Scrapbook Lagniappe

April Fools.....NOT! Twelve years later. My New Normal

2007-04-01T14:38:00.000-05:00

Today is our 12th anniversary. Twelve years ago at 4am, my life changed. I was in a horrible car wreck involving a drunk driver. My close friend Jan's husband was driving and Bill and I were with him. Jan was working so she was not with us. Our wreck occurred around 4am on April Fool's Day 1995. She got a phone call from her Daddy saying her husband, her cousin (my hubby and my friend are 1st cousins), and her best friend were all in a wreck. The state police had contacted her Daddy and had him call Jan at work. They thought it would be better if it came from her Daddy. She was an LPN working the night shift and she was an hour away!! So for an hour, she had no idea what she would find once she got there.

What I remember most was pain...extreme pain! Coming in and out of consciousness for a few days. My foot was amputated except for very small area on the inside left of my right foot. The bone was broken completely through and it was a horrible open fracture. Very shortly after arriving at the hospital, I had already had tons of x-rays and many Drs. in on the consulting, and I was about to be taken into surgery.

I can remember a nurse asking me if I wanted a general anesthesia or a local, because they were going to take me into surgery to try and re-attach it. They assumed I would lose my foot, but weren't going to give up without a try. I was so out of it, I couldn't think straight. To this day, I am amazed that they were even asking me such a question. They should have put me completely out...no questions asked! Why would anyone want only a local for what they were about to do? It was going to require screws and a lot of cleaning. All I could do was look at the nurse and finally I asked if Jan was there. That was it! I knew she could help me answer that question even if I couldn't. So she and her mom came back to the room where they were prepping me for surgery. She came in the room, leaned over and hugged me, and burst into tears....telling me that I had scared her to death and that she had to drive over an hour from home to the hospital just to find out if were were alive and ok. She said I can't even believe you are considering doing it with a local!

The Dr told me that I would have to have skin graphs IF my foot even survived. However one of the many miracles that occurred was that the skin did not have to be grafted. It survived on it's own!! I have had several surgeries on my foot and they final one being a fusion which means I have a rod in my right ankle and walk with a limp sometimes....mostly when I'm tired at the end of the day. They used bone from my hip to graft around the rod. I was in the hospital for 11 LONG days before being released.

I'm so happy that Bill escaped with only minor bruising. When we would go places, I would ALWAYS ride shotgun (front passenger) and Bill would ride in the second row. However this night I can clearly remember talking to him in the parking garage asking if he would mind changing seats with me. To this day he feels somewhat guilty about that. I told him it worked out the way it was suppose to. God had things worked out before we were even born so who are we to talk about what ifs.

Everything in my life seems to be described as before the wreck or after the wreck, but it changed me.....that's for sure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And if you've made it this far, here's the journaling on the above LOs (both are in my gallery):

My life as I knew it changed forever on April 1st, 1995. It was April Fool’s Day and it’s the day my world collided with a drunk driver and came to a screeching halt. Eric, Bill, and I had been to Harrah’s in Vicksburg the night before and we were on our way home. It was only an hour and half drive, but we never made it home that night.

My ankle was essentially amputated and had to be reattached. The driver had parked his car in the right hand lane of the interstate to urinate. He thought he had pulled completely over. What followed was eleven days in the hospital, two surgeries, at least five months of rehab, another five day hospital stay, another surgery, two years in a walking cast, and two years of constant pain. Yet my life has been blessed immensely.

I’ve forgiven Cody….the name of the driver. What good would it have done for me to hold such hate towards him? I came home from the hospital 11 days after the accident. On April 18, the Oklahoma City bombing took place. Since I couldn’t walk around on my own, the only thing I could do was lay there and watch TV. That was all that was being covered. A day or so after the explosion, they found a young mother trapped under the rubble. Her leg was caught and the only way to free her was to amputate her leg without anesthesia. It was her right leg…the same as my injury.

When she was rescued, she was happy! She didn’t dwell on the fact that she no longer had both legs. While I had begged the Dr to just remove my foot because of the extreme pain, she had hers removed to save her life. It was a turning point for me! I’ve learned to accept my limitations. I can no longer walk long distances without pain. I can’t dance or run. No longer is an all-day shopping trip to mall something that I can do and enjoy. I can no longer skate. I will never learn to ski. I will never hike the trails in Mexico or Hawaii. Sure I feel sorry for myself every so often, but I quickly get over that.

