Winner!

Tracy...you win! Expect something in the mail soon from Rusty Pickle! More to come from me soon! :)

Rusty Pickle RAK!

I'll give an update soon but for now leave me a comment and I'll draw a name at random for a Rusty Pickle RAK. Here's what you have to do - Since I'm feeling like Mr. Grinch this year, tell me what you still have left to do to get ready for Christmas! I'll draw a name tomorrow (Friday) at noon my time. Now....GO!

Top 25 Movies

I think I saw this on Donna Downey's blog today, but here's a list of my top 25 favorite movies of all time (in random order)...

1) Pride & Prejudice
2) Lord of the Rings (all of them)
3) Star Wars (all of them)
4) Harry Potter (all of them)
5) Chronicles of Narnia
6) Bourne Identity (all of them)
7) Ocean's 12
8) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
9) The Holiday
10) You've Got Mail
11) The Wizard of Oz
12) Elf
13) Spider Man (all of them)
14) Fried Green Tomatoes
15) The Notebook
16) Father of the Bride
17) Walk the Line
18) Legends of the Fall
19) Chicago
20) Pirates of the Caribbean (all of them)
21) Something's Gotta Give
22) Titanic
23) Finding Neverland
24) Gladiator
25) Forrest Gump

As you can see, I like a good mix of comedy, action, romance and epic movies! Something just for fun today... :)

Winter wonderland!

Iowa has been getting hit with its fair share of winter weather over the past week! It looks like we're in for another round tonight and tomorrow - this time with ice and snow! We drove out to my parents Saturday in freezing rain...it was not fun! We almost turned around and went home.

We went to a friend's wedding Saturday night. It was beautiful with lots of candles and gorgeous Christmas colors. I spent all day Sunday with my family (basically stranded in the house). I brought some scrapping with and worked on the December Paper Posies kit. I'll have some picts to share soon. I didn't get back into town until today because I had an eye dr. appointment and stopped to visit with my grandma.

On another note, I'm extremely thankful that my sister-in-law's family is safe and sound. Many of you might have heard about the shootings at New Life Community Church in Colorado Springs. It's my sister-in-law's church and her family left the parking lot just 5 minutes before the shootings began. We're feeling very fortunate that they are okay but are sad for the tragedies that have hit way too close to home in the past week.

Over the weekend, I made a decision. I'm not going to put my Christmas tree up this year! I can't believe I'm saying it but I'm not going to do it. We're traveling around Christmas so we would only get to enjoy it for 2 weeks. I don't see the point in going to all that work right now. I'd rather spend the time working on Christmas cards and holiday baking. I am going to get my nativity set out and our stockings. I also have three miniature rustic trees that I might set up but only because they are simple to do. I'm actually a little sad about not putting the tree up but I'd rather not be overly stressed out right now. Yay for simplification! :)

Have a great rest of your day! :)

The bracelet

How totally pathetic is it that I want this bracelet? For those of you who have read the Twilight series, you might be familiar with the bracelet Jacob gives Bella in Eclipse. Edward adds his own "little" charm later on in the book. I came across the bracelet on one of my many visits to the Twilight Lexicon site. I would probably never wear it, but I think the bracelet is sooo cool! Yep, I'm still obsessed. I want to re-read the books again for the millionith time, but I've now resolved to reading fan fiction to pass the time until book 4 comes out in about 9 months. I even have a list of favorite authors I would be willing to share if you want some reading enjoyment.

Last night, I tried out my Napoleon Dynamite moves when I came across the song he dances to at the end of the movie (HA...not really). It's called Canned Heat by Jamiroquai if you want to download it from iTunes. It's really a good dancing song, which lately I've been itching to do. Luckily, we're going to a wedding Saturday night so I'm all ready to shake my groove thing! :) And, I'm totally hoping to fit in a shopping trip before the weekend because I really want to get some new wedding appropriate attire - I'm thinking some sort of black cocktail dress.

Anyway, just some very random thoughts today. I'm hoping to get some scrapping/cleaning done tonight. I've got a very busy next few days! I have a love/hate relationship with the month of December! :)

Some cards

Here are a couple cards I made with the November Paper Posies kit. Love me some Daisy D's and 7gypsies! I'm finally getting back into the groove with my scrapping which is a good thing because I have some deadlines to meet.

I had a rather uneventful weekend. We had an ice storm come through on Saturday and Sunday so we mostly stayed put all weekend. I did end up going to Archiver's on Friday night. It was so nice to get out. Right now I'm just feeling the stress of the holiday season. Can you believe we still don't have our Christmas tree up? Usually, I'm super excited and it's up right after Thanksgiving but I'm just not feeling it this year. We have company on Monday night so it's going to go up this weekend.

Well, I better get moving! Have a great Tuesday! :)

I'm baaa-aack!

Here's a layout I did with the November Paper Posies kit! One of the last times I was home I went through old Halloween photos. I realized then that mom didn't take pictures of us every year so I think that all the photos on this layout are the only ones I have. Luckily, I have pictures of the first year I dressed up and the last year I dressed up (I was 16!).

This week has been good for me! I've let a lot of things slip through the cracks the past month or so (I really believe it was daylight savings time that did me in) and now I'm getting back on track. I've been keeping up with my house and even doing some scrapping! I was pleasantly surprised to get a publication request e-mail from Paper Trends especially because I didn't submit anything to them for this call. They want a card I submitted a while ago...yay! :)

Well, I better get moving! I just finished my morning cup of coffee so it's time to start my day! Have a great Thursday! :)

The windy city

I'll be sharing some more work over the next couple of days. This was a layout I created using the October Paper Posies kit that I never got around to sharing on my blog.

What a weekend! Wednesday it was snowing here in Des Moines. It was beautiful and the first snow we've had. Luckily, we were able to make it to my mom and dad's okay. We had Thanksgiving at grandma and grandpa's Thursday afternoon/night and then hung out and watched movies - Transformer's and Hairspray that night. I got my hair done on Friday and it's now a little closer to my original color - not quite as much blonde. I like it to be a little darker in the winter time. We came home Friday night and went to Target and did a little Christmas shopping and a little Glen and Jill shopping. We bought a whole bunch of movies for super cheap (around $4). I've been dying to get The Holiday and that's one of the movies I bought. Saturday I went to Marshalltown for my cousin's 10th birthday party and mom and I shopped a little bit at the mall. I've been wanting some dangly earrings so I bought a few pairs. Sunday we had church and then I did some cleaning, some relaxing and some scrapping!

I guess that it's for today! Enjoy your Monday! :) I'm off to drink some coffee and then hit the gym!

Overwhelmed with emotion - adoption update!

Yesterday was our adoptive parenting class. The class was incredibly overwhelming. We've got our work cut out for us in the next few months. I almost cried during the class about 5 times. I have never been more convicted that we are supposed to adopt than after yesterday. After the class was over, I just sobbed.

Okay, I know I've mentioned this before but I have to create a scrapbook that going to be part of our family profile. A coincidence, right? Considering how much scrapbooking is a part of my life? We found out yesterday that not only do we have to do a scrapbook but a video and a designed family profile sheet. MY HUSBAND IS A GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND CREATES VIDEOS FOR A LIVING!!!! I also have a background in video production and writing. The scrapbook, video and family profile sheet are ways the adoption agency presents families to pregnant clients. At the moment that we learned this, I knew in my heart that God gave us these specific talents for the very reason that we were supposed to adopt. Isn't that just amazing? I'm just soooo overwhelmed about all of this. I didn't break down until we left the class but one of the things they told us was that the music choice makes the video. The first thing Glen said to me after the class was that he was going to write and perform the song for our video. I started bawling! Glen doesn't sing or anything like that but he writes the most beautiful music on the piano. He's going to write a song for OUR BABY! How cool is that?

Anyway, I'm feeling a lot better today and definitely more rested since I went to bed around 11 last night. On a different note, what was up with the Bachelor? I couldn't believe what happened last night...definitely didn't see that one coming!

