Seriously?

Seriously? I love saying that word... seriously? I think if I ever had another dog I would name him/her Seriously. Not that I want to get another dog anytime soon. Since December 27th, when the six puppies were born, I now am back to my original four. All of the puppies have gone to good homes and I would like to thank everyone who has taken one or two. What would I do without you? I am at peace knowing that they all have found good families and will be able to fulfill their purpose of loving their owner. Goodbye, Gizmo, Tuck, Charli, Dexter, Lucy and Skippy. You will forever be remembered....

Seriously?

On to scrapbooking. I am kind of not on speaking terms with my sister until she apologizes, which I hope she does because I do miss talking to her... I made her a birthday card yesterday...

Unfortunately her birthday was yesterday and the card is buried somewhere under piles of stuff in my scrapbook room. Oh...look there is that word seriously again...

Kim and Brent made it back to California safe and sound with all of their 5 dogs. I miss her being here but I know that she should be with her husband. We had fun when Brent was here. We went to Cow Day at Chick-Fil-A. If you dressed up like a cow you would get a free meal. I used my Cricut and made three cows...two with the Create A Critter cartridge and one with the Old West cartridge. I taped paint stirrer sticks on the back of them to make them look like masquerade masks... and amazingly, we all three got a free meal. Cheapest dinner I have had eating out in a long while. I love Chick Fil A too!

I made scrapbook pages with the cows I made. Seriously? Yup

I had the traditional black and white cow



Kim wanted the brown and purple cow




Brent got a manly cow - the longhorn steer

Anything in this economy to save a buck. It pays to be creative.... builds memories

Seriously?

You betcha



Summer Heat

Lying on my bed

     Air circulating from the air-conditioner

          And two fans

              Yet, I'm still hot

                    and sweaty...

                       and SLEEPY

     I have the coolest room in the house

         And it's all worth it

               Cuz of the dog

                    At my feet....

Unconditional

After arriving home from a late night of scrapbooking at Archivers, I was standing in the kitchen with Kim and Peggy Sue and surrounded by a sea of dogs. I remember stepping back and hearing one of the dogs yelp! I didn't know which one it was and I didn't think nothing of it since they are always getting underfoot. It's hard not to when you are one of eleven dogs... (Kims four, my four and three puppies).

The next day (Saturday), Kim and I noticed that Hallee was limping and not using her right front leg at all. Kim tried to check the leg but Hallee was in a lot of pain and let Kim know it. I tried to look at it but she wouldn't let me touch it. We took her to the Banfield Emergency Vet and they x-rayed her leg and found out that she had two broken toes... Poor thing. They had to muzzle her and give her pain medications that made her drool like a St. Bernard because it was making her nauseous, put a splint on her leg clear up past her elbow and made us tie an IV bag around her leg every time she has to go outside so the bandages don't get dirty. And on top of all that they made her wear the Cone of Shame! (See the movie UP).

I feel so humbled... I stepped on her paw and broke her toes, putting her through some excruciating pain and multiple vet visits. Yet through it all... she still loves me...unconditionally.  Why? Because that is her purpose... to love her people no matter what...

Dog spelled backwards is God...

Kind of makes you want to stop, bow the head and bend the knee to thank God for His unconditional love...

I am so sorry Halle Bug

21 Years...

I love making cards and working with paper... I love choosing the right colors, a layout, what embellishments to use, what technique to use to make the card, and what purpose the card will have when I am done with it.

Wow! That's how God is with us. He creates us in His image. He chooses the right color, the perfect layout of our lives, the embellishments that makes us unique. He also knows the purpose that each of us has.

One of the best thing about making a handmade card is that the creator can personalize the card however he/she chooses.

My youngest turns 21 in a few days. (Sooooo hard to beleive). I don't tell him often enough but I am so gosh darn proud of that man. I didn't know, back when I was 24, why I got pregnant 8 months after having my second child... but now I know. God gave me the best "card" ever in the birth of my third son. I wish he were here and not half a world away right now so I could give him a big huge hug.

In my scrapbook room the other day... I was able to get three cards done. The first one was for my son. The second I will probably send to my mother-in-law and the third one is my hubby's Father Day card. What an amazing man he is... he has and always will be a great Father to his kids.

