Thursday, August 16, 2007
4am madness
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
change

the this: Bailey is driving now. she is so excited to have a car and have some independence. on some level she can come and go as she wants and she loves that. she can meet up with her friends or they can all go together without trying to get a parent to take them.
just little changes.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
it's all in a picture
here is another 'snapshot' of my Daddy keeping his eye on me. making sure i didn't get into trouble i am sure. i look at this picture and see that awful blue couch and can picture my Oma's house. how much time i spent there. when i look at that picture i remember loving it ever since i realized that it was me and my daddy in it. i pointed at it hanging on the wall constantly when i was over there. this picture is on my shelf today. i smile when i see it.as a scrapbooker i guess i need to write them down.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
thanks karen
get a bad batch. not to mention it streaked really bad. done with the paints unless it's a 'must'.Tuesday, July 31, 2007
holy 'crop' Batman!
yummy cupcakes that Anne made. the frosting was to die for.
peace out.
Friday, July 27, 2007
knocked on my butt
i think, and i am pretty sure, i got sick from one of those pre-cut bags of salad. on monday i was in a huge hurry and hadn't really done much with my hair & make-up, so i swung into a grocery store that i will usually only buy non-perishable items at. i was after pop, bottled water, junk food for CJ, and canned chili. the produce dept. is right at the front and a salad sounded awesome so i grabbed a bag of salad, a package of sliced mushrooms, and a tomato. i knew i had a cucumber, shredded cheese, and sliced chicken at home. yum! it looked great. i did think the lettuce tasted a little strange but figured it was because it was a 'fancy' lettuce mix and a brand i wasn't familiar with. maybe it wasn't the salad. who knows. i just know the was i feel has sucked!
and i am not missing my crop tomorrow!! i am still looking for my circle scissor but other than that i am ready to see my peeps!
thought i would share this fun quiz i found on my friend, Sara's, blog:
| You Are the Middle Finger |
A bit fragile and dependent on your friends, you're not nearly as hostile as you seem. You are balanced, easy to get along with, and quite serious. However, you can get angry and fed up with those around you. And you aren't afraid to show it! You get along well with: The Index Finger Stay away from: The Pinky |
i wonder what The Pinky is? i would be willing to bet that Berto is The Index Finger. he is pretty easy going. if anyone takes this quiz and ends up being The Pinky, let me know what it is.
Oh!! Big News! Big News!!
peace out.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
weak at the knees
autumn leaves' patterned paper with their awesome die-cut patterned paper. i think they were the first company to make those. they were a huge hit and now there are a few more companies doing them. i think they are so cool and great time savers.
fancy pants. awesome stuff. this are felt shapes!! from what i can see felt is really big at this show. i will try these and see what i think. should add texture with out a lot of bulk. that's cool.
more acrylic stamps from fancy pants! i love these. sorry Angela. i can't tell if these are the 12x12 ones are not but they are cool either way. their stamps are pretty good quality.
OMG! shaped cardstock from ki memories. i might have posted these before but either way it is so totally worth repeating. how awesome! what an easy way to embellish....anything!Monday, July 23, 2007
seperate bedrooms
- he likes it completely dark and i like to leave the bathroom light on.
- he likes just "white noise" and i like to fall asleep with the TV on.
- he hates having the cats sleep with us and i like it. (they sleep on my feet anyway)
- i like to watch TV until 1 or 2 in the morning while he listens to a book on tape. his way it is still completely dark.
- he likes the room to be an arctic while i prefer it a little warmer than that.
- he likes the door shut and i like it open (for the cats).
if we were in our 80's there would be no question...seperate bedrooms. but that is completely ridiculous now. neither of us would like that. it's funny how sleeping habits can change. his haven't really but mine are no where near the same. i have never liked a completely dark room but the rest of 'his way' was fine.
in the last 6-9 months i am like a different person. i have become totally OCD on the way i sleep. 3 pillows: one flat down, one foam core one that kind of stands up so i can rest my head on it, and the last one bridges the gap between the two. i sleep with a down comforter and at my feet i lay a blanket across for the cats to sleep on. then under the comforter on either side of me, at my hips are my dogs. jack on the left and bug on the right (that's their choice, not mine. talk about OCD). oh, and my 2 remotes lay on my lap.
i wonder what is on the horizon? scary.
peace out.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
summertime goodness
chelsea and bailey getting their float on
CJ rockin' the waves
i was all set. piggy tails to keep my hair out of the suntan lotion, shades, swimsuit, beach towel, flip flops, and tunes! apparently i wasn't 'socializing'. LOLi just started saving my files on to one of my two external hard drives. of course i started with my pictures. i found this file called 'old computer' that was under My Documents. i think Roberto saved everything from my last computer and transfered it all on to this computer that way. guess what i found? pictures i had forgotten! gotta' love that. these pictures were from a day we spent with our closest friends at Moose Creek 2 summers ago.
these pictures make me think that it is the 3rd week in July and we haven't had crap for hot weather and sunshine. today was an overcast, muggy day. i don't really like weather that gets up into the high 90's or the 100's but i do like enough heat for it to seem like summer. this picture reminds me that i did have a really good day that day. it reminds me that maybe we should plan another day like that. it seems like we all just do the same 'ole, same ole' week after week. that's sad. i need to call them and set up a play date.
not my Mom's Sunday's
....not at my house!!
my house isn't spotless (it's not a disaster but not like Mom's). there's a bag of Oreo's in the cupboard and i haven't come close to figuring out what's for dinner and don't think it will be very spectacular. i still have the sounds of crap coming from the TV but they are caused by my son and they include Futurama, South Park, and Family Guy. i haven't went to the grocery store in about 5 days and will probably send Roberto to 7-11 later for bread and milk. i don't own a book and will sit here in front of the computer for hours if you let me. these are the memories that i am making now.
what a difference 25 years makes. funny thing is, what was going on at Mom's house then still goes on there now. the only interuption is when they travel. i wonder if my life will stay so similiar? my parents will be married 39 years on this Wednesday. if my life stays the same as their's has then it will be perfect.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
sneak peaks