Have a great Tuesday! :)

Neglect

First of all, I've been promising some new work for a LONG time so here's a new project! I used the November Paper Posies kit to create this paper mache box that I've had sitting in my stash for a long time. I am totally in LOVE with Glimmer Mist and used it on the box with a paper doily as a stencil. I used various papers from Daisy D's and some lace from Making Memories. I love the rich, vintage colors and how it all turned out.

Today, I am just exhausted. I'm finally starting to feel a cold coming on. I've been fighting it off for about two months and I think I wore my body out enough that it can finally take hold. The last month is starting to take a toll on me. I've had so much going on that other areas of my life have been neglected far too long. I haven't scrapped in weeks and I'm really starting to miss it. There have been a bunch of publication calls that normally I wouldn't want to miss, but I haven't done any work to submit. My house is a mess and things that I would usually stay on top of are slipping through the cracks. I'm in need of a break!!! And, after today...it's going to happen!!! We have our adoptive parenting class this afternoon and then I don't have anything else planned for a while. I'm even letting myself miss Bible study tonight. We're headed out of town on Wednesday night for Thanksgiving and won't be back until Friday afternoon. Usually I'm really excited for the holidays but I can't wait for Christmas to be over this year. The Christmas decorating, baking, cards, shopping, etc. seem to be too much for me right now. Maybe I'll feel more like my old self after a couple days of rest and relaxation at mom and dad's....I sure hope so!

Have a great Monday! :)

NEW Lucky collection from Rusty Pickle!

Just when I thought Rusty Pickle couldn't come up with anything better, they're just releasing a brand new collection called Lucky. I absolutely LOVE the colors...I've never seen anything quite like this for St. Patrick's Day and the Irish! I'm excited to get my hands on it because I'm already envisioning the cards I'll be able to make with this!!!

Okay, I know I promised I was going to get some work posted but I have just been way too busy to do anything else. I have some projects that need photos taken of them so I really do hope to get up something new this weekend. To be honest, I haven't felt much like scrapping. I've either been too busy, haven't felt well or been too tired! I do have some projects I need to do before the end of the month so you should be seeing some new work soon. Speaking of busy,

I am in need of some quality time with my hubby. He's been putting in tons of hours at the church working on the new lighting and sound systems for the new building. We've both had really off hours too. He's up at the crack of dawn and I'm still sleeping. I've been a night owl and up until midnight or so every night while he goes to bed early. It will be nice to start acting like we're married again SOON!!! :)

Last Friday, I was able to speak at my church's annual coffee house night. I woke up Friday feeling TERRIBLE! I think most of it was exhaustion. I had been keeping late hours working on it and it just kind of caught up with me. I felt really sick and then I started to get nervous. It all spiraled out of control. Finally, the only thing that worked was to listen to workship music. I was a bum most of the day getting ready for the night and praying over what I was about to do. Then, when I was getting ready to go I dropped my blow dryer in the toilet! It wasn't plugged in or anything but I still needed to blow dry my hair. The worst part was I just did the same thing about 2 months ago. My mom arrived soon after I did it so she was able to run to Wal-Mart to buy me a new one. (My new blow dryer is no longer above the toilet...I think I finally learned my lesson!) We had around 250 women attend the coffee house night. We were all crammed in there and it was soooo hot! I was glad I was wearing black because I was pouring sweat! :) I think I was most nervous that I was going to cry uncontrollably, but God gave me the greatest sense of peace while I was speaking. There were several times that my voice was really full of emotion and I was teary-eyed (especially at the end), but I didn't break down. It really was a fantastic experience and healing for me to share what I had been through. I keep laughing now thinking back at how people were gasping as I was explaining the process. I was like, "Yeah...I really went through this...I'm not kidding!" :) One of the things I kept thinking about was how my birth mother might have been sitting in the audience. It gives me chills to think about it!

Anyway, I have a busy weekend ahead. I might be cropping at Archiver's Friday night, but if I don't, I'm hoping Glen and I can go on a date. Saturday, I have a work event and I'm hoping to do some Christmas decorating. Sunday, I'm helping throw a baby shower for one of my best friends. We also have young adult fellowship Sunday night. I'm sooooo ready for Thanksgiving and a break from the busyness of life!

Have a great Wednesday! :)

Rambling...

No work to share yet, but I PROMISE I'll get something up by Friday. How's that? :)

Last night, my women's Bible study group met and talked about the fear of intimacy and the fear to be ourselves. I wanted to share a couple thoughts about our discussion with you today...

I have quite a few friends that I share intimate details about my life with - friends that I grew up with, friends from college and friends from church. I would say that I'm usually pretty transparent with my life (probably too much sometimes). With these people, I'm not afraid to say what I'm really feeling. Within this group, I might have some people that I might not share exactly what I'm feeling, but they know my opinion about everything from clothes to politics. We're still really tight. Then, I have people in my life that I'm generally acquainted with - we might talk about the weather and what's been going on - but nothing too deep.

God desires a relationship with us that's on the deep, intimate, emotional side of things. You might say, "God knows everything already so why do I need to tell him?" I've thought that way too, but He really wants us to talk to Him. When we verbalize what we're really thinking and feeling, we become vulnerable to Him. Our vulnerability allows us to experience growth in our faith and a change in our hearts. Last night, I was convicted to talk to the Lord more. I also felt God calling me to deepen some of those relationships that seem superficial right now. How can I find intimacy in my relationships with other people? It's so easy to get caught up being comfortable with the people I spend a lot of time around, but God wants us to find new people to encourage and build up as well.

On another note, sometimes fear can hold us back from using the talents and gifts we've been given. We read verses from Exodus last night that really spoke to me. Have you ever been in a situation where you've had all the skills to do something, but you weren't willing to do it? Or vice versa, you were willing to try, but had no experience whatsoever? I really believe that God has given me the passion to be a mother. Because I haven't had the opportunity yet, it has made me feel like somewhat of a failure. As hard as it may be for me, I feel like God has called me to help out my friends with children. He wants me to serve them by giving them a break. I didn't have a willing heart at first, but now I do. I feel that I have gift in this area, but because I couldn't use it in the way I wanted to, I wanted nothing to do with it. Hmmm....something to think about, right? I'm thankful God has given me a change of heart.

Last night, I was up until 2 a.m. I had some coffee when I got home from work and I was just wired! I did it on purpose but I was thinking I would be in bed by at least midnight. I can't believe everything I was able to get done. I'm only hoping my productivity will carry into tonight becuase I have tons more to do!!!!

Have a great Wednesday! :)



Anyway, enought

Time for a real post!

I don't have any new work to share yet, but I promise I'll get something up in the next couple of days.

My friends, Libby and Nate, removed life support from Baby Eve on Tuesday but amazingly she was a little fighter and breathed on her own until the Lord took her home Wednesday night around 11:00. I've been busy doing what I can for them the past week or so. I brought their mail in and have coordinated food so that they will have a meal coming in every night for the next few weeks. I was super surprised when Libby gave me a call Saturday morning and asked me to help her with a little project. The hospital gave them the most amazing 3D cast of Eve's foot and hand and she wanted to decorate it before the memorial service. I didn't really know what to expect so I gathered up a bunch of supplies and went over there Saturday late afternoon. I'll just say that being able to help her with this project was one of the most humbling and honoring things I've ever done. It turned out just perfect - feminine, simple and dainty. She loved it! It was one of those times that I was grateful God has given me a passion for scrapbooking. He used me to minister to my friend in a way that no one else probably could. The next few weeks and months will be difficult for them, but I'm glad that I can be available to help them through it.

My sister was here this weekend and we had a good time. Jen used to live with us for about a year and I really do miss having her here. She was a great compliment to our little family and her and Glen get along great. We got on each other's nerves a few times but we really had a lot of fun when she lived here. Anytime she comes back to visit, I tell her I want her to move back in! We actually did some shopping on Saturday afternoon before I went over to Nate and Libby's. She needed a few things so we headed to the mall. Now, it's important to realize that my sister hates shopping. Usually, I would much rather shop with my other sister, but this shopping trip was actually fun. I tried a few things on too, but most of the time...it didn't look quite as good on me as it did the mannequin which we had a good laugh over. I helped her pick out some new clothes and she came away with about $300 worth of stuff. We had to do some bra shopping for both of us which is never fun but we both ended up with purchases so that was good.

