An Even LOUDER {{{sigh}}}

Laptop still with the doctor...haven't heard anything.
Trying to work off of the old monster that the kids use for games and webkinz.
Realized that I have lost about 200 pictures. This totally makes me sad. Since I went digital, I have never lost a photo and now..................I don't want to type about it right now..........
Having computer issues here and trying really hard not to let it get me down.
{{{SIGH}}}
Started my list of stuff to share with you or else it will totally get sucked up into the black space of life.
Hugs and Happies TO YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!! ;0)
m

{{{SIGH}}}

Laptop is at the 'doctors'. Keep your fingers crossed that she makes it because I have soooooo much to share.
Hugs and happies.
m

Monday's Moanings

Having computer problems....grrrr.
BUT I know that I will get them worked out soon.
Off to get groceries today....seems we are out of all the essentials.
Sending everyone happy thoughts for a great week.
Hugs and happies. m

My Happy for this morning: (It is super uber early, LOL) A very beautiful morning, sunshine, crisp, cool....just incredibly beautiful.

Friday's Things

1. I have broke down and ordered some stamps that I cannot afford. I do believe that is a total sign of addiction. My rationalization is "I only live once...be happy....I can always make more money....I will use them for many things so the stamps are really an investment...." {{{sigh}}}. I have an addiction.

2. Going through some issues with my 'teenager' and attitudes. Ya know, the whole treat the friends great but give your family your disgust, the moodiness. Don't get me wrong, for the most part it really isn't bad but GOH, sometimes I want to shake some sense into her. Like say this morning when she said that she really doesn't want to walk to school because it will mess up her hair. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????

3. I have been on a red mission. It is kind of funny because when I see something red I am looking at it trying to think of how I can make a cool photograph with it. Is anyone else doing this? If so, I totally know that you have checked out the WHY NOT? webblog....and that is total coolness.

4. Last night I started ripping out some embroidery that I didn't like on a bag and created a big mess. It looked so easy in the beginning but alas, no....there are stitches under stitches. It is going to be a long drawn out thing. Figures. ;0)

5. This coming weekend is my weekend to work.

6. Finished Donna's cj. Just waiting for the diamond glaze to completely dry. Then it will be on it's way to LA. Home sweet home. Sweet Donna, it will go out Saturday or Monday so be looking for it next week.

7. Fixed some soup for lunch. I think that I am ready for Fall. The crisp air, the fall colors, the hike up at Starved Rock....oh yeah, I am ready for Fall.

8. The new picture on the side are of Bai and her BFF. It made me so happy to see this photo. Can you see them holding pinkies.....so awesome. I love their friendship.

Alright, I am going to go do TWO things on my "to do" list and then work on ripping out more of those stitches. Hope you all have had a really great week.

My Happy for today: Ordering the new stamps (even though it totally made me feel guilty too). Can't wait to get my hands on them and CREATE!

A much shorter day....

Yesterday was a long day for me. I think that I will come to dread Tuesdays for a while. ;0)
BUT today has been much better.
It has been a quite and relaxing day for me and I am liking it.

I have been working on a circle journal for a sweet girlie and it is almost finished...waiting on some epoxy to dry and even though I cannot post a picture of it, I am almost giddy with how the different elements turned out.! One of THE best things about scrapbooking for me is when a project turns out really REALLY good and you just smile and everytime you look at it you smile. It is a great sense of accomplishment, it is a cool way to leave your mark.

I know everyone has gone over to check out the new challenge at WHY NOT?, right??? And I totally know that everyone is going to post some pics for this challenge and they are even going to get a friend to sign up and post, right?? I know we have LOTS of girlies interested and signed up...I just want to see some of the work. PULEEZE! ;0) Don't be afraid to post your pictures. Just say 'why not?' and DO IT. I need your inspiration to help my photography grow...ya know?

My mom is going home today. I wish her peace to get her world back to the way she likes it.

Need to go pick up Mase from school. Time to clock in and go to motherhood work after my lazy break of a day.

Hope you all have a fabulous Wednesday.
Hugs and happies.
m

My Happy for today: Having the whole entire day to myself. Bliss.

Wowza

It has been a long day.
I am tired and hungry.
Kiddos are offically back in school.
Hope everyone is having a great week.
Will update tomorrow.
Until then....hugs and happies ;0)
m

A Productive Sunday

It has been a productive day for me.
Although I must say that I have been 100% full on crabby.
Cannot tell you exactly why, just that everything seems to have me grrrr'ing.
But(!) laundry is done, dishes are done, Bailey's furniture is painted (except for the touch up), the living room has been dusted, the vaccum has been run, AND I finished two layouts, and worked on a cj (it just needs some finishing touches).
I am going to scrap-share with ya...
Here is the fist layout. I had been working on this for a bit. The idea and first part of it came together really fast then I kind of stumbled and had issues with the embellishment part. Not exactly what I was going for but it worked. I think ;0) This layout was inspired by a girlie at scrapbook.com. I didn't lift any layout in particular but she uses the same design combining pp as a background, a photo, and a grouping of elements around by the photo. Thought that I would give it a Michelle-whirl. Whatcha think?

