Just back to post another

I've really had a bit of creativity lately and I'm so glad. I've finally got some mojo back.

Here's the newest one.

Credits can be found here

104 posts and counting

I must have a change in attitude since it feels like spring is here. I feel happier and I think exercising is giving me a lot more energy. I've seriously been neglecting this blog. I'm sorry. I think that being a wife, mom, teacher, grad student, daughter, friend, and on 3 creative teams is stretching myself a bit, but alas the end of grad school inches ever closer as the Tuesday's pass by. We find out this Tuesday afternoon, exactly when our classes end. It will be somewhere in the vacinity of July 15. Somewhere between June 8 and July 30 there will be a hellacious graduation party. Actually make it a double! Doug graduated on June 8...and me well not officially until the winter graduation ceremony, but I'll officially have a master's degree before that. At least my pay raise will go through for the entire school year for next year.


Ok...I'll stop rambling and just come for what I originally dropped by for...to post a third scrapbook page I completed. The kit is from Jen Wilson, About a Boy I think, the template is from Rachael Giallongo, Challenge 25 I believe at The Digichick.



This is my senior! I found all of these on this computer. He's got the first one on his myspace and I saw it there. I seriously about pooped my pants when I saw it the first time, but the more I continue to look at these photos, I can truly see although he's growing up, there is still a little boy who loves to play and have fun. This kid wants to fly...this proves it, this and how high he gets when jumping on the trampoline.

Love ya Big D!

2 in a row!

Hmmmmmmm does that mean posts or digital layouts??? You decide! ;)

For me it means that I've been at the computer all morning instead of doing things like laundry, grading papers, cleaning bathrooms, exercising. You know! Well it does mean that my digital creative team committments for this wonderful double-up kit by Christine Smith and Jenn Howland is finished...finally. I was lacking for a bit of creativity.

Anyway this adorable little princess is my friend Ursula Page's daughter. She's such a cutie. Ursula let me use this photo because I don't have any little girl pictures. I don't even have any baby pictures. So I told her I'd give her photography business a bit of a plug. You can see her wonderful photos here at her blog.

Ursula I hope you like this little girly page. Using pink is not as easy for me as some. I only have boys, so I use a lot of other colors, not pink.

Enjoy your weekend, I need to make some dessert for church group tonight. Hmmmmm I have no clue what to make.

A bit of creativity

After a long week I'm so glad it's Friday. I've been to the Y 3 times this week. My workouts are getting a bit longer and longer. I really am finally not feeling blahhhhhhhhh and I'm more motivated to keep going, even if going alone.

This is the first weekend in a long time that I don't feel bogged down with work. I do have some small homework things to do, and think of a research question to start on for the action research project for the summer. I also have lesson plans, a few papers to grade, a ton of laundry, and have to make desert for our small church group tomorrow night. Looking for a yummy recipe...anyone have one??

I'm also trying to catch up on design team work. Here is my newest layout. All the elements are from Christine Smith and Jenn Howland. It is a double-up kit called Delightly Diverse. It is available at The Digichick

So here are some photos from Miraval.

Another week

And it's been crazy. This week was ISAT testing at school. You know..Illinois Standard Acheivement Test. The test they base our annual yearly progress upon. The one that determines if you are meeting the NCLB (no child left behind) requirements. Please don't get me started on how rediculous that NCLB is.


So besides the upside down schedule at school, testing, missing planning periods and such, Brian had a volleyball, parent required, meet the team night dinner and I thought it was next week. I walked in the door as the dinner delivery driver pulled in right behind me with our hot dinner and I thought ahhhhhhhhhhhh time to eat and relax. NOOOOOOOOOO, me in a skirt and it was warm when I left and became overly windy and cold by the time I got home. Get back into the car, drag a case of water with to the dinner. I was actually a bit sad to go because instead of having both the boys playing one year of high school volleyball together, Doug wasn't there. It was so heartbreaking to see all these kids he's played with for so long standing there in their new windsuits and a sophmore on the team standing where Doug should have been. I'm glad he made his decision for himself, I just hope it is something he doesn't regret for the rest of his life.