Sunday I did some grocery shopping, laundry and cleaning. My scrap room is a mess so I made a huge dent in there but I'm still not finished. I can see the floor now which makes a huge difference! :) I also stayed up late last night working on something for this coming weekend. I have been asked to speak at my church's annual fall women's coffeehouse night on Friday. I'm really excited about sharing our infertility story and how God is going to use that story to touch other people. With everything that's been going on the two weeks I haven't been able to work on it like I would like but time is starting to run out. I feel a lot better after I worked on it last night.

Well, I better get moving. I can't believe how much stuff I need to do today...:(

I've been tagged...

by my fellow Rusty Pickle Chef, Casey...

1. When I'm trying to fall asleep at night, I move my foot. I have no idea why I do it, but I always have. I can't remember not doing it. It just makes me fall asleep.

2. Pickles actually make me gag! I can eat them on a hamburger but otherwise, I'm completely grossed out by the smell of them.

3. I love to fish! My dad taught me how when I was a little girl. I'll put the worm on the hook and take the fish off and everything. It's probably the one "boy-ish" thing I'll do.

4. When I was in high school and college, I wanted to be the next Katie Couric.

5. I collect Willow Tree angels. Seriously, my house is full of them. I used to think they were ugly (since they didn't have faces and all), but they started to grow on me and now I love them!

6. When I was in 5th grade, my nickname was "Miss Environmental." Why? I was allergic to almost everything in the environment - grass, trees, pollen, etc. (Kids can be so cruel!) Kind of ironic that I went on to work for my state's environmental protection agency right out of college, huh? :)

7. I was a Tupperware lady for a while. My mom sold it in the late 80's and we used it all the time. I loved the stuff so now my cupboards are full of it!

I tag.. Jen, Steph, Tracey, Mou, Allie, Jenny

THE RULES:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

Look for a "real" post from me tomorrow! :)

Today, I'm thankful for...

a cup of coffee to start my day.

my new black shirt.

the fact that I need to pull out some of my old jeans and dress pants because my current ones are too big (yes!).

my ipod.

a cup of fountain Dr. Pepper.

the three people who have agreed to be references on our adoption application.

my fellow Rusty Pickle chefs who I got to chat with last night (finally, I got to gush over Edward). :)

the chill in the air and how it makes my house that much cozier.

my church family of friends that have pulled together to serve our friends who are hurting.

my sister who is hopefully coming to spend the weekend with us.

What are you thankful for today?

Lots of stuff

Wow! I'm so behind. It's amazing how easy it is to get backed up with everything when you're gone for a few days. My house is a disaster! We ended up having a great time in Minneapolis. We spent most of the day on Saturday in Stillwater. It was just beautiful up there...the leaves were gorgeous. We got to eat at my favorite malt shop for lunch and then got to check out the coolest shop - The Rose Mille. I got some of the most beautiful colors of vintage German glass glitter and some glassine bags. I was also inspired to make a project hopefully in the near future. We checked into our hotel and ended up getting a free upgrade to the club level. Our room was really nice! We went to the Mall of American so we could eat at Ruby Tuesday's - yum! I was so stuffed! We did a little shopping and then headed back to our hotel for the night.

Sunday morning we went to the fitness center and spent some time in the pool and hot tub. I haven't been swimming in a long time so it was really fun to just hang out and relax. We ended up going back to the mall and ate at Bubba Gump Shrimp = yum! We had their shrimp sampler platter. Glen hung out at Barne's and Noble doing some computer work while I shopped by myself. I had the best time and got lots of cute things. I got some Christmas shopping done too. My best buy of the day was at Nordstrom Rack. I got my sisters the best Christmas gifts there - we're all going to match! :) After the mall, we stopped by the hotel to drop off my purchases and then headed downtown. It was so crazy busy that we ended up having an appetizer and beer at Applebee's because it was all we had time for. So You Think You Can Dance was AWESOME! Our seats were pretty good and the lighting effects for each dance were awesome! I was so glad that we went...my favorite dance of the whole season was the flower and the hummingbird and of course, they did that one! I loved a lot of the Latin dances the best!

Our trip home was rather uneventful. We did stop at the outlet mall and found some good buys at Old Navy. We got home around 2:00 today. I woke up feeling like I have a cold coming on so when we got home I ended up taking a nap. I'm just tired and achy right now. I don't have much of an update on baby Eve. She's still hanging in there so thanks for your prayers. I hope to make it over to Iowa City later this week.

I did get some good news on Friday! Simple Scrapbooks wants another layout for their March/April issue! I'm excited because it's a fun one about a girls' night out this summer = pedicures! :)

Have a good week! I've got a lot on my plate right now! Oh, and I almost forgot!!!!! Our preliminary adoption application was accepted today! Our next step is the formal application...I've already started filling it out the information online. We might even be able to get it done this weekend! :)

I am just heart sick...

I just got home from Iowa City this afternoon. I ended up driving there around 1:00 yesterday with another friend of mine. The baby was born via C-section Wednesday night. Libby was already dialated to a 10 when they got to Iowa City so they whisked her right into delivery. The baby was on a ventilator right away and the majority of her brain was in the ancephalaceal (sp?) sac on the back of her head. By Thursday morning, the sac had started leaking and there was a high risk of infection. Libby and Nate made a difficult decision to do surgery so that they would be able to hold her. By the time, my friend Emily and I arrived, Nate and Libby were just coming out of the NICU before the surgery. Libby saw us and just broke down. We hugged her and cried with her. During the afternoon, we hung out in Libby's room and talked and laughed together. The surgery took about 4 hours. The dr. finally came in to talk to them around 8:00. Nate and Libby came to tell those of us in their church family what the news was. The surgery was more complicated than the dr. thought, but he was able to make it possible for them to hold her. There is no way that the baby will be able to breathe on her own and the condition has left her in basically a vegetative state. Life support is what is keeping her alive. I just hugged Libby and cried with her after they told us. We were able to go into the NICU to see the baby and she's just beautiful. She looks perfect from her little face down. She's chubby and just looks so peaceful. I was able to stroke her little leg. It was just sooo sad and hard to see her looking just like she should be going home with her mom and dad. Nate and Libby named her Eve Elizabeth. Emily and I ended up staying at the home of one of the members of our sister church so we were able to go back to the hospital this morning. I was so glad that I was able to be there for them!

Please, please continue to pray for this family. They need to feel lifted up in prayer right now and surrounded by God's love and comfort. At some point, they will have to make a decision to take her off life support. They are waiting for Libby's dad to arrive from Arizona tomorrow and then I'm not sure what will happen.

Glen and I are headed to a church event an hour away tonight and then we're still going to Minneapolis in the morning. I need to get ready to go so that's all for now.

Prayers

You may remember my friend, Libby, that I talked about on earlier posts. Yesterday afternoon, I got a phone call from a friend who told me that the dr. thought she might be in labor. They were going to monitor her for an hour at the dr. and needed to make some quick decisions. She was already dialated to a 4. The last I heard last night was that they were going by ambulance to the hospital in Iowa City. I'm thankful they decided to go there because that's where a neurosurgeon is that specializes in the type of condition their baby has. It was just amazing to me how quickly the news moved through our church's prayer chain. I called a few other people myself to ask them to be praying. I haven't heard any news yet this morning but it's still early. Please say a prayer for them today. I know that going into labor right now was somewhat unexpected for them and I hope it wasn't too overwhelming. I'm praying for lots of peace right now.

On a different note, yesterday I got my December issue of GiftMaker magazine. In that issue, I have a thank you card (opposite of my friend, Jen...did you notice that, Jen?) and a Christmas card that is available as an online bonus with insructions. I'm sharing the card here, but if you would like the instructions, just visit GiftMaker's Web site.

On the agenda today, I need to wrap up some projects with the November Paper Posies kit, clean up my house, get some projects mailed to Utah, workout and then Grey's is on tonight. I got some happy mail yesterday which was soooo fun! I'm like a little kid at Christmas when I get a package! I ordered some of the newest MME, some October afternoon and some new Maya Road albums and ribbon. I can't wait to play!

