Some stamping

I finally have some new project photos to share as I wrapped up my Rusty Pickle projects for the month. I've been so busy with my adoption album that I haven't had much time for other paper crafting. This card uses the French Market line of patterned papers and cardstock diecuts. I also used stamps from October Afternoon and the ribbon is from Martha Stewart - love that ribbon!

We've been spending the weekend at my mom and dad's. It's been really fun to relax out here. We went fishing two different times yesterday. There are about two things I would consider tom-boyish about me: 1) I love to fish and 2) I love action movies! I only caught a couple fish but was kept busy with my sister putting the worms on and taking the fish off. She refuses to do it so I was nice and helped her...ha! We also spent some time at my grandpa and grandma's house. My grandma just moved back home yesterday from the nursing home. I'm glad she's back home but hopefully things will go okay because she can barely put weight on the leg she broke. I baked a couple of fresh peach pies before we came out so we've been enjoying those all weekend.

Anyway, we're headed back home this afternoon so I can get back to work on my album. Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend! :)

Weekend recap

I don't have any pictures to share today but wanted to blog anyway. I spent a lot of time working on my adoption scrapbook over the weekend. I'm about half-way done with it. It's such a huge project that I get easily overwhelmed. I want the pictures to look just right and I'm taking my time with the journaling. I'm pleased how it's turning out. I'm really hoping to get it wrapped up this weekend so I can get it to the adoption agency. Once they look it over and let me know if I need to change anything, I get to duplicate it 5 more times. Luckily, I've had some friends offer to help me with it. If we set up an assembly line, it shouldn't take too long.

This weekend, we went to a BBQ, I met a friend for coffee and then went to a baby shower. We cleaned, napped, did laundry, mowed the lawn, worked out, cooked and baked. Whew! We got a lot done but also were able to relax. I LOVE weekends like that. We're going to my parent's house for a few days this weekend. I'm looking forward to some time visiting and fishing! I have some projects I need to wrap up before then.

More from me soon! :)

Gratitude

I decided today I would post 10 completely random things I'm grateful for - it's been a while since I've posted one of these. I've had a bit of a bad attitude ("poor me") since I haven't been feeling well lately so I needed a way to have an attitude adjustment. :)

Here we go:

1) My planner - I like to be organized and see what's coming up on my schedule. I've always been like this.

2) A clean kitchen - There's just something about having the dishes done and put away and the counter tops wiped down that makes me happy.

3) A cool summer - Normally this time of year I avoid going outside because it's hard to breathe. The weather has just been abnormal for Iowa this summer. We've had maybe 2 or 3 really hot days but the rest have been gorgeous!

4) Chocolate chip ice cream - That's the flavor of the day for me! I love ice cream so much that I had two small bowls last night! (See introduction for "poor me" attitude!) :)

5) Dunkin' Donuts French Vanilla coffee - Found this coffee at our local grocery store and I am in LOVE!

6) Many, many great authors - I've been a reading sponge over the past few months. Although I've read a lot during the day over the last weekend, I usually read 3 or 4 chapters a night before I go to bed to unwind. I'm a speed reader too so that enables me to finish a book fairly quickly. I've been a regular at the library this summer and plan to keep it up. I have so many books on my to read list. My problem is that I'll get almost obsessive about finishing my list!

7) the Olympics - I've really enjoyed watching all the events the past two weeks. Last night, two of the gymnastics mama's were crying - which made me cry! :) I love hearing the personal stories of each athlete and how they've overcome obstacles and challenges to make it to China.

8) Shoes - I admit I have somewhat of a shoe fetish. I have quite a few pairs as it is but I could definitely buy a lot more.

9) Quiet moments - I enjoy social events and hanging out with other people, but I've always been a person who has cherished her alone time. My husband is the same way. We love being together but sometimes we just need some space. He'll go into his studio and I'll go into mine.

10) Contacts - I've worn glasses since the 2nd grade and I was so thankful my mom and dad let me get contacts before my freshman year of high school. I wear my glasses at night but I'm so glad that I don't have to wear them during the day. Of course, I grew up in a time of fairly ugly glasses so I don't like looking at pictures of myself back then. Someday (if we ever have the money) I'm going to get Lasik - I'd love to not rely on contacts or glasses at all.

That's it for now! Have a great day! :)

Choose us! :)

I've been busy organizing and editing photos tonight for our adoption scrapbook. These are just a few of them that I'm planning on using in the book. My good friend Stephanie helped us out by taking these photos a few weeks ago. I really feel like she was able to capture the essence of who we are as a couple and as individuals. It was my idea to take the photos in our yard - I really wanted to show that we are fun-loving people. Glen complied even though he was grumbling about it, but these photos turned out to be some of my fav's! :) We still have some more photos to take of us "doing" our hobbies and I also need to dig up some family photos. Other than all that, I'm ready to start putting it all together! It should be about 20 pages when I'm all done. I'm planning on sending a good chunk of photos to Sam's tonight and then I'll start on it all tomorrow. So....do you think we look like good parents????!!!! :) It's been pretty funny doing our photo shoots - we've had to stage a lot of photos. We took some with our friends at church and we told them all to act like they REALLY like us a lot - HA!

