Welcome to the world of Blogging

Ok, I am going to say this up front. I am a sorry excuse for a computer geek. I have just - in the past few months - started blogging and just today, I found Google Reader and started subscribing to feeds. I sort of knew what they were and I knew they would be helpful, but I never bothered to do it before. And I have like 40 blogs that I read, so it can be quite time consuming to check them all. wow, what a life changing experience this is going to be - lol! Doesnt that sound silly? Google Reader changed my life, but it is true. I mean google bookmarks changed my life too! LOL.

Anyway, I have been blogging it up over at scrapwords with all my scrapbook pages, so I am just going to copy and paste that code over here, in case you dont read there. But that is pretty much all that is going on new here. Christmas was great, my week off was relaxing and great, we started playing seth's new video games the night before last, and of course, we are addicted and I have been getting a ton less sleep, but that's ok. And I scrapped myself out. Last night Ellie slept over at her Bubby and Zayda's house, I havent heard the report on that yet. Tonight is new year's eve, we have nothing planned because the party that we were going to go to was cancelled. And yeah that is all.

here the pasted scrapbook pages starts:

when I went to post this, I realized that I had not added the title. so what do you think? should I add the title, and if so then where and in what color?

 I just love this photo so much, I had a bunch of other stuff on this page, but I thought it was too much, I wanted the photo to shine{readmore}, so I kept taking stuff away. the swirl is handcut and I used pop dots on it. 

 

 This first one is Ellie's formal Christmas/2yr portrait. This is the one where she was being so difficult that we only got one good pic. Lucky for me, it's a good one! I used my first Bad Girls kit for this.

 

 This one is just me being silly. My dad was 'babysitting' this gun and we were all talking about how big and bad it was, so I felt the urge to be silly and 'bad' with it. Disclaimer: These pictures look like I was acting with disregard to the fact that I am holding a gun, but that isnt the case. the gun wasnt loaded and took care not to point it at anyone. I know how to handle a gun and have the utmost respect for the potential danger.

I just thought it was funny to pretend to be one of those models at the gun shows, or like a charlie's angel or something.

Anyway, I am really happy with how this page turned out. Everything on here is October Afternoon from Scrapwords except the letters which are thickers and the cardstock. 

use the scraps of paper that you have leftover from making your Christmas LOs, to make some cards for next year! If you are like me, then you hate throwing away perfectly good scraps. so I was thinking, geez I am going to have these Christmas scraps laying around all year! So I made some cards. I{readmore}hate making cards and they arent the best, but hey, they are done a year ahead of time.

 

I have been a total scrapping fool the past few days. here are a few more pages.

 this one is for my mom's album. it is a little busy, I think, but I wanted to keep all the great photos.

 this is a random Europe page that I was just inspired to do. I have tons of Europe pages still to do but I dont want to.for some reason I just wanted to do this one. Still have to fill in the journaling though.

 

Ok, so I was working on my LO for the WOTW 'Fresh' last night, and I was really into bright colors AND I had this sketch that I have been meaning to try. So this is what I came up with:

 

 

But after it was finished I kinda hated it. LOL! It is just too bright with too much going on, so I did a little makeover on it. It still isnt my favorite page but I think it looks a lot better, what do you think? do you like version one or version 2?

 

Here are a couple more pages that I finished this past week. I can't believe how much I got done. And I even more, can't believe that I am back at work! Ahhhh!

This first one is Ellie trying on her dress up stuff that she got from Grams for Christmas. I just loved the frame, which {readmore}is a cardstock sticker from DaisyD's (comes on the sheet with the angel wings), so I kind of built the page around the frame and the purple accents on her tiara.

 

This one is using a bunch of stuff from the Narratives line. I just LOVE those big circle (and there are hearts too) stickers! They are so easy to use and really pack a big punch on the page. The only thing on this page that is not from the CI Narratives line here at Scrapwords is the silver tab with the date (well most of hte date - lol) in it.

This is my grandparents' and another relatives' (not exactly sure the relation there) wedding photo. They got married at city hall and I guess had this pic taken afterward. Sometime in the 1940's.

 

 

Christmas Pictures

Here are some pictures from our Christmas eve and morning. (we are in Christmas intermission right now)

 Here we are at my grandparents' house on Christmas eve and the girls are opening their big horse presents. these were a huge hit!

Here they are back at my parents' house playing on the horses, they were yelling and having a blast.

Evan also really liked the horses. ellie enjoyed her dress up outfit so much that she even put the earrings on and left them there for like a half hour. She was shuffling around in her shoes. 

