Change of Address

So, my blog is imported to my new site: ScrapBookSpot. See you there!

Stay Tuned, my non-existent audience...

Brian is encouraging me to move my blog to my own domain....with a super-exciting new WordPress template. Been on blogger for a long time though. Should be interesting.

Oh dammit...

It's amazing to me that whenever something I really want is finally available from these super-fickle scrapbook manufacturers, I never have the $$$ to get one. and you know, it won't be around next month. Even when they sell out of something, it seems like they are a one-run business. Yet, there are very odd exceptions, like the widely panned Making Memories tag curler is still out there, everywhere, though it is practically useless and WAY over priced.

{big sigh}

just my little rant for the day!

Blue Eyed Beauty

I think I jinxed myself with my last post because yesterday, Georgie managed to take the coffemate to the next level. He very quickly and quietly got a brand new bottle out of the fridge, took it into the living room, and spilled a giant puddle of it in the middle of the carpeting. Now I am not a big fan of carpeting in the first place, but the carpet and padding soaked up a TON of that sticky white goo. I spent the next hour going over and over the spot with the carpet cleaner when a few towels would have picked it right up off of a tile or wood floor.

Why does anyone put carpeting in at all anymore? Particularly if they are going to rent out the home? It looks like hell, picks up everything off of shoes and is impossible to keep clean. We've already cleaned the carpet TWICE in four months and that's with a no shoes and no food rule.

As for George, he is now fenced off from the kitchen. Between his refrigerator exploits and trying to kill himself on the table and chairs, there was no other option.

The Invincible Stage

This boy is into EVERYTHING and I mean, EVERYTHING. We had a strap on the fridge, but it has worn off and Brian found the dude drinking the Coffeemate the other day. Since then he's discovered Hershey's Syrup, so he's off Coffemate for now.

Sad, but True

When Brian and I got engaged, we knew that we weren't going to have a church wedding and we also didn't want to rent some VFW hall or something. I don't remember whose idea it was, but we actually got the owner's blessing to have our wedding at Taliesin West. It was an unbelievable offer, but at the time, we just didn't have the money to pay for a caterer and everything else that would be necessary. Even with very low wedding expectations, (my first wedding was in a courthouse and we had a giant sub afterwards) I couldn't imagine the embarrassment of having a low-brow wedding in such an opulent, gorgeous setting.

If I had the decision to make all over again, maybe I would have done whatever it took to pull it off...

Babushkas on the Brain

So, while perusing the latest issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine, I was reminded that I have been lusting after these cute stamps of Russian Babushka Dolls, but cannot fathom that I would really have any use for them. Off I went on an internet search for a simple line drawing for Babushka Dolls that I might color or embellish myself and found this adorable fabric from Holland House Fabric:



and this fun print from the Keep Calm Gallery:



but I really hit the jackpot when I found this wonderful blog: Tolka, written by Liz Cox, an artist in the Netherlands. It was just what I needed tonight to distract me from a long, crappy day.

Nifty Gifty

A brown truck brought me this lovely quilt today. My mom makes them by hand...probably about one a year and I finally got a new one! I've gotten a few cast-offs and a really great one that she made me when I was a kid, but this is the first one that is just for me as an adult. The photo doesn't do it justice...all that stitching! It was a total surprise. I can't wait to buy new sheets and such to go with it. Wheeeee!

Daddy's Little Helper

This kid is so unlike all my other kids, well, he is most like Savanna personality-wise. They were both born with these drastic likes and dislikes and are so stubborn in pursuing them. Nothing in the world makes George happier than a power tool. Daddy and Tony were replacing some warped and rotten panels on the trailer skirt and once George saw that action, he had to get some.

Peggle Madness!

I have been playing Peggle all night long...I need to step away from the computer. I've beaten all the levels and now I am doing the challenges....there are SEVENTY-FIVE challenges. I did ten. Totally nuts.

No Bandwidth will be Sacrificed today

After the last few days, I will have mercy on my two readers and skip the photos and videos.

We just finished dinner and we had my latest food craving, Hash Brown Casserole. Thanks to all the LDS on Two Peas in a Bucket, a Scrapbooking website that I frequently visit, I tried this recipe this past summer and now we have it about once a week. It's probably horribly bad for you and I hope that I get sick of it soon.

