My Fave Layout from this month

So, as promised....here is my fave layout from this month. I'm super big into birds w/ my scrapping right now...especially owls...so there he is looking pretty cool on his branch.

I think this whole layout is pretty funny...I mean you just can't beat that expression on J's face!

There's still time to post a link to your fave layout of the month and be entered to WIN a HUGE bag of scrapbooking supplies! Go HERE to link up now!

Win! This fabulous bag full of Scrapbooking Supplies

***This giveaway is now closed***

And the winner is...

Elizabeth

Congrats goes to her! I'll be contacting you shortly Elizabeth.

Thanks to all who participated!

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Well, I struggled with my camera for half the day trying to get a picture for this giveaway...I was seriously starting to worry too (remember how I said it got wet over last weekend?)...no matter what I tried it wouldn't snap the shot.

I got so frustrated I decided to take a breather and eat my lunch.

Apparently I was just crazy from hunger because when I returned from my meal I realized that the battery was near dead....DUH! So now the battery is charged up again, I got the photo...and hopefully in the future I'll check the battery first! :-)

So without further ado....the Giveaway!

To wrap up National Scrapbooking Month, I'm giving away this awesome bag filled with all kinds of scrappy goodies! Paper, Cardstock, chipboard, embellies and more!

To enter, simply add a link to your favorite layout from this month by clicking on the Mister Linky image below.

I will randomly draw a winner from all the entries on June 2, 2009.

I am so excited to see all your work! Now that I've "fixed" my camera...I'll be posting my layouts for you guys to see tomorrow!




Have a wonderful day!

Splash Pad Sabotage

Well, I'm here to say we had a lovely Memorial Day! We went to the splash which was just ok this time (explanation below) and then we headed to my parents and relaxed with them.

First off here are some photos featuring the new haircut and the splash pad simultaneously! (Yes, I am that good...LOL I just couldn't resist)

Grabbing water!

***Rant Warning***
Notice the horribly cluttered background in this photo? You know what it is??? Tweens or teens or whatever. They were COMPLETELY ridiculous and not at all careful around everyone else in the splash pad....all of whom were 5 AND UNDER! (A hardly have any shots without them in the background :-( ...photoshoot #2 to come soon!)

Do I sound mad? That's because I am. I would have been far less annoyed by these kids had we passed them standing behind the movie theater smoking cigarettes and trying to look older...as opposed to running into them here.

They were acting completely crazy...kicking the water spouts (right near small children!) and laying down on top of them so that the small children could not enjoy them. At one point, they were throwing water on each other....and some of it got on me and my camera.

That was all it took. I walked over and said very curtly to the boy who splashed me "You know this area is for little children ONLY...you need to go elsewhere.

The group backed off a little after this...but did not leave...and I found myself so angry and concerned for Jackson's welfare I was preparing to leave...well I think Jackson read my mind because he kept walking away from the group of stupid kids (I think he was frightened) and out of the water.

So we left. Typically I'm am not judgmental of the behaviors of teens/tweens. I might laugh at their silly clothes or actions under my breath a little, but usually it is only because it reminds me of my teenage years.

I can proudly say however that I feel justified in calling these kids stupid because anyone who will stand around kicking into the air and throwing water within arms reach of little children (without a HINT of consideration) deserves it. I would have NEVER behaved like that around little kids...in fact by that age I was babysitting kids like Jackson!

Where were their parents...and why hadn't they taught their children better behavior or decency (you know, like reading into the fact that everyone in the splash pad was less than 5 years old? ) ...every other parent at the splash pad was just as irritated and uncomfortable as me...even if they weren't saying so. The air was filled with tension...and I'm hoping to experience the calm happy feeling I discussed here the next time we go.

I will say here and now that intend to teach my son courtesy and respect. He might be the goofball who wears silly clothes in high school....but he will not act dangerously or disrespectfully around small children....I will see to that. :-)

***Rant Ends Here - Phew!***

A favorite photo from the day! I'm glad we went to my Mom's afterward so that I could relax and enjoy some ice cream before heading home.

Cute hair...right?

My sweet boy smiling!

Hope you have a wonderful day!

P.S. The post with an awesome scrappy giveaway and new layouts is coming later today...I'm just getting it together now. :-) Thanks for your patience!

Happy Memorial Day!

Today we are off to enjoy our holiday at the waterpark....back tomorrow with pics (from swimming, the haircut and more) plus that scrappy contest that I somehow forgot to post (gosh that was lame of me!) and more layouts I've been working on.

