WOOHOO! Go Sooners!

Around 11am today my boss said to me...why don't you just take the rest of the day off when you leave for lunch. I was like ALRIGHT! He says... there is just one condition...I'm thinking oh boy... he says you have to cheer for the Sooners today.

I believe they are playing Stanford in El Paso, TX... it's the Sun Bowl. Now don't you feel better for knowing that! Anyway.... I threw my arm in the air and gave out a mighty... WOOHOO... Lets Go Sooners!!

Today has been full of surprises. This morning when we left for work David and I were unsure of what we'd do tonight. He hasn't had a free New Year's Eve night in several years. He called me about 10ish this morning saying he'd had a call asking if he'd come play a show tonight for/with some people we know. Seems their regular guy is sick and can't make it.... so we went from having really no plans to me thinking oh my gosh what shall I wear! It really stinks when you've gained weight and your clothes no longer fit!

It snowed again today...for a few hours...big fat snowflakes. Have I told you guys lately that I'm really really really ready for spring?

Oh yea, thinking about buying the gypsy... maybe after we take care of the car situation! Hmmmm...maybe I should just turn into a gypsy.

Well, I must dash off.... need to figure out what to wear and get ready. Think I may be looking forward to this evening... been almost a year since I heard my husband play guitar.

And.... I'm in need of some new pictures.... but for now I'll share a few previous ones with you!




Not sure what he was doing here...but I look cute!


Does anyone notice the Marshall's in the background? These are most important!



Can't forget his Rolling Stone Cover!


Wishing everyone a very safe New Year's Eve and a New Year full of blessings.
Take care...
Love to you all,
L

Heavy Heart

My heart is heavy and full of sadness tonight. I find myself just walking around my house not knowing what to do. Jessica called this afternoon with the news that a young friend of hers had been killed in a shooting. We've known this young man since before he and Jessica started school so many years ago. He and his brother in and out of our house numerous times as Matt and Jess were in and out of thiers. His older brother was two years older than he, like Matt and Jess, and he and Matt were friends as well... running around together for years. My heart breaks for the life lost, for the pain that I know his mother is feeling. She has always been such a good mother and loves her children with all that she has. I pray that peace be with them all as they try to make sense of this tragedy.

As promised... more pictures from the blizzard. Yes we did get more snow today. I do believe my husband moved me north without telling me.

This is what our little town looks like all over... piles and piles of snow everywhere.. on every corner... in the middle of the blocks...

See how high the snow drifts were. And this was 3 days after the snow fell.


On the way to Joy, Tx. Cars off buried in the snow all up and down the roads.


So glad I am not a cow. How on earth can they be warm?


This picture is peaceful and pretty. I like the way the snow looks on the trees.


Were I went to school at so many years ago. K-12th grades...right in this one building. Of course it really used to be a red brick school house, but the look was changed after the tornado did some damage to it.


Remember to hug those you love.

More Snow??? What???

The weather man says there is more snow on the way today. Is he kidding me? Do the snow fairies not know that we've had our quota for about 5 years? If we wanted this much snow....we'd move to an area where it was expected!
But by golly .... we had a WHITE CHRISTMAS! I have a feeling Jessica will never ask for one again. The snow just really threw a kink in all our plans.... along with hundreds of other people. We were some of the lucky ones, while we might not have been able to all be together on Christmas, at least we were all safe in our own homes. So many were stranded out on the side of the road for the duration of Christmas Eve night. Many were taken to shelters of some type, spending the night in churches... not being able to get to the family they were traveling to or able to get back home. I think it's safe to say for so many that this is one Christmas that will not be quickly forgotten.

While ours was a bit different, it was still filled with family and love. David's mother arrived before the blizzard hit and the airport was shut down. She flew in on Wed. which happens to be her birthday, and that evening David and I along with his Aunt LouAnn took his mother out to eat. We came back home and the game playing began! We played chicken foot dominoes that night, with the rest of the weekend spent playing Hand and Foot Canasta. We laughed and had lots of fun... not to mention we even learned a few things. Why we all now know where freckles come from!

Jessica and Josh made it in Wed night and couldn't get out until Christmas Day. They were to be at Josh's family Christmas Eve night and couldn't make it. So we had Christmas with them on Christmas Eve...with Jessica calling Matt every few minutes. Matt was stuck home... alone... every see the movie Home Alone? That was Matt! He has discovered that grill cheese sandwiches aren't so great to eat at Christmas when everyone else is having Turkey and Dressing!

Matt calls about 3pm on Christmas Day saying the roads are open... I'm coming that way! Jess and Josh talk and figure if the roads are open they should head out since she has to work a double the next day. They never made it to Josh's family and will be having their Christmas with them today. So, we finish our game of Canasta... get Jess and Josh packed up and begin to pace knowing all 4 are on the road. Finally... a few hours later... Josh & Jess make it home and Matt & Emma arrive! We quickly explain the rules of the game to them and begin to play another round.

