to play the next weekend. But it was catching up on me. My calves...were cramping. My coach's wife would rub them before I practiced and I ate bananas like mad but still my legs cramped. Pretty soon...I couldn't run...then I couldn't walk. Then I couldn't zip up my pants or put a pony tail in my hair. My nerves throughout my whole body were damaged...severly. At that time I was only the 10th reported case of these symptoms and I was poked and prodded but still no one knew what was wrong with me. I went from this doctor to that hospital until finally I was done...tired of having needles stuck in me and tests ran. I had opportunities to play college ball....those were lost. I began drinking a lot...drowing my sorrow so to say. I changed...my classmates changed...I made poor choices and I was in hell. It was the worst time of my entire life. Eventually, it went away. It was almost as fast as it came along. A year almost exactly is how long I lived with this 'thing' they dubbed as polyneuritis for lack of anything else to call it.

Yes...I'm still bitter. I STILL dream about playing at night when I sleep. I feel cheated. I feel sad. I always wonder what the reason could have been for this? If I had played college ball I would have graduated...made everyone so proud...first grandchild (and only at this point) to graduate from college. Instead I drank my way out of school without a degree. I could have been great. I probably will never stop questioning God and why he took that from me....I would love to know the reason...because everything happens for a reason right?

**EDITED TO ADD: So I don't look like a complete WHINER and someone who is totally feeling sorry for herself (cuz I apparently still am). I am SO thankful for my health now...I'm so thankful that I have nothing severly wrong with me...conditions yes, that cause havoc but nothing life threatening. I am SO thankful for my wonderful family, my husband, boys and my parents who have always been there to support me. I have a fairly good life...so why I choose to focus on this one detail in my life for so long..is beyond me. I need to just get over it and move on right?? So please don't think I'm a total oh pity me person...because I'm not. It just overwhelmed me last night finding those certificates. Okay...I'm done. I could delete my whole post as I would worry how others will view me...but honestly...it felt really great to get it out. To just even type it out. So I won't but I do want you to know that I am thankful and grateful for what I *do* have in my life now.**

I clocked it...

this morning on my way to work and it's 4.4 miles. The distance that I started walking. I decided to really work on getting my rear in gear and since the weather is nice....figured walking would be a good start...and quite frankly I'm getting super bored with my morning step aerobic routine. So Sunday night I decided to just start walking. It took me an hour (which isn't bad...under a 15 minute mile pace) and last night I did the same trail. My legs last night weren't as willing to walk but I made it. I wish I would have started this whole walking thing a month ago....but oh well..better late than never right? So there is my new thing...I'm really hoping I have enough gumption to keep it up for awhile.

Had a nice evening as the whole family went to the library. The first time Shawn has stepped foot in the building. :) He's NOT a reader. I wanted to get The Other Boleyn Girl but it wasn't available....since I loved the movie I figured it was probably an amazing book!! To which Shawn called me a nerd. My kids are going to my folks' on Friday for a whole week and do you know what ONE thing I'm going to do is? Yup...I'm going to go to the library or Borders and just sit and read. That would be like a little slice of heaven. :)

Monday...it happens every week eh??

So hopefully everyone's weekend was just peachy. :) I watched movies. :) Love those kind of weekends. 10,000 BC...OMG..what a flippin' fantastic movie!! Auston loved it too and has been begging that we buy it so we can watch it over and over again. I just loved it....amazing. Wonder if it's a book because the book would be awesome. (speaking of books...I just started the Hobbit...which should make my father proud as JRR Tolkien is my namesake afterall). Then we watched Dan in Real Life....excellent movie. And yesterday I watched The Other Boleyn Girl. WOW...I cannot stop thinking about that movie..and to think that it's a true story. Crazy.

I cleaned the house and did all my laundry....and worked at the scrapbook store on Saturday night. I did one layout for the August Sweet Pea Scraps kit (which only has 4 left so you better hurry and grab one if you love it...which you WILL..it's gorgeous!!) and it doubled as my Random Chaos layout as well. And I did do a project but haven't taken pictures yet of it.

