warm & fuzzies...

Well it is officially Saturday b/c it is 1:40am. And my baby, Marlie, is 3 today! I cannot believe that we brought that little puppy home nearly THREE years ago! That also means that my big girl - Missie, will be six in a month or so. Time does fly.

I successfully ate some soup and a sandwich tonight. WOOHOO! I even took my medicine after I ate! That is a miracle. I am not going to be overly positive that this will last...but it was nice to eat and ENJOY IT. Since I do get hungry. :o)

Now onto my best friend, Shonna. She has met a nice guy - but That is her story to tell. So from the bff/sister perspective - I must say that I have not seen her this happy - EVER! I have never seen her this comfortable or at ease. She GLOWS! She is HAPPY! It is so warm & fuzzie to be around.

I am moving some things around in my scrapbook room, and Keith hung a magnetic/dry erase board for me. I bought some little magnetic containers that will hang on it to hold some "odd" embellishments I have. And I wasn't feeling well when he hung it, but when I went in there last night I saw he'd written me a sweet little note on the board. Gotta love him! Then tonight he came home with a present, the cutest pink pen with a little case. He had to go to Office Depot for work this morning and saw the PINK pen and knew it had to be mine. Such a sweetie. We've been together for 8 years now, and I know a pen is a small thing, but it just tells me he was thinking of me today.

It is now 2:00am, and I am watching "The Prince & Me 2". I love cheesy, warm & fuzzie movies. Princess Diaries, The Prince & Me, you know those Disney girl movies. So I am off to watch, and hopefully fall asleep.
Love & Blessings...

Mowin' Yards & Doggie Do's

Keith mowed our yard for the first time this year today. It was overdue, but God Bless him, he has such a different schedule now and we just really aren't used to it yet. So he mowed, and the yard looks nice and of course Missie had to get daddy to kick her soccer ball for her. Marlie just loved running around and doing "border patrol" of the fence. Then Daddy did what mommie just can't do - he gave them a good brushing and clipped their claws. Love my babies, but I can't clip claws b/c they get jumpy on me and that freaks me out. Brushing I can do, but daddy was alreay dirty from mowing so he got all the hair out. Next it will be time for doggie baths. So it is time to go on ebay and find something to attach to the table we use that will hold their collars.

Then I would like for everyone to take a moment of silence for my Shuffle MP3 player. It has played its last song. I guess that is what happens when you buy a fake one off of ebay for $5.00 from Hong Kong and use it ALL the time. I mean I wear this thing when I go to Wal-Mart, Hobby Lobby, ANYWHERE! It is about the only way I can stand to go into a store by myself. So I've been pondering buying a new one, and then of course Shonna got the CUTEST RED SONY - and they have a pink one - so I am looking at those. We'll see. I usually can decide on stuff like this pretty quickly, but for some reason I am not committed at this point. I think I am still mourning the passing of my shuffle (which Shonna and I fondly call the I-FOD for fake I-pod). It had a little clip that I could clip onto my shirt or purse, it was teeny, tiny. I just really liked it. But I have had it for less than a year, and Keith said OH NO NO, just buy something local so we can return it if something happens. :o(

We tried to go out this afternoon when Keith was done with the yard. We had to run something by his grandmother's house, and then we were going to grab some dinner and maybe watch a movie. I made it sit down at Wendy's, Keith handed me my baked potato and I said - "I wanna go home." I just knew I was going to be sick. This medicine really sucks and I can't stop taking it, so I guess the answer is LOTS of fluids and don't eat! LOL! I can eat Ramen Noodles. The most UNHEALTHY thing I know, but I don't get sick when I eat them. Oh and carrots. So guess that is my diet right now.

Well Keith has to be at work at 4am. And so I am off to play in my scrapbook room b/c I will just keep him awake if I go in the bedroom now - I am too hyper.
Love & Blessings...

On the eve of Easter...