 

Here are some pics from Christmas morning. Ellie was sleeping in my parents' room and she woke up with a start and yelled - 'Santa, eat the cookies?' So these pics are her walking up to where we  had the cookies and taking a peek to see  that there are presents there and the cookies are gone! she just kept saying over and over again, 'Santa came, santa came.' lol!

 here she is opening her stocking. nice hair huh?

geez she is going to be mad at me when she is a teenager! 

a headache and some new pages

Last night I went home from work early with a migraine. And I felt like crap but I wasnt tired enough to sleep, so I did a little bit of light scrapping. It is interesting because my headaches start in my neck and they feel a little better if I bend my head forward and that just happens to be the way that I stand when I scrap! convenient huh?

 Plus, I can't watch tv, or look at the computer, and just laying in the dark seems to make it hurt worse because I just focus on it. So anyway, without further ado:

 

PP is basic grey and reminisce and deja views from the Scrapperie Glad Tidings kit, the letters are from my stash (I think they are CK brand and I hate them) and I added a Dude journaling card from ScrapWords, a chunk of plain red felt and the wooden star. FYI - don't use chalk ink on felt, it doesnt dry and it gets everywhere! I need to replace the photo of my nephew becuase I got ink on it and messed it up more while trying to clean it up.


oh and the scanner cut off the edges. The PP doesnt actually go all the way to the top and left side, there is actually a border of the red cardstock that I inked .

This page is from our very very cold day out to ride the train with Santa.  PP is Reminisce, ribbon is american crafts, letters are doodlebug - all from the Scrapperie Glad Tidings kit. Other stuff includes: Snowflake felt from Queen&Co, and the little blue crystals that I used to dot the i's. The frame around Ellie I made by painting white paint onto a leftover piece of transparency.

 

oh and the snowflake felt ALSO doesnt go all the way to the top, there is some more blue cardstock that was cut off by the scanner

 

So that is all that is interesting today, well except for Seth's trip to ACMoore. LOL! gosh I feel really bad about sending him, and even worse for laughing at him. Oh wait, no I don't. LOL.

So the story goes like this. I ran out of my decoupage sealer that I use to seal the photos that I print on my printer, because otherwise they smudge and scratch and stuff. So I hand DH the can and ask him to go to ACMoore today and pick me up another one. so he goes out to run errands with DD andhe of course, forgets the can. So he goes into ACMoore and finds someone and tells her what I want - something to seal photos. Which of course, is not ACTUALLY what I want, yes it is what I am doing, but I actually want decoupage sealer. So he calls and asks me and finally finds it, then he asks if I need anything else. Of course, I do. I need some rub-on letters, which I think are made my making memories, but it turns out are made by american crafts, so he is wandering around on the cell phone toting a two year old who wants to keep all the toys that she finds along the way, and saying "so rub-ons are different than stickers?", "so I see tools and stuff with the M emblem, is that right", so I see these glitter rub-on things and twinkle type boxes, so it ISNT with the paper?, cuttlebug, cricut, sizzix ...

LOL, at this point he is just rambling off random words that he sees. and I am trying to describe the thiing he is looking for (a package of mini marks rub-on letters) and I tell him to ask someone and he finds a random lady and asks if she knows where the mini marks are - lol! and I say, no! ask her if she knows where the rub-ons are! most people wont know 'mini marks' but they will know the rub-on section.

I dont know what happened because he hung up and said he was leaving then called back and said - "they arent made by making memories they are made by american crafts!" at which point I smack my forehead and say "duh sorry". but he found them!

oh right and it is 4 days before Christmas too! lol! I am such a jerk! I can't stop chuckling every time I hear it. *sorry seth I just can't help myself*

in other news, we are going to the in-laws for dinner tonight, like every friday. And I can't wait, because after my migraine I could really use a nice homecooked meal. Plus they are going to be away for a while, so I know ellie would like to see them first. Oh and I got an appt with Tammy the amazing Chiropractor that I have been seeing since I was 14, but who is 2 hours away from here so I try not to go to if I can help it. And the appt is for 10am on Christmas Eve! in hockessin Delaware. UGH! I need to go, and I can't wait, and it is great because hopefully I will have a good holiday afterward, but the drive is going to be brutal. and then I guess we will go somewhere for lunch which of course will be crowded as well, and then we will go to my grandparents for our first annual celebration with them on Christmas Eve.

