TO DO...(gotta love a to-do list - especially when you can check it off)

My TO-DO List and GOT TAGGED!

Love lists....
*really in the mood to dive into work today. seriously. CHECK
*change my work benefits (add vision & flex spending) CHECK
*Frank is taking me to lunch today - yeah!!! Not sure where we will go yet. CHECK - went to Chic-fil-A...no suprise there!
*training session with Tim at 3:00pm CHECK-everything went well!
*study my skit for Sunday 'PowerHouse' - way long!!! I have 41 lines!!! CHECK-got my intro skit down!
*look over goodie bags for crop in July (gonna be AWESOME!) CHECK
*work on a few tags for "Friend Swap" and get them mailed out tomorrow or no later than Friday. CHECK- finished Taba's and NewlywedRedhead's!

*thinking about applying for a design team on the internet...not sure though. will discuss with DH and Momma - they always have the right answer...HA! (didn't get this done.)
*fax credit app for new boat - after all the hard work and labor (not to mention $$$) we spent on the old boat, she's a gonner. The engine is about to fall through the floor. I guess it's time for a new one. This is what we are looking at....2006 Bayliner. Something not too big that we can play with on the water. CHECK
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Had to go and read scrappinmonkey's blog and got tagged...here goes....

READING: my skit for Sunday "Powerhouse" at church....41 lines!!!
WATCHING: not too much on TV these days - reruns of King of Queens and Deal or No Deal
LISTENING: new Nick Lachey CD (don't laugh - it's not bad)
EATING: oatmeal
DRINKING: coffee
WORKING ON: tags for friend swap and actual WORK! :)

Have a wonderful day - it's almost FRIDAY!!!

The Scrapbook Corner

My local scrapbook store closed it's doors on Saturday...I will miss you.

My LSS was more than a store. It was a place of friendship, love, creative imagination, and lots of laughter.

Though the store is closed...my heart is still open.

I love you, Shawn. Thank you for all the warm memories and I look forward for many more to come.

Why I Scrapbook.

What’s the point of scrapbooking?

Ever ponder this? Why all the fuss? Why all the stuff? WHY? WHY? WHY?

This is my story…
I started scrapbooking in 2000 because it was FUN and I got to hang out with my friend, Ciaran, who was (at the time) a CM Consultant. We had fun buying flat stickers and using deco scissors on EVERY photo. Ciaran and I even went on a Memory Makers cruise together and we had a blast playing with chalk and learning how to use a Coluzzle. We got to meet some scrapbooking celebrities including Debbie Mock. We had fun and laughed, and just enjoyed this newfound hobby.

Hobby is defined as a spare-time recreational pursuit.

And in the beginning this is exactly what scrapbooking was for me…a spare-time pursuit. Something to keep me busy while Frank worked. I would play at the dining room table in our tiny apartment and watch TV…looking at old pictures and remembering great times once had. I enjoyed it. Then we moved into a home and I got a small space all my own for my hobby. I had a table and a bookshelf in the office that I used to spend time in when Frank on duty at the Sheriff’s dept.

Then Frank went to Iraq in the initial phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom (Jan03-Nov03). I was afraid, lonely, scared, depressed, proud, angry, tired, and so many more emotions that I cannot express in words. I sent him so many boxes and letters and poems and disposable cameras. He in return would send me photos…and lots of them.

It was then that I realized that my “hobby” was recording HISTORY.

During 2003 that’s what I did…I recorded and documented and scrapped. I would run to the mailbox and squeal with excitement when photos came. The photos would tell me where they were, what they were doing, and most importantly HOW they were doing. While Frank was at war I was scrapbooking (and watching FOXNEWS 24/7). I was recording history and making a book just for him. Where he can look and remember, where he can feel connected to his brothers, and where he can cry, be angry and proud all at the same time.

When Frank returned from Iraq we purchased a new home. One where we can grow with more space, and a basement for those crazy tornados that pop up out of nowhere. I have my own scrapbook room that he helped me design. A place where we go to relive memories and enjoy our life together.

Now why all the accents and embellishments and papers and notions? That’s the fun of it! It’s also another way to tell the story. The history of styles and fads, the history of learning my own personal style and the enjoyment of playing like a child again.

