livelovecreate

Yes

Today's entry was inspired from my friend April who linked it on her blog and my response left to her in my email to her today.

Found this little gem in the comments on superhero's journal...                                                         

to whimsey
to possibility
to exceeding your ceiling.

to passion
to vulnerability
to intimacy with power.

to unknowns
to discomforts
to stretching your beliefs.

YES.

by saying yes the extradordinary adventure begins.

-mary anne radmacher   

If you spent 2006 saying yes, what would you accomplish or conquer? Here is (just the beginning) my little list of things:

• lose the extra weight I carry. i no longer desire to use it to cover my faults and frailties.
• buy a mini van. we need it.
• go back to work at a hospital part time
• really give scrapping a chance again. i see so much inspiration around, yet lack the drive to get it on paper.
• find said inspiration in the smallest and most insignificant places
• continue to grow and nurture my new-found friendships. i'm terrible at correspondence, so it's something i really need to work at
• be truly thankful for all that i and we have. it definitely could be (and has been) a lot worse for us.

Whew. That wasn't so bad. Now the hard part comes.

Doing it.

Thanks April for the awesome entry on your blog (from superhero's) to learn to say yes.

You are my hero today. :)

                                                                           

Christmas 2005, unwrapped

Whew! What a whirlwind weekend it turned out to be. Glad and sad at the same time this 26th day of December. Glad to know it was a beautiful day, full of sunshine, family and laughter. Sad knowing that this day will not come to pass until next year again. Kind of corny, I know, but just read all my previous posts and you'll know I'm all about the season. :)

Santa came to visit on Saturday since Daddy had to work on the 25th (shhh...don't tell your kiddos he comes to visit early if you ask!), it all went pretty well that morning. I went in to wake Emma up and tell her Santa came to visit, she instantly hopped out of bed and went to see if the cookies had been eaten (they were), and then decided to zoom over to the tree and see what was there. (I want to post some pics and I will as soon as Typepad and I get the photo posting process sorted out.)

Santa/family brought Emma:

• a Little Tikes sing-a-long vanity (cute packaging, but can become highly annoying really quickly)
• the aforementioned PBK goodies (she LOVES them!)
• eeBoo classic matching game, simple puzzle pairs alphabet & numbers game, Kooki Bee ABC card game (liking the quiet time factor here!)
• new jammies
• Chutes and Ladders (still a little hard for her to play, but she still likes it)
• BOOKS galore (you never can own too many)
• the PBK knockoff art cart (thanks Papa!) filled with new art supplies (way more than she'll need for the next year, but art is a good thing)
• Here Come the ABC's CD and Playhouse Disney music CD (new music to jam to!)
• hot pink cowboy boots (will have to post the adorable pic of her in them)
• pink keyboard (she loves her Grampa's, so we decided it was time for her own)
•                      

Never mind the extra bullet point...just can't seem to delete it!

I'm thinking the kiddo got plenty anyway! So now you know why I don't have to buy much!

As far as I was concerned, a little stomach buggy came to visit me Saturday in the wee hours of the morning and decided to hang around until the better part of Sunday morning. Not fun. Made for the highly anticipated visit from Santa a bit groggy for me, but I think I remember the events....I got a gift card to the scrapbook store, Warm Vanilla Sugar goodies from Bath and Body Works, four Willow Tree angels, two new pairs of pj's and chocolate. (That I can finally enjoy!) Robert got the XM to go set up for his car. It works like an MP3 player and can be completely portable. I even get to hook it up here at the computer and jam away! Frank's place is my favorite station! 

Not counting the rather dark side of the weekend, it was a pretty good one this year.

Glad to see 2005 come to a close and I am gearing up to post some really good resolutions for the coming year. Are you ready?

Dear Santa,

I want a coat, a hat with a bell and B-O-O-T-S, boots.

And a ballerina.                                                                   

Love,

Emma

This letter was taken from the wallboard in Emma's classroom. So cute.

"B-O-O-T-S" is from a Laurie Berkner song on Noggin's Jack's Big Music Show.

My mom got her hot pink cowboy boots from Target and I was telling Robert about it. As I spelled the word boots, Emma overheard it and started hollering about wanting her new b-o-o-t-s....glad she only knows how to spell the word boots or we are in for some fun!

Sorry for the long time no post. Between Christmas preparations, sinus misery (again, ugh!), working four days a week (ya gotta love retail!) and the lovely Typepad weekend debacle (grrrr).....um, I've been kinda busy. I'm pretty sure you know what I am talking about. Life.

Merry Christmas to everyone and I'll be back on Monday.

