Bad Karma House.

So, this whole remodel thing....wait! Don't leave! I know you are sick of hearing about my house, but really, this is a quick one....and, I will offer up a good crock-pot recipe at the end. Good?

Sam and I have been quite concerned that we may have built our home on an ancient burial ground, and somehow, those souls were okay with us having the modest home of seven months ago, but adding another addition, well....it angered them.

Things have gone wrong. Starting with the snapping of the cable, and the near-death of my husband and dad. That was a big one. And then there have been little things. Many, many little things:

Like the leaking roof that flooded the entire kitchen, twice.
Like our siding not being manufactured in our color any longer.
Like the drywall dragging on and on, the workers feuding with their boss.
Like the drywall supplier leining our house because the installers didn't pay the bill.
Like the electrical, that would blow a fuse everytime we used the microwave.
Like the shower ceiling not ordered, then broken and re-run, and then cut wrong and re-run....that is still not installed.

And more recently, the jetted tub.

We bought it online, it was delivered (while we were out of town, and left in the yard). Anyway, it was installed. A week and a half ago, it was encased in marble. Beautiful swirled white marble with granite black trim.

Two nights ago, Sam decided we were tired of waiting for the plumber, who we have been calling for three weeks to come do the finish plumbing. Sam thinks, "how hard can this be." Off we go to Lowe's to grab a tub fixture. We browse, we read, we price things, and settle on your run-of-the-mill chrome handle/nozzle combo. He brings it home, and attempts to attach it. Nothing matches up. So, we do a little reading online, and figure out that tub fixtures are NOT compatible. Meaning, we have no choice but to purchase the brand of fixture that was roughed in when the tub was installed. I am crapping here, because the brand that our tub happens to be, is the most expensive brand of fixture out there. I REFUSE to pay $350.00 for a farking tap. I would rather rig one out of cardboard and washers. Again, the plumber will not return our calls to verify the brand. Finally we find out the brand that it was roughed in with. Lucky for us, it was a cheaper brand. So, we buy the tap and handles, and Sam goes to work.

He is pretty handy, and I guess it wasn't that hard. I left when he needed to use a hack-saw. That made me a tad nervous. He got it hooked up, and it actually worked!

It was a thing of beauty. The glint of the chrome under the can light, the warm water cascading into the tub, the steam gently rising up...the jets...NOT WORKING?

Yep. Nothing.

Sam checked the electrical panel. Everything was a go. Called the electrician (who answered, btw) he came over and checked everything out.

Come to find out...the GFI breaker needed to be re-set upon installation. Easy enough....except for the fact that it was installed UNDERNEATH THE TUB, that was now caulked into custom marble.

Long(er) story short, we had to cut a hole in the wall to access the GFI outlet. Pushed the button, and the jets sputtered to life.

Once again, victory over the spirits!

In celebration, we have taken 9 baths...and counting...

Oh yeah, since I spend all my time in the jetted tub now, dinner has been crock-pot delights. Or anything that doesn't require the microwave/breaker box.

We all really liked this one...even my picky eater.

Crock-Pot Enchiladas
2lbs ground beef
1 large onion
1 (20 oz) can enchilada sauce
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
4-5 c. cheese
1-1 1/2 pkg corn tortillas
1 can green chilies

Brown beef with onion. Add half can of enchilada sauce and can of chilies. Mix well. Spray bottom of slow cooker. Pour enchilada sauce to cover bottom of cooker. Being layering tortillas, meat mixture and cheese until ingredients run out. Pour remaining enchilada sauce, and tomato sauce over the top. Cook on low 3-4 hours. Serve on a pile of shredded lettuce.

TAG!!!
"According to the rules... Each player of this game starts with the "6 Weird Things about Me".(about yourself)...People who get tagged need to write a entry of their own 6 weird things on their own blog, as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says 'you are tagged' in their comments and tell them to read your blog!"

Thanks a lot, Peg. This reminds me of those chain letters. But you forgot to add that if I don't respond to this within 10 hours, my house will burn down, and my left breast will fall off. I can't believe I am even participating, but I have nothing better going on, unless you count unloading the dishwasher.