But what I choose to focus on is what I CAN do. I can still live my life to the fullest….glorifying God and proclaiming the miracles that occurred. Now it’s my testimony of what God can do in your life and how he answers prayers. Maybe not in the way you thought, but He does answer prayer. You see, a few months before the accident we were told that the only way we would ever be able to have children was through IVF. We didn’t have the money for this! So, I prayed. I prayed that God would open doors for me if this was His will. I received very little money from the insurance companies for my life-long injuries. But you know how much was left over after all the medical bills had been paid off? Just enough to cover one round of IVF!! And that’s all it took.

So, you see, blessings come when you least expect. And God is still in the business of answering prayers.

Tickled Pink DT Kit

2007-03-23T23:34:00.001-05:00

I was the guest Designer for Tickled Pink Kits this month and created both of these LOs using products contained in the kit. It featured patterned paper and chipboard letters by Bisous.

Daddy's Arms

2007-03-06T22:58:00.000-06:00

"Ain't nuttin' better!"

Created for Scrapvivor Week 8 on Scrapbook Chalet.

Products:
Patterned Paper ~ Fancy Pants and Dream Street Papers
Ribbon ~ Savvy n Sassy and Fancy Pants
Ink ~ Tim Holtz Distress Ink
Flower ~ Hobby Lobby
Chipboard ~ Everylasting Keepsakes and Magistical Memories
Rubons ~ Making Memories
Pen ~ Sakura

Color Us Happy!

2007-03-01T02:21:00.000-06:00

Made with Just Let Me Scrapbook Design Team Kit.

Products:
Patterned Paper: 7 Gypsies***
Cardstock: DCWV***
Ribbon: SEI & DCWV
Rubons: Heidi Grace & Scrapworks
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Faded Jeans & Vintage Photo***
Chipboard: Scenic Route, ChipChatter & Everlasting Keepsakes
Paint: Apple Barrell
Transparency: Autumn Leaves Rhonna Farrer***
Pen: Sakura

You are Mine!

2007-02-24T17:01:00.000-06:00

Created for Crop-Azing Race on Timeless Inspirations. We were to create a LO using a creating way to journaling on the photo itself.

The journaling was a joint effort from all three members of my family. I found this cute photo of my daughter, Carley standing beside a tree. Bill (my hubby, her Daddy) wrote the journaling and I then wrote the journaling in my handwriting on a transparency. I got Carley to draw the heart and write her initials and the "?" to resemble a carving on the tree. I then scanned in the writing...used the magic wand...inverted it...copied it...and pasted on the tree using Photoshop. Took way longer than I had thought it would. LOL Doesn't it always? Every other heart is pop-dotted for dimension.

Journaling: It is hard to believe how fast you are growing into a beautiful young lady. It wasn't so long ago that you thought boys were gross. Before you know it, they'll be stealing your heart away. But until then... You are Mine!

Dance with me Please?

2007-02-23T15:22:00.000-06:00

This series of photos are of my daughter and nephew at a family wedding in December 2005. My daughter, Carley wanted to dance so badly! But Chance would not even think of dancing with a girl...even though it was just his cousin. She finally coaxed him into dancing with him and I was able to get these cute photos!

Be Yourself

2007-02-22T00:25:00.000-06:00

Created with Design Team Ribbon Kit from Savvy n Sassy.

Journaling: This is my baby! She can be all prissy one minute and tromping around in Grandaddy's clothes and boots the next. Fall 2006.

Products
Patterned Paper: Paper Loft - Well Worn
Rubon: Daisy D's
Heidi Swapp Ghost Clocks
Heidi Swapp Journaling Spots
Cardstock tag: Daisy D's
Ink: Tim Holtz Frayed Burlap

Hugs & Kisses

2007-02-20T21:55:00.000-06:00

Carley's little kisses are so sweet! A big squeeze hug, you just can't beat! Daddy & Carley February 14, 2006.

Created for Scrapbook Chalet's Scrapvivor

Products:
Patterned Papers: Dream Street Papers
Ribbon: Savvy n Sassy & Fancy Pants
Paint: Apple Barrel
Flowers: American Crafts Felt
Stamps: Technique Tuesdays Love Notes & Autumn Leaves Clear Journaling
Chipboard: Bazzill Basics & Heidi Swapp
Transparency: Creative Imaginations
Ink: Tim Holtz Frayed Burlap
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Scalloped

Family Circle

2007-02-14T00:23:00.000-06:00

I've used this photo before, but just love it.

Nicole, Cody, Tyler, Carley & Olivia Kate. December 2006

It was created for

Scrapbook Chalet's Scrapvivor.