Can't post any pictures of the work I did on Ms Donna's cj cause it is a secret! Shhhhhh! She is gonna love her journal when her circle is complete!

Random Musings:

1. Bai was reading some of my journaling from my Chicago Mini Scrapbook and she asked me "what is cha-oos?"----ummm what? I couldn't remember writing 'cha-oos', so I looked at what she was reading and the word was CHAOS. We all laughed at that one including her. She told us that she had done that before in school with the word UNIQUE. She asked her friend "what is un-i-kwy?" I must point out that she is pretty much a straight A student she just has my genetic make up for asking dumb questions before she really thinks it out.

2. Mason says that he is a HUGE Cardinals fan but doesn't want to bet a pebble that they will beat the Cubies tonight....hmmmpt. He must know that the Cubies will win ;0)

3. I have picked up this journal by Keri Smith called Wreck This Journal. L-O-V-E it!!! For as much grief as I give others about stepping outside the box this journal 'requires' you to do things that you would NEVER do in the name of creativity and it is sooooooo much fun (most of it anyway).

4. The past few weeks I have given up on myself. Does that sound a bit dramatic? But it is true. I want to be healthier. Plain and simple. This means I want to be strong in body and in mind. I want to eat better by better choices and better portions. The past few weeks...I haven't been doing any of this. Why might one ask? Well the truth is that for some reason I have given up on myself. When the going got hard, I stopped and said 'Oh well'. Not so cool. This week...number one on my list every single day will be to work on myself.

5. Would anyone happen to have the cure for crabbiness? I mean it really is to the point where I am not diggin' it. Ya know?

Hope whoever reads this has a fabulous week.
Hugs and happies.
m

My Happy for today: Allowing myself to play in the studio and completing the first of many layouts of me and Ang. Makes me smile.

Right This Moment.

->->->Shawn is snoring on the couch.

->->->Bailey is sleeping in the 'love bag' (Moore-speak for GI-NOR-MOUS bean bag).

->->->Mason is playing Webkinz on the computer.

->->->Cubs are beating the Cardinals.

->->->Booda is snoring ALMOST as loud and as obnoxiously as Shawn!

Up to this moment....

->->->Classes started for me. I am really thinking that this might just be a really good semester. (MY LAST MATH CLASS EVER!!!!!! Hopefully)

->->->My Mom is doing better. The bleeding seems to have stopped and her blood count is going up. She thinks that she may get to come home tomorrow or Monday. YEAH! Thanks again for all of the well wishes.

->->->Worked a 12 yesterday, and I tell you some days the ER is calm and manageable and sometimes it is such chaos that you wonder what in the holy heck you are doing there. Yesterday was one of those days. Not a horrible day....just one of those chaotic days.

->->->Garage sale today. It rained. Go figure. BUT did manage to sell some things and make a little money. This is always good for the ol' bank account. Kind of funny, things that I thought would sell didn't and things that I really didn't think would sell did. Craziness.

->->->Shannon has posted in the WHY NOT? gallery and I LOVE one of them in particular. Click the link on the side and go check it out. Make sure and look at the siding-starburt one too. Total Coolness!

->->->I was not caught nakey by the Schwans man....but I know of someone who might have been and am laughing right now as I type this.

That's it for now. I think I am going to go kick back and watch the rest of the Cub game. A total lazy day. I am loving it.

OH...I have all of the 2004 issues of Creating Keepsakes and half of the 2003 that I have for sale $7 for '04 and $4 for the '03 (plus s&h) if anyone is interested. I was looking through them while the garage sale was going on and LOVED them still...totally know why I have held on to them so long. There was some super good Heidi Swapp articles when she first got hot. Any hoo...If you are interested shoot me an email.

Now I am going to watch the rest of the game.
Hugs and happies. m

My Happy for today: Playing Trivia Pursuit 90's with Shawn and Bai. Made me laugh and guess who won.....you guessed it ME!!!!!!! ;0)

Bits of my world.

Working around the house to get some things done. Like laundry, dishes, dusting, cleaning out the old....

Found the website that shows off those dressing forms I was talking about (from my trip to Chicago) is here (still haven't figured out how to do the cool linky thing, LOL!): http://www.themagnificentmile.com/SeasonalEvents/Summer/GardenInspiredStudentFashion.cfm
These dressing forms are even more cool in person. Something about them is just inspiring. It seems to really show you what thinking outside of the box can do.

