Did ya'll survive?

did you make it through the holiday? we did! we had a very nice Christmas and my kids were swimming in new toys and clothes like always - we're very blessed!

Here are a couple pictures from Christmas Eve. My sister, Briana, and my brother-in-law, Parker, sent the kids new Christmas pj's. They asked that they open them on the 24th so they could wear them - so I let them open them early in the day so I could get them washed - here they are before we left to go see Christmas lights at Honor Heights Park in Muskogee.

Braden was actually doing great at that time - he started running a fever Monday and was doing better by Wednesday - until after we got home.....I was getting ready to put him to bed and realized how hot he felt - I checked his temp and it read 104.4.....oh my heck I flipped out! I called an ER and they said to start him on the tylenol/motrin treatment every 3 hours...by morning his fever had broke thank goodness. He's still not back to his complete self but at least there's no more fever.....just a cranky boy. Hailee has a sore throat now but I'm just going to knock on wood that it passes by morning.

My mom is still here and we're having fun - haven't done much shopping unless you count yesterday at Walmart for groceries, lol. But we still have another week to get some serious mall time in!

Hailee will be having a roller skating party on Saturday and she is SO super excited! Last year we did a small dinner with the neighbors and the year before that she was sick so this should be lots of fun for her....and wow, how is it possible that she's going to be SEVEN???? sheesh.

well folks, I think that's all. I did get all my thank you cards finished today and they'll be going in the mail tomorrow - feels good not to have that hanging over my head! I love getting those done right away so the gift givers know how much we appreciate their thoughtfulness!

Happy New Year everyone - have a safe holiday!

oh, I almost forgot - Briana and Parker are expecting their first baby in July!!!! Isn't that FANTASTIC??? I'm so excited to become an aunt! oh, and excited for them, too!!! congrats you two - love you!

Scrapbook Playground News

Wendi posted this in the announcement forum yesterday - please pop in and say good-bye :(


On January 1, 2009, Scrapbook Playground will be closing the site. With the close of the store in May of 2008, it has become financially impossible to continue to run the site so the decision to close has been made. The Happy Box kit club is continuing and announcements in regards to the kits will be made on the Scrapbook Playground blog. Thank you for the wonderful years of fun - the Playground will be missed.


Wendi was the first person to give me a chance on her design team - and for that I thank her. It made me try harder and helped me improve my scrapping.

Thank you, Wendi, for a wonderful 3 1/2 years - I'll miss you and the playground.

aaahhhh feels good!

feels good to create something! I haven't made a scrapbook page in quite a while (for me anyway!) and tonight I came home from a birthday party and made one! Felt good! Now I think I'll do more.....the only thing I need to do between now and Christmas is a little cleaning - and that can be done Tuesday before my mom's flight lands..hehehe! okay so I need to grocery shop Monday but that won't take too long :)



it's not the best page - but I like it...and I used scraps and some stash (see the eyelets, Kimmie!) so I love the process just as much as the end result!



4 more days til Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Kimmie made the tag under the journaling - isn't it cute? I thought the bubbles went well with the page and picture!

layout share!

found this layout on my desk and realized I never scanned it! I haven't put it in any galleries so thought I'd just stick it here for anyone who'd like to see.

I love this photo of Hailee - she looks so serious - I wish I knew what she was thinking sometimes.

Used yummy Sass here! love that stuff :)

(do you see the countdown? it's almost CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

A new adventure

I grabbed a hold of the Etsy bug. It's {her} fault. She started it. Yep - I'm blaming her. and I can because she really did push me!

I have 4 cards listed on there right now...no hits yet, but people are looking so that's okay.

So - if you want to check it out go {here} and at least bookmark me so you can see what I have in the future!!

that's all. more wrapping to do tonight but if I'm lucky I'll be done....at least until mom's wrapping paper shows up from Hailee's fundraiser and then I'll wrap the stuff in my attic. sigh. things we do for our parents {{WINK}}

Tis the season to be busy!

man - so many things going on I'm spinning circles and can't remember which way I'm supposed to go! sheesh! but I love the holidays! presents. Santa. snow. sweaters. shopping. wrapping. family. trees. bows. music. aaaaaahh!

Today Darren and I went to run a couple small errands - we left around 10:30 am or so and got home....oh around 4:15pm! Had to call the neighbor to get Hailee from the bus! but we accomplished a lot - though it doesn't seem that way, lol.

Tomorrow we get to go BACK out and find a holiday sweater for Braden to wear Sunday for Santa pictures and the CHRISTMAS TRAIN...plus Hailee needs shoes for the same occasions. and more gutter clips are needed. and and and.

I love Christmas!!!

Header help and December things....

So I'm trying to make a new fun, family header using the pictures we took the other day (by the way....6 1/2 year old girls do NOT cooperate well in photo shoots!) and this is all I can come up with!

If anyone has ANY tips for making this a little better....adding a little pop to it....I would be forever grateful!

Here are a few more pictures - in color - from our day - but the picture going out in our Christmas card is NOT included!!! need to save something for the surprise :)

Happy December!!

and speaking of December - Heather and a few mystery girls chose ME as member of the month over at YMBD! How cool is that??? Thanks everyone :)