Oh and in even other news (yeah I guess I had more to say than I thought) hopefully Shannon (one of the other new Tres Chic girls) is going to be coming over to scrap and party and celebrate our new position on the design team. We havent met before but we have a lot in common and live pretty close so it should be a blast.

ok, closing my mouth now.

I'm a Tres Chic Girl!!

Woohoo! I am so excited! I found out last night that I was chosen to be one of the new Design Team members, aka Tres Chic Girls, at Scrapperie.com. There were so many gorgeous entries that I feel truly privledged to have been chosen. I am soooo looking forward to working with this talented (and fun) group of ladies. We had a blast at the Le Club chat last night. I stayed up until - get this - MIDNIGHT!! Anyone who knows me, knows that I am usually fast asleep by 9, or 8:30 on most nights. It is truly taking its toll on my today. I didnt get to work until about 9:45 - oops. So I will be here FOREVER. But it is soooo worth it. We had so much fun, and I can't think of a better way to have found out such good news than in the cyber-company of a bunch of new friends.

Soon I will have a new tag to show you all. But for right now, I guess that is all. Oh except one random thought for today from my drive to work.

I cross two different sets of train tracks on my way to work. And every single time it freaks me out just a little bit. I mean, I know that the lights would come on and the arms would come down if a train was coming, but I just get these visions of someone making a mistake and the train crashing into me. am I the only one? Oh and I am sure I could do a google search on this and get the technical answer, but seriously, why do buses stop at them. I mean, that really just makes them sit on top of the tracks even longer. Personally, I want to be over it as fast as possible. Do you really think that the bus stopping would in any way prevent an accident. I mean wouldnt the train be going faster than the driver could react if he did hear the train coming? hmmm.

Chocolate, Chocolate and more Chocolate

Somebody STOP me!! Seriously. today is our in-office holiday party. There is a TON of food and even more desserts. I brought my famous flourless chocolate cake with chocolate ganache. Ok, so the ganache is new, but it is definitely even better with it! I had TWO pieces! AND I have been introduced - yes as in, a new friend - to this new candy shop that I pass every day on my way to work. Actually it isnt new, it has been there forever, but since I am not from around here, I didnt know that it was so good. They make all of the candy there and it is tasty. They have THE BEST buttercreams - in dark chocolate. So I had about ten pieces of that, and then TWO chocolate covered pretzels (well actually one is still sitting on my plate, but you can bet it will be gone soon) AND a chocolate peanut butter cookie. So yeah, hello holidays, good-bye diet!

The good news is that I only have to work until 5 today and it is already 1:30, so I should get home with plenty of time to have dinner and make some cards before hanging out at scraperie's le club chat, then crashing into bed. Well at least that is the plan. I mean I don't know if I will make it to 10 for the chat, but a girl can hope right? Oh and maybe I better stay a little late at work since I am going to be late tomorrow. hmmmm.

oh and Eliana was a huge hit at the office party. I wish I had a pic, but she is wearing her red sweatshirt and skirt with the white faux fur trim. I almost feel guilty that a co-worker brought his kids and they are totally cute too, but just not as cute as Ellie. I feel like she stole the show, but what are you gonna do?

Oh, and I am still waiting on the scrapperie DT thing. I know, it is only Wed, but you know how patient I am - NOT. lol! when was the last time you heard someone say that? NOT! lol. Anyway, I am finding things to keep my mind off the waiting, mmmmmm, chocolate pretzel!! (yeah that didnt last long)

Ellie working today

Here are some pics of what Ellie and Seth were up to today. Unfortunately for me, that is not MY bathroom they are ripping up, it is a friend's. No new bath for me :( but how cute is SHE!

Tuesday Traffic Musings

Ok, so I should have posted this yesterday but I totally forgot and went off shooting my mouth about all kinds of stuff. So I had the weirdest drive to work yesterday. I was late and usually there isnt any traffic on a certain stretch of road, but yesterday there was a ton! I am sitting there wondering what the deal is, when I see the accident. Some poor sole got hit by a police officer! how much would that stink? I mean, being in an accident is bad enough, but if the other car was a cop that would just make it all that much worse. Then I move on, finally moving and I start seeing chunks of snowy ice on the side of the road. We didnt get any snow and the way they were scattered, it was clear that they had blown off of the top of a truck. Weird. As I approach the interchange to the turnpike (including the northeast extension) I start noticing cars in the southbound traffic with what could only have been about a foot of snow on the tops of their cars before they started driving. At first I was thinking, awww those poor souls dont have garages, then I realized that I dont have a garage either and I didnt have snow on my car, where did they come from? Then I realized that they had come off the northeast extension. I guess it isnt that weird but I just thought it was interesting that these people were commuting to work from so far away that they got a foot of snow and we got nothing but rain. hmmmm. Or is it that I commute too far? I mean I was a half hour north of where I live so I guess if they drove an hour then, well whatever. just the random thought of yesterday.

