Coming out from a deep dark hole...

in the middle of the Earth somewhere. I know it has been ages since you have last heard/read dribble flowing from my fingertips. Some of you may actually have been rejoicing... if that is the case, why do you come to see if it is there? I digress!

I do check my blog list almost daily, and I am constantly unnerved at the many of you all that rarely update your blogs. I need that info to keep me going! Once again, I digress... but... seriously, how many of you all NEED my updates to keep you going! You all ARE my addiction! But then, after reading your blogs, I start to realize what a boring mundane world I actually live in. For me... not so boring, in fact, I love it, just can't keep up with it! Have you all ever read The Pioneer Woman's blog? OMG... you will never come back to my world after reading hers! Her link is over there ----> Check her out! But please come back here and do not expect that level of entertainment from me! I don't have that much going on!

So... what has been going on? You would think after 24 days of not hearing from me, I would have so much to post... not so much!

Kidlet # 1 ~ Track season is over! Isn't she adorable? She came in fifth in conference for the 1200! That is 3/4 of a mile, and she ran it in 4:54 Not her best time, but I am NOT going to persuade any of you to think otherwise... how many of you can run three laps around a football field in that time, and barely break a sweat OR sound like a prank call in the middle of the night? I can't! She can! And do it well!

Kidlet #2 ~ He is just skating through life on the heals of his bigger sister. Basically, where ever she goes or needs to go, he is right there! He spends more time at her activities than any five year old needs to! However, knowing that he isn't the only younger sibling in this world, there are probably multitudes for him to converse with! Can we say group therapy?

He was able to go on a field trip to our aquarium with his class, and I got to chaperone! Not often when I get excited about going on a school bus full of people under the age of, say THIRTY, and enjoy it! However, look at this guy...

Me ~ Following said kidlets where they must go... And, the looming thing? That dreaded Spring Trip! Remember above paragraph's mentioning of kids and school busses? Well, this trip, I load up 70 7th graders on two coach style busses and we cruise around Texas for four days and three nights! I have eight other teachers with me for this LONG days/SHORT nights expedition! I survive every year; however, I am a mess the weeks before. I have been planning this trip since the Monday after we returned from last years trip. But this month leading up to the trip is a stressful time! There is so much riding on ME for that week, my hubby and kids do NOT like me going (ok, #1 could care less because SHE is going on her spring trip at the same time), and I don't like being away from them!

On top of that, it is National Poetry Month, and we hit it full force! The day before our trip, I fill my classroom with the kids, their poetry books, AND THEIR PARENTS! Why I do this... because the parents LOVE it! 48 kids, 24 poems a piece, scrapbooking... Yep, that is 1,152 poems I read in a matter of a month! All student written!

And... have you SEEN Go. Be. Creative's May kit! It is LUSCIOUS! The papers are amazing enough, but then the stamp? Wow! The add ons? Wow! But even more... Tam's Whatchamadoodles journaling boxes! WAY WOW! Click on the site's name and you can see the journaling spots!

I will never be a Cass, but I am also trying to self teach myself how to use PSE 6! After playing with it, I am really loving it! I took and altered those photos of the kidlets! I love it!

OK, now if THAT isn't enough of an update... then go read Ree's stuff on The Pioneer Woman!

Lights Out!

me

It is APRIL!

And April Fool's Day at that!

Cass has a Monday Mallyism... so how about Tuesdays with Trav? Today he shows up in my room ten minutes before we are to leave. I am trying to be patient, knowing one wrong turn and the day will go down FAST (I live with a family of NON MORNING people)! So... I ask him gently why he isn't dressed yet, we need to be leaving soon! He gets this HUGE grin on his face, pulls up his PJ shirt to show me his uniform, and yells "April Fools, Mommy!" I just cracked up! He was SO proud of himself!

April 1st ALSO means that I get to reveal my Go Be Creative projects! Well, TWO of them... since I am somehow having camera issues. Haven't taken photos of my other goodies!

Layout #1! This is the four of us... the grass was dead, but after playing with PSE6, I got it green! :) Isn't the kit yummy! I partial stamped the word with chalk ink!

This is what I did for the April challenge for GBC! It looks LOVERLY in my scrap room! Check out the challenge... **I will post the link after I post the challenge** I used the black chipboard from the add-ons and used Glossy Accents to make them pop!

Lights Out!
me

Can you say...

SPRING! Photo over load coming! It was just a beautiful weekend! I know that there are people out there still with snow on your driveway... but we are already sweating down here in Texas, so we are taking care of the heat!