Six Weird Things About Me

(1) I have a dent in my head. I was playing on some railing, and fell, landing on my head....it left a dent. And it explains a lot of other things too.
(2) I can drink non-carbonated beverages through my nose. Possibly carbonated as well, although I am quite sure that it would sting.
(3) I can't eat blue things. It freaks me out to think of my mouth and teeth stained odd colors.
(4) I am very proficient with my toes. I can pick things up, or turn on the TV. They are like fingers. Totally grosses out...well, pretty much everyone.
(5) I got my first cavity when I was 28.
(6) I always lick my fingers when I open or close the blinds. Maybe subconsciously I think it gives me better "grip" on the blind-wand thingies.

I will be tagging: Laura, Shantay, Debbie, Jennifer, Amy, and Mimi.

Almost finished.

So, the cabinets are all installed as of twenty minutes ago! Makes everything look a little smaller, but like a house....a real house that people can live in. People that no longer have to rifle through cardboard boxes for their underwear. No, there aren't counter-tops yet, but the measuring guy is coming Monday. We like to drag projects out for as long as we possibly can. Keepin' the remodeling spirit alive.

This is a sneak peek of the Maternity line that Karen Foster is releasing at CHA. That is my darling friend Heather, who was 8 1/2 months pregnant here. How would that be? To be that cute when you are pregnant. I certainly wasn't that cute. I think my belly now is bigger than hers was in that photo. I don't know why I 'fessed up to that. I should have just let you all think that it is me in the picture. But Heather reads this blog... Hi Heather! Thanks for letting me use the gorgeous photos.

This is from the Karen Foster Nurse line. I have been up to my eyeballs in paper and stickers. I completed 30+ layouts and cards for CHA. I am almost finished! It has been fun. This time around it has been especially fun, because my good friend Wendy Inman is on the Karen Foster team with me. We have been IMing back and forth while working with the same lines. What a difference it has made to bounce ideas off of each other.

Man! I love the internet! And Wendy. And bacon.

Stop touching my things. (A G-rated post)

Why is it that everything that has any value or importance to me has been chipped, lost or broken by my kids?

I grew up with four sisters, no brothers...which is a whole 'nother post in itself...

My mom loved dolls, still does, and is an avid collector. We grew up getting a doll religiously for Christmas each year. Even as a teenager, and not really wanting the annual vinyl baby, I still got one.

Mom took a porcelain doll-making class. I think she really loved it, and did a good job on the babies. She was meticulous about painting the eye-lashes perfectly, and making the brush strokes curl around the temples like the sleep dampened hair of a real newborn. She made a doll for each of her girls. They were big baby-dolls, and they were sized perfectly to fit the little dresses we each wore on our blessing day. I loved this doll! It was a cherished keepsake.

Did you notice I said "was?"

When I started popping out kids every nine months...which is a whole 'nother post... I put that doll on the highest shelf in my closet, cause I didn't want to risk it being touched.

My daughter, just shy of four, who was training to be a monkey in the circus...scaled my closet shelves, and pulled on the doll. It came crashing down, hitting every shelf in the closet before landing on the floor. I was too stunned to cry. I couldn't even say anything. I knew it was an accident. I think my expression alone must have been devastating, even for a pesky three year old.

"I sorry, Momma! I so sorry!"

I didn't want to tell my mom, but my daughter did, in her guilt. My mom took it well, because I know she understood. She had us, and I am sure that we all did our share of damage to her special things too.

I stuffed the doll, and the broken pieces back up into the top of the closet, and forgot about them.

Then last week, we moved everything out of our room, to move into the new master bedroom. I found the broken baby again. Shianne was there, and saw me pull it down.

"Oh, Mom...I remember when I broke that special doll. I am so sorry!" And then tears...she cried, and chanted, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Four years later, and she still feels so awful about it. I hugged her and told her it was okay. It was just a "thing." And things break. Little girls hearts, however, break too. And I wish I would have been a little more forgiving that day four years ago.

The question still remains...Why me? Why not Sam's stupid bird statue he bought in Ecuador? Why don't the kids break their own things?