Patterned Paper: MME Magnolia
Ink: StayzOn & Tim Holz Distress
Acrylic Stamps: Art Warehouse
Ribbon: Making Memories
Stamps: Making Memories & Heidi Swapp
Flowers: Fancy Pants
RubOn: Autumn Leaves Foof a Lah

Carley

2007-02-12T20:39:00.000-06:00

Created this one for Immunity on Scrapbook Chalet.

And...I won! Woo Hoo! Photo was taken of Carley Summer 2006.

Cardstock: DCWV
Patterned Paper: BasicGrey Blush
Ribbon: Fancy Pants
Ink: StayzOn & Brilliance
Button: Fancy Pants
Chipboard: Rusty Pickle
Stamps: Autumn Leaves Rhonna Farrer
Flower: unknown

Carley's Altered Friend Journal

2007-02-04T02:37:00.000-06:00

I made a journal for my daughter's friends to sign. They love doing this and she is always wanting to buy a new one to fill out again. This was created for the Crop-Azing Race on Timeless Inspirations.

Patterned Paper: MME Magnolia; Chipboard (letter C & flowers): Rusty Pickle & Pressed Petals; SlideMount: Unknown Ribbon: Savvy n Sassy & Fancy Pants; Transparency (friends & crown): Scanned in Rhonna Farrer and printed it black; Ink: Tim Holtz Fire Brick Red & Frayed Burlap, StayzOn Timber Brown; Sandpaper - edges are sanded; Journal: Rusty Pickle; Stamps: Autumn Leaves Rhonna Farrer Flourishes/Swirls & Close to my Heart

Mad Money

2007-02-04T02:22:00.000-06:00

This was created for the Crop-Azing Race on Timeless Inspirations. We had to create a project using real money, so I altered an oatmeal box.

I made a Mad Money bank for my daughter. Mad Money was what my Mamaw always called extra change. Carley has been wanting a bank to start saving money for vacation so this was perfect! I chose colors that would match her room. On the ribbon that is coming out of the flower at the top, I added coins for decoration.

Patterned Paper: The Paper Studio; Ribbon: Savvy n Sassy, Michaels, Lily Cricket's Cream & Sugar; Bracelet/beads: Michael's; Flower: Hobby Lobby

Want $10 in FREE scrapbook supplies?

2007-02-04T02:05:00.000-06:00

Here's a copy of the email that I received from MaryBeth...the owner of Just Let Me Scrapbook. She has an awesome deal going on right now. In a nutshell, if you are new customer, you can get $10 in FREE scrapbook supplies. AND if you mention me in the comments section, I'll get $10 free too!

Here's how it works...
Send me a link where you posted something you like about our store on your favorite message board (please, don't break any rules from the host!)... You can tell about hard-to-find products, our dt gallery, service, sale pages, selection ...or whatever else! ...and I'll issue you a coupon for 30% off your next purchase!

Send a new customer, and I'll issue you and the customer a $10 gift certificate!

This offer is good through Tuesday, February 6.

Have fun! ..and get creative!
Mary Beth
http://www.justletmescrapbook.com

Inspiration Friday

2007-02-03T00:07:00.000-06:00

My new scrappy friend, Shanna recently chose one of my LOs One of a Kind to scraplift for her Inspiration Fridays. I love her take on my LO. Anyway, I just wanted to share!

my first pointe shoes

2007-01-27T04:25:00.000-06:00

This photo was taken during our shopping trip for Carley's first pair of pointe shoes.

Products used:
Cardstock - DCWV Old World Stack; Patterned Paper - MME; Ribbon - Savvy n Sassy; Buttons - Autumn Leaves Foof-a-La and Jill World of Buttons; Chipboard - Everlasting Keepsakes, Fancy Pants and Maya Roads; Acrylic Clock - Heidi Swapp; Flower - unknown; Pen - Sakura; Inki - Tim Holtz Distress Ink Brushed Corduroy and StayzOn Black

Am I really ready for this?

2007-01-25T02:35:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is a big day in the life of a dancer...my dancer, Carley. My daughter will finally get her pointe shoes. She doesn't know it yet. Oh, she knows her dance instructor said she was ready and that she could go ahead and get them. This was a complete shock to me as I'm sure it was for her. We had resigned ourselves to the fact that she would get them sometime this summer at best and more realistically next fall. I will surprise her when I pick her up after school and we'll drive about 45 minutes to the dance supply shop with the biggest selection. It's been something she has worked towards since she was only 3 years old. This is her 8th year of dance! But I'm not sure I am ready for this step....and better yet, is Carley ready? Is she physically mature enough to cross this big bridge and take such a huge leap? We'll know soon enough. And of course...Mama will be there taking pics and embarrassing her. After all, isn't that my job?

