Sometimes...

Sometimes things work out. Sometimes.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this post. Things have been so busy. I need to update, but I have no really interesting news to share with you..

Good heavens there is plenty of gossipy crap going on in my life to keep you all busy and occupied for ages, but nothing I want to share with the world..

You know those times in your life when all the stars and planets seem to align and everything goes exactly as you would have hoped.. usually better.. when everything: relationships, work, friends, dieting, family, clothes, hair, projects.... just everything is right were you want it.

Wouldn't it be amazing if things were like that all the time? I know, and I believe, that our problems and struggles help us to grow and develop, so I suppose when things are going perfectly perfect we're not advancing, but still, I think I could use a few non advancing days. Is that so wrong?

I think right now I am only going to focus on what is going right... because that's way more fun that focusing on what's going wrong and feeling down about it for the rest of the night.


I got it back! My crafting abilities that is.. after my horrendous Christmas album, I couldn't even finish the 2009 set.. and then my friend who has a scrapbooking line sent me some of her line so I could show her what I could do with it... and everything seemed to be aligned against me... But now.. I'm back baby!

Okay, I made this airplane years ago, but I recently came across it and I love it. It's one of my favorite projects.



I'm doing some design for a friend for CHA's (that's the national Craft and Hobby Association) huge semi annual wholesaler trade show. There are probably tens of thousands of people who end up contributing projects and work that is displayed for the retailers so I shouldn't be so excited, but I TOTALLY am. I am thrilled. I even had the chance to go to the show and work a booth, but it's in the middle of the week and I don't want to take the time off from my full time job... more on that later.. I can't show you the projects I'm working on till after CHA, but I'll give you a peak of one of them..

Here is what I started with:

And after I ripped all the crappy black fabric off and removed the hanger things., (hmm.. maybe I should have blurred the picture...)


Then started redesigning:

O0op! That's all I'm going to show you... Well okay, I'll give you a little peak at her lacy petticoat..


But that's it!

Back to the time off.. It's my first year with my employer so I only have two weeks vacation time.. and I'm totally going to end up going over that..


In Feb I am going BACK to Brave Girls Camp, and in June I am going to Australia!


Brave girls camp. I'm going as staff again, which I love. I am so excited to be a part of something with so much power to be a positive influence on women. Not to mention the personal recharge I get while I am there and the amazing strong women who become life long friends. There should be 24 of us there this time.



Australia! Holy crap. I need a passport. Holy crap. I'm going to have a passport with a stamp in it. Holy crap I am finally going to be able to meet my besties family and spend time on her side of the world!

Ali and I have been best friends since about June of 2004. I know... that sounds so high school cliche, but she is absolutely the best friend I have ever had. She came to visit me last summer, and now it's my turn. Andy promised to do everything in his power to make sure I was able to go. I know it's a sacrifice, but I have to do it.. otherwise I will put it off... and put it off... indefinately forever, waiting for things to be perfect, and they never will be.

I know, it hasn't been that long since I posted these same pictures on my blog.. but freak... we have 6 years of history and only two weeks of pictures together.

Townsville... here I come.

Have I mentioned I can't wait to go to Australia?

Things are going really great at work. I love my job. It challenges me. I have so much to learn...

My kids are amazing.

They are so smart and working so hard to get along and be their best.

Noah is 10 now.. that means it won't be much longer before we can trust him to babysit anytime. Really happy about that. Just gave him his practice spelling test for the week and as usual he aced it. I don't know why I bother to "correct" them when there is never anything to correct.

Jennica gets more and more beautiful everyday and is such a lady. I am really enjoying the friendship we are developing as mother and daughter.

There is not a day that goes by that Aaron does not tell everyone in the family they are beautiful, or handsome at least 5 times.... and he still likes to sit on my lap.. even though he doesn't really fit very well anymore, he's getting so tall.

I got to see my brother and sister in law on New Years Day. They are the only family that doesn't live in the area and I miss them so much. xoxox


And my youngest brother is ENGAGED!

Not the best picture, but seriously... They are so cute. Go Al.

That about wraps it up.

Hope you've enjoyed your stay. Come back soon.

I'll leave the light on for you.

xoxo

The pigs can stop flying.

I finally have my computer back! I want to do a nice long blog post, but first I've got to reinstall ALL of my software... then download and edit my pictures etc...

xoxox miss you.. well okay mostly I miss the positive affirmation I get from your comments.

More soon.

Christmas Morning

You know that feeling of being displaced?

My computer is in the shop.
It's been there for a bit.
Hopefully it will be ready soon.