I think that next time I get something valuable, that I love, I am going to call all the kids together and let them watch ME stab it with an ice pick, like a crazy lady.

"HA, HAAAAA! I beat you to it!"

An Idea

I have been working with some themed scrapbook lines from Karen Foster for CHA, and by the way, there are some really fun ones this release. But I was thinking of all the themed lines that have not yet been done by a manufacturer, but should be done....


The Stay at Home Mom Line:
Soft heather gray color (think sweat pants), with a subtle collage of the words “Not caring is FUN!” Sticker sheet that includes “What Was I Thinking” “Prozac Rocks” “Pizza Again” and shaped brads including a pony-tail, a mini-van, and diaper-wipes.


The Expletives Line:
Bright, albeit clashing colors. Colorful words, used for any occasion. Chipboard characters that contain a whole lot of @&#% and extra !!!!


The Extended Family Line:
Stickers that include: “My mother-in-law can BITE ME” “My Sister Married a Moron” and “Your Family Parties Suck.” This line should match the expletives line, just for good measure.


The Ex-Spouse Line:
Which apparently would sell out according to the latest threads on 2ps. Stickers would include “You rotten...(insert sticker from Expletives line) “See You in Court” and “eBaying Your Stuff Bought Me Some Nice Jewelry.” Coordinating epoxy brad toppers that say “Got Alimony?”


The Couch Potato Line:
Reminiscent of Cheetos and stale farts. This line would include a patterned paper with a TiVo menu collage, a remote control montage, and a random collage of info-mercial advertisements. Stickers would include “3 Easy Payments of $19.95” “I Heart Mindless Drivel” and “Practicing Selective Hearing.” Epoxy brads toppers with a photo of my husband, and all my boys.


The Weight Gain line:
I can see this one being hot. Especially for those vacation photos that are taken by someone else, without your knowledge when you haven't had the opportunity to suck in, or put a kid in front of you. Stickers would include: “Diets Are For Suckers” “Baby NOT on Board” and “Body by Mountain Dew.” Additional embellishments would include a metal “Wide Load” street sign, and a “Cattle Crossing” icon. I would pre-order this one...

Changes.

Holy Chips.


The carpet is coming tomorrow morning. It is after midnight right now. We are tearing up the old carpet in the hall, getting ready for it to come. Maybe its the paint thinner talking...but I feel giddy!


We told the kids that when they get home from school, we can start the arduous process of situating everyone into their new rooms. They were almost as excited about this, as they were for Christmas. It is a good thing we saved the good Martineli's Sparkling Apple Juice from New Years. Gonna be some celebratin' going on here!


As a side note, our Christmas gift from my parents was a keyless entry for the front door. It has a touch-pad, that you can program a number into, and it locks and unlocks your deadbolt from the keypad. It is pretty stinking cool. There is also a key to it, so if you are like me, and can't remember anything, you can still get in and out.


It is cool, too- because we aren't big "lock the door" people. We live in a great neighborhood. We have a watch-guinea pig that would really *weet, weet* the dickens out of an intruder. And frankly, we have never felt like we had anything worth being robbed for. We have often joked that a thief would walk in, look around, feel so sorry for us, that he would leave his own wallet on the counter.


But recently, with the new addition to the home, I feel more invested. We don't own anything new. But, I would actually be angry if someone broke in. What if they scratched the paint? I would have to re-tape! And if they broke a blind, or mucked up the carpet....


Anyway, the lock...it is the novelty of the neighborhood.


"Hey, Jayden; will you go get the mail?"
"Sure!!" (whoosh, beep, beep, beep-beep, beep, beeeeeep...click)


Because apparently, the long walk from the porch to the mailbox requires the deadbolt to be in place...


Pretty soon, all the neighborhood kids are trying it. And then it dawns on me...


"Hey, guys. Did you tell all the kids what the secret number is?"
"Well, yeah, they wanted to try it out."


So much for the whole security thing.

Wanna see?

The floor is installed in my scrap studio. Notice, I changed it from a "Scrap-room" to a "Scrap Studio."

