because sometimes you just need to spell things out...

Ok, so most of you know that I have two beautiful children (not being biased or anything) that I love dearly. That being said, as a parent, it is sometimes necessary to SPELL THINGS OUT for them over and over and over and... well, you get what I mean.

I got so tired of repeating my self that I decided to make a sign to hang on the bathroom door or somewhere that it would be seen daily. Then I decided that, being the queen of the scrapbook room, I did not want to make a plain old sign. Instead, I wanted to make a layout!

I wrote BOTH of their names on the top so there would be no confusion as to who the list was directed to.

In the interest of using my manners, I also added a little 'please and thank you' on the bottom.

Will it work? The jury is still out on that one folks. But I am hopeful!!

Remembering 9-11-01

Do you remember that terrible day? I remember like it was yesterday, and it still makes me cry.

We will never forget.

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

My next door neighbor was admitted to the hospital yesterday with premature labor. Yesterday, she hit the 22 week mark. As of last night, the contractions have lessened and their intensity has lessened also, but she was leaking amniotic fluid last night also. I have not heard anything this morning, as of yet.

Katy and her husband Aaron have only been our neighbors for about 3 years, and they are approx. 10 years younger then my husband and I. Stepping back and seeing what is happening has been a horrifying slap in the face for both my husband and I. It was very shortly after we moved into this house that we got pregnant, and I lost my son, Waylon. I was right about the age that Katy is now. I'd had a RIDICULOUS time getting pregnant to begin with, and so had Katy.

In my heart of hearts, I DO NOT want this sweet girl to go through the heartache of losing their first child, Simon. So if you could spare a second or two in your day, would you please say a prayer for Katy, her husband Aaron and their son, Simon. I would greatly appreciate it.

Finding friends in funny places

Back in April I was fortunate enough to attend 'Round Up' with several of my Close to My Heart team members and their customers. I got to get re-aquainted with some old friends and met a lot of new ladies.

What I remember most about one woman I met was her "catch phrase" for lack of a better term. When she saw you, she would say..."What's kickin' chicken?" It really was so funny, that I thought to myself, "Ok, I have got to get to know her better!"

It has been so nice to be able to connect with my new friend outside of the 'Round Up' environment! She is a new CTMH consultant, I am wishing and hoping nothing but the best for her, because I know she'll be 'kickin' some 'chicken' butt!

So, I really want to encourage you to take the time, and meet some new people. Say hello to someone you might not normally. Step outside of your comfort zone. What you find on the outside just might blossom into a great friendship!

Let me first say that we were in our pj's as this was a weekend crop and second... "Hey Kim, what's shakin' bacon?" :)

The Glass Menagerie

Ok, ok, I know... they aren't glass. But "The Paper Menagerie" just doesn't strike the same tone, does it?

I had the opportunity to make some paper pieced animals this weekend utilizing the Sure Cuts A Lot program for the Cricut, along with a few downloaded patterns. I cannot wait to get this program. I think that these bunnies and bears are the first patterns I am going to pay for and download!

This is Ted. Ted was cut from Vanilla Cream CS, and sponged with Brown Bag, Autumn Terracotta and Smoothie inks. He is so cute, my mom tried to steal him.

This is Cottontail. She was cut from textured white cs, and sponged with Gray Flannel and Baby Pink inks.

This is Chicky Baby. Now, I didn't think I was going to like him near as much as I liked the rabbits or bears, but he grew on me. And the more I inked and stamped on him, the more I liked him. Of course, he is HUGE... I will have to try one that is more "chick" sized... Chicky was cut from Colonial White CS, and sponged and stamped tone on tone with Sunflower ink. His beak and feet were sponged from Sunset ink.

And finally, I would like to introduce Brown Betty. She was actually my first paper pieced animal creation, and I just fell in love! She is so stinking cute! Betty was cut from Vanilla Cream CS and sponged with Chocolate and Blush inks.

All of my pictures are a little on the blurry side. I have been having a few technical difficulties with my camera, but I'm working on it!

So there you have it. Once I purchase my program and downloads, these little guys will be the subject of a class on sponging techniques.

Have a scrappin' great day!!

