CHA FUN!

I have had some fun at CHA! It's been neat to see all the new stuff up close and personal! There is so much stuff it's overwhelming! I also met some of the Scrapper's Bliss girls in person, that was way cool. My favorite part was working in the Junkitz Booth! You all know what a Junkitz fan I am and here is me in all my glory:

We also met up for dinner with Bonny from 123-scrap and her DH and DD! We went to ESPN Zone and it was a lot of fun. Today was the last day of the show and we got out early. We went and had lunch on the Redondo Beach Pier and walked around, it was so nice! Tonight we went back and took some sunset photos! Here is one of my favs:

I

So that's my midweek update! I've got one more day and then leave on Friday am.

DELAYED!!!!

I'm posting from the Manchester Airport! I got here at 4:45 for a 6:10 flight. I got to my gate and they announced there was a delay due to it being too cold. 5 Mins tops, needed to heat it up. Well the 5 mins turned into 20 and another announcement saying there was no water because the pipes froze overnight. Now another delay. OK so they then say we can fly with no coffee, tea, or bathrooms, it was only a 2.5 hour flight so no biggie we all just wanted to leave. Well, it is now 6:30 and I've got a 9:30 connection to make so I'm a bit worried, they say there are other options if we dont leave by 7. At 7 I stand in line to begin my new destination plans! I now get to sit in the airport until 11:25 and am changing planes in Philly instead of NC and getting into CA at 5:30 instead of 12!!! NICE half the day lost sitting in an airport! Whose idea was this anyway?

At least I met some nice people to be stranded with! Oh and get this, the woman next to me has the same exact hot pink and black suitcase as me, what are the odds of that! We are worried that she's going to end up with my 6 days of clothes and I'm going to end up with her 1 day of Birthing classes teaching equipment! LOL!

Anyone got anything more exciting to talk about than a 4 hour wait at the airport please post here! :) See ya later!

Some Plugs...

Check this out:

So happy for her! And I get to be on her CT too! Woohoo! I love her work and her sketches so I am happy for me and am wishing her mega success! So on February 1st make sure you rush right over to The Digi Chick and buy all her stuff up OK? Thanks!

And my other grand pal Cindy Simon has made some very fun Pin Alphas that are available at NDISB. Here is a couple of pages I did using them. First one uses the Valentine Alpha (I recolored mine - the original is red) and the second one uses the original alpha.

OK major busy day at work so gotta scoot! Happy Friday! Cya!

California Here I Come...

2 more days until I leave for Chris's house and CHA! I have to be at the airport at 5am on Saturday morning for a 6:10 am flight. Hope the weather holds out everywhere so I don't have any delays. One connection to make!

I've got a ton of stuff to do! I started getting my clothes together last night. It's not going to be real warm while I'm there so I didn't have to go crazy with too many things. I have to pick up a few things at Wally World tonight, get my nails done, put a few more things in order at home for the boys and I think I'll be good to go. I know I'll forget something but whatever! ;)

Got the hair cut last night too! It's short! I had her take off a lot to get it nice and healthy looking again. I am thinking of going back to red but still haven't decided if 1) I want to spend the money again and 2) if I really want to deal with the upkeep again!

I hope to check in during the week since I'll have my laptop with me and we'll be posting photos from CHA over at 123-Scrap so make sure you check them out!

Hope you all have a Terrific Thursday! Later!

Another TAG!!!

My pal Shawna tagged me (of course she did because she knows I stalk her blog)! This tag is to reveal 5 surprising or secret things about yourself so since my life is pretty much an open book (especially since I started blogging) I'll try to think of 5 things!

Here goes:

1) I used to be SHY. Yep, I mean very shy! You'd never know it now but man I would not have talked to anyone on the internet if my life depended on it. I would have never met up in person with someone I met online without having a "bodyguard" with me if at all. I was quite quiet in school! LOL! You'd never know it now! ;)

2) I was in a Beauty Pageant. Some of you already know this. Yep, in my Junior Year of High School I was in the "Miss Teen Massachusetts" pageant. With 100 other girls. Unlike Shawna ;) I didn't win but I was one of the top 35 finalists. It was fun and I think it helped me come out of my shell a bit. So although I could have killed my mom for entering me, after it was over I had a great time.

