I'm a proud mommy!

Today my two kiddos were honored at a before school awards ceremony. They both were chosen this month by their teachers for a Citizenship award. Each teacher chose a child to receive a Citizenship and one to receive an Academic award. Both of my kiddos were chosen this month! Whoot, whoot!!

So proud here!

Been away so long...

Well, a lot of stuff has happened since I have blogged the last time. As for my absence, I apologize!! Here is a highlight of the last several weeks:

1. My husband's family had a "reunion" camping trip. (With four brothers and a sister and their families and his parents.) I had to stay home and work. However, DH did bring a lovely gift home for me. Besides the dirty laundry. He was ill when he returned home. How is that a gift for me? Well...this virus kept on giving. And giving. And giving. All night long. Lovely.

2. My kids started brick and mortar school. A week-and-a-half ago. This is how my fourth grader and my second grader looked in the morning of the first day of school.


And here is how my second grader looked on the afternoon of that first day of school. (Pictured with adoring Daddy, of course.) Please notice the pale, sickly skin tone. The school nurse called us not long after lunch saying he was in her office. Throwing up. The stomach virus just keeps on giving.Well, he was plenty sick. Until bedtime. Then he slept like a rock. I, being the very dutiful mommy, slept beside him on the sofa bed in the living room. Or at least I tried to sleep. Until I got the stomach virus that kept on giving. And giving, and giving. Every hour it gave. And the next morning???? Well, I felt like I had been pulled through a knothole backwards. And pushed back through. (Do ya' get the idea???)

So three out of the four of us got this lovely virus. Now, hopefully, DD has avoided it and we will not see it again. Ever.

3. I have worked a lot of hours. Great for the paycheck, but I haven't been home much to "monitor" the things that need to be done. I have laundry piles the size of Mt. Whitney.

4. I made an appearance on the local noon-day show to help promote a non-profit here in the area where we live.

5. I have been working on scrapbook projects too. I even have new photos taken and edited. However, you will have to return another day to see them. That is for another post. I wouldn't want to send you into shock over my prepared-ness.

6. For all you golf lovers out there...I met Johnny Miller (PGA golfer and golf telecaster) at a fundraising event for the same non-profit I was on t.v. for. My kids thought that was just pretty cool...especially since they got to meet him too!

The kiddos love school and after fighting a mental and spiritual battle last spring while we were agonizing over the decision to put the kids in brick-and-mortar school....this seems to have been a great choice. I am picking up some day shifts at work which allows me to be home more evenings and still get work hours in. I am still looking at a full-time job somewhere, but those are hard to find right now. We simply keep trusting in God that He has it all planned out and is making the way for us. And I am enjoying the freedom I have while the kiddos are in school. After schooling at home for four years, it is rather an odd adjustment!

Have a great weekend! For those of you whose kiddos haven't started school yet...enjoy the last weekends before school starts!

Amateur photographer.

Last week we went to the park and took some photos. We had decided that the kiddos needed some "school photos" and since we school at home...we either had to pay someone at a studio or do it ourselves. So, since I am very frugal (translate that to "CHEAP") and since we invested in a nice camera last year when our previous one was dying a sloooowwww death, we did it ourselves.

I have always been a little hooked on photography. I had a very nice 35 mmm SLR in college and had acquired several Nikon lenses for it. (Thanks, Mom and Dad!) So when I looked at a digital camera, I wanted something that would work with the lenses I already had. Okay...back on subject. Sorry.

Anywhooooo....we went and took some photos. Some of them turned out fabulous, some turned out okay, and some were just goofy. Then there we a few that were just, well, bad. I had learned in a college photo class that only about 10% of the photos you shoot will be good ones. That statistic seemed to hold true in this case. So any of you photo buffs looking for the perfect shot...just feel assured that you will get it, but may have to shoot a lot of photos!

So here are a couple that I took. They are okay. I haven't had much time to do much more than go through and look at the pictures. We will be choosing the best ones for "school pictures" and when those are chosen you will probably be subjected to seeing them also!

We also took some photos at Halloween, so I will get some of them posted...or I will get scrapbook pages done and post those. I may not get those done until Valentine's Day...ya' know I am really very prompt! hee-hee!

I continue to work away at those Christmas projects. I guess you all have to take my word for that, since you won't be seeing any sneak peeks for a while yet. Hope you all are progressing on any Christmas gift projects you are working on. I know there are a lot of you out there because we see you in our local scrapbooking store where I work!

Hope you all have a warm and wonderful week. Don't forget to get out there and vote!

Wow. Time flies.

One thing I have realized Peeps, is that the older I get, the faster time goes. Truthfully, I haven't felt well for a couple of days. I got the "stuff" that has been going around. And I can't just crawl into bed and stay there for days. I have school to do with two kiddos and work to go to at night. I also have a long list of things that I need to get done. And that list is still looming in front of me. Projects to complete for Prickley Pear design team, Christmas gifts...things that I just want to do. I need to get online and post photos here at my blog (AKA dump tank) and also get pics ordered from Shutterfly. The only day I had to do some of that this week was Sunday. Guess what? I felt like a piece of gum someone had stuck to the bottom of their shoe. ugh.

So, here I am whining about it. I need more hours in the day. (okay...more money and more beauty would be fun too!! hee-hee.) But since I am not God and can't extend the day...well...I am doing the best I can. ;D) So bear with me out there, okay? I know that what I have posted is mostly pictures of projects, but I do want to post other things too. I have been a bit afraid about posting too much personal stuff. However, since it is my blog...I guess I am in charge!!!

So, here it goes. Here is a pre-Halloween photo of my two kiddos dressed in their Halloween costumes. My mom made the costumes. I will take an "official" photo at Halloween when they are all decked out with their candy "catchers"/bags/bowls.

My son LOVES penguins. We don't know why...but he has quite a collection going. We have noticed that he loves any stuffed animal with black/white color combo and contrast. Because of that, my mom made him a penguin outfit for Halloween, and well, my daughter got one too. She doesn't seem to mind!!

Okay...it's time for me to trundle off to get ready for work. Oh, and take a detour to fold some laundry! Have a great week, Peeps!!

The best plans...

Sometimes get changed. Sorry, Peeps...I know I haven't posted in a while. I keep thinking that I am going to scrapbook or make cards or rubber stamp. Ha. I have so many things going on right now. I am hoping that I will get to sit down and play today. Maybe. Hopefully.

Please be patient with me! I want to create something fabulous. And to be truthful, last Sunday (and that was a million years ago!!) I worked on a gift I will be giving at Christmas. I knew it would take from now until Christmas to get it done! However, I obviously can't show you photos of that. Ho-hum. Maybe I will pull out all the stops and post a winter/christmas card that I have an idea for! (Oh yeah!) So, I will be back soon with a little "inspiration" to spice up your scrapping/cardmaking projects!