august kit

The Snazzy Scraps August kit is up!

Awesome Rusty Pickle patterned paper, an exclusive alphabet set created by Jessica Bolton of Eclectic Scraps, Prima flower, May Arts ribbon, and lots of cool embellishments.

more on news of the day...

A proud kid!

news of the day

Wesley... in The Olympian today http://www.theolympian.com/ . Go to the Living section and click on Swim safely to read the story.

I am beaming from ear to ear! Can you tell? He's still sleeping and hasn't seen himself yet, but I'll be sure to get more pictures when he does.

There's also a an audio slideshow at the bottom of the article. The direct link is http://www.theolympian.com/graphics/mov/learntoswim.swf if you want to take a look.

I took the challenge... did you?

My friend posted a challenge on her blog (http://eclecticscraps.blogspot.com/) and I took it! Here's my completed project.

little fish

After three weeks of swimming lessons, it occurred to me that I hadn't taken a single picture of Wesley in the pool. This is from yesterday's lesson. My once "I don't want to learn how to swim" whiner is now turning into a little fish. He looks forward to going to swimming every day. His favorite part of the lesson... going under water. This is the reason I put him in lessons in the first place, because he was scared to go under. Next week he will move up from the Pike class to the Super Pike level, with the same instructor. Kids and swimming! Isn't that what summer is all about?

Have a great summer day!

in need of therapy

It's not an obsession any more... it's a disease! And it's spreading too. In just the past few days, I've heard cries of help from others, panic stricken with this same disease I suffer from. I hope you didn't catch it too!!

I know many of you have this very same disease but are too embarassed and ashamed to admit it. It's okay, really! I understand. I'm suffering from it too. Oh, I tried to get rid of it by passing it on to others, but they sent it right back to me. I tried giving it away, but it grows and spreads like a cancer. It starts with the unopened bags that sit waiting for attention. Then it moves to being sorted and added to the out of control piles already accumulated. And finally, it radiates an aura of "but what if this truly ISN'T the right project to use this with".

What is it? Paper hoarding.

Let's all join hands together and say, "My name is _________, and I am a paper hoarder!"

a little this, a little that

Where did the month of June go? Seriously! I blinked, and it was gone. Between soccer, Wesley's birthday, a visit from the parental units, swimming lessons, kitting, kit planning, and who knows what else time just got away from me. It was "suggested" by someone (who knows who she is) that I best get something posted on my blog before "someone else" posts something for me. So, with a few minutes of down time in between projects, you all get to read my ramblings, along with a pictorial of events.

Soccer... the season is over (short season, only 5 weeks). Wesley had a blast, and learned a lot. No soccer again right now, but I'm sure there will be plenty more in the future. Here he is after his last game with his first soccer medal!

The birthday... a small cake, and some balloons. How easy can it get? That was the only request Wesley had for his 5th birthday. He didn't want a party. Didn't want a bunch of toys. Just wanted a cake and balloons (both of which he got). We spent the day at Northwest Trek. Lots of fun! Then came home to a few presents that we had to pick out ourselves since he didn't seem to know what he wanted, dinner, and cake.

The parental units.... they arrived on the 21st and left on the 28th. Oddly enough, Wesley didn't seem to be as excited to see them this time? Maybe because they were just here in April? Oh, he still had fun having them here, and got spoiled as ever. Shopping, bowling, eating out, special treats. I'm told that's what grandparents are for!

Swimming lessons... after going to a waterpark with his father, and going under water when he wasn't expecting it, Wesley became deathly afraid of the water. So, off to the YMCA for swimming lessons we went. The first lesson was almost unbearable for me. He cried and begged me to get him out of the pool. He was also sent back a level because he refused to put his head under the water. It's amazing what 2 weeks of lessons, and an understanding teacher can do for a kids confidence level. He is now going under the water, belly floating, back floating and actually looks forward to going to the pool. The next 2 week session starts on Tuesday.

Kitting... Snazzy Scraps July kits are now shipping! It was touch and go there up until the last possible minute, waiting on an order from Li'l Davis. But, they came through, and all the preordered kits went out on Friday... as scheduled.

Kit planning... are you wanting to know what's in the August kit? I'll give you a little hint. Pink and brown. Shhhh! Don't tell anyone. You're the only one's who know.

And other stuff... did you see the awesome contest Snazzy Scraps & Eclectic Scraps are co-sponsoring? Get your layouts in ladies! There are some great prizes to be won.