E is all about looking good in the water! And except for the close up... nothing was posed!

T is all about being a boy! Once again, NO POSING! Are you kidding... that is like pulling teeth, getting a five year old to pose!

Bad thing, that means shorts weather... my legs are NOT ready for shorts weather! They are pasty white, out of shape, and yes, hairy! I hate shaving, and I all but refuse to during the summer! I digress!

I have been asked where the Easter photos are! I didn't get many traditional shots... Got the egg basket, and the table before the storm, traditional breakfast, and the random blurred kidlets running to find eggs!

Check back tomorrow, and I hope to share some scrappy treats with you!

OK, gotta go find some calories to fill this stomach, and some caffeine to ditch the attitude! How does that sound for a tasty lunch!

Lights Out!

me

Where has the time gone...

Days just seem to pass on top of days! I am not sure how that happens... Last week was Spring Break! I DID get a break from school (a much needed one, I am back with SMILES abound today), however, I did not go anywhere!

I got to work at my new little lss A Scrap Affair during the break! And let me tell you what... for those of you who think working/owning a scrapbook store is a dream job... It is and it isn't! I loved being around Meredith and all the customers! I loved being around all the papers and product! I loved helping people new to the hobby when they came in to "learn", I loved teaching my classes... but it was HARD work! The only scrapping I got done the entire week... my two class samples for April! I think I was more tired after a day at the store, than a week of teaching! But it was good honest fun work! I am in total withdrawals!

Meredith is having a fun Blog Challenge for the month of April! Make sure to check out the store's blog... especially if you are in the neighborhood! She will post it later in the week.

Here are April classes for the store... if you are in the area come on by!

April Cards: (the bottom two cards are inspired by the wonderful sketch artists at Sketch This!)

April Class:

E headed by plane to Louisiana, train to DC, and cabbie to her hotel for the week to spend some touristing time with my sister in law! She had a blast! And I constantly bugged her to death about taking photos! I want her to make a little mini-album for her... and thought she could make one for her aunt and uncle as well! With her gone, T was stuck hanging out at the store with me all week! And you know what? He LOVED every minute of it! He was SO good! I really was shocked at how well behaved he was for a five year old to spend that many hours a day at a store! He did get to spend two days playing with Meredith's boys, and the day that the store was closed, we went to see Horton Hears a Who with Laura and her little guy! It was a GREAT week!

And finally... here is the layout I did last weekend based on the sketch in my last blog post! Whatcha think? Did I do it justice? The cool thing (for me anyway. there is a little food court in the center of the zoo, and their sign looks similar to my title! I just had to use it in the layout)

Hope to have more info soon, and less time in between posts! We did find out that my baby brother is due back in the states early June! Thanks to all who continue to support out troops!

Lights Out!

me!

Scrappy Saturday!

What a beautiful Saturday... and all I can think about is scrapping!

Today ends the first race in the Race for the Embellishments over at Scrappy Arts! Tomorrow starts round two over at Go.Be.Creative. Sure to be a Glitzy Time!

Here is the Forever Love layout! It is a little clearer...

This month at GBC, I am hosting an Ad Challenge for a little prize! Pull out those photos and goodies, and get to scrapping!

Lights Out!

me

Do you SEE this?

This is the latest kit from Go Be Creative! The sad thing... you can only SEE it! March kit sold out FAST! There are still add ons, but sadly you can't love, touch, and fondle the little pieces in this kit! However, I have seen APRIL'S kit, and it is even better! Go... Run... Sign up now!Here are a few of the items I have finished so far with March... Shhh... don't tell Lainey that I am posting these before March 1st! Just go order April!

Patty is having a GREAT altering challenge! The only rule is to alter something... Children of Scrappers everywhere... take cover, not even YOU are safe with this challenge! If you are still enough... you get altered!

The kit had a fun little sewing guide in it! I learned some valuable lessons with this kit... I didn't realize I was that bad at sewing and I have NO patience for knots! I don't think they came out all that bad!

This is my bestest cyber-friend's precious daughter... She took the photo (go check out her work... CLG Photography) and she is simply amazing! I love the baby in the mailbox! WOW, Cass! And these cuties are MY parents! Aren't they adorable! I am not sure that the color of the layout came out right, I might have to shoot another photo of it! The back page is navy swirl... not black! And... I am no Cass, but I took those!

OK, I updated!

Lights Out!

me!