One of a Kind

2007-01-25T00:43:00.000-06:00

Created for Timeless Inspirations Crop-azing Race Contest
Photo is of Carley with her Easter basket in April 2006.

Cardstock - Bazzill; Ribbon: Savvy n Sassy; Chipboard - Fancy Pants & Urban Lilly; Transparency - MME Bohemia; Rubon - Narratives

Amazing Grace

2007-01-25T00:37:00.000-06:00

Carley and Katie have danced together since they were toddlers. And by the way, Carley wanted everyone to know that she is about the same height as Katie. :wink:

Journaling: As I watch the two of you during dance observation yet again, I am overwhelmed with emotion at how much you both have grown with dancing and your friendship. Recently I have noticed how polite the two of you talk to one another and how you show genuine concern at making sure the other’s feelings aren’t hurt…true compassion for the other one. Over the past 7 years of dance y’all have developed amazing grace far beyond what I ever imagined and a true beauty far beyond your physical beauty. I am so proud of you both. Missy Crain Dance, December 2006.

Cardstock - DCWV; PP - MME, Ribbon - Savvy n Sassy; Chipboard - Scenic Route; Rubons - Daisy D's, Art Warehouse & Paper Studio; Stamps - Autumn Leaves; Ink - Tim Holtz Distress Black Soot

all american family

2007-01-22T12:47:00.000-06:00

squire creek july 4, 2006

Cardstock: DCWV
Patterned paper: Chatterbox Rec Room, EK Success Day at the Beach
Eyelets: Bazzill
Pen: Sakura
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Vintage Photo

out with the OLD....

2007-01-22T00:07:00.000-06:00

year, in with the NEW

The top photo was taken right before midnight on December 31, 2006 and the larger one in the middle was taken a few minutes later on January 1, 2007.

Products from Just Let Me Scrapbook DT Kit; Cardstock: Bazzill patterned paper: Piggy Tails - Little Red Riding Hood; Rub Ons: Making Memories, Creating Keepsakes, Paper Studio; Chipboard Alphas: Lil' Davis; Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Black Soot; Pen: Sakura

Family Is All That Matters

2007-01-17T16:11:00.000-06:00

Family is all that matters. Shreveport December 2006

LO created for Scrapvivor on Scrapbook Chalet

Created with Design Team Kit from Just Let Me Scrapbook
Cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: Autumn Leaves - Foof a La - Red, Black and Cream; Rubon - Autumn Leaves - Foof a La - Red, Black and Cream Journaling Panels; Buttons: Autumn Leaves - Foof a La - Red, Black and Cream; Stamps: Autumn Leaves Rhonna Farrar Flourishes & Swirls; Ink: StayzOn - Black; Flower: Hobby Lobby

Friend card made with Design Team Kit from Just Let Me Scrapbook and Design Team Ribbon Kit from Savvy n Sassy

Life just keeps getting better!

2007-01-17T15:26:00.000-06:00

I was asked today to be a future Guest Designer on Serendipity Scrapbooks.

AND this...

I was chosen for honorable mention on the Eye Candy Kits Design Team Search. There were over 400 applicants for that one and only 5 were chosen for the DT with a little over 20 chosen for Honorable Mention. While I would have loved to have been on the Design Team for both of these sites, I am excited to have been given these honors.

I Love Louisiana!!

2007-01-15T23:47:00.000-06:00

We had a crawfish boil before the big SAINTS game this past Saturday. Crawfish boils are a tradition for us especially for the Super Bowl, so we thought we should have one for the Saints playoff game. There's nothing better than living in Louisiana. No where can you find such awesome food as you can here in the deep south. The food everywhere else seems bland in comparison. And what could be better than a crawfish boil and watching the Saints win! Still can't believe that! Unless you're from around here, you probably aren't familiar with crawfish. So, I took a few shots of the guys boiling them and then the all of us eating them.

The first one shows Olivia Kate eating her first crawfish. We didn't boil them last year because the crawfish harvest was so low due to the hurricane. You only eat the tail meat. If you'll look close in Jan's hand you'll see just the tail meat she's handing to Olivia.

In the beginning, Olivia Kate (the three year old) screamed every time a crawfish dead or alive got near her.

Here are some of the kid's having fun...in other words... playing with their food!! LOL

After you pull the tail meat out then you suck the head.

Here's one of Jan with Oliva. And also one of the finished product! YUMMY!!