and today, I was late again and this time there were TWO accidents on the west-bound side of the turnpike. Luckily it only slowed me a little. Oh and the toll plazas at Ft. Washington seem to be back to working order. They have been working on them and so every day you come around the bend from the off ramp and have a different configuration. It is like the little surprise for the day - surprise we moved the ezpass lanes all the way to the right - surprise there are no ezpass only lanes today - surprise there are TWO ezpass only lanes. surprises are not a good thing when you have hundreds of people decelerating from 75mph to go through toll plazas and merging.

So this week the new DT at scraperie is going to be posted. I know it probably wont be until the end of the week, and I probably wont win, but still I find myself checking the site like compulsively 10 times a day - ok probably 20 times. wish me luck!

A few more thoughts for today

Wow, I am feeling really chatty today. I have been reading some famous scrapbooker blogs and had some interesting thoughts running through my mind. First, who has the time to do this stuff? I mean, I am looking at pictures of homemade gift tags. Yeah, I made my gift tags, they consisted of scrap cardstock cut into squares and stamped with a stamp that has a little design and "to: from:" on it. Cute, functional, free. Great. But these ladies are making unique elaborate tags for each person, with the person's name stamped on, or using letter stickers that they have in their stash, or whatever. And of course the tags coordinate with the immaculately wrapped gifts. Seriously?! Are you freaking kidding me? I mean, one year when I was single and had no kids, I bought coordinating paper and ribbons and made some tags (again just stamped) and my gifts looked all pretty. But this year my gifts are wrapped in a collection of dollar store papers. Yeah, they coordinate, I have the candy cane stripe and the red with gold dots. So I went with an all red theme. I even bought some silver curling ribbon, but it didnt make it onto the packages and it probably wont. I love a gorgeous present as much as the next person, but do people really appreciate that? I mean, I wrapped the present that I was taking to my office party (which I ended up forgetting on the dining room table) with a big red wire edged ribbon bow, because I knew that a bunch of adults were going to be looking at it. But kids certainly dont care. And when it is all said and done, that gorgeous paper and the tags too, usually end up in the trash - or in the fire at my house! I just can't justify spending the time to make gorgeous tags that no one is going to appreciate, when I could be spending that time scrapping some gorgeous pages, or *gasp* creating some memories with the people who receive my hastily wrapped, bow-less gifts.

And another thing. whose house looks like that? I am seeing pics of dinner parties with coordinating china, including charger plates and multiple table cloths and real napkins. It looks like something out of pottery barn. Yes, it's gorgeous, yes, I would love to set a table like that, yes I COULD set a table like that. I used to work for a caterer, I really know how to set a gorgeous table, but I am lacking in the coordinating christmas china and the real cloth napkins for 18, which of course coordinate with the silk table cloth - yeah silk! are you kidding me? even adults spill stuff, OFTEN. you wouldnt catch me putting a silk tablecloth out for my crowd. And they arent the worst behaved crowd, we just always manage to spill something.

Finally, what is with all the pics of 'inspiration'. Yes I read these blogs for inspiration, but I don't really care to see a pic from the pages of the crate and barrel catalog, just because you thought that the giant numbers on the wall were cool. And yeah, I guess I dont have to read your blog if I dont care. But I just wonder who you think is going to care? And if it were one or two pictures that really struck you, like the row of cupcakes with sherbet colored icing, then fine. But I dont need to see 10 random pics that you thought were cool. That you ACTUALLY took off of another blog. And then I think - what a pain, you had to actually save that photo and put it in your photobucket account (or whatever) and then copy it into your blog, and that took you a lot of time. Dont you have something better to do, like use that inspiration to make some gorgeous gift tags for the little favors that you are going to put at each place setting on your gorgeous table?

yeah, I'm jealous. I admit it. I wish I had the time to do all that stuff, and the money to buy the china and the silk, and not care if it got ruined. alas. I have limits on my time and money.

My 12 Days of Christmas Book

Journaling: Let it Snow{readmore}, Santa Baby, Feliz Navidad, Last Christmas, Happy Christmas, Home for the Holidays (I just had to pick 6)

then the lyrics from Home for the holidays are all around the sticker in the middle.