Have a great Thursday! :)

EXCITING NEWS!!!

This is probably one of the most exciting things I will ever share about on my blog - our adoption journey has officially begun!!!! Yesterday, we completed the online preliminary application, our essays are finished, we have signed the statements of faith and we have a letter of reference for our pastor. I'm dropping the essays, statements and letter into the mail tomorrow and then we wait for the agency to contact us to start the formal application process. I'm excited and nervous and can't believe that we are finally doing it! Various people have been asking us how the process has been coming and now we finally have something to tell them! I'll definitely keep all of you posted on how things go!

Speaking of getting things done, yesterday afternoon I worked from home and got major headway on some writing I needed to do. I felt so productive that I actually got caught up on some e-mails, did the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen, made dinner, and then sat and scrapbooked with my November Paper Posies kit while I watched Dancing with the Stars. Yesterday was a good day! I know it's been a while since I have shared any project photos so I'll be sure to post some later this week. I am getting super excited about our upcoming trip...I'm hoping to reward myself with a couple new shirts since I've been pushing myself to work out a lot. :)

Have a great Wednesday! :)

Is it Friday yet?

The weekend just ended, but I'm all ready for next weekend. I'll tell you why in a sec. Friday we went out to my mom and dad's to spend the night. I had my usual tenderloin (yum!) and just hung out with my sister and parents and watched a movie. I got up fairly early Saturday, but lounged around for awhile. I went with my other sister to the local craft shop and ended up getting my mom a birthday present. Glen and I went for a walk on the trail near Exira. It was such a BEAUTIFUL day! I couldn't believe it...around 75 and it's the end of October! We took off around 5:30 and headed back to Des Moines. I was sad to leave...it was just fun to hang out. We went to The Blue Man Group when we got back. It was pretty cool...awesome percussion and lighting and off-the-cuff humor (very much the type of stuff my husband thinks is hilarious).

Yesterday was church and then I got some groceries (and a raspberry mocha...don't tell Glen). :) I went for a walk/run after lunch. I'm really not much of a runner. In fact, I hate it! I always feel like my lungs are on fire and my legs are going to fall off while I'm running. I don't particularly care for those feelings so I don't run. My sisters are the same way...we're just not a family of runners. It's also way too hard on my knees so I'll take an elliptical any day. I was proud of myself because I ran about 5 blocks. For a non-runner, that's a long ways! :) I worked on some scrap projects, did laundry and then went to a church event last night. I came home, watched my shows w/ our Sunday night popcorn and then dropped into bed.

Today I'm meeting some friends from my old job at the DNR for lunch. I haven't seen them since I quit in March and I'm sure they think I'm a snob! :) It will be fun to catch up! This is my off week for Bible studies so I'm using the opportunity to get caught up around here and with scrap work. I'm starting to get a little burnt out with all the extra projects I'm doing so I hope that I can start scrapping/crafting for me again very soon.

Anyway...I'm extremely excited for this weekend because we're going to Minneapolis!!!! It's finally time for the So You Think You Can Dance show. We're leaving early Saturday morning and spending two nights up there. I CAN'T WAIT! We're hopefully going to Stillwater for a while and of course to the Mall of America. One of my absolute favorite restaurants is Ruby Tuesday's. We do not have one around here so I take advantage whenever I go to a city bigger than Des Moines. I'm hoping to get some birthday/Christmas present shopping done while we're away.

Well, I better hop in the shower. Have a great Monday! :)

Rain, rain...go away!

I think we're on day 5 or 6 of all rain....it's starting to get old. I know there's places around the state that are flooding because of it. That many days of rain can just start to put a damper on your mood, you know?

Despite the yucky weather, I had an AWESOME day yesterday. I got a St. Patrick's Day card picked up by Cards magazine and the e-mail that really had me excited - a layout picked up by Simple Scrapbooks magazine!!! I have never been in Simple Scrapbooks magazine and it was kind of one of those unconscious goals I'd set for myself. It's a layout I did about the farmer's market and it will be in the March/April 2008 issue. Needless to say, I'm thrilled! Yesterday, I also got my Nov/Dec Scrapbooks Etc in the mail, which has a 2-pager I did of Glen decorating the Christmas tree. Really fun to see this one in print!

Yesterday, I spent some time at my friend, Libby's house (who I mentioned in an earlier post). She's not really one to be too emotional, but I could tell the stress of the past week especially was starting to wear on her. She just kind of unloaded on me and I did the only thing I could do - I listened. I know from past experience that it's good not to give advice because most of the time, there's no way you could ever say the right thing. You just need to be a person they can vent to. We also made a few cards together. She wanted to give some thank-you's to the sonographer and her doctor. I think it did her a world of difference to get her mind off everything for a while. I was really happy I went over there. If you are praying, you can continue to pray for wisdom and clarity for them. I know there's still a lot of confusion about where to have the baby.

Today, I have much to do around the house. I'm headed to the chiropractor, library and gym this morning and then cleaning when I get home. And, later this afternoon - we're going to my parent's overnight! I am sooooo excited to go out there for a visit. It's really like a vacation for us and I miss my family. It's been a while since we have been there. We're coming home Saturday night because Glen got free tickets to The Blue Man Group through work. It should be a fun time!

Have a great weekend full of all your favorite things! :)

Here we go!

I've been having some neck and upper back pain from working out so last night even though I had a perfectly good night to get some work done - I laid on the couch, read, and watched TV. It was great! Oh yeah, and I had a glass of wine. I've really become a wine drinker lately and have been having a few glasses every week. I can only have it if I'm ready to wind down for the night because it just makes me so sleepy. I've been going to the chiropractor about my pain and have been using a heating pad, but I know it will take a while to get it all worked out. I was in a car accident about 5 years ago and have had trouble ever since. Every three months or so, it just flares up and is dehabilitating. I know that if I lift weights and keep those muscles strong, it will help tremendously. So, I just need to get past this point of pain and I'll be good to go.

Today, I'm going to work on some scrapbooking projects for Memory Bound in Ankeny that are going to put on display. Almost all of them are for Christmas. I've come up with a bunch of class ideas, but I need to really get them hammered out in the very near future. I'll be working out later this afternoon and then going over to my friend's house for a little while. Of course, I also have to watch Grey's Anatomy tonight - it's my one show I can never miss!

Here's a quick little card I made using the October Paper Posies kit. I loved the little birds on the Hambly paper and love me some American Crafts. It was so simple to make! The colors in this month's kit are really beautiful together!

Have a great Thursday!

Overcoming the "What-if's"

We had an awesome women's Bible study last night. As you may have read on my blog before, we're going through a study called Overcoming Fear by the Women of Faith speakers. Last night, we talked about overcoming our fear of the future and fear of rejection.

One of the greatest truths I was convicted about was concerning the "what-if's." It's something we all struggle with as we think through situations. We constantly ask ourselves "What if this happens?" as we make decisions. But, God shows us through His word and promises that He is bigger than any "What if" we might have. What we need to think about is what God CAN DO instead of what "might" happen.

In the Bible, God used so many people to do great things. For example, Noah was asked to take a leap of faith - to follow God into the unknown by building an ark. The result of his obedience was amazing - God saved him and his family from the great flood. God also asked Mary to carry a child. The result of her obedience was life-changing for all of us - she bore the only Son of God, Jesus Christ. The next time you are plagued with a fear of the "what-if's", try asking yourself - "What CAN God DO?" Those simple words might just make a huge difference for you! :)

Have a great Wednesday!

Cards for Libby...how to help!

Dear friends,

I'm posting again today because one of my closest friends needs our creative help! My dear friend from church, Libby, is expecting her second child with her husband, Nate. They already have one little girl, Hannah, who is just a doll! Early on in her pregnancy, Libby and Nate were told there was something seriously wrong with the baby. The doctors suspected Down's syndrome. After several tests, they were relieved to find that everything was okay! It was a miracle!