Ooo-la-la.

*That's* got to make me more productive, yes?

Sam and my Dad have two of the three bathrooms TILED. That's right folks. Tiled. And the other bathroom, the backer board is done, meaning the tile will go quickly. I admit, I thought Sam would procrastinate this bad boy for a few weeks, if not months. Pleasantly surprised...and also, it didn't cost me any *special favors* to expedite the process. If you know what I mean.

Carpet is in, calling to schedule an installation date. Odds and ends need to be wrapped up, but I am thinking we should be living in our new space in a couple weeks, if not sooner. (cue Choir of Angels!)

Already life is more liveable.

Of course, we ran out of money for things like furniture and electronics. But we do have blinds, so no one on the street can see us enjoying our new space sitting on the cardboard boxes the bi-fold doors came in.

My morning conversation

Brendan comes in and flops on my bed:

"Good morning, Brendan. Did you have a good night?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"Good. Did you find something to eat?"

He crashed and burned early tht night before, while the rest of us stayed up and played "Apples to Apples Junior" and watched "Angels in the Outfield" so, as a result, Brendan was up and going before the rest of us hit our REM sleep. He hung out by himself, waiting for the rest of us slugs to get up.

"Yeah, I had a Hot Pocket."

For breakfast? Whatever.

"So what else have you been doing?"
"Playing with Legos."
"Can you gather up your laundry for me."
"Yeah."
"What are you planning to do today?"
"I wanted to maybe go to Walmart and get some more legos with my Christmas money."
"You need new church shoes too, remind me..."
"Okay"

Walking out the door...

"Oh yeah, Mom..."
"Yeah."
"I flooded the downstairs bathroom this morning, the toilet clogged, and there wasn't a plunger."
"WHAT??!!"
"I think it is still flooding a little..."

With apologies to my male readers...

I need a new bra.

Truth be told. I only have one right now in working condition. The back-up-bra is in sad, sad shape. I hate bra shopping! You can try on 5,000 of the same size, and they all fit differently. There are the ones that squish you together and make you have a uni-boob, and on the opposite end of the spectrum, the kind that separate and place your girls one under each armpit.

Who picks the design? The fabrics... I mean, what good does that thick heavy lace crap do anyone? It is bulky and never looks good under anything. Detachable straps, and detachable push-up pads. Gel filled, water filled, racer back, shoulder pad added straps. And the ones adorned with cheesy flowers or dainty bows....please. Not one that is actually comfortable. Give me helium filled cups, and massaging straps and you would have yourself a bra.

I am not endowed. Which is fine, being the stomach sleeper that I am, but bra shopping is a nightmare. It seems, that to have the circumference I do, what with the coughcoughbackfatcough that I have, my cup size should be a whole lot larger than it really is. This makes the padded cup either dented in, or horribly sagging. Which leaves me the option of going a size smaller to get the right cup size, and therefore being cinched off....all the time.

No wonder I had gallstones.

Happy New Year!

Thank you to Sophia for the Year End blog challenge. Here is mine:

