Work It!

I think God has lit a big fat fire under my butt in the past few weeks.

First, I felt super compelled to read (aka, tear through) Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. It was inspiring and empowering. It was an eye-opener. I have new perspective. I'm a little overwhelmed. But in a good, manageable way. This book was a good thing for me. Because Lucas works and I am home, I am the one who "takes care of" the money stuff. Confession time... in the past year, that has consisted of little more than paying the bills and shoving receipts in a drawer to deal with at some later date.

No more! Today and tomorrow I am working on getting receipts entered, papers filed, and my front room generally de-cluttered. A gigantic undertaking, but it can be done! It MUST be done! For my sanity and peace of mind. Then we shall re-evaluate our budget and make some necessary changes. Two giant bits of wisdom that Dave Ramsey crams into a few little words: 1. Baby steps. 2. Start with the END in mind. Yes, I can do this!

As if that weren't enough, I've also suddenly been motivated to start working out once a day. I dug out the old EA Active for wii and started a new 30 day challenge this morning. I did the intense workout. Then I nearly fell down the stairs from my jell-o legs (can you say inline skating? *lol*). So I'm really planning on keeping up with that during the weeks especially. Maybe I'll chill on weekends, but there's no reason not to take 30 minutes from my Mon-Fri.

So there you have it. I am on fire! Pumped! Ready!
Wish me luck!

**********

I'm feelin' fallish

Okay honestly, I TRIED to do a post the other day. I spent a solid 45 minutes only to find out that the photos were GIGANTICALLY HUGE and wouldn't fit. So I took the post down. I will have to do some photo editing before I can share those pics.

I can share a few layouts though... again. Seems that's about all I've got for you lately. But there WILL be more to come. And at least you have SOMETHING to look at, right?

So, the theme for my scrapping lately seems to be AUTUMN. Lots and lots of autumn.

Tractors:
These are actually a few of the pictures I attempted to upload yesterday. A few weekends ago we went to the 19th Century County Fair at Conner Prairie. It was a pretty gloomy day that threatened to rain, but the weather held out for us. We had a lot of fun. We checked out lots of the old tractors at the fair. Old. Old. And still in fantastic shape. Very cool.

journaling: ‘This year we went to Conner Prairie’s 19th Century County fair. There were food booths, egg launches, VERY old fashioned rides, and tractors, tractors, tractors! It was amazing that these very old machines were still in working order.’

(Click here to view full credits)

So Glad You're Here:
Layout #2 uses some old pictures. These are from 2009 I think. Meagan had a field trip to the apple orchard / pumpkin patch, and Grandma H. got to come along! Good memories (although it was FREEEEEEZING cold!)


Journaling: You loved that Grandma H. was able to come on your orchard field trip with us! I know she loved it too. The two of you are such good buddies.

(Click here to view full credits)

Apple Orchard Hay Ride:
Same field trip. We took a hay ride out to the apple orchard, and they dropped us off right by the trees where the kids were supposed to pick their apples.


You should be able to read the journaling on this one I think.

(Click here to view full credits)

**********

My "Dumb" phone

It came today! It's charging now... when I get home from being Mom-Taxi I will put my smart phone away forever and move forward with my 'dumb' phone. I am SO excited!

As I was backing up my contacts in my 'smart' phone, I found that it has randomly deleted various phone numbers, and even some complete contacts. Phone numbers I used to have stored are there no more. *sigh* This thing has been the dumbest smart phone ever! Ever!

In other news, I went over to Pier 1 today and applied for a holiday sales position. I thought it would be fun to do something outside of the house for a bit. Until recently, I have not felt like working out of the house was what I should be doing, even though I contemplated it several times. So when this 'holiday sales' position first came to my awareness, I mentally sat it aside. But it kept popping back up. I've prayed about it. I have peace about trying it. If I don't get the job, I'm okay with that too. But I think this job could be a tool for us to reach a few of our goals, and to help me get engaged and meet people outside of my limited circle. So we'll see.

Now I'm off to pick up the kids and run to gymnastics, come home and make dinner, then run to football, then back to gymnastics to pick up, then home to supervise homework and showers and such. *sigh* Evenings are busy busy around here, but I do love every minute of it. I love where I am right now. Being a mom is the best. (Most of the time, *lol*).

**********

Fabrics Make Me Happy

I confess, I have a rapidly growing addiction, and it comes in the form of fabrics. *sigh* They just make me happy. Fabric in curtains, on pillows, in bedding... fabric on chair covers and seat cushions and blankets and quilts. Fabrics that haven't been made into anything yet, just waiting to become something fun (like a really cute apron maybe... i have a thing for aprons, too!). So here's my tribute to my love for fabrics...