But, a later ultrasound revealed that everything was not okay. The baby has Anencephaly, which basically means that the baby's brain is growing outside its head. The condition is fatal. They were told that the baby might die in the womb or a few hours or days after its birth. As I'm sure you can imagine, Libby and Nate were devastated. The doctors kept telling them to abort the baby. But, they stuck firmly to their beliefs that God created this child for a reason. So, we all prayed for them. And, the baby has continued to grow and live in her womb!

Libby is scheduled to be induced next week. Her and Nate have sadly had to make decisions that none of us would ever hope to make - hospice care, funeral arrangements and even organ donation. Last week, they met with a neurosurgeon from Iowa City who gave them a glimmer of hope. There's a chance multiple surgeries might sustain this tiny life! We're certainly all hopeful and we know God can work a miracle if He chooses to.

So, how can you help this wonderful family? Well, first of all pray! This family needs to be surrounded in prayer as they still have some tough decisions to make. Pray for a miracle! Pray that God's will would be done and the baby would not suffer. Pray for a smooth delivery and for immeasurable peace and strength for Nate and Libby.

Libby has such a sweet spirit and I'm trying to come up with anything I can to help her. Recently, she mentioned to me that she would like to make a bunch of thank you cards to send to people who have helped them. Time has run out, and to me it's the last thing she should be worrying about now.

I have so many talented friends in the scrapbooking world that I thought you might help answer this call for a dear friend of mine. I would like to present her with at least 100 thank you cards that she can use over the next month or so.

If you would like to help, just create as many thank cards as you can. If you can send as little as 1 card, that would help greatly! They can be as simple or as elaborate as you want. The other thing that would help is if you could send postage stamps and it would be awesome if you can include a personal note or card of encouragement to them when you send me the cards.

Please send me an e-mail or leave a comment if you would like to help so I can send you my address. From everyone that sends me cards, I'll draw a name for a fun RAK from me full of lots of my favorite goodies. It's the least I can do for your time and thoughtfulness! I would like to have all the cards in hand by October 31st so if you're willing - get creating! :)

Upsy Daisy Designs

Here's a few cards using Upsy Daisy Design's newest patterned paper, stamps and rub-ons. I love the funky mix of the green colors!

Last night was fun...we were supposed to have our small group meeting, but one of the couples had some damage to their ceiling and living room from all the recent rain we have had. The guys ended up eating and working at their house and the girls ate dinner (and had some wine) at another house and gabbed. It was just fun to hang out and I'm glad the guys were able to help. We have such a great group! We're all extremely comfortable around each other and it's just a lot of fun. We range in age from me (26) up to Carol who is 41. You wouldn't even know there was an age difference among all of us!

Have a great Tuesday! :)

The most productive weekend!

Wow! I'm sitting here just reflecting on everything that happened this weekend, and I'm just amazed I got so much done yet was able to get some relaxing in at the same time!

Friday morning, I went to the scrapbook convention. I was actually pretty surprised there was so many people there that early in the day. There weren't too many booths so I thought I wouldn't find anything to buy. Of course, I was wrong! :) I can usually find something to buy. I bought a few sheets of the new Scenic Route Salem line, some new Doodlebug, some new American Crafts thickers and rub-ons, some new colors of Stickles, a few acrylic shapes, and some twill ribbon. I know it sounds like I bought a lot, but I actually got out of there without spending too terribly much. I was a little disappointed because I wanted to buy some of the new MME from a store. I grabbed several sheets of paper and a couple paper packs and stood in line before I discovered that the store owner was writing every single item down by hand! The two ladies in front of me had STACKS of patterned paper and journaling cards. I would have been in line for an hour! I decided I'd rather go home and shop online after that experience!

Friday night we went to Red Lobster and had endless shrimp! Yum! On the spur of the moment, we decided to go to Ratatouille. It was such a good movie and I noticed a lot of new things they're able to do with animation now. Then, we came home and watched Knocked Up that I had rented earlier in the day. It was not what I was expecting due to the language, which was disappointing. It wasn't just one or two words - the whole movie was full of it. It did have a couple funny parts, but I was just turned off by the language.

Saturday morning, we ventured into very dangerous territory - Wal-Mart! I hate going to Wal-Mart, but sometimes it just must be done. We went a little later than I normally like to go - usually you have to be there by 8:00 in the morning. It took forever because I decided to get my weekly groceries too. Then we had problems with the self-checkout. It ended up being a quiet afternoon. I did a bunch of laundry, put some dinner in the crockpot and worked on a major scrapping project. I even went to the library - haven't been there in a while. I decided I want to start reading a lot again so I went and found a great book to start with. I also got Season 1 of Little House on the Prairie on DVD. I love to watch movies while I'm scrapping and I LOVE Little Hosue on the Prarire! I have 7 whole seasons I can watch!

Sunday was church and then I typed up some project instructions (watching movies while I worked) and then shipped off a huge box to Utah. I worked on some more projects while I watched my Sunday night shows and then finally fell into bed!

I'm so happy I got a lot done. We're busy with Bible studies the next two nights so I won't be able to do much at home. In fact, I better get moving this morning! I got up early so I can get a lot accomplished before I head into work!

Have a great Monday! I'll share some Paper Posies projects soon!

Sneak peeks

Here's a look at the classes I'm teaching at the Get Inspired Scrapbooking Expo on November 3rd. The "Home" class features the new French Market papers from Rusty Pickle, and the gift bag and card class features the new Snowflakes and Mittens line. There's still time to sign up! :)

I was extremely productive today and got some major projects completed. Tomorrow I have plenty of work to do, but I'm going to take a couple hours to go to the scrapbooking convention. I'll post an update about the show soon! We're also going on a date this weekend - out for dinner and maybe to a movie! I love when we get to go on dates! :)

Have a great Friday!

Fall Family Fun!

Wow! It is 50 degrees this morning. I'm looking out my porch window now as leaves are falling to the ground. We have one tree in our neighbor's back yard that is a brilliant orange color. I love it!

Speaking of fall, here's a sneak peek of a product kit I designed for Rusty Pickle using the brand new French Market line and scalloped chipboard album. I kept the design fairly simple with lots of pockets and tags and I use a TON of glitter. It's my favorite, but not my husband's! :) On this example, I used lots of photos from family Thanksgiving last year. If you're interested in making a similiar album, just ask your LSS to buy the kit. They come pre-cut and everything!

Last night, I was up way later than usual but it's only because I finally finished a major task on my to-do list. Today, I'm shipping off a class kit to Rusty Pickle that I designed just for Lance to teach. It's called "The Story of Our Family" and it uses the French Market line. I love how it turned how....the colors of French Market are so rich and vibrant. I can't wait to use it on more projects. You can take this class if Lance comes to your LSS to teach.

Well, I better hop in the shower and get headed to work. I have lots more to work on tonight and feeling rather blessed that I don't have much going on this week. Have a great Wednesday! :)

Hello party people!

I think I'm finally starting to get a cold. I've been taking Zicam like it's going out of style, but I think a cold is going to break through. I woke up yesterday feeling crappy so I actually stayed in bed all morning. Today, I'm just plain tired with a twinge of a sore throat.

I actually got a lot accomplished this weekend. I cleaned out both cars on Saturday, got some pumpkins for the front of our house and put up some fall decorations. I usually do all my fall decorating right after Labor Day, but life has been too busy. I spent quite a bit of time working on a class for Rusty Pickle. Sunday was church and then we had the opportunity to participate in Life Chain, which is a silent rally against abortion. We stood on Merle Hay Road with members of our church holding signs that said "Adoption is the Loving Option." It was very, very powerful to be involved in something like this and really the first time I've taken a public stand about what I believe on this issue. I wish I would have had a camera to take photos of Glen and I together.

Now for some good news - I'll have lots of cards in 2008 issues of Crafts N' Things magazine! I'm super excited to work with this magazine because they just merged Paper Made Easy into this one. And, now for some bad news...I won't be teaching this weekend at the Midwest Scrapbooking Convention. The show numbers were too low for Rusty Pickle to be there. I'm planning on checking out the convention myself on Friday so that will be fun. But, if you are local and would like to take a class with me - I will be teaching November 3rd at the Get Inspired Scrapbook Expo. Just check out my links on the side.