Enjoy your holiday...and remember to pray for all those brave soldiers who cannot be with their families today for one reason or another. I'm praying that they will come home safe... and the sooner...the better. :-)

My priorities have shifted...

And the direction I'm headed feels just right!

(sippy cups preparing to be washed **and yes, there are even more that are not pictured**)

P.S. Jackson's fabulous sippy cup labels are from Mabel's Labels.

Now more than ever....

I want breathe in each moment and hope that it will last just a little bit longer.

Life is short.

It is so easy to forget that, and yet...I find that I often let so many things keep me from living fully and with all my heart.

Each day, I am reminded more and more just how fleeting life really is.

I could let those things get me down, but instead I've turned a corner...and things can only get better from here.

Today I renewed my spirit and reminded myself why living freely is so good.

Jackson and I went to the mall to FINALLY get his hair cut. (photos to follow of course)

That part of the afternoon was the lowest...and despite kicking screaming and a red RED face....we came away with a cute haircut (miracle...I think so!).

Afterward the little guy calmed down, we had some dinner a la food court. With a full tummy and a stylish new "do" Jackson was energetic and ready for more...so we headed over to the nearby splash pad.

Let me just say right here that I LOVE the person who invented these things.

Seriously, Jackson will play there for over an hour in complete contentment! I especially love this particular splash pad because it is situated in the center of a very swanky shopping village and is surrounded by benches and lush flower beds.

Spending a summer evening here with Jackson splashing away is utter perfection. It is safe, relaxing and I think we are both refreshed afterward. Plus, he always sleeps super well later that night :-).

The best part is....summer has just started and all I can think about is all the different ways we are going to live life BIG from now on.

First on my list will be to go back to the splash pad soon (and this time I'll take my camera!)

Have a great day...and live it up...life's just too short not to.

A few more photos

Here are a couple more photos from our trip. That last one is of a lizard on the tree trunk...but you really have to look closely...his camouflage was pretty good!

Today I'm back to working away at my AVON...and I'm also attempting to tidy up my house too.

Tomorrow I'll be posting so more scrappy layouts and announcing a BIG giveaway...so I hope you'll come back for that.

Finally, I just want to say that I've been thinking about and praying a lot for The Spohr's and I know that some of you are too....they need all the love they can get right now.

Have a nice afternoon.

A VERY Wordless Wednesday

Since I just got back from my Mini-Vacation with my Mom I wanted to share my favorite photos from the trip with you!

And yes, there are probably too many here...but you know...I'm proud of some of these shots so I just had to show them off!

We spent the first day of our vacation in San Marcos, Texas which is basically halfway between Austin and San Antonio on I-35.

These first few photos were taken at super neat place called Wonder World...which has a Dry Formed Cavern, Wildlife Park, and other cool activities to do.

Some Deer in the Wildlife Park.

A Peacock in the Wildlife Park.

My pictures from the Wildlife park are a bit crooked and even blurry because you ride through the park on a "train" which is really a Tractor made to look like an Engine Train...and they pull you around in little tram cars that are attached to it. The ride is very bumpy...so taking photos was more difficult than I anticipated.

Me at the top of the lookout tower.

This tower is 160 ft up in the air...and the view from there is just fabulous! The reason they have the tower is to make the point that when you are in the cavern you are 160 ft below the surface....and at the end of your cavern tour you take an elevator to 160 ft above the surface...it was really cool. (since I am a bit afraid of heights you can see that I have my thumb dug into the chain link fence for security purposes LOL)

My gorgeous Mommy at the lookout tower.

A photo from inside the cavern.

We spent the entire second day of our trip at the Guadalupe River State Park. Now, I have mentioned my love for Texas State Parks on my blog before...namely ONE in particular...but this one was even more fabulous than I had expected!

A cedar tree hanging over the river.

A really gorgeous flower. This is called a Bull Nettle...and even though its super pretty...you can't pick them because they have sharp, poisonous spines all over their stems.


We call these Black Eyed Susan's...but I doubt that's their actual name...regardless of that I LOVE this shot!

The fabulous river!

A view of the canyon wall that runs along one side of the river.

For only a 2 day trip I honestly had a blast! And it just goes to show that even if you are in love with going to the same places (or state parks as the case may be)...it's always good to venture out and try new ones too!

I loved this State Park so much...I think I'll be headed back there with Dave and Jackson in the next few weeks! :-)

Happy WW!

