The Story of our Life

wOw.

WoW! Its been a long week! I am low on fuel and ready to go to bed (and ots only 4:455!). I am going to post some layouts I have sitting here, staring at me. No time like the present, heh?

I created this for another site, but have since decided this page is best served here on my blog. This is Lori's son, James at the Meet The Teacher Night. Notice the sticker 'My Handwriting'...? Well, that has been left empty so Mr. James can write his name. I just have to take it by his momma's house first! LOL For this page, I used some Cordinations Cardstock, October Afternoon papers and stickers, and a tiny bit of Basic Grey.

Lots of good things going on at my house. We are finishing up the Living Room remodel. So far, we've done new hardwood floors (Be still my heart...but they are hand scraped!!), new french doors, recovered the fireplace with a dry stacked stone, and as of tonight, new recessed lights. All of this since June. Its all coming together wonderful, if I say so myself.

This weekend we also helped my parents clean out their house - they sold it! It is really a good thing, but man! We worked hard this weekend. Dust, allergies, oh! And a big ole snake (for reals!).

Ok, I must go. I have to clean up the mess we made while installing the recessed lighting!

xxoo,

M

This, That and The Other

Hey Lovies! Thought I would stop and write a post before ANOTHER day (Um, I mean, week...) slipped by with nothing new on my blog.

Life has been good. The boys both started back to school...Ben is over at Ascension Academy and John is in the 4th grade. They both were so ready to get back to school - maybe not so much for the homework, but they truly missed seeing their buddies everyday. John has BEYOND excited to find that his best friend Preston would be in his class. The teacher was smart and put them in opposite areas away from each other (hopefully this will minimize the extra talking...hehehe)

Ben started the Sixth Grade. Seriously, how is it possible that he is that old? THAT I’M THAT OLD?? LOL He was fairly nervous, being at a new school and all. He looked so handsome in his uniform…and I am going to love that we don’t have to argue over what to wear each day! Before the Ascension Students were released to their first class, they held a Convocation – where they prayed for the new year, and listened to the Head Master speak. I snapped this photo – much to Ben’s embarrassment – right before the first prayer.

One the scrappy home front, I have been finding my scrapping grove here lately. Of course, it helps that I am now home more since I resigned from my job. (Oh? You didn’t know??) Yeah, too many early morning meetings, and late evening hours. I was missing too much of my family, and honestly, while I loved my job, I love my kiddos (and hubby) more. To celebrate me bring home again, we went to the park and hung out as a family (dogs, included!).

The dogs and Alex hanging out.

LOL Ben and Annie took a turn sliding down the slide. Ben loved it. Annie not so much.

Yummm. Ben took took this photo as Alex tried to sneak in a kiss.

The boys racing.

Alex.

 

On the scrappy home front, I have been asked to join Practical Scrappers. It is a message board and there is a blog as well. On the blog, they offer tons of challenges and the design team keeps the blog going everyday with new inspiration and eye candy. On the message board we chat..and chat…and yeah, we chat! You should head on over there to check out us! My first layouts/cards will be showing up on the blog this Friday. Of course, I will post them here as well!

 

Alrighty lovies…got to go. I want to sweep the floors before I head to bed. Yes, I lead a very exciting life!! LOL Thats ok! I love my life!

xxoo,

M

My love…

I love my husband so much! I love how quirky he is…how patient he is with me. I love that he makes me a drink before I go to bed every, single night (even if he gets in bed before I do, he will leave me one on my nightstand). I love that he understands I would rather scrapbook any day instead of cook (so he gets take out. A LOT.). I love that he doesn’t mind doing a load of laundry…as long as I hang up the ‘good’ clothes. I love that he gets me, sometimes even when I don’t get myself! I just love him!

 

6 years

I remember one day a long time ago, Ben asked me how long it would be before people would forget that Marcy was here. How long would it be until people forgot he had a sister. It was hard hearing my then 8 year old asking that…it was such a deep question for a little guy to be asking. I told him I didn’t know, but as long as we remembered, that was all that mattered.