I sincerely hope that you get to experience the true joy of the season.

Hark, the herald angels sing

Glory to the newborn king....

what's on my cd player today

Do you remember 8 Track players?

As a child, I would sit by the stereo, headphones on, and listen to this particular soundtrack over and over again. It was THE music to play while decorating the tree or baking cookies or really any holiday related project or party. I finally broke down and ordered the cd from Amazon last year and have been happily jamming to it ever since. My mom still has the 8 track, but the player no longer works.....I must've burned the motor out. :)

It's what's on my player this morning as I finish making the cards for Emma's teachers, wrap the hand dipped chocolate pretzels (pics coming!), and get ready to go up to the school for the party.

Countdown to Christmas: 11 days!!! 

what's on my cd player

Harry for the Holidays, courtesy of my secret sister.

How she knows me so well. Or maybe the amazon wish list helped....regardless of the reason, thank you!

I'm still working furiously on the last few projects so I'll share a few favorite Christmas memories as promised in an earlier post.

-Advent calendar. My sister and I got to turn over a day and read a story about each one and then we got a mug of hot chocolate complete with a peppermint stirring stick

-getting to unwrap one present on Christmas Eve and then going to church later that night.

-mom's homemade frozen peppermint pie, cinnamon apples, apple pecan stuffing....yum

-decorating the tree after my mom's birthday which is on December 17th. Believe me, it was a long wait as a young child!

-ornaments. My favorites are the angel, Snoopy, and the candy train.

These are just a few memories of Christmases past that I want to always remember.

Countdown to Christmas: 12 days!

on my grown-up christmas list this year

Love. Joy. Peace.

All wrapped up in a plain kraft paper box. No other embellishment necessary.

Kinda like how life should be.

More to come in the days ahead. Just have a few prior commitments I must attend to.

Hoping you find joy in the smallest of things this season.

while you are waiting...

Here is something fun to do while you are waiting for Christmas that is. And I need a little bit more time to get my next list ready, so in the meantime I will share a fun link. December is a month of anticipation, of celebration. I like to savor each day, for there is joy within the entire month.

As a child we always had an advent calender. We have one that was hand sewn by my mom when I was 6 and in the hospital recuperating from kidney surgery that is very special to me. And now as an adult with a child of my own I am experiencing the pure joy of the season of giving through Emma's eyes. There is something truly magical and sweet about carrying on the daily morning ritual of turning over a numbered day and seeing a new bible character. 

Advent Calender by Leslie Harpold - this is such a fun site. A little advent calender in which she shares a 1. Happy Christmas Memory, 2. A holiday link, 3. Something special. I love anticipation, and a surprise. It's just lovely. And it's a good reminder, to document holiday memories. I will share some of my personal favorites from my childhood and adulthood in the coming days.

Happy almost Sunday!

Advent Calender by Leslie Harpold - this is such a fun site. A little advent calender in which she shares a 1. Happy Christmas Memory, 2. A holiday link, 3. Something special. I love anticipation, and a surprise. It's just lovely. And it's a good reminder, to document holiday memories. I will share some of my personal favorites from my childhood and adulthood in the coming days.

Happy almost Sunday!

we have a winner!

It was Shannon Tidwell and her adorable son, Maddox!

Boy, you guys are fast on the response. :)

Holly, if you'll kindly email me, I'll get the goodie bag ready to send your way.

"Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas...."

Have a happy day! Here's the newest layout I have done and posted on 2peas. It was for a birthday suprise for a pea and I was kindly invited to participate in the scraplift. This one definitely got my scrappin' mojo flowing again. I forgot how much fun playing with patterned paper and colorbox ink really is. Ha.

Supplies used:

MM kraft cardstock :)

Anna Griffin, Kaleidoscope, and Basic Grey papers

Quote is from the layout I lifted

AL Handcrafted font

it's beginning to look a lot like {a pbk} christmas...

Pretty pictures for you to see. Are these not the sweetest things for a little girl?

I have had to drop the idea for a complete art center until after Christmas as I found out there are no easels to be found (at least locally) and I refuse to pay a ton of cash for shipping.

Note to self: Buy it in October, when you see it and supplies are plentiful.

They have a darling kitchen set that includes an apron, cute bunny oven mitt and other goodies that the fabrics match the doll accesories that I'll try to buy. Thankfully we have a PBK fairly close. Yeah!

On to other unrelated news. You'll never guess in a million years who I saw at the play area in the local mall yesterday. I was tempted to go up to her and introduce myself as a *fan* but decided against it. I figured that I would end up looking like a crazed fan (i.e. stalker) so I just sat there and smiled and secretly admired. Hint: she's a Garden Girl.