History according to a FIVE year old...

So... we have Presidents' Day off, and apparently T was learning a little bit in school... He needed to spread the wealth of historical knowledge with us for this fine weekend.

"A long time ago, when Abraham Lincoln turned into a president, he sold the slaves which made everyone mad. One guy even shot him in the back of the head while he was watching a show in the president's seat. The states like Louisiana and Texas moved away!"

I dare ANYONE to challenge this little guy's understanding of what happened so long ago! Gotta love a kid that knows his stuff!

Lights Out!

me

Happy LUUUUUUUUV Day!

Just wanted to spread some love! How can you not have a happy Valentine's day knowing that these guys are yours!

Just love them to pieces!

For letting me be camera crazy...

For loving me the way I am...

For just being them...

Hope you all get to snuggle with the one you love today!

Lights Out!

me

Scrappy Updates...

Just thought I would show off a few of my little projects! These are all still mainly from Lainey's great kit over at GBC...

This one is for the February challenge posted by Patty, and it really is something I have wanted to do for a while!

This one is more or less a scraplift from the new CK media Digital Scrapbooking magazine! We got it free at CKC. Mine isn't digital, but the papers worked so well with this idea!

And lastly... This one is for Lyn's cute little C challenge over at her ABC Challenge blog! What? You haven't heard about it? It is great for ideas!

Yesterday we decided to start the home improvement, and fixed the front door! We went from ghetto casual, to sleek and sophisticated! I have the before photo, but it was too dark to take the after. I will do that this afternoon and have a BRAND new blog post tomorrow!

Track starts tonight, so a whole new fodder of photos I am sure will follow!

Lights Out!

me

Happy Happy to me!

And quite a few more... That is right... I am NOT afraid to mention that I officially turned "old" today! And my beautiful mother posted this over at Scrappy Arts... So I thought I would let the rest of the world see me "nekkid!"

Get your minds out of the gutter... I was only about six months old!

Hope everyone else has a wonderful day! And if you are brave enough to do it, let's see a photo of YOUR baby BUM! Link me to where you post it! Could just be a RAK involved if you so choose to take that challenge!

Lights Out!

me

February at GBC

OK, I know I am biased about the kits at Go.Be.Creative, but Lainey has really hit the mark with this month's Rosemary Kit! You can check out the new kit, sign up to get it to come to your door, and come hang out at the site!

I had a blast playing with it. Here is what I got done! I have ONE more to go, but kids, homework, dinner, etc kinda pulled me away from the table!

And I QUOTE

TIME

and my Valentine's for my loves

I also created a canvas class using this month's kit. You can check it out HERE on the site's blog. If you make the canvas this month, your name will go into a hat, if you use this month's kit, your name goes in the hat TWICE!

TAGGED... again!

Lainey tagged me...so here it goes...



Here are the rules:

1. You have to post the rules before you give your answers.

2. You must list one fact about yourself beginning with each letter of your middle name. (If you don't have a middle name, use your maiden name).

3. After you are tagged, you need to update your blog with your middle name and your answers.

4. At the end of your blog post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name. (Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged and that they need to read your blog for details.)



My middle name: Brooke

B - Bashful... I really am! Once I know you though, you won't get me to shut up!

R - Romantic (hopeless actually)... Luckily I am married to someone that buys into it on most days!

O - Optimistic... I do try to look for the best in people... and sometimes I actually even find it! See... glass is always HALF-FULL!

O - Ornery... Because CASSIE said so!

K - Kooky... There are just little things that I wonder about my own self sometimes.

E - Energetic... a definite morning AND night person! And when I get that second wind... watch out!



I am tagging the following SIX people:

Cassie, Lyn Marie, Jeanne, Gretchen, Amy, and Lisa!

Give it a shot...

My "For the LOVE of Canvas" class has been posted over at the GBC Blog! Check it out HERE! I hope you decide to give it a shot! They are FUN to make, and so easy too!

I never got around to posting these lovelies... Yep... that is Mom and me with Stacy Croninger of Paper Crafts and Elizabeth Kartchner, CK's Scrapbooker of the Year!

I have tons of projects, layouts, and cards to upload... maybe I can do that tomorrow! Progress reports go out tomorrow, so I am under a timing crunch! Off to grade more essays!

Lights Out!

me!

Whatcha think?

I made this place a NEW banner... thanks to the friendly people over at Flickr... found the letters I liked and pieced them all together!