1. What did you do in 2006 that you had never done before? It's funny how God prepares you for things step by step. I did some travelling with Paperkuts magazine before they went under, and at times I had to make a connection, or grab a shuttle all by myself. I was terrified at first, because I am so handicapped when it comes to directions or bearings. I slowly gained confidence. And now, with Sam working for an airline, and our family getting (stand-by) flight benefits, I am okay being stranded in a strange city with my five kids, because I have the confidence now.
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions and will you make more for 2007? I usually fail pretty miserably. This year, I only have ONE resolution. And I am not telling, or it will surely jinx me.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes, my sister Hollie.
4. Did anyone close to you die? Luckily, no.
5. What countries did you visit? Puerto Rico
6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006? A car that is reliable.
7. What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? The day we took our roof off of our house to add another level. It was a day I witnessed a miracle. By all rights, it should have killed my husband and my dad.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? I had a lot of little ones, nothing stands out specifically.
9. What was your biggest struggle? Weight. Balance. Peace. Patience.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Small normal illnesses, stomach bugs and colds. Pulled *something* in my knee while running, that occasionally bothers me still.
11. What was the best thing you bought? My camera lens (Canon 28-135), my iMac, my iPod.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? I think my daughter, Shianne. She struggled this year with self-esteem issues earlier this year, I really worried about her. With daily praise and extra love, and finding things for her to be *good* at, she really blossomed.
13. Whose behavior appalled you? No one comes to mind here.
14. Where did most of your money go? To the new addition to the house. To vacations. To Pepsi-Cola.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about this year? The UPS man making such fun deliveries from my design teams. That never, never, never gets old.
16. What song will always remind you of 2006? "You had a bad day."--Daniel Powter. They sooo overplayed that sucker on American Idol, and on the radio. And my kids would sing it to me on the days when I was "cracking" it make me laugh in spite of being so mad at them.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: much happier, nicer or richer? I think I am waaaay better looking. But I guess that wasn't a category.
18. What do you wish you had done more of? Acknowledging kindness. Exercise. Playing with the kids.
19. What do you wish you had done less of? Over-eating, spending time on the computer.
20. Did you fall in love in 2006? On a daily basis. When my kids are good. When my husband is helpful. When the cookies are warm from the oven.
21. What was your favorite TV program? American Idol and "How It's Made."
22. What was the best book you read this year? Gosh, I haven't read a lot this year. And I forget things almost *right after* I read them anyway.
23. What was your greatest musical discovery? Josh Groban. (<---don't judge me)
24. What did you want and get? My iPod, Sam bought it for me, for my birthday.
25. What was your favorite film of the year? Pirates II, Nacho Libre, Cars, good family movies we watch over and over as a family. (Translated: the kids watch, I scrap without guilt.)
26. What did you do on your birthday and how old did you turn? I spend the morning at a scrapbook focus group (lots of fun!) and the afternoon shopping. Ate lunch at Cafe Rio (Pork Salad) and that evening went out with Sam, watched a movie (I forget what it was). I turned um, 34? I never remember.
27. What one thing would have made your year more satisfying? I have the new addition finished.
28. How would you describe your personal fashion statement this year? Total SAHM. Track pants, tee-shirt, running shoes, and pony-tail.
29. What kept you sane? Scrapbooking and caffeine, online friends.
30. What celebrity did you fancy the most? Angelina Jolie (girl crush) [fancy?? Who says that?]
31. What political issue stirred you the most? I am not political.
32. Who did you miss? My grandma's.
33. Who were the best new people you met this year? I met such awesome people travelling. Putting faces to online friends was so cool. If I had to single someone out, it would be my Wendy. (Hi, Wendy!) We went through the whole PK fiasco together, and I can't help but think it was all worth it to get to know her, and call her my friend.
33. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned this year. To go with your gut. If you feel like you should avoid a situation, avoid it. If you feel like you should thank someone, thank them. You can't please everyone and you won't, but if you go to bed at night, and know in your own gut you are a good person, that is what matters the most.

I love a man in uniform.

Seriously. Is there anything sexier than a man with flocked eyelashes?

Except maybe when the sexy man pauses to spit a glop of painty mucous into the toilet.

Painting is done. Hello, carpet!

But....he needed them...

Socks.

Apparently not a popular gift to give a ten year old boy.

Maybe I should have thrown in a comb.

She's ALIVE!

Wow. It has been a while, eh?

I have had a crazy run of life lately...all good, thankfully. Just busy, like we all are this time of year.

What have I been up to?

*Painted the entire downstairs. Remember how we took the roof off over the summer? Yeah, well that left us with a *new* ceiling downstairs. We added crown moulding, I have always wanted it...and finally had the excuse, because we had a gap over one wall where it didn't connect with the new ceiling. So, I taped everything off, and thought, oh heck--while it is taped, we might as well add color. I think picking paint color is horrible. I can't decide to save my life, and almost always the color ends up being so different from the 1" by 1" chip they give you. I chose a khaki color, that in some lights looks just like foamy greenish baby poo. You know what I am talking about (!!!). I am still getting used to it, and I think I like it.

