And the Wii injury goes to...

me!!! Don't ask me how, but of course you put me in front of an interactive game and I hurt myself. I was playing with Collin punching the the punching bag. I guess I got a little over zealous and eager to win.

Well, I won the game and I also got a HORRIBLE pain in my neck and shoulder. It's gotten worse and the days have gone by. Last night I couldn't even sleep and I'm taking ibuprofen by the hand fulls!!! I don't know what more to do -- I've put hot and cold on it, icy hot rub, and hot showers. Nothing is helping!!! No more Wii for me!!


I wish you all the happiest of New Years!! Have fun and be safe!!

Merry Christmas!!!

We've had so much fun yesterday and today!! My side of the family was over for Christmas Eve and we celebrated with crafts and games -- my SIL Rose came out the big winner!

We had an awesome morning with the kids waking up bright and early of course. My mom spent the night and we always enjoy having her here Christmas morning. The kids ran and woke her up instead of us...lol I loved seeing their smiling faces and looks of shock as they opened each one of their gifts. Let's just say Santa was good this year! Mom and Dad had to take credit for the Wii that they got which they totally did not expect us to get with the fact that we just got back from Disney. They LOVE it and spent the whole morning playing all their games. Marisa especially loves the Wii Music.

I got a few goodies of my own that I wanted including a new Canon 50-250mm IS lens, hot rollers to help give my hair a new look now and again..lol, and a new blender because my other one no longer would crush the ice. I loved all my gifts!!

The best news came a bit later when my niece Gabby called to talk to Marisa. She was telling her what she got for Christmas. I then hear Marisa say, "Aunt Pam is having a baby!" I said, "What!!" Thinking I just saw her but then things started to add up. She wouldn't take her vest off yesterday and was bundled in a sweater with her scarf wrapped around her. We told her to take it off and stay a while. She commented she was cold. UM-Hum now I know why things have been as they have lately -- that explained it all...lol I'm so happy for her and Gabby. I LOVE LOVE LOVE babies, especially when they are other peoples

We're off to my inlaws to celebrate the rest of the day with them. Dave's sister and brother just drove in today from Florida with all their family. Another fun day ahead..yippeee!!

I wish you all the best this wonderful holiday!! God bless!

I'm BACK!!

Disney was a blast, but it went WAY to QUICK! Can I just say how much I love Florida in December or at least when we were there. It was sunny and 80 every day....just GLORIOUS!!! We had to fly home through a snow storm and arrived at Detroit Metro Airport to tons of snow....yuck! It took me so long to drive home it was crazy!!!
I'm buried with tons of stuff to do both scrappy and for the holiday. I actually haven't been on the computer much since we've been back because there's no time to spare before Christmas Eve when we have my family over.
So I'll post some pictures of our vacation that I'm sure you'll be seeing in future layouts...lol Gosh, did I say how much I LOVE Disney???!!! LOL
This is pictures of our arrival at our resort and the next day at Epcot. (Click on the pictures for a better view)


These are photos of us at Hollywood Studios...so much fun!!! I actually rode the Tower of Terror and the Rockin' Rollercoaster!!! My stomach will never be the same...lol

And here we are at Magic Kingdom. That castle is so beautiful!! Marisa had her hair and makeup done at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. She had to have a princess outfit, so I said if it was that important she could use her birthday money to buy it. She picked out a beautiful red Belle gown.


That was the overview of our trip. I think I'll get to planning the next one now...lol Off to start dinner and finish up baking some cookies. Have a great night!

Little late....

but I've been super busy with all that's going on here at the house in preparation for Christmas and then our trip to Disney. First I'll start with my layouts created with December's BPM kit.






Here is a little ornament I made last month and still have more to make for the rest of my kids, nieces and nephew.


I made this little snowman for Back Porch Memories' December newsletter. A fellow scrapper, Jules, showed us this cute project last year at another site. I couldn't resist finally making one for myself. Super easy!!


I think that's all for now. My head's swirling with everything. We just got back from my niece Kaylynn's birthday party and now I need to go back out to pick up my Christmas cards to send out before we leave. Nothing like last minute, but I didn't think I was going to send them this year. However, my sister never fails in persisting that we send out cards to keep in touch with family members. Here are the cards I made -- one for her and then one for me. I found free templates online (one from Miss Tina and the other one from Katie Pertiet from Shutterfly) and just used those because I couldn't find any cute ones at Sam's.



I think that's it for now. I hope you all have a great weekend!

