Happy Mother's Day

I am so excited to be celebrating my 2nd Mother's Day. It feels good to have a special week just for me. This week was full of so much drama and unproductive conversations and I am happy to just put it to rest. Yesterday the husband took me to the Farmer's Market and let me go crazy. I bought enough plants to finally landscape one side of the house. . .pics coming once the mulch is down. Today we are off to my grandmother's for a cookout and much needed family time.

I want to share some layouts of the special little girl that makes this day perfect! (as always click on image for credits)

Holla!

I am so excited to announce that I have been asked to be on a Digital Scrapbooking Creative Team *waits for the cheers to stop*. Yes I am very excited! Last week I received an email from Erin Ink saying that she has always enjoyed my work and asked if I would like to join her team. I immediately knew who she was becaus I have been a fan of her layouts for a while but more than that I kept seeing her designs in the Scrapartist Newsletter. About a month ago I even googled her to see if she had a blog. I guess you figured out by now I said YES!!

I delayed the announcement post because I wanted to have some layouts to show you using her designs so I present to you my latest 3 layouts (as always click on the layout for credits) :

24 | Individuality

We had most of the day to ourselves so we did what any couple who hasnt had any alone time in months. Joey cleaned and I worked - HA!! That afternoon my mom brought Aubrey home and we ate dinner and put her to bed. Of course she found the 3D glasses and had to wear them throughout dinner - such a ham!

January 24
"If I'm going to sing like someone else
then I don't need to sing at all"
~Billie Holiday

15 | Expression

This day was way too busy! From the moment we got up we have been going full speed. Joey had a client this morning, then we had to pick Jordy up from school, Aubrey up from my moms, back home so Joey could teach his FIRST set of classes. Yes, I took the classes and YES I AM TIRED. We then picked all 3 girls up from my sisters for a slumber party. That night I caught Aubrey and Riley drawing on the walls - Thank God for the magic eraser!

January 15

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul,

and paints his own nature into his pictures."

~Henry Ward Beecher

4 | Independence

One my goals this year is to balance work, Aubrey time, husband time, with me time. I spend all day with Aubrey but not that much time with her if that makes sense. I decided to save my work for her nap time and the evening when Joey comes home. Today she made me realize that was the best decision I could make. I noticed today just how grown she has become.

January 4

"We worry about what a child will become tomorrow,

yet we forget that he is someone today"

While these photos didn't make the POTD I had to include them. . . they are tooo cute.

she picked out her own socks today!

she was given a baby for Christmas

and she has become the best mommy.

Today I caught her rocking her baby!

my neck, my back. . .

okay so that might have been a little tacky to use that line from that song but for some reason that is the only song that pops into my head whenever I say "My back". That could be telling me something about me! I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted - almost a month! I have been really busy with the Etsy store. I meet my goal every week and I am constantly thinking of ideas to get my customers to become repeat customers. I spend more time designing for my store than I do scrapbooking *gasp*.

I did make some time to scrapbook this weekend. I actually had nothing else I could do. Somehow on Saturday morning I pulled something in my back and I embarrassed to say that I did flushing the toilet!! Yes you read that right. I got up, went to the bathroom, flushed the toilet and my back cramped up and I hit the floor. Thank God Joey was here. I managed to crawl to the bedroom and scream for him to come help me. Ever since then I have been walking around here like a 90 year old women and he has been laughing at me!! I finally feel a lot better this morning! Anyway back to scrapbooking. . . . . These are the 3 layouts I did over the weekend (remember click on the photo for credits)

sorry Hayley and Dawn I know this one made you cry!

In other news I had a complete emotional meltdown last night because for some reason I have started gaining some of my weight back. We have a Christmas Party this Friday night and I thought I was going to wear my little black dress. . . . I may not be wearing it! You will have to stay tuned to find out if I am able to pull off a miracle this week. It is true what they say about having kids - you lose your identity and you pretty much plan your life around them, house, husband, etc. I have found that over the last couple of months that is exactly what I have done. Yes I take time every now and then to scrapbook but again that really is for Bre and the family - not just me. You can tell just by looking at me if you ever see me out. Bre will be cute! Outfit will match, hair will be cute, she will look well put together. Me on the other hand, I usually have a baseball cap on, a sweater, jeans and sneakers. . . . . not a cute look at all.

Ok that's all I have time for today I have a lot to sneak in before the monster wakes up from her nap and besides I hear the sorry neighbor screaming at his dog again. . . .and well we all know how I feel about that!

That Time Of Today

Yes it is that time of day, nap time! I so look forward to this time. Usually by now she is so ill she can't stand herself or much less me. With the help of some milk and Noggin we both get much needed relief!

Today has been extra hard for both of us. She has spent the last 2 days at Nana's getting to do what she wants to do and I have spent the last 2 days sleeping and trying to get over this "cold". Which means I have to deal with a spoiled 14month old while trying to get caught up on 2 days worth of stuff - can anyone say frustration?!?!

I a feeling a lot better today, my eye still hurts and it looks like I have gone about 2 rounds with Tyson - yeah I am that bad ass I could last 2 rounds *insert laugh here*. I also have a new idea of what mommy/wife life should look like. For the past 2 years I have been concentrated on 2 people and neither of them are me. I have let a lot of things about myself change some for the good some for the bad. I decided while lying in bed these past 2 days and after watching my new hero - Liz from the biggest loser, that I need to start getting some of me back. It is going to be a process because honestly I don't even remember what me looks like or what I want it to look like. So the first step is going back vegetarian.