For this week's Digi Dare...

journaling: the colors, the prints, the textures. it all makes me feel all cheerful inside! i love floral prints and polk-a-dots and damask. i love cotton and linen and corderoy. mixing and matching and cooridinating and contrasting. i love it all! i would say that it's my infatuation with all things pretty & fabric that has prompted me to learn to sew.

(Click here to view full credits). Be sure to check out this week's Digi Dare. It's the last week to play for gift certificates from our FABULOUS September line-up of sponsors!

**********

Back to Basics

Sometime last year I decided to try a smart phone for keeping my schedule and tasks in order. Got a Droid. Loved the Droid. It was working for a while.

Some time this summer, I downloaded a reputable app to my phone. Since then, it has been nothing but trouble. I have reset the memory several times. I have restored it to factory settings. I have done everything I know to do. I even took it to the Verizon store and had that guy try, but he didn't do anything except tell me I could buy a new phone. Grr.

As it is now, for months my phone has done a random shut-down trick where it turns itself off and then refuses to turn back on. It doesn't matter if the battery is fully charged or not. It has a crazy mind of its own. I've been stuck on several occasions where I really needed to get to my calendar or contact list and have been unable to because my dumb phone has been in the middle of one of its fits.

No more. I have decided to "upgrade" to a not-so-smart phone, do away with the $30/month data package, and get a paper planner. This has been one case where the concept of the technology is fabulous, but doesn't match the reality of the technology. Paper planners won't slam closed and refuse to open at critical moments. They will not discard and lose precious information. True, they're not as fun as a fancy phone, and the paper planner will NOT ding reminders at me throughout the day (hopefully this isn't too problematic... those dinging reminders have saved me a few times!). But I've had it with this phone and overpaying while it under delivers. Time for me to go back to the basics!

I went this morning to see if I could find one. I got this one at Barnes & Noble, and I've spent a good chunk of the morning / early afternoon transferring information. I really like the format of the pages. Like the little birds on the cover. And it's big enough to have space to write, but not so big that I need a suitcase to haul it around. I think this one will work for me *crossing my fingers*


**********

Rake, Jump, Repeat

I have a NEW COMPUTER!!! Yay! (insert happy dance here)

And so of course the first thing I had to do with it was make a layout! I have been on some SERIOUS Photoshop withdrawal.*lol* And it is a scrapbooking dream come true. For real. So fast. So pretty. So on my list of favorite things.

Here's layout #1 I did with my new beast... a few pics of Meg and one of her friends in Ohio raking up the leaves so they could jump in them. I've already scrapped quite a few of these pictures in this layout, so this new page will go along with the other one.... which is why there is ZERO for journaling on this page.



Some of the products I used on this layout are on sale today 50% off as part of The Lilypad's Something Old Something New (every Wednesday, new and older products of the designers' choice marked off for one day only... so be sure to mark you calendars for Wednesday's SOSN sale!). You can see a full list of credits here.

So now that I'm back to having a computer to work with, I'll try to get back in the swing of things with blogging. I have quite a few pictures on my camera waiting patiently to be downloaded and shared with the world!

**********

i'm on my way!!

i'm on my way back! tonight, after MUCH research and near-purchases, we finally just did it. we bought a computer. a laptop. a really cool one. i get to go pick it up at the store tomorrow. as SOON as my chiropracter appointment is over tomorrow, i'm heading to best buy! so excited to finally have a functional computer of my own again! maybe, just maybe, i'll be back in action by tomorrow evening. if not, then soon. but i'm on my way back, baby!

**********

Fatter Albums

Adding more pages to the scrapbook albums (well, in theory, if I ever actually get around to printing and assembling that is).

Froggy Friday at The Lilypad again! This week the store is CRAMMED full of gorgeous new stuff! Must check it out. Must!

Layout #1: Using new goodies like Valorie Wibbens' Now I Know My ABC's Paper, Amy Wolff's Cardboard Puddle Jumpers, and Sahlin Studio's Modern Words: School Grades.

Just Meagan and some basic facts about her 1st grade experience.

Layout #2: Another Meagan layout - this time capturing the simple truth that makes our Meagan who she is... the girl says what she's thinking. All the time. For this layout I used the new Sass Mouth kit from The Tattered Pear.



Layout #3: Last layout to share with you today is my layout for this week's digi dare... to document adjectives - good and bad - that describe someone you love. Heaven knows there are about a million ways to describe Isaac. He is one-of-a-kind! For this layout I used some papers and alphas by Allison Pennington as well as a few other goodies.