where's my daughter??
i get a gold star!!
dia- prefix that means 'complete'
there are 16 prefixes, 40 root words, and 23 suffixes in this lesson. bring on lesson 2!!
Friday, July 20, 2007
thank you Olive Garden

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 (5 ounce) skinless, boneless
chicken breast halves - cubed
2 teaspoons olive oil or butter
1/2 large onion, minced
1 cup Carnaroli or Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
8 ounces asparagus, finely
chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
salt and freshly ground black
pepper to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated
Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS:
1.
Bring chicken stock to a boil in a small saucepan, then keep warm over low heat.
2.
Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the cubed chicken, and continue cooking until firm and lightly browned; set aside.
3.
Heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in the saucepan and cook onions until they soften and turn translucent, about 1 minute. Stir in the rice, and continue cooking until the rice turns opaque, and the onion begins to brown.
4.
Stir in the wine and asparagus; cook, stirring constantly, until the wine evaporates. Reduce heat to medium, and stir in 1/3 of the hot chicken stock. Cook, stirring constantly, until all of the liquid has been absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes.
5.
Stir in another 1/3 of the chicken stock and continue cooking and stirring until absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes. Season the risotto with oregano and basil. Pour in the remaining stock, and stir until absorbed again, 8 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the Parmesan cheese and chicken cubes.
peace out.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
finally

peace out.
what a beauty

spending the summer home with my kids makes me learn more about their personalities. they change so much. Bailey is so calm and peaceful. she is strong and has a solid sense of just who she is. i wish i had that. she is an old soul. i am so very proud of her. i just wanted to share a picture of who i think is one of the most beautiful people alive. this picture was 2+ years ago but it is my favorite of her teenage years. my love for her cannot be put into words. i hope i have done her justice as a mother.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Monday, July 16, 2007
totally feeling old
one of my oldest friends, Dana, is turning 37 tomorrow and we are the same age. that's not what's really making me feel old. she finally got herself a new car...with a CD player! i know, big deal, we all have a CD player. none of her cars ever have. she so deserves this. she has waited a long time and worked really hard. anyway, back to my story. i got her a gift card for the Salem Center Mall but my life-situation as it is, it isn't for very much. i have a TON of music on my computer. old, new, pop, rock, country, alternative, rap, and thanks to my son, a few 'screamo' songs. so i thought i would burn her a couple CDs for her car. the first one i burned is really cool. it's all women artists....Alanis Morissette, Avril Lavigne, Carrie Underwood, etc. the second one i burned was songs from high school-ish age. warning! never do this to yourself. i repeat never do this to yourself. here is what some of the Artists are:
- A Flock of Seagulls
- Andy Gibb
- Bobby Brown
- John Cougar
- Kim Wilde
- MC Hammer
- Steve Perry
- Tommy Tutone
- Young MC
- Vanilla Ice
so are you feeling my pain, gasping in horror, or rolling on the floor laughing? when i listen to some of these songs i flash back to a day, a time, a person, or even a phone call (how weird is that?). on one hand that is good but now these songs are making me feel OLD. i think in a race, feeling OLD is pulling ahead.
on to better things. guess what?? i signed up for a new Karen Russell class today called Snapshots of a Good Life. i am so, so excited. it is in Salem at Scrapbook Fever the first weekend in August. the project is a small album teaching you how to use those 'less than perfect' photos. the album has an easel on the back so it can be displayed. i think ALL of my friends should sign up for it. the cost is $45 and the class is 4 hours long. c'mon, you can do it!
peace out.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
"where does the film go?"
what do i do with all of my negatives in regards to my computer? is there a service that will take my negatives and scan/transfer them onto a CD so i can get them onto my computer? as a scrapbooker having my pictures on my computer makes my life so much easier.
sometimes i hate technology!!
those of you who had children after you had became a scrapbooker are so fortunate. even becoming a scrapper within the first few years of your child's life is a blessing. my pictures of bailey are horrible for the most part. there aren't enough of them, a lot of them are off center, are not in focus, and i think when we moved one time i pitched all the negatives!! OMG the horror! what the f**k was i thinking? i know that without a doubt the memories are there in my mind but the visual aspect isn't. it is all going to be a diary-type of scrapbook. that will be a challenge.
on a positive note i have actually been scrapbooking! once i opened the store scrapbooking for myself went right out the window. i took a class from Karen Russell at Scrapbook Fever a while back and we did 2 layouts. i actually finished both of them...pictures and all. that has never happened to me. usually i start it and then put the kit all back in the bag and swear i will finish it at home. never happens. but THIS time i finished them in class. she inspires me. i needed someone to kick me in the ass to get my mojo going. plus my friend, anne, who forces me to go to all-day crops and talk about curtains. i have been finishing LOs there, too. i will admit it is hard packing up stuff and going some where else to crop but i am starting to think that it might be a good thing. i have too many options here at home and i waste a lot of time looking for something to use. i think i get overwhelmed. at a crop i have to work with what i brought. the only thing i pick out is cardstock. of course i buy other stuff for later. hee hee
i miss my girls and need to plan a crop for us. a pot-luck crop. pick dates girls...let's organize! talk amongst yourselves.
peace out.
Friday, July 13, 2007
where did it go?