Today scrapbooking is more than a hobby – it’s my own personal journal with photos! I don't scrapbook for anyone to say "look how cute that is!" or "how did you do that?" I want them to see the story and feel the emotion. A compliment is always an added plus! {you know what I mean} I don't need to have the coolest paper and the most trendiest supplies to make my memories last forever.
And that's my scrapbook story!

Shots from CKC - Nashville

Shopping was one of the best things at CKC...we shopped and shopped.

Our room was stunning!!! --->

Shawn is a HOOT! Her and her mom, Theala were the best people that mom and I could find to share a girls weekend together!

We also liked to run around this beautiful hotel and take silly shots! Yep, that's me on a grand piano and Shawn is playing chopsticks!!!

This is from one of the classes I took with Donna Downey...she is such an inspiration!

The trip was awesome...I would go again in a heartbeat! :)

Random Shots of CKC

CKC-Nashville was totally cool and so much fun! Here are a few random shots of us just hangin' out and enjoying the GIRLS WEEKEND!

Being Silly or Sentimental...us gals had a wonderful weekend together.

Love you guys!

XOXO

Weekend Update...

I hope you all had a beautiful Mother's Day Weekend!

Friday:I had such a trying day at work that all I wanted to do was go home and sleep...but we went to our usual hang-out "Asian Buffet" with our friends to plan our lake weekend coming up. I can't wait to get away for the weekend and just hang out, eat smores, go for a boat ride, and sit around the campfire. My friend's daughter, Rebecca, brought along the coolest game to the "Asian Buffet" on Friday called 20 Questions. It's an electronic handheld game. It guessed almost everything thing we were thinking...

BTW: I bought one for myself on Saturday! I'm tellin' ya - it's super cool!

Saturday I did laundry and watched movies..."Raising Helen" & "13 Going on 30". When Frank got up, we went to dinner at Quiznos before we shopped for our Mom's gifts.
Sunday church was awesome...we both were in the skit and it was too cute. We had to change costumes 3 times. After church, we came back to our home to open our gifts. We made them baskets of goodies. I got my Momma a FASTENATER!!!

Can't wait to play with her. Then took them all out to eat at Longhorn Steakhouse. Then me & Momma watched 13 Going on 30 again - and just hung out together.

I'm so blessed with no only my Momma, but my Best Friend!

Paper DOLLS update:

Our next meeting will be June 8th at the Shelbyville Extension Office. Come for fun, drinks/snacks, and scrapbooking. We will have more info on the all day crop, Saturday July 15th. You are not going to want to miss it! Door Prizes, Contests, Food, Music, Games, and Goodie Bags...and so much more - all for $25.00! 9AM to 12Midnight

Showing my goofy side...DH playing with our new Kodak Easy Share digital camera!

Paper DOLLS 5/06

Just stopped in to say... "Look What I Did!" at Paper DOLLS tonight. It's made from those plastic badge holders {you can get them at Wal-Mart}.

Here I am at my desk [at work]. I really enjoy what I do. It's not very creative...but enjoyable. I buy STEEL. Yep, steel. For Ford, GM, Stanley Tools, Manchester Tank, Raybestos, and the list goes on...

I really am blessed to work for such a great company and be surrounded by my friends/co-workers eachday. I've worked for Steel Technologies for 2 years...and so far, I've enjoyed it. I love papers, computers, figures, and solving problems so I fit right in.

Happy Mother's Day to all you Mommy's out there! And Especially mine! XOXOXO

Fast and Easy Pages

Here is a super EASY and FUN page I did about Frank on our cruise to the Bahamas last year.

I was inspired from a gal at

www.scrapbook.com!

*****Scrapbooking does not have to be hard. You do not have to have an ART degree to create beautiful one of a kind pieces of art. Here I just cut strips of paper, used my sewing machine to sew around the edges, cut out letters from the same paper (Rob & Bob Studio) and added some doodling just for fun!******

Here is her version:

You can check her out online at...

http://http://www.scrapbook.com/myplace/index.php?u=93329

Thanks Lauren for your beautiful inspiration!!!

Have fun and enjoy creating!