*Organized two school class parties. PSA: If you sign up to help for a party, please mean it. Argh. I had last minute cancellations, and some serious anxiety. Leaving me to prepare a craft, treat and game for one class. I will feel better after 1:00 today, when they are both over. Why, oh why did I agree to be a room mom to two classes? Never again! Do you hear that, self? Plus, I have pack meeting tonight. Taking 30 boys ages 8-11 to a care center to sing carols. Must. Have. Caffeine.

*Finally found the last remaining tooth brushes on the planet. I have been looking everywhere for these. Oral B has spin brushes with a two minute timer on them. You push the button, and it beeps when two minutes is up. Genious! My kids think getting their teeth wet constitutes as brushing. The only bad thing about these brushes is they are Breast Cancer Awareness colors. Multi-hued pinks. My boys are going to have to just deal with it. Don't you love that last-minute crap of Christmas?

*Put the tree up. Last night, in fact. As soon as the paint wasn't tacky any longer. I mean, geez, it's the 20th. And poor Mikayla has been asking me when it is Christmas. To the kids, it's all about the decorating. Back in the day, they used to do the whole tree on Christmas eve. Were they on crack? You should see the half-butted job we did. Cause I don't care. Cause it is only going to be up for a week. I do love the Fisher-Price Little People Nativity. New this year for us, it has been up since Thanksgiving. I love that the kids can play with it. And they do, so far--Joseph has battled dinosaurs, and Mary and baby Jesus went for a cruise on the Little People Ark, finished by a tea party with Polly Pocket.

*Played in the first snowfall of the season. We got a ton of it! As much as I hate the cold, I do love a good snowfall. Everything is so pretty and white. As I get older, I really appreciate the changing seasons. Keeps you from being bored...what with the constant warm weather, and palm trees they have other places......;) I don't know how they *stand* it....

*Started planning for another trip. (The snow will have worn out it's welcome by then.) I think we are taking the kids to Disney World in January. Hey, when the flights are free....

* Bought a Mac. Yes, finally. I am going to have to re-learn everything yet again, but hopefully for the last time. I haven't gotten it yet, but it's coming!

*Skipped the gym this week. Heart-breaking.

* Got a speeding ticket. Merry Christmas to me.

*Baked, wrapped, partied, delivered gifts. Still going...

So, anyway. It's been one of those weeks where you look at the clock, and it is after midnight, and you still have a million things to do before you can go to bed. I haven't even started on the normal things like laundry. I am sure it will all wait for me.

Enjoy your holiday season! Merry Christmas to you and your family. Take lots of pictures and eat lots of goodies just cause I said so. I am going to take a little break until after Christmas, see you then!

Enabler Alert.

With the New Year right around the corner, and heck, with Christmas (Santa sometimes leaves *me* presents....;)) I love getting organizational things. It is a resolution for me, every year it seems like.

In the quest to become more organized, I have tried a lot of things. Some worked, some didn't. One thing I did right was these Paper Keepers. I have one for each of my paper manufacturers, and one for each color of cardstock. They line up on my shelves (and look so pretty!) , and whenever I need a certain paper brand, or color of cardstock, I just take the Paper Keeper down, thumb through it, and put it back on the shelf. My paper always stays protected, and it is very easy to thumb through, without lifting a whole horizontal stack. They hold a TON of 12x12 paper! My paper always looks nice too.

When I converted to this system, I paid some ca$h. They are running them on a great sale for the next couple of weeks. I am going to grab a few more, I am constantly outgrowing my stash!

They also have the 12x12 storage boxes, for horizontal storage. I use them for layouts that are in the works, but not finished...and published and sent back to me layouts, that are not yet filed in the albums. They are pretty darn handy as well. They have photo boxes too, and other organizational stuff. There is a Nifty $1.50 section, I haven't looked there lately, they may still have some chipboard mini-albums left.

Here is the link:

http://www.scrapbookpaper.com/tek9.asp?pg=products&grp=237

Happy Shopping! Remember, any order over $50.00 gets free shipping. You can't order for an hour..I need to get my order in first....

Some facts.

Did you know that an average of 60 people die of (fairly) natural causes on airplanes every year?