2- I think that I would choose last year because it was the first year that I could watch Eliana really enjoy her presents. However, I think that this year and other upcoming years might be even better!

 3- hot bread dip, snickerdoodles, gingerbread houses, rolled sugar cookies, buttery drop cookies -- I guess my favorite is the hot bread dip because it is warm and cheesy and just reminds me of the holidays and everything cozy about them.

4-I hope that they get the same warm fuzzies about the whole holiday experience that I do. I enjoy everything from shopping to baking, to giving and receiving gifts. I hope they enjoy those things too. I also hope that they get a similar sense of wonder and a feeling of magic when they gaze upon a lit Christmas tree in the dark. Finally, I hopw that they are able to understand my wishes for peace and unity in our family and the world at large and integrate both parts of their heritage into a personal expression of all those traditions.

5- family, friends, lights, decorations, magic, fires in the fireplace, cheery music on the radio, baking, cooking, laughing, singing, pajamas, french toast, bacon, gifts.

6 - (hidden under the photos and number 6) I have lots of special ornaments because I try to buy a new one every hyear and often when we go on vacation. Most of the ornaments on our tree have a story. I guess the best one is the first - the blown glass bird with a feather tail that we got in Disney World, the year I turned 21, before we were engaged. Seth thought I was crazy to try to take it home on the plane but I just loved it and had to have it. Then of course there is the dated ornament from our first Christmas married, and from Eliana's first Christmas. And this year I added a starbucks ornament to commemorate Ellie's love of steamed milke which she calls 'coffee'.

7. Miracle on 34th Street, Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer, how the grinch stole Christmas.

8- I think the most meaningful gift is the one that never came. I was expecting and engagement ring from Seth and was very disappointed when all the gifts had been opened and still there was no ring. As it turns out, he was trying to be unpredictable and proposed two days later and we picked out the ring together.

9- I love the twinkling lights on the tree and the house. The lights just make me feel the joy of the season deep down inside. When I was a kid, we didnt put up lights on the house because there was no one to see them. Now that I live in a neighborhood, I love putting up lights!

10 - I wish I could say that I fondly remember unwrapping that coveted Cabbage Patch Doll or Strawberry Shortcake. Unfortunately, my memory isnt that good. I remember things more in glimses and feelings. I remember my homemade stocking hanging on my dresser. I remember explaining to my little sister just how it IS possible that santa exists. I remember bounding onto my parents bed to open our stockings. I remember that magical feeling when I first saw the piles of gifts that santa had left.

11 - My favorite holiday tradition is definitely opening one present on christmas eve (PJs). I remember this tradition farther back than any other. And I love picking out that special pair for Ellie.

12 - this year will be the first year of a new tradition. Instead of having a party at my parents' house on Christmas Eve and going to Grams' house on Christmas Day, we will spend Christmas Eve with Grams, Gramps, Matt. Lindsay. Nana, Pop and of course, the kids. Then on Christmas Day we will have a relaxed day with Nana and pop, giving the kids time to play with their gifts.

What a weekend - or 4 more days to go!

I am totally counting the hours until I get a WHOLE WEEK OFF!!

We had a really crazy weekend. Friday I had the day off, and I honestly can't even remember what I did. I know that I ended up at JoAnns with Phyllis in the afternoon, and then sitting in traffic for 2 hours on my way to Lancaster. I picked up Ellie's (and Grace and Evan's) christmas pictures, and they all turned out great! When I got to Mom and Dad's, we had some supper and made some cookies and a cake for my work Christmas party. Then went to bed. Sat we rode the train with Santa in Strasburg. IT was fun. Of course Ellie and Grace were scared of Santa - honestly I dont really blame them. I mean I love Santa, but a big old guy who knows when you are asleep and when you are awake and sneaks into your house while you are asleep to give you gifts - kinda creepy if you think about it. The girls like the train ride though. The adults were bored and cramped in the tiny seat. But I am glad we went. After the train ride we beat it out of there and raced (literally) to the sandwhich shop down the road, because we were starving and knew that everyone else would be too. Sure enough, we got seated right away, but the people who were arriving when we were leaving (we were in and out pretty fast) had a half hour wait. Go us! Score one for the home team! So we made a few cookies and then I left for home around 3. When I got home I did a little scrapbooking. Can't wait to share my most favorite-est layout EVER, but right now I can't because it is in a contest, if you want to see it, it is over at www.badgirlskits.com. Then it was off to the company Christmas party, it was fun. We were there until like 10:30, after which we went to party #2 of the evening - Frank and Tracie's, and stayed there until after midnight, after which, we went home and collapsed and slept until like 10! can you imagine? I can't remember the last time I slept until 10 am. So then back to Mom and Dad's to pick up Ellie, and make some more cookies, then back home for a little scrapbooking while Seth took Ellie out to dinner with his parents at the country club. It was their last dinner there because we all quit effective the end of the year. They brought me back my fave - cobb salad, no bacon, dressing on the side. Seth was a little peeved that I didnt want to go, but I really needed time to relax. And it is a good thing that I took that time, because while I was eating my salad I started getting a migraine, so off to bed for me. Stupid me, didnt take any medicine, hoping that I would sleep it off, which I didnt. And when I woke up at 4am, my head was THROBBING. so THEN I took meds and went back to sleep and got into work late. Bummer because I am soooo looking forward to being done this week, and now I have to work until 7pm tonight and 8pm if I want to get ahead. UGH!