Redecorating in "Green"

Today's post is sponsored by www.allchildrensfurniture.com

Since I am in the process of transitioning Jackson's room from a nursery to a big boy room...and since I'm trying to be more "green", I told them I could use a little help with both areas.
Hopefully, I will chronicle our room transition in photos over the next few months so you can see our progress. :-)

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Eco-Friendly Bedding Guide
Once you have established a safe and comfortable environment complete with a baby crib, kids bed, dresser, desk, and any other necessary bedroom components, it’s time to warm the space with a safe and decorative bedding collection. One of the most popular styles to hit this year’s kids’ market is children’s bedding that not only incorporates beautiful colors but also is made from sustainable materials. Choosing to furnish your children’s area of the home with an eco-friendly bedding collection for bassinets, cribs, or toddler beds supports the well being of the environment and protects your family against potentially hazardous materials seen in non-organic materials.

Green bedding options offer high quality sheets, blankets, and various crib accessories that are made from organic cotton, a responsibly harvested material that hasn’t been tampered with by harmful chemicals during the growth process. The absence of pesticides and herbicides not only helps to maintain clean air but also isn’t a potential threat to young children that are exposed to these materials on a daily basis. Non-toxic and natural bedding options are affordable for any childrens room and will add a clean and stylish look to any area. For plush pillows or blankets that are made from eco-friendly materials, you’ll find that many are filled with post-consumer recyclable materials in order to reduce the demand for newly treated products.

Another wonderful feature about environmentally friendly materials seen in kids’ bedding is the fact that ingredients such as natural latex make these products anti-microbial and hypoallergenic. Your collection of eco-friendly mattresses and bedding collections will be a charming addition to your home and will ensure you that your young family is sleeping in a safe environment throughout the night. in addition, childrens bedding is all about bringing in style, color, and creativity to the room and all three of these characteristics can be found in an organic, green textile collection for the crib or day bed. Low-impact dyes are used in many eco-conscious materials to give your baby’s nursery or toddler’s play room a unique and fun atmosphere that will inspire them day in and day out.

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Hope you have a great day!

The "Moo" Blew My cover

Often, my friends without children have asked me how I can stand all of Jackson's toys that are musical or that make sounds. My answer (as is the answer of most parents, I'm certain) is that they don't bother me because I have just learned to tune them out. Just one of those things parents learn to do to maintain a tiny bit of sanity I guess.

So, the fact that Jackson has a small toy cow that "moos" is really no issue for me either. Well at least not until yesterday....

So, as I was discussing in an earlier post, my baby boy is cutting teeth and to say that has made him fussy would be a gross understatement. So we have been getting through the past couple of weeks one day and one dose of Motrin at a time.

The discomfort really has Jackson high-strung and so the baby that is normally so easy to put to sleep is suddenly not excited about the idea of his crib AT ALL! So last night I'm rocking him, and singing and trying anything I can think of to soothe my exhausted little man.

He FINALLY dozed off and I sat in the rocker with him an extra 10 minutes just to be sure he would be in a deeper sleep when I laid him in the crib. All was successful, I got him laid down and covered him up.

Then I decided (neat freak ALERT!!!) I should gather the few stuffed toys that were laying in his bed from earlier. I picked them all up at once and then deposited them into his toy basket next to the bed.

That's when IT HAPPENED! The cow, triggered by being squeezed, let out a HUGE SCREECHING "MOOOOOOO" (which, at this exact moment, seemed as loud as a bullet train coming through the room) ! I panicked, frozen in my spot, only to find that Jackson has rolled over, is smiling and wants to play with his COW!!!!

AhhHHHHH AHHhhhhh AAAAhhhhH..... (only in my brain is this heard of course)

But it was only a false alarm.

He rolled back over and closed his eyes about two seconds later. PHEW!!!!

Lesson here: Leave the mess for later, a sleeping baby is fragile thing, especially while teething!

Have a great day!

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Originally posted one year ago today. :-) I can say that he is a sound sleeper now at least.

WW- The Sky's the Limit

Jackson on the golf course. Taken Mother's Day 2009.

Note to self...

The next time you take your wedding ring off in the evening, do not leave it sitting on your desk.

This is obviously because the cat thinks it's a bright shiny toy to bat around.

Because of this, your ring is now missing (but hopefully in the house somewhere). What a doofus!

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Hope you have a great day (and I hope I find my ring!)

The best Mother's Day gift....

The best gift I got on Mother's Day was to spend the day with these two guys! I even got breakfast in bed!