There was a lady, whose husband had a massive heart attack aboard an airplane. They were on a trans-atlantic flight, an 11 hour flight when he died.

The flight crew covered him in a blanket, and moved his wife, and his body up to first class...strapped him in a seat, and her next to him, holding his hand, and sobbing for the remainder of the flight.

Sam and I discussed this to some length.

I like to think I am compassionate. But honestly, and to my own horror, I guess I am the heartless one. I would need some serious therapy after being forced to sit next to a stiff for that long. For any amount of time, really. I mean, good gravy, did that poor lady check to see "if he was cold yet..." ((shudder)) As much as I love Sam.....I couldn't do that. Don't people lose control of bodily functions when they pass away? Can you imagine being in first class that trip?

"Could you do that?" I asked Sam.
"Do what?"
"Sit next to my dead body for an entire flight."
"Yeah, it wouldn't matter to me. I would just be doing the crossword puzzle."

Classic Sam.

It's a good day.

I am holding my breath.

The finish guys came today! They looked, they made marks, they brought in tools...lots of tools, and said they would be back tomorrow morning. YIPEE!!!!

At least, if that is another lie, I have tools to hock to pay for my "take it easy" meds.

The secret is out.

You wanna know my secret from the other day?

I have never been published in the scrapbooking world for anything other than a layout, well, and one mini-album. I decided to give the Card-making thing a whirl. Which, by the way, was very hard. For some reason cards were hard for me. They are a mini-layout, right? You would think? This should be easy for me. I struggled with them, but got a few cranked out, and submitted them.

Well, I got a phone call from Alisha, the editor of Cards magazine. At first I thought she might be calling for me to "please, don't submit anymore, you are taking up inbox space." But no...and I almost fell off my chair when she explained why she was calling. Not only am I getting a few cards published, but they wanted to use *three* of my cards on the COVER of the magazine!

WooHOOOO! Beginners luck, I am sure....but dang good luck to try something new, and score the cover!

I think the clincher was when I photographed the cards for submission. I used props! Yes, I did. For Easter, I used a plastic bunny....and for one of the "Friends" cards I posed it standing beside a cold Mountain Dew. Mountain Dew is a Friend. Woo 'em with Dew, I always say. It's no wonder that card got picked. It was subliminal.

Tralalala...I am a card-maker now.

Oh look...a new post!

I guess the only thing going on with the house right now is that I am using its "unfinishedness" as a cool backdrop. Sigh....

We are still waiting on the finish man to hang the moldings and doors and well, all the "finish" stuff. Then we can paint everything. I have the carpet scheduled to be laid on the 11th. I hope we are all done by then.

What color of carpet did I get?

Well, thank you for asking.

I went into the store, and asked them what color they would recommend if one wanted to spill cherry Go-gurt/vomit/potting soil/magic bubbles/and that little girl florescent pink lard lipstick; grind it into said carpet with a shoe, and *not* show a stain. They laughed. I didn't.

I don't think that is too much to ask, really. I mean, we put a man on the moon. People have been living in homes with children for years...and we can't invent a carpet that is child-proof?

They proceeded to show me some nice off-white Berber selections with colored flecks that "will hide almost anything." Riiiight.

We went with a dark, poo brown. With some colored flecks. It wasn't called poo brown, of course...although I *do* think that should be a color, because I am sure there are other parents out there that are not willing to be a slave to their carpeting either. Ironically, it was called "Gingerbread." Which considering the holiday season, will probably be the first thing ground into it.

We picked out tile. Sam thinks he can install it himself. I feel a few more blog posts coming up about that....

And into my new studio will go some laminate fake wood flooring. This is so I can use my rolly chair to scoot around wherever I want. I don't know that I will ever have a need to leave my chair. Should work wonders for the big-butt problem I have been working on.

We are so stinking close. SO close! And yet...we wait.

I am not really excited about the idea of setting up Christmas a week before the big day. I hope we get things wrapped up soon. Or maybe we won't even do that Christmas thing...heh, heh.

Long post- but worth the read.