While we were at Mom's over the New Year I took the kids out for some individual photo shoots! Then Miss Cassie walked me through some steps in Photoshop... so... now I have really fun shots for the frames over my bed!

This is E's TWELVE year old shot...

This is one of the non-goofy shots of T... The one I actually framed I don't have on this computer! Not sure why!

And I caught T checking out the sites with his new binoculars! Can't wait to scrap THIS one!

It is on the tail end of hump day... only two more days of the week... And one week from Friday Mom and I are CKC bound! I can't wait! A full day of scrapping, learning, shopping, playing, and Mom!

Lights Out!

me

Accept...

OK, two years in a row Ali Edwards has done her word post. It really is quite overwhelming... last year TOO much. This year, I perused the list and decided to just watch what Ali et al does with these words... until ACCEPT popped off of my screen! It really didn't look any different than any of the other words at first glance, but it seemed to be following me throughout the list!

So... I am going to attempt to ACCEPT this year!

I need to ACCEPT that:

I am NOT neat! I love to organize, but have problems staying organized

I will always have to work! I will never be able to be a stay-at-home-mom/scrapper...

I can not scrap 24/7! I have a life, love, kids, that need me more than my photos sometimes!

I have to work hard at being a great teacher! Kids change... I need to focus on learning not just teaching!

I am the best mom that I know how to be! I don't always do it right, but I always have their interest at heart!

I am the best wife that I know how to be! And I will always be loved for that.

I am me! I will always be me, and this is who I am as a person.

I can not change things! As much as I try, there are things in this world that I can just not change! I do not have powers to fix the things that are beyond my immediate "world!"

And I will learn to ACCEPT this for all that I am! And I am OK with this!

Lights Out!
me

The BIG Sixteen...

This happened SIXTEEN years ago today! What a whirlwind of years it has been! I love you, Baby!

Wasn't completely using my head when I told E that she could have a friend spend the night! Oh well... Then we are ordering pizza... the funny thing... there is a story in there! We didn't get anything to eat at our reception, so we called room service as soon as we got to the hotel! It was closed and Dominoes was the ONLY thing that would deliver! Our very first "meal" as a married couple... Pizza... so I think it is great that that is what we are having tonight! Ahhh

Lights Out!

me!

Happy Holidays...

And a Happy New Year from US!

Lights Out!

me

How is THIS to put you in the Christmas spirt?

Conversation between myself and a very sleepy/grumpy five-year-old!

Me: We are going to see Santa tomorrow, what are you going to ask him for Christmas? (prompting, as E and I are going shopping this afternoon)

T: Nothing!

Me: Nothing? You don't want anything for Christmas?

T: No!

Me: Well, that should be easy for the elves to make.

Pulling into the parking lot a few minutes later!

T: Mom, I figured out what I want for Christmas!

Me: Oh yeah, what is that!

T: A new Mommy! You are mean!

Merry Christmas to ME! Things can only get better, right?

Lights Out!
me

I know it is sappy...

But I just LOVE those feel-good-everyone-ends-up-happy Christmas movies! I just do! I can't believe how many there are... watched a CUTE one (despite moaning) about a little boy that wanted a husband for his mom! Just CUTE! Sappy cute! Know what I mean!

And I know he won't see this, but I wanted to wish my **baby** brother a very happy birthday! Still on a boat doing what he loves! I love you!

Lights Out!
me

Monday Musings...

This is my LAST Monday teaching in the 2007 school year! Glass is always HALF FULL! For the half empty part... I haven't even BEGUN to get our Christmas Shopping done! What to do about that? Take a SHOPPING DAY! And that is exactly what I plan to do! Tomorrow, I am dropping the kidlets off... and hitting the road with Mom!

I won a GC to Starbucks today at lunch, so my plan... meet Mom for a warm-me-up first thing in the morning (my treat), go over our game plan, and hit the road running! It is an hour plus away, so I have to be heading home by 4PM at the latest! Let's see what we can get accomplished! The key here... game plan! Shopping, eating, laughing, chatting... just hanging out with Mom! What a great day!

Dropped my altered calendar off at the lss... it is going to be a GREAT class, and you get to pick your papers! That way it matches YOUR space and not mine! I will add a photo when I have it with me, it is on my home computer!

Had a nice quiet weekend. Didn't get a lot created, but had good solid family time! Always a plus! And I got my butt beat AGAIN at Scrabble! Why is that NOT a surprise?

OK, off to work on that game plan!

Lights Out!
me