No photos today, but...

I just had to write that the last thing I chose to do on the computer tonight is check into my blog and am sitting with my eyes closed just enjoying the first song on my playlist. It is my wedding song and Joe is actually the one who picked it out. I still remember sitting on my bed in my room of my parents home in Arizona when he called me from San Diego to share with me this song he found for us. I had never heard of it. Listening to it now brings joy to my heart and a special memory to the surface of my brain. Things may be in chaos, but joys like this make it all worth it. Thanks for sharing in my joy. So happy together...yeah...even after 18 years! ;) Sending loves your way honey!!

I LOVE Fall!

I always amazes me that the leaves do this wonderfully colorful dance right before they die. A nice lesson to learn about living fully...

Also, some creating fun! YEAH! Life is slowing down for us around here so I am able to speed up on the really cool stuff. These are a birthday card, a welcome baby card, and a recipe to attach to a yum yum dessert for friends. FUN, fun! Now, on to my next 3 large projects! ;)

Got the recipe here: http://www.southernliving.com/southern/

and below are the supply lists for each project. Loves...

BIRTHDAY CARD:

Bazzill cardstock

DCWVpatterned paper

Doodlebug Design Inc letters

EK Success heart punch

Duck easy stick adhesive

Hole punch

Sharpie pen (writing on back)

WELCOME BABY CARD:

Bazzill cardstock

EK Success letters

My Mind's Eye quote (on back)

Basic Grey buttons

Fiskars pop-up glue dots

Duck easy stick adhesive

Sharpie pen (writing on back)

RECIPE CARD:

Archiver's cardstock

Dream Street Papers patterned paper

Duck easy stick adhesive
Recipe

Fall fun...

So, this week has been full of fall fun. Monday we went to a corn maze & pumpkin patch, Tuesday we did the same thing, different place along with a hayride...Em's first ever field trip with school, Wednesday we stayed home but played outside with moonsand, and today was school. I got a lot of errand type stuff done while he was there. I will post more photos soon, but for now I need to tend to a little one who has had a little too much "hay" fun. His allergies are acting up and he is very stuffy. Propped up on three pillows right now so he can breathe better and I have already given him some of his asthma meds just to make sure. He sounds great now, but I still plan to sleep with him. Pray for a peaceful night. Loves...

Sunday fun...

Children's church was super fun and very creative today. The teacher had the kids make pilgrim hats out of cookies, icing, peanut-butter cups, and m-n-m's. So fun...

I also hired a babysitter today for 4 hours of my own creative fun. This is what I got done...yeah! I really need to plan a specific time slot from now on!! That worked out great...

Snow book supply list:

Acrylic album: Maya Road
Patterned papers: My Mind’s Eye (red dots & writing), Cloud Nine Design (blue circles)
Cardstock: Archiver’s
Clear letters: Maya Road
Acrylic paint: Making Memories
Chalk ink: Color Box
Bold round brads: Queen & Co.
Rain dots: Cloud Nine Design
Corner rounder: EK Success
Silver pen: Creative Memories
Journaling card: Lisa Bearnson
Other: hole punch, sanding paper

So thankful for great Children's church teachers and amazing babysitters. Loves...

Jack-jackie

So, this guy has heartworm. HEARTworm. So scary. So many thoughts, so many feelings. Poor guy. Yes, we have had all our pets on preventative medicines, but somehow. Anyway, he goes in Monday for treatment. They keep him a week (actually planned a few extra days to be able to do some Halloweeny fun with Emery) and we pick him up the following Monday. We have to keep him calm for 5 weeks. Yep, 5 weeks. If he is not calm, bad things could happen. Wow. It's interesting how life can just stop in an instant. We are doing ok and he has not even been looking or acting sick so I am glad they caught it on a routine exam before it got worse. God has a way of making sure even in scary times things will be ok. So, we plan to shut down over here as much as possible (less coming and going) to keep him calm. You will probably see me a lot more on here and wow, my home should end up a lot cleaner too! HA HA! I see some good playing, relaxing, and organizing in order. Please keep Jack in your prayers. Loves for now...

Anyone know how to link a file?

So, I am trying to figure out how to get my portfolio on here since I am now officially done...but I cannot figure it out! Anyone out there know how to do this? It's a pdf. Thanks! And, loves to you...

So sad, ya know!?

I am little disapointed in my school that I have been in for the last two years (minus a little break). It seems that just because I don't want to work in the "traditional" sense of what my degree is in, that somehow to them I don't fit. Scrapbooking IS important. It DOES mean something, many things in fact and should be looked at as just as IMPORTANT as traditional design. At least that is my opinion. What's yours? Loves...

"Don't know to worry! Underdog is here!!"