I am pondering many things while reading a lot of articles about faith, the pope, etc. on the internet. Keith & I have both struggled with our church since moving here. It isn't our faith that lacks, it is the church - NO not the building - if it was as simple as that I could move past it, it is the people, the pastor, etc. People talk about mega-churches and how that is taking over in the absence of family. And while I agree you should never forget your family, there is some truth to the fact that your church has to be welcoming, friendly. Our church is none of those things. In the 4 years we have lived here and gone to church here, ONE person has said hello to us. We have introduced ourselves to the various pastors we've had, and they couldn't remember us the next week. It is just a very unfriendly place, very click-ish. It seems all these people have known each other for 100 years and they don't care to get to know the new young couple. Which by now - I don't think we are NEW anymore. This is in stark contrast to the church I grew up in. If someone was new, they were welcomed with open arms. They were invited downstairs to our social hall for coffee, and asked if there was anything that we could do for them. So I am very upset by our church's "way". I am a Catholic, and I love being a Catholic. If fact I love it so much, I've taught in Catholic schools and my love was so apparent for my church my husband was baptized and confirmed Catholic in 2004. So this is all very difficult. To feel so out of place, in a place that I hoped would be a refuge for me & Keith, as church has always been. It was the one place I was safe, and secure, and loved. No matter what church we were attending at the time, this is how I felt. So it is struggle to not have that feeling of "HOME" when we walk into our church. And so on this Easter, I pray for those feelings of comfort to return to Keith & I both.
Have a Happy & Blessed Easter...

Ramblings for Thursday...

I had therapy today, and that takes a lot out of me. I am always very tired when I get home. I usually take a nap, but I am trying to stay awake so I can go to bed when hubby gets home and sleep like a normal person. We'll see.

I am watching Celebrity Apprentice, which by the way is freakin' hilarious tonight, and I just saw a commercial for MONK coming to NBC. Now I tell ya, I have never watched a FULL episode of this show. I have watched short clips a few times, but I tell ya, I HATE IT. It makes it look like ALL people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder are neat freaks & germ-a-phobs. I mean don't get me wrong I am a germ-a-phob and I like things in their place. But that is NOT all their is to having OCD. I mean it really annoys me that they put that sterotype out there. I know it is a show, but what you put out there is what people "think" when they know NOTHING about a topic. So I just think that it is in very poor taste and it really annoys me. Like I said I know it is a show, but talk about making people who have this disease feel worse - if people think "Well what in the WORLD is wrong with being neat and worried about germs? I can deal with that, these OCD people need to get over it." And that is NOT how it is. Come live a day in my shoes and you'll see that it is a WHOLE lot more than that. Ok, off soapbox for now...

And now I must go, because my new tv obsession "Lipstick Jungle" is on and I have to watch the season finale. :o)
Love & Blessings...

and one more scrapbook page...

I did this page for another challenge over at Willow Traders. It was a pink and brown challenge. How cute is my little Marlie-Parlie? That was when she was 3 months old or so. Still loves to show that tummy, and although she has a little more hair and is a little bigger - she looks the same. SO SWEET!

And I won a bingo game too! WOOHOO! I never win anything! So excited. When I get my loot in the mail I will post a picture.

I am feeling so icky. I have slept so much, and could sleep so much more. On a positive note, my therapist called and I got an appointment on Thursday. I am so glad, because it really rocks my world when appointments get changed. My OCD is typical in the fact that I am a planner. And when plans change or get messed up - oh my....you don't want to be around me! LOL! But seriously - I am just a creature of habit. I could eat the same thing for breakfast, lunch or dinner for the rest of my life and be just fine. I think I ate enough chicken noodle soup when i was little that I ought to own stock in Campbell's.

Tomorrow I go to see my psychiatrist, and I hate going to the hospital, which is where the appointment is. So hopefully Keith will take me and go in with me.

Now, remember that SWEET puppy I told you about earlier, well she and Missie Moo got into a fight again last night! When she is tired she is a WITCH! I finally had to put her in the bedroom with Keith and leave Missie out in the living room with me. Poor Moo, she was so scared. And today she will not come ANYWHERE near Marlie. Missie is nervous enough, I hope she can move past this. And yes I know I am talking about a dog, but if you've met my dog - you know it's true.

Ok, I am off to try and eat some crackers, and hopefully drift back to sleep.
have a super night and tomorrow!!!
Love & Blessings...

I got my BIG BITE!!!

Yes, the Crop-a-dile II BIG BITE! I have been wanting this thing for weeks. Heard that Hobby Lobby had it 2 weeks ago, but when I went, not a single one on the shelves. When I got home realized two stamping group members had beaten me to it and gotten the only 2 they had. :o( So this morning was the first morning for 40% coupon this week, and I was there at 9:25am to buy my BIG BITE! I know to those of you that do not scrapbook (or sew or have a hobby at all) this sounds crazy! But this is the NEWEST toy, I mean tool I wanted and I HAVE IT!