I love the military moose. I tried to make it look like the moose was stepping over the threshold of turning 21... into the life of being a full-fledged adult.

I am sending this one to my mother-in-law. I don't write her as often as I should. I used my Stampin Up owl stamp and punch for this card. I made a boo-boo with the pearl ink for the dot of the i... but I fixed it. Isn't it great that God doesn't make mistakes?

Last but not least... I made an L-shaped card from my Card Makers Kit from Annies Attic. These are acutally quite fun.

Well...thats all. If you like any of these cards let me know and I can make a kit for you. Have fun making cards...

Homeschool Reflections: On Patience

            Before I started homeschooling, back when the kids were little, when the oldest was going to public school and my middle child was attending special needs preschool, I would’ve laughed at anyone who told me that in just a few years I would be homeschooling all three kids. I would’ve laughed even harder if they had told me that I would continue homeschooling until the youngest graduated from high school. Me? Homeschool? Riiiigggght….. I have no patience.

            Today, I hear from mothers who have professed an interest or desire in home educating their own children but end with the same reason I did. I have no patience. Well, this blog is to help debunk that excuse. Patience doesn’t happen overnight. Just as a child goes through stages of development so too patience develops as we go through life’s stages. As parents of young infants we walked the floor with them when they could not stop crying, we changed diapers over and over again, we waited until they were done eating. At times…we might have felt frustrated but we were patient because the situation at the time called for it. We were probably not even aware that we were being patient.

Patiently, we have helped potty train our children, taught them to recite their ABC’s, learn to spell their names and tie their shoes. We have waited (and waited) at myriads of doctor appointments to get our child a round of antibiotics or to get their next immunization. We have nursed skinned knees and have waited through many tantrums. We have waited in traffic, helped our children with homework and have sat through many teacher/conferences, PTA meetings, and school programs. Everyone, who reads this, can add to this list according to their situations. Clearly, the key is that patience is always at work. Patience is a character trait that requires everyone to exercise it.

Homeschooling is not sitting around the kitchen table or establishing a “school” room in your house and becoming a rigid task master. Homeschooling is a way of life and a very viable form of education and Mom or Dad, if you feel like you should homeschool do not be deterred by thinking that you have no patience because you are already practicing it and it takes practice to become “perfected”

 

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope… Romans 5:2-4

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Hebrews 12:1-3

Creativity Strikes Again!

Ah... a lazy day today but the creativity was flowing in my scrapbook room. I love having a creative day... even though nothing productive was done such as the never ending, multiplying pile of laundry and the sink full of dishes... I did get a couple of cards made.

This first card was a card I had started many months ago and today I finished it by adding the circles, butterflies and the I Like You sentiment.

This card was made with my new Stampin Up Open Seas set. I was inspired by my Dad and his love for sailboats.

So... want to make a card? Let me know and I can have a workshop for you and show you how...

Mountain Climbing and Valley Victory

       What possessed me to drive over Wolf Creek Pass (near Pagosa Springs, CO) towards the end of November to get to California, I will never know. The weather was beautiful in the valley. The sun was shining and the last time I had gone through Wolf Creek Pass was during the summer and it was beautiful. (If I could I would retire to Pagosa Springs). By the time we got to Wolf Creek Pass, the sun was still shining, the little rental car was driving great, but the mountain pass was snow packed, icy and very slippery. I slowed my speed and made it up the mountain. The problem came on the downgrade. I started going way too fast!!! And "gasp" there was a slow car in front of me and a steep drop off on the left hand side of the road. I started to brake and felt the car slipping. I knew (somehow) that if I tried to pass to the left of the slower vehicle, I would probably go off the "deep end" (Not that I already wasn't). I also somehow knew that I needed to SLOW DOWN. I prayed a quick prayer and knocked the gears down to a lower gear, steered the car to the right, went off the road a little and hit the mountain wall. Slowed me down enough that I finally made it to the valley. Never was I more grateful to see the valley.

Victory comes not just from making it to the top of a mountain. Victory comes from making it back down to the valley. The climb up the mountain took a lot of energy, but the victory hasn't been won yet. Take your time going down the mountain, don't speed, downshift as necessary and enjoy the scenery. The valley is waiting just ahead, the sun will be shining, visibility has returned...see the fruits of your labor. Victory at last!