On a happier note, Doug spoke up at the musical practice and took another part. It's little, him and another boy have to bring in a desk but it's another part. That is some initiative for him, and he says he's having fun with it. That somewhat makes up for my own volleyball blues.



My clinical student from a local university will be teaching her second lesson this week. Another "teachers must be flexible" schedule change. She thinks this week will be her last week. She's calculated that she has all of her hours in. She's been a tremendous help with grading tons of papers for me. This week grades are due and the third quarter ended on Friday. I've got teachers at school counting the days until the end of the year. Last week sometime, there were 53 school days left. Spring break, yes it is so badly needed, is still 3 weeks away. Arrrrrrrrrrghhhh it feels like it will be forever before it gets here.

Anyway I have a huge project due for class this week and I think Brian's first volleyball game is the same night. Since this is a group project, I think I'll let the other two take the assignment in and I'll skip out for the volleyball game. That is if he's eligible to play. Still battling the grade thing here. The new medicine seems to be working much better though. Hopefully this is the incentive he needs to pull those grades up. If not, he's working on the 5-year plan.

Ok, I'll end this by showing you a new scrapbook layout I just whipped together with Cindy Simon's new template and her St. Patrick's Day kit. Both are available at www.elementalscraps.com



Anyway...Happy St. Patrick's Day. I hope the leprechaun finds you and leaves a bit o'luck and a piece of gold for ya. Here's a pinch for you without your green on!

New layouts

I've been able to create a couple new layouts this week since I finally got one major assignment finished. Another is due soon, but there isn't class next week so we will use the usual classtime to work on it. It's major too! I hate these huge assignments :{

Anyway, these two layouts are using kits by Cindy Simon available at Elemental Scraps.

This is a kit called Lucky You. You can purchase it at at Elemental Scraps. Full credits can be found here. Right now there is a great deal on this kit. If you purchase the kit, you get the cool shamrock pin alpha for free! Of course it also come with the super easy to use pin action. I thought the pins were awesome!


The second layout is of my friend Shellie's daughter Kiana from her Libby Lu makeover day.

Thanks for the photo Shellie!



Full credits can be found here. Cindy Simon's Kit Rebecca can be purchased at Elemental Scraps.
Other than this and school and class my life's been pretty "normal." For those who know me well, "normal" is like walking up hill, backwards in a windstorm.

I do have great news though...I've lost 10 pounds! I'm beginning to have more energy. I'll keep working with my personal trainer for a few more weeks and need to get to the Y more often than I do. At least the weather is getting nice for a few outdoor walks. Since the days will be getting longer, I'm sure the dogs will love the walks.

Keep on keeping on!

a new look!

Yep I'm trying the new glasses thing again. This time I made sure the lenses were the absolute lightest ones I could find. You have to pay for a good thing and yikes these were significantly more than I usually pay. But hey...I'm worth it. I even got a "hey sexy" from my husband! They must look pretty good.





So I've decided to post a picture of just the glasses...not me in them yet, just the glasses to see what people's comments are. After that I'll snap a picture when my hair is done and I have on some makeup. Today it was quick shower and left to pick them up with wet hair.

Selected Layout AKA TOOT!!

Today I read the newsletter from The Digichick I found out that my layout was selected as the very first TDC product layout. My layout was right there in the newsletter and I guess I get a gift certificate or something. How cool is this! I don't know if my brother or sister-in-law read my blog but this is their cute son! He is so darn photogenic!

A Realization

It just dawned on me tonight that tomorrow may be the very last time I get to watch my oldest son play volleyball.

He's been playing volleyball for 4 years. He is a senior and tomorrow is the final tournament for his club team. Tonight we had a conversation about the high school team. He said he wants to play but he doesn't know if he wants to play for the coach. This coach is very demanding. We know that and that isn't what is holding him back. What is holding him back is that he keeps telling my son he needs to lose 10 pounds. The varsity coach even told his club team coach. My son expressed tonight that he doesn't know if he wants to be judged upon his weight instead of his ability. He is an average to above average outside hitter. He plays the right side, which is a bit harder than playing the left side or middle for a right hander.