It's the 1st

Wow! I can't believe December is already here!! Time is a flying and I'm trying to get as much done before Christmas...actually before our vacation on the 15th. I was going to make Disney autograph books for the kids, but now I've decided to just take some note paper to get the autographs. Then when I come home I can tear out the note paper and pair it up with the photo in a book. Whew! I can cross that off my to-do list for now

I've got a sneak peek for ya. It's December's Solo and Medley kits from Back Porch Memories along with the stamps. Holy moly, these stamps are FABULOUS!!




And then being it's the first, I get to show you my early layout...can I just tell you I find the Basic Grey Urban Prairie to be utterly scrumptious!!

This layout is of my Marisa when she was just a year old...a bit of a weepy feeling came over me when I pulled these pictures to scrap. I wanted to capture and remember every memory of my children being infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. But when I look at old pictures like this, I think that time has gone way too fast and I can't remember much of when they were younger. It's a shame I didn't scrap much, but it was all new and I just didn't make it a priority. I wish I would have written more stuff down so I could remember, but I didn't. At least, thank goodness, I have the pictures to bring back those good thoughts and warm fuzzies of my kiddos when they were sweet little babes. Okay. Enough of this sappiness and on to the layout


If you're looking for a few good challenges this month, check out BPM's forum and play along for a chance to win a fabulous prize pack given by our awesome Paula. My challenge is to create a layout using a trendy animal on it. You know -- an owl, bird, deer, hedgehog, etc -- whatever floats your boat. It can be cut out of paper, stamped, a die cut, or even a rub on. Here's my example for the challenge. Gotta love that new Quickutz owl...so cute!



Now I must go and start my day of errand running -- bills, return movies, grocery shop....you know, all the fun stuff
Have a TERRIFIC day!!

Gift Card Class

My first class went really well and now I'm all set for my next one in December. This time it's for all those gift cards you give at Christmas. It gets kind of boring giving them in cards or their little envelopes. So, hey, why don't you make these little cuties to put them in!

My Maya Road Entry

Okay. I got the go ahead from Ms. Laura who knows Carolyn from Maya Road. She says I can post the pictures. Not that I was keeping them from you all because I thought I had a chance, I just some times miss the "fine print" as my dear friend Cheri knows and I didn't want to exclude myself after all my hard work...lol
Without further ado, here is my little holiday villa and mini album :D Thanks for peeking!

November BPM projects

Here's my layouts made with Back Porch Memories Medley kit -- fun stuff!

This one by far is my FAVORITE! I loved these pics I took of Travis the day he got his braces off. What a good looking young man he is! This layout was made with the Becky Fleck monthly sketch at BPM along with the Granola line.


This layout is of my mom and grandma with Marisa. Just recently we met my mom, aunts, great aunt, cousin, and Grandma Charlotte at a restaurant to celebrate her 79th birthday. We don't get together often like that, so it's always fun and such a good time seeing my relatives. They adored Marisa and she them.


and lastly I have a little card I made with the Pink Paislee.


I have so many papers left to create with. I just need to find the time and energy.
Thanks for peeking!

The sick bugs....

have struck our home again!! This is the main reason I can't stand this season -- well, I should say fall and winter -- blech! If there is a bug to be caught, someone in my family will catch it. Thankfully it's never been anything drastic or life threatening, but nonetheless it's one that puts one or many of us down.

Collin is now sick with another sinus infection that has traveled to his chest. Yes, he has a lovely cough! Marisa has now contracted a viral infection that has her lying in bed with a 102.3 fever that I can't seem to get to go down no matter how much motrin/tylenol I give her. She is complaining of a sore throat and stomach pains....poor kid! Dave has a nasty sinus/chest infection. Lots of yuckies with his coughing...blech!

So with all of this circulating, Trav and I are mananging to ward off the sick bugs and hopefully it stays that way!

I've been busy creating. I actually finished a Maya Road house for their "Home for the Holidays" contest. I didn't think I would pull it off because I always start something with good intentions and then run out of time... so for just finishing it I am proud! I don't know if you can post the pics of it so I'll hold off for now, but promise I'll come back with them by next Sunday.

Early layout

for Back Porch Memories November kit...woohoo! The papers are soooo pretty! I love the Medley kit for all of it's different paper selections. This one is using the Pink Paisley Pop Fashion and other goodies from the kit ;)


I have not been catching the right light lately for my pics. I miss the summer sun

Halloween projects

A few things that I finished for Halloween:


Loved these little houses!! I got the original idea from WIP blog and then one I saw on 2Peas. Easy decoration for sure!

Next is a quick card I threw together for my niece Gabby. My sister Pam -- her mom-- is always sending my kids cute things for the holidays. I sent her this card with money to buy a "sweet treat".