I'm SO looking foward to my short week and my upcoming 3 day scrap retreat this weekend. It's going to be odd though without Tracy there...I miss her...she surely would have told me to have sleepover in her RV instead of staying with my inlaws. But it will be nice to get out of town and have some time alone. I have put together almost 30 page kits (just picked out paper for pictures). This worked so well with my last retreat as I finished 24 layouts!! So knew that I wanted to do the same...I'm on a mission. :) Oh and I figured a way to organize my photo CDs so that I can get them put together all nice and neat with the index prints. AND...I think I want that Epson photo printer..the one that's about $200. You can actually burn your CDs right from your memory card on that sucker...how convenient would that be?? Okay...so rambling. :)

Totally forgot...

and for all of you out there waiting in total suspense...the embossing in my layout is....drumroll please...BY the brads on the bottom. Okay...so scroll down. Do you see that faded circle by the farthest left brad? Yup...that's IT. I embossed a circle...and it didn't show up very well so I sanded it a bit. Am I lame or WHAT?! But there it is....requirement fulfilled...even though it's barely noticeable!! tee hee

Seriously...

it's ridiculous. Last night I was going to scrap some but first had to clean off my table. (my version of cleaning off at the moment is taking a huge pile and dumping it on my bed...when I'm ready for bed I take that huge pile and put back on my table..it's a fantastic system. *snort*). So you might be wondering what this big pile is that I'm talking about. Well it is yer lucky day as I'm gonna tell ya. It's patterned paper scraps. See...the lovely plastic folder I was keeping them in...split...right on the seam...down the side. So the paper...it's runneth over and out and well..everywhere. I bought some other little plastic folders to organize them in maybe by colors or patterns haven't decided which yet. But honestly....it would be easier to just start all over. Sooo....I think I'm going to give them away and just start fresh...plus that would make me happy. I even know who I'm thinking of to give them too. :) Sounds like a plan eh??

So there is my enlightenment for the day.

*sigh*

So if you aren't ready for a pity party post..then GO AWAY. Actually...I just want to talk about the industry for a moment. And why myself, in particular, am SO scared to put myself out there. I was blog hopping and found the announcement for the Chatterbox DT finalists. Now anyone that knows me well knows that I was a HUMONGOUS Chatterbox fan for years. My friend's mom is/was part of their test group and even arranged for me to visit their offices and Melody chatted with me for two hours!! It was so awesome. So what's my point? Well my point is...the thought of trying out crossed my mind but I dismissed it. And looking at that list I recognized lots of names...of people that put themselves out there. Two of the names I happen to know...Michelle Engel was on my DT when I was at Essence of Memories and Lea Lawson is from Missoula, MT (and she is also a SOY finalist) and linked on my sidebar.

Again Jenn..what's your point. My point is...why am I SO scared to put myself out there? Well mostly it's the fear of failure...and knowing that I don't and can't compete with some of the other scrappers out there. I even got myself into a total comfort stage where I told myself that I scrap for myself...which is true...and that I don't NEED validation from anyone that my work is good enough. But heck...we are human right? That nagging thought is in the back of my mind...questionning if I'm any good at all. But everytime I hear of someone getting published or getting a new DT of this or that, I admit...the little green jealousy bug comes out. But why? I didn't apply...I didn't put myself out there. So I have no reason to be jealous or feel sorry for myself because I think I suck....because *I* didn't TRY.

Now PLEASE...this is NOT a validation post...this is just me rambling...so PLEASE do not tell me that I rock or that my layouts are always great because...that's NOT what I want to hear. I just need to write that I'm SCARED of failing...of knowing that I don't measure up. And am I alone or does anyone else out there feel/think the same thing??

And I have a theory...I think it's who you know. Some of these people who put themselves out there also get themselves aligned with the right people at the right time. My friend Tracy and I discussed this one day at GREAT detail. She was good friends with Lisa Bearnson and she asked me one day...do you want me to tell Lisa about you because...that would get you in? I immediately said....NO...if I get published I want to get published on my own. *slaps head* DUH...I just don't think it happens that way most of the time.

Anyway...so I was on sb.com last night and I did notice that it was the last day of the Rusty Pickle challenge. I did this last year and won it so I thought why not. So I completed a layout (that isn't that great) and entered it. (my Rusty Pickle supply stash is VERY low...like I had 4 pieces of paper to work with!! lol) Now how can I do little contests like this but I'm afraid of doing anything bigger? I have NO IDEA.

Okay...pity party is over. Have a happy hump day ya'll.

*gasp*

I know...a post...so soon after my last. It's only because I promised I would post my FOUR HOUR layout that I did for Random Chaos . So without further ado...here it is. So there were EIGHT things that were a part of this challenge and I will list them off for you. 1. 4 words in the title. 2. color green. 3. brads. 4. 2 different ribbons. 5. stamping 6. embossing 7. handwritten journaling 8. scallops. And hey...the first person to tell me where my embossing is...I'll send you a prize. :) I don't stamp and I don't emboss...it was a nightmare. But I'm happy with the layout...it's kinda cute. :)

Last night we took the boys to Walmart and let them pick out new bikes. They both got 20" bikes and we were a little hesitant with Auston because he just learned how to ride. We found a 18" bike and tried to convince him of that one but he had his heart set on this red one (which looked EXACTLY like his old bike just red and not blue...go figure). We told him that if he couldn't ride it he wouldn't have a bike all summer as we were getting rid of his old bike. So that stubborn little twirp...right in Walmart...proved us wrong. He struggled to get his leg over the seat...pretty much sat on the middle bar and used his knee to coax the pedal up and then swiftly started peddling and sat on the seat.