While we were talking I started to cry and I knew this upset him. Actually the tears are welling up now as I type. It's not that I care what his decision is about trying out. I'm cool with whatever he decides because it is his life. He just has to be satisified with his decision. He's got to not regret his decision in the future. What is hard is that I figured I had about 4 more years of good sports mom in me. But Brian will probably not play because of grades and some behavior issues he has going on.

Being a sports mom is a huge part of who I am. It's been who I am since my oldest son was 4. We've played baseball almost every season until this summer. We've played many years of fall and spring soccer. Being the sports mom on hot summer nights, cold fall days, and wet spring mornings is who I am. I feel it is one of the biggest parts of me being a mom. If I haven't always been the best mom to my kids, they've always known that I've always, ALWAYS tried to make their sporting events. I bet I can count on 2 hands how many I've missed. Some days I would run across town to see both of them play when they were both playing at the same time. On Saturday's I was a single sports mom whenever Don worked.

I realize that tomorrow may be it. It may be the last sporting event that Doug plays in as a child. Sports has been his rights of passage. Sports is who he is. Sports, and his love of them has helped him make decisions on his future. If I had to rename this boy, his name would be Espen. The name the letters ESPN sound out when said together.

As I tried to explain to him why I was crying and told him that I feel I'm losing a part of myself, and realize that tomorrow may be it, he said, "Mom take a lot of pictures." I guarantee I will do just that. The last tournament is one of those a that a mother dreams about. Both boys are at the same location. At the end, I want to make sure I get a picture of both of them together next to the net, with their arms around one another, like teammates and brothers should do with those volleyballs in their hands. I'd also love to see Brian set Doug some balls to capture the jump, the spike or kill, and the face that shows such gratification, dedication, and the love of the game on film.

If tomorrow happens to be the last day, I will always have these to help me remember.

Happy Valentines Day

Today was just a nice, normal kind of day. Although it was Valentine's Day, we don't really celebrate. I guess why should I show the ones I love more love today? I want them to know how special they are to me everyday. I don't need to give or receive cards to know that. It is a Hallmark holiday if you ask me; Hallmark and the florists!

The roads are finally about back to normal. Yesterday I think we got close to a foot of snow. It is really high in some places due to the blowing and drifting. Thankfully my commute was much more normal today. Yesterday it was double, 1 hour 30 minutes.

We are having time with the router. For some reason it won't connect with the laptops. I need to find out what is going on. I really don't want to have to buy a new one, but it is driving us all nuts. I think I'll try climbing under the desk and reconnecting everything before I chalk it up to the router. I wish I had some "techno geek" who could walk me through the whole thing. Not so much though.

Just wanted to make sure you all knew you are my valentines! Happy Valentines Day!

New Blogger here I come

Today I was forced to switch to the new blogger. I really hope this goes smoothly.
From the looks of things, it does look about the same. Now I need to get used to
the changes on the posting end.

What is this new section, lables for this post?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm I'll have to keep experimenting.

Anyone else feeling a bit sad? It's like you've lost part of who you are just by a simple switchover.

I love the trainer

I went to my personal trainer again yesterday. She pushes me to do things I hadn't done before. I know I'm flexible and pretty coordinated but yesterday I used the spin bike for just a short bit. The way I could put my foot into the footcage on the pedal and get on amazed her. Then I used a bosu ball. Ever heard of one of those, I hadn't!

I really think I could use it at home. I think that everyone in my family could use it. It strenghtens your core. I need a stronger core too!

I also used the big ball and when we did some stretches, she asked if I did yoga. I have never done yoga but aparently, I know some yoga move. She called it the cobra. Hmmmmmmmm yoga by osmossis!

Ok, next Friday I have another trainer session and I have to get at least 2 days of cardio exercise in too. If I get 3 I get 2 gold stars! Don gave me 4 trainer sessions for Christmas. I think it was the best gift! I definately am going to pay for more.

Something is finally clicking. I've prayed about this and it is working! I haven't had a can of soda since January 1!!