Bye-Bye Walmart

Ok, so those of you who know me, know that I am pretty strict with my kids. Not in a mean way, but there are rules, and we follow them. PERIOD.

When mom or dad says no, they mean no. You say Yes Ma'am and No Ma'am, Yes Sir and No Sir when you are addressing an adult. You say please, thank you and excuse me. You know, common courtesy and all the basic stuff that seems to have skipped a generation.

Byron has been increasingly difficult to deal with on an everyday basis, not listening, ignoring everybody. You have to make sure he is looking in your eyes and then have him repeat everything back to you to make sure he even heard you. This breaks my heart because I feel like I am always yelling at this child, and I know I look like a total bitch when we are out.

So we go into Walmart this morning to buy our copy of Tangled. We have been waiting with baited breath for this movie to come out, and were so excited that today was finally here!

Of course the problems started in the parking lot. He wouldn't hold my hand. NO WAY. He had to hold Edith's hand. In theory, this is fine. But he is then 1 child removed from my arms length, and pulling at Edith's arm so he is lunging into the driving area of the parking lot. When we got up to the store, I grabbed his hand and gave him no choice, which sent him into a tailspin, screaming and fake crying all the way back to electronics to get the movie.

Now I don't particularly care if the kids have a tantrum in the store. It doesn't faze me a bit. So what. They scream, they cry, whatever. I tell him aisle 3 didn't hear him, or he's doing it wrong. Let the other parents stare at me. I think Edith had 1 tantrum in a store. That was enough. The funny thing is that Byron doesn't have a tantrum because he can't have something. That has never been an issue. But he is in this fake crying and whining phase that we can't seem to shake him out of. So he's having this screaming and crying tantrum for no reason but that I won't let him hold sisters hand. Oh well.

We get to the register, check out when he says, "I have to go pee." "Wait until we get home." "I can't. There's water coming out!" So to the bathroom we go. He pees all of two drops. (This is another new thing. He has to pee EVERY PLACE we go.) Get him to the sink, and there is no soap. Then this employee Crystal comes out of her stall and as I am telling him that his hands are fine being rinsed (since he didn't actually even go pee), she steps in and tells him to come use her soap dispenser, squirts soap all over me, and then tells me that I need to be more patient with my children. Then I get to hear how she has two boys, and they are rambunctious, and I don't need to treat him like I am, and I don't need to push him, etc... after I asked her who the hell she was to tell me how to raise my kids, I went to the service desk and told them that they have an employee who feels free to tell parents how to discipline their children.

I have lived here now for almost 11 years. I have been shopping at this Walmart all this time. I am in this store AT LEAST once a week, and usually spend about $80 - $100 with each visit. I have seen parents leave their newborn infants unattended. I have seen children (and teens) running wild in the store like it is a playground. I have seen parents who OBVIOUSLY don't care about themselves, let alone what their offspring is doing. I have seen kids open up product, eat their fill and then leave the scraps on the floor, and the accompanying parent turn a blind eye. I have seen store employees who would rather file their nails than say hello to you. And yet, when I am stern with my very difficult child, (mind you, I said stern. Not screaming, not hitting), I get yelled at by a woman who has NO IDEA what is going on in our lives or family.

This is not the first time we have had a run in with an employee at this store. Several months ago, there were two female employees calling eachother slut, and other degrading things. And they were in the toy department yelling them to eachother. Can you all see the look on my face when my daughter wanted to know what a slut was? Today was my final straw.

The saddest thing of all about this, is that I was right. No matter what I do with my kids, good or bad, I look like a bitch in public, and that's how my kids see me too.

Cards and Layouts from the past weekend

So, as all of you have read, I had an incredible opportunity to go to the Salvation Army Camp in Midlothian. In addition to setting up a table and being a vendor, I got to teach 2 classes, both a 2 page layout class, and class with 4 cards!

These two layouts were made using the Miracle paperpack from Close To My Heart. I just love the sweet girl from the Just Because stamp set!

These 4 cards were for the class on day 2, and I just LOVE the cake card!! They don't know it yet, but my card class at the end of this month will be making 4 cards, all cakes! :)
Happy Scrappin'!