Now if the rest of the day had only gone that smoothly. I have felt sick all day. ALL DAY. It probably has a lot to do with the medicine the doctor has me on right now, but I tell ya - I could do without it, well not really, but I am SO VERY TIRED, and SO VERY SICK at my stomach. I slept most of the day. Poor Keith was off, but I honestly don't think he minded (is that a word?) because he was snoozing too. UNTIL the doorbell rings, and a religious group started to slip their religious paraphenalia through the doorjamb. Now why they do this I will never understand. I mean it is illegal to put stuff in the mailbox I know, but shouldn't it be just as illegal to slide things into people's homes? Anyway - Marlie is not so fond of unannounced visitors and she went nuts. Because since we've lived here this group comes once every couple of weeks and ring the doorbell and when I don't answer they SLIDE the paper in the doorjamb. So Keith says "why don't you just tell them to go away?" I mean is that really proper? They are a religious group after all, and that just seems disrespectful, but it is MY HOUSE. But he got to experience it for himself today and let me tell you he was NOT happy, but did he get up and talk to them - NO! He was just as unsure as I was about how proper it was to do something like that. But we did decide that this is private property and that is trespassing (realize we were both in a stupor from being awoken by Marlie barking to the doorbell ringing and this all sounded VERY SANE in that sleepy stupor). Soooo what are we going to do about it you ask? I have no idea. But it sounded really good when we both agreed they were trespassing! I think a lot of it has to do with, we are both pretty private people. We don't like ringing doorbells, and such. We just really want to be left alone unless we've invited you here. So the point of my story, there really isn't one, I guess I just found comfort in the fact that hubby is as goofy as I am about some things. :O)

My appointment for therapy got cancelled AGAIN TODAY! I have had probably 5 to 6 cacelations in the 3 years I have been seeing her. And that seems like a lot to me? I mean that is 2 a year. But I guess when you see a doctor/therapist as often as I see her, that's going to happen huh?

Ok, it is 3:28am, and I am off to put clothes in the dryer and go back to bed.
Love & Blessings...

I SCRAPBOOKED!!!

The other day it was so pretty, I had the blinds pulled up, not just opened, and Marlie was LOVING looking out the window. But when she heard me talking to Keith on the phone and saying he was on his way home, she curled up in his chair to wait for him. COuldn't resist snapping these pictures of our little cutie, and then when a challenge came up over at Willow Traders, I KNEW I had to use these pics. This is my FIRST SCRAPBOOK PAGE made with things I have cut on my KNK (scalloped circle and title). And this is the first 12 x 12 page I have done in 2 years!

Did another page tonight! Another Willow Traders sketch challenge! I took a class back in 2004 on how to make a ragtime quilt and took these pictures of me "ragging" the quilt and of the finished quilt. Thought this turned out pretty cute considering I picked these papers out for this layout 2 years ago when I was going to a retreat with Shonna, but they work!!!!


Sidenote - keep a friend of mine in your prayers. She had to go to the ER the other night, and she is still not feeling 100%, so just keep her in your thoughts.

Keith was off today, so we had breakfast with friends, shopped at our NEW KOHL's and NEW TARGET in Spring Hill, stopped by his mom's office, and finally headed home for naps. We were worn out, and to be honest, I am ready for bed already, even after that 2 hour nap!

Love & Blessings...

Some pictures I've been meaning to upload and COTM for March

I have been in a journal swap since back in the summer. And I have worked on several, and taken pictures of most of them. A few I forgot to - whoops! But here are some pictures of journals I have worked in recently (pictures of my artwork that is) and pictures of March COTM on my stamping group....

My entry into Cindy's "Sea Fantasy" Journal. OK I LOVE This entry because it is my first shot at truly drawing. Yes it is whimsical, and yes I got inspiration from something I saw online, BUT I did not trace it, I DREW IT! WOOHOO! I drew with watercolor crayons and went over them with a waterbrush. :o) The "jewels" on the page are serendipity squares that we made in Nancy Walker's class at the last TS retreat. I thought they would be perfect for sea jewels.

My entry into Nancy's "Garden" Journal. I love this one because on the left is the "perfect day???" with sunshine and flowers, but on the left it is raining and the quote says "anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain." LOVE IT!