A Don update

I've got some updated news about Don and the health situation we encountered 3-4 weeks ago. Today we went to the neurologist and this one was totally upfront and proactive. I'm so glad we switched. This one actually wondered what I saw when it happened. Once I told him, he pointed to his own head and said...your siezure started here and it did this and that. Exactly right! Don's also been doing research and new a few things he said too. When we told him about his job, and other things, and our concerns he addressed them upfront, honestly, and with a bit of humor to lighten things up which was really helpful.

He said a lot of doctors say, let's wait and see if you have another one. Like you need to live in fear that you could have another one. This doctor said, let's eliminate the fear, put you on medicine, you shouldn't have another one, although you still could, and get you back to your normal life. I'm concerned about the length of time he feels Don will probably need to be on the anti-seizure medicine, but Don is a bit relieved. He said probably 5 years worth of daily meds. See I told you a lot. But since Don is going on the medicine, he'll be going back to work on Monday. Hmmmmmmmm...he goes back to work after 3ish weeks and I get a day off...alone!!!!! ;) I'm sure I'll be doing some homework, housework, but I'm also planning a bit of retail therapy!

I'm looking for a new pair of black casual shoes. I'm primarily looking to see if I can find a pair of Privo shoes by Clarks that I absolutely love. I got a gift card from my Oprah teacher friend and can't wait to go browse and see what I can find.

Ok, now that I've given you a bit of an update, I'm going to go. I've got a sweet tooth today. Yesterday too. I feel the need to just gobble up tons of junk food. I've been doing so good lately too, but I'm going to the Y tomorrow for another trainer session.

Hope you are well and you've got some decent weather. Ours stinks. Let's just say this...WIND CHILL's Suck! Don't move north if ya don't want the wind and cold. I'm so tired of hearing the "real feel" temperature is minus...blah blah blah. Give me a break, don't bring out the sun if it's not going to warm up the earth! I want some heat! Not that much though, 70's is great, 40's would even feel like a heat wave.

Ok, going now for sure. Until we meet again!

Want to grade papers?

I swear I must have about 200 papers to grade. I absolutely HATE grading papers. Since I was off for 5 days ending this past Monday, I am really behind. Want to help me grade??? For some reason, other people seem to think grading papers is fun. Do you remember when the teacher let you correct papers in class? Did you like it?

Updating you on Don. He's still off work. He'll be off again all this week too. We are going to a different neurologist for a second opinion. We need to get all those test results and then see if he gives us different results. Thursday is that lucky day. No more seizures since January 20th. He's starting to kick the sinus infection too, but still has a headache. He's had the headache since around January 15th. That is what is still puzzling and worrisome to me. He isn't supposed to drive for 3 months, although they don't know what caused it.

As you might have guessed....the medical bills have just started arriving. Can't wait to add up the total of all of this. Care to guess?? MRI with contrast, EEG, 2 neurologist visits, 3 doctor visits, a trip to the ER in the ambulance, and several perscriptions. Thankfully his boss is understanding and he's not been docked for any pay. Thankfully we have good insurance and a flexible spending account. And I'm most thankful that they are saying it's not a brain tumor, a stroke, or epilepsy.

I think he was stressing out about his job, and the promotion he was pushed into taking. The other day it totally dawned on me, he may have had the seizure because of the stress from the promotion, but if he hadn't taken the promotion we were told he'd have to be let go from the previous job due to the excessive driving involved. Isn't life strange?

Well it's bitterly cold here. I could make ice cubes in less than 5 minutes here. The temps have been dropping all day and we are supposed to be -10F and windchills
-20 to -35 below. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

We'll be watching the superbowl here tomorrow. GO BEARS!!

So I've managed to do a bit of scrapping instead of homework or grading those papers...shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh



All the elements on the page and the paint are by Christine Smith and are available at The Digichick.

Remember the Apple Bottom story?

Well some of my friends said, "We don't want to see the model in the jeans, we want to see your butt in those jeans." Well I took that as a dare and set the camera on timer and snapped a few pictures of my butt in those jeans!

Then I took it a little further. I had to create an All-About-Me page with the photos. Here is the finished product!



All the products are by Christine Smith full credits

Just a busy blogger

I've been busy lately and have not been worrying about my blog. I've also been avoiding it because I've really not wanted to post about things that have been happening. First of all, my birthday was getting close and I was dreading turning 40. Well I couldn't avoid it, it happened today. So Happy 40th birthday to me. I like to really think of it as the 11th anniversary of my 29th birthday.