Today has been a day for catching up, and a day for beautifying. I will leave you with a rare treat... a picture of me and my new hair color. A girl needs something to make herself feel better some days! ;o)

I hope everyone is having a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend!!!

My mundane world

I've come to the conclusion that I lead a very mundane life! Well, I've actually known this for a long time, I'm just finally admitting it in a public forum. My days all seem to blur from one to another. And I suppose there's nothing wrong with mundane, but sometimes I guess I just wish for a little more.

I have friends who's lives seem to be full of the unexpected. One who's husband has won a seat in the World Poker Tournament next month in Las Vegas. Another who's digital designs (that I am in awe of) have given her the opportunity to be a guest speaker in a public forum talking about herself, her work, and digital design. Friends who are on multiple design teams... some for manufacturers.

Don't get me wrong! I am not feeling slighted that these wonderful things are happening to these great people. I guess sometimes I just wish there was something more than just the 'regular' in my life. Get up, read email, make the rounds at various sites, and listen to "Mommy, why do you have to work all the time?" Then feel guilty that I'm actually trying to make something out of the small little business I've started, and stop doing work to play with my son. And this is just the first day of the summer break! I don't know what I'll be thinking, or doing, or bitching about in a month.

Life is funny though. Whenever I feel like I should have it better, I hear about someone who's worse off than me. Take my neighbor for example. She died. In February. I didn't know until just last week. Why? Well, she lived a few doors up and the only meetings I ever had with her were on several occasions when she locked herself out and found me home to use my phone. She seemed like a really nice person. Same with her husband. But, with the lovely Pacific Northwest weather, many of us are not out to be seen during the winter months. So the other day, as I smoked a cigarette out front and was talking on the phone, a friend of her's came by with a flyer about donations for the Breast Cancer 3-Day walk supporting the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Natalie (my former neighbor) never had breast cancer. But, she signed up to participate in the walk because she 'wanted to make a difference'. Only she will never walk because she fell to her death over 400 feet trying to save her dog Phoebe who had fallen off the edge of a cliff. She made a difference. Phoebe is alive and well. If you are so inclined, you can make a donation to the cause by visiting www.the3day.org, click on Seattle, WA, then 'more' under the Team Rank box, and donate to any of the members under Friends of Natalie Chambers.

Life is strange. And sometimes I feel like a stranger.

The best laid plans

Sometimes they work, and sometimes not. I guess today wasn't a total loss. I did get one (of four) loads of laundry washed and dried. Of course, it's still sitting in the dryer waiting to be folded and put away. I also got the June kits up at the LSS, though not without having to do a bunch of rearranging to make room for them. And then there's the kits that I needed to mail today. What should have been a simple task of printing a mailing label at the USPS website took me on a 4 hour adventure of having to upgrade the software they use to print them. But, those kits did get mailed... on schedule. And finally, Wesley's soccer game that was to start at 6:45. Being the last of three games on the same field, we didn't even start until 7:10 and just got home about 10 minutes ago. He had a blast, so I guess that's all that really matters.

The best news today... received my shipment of some yummy new May Arts ribbons and the gorgeous papers for the August kit (yep, I'm already planning that far ahead!). Can't wait to show it to you all!

All I can say tonight is TGIF! And have a great weekend!!

It's Friday already?

It can't be!!! Where did the week go? I feel like the more I do, the more I get behind. It just never seems to be enough anymore. Or, maybe it's just there's not enough hours in the day? Well, I guess I'll find out today since I'm up and hour and a half earlier than usual. Technically that should give me an extra hour and a half to get things done today, right? I hope so. But somehow I doubt it. Wish me luck... I'll let you know how it goes.

The "quarter million dollar tenements"

Though I would love to take credit for this phrase, I can't. It was muttered by one of my neighbors a few weeks ago when we were commiserating about how some of the homeowners in our subdivision were maintaining their properties. We have an HOA, and a property management company (take that term very loosely), yet it seems lately that the neighborhood is going to hell.

With the lower interest rates available right now, more and more of the homeowners in our area are renting their properties. Fine... as long as you maintain an active presence as the "home owner" and make sure that the property doesn't devaluate. Weeds growing out of cracks. Grass as high as mid-thigh. Bubba and his 6 kids running amok and knocking out three panels of the back fence. I don't see any maintenence here, do you?