I just love how he really gets into his movies!!
Don't ya just love the alteration on the phrase and also the socks?!? HEE HEE!! ;)

Bugs, play-school, Play-Doh, uniforms, and pumpkin head

Anyone have ANY idea what kind of bug this is? I have only seen it here and I have no idea! They are friendly, but what in the heck are they?!?! Em loves to "play" school at home now and drew me this on the board to "teach" me. Hee hee. He even made me sit on the floor in front of him. Wishing I had someone to take the photo for that one!

Daddy sent this cool uni like his for Em. He loves it!!

SO, we of course just HAD to get the pumpkin for Halloween! FUN FUN. You know, you can only get away with it when your 4, so why not?!

Playing with this and having too much fun. He kept saying, "I'm a cookin' boy!" I love his words!
Will share another fun one from today another day. Loves for now...

SO...

I got locked out of my own home today by my 4 year old! I only wish I had my camera to capture that giggle that made me so mad. Luckily after my neighbor came over and called the police to come help me, he unlocked the door. Crazy kid. ;)

My man...

Ain't he just the handsomest thing ya ever did see?! Hee hee...Love ya honey! ;)

I am alive and well...

hee hee. Been SUPER busy with school and getting not much rest. My emails are racking up, but it is almost over...2 weeks...YEAH! Anyway, it has been an interesting ride. Been putting together my portfolio. Hope to post it on here soon! Loves...

Checking in...

Hey all...so sorry I have not been more regular on here! Been crazy crazy busy with school and getting ready for Joe to leave on Sunday for training. I have also been working on HOMEWORK with Emery. Wow, my little guy is SO growing up!! Funny thing is he can't seem to focus with Momma...good thing he does really good in school! Speaking of growing up, the little guy got out of the tub, got a towel, dried off, and got dressed in his p.j.'s all by himself tonight! We were amazed!! I promise...I will post more sometime soon! Loves for now...

For "Illustration Friday"...

This site is fun and this is the first time I have ever been able to submit anything. I hope it works! ;)

The idea was to illustrate the word "routine". I used typography and color to do that. Loves...

Check this out!

So, it isn't real yet and the link won't be active for very long; but I thought I would share some fun from class that I have been doing the last 5.5 weeks! Enjoy! Loves...

http://shanie.aisites.com/final/

Playing...

with Adobe Illustrator. Just seeing what happy accidents I can make. Check out my abstract soda can! (Top view) ;) So fun to just try out the effects and see what happens! Loves to you all...

My little artist...

So, give the little guy crayons and he will color for about 10 seconds. Give him paint and he will paint for hours. Interesting how that works! This particular night, I let Emery play with my Wacom tablet and Adobe Illustrator...he absolutely loved it and has asked several times since to do the "pen thingy." AND...WOW to what a four year old can do! ;)

LOVE IT!
Loves...

Florida it is...

So, looks like we are moving to FL next year. This was the best choice for schools, crime, and many other reasons. I think Emery will love the beach. As for me these days, well...busy, busy, busy still! Had a meeting over here on Thursday, learning HTML and creating a website in class, prepping for Joe to go, planning a move, organizing my home, etc!! WOW! Anyway, just wanted to check in to let you all know I am still here! Till another day...I leave you with visual inspiration...



Loves...

Busy, busy, busy again!

Just been plain BUSY these past two weeks with school starting back up. WOW! Anyway, just wanted to check in and say I really REALLY hope to be posting regularly again soon! But, for now...I fixed my header...what' ya think?! Loves...

Work in progress...

Well, I am learning all kinds of fun things about writing html in school right now and how computers work. As you can see, I have been playing around with my header, but it is definately a work in progress! I cannot seem to get it right right now and I must get some dinner and back to my school work! Stay tuned...

Snake

My crazy hubby made me post this. Hee hee. For those of you who have no idea what this is, he was playing Ghost Recon with friends and took this screen shot of a fellow player. Enjoy guys! ;)

Pope John XXXIII-

“Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.”

Love that quote! So true. Live it. Loves...

Pure sunshine...

Can you believe these fields of sunflowers that we have here?! So beautiful. Pure joy!!!!

Busy as a bee

I tell ya...what a busy busy week! Started school and am learning html code. Really cool, btw. Anyway, lets see...we had a trip to our local ceramics place to make some really fun stuff. And, Daddy and Em had a trip to the fire station...which happens a lot because it is diagonally across from our home. And, Em and I went to the free movie for the week...The Bee Movie. Always cute. Then, last night we went to dinner with some friends and watched a local attraction. Also taking care of our neighbors fish and mail for a while. Fun, fun stuff! Loves for now...

Checking in!