So here are two more layouts...RIDE is done using sketch 14 from the So Sketchy! blog and I used the June Sweet Pea Scraps kit. And Park is using the July Sweet Pea Scraps kit.

Oh and I'm loving getting to know this whole ACB thing. In fact...it was kinda funny because I've been eyeing and drooling over the Making Memories tool carousel for months now. I think it is SO cool and I just think I need to have it.
Okay...well have a fantastic day!

UGH...so not wanting...

to be back to work!! It was SO nice having that extra day off. I wish I could do that EVERY week. :) Let's see....we ended up not going to Polson for the archery 3D fun shoot...instead we went to a fun little park up by Glacier. We played some mini golf and rode the go karts. It was fun...and we got there just before the crowd surged through. Then we were going to go through Glacier Park but didn't want to spend the $25 just to get through the gate...for one day. So we just went home. Saturday...Shawn took the boys fishing and I cleaned the house....then I went to the scrapbook store for a bit. ONE layout took me FOUR HOURS. It was for Random Chaos..and each girl (there are 9 of us) inserted a challenge and I really struggled with the stamping and embossing thing because I don't do either of those things!! But I finished it...and I like it but it's not a 4 hour layout that's for sure!! I will post tomorrow once I get it scanned. :)

Sunday I cleaned out our shed...it took me 3 hours to get it all cleaned out...and all because I had to get rid of a tote of too small clothes of the boys' so I could use the tote to put some of their fall/winter stuff in!! But I guess..the end results was good..it's clean. :)

That's about the extent of my weekend...oh last night we watched Mad Money...I thought it was sooo cute!! Yeah...I lead a boring life...but I've never suggested otherwise. :) Have a great day!

**Oh..just a couple layouts I did a few weeks ago I just hadn't scanned/posted them yet!**

Well I did it....

for months and months now I've been drawn to this site. I keep going back...over and over again. It's SUCH a nice site...and so friendly and happy looking. :) I'm a geek...I know this. BUT...I've also failed in my attempt at any kind of home based business. Think Scrap in a Snap (EEEk...can't even believe I'm admitting to that one...hey...I was young!!) and then when I moved up here I tried to get my own little store going which was great except I couldn't get the people and thus gave up. This one though has a hobbyist option...so I started safe...knew I could meet those minimums by myself but I'm hoping eventually I could get into the consultant position. I keep thinking how FUN it would be to have a big scrap party....with a bunch of people. And have the ability to provide them with fun product...which is at a very reasonable price. It would be kinda like having a store but not quite. :) So anyway...it's called AC Bailey and if you want to take a peek you can go HERE. Oh and the COOL thing is...they have FREE SHIPPING on the 1st of every month!! But mostly I did it just for me and if turns into something more than woohooo but if not..I'm okay with that. I'm really excited and I think if we do end up somehow moving to Malta (which..found out last night one of the guys is coming HERE to meet with Shawn again...he's driving SIX HOURS to meet with Shawn...so now what do you think about signs?? UGH) it would be a great thing to add to their community. And a good way for me to meet people....cuz everyone knows how much I LOVE people. *snort*

My eye. Just call me Quazee Moto (or however you spell it). It's worse today. It's so swollen that I can barely see out of it..and is causing me some serious grief. It hurts...it's very annoying and my vision is thoroughly impaired. ICK. Wish it would heal up soon.

Happy Hump Day!!

Wednesday...I love Wednesdays and miss the time when I had every Wednesday off to stay home with my boys. *sigh*

Sooooo...my fellow Sweet Pea girl Ally has an AWESOME sketch blog...if you haven't visited you NEED TO!! I made this layout for one of her sketches and it was SO fun to create. Did I mention that I love sketches? :) I just love that you can take one and make it totally your own...I love that you can look at 5 layouts using the same sketch and notice that they aren't all identical. So yeah...I love sketches. :) This is Mathew...at his last game of the season. And I used pretty much all KI. Sheesh...that's kinda lame. :) So anyway..go check out Ally's sketch blog...NOW...do it!

In other news...my eyelid is swollen...and it's painful. I was a weenie and went to the eye doctor and he told me my entire eyelid has an infection underneath. It's cute. That's all I'll say...it's real freakin' cute. I have no makeup on either so I look like Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame. :)

Oh and the Sweet Pea Scraps July kit has been taking off of wait list...so if you loved the looks of it...you are in luck. :)

And apparently I have nothing to talk about. So have a great Wednesday!!