Hash Brown Casserole

One 2lb. package frozen hash browns, thawed (the thawing takes quite a while)
1/2 c. butter softened
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. chopped onion
One can cream of chicken soup (I use the reduced sodium kind)
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

-preheat oven to 350 degrees
-spray or butter a 9x13 baking pan(I usually use the stick of butter from the recipe)
-mix all ingredients in a large bowl and spread into pan
-bake uncovered for 35 minutes (at my elevation it usually takes a bit longer and I turn on the broiler for a few minutes to brown the top)

Funnin' on a rainy day

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Stinky Face

Little dude is getting to my favorite age. (well honestly, he's just growing out of the "I can't do anything myself, carry me around and do it with me stage)

Somehow, he's decided that "owie" is not only for when you get hurt, but also for when your brother won't let you play with his stuff or when Mommy doesn't let you dive off the kitchen table to GET an owie.

Today show Segment about ME!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

No, not really, but I do consider myself a Digital Mom and I guess I'd better living out here in the middle of the damn forest! Kind of interesting since I am both a member of CafeMom and a loyal Dooce reader.

Some days it seems like I'm spending every free moment on the computer; transferring photos and editing them, posting on my blog and message boards and Twitter and Facebook, or just reading fun stuff. It seems like so many practical things are just easier on the internet. We don't have any local weather report, so I get all my weather from The Weather Channel online. I have gotten blog reading down to a routine where I can read the latest post BEFORE all the ads load.

It might seem like I am spending an inordinate amount of time on the Web, but with a super-demanding, death-defying toddler under my feet, I'll bet it rarely consumes more than an hour a day. While it is tempting to let my eyes glaze over during naptime, I still have to do the dishes and shower and feed the dog...

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

The other day we had some seriously spring weather...upper 60's and sunny. Since the older boys were in school, we just had George to chase around the yard. He found these pole things, which I don't exactly know what they are for, but he swung them around the backyard as long as I could stand it. No eyes were poked out, not even Daisy's.

For now we are back to winter, just hoping for no more big storms!

Peek!

I never know who will be at the feeder each day when I get up. The other day it was this fine fellow....but he is very shy, so I have to sneak around to get the camera and take photos of him. I got much better ones, but I like this one of him watching me through the feeder.

Lovely way to End the Day

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Got a serious workout today

Decided on a whim to take the two little boys on a hike in the woods. Brian carried Georgie in the sling and I lugged the camera. It was a muddy, wet mess, but lots of fresh air and we finally got a good look at Munds Canyon, which is a very large running stream right now. I'm sure my geography is way off, but it was nice to look at. Lots of tracks, but no animal sightings, not even birds. I think the four of us crashing around is enough to scare off anything. We were not even a little bit stealthy. It was quite a slog, but we did it.

Facebook Challenges/Quizzes

I probably get at least one challenge or quiz from someone on Facebook every day and I know that's probably nothing compared to the people who have a bazillion friends on there, but most of the time, they are pretty tiresome. I got one today from Scrapbooks Etc's Melissa Inman and it was very cool.

Here's the challenge:

1 - BAND NAME Go to "wikipedia." Hit “random article”
or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random

The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - ALBUM TITLE Go to "Random quotations"
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3

The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - COVER ART Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days

Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use photoshop or similar to put it all together.

Back from the Dead

I am almost recovered from the cough/cold from hell.....seriously, I thought I would never ever get better, but the symptoms themselves were not alarming, just endless.

We have been staying home a LOT, watching TONS of TV and movies. George was pretty happy about it (he didn't get very sick at all, lucky boy) and seems to be lovin' the homebody thing.



I, on the other hand, am quite perturbed that despite wanting to swoon and fall down, was still required to do all the dishes and laundry. Believe me, that particular debt will be repaid in spades next time someone else I know is "sick."

February Wishes

Here's the things I am coveting right now, in order of desired-ness.



I love this frame from Ikea and it's only $25!It would be totally perfect for my studio/office.



I really need this birdie necklace from Figs and Ginger 4 baby birds for me!



I haven't gotten anything scrappy in a long, long time and this fits the bill perfectly and it's even sold at Walmart!

That's it, no diamonds or furs...just little happy things.

Stellar Blue Jays

 

I have spent the last couple of days mesmerized by these crazy birds. They are so jittery, all I have to do is move a little by the window and they fly away. They are quite large and I have seen 5 of them at once in our tree. I don't know if I can afford to feed them all winter!

December Daily Album

So, I started this project on Dec. 1 and actually managed to make it to the end. It's very simple and some of the pages are kind of a sloppy, tossed-together mess, but it was really fun and it is great to have this hefty little book done and in my hot little hands.

Just a sample of the inside. No, I wasn't going to scan all 50+ pages.