Look at how fun!

I have a new technique that I am gonna wear out!! Look at this simple card. And its FUN to do! Simply leave half of your cardstock sticking out of the cuttlebug folder...then after that part is embossed, turn it over and scor it with the ScorPal every quarter of an inch for the lines. This is seriously like a 6 minute card and it only took that long cause I cut the ovals with my CM System. HOW COOL IS THIS?? The original one I saw had the embossed image of the bird sitting in the grass. I am thinking it would be good with ANY of them. The pumpkins, the snowflakes....omigosh the sky is the limit!

All is fantastic here today. My mission to mow our grass yesterday was short lived as the lawnmower died. ~sigh~ So that is two mowers down. Anyways...today I am borrowing the neighbors so...Lord willing I will get r done today!

Dont forget that FIREPROOF starts this Friday! Have you got your tickets? How bout the sitter? You NEED to go see this. I got our tickets already and Grammee and PawPaw are coming for the girls. I am soooo excited!

Have a fantastic day! Bless some one!

God is Good

Once again, my lack of great photography skills is shining through, but I wanted to get a pic up for you all as soon as possible. So here you are. I am sooo in love with this little teddy bear stamp set I got. SOOO MUCH FUN!


I went to the doc yesterday and got great news! For one, my Triglycerides are back down within normal range and my fasting blood sugars are also within normal range. This makes me feel sooo much better that I have removed myself from the danger of diabetes and heart disease. But having good news like that didnt explain why I have been feeling so miserable. So I was anxious to hear more of what the doctor said. My recent weight gain...lots of it...and my need to sleep rediculous amounts is all tied to my Thyroid. A normal count is to be within the 2-3 range and mine was 19.7--now I have had worse, but I recall feeling just as awful. Unfortunately it will take a few weeks for the new medicines to start showing any relief, but I am sooo glad that this is not all in my head. I was starting to wonder if depression was taking over my life or what. Not being able to make it through the days without a nap was starting to make me feel useless and like a complete bum. At first I wrote it off just because I have been so busy. But then it really was getting rediculous. The doc explained that when an organ is not working correctly your body starts shutting down things it doesnt need to put more effort in making the organ work again. Mine was shutting down everything I needed to move and to be awake. And the higher my numbers crept the more tired I became. And the weight just piled on. I have always been a little fluffy. But I have been drinking more water and eating healthier than I have ever in my life and yet the scale kept going up and up and up. I hope that that too will go back down.

Because I have felt so bad I havent been able to train for the 5K that I signed up for and have had to resign. I have not gone away from the goal that I have to reach that runners high and to run the race. I just have to face the fact that it wont be this one.

Today I am going out to the yard. It has been simply gorgeous weather and I cant wait to be outside. Hope that you all are also enjoying your day.

Be blessed

WOOHOOO! Dawgs!

We made it back home and everything went absolutely perfect!! I had such a fabulous time with the kids. We made tons of cool stuff, played lots of games and really just had a good time. The weather was PERFECT! It rained just a bit on Saturday night, but not until everything was over and everyone was just vegging out. It was such good sleeping weather!

Heather placed 3rd in the crockpot contest with her brownies. Hannah didnt place at all, but her french toast turned out pretty good. OK honestly, not my cup of tea. It was more of a bread pudding kind of thing...and I am NOT a huge fan of that, so.... Again, that website is: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com .

I got lady of the year again which was a huge and COMPLETE shock! It was such a shock that I had to sprint from the kids tent all the way back up to the big house to accept the award. Since I didnt figure I was up for it I had already taken all of my junior members down and started on their next activity rather than keeping them up there in the boring meeting.

It was a great great weekend though. We got to see old friends, make some new and of course converse about the latest fur boom. Our district is getting ready to skyrocket with fur sales and such. We are all gearing up for a crazy and hectic season... I know....doesnt mean squat to all you peoples out there. To me, it means lotsa work.

All in all we are doing great though. Glad to be home.

Hope your weekend was just as fabulous!

Looky Looky MORE H2Os!

I am having sooo much fun with my twinks! This is another technique that we learned at retreat. Using the Magenta Style metalic stickers and then painting them with Twinkling H2Os. Sooo much fun! The look like the metalic butterflies I used the other day. Only these are more personalized. More spunky! I made some uber awesome Christmas cards too. But, no you cant see them yet! :)

Hope your weekend is proving to be a good one!

Cook off!

This is another one of those handy dandy cat images I got from that swap. I looooove coloring them! SOOO MUCH FUN!

Can I just say I have a new addiction. My friend Michelle, gave me the address to a website when I told her that this weekend was the traditional cookoff and I needed to find some recipes to enter. 2 years ago it was the crockpot cookoff, and since I am just not a fabulous cook with my crockpot, well....I only entered my pulled pork bbq. It won 3rd place, which I was pleased with. Last year was the same cookoff, cept it was using the dutch oven and open fire. WOOHOO! I totally kicked tail in that contest. Winning a first in main dish with my baked spaghetti, a first in side dishes with my potatoes agrautin and then 2nd in the dessert competition with my apple pie. Oh yeah! NO ONE can touch me with the a fire! But I was a little disappointed to learn we were revisiting the crockpot. Awww man!!! So it has been my mission to find something NEW to cook.