BUT I got my mini album for scrapwords done and I posted my new fave LO on bad girls. Oh and I found out that I won a Hanukkah stamp from ScrapFaith! It is a neat one too.

The theme of the week seems to be Agnosticism. I seriously thought that all scrapbookers were Christian, with a majority being Mormon, but I have recently come across a wealth of Jewish, and more astonishingly, agnostic scrappers! I guess wonders never cease.

I think that is officially what I am goign to start calling myself - agnostic. For a while I thought it was atheist, then confused, then non-denominational Christian, then confused, then atheist, and now I think what I have been missing all along is the name 'agnostic'. It fits perfectly. I have to say that I still love Christmas though, and THAT my friends, is never going to change.

Ok, back to work I think. I am so tired and just plain worn out from the headache that I just dont know how I am going to make it another 2 or 3 hours, and the headache is still kinda there, but oh well, whatever. here's hopin!

Hanukkah is over, we all know what's next

So last night was the last night of Hanukkah. I must say that I am a little sad to see it go. I really had a great time celebrating with Eliana. I am even more excited about Christmas now, but I must admit, a little apprehensive. I worry that she is going to be overwhelmed. Last night she got a gift from Bubby and Zayda and while Uncle Josh was putting it together, I thought she could open her gift from Mommy and Daddy. She did, but at first she was a little distracted, like wanting to keep an eye on her first present. Christmas is going to be like that only ten-fold.

I am sooooo ready for Christmas and the week long vacation that goes along with it. Last night I was asleep by 8pm. This morning I got up, workedout, and showered, before climbing into Eliana's bed, which she had long since vacated for ours, and falling back to sleep. Of course this means that I have to work until 7pm tonight. yuk. I really need a break!

In other news, I finished wrapping my presents. Ok, not finished finished, but almost. I just have a few small things to finish up and I will probably do that next week after work when I am sure that I have every last thing that I will possibly buy. Yes, my child is thoroughly spoiled.

Oh, and I got my first Bad Girls scrapbook kit. It is awesome and I already made one page from it, and a second is almost done - just waiting for Eliana's new pictures so I can finish it up. I am so glad that I got this kit. Oh, but it is killing me that I entered the page into a contest over there and so i can't share it anywhere else. I just want to share it everywhere. And that, my friends, is why I will probably never be published. I just can't stand to not share EVERY SINGLE page with my online pals right away. I mean, if I knew that it would get published I guess I coulld force myself but not for the slim-to-none chance of being selected. I just love sharing online too much. Oh well. Scrapbooking really is a hobby and I just want to be happy doing it.

I guess that is all for today. oh, no it isnt. I also finally managed to find some tiny suction cups to use to hang my lights on the inside of my windows. I hope it works, I looked in four different stores before finally finding them in a crappy dollar store that I never imagined myself buying anything from. Yes, that is the other news of the week. I am a dollar store snob, I only like the dollar tree with it's predictable everything is a dollar policy, and its predictable quality - not great but pretty good for a dollar. This other dollar store, not everything is a dollar, a lot of it looks used, and it smells funny in there. Oh well, I found my suction cups for - you guessed it - only a dollar!! LOL!

17 days until Christmas!

I am beginning to feel the stress. I dont really know why, since I am done my shopping, and I dont have much baking or other preparations. But I guess the problem is that my house is a mess and I have no decorations up yet. The good news is that the the kitchen floor is done. So now we can clean and start decorating. Flor is coming to clean on Monday, so I will probably just do some wrapping and scrapping this weekend and get to decorating in earnest next weekend.