I am posting today, a story I read last night, that hit me pretty hard. Mostly because I could have written it, and secondly because it mentions almost getting hit in the head with a can of soup. (tee, hee) It is a little long, but please book mark it, and give it a read when you get a minute.

It is not very often that I share my serious side, but after reading this, I hope maybe we can all be more aware this holiday season.

Smile more. Be a little more patient. Slow our steps down to match our child. Brake and let someone in front of you in traffic. Small things, that might make our holiday seem that much better.

Hero at the Grocery Store
By Stephenie Meyer

Christmas stories happen in the most everyday places. I was part of one not long ago at the grocery store. I hope I never forget it, though the memory is bittersweet.

I had been shopping for almost an hour by the time I got to the checkout lines. My two youngest sons were with me, the four-year-old refusing to hold onto the cart, the two-year-old trying to climb out of the basket and jump down to play with his brother. Both got progressively whinier and louder as I tried to keep them under control, so I was looking for the fastest lane possible. I had two choices. In the first line were three customers, and they all had just a few purchases. In the second line was only one man, a harried young father with his own crying baby, but his cart was overflowing with groceries.

I quickly looked over the three-person line again. The woman in the front was very elderly, white haired and rail thin, and her hands were shaking as she tried unsuccessfully to unlatch her big purse. In the other line, the young father was throwing his food onto the conveyor belt with superhuman speed. I got in line behind him.

It was the right choice. I was able to start unloading my groceries before the elderly woman was even finished paying. My four-year-old was pulling candy from the shelf, and my little one was trying to help by lobbing cans of soup at me. I felt I couldn’t get out of the store fast enough.
And then, over the sound of the store’s cheery holiday music, I heard the checker in the other line talking loudly, too loudly. I glanced over as my hands kept working.

“No, I’m sorry,” the checker was almost shouting at the old woman, who didn’t seem to understand. “That card won’t work. You are past your limit. Do you have another way to pay?” The tiny old woman blinked at the checker with a confused expression. Not only were her hands shaking now, but her shoulders too. The teenage bagger rolled her eyes and sighed.
As I caught a soup can just before it hit my face, I thought to myself: “Boy, did I choose the right line! Those three are going to be there forever.” My mood was positively smug as my checker began scanning my food.

But the smiling woman directly in line behind the elderly lady had a different reaction. Quietly, with no fanfare, she moved to the older woman’s side and ran her own credit card through the reader.

“Merry Christmas,” she said softly, still smiling.

And then everyone was quiet. Even my rowdy children paused, feeling the change in the atmosphere.

It took a minute for the older woman to understand what had happened. The checker, her face thoughtful, hesitated with the receipt in her hand, not sure whom to give it to. The smiling woman took it and tucked it into the elderly woman’s bag.

“I can’t accept …” the older woman began to protest, with tears forming in her eyes.
The smiling woman interrupted her. “I can afford to do it. What I can’t afford is not to do it.”
“Let me help you out,” the suddenly respectful bagger insisted, taking the basket and also taking the old woman’s arm, the way she might have helped her own grandmother.
I watched the checker in my line pause before she pressed the total key to dab at the corner of her eyes with a tissue.

Paying for my groceries and gathering my children, I made it out of the store before the smiling woman. I had made the right choice of lanes, it seemed.

But as I walked out into the bright December sunshine, I was not thinking about my luck but about what I could not afford.

I could not afford my current, self-absorbed frame of mind.
I could not afford to have my children learn lessons of compassion only from strangers.
I could not afford to be so distant from the spirit of Christ at any time of the year—especially during this great season of giving.
I could not afford to let another stranger, another brother or sister, cross my path in need of help without doing something about it.

And that is why I hope never to forget the Christmas hero in the grocery store. The next time I have a chance to be that kind of a hero, I can’t afford to miss it.

I have a secret.

I just got some awesome news, that I can't share yet, but I am pretty excited. (!!!!!!!!!!) and a little... :0

No--I am not pregnant. That wouldn't be awesome news at this stage in my life. In fact, that would be horrible, weepy, "please, no" news.

Back to your regularly scheduled blog surfing.