I got my answer today…it would take 6 years.

Today was my daughters birthday - July 22, 2004 at 11:17 pm.  She would be six.

The day went unnoticed for the most part. Alex and I went to work, hiding the hurt behind fake smiles.

At lunch, I got text messages from family members about their child’s birthday, while crying because I would never get to celebrate my daughters birthday. Maybe I am just being selfish.

Some one told me once that I couldn’t expect others to remember the special days (and the hard days) that come with having a child who died before I did, because even though my world stopped, others lives have kept going. She was right, I suppose. But that doesn’t help the hurt that I feel.

After work Alex and I made our ritual trip to the cemetery, taking red and pink hydrangeas to her grave. We took the red and white polka dot pinwheels the boys had picked out for their sister. We realized tonight that we had taken the same color bouquet of flowers, on the same day, for the past six years.

Aside from a phone call, the day went by unnoticed.

Maybe I am just having a pity party…maybe I should be past the hurt – the hurt so great that I lose my breathe sometimes.

But the truth is, I am not. I am just better at hiding it now (just not tonight).

So tonight I will cry myself to sleep. Cry because six years ago God gave us the daughter we had prayed for…cry because it hurts, and cry because we remember. 

what the heck???

Where are my posts?? I had scheduled posts for my blog every other day to automatically post themselves, and yet there is nothing here!! *grrrrrr*

Things have been kinda slow in my neck of the woods. Its hot. The boys are gone to their dads. Same July, different year! Oh well. We are over half way till the boys are back, so that is nice.

Spent last Sunday at Urgent Care…with a ruptured eardrum. I have one word to describe this and that is PAINFUL. As in, so painful that its right up there with child birth. Really, I kid you not! I have lost my hearing in my right ear but it should come back with time. I go to the specialist on Monday for a new hearing test and to see if my ear is healing itself. I pray it is!

I have been scrapping…and its been nice. In fact, I have a little something – something to share with you today. I originally had this to post at the beginning of the month, but that post is gone to la la land…..

Anyway, back to what I have to share! I am guest designing for Scrap Your Crap  this month, and got to play around with their challenge of using increments of “5” on a page. Oh my goodies, I loved this challenge. I actually sat down and scrapped this page the evening that Alex got baptized at church. I had so many emotions flowing that I just wanted to document the day. (Have you ever felt like this?? If I didn’t sit down and scrap RIGHT THEN, then maybe I would lose some of the authentic emotion??) Well, here is my page….I used 5 pattern papers, 5 colors of thread, “saved” had five letters so I had 5 banners…you get the picture!

I have also been cleaning out my scrapbook room …weeding out all the things I don’t/haven’t used. I am also reorganizing and switching out how I store things. I will post those pictures on Tuesday. I want to take you all on a walk through of my itty bitty teeny tiny space.

Well, phooey. I am sad that my other posts didn’t post correctly. I will have to do a mid month recap later in the week with all the photos from July 4th, going to the lake, and all the fun times we’ve had this month!

xxoo,

M

Sketches! {By Tamera}

Hey ya’ll! I wanted to jump on here real quick and let ya know I am guest designing this week for Sketches {By Tamera}. Pretty cool, huh?!

Here is the awesome sketch that Tamera gave me to work with.

Now, normally you know I don’t *do* multi photo layouts. Honestly, why I don’t know because after using this sketch, I love them! lol Here is my layout that I did…

These photos were taken last summer and I had them just sitting there, waiting to be scrapped. I whipped this layout together in no time using Tamera’s sketch. Head on over there and play along this week! You’re gonna love it! Make sure you check out what the design team did with the sketch this week! They will blow your socks off!