3) I lived in Hawaii. For 3 years when I was 10, 11, 12. When my parents were still married. My dad was stationed there in the Air Force. It was beautiful and I hated it! LOL! Yeah, if you are a 'white' kid living there it's not all paradise. I got picked on by the Locals in school big time. I was so glad to get out of there. Now in the cold winter, wishing I could go back! ;) I have also lived in Alabama, Ohio, Maryland, and Massachusetts.

4) I'm scared to death of dying. Can't even think about it without getting all freaked out so that's all I'm gonna say about that subject!

5) I never wanted kids. I changed my mind when I was 29 and got pregnant with Jake and then 3 years later had Josh. Up until that point I didn't want any kids of my own. I liked other people's kids but I liked giving them back more! ;) Now I have no idea what I did with my life without my guys!

So some may or may not be surprising but that's all I could think of! I told you I was an open book! ;)

I'm tagging: Rachael, MiYon, and Jolene, Kristi (getting you back for the email!) and M.E.! Happy Writing! And Happy Monday to the rest of you!

DSS Blog It Challenge

So the Blog Challenge over at DSS this week is to post about something you have done that gives you a sense of personal accomplishment.

Well I didn't have to think twice about it.

Digital Scrapping:

1) I got to be a Guest Designer for 2 months for my very favorite designer Shawna Clingerman.

If you had even asked me a year ago if I thought this was possible I would have said NO WAY! Not with all talent out there! I think my digi scrapping has come a long way since my first page and I'm pretty proud of that.

2) I am now on four creative teams! I am no Rachael Giallongo but heck I can scraplift her pretty darn good! ;)

Personal stuff:

1) I exercised 4 times last week! I was hoping to do 5 days on with the weekends off but that hasn't happened yet but man I actually didn't quit and actually have done one night this week too! I won't be taking the weekend off this week either but I am happy that I'm keeping with it!

2) I have cut way back on the junk food! I have had maybe 3 pieces of chocolate (I am talking little bite sized pieces) per week instead of some kind of junk food every day!

3) I'm doing very well with the water intake, making the 8 8oz glass requirement and even passing it sometimes!

And what have you done lately that you are proud of?

Excuse Me While I TOOOOOOT!!!!!

Check this out...

I see a familiar name on that list, do you???! When I saw my pal Rachael's call for her Duplicates CT I knew I had to apply! I've been friends with Rachael for almost 5 years now and to get to work with her in any form of scrapbooking is going to be the coolest! She is one of the most talented scrappers (paper and digi) I know and I'm so honored that she picked me to be on her team! WOOHOOO!!! Thanks girlfriend, you know I'll bust my patootie for ya! ;)

So can anyone say ICE STORM!? I know a few of my Mid-Western friends can (Kristi???) how's it going out there? Me, no power since 5:30 last night (while dinner was on the stove) and it's going to be out until at least sometime tonight! It was 56 degrees in my house this morning. At least the shower was hot! LOL! And I should have put on Ice Skates to go out the door! The main roads were just wet but man our stairs and driveway were a skating rink! I hope it comes back on soon since the dog is at home and being that she has very short hair and really bad arthritis its not a good place for her to be!

All I have to say is it better be back by 8pm tonight or I will be one unhappy camper! IDOL starts tonight!

Can you say Pizza for dinner? ;)

Well that's my exciting news, I think that's enough for one day don't you? ;) Have a great day!

I Scrapped!

Yep for the first time since Christmas! It felt good even if I was making stuff for others! ;) I was working on Andrea and Chris's Christmas presents! Little late yeah but we agreed to exchange presents in CA since we are all going to be together then. Here's what I made them:

For Andrea:

For Chris:

And no I'm not trying to tell Andrea anything, she mentioned she needed a clock for her exercise room! ;) Now I want one for myself! I got the idea from the Creative Escape Idea book. These are just plain clocks from Walmart. (The Advantus clocks cost $28 so I went looking elsewhere)! I alcohol inked the white outside edges and took the inside apart to alter. The hardest part is getting the hands to go around the altering! Make sure it's not too lumpy! ;) Anyway, now those are done and I feel glad to not have them hanging over my head anymore! All that I have left to do for my trip to CHA is pack! LOL!