Well, I best be getting busy. Have lots of work to do today! :)

Good morning, sunshine!

It's a gorgeous day in Iowa, and I'm feeling especially energetic and chipper today. (Let's hope this lasts all day so I'm productive!) What have I been up to? Well, I joined a gym and I'm loving it. I feel so much better about myself after I work out. I'm a little sore, but already feeling stronger. I'm going to aim for working out on Monday, Thursday and Friday mornings since those are the times I'm off work.

I've been doing a lot of scrappy work - I'll post some things here soon. I'll be incredibly busy scrapping this weekend - have lots of deadlines to meet. I have some good news to share too - I had a card picked up for the Feb/March issue of Paper Trends and my summer party ensemble I created for the last leg of the Rusty Pickle Amazing Race was also picked up by Homegrown Hospitality (a new magazine put out by Paper Crafts). I'm really excited about the party ensemble because it was a lot of work but so fun to see it all put together. I also have an assignment from the magazine for a project I submitted that they want reworked in different colors. All in all, it's been a good week.

Well, I better get moving. Tons to do today...make it a great Saturday! :)

Overcoming fear

My ladies' Bible study group started last night with an awesome book from the Women of Faith speakers called "Overcoming Fear." (By the way, if you ever have a chance to attend a Women of Faith conference, you should go. The weekend is extremely inspiring and the speakers all have amazing testimonies.)

Last night, we had a great discussion over the first two chapters. First, we talked about fears that we had in our childhood. I was afraid of things I saw on TV and the news - murders, break-in's, etc. I didn't like being home alone. We also talked about fears that may have been passed on from our parents and friends. I'm very claustrophobic, and I know I get that from my mom. I can't remember ever not being claustrophobic and still am to this day. I am also deathly afraid of heights...I think I'm just afraid to fall. I get all clammy and I get weak-in-the-knees. I hate ladders...I don't mind going up, but coming down is another story. I even get scared on the high floors of tall buildings. We went the Hancock Observatory in Chicago this summer, and I kept a safe distance between me and the windows. It even made me nervous when Glen was standing too close to the windows. I really don't know why I feel this way. I have never fallen a long distance or anything like that. It's not like I have past experience to make me afraid now. To me, these fears are somewhat irrational compared to other fears I have.

Probably the most dehabilitating fear I have is the fear of being out of my comfort zone. I don't mind change, but I get extremely uncomfortable when I'm in a situation with people I don't know. Sometimes, it gets to the point where I have an all-out panic attack and have to excuse myself. A perfect example of this is a neighborhood party we were invited to last month. I absolutely did not want to go because I would know very few people and I didn't know the hosts. Glen was persuasive (yes, I was bribed with ice cream) and I relented. We only would go for a half hour. I put on a happy face and went. I actually had a really good time and had the chance to meet some neighbors I would not have met otherwise. I had a lot in common with one woman, who is also a crafter. When I say "No" to certain situations I might not want to be in, I might be missing out on God's best for my life. It's just something I need to commit to God and let him be in control. He's not going to put me in situations I can't handle. I just need to put that thought to practice and be willing to take a leap of faith.

I'm sorry if this got too long - God just put it on my heart to share with you. Some of you might be dealing with fears as well, and my prayer is that you will let God take your burden.

Back to some fun stuff - Rusty Pickle is hosting a challenge on its blog for October - all you have to do is create an altered project using Halloween papers - past or present! The winner will get a fun prize package! Also, be sure to check out Lance's blog for some giveaways this week!

Finally, here's an altered band-aid tin I made for the October challenge. I made templates for the pumpkins myself. Have a great Wedneday! :)

Time to buckle down!

Last night, we had our small group (we meet every other Monday). As a group, we decided to go through Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. I'm scared to do it because I know it's going to expose some things about myself that I don't like. I've always, always been a spender and not a saver. Money just burns a hole in my pocket. I know that I get it from my dad - we're both impulsive shoppers. Like most people, Glen and I live on credit. In the short time we have been married, we have managed to rack up some credit card debt. We have made major headway on our debt, but with me working part-time we've run into a few emergencies with our car, etc. Last night, we started reading chapter one of the book and it was amazing to hear the testimonies of people who paid of hundreds of thousands of debt in as little as 4 years. I have weaknesses when it comes to scrapbooking supplies even though I have enough to last me 100 years (anyone who has seen my ribbon stash knows I have a problem). My main problem (I think) is being content with what I have. I'm never satisfied...it's something I really need to work on. I need to learn to say "NO!" when I walk into a scrapbooking store or not walk in there in the first place. Yes, this process is going to be good for me as long as I make the commitment to buckle down!

Speaking of commitment, tomorrow night I'm going to join a gym! I'm actually very excited about it! The guy I talked to over the phone is going to give me the student discount (even though it's been a while since I have been a student). Luckily, I still have my student ID from BV! :) My sister's boyfriend goes to this gym too, but I doubt I'll run into him since I will most likely be working out on Monday, Thursday and Friday mornings.

Here's another Rusty Pickle project I made this weekend at the crop. I used the Mayflower collection and the jumbo monogram chipboard. The star on the end was a "happy accident." I accidentally punched holes in the "A" on the wrong side with my Crop-a-dile. Luckily, I had the star in my stash so I decided to go crazy with glitter. I was covered head-to-toe in glitter. It was really funny...people kept asking if it was glitter paper and someone even bought glitter at the store because of what I was doing! I got home and Glen asked me if I jumped in a pot of glitter - it was literally everywhere! I was even shaking it from my hair!

Well, have a good Tuesday! I started my day off great - made it to work early! I have a bunch to do today and ladies' Bible study tonight...it's a busy time!

A packed weekend...

This weekend just flew by. My sister hung out with us Friday night - went to the mall for a while and got Fazoli's. Glen and I watched We are Marshall Friday night. It was sooo good...I cried through most of the movie! Saturday, I cropped all day with a group of friends at Heirlooms. I got a couple cards done for Just Let Me Scrapbook. The "Thank you" card uses products from Prima and Melissa Frances. The "thinking of you" card uses products from Dream Street, MME, Jenni Bowlin, and EK Success. We had a great time cropping and had a yummy lunch - I had chicken salad!

Sunday was church, grocery shopping, cleaning/laundry, exercising and then we got to babysit for my little 4 year old cousin last night. We watched Madagascar and Ice Age together and had popcorn. My cousin was so sweet and cuddly last night. Glen and I caught each other's eyes several times and knew what the other was thinking. In God's timing, I know we'll have a little family like this too. It just made my heart ache for a little bit.

This morning, I'm feeling behind as usual. I feel like my to-do list is longer than normal. We have a full agenda tonight so I better get moving while I can do some things this morning. Have a great Monday!

Sigh...

I've been in a fog all week....more or less dazed. I'm not depressed or angry or even overly happy - just here, but emotional. The tiniest little things have brought tears to my eyes this week. I feel as though I have been moving in slow motion all week. I'm starting to come out of my fog though - I can feel it. Life has been rather uneventful this week, which is probably a blessing considering my fog.

My grandma had bypass surgery on her leg this week, and it was successful. She got to go home yesterday afternoon. I'll probably give her a call later today to see how she's doing.

Things are progressing on our video projects. We had a meeting yesterday afternoon, and I see some $$$ coming our way in the near future. I've started getting myself back in shape so Glen said I can look into getting a gym membership again with part of the money. I've never been one for lots of exercise, but I'm looking forward to having lots of energy and feeling much better about myself. My body has been through a lot in the last year and a half. I'm strangely excited to start exercising again! :) I need to really kick in gear with the video script - it's going to be a lot of work.

Last night, we were mystery shoppers at the Cheesecake Factory. It was nice to have a night out that was basically paid for, plus I get leftovers for lunch! Afterward, I curled up to watch Grey's Anatomy. The first episode did not disapoint! I can't wait until next week!