weekly recipe
Not your mama's brownies
1 box of fudge brownies from Betty Crocker (plus all the ingredients to make them..eggs, oil, water)
1 package of milk chocolate chocolate chips
I container of vanilla frosting from Betty Crocker
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1-2 cups of salted peanuts..crushed
3 cups of rice crispies
Bake the brownies just as the box instructs. Let cool completely. Frost with vanilla frosting and sprinkle the top with crushed peanuts to your liking.(I like lots o nuts) Let chill in the fridge for a couple of hours. In a small pan, melt chocolate chips and peanut butter, stir continually to avoid burning. Once melted, pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture over the 3 cups of rice crispies and stir until completely mixed, then spread over the frosted brownies, and chill for another couple of hours before serving. Cut into bars and enjoy...refridgerate left overs..if you have any..lol :)
peace out.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
here i am again
i thought i should give this a try one more time and see if i could keep up with it. i have a lot going on in my life right now and it might be nice to get it out on 'paper'. let's see if i can give you a feel for what is "my life" right now:
- my husband has decided to change careers at 39 years old. yes, he quit the nursery and has begun an apprenticeship to become a plumber. once he is done he will make awesome money working for himself without having to deal with the hell that is a family business. i totally understand and support his decision to leave the nursery but this new path takes a few years and doesn't ear anywhere near what he was making. big adjustment when there doesn't seem to be anything in our budget, other than cable, that can be cut.
- i closed my scrapbook store. i don't know what possessed me to open another one. i wasn't good with spending then and i wasn't good at it this time.
- i am taking an on-line course to become a medical transcriptionist so i can work from home. it pays by the line and i type fast so hopefully i can make good money. let me tell you though...it's fricken' HARD! i really want to work from home because of CJ. he is 14 and i want to keep a close eye on him. he is a really good kid other than sometimes it seems like he has 'a time of the month'. he also has a girl that he has been dating for 9 months or so that lives about 4 blocks away and i am sitting right in the middle of that one. as much as a mother can. i know that this relationship won't last forever but there will be others.
- bailey is getting her license in couple months and that makes my stomach turn over every time i think about it. i will admit that there is a small part of me that is liking the thought of sending her to the store to get milk or to Taco Bell.
- Roberto is having hand surgery in August. it is his right hand so that will be a little difficult for him. plus, it pushes some of his apprenticeship out a couple months.
- CJ is starting high school. help me, jebus!
- and finally, i have been having a lot of problems lately with restless leg syndrome. our family on my Dad's side has it. i seem to have developed a bad case of it. i have tried a couple different medications for it. the first one worked but made me sick to my stomach. so we are trying a different one that doesn't seem to be working. i would rather be sick to my stomach before bedtime than have my legs hurt. so i think i will go back on requip.
so that's me lately. a whiner. i guess that's a pretty OK second entry. hopefully i will try again soon.
peace out.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Do I Wanna Do This??
I wonder what I will post?
Well, I guess I will go think about it.






