The Story of our Life

Endings

Oh, what a long day. Today has been six years since Marcy went home to Jesus.

And I miss her and ache for her just as much today as I did then.

I've cried for most of the day - some happy tears, but mainly just sad ones.

I know she's in Heaven...dancing with Jesus. But I just wish she was here dancing with me.

Today I've been thinking about endings. Everything has its end at some time.

To everything thing there is a season. I know this.

Ferris wheel rides come to an end. Lifelong friendships end overnight. People pass away. Jobs come and go. People move.

Life is full of endings. Because if things never changed, we'd never have butterflies.

I am going to go to bed shortly. I will probably cry myself to sleep like I have many other nights over the past six years.

And thats ok. God has helped my little family come so far in six years, and I know He is wrapping His arms around us tonight, tomorrow and every day.

 
(an older layout, but one of my favorites)

 
(another favorite)

Tomorrow's another day -

xxoo,

M

 

 

Downsize & Studio Calico's Napa Valley

 I suppose I should tell ya’ll what my word for 2011 will be.

Oh, come on. You know what I am talking about.

Ali Edwards. One Little Word.

 

 

Downsize, that’s my word. In 2011, I want downsize my waist size. I want to downsize the clutter in my mind. In my home. Downsize the drama (and those who cause the drama) from my life.

 

I’ve thought a bunch about what word I would choose. I wanted to choose a word that was just for me. Something that I could use to encourage me, keep me on task. Help me achieve the life I am supposed to have.

I am so sure that this is what I want my word to be, for Christmas I asked for a Trainer. As in, someone I would PAY to make me sweat. Make me hurt. Make me lose the extra pounds I’d gained since Marcy died. Alex wasn’t too sure that I reeeaallly wanted a trainer.

But he got me on anyway.

And, man! My trainer is making me sweat. Making me do exercises that I am sure are going to break me in half. Making me hate the elliptical.

But I am going them anyway.

And I am DOWNSIZING.

Not a bunch, yet. But I am finding that I actually do love to run, love feeling like I am in control of my body. 

Since the first on the year, I have lost 5 pounds (I am expecting to have lost more come Monday, as that is my weigh in day. I am working out 5-6 days a week. Some days weights. Some days Elliptical. Some days running. Some days squats, balance balls, crunches, and push ups. . I am really liking the freedom I have in choosing what I want to do each day.

I can’t believe I just wrote that I LIKE it. But I do.

And because I scrapbooked my ‘word’, here’s the layout. I used (again) Studio Calico’s Napa Valley.

***PSA***

Let me just say this. I love Studio Calico. But, man, I swear their kits breed, at night, while stored away in my plastic boxes. I have used this kit A TON and still have a bunch left. Total bang for your buck!

***Now back to regular blogging***

 

xxoo,

M

Faithful (Studio Calico Who's Who)

So, Alex and I are hosts for our Life Group every Wednesday. This is the second semester that we’re hosted it, and honestly, I love having it here. Every Wednesday night usually 12-18 people (now they’re friends) come, and we study God’s word together. It. is. amazing. Alex and I, both, have benefitted so much from having this upclose and personal experience in our own home.

This semester, we are studying Marriage on the Rock, by Jimmy Evans. You see, Jimmy is our Pastor at Trinity Fellowship – and truth be told—the main reason we are even members of Trinity. We love that our church supports & values marriage so much!

With marriage and relationships on my mind lately, I sat down to scrapbook yesterday and made this page. It’s kinda like a love letter to my husband. And its about him being faithful to me. In a time where so many of my friends have had their husbands cheat (or they’ve cheated), or they constantly worry about what their mate is doing. I don’t. I know Alex takes our vows seriously, as do I. And it is the absolute best feeling. I know what it feels like to be cheated on (from previous relationships), and you can say all day that you can forgive, forget and move on. I couldn’t. For me, there was always a thought in mym ind about if they were lying to me again, or if there was someone else on the side.

But not with Alex. I know I am his, and he is mine.

And I love that.

 

This layout was made with my new Studio Calico Who’s Who kit. Love all the Basic Grey papers in it. Yummmm. It was super quick to put together. In fact, I got three whole pages done yesterday (in between working out, making dinner, laundry and being a taxi). The plan is to post them, one at a time, over this week. For your viewing pleasure, of course!

Got to go. Life Group is here tonight and I still have a day’s worth of cleaning & dishes to do!

xxoo,

M

December Daily and Other Lovies…

So, my December Daily foundation is complete!! Its take me all month (literally!). but I can now say its all done. All I have to do now is taken photos in December and add them in. I must confess, I do not plan on doing the whole month – just the first twenty five days. Come the day after Christmas, I am typically soooo over the Holiday season.

Here is my cover. Nothing fancy…and slightly imperfect. Just like me :) I am really trying not to stress over small details (like my Mister Huey spray mist smearing ever so slightly…or the gap at the top of the cover that is missing something (I will go back and add something there though…maybe the year??…) Its not perfect, but I love it. I love that its quirky. And mix matched. Anyway, I will post the interior foundation pages tomorrow. I’m so excited. I used supplies I already had & bought less than $5 to make the whole album. So much fun using up supplies that I had leftover from previous projects!