And this is just my Halloween tree redecorated this year. I made this for a BPM newsletter project last year, but it needed a bit of help after being tossed around. I found these cute little decorations at Michaels for half off and dressed the tree up with them.


Off to peruse the scrappy world for some inspiration to push me to scrap. Better yet, maybe I should just get a good night of sleep since last night's was pretty bad. Ya, that sounds like a better plan ;)

November Back Porch Memories Peek

Lookie at these most fabulous kits that Paula has assembled!!! Mine should be landing up on the front porch tomorrow *fingers crossed* and I'm ready to play Make sure to go check them out and grab one up for yourself as a little November kit treat!!




These stamps are perfect for homemade recipe cards or pages!!
________________

Here is the second layout for my class featuring a more traditional type of Christmas page.


and I've finished up a few Halloween projects, but I just need to download the pictures. Hope you all are having a scrap happy week!! Mine will be busy, but fun fun fun!!

I'm going to Disney World!

Yes, yes, we are!!! Okay, I guess we have to take the kids...lol I talked Dave in to letting me book a trip. I found a GREAT deal and AWESOME prices on airline tickets. So we'll be headed there the week before Christmas and I CAN'T wait!!! I haven't been there in 10 years and I can't imagine what it will look like for Christmas. I need to buy at least 2-3 more cards for my camera and a battery. I'm going to be one photo shooting fool!!! :D

Other than that, I can't say I've been scrapping much. I did do a double page layout class that I'll be teaching at Paper Tales on November 8th (eeek...it's my first class!). Here's a peek:


Sorry the colors are off from one side to the next, but they really are cute pinks and greens.

Now on to the next double pager for Christmas -- I keep forgetting it's not even Halloween yet because I'm working on all this Christmas stuff, but that's quite all right with me because I can never get enough of that holiday :D

Hope you all are having a great day!!

And the rest of...

and the rest of my Back Porch Memories' October DT creations..fun stuff that Vintage Moon :D

Here's a little something...

I can show you from Back Porch Memories' October Solo kit which features the YUMMY Pink Paislee Vintage Moon papers!! You don't know how long I've waited for these! I was so good and never bought them ahead of time. I will say now that I got my hands on this set and have used it all up for the most part, I found myself buying more the other day...hee hee I just just couldn't resist that color combo and how it kept calling my name.

You can see some other peeks at the other DT gal's early layouts on the home page by clicking the link up above.

Here's my layout

created for the guest designer spot at Creative Scrappers. I loved this sketch! These Fancy Pants papers worked perfectly for the photo of Marisa blowing out her candles. I did like a color wash on it -- if that's what you call it because I'm not quite sure. I just played around with the saturation in PSE.

I attended a Scrap Pink crop the other day at Paper Tales. I brought tons of stuff to do, but as always I never get to everything...lol I managed to accomplish two DT layouts with the lovely Vintage Moon paper line. Then I did some painting of projects for Halloween. Slow scrapper I am, but it didn't help that I'm not feeling all that well. The sinus/cold bug is going around the kids and I. Figures, fall comes and we get the yuckies. Off to scrap before the day gets away from me :D

It's officially OVER!

Today was Dave's last day at American Axle...a bittersweet ending for sure. He's worked there for almost 14 years and while it was a good ride, I'm thinking the ride has come to stop...lol His company is hurting like all the automotive manufacturers especially since they produce mainly truck axles. Trucks as we know aren't selling any more and the work week was showing it. It was becoming a rare thing to actually make it to 40 hours. I think the most he's worked this past month is 38 hours in one week.

Times are definitely tough for us, but I know we will pull through with faith and hope. I can tell he seems a little bummed, but happy at the same time. He said everyone was hollering at him, hugging him, and even some of the ladies were crying. Gosh, I didn't know he had that effect on people...lol He is a good guy and a GREAT worker...you can get no better than him. If there's 8 hours to put in a days worth of work, he'll stay for 12, 14, and even 16 as long as he's getting paid. However, after the strike it just wasn't the same. Their wages were cut drastically and morale was low if not obsolete. He knew it was best for him to get out while the getting was good as they say.

So now Dave will start focusing on passing his physical exam to become a corrections officers for the Macomb County Jail. He's passed the written portion, but now just needs to get this physical passed and then begin the waiting game as to when he'll be hired. Chances are good though because he has a couple of friends already working there that will put in a good word for him. Well, if you've read this far...thanks a bunch for listening. It's always good to have someone lend a virtual ear
Hope you're having a blessed day!