On a side note, I wanted to let everyone (really, just my family that reads my blog!) know that I am now a working girl! I am going to be working for Timeless Designs, here in Amarillo. They are a local lighting store that sells to mainly contractors and home builders. The fun part about my job is getting to take a set of blue prints and make all the selections for new home owners. Its like shopping....but with other peoples money! Pretty excited about this…really it was a ‘God Thing’ with all the doors opening for me. I was interviewed for the job this morning, and they called back a couple hours later offering me the job. I have loved staying home and being with my boys, but really, its time for me to get to working and use my talents. I will only be working 3 days a week through the summer, then I will go full time about the time the boys start back to school in the fall. I’m excited – and scared as heck – but its going to be alright.

xxoo,

M

Making It Monday

Hey ya'll! I wanted to jump on here before the boys and I head out to the dentist and share what I have made today, as well as a layout I made last night for Sketchy Thursday Challenge Blog! I used a couple of photos that my brother, Mike, sent me. He just spend an amazing week in Hawaii with his sweetie, Amanda (she's she hottie in the photo).

 

I made these two cards this weekend. The first card is for my parent's friend, Mr. Jim, that was just in a head on wreck a couple of weeks ago. I used my set of Everyday Button Bits, from Paper Tray Ink, to make this card. The background paper is a scrap that I had left over from Webster's Pages.

 

The next card I made is for Amanda (the chick in the photo from the layout). No real reason for the card, just wanted to send her something to make her smile. I admit it, this card is cheesy. The inside says "Mike and Amanda make a great pear!". Ha ha, hee hee. The papers I used on this card are a mishmash of scraps...from Basic Gtrey, My Minds Eye and Cosmo Cricket.

My final share for today is a little notebook I made for my sister Lauire. (Hi Laurie! I know you're reading this!) I used Cosmo Cricket papers on this - from the Material Girl line. This was actually my first time to use my Zutter machine (GASP. I know). My Zutter has just been sititng on the shelf, staring at me, patiently waiting for me to use her. Lauire is going to have to come see me to get this little gem, though :)

Ok, I have to run and go get the boys. We all have teeth cleanings today which should be bucket loads of fun!

xxoo,

M

Jo Gail

I came across this photo of my niece Jo Gail the other day. She was at Camp Grammy Paw-Paw eating watermelon...and doesn't it look delish? I love the colors in this photo - the pinks and greens are so bright! Anyway, I, once again, used my Studio Calico kit to scrapbook this page. See the green scallop circle??? That is a brand spank'n new wooden veneer diecut that Studio Calico has come out with. I. am. in. love. with. it. Seriously.

 
(Excuse the shadows. Its been overcast all day today)

I love the simplicity of this page. It came together really quickly with the only 'hard' part was the sewing around the border.

Have a great Thursday! I am going with Ben today, so I will be sure to post how he does at Battle of the Books today!

xxooo,

M 

He loves being her dad

Hey ya'll! Had a busy day scrapbooking here today! Yay!! Ok, I am going to tell you right off the bat that the actual scan of this page is bad....but, I have tried for the last 2 hours to make it look better, and it just won't. It keep cutting off part of the tag on the page. Deal with it :)

I used my kit from Studio Calico for this page. I actually found this photo last week when I was looking for some papers in Marcy's cedar chest. Definately a score on my part. In this photo, Marcy was one month old. 

Tomorrow Ben has his "Battle of the Books" with his school. He isn't really nervous, but I am! I am going to go tomorrow & support him. Last year his team placed 6th - and they were really disappointed. I am hoping this is their year to win it!

Ok, have a good evening! I am going to go play with paper before I go to bed!

xxoo,

M
 

Lovebirds

Ha! I stole this photo of my brother and his girl off of facebook...and then used the photo to complete a challenge for Sketches! {By Tamera}. The challenge was to use buttons, circles, and a bird. I did all three! I just love this photo of the two of them....this one was taken over Christmas while my brother was home from Kwajalein.

Anywho, had a couple layouts picked up for publsihing this week. Thats good :). Its always great to hear that someone likes what you do!

Off to go watch 'Pawn Stars' -- have you seen this? I don't know if its the redneck in me or what, but I love this show!

xxoo,

M