So, just busy busy with school right now. Really hope to get the rest of those pages up soon and do some more creating! I NEED to create! :)

Extra time and just for fun...

Been busy busy tonight planning for the week and prepping for school, and now I find myself with some extra time...wow! Anyway, so...I thought I would go ahead and post that just for fun/just for me page and also another page for fun as well before I go to bed. Still keep your eye out in the future for that those pages from my article idea that flopped (oh well...all in good time). I am still gonna post it as an article if I can figure it out.

The just for fun/just for me page was an idea I got while flipping through magazines on our trip to Utah. I saw so much "visual prettiness" that I just loved and kept the idea floating around for when I got home to where my "tools" were. Using various magazines, adhesive, a circle punch, a couple of acrylic letters, a few buttons, stamps, chalk ink, a pen, and scissors; I created this art of things I love right now or things that are so me right now. The fun part of this project is that it's just for fun and just for me, but also how it changes over time so you could do these often...

The other page is of a short memory of Joe and Em at Walmart. I am so blessed to have such a great husband and he is such a good daddy! He always seems to come up with the cutest little things for Em and him to do...

Journaling: So, I am standing in line checking out at Walmart when I look over to see Joe taking these photos of Emery. When I get done, he shows them to me saying, "mad, madder, and happiest!" I say, "Ok, but what are these for?" And he says back to me, "I don't know...because we were bored I guess?!" Not much of a story. Just a daddy having fun with his son. But, to me it's one of the best stories of all. Thanks to good daddies and silly fun!

Loves...

Back to school!

Hey all...I may be quiet for a few days because I start back in school for my last two classes tomorrow. It gets a little crazy at first, but I already have a good start. Also, I hope to be posting that just for fun/just for me scrapbook page soon and more fun pages/article idea to follow. I just moved some things around in my studio and I am clear headed and hopeful. Hope your days are happy, your health well, and your smiles many. Loves...

Cows and dogs

So, Em says to me this morning shortly after waking up and while playing with his cars that have been out for the last few days because he is sick at home, "We need cows for our backyard." Ok, so where did he get this one?! Little ones are so funny! He cracks me up. So, I ask him, "Oh really...how many cows do we need?" and he tells me 2. I asked him what we should name them and he said, "Can't member."

More funnies...
Later, Joe tells me about something Em had said while I was out shopping and they were at home playing outside. They had gone out to skate, but Em's skates are now too small...boo hoo and way cool at the same time. Anyway, I guess one was laying out still and Em was on to something else but came up to Joe handing him his skate saying, "Here is your dog." I guess the strap reminded him of a leash!

4 year olds are so cool, ain't they?!
Loves. :)

Ain't he just the cutest thing?!

This is Em's "mad" face. Silly guy. Doing ok with the chicken pox today, he is just SUPER quiet.

Nursing the...

chicken pox over here. Poor 4 year old little guy! He is doing really well right now, we are just keeping him away from everyone else so he does not share.

New do! :)

So, I chopped the rest of my hair super short today and I absolutely LOVE it! It is so easy, so light, and so cool (as in temperature-ha ha...very needed here in Tennessee where it is super HOT!) I cannot wait to try out all my cute little clips for the front part. Loves..

Yum-O!

A trip to our local Orchard to pick blackberries and peaches...fun and yummy! Em had a great time and kept kinda singing, "blackberry hunting" over and over as he looked for them. Of course I had to make a peach pie because we picked like about 20 peaches. And, what do you do with the leftover pie crust? Make a small blackberry tart of course!

Oh yeah! Absolutely LOVING this new routine system. WOW. What a difference! My head is not full of junk so I can concentrate on the important stuff. Blowing bubbles in the house instead of outside? Sure! Stop cleaning to play a video game with a 4 year old? Sure! I am loving being more in the moment (something I was lacking in big time lately). My mind had gotten so wrapped up in all the to do's that I see everyday that I really felt I was missing out. After a lot of prayers about focus, balance, and peace; this is the general idea of what I did:

RE-group-prayers and decisions, decisions, decisions...including taking some stuff off my plate.
RE-assess-lots of thougths on what else needs to be changed and how to do it.
RE-structure-setting up a new everyday/weekly routine in a broad sense.
RE-organize-really getting down to the details of the new routine.

So, there ya have it. One happier and less stressed girl. Here's to changes and new routines! :)

Happy dayz

Ok, so I am loving this new routine shedule. I have not actually started it yet (starts tomorrow-Monday), but just thinking in a different way has already cleared my head like you would not believe! Here's to change! Loves...

And...one last one for tonight! I also have 7 more for a project...stay tuned! And, one just for me/just for fun...later! Have a great night and loves from me! :)

More!! :)