The first person to post the correct answer will receive a nifty little giftie.

Happy Wednesday :)

it's quiz time!

I have seen this little pop quiz floating around other scrapbook blogs and decided to take it. Seems like fun... here goes!

2 names you go by

1. Stephanie

2. Mom/Momma

2 parts of your heritage
1. German
2. Welsh

2 things that scare you
1. Something awful happening to my husband or child or family
2. Creepy noises in the night especially when you have a really terrible case of insomia

2 of your everyday essentials
1. Love and kisses from hubby and Emma :)
2. Moisturizer

2 things you are wearing right now
1. Levis 501
2. white long longsleeved tee

2 of your favorite bands or musical artists (at the moment)
1. Amy Grant
2. Jim Brickman

2 favorite songs (at the moment)
1. The Christmas Song. Has to be sung by Nat. Only.
2. Knees to the Earth by Watermark

2 things you want in a relationship (other than real love)
1. mutual respect

2. security

2 truths
1. God is awesome!
2. thinking about it....be back with a good answer later

2 physical things that appeal to you (in the opposite sex)
1. eyes
2. smile

2 of your favorite hobbies
1. reading
2. sewing

2 things you want really badly
1. a new house
2. a new house

2 places you want to go on vacation
1. England
2. Texas Hill Country

2 things you want to do before you die

1. see Emma grow up and hold her babies
2. travel to Europe

2 ways that you are stereotypically a chick
1. must wear sheer lipstick
2. I love pink

2 things you are thinking about right now
1. Christmas shopping
2. weight loss and eating right

2 stores you shop at
1. target
2. b&n

2 people i would like to see take this quiz

not just 2 people, but anyone who reads this blog and hasn't taken it yet!

Well, that was fun!  A bit more difficult to answer some of the questions than I thought.

I needed a break from thinking about what Santa is bringing Emma for Christmas. I never in a million years thought that by December 5th all the *good stuff* would be gone from stores. Sheesh.

On to Plan C or maybe it's D.

Have you seen the really sweet puffy bassinet and diaper bag from Pottery Barn Kids? I'll try to link up on another post, but you can hop over to the site and check them out. I really wanted to buy the oil cloth apron for Emma and apparently so did a lot of others. They're sold out. Ugh. Guess I'll be attempting to find some cute oilcloth and make her one. Not in enough time, but maybe for Valentine's Day. Which isn't far off anyway.

My dad built Emma a craft island like the one in the catalogue. Thanks to Elizabeth, we're going tp start hosting Art Friday's at our house in January. Now she needs fun stuff to fill it! Any suggestions? Besides the typical washable paint and chalk and crayons. For a 3 year old.

I'll post a pic of the craft island once I can snap a shot of it. I tried looking at PBK online and cannot find it. Probably because it's sold out too!

I hope to find the art easel before December 25th. If not, the island will work in the meantime.

Don't forget to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas tomorrow night!

:)

I have seen this little pop quiz floating around other scrapbook blogs and decided to take it. Seems like fun... here goes!

2 names you go by

1. Stephanie

2. Mom/Momma

2 parts of your heritage
1. German
2. Welsh

2 things that scare you
1. Something awful happening to my husband or child or family
2. Creepy noises in the night especially when you have a really terrible case of insomia

2 of your everyday essentials
1. Love and kisses from hubby and Emma :)
2. Moisturizer

2 things you are wearing right now
1. Levis 501
2. white long longsleeved tee

2 of your favorite bands or musical artists (at the moment)
1. Amy Grant
2. Jim Brickman

2 favorite songs (at the moment)
1. The Christmas Song. Has to be sung by Nat. Only.
2. Knees to the Earth by Watermark

2 things you want in a relationship (other than real love)
1. mutual respect

2. security

2 truths
1. God is awesome!
2. thinking about it....be back with a good answer later

2 physical things that appeal to you (in the opposite sex)
1. eyes
2. smile

2 of your favorite hobbies
1. reading
2. sewing

2 things you want really badly
1. a new house
2. a new house

2 places you want to go on vacation
1. England
2. Texas Hill Country

2 things you want to do before you die

1. see Emma grow up and hold her babies
2. travel to Europe

2 ways that you are stereotypically a chick
1. must wear sheer lipstick
2. I love pink

2 things you are thinking about right now
1. Christmas shopping
2. weight loss and eating right

2 stores you shop at
1. target
2. b&n

2 people i would like to see take this quiz

not just 2 people, but anyone who reads this blog and hasn't taken it yet!