A boy's joy...

So lovely to see. Love when he is happy. Photo from a "farm day" at school.

Also...

So, I think if I post here my plans, I might actually follow through & won't leave you all hanging!

So here goes:

Tuesday-post that page finally!

Wednesday-break for the LOST finale...yeah & boo hoo!

Thursday-work on my coffee piece. This one turned out WAY big, so it's gonna take some time.

Friday-Friday night movie fun with family.

Saturday-more time for coffee piece. Maybe an update post.

So, it looks like one-two posts this week not counting this one.

Until next time...loves! ;)

Happy Mothers Day to ALL women!

All women are a type of mother to someone or something, so I send a large shout-out to all women today! You are beautiful. You are wonderful. You are the tie that binds. Have a great one! Loves...

Destination Inspiration

So, my very sweet hubby suggested today that we go to one of my favorite clothing stores and a local small town coffee shop today to wait out the time we still had before picking up our son at school. We had gone to a meeting at school after dropping him off and there was not much time left, but enough to play. At the coffee shop, the owner had this coffee print on a wall that was so cool. Wishing now, I had taken a photo to share with you. I loved it so much; I sketched it in my planner for future inspiration. Normally, I do this and all of these nifty things get filed away and never used. One thing I am starting to do, starting today, is to go with the flow more. Let myself create whatever feels right at the moment, not necessarily what I have going on already or anything else that may be “in line or in order” at the moment. I have never been good at this. Being a perfectionist, I have always thought I needed to “do or organize this first” or “do or organize that first”. I am learning to move on and not worry so much about the creative piles that accumulate. Or the dust piles for that matter...ha ha! I have started my cool coffee art thingy and when I get a background for it & finish, I will post. But, the only thing is you will have to wait to see my other page I was working on until that fancy strikes me, too…k? Along with the other 4 piles over there. (Head pointing to my studio table) But, for now…some really cool finds I found while trying to find photos of coffee for sketching. So funny how you can get lost (in a good way) online, eh? What a fun idea...creating art with coffee & also creating journals out of old books. So cool. Thought you might enjoy. I especially love the Golden Book Journals. What can you find to inspire you today?

http://www.justcoffeeart.com/coffee%2Bcreativity=art.html

http://www.bookjournals.com/

At least he's in good spirits! ;)

As of right now, we are to just watch Emery for any new changes & get used to the glasses. He is not in any immediate danger & the MRI was normal. We see the neurologist again on the 6th & the optomologist (unless we get referred out to a neuro-optimologist) on the 20th. As of today, he went back to school. Still seeing double but his eye is turning less. Thank you all for your kind thoughts & prayers. Check him out in his cute glasses!


Also, before all of this started...I was really glad to be here...



FINALLY!!!

And, I read this book...very powerful! Will post more soon about all of that. Loves...

Please keep my son Emery in your prayers...

This week has been one big rollercoaster ride...a bad one with A LOT of ups & downs. It all started Monday night around 5pm when I noticed his left eye was turning inward and then he told me he saw two of me. Scared me. Checked with a nurse friend to make sure I was not panicking by taking him to emergency. Wanted to make sure it was not a brain thing before he slept. We got to the hospital around 6:30pm and made it home around 2:30am. He got a CT scan while there which turned up normal so the doc told us to see a neurologist and an optimologist the next day. Said he was not in any immediate danger and could sleep fine.

We saw a WONDERFUL pediatric neurologist on Tuesday and the pediatric optimologist on Wednesday. The neurologist pushed for a MRI while the optimologist said it’s just farsightedness. We also ordered glasses on Wednesday. The MRI was on Thursday and showed up normal as well. So, Friday we were back to “just needing glasses.”

Today, however, his right eye started doing the same thing so now he is basically cross-eyed and is still seeing double. Other than that, he is fine and quite happy. I spoke with the neurologist today about the second eye because I am to keep her informed of any changes and now she will be asking some other docs to try to figure out what is going on. We may be looking at more tests and possibly some kind of eye disease that comes from the central nervous system. We may also be seeing a pediatric neuro-optimologist. It is all just so scary. I want him to be able to see right. Poor little guy.

So, please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. We really would like some resolve on this whole thing. I also want to thank our pastor, Brother Joe for being right there with Emery and I through it while Daddy had to be away. Daddy is back now so that helps a lot.

Um yeah...

I have been nowhere near where I want to be with my blog, but hey...life is all a work in progress, yeah? Been trying to catch up, take more time to get healthy, and lots and lots of play and relaxing. (I have not always been really good at that-we women tend to take real good care of others, don't we?) Plans...living, loving, and more creating. Lovin' that. I even got my projects out of my drawer! More later. Right now, I am off to give my dog Scooter (not the one in the photo-that one is Maya) a much needed haircut & bath. Loves for now...

YEAH for my MOM!! ;)

Growing up, my Mom made us pajamas, name pillows, and stuffed animals. She has finally made them for the public. So proud of her. Check out her cool stuff...

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6421418

WOW, WOW, and triple WOW!

Man, I have REALLY really been out of the blog loop, eh?! Well, A LOT has been going on and I will fill you all in soon. But, for now I just wanted to let ya know I am alive and well. Listed our home for sale today. Changes. I just love 'em. Here is to exciting times to come. Loves...

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...