just stuff...

not a real clever title is it....i'm pooped & not feeling overly creative. the heat just drains a person...today was awful...we made a quick trip to target and that was the extent of my outdoor activity! when we finished shopping and got back to the car the thermostat read 117!!! i realize the temp goes up while just sitting in the sun but my gosh that's just insane!
i loaded my creative xpress layouts from last month into the gallery today...here they are....i just realized that my cx gallery link below my picture doesn't work. guess i'll have to figure that out...oh and i just love trying to figure that stuff out!
well, my sister and her family arrive tomorrow. (oh, won't they just love this heat!) i always look forward to family visits! we have a few fun things planned. terry was able to find some great cardinals tickets so the 4 guys are going to the game on monday and then we plan on hitting 6 flags at some point. i'd love to go to a flea market while my sister is here. i have yet to find someone who likes/enjoys scouting for "junk". although, my house doesn't have a lot of refurbished finds in it....i truly LOVE to recreate things. my dream is to have an old rustic lake home or house near the beach....and decorate and furnish it the way i "can't" decorate my house. ha ha wide plank rustic floors, white washed walls, painted furniture, soft colors, open shelves in my kitchen....oh i could go on and on. i got off track....not sure what else we'll do, i guess it depends on the heat and how much everyone can tolerate!
have a peaceful wk. end and a great week! k

SBA Girls Weekend!

won't be long now and i'll be on my way to steamy hot phoenix for the girls weekend w/ sba! it's a working weekend but i am so looking forward to it! i hope they work me to the bone! ya see, i've never been away for a major scrap event/class etc...in fact i have not gone anywhere without my girls since they were born! (lauren is almost 6). i'm anxious to meet some of the girls on the design team, the editors and of course Jenni Bowlin!
and that's just the begining...sounds like we'll get to sit in on a few of the classes and hopefully get our hands on some goodies as well.
if you're reading this and you're going give me a shout...
off to check on the girls....k

"Trying Out"

so i thought i would try out for another design team. scenic route is hosting a design team call...i'm sure hords of people will apply...many talented scrappers out there. they wanted 3 layouts submitted using their product. i had 2 done already that i really liked (you've seen before) and i cranked this one out last night.... i was going to show you the other 2 again but blogger is being slow...took me 5 min. to load this one! anyway, wish me luck! going to sign off for now....my girls need lunch. later....

Smokin' Hot!

geez....could it get any hotter? with the heat index yesterday it reached 110. but we were fortunate to spend the day swimming! a neighbor invited us to swim in her in-laws pool. what a sweet set up that was!!! makes me want a pool! here are a few fun photos... thank goodness this weekend calls for cooler temps!
not much else going on...my neice has been here for 2 weeks now. she's been such a treat to have around. she keeps lauren and kati busy...but i do have to admit having another "kid" in the house adds to the grocery bill, house cleaning duties and laundry! wow! so far no signs of being home sick! (sorry kim) :)
my sister called the other night to let me know they had brought my grandma into the ER. she is 93 years old and still lives on her own on in the farmhouse she has known her entire adult life. she is still pretty active (as active as a 93 year old person can be) and she is still very sharp in the mind. she walked out to her ditch to throw away some food scraps (she didn't want them stinking up the house) away. apparently her knee gave out on her and she slipped and fell. she layed by the ditch for 5 hours before someone drove by and saw her. thank god the temps had cooled off a bit but i guess her legs did get a little sun burned. they called 911 and the ambulance took her in. she had broken a hip. she had surgery that night and i guess the dr. said she did very well and the break was a "good" break! i'm trying to stay optimistic but you always hear that once an elderly person breaks a hip "it isn't good".....i have been kicking myself ever since i got this news that we didn't visit her while we were back in minnesota last month....in fact i'm down-right mad at myself for not taking the time to go see her. we get caught up in everything else and having to go here and there....a lesson well learned!
the house is starting to buzz so i guess i should wrap this up for now....have a good weekend...visit loved ones or pick up the phone! hugs...

Moving forward...

thought i'd share a few projects i did for the new aug/sept. issue of Scrapbook Answers...lots of fun how-to's in this one! i created a couple of altered items such as....
a light switch plate mini book and an altered altoid tin... (both items are property of Future)

i saw this light plate in Lowe's hardware store and knew there could be another use for it. why of course, a mini book! the Scrapbook Answers CD has a few of the inside pages featured there....i didn't take photos before sending the project off...

well, it's another hot/humid day here in Missouri. UHG! we're heading to the pool here shortly. even being at the pool feels miserable on days like today. i'd love to stay in and scrap as i have projects due soon....but the kiddos are bouncing off the walls....finally feeling caught up from being on vacation. i love going away but it seems like there is always so much to do when you get back home! have a good day! hugs...

I spoke too soon.....

hi! i hope everyone had a wonderful holiday....we enjoyed our vacation but am glad to be home and back into our somewhat normal routine!
do you ever wish you were better at keeping your secrets to yourself? or at least keeping them a secret for just a little while longer....i guess what i'm trying to say is...while on vacation i had a miscarriage. i guess i never really thought it could possibly happen to me again. i went to the ER just after arriving in fargo, after driving for 11 hours. i was spotting (but it wasn't "red"). they did a pelvic ultrasound and told me all looked ok? even though the dr. told me everything was ok, i knew in my heart it wasn't. i knew something was wrong. according to the ultrasound i was only 5-6 weeks along. none-the-less any loss is heartbreaking. i was happy to be with family but i truly wish i had been better at keeping this secret. telling lauren that she wasn't going to have a brother or sister, again, was difficult. i'm not sure if we'll try to have another baby or not? i have a dr. apt. this week and hopefully she can give me some answers. thanks again for the nice e-mails and comments! having great friends and support helps to make times like these a little easier to deal with! hugs to all! k