Anyway we've had a pretty good weekend. The weather has been beautiful! I've been out walking, reading and taking a few naps! I'm finally starting to feel better although I do have a cough. I was really craving some comfort food on Saturday so I made a huge pot of soup. It was a new recipe I tried for Cheeseburger soup and I LOVED it! I'll definitely be making it a lot this winter. We've been watching more Olympics of course and also watched the movie, 21 = good stuff! I also watched the movie The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (the first one). I really liked it...I've been reading the books and I would definitely recommend them. I'm waiting for the 3rd one to come in at the library so I read it and the 4th one. I would really like to see the second movie.

Well, I better keep moving tonight. Have a good one! :)

Summer Sickness

Well, I somehow managed to pick up a nasty bug this week. I managed to go to work okay but I haven't felt the best especially in the past two days. I have about the worst sore throat I've ever had and I ache all over. I hate being sick in the summer! I just hope I don't have strep throat. Yesterday was not fun at work! If you didn't know, I write and voice radio programs for a living. It's a little difficult to be on the radio when you can barely talk or swallow but I managed okay. I rested a lot yesterday when I got home and plan on doing the same today. I do have some things to do but I just feel like laying around reading or watching TV.

I've been glued to the TV watching the Olympics since they started last week. Michael Phelps is just incredible at swimming and I have always loved women's gymnastics. I can remember watching Kerri Strug in the 1996(?) Olympics when she had to stick her vault landing for the gold. Fun stuff! Also it's really exciting that Shawn Johnson is from right here in Des Moines, Iowa - LOVE watching her compete!

Also just wanted to share a fun little shabby winter card using mostly supplies from My Mind's Eye.

Have a great weekend if I don't check in sooner! :)

Hello again!

I know, I know...I've been a bad blogger! Life has been so busy lately! First of all, Breaking Dawn was absolutely wonderful! I ended up staying up until 5:30 in the morning reading it. I slept until 11 and then got up and finished the book. I was so overwhelmed by it that I've already read it again. I'm working on a review of it because I just need to get my thoughts about it on paper. There's been a lot of mixed reviews about the book. The people that hate the book have made me so angry and frustrated because they have been bashing parts of the book that I absolutely loved. Sigh. I love it when I find a book and characters that I can feel so passionately about. Anyway, as soon as I get the review done I'll be sure to post here.

My sister has been here helping us paint our house. I think we're just going to paint the south and east sides of the house. We've been working on the south side for the past week. It's been slow going. I haven't been doing much creating lately because I've been working on the house. We went to the Iowa State Fair yesterday - it was actually beautiful weather. Glen got free tickets and we went to a private Wynonna Judd concert for people from his workplace. She was actually really good and sang a couple songs from when she was singing with her mom. I danced to "Grandpa, Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days" with my grandpa at my wedding so it's a special song to me. I'm so glad I got to hear that one.

Anyway, I better get moving today. I have a mountain of laundry to attend to. The card above is just one for fun using Melissa Frances supplies I had from a past Jenni Bowlin kit.

Enjoy your day! :)

FINALLY, the big day is here!

AAAAHHHH! It's Breaking Dawn day!!!! I am beyond excited for tonight! I have never been the "groupie" type but I truly feel like a Twilight saga super fan after what I did last night to "prep." We went out to get some house paint so I ran to Borders and picked up their exclusive Twilight movie calendar - my favorite month is November! - and then ran to Hot Topic and got myself THIS.

And I'm totally wearing it tonight!!!!! So there! :) My poor hubby just rolls his eyes at me but I don't care. And if you're in Des Moines and want to hang out with me, I'll be at the Borders store on University for the midnight release party! And if you're not local, I might just be on yahoo messenger if you want to chat while you're reading tonight! I also decided to spin off my blog and post my reaction to Breaking Dawn here - Twilight Saga Thoughts. If you don't want to view any spoilers, don't visit until you finish the book!

So now I need to find a way to pass the time today - I really should go to the gym to work off some of this nervous energy! I'm also wanting to read the last few chapters of Eclipse. I could work in my scrap room and I have some books to take back to the library. I'm also hoping to tune into a Twilight Series Theories podcast live from NYC where Stephenie's first book signing is tonight. And I think I'm going to church for an event tonight before I head for Border's. I'm just hoping the day flies by!

Enjoy Breaking Dawn day! You KNOW I will! :)