I wonder who looked at these wierd things and thought, HEY! I bet those taste good! LOL

TAGGED!

2007-01-15T14:35:00.000-06:00

I've been tagged by Charley and Erica

A - Available/Single? Married - January 1990

B - Best Friend? Bill, my hubby. Best girlfriend? Jan, Jenn, Charley - all three are special for different reasons, but I have a lot of special friends that I've known for years!

C - Cake or Pie? Depends on my mood!

D - Drink Of Choice? Sam's Diet Coke

E - Essential Item You Use Everyday? My computer!!

F - Favorite Color? greens

G - Gummy Bears Or Worms? Worms...as long as they are sour.

H - Home or Homesick? Home

I - Indulgence? pedicures

J - January Or February? February...closer to summer

K - Kids & Their Names? Carley - 10 years old
OR (depends on which tag list)
K. kill 'em with kindness or just kill 'em? Kill 'em with kindness if I am really wanting to get to 'em....otherwise...just kill 'em. LOL

L - Life Is Incomplete Without? My family of course!

M - M&M's or Skittles? - M&M's...chocolate all the way!

N - Number Of Siblings? ZERO

O - Oranges Or Apples? Oranges

P - Phobias/Fears? Loss of a family member or public speaking (isn't almost everyone?)

Q - Favorite Quote: This one comes to mind....
“To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world.”

R-Real Hair Color? Brown

S - Season? Summer..love it because there are no schedules!

T - Tag 3 or 4 people? Felicia, MichelleK, DebbieF
A lot of my other friends have already been tagged or I would have gotten them too!

U - Unknown Fact About Me? Married the only guy I've ever kissed! I did it right the first time.

V - Vegetable you don’t like? asparagus

W - Worst Habit? I spend too much time on scrapbook message boards.

X - X-rays You’ve Had? Oh man! Where do I begin? weekly xrays of my ankle for 6 months, head (for migraines), kidney stone, teeth of course, probably more.

Y - Your Favorite Food? Crawfish or Italian foods (pasta)

Z - Zodiac Sign? Cancer

Oh so yummy!

2007-01-11T08:34:00.000-06:00

Here's the newest ribbon kit from Savvy n Sassy. If you haven't checked them out yet, you really should jump over there and see what they are putting together every month. Savvy n Sassy Store By the way, if you are wondering about paying them in Canadian funds, Paypal automatically calculates it for you and it's actually a little cheaper in US funds that what is posted. It took a little over a week for my last order to get to me.

In His Time

2006-12-28T15:48:00.000-06:00

This is the journaling paraphrased:
I believe I am more content now at this point in my life than I have ever been. Now don't get me wrong. I still have things that I worry about, but for the most part life couldn't be better! God has surrounded me with awesome family and friends.

The family part came easy for me. Bill and I met in elementary school and started dating in high school. He is the best husband around. There's nothing he wouldn't do for me. He is truly my best friend. I know a lot of people go through their entire life and never have the special close bond that I share with my husband. He knows everything about me and still loves me unconditionally.

The friend area was a long time coming. I have always had good friends throughout my childhood and college life but for some reason in the town that I have lived most of my adult life, those deep meaningful friends seemed to alude me. I still maintained close relationships with friends in my hometown, but I still needed friends that I could count on no matter the circumstances that live closer....a friend to laugh with, a shoulder to cry on, a sounding board for me to pour my heart out or someone that I could spend time with and not do or say anything. I LOVE comfortable silence. You know you've truly reached a milestone in a relationship when you can sit together and not say a thing, yet be completely at ease. That's what I have now.

During the years that I have lived in this town, I have spent countless hours asking God to give me a group of Christian friends with whom I could be myself. I wanted to pull up stakes and move several times because I would get discouraged and a lot of it would be that I had made inappropriate choices for friends because I would start to get desperate and not wait for God's timing. During the last couple of years, God has opened my eyes to wonderful women that were sitting right there in front of me yet I couldn't see them for the tears in my eyes because I thought that God had forgotten about me. Lucky for me these are women in my own church with whom I share a bond that I hope will only grow stronger.

Thank you God for giving me such a beautiful family and awesome friends.

It IS a stone!