Anyways...Michelle told me to visit Stephanies website. Called A YEAR OF CROCKPOTTING!! Oh my gosh! This chick is amazing! She made a new years resolution to cook all of 2008 in a crockpot. OK, I cant go that wild, but I gotta admit, she certainly has inspired me!!

So heres the verdict. Wish us well!! Heather will be making these brownies. Though she is cooking them in a glass dish that fits into my crockpot. And Hannah is making french toast. Ha! Can you tell who picked the recipes??? SWEET!!! I think I am also gonna have the kids make a version of her Rocky Road Candies too...cept instead of nuts well use Teddy Grahams...and make SMORES candy! YUUUUM O!!!!

I am like totally obsessed with this website. Where has she been all my life??? Now mind you, many of her recipes are gluten free and milk free and so on. I am all for being healthy, but I have no doubt they can easily be converted right back to their full of fat full of fluff beginnings. If you try any....PLEASE let me know what you think!

By the way...dont forget to make your plans to go see FIREPROOF, it opens in theatres next weekend! Its one that you AND your spouse need to see together.

The return of the "Furry" Friday!!

Isnt it cute? Okay, NOT my velvet pink head, but the hat! Even Hannah, who is my queen of pink tells me mannequin creeps her out. I know, I know...but hey its better than model from before that was just a basketball balanced on a bucket!

The weather here is simply amazing! I am sooo anxious to sleep outside! Camping! A whole weekend of running, but it will be great to be with the family.

Little bunny foo foo!

I soooo heart this rabbit! My dear friend Nancy P got it for me last weekend as a Thank You gift at retreat and I have been wearing him out! I loooooove him. Anyways. This first pic does not do justice to the card. I used another one of my Twinkling H2O tags from retreat and stamped both on the tag and on the card. Laid it over and adhered. It looks neato in real life. But once again I am showing you my terrible photography skills. I painted a thin coat of white twinks over the entire rabbit. The corners are then lined in gold foil to match his ribbon. TOOO FUN!

And here he is just plain. This is using chalks to color him.

Have I told you lately how blessed I am? I am married to one of the most kind hearted men I know. Yeah, he has his faults and his little "issues" are enough to send me to the looney bin, but it is ever so often that I am reminded just how wonderful he is. How kind, considerate and truly loving he is. And to think that he picked ME out of the 6 billion people in the world. AMAZING!

Then I have two beautiful and bright little girls. Heather keeps me amazed with each and every day. All those months of tears, arguing and just plain distress, and now, she is passing all of her classes with A's, she is exceeding in absolutely every thing she attempts and she turning into the most miraculous young lady. Id like to say that I am proud, like I could take credit for it. But the truth is...I am honored. Wow, once again, 6 billion people in the world and God chose ME to be her mom. AMAZING!

And Hannah. It is simply fascinating to watch her grow. Each and every day she learns something new. Each day she is faced with new life facts and she speeds through them with such wisdom and sincerety. She befriends every person she meets and she loves them with all of her being. I make fun of her obsessive need for details but she reminds me oh so often that it IS the details that matter most. God has made her stand out amoungst everyone...because she doesnt accept anything less than those things that are wonderful. In todays day and age we are so used to mediocracy. Funny...God doesnt settle for mediocracy. Yet, we do. Thank you to Hannah for reminding me that mediocracy is ok. But why settle for mediocracy when you can have "great"? For reminding me that God is ready to give us GREAT, if we seek Him. At such a young age she simply has it all figured out. Once again, I am blessed with an old soul to watch over and protect me. AMAZING!

I could go on for days, talking about each and every single one of my friends. About my family. About my house, my car....oh you name it. I am really really blessed. Yes, I am even convinced that there is SOME good use for the waste high weeds that are taking over my yard.

How bout you? Have you stopped to think about why you love what you love? I mean...I KNOW that you love your spouse...but why? Why is it? Other than that is just what they are. Or why do you love your mom or even your own kids? Other reasons than just the fact that they are who they are.

Oh how I love things that Twinkle!

This tag is one that I did at retreat, I know I already posted it yesterday--but I actually got it to paper so I wanted to show you a better pic of it. This is using the Twinkling H2Os and then puting a piece of saran wrap over the top of it while its still wet. When you pull the plastic off it gives it the coolest effect. And those words are some that I just HAD to have! That stamp set is one I got this weekend too. Such a good BLING set! Had to have them!!!

I am still in the fur today. Yesterday I finished one purse and a coon hat. Today I am trying to get 2 teddy bears done. I will post pics of them tomorrow when FURRY FRIDAY returns!! I KNOW you all have missed them! Hahahaha.

Its absolutely gorgeous here today! A slight breeze, beautiful sunshine and cool temps. Ohhhh how I love fall.