I am very excited because my first kit from Bad Girls arrived today. I havent actually seen it, but seth says it is there. I plan to take a peek as soon as I get home. However, before getting home we are having a party at Sherry and Bob's for Hannukah. Everyone will be there. It should be fun; Ellie loves lighting the candles and singing the songs, and of course opening the presents. So far, she is LOVING Hannukah. I can't wait for her to see Christmas, she is goign to love that too. I think the gifts are really the key, and the attention. But oh well, what are you going to do. Halloween was a hit because of the candy. She's two, what can you expect.

That is all for now I guess. Back to work.

Hanukkah and Pee on the Potty!

woohoo! Ellie went pee on the potty today. She got out of bed and said she wanted to sit on the potty and she went! I am so excited!

 

here is a picture of my new floor. I know, the kitchen is still a work zone and it isnt really impressive in this pic, but I thought I would share{readmore}- it is almost functional!! We just need to buy one more tile to finish the corner by the stove (that is why the stove is not sitting straight)

 

and here are the promised pictures of hanukkah. These first couple are lighting candles. It was the first night of hannukah so we light one candle to represent the first night, but you always like the shumash - the candle that you use to light all the others. Also, you will see that we have multiple menorahs here - each family brings their own menorah. I think that is just something that our family does. and I think it is mainly so that each family unit has something to light. Also, we each have our own menorah because we only get together once or twice out of the eight nights and the other nights we say the prayer and light the candles at our own house.  

Here we are playing dreidle. We used peanuts for the 'betting' becuase that is what baby bear uses on elmos happy holidays dvd.  

 here is Eliana opening some presents with her zayda. She will get one present each night, after we light the candles. (but she actually gets two each night - one from us and one from Bubby and Zayda)

 

 here is a page that I am pretty proud of. The challenge was to only use one sheet of patterned paper - no cardstock or other paper. I finally used that starbucks paper! I went with a brown and green theme because that reminds me of starbucks. I love how the fancy pants felt works here!

 

 Here is a simple two page LO about Elianas first trip to the aquarium. I just loved all the photos here and I had a clever idea for the journaling so I kept it simple. 

 

The journaling reads: tickets to the aquarium: 38.41

lunch at the aquarium: $24.13

parking at the aquarium: $7.50

stuffed animal souveneirs: $33.22 

a wonderful day with bubby, mommy and lots of fishes, priceless. 

 

Still Going Strong on Losing Weight!

I added a new goal today! I am close enough to meeting my first mini goal, and I needed a pick-me-up this week and a new motivation, so I added another mini goal. Lose another 10lbs by Halloween (and my daughter's Bday) It is going to be tough because it is only 9 weeks, so I have to do a little over a lb a week. But I have been doing more than that already, so I really just have to keep up the good work. (OK easier said than done)

I still havent worked out this week. Probably wont today either. I have to work until 8 tonight!!! AHHHHHHHHH! Dont know if that will happen. I might have to work on Sunday. Oh well. I also need to get some rest because I am still recovering from being sick. So I am not worrying about working out. I will start that back up by Sunday. (I might have time on Friday, but if I do then that will be a bonus. - concrete goals!)

I haven't been keeping up with this blog, because I have been writing at Scrapwords, but I have decided that I will start keeping up with this one too. I will just attach the comments I make at SW to the bottom so that I dont have to repeat myself, if something is repeated.

Now for today, the word is pretty much the same as it was yesterday at SW. I am still sick, and I am still really busy. Work is busy, and home is busy. I have to make up time at work and we have a deadline, PLUS I have to get some stuff together for a consignment sale that I am contributing to, at a local church. It has to be to them by Thurs evening, so I have to get a move on, but I just dont have any time!! So with that, I gotta go to a meeting.

from Scrapwords:

20 Aug, 2007

Wow - we had a really crappy weekend in my house. Both me and DH were really sick. He had a fever and I lost my voice and we both just generally felt like total crap all weekend. Ellie was doing so much better, and annoyed at her parents for being no fun. So I dont have much to share from this weekend. I got ABSOLUTELY NOTHING done. And now I am back at work, still coughing up a storm, I have a sinus headache and still pretty much feel like crap, but we have a deadline. So I am here for a minute, but I gotta go. Just wanted to say hi. I will stop by on my breaks, but I dont have much to contribute since I am just trying to recover.

Hope everyone else had a better weekend!

summer cold!