2006-12-23T10:25:00.000-06:00

Well Bill does have a stone! Uggh. He saw the urologist on Friday and they did the IV piggy back thing where they inject dye into his kidneys and then take x-rays. He has one in the upper left kidney, but it's not low enough for the Dr. to get via surgery just yet. He gave Bill two options. Have a stint put in on Friday or go home with pain meds and tough it out until it drops low enough to get it out. Bill has had three stints put in a few years ago and the pain of one of those is as bad as the stone itself. So, he came home yesterday with the meds. It's not working out too well though. We were up until 4 am last night because he was hurting so bad, yet he won't let me take him to the ER. I still have an entire list of things that I need to get for Christmas. Still not entirely sure what I am going to do. I've already tried the local stores, so I really need to go to Monroe (30 minutes from here) to finish up. One thing I know for sure. Christmas will come whether I have those things bought or not.

Uh-oh!

2006-12-21T10:39:00.000-06:00

My day is all planned out. Hair highlights and a cut at 12:30 and then Christmas shopping around 3 when Donna is finished with my hair. She's the one in the front row of the photo below...the one with that gorgeous long blonde hair that is NATURALLY that curly! While I was gone to the movie last night with my scrappy friends, Bill started having pain from a kidney stone. He hasn't had one of these in several years...not since he missed an entire MONTH of work right before we went to Cancun a few years back. He was in extreme pain last night. Had it been me, we would have gone straight to the ER. The pain lasted several hours along with the nausea. He finally fell asleep around 3am. If the pain comes back and we end up in the hospital....there is going to be trouble! Eeek! We have very little presents bought and we are planning to do the bulk of it tonight. I pray that the stone doesn't give him anymore problems until after the new year.

Lagniappe Ladies

2006-12-21T01:40:00.000-06:00

The group of girls that I scrapbook with (some for many years) had an evening out...we had dinner at Tia Maria's, exchanged scrappy gifts, coffee at the Frothy Monkey, and then we went to the movie The Holiday. It was a perfect chick flick!! Here's a pic of us at the Frothy Monkey.

Guess what?!!

2006-12-20T13:06:00.000-06:00

I am now a part of the Savvy n Sassy Design Team! I can hardly believe it. I'm so excited to be working with Rhea and Share on such a fun DT. Can't wait to get my hands on that YUMMY ribbon! Savvy 'n Sassy! The first ribbon kit is already SOLD OUT! They will be having four different ribbon kits a month so be sure to check it out! Here's a photo of the sold out kit for January just to show you what awesome ribbon is included in these kits! Don't forget that there will be 3 more kits for January!

Yes...it was MY nephew

2006-12-19T22:41:00.000-06:00

that was being RUDE to David Letterman tonight! David just gave Chase a present on the show tonight! David said he came out to say hello to the audience and that he ended up calling the kid a name because he felt the 'fellow'...my nephew...was being rude! Chase is there with Brittany in New York on their honeymoon. He and Brittany are sitting on the front row. He is suppose to be on there twice tonight. Oh my gosh..what else could he have done!

Update: Ok....here's what happened. David came out to the audience during the Q&A before the show. He wanted to know if there were any questions. Chase spoke up and said...Yeh, I got a question. He really didn't have a specific question thought out. He was just going to ask something like...What did you have for breakfast. But, David turned to him and said...We raise our hands here, *sshole. Now this is Chase's version of the story, and those that personally know Chase KNOW he is prone to exageration so there really is no telling what actually happened.

Design Team News

2006-12-19T20:23:00.000-06:00

I have some fun news to share with all of my bloggin' friends. I was asked this past weekend to join the design team for the Just Let Me Scrapbook Store! I am so excited to be included in Mary Beth's Design Team. This will now make three DTs for me. About 5 weeks ago I joined the Scrap Galaxy Design Team. This one is not associated with any store or kit, so you are free to discuss other scrapbook sites there. What a cool concept! You get so use to not be able to discuss other places or deals that you find, that it's a nice change to be able to freely talk about it. And there is one more that I've been asked to join....but it's a secret for now! Will update here when it's officially announced! I can't believe I have been asked to join not one, but THREE DTs...all in a matter of a few weeks!!! I guess it pays to apply to DT calls! I just started applying and as of now, I've applied for 4 and made 3! Awesome odds if you ask me.

High School Musical and Wedding in ONE Weekend??

2006-12-19T16:08:00.000-06:00

I had the most hectic weekends. I still have not recovered. My step-nephew has been planning on getting married since last July. Apparently he assumed that we knew he wanted Carley to sit at the guest book. Well, ummm...he told us last Friday! YES! Eight days before the wedding. Talk about being aggrevated. We had bought tickets to take Carley and a friend to see the High School Musical Concert in Bossier about 6 weeks ago AND we had great floor tickets. Well, Thursday night we decided we would try to rearrange our entire weekend to attend the wedding. Still not sure if it was worth it.