I've also been busy with Don. Last Saturday we were with our small group of church friends and had just finished having dinner when Don had a seizure. Out of the blue, and never before has this happened. He went by ambulance to the ER and was released but we don't have any idea why it happened. This was not the end of our doctor visits. Tuesday we were at our doctor. Tuesday night we were back at the hospital at 9:30 for a MRI. Wednesday afternoon we were at the neurologist. Thursday we were back at the hospital for an EEG. Today I had to take off to recouperate, and on Monday we'll be back at the neurologist. We are hoping to get good news and that Don can drive again and go back to work. He's still feeling like he's got this virus that has started almost a week and a half ago, and that the sinus infection isn't gone yet, and the cough is still hanging on. Not to mention that he's still got the headache that won't go away from the very first day of the virus.

Ok, all that being said, I was scared to death seeing him go into a seizure. Everyone said that I maintained my composure in amazing fashion. It sure puts things into perspective though. Here I was worried about turning 40 and this happens to my husband. I don't care how old I will be as long as he's healthy. What worries me though is a couple things. One, will this happen again and two why doesn't it seem like, for a healthy 41 year old, that he's bouncing back to his normal self?

Today I did a scrapbook page. I really like this one a lot.



The credits are here

Ok, no blogging for me until after Don and I go back to work, my portfolio is finished and I get my book order organized and submitted.

Until then...adios

A bit of Mojo

I've had a spurt of mojo lately.

I made 7 simple thank you cards. I lost our address book in the move and altered a spiral journal. Yes, I really used paper, scissors, glue, ribbon, and stickers. It felt a bit unusual! I still have to cut and tie on all the ribbons onto the spiral. It was done though and cute. Now I can start filling it up with names, addresses & phone numbers.

Wouldn't ya just know as soon as I made a new one, the old one appeared. It was in the top of the closet on a shelf. I think it's a bit jealous of the new one so it appeared. It's been missing since February!

I've also been trying to scrap a bit. Digital is my way now. I really have the urge to ditch all the paper I have and sell it on ebay, but then I think I have so many old photos and half completed albums that I really should keep it and finish those albums.

But here is what I've done.



Credits



Credits

Oprah's Favorite Things

Now as you know, my big secret is out. For those of you who don't know me too well, I was selected to be on Oprah's Favorite Things show in 2004. It was the show for teachers. You had to go onto her website and write a little essay about why you are a teacher. I did, only one time no less. I found out others wrote in more than once, twice, or even three times. I got a phone call at school that I had to return and I was invited to be on Oprah. I got to take one teaching friend with me. We went early that Saturday morning and stood outside for about an hour. It was the Saturday before Thanksgiving. It was very unusual because she never tapes on Saturday and the past two days worth of previews were talking about Monday's show being the OFT show. Then they said OFT's with a twist. I kept telling my friend, what if it's the show. Then it started out all normal, except they fed us a snack in the waiting room. Hmmmmmmm was that a clue? Did they know we were going to be there a longggggggggg time? Next Oprah started it out all normal then broke into today's Oprah's Favorite Things and elves came out, trees started coming down from the ceilings, and soapy, snow bubbles started falling. The place started changing into Christmas, and then the fun started. The yelling and screaming freenzy began. It was unbelievable, and the screaming was not fake. It was something you never, in any way, shape or form, ever believe you'd experience.

Anyway, I know I'm going to get those questions "What did you get?" and as time goes on, I inevitably forget something. Often it's something big. I've decided to post the link to the Oprah show for that day. This is exactly what I received. I also get the question were you on tv, yes a couple of times, and sometimes it was just my boobs!