The WHY NOT? photo challenge has been extended. We are working to get the photo gallery glitches out and time just got away from us. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the interest that people have for the challenge and I know I have said it a billion times....but I REALLY cannot wait to see the photos that you all are taking!!!

My mom is in the hospital in Springfield. She is having GI issues again. I am hoping that they can figure it out and that she is able to go home quickly. Thank you to my friends that have already sent some get well wishes and who have put her in their thoughts. Total kindness from the girlies and I must say...that kindness feels really good.

I want to take a moment to say thank you to the people that post their thoughts in the comment section of my blog. I am a huge blog stalker and I know that I don't post comments as much as I should but I really do appreciate all of the comments. There really is something kind of nice to know that your little world touches someone else's world. Ya know?

If you are needing some creative inspiration check out the tips and technique post on One Little Word (website linked on the side of my blog). I actually made a couple of those paper posies really quick because they made me smile. Think that I am going to put it on a card.....give it a try they were fun, simple, and cool.

Did you hear that??? The dinger went off for the laundry...that means duty calls.
Hugs and Happiness. m

My Happy for today: Paper posies and letting go.

A Little Bit of Show

Here it is....

A little bit of a show from our 'mini vacation' to CHICAGO.

We decided to take the train up because Bai and Mase had never been on.

They didn't know until we pulled in that we were going on a train.

Kind of exciting for them and for us.

We enjoyed the train and really should do it more often.

A super cool picture using the 'WHY NOT?' challenge of using angles. It really does change the way you look through the lens.
Love this picture of Bai. She was getting tired of my picture taking and I was kind of walking fast to try and get the shot of her and the background so this picture isn't the sharpest. But it really smacks me in my heart. ;0)
I only had two regrets about the trip. One of them was that I wished I had gotten more pictures of the different dress forms that had been decorated along the Magnificent Mile. This dress form had something to do with 'knowledge'. I L-O-V-E-D the book/skirt....because of my book fetish, I am sure (at least that is what Bai and Shawn said). The dress form that I REALLY wish that I would have captured was the butterfly one. I looked at that one for a bit....totally captured me. Maybe I can find them somewhere online, hmmmmm----that's a thought. I will let you know what I find.
The gi-nor-mous ferris wheel. Mason had a FO (Moore-speak for Freak Out). To be honest it kind of turned my tummy too. This thing was VERY HIGH up. A whole new perspective being in a little bitty cart that high in the air.
The Moore Four.....Fabulous Feet.
That is about all of the pictures that I am going to post tonight.

Believe it or not, I actually have a WHOLE ENTIRE mini scrapbook/memorabilia album done of the mini trip. Kind of cool, huh? I will have to get some pics of it and show ya. But until then I will leave you with a scrapbook page of Bailey working with (more like the product working me) Elsie Flannigan stuff. Sweet Girl.

Happy Monday. m

My Happy for today: Coffee and lounging clothes.

All Words, No Show.

All words tonight and no show. I am too tired and still have too many things to do to upload pictures....but I do have bunches that I want to share.

We have been kind of crazy running the last few days.

Went to work on Wednesday and I swear to you it was crazy-busy. Don't even want to talk about that.

Went on a mini vacation day to Chicago all day Thursday. Took the train up and it was crazy-cool. More about that later.

Went scrappin' with A and J today and it was crazy-fun. I totally finished a WHOLE ENTIRE mini sb (minus the journaling), which is huge for me because I am one of those that doesn't seem to get much done at crops.

Went through this whole entire week without acknowledging my favoritest southern scrapper friend's birthday. Feel like a big fat loser friend. But Donna, Sweet Donna....just know that I wish you a Happy Late Birthday and may each and every one of your birthday wishes come true.

Went to the WHY NOT blog and cannot tell you how excited I am about these photo challenges. I have been looking through the lens of my camera with a whole new perspective. Totally cannot wait to see what the girlies come up with!!! Make sure and check it out. (Hit the link on the side under 'Oh The Places I Go')

Need to go...literally and figuratively. LOL! I am really sharing here. ;0)
Sending out hugs and happiness.

My Happy for today: Another blessed day with bunches of happy but I have to say that the sweetest was Shawn picking up my books for me and for finding the 'reading light' that he got me on the bedside table (this after complaining about me reading while he is trying to sleep, and mind you this is a man who can fall asleep walking - SERIOUSLY!).

So Exciting!!!!!

Here it is .....

Go check it out!!!

http://asloganforlife.blogspot.com/

Moore Pics from the Wedding.....And......