Today, I'm going for a walk to enjoy the beautiful weather and planning to get some work done in my scrap room. I need to prepare for the Scrap Pink crop I'm going to tomorrow...so looking forward to it! My sister is visiting this afternoon so we're getting Fazoli's! Yum! We usually order the kid's meals because it's so much cheaper and more than enough food. :) I would like to get a movie or even go to a movie tonight. We'll see how the day goes.

Have a great weekend! Hopefully, I'll have some projects to post soon!

My head is spinning...

It's been a really long time since I have really been so engrossed in reading that I didn't want to put my book down - since I stayed up until 1:30 in the morning. I love Harry Potter, but even then I wasn't quite this obsessed. Several of my Rusty Pickle Chef friends told us all to read Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. I put it in the back of my mind and then when we were at the mall Saturday night, I finally bought the book. I started reading as soon as we got home and had to make myself fall asleep. The next day we had church and I went to a craft show (more on this in a minute) and then I spent the entire afternoon reading my book. I didn't move until 5:00. I got soooo caught up in the romance. It was just beautiful and the characters were so complex. I felt myself understanding their emotions and being reminded of my blessings all at the same time. There were moments I was in tears.

I had to break off for a while though because we had a church event. When we got home, I looked up the next two books in the series, New Moon and Eclipse at Walmart.com. I asked Glen if he minded if I ran to Wal-Mart and he said no (I think he was relieved to watch football by himself). I felt like a crazy person speeding off to find them! Wal-Mart had Eclipse but there was no way I could start reading the third book without reading the second. By this time, it was 8:40. I nervously hoped Barnes and Noble was still open and hopped on the interstate. I was in luck! I bought New Moon and sped home so I could curl up in bed and read. I was up until 1:30...I just could not put the book down. This morning I read some more before I had to get ready for work. I checked out Stephanie Meyer's website this morning and her next book doesn't come out for another year...how can I wait that long now that I'm so into it???? There's even a movie going to be made. Anway, you have to read these books! :)

At the craft show yesterday, I came home with a Caramel Rum Swirl soy candle. It smells amazing. I can even smell it all the way upstairs and downstairs from my main level. I walked around the entire show smelling candles and I'm so glad I found this one. It just makes my house cozy!

We went to the Amana Colonies Friday night and Saturday for another work meeting. It was fun, but hard work as Glen and I took lots of pictures and video taped for future projects. It was soooo cool to hear the testimonies of the mentor couple we taped - they all obviously have a passion for marriage and why it's important to work at our marriages as much as we do anything else - our jobs, our home, our friends, etc. Glen and I left a little early and spent some time together. We went into Amana and walked around and bought some yummy things - some pumpkin bread, raspberry strudlecake coffee and summer sausage and cheese. We went to Coralville to the mall for a while and then headed home.

Tonight, I'm going out with a few girlfriends from my small group - we're going to see The Nanny Diaries at the theatre. I'm feeling rather emotional today so I better pack some tissues - I tend to cry at every romantic comedy I see.

A great day!

I had an awesome morning - I went up to Memory Bound in Ankeny where I met with Dawn and Kellie (the owners) about teaching some Rusty Pickle classes up there. I'm very excited about it because it's just really difficult to find Rusty Pickle product around here. Memory Bound is a fantastic store - they carry a lot of great lines and are really up on the trends. I have some ideas for classes that I can't wait to start developing. So, if you're in the area be sure to check out Memory Bound's website toward the end of the year for my classes in January, February and March! :) We might even do a Rusty Pickle Saturday!

On that note, I better keep moving...we might make a run to the Farmer's Market tonight and I have not done much today - other than errand running!

Have a great night!

Rusty Pickle Fundraiser for Utah Family

Tracy Armstrong lies in a bed at Utah Valley Medical Center bullet holes in his wrecked body, paralyzed from the armpits down with the use of only his left arm. Just after sunset on Friday, August 3rd, Armstrong was about to show a Las Vegas family to their room at the Blue Springs Lodge, nestled in the mountains at Panguitch Lake, 200 miles south of Provo near Brian Head ski resort. Jason Hines enter the office of the lodge and pulled out a .38-caliber handgun and started shooting 4 rounds point blank at Tracy. There was not a confrontation between Armstrong and Hines before he shot him in this random act of violence that has changed a family's life forever. Armstrong was taken to Garfield Memorial Hospital and later airlifted to Utah Valley Hospital where he is in stable condition.

Tracy is the father and the sole supporter of a family of 11. The family has kids ranging in ages from 3-22 and one son serving a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The family's $10,000 insurance deductible is only one of many new burdens. In addition to the insurmountable medical bills, there is a list of specialized equipment the family will need in order to bring Tracy home - just to name a few : specialized wheel chairs, a special van with a wheelchair lift, a special hoist that will lift Tracy out of his wheelchair and transisition him from one place to another and the complete remodeling of their home to make it handicap accessible so Tracy will have somewhere to go once he is discharged. He will be in rehab at UVRMC, 200 miles away from his Panguitch home for an unknown period of time.

Ever since we were made aware of their heart-breaking ordeal, we've thought long and hard about what we could do to help. It is for this reason that we have decided to host a fundraiser for Tracey & Lynn's family in hopes of relieving some of their financial burden so that they can focus on what's most important- Tracey's recovery and bringing their family back together. With the help of Rusty Pickle, Lasting Impressions & Zions Bank, we are hoping to raise $20,000 for the Armstrong Family. Please join us and show your support. Rusty Pickle is doing a fundraiser for Tracey Armstrong. You can check out his progress on his blog here. Rusty Pickle has set up a blog telling about their scrapbooking workshops they will be holding in Utah and Arizona over the next couple of months to raise money for the family. Check it out here. There are several options for helping the family out. $5 buys a raffle ticket and $20 buys 5 raffle tickets for a chance to win a $500 scrapbooking prize pack donated by Rusty Pickle. You can read all the details for the raffle and buy the tickets here at Legacy Scrapbooking.

Rusty Pickle Sneak Peeks!

Here's a look at the new Rusty Pickle lines coming out for Memory Trends this week. French Market is just gorgeous...I got to work with it on the "Fall Family Fun" product kit I designed (I'll show picts of this later this week). I LOVE the looks of Chocolate Kisses and the new acrylic albums look awesome! The shapes are the same as the new chipboard albums that Rusty Pickle released at summer CHA. I can't wait to get my hands on the new albums! :)

Yesterday was a good day - got some cleaning done and had company over last night for dessert. Our small group is starting back up again and we're going to be going through a Dave Ramsey book on finances. Should be good! We also set the date for our next girl's night out! We have lots of ideas for fun things to do. The next two weeks are just jam packed full for me - I have something scheduled about every day!

Well, better get to work! I've got plenty to do here too...have women's Bible study tonight where we'll come up with a plan for the fall.

Have a great Tuesday! :)

A great weekend and some new Rusty Pickle projects!

I had fabulous weekend at my parents. When I got there, my sisters and I headed to Atlantic to run a couple errands and then see my grandma. We spent a while there and then came back home. The girls went their separate ways (to see boyfriends) and my mom, dad and I went on a date together! We went to the Redwood's in Anita, which is one of my favorite restaurants back home. It was nice to spend time with just the two of them.

Sunday morning, I got my hair done (it needed it) and then the girls and I went for a walk. Mom made my favorite for lunch (roast, mashed potatoes/gravy and corn) and then we went out to my other grandparent's house. I spent a little more time at mom and dad's and then came home. All in all, it was a great weekend for visiting. I just hope I don't get a cold because mom and the girls were all sick. When I got back home, Glen and I got some groceries, made popcorn and watched the Emmy's on TV. I also poured myself a glass of wine, grabbed a book and filled up the foot spa. I relaxed for about 15 minutes...it was sooo nice! My hair stylist and I had a good discussion about how women never seem to take time to relax. I decided to start right away! :)

Here's a couple Rusty Pickle projects I worked on last week. I used the Git 'R Dun line on the card and Princess Bride on the gift bag set. I used my new silver Glimmer Mist on the flowers and chipboard - I am in LOVE! It's the coolest way to cover chipboard! Thanks to Vicki C for enabling me to buy some!