So, within 48 hours I had to:
sell our Bossier tickets
buy Dallas tickest for Sunday
buy Carley a dress and everything that goes along with that
buy me something to wear
rearrange everything with Carley's friend so she could go with us to Dallas

We managed to get it done. Nicole B. (Carley's friend) went to the wedding with us and then we traveled Saturday night to Terrill and then Sunday on to Dallas. We bought the Dallas High School Musical Concert tickets around midnight Saturday night once we got to the hotel. Apparently Ticketmaster released some tickets and we were able to get pretty good seats. I have to say, this concert really was VERY entertaining. This was the first concert that Bill got to attend with Carley. That was part of the : he had to go to the concert with us. No way was I going that far without him with two pre-teens into a city like Dallas where I am not familiar with the area. He think he really enjoyed watching her.

Gingerbread Houses

2006-12-11T09:14:00.000-06:00

We've continued our holiday tradition of getting together with Jenn and her boys to decorate gingerbread houses. It went a little better this year...no major arguements or meltdowns. Last year I distinctly remember a huge meltdown over candy canes of all things! Some of the candy canes to decorate the houses were broken and then it became a huge arguement over whose candy canes were broken. Anyway, that was last year, and this year there weren't any major ones...although the roof on Bryce's house started sliding down after they were finished. It had been quite a while and we were surprised that it hadn't hardened already. So here we are...Jenn and I trying to reapply the roof so it will stay...both of us holding up various parts of the house. We finally decided it wasn't going to work this year and told the kiddos to get in position and we would would put Bryce's in front of him and HOPEFULLY I could snap a few photos. Here's the result. The walls ended up caving in but the roof eventually dried in place.

The simple things make the best memories!

2006-12-10T01:34:00.000-06:00

I had the best day today and didn't really do anything momentous...just normal everyday life. It started out really early this morning. Well, at least it was early for me to be dressed and out! LOL A close friend of mine, Jenn and I headed to Shreveport for lunch and to shop at the BoardWalk. It was really cold....at least cold for us here in Louisiana...in the 30's, but it warmed up to the low 50's. This doesn't happen very often. It was a neat experience...shopping all bundled up, walking along the river with Christmas music playing. We haven't been able to spend much time together, just the two of us (no children!). I really enjoyed it. We've tentatively discussed doing a girls' trip to New York next Christmas. Hopefully it will all work out. I've never been and would love to visit NYC.

We got back home fairly early and then Bill, Carley and I headed down to another close friend's house 30 minutes south of here. Yet another SaturDATE. They cooked chili and served hot dogs and nachos. HOWEVER...a drive in restaurant that was in the small town when we were growing up closed a few years back. Well the previous owner decided to reopen that old hamburger joint. It's called Wot-a-burger....it's not the chain hamburger place that I've seen around. Actually it's MUCH better. Anyway, I just had to order a hamburger, fries, and a child's steak finger basket and see if it really was the exact same food. Oh my gosh! I missed this place and I am SO glad that they are back!!! We headed over to the Carters and just spent the evening (stayed until midnight) in their back yard around a bon-fire. And yes, we roasted a marshmellow or two!

SaturDATE

2006-12-08T16:44:00.000-06:00

They say only two things are certain in life…death and taxes. Well, you can add one more thing to the list... SaturDate. Yes, SaturDate. For nearly 14 years now we have had a standing date for Saturday with the Carters, with few exceptions. We usually end up catching a matinee at Tinseltown and then dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. Thanks to the opening of our new theater and restaurants in Ruston, we’ve been able to mix in a few local movies and meals. We’ve been celebrating our SaturDates for so long now, I can’t imagine ever going through a weekend without one.

Last Saturday, the Carters came up for supper. We ended up going to Ryan's...great place for kids because we don't have to worry about them having to be quiet. Afterwards we came back to our house and I got all the kids to lay in a circle so I could run up on the landing to take a photo. I needed it for contest that I had been in for 9 weeks. We were to use a sketch that had a circle for the photo. I was the only one that actually used a round photo....thought surely that would be unique enough to set my LO apart from the others. Here's the photo and the LO that was created. I'll eventually add a few more things to it....things that I didn't think I could add until after the contest, but things I think it still needs to balance it out.