We had our Christmas with Matt & Emma Christmas night and all hope that we never have to do it this way again. If any of us ever wondered how it'd feel to be apart on Christmas or if we'd miss each other... lets just say, there's no doubt in any of our minds or hearts the love that we all feel for each other!

Here a few pictures of the snow that fell in Texoma on Christmas Eve! I'll have more to share later... perhaps with a few Josh stories! He kept us entertained!



Our Tree!


The start of the blizzard!


Zoey and her first snow... was sent out to potty.... she is trying to figure out how to get back up on the porch... I had to go get her.


Jess & Josh leaving... see how deep the snow is. It is up to her door.


Matt & David with their Santa hats... minus Josh and his! See... the snow didn't just mess with our Christmas get together... it messed with future layouts!


I look out my window and still see snow everywhere... and this is 5 days later! With more to come.... Sheesh! Come on spring!

Wishing you all a fabulous day!

Busy has hit!

Yes, busy has hit and I am missing my scraproom! I haven't scrapped in two weeks and it's about to kill me!...but I have big big plans for Thurs. I've got all these ideas just running through my head and I just know that I'm going to forget them due to the mad cow!
I have made some tags and a few Christmas cards...not near what I wanted to get made.
And some may receive their cards late...but that's ok...right?

My whole world is just out of whack right now. It seems we've gone to Wichita Falls every weekend to do a little shopping for the past month. Before that I was driving out to Joy to mom and dad's... which I must report they are both just doing remarkable. Once they finally discovered what was wrong with my daddy and started the proper medication... well he says he hasn't felt this good in a long time and I can really tell a difference in him!

Anyway, now I'm coming to work 30 minutes early.... missing lunch at home most days, and then getting home 45 minutes later than usual. You don't realize how much those couple of hours matter....but they do .... and when you've got 100 things to accomplish already, it just doesn't leave any time to go hide away in the Room! Plus the poor room is just a mess right now. I started trying to rearrange things a bit. You know how that is...before it gets better there will be a huge huge mess! Well, I'm at the mess stage right now.... there is hope though!

David's mother will be in Wed and stay until Sunday. I'm so looking forward to seeing her. She is such a sweet woman and I enjoy spending time with her. The kids will all arrive sometime on Christmas Day. It hit me last night that I'm going to need to feed them! I told David, oh my it's on us... he said yes... we have moved into that stage of our lives haven't we. Can anyone say bologna sandwiches?

While I haven't been in my room to play in way too many days... here are two more pages from mom's book that I had gotten done. These are mom when she was a baby! I was so excited to do these and play with some bright pretty girly colors.


While I am really happy with the layout above, this one below I'm not! I struggled and struggled with this one...moving things around and it just never would look right to me.

I noticed before doing this layout that all of my pages seem to start from the left side of the page and flow right.... so I thought I needed to change things up.... move outside of my comfort zone so to speak... and I'll start from the right and flow left. It was horrible! I felt backwards the whole entire time...like I was driving on the wrong side of the road! Would this page have been different if I had started on the left and flowed right? Who knows. I really do not think that is the problem at all. I just couldn't seem to get the photos to pop if you know what I mean. No matter what I tried... and the more I added to that area, the more it seemed to hide the pictures. When I look at that layout all I see are flowers... I have to hunt to see the pictures and I do not like that. Yet if I take the flowers away... it looks naked. I have a feeling this layout is not finished... it has just been put to the side until I can get some new perspective on it.
Sometimes you need to know when to walk away.... and sometimes you need to stay on the right side of the road!

Thanks for stopping by. Wishing you all a safe 4 days before Christmas.
Remember to take a moment and be thankful for all your blessings.

11 Days and Counting~

I seriously do not know where the fall went this year. For that matter summer either. I remember back in March/April David and I starting to look at houses and how we talked about next year being ready to start seriously looking. How I thought oh my gosh next year is NEVER going to get here. How we'd look at houses through the summer when we went on bike rides and I felt like it was so far away. Now I'm like it's just a few months until spring and I'm feeling a little panic.

Maybe after Christmas and New Year's has passed time will slow down, but I seriously doubt it! At any rate, I've got to get seriously busy about saving my $$$$. I'm hoping I get some good scrap stuff for Christmas cause I am not buying anymore for several months. For one thing... I've got no place to put it until I get a bigger room... and for another... I want more space... which means a bigger house.... and my hubby says to save your money then! Oh how I love that man and his ability to be so smart about money...but for the life of me can not understand why he can't walk out in the backyard and see the same money tree growing there that I seem to see! He does spoil me at Christmas though and I just know I'm getting some good stuff!

