Kenny!!!

Yeah, baby, I just found out that I'm going to see Kenny Chesney again in August. I was originally planning on going with my lil sis, but she has offered to babysit so Dave and I can go for our anniversary. This is going to be the most awesome concert...Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson, and the Big K!!!!

Forgot to mention, too, that I bought my sister and I tickets to go see Faith and Tim on their SoulIISoul tour. We'll be seeing them on Cinco de Mayo. My SIL Rose and her friends are meeting up with us. We always have such a blast with those gals.

On another note, I took this little quiz to see what color I was. I am my favorite color, green, what do you know!!

You Are Teal Green

You are a one of a kind, original person. There's no one even close to being like you. Expressive and creative, you have a knack for making the impossible possible. While you are a bit offbeat, you don't scare people away with your quirks. Your warm personality nicely counteracts and strange habits you may have.

What Color Green Are You?

Yet another addiction!

I'm seriously into reading blogs lately, especially when you come across a really good one. Here's one that I just stumbled upon via 2Peas, BonnieRose's blog. She is just so informative and I love all the shabby shic stuff and all the cool links she posts. Plus, she gave away this cool colander to the person who guessed the right amount of Heidi Swapp flowers she had in it. I didn't win :(

Here's another cool thing I came across today reading Tara Whitney's blog -- Ali Edwards' Cafe Express Shop -- some cute stuff!

What a beautiful day we're having here in Michigan -- 67 degrees WOOHOO!@!! I love spring nix the hay fever allergies. Tomorrow it's going to rain, so I'm trying to soak up every bit of today.

Feelin' Good

I finally feel betta!!!! I caught the cold from the kiddies and of course it turned in to a sinus infection..ugh! I've taken all my meds, so there's just a little of the yucky stuff left. Unfortunately something has struck Marisa again and she's home from school. Please summer come quickly!!

I was just on my J4K gal pal Shanna's blog -- love her :)-- and see that she added my blog to hers!! Thanks, Shanna!!! It makes me feel important...*big smile*

I haven't posted this as of yet, but I was very honored and excited to be referred by Shanna's sweet sister, Deanna, to their friend Ginger for a design team position at her up-and-coming awesome site Keepsake Trends. I was soooooooo geeked!!! Ginger gave me the fantastic position as a DT member in charge of Ad/Product inspiration which is right up my alley.

I posted my first challenge about a week ago and I'll show you what I came up with.
Here was the item I chose for inspiration:


And here's what it inspired me to do:


I wanted more beachy kind of stuff on it, but alas I couldn't find anything that warranted me to attach it. I like it though -- simple looking, but took me forever to put it together. What I really love is the picture of Marisa. She's always been such a beauty in my eyes -- of course that has nothing to do with being her mom..lol

I'm off to scrap! I must complete my March Note-to-Self Challenge at J4K which is due by the end of March -- where did March go? Plus, I am in the middle of my Janet Evanovich book, To the Nines. I am so in love with this series of books. I would recommend it to anyone -- kind of comical, sarcastic, some violence and horror, all the good stuff!! And at J4K, we're starting a new book The Secret Life of Bees. I'm looking forward to it.

Have a great day!

Just another day

Days are just passing by and nothing seems to get accomplished around here. I would love to have a day, one whole day, dedicated to scrapping. I usually have to pick at a layout when the kids don't notice me. I'm feeling the need to vent today. Marisa and Collin both are sick with colds, but Collin is on the blink!!! He's being the NASTIEST child!! Totally not listening, hitting, back talking and he's only 3 1/2. Time outs, spankings, and soap in the mouth have not seemed to deter him. Then we have Marisa who is a total drama queen who's always in trauma especially when she's sick. She marches off and slams doors when she's reprimanded. UGH--dear Lord help me!! I thought I had until puberty to have to deal with this type of behavior.

Okay, I feel much better just "talking" about it and getting it off my chest. Dave and I seriously are at our wits end. I know a lot of this behavior has to do with being couped up in the house during cold days, but I'm thinking of boarding school!!!

Finished a few more layouts that I'd like to share. I notice I've been scrapping more since I've put my space together. It's not totally done, but much better and probably a little more organized than before. It's much more welcoming and I feel the "creative" air when I'm down in my little cave. Now to finish it off and I will then post the after pictures. As I type, Dave's in the basement working on "stuff".

Dave and Travis went to bowl in the Taylor Lanes Pro-Am today. They did really well, but I'm mad that none of us thought about them taking a camera. They met a lot of pro-bowlers and had to get their autographs and no pics. Oh, well! Kind of a bummer because I don't know how I'm going to do a layout of this. Maybe I'll use their score sheets -- that's an idea.

Well, it's time to prep my crazy kids for bed. Collin is running around like he's on caffeine. Just about blew my vocal cords out -- he blasted a ball across the room that just missed hitting Travis. Lord, please please help me!!!!!

I think I'm losing my mind!

All week long I have continually either forgot to do something or forgot something. I have felt out of whack all week. When this happens, I really feel like I've been in outerspace or something...lol Yesterday at Collin's class we walk in and they're painting shirts. Okay, I don't remember anyone mentioning to bring a shirt this week! I searched my brain because usually I'm not this bad at remembering, but it came to me that no one did tell me to bring a shirt. Okay, so now I didn't feel so bad. Collin wants nothing to do with the arts & crafts part of the class anyway. WHAT, I say??? Are you my child??? All kids and especially my Marisa love arts & crafts. Not Collin :( Give him a train, plane, car, or anything else that goes fast and he's in heaven.