Now I always get this question too, how do you get the stuff home?? Well when you see the elves pass out the stuff, that stuff you get one of, you keep a pile of stuff, as best you can, down at your feet. It gets crowded. Then after the show, they come out and explain a lot of things. Then we got a file with gift certificates and forms to fill out and complete. They had due dates and also let us know that some things, like the tea pot would not ship out until after March. That is where I thought I had returned my card too late for my Apple Bottom jeans. I was holding off because they didn't offer my size. Then I wrote a note saying if you have a larger size, could I have that. I guess I thought too-bad-too-sad, you get what we offer, or my card arrived too late. I was waiting to see if I'd lose weight. HAHAHAHAHAA. So that's it, that is my story in a nutshell. I guess it's my 15 minutes of fame and my brush with celebrity. And for that one additional question... what was your favorite gift? I'd have to say I have 2. One was the trip I took to Mirival with my husband. It was beautiful, relaxing, and unforgetable; we want to go back. My other favorite I'm using right now, my laptop. I think other than being on vacation, I've used it everyday since receiving it. I've used it so much that there are dips in all the home row keys, the a, s, n, e letters are almost worn off and there is part of the space bar kind of dug out from where my fingernail hits it for each and every space.

The Oprah Gratitude Gift

How in the heck do you thank Oprah for giving you thousands and thousands of dollars in gifts? Well I know it was all donated from the other companies, but I was on her show. It was her staff members who found my little blurb about why I teach worthy of an invitation. It took me a while to figure out how to get something there. I worked with a teacher whose daughter had a good friend who helped pick out Oprah's clothes. What a fun job that would be! There was my in, I'd send it directly to her attention, not to Oprah's. I put a note inside explaining the circumstances and mailed it off.

I thought that when my neighbor called saying there was a package and it said Oprah on it, it was for sure going to be what I made being sent back. Don't ask me why, this is the way I frequently think. I'm sure it has to do with often times not feeling like I'm good enough. That's a blog for another day.

Well here is what I made for her. It is a little accordian folder. It has a lot to do with gratitude, blessings, hope, and inspiration; all things that Oprah stands for. Inside each accordian pocket, there is a tag. Each tag has an inspirational quote or saying about being blessed, or help. In the last one, is a hand written, heart-felt thank you for her appreciation of teachers and my appreciation of all the gifts she bestowed upon me.

It was a hugely emotional thing getting that stuff and it was God's way of telling me that I'd finally figured it out. I was always meant to be a teacher and for me to unselfishly be willing to go into a district where poverty is the norm and English is not. I felt I was being rewareded for my love of my job and for doing so much for those who don't have enough.

I was a little upset when people on 2 peas started trashing what Oprah does and how the women and men in the audience go a little too ga-ga and it's all pretend. Like the people there are people who don't need the stuff anyway. Well I quickly managed to put that behind me because that isn't what it was about. It was over 2 years ago now. My teaching friend and I still give each other a little happy anniversary of the day we went to Ophah talk. I wish I would have been able to buy a copy of that episode. It is fun to look back and remember.

A Surprise Package

We continually get a call from an old neighbor saying I've got your mail. See the old mailman is not forwarding our mail, even though we do have a forwarding order in place. Thankfully the person who bought our house is kind enough to bring the mail next door. Today's call was just a slight bit different. This call said, Hi Laura, it's Robin. I have mail for you. But today there is a package. My son ran over there and picked it up. He met my husband and I got a call that the package said "Oprah Request."

I figured that it was something being returned to me that I made for Oprah. I figured they finally got around to open it and they didn't want it. But another clue on the box said "picked fresh."

The mystery deepens! So I tore open the box. There was a letter from Apple Bottom apologizing for taking so long to get my jeans. The jeans I was given when I was on Oprah's Favorite Things in 2004. I just today received my Apple Bottom jeans and for the problem of getting them to me they sent a free shirt too! I'd given up all hope. Heck it's been over 2 years. What a nice surprise!

They fit like a glove too. They feel custom made, although I know they aren't. I even got a compliment from my husband. He said, "Those jeans make your but look good!" Wow two nice surprises in one day. My kids said, "Mom you're supporting a rapper." So they are cool today!

So here they are...my Apple Bottom jeans.



Here is the shirt I got for my inconvenience. Mine is white, not brown.


I also got a ton of Christmas cards. Shellie I got your card today, thanks!

Also, here is the folder that I made for Oprah as a way to show my gratitude and appreciation for everything I received.

Blogger is being a poop and it won't let me add those photos.