I'm so hoping to work on some Christmas cards tonight so I can get them out. I really really want to accomplish that early this week. I'm going to do a little stamping and a little coloring while watching my shows on tv and maybe just maybe. Plus I'm making a few tags again this year... not sure what I am thinking... I know beyond a doubt that I am most certainly not super woman and that there is not an endless supply of hours in the day!

Here's my next layout in mom's book. So far this one is my favorite. Think Emma said it was her favorite too. We both just love the heart I made, plus the colors. This layout just seemed to flow. There'd be a spot that would feel like something was missing and then the perfect piece would just appear.

A couple of the roses I cut out came from Stampin Up paper... the other one was from a sheet of vintage papers Elaine had sent me. I finally knew what to do with them. I've used some of my Graphic 45 papers...cutting a few things out from them and using as embellishments. The 1942 is chipboard that I inked using Tim Holtz Distress Inks. You can see all over the page different places I've inked.

The heart.... how I love this... and it was really an accident! I cut it out using my circut, but was really wanting to use not the heart but the part it was cut from. That idea just wasn't working and actually the boo-boo from it is on the back side of this page hidden! shhhhh.... Anyway, I started playing with the part I cut out and before you know it.... had this. I stamped text inside the heart and then on the outer edges stamped it with a small flower/flourish stamp. I then inked the edges really well using Fired Brick and then inside slightly using Vintage Photo and Peeled Paint, all Tim Holtz distress inks. Throw some pop dots behind it and there you go!

This little puppy.... it's a new stamp from I don't even know at the moment. I've really acquired several new stamps over the last few months and and just loving all that you can do with them. Anyway... I just love this old truck... does it just not fit perfect. I started out with a piece of cream colored cardstock... it's fast becoming my must not ever be without item! I stamped the truck using an embossing pad. It took several tries before I got it right...but so worth it. Sprinkled with some white embossing powder and then got out the Tim Holtz distress inks.... ok ok, so they inks were never really put up! I just kept blending the inks until I was happy with it. I just really felt the need to give this page a little something manly and the truck worked perfectly!

All papers used were by Bazzill, Stampin Up, and Graphic 45. (Elaine says G45 has a new line coming out...and here after I've sworn of buying scrap supplies)

Other products used by Prima, Tim Holtz, and oh man can't remember.... will get back with you on that.

Oh by the way, in my previous post I talked about today being Monday the 15th... it's not... it's only the 14th...so look at that.... God gave me an extra day!

I hope you are all enjoying some part of this holiday season and remember to thank God for all of your blessings.

Until next time.....

Order by the 15th!

Can you believe it is only 13 days until Christmas? I was checking emails this morning and had several that said please order by the 15th in order to have delivery by Christmas. I thought... no problem... that's still several days away...until the next email said "Be sure to order by Monday, December 15th" and I was like HUH? HTH? (how'd that happen)
So now.....I'm pulling out my sheet trying to see what I've ordered and still need to order. If it's Amazon then that's ok...I have even a few more days there...but basically...it had all better be ordered by next Friday! That's NEXT Friday!

Today I'm going to spend wrapping and possibly I might go downtown and visit a few of the shops here. I've been wanting to do that and today just might be the perfect day for that! Spending a little money here at home is always a good thing... support the merchants ya know!
At some point and time I am going to have to venture out to the mall! ICK!


Here's my next page in my mother's album. The pictures are of my grandparents... I do miss them. I love this picture of my grandmother.... her smile...you can just see her laughing... it's like one of those moments you just get lucky and capture. It's not the stiff looking pose... it's just so natural and carefree! I used a couple of tags here... one I made one came from a swap I was in.
Also used some of my button flowers I used. I debated on using them here...they don't really have a vintage look to them and I'm sure I could have done a little distressing on them... but I think they work ok. An eyelet border punch and then a rub on, which I rarely use.... and I called this one done. It was simple, yet just flowed really well.


The paper behind my papa here I made from I think cream cardstock. I stamped it with a postcard stamp then did some serious ink distressing with Tim Holtz Distress Inks... a whole lot of blending..... distressing the edges and SHAZAM.... looks like a postcard from the 40's!


Here I took a chipboard star.... painted it.... wrapped some Bazzill thread/yarn around it and then tied a Tim Holtz embellie to the end of it. Not sure you can tell from the picture but the metal piece says 'Life'.

Guess if I'm going to get to wrapping presents and do a little shopping I need to get up and get after it. Morning will be gone soon.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

New Blog Alert!