They had to wipe it. Yup, wipe the hard drive. Had some serious virus problems. Anyway, all my pictures and editing software is on my computer.. hence the lack of blogging, and my feelings of being displaced.

Can't deal with it any longer... I'm posting some Christmas Morning pictures.. completely raw, unedited, uncropped, red eye... the works.

Jennica is hanging onto a cup cake decorating set. She got it from Aaron for Christmas. She picked it out herself... She has been waiting to open it for WEEKS, which is something like 100 years in kid time.

Can't remember what DVD the kids were excited about in this picture. What I'd like to point out is the pants Santa brought for Aaron still draped neatly over the couch in the background. Why can't the non-toy presents get a little love?? hmmmm?? HMMMMM?


(Yes, my boys love to wear mom and dad's t-shirts to bed. I can't blame them.. after one grows out of footie pajamas kid PJ's look so uncomfortable.


Yes, Santa brought Jennica some press on nails.

As far as Jennica is concerned, Santa rocks.

Clearly, Jennica rocks too.

And for my scrapbooking friends...

You've got to check this out. My GENIOUS pal Melody Ross is taking creative to a whole new level and has designed chipboard stamping sets that are SOOOO amazing. The finished product looks like hand-tooled leather. I've been able to demo the tools at Mel's house and they are awesome. There is nothing like it on the market. You are going to love them!

Mall Santa, Atrocity in lights, Christmas stuff, and the TREE.

Mall Santa

I took Jennica and Aaron out to do some Christmas shopping with me. First stop. The mall.

We have never taken out kids to see Santa... Isn't that sad? The loved it. The line was short, and Santa was fat and happy.

And the kids got elf ears..

After Santa I told them we could go get hot chocolate and a warm treat, and they insisted on ice cream.


THAT'S a lot of lights..

After shopping my kids have been begging to see where I work. Since I work out of a home office, that's a little difficult cause I'm all weirded out that my boss will see me driving around his house on my day off and then I'd weird them out...

Anyway, in the same neighborhood lives a very eccentric and over the top Christmaser. A "Christmaser" is anyone who is known year round and introduced by their Christmas decorating reputation. As a general rule, and at the risk of offending a few people...I'm not that big a fan of Christmasers. I'm more into tasteful moderation.

But the kids LOVED it.
Making Christmas Goodies

One Sunday afternoon we made Christmas goodies for some of our neighbors.

Carmel cranberry almond popcorn... Chocolate dipped shortbread cookies... Cinnamon raisin cookies.

Yum.


Decorating the House

After the cookies we put up Christmas decorations, with the exception of the Christmas tree. We do not own a plastic Christmas tree. I mean I'm glad they make them for my friends who have severe allergies and such, but I enjoy the real thing. No pine smell in an aerosol can for me.


The Fourth Grade Idaho History "Christmas" Music Concert:

Nuff said.

(Noah was great. He's a basque dancer...)

Cutting the Tree:

Yesterday, despite winter weather advisory warnings of up to 8 inches snow in the mountains we drove up to Idaho City to cut our Christmas tree.

So glad we did. The snowfall was light while we were up there and the snow in the mountains was not at all deep. Just a couple inches.


Unfortunately, the area we decided to stop at had been ground cleared by the forest service. We hikes forever before finding any small trees at all. That was fine, but I was a little antsy knowing all this snow was expected and wanting to make sure we didn't get snowed in.





We finally found this beauty. It's a little bit tall but has a nice shape and lots of branches... for a non tree farm tree anyway..

We cut it, and then started on the long trek to try and find where we parked. Not easy since we had hiked so far.. Eventually we found the road, which eventually lead to the truck..

And luckily, Andy didn't kill us all on the drive home. The roads were BAD.


Fight, Fight, BSU..

Finally, My friend Teresa Collins, who has an amazing line of scrapbook products, sent me some of her papers to play around with, and I've been working on this project for my boys room.

I think it turned out okay. JUST okay.

Have you ever had a creative block?

I was having serious creative block. Trying not to be negative so that's all I'll say.







My boys are HUGE Boise State Football fans... and seeing how the BRONCOS freaking rock, I had to make a time stamp to their excellence.



This poster and dresser are covered with newspaper headlines from the 2009 Boise State football season. In 50 years maybe some sports fanatic will think it's worth something and it can pay for my kids college.. Wait a minute.. in 50 years my kids had dang well better be finished with college... Maybe my great grand kids..

My boys love it. That's all that matters.

Fiesta Bowl is next. GO BRONCOS!

That's it for now!

I'm going to eat dinner, then we're decorating the tree. I wouldn't trade cutting our tree for a "lot" tree, but it does take a little magic to make them beautiful. Wish us luck..

xoxo