Which leads me to the lack of management from our new "property management" company. Our last company maintained the public/community areas. There were beautiful flowers. The planters were weed free. They also drove around and inspected the neighborhood. And, if you were in violation, you got what I fondly call a "nastygram" from them. When you wanted to make improvements on your home, you had to submit the changes and get them approved by the board. I had to jump through hoops to get my paint scheme approved when we resided and painted our house. (For those of you who don't know my color scheme... eggshell and brick red trim.) Since when is painting your garage door, the trim of your home, your front door, and even your planter boxes black part of the approved color list for the neighborhood? Management? Maintenence? Not so much!!!

So, what prompted me to complain about this today? Last night at a little after 10pm, as I was outside smoking, two cars pulled up and parked across the street in front of my neighbor's house. The one who fondly coined the phrase "quarter million dollar tenements". He was out in his garage working on the train track he's building. These teenage boys, who I know do NOT live in our neighborhood proceed to get out of their cars and "hang out". I've put up with this crap at the past two houses I've lived in, and I vowed I wouldn't put up with it again. So, I asked them if they were lost. "Nope, just waiting for someone." I told them "Not on our street you aren't. Go wait somewhere else." After some sassing and back talk from them, I assured them if they didn't leave I would "call the police to escort them to a more appropriate waiting area". After a few more nasty comments, they got in their cars and took off. Where was my neighbor? Getting a baseball bat and the phone off his wall in the garage.

The "quarter million dollar tenements"! Anyone looking for a new house? We've got some waiting for you.

Taking after his Mom

Wesley's first position in his first game of soccer... goalie! LOL A chip off the old block. Problem is... the other team barely kicked the ball past the midline, let alone anywhere near him. After playing goalie for awhile, they threw him out on the field and he ran and kicked, and kicked and ran. Even scored a goal... but they don't keep score in this league. Now if we can just get him to realize that when the ball goes out of bounds, he needs to come back to the field and let the coaches or refs get it.

Anyway, thought you might all like to see the starting goalie for the Purple Cheetahs. :o)

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my Dad's birthday... 72 years old!

He's a great man, and has overcome great obstacles in his life. Growing up without a father (my grandfather died when Dad was only 3); losing his older brother a month before I was born; losing the tip of his right thumb in a horse riding accident; having his mitral valve (heart) give out (they replaced it with a mechanical valve); losing his mother; losing his younger brother; being diagnosed with emphysema; being diagnosed with skin cancer.

He is a hard working, family man. Someone to look up to, and someone you can count on. And he's also had lots of great things happen to him. A marriage that's sustained all the obstacles for the past 42 years; raising me to be the best woman I can; finding many extended family members through years of genealogy research; one terrific grandson... and I'm sure there's many more great things to come!

Oh, sure, we've had our differences over the years, but I love this man with all my heart. So, today I just wanted to say

"Happy Birthday Dad!!! I love you!!!" Love, Mouse

Soccer

The Plan: Sign-up Wesley for pee wee soccer. Sit in my new captains chair, basking in the sun while my highly energetic, almost 5 year old burns off some of the pent up energy.

The Outcome: What an adventure I've embarked on. The quintessential soccer mom! The first practice (last Tuesday), in the rain. The 5 hour search on Saturday for "pee wee" soccer gear leading us around town to four stores to gather all the necessities. Then, today, opening my big mouth and volunteering to be snack coordinator for the team. (No, there will not be an "approved" snack list for this team! LOL) And this is just the beginning! The first sport... the first season. What did I get myself into?

The REAL Story

Why do I refuse to blog? It's very simple, actually. I don't have enough time!

There are not enough hours in my day as it is, so until someone invents a way to make the day longer (or me more productive), chances are you will visit my blog and it will be a very quiet place. Sort of like a ghost town. Oh, I'll post new messages on occasion because I just can't stand to "start" something (even though I didn't actually start this blog!) and not finish it. And, I'm sure I'll get sucked in more and more as time goes on. But, just know that every minute I spend here, telling you things you probably don't want to hear about anyway, is time spent away from what I should really be doing.

So, now I've spent 15 minutes figuring out this whole blogging adventure, I'm off to try to accomplish what I should have been doing instead of writing this.

Have a great day! And come back often to visit. You may not find anything new to read, but at least I'll know you cared enough to check.

I refuse to blog...

So someone else had to make this entry for me. ;)