(Full Credits for all layouts are listed in my gallery)


**********

Breakfast of Champions

this morning, meagan wanted to eat a bowl full of junk for breakfast (cookie crisp... not that i don't love cookie cereal as much as the next guy, but i don't feel it constitutes a healthy breakfast, it's really more of a snack or a treat).
trying to get her to choose something healthy to go along with it just wasn't working. Until... i stumbled across something on accident, and she LOVED the idea! She still got her cookie cereal, but only just a tiny bit, and she got a bowl full of good-for-you yummies to go with it.

i sliced a banana into a bowl, sprinkled some cocoa and almond granola over the banans, added a shake of cookie crisp, and then covered it with almond milk. she chowed - i mean CHOWED - that breakfast down! loved every last bight of it. and she got a full serving of fruit and very little junkity cereal to go with it. win / win.

**********

here's your perfectly normal pancakes, kids!!

i am hooked. i crack up every. single. time. that i watch this. you must watch. it's good fun!



our kids are already quoting lines from this one... this is the 6th episode. the other 5, and a few extras here & there, can be found on youtube as well.

enjoy!!

**********

Today's Noteables...

A few highlights of the day, because I can't stand not blogging, so I MUST do something! :)

* I sort of took the day off today (can you do that when you stay at home?) I did laundry, but have yet to foldit as of 9:30pm. I scrubbed the shower. I emptied and loaded the dishwasher. I got the kids to and from school. And I followed up with the builder guy about our door/floor. And I made dinner... barely. That about sums up the extent of my responsible behavior for the day. Other than that, I browsed blogs and forums, I did a layout, and tinkered around the house. I didn't even make lunch... get this (Karen, if you're reading this close your eyes for a minute...) I ate Doritos and a Little Debbie cake for lunch. Um, yeah. That's not the healthiest lunch I've ever had.

* Sebastian had practice tonight. He can now do his round-off back handspring on his own. He got moved up to the 'harder' practice group. He seems to love every second of gymnastics, and he's doing really well at it. Makes the driving and the hours worth it.

* Monday I start a carpool with another gymnastics mom. SOOOO excited about this! She has 2 girls that go to the same school as Isaac & Meagan. The youngest is also in 1st grade, and she and Meagan are becoming fast friends. Makes me happy.

* Tomorrow morning we have a football game, and I get to work the concession stand. As of right now, Isaac's team is ranked first in their age group. So I guess they're doing alright. He still really really enjoys football, so that's good as well!!

So now I'm off to watch TV and fold laundry... and get football gear together for tomorrow... and maybe pack for a quick trip to Ohio for a football party tomorrow night. Lots to do. Why not start at 9:30?!

**********

At least it's something...

I am still right where I was the last time as far as my computer situation goes... but I did manage to get 2 pages scrapped in the past 24 hours. One last night and one this morning after the kids got on the bus. (I decided scrapping was a good addition to laundry folding and shower scrubbing for the day).

First layout: Autumn Walk... these pictures are from last October and our trip to the apple orchard. I have about a billion pictures from that day. Here are 2.


journaling: "through rows and rows of apple trees we walked, the sun shining down, the cool crisp air rich with the sweet smell of fruit from the trees. this is what i love about autumn."

(Click here to view full credits)
*****

Layout #2: You have a good heart... just a LOT of journaling that describes a pattern of behavior in Sebastian's life. It seems he is drawn to those who tend to be forgotten by others.