Just wanted to share with everyone a couple of new blogs that I've added to my frequent visit list.
One is Jenn's... it's titled momentsinpic... and you can find it in my list to the right. She is a very talented young lady, who's faith in the Lord is very inspiring. Over the last year she has sent me a few scrap related gifts that I just love. I believe I've put pics of them on here. Her creations always make me go.. WOW! Check out her blog... I have faith that in some of her upcoming posts she will manage to WOW me again!
Another new blog on the block is Melissa's.... titled Stamping with Melissa. She is a Stampin Up Rep and makes some of the most amazing cards. She is truly a delightful young woman who I am proud to call my friend. I've had the pleasure of being on the receiving end of some her cards in this last year.. while my cards are not yet of the quality hers are, without her my cards would still have that 5 yr old look to them.
While you are at it...be sure and check out the blogs from my scrappin sista's!
Mia Sogni Dolci, Divita Knies Art, and Courtney Embellished. Three very talented ladies who always manage to make me giggle!
Here's a reminder for Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of Christmas. He's on tag 10 today I think. I haven't been able to spend much time looking at the tags this week, which means I've missed out on possibly winning the daily prize...but I know I'll be there some this weekend.
Speaking of Tim Holtz... those of you that know me know how I love his stuff! I had a box arrive at my house this week... was there when I got home from work... and I KNOW that it has some of the stamps in it that he uses along with maybe a couple of other things... and I can't have it! I mean I know it's there and I have to look at the brown box every day knowing that I can't get in it because it's a Christmas present! Don't you just think that goes beyond cruel?
Go now... check out the other blogs.... get inspired!
Remember to look around and enjoy the little things in life.

Cold Weather Has Arrived!

And I do not like it! No, really, I don't like the cold! As a matter of fact, the cold tends to make me cranky!

Even though I don't like the cold, it wouldn't seem like Christmas without it. It's hard to get out Christmas decorations when it's 70 degrees outside. Now my husband loves that since it makes for really good golf weather.... just doesn't feel very Christmas-y. In my perfect world... it would get cold... but nothing below 45 degrees.. that's cold enough, anyway... it'd get cold about Thanksgiving and then on Jan 2nd be right back up in the 70's - 80's. Seriously, as soon as Christmas is over I am ready for spring!

It's been a couple weeks since I blogged. I know, bad bad blogger! There's just so much going on. Let me see if I can't catch you up on what's what!

We had Thanksgiving... I cooked the meal this year... and all I can say is...
Oh My Gosh! Talk about work. That is just way to much work for one person. And people don't say thank you or try to help. What's with that? I need someone to seriously show me where it is written that the male generation does not need to help! I think the thing that gets me the most is the failure to say thank you. That is just flat out bad manners! But... it's over and I learned that I can indeed cook the holiday meal if needed!

Last Friday we went to the Festival of Lights in Chickasha. All were present, except for Joshua...who by the way... will be landing in Wichita Falls next Friday at approx 4:30pm. It will be good to have him back home! Please say a prayer for his safe travel. So there we were driving through the park checking out the lights when much to everyone's dismay I said...let's park and get out to take pictures! My family wasn't to happy with me! Was just a tad bit cold... but here's a few pictures
from the park.

Notice... pretty.... perfect.... smiling... no silliness!




Now....the picture above and below.... none of my pictures with David and the kids turned out because if he wasn't making faces being silly then Jessica was! I'm not sure who is worse...him or her!


As you know I've been working on a scrapbook for my mother and wanted to have several pages done before this past weekend when my Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins were in. I had no illusions about having it finished, just wanted several pages done. I accomplished that, and I felt good about. The album was a hit, loved by all. I've gotten several pages completed that I haven't posted...I'll be taking care of that soon.... but for now, here is the next page in the album.

I should have cropped my picture and straightened it a little before uploading...I was just in a hurry to get them uploaded. My apologies.







I did some handstitching on this layout. The first time I've ever done that. Just in a couple of spots to add a little something extra to it. I like the way it turned out.
The butterflies I made from using a stamp set from Stampin Up and then cutting them out. They turned out to be simple, yet cute little embellies. I really like the way they looked when I added them to the stickled flowers.
If you will notice the green paper with the dots... it wasn't originally green. Ink is a marvelous thing.

Papers by SEI, In My Minds Eye, & Bazzill.
Other products used, Tim Holtz Distress Inks, Stampin Up, Prima Flowers, Prima Jewels, Stickles, Jenni Bowlin bingo card, Pazzle for letters.

I'm sure I am leaving something out... and please accept my apologies for this rather rushed post... I hope to slow down just a bit...as soon as all the gifts are wrapped, and bought, then wrapped, decorations are all finished... after of course a day at work... well you get the picture!

Thanks for stopping by. Wishing you a day filled with love and blessings.