This is the COTM I received from Jeanine D. on my Stamping Group. SO pretty and sparkly! SOOOOO ME!!!! THANKS JEANINE!! LOVE IT! (below)

This is the COTM I sent to my partner Marilyn. I love this little stamp! Shonna (the BFF) & I both got one at Michael's in the dollar bin!!!

My entry into Laura's "SPARKLY" Journal. Shonna sent me a website of all these cool girlie quotes and gifs for my siggy in my email, and this one just stayed in my mind because I LOVE BLING! So when Laura's journal showed up I just knew I had to use that quote.

My entry into the "Favorite Things" Journal (can't remember whose journal this was.)Of course pictures of my fur-babies. And a list of ALL my favorite things.

This is my entry into the "Story Time" Journal (can't remember who this belongs to either ;o( ) I am sure then person whose journal this is was really focusing more on traditional children's stores: Cinderella, Peter Rabbit. But when I went looking at the "Little Golden Book" website, I saw this and remembered how much I LOVED this book when I was little. This is one of the few books I TRULY REMEMBER being read to me, and me reading outloud as well. So it just had to go in the story journal! Plus I used my KNK to cut out letters.

sick sick sick...

It's that time of year again. Keith swore he NEVER got sick when I met him. Well the bug has hit the West house. BLECH! We have sniffles and fevers and sneezes. So might be a few days before I'm blogging again. I'm only awake now because of a KILLER headache. Hopefully the anacin will kick in soon and I can go to sleep.
Love & Blessings...

why do people disappoint?

Having a rough day, lots to deal with. But my question of the day is, why do people have to disappoint you? So I guess disappoint me once shame on you, disappoint me twice shame on me type thing huh? Something to contemplate - and maybe to change in my life. My faith in people is just generally crappy right now, yes I said crappy. People just SUCK sometimes!

Thursday stuff...

I am a total slacker. I meant to post this when I got it, and with all the computer stuff, Keith's new job and other things going on I just didn't do it. (SORRY CINDY!!!) This is the COTM (Card of the Month)I received in February on my stamping group. This is the most whimsical card - I LOVE IT! So I definitely wanted to share it with everyone.

I am working on a 21 day challenge over at twopeasinabucket.com & I am just getting going and will post when my journal dries from the entry today!

blog challenge: my fav time of day - 1 or 2am in the morning. I am so awake usually and it is so quiet I can get ALL KINDS of things done - vacuum, play in my scrapbook room, play a video game, surf the web. I just love it - no ringing doorbells or phones. I'm a night owl.
Love & Blessings...

My first Project with my KNK

I did it, I did it! I made something with my digital cutter! I am so excited. I know it isn't a WOW project, but I am SO PROUD! I was looking for a little sign to hang on the porch that said bunny crossing. ANd couldn't find one. So I made one! WOOHOO! Papers are DCWV, Anna Griffin, and Hobby Lobby CS. Font is one from Vista, and the bunny was designed by Judy Perry (www.littlebit.com)
Thanks for looking!
Love & Blessings...

how many of me???

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 301 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Kind of crazy that I actually KNOW one other person (and in my state) that has the same first and last name as me, AND it is her married name just like mine! SO WILD!
Check this out, pretty entertaining!
Therapy, Lunch @ Logan's, Trip to Chili's (why you ask? Keith had to deliver something - why? who knows he hasn't worked there in 2 months), Trip to Target, Trip to Lowe's (no deals on plexiglass there), Hobby Lobby (two sheets of acrylic - BIG SHEETS- total $6 and change), home again home again to watch Little People Big World and Jon & Kate plus 8. Now it is time for me to finish up some artsy stuff, play with my KNK (Klic-n-Kut) and then go to bed.
Love & BLessings...

sunday night again....

Picture one, basket I bought at Hobby Lobby. Picture two, what it looks like afer I added my bling! I got the basket and bling both 1/2 off at Hobby Lobby a couple of weeks ago. Basket was in the easter decor. I think Keith is going to cut the handles off for me, so that ALL my acrylic blocks will fit in there (I have one REALLY BIG ONE that will not go in under the handles) and they will sit on my shelf above my desk for easy access.
One of my fav shows is back on tonight - DIRT! I love Courtney Cox; and this show just cracks me up. Don Conkie her photographer is hilarious. She asked him tonight if he felt good (he is schizophrenic and starting to do new meds) and he said "No just normal." And I can TOTALLY relate to that sometimes.
Now I am off to finish up some projects and get ready for tomorrow. Keith is off and we are going to Logan's for lunch to see his friend - Will. ANd then he is taking me to Target (wish the new one would be open tomorrow, but not until next Sunday :o( )
Love & Blessings...