How lucky am I?

Hope your Mother's Day was just as special.

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope all of you have a fabulous Mother's Day!

See you tomorrow!

You know what is super cool?

***This Giveaway is now closed***

And the Winner is....


#4 Virginia!

Congrats Girl! I will be sending you an email shortly!

Thanks to everyone who entered!

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I was chosen as one of only 200 people across the U.S. be a Purex Insider! So, they sent me their newest product, a 3-in-1 laundry sheet, that honestly just blows my mind!



That is what it looks like. This thing is about the same thickness as a dryer sheet...but does so much more than one!

First you drop it in the wash with your clothes. No bottles, boxes, or powders to mess with. It washes your clothes with detergent, then it also adds fabric softener too!

When the wash cycle is complete you just transfer the sheet into the dryer with your clothes! It then works just like a dryer sheet and ensures that your clothes are static free!

All I can say is...BEST IDEA EVER!

Like seriously, why didn't I think of this?

My biggest complaint about doing laundry (especially in my college days when I had to lug everything to the laundry mat) was that you had to take different packages of everything with you.

This eliminates so much waste! It also lessens the hassle of having to buy separate products and then wait for the appropriate time to add them to your laundry.

I like the Purex Complete 3-in-1 laundry sheets because they are SO easy to use, and because they come with a re-usable plastic container for storage...they seem to be very "green" in the sense of very little waste from the packaging. The little waste that there is can be recycled too!

I used them in my laundry this week, and the clothes came out great! I will say that I have never cared for the fragrances that Purex uses in their detergents (and I told them that in my review of the product btw) but as far as cleaning power/performance....I was very impressed by these little sheets.

Want to learn more about Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets? Go HERE. Oh, and they will be in stores next week! :-)

Want a coupon for a FREE package of Purex Complete 3-in-1 laundry sheets? Just leave me a comment ON THIS POST with your email address in it . Giveaway ends May 12, 2009 at Midnight CST. A winner will be randomly drawn and announced shortly there after.

Happy washing!

Wondering where I've been?

I wish I had some kind of fantastical exciting story as an explanation here, but I really don't.

After the crop I was really exhausted...and the next day I sort of new why because I had come down with a little something. So I just decided to take it easy and rest, which was a good thing because I was able to recover in 2 days!

I also had to focus on really deep cleaning the house because in the process of trying to grow my AVON business my house has sort of taken a back seat on the cleaning bus. (If you're wondering why I'm working so hard at this all of a sudden, it's because I'm trying to earn a FREE cruise...among other things :-)

But, I was able to get things neat and in order...and now things are pretty much back on track.

I think it is important to keep a good focus on what really matters day to day, which is taking good care of my family and myself.

In the end, I am glad that I was away for a bit to collect my thoughts. I hope you all didn't feel neglacted....I just really needed a breather.

The exciting thing is that I'm back now...and big things will be happening around here in the next couple of weeks!

Be on the look out for a couple of super awesome giveaways!

See you tomorrow!

More Layouts for today

Again with the terrible photo quality...I'm sorry about that. I love that second layout alot...for one because it has an owl...which is my thing right now. Actually I'm really into anything with birds lately!

I had some fun with brown glitter stickles on that page as well...which I think really added a nice touch.

Well...see you later.

So Handsome

I tried to snap this one like 4 times, but it kept blurring...maybe I need to recharge my cameras battery.

Anywho, I love how this turned out! I used a Page Map as my guide...which is what I usually do...because it saves me time in the creative process.

Do you have a particular method for planning your layouts? I would love to hear it!

Hope you have a great day!

It's National Scrapbooking Month!

(And yes, for the record...I am back posting. But you know, life is insane sometimes and I figured I would just pick up where I left off.)

Well hello there, I'm happy to report that I have lots of scrappy goodness to share with you in this month of May.

First off, I got off to a very good for scrapbooking month because I attended a crop May 1st and 2nd. I got 12 layouts done, which is the most I've ever finished at a crop, so I'm super pleased.

Here are a couple of the new layouts!

The lighting in them isn't the best because it's cloudy here today, but I hope you can get the idea anyway.

The Christmas one I think is especially neat, because I used a 12x12 transparency...very cool!

I hope to post more projects and things throughout the month...so that we all can be in the scrappy spirit!

Are you working on any new exciting projects? I want to see them...please leave a comment with a link so I can come see your beautiful work.

Happy National Scrapbooking Month!