Have a great Monday! :)

September Memory Works kit

Last night, I made a couple cards with the Memory Works Express kit and wanted to share one of them with you. The patterned paper is Basic Grey Recess and the diecut behind is Daisy D's, buttons are American Crafts and rubon is Basic Grey. This card just screams fall to me. I love working with kits that mix manufacturers so well. Memory Works and Paper Posies both do that beautifully! I'll share a layout or two with the kit as soon as I finish them.

We went to a matinee of The Bourne Ultimatum last night. LOVED this movie! Matt Damon is fun to look at! :) But, really the movie was just all around awesome. The action just never stopped...tons of fighting and suspense. I LOVE a good action movie which has to come from my dad. He always watched them with us even though he didn't have any boys. I also loved the way this movie was shot...very abstract. Glen wants to own the Bourne trilogy, which is okay with me.

Anyway, I better get moving and head to my folks!

Have a great Saturday! :)

One down, one to go!

Whew! I worked all day yesterday getting that Rusty Pickle product kit ready to go! I still had to add photos to one of the albums and was sooooo frustrated when I couldn't find the photos I wanted to add to it. Our photos are incredibly disorganized right now....I could just cry. There are two sets of photos from last fall that have vanished. One of which is our family Thanksgiving from last year at Glen's parents. We took tons of photos of Mary and I cooking that I still want to scrap. What I need to do is take an entire day and organize the photos and back them up. It's a huge task but I know it needs to be done. Anyway, after I finally found some good photos to use, I wrote out instructions and finalized my insert and template sheets. It was all in the mail via UPS around 6. I might have a couple things to type up yet, but it's on its way to Utah as we speak. I still have one more class kit to design but hopefully it will go a little quicker as it is modeled after an album I have already created.

After we went to UPS, Glen and I ate at CiCi's pizza. There's nothing like eating at a good, cheap pizza buffet! They have the best cheese bread sticks and I love their salad bar. When Glen and I do eat out, we try to keep it cheap and/or use a coupon. We might eat at a fairly nice restaurant (as in more than $10 total) once a month or so. I'm trying really hard to cook a lot instead of eating out. For me, it's just pure laziness when I don't cook. In the summer, we grill a lot which is so easy. I really like fall and winter though because we eat a lot of casseroles, soups, and crock pot meals.

I made some cards with Rusty Pickle supplies last night and will share soon. Today, I'm working on more scrapping projects and have some submissions to make. Tonight, we're going on a date to the movies! We haven't been to the movies for a while so I'm excited to go! In the morning, I'm headed to a work meeting and then to my parent's house by myself. I'm really looking forward to it! Sometimes it's just nice to be there by myself. I'm hoping to spend some quality time with my sisters. I'm also going to visit my grandparents. My grandma just celebrated her 84th birthday so I want to be sure to see her! :)

Have a great Friday! :)

An adoption update...

I've been busy working on some Rusty Pickle projects the past two nights after work. I'm going to wrap up one of the kits this morning and get it shipped off to them today. As much as I struggled with it, I think it turned out cute! (I hope they think so too). :) I'll post a sneak peek of it in the next day or two.

Last night, Glen and I ran to Kohl's to get some shoes for him. We earned $20 in Kohl's cash from our last shopping excursion so we needed to get it spent by yesterday. As we were driving there, we talked more about adoption. (I know I haven't mentioned it too much here but we're trying to adopt.) The last three weeks I was on hold with any paperwork because we were waiting to talk with someone with church who was hard to get a hold of. Last night, we officially decided to go through Bethany Christian Services. I'm really excited to get going on the paperwork. They are a great agency and really concerned with the well being of the birth mother, which impressed us. We went to an informational meeting this spring about working with them. We're hoping and praying that God will provide the financial means to work with them. Adoption is extremely expensive and we do not have even a fraction of what we need saved up. But, Bethany has a loan program (that we hope we qualify for) that will loan out half of the adoption costs. Then, when you get your federal tax credit back you use it to pay back the loan. We still have to come up with a boatload of money, but the loan will help. We're going to do some video work for my workplace on a contract so we're hoping to put that money directly towards our adoption expenses. I also have a friend that keeps mentioning a doing a fundraiser for us so that would be a huge blessing!

I currently work part-time and I'm sure most of you are thinking, NICE...I'm jealous! I know many people don't understand why I did it. After the three years, we have spent trying to have a baby...I (we) was stressed out. I tried very hard to eliminate any type of stress in my life during all of our fertility treatments, but my job was a huge stress in my life. Some days, I dreaded going into work. I had to be there for the health insurance. That's really the only reason I stayed there so long. Now, I LOVE my job! Of course, I have my moments (who doesn't?) but all in all, it's a great fit for me! I can work a little extra if I want to and I can mix up my schedule a bit if I need to. We're still learning to live with half an income, but God has provided for us each time we were coming up short. He's provided opportunities with Rusty Pickle and future teaching locally that will help supplement what we're making. I'm very thankful to be we're I'm at. And, I have always wanted to be home with our kids. I know I'll probably have to work somewhere at least part-time, but I'll do it. I like to work, and it keeps my skills fresh. I'm just praying the "kids" part comes along sooner rather than later! :)

Well, I best get moving on some scrap work today. Have a great Thursday! :)

A hint of fall is here!

I can't believe how quickly it cooled off! Yesterday was a high of 58 degrees! That's down from around 85 or so this weekend. I wore a long sleeved shirt to work yesterday. I'm hoping I don't get a cold as so many other people have.

I had a fun mail day yesterday! I ordered some vintage buttons and bling from Jenni Bowlin and got some Glimmer Mist (by Tattered Angels) in three different colors. I tried it out on a piece of paper last night and LOVE the look. I can't wait to use it on my projects.

I'm in a bit of a scrapping funk. I'm trying to work on some projects with tight deadlines and I feel as though I have had to force my creativity. I'm hoping that works itself out so I can do some fun projects. Last night while I was scrapping, I watched the movie, Freedom Writers. It was sooooo good! I loved the messages in the movie....I cried several times, but that's old hat for me!

Have a great Tuesday! :)

A great weekend and some thoughts on fear...

We had a wonderful visit from Glen's brother this weekend. I won't go into details, but it was incredibly intense and awesome all at the same time. The last time Glen saw his brother was 11 years ago, and I obviously have never met him. It was really great for them to reconnect and get to know each other. He's really a great guy and I enjoyed getting to know him.

We also went to a neighborhood party last night. To be honest, I really wasn't looking forward to it. I'm really trying to work on this, but lately I have a problem being out of my comfort zone and I enjoy sticking around home. I sucked it up and went anyway, and actually ended up having a great time meeting some neighbors I probably never would have met if I hadn't have gone.

In other news and somewhat related to what I just talked about, I bought a new Bible study book called "Overcoming Fear" by the fabulous Women of Faith speakers. I'm not sure if we'll do this as a group study, but I feel the need to do this by myself. In fact, I'm going to start on it this morning. I think my "comfort zone" problem has to do with some fears I have. I have always had a problem with anxiety and I know it's an area in my life where I really have to let God take control. I have horrible nerves, and I truly have to push myself to be in public situations at times. Most of the time, I am comfortable as long as I know someone. During the entire year of 2006 and the beginning of this year, we stayed around home for the very simple reason of eliminating stress in our lives. We went through some very intense fertility procedures that made this necessary. I've become very used to our "hermit" lifestyle and have had some trouble breaking away from it.

At church yesterday, my pastor said something really profound, "The more self-control we give up, the more God can use us." I was incredibly struck by this statement. I'm sure there have been situations in my life where I have just plain out avoided going because of fears I have had. By me avoiding these situations, I'm sure that I missed out on opportunities to build relationships, etc. Hopefully, you understand where I'm going with this and if you're a prayer, you might pray about this for me.

After our weekend, I'm incredibly behind on scrappy projects, so I'm going to get to work this morning before I head into my day job this afternoon. It's going to be a busy week with projects. I had lots of fun mail come this weekend - got some new American Crafts, Melissa Frances, some yummy Bazzill and Prism cardstock, and I got a ton of the new Rusty Pickle!!!!

Have a great Monday! :)