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Not too much going on our way...Paper DOLLS tomorrow night and my haircut! I need to head downstairs to my Scrap Room and get my supplies ready. We have the best group of gals! I love you, guys! So creative, and So Super Sweet! You guys ROCK! :)

I went shopping today and got the cutest outfit for under $25.00! I can't wait to wear it tomorrow...it's robin's egg blue! Love it! I really need new clothes after my weight loss.

We are going to the lake {first time this year} on May 19th with our friends and their girls - Hi guys! We booked our reservations for our travel trailer and the campsite today. We have a boat so we will be taking that too. I can't wait. We are all in some need of RELAXATION!! We are going to Nolin lake in Kentucky. So pretty and peaceful.

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We are about to get some bad weather here...heading to the basement to scrap!

Happy Hump Day!!!

Jen

Hello There!

My weekend in a nutshell....

Friday - DH had softball practice {beautiful day at the park}, had dinner with friends at one of our favorites...the WOK IN BUFFET (get it?)

Saturday - Went up to the Scrapbook Corner and hung out ALL DAY. Got some awesome stuff for door prizes for my upcoming crop in July. I'm taking about full kits, with some albums included! (Got a great deal from a Memory Makers Master) It's gonna be a blast! We have so much fun! National Scrapbook Day for me was kind of a bust...since my LSS is closing and I spent all day making kits. I did watch QVC for awhile. Had dinner with friends at Tumbleweed and watched the Derby.

Sunday - Went to church, stopped at Taco Bell on the way home...then went home and watched Ghost Hunters all day!!! They had a marathon on the Sci-Fi channel---LOVE IT! If ghost stuff is on...the channel seems to get stuck there. I know...it's a bad habit.

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I'm gearing up for Paper DOLLS this Thursday. We are making mini-matchbooks!
Meet us at the Taylorsville Extension office at 6pm for scrapbooking and a quick demo. I'd post an example, but my computer is having a bad day (cannot find server). I think I'm going to have to call Insight and see what the heck is going on.

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I'm also getting my haircut again on Thursday...and I sure do need it. Shaggy Dog, here.

How did your weekend go?

It's almost FRIDAY!!!!

Ok...so we go to Cracker Barrell to eat dinner. Just me and hubby, beautiful day, I don't have to cook - RAH RAH SIS BOOM BA!!
We get there and I am so in the mood for their meatloaf. We order and 15 minutes later our waitress comes back and tells us they ran out 30 min. ago. (I'm mad) I know I shouldn't be mad about meatloaf...but I could taste it. So, I choose the roast beef. We get it right away and it's NOT GOOD. Not cooked, Not warm...NOT GOOD. We complain (not too much), but enough that they know we are not happy - and we NEVER complain. Maybe we were both in a bad mood, maybe it just needed to be done. At the end of our meal, I order Strawberry Shortcake since all I ate was carrotts and green beans, I figure I can swing the dessert. It BTW was delicious! Then as we are walking up to pay we pass a gentleman (that got there AFTER we did) and guess what's on his plate...MEATLOAF!!! OK - now DH is upset. But we blow it off, pay, and enjoy the rest of the day.
I mean...how can you be too mad when we come home to this...

someone that loves us, someone that just wants to play ball, and someone that cares, someone that does not care what we look like, how much weight we gain/lose, or even how mad we get.

Our Baby...Our Badge
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Then when Frank laid down to nap before shift...I went in to my scrapbook studio and created a simple SPRING tag for a SWAP at scrapbook.com. I love using flowers on my creations and this was perfect for SPRING! I hope the ladies in my swap enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them.

I used MME [Kalediscope] papers, Technique Tuesday stamps, CTMH stamps, sewing, silk flower, staples, and a yello inking pen.

CKC-Nashville

CKC Nashville...WOW! Too much fun was had. Too many photos taken. Too cool weekend!

Here I am with my favorite scrapbook celebrity, Donna Downey. Gotta love Donna! She thinks I rock! :)

Awesome Hotel. Awesome Classes. Too much shopping and not enough time to see it all! I did get some great clear stamps by Technique Tuesday, Lil Davis chipboard, and the Paisley Petals SEI set.

I'll post more photos as they come in!