Scrapvivor Contest on Scrap Galaxy

2006-12-05T21:44:00.000-06:00

I wanted to share with everyone about an upcoming Scrapvivor Contest on ScrapGalaxy.com

Scrapvivor on ScrapGalaxy.com

Here are the details:

SG ScrapVivor: Prepare to out wit, out last and out scrap your opponents! This exciting contest is going to be full of twists and turns. All members (except Design Team members) can enter this contest. Entries can be submitted starting December 1 to the gallery in the ScrapVivor section. Submissions will be accepted until December 23, 2006 at 11:59pm. The SG Design Team will section the 10 finalists to continue onto the next round of ScrapVivor which will start on Jan 5. Each week there will be certain challenges that the finalists have to accomplish. Voting will be done by all Scrap Galaxy members each week by voting for their favorites. The person with the lowest amount of votes each week will have to leave the competition. Each of the finalists will take home a prize, and the final ScrapVivor winner will take home the GRAND prize as well as the title: the very first SG ScrapVivor!

So come on out and let’s see who is the ultimate ScrapVivor! For your entry into the contest, this is what you need to do:

One page (12 x 12) layout featuring why YOU should be the ultimate ScrapVivor in the Scrap Galaxy competition. Be creative!! Think outside of the box! But most of all – Have Fun!!

Post them into the ScrapVivor section in the gallery

Prize Winning Pumpkin!

2006-11-02T02:32:00.000-06:00

Charlette, one of my closest friends, had told me last year about a pumpkin patch in Arkansas and asked about our two families going and spending the day. But we had waited so late in the year to plan it that it didn't work out. So when September rolled around this year, we started planning the trip. Her family decided to make a mini-vacation and actually spend a day at Magic Springs, but the last time we went a few years back, it didn't work out for us. Carley was either too tall for some rides or too short for others. She's probably well within the range of being tall enough now, but we decided just to meet them at the Pumpkin Patch the next day.

None of us knew what to expect other than what we had read on the internet. It was a working Pumpkin Farm with an area nearby that had tons of activities. The guys were able to try their hand at hatchet throwing! They were pretty good at it...just ask them! There were a couple of huge hay stacks that the kids crawled all over and we took family photos on. There were several tree swings throughout the area, a large slide that the kids (and the big kids!) loved. There was also a petting zoo with goats roaming along the tops of the buildings.

I would say the highlight of the day was the hayride to the actual pumpkin patch. They had huge trailors with bales of hay that we rode out into the patch until they stopped in the middle of one of the patches. We all piled out and started picking out pumpkins. I think everyone ended up with at least 2 pumpkins that we carried back to the hayride to be weighed once we returned.

We ended up having a great time and enjoyed sharing the experience with good friends. Oh yeh! The title to this blog. Well....here's the rest of the story. One of the pumpkins that Carley picked out was what she used for the 4H Pumpkin Carving Contest at school. Here she is with her winning pumpkin. She placed first!!

Has it really been 20 years?

2006-10-29T14:44:00.000-06:00

My 20th high school reunion was 2 weeks ago. I didn't attend the formal festivities for reasons I won't go into here....but those of you that graduated with me understand. I did attend the Homecoming assembly where our cousin Holly was crowned as Queen. You have no idea how big of an honor this was. I also went to the parade and then the game that night. Jan, Dana, and I sit together at the football games every week anyway. So, I asked Bill to take a reunion photo of us. Can't believe it's really been that long.

Here's the LO that I created with that photo. Since the photo was taken in the stands, there were a lot of people in the background that I really didn't want in my photo. So...I smudged it with Adobe and this is the result. This LO was created for a challenge on BISC. We had create a mosaic LO, use 2 different colored cardstock, a minimum of 2 different brands of patterned paper, and 8 eyelets or brads.

THIS Generation...

2006-10-28T16:20:00.000-05:00

Challenges are my niche! I am participating in several of them online now. It seems to be the only way that I can get LOs completed. I am the world's worst about making decisions about scrapbooking...even though I LOVE to do it, I find it difficult sometimes to decide on the patterned paper, the embellies, or sometimes even which photo I want to use. When I participate in challenges.....it gives me deadlines and also gives me the direction for my LOs. This is one that I completed last night for a challenge on Bright Ideas Scrapbook Co. Since it's October and breast cancer awareness month, we had to make a LO using the color pink, about a female and use a 3-D flower.

Journaling: When I look at the four of you, it's easy to see there is a connection. No, you don't look alike or even resemble one another, but the bond is there. You are the great-granddaughters of Reggie Boy and Mammaw (Reg and Fannie Jo Jones). You are the female descendants for this generation. Even though they both passed away before y'all were born, I know they would be proud of each of you for each of you are wonderful young ladies and have a lot to give to the world. I hope you'll always be proud of who you are and the family you descend from. Holly, Carley, Nicole, and Olivia Kate. Jonesboro Hodge Homecoming. October 13, 2006.