Miss me??

Have ya all wondered if I had fallen off the face of the earth? Thanks for all the emails of concern. I am ok...just been swamped. Last weekend was the official Tennessee Stampers Retreat, and since I was coordinator this year you can only imagine how little brain I had left come Friday morning. It was absolutely perfect though! We had some awesome classes, tons of good food, lots of laughs and I got a chance to catch up with dear friends. These tags are the ONLY thing I finished while there. They are using Twinkling H2Os, arent they fabulous looking!? Hard to tell it in the big pic, but they shimmer. REALLY REALLY pretty. I finally have the car unloaded and things are all put away. I looove the retreat every year but it always takes me so long to recover. I know, its a rough life. But it was a glorious weekend!! 38 women from all over Tennessee put together for a full weekend of stamping. How much more perfect can you get??? And no catfights either!! Life is good!

I am in fur mode now. My sewing machine is going just a mile a minute. I have to crank out as many things as possible for the weekend. YIPES! This weekend we have the big Fall Creek Falls get together. I am anxious to see my friends, but golly I wish there was an extra weekend in here somewhere.

Now I gotta brag a little. Heather, my darling 12 year old got invited by Duke University to participate in a talent program and to take her act and sat on a 7th grade level. She is extremely gifted in the math department and they noticed! She is sooooo excited and I couldnt be more proud of her. And to think, I still have a little hair left.

Anyways. I now close with a prayer request. As most of you know my mom is down in the Houston area. Hurricane Ike came through and really hit them hard. I finally DID hear from her last night only after wearing out all of the phone numbers I had for her and her friends. She has been without power, gas, water and sewer for 5 days and they still do not know when it will return. She said that she is physically ok, her home survived fairly well, though there were many trees down, flattened fences and lots of debris. I ask you to pray for all those effected. As we still havent heard from several of her friends. Being in East TN we dont get a lot of extreme weather and it all seems so foreign to us, until one of our loved ones is in the middle of it. I pray for ALL of you who ARE effected.

Go, friends, enjoy your day.

MEOW

I recently received my swap back of cat images to color. And oh my have I been havin uber amounts of fun coloring. I just looooooooooove this tall kitty cat. Hes soooo cute!!! And I finally found a use for these gotta have --gonna die if dont have ---straight pins. Cute eh??

Things are a little nutzoid here. The day has finally come. When all of my planning and preparing and praying come into action. Friday kicks off our Tennessee Stamper Retreat!! I have been the coordinator this year and even though it has been uber amounts of fun it has been equal amounts of stress. I am sooo anxious though, I cant wait to see my friends, take some amazing classes and just plain have fun!!

How bout you all? Everyone getting settled into school? I am praying for all you people that are further south of us, that you might have peace from the horrible weather.

Have a blessed day.

Words of Love

Just a short post today friends. Too many things going on.

Have you visited LYSA'S blog lately. This chick is an amazing writer and her blog is my daily dose of inspiration. But anyways. She is challenging us today. Please go read what she has to say. Its about our words. Are they honorable? I have to admit I am terribly guilty of not following these rules. I hereby make this committment to you (and to God) to not get caught up in the gossip world.

How bout this one? Or this one? This one? No, I like this one!

Does this card look a little silly with the numbers showing on the paint strips? Yeah...probly so, but that was the point!! My TAC representative PAM is redoing her kitchen and offered up a contest to see who could pick the color for it. These are three greens that I thought were nice. What do you think Pam?? Maybe you should wait til ya get the REAL card since my photographer skills are a LOT less than that of a professional.

How was everyones weekend? Did you enjoy the Holiday? I hope you were all safe. I hope that you all had good times. Ours was quiet and calm, but I am thankful to say everyone has returned back to work and school and I think feeling pretty good. WOOHOO!

Bringing new meaning to "can sleep ANYWHERE"

I know that often times I saturate you with pics of Twinkle. Because she is so easily amused and so easy to capture doing something hilarious. That does not mean, however that things do not happen with our other four legged creatures. This is Jenny, rudely awaken by the flash of my camera. She is asleep on Hannahs backpack. In the middle of the kitchen floor. DUH!?!

Clock

Wednesday will be my final dentist appointment! Remember that inplant that I had such a grand time with?? It fell out. (not dentists fault...my body didnt like it) *gasp* Agony. Misery. Pain. for nothin! ARGH! But I am feeling sooo much better that it is out. But since I have spent the last year visiting the dentist nearly every week I feel like we are family!! I made this little clock as a thank you gift to him.

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is

like wrapping a present and not giving it.

Isnt it the coolest little clock? It was meant to hold a photo, but I thought it was a cool place to crop a little sumpin sumpin for that space instead. He can later take it out and put a photo there if hed prefer.

Anyways. A holiday it is today. I think we might go out for a drive. But that is about it. R is still trying to recover. Hes feeling much better but still not perfect. Poor guy, this really knocked his socks off.

Hope that YOU are celebrating in style!