Around 2000 I gave up meat for health reasons and it changed my life. I lost weight, I felt better, I was happier and I never ever ever got sick! Then when I got pregnant I was told that I was anemic and I wasn't getting enough iron, protein, vitamins. I tried to take supplements but it just made me sick and honestly I was craving Bojangles Fried Chicken. So I started eating meat with the thought of well once I have the baby I will just stop. 14 months later I have not stopped. I have lost the will power to stop. It is just easier to eat what she eats and what Joseph eats. As a result I have held on to about 25 pounds of baby weight and I am a walking cold. So NO MEAT! Today is day 2 and I feel good.

Woe is me. . .

So I have some virus, I don't think it's the flu but I did send Aubrey to my mom's house just to be on the safe side. I feel like someone has beat me with a stick. My eye is starting to swell - I think it may be a sty but since Aubrey scratched my cornea 2 months ago I am going to go to the eye doctor tomorrow to have it checked out.

Despite the feeling of a 300lb man sitting on my head I have been pretty busy. I am knocking out designs for my etsy shop, I finished a shutterfly book just in time to have it printed for FREE. The only thing is I haven't found anytime to scrap but Joseph assures me that Friday is my dad - unless of course I am in a Nyquil Coma.

Sad news from my mom yesterday. My dad took Lexus to the vet yesterday morning and they had to put her down last night. About 15 years ago I was on my way back to college and I saw this car pull over and let these 2 little dogs out. I, of course, stopped, picked them up and drove them to my parent's house. At first my dad was so mad. "YOU CAN'T KEEP BRINGING HOME STRAYS FOR US TO FEED" However within a few months the little girl had one his heart. We found a good home for the little boy and then right after Lexus had puppies. We found homes for 1 but the other 2 died. Then Lexus moved into the house and became my daddy's baby. They were quite disgusting. HE LOVES HER SO MUCH and she LOVES HIM SO MUCH. When he would pull up into the yard she would immediately run to the door and cry until we let her out so she could greet him. They went every Saturday to take the trash to the landfill and he would stop and get her nuggets on the way home. We will miss you Lexus you were a great dog!!

I <3 Apple

So my husband is a professional football player - arena - or at least he was until the league decided to cancel the season then the entire league *insert boo here*. He has been working really hard at staying in shape in hopes that by the grace of God they will resume. He works as a personal trainer and a guy at them gym heard about him and went up and introduced himself. Apparently this guy is a sports agent and wants to help Joseph get on a NFL team *insert cheers here*. He told him he would need a highlight tape to shop to all the teams and of course Joey (that's what I call him because it annoys him hahaha) went into panic because he forgets how to check email and making a highlight tape may cause him to stroke out. So I did what all good wives would do. I sat down at my computer (APPLE) and I started googling instructions on how to work iMovie and iDVD and 2 days later VOILA a highlight film.

I am so proud of myself and once I figure out how to post it online I will post it. I love Apple and how easy it makes my life!

Halloween Wrap Up

This year was Aubrey’s first year trick or treating. I still don’t know if she understood what was going on but we had fun. We talked for months about what we were going to dress her up as. I thought I was set on a Fairy, afterall I had those amazing fairy wings and I wanted her to use them again and again. If it was up to me she would wear them EVERYDAY!!! Then as stated in the last post we changed our mind :)

A lot of folks won’t believe this but when we put the jacket on her she actually started walking backwards!! We fell out - we both said IS SHE MOONWALKING?!?!?! Here she is doing the thriller dance - at least that is what we say :)

My niece dressed up as “something so scary that when other kids see me they drop their candy and run”. I think she accomplished her goal:

My husband took them door to door and held the iPod and played Thriller. Everyone got a kick out of it and we all had a great time!

it's close to midnight. . . .

Is it wrong that we have only been home for 2 hours and I have already made this layout?

click image for credits

About a week ago Joey mentioned that we let her go as Michael Jackson, after all they share the same birthday and curl. I guess he thought I would say "NO WAY" I did the opposite I instantly said YES and set out on a mission for the perfect costume which I could not find. So I found some red and black duct tape and VOILA!!!!

Bed Hair and Creative Inspiration

So the ladies at the Creative Inspiration blog have a new Copy Cat Wednesday posted. Here is my take on it:

click for credits

I took a bunch of photos of Aubrey in the bath and when I was processing them I noticed just how "CRAZY" her hair looked. While taking them I thought "Oh these are going to make a great layout about bath time" but of course as you see I took an entirely different path with them. . . . .she cracks me up!!!

Happy "Late" Birthday To Me

I just may have the best husband on the planet. It is about 2 weeks late but for my birthday I got this:


I have been saving my own money to make the purchase after the holidays. Not only will it come in handy for those dreadful workouts but it actually will hook into our portable DVD player and allow me to play videos. This is great for Aubrey - I no longer have to buy DVDs or transport them in the car. All I have to do is load them to my iPod and we are good to go! HOLLA!!!

TOOT TOOT!

I love love love the Creative Inspiration Blog and to my surprise I have been featured for Copy Cat Wednesday. HOLLA!!!!
Here's the layout they chose:

click here to view the challenge

I pick my niece up from school everyday and on this day Joseph and I took her and Aubrey to Coldstone for Ice Cream. Aubrey loooooooooooved the ice cream, she was suppose to be sharing with her daddy but it didn't quite work out that way.

Anyway thanks lady for the compliment I am so flattered!