books and cards and crops oh my!

well I read Twilight. wow. it didn't take long. I would say total hours was maybe 8. one day I read for about 3 hours, the other day only an hour, then the next day I finished it! I'm super excited for New Moon. the odd thing is I am SO not into vampires - but the book was so different. I've seen the previews for the movie that's due to come out in November and I think it's geared in the "normal" vampire direction - I hope I'm wrong.

I think I finally have my Christmas cards all planned out. I've made about 15 or so cards and today I put one together using a Technique Tuesday stamp along with an Autumn Leaves stamp, ribbon, and patterned paper. ta-da! so now I just need a ribbon sale so I can stock up and get these puppies on the assembly line! yay! I'm so super ready for Christmas I can hardly stand it.

but - I must first get a list together for the kids' fall/winter clothing needs. It's almost time to do the shopping - we're hoping for cooler weather here in the next couple weeks. I found a coat I like at Target for Hailee so that's one thing that will be easy - Braden should still fit in his Carhartt from last year - so cute.

let's see - oh - world cardmaking day. October 4th. Check the {Use Your Stash} blog for some card prompts to challenge you. Also, there will be a sort of "card crop" at the {Playground} - so check in there, too!

then you can also check in at the {Playground} on October 17th for a crop hosted by the Bullies!!!

I think that's all folks.

see you next time!

September at the Playground

We had 2 super AWESOME sponsors at the playground this month! Cosmo Cricket and Paper Trunk. wow. lucky us!

here are a few things I made with the awesome Cosmo Hello Sunshine and Trunk Wrangler goodies!!!

Hello Sunshine. oh the colors are SO fun in this collection. I loved it. and using black cardstock just made those yummy colors pop even more!

Wrangler. It's not just for boys. I had to prove that when Hailee asked why there were lots of "bubby pages" laying around and none of her! lol

me & Munch

Here are the pics of me and Hailee - then of course Braden wanted to see so I got a couple of all of us - not sure what that kid was on! lol

Self Portraits!

ha! okay - I hate pictures of myself - but with the sudden death of a fellow scrapbooker I realize I should take nothing for granted and I need to make memories for my children. Not just scrapbook their childhood memories - but their LIVES. and I am a big part of their little lives - so I need to get in front of the camera more.

today - it's just me and Braden. We had a day of shopping so before we left I snatched him for some pictures! (no laughing folks!)

just LOVE that kissy photo!

and while we were at the mall I found new glasses! yay! I was really hoping the search for the perfect pair wouldn't take forever - it didn't. LensCrafters has a GREAT selection and they were having a special on the lenses so I got a pretty good deal! the color is sort of cranberry-ish. what do ya think?

okay - so I started getting goofy - but what can you do when you're in need of a major caffiene fix????

there you have it. pictures of me. wow, that's a lot for one day. Hailee and I will have to wait until Friday - I'll get them before we go out to dinner with Jenn & Damon!

later gators!

I'm done with the DIET.

No, I'm not going to run out and get Big Mac's or chocolate bars. What I am done with is the "oh, how much have you lost" and the "what are you doing to lose weight?" inquiries.

I'm going to eat healthy. Be more active. Take care of myself. If the pounds come off that's great. If not, then I guess this is the size I was meant to be. I don't like it - but I'll live with it.

When I started "dieting" in March my stress level went up. I'm taking motrin for headaches almost daily, and Maxalt for migraines almost weekly. That's more expensive than the food I was eating! I am going to continue with a healthier lifestyle and that's all that matters. No more weekly scale checks. No more calorie counting. No more explaining myself to friends and family about what goes into my mouth. I'm not a shallow person and do not judge people by what they look like on the outside. I would hope that people don't judge me that way either.

I'm a good person; a great mother; a wonderful wife. No, I don't look like a model. But is that what really matters?

Please know I still plan on teaching my kids what it takes to be healthy and showing them how it's done - yes, I 'd like to look better - but by following a diet I was not better. I'm not going to stock my cabinets with chips and cookies for the kids (Darren yes - kids no) but with pretzels and nuts. My fridge won't be crammed with fattening things like pre-made smoothies or ice creams but with fruit, veggies, yogurt and cheese. (and this is nothing new - ask my mom..I really limit the junk my kids are allowed to eat!) We will eat the healthy fats and work at being a happier family. So don't take this as a plan to eat anything I see - that's not what it is....just don't ask me what size I wear or what the scale shows - because I won't tell you! I do know what I weigh now and plan on checking it - just not often.

on to new things that are happier! lol

1 - there's still time to get your chipboard layouts done for the UYS challenge.

2 - there's even more time to get your stuff in for the 2 contests over at the playground

3 - you have until Tuesday to get some challenges done for the YMBD crop!

and here are some more pictures of the kids - taken when Darren's dad was here!

and our newest venture that is SLOW going and so far UNSUCCESSFUL!!!! lol

Keeping busy

Darren's dad, my father-in-law, is here. and my kids are sure keeping him busy! they are wearing him out - so much so that he had to find a nice, cool, quiet place to take a nap.










but he was soon found by one little girl who can't go 10 minutes without her grandpa.







so did he ever get that nap? nope - she drew pictures and made sure he looked. she climbed a tree and made sure he saw. she offered to be his pillow but wouldn't hold still. so he gave up. or should I say gave in....to Hailee! lol

more pictures to come after I look at them in photoshop!