Trying to get a pic of me and Shawn and Mason kept popping his head up in the frame and then laughing so hard. That was the funniest part, that he cracked himself up so much. But....Shawn and Bai got him back by popping up into his picture. What is it that family members have with changing the shot with bunny ears or funny faces or poppin in like a jack in the box??
Cha Cha slide anyone??? Not sure why Shawn took the pictures of me doing the ape thing instead of the cha cha. LOL! And I swear I drinking only diet pepsi! AND yest that is my baby girl dancing next to me!! Craziness is what that is.
The after wedding picture. Those legs belong to Bai who is crashed on the other side out of view. And do you know that the only pictures that I have of the bride and groom are the darkest unfocused pics that were taken...grrrrr. It was a beautiful wedding. I wish J&S a long and happy life together {{{hearts}}}.
Think that is about it for the sharing the pictures from the wedding......

BUT......

Tomorrow Angie and I are starting the WHY NOT? photo weblog challenge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Make sure and check it out. I cannot wait to see what you come up with!

I am thinking that I need to go get some stuff done, like paying the bills....good times here. ;0)
Hope you all have a wonderful day and thanks for checking on me. Hugs. m

My Happy for today: Mason's room being 'almost' finished.

Have to share before I crash....

I am tired.
Today was a shift day for me at the hospital and my feet hurt. Anyone recommend good shoes? Getting old really does suck sometimes. This getting old thing was even MORE apparent last night at a wedding we went to. You see, in my mind I am young and hip and fun and YOUNG. ;0) Yet seeing some of the "kids" at the wedding made me feel OLD. Not in a bad way...more like an OMGoh!!!!---when did I get sooo flippin' old?????

Have to share some fun pics with you. I was taking a picture of Shawn when he flashed me the 'Blue Steel' look. (Zoolander, anyone?) This had me laughing then I noticed the light coming through the window treatment and thought it would be funny to try and angle the picture so that the light was sitting on his head....... This is what I got. It looked like a little old ladies pill hat on his head and I started laughing. Shawn thought I was laughing at the "Blue Steel" looks he was shooting and kept flashing them which had me laughing so hard! Then there was this one that had me dying because it looked like a mohawk. CRACKED ME UP!!!!! Look at his facial expressions. OMGoh, still laughing here!
Everyone kept having little freak outs about how much Bai looks like me. I think it was because I didn't have my hair in the 'mom bun-do-wap-thing'. Let me tell you....telling a 13 year old that she looks like her mom is not a compliment. When I look at my baby girl, I see more of Shawn and less of me. What do you think?
The wedding color was Cub blue. There was Cub stuff all over and I LOVED IT!!! A very beautiful fun and sweet wedding. More about that later and a pic of sweet Mason (I always feel bad when I post a picture of one of my children and not the other. Is that weird? AND I have some cute ones of Mase...just tired). I have got to get some sleep.
This week peoples....the photo challenge will begin. I am hoping that your cameras are dusted off and that you are ready, REALLY, really ready to try something a bit different.

Good night you wonderful people in my life.
Hugs and happiness. m

My Happy for today: Those pictures of, and sharing such laughter with, Shawn - TOTALLY make me happy.

Pretty in pink.

Some more of the fun pics that Angie took for me yesterday.
This picture is strictly for Bai. She and her BFF have been notorious for making these kind of faces for the camera.
And one of the pics from the fun green room....
The super uber cool background colors are from walls in Huonker home. Angie has fabulous taste and is fearless with colors. I promise you that there will be sooooo many more pictures that we will set on these fab walls. The pictures here were are starter pics. ;0)

And speaking of paint.....grrrr. Shawn is not happy about paint right now. He is painting Mason's room. Last night he ran out of paint and picked up some more today after work. Well, when he opened up the can of paint it looked off. But it wasn't enough and off to be in an in-your-face-off ...... until he put it up on the wall against the other paint. WTHH??!!! (Moore-speak for What The Holy Heck??!!!) The room looks like I painted it, which means it looks like Mason painted it which mean it doesn't look the greatest. No offense against me or Mase, we have good intentions but we make more of a mess and take sooooo long. Poor Shawn.....I don't have a happy hubby right now.

Mason told me the other night that he had a cavity and I thought, 'that's just great'. He came around the corner and said "see?" and showed me this great big smile with chocolate smeared on his teeth...."See Mommy, my teeth have cavities". Nice, Mase. He got me. Have I mentioned that he is a dandy?

Doctor called back today. Everything looks fine according to the tests. So basically that means I am depressed and overstressed. Good times. Now it is a matter of working that out.

How cool that you brave girlies are up for this photo challenge. It is going to be sooooooooo goooood!!! You will be saying "Why Not?" EVERY DAY! ;0) I cannot wait. It is going to toally R-O-C-K!

OK, gotta go cheer on my Cubies. There are tied in the 8th and the Brewers have lost....you know what that means if the Cubies win right???? I know you do Ang, LOL! Go Cubs Go!!!

Hugs. m

My Happy for today: A good family sit down dinner.