 

Hee hee. This layout makes me giggle. Its John loving on AJ (thought I’m sure AJ thinks he’s holding on a tiny bit too tight. The story behind this photo is that John loves his dog & sometimes play’s ‘hostage’ with him. Its sweet. I used the Continental Kit from Studio Calico for this page.

 

This page was featured on the Studio Calico facebook page – highlighting their Elementary Line. I cannot get enough of this paper. The colors. The patterns. All of it is lovely.  These photos were taken on our family trip to the Tri State Fair here in Amarillo. Fun times!

I must get dinner started. We are having Breakfast for Dinner (and the boys’ call it BRUFFER. Nice, huh?)

xxoo,

M

The dark cloud has lifted….

and my creative spirit is back. And not a moment too soon! I hate when I get down like that – all gloom and doom, the world’s gone end. Blah. I am happy to announce that the world is NOT going to end, I love my family, and being at home is the right choice for me.

I scrapbooked yesterday. I did. And I liked it.

So sue me.

I am really trying to use up more of my Studio Calico kits before the new month kit comes, and I made quote a dent in Summer Camp. It such a pretty kit (and by pretty I mean GORG.OUS.). Let’s take a look at what I made, shall we??

First up, we have “FINAL WALK”. Windsor (my son’s school), has this tradition on the last day of school for all the graduating 5th graders going to Junior High – they get to parade around the school, holding the Windsor banner, while all the younger graders whoop and hollar (HOLLAR!) for them. Only the fifth graders get to go on the final walk, and it is a blast seeing them as they burst with pride. It really is a cool tradition. The fifth graders all wear there class t-shirts (um, hello tie dye t-shirt!) – and while the shirts are a nice throw back from the 60’s, they make it hard to scrap.

Then I met my Summer Camp kit. They coordinate nicely – without being a direct hit on the tie dye. Ladies and Gents, we have a winner! My layout was born!

Next, we have a quick page. And I mean quick! I created the WHOLE ENTIRE PAGE in 26 minuets.

OH YEAH. I. Am. Good.

I did if for a challenge on the Studio Calico website. Now, I must confess that I did already have my sewing machine out and threaded. But everything else was done in 26 minuets. Oh, and I used a sketch.

Ben actually had taken his picture one Sunday evening while we were at the School Park hanging with the boys. Of course, it grossed them out to see Alex and I sneaking in a kiss…I love this page. The photo isn’t technically right and the layout for sure isn’t one that will ever see the front cover of a magazine, but I LOVE it. This is what scrapbooking is about to me.

And finally, I have a page that I finished up yesterday. The water drops are a wink and nod to a layout that Stephanie did back on Kit Reveal and they inspired me. So I copied them from her.

(I feel like I need to note something. All of my yellow stickers look like they are coming off. I swear they aren't. Apparently I don’t know how to scan them correctly where they look good.)

Today I am hopefully finishing up two Homecoming mums (all they are missing is the bells, and name stickers). And maybe sewing a quick window covering for my scrapbook. I am changing out all the turquoise fabric for linen…although the turquoise wall is staying (for now). Just changing things up a bit, that's all).

xxoo,

M 

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

A New Era

So my first projects are going live over on the Practical Scrapper Blog….did you see them?? We used a s sketch that Pia had created to make a layout. Here’s the sketch:

 

 

For my layout, I used the new Bo Bunny school paper line to create a layout about the boy’s being in different schools this year. I threw in some October Afternoon stickers and brads, and some stitching, and in no time I had documented the boys first day of school. You should head over to the blog and play around this time…I hear that there is an awesome prize to be won!

xxoo,

M

I kinda like it (uh huh, uh huh!)

I uploaded this to the Practical Scrappers gallery and wanted to share it here as well. I used some girlie elements to scrap a boy page (GASP) and I kinda like it (uh huh, uh huh!)

 

The photos are from Easter this past year (2010)…the journaling is about how we celebrated late because the boys’ had been with their dad for the whole day. Anyway, I loved the color combo of the paper combined with the the  kiddos clothes, so I went with it. Works for me!

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!

 

A Riddle

Here goes: what happens when you combine a single photo of St. Loius from a quick trip with Studio Calico's Continental kit? Why you have yourself a layout page that documents a trip that was unexpected, but absolutely fabulous!

I used the main kit, Continental, with a little bit of the add on called Magellan. Im not usually a 'scrap vacation photos kinda girl' but this kit really came through to me. I love the kraft, with with the red, navy and white. Loved the cardboard alphabet )it was originally kraft colored, but I painted them to give them some 'ooph'. The tiny red stickers weren't in this kit, but some I had in my stash o' crap. I did this layout while Alex was watching our friend race at the dirt track...it came together effortlessly. I initially wanted to use a sketch from Jana Eubank, but in the end, I used a little of her sketch, a little of my own creativity and mixed them together! Worked out well (hey! Sometimes it does, sometimes not so much!)

What have you done creatively today???

xxoo,

M