I also made one layout but since my scanner had pooped out I haven't posted it. I will not be buying another scanner anytime soon so I'm going to have to resort to photo taking of layouts which I totally hate but I have too many other important things to spend money on like CHA and Michael's bday so scanners will have to wait!

OK well that's it for me for now. Hope you all have a terrific Monday! Later!

Hello Blogland!

Happy Saturday! It's been a pretty good day so far! I slept till 8am! I NEVER do that! And I went to be pretty early last night so I must have been very tired! Michael is feeling some pain but is getting around pretty well. I think he's doing too much but he's determined to get back to work on Monday so you can't tell him anything! Josh is at my mom's so Michael, Jake and I went out to breakfast, I had Eggs Benny! YUMMM! Then we went to Wally World and the grocery store. Jake has a soccer game at 4 so I'm just hanging here and getting caught up before we have to go. I've got some ribs in the crock-pot for dinner and hopefully I'm going to do some scrapping tonight! I've got nothing to complain about for once! LOL!

I finally bought some of the Photoblast actions! They are pretty cool! I was playing with the "Under Exposed Fix" action and already LOVE it! Best $2.50 I have ever spent (they are on sale this weekend)! Check this out:

Under Exposed Photo


Using UEF Action

I also bought the Over Exposed Fix Action, and some other coloring actions that I have yet to play with but I am going to try some today so I can print out some to scrap with later! Don't forget all the PhotoBlast actions are on on sale at Digi Scrap Shak this weekend 25% off!

So that's my plans for today! Hope you all have a great Saturday too! Cya!

Huge Weekend Sale at the Shak!

Digi Scrap Shak is having a huge weekend sale! Stop over and check out all the great stuff!

Happy Shopping! I'm buying actions this weekend! :)

Not so bad...

So it wasn't too bad. Surgery too much longer than expected. Doc said he had so much scar tissue it took some time to get the scope in there. He also said it was the longest scope surgery he'd ever done! Bad news, not much repairing done so we have no idea how much pain relief DH will get. Major Bummer. Michael was only grouchy for a little bit on the way home because he was really hungry and when he's hungry he's a BEAR!!! I am so not kidding, I have no idea how hunger can make someone so nasty! LOL! Guess food has never been that high on my priority list! Chocolate maybe! ;) Anyway, he's doing well now, not much pain (hoping it stays that way and it's not just the meds that haven't worn off yet) and up and around on crutches with only one scare of almost falling down the stairs!

Have a great night! Catch ya tomorrow!

Waiting Waiting Waiting

I'm typing this from the Surgery Waiting room at the hospital. We got here at 9am, scheduled for a 10am knee surgery that didn't get underway until 11. It's now almost 1pm and I'm still waiting. And Michael thought he'd be home by now! I always know better! ;) Well at least they have a wireless connection in the hospital and I thought to bring the laptop!

So that's my fun stuff for today! Will be back later to moan and groan about how grumpy DH is I'm sure!

Only Wednesday?

Does it feel like it should be Friday to anyone else? Man it has been a long week already! I'm tired! I thought it was Wednesday yesterday so I'm really out of it for some reason this week! I think it's stress. Michael is having knee surgery tomorrow and we basically have no idea how intensive the surgery will be until they get in there to repair it. It will either be a few days out of work or 6 weeks (with NO pay)! I'm hoping for the few days! ;) So tomorrow I sit at the hospital and wait and then take him home and hope they give him really good drugs so he's not a huge grouch for the weekend! Yeah, I know I'm awful but he's so not nice when he's in pain.

OK enough with the bad stuff! I finished my first challenge of week two of the Amazing Digi Scrap Race. This weeks challenge was based on "Sign of the Times" and I had to scrap a page about something that tells about the world I live in. I chose to scrap about my "Net" Friends. I have been lucky enough to have met a lot of them in person but a couple I have not but these girls here are some of my very best friends! It's so amazing to me that it can turn out that way! Anyway, here is my page:

Credits: Page kit is "Comfy Jeans" by Traci Reed at www.ndisb.com, Frame is "Frameworks Classics" by Cindy Simon of www.ndisb.com, fonts are 2Peas Dreams and Waterfalls.

And other that that, not much else new here so I'm going to say have a great day! Later!

Rainy Monday!

It's a rainy Monday here in New Hampshire but it could be snow so I'm not complaining!