Journaling: Sebastian, since the very start of your school years, you have continued to amaze me with the complete compassion and kindness you display for others. In 1st and 2nd grade, Nick was in your class. Nick was autistic, and really struggled at times to stay calm and to focus in class. As time went on, your friendship and your connection with Nick developed to the point that your teachers sat the 2 of you next to each other so that you could help to calm him when he began to get upset. You would know exactly when he was starting to get frustrated, and you would talk softly to him and rub the back of his neck to sooth him. You did all this with complete disregard for what others in your class might think of you, and for that I am exceptionally proud of you.
When we moved to Ohio, there was a boy named William who moved to the school mid-year. William was Asian, had a huge language and cultural barrier, and had a very difficult time making friends. You came to us one day and told us how sad you were for him, and we talked about ways you could possibly choose to help him. You decided to reach out to William and become his friend, even though it was difficult at times to relate to him, or even to communicate with him. When we moved away from Ohio near the end of the school year, one of your first thoughts that you expressed to me was that you were sorry to leave William, since you knew you were his only friend. You hoped someone else would be kind enough to be his friend when you were gone.
As soon as we moved to Indiana, you met Evan, a boy in you class with Down Syndrome. While others teased or laughed at the way he spoke or did certain things, you saw it as an opportunity to make another good friend. You got to know him, learned what he like and what made him laugh. And the 2 of you really enjoyed hanging out together during school. Because this was your last year in elementary, you weren't sure if you would see Evan once you moved up to Intermediate School. As it happened though, a few days ago you came home all excited and told me you had seen Evan in the hall. You said hi to him, and he said hi, but you weren't sure if he knew who you really were. We talked about that as well. Maybe he doesn't recognize you outside of Mr. V's classroom, but if you were able to spend time with him, he would remember you for what a good friend you have been to him.
And now yesterday at dinner we were talking about your school day. Daddy asked you if you did any bucket-filling things during the day, and you said, "Well I did sit with a new friend today at lunch. He is a special-needs boy who has autism, so he always sits alone in a maintenance closet at lunch time. I think it's too loud and crowded in the cafeteria for him. But I didn't want him to always be alone, so I asked if I could sit with him. And one other boy who normally sits with me at lunch came too. So the 3 of us ate lunch in the closet."
Sebastian, I can't even tell you how good your heart is. That you are so selfless in the things you choose to do for others just makes you truly special.

(Click here to view full credits)

**********

it's me.

just stopping by to say hi. i thought about blogging something fun today, but there would be pictures involved and, well... i have to say that having lost access to my laptop has put a serious kink in my blogging. it has a lot to do with the downloading of pictures from my camera to someone else's computer that's not mine. (i'm afraid i'll lose track of them somehow.)

i will do my best to get up and running again soon. bear with me. don't forget about me. i haven't forgotten you.

**********

God answers prayers... here's proof!

I love it when God answers the little prayers in my life. It makes me so aware of His love for me... that He would bother with the little stuff is just so sweet.

First answered prayer... the computer. Lucas's co-worker had a thing let us borrow that allowed Lucas-the-tech-geek to hook up both my laptop harddrive and external harddrive to his computer and transfer my files. ALL of my files. Not one single picture or document or layout lost. Incredible! I am beyond happy and relieved and ever-so-grateful for this!!!

Second answered prayer... car pool posibilities!!! Tonight was Sebastian's first night practicing with the team. I dropped him off and then went to Target for a while to pass some time and look around. When I went back to the gym, there was one open seat in the viewing area. It was by two ladies who clearly knew each other and were carrying on a conversation that had absolutely nothing to do with me... so I just sat there in silence and watched practice. Yet somehow, I happened to sit down right next to the only lady I've met at this gym so far who lives in the same city as me, and whose kids go to the same school as my kids, and whose kids need to be at practice the exact times and days as my kids, and who needs the opposite end of the car pool benefits as me... so if I could pick her kids up from school when I pick my own kids up, and then drop them all off at the gym for practice, she would be able to bring them home on Monday & Wednesday (the two days that I was in desparate need of help with no viable solutions having presented themselves before this evening). Then she wouldn't have to scurry out of work and battle traffic to drive 45 minutes out of the way, and I wouldn't have to drive back and forth like a maniacal lunatic trying to be in two places at once.

Thank You God for the open seat!! And for somehow breaking into that conversation for me. And for then turning that conversation to the car pool somehow. The way You work things out AMAZES me. Every single time. *happy sigh* Oh, and thank You also especially for rescuing my pictures. This makes me beyond happy.

:) <---- that's me, smiling.

Have a lovely night tonight. Don't forget to say your prayers before bed. Today has been crammed full of evidence that He listens to them.

**********

think happy thoughts

yesterday i had a few minutes to pass waiting on sebastian to get home from school. i sat down in front of my computer. it was working fine.

then we went to pick up tweedle dee and tweedle dum. when we got back, it was not working fine.

it had shut down and would not restart. the start up screen was all flickery and weird. then it went to a white screen that would slowly fade to cloudy purple. yes, very attractive feature for a computer, don't you think?

hmmm...

this is not such good news. according to my techy geeky husband, there is hope that it is just a graphic card or some other such business, in which case i will NOT have lost the two months of summer pictures that i have yet to back up (yes, i know... silly silly move on my part). this is my hope, and i am thinking happy thoughts and praying lots of prayers for my pictures. if i can just get the pictures off of there, everything else can go. no big loss. but the pictures.

we are hoping to attempt photo search and rescue this weekend. so please think happy thoughts for me and my trapped photos. they're fighting for their lives right now. we are hoping to avoid all photo tragedies. and then i will renew my commitment to diligently back up my dang pictures.

**********