So, I came down with a cold last night. This ALWAYS happens to me when I start a new diet. I dont know why. My husband thinks it is all in my head, but well it is all in my head - the cold that is! It makes it really difficult to stick with the plan. This week is going to be even worse than the times in the past that have led to my diet failure. This weekend I am having a birthday party for DH. So I have to work 44 hours this week (it is my week to NOT have friday off) and get ready for the party, and even though I only work 9 hours a day, I drive an hour and a half every day, so with lunch that is up to 11, and now I am sick! UGH!
Oh, and did I mention that Ellie is sick too?! Yep, she got a runny nose on Friday and DH was saying - oh it is just allergies. With him EVERYTHING is allergies. I keep telling him (for years now) that I dont have seasonal allergies, but he wont believe me. Every time I get a cold he says it is allergies. Whatever, I have gotten over worrying about it. I guess it doesnt really matter. A runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat etc, is a pain whether it is allergies or not. (If a fever comes along then he will admit that it is not allergies. )
Oh and, I couldnt sleep last night even though I took Nyquil. That is really strange for me, because usually I sleep like a log as soon as my head hits the pillow, and with Nyquil, I am usually out for like 10 hours! So, I figured if I couldnt sleep, I may as well get up and go to work. I almost went to work at 4:30, but managed to stay in bed until 5. Then of course, I almost fell asleep in the car on the expressway! And the whole time I am thinking, "ok when I get to work I will take a little nap" then I get to work and I can't fall asleep. Weird! My head is just stuffy enough, and my eyes are just sore enough that I feel like I need to sleep but I can't. UGH!

Thursday that is really Friday

Boy, you have to love it! I get every other Friday off, and it kind of stinks working 9 hour days to get that day off, but it really rocks when I have a 3 day weekend! It is like someone gave me a gift! I always try to do something special with it. This Friday I am taking Ellie to the zoo, along with Nana and Grace! I just know the girls are going to have a great time - Nana too! I hope the elephants are still there. They are moving the elephants out because the habitat isn't good for them. I am all for that, I think the animals should be somewhere that they can be comfortable. But I want Eliana to see them one more time. She loves elephants lately! If they are there, I will have to make sure to get a pic of her with them (or three - LOL!).

So, today feels like Friday, and I am in such a good mood! I worked from home yesterday and I just feel so much more rejuvenated today. It really is amazing! I don't think I would want to work at home every day even if I could. But after sitting in traffic for 2 hours on my way home on Tuesday night, it was a really nice change of pace to be able to 'sleep in' - til 6am - lol! and then sit around in my pajamas getting my work done in total peace and quiet. I really got a ton of work done! And like I said, I feel so great today! The drive didn't frustrate me like I think it would have yesterday.

Oh, and I worked out again this morning. That makes two days this week. Ok, not fantastic since my goal is every day, but not too shabby. I sort of hurt my leg while I was working out on Tuesday, so that is why I didn't do it on Wednesday - needed time to heal.

Oh and scrapbooking! Last night after I finished work I put a meatloaf in the oven - it also felt really good to make a homecooked meal. Then I scrapbooked. I finished the LO about my desire to lose weight - well finished except the bling crown that I don't have yet. I think it looks pretty good - exactly what I had in mind, but I dont know if it is too busy. Seth thinks it is. So I might change it a little tonight. It felt really good to do something totally different and artistic. The page is full of doodling, and writing. It looks sort of 'urban' like graffiti. Seth said it has a 'stream of consciousness feel'.

Here we go again

This would be my third attempt at a blog. I think blogs, in general, are an interesting trend. They really generate a lot of nothing. Everyone seems to want to put information about their life out there for the world to see, and they seem to think that other people really want to read it. I don't know about that. Anyway, I thought I would give it a shot. Maybe I will come around and see the beauty in all of this. The only way to find out is to try right? So I titled this blog, thoughts of traveling because I really do think about that all the time. I just love traveling. Right now it is pretty much all dreams. But someday it will be reality once again. In the mean time, I dont really plan on writing a whole lot about it. Which is why the actual title of this blog is more simply, thoughts a dreams.

Right now my life is pretty much consumed with work, family, and scrapbooking. I have been scrapbooking for about 3 years now, but just in the last couple months would I say I have become addicted. It is all I think about and all I do in my free time these days.

Originally, my goal was simply to get my pictures and story down in a format that is pleasing to the eye. Now I have become more interested in making my pages into works of art, and entering them in contests. My goal is to be published. I dont want to try to make a career out of this or anything, but it would be nice to get the validation of being published or at least winning a small contest or two. I still don't want to lost sight of the original goal though, and that is to record life in a way that my daughter and her children can happily look back on it.

Ok, I guess that is it for the introduction.