I got a deal!!!

We went to Office Depot to kill time before a movie tonight. We were looking for something for the laptop. When we walked outside they had all these office chairs on sale - the Christopher Lowell Chairs were so cute, and I had drooled over them on the way it, but saw the sale price was $117.00. Well Keith took a closer look and THIS CHAIR was on clearance for $58.00

Keith said if you want it I will buy it for you right now and showed me the price. They had ONE in a box, so off Keith went with the take one paper and the sign off of the box. When he got inside to pay the lady gave him another $9.00 discount. SO my chair (plus the candy bar Keith bought to sneak into the movie- bad, bad, bad! LOL!) was $53.00 with tax! I am so excited!!! Keith is going to build a small table for my Klic-N-Kut and cuttlebug, so I have a place for them. And this chair will sit at that table. My cabinets are stark white in the room, but because we'll paint this new table pink probably, it will look great! I am so excited, I NEVER find deals like this - NEVER! And this is like THE NICEST chair EVER!

We went to see Vantage Point at the movies. Not one of my favs. I am not really into shoot 'em up movies - that is Keith's thing - obviously he is a guy. It was very confusing at times. About the same as most government conspiracy, gun and bomb movies.

Then we had dinner at our favorite Mexican Restaurant. Unfortunately it was not as enjoyable as it could have been b/c of the band playing the ENTIRE time we were eating. This bluegrass band was there the last time I ate there, the night Shonna was over to scrapbook. We had a couple of margaritas and we were sitting toward the back of the restaurant, so it wasn't too bad (trust me it was the liquor, we were still too close if we'd been drinking tea!) Tonight, no drinks, combined with "fans" of the family (a.k.a. their familes: wives, parents, etc.) being very loud and saying "check that Willie!" when the band did what was apparantly a Willie Nelson song. WHEW! It was not a pleasant experience. I do understand that this is a personal preference as far as music is concerned, and that part I could deal with. But when you set up a stage in the middle of the path to the bathroom in a normally busy restaurant, it is kind of annoying. I had to text Shonna when we got home and tell her our favorite band was playing tonight. She just laughed.

I was up early to buy Kenny Chesney Concert tickets for July 5th. Seems like a long way off but it will be here before you know it. I cannot wait to see my man again! Not to mention the other acts that will be there. The first time I put in for tickets on the website I got 3rd ROW tickets! OMG! Crazy, I wasn't even trying for tickets like that, in fact was looking for the cheap seats because it is a big group of us going and we just want to hang out, listen to some good music and have fun. If I WANTED those stinkin' 3rd row tickets I couldn't have gotten them to save my life! LOL! Then of course I put my CC# in to pay and I'll be danged if my CC was expired! I never use the thing, just for things like this, and didn't even KNOW it had expired. So frustrating. So there I was ready to pay and just had to put my check-card number in. No big deal really, but like I said was buying a group of tickets, and had told the others I was using my CC. I feel so bad. I'm such a dummy! Oh well, stuff happens! That is my motto most of the time in life. And yes i know i just shocked some people with that word, but it's true! I try to go with that motto b/c if I don't then well I get all worked up about stuff and let it bother me for days. Stuff happens doesn't mean I don't care - it just means - can I change it? Nope, so I have to just chalk it up to STUFF HAPPENS and move on.

I am staring a new challenge over at twopeasinabucket.com it is the 21 day challenge. We have to start a journal and Rhonna Farrar will give us daily inspiration to take 21 days to "start/change" a habit. It was supposed to start March 1. So tomorrow after Keith goes to work, I will finish up the two art journals I have for a swap, and then start on my 21 day challenge journal.
Well it is 3:44am. I'm awake because Marlie decided she needed to bark like someone was outside the back door, and now of course she is laying on the couch SNORING, and here I am blogging. So I am going to get a drink of water, and try to settle back down and go to sleep. Have a super day!
Love & Blessings...