This week has been Lutheran Schools week at Marisa's school. Each day has been some new way to dress. I have forgotten to take pictures of the last two days because of course we have run late. Today is dress like the 50's. Oh, she was so darn mad that I didn't have poodle skirt for her to wear. Oh, yeah, sure Marisa we'll just go out and buy one or better yet I'll sew one for you --- UH NOOOOOO!! I made her wear a pair of jean capris that had a rolled up cuff, a white shirt with a cute little scarf around her neck and a high ponie with a scarf around that. Maybe she won't be all
dirty after school and I'll get her to pose for me -- that won't be a problem..lol

Guess what? I had to go for an eye exam last week because my eyes, especially the right one was turning pink and itching and burning. I knew it wasn't pink eye because first off there was no gook oozing out (yuk!) and it would come and go. So off to the eye place where the doctor proceeds to do an eye exam. I didn't go for that but what the hey my insurance covers one exam a year free. Guess what he tells me? Yep, I need glasses. I have an astigmatism in both eyes. Oh, I'm feeling old!! My eyes are now failing me, too!!! The itchy pink eye is from my eyes drying out -- what I kind of figured! This happened to me last year, too.

So my insurance covers one pair of glasses a year, but of course they want me to get a pair of reading glasses too. She starts rambling off this and that and I say WHOA!!! Wait a minute! How much is this going to cost me? $200 more dollars in addition to what the insurance is covering and that's just for one pair. Uh, no, just give me the plain-jane glasses please. I don't know if I will wear them anyway. I'll get the reading glasses from the dollar store...lol

Why is it when you get glasses they take a while to get used to? I feel more awkward and out of balance with these things on, but I do notice they help with reading the computer screen.

Well, enough of my ramblings. Here's a layout I did for a journaling challenge at my beloved Just4Keeps. It was a Q&A style of journaling. This layout is way out of my norm, but that's what the paper called for I believe. It's the new BG Urban Couture -- really pretty flowing stuff! Can you believe Marisa took this picture of me? Well, I did crop it and touch it up using Photo Shop. I even printed this on my printer -- I can't believe it printed so well! I don't really have a mole on my upper lip. I think something was on the scanner bed. I had to laugh when I saw that!


Journaling reads:
My real name is Tamara, but I've always gone by Tami. Today is March 1, 2006 and I’m 36 years old.

Inside, I feel like I'm what age:
~ I feel like I’ve been stuck at 25 forever although my energy level is no where near that age anymore.

A goal I'm working on right now:
~ Trying to make myself exercise. I have good intentions each and every day, but I don’t make it a priority like I need to.

My most recent achievement:
~ I finished painting the area of the basement that is my scrap space and I some what organized it.

The last gift I bought for someone:
~ I bought Gabby and Marisa a CD.

The last CD I bought:
~ Sad to say it wasn’t one for me rather it was the gifts I bought Marisa and Gabby –Bratz Rock Angels

My current favorite song is:
~ There are many, but the one that’s coming to mind is Josh Gracin’s new song “Your Man”

The last movie I saw in the theatre:
~ Chronicles of Narnia with Marisa

The last book I read:
~ Four to Score by Janet Evanovich

The last new thing I learned:
~ What an astigmatism is.

What I'm wearing right now:
~ White v-neck t-shirt, jeans and gym shoes – ready to run out the door.

The last person I talked to on the phone:
~ My sister-in-law Rose

What I ate for breakfast today:
~ A bowl of oatmeal with honey and a touch of milk

What is the weather like right now:
~ Sunny and cold

Something I'm saving up for right now:
~ My trip to Edmond, OK to meet my J4K pals

Someone I think about a lot:
~ I think a lot about Dave and his health, Marisa, Collin and Travis, but I also think a lot about my dad and how much I miss him

The last person I helped:
~ Marisa

The last thing I apologized for:
~ Having a bad attitude with my children

Something I'm worried about:
~Dave and his health, the security and overall well-being of my children, and lately I’ve been worried about my health

What I wish for when I see a shooting star:
~ Health, wealth, and a long lasting life

What my plans are for the rest of the day:
~ Dave took the day off and we’re headed to Taylor Lanes to sign Travis and him up for the Pro-Am bowling tournament which is a surprise for Travis. He’s going to be so geeked!

Is it March already???

Whew, I can't believe we're already two days into March. Here comes one of my favorite times of year -- Spring and Easter. The weather around these parts doesn't dare begin to match the idea I have in my head of spring, but I know it's near.

We celebrated Fat Tuesday with a few packzi's. MMMMMMmmmmm were they delicicious!! I have to say they are the best I've ever had and I got them at the local super market and not a bakery.

I finished two layouts this week. I have found I'm much more creative in my new space. It's not quite done yet, enough to take photos of any way, but I just love being in it a creating! Plus I get lots of inspiration from my favorite place on the world wide webJust 4 Keeps!! The gallery's been a rocking over there with lots of liftable layouts and ideas. These gals rock!


Here's my two creations. The second one I couldn't get to scan and stitch right because it had lots of lumpy stuff on it. I swear I'm going to get a large format scanner one of these days!