Jake had his first snowboarding lesson Friday night and loved it. I was afraid they would cancel it because we have had nothing for snow this season but the mountain has been able to produce some snow so they went on with the School Ski Program and all was well. He LOVED it and can't wait to go again. I don't hold out much hope for this week considering it was almost 70 degrees here on Saturday! The boys were outside in shorts and no shirts during a major downpour! I took photos to document it because you don't really ever see shorts and no shirts in January in New Hampshire! LOL! I would share them here but they are still on the camera! ;)

Saturday Jake played indoor soccer with a new team. He was a bit nervous as this was his first time playing with the team and it has been awhile since he's played indoor soccer and about 9 months since he's played soccer at all but he did OK. It will get easier I'm sure once he gets to know the team. He has one friend on the team. They played a really good team and lost but I knew one mom on the other team and she said they should be proud that they even got any points because no one usually does!

Sunday Josh had a friend over for the first time! I can't believe he's never had a friend over and he's 8. What a rotten mom I am! But then again he's never been invited to a friends house either so I'm not the only one! ;) LOL! They did well, didn't even have to talk to them once! Other than that I didn't do much, I could have scrapped all day but just didn't feel like it. Must have been sick! ;)

Now the weekend is over and it's back to work! Michael is having knee surgery on Thursday and he wakes up with a cold today! Hoping some Airborne will get it out of his system before the surgery so he can actually have it! Send healthy thoughts his way please!

Have a great day! Over and Out!

Best of 2006

So there is a Blog Challenge over at Digi Scrap Shak to post your best photo of 2006. I don't know that this photo is necessarily my best but it's definitely one of my favorites! I just love the action of this photo! No it wasn't a homerun, it most likely was even a strike but I love that the ball is in the shot!

Big news for me, I've been invited to join the Store CT at Digi Scrap Shak! It's pretty exciting, a whole store to create for! Fun huh! I have just finished up my Guest CT with Shawna Clingerman and it was wonderful, MiYon has decided not to continue designing which also freed up some of my commitments so I think I can handle this! Looking forward to my first assignment!

And that's my Friday fun! Hope you all have a great day!

It's Official

I'm going to California! My tickets are bought and non-refundable so there is no turning back now! I am going to need some serious drugs to make that flight anyone have any recommendations? RACHAEL? ;) I can't believe I'm actually flying that far, I said I'd never do it, I must really want to go to CHA or really love my friends Chris and Andrea a lot! I am excited and really nervous at the same time. Andrea and I tried to hook up somewhere so we could fly halfway there together but it didn't work out so I'm on my own the whole way. Oh well! I am really excited about seeing the Pacific Coast! I mean I did live in Hawaii for 3 years but I was 12 when I left there, it's been a long time!

So who's doing the Amazing Digi Scrap Race? Rachael and I turned in our first challenge yesterday! Here's my page:

As much as I hate doing pages about myself I did two of them in one week! Had I known the first challenge page was going to be a Goal's challenge I'd have not done a Resolutions page with Cindy's new kit! LOL! But since I can't have any special treatment just because I'm on Cindy's CT I had no clue! :)

So that's my Thursday musings! Hope you all have a terrific day! Catch you all later!

HAPPY 2007

Happy New Year to all my friends! I hope you all have a very healthy and happy 2007!

I myself did not ring in the new year, I was in bed at 10pm! LOL! I did some scrapping before that, finished 3 pages and altered a big letter "P" that was sent to me by my NSSP partner on 123-Scrap Sandy! I had seen the idea in one of the most recent magazines but of course when I went back to find it for credits do you think I could find it again? NOPE! It's all covered in ribbon and in the magazine it's an "A" so if you see it will you please let me know? Thanks!

Today I have to take down my tree! As much as I don't want too, it's got some very naked branches! LOL! It's definitely going to be a huge mess taking it down! It's pretty nasty here (freezing rain on top of the snow) so after that I don't think I'll venture out of the house so more scrapping looks to be in my future! :) I'm glad I got a few snow photos yesterday because the rain is washing away the very little snow we got! Jake had a friend over yesterday and they had a quick snowball fight and did a bit of sledding in the driveway. It's funny with kids, even with 2 inches of snow they have a ball